thelion99

hi Ch14, if you're talking to me, it took me 8 and 1/2 months to lose 67 pounds. It's going a lot better now that my calories are bumped up to 1,000. For example, I lost 5 pounds last week. I'm doing everything in my power to continue the strong weight loss and still remain healthy.

Have you tried Crystal Light strawberry, banana, orange flavor? It's really good. I know what you mean about the chemical sugar-free taste - it's pretty rough to deal with. But I find this particular flavor of Crystal Light to actually taste like a 'regular' beverage. And if you add strawberry sorbet flavored Protein powder, it's REALLY tasty and gets you 21g of protein. Not bad, eh? Good luck!

hi AlanaRN, YES I do. I count all non-caffeinated liquids in my daily 64 oz requirement. I checked with my RN and nutritionist, and they are good with that. I typically have one cup of decaf coffee per day, and one or two glasses of Crystal Light, so those drinks count to my target. I add unjury Protein to the crystal light so I get double duty out of one glass of liquid. Unjury contains 21g of protein in one 27g scoop, and tastes great, so getting enough protein is a snap. I had my VSG on 8/4, and it took me awhile to get up to 64 oz. But I'm there, and you'll get there, too. Hang in there, and best of luck!

hi jab315, You're doing great. Some folks have a harder time getting Water down the first day. For you to be having Protein shakes at the end of Day 2 is quite the accomplishment! Keep up the positive spirit and you'll be just fine. Best of luck!

hi MUA, Nope, I didn't leak after surgery. Not sure if you're looking for folks who DID have leaks, and if so, sorry about that. For the record, my surgeon is Dr. Stephen Hodgett. He has a sterling reputation and practices in Baptist Hospital's Bariatric Center of Excellence in Jacksonville, FL. Best of luck!

hi norcalkitty, I found it painful a couple of weeks after surgery to bend down at all. Tying shoes counts as bending (in my book, anyway) so give yourself a rest and wear slip-ons so you can heal without pulling your internal sutures. Remember, the VSG also requires multiple rows of staples (at least that's the way my surgeon did it - three rows) so it could very possibly be that you 'tweaked' your surgeon's work. Take care, take it easy, and you'll be good to go in no time. Best of luck!

hi babybearsmum, I had VSG on 8/4. The only discomfort I had after surgery was in one specific incision on my left side, which was the largest one where they removed the excess stomach. I wore my binder daily without fail for about 2 weeks after surgery. The pain subsided and eventually went away without further treatment. I also didn't bend down for those 2 weeks - it was really uncomfortable. If the gas strips didn't help, maybe the binder will? Good luck and hang in there. It gets better from here, I promise.

Ummmm .... maybe it's just me. But pork rinds as a post-bariatric surgery snack? Danger Will Robinson. They're simply salty, deep fried pig skins. I grew up eating them, so I know they're delicious in that "I don't care how much salt and fat I'm eating right now, I'm in fried pig skin heaven" kind of way. A one-ounce serving (1. ounce.) has 150 calories, a whopping 9 grams of fat, and 515 grams of sodium. Let's keep each other honest, guys. We had bariatric surgery for a reason, and it wasn't so we could eat unhealthy foods and "undo" the good that the surgery brings us. I'm not trying to offend anyone, and if I have, I apologize. But there are a ton of healthy ways to add taste, crunch, and Protein to our post-surgical fare without going down the road that got us here in the first place. Tread lightly, for here be dragons.

Hang in there, Change it up. I agree with the vast majority of the responses. My own surgeon has placed no such restriction on me, and my nutritionist certainly would not have limited me to only protein, either. Too much protein damages your body, just like not getting enough does. I missed the brand name of your protein supplement, but high quality protein is key. I researched multiple brands, and sampled them all before purchasing any. I chose Unjury (www.unjury.com) because it's medical grade, top quality whey isolate protein. Oh, and it tastes really good, too. I've been taking only Unjury for protein supplements since March, and haven't grown tired of their myriad of flavors. So, while sufficient intake of protein is needed to keep you feeling "full", I'd definitely get a second opinion on the 'protein only' directive. Best of luck, and keep us posted.

