BLERDgirl

@@Theresa H - Perfectly normal. However your sleeve still can only hold so much. Hopefully at 16mths you have put into place new eating habits and behaviors that will assist you in not regaining.

@@Tanya Gif - It varies greatly. Some people lose nothing initially. Others lose massive amounts. Do not compare yourself to others. Follow your program. Focus on getting in your protein, drinking fluids/water and walking and/or exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Better yet, step away from the scale. Instead take your measurements. Then retake them once a month. There will be times the scale doesn't move. NSV (non -scale victories) will be your saving grace

It depends on the insurance company. You may still need a sleep study, nutrition class and psych eval. The program itself may also have it's own set of protocols.

@@LumpySpacePrincess - Your therapist is okay with you taking an appetite suppressant? I would explain to them that your are still having these issues with your condition even though the surgery has helped you lose weight. I am just concerned that using appetite suppressants with an ED might be a slippery slop for you.

Honestly I'm not seeing any scolding or lecturing. I sometimes wonder if some of the newer folks think they are the absolute only person who has felt this way. My advice? Do a search on the forums. I can assure you, you are not. We are trying to give honest and practical advice, not hand hold and coddle. No one is trying to hurt feelings, but we are trying to give realistic advice. FYI - For sleeves the weight loss is not as super fast as bypass patients, so whoever gave you that info is incorrect. Bottom line; relax and enjoy the journey.

I do fruit like that in the summer. I just have a regular nutra bullet so it needs to sit in the freezer for a bit to firm back up. I plan to upgrade to a nicer popsicle mold this summer and play with new fruit combinations.

@@Peace Love & Sleeve - Your sleeve is tight? What does that mean? Can you get a second opinion?

Adding to the chorus; you've done more these past few weeks than you ever have in a very long time. Secondly, STEP AWAY FROM THE SCALE. It will only make you crazy. Your doctor hasn't cleared you to exercise, but are you walking for at least 30 minutes a day? Are you getting all your water/fluids in? Hitting your protein goals? Relax and stay the course, this is not a race, this is a lifelong challenge.

@@CanyonBaby _ I use Isopure Unflavored. It mixes well with water (but looks cloudy). I've also used it with diluted apple juice, grapefruit juice, coffee, tea, yogurt and soup. It can be mixed with hot or cold. 26 gms or whey isolate, with no added sugars or colorings. I've mixed it in a shaker bottle and in the nutra bullet. It blends well with no gritty after taste.

I like Myfitnesspal. I think the 3 big ones are Myfitnesspal, Loseit and Sparkpeople

I'm going to splurge on a new popsicle mold this summer. I make my own. I find that the summer fruits when in season can be pureed and set in a mold as is since they tend to be sweet enough on their own. Occasionally I may blend some greek yogurt for cream-sicles or switch it up and add whole berries to a puree to set. Like pureed kiwi with pitted and halved cherries. It looks pretty and taste great!

Welcome! Just remind yourself you did your research so you know what you're getting into. There's really no need to be worried as long as you follow your doctor's instructions.

6mths? I would double check. Unless you have problems I don't see why you couldn't resume weight training at 6 weeks.

I walked from day 1. My primary workout is water aerobics. I was cleared for the gym after 2 week, but I had to wait until week 3 to resume water aerobics.

Call the doctor and get a prescription for a PPI. It will make all the difference in the world when you can eat without your tummy burning. Also call the nurse or nutritionist back and have them review what you should be eating on your full liquid phase. Every program varies and what my team allowed on full liquids may not be what your team recommends.

I considered getting one, but it's not what I want. I want to be strong and healthy all over so I'm sticking with compression garments for everyday and support garments for when I'm dressed in non gym clothes.

@@VGB - I hit that point at about a month. It eventually went away, but every so often I have days where I really don't want to be bothered with food.

I don't even remember, maybe a month or 2? I'm nearly 6mths now and it feel normal.

Sleeved 9/18, down 74.4 lbs. as of today, just a little under 1lb from what was my personal targeted 6 mth goal. My f/u is on the 20th and I'm hoping to hit it by then. I still have a long way to go, but I'm moving in the right direction.

Just make them aware of your allergies up front and show that you have done your homework. My allergic reactions vary from severe hive to anaphylaxis. I've had several ER treatments and one hospitalization that ended up with me intubated and placed in a medical coma for 4 days. I made sure they were aware of my history and because I had done my homework, I didn't have much of a problem with the nutritionist.

Start with reviewing your insurance policy. I'm pretty sure Aetna has it posted online, or pull out your manual and look up bariatric surgery. This will tell you what types of bariatric surgery they cover. They should also have a listing of approved providers. Pick 2 or 3 (I recommend choosing at least 2 if possible). Call them and find out what is required of them. If possible attend and informational seminar. Take a pad and pencil. Some people also take a close family member. This depends on the family member's views on WLS. You need someone who is supportive, not a negative Nelly. Once you have looked at 2 different surgeons/programs, then you can decide which one is for you and what type of surgery is for you. Currently the major ones are lap band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. There are a few others, but these are the major ones. Currently the sleeve is the most popular. Once you make have that first appointment with the bariatric program, they will pretty much guide you through the rest of the process. My own personal recommendations are: Start an exercise program. Even if you just walking for 30 minutes everyday. If you are smoking, quit. Start keeping a food journal. It will make you more aware of what you are eating. If you drink soda, cut back and prepare to quit. Some people do go back to drinking soda, but initially post-op it will be a no-no. If you drink coffee, cut back and prepare to quit at least temporarily. (this varies doctor to doctor) Some of us can resume eventually but for some it cause acid in the tummy.

@@kndoster - You didn't actually have a stall. You lost weight, it just wasn't as big a weight loss as the previous appt. That said it's not uncommon to have a smaller loss after that first weight loss. Think about what played a part in that first loss; you had surgery which removed part of your belly and then needed to readjust to eating/drinking again. Most of us eat or drink very little during that period. At my 2 week f/u I had lost 26lbs, yet at my 6 week f/u I had only lost another 6lbs. I do believe there can be periods where people are doing right and not losing. However I am not a daily or even weekly weigher so I personally have never experienced it. I only get weighed once a month or when I see the doctor. Whether small or large, I have always shown a loss. Honestly as long as the scale is moving in the righ direction, I'm not gonna complain.

@@Peace Love & Sleeve - Oy! What does the doctor say about this? So sorry you're having a rough time of it.

@@naenae85 - Thankfully I didn't have a liquid pre -op diet. I only had to make it through 2 weeks of full liquids so I could be a little more flexible. I mixed the plain powder with diluted apple juice or almond milk. I also used my nutra bullet and added cacao powder or almond butter. I found I could tolerate sucralose in small doses so I occasionally used CVS vanilla flavored whey Protein. I ate a LOT of FAGE 0% greek yogurt that I would blend with fruit in the nutra bullet. I drank loads of Kefir and I made bean Soup with pureed black Beans and veg broth strained to make sure all the skins were removed.