WL WARRIOR

I am experiencing similar symptoms, except I am three months out. The doctor thinks I have an ulcer that is pushing against my back and causing my back pain. I have to drive an hour away to the hospital where I originally had my VSG surgery to get a procedure done. I hope you feel better!

Type in "Recipe Frenzy" in the search bar to get to a post from bobbyswife. She put a list together of some of the best bariatric online recipes and cookbooks. The two Bariatric Buddies cookbooks are free downloads. Since there is no copyright, you can print them out on your own printer or do it at Kinkos's where you can also get it binded. There is a pureed recipe section in these cookbooks, as well as a recipe section for each stage of the bariatric eating plan. Good luck!

Isopure was what helped me get in 100 grams of protein in everyday starting from Day 3. One 12 ounce serving has 50 grams of protein. Plus, it has added vitamins and minerals that are helpful during your recovery. I don't drink it for the taste, but for all of its other health and weight loss benefits. It is still one of my primary protein sources 3 months out.

"Eat It Up!" (The Complete Mind/Body/Spirit Guide to a Full Life After Weight Loss Surgery) by Connie Stapleton is a good post op book as well. The book presents many skills and strategies to overcome difficulties following weight loss surgery.

I'm getting over a sinus and ear infection and Sudafed/antihistamines were approved by my doctor. Sudafed raises my blood pressure a little, however. A steroid spray was also prescribed. Saline sprays can be bought over the counter and may also help. Alka-Seltzer Cold and Flu (which I have always found to work well) is not allowed. Day-quil, Ny-quil, and Mucinex may need to be checked. Tylenol and Guafineson (ingredients in Mucinex) should be okay.

I have had to go up on my thyroid meds three times in the past year and a half. My blood work over the summer was the worst yet. During my two week pre-op liquid diet, I purposely cut back drastically. I consumed only 600 calories and walked 6 miles daily. When I hopped on the scale before surgery, I was terribly annoyed that I only lost 8 pounds. Even though I starved myself and never cheated once. Well, it got much better after surgery. I duplicated my pre-op diet the first two weeks post op (walking half a mile instead of six miles daily) and lost 20 pounds. I am almost 3 months post op and have had good progress so far. My thyroid is still under active and I fear that I will have to really kick it in overdrive once I hit maintenance.

I am down 75 pounds since pre-op October 1st (exactly 3 months ago) and do 30 minutes of walking almost everyday. Exercise is important, but sticking to a low calorie, high protein diet is more important early on. I've read many research articles that conclude this as well. You have to do some light exercise, but it is not necessary to do a workout like they do on the "Biggest Loser" show.

I was on my own for five days after I got home from surgery. The two biggest annoyances (during the first 48 hours home) were reaching and rising. Like someone else mentioned, it will be much easier if you sleep in a reclining position. I slept the first two nighs flat on my back on the couch. In the morning (after the pain meds wore off), it was excruciating to try to stand. I ended up rolling to the floor, getting on all fours, and grabbing onto furniture to pull myself up. This only happened 2-3 times and was just something I did because no one else was around to give me a hand. Someone else that was home alone during recovery mentioned using a "reacher". These are poles with clamps at the end to help grab things out of reach. I think that is a clever idea. It's probably best to be proactive and set everything within reach ahead of time like others mentioned. I had clocks and alarms set at 5 and 30 minute intervals to remind me to drink an ounce and walk. Most others set them for 15 minute intervals.

Which meds were you not able to drop? I know that is a personal question, so don't feel obligated to answer. I was just curious because I've recently realized that I might never be able to drop my blood pressure and thyroid meds no matter how much weight I lose. For me, high blood pressure and hypothyroidism is a CORRELATION of my obesity, not a CAUSATION. I will probably still have high blood pressure and hypothyroidism when I am no longer obese seeing how my symptoms have not improved even after losing 75 pounds. It's slightly aggravating, but I'm still glad I had surgery. Good luck on your upgrade to bypass. I hope it gives you the results you are seeking.

I definitely thought the VSG was more painful. However, I really think I had better pain meds (morphine pump) after my c-section. I also was bedridden in the hospital for three miserable weeks immediately following my emergency c-section and kept quite comfortable. If I had to do my VSG surgery again, I would have requested morphine since it worked so well before. The pain level after the VSG is quite intense for 2 days. Like Elode mentioned, I was quite startled by the pain waking up right out of surgery. Although it is NOT the worst pain I've ever been in. I had rheumatic fever in 2003 during my first year teaching. Every joint in my body had extreme inflammation that eventually made its way to my heart.

I was stapled and had no drain. Like someone said above, my surgeon had done nearly a thousand surgeries and no longer felt putting in a drain was necessary. My staples were covered with steri strips and large band-aids. The nurse took them off before going home on the third day. It stung a little to have them ripped off so early. When the strips and band-aids were being taken off the largest incision (where the stomach was pulled out), I freaked out. It felt like my insides were going to spew out as she tugged the dressing off. I was told to let hot soapy Water run over the incisions during the next five days until the staples were taken out at my one week follow up.

I had surgery on October 7th weighing in at 272. It's unbelievable that I'll be 3 months post op in 7 days. I had a stall as well around weeks 3 and 4. My weight loss has accelerated this past month due to sickness (flu and ear & sinus infection). I tend to lose weight every winter due to catching a virus. I'm a teacher so I'm often around sick kids. I usually gain the weight back once I regain my health and apetite. Hopefully, it will not happen this year thanks to the surgery.

