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Following this same exact diet from pre-op through these first weeks of post-op has most of us in ketosis. No complaints from me, because I like knowing the fat burning machine is flipped on and working. It comes with the side effect of ketosis breath. Bad stuff. Brushing 3-4 times and day and using Listerine along with breath steps in between still doesn't kill it. I think I may go to my dog's vet and see if he can give me something............

You nailed it. That's exactly the feeling. Thank you. Thank you. Excellent advice. I appreciate it. Have not had my meds today and will be holding off, too. I got through to the surgeon's assistant. She advised me to contact my primary doctor since he is the prescriber of these meds. I'm waiting on a call back from my primary doc's nurse. She's golden and has been a huge advocate for me getting this sleeve surgery. Supercool gal who is probably going to see this as I now do......a victory. Getting off these meds is going to feel great. I hope I'm at that point. I feel stupid for not checking and confirming my blood pressure prior to this. I used to hate the process........now I'm grinning thinking it's going to read favorably at long last. Here is a bit of irony, too: My final 2 meals yesterday & last night were chicken broth with added unjury chicken Soup Protein powder. For the first time since surgery I added salt, too. I was trying to get a different flavor from the meals. Salt. Dumb, I know. Now, the next morning after eating this stuff....my diastolic number is 60. Crazy turn of events. Feeling better about jumping into the work grind already.

Third week here. Running out of gas every freaking single day......mid-afternoon. I'll go out and run errands to get out of the house and get stuff done prior to returning to work this weekend and will have to stop and rest. Made a big, big discovery this morning, though, that may very well explain some of it. It may or may not be applicable to you. After years of being treated for high blood pressure.......things may now be swinging the other way. Last time mine was checked was 6th day post-op. 140's/90's. This is about what it's been running during my last few years. Today.....I checked it again 23rd day post-op.....106/60. I've not had my meds yet this morning and will not be taking them until my doctor calls me back and advises. There is no doubt that some, if not most, of my weakness is from daily periods of low blood pressure. The tides are turning. Not sure if this may be something you are feeling, too.

You are only 3 weeks out. Me, too. I personally don't see the harm in delaying the stages of progression a week or two......but that's just my untrained, unprofessional opinion. The way I look at it is simply allowing your new stomach a little longer to heal. Just make sure you are drinking your Protein and getting down the amounts you are supposed to.

Thanks everyone. I'll tell ya.....I may be onto a revelation of sorts. I just sat down put on the blood pressure cuff. I have not taken my blood pressure meds today and the reading was 106/65. I waited ten minutes and ran it again with similar readings. I haven't had it checked since the last visit with the surgeon.....six days post-op. It was 146/94 then.....which is what it had been running during the months leading up to the surgery. I'm thinking that the aggressive weight loss has brought down my blood pressure overall......and taking the meds for it is dropping it waaaaay low. I've got a call into his office now for advice. I'll not be taking the meds until I get further word. I don't know why in the hell I didn't strap on the cuff sooner. I'd just assumed the weak and puny feeling was from the low calorie intake. Dumbass. I should have been taking daily measurements all along. Idiots will idiot. On the brighter side of things......I may have reached the point where I can toss these bp meds in the trash. Life without side effects from them will be much appreciated.

Yeah.....I'd heard and read all the gas stories, too. I took 8 boxes of Gas-X strips with me to the hospital in hopes of combating the stuff. Had my sleeve and umbilical hernia repair done and woke up with minimal pains. Was up walking 3-4 hours after surgery and every 3-4 hours afterwards throughout the night. The only discernible pain that I ever experienced was resