BLERDgirl

That's why it gets me. Hives and facial swelling like nobodies business. I have *really* bad sinusitis.

I agree. I spent the 2 weeks prior to my surgery reading labels and buying samples. Fortunately I am neither lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy. I am vegetarian and allergic to red dyes, artificial sugars, seafood and stevia. You'd be surprised how many things have stevia .

I'm not sure what you want. The rules are the same. Protein first, then veg, drink Water and exercise. You already know you need to stop eating unhealthy Snacks. There are no special trick or magical hacks. It's work each and every day for life. I don't know what follow up care is like at your center, mine offers f/u for 5 years out. It may help to contact them or at least find an in person support group.

Laparoscopic surgeries are relatively easy. There's nothing to be afraid of.

I'll chime in. I had a super easy time with surgery. I was one of those who experience no pain and only some soreness post -op. 1) Do you get dumping syndrome with the sleeve? - I have not. Some claim they have. From what I've read it's more a feeling that food is stuck in their chest but it's extremely uncomfortable. 2) Does the sleeve make osteoporosis worse?- That would be a question for the doctors, but I would assume as long as you stay on top of your calcium supplements it shouldn't make things worse. 3) What do you take for chronic pain (like arthritis or back pain) that works? - In general NSAIDS are not advised for bariatric patients because of concerns that it helps thin the stomach lining. You would need to work with your doctor around pain management 4) Do you suffer from Vitamin or mineral deficiency or poor nutrition from stomach being smaller? - No. I take Vitamins and supplements but my bloodwork was good pre-op and so far it's been fine post-op.

Hang in there. Road testing proteins powders can be quite a trial.

My insurance has a wellness component to it. I enrolled because it will cover my gym membership. Every so often the do things like have have a mobile mammography event and send alerts to it's members. So they had this thing where they would send nurse's out to do wellness check ups. I'm getting stuff done in the house so the alternative was to go to the local pharmacy's minute clinic. So Friday I go and this stupid nurse keep remarking about how she's surprised I don't have diabetes and am I sure. It was like she was wishing I had co-morbs or an illness other than my allergies. She kept asking about medications and sleep apnea. Once again she keeps says how she's surprised I don't have diabetes I looked her dead in the eye and said; "No I don't, you gotta problem with that!"

I wish more people felt that way. Some people on this forum get offended if you mention counseling. Food addiction is a much a mental issue as it is a physical one.

@@lucy0911 - ask if liquids would be an acceptable option. If you are allowed apple sauce or nut butter, you can try crushing them and mixing them in that. it may help mask the taste a bit.

I have to say this surgery was by far the easiest thing I have ever done. This was easier than my complete hysterectomy. I would encourage you to start to love yourself now. Your body is not gross. Your body is beautiful. It brought 3 lives into this world. Contrary to what magazine would like us to believe there are no perfect people out there. Have this surgery to be healthy. To be the person you need to be in order to take care of your children. Love yourself for you.

@@lucy0911 - Talk to your doctor. I was allowed to return to regular pills after 6 weeks. If you are someone who has difficulties swallowing pills you may want to look into liquid vitamins instead.

Yes the common theory is no NSAIDS because That said if you have medical condition that can only be controlled by an NSAID, you need to work with your doctor so that he can monitor you to make sure you don't suffer further negative effects.

@@lauren8486 - I would have tried another program. While you may not have 40% BMI you have other health factors that should have justified your needing surgery. I ALWAYS recommend people look at more than one bariatric program before deciding. I went to 2 different programs before choosing my surgeon. I wanted to make sure I choose one that best suited my needs.

I am always accepting new friends. Especially those who chat and encourage. However I only accept friends who share diaries. Mine is an open book. Milaxx

Thank you for posting this. So many think WLS is a cure and that once you reach goal life is easy. It's an ongoing issue we will always have to deal with.

@@chubbsey1 - Buy a few sample packs of another brand. Try them for a week. If they don't bother you then you know it's the Premiere Protein. It's the same type of exlcusion test my allergist had me do for certain foods we thought were triggers but didn't show up on allergy testing.

I didn't have problems with acid until I added food back in. When I was all liquids & even soft foods, I ate a lot of dairy, mostly greek yogurt but also some cheese. When I was on whatever you can tolerate I noticed my acid increased.

@@blissfulbeing - Wishing you well!

@@Cyr - Increase your water. It will help you not feel so hungry.

I was at 600 - 800 calories a day. It takes some juggling to both keep calories low and protein high but it can be done.

If you can't tolerate whey isolates, try soy isolates instead. Whole Foods has an entire selection of them. Vega uses soy isolates. Raw garden of Life is another alternative.

Are you drinking water in between as well? I was the exact opposite during the all liquid phase because once the food was digested I was trying to get in water. Also make sure it's not acid that's giving you that hungry feeling. It's hard to tell the difference early on.

I use Scarfade gel. I used it on my face after I had shingles. I also have a tendancy to keloid so in addition to the discoloration they end up raised and bumpy. All but the biggest is flat and the discoloration has faded some. I don't expect them to disappear completely because my hysterectomy scars never did. However with some careful TLC they can become less noticeable.

FYI - Omeprazole is just generic Prilosec. Most drugs stores will have both on the shelves. but the prilosec is more expensive.

@@kimmeesue - Try and breathe. I'm sure you are doing fine. If you've never taken your measurements they may be a bit of a surprise, but wait a month or 2 and take them again. You should see a difference.