Beni

5 lbs not the end of the world. You can get right back on. I am not sure if you can make lose it all by tomorrow. Is there a way to reschedule for later in the week or even next week? You know what helped me. I had 5 pound gain in my second visit to the NUT as well. I had gone on vacation. 1. I plan what I am going to eat the day before - hard for me but I try. I even plan the little treats but Protein comes first. 2. I eat 1 to 2 hours after waking up and only 3 times per day. 3. I take 20 minutes eating while chewing it to death, yes to the point my cheeks hurt. I think "cheek exercise" as I do it 4. No liquids 10 minutes before, with or 30 minutes after meal. Meal time is a "golden hour" of no drinks 5. Try to drink every 5 minutes the 64oz Water you need to drink. I have my phone on vibrate every 5 min and it is in my pocket. It's annoying but it works. Good luck!

Wondering if anyone found a recipe to make them? I could use Stevia or Nectresse but I am not sure how to add flavor. Kool Aid sounds so unhealthy, even if I pick a non-red flavor. There's must be something else out there.

I have sleep apnea as well and I was recently diagnosed. Apparently my nostrils are extra small. I laughed so hard at the news, the doctor probably thought I was weird. The upshot is of course I was not build to be an athlete. I could have told her that. Hello at 263 lbs, it's obvious. What I am trying to say in this round about way is: The size of your airways does matter. With weight loss those passages become wider easing the passage of air. But we won't know by how much until we lose the weight. This is what the sleep doctor tells me. She also said that even with moderate weight loss the pressure setting of the CPAP can be decreased. We all know that's a plus. After all, I am so done sleeping under the wind storm of the century. I hope I'm one of the lucky ones, and you too, who do not require a CPAP after weight loss. The statistics I saw where 58% for my weight and height with 50% of Excess body weight loss. Your statistics are even better because you are younger (picture on profile) and have less excess weight then I do. I believe 50% is also the definition of success as far as weight loss surgery goes. If things go my way, I plan on telling my sleep doctor her CPAP machine cured me. It's the honest truth, I hate it so much I started researching weight loss surgery. It provided all the motivation to go under the knife. If that's not a cure what is? Now I am not sure how this goes for asthma. I think, it's probably more complicated.

Hurray for you DaronB! My surgery in on October 28th. I hope to be home by the 31st. I do think it is wonderful to have it on Halloween because you can Celebrate your new beginning every year. Good luck to you too,

If he is the kind of guy that shots you down before any real conversation gets underway, consider a letter. Write down all your feelings towards him first and why you are worried. Add statistics and anything you think may get through to him. End with how you would love to support him through the process (weight loss or bariatric surgery) towards a healthier him. Also, make sure he has sometime to read it and ponder about it. Not just an hour. Sometimes it's hard to get all your feelings out in a conversation before his reaction makes be reactive causing the whole thing to spiral into an unproductive conversation. Good luck, raising the issue is the right thing to do.

In my opinion go, please don't cancel. The last thing you want is to be isolated. If all else fails, eat before you go and explain your gallbladder is giving you the hardest time and eating any fat seems to set it off. Gallbladder attacks apparently are the worst. Read up on it. You are trying to see if it will calm down and you don't want to take a chance. Let them believe you can't pick anything from the menu because it all has too much fat. Hello most restaurant food is too high in fat anyway. They'll believe you. Order a non chunky soup if they have and eat a couple spoon, if not, Water with a lemon twist. At 3 1/2 weeks you do not want to take a chance, right?

Joy, Yes, the social eating thing is also one of my big worries. For example, I will be 4 weeks post surgery at Thanksgiving. We go to a friends house. She is an extraordinary hostess and goes all out with decor and food. There are at least 20 of us and 20 side dishes besides turkey(s), ham(s) and roast(s). It is an amazing experience worthy of a magazine spread. Martha Stewart doesn't hold a candle to this event. Well, I won't be able to eat a thing at 4 weeks. I may stay home with a last minute case of the flu because I cannot deprive my family of what is the nicest invite of the year. I also go out to lunch with friends a lot. Salads are huge. A 1/2 cup worth of food is so silly of an amount, you can't even pretend you are watching what you eat. I won't be able to clear a 1/4 of the plate. How am I going to handle that? I have no idea! I do think Amy has a great point on checking out the menu ahead of time. I think it will remove the stress of the decision making process. Someone at a support group meeting said she orders an appetizer, sometimes with a side of steamed vegetables. She also says she focus all of her attention on talking to others at the table. As long as she is talking others don't seem to notice she is eating like a snail. Clever! Another lady said she tries to split meals with a friend. Another that she asks for a take home box and immediately removes half of the food from her plate. This would work with family but I thought it would be odd with friends. After writing this post I have come up with a mini plan - remember there is always a protein choice and something vegetable/fruit. Stay away from carbs. No dessert either 1. Invite - focus on helping the hostess and talking. If need be move around the room to different locations. Place a salad on the plate and arrange things to fill plate visually. 2. Out to eat - choose what you are going to order ahead of time. Again talking lots between bites Look at the bright side ladies, everyone is going to invite us more because we are going to be helpful, talkative and fun, not to mention drop dead gorgeous in our slimmer bodies. I will remember the patch behind the ears and mention it to my doctor. Sounds like a great idea. I too wake up nauseated.

I didn't ask my doctor too many questions about diabetes because I had so many other questions. I had two pages and even skipped a few because it was an embarrassment of questions. Please let us know what they say. It's fascinating stuff.

Wow what a day Amy!

