bonniefide

I am from Columbus and wondered if there was anyone out there lurking. Saw some old posts in here from other people in C-bus, but nothing new. I know we have a lot of bariatric surgeries going on here, so there has to be somebody! If there is anyone, let's all follow this thread and try to get support from each other!

I just hit my 50 lb weight loss as of today. I must say I'm sad it's not more, but should be grateful it isn't less.

I looked up those protein shots, and I'm going to have to get those! I am very naughty and don't meet my protein requirements regularly... I just can't seem to eat enough. The only way I can meet it is with protein shakes but I am so over those right now! Everything I mention below I'm allowed to have, so it will depend on whether you can or not... My favorite "treat" is half of a banana (a smallish banana) with a tbsp of peanut butter on it. I also really love oatmeal, so I get the low sugar/weight loss kind and put a little unflavored protein powder in it. Otherwise it will taste weird if I put too much in! Canned chicken & tuna seem to go down well also, but I can't eat too much. I make chicken or tuna "salad" with fat-free mayo and some onion powder. Once I'm allowed I'll add celery. I find I'm so hungry for protein I don't even miss the bread. I love egg beaters all egg whites with fat free cheese and mild salsa... plain eggs would probably make me sick! I also put some garlic powder and paprika in the eggs to jazz them up and take some of the "egginess" away.

I am not drinking soda - my surgeon's rules were to wait at least 6 months, but preferably never. Diet soda is proven to make you gain weight, so there is no way I'd risk either after all the money and energy spent on this! The only "cheat" I have done is a half cup of coffee when I had a headache. After detoxing from caffeine, I don't want to get off the wagon, cuz that was a hard wagon to get on to.

Gallbladder pain can be in your right upper quadrant, but more often than not people have pain in their back or upper shoulder. Appendix pain is in your right lower quadrant. What you describe does sounds like a peptic ulcer.... but gallbladder could cause similar problems. Blood in stool and coffee-ground emesis (vomit) is generally when it goes on for awhile. If it is that bad, I would definitely want my surgeon to squeeze me in asap and run some tests. My boss had bypass and had a GI bleed, but she kept taking NSAIDs after her surgery, which was a big no-no! But, there are a multitude of things that could cause it. Keep us posted on what your doctor says!

Definitely call your doctor ASAP. You are severely dehydrated. When you get a couple bags of IV Fluid in you, it will make a world of difference! Please keep us posted on what your doctor says!

I have been having the same problem all along. Most people told me that once I'm on solids that I will actually feel full. Well, I had some chicken last night, and I can actually say for the first time, I was uncomfortably full. I know I shouldn't have eaten enough to become uncomfortably full, but it was a good lesson for me knowing that I am not still a bottomless pit like I used to be. Being on fluids and baby foods for so long, I felt like I could still eat "anything". At least now I know that I can't. My tummy still hurts this morning, so all I'm doing is drinking water. I'm really discouraged because I'm 1 month out and I've been stalled... I actually just gained 2 lbs. But, I'm hoping it's hormones and I'm going to get my period. I'm so irregular, that I never know when it's coming! I just had hoped it would continue to fall off. I'm not giving up of course... I would just like to see some movement on the scale. It's discouraging to have it go in the wrong direction, even if it is hormone related. :\

I had the same thing happen to me! Glad I'm not alone. I went up a pound... stayed there for 5 days, now today I finally lost that pound! Hope it keeps coming off again. It's such a great motivator!

you look awesome! congratulations!

Surgery date: 10/17/13 Highest weight: 306 Surgery weight: 300 Current weight: 274.2 Thankfully I was only on armour thyroid... I'm still on that though and probably will be, as I've always had thyroid problems. I had a REALLLLLY hard time the first week. Horrible head cravings, moodiness, despair, regret - it was a veritable rollercoaster of emotions. I went back to work after 1 week off and once I did, I got a little better. It gave me something to keep my head occupied. I'm losing around 1 lb/day, which is AWESOME. I know it won't be that way forever, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts. Per doctors orders, I'm still on full liquids. I have a nutrition class Weds and will then go on to pureed for 2 weeks, then finally soft diet in time for Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to a tbsp of mashed potatoes. I have a goal weight for myself of 150, because that puts me in a BMI in the normal range; however, I will be excited to just hit onederland. I don't think I was even 150 in high school... but if I can get there, that is uncharted territory!

Pureed after day 5! I'm so jealous. They wanted me on full liquids for 3 weeks! Makes me feel not so guilty about the baby food I had!

