healthyme1963

Congrats! Wonderful post and wonderful video; very inspiring! You rock!

I was weighing myself almost daily during the pre-op diet and just after surgery. Then, I realized I wasn't doing myself any favors, so now only weigh every few days or so. I don't weigh on a schedule, just whenever I happen to think about it now, never more than twice a week. Giving up the daily weigh-ins was very liberating!

These sound really good; I'm going to have to give them a try.

I've used the Bariatric Advantage caramel chews since the week following my surgery. They are really good. I'm 4 months post-op and am about to finish my last bag of them. Once these are gone, I'll switch back to the Citracal monster sized pills. I don't have any trouble swallowing the large pills now and they are much less expensive than BA.

It's very common and happens to the majority of people who have had surgery. I've had multiple surgeries and experience it to some degree each time. In my case, it has something to do with the anesthesia. I am losing a bit more hair this time, though, as my body goes through such major changes after the gastric bypass. You most likely will experience it, but it is temporary and will grow back. Some people swear by Biotin, others say don't waste your money.

The third and fourth days were the worst for me (mine was a two week liquid diet, with the last day being just clear liquids). Once I got over that hump, it got easier and the weight started coming off. Hang in there! You'll rock this!

You may have developed a dairy intolerance. Several vegetables can cause gas as well. I keep a bottle of Beano in my purse, in my lunchbox and at home. Anytime I eat anything that might cause gas, I chew a couple of Beano when I take my first bite of food. Works like a charm!

You definitely need to walk lots and get some exercise during this phase, but maybe you should lighten the workout just a bit? It sounds like you are doing everything by the book, but maybe just doing a little too much in the workout department. Good luck!

Hello ~ You don't say how long you've been on the liquid diet. I would suggest making sure that your broths are low sodium, your Clear liquids are sugar-free and you get plenty of Water and exercise. I was on the liquid diet for a few days before I noticed any weight loss, but by the second week the weight was falling off. Hang in there and follow the plan to the letter. You'll do fine.

This is a very common concern. I know a lot of people who have mentioned the same thing. One thing you could try is to take 'progression' photos of yourself once a month. My husband takes one of me every month and when I look at the photos side by side, I can really see the difference. Good luck to you; keep us posted on your progress!

The only out-of-pocket cost I had was a $500 co-pay. My surgeon's office set me up on monthly payments, which didn't even start until after the surgery. After reading these replies, I feel extremely lucky to have the monthly payment option I was given. I would ask your surgeon's office if they would be willing to set you up on monthly payments. Good luck!

Congrats on your decision to take control of your health! I am by no means a veteran yet, but I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on this whole process now. In my opinion: Pros - Obviously, the rapid weight loss in the beginning is awesome! I totally lost any desire for most 'bad' foods. I came off my blood pressure meds the day I went home from the hospital. I have much more energy. My joints feel so much better; my arthritis pain is diminishing somewhat. Being able to exercise and move with much more ease. Shopping in the normal size clothing section. So many more I could list, but you get the idea. Cons - I couldn't drink Water without experiencing pain in my pouch for the first couple of months. I had to drink my liquids warm to avoid pain. This made it so much harder to get all my water in each day. Learning to time meals and drinking so that these activities are appropriately spaced apart. After a couple of weeks, the Protein drinks were gagging me! I went through several different ones trying to find one that didn't nauseate me. Same goes for the chewable Vitamins - yuck! Eventually, though, you will be able to swallow your vitamins. In the beginning of the soft, and then solid, foods phase you never know what you will be able to tolerate, so you may end up feeling sick or get a stomach ache from something you eat (even from a food that you always loved - my worst enemy so far is chicken breast and I used to eat it all the time) You may not get the support you are expecting from your family and friends. Expect a lot of negativity from some. This is why I only told a few select people. The rest of the world has no idea that I had the surgery. Good luck with everything! Keep us posted on your progress.

Fantastic! You look wonderful and I love your mantra!

Congrats! You're doing great! I had surgery mid-March and am down over 70 pounds. I have fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease in my neck and spine and chronic arthritis in almost every joint in my body. As soon as the weight started coming off, I noticed my joint pain diminishing. Granted, I still have a lot of pain from the fibromyalgia that no amount of weight loss will help, but I feel so much better every day. No more high blood pressure. You're going to do great and feel so much better each and every day as you lose the weight. Keep us posted on your progress.

That's awesome! Fingers crossed!

Congrats on taking control of your health! Good luck with your surgery. You came to the right place for support and advice. Keep us posted on your progress.

In my case, I know it can't be gallbladder related, since I had my gallbladder out two years ago. My gallbladder pain was all in the front, radiating across my stomach.

Weighing and measuring are crucial for months, even years after surgery. I'm pretty good at eyeballing portions, but I still use my little digital scale and measuring cups, just to err on the side of caution.

I am almost 4 months post-op and have been experiencing horrible back pain across the back of the rib cage on both sides, just below the bra line, for about 2 months now. I get enough Water, so I can't imagine that it's due to dehydration. I have an appt with my PCP Monday, so hopefully will get some answers then. Fingers crossed!

You probably don't want to push it too hard if you have a job where you are on your feet for most of your shift. Your body is still healing. Enjoy your time off; focus on using that time to heal and to get into your new, healthy eating routine. Good luck!

Ground beef was the one meat I could tolerate besides fish when I first started on solid foods. I buy 96% lean ground beef and make a tiny taco salad (sans the tortilla bowl of course!) with a couple of tablespoons of the seasoned meat, a little bit of refried Beans,a sprinkling of shredded cheese and about half a teaspoon of sour cream. High Protein, good Fiber and yummy.

Yep, it's been a wonderful feeling watching my weight come down. I've had a fairly smooth ride, with only a couple of very minor bumps in the first month after surgery (though nothing that required a trip to the doctor, thank goodness!). Hopefully, everything goes very smoothly for you as well.

I used the Premier Protein brand which I purchased at costco. Each shake has 160 calories and 30 grams of protein. They are tolerable and come in a few different flavors.

I was given the green light to do a Water aerobics class after 4 weeks. Every doctor's orders are different, though, so I would just give your doc's office a call and get clarification.

Good luck to you! You have made a monumental decision to take control of you health and your weight; good for you! This site is a wonderful place to ask questions and read about others' experiences. There are a lot of caring and supportive people here who will be there for you. I can completely understand how you feel about going to the gym. Before my bypass surgery, I was too self-conscious to set foot in a gym. I started walking with another friend who had bypass surgery (5 weeks after me) prior to surgery and would do exercises at home. Once I had the surgery and had lost about 30% of my excess weight, I felt a bit more comfortable working out around other people, so then joined a gym. I go now 4-5 mornings a week and go to a deep Water aerobics class at the pool two nights a week. If you're feeling too self-conscious to go to the gym now, maybe you could try what I did. After surgery, and as the weight comes off, you will find that you have so much more energy than you ever did. This should help motivate you to get into the gym. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress! Please feel free to add me as a friend as well.