Sounds like a plan. You will do fine. It's just the pre-op jitters. The liquid diet seems straight forward: 90 grams of Protein and 64 oz of liquid and whatever else you want in the "Full liquid form." The 3 day: only Clear liquids without sugar. sugar free Jello, clear broth and the like I like your chai idea. I'll get some. Please let me know if the Protein shakes are okay. Lots of people hate them. Is the unjury chicken broth nice? My favorite thing about the OR is how you go in and everyone is busy around you preparing for the surgery and it's all so fascinating. Then, they place a mask on you and the next thing you know you are in a room all done. This is as close to time travel as we'll get ladies. FUN STUFF!

Nervous, neh. Not a tiny bit. But wait, is my nose growing a little longer. The apples I used were golden delicious but yesterday I also bought gala and mackintosh. I am going to do different types of apples just to have different flavors to try. Another Bariatric Pal mentioned she does a grilled peach that tastes like a mini apple peach pie. I have read that fruit is too high in sugar especially in the beginning but apples and peaches because of their high pectin content seem to be better tolerated. Even more so, if they are cooked. I am not sure if it's true but I'll give it a try. My thinking is, if I have a few go to special food items for those not so good days, I will be okay. We shouldn't overload on artificial sweets either. Just now and then. I will check out the choc syrup, books and the foodie site, great ideas ladies. I love how we are pooling ideas together. You all rock!

Also look at the National Institute of Health website (NIH)and Journals such as New England Journal of Medicine. Fantastic studies! FYI: I happen to know someone who had a bypass because of diabetes (severe case). He was not overweight. My understanding, there is something about the gastric bypass surgery that helps diabetes. Something about the duodenum bypass. Of course, diabetes remission is not guaranteed but the prognosis is good. You may want to ask your doctor.

Hi Joy, My doctor recommended the bypass as well. I cannot tell you how happy I am to finally find someone with a doctor who only requires the 3 day clear liquid diet. I was about to lose my mind. Mine requires the same. Everyone seems to be doing the 2 week and these two other doctors I saw one required 2 weeks and the other 4 weeks. I too am thinking of doing the two weeks anyway. I certainly will cut refined sugar. The last thing I want is to go through is sugar withdrawal as I recover. I do know what you mean with not having energy to do the things you would like to do. I have two boys still at home ages 13 and 16. I feel like I am running out of gas. I used to muscle through with sheer will power but these last two years I have noticed even will power is not enough. Do you know what to do for the 2 week diet?

countrysweet, Why do you think your husband doesn't want to join you? There must be a reason and he is not sharing it. Ask him, in a gentle non-confrontational manner. Tell him you are just trying to understand where he is coming from. I say this because I usually don't ask my husband "the why of things" very much but I have lately. I have been amazed at some of the answers. They are not at all what I expected. Is he exhausted, overwhelmed, uninterested in the actually activity you are doing or plain lazy? You see there maybe a way of getting him involved if you dig a little deeper. You may have to be clever. Just a thought!

Hi, I am all for celebrating and the 100 lb mark is down right a miracle in my book. Do you have the flu? Hope you feel better soon

Keep us posted, you are not alone!

You guys are funny with your Chipotle talk. I am sure you will be able to eat some of it someday but not for a while. I can just imagine when you get to that time and you order a burrito, look at the size and burst out laughing because it will look enormous. I hope I can be the fly on the wall when you do it.

We can now dream, with our eyes wide open. There is a future!

Hi, I just had an idea. I made some simple apple sauce (no sugar). There are plenty of apples right now and at great prices. All I did was peel and chop, add a tiny amount of Water and cook on low heat for 15 minutes with the pot lid on. I added a dash of salt too. Then using a wire whisk I just blended the whole thing right in the pot. I cooked it a little longer because it was a bit liquid. I am wondering could I add some of that no favor Protein powder and have a comforting meal for after surgery. I could even warm it up a little. I am freezing a whole bunch in baggies. In half a cup portions, of course, for our new tiny tummies

Hi Ginger, I was looking at your before and after picture because I was wondering what 50 lbs plus weight loss would look like. You look amazing and I think you look at least 10 years younger. Way to go!

Hi Joy59. You are an inspiration. Raising your two grand daughters is a huge task to take and this surgery will take some recovery time. So glad your daughter is supporting you. What kind of surgery are you having? I am sure I have seen it in one of your previous posts but I just can't remember. Our weight height and weight is not too different. What weight goal do you have? I know I have 150lbs on mine but I will be blasting fireworks when I get bellow 200lbs. As you know all the weight exhasts me. There are days I feel like a 80 year old. Are you supposed to do a two week pre-op diet?

Hi readyforitnow. I by no means have medical training but I wonder if Gastric Bypass has the same potential effects that it has on type 2 diabetes. I know they don't do this in the US but I have lived overseas and I know some people have gastric bypass, even though they do not have weight issues, just to get remission from diabetes. Worth asking your doctor.

So glad you are doing okay. You are an inspiration.

You are right, great blog. Thank you for sharing.

Welcome AuriP I am so glad you found us. Please we would love to have you. We are all in this together. You are a busy mom with 3 little ones. Please reach out for support if you can. Remember you shouldn't drive for 5 days or pick up the kids for a while. The 8 year old will be helpful but the 15 month not so much. I am sure you can do it, after all you gave birth and then went home to take care of two kids with this last baby. But don't over do it. I am saying this to you as much as I am to myself. I have a tendency to think I am super woman. Lols! I have 3 kids too but mine are older. The 16 year old the other day made a joke as I was trying to rush upstairs to get something I needed before we left the house. He said "There goes mom faster then the wind." He was, of course, was being sarcastic because with my weight I am so slow. I want to be able to go up the stairs not at the speed of a 80 year old. By the way I found 2 other laddies with October dates as well I am following but I am not sure how we can post on the same thread. I think it would be awesome if there was a little group of us, don't you think?