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@@Shrinkinqtpi Wow, goes against everything I have been taught. Protein is critical for healing. But balance is important too.

During that phase of the diet I ate a lot of cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, tuna and chicken salad, cream of wheat, canned soft pears and peaches, applesauce. As everyone else said, take one food at a time and go very slow and see how it works for you. I tried eggs which I used to love and it did not work for me. It made me very ill and even two years later still does. I keep trying though..... Also keep in mind foods that don't sit well today, may a week or a month from now or so.

@@hinesbj Having struggled with constipation since the soft food stage, I had to be put on Linzess from my doctor. It really works much better than stool sofeners and laxatives. By the way, I am nearly 2 years post op and still struggle with constipation. I don't think this will get better for me and trust me I have a lot of Fiber in my diet. Before surgery I had the opposite problem. Give them a call and see if this might be an option for you.

@@Inner Surfer Girl First I want to say congratulations! You have done so wonderful and I am glad you are able to get back to work. Shoes. Having a very bad back I cannot do heels and shoes is something you need to be prepared to spend some money on. I have been buying Munro shoes for years. They are super comfortable, have great styles, wear like Iron. They come in wide widths as well as regular widths. I must have had 20 different pairs of shoes from them and even now when I go looking for shoes, I start there. Best of luck to you.

@@theantichick I have to say I HATED clothes shopping with a passion. I would avoid it at all costs and spend my money on designer hand bags instead. It's funny because when you carry a gorgeous handbag, people ask about it instead of what the hell you are wearing. Anyway, once I lost enough weight that I was literally drowning in my clothes I was forced to go shopping. I did, and I began to find more clothes that would fit me. I found it to be super motivating to get the hell out of plus size clothes. At about 70lbs lost I could no longer even wear anything in lane Bryant and before you knew it I was shopping anywhere and everywhere. I enjoyed it so much that once I went into a dressing room during the holidays at Macy's. The dressing room was loaded with clothing others had tried on and left in there. Things I would never consider trying on. Well, while my poor hubby sat in the hubby chair and waiting. I put on a fashion show for him. I tried on stuff I would never buy just because I could fit in it. It was the funnest shopping trip ever. I ultimately ended up with what I went in to find (sweater dress) and 3 other outfits that my hubby loved on me. I now LOVE shopping for clothes. I would bet my hatred before had everything to do with being so fat, looking in the mirror and hating myself and never finding anything that fit right. I also lived a life of black and navy. Now, I have every color of the rainbow and they look good on me!

@@LipstickLady, Excellent post and right on point. I do my best to try to help those that don't have all the information (or that is what I will assume), but it is happening more and more every single day. You can't keep up and to your point they don't want to listen. Yet, here I am everyday trying to answer questions, provide my experiences or offer places for them to go to get the info in an effort to help them understand what they are getting in to. In the beginning I had my a$$ handed to me and I am grateful for it. It has kept me mostly on plan since day one. And to your point, I am healthier and happier because of it. I just want to say THANK YOU for all of your activity over the years I have been on here. I love your sense of humor and your quick wit when it comes to your posts. Don't stop, if you can reach a few folks, you become successful and from what I read, you have helped a lot more than you know. The ones that don't get it or want to listen will be back in a year looking for advice to get back on track. They are just not ready to be helped yet.

@@Holly5683 HI There! I am truly sorry to hear about your struggles. I might suggest you are experiencing what happens when you bounce between following the plan and going back to the way you ate and exercised before your surgeries? I do think the pouch test and following your Bariatric diet can get you back on track to losing again. I would suggest talking to a therapis to find out why you tend to stop at a certain point and get very clear on why you are doing it in the first place. This is just my opinion but for me, I became very very selfish for the first time in my life knowing that it would help my family down the road. My whole life I took care of everyone else's needs. I was the breadwinner in a stressful job, I took care of my ailing mother, my children, and my husband long before I took care of myself. The stress of all of that led me to put on weight, then take it off, then put it back on until finally I could not lose a single lb. then the medical issues began and it only got worse and worse until I realized that I would not be here until I was elderly if I didn't do something for my self. I became very selfish with the support of my family because they saw how sick I was becoming. I could barely function in my high paying job anymore because of the stress and the weight I carried. I took a package, had surgery 6 months later and here I am. 158lbs and very healthy for the first time in my life. When I say a complete lifestyle change, that is what it took for me. You have to figure out what it will take to make this more permanent for you instead of another way to yo you diet. You are young but the older you get, your ability to do so will become a problem and you have already gone the surgery way. It's time to better understand what drives you to go off plan. Once you do that you will be healthier for you and your fiancé.