Well said, mamaofmatthew! Before my surgery in Aug 2014, there were two previous occasions in my life where I lost 100 and 70 pounds, respectively. When I lost the 100 pounds nearly 20 years ago, everyone (even my bosses) made it a point to compliment me on how I looked, how beautiful my suits and shoes were, you name it. Then, when my weight started to creep up again, the compliments stopped. I lost 70 pounds about 8 years ago, and it was again obvious that when you're slimmer, people are ready with compliments. I've lost 67 pounds so far since my initial consultation on 1/29, and the compliments have again started. The difference in how I react to them this time, however, is that I know in my heart of hearts that the rest of the world still hasn't seen The Best Me I Will Be. So I accept them graciously, but I don't let them over-inflate my ego or bother me. I take them at face value and know that people are people. We are naturally drawn to our definition of "beauty". I've got a long way to go, and it will take awhile to reach my goal weight of 150 pounds. I'm also in the process of a complete smile makeover, so the world will see a lot more awesomeness from me over the next 24 months. I'm just blessed to have been given the opportunity to reboot my health. And I'm not squandering this chance to be The Best Me I Will Be. Good luck, everyone, and great job on your progress!

hi everyone, I underwent my VSG on 8/4. As of this morning, I'm down 67 pounds from my initial consultation on 1/29; have lost 31 pounds so far. I make it a point to eat organic, whole, healthy foods, no red meat. Nope, I'm not a vegan; I just choose to be very picky about what I eat now, since NOT being picky got me here in the first place. I'm on 1,000 calorie diet and get about 950 each day. I'm still finding out what foods I can and can't eat, and trust me... it only takes once to find out what you can't eat, right? I've read some pretty amazing stories on the forum, and all I can say is "Way to go" to each and every one of you. Keep the faith, and keep your eyes on your goal. Great job!

I agree with BeagleLover. Pain is not normal and is our body's way of telling us to pay attention to something that's not normal. Best of luck.

hi fatblasting, My surgeon told me to eat no less than 900 calories, because anything less than that and your body eventually goes into starvation mode. I can attest that that's a real thing, because I was at 900 calories, and stopped losing weight for about a week and a half. My nutritionist told me I was starving myself, and increased my caloric intake to 1,000 calories. I get about 950 calories per day, all from good, healthy organic food, and the weight loss has kicked back into a normal range (normal for me, maybe not normal for anyone else). So, I'm not a doctor, and I didn't stay in a Holiday Express last night. But ... check with your nutritionist. You may simply have reached a metabolic plateau and need to increase your calories. It worked for me

hi Ch14, I weighed 347 at my initial consultation on January 29th. I weighed 311 on the day of my surgery, August 4th. I weigh 280 today. My weight was coming off rather quickly after my surgery, but unfortunately I developed an acute mesenteric venous thrombosis (mesenteric vein blood clot) that subsequently slowed my weight loss. Now that I'm out of the hospital from the blood clot, I eat organic, clean, whole foods, no red meat, and get 65-80 g Protein daily. While my weight isn't coming off as quickly as it was immediately after surgery, I AM still losing. My health care team has assured me that my weight loss is great considering all I've been through. But please don't let my surgical complication scare you. I would undergo this surgery again in a heartbeat, and let's keep in mind that every surgical procedure carries the risk of clotting. Even though I'll have to take Coumadin, be on a special Vitamin K-restricted diet for the next six months, and require another CT scan with contrast to determine the state of the blood clot, I'm healthier (and thinner!) now than I have been in many, many years. Best of luck to you, and keep your eye on the brass ring. Your journey has no expiration date, so your determination and will power shouldn't, either. Take care and keep me posted on your progress. You can do this.