BloomingLotus

I gained 11 pounds from iv fluids. Very normal, and it comes off fast.

Maybe do a little aspirational window shopping (online) looking at hot dresses to wear next year on your birthday because by then no matter what you wear, you'll look fierce! Hopefully it will boost morale and keep you in better spirits ???? good luck to you with the hospital

I use Vitafusion Women's daily chewables (from Target). They're basically fruit-snack like. They're better than others I've tried but still not great.

Check what your insurance plan says. My time had to be "physician supervised" which weight watchers is not. You can probably submit it as weight history but you might not be able to circumvent the 4-6 months of supervised diet. Good luck to you!

Happy anniversary! Not a single person knows about my surgery other than all the bariatric pal folks! No family, no friends, no coworkers. I am 2 weeks out today and seem to be doing well. I have my first event where I will be eating with people in a week and a half so I'm going to have to mentally prepare for that. Perhaps just getting over a stomach bug if any comments are made. It IS winter after all.

I gained 11lbs from IV fluids. Very normal and came off quickly

@@julia4mom I hated my calcium too- but I just bought a soft chew from GNC that is dulce de leche flavored and it's fantastic! If what you ordered doesn't work out, give those a try!

Ok good - I can handle a few months - year. I can drink lactaid milk now without issues, which is a good sign. I bought lactaid pills for other things. I'm just about 2 weeks out and cream Soups have been my go-to, so I'm having a pill now with them. I was drinking an 8oz glass of milk with unflavored Protein powder mixed in each night for a protein boost but would later get severe lower right abdomen pain (appendix is gone & too high to be female-related) with gurgling in lower belly. Followed by some unpleasant trips to the bathroom. After going through my diet I deduced the milk items as the culprit. ???? I used lactaid in my (decaf) coffee this morning without pain or unpleasant side effects. I'm having creamy Soup for lunch and will hope this pill does its job because I'm at work!

I think I may be one of the many to become lactose intolerant post-sleeve. I'm a huge milk lover and would drink milk like most people drink Water so I'm super bummed ???? For those who experienced this and found it to be temporary, how long did it last?

I had to show a loss to be approved by insurance, so I warned the nurse weighing me on my last appointment that if I jump off the scale and start stripping to not be surprised! She laughed and said she has seen it all and not to worry. Thankfully I was able to remain clothed!

I have the one @@joatsaint listed. It really is awesome!

Couch to 5k actually has an app if you have a smart phone (I think it's 5k runner) that plays over your own music. You have have your own playlist on your phone and whenever it's time the music lowers a bit and the voice prompts come on.

I was scheduled to stay one night, but stayed two. I was having some nausea which prevented me from getting in all of my fluids. They wouldn't let me leave until I was below 4 on the pain scale, was up walking frequently, and could drink the required amount.

At least for Aetna, I only needed to show one weight record for each year. So I gave my physical notes from those two years. Two pieces of paper. As long as you have had at least one visit each year during the time you've been seeing your doctor you might be ok, but check your insurance requirements and talk to your surgical coordinator.

Today is exactly one week from surgery. At this time last week I was on the operating table under anesthesia. I have come back to work today and will see how it goes. My job is mentally draining but not physically demanding. No one here knows about the surgery so I need to put on my best "yes my vacation was SO relaxing" face and suck it up! At least I only work 2 days and then have a weekend to recover again!

I'm 11 days post op and I think last night was the first night that I actually slept normally. It takes a while but each day gets a little better. Keep your head up, in a week or so you'll feel like a totally different person!

@@VGB I think it really depends on your job, the energy required and your duties. Normally my job has me out of the office and running around, but thankfully in winter it slows down and I have more office days (read: less physically demanding). I'm fully capable of getting in my Protein and Water, but being at work makes it a challenge for sure. Today's challenge: my office mate is in today and brought in the most delicious smelling lunch in the history of delicious smelling lunches *sigh* I'll be force-feeding myself my chocolate protein shake if you need me haha

Last night I had Soup I bought from target - chicken tortilla soup. It's noodle-free but has chicken, black Beans and spices. I put it in the nutribullet with some extra chicken broth to thin it out, and then strained it after to make sure there were no lumps. It was flavor heaven. Granted it was maybe 6 spoonfuls of it, but MAN having something with flavor really does make a difference. You can get inventive with your Soups and experiment with spices to stay on plan!

What about half-caff? That's how I began to wean off. Keurig has green mountain brand half caff that aren't too bad. When you're out you can always ask for half regular and half decaf at coffee shops too.

I said I needed time off to "attend to a family matter" and said no more. I got a few "is everything ok?" questions but they were out of genuine concern. I answered with a simple "yes, thank you."

@@Sleeveme15 you're brave! I thought I was crazy about the back pain, at least I know it's normal! How have you been since? @@greatestnameever how fun!! We should keep each other updated on our progress and maybe down the road meet up for a tall glass of Water or a frosty Protein shake hahaha! I take the F from Brooklyn to the A and then the 2. The escalator was out of service at Fulton street today too. Oof. Overall I'm just a little sleepy, but I'm finding this do-able. I'm certainly not as productive as pre-sleeve, but I'm also skipping a morning and afternoon coffee too! It's taking me an entire day to get in a whole Protein Shake (pre-made GNC total lean - 14oz) and I'm just starting my 2nd 24oz water bottle. It's definitely easier to drink at home when you have less distractions!

You might be having an allergic reaction. In the hospital I was given morphine, which made me incredibly itchy all over. I broke out into little bumps on my face, arms and chest. Call the doctor or check the pamphlet that comes with it to see if it is a side effect.

I also was sleeved by Dr. Schwack at NYU a week ago. I have not had any problems with him at all. For anyone intending to use him though, stay on top of your pre-op requirements for insurance and the office itself. I found that on a few occasions I had to be the one asking what to do next because I wasn't fully informed. Overall, still a very good experience.

@@greatestnameever you still win... Coming to work was the first time I left the house! I'm halfway through, chugging along. Honestly my commute was the hardest part! I'm in nyc and walk about 3/4 of a mile to get to an elevated subway, where I have to take 4 flights of stairs up. I switch to a different subway and have 5 more flights of stairs up after that. Getting in was the true test! At least going home all the stairs are walking down

My surgeon said one week, and realistically I can't be gone from my job more than that. Of all things my lower back is hurting. I think it's a combination of constipation and not having been upright for this many hours in a week! I took some regular Tylenol and I'm slowly sipping my protein shake hoping for an energy boost!