The best thing to do as you are contemplating surgery and researching is think about why you want to do this. You mentioned you are a mother. Besides the fact that I was very sick when I decided to go for it, the primary reason was because I am a mother and a grandmother. Having lost my own mother when she was 66 to complications from obesity, I felt I could not do that to my own children. My Mom died from this disease. She developed type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea. The worse her diabetes got, the worse her sleep apnea got. She developed an infection in her big toe and had to have it removed, then 3 months later develped an even worse infection in her other toe which progressed rapidly to her foot. After multiple surgeries to try to save the foot, she lost her leg. She had rheumatoid arthritis and could barely function or even feed herself. 2 weeks before she passed away, they told us if she wouldn't use a Cpap, she would be dead in 48 hours. She tried but fought it all the way. She died a horribly painful and slow death. I was with her when she passed away and I remember feeling so angry at her for leaving me. I love my Mom and miss her every single day, she was my best friend. My Mom had a lot going on medically all stemming from the fact that she was morbidly obese. Having been 310lbs myself and having type 2 diabetes, high BP, High cholesterol, sleep apnea and stage 3 chronic kidney diesels all brought on by obesity, I decided very quickly that I would never make my children feel the way I did. I was going to do this for as much them as myself and my husband. It was the best decision I ever made for myself. My only regret is I did not do it sooner. I share this story only to say that as time goes by it gets harder and harder to take off the weight and near impossible to keep it off. I believe the statistic is something like 5% of people who lose weight through diet and exercise are able to keep the weight off long term. I am attaching a link to an article that is very informational for those considering Bariatric surgery. It's a quick easy read and it is from the American Society of Bariatric Surgery. It definately dispels a lot of the myths and It might help..... https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions

I love Victoria's Secret. As I was losing I had the ability to hang out mostly in yoga wear as I am not currently working. A pair of yoga pants can fit you for a long time. I found that VS tops however were a different issue for me and honestly their sizes can fit differently. I wear some larges that are too large and some larges that are too small. I was ordering a lot of their stuff on line and refused to take it back knowing I would likely fit into it in the coming month. Dumping lane Bryant for me was the best NSV ever. I used to hate clothes shopping and now I love to try on things just because I can. LOL. Also I found that if I buy clothing from anywhere, I tend to not return if it is too big or too small so trying things on really is the optimal way to purchase for us. I have found the Calvin Klein and Anne Klein clothing fits me fantastic and I love their fashion sense. There I know if I buy an 8 Jeans or a 10 slacks they will fit. Or if I buy a top in a large it will fit just right. They seem to be consistent. I have never had a size goal but never in a million years did I think I would go from a 24/26 to an 8. I cannot imagine what it will be like following my Abdominalplasty! Already with tops following my arm lift I can see I may have to go to a medium.

Wow, the veggies first, Protein last thing is brand new. I know my nut believes in total balance so she has had me eating 2 bites of protein and 1 bite of good carbs like veggies and fruit. Even to do that, I still have to drink one Protein shake every day to get to my 70 protein goal. I guess every nut is different.

@@Nymea Yay! That is exactly how it is supposed to work and you are right, the swelling is going down and it will only get better with time. Glad you are feeling better and able to eat more than you could a few weeks ago.

I was set on the sleeve and after my first appointment with the Bariatrician, they suggested I change to bypass because I had severe gerd. They were worried that if I had the sleeve, they would have no where to go with PPi meds. Then after doing more research, I was thrilled with the idea knowing how much weight I wanted to lose. I started at 310 and I am currently 158, down 152lbs. Best thing I ever did. I have had no complications.

What conditions do you have? Who diagnosed them? Your doctor should be able to help you better understand why you would not be a candidate.

Are you post menopause? Or have you had a hysterectomy? Prior to surgery I had to take Iron supplements. Post surgery because I had a hysterectomy I no longer needed to take anything extra.