You really shouldn't be drinking anything fizzy or effervescent after sleeve surgery. Things like alka-seltzer are usually on the "not ever again" list. Anything carbonated or with bubbles is generally not good for bariatric patients. I've heard others say that it may be okay if you let it sit for a long time until the bubbles dissipate. However, I wouldn't be one to take that chance. It's probably best if you get permission from your bariatrician or surgeon.

Where did you get the stomach stuffie? So cute!

I really wouldn't do an amnio if it's not an absolute necessity. My pregnancy was also high risk and was talked into getting the amnio even though I didn't deem it that necessary since I was already at 31 weeks. I was horrified when my Water broke two hours after the amnio. They held off delivering my son for a week until his vitals started deteriorating. He was in the NICU for five weeks with a multitude of problems. He is a very healthy boy now with no long term effects. However, I think his birth and first few months of life wouldn't have been so traumatic if I would had been more persistent against the amnio being done. I truly think it was the primary cause of my early labor, which led to all the other problems we had to overcome.

Is Miralax approved for post op patients? I read that it expands in your stomach. I am having difficulty contacting my bariatrician and my GP wasn't sure.

Walgreen's carries protein shakes, including Premier protein.

It's the Christmas season which means that there you are going to be surrounded by yummy, sugary, and fattening food. Nobody is sabotaging you, this is life. Let everyone else eat their wonderful food. Your job is to strategize so that you are not tempted. Think ahead before these temptations occur because they will be everywhere, even when the Christmas season is over. You are the one that got the surgery, so you are the one that has to make the big changes. I went to a get-together this afternoon and sipped on a protein shake while everyone was consuming their feast. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't hungry while being surrounded by food that would be tempting. When you plan ahead, there is more of a chance that you will succeed.

I hope your daughter gets better and this problem gets solved. I can't help but wonder how a gastric bypass would increase her stomach capacity. If her stomach is a thin banana, how would cinching the top part into a small pouch remediate the capacity problem? There was another poster that had this same problem a few months ago. She went in for another surgery, but I don't remember the specifics.

It probably would be best if you don't have junk food like this in your house. I know that gets complicated when you have other family members in your house. My son has his own cabinet of carbohydrate rich food so that it is out of sight. I'm not trying to be mean, but I don't even let him eat those hot fry Snacks. The same goes with those crunchy onion ring snacks. If you turn the bag around and look at the ingredians, you will see why. Some brands even have trans fat. If you get into the practice of reading food labels and thinking beforehand about what you are consuming, it may help you. You may be one of those people that can take a bite of sugary/fattening food and then stop. Although you can't do any of that now because you are still in the healing phase. At least you realized that you made a mistake by not following your plan. Just learn from it and move on.

I have always found Alka-Seltzer cold and flu to work the absolute best. Although it is totally off limits after sleeve surgery. You may want to try Claritan-D or a generic version of it.

I am getting over a double ear and sinus infection and was prescribed a lot of meds. My doctor said Sudafed and antihistamines were fine. The Sudafed messes with my blood pressure, however. My son is getting over Influenza A, thank goodness. He threw up at his christmas program, in the back seat of the car, the health clinic waiting room, and at a Christmas dinner. The liquid Tamiflu medication taste so bad it would instantly make him throw up. Well, I started feeling queasy yesterday, so I purposely ate nothing. I'm doing the same thing today, but it looks like I'll probably get it anyway.

So very admirable! I remember when my college town Springfield, MO) was celebrating the grand opening of its first Krispy Kreme restaurant. A week before this grand opening, they drove a van around town and gave away free Krispy Kreme doughnuts and pasteries. They were delicious! The customer line on their first day was out the door and down the street. I wish I had the same metabolism as I had back then. I can't even get by with just licking the icing off anymore. However, my cravings for sugar have diminished since I've gone without it for three months.

I have wondered this too. Someone posted a few weeks back that their blood work showed that their Protein level was too high. I never knew blood work could determine that, but I guess it can. Just like you, I also use Isopure as my primary protein source. I use the powder, which has 50 grams of protein in every 12 ounce serving. When I drink two servings a day plus yogurt (sometimes I substitute the yogurt for tuna, chicken, turkey, sardines, or dried beef), I get about 112 grams of protein. I know that is a lot and it puzzles me when others struggle to get even half that. However, not all Protein drinks are the same. Many cannot stomach an Isopure drink. My opinion is that you just have to suck it up and get use to it. I have thought about switching to a similar Protein Drink that is cheaper, bit I haven't found it yet. No other protein drink has more (or equal amounts) of Vitamins and minerals than Isopure. You get your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals by drinking 2 servings a day. Syntrax and Premier Protein have some added vitamins and minerals, but it's not nearly as much as Isopure. I would buy Syntrax nectar, but it is not much cheaper than Isopure. The cheapest Isopure (zero carb whey protein isolate) is at Puritan's Pride (puritan.com) for $44 (3 pound jug,free shipping). I would love to know if anyone is paying less than that because it's getting quite expensive. One 3 pound jug only lasts me 12-14 days.

Type "Recipe Frenzy" in the search bar. Bobbyswife put a post together that includes a collection of free, downloadable bariatric or weight loss cookbooks available online. They are great! The previous responder that mentioned going back to the beginning of the post op diet, is correct. I wanted to lose 5 in a week in order to fit into a Christmas dress, so I just duplicated my first week post op diet. It worked! I actually lost 6 pounds! I think it is a good kick start to getting back on track again. Good luck!