BLERDgirl

NPO - Nothing by mouth. It's not exactly your neck. See this picture. I just wasn't going to continue to get stuck and nothing was working. it would have made me anxious and likely have blown anyway. If you've ever been bruised from a blown vein trust me, that PICC line would start to look good. They even got the little xray vein finder machine out and tried to find a vein. A PICC line was the safer alternative. If they needed a vein for an emergency situation they needed one that was stable. Considering the PICC line was the worse thing to happen to me, I'll take it .

@@laurenella82 - I had the same issue with an IV only they couldn't even get one started on me. I'm normally a challenging stick and being NPO since noon the day before didn't help. Thankfully I'm medically savvy enough that I told them "3 strikes your out." So the deal was if we couldn't get a vein they would do a PICC line. I hate them, but I didn't want to be a human pin cushion either. Sure enough I ended up with a PICC line. It was awkward having that thing on the side of my neck but it lasted the entire time I was in the hospital.

My doctor wants his patients eating regular diets as soon as possible. 2 weeks of full liquids was more than enough for me. I still do a Protein shake 5 days a week but for the most part I get my protein from food.

WOW! That is worse than unsupportive. Sorry you have to deal with that.

I agree with @ProjectMe. Pre-op I bought more than one type of protein drink so I could add as much variety in my diet as possible during the all liquid phase. Once I moved to purees and soft foods I just got creative. I think we are only as limited as out imaginations. If you are a recipe type of person then google for bariatric recipes.

Use vanilla as a base and add fresh fruit, nut butter of choice(I use almond butter). I'll use water and juice to mix instead of milk. Mix everything in a nutra bullet or similar.

No worries. I get it. I don't think one needs to follow the rules 100% perfectly. 90% of the time makes more sense. I do however believe people should be aware of what they are putting in their bodies when they are making these choices. About once a year I go on a day trip where it is much more convenient to simply pack a sandwich. Just because I avoid breads and pastas most of the time doesn't mean I'm not going to do that. For me what it means is I will try to make a better choice and go for a whole grain bread of some sort whether that's a tortilla, a flat bread or just regular bread.

The variables are too many to name. There's a reason why the best most surgeons will give you is that most sleever will lose between 50 - 60% of their body weight. Some people are slow but steady, some have a big weight loss at the start, some are fast losers, some are stop and start losers with steady loss coupled with stalls. There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to it. Comparing yourself to others or setting up expectations will drive you nuts. Men lose faster than women, but things like genetic, pre-surgery health status and age all factor in.If you have a challenging hospital course or surgical complications that can effect your loss as well. The best you can do is follow your doctor's instructions, and hope for the best.

Breads are not complex carbs. Generally speaking they are simple carbs.

@@Peace Love & Sleeve - Man I'm sorry that you are having such a rough time. I am glad to hear they are admitting you. Hopefully they can get this resolved.

COBRA is crazy expensive. It's one of the reasons why the Affordable Healthcare Act was needed. To @fit4life123 - Make sure to let your doctors know you no longer have insurance. When I was uninsured I told my doctors and they were very helpful. One doctor charged me the charity rate. This is the same fee that they charge medical assistance pts and is typically lower than what is charged to insurance companies. He also would only prescribe the bare minimal amount of pills I needed and would look for generic or lower cost alternatives. He was also extremely generous with samples. Most doctor's have loads since drug reps often leave them.

I wasn't either. The food I avoid are either foods I am allergic to or things I know my body doesn't respond well to. These may be foods that slow my weight loss down and/or foods that are triggers to binge eating.

Talk to the doctor who prescribes them. They may know of alternative meds or other ways to get them inexpensively.

Who makes your meds? Astrazeneca and Pfizer both have patient assist programs. They will send you meds free of charge.

It's a complete crap shoot. There is simply no guarantee. You may be fine or you may be wiped out. I would make the B-day a low key family affair and make a back up plan for the doctor's visit. If these are must for you at your final appointment tell your surgeon you need a date after the 12th. Then clear your calendar for at least 2 weeks post-op.

Yes my nutritionist says fluids as well. I just know my body works better when I am drinking Water. So I drink 4 or 5 glasses of plain water a day but when you add in my morning Protein drink I am hitting well over my 64 ounces of fluids.