@@trinalily Are you drinking shakes with lactose in them? I had a lot of the same results the first couple of weeks. I found I had to move to a lactose free shake. I went to premier Protein ready made shakes and that problem went away for me. Sometimes I still wonder if it was the whey protein. I no longer have lactose intolerance unless I eat a lot of dairy at one time but I don't.

I would just add that not everyone has dumping and for MOST, dumping goes away after the first few years. I have never dumped......so many people choose gastric bypass thinking the dumping will help them behave only to be disappointed which I find funny. I do not want to dump ever...... In the beginning I thought the best thing to do was to be open and honest about my surgery. I learned over time, if I had to do it over again I wouldn't. Not because I am not proud but because people do label you and watch you and judge you. Guess what, I have had sweets every once in a while. Do I really want every person judging me with what I eat? Um no........I am a big girl and will take responsibility for my actions. If I eat the wrong thing and gain weight then I know my clothes are not going to fit and that will piss me off and remotitvate me to stay the course. Just my two cents.....

My personal opinion and I am very very picky on Protein. All the powders gag me, it is the smell and the gritty taste and I don't care how well you blend it. I also initially had a lactose problem right after surgery so my nut and Bariatric nurse suggested Premier Protein ready made shakes. They have 30grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar and 160 calories. chocolate is honestly my favorite and the only one I buy right now but I have tried the strawberries & creme and the vanilla. They are not bad, just a little too sweet for me. They also have new flavors, caramel & banana. I have not tried those yet. I love the fact that I no longer have to deal with blenders or shaker cups or measure gritty a$$ protein. I am now two years post op and I still drink one every morning after my first 20 oz. of Water. It works great for me and I can take them on the road. They are best served icy cold. They can be purchased at costco or Sam's in large pack quantities. Costco has them on sale until August 28th for 6.00 off per case of 18. You can also buy 4 packs at Walmart and some Walgreens stores if you want to start by trying them. They have excellent protein compared to most.

@@summerset Not something I have ever asked for. It is just something they do when having to place a larger needle prior to surgery. I am guessing it is their standard operating procedures. I would also say I have had 10 major surgeries since 2001 most in 7 different hospitals and all but 1 of those hospitals use the lidocaine before an IV placed for surgery. I prefer not to have it done because it just makes me get stuck more times to get the needle in. Not a good experience for me.....

@@summerset I lived in Minnesota and now live in Wisconsin. I swear with the exception of my Brachioplasty 3 weeks ago, every single time I have had to have an IV for surgery specifically, they use a small injection of lidocaine. It NEVER goes well for me. It always blows the vein so now I tell them not to bother. I would rather get stuck once or twice rather than 6 or 8 times when they tried it. I have never had anyone try it when in an emergency situation with me in an ER or an ambulance. They always go right for the vein and can usually hit it in just a couple of times. I can handle a couple......it's the many that come with surgery and most of the time it is because I am so severely dehydrated. When one drinks a minimum of 64 oz and day and then you cannot have anything for at least 12 hours, you get dehydrated. Recently my last few surgeries they requested nothing to drink 4 hours before and that has seemed to help. @@theantichick I am going to take your advice and say nothing and see what happens. I will tell hubby to keep quite too. He is usually the one to say anything because he hates seeing them stick me so much and would rather they got the anesthesia nurse right away. It is funny because when they do get that person whoever it is, they can usually get me on the first try.