I have to agree with what most people are saying, which is that you should stop blaming outside circumstances that could be changed and instead look inward, being very blunt and realistic with yourself. Alcohol should not be consumed by people who have had a sleeve for ideally 6 months to one year after surgery. There is a special digestive enzyme in your stomach that processes alcohol. Since 85% of your stomach has been removed, there is very little of that enzyme (if any) to process alcohol. You could actually end up with alcohol poisoning and be in the hospital getting your stomach pumped. If cereal is a "trigger" food (a food that you can't seem to stop eating once you start) then don't buy it. There are a ton of things that I just can't buy because I know I can't control myself and I will eat all of it! Grocery stores sell pre-cooked chickens, usually for $5. If you want something quick and easy, you could get a chicken and eat off of that for a few days. Also, Protein shakes with milk will give you protein and what your body needs to feel full. I tried Isopure Water for the first time today. It smells kinda weird but tastes OK... and dang, it filled me up. I'm actually burping! (TMI) Support groups work when you work the program. Do you think it would be acceptable for an alcoholic to attend an AA meeting if they just kept drinking and drinking, week after week, year after year? Just going will not help someone until they actually hit rock bottom and make the decision to stop. The point is, it is horribly difficult... horribly horribly difficult to stop eating... (I am literally fighting it every minute of the day) but it is something you have to fight just like any other addict. Your stomach is not likely stretched all the way out, but you could be doing damage to your insides. Your hair is falling out because you are not consuming nutrients. The majority of people who get a VGS will have hair fall out - this is because your body is working to keep the more important parts of your body working (like internal organs and muscles) and ignores things like hair, nails, and skin. I've noticed in a lot of your posts you mention things you can't do, such as not being able to cook. I can't cook either, and that was a big fear of mine. So, what am I going to do? I'm going to sign up for cooking classes. In the meantime, I look up stuff on youtube that looks basic enough for someone who can burn water! My nutritionist gave me smoothie recipes that use frozen fruit and yogurt. The frozen fruit doesn't go bad for ages (cuz it's frozen) and the yogurt isn't anything fancy. Then I just add Protein powder and put it in a blender. It literally takes 5 minutes and you can't screw it up. To conclude, it's easy for anyone to tell you what to do; however, you sound very depressed on top of everything else, so anything people tell you to do will seem unrealistic. I have been through therapy myself and was on antidepressants from the time I was 15 up until last year when I finally got good therapy (I'm 33 now). So, I do understand depression... everyone is just like, "Well... don't be sad. Think positive." Gee.... why didn't I think of that? I'm cured! haha. The point I'm trying to make is, PLEASE reach out for help... either to your primary doctor to work with you on getting the correct type of medication for you, or to a licensed therapist that can help you through this. If you can work through some of these issues in a non-judgmental environment, you will feel more positive about your outlook in life, then things kind of click into place slowly but surely.

I started using my heating pad. I rotate it on different parts of my body... when one part warms up, I move it to the next frozen area.

Bonnie! I'm Bonnie too. pjackson and bonbon, I was sleeved on 10/17, right around the same time as both of you, and I feel the exact same! It was freaking me out that everyone else was having such trouble and feeling full when I was able to drink and eat even while I was in the hospital. Now that I am home, I feel like a bottomless pit... like I could eat anything. Don't get me wrong, I don't actually do it... I keep up with the portion control and the diet. But I always feel like I could comfortably eat more. I keep telling myself it's head hunger, but to me, it feels real... like my tummy is empty and needs something. :\ I just keep trying to ignore it and tell myself it's because I'm on liquids and hopefully when I'm on pureed or soft this "hunger" will go away and I can feel full for once!

I was back after a week and 2 days. Had surgery on Thursday, October 17. Had my drain taken out on Friday the 25th and was back at work on Monday. I have noticed I can't seem to work more than 6 hours though... I get pretty sleepy by 3 and feel like I need a nap! But, I have a boring sit down job and I don't have any lifting to do. As long as you have an easy job, you can probably do it. (But... disclaimer... everyone is different. )

I understand. My family doesn't really "celebrate" Thanksgiving but we all end up together with a crap ton of food. I'm thinking of going late after everyone has eaten. Even though it's still a month away and I'll be on soft foods, I'm not sure I can handle it. I might have someone set aside a tbsp of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes (or whatever soft stuff there is) on a little plate. Otherwise, it's too fresh for me to trust myself. I'm still in the highly addicted stage.... I need to avoid food like an alcoholic needs to avoid a bar!

I'm just out of surgery 2 weeks, but already it has started. I haven't told everyone and their mother that I had the surgery, so most comments, I know they are coming from a place of love from people who want me to succeed. I'm sure once more people know, I will have to tell people to shove off. I have a good friend who is very thin, and on a couple occasions she's asked if she could eat with me, and I tell her, "I love you, but no you can't." She laughs and then goes and eats on her own. Where I'm at right now, I know I couldn't handle watching her eat pizza while I'm still on full liquids! Eventually we'll eat together again, but not right now. Don't be afraid to tell people "no"! If they love you, they will understand.

OK, I had to interject that my hooker name would be Birdie St. Jude, which truly does sound hookerish. LOL. My name comes from the word "bonafide", which means authentic or true. My name is Bonnie, hence the bonniefide. I'm bonniefide on everything... email, facebook, tumblr... everything.