I was the opposite. When I stopped drinking sodas and processed foods plus exercising I did indeed lose 50 lbs in about 6 mths time. The trouble is I would get sick and regain almost of it back. That's one reason why I had the surgery. The doctors can't quite explain why but I knew going in that there was a strong possibly that my chronic uterica would go into remission and it has. For 3 years I was on a cycle of losing 35 - 50 lbs, getting sick and regaining. This tool has me feeling like I can not only lose the weight but keep it off. This is the first time in years I've felt this way.

Different doctors have different protocols. I didn't have a clear liquid phase. My doc's protocol is 2 weeks full liquids> 2 weeks purees>2 weeks soft foods >whatever I can tolerate. I had oatmeal within the first 2 weeks and had absolutely zero issues. Some doctors want their patients on regular food ASAP. Until someone release a study as to what diet protocol tends to have the least complications I 'm going with it's just luck of the draw. I surprised at the co-morbs that people considerably smaller than I was have pre-op, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Do what feels more comfortable for you. Better safe than sorry.

I only use Braggs. I used it pre WLS and still occasionally use it post-op. I typically add a capful per 8 ounces of Water, but that's an acquired taste. It will keep you regular and help with digestion. I also have used it on salads. I don;t buy bottled dressings so I often use balsamic vinegar or pickle juice and EVOO. Depending on the salad I'll use the Braggs. It's also good for you hair if you have product build up. You make a soak with baking soda & water. The mother in it has Protein so even though it will scrub the dirt and oils out of your hair it won't leave it feeling stripped and dry.

I was on full liquids from day 1 as well. No clear liquids stage for me. Like other have said slooooooowww down. This is an awful feeling and you're going to feel like crap for a few hours but it will pass.

I don't eat PB but I do eat almond butter. I used to use it to hide my crush Vitamins. I've had Indian food. It came with basmati rice. I ate a little then realized I could enjoy it without the rice. I have had a bit of brown rice. I don't avoid carbs but if I am going to have them I prefer to have complex carbs as opposed to simple, usually processed white carbs. I pretty much eat everything I ate pre-surgery but in much smaller portions.

The PPI works best for me. I didn't have any problems with acid until I was on solid food again. I find I need to head it off at the pass. I get it at night so if I take 40mgs omeprazole (prescription strength) I am usually fine for the evening. I'm not sure what other alternatives you have other than avoiding highly acidic foods like citrus, spicy foods and tomatoes. Perhaps give you nutritionist a call and see if they can recommend something.

I think I'm pretty good at following the rules. It wasn't fear of it not working but I am typically the one to have side effects. I was obedient because I wanted to do my part to ensure I had a positive outcome. I am also keenly aware of how much of a slippery slope not following the rules can be. Consequently I constantly try to walk that balance between being reasonable and following the rules. So, this is where I stand: I do the following (95% or more of the time) No grazing No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals Protein first 65 or more grams protein per day Take Vitamins as prescribed 64 ounces or more of fluids per day Stop eating when full No straws (I never really used them to begin with) Nothing carbonated ( I gave up sodas 3 years ago) Go to support group meetings (not a requirement, but a suggestion) Practice mindful eating. However I do eat while watching TV. It works for me because I use it to time my eating. If it's a ½ show. I try to make my food last for the duration of the show. I am also careful to take small bites. Keep a food diary. I watch my macros. I get more from looking at things like sodium and carb levels. I don't weigh frequently because the scale make me crazy. I can usually predict a gain or stall by what I am eating. It's a juggling act because being a vegetarian, I eat a lot of Beans. It's easy for my carbs to get really high, especially if I eat over 70gms of protein. Exercise regularly. I'm currently working out 4 days a week, but I think I'm going to take it up to 5 or 6. I'm finding that I really only need Sunday's off. The rest of the time I'm just bored. I avoid "white carbs" - potatoes, Pasta, white rice, breads & crackers. I have had homefries 2 times and basmati rice once since being sleeved. I have a long way to go so I think I'm going to avoid them until I hit maintenance. I don't do the following Avoid caffeine. I don't drink it every day, but I was cleared after 6 weeks out. I probably have coffee 2 or 3 days a week. Weigh daily or even weekly. The scale drives me crazy and I start living for the scale. This is about health more than being thinner so I prefer to focus on eating well and exercising. Weigh my food. I realize that sounds crazy for someone who studies their food diary like I do, but I just don't.

@@nprcowboy - Fingers crossed that all goes well.