I am going to shoot straight but you have to remember every single person is different. I wake up very very fast after surgery and some people don't even remember recovery room. I tend to wake up in the OR while they are bandaging me. I shocked the heck out of my plastic surgeon 3 weeks ago, they had woken me before they got my compression garment on and it was so painful that they had it on me pretty half a$$ed. They told my husband they had not expected me to wake up that fast. Next time they will wait until they have me settled before waking me up. The only thing I remember from that was my surgeon actually coming at me with a pair of scissors, she wanted to cut the garment off me because they had it too twisted and it was way too small. Another time I actually woke up and remember when they took the breathing tube out. That has never happened before or since. It is actually unusual and I don't know why I wake up so fast but I warn them now. They usually give you meds so if you do wake up, you don't remember it. When you wake up it is likely you will feel pain at least that is my experience. The good news is they get it under control very fast once they know how bad you are hurting. Some hospitals will ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst pain you ever felt in your life. Some will simply ask you how severe it is. If you can't stand it you tell them. They give you medicines in your IV to help with the pain and within 10 to 15 minutes I am usually comfortable. You will also be very thirsty and may have a bit of a sore throat. I tend to always wake up in pain following surgery. Once they get your pain under control and have you wetting your lips with a sponge they will get you to your room. Then the sipping and walking begins. For me, as soon as I got to my room I had to pee and they did not put a catheter in so I was up and walking immediately and that was good. The longer you hang in the bed the harder it is. I was surprised that the pain I had was so high in my chest. I thought my stomach was much lower but it is not. . For me it was mostly discomfort and not pain and most of it came from the gas they put in your stomach. Unfortunately what helps that is walking and sipping Water. I felt better when I was sitting up in a chair vs. laying in a bed. Laying in a bed did no good for me at all. I slept sitting up for about the first 5 days or so. Also ask for hot packs for your tummy while in the hospital for when you are sitting in a chair or in your bed. It really really helps with the gas pain. For me the first night was the roughest. Pain was well under control but that gas discomfort sucks and pain meds did nothing to help with that. Just being honest and it kept me awake the whole night. Never slept a wink. The next morning a nurse came in at about 4am and put me on gas X chewable tablets and I really started to feel better after than. It helps once your bowels start working again which adds to the discomfort. Honestly other than when I first woke up, this surgery was pretty easy. I knew I had to walk and sip and use gas X. I had my surgery on Monday, went home on wed and by Thursday morning had stopped all pain meds. I walked back and forth throughout my home as much as I could stand it. I sipped water or sucked on sf Popsicles or sipped on warm broth and the more I sipped the better I felt. Expect some pain, be vocal about it and they will take good care of you. Some doctors even give you a personal pain pump. I did not have one of those for this surgery. They had me on oral pain meds the very next day and they worked just fine. Best of luck with your upcoming surgery. It will be over before you know it and you will be on the road to recovery and weight loss.

@@mngreeneyes I definately learned to tell them not to use lidocaine because every single time they do my veins simply shrink away and they miss. Unfortunately it took me to major surgeries to figure that one out. Now I just tell them to go for it and instead of getting nailed 6,7,8 times, it only took 2 tries. @@theantichick This was a great post and I have learned a lot listening to you guys talk about this. I know when I have my 2nd plastics I will be making sure we don't use lidocaine and I will give them one shot at it before asking for someone else. When I had my cervical fusion surgeries. There were 3 people on me at one time. They had stuck me 7 times and still did not have a vein. My surgeon walked in to do his check in and could not believe what was going on in there. He told them to go get the anesthesia nurse so we could move it along. I was seriously thinking they would never get a vein. 3 weeks ago when I had my Brachioplasty, they stuck me twice and finally got a small one going enough to knock me out. While I was out, they put one in my foot. That was weird but I am thankful I was put to sleep for it only because anyone touching my feet makes me jump. LOL!

@@theantichick Reading your post about veins rolling and hitting valves really ticks me off. Everytime they miss, that is what I am told. My vein rolled or they hit a valve. To be stuck 6 to 8 times to get an IV in is ridiculous. I know when I was fat, I was a difficult stick but now? I am half of what my body weight was and I can see my veins so if they really have technique to stop the rolling veins why don't they use it? I am always very gracious about it but honestly after the 3rd or 4th time I start to get really frustrated. It's not like I don't warn them. I mean really, during my one blood draw for adrenal testing, they had to go get some guy who had a vein finder that lit up my whole arm. During that, I was absolutely NOT dehydrated like for surgery.

Congratulations on your upcoming surgiversary! Thanks for sharing your results.

Wow! You look great! This is exactly how I see the difference is through pictures and clothing. You should be very proud of yourself and you are right you do have kick a$$ shoulders. Congratulations!

@@dream2btrue I would definately call her and ask her to get specific on what you can have and for how long until the next phases. There are two kinds of liquid diets. Clear and full. Clear means exactly that if you can see through it and it doesn't have sugar you can have it. Full liquid means you can have strained cream Soups and even yogurts. Depending on what surgery you had, you might have been on Clear liquids only for the first week. So I would ask.