IronDruggist

My pre-op education had a recipe you could use that would be very inexpensive...can't remember the exact measurements of everything but it was Carnation Instant Breakfast, milk, and dried powdered milk. I'll dig through my papers and find the recipe if anyone is interested, just let me know :-)

Control and punishment. Hallmarks of eating disorders. Like it or not, we all have had an eating disorder. It is why we ended up having this surgery. In my opinion, this surgery is not only a chance to lose weight and combat obesity, but to correct an eating disorder...to develop a normal, healthy relationship with food. I cringe sometimes reading these boards, seeing people develop a new obsession, that of control, or that of punishment. Control is a novelty to us...we are no longer hungry, no longer have our insides clawing at us for food. It is refreshing to have this new level of control over appetite. But, instead of obsessing over eating, we start to obsess over NOT eating...not eating too many carbs, not drinking our calories, not eating before bed. I challenge all of you to visit a pro-ana website. Compare some of the "rules." Anything sound familiar? We also have a drive to punish ourselves for ever being fat. It feels do good to be thin, how could we have ever let ourselves go? So now we've had surgery, so we can't EVER have good we enjoy ever again. That is how we got into this mess, right? Wrong! We had an unhealthy relationship with that comfort food. We ate when we were sad, happy, lonely, etc. Occasional indulgence is healthy, not absolute abstinence or over indulgence. Did ultra restrictive diets ever work long term? No...or else we wouldn't have had to have surgery. A piece of cake and done I've cream on your birthday is not going to make you fat again. Normal people eat treats on special occasions. It is a healthy relationship with food. The most successful sleeve person I've ever met never counted calories and never formally exercised a day after her surgery. She got it. This surgery gives us a chance to finally be NORMAL. Don't blow it by developing a different but just as unhealthy eating disorder. Stop worrying, counting, and weighing, just start living.

My body dysmorphia always puts me heavier. I've lost 60 lbs so far and I DON'T SEE IT. It's maddening. I still won't take pictures of myself, maybe that would make a difference.../shrug

Had my 2 month f/u, and the first time I've weighed myself since my 2 week f/u. Here's my stats so far :-D HW 315 SW 298 CW 255 Sleeved 9/2, doing great so far...my PA is kind of a prick, but oh well lol. Any other horse folks out there that have a hard time explaining how riding really is a work out? I ride dressage, and man! I'm huffing and puffing after 15 minutes. PA said it was just adrenaline /sigh

I sneeze too...mostly when my stomach is not happy for whatever reason. And I've noticed its a different "full" feeling...more around the top of the stomach, rather than in the belly area. Makes sense I guess.

I'm a big believer in homemade bone broth (like chicken stock made with the frame of the bird)...super high in collagen and gelatin for healthy skin and hair.

I was into energy drinks big time pre-op. Never really into coffee, unless it was foo foo. I love tea though, but switching to herbal tea hasn't been a big deal. I quit cold turkey, and it was easier than I thought! I'm surrounded by coffee drinkers at work, and sometimes it does smell really good though!

I've been sleeping a lot more too. I am 9 weeks out, and unless I set an alarm and force myself to wake up, I'll sleep 12 to 14 hours! I just attribute it to working 40 hours on my feet (I don't even have a chair at work) and not eating as much as my body is demanding. I'm still waiting for all this extra energy we are supposed to have...

I don't think juice is necessarily a bad thing, especially if it is from whole fruits and veg (ie it still has all the pulp and fiber). There are a lot of recipes out there that aren't very caloric, but full of great nutrients. I think we forget that calories are calories, it doesn't matter where they come from. As long as you are reaching your protein goal and still tightly control your calories, it really shouldn't matter. The only problem is that juice will not fill you up as much, and you may feel hungry sooner. But you can't tell me that fruit and veggies are bad for you and weight loss. My surgeon said specifically that this is not a "low carb" diet, and I'm sick of people pretending that it is.

I had my sleeve 9-2, and yes I've had a few drinks since. Unlike everyone else it seems, I am not any more sensitive to alcohol than I was before. I like to occasionally have some light cranberry juice with vodka, and my stomach seems just fine. And I'm still losing. I think it is hooey to say if you drink, you will not lose weight. Calories in, calories out. Alcohol doesn't have super calories that defy physiology. They are empty calories, sure. Alcohol may impair your judgment about food choices, yep. But I've seen no credible evidence that drinking alcohol will stall weight loss, all calorie intake being equal. I'm obviously not saying go against what your surgeon says, this is just my experience.

I've absolutely no change other than its harder to tolerate wine, just makes me a bit acidy.

I've been reading a lot on the wonders of bone broth...that it is good for digestive healing, skin, and hair. Anyone else jumped on this bandwagon? I'm hoping that it will help prevent loose skin to some extent.. lots of gelatin and collagen to promote skin elasticity. Can't hurt I guess :-)

I went a whole 7 days before I started moving along. 5 days is still normal (my surgeon said 5 to 10 days). It's a combination of days, or weeks, of liquid diet and pain meds. Your gut is moving slowly, and you aren't eating much to have anything to move! The best options are Colace or Miralax. Just know that they do not always work right away, so it still may be a couple days to have any results.

I am 6 days post-op, and trying to figure out how to make Protein shakes interesting long-term. My favorite discovery has been ProtiZyme brand protein powder! Comes in the standard flavors, but so much better tasting than any I've tried so far. The Peanut Butter cookie flavor is my favorite. Another plus (at least to me) is that they don't get super foamy and thick, so you don't have the burps with every sip. My next favorite discovery is the book "The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes". Great recipes! To incorporate more flavors, the author uses sugar-free flavor syrups (the kind they use at coffee houses and for snow cones), and sugar-free pudding mix. I imagine you could even use flavor extracts too! My fave is the Butterfinger Protein shake :-)

Yep, that are ready to drink, come in soda can type containers. Great for those days you sleep through an alarm and have to run out the door lol

I don't know if there is a similar post already, but I wanted to start a place to share awesome products that you've discovered since WLS. Anything goes, like cook books, exercise dvds, bariatric dishes, great tasting Protein shakes, etc. My most recent discovery is Trader Joe's brand Protein Shakes. They come in chocolate and vanilla. The chocolate flavor has 35g protein! By far the best tasting shakes I've tried. I also use baby spoons to eat when I'm home. Makes it easier to take smaller bites :-)

I had to switch surgeons half way through because my insurance changed. Wasn't as much of a hassle as it could have been. I agree that if you aren't receiving the proper communication with that office, you should switch. These are people that you are going to be dealing with for years of follow up, not to mention your life is in that surgeon's hands. That being said, everything you have done so far should be "transferable". I would hand carry a medical records release form to their office so your new surgeon will be able to get your records. If you've already done your psych eval with that office, you need to specify that they are to release those as well...they are NOT released unless you are specific in including those. My second surgeon required me to attend his free intro seminar, but that was the only thing I had to do over. If you are having insurance pay for your surgery, call them and ask what surgeons are covered...they may only have a handful that are in network. If you are self pay, you have more options, but I would definitely look for surgery centers that are considered "centers of excellence" by some insurance plans (usually a good sign).

Walden Farms products! They have a whole line of zero calorie salad dressings, bbq sauces, and even chocolate sauce! Can you say zero calorie bacon ranch dressing?! Truly a marvel of modern food technology :-)

My pre-op diet allowed 4 Bariatric Advantage protein shakes per day, plus any low calorie liquids, jello, popsicles, etc. The best things I stocked up on were different flavors of "soup starters"...pho broth, tortilla soup broth (Swanson), Chinese hot and sour broth (also Swanson). These were great because most of the allowed foods are sweet...artificially sweetened, even worse. The only problem is they are high in sodium, so you can't go too crazy with them. I also really craved chewing, so I did allow myself an occasional dill pickle or some celery. Personally, I would advocate this pre-op diet. It is fool proof, you don't need to count any calories, and convenient. It sounds pretty dismal, but it really isn't bad after day 3 or 4. I think it is also a good way to start to rewire your relationship with food. You definitely are forced to find other things to think about other than food!

I was sleeved 9-2, feeling pretty good so far. Went back to work on the 18th, on my feet for 8 hours straight. It had been a whole month today, but honestly I haven't started formally exercising yet. I just feel so tired when I get home from work, and I've been sleeping A LOT if I don't set an alarm. It is non-stop at work, so I'm having trouble making breaks to drink water...I only pee like twice a day, which is awful I know. I used to be a water chugger, getting used to sipping water all day had been the hardest adjustment. Protein hasn't been a problem, and I'm pretty much eating normal food, just protein first and then cooked veggies. I haven't weighed myself since my 2 week follow up, but I'm starting to be able to see it in the mirror. Body dysmorphia horribly alters how I see myself, but I'm trying to think positive. Where is everyone at exercise-wise? I am looking forward to being able to exercise without being in pain, but my fatigue is still overwhelming sometimes. I'm officially cleared to go back to riding my horse though :-) we both have to get back in shape!

I'm new to these forums, but I've done quite a bit of reading regarding post-op diets. My understanding from my NUT, and my surgeon is that the post-op diet is not intended to be "low carb." That is very clearly stated in my educational paperwork. However, so many threads seem to just freak out over eating ANY carbs...even claiming to gain x amount of pounds from eating a cracker, or stalling for weeks because they drank a glass of wine. Quite frankly, it starts to read like a pro-ana website sometimes! I thought this surgery was not only a tool to help us loss weight, but also to help us develop a healthy relationship with food. By all means, eat HEALTHY, eat CLEAN, eat WHOLE FOODS. These include complex carbs found in veggies, fruit, and whole grains. Now, I admit I'm only 2 weeks out of surgery, so maybe my views will change, but I do not believe that we should punish ourselves. Learn moderation, not abstinence!

As long as you are drinking the entire contents of the bottle, it doesn't matter what you mix it with. I know the taste of those can be a bit jarring lol

Deep breaths may hurt for a little while because of the incisions...they go through your muscle, so that has to heal. My dr have me an incentive spirometer to use every hour. Basically it just measures how much air you can breathe in. Going for walks is great as soon as it is comfortable. The only physical restrictions my dr gave me was to avoid a lot of ab work (and horseback riding) until 4 weeks. As for the first BM, I didn't "go" until day 7 post-op, which is still considered normal. Your body just doesn't have a lot to get rid of, and pain medications can slow down the GI tract. Passing gas or feeling a little gurgley is a good sign that things are moving along. Hope that helps :-)

The pain was definitely not as bad as expected. I had some gas pain right when I woke up, but not for long. I was lucky I didn't have nausea. I didn't have any sensation of pain in my stomach, just on my left side where the larger incision was. Felt just like a stitch you would get from running. Now I'm not a weak sister, but I used my pain pump to stay comfortable as possible in the hospital, no shame in that. The better you feel, the more you will be able to get up and walk. After I got out of the hospital, I was taking hydrocodone/apap for a full ten days, but I didn't exactly take it as easy as I should have. Your stomach muscles will be pretty weak, and very easy to strain, which I did. In hindsight, I probably should have taken another week off from work. Coming back to a full 40 hour week was tough, especially being on my feet the whole time. I guess my unsolicited advice would be to take ad much time off as you can...not just because of discomfort, but to adjust to a new way of living. And be honest with your doc about your pain. There is no reason to "tough it out," and everyone has a different experience in terms of severity and duration of pain.

I remember waking up from surgery in a lot of pain too, like a bunch of pressure up into my diaphragm. Seemed like it took forever for them to get my PCA up and running, although I know it wasn't long. I definitely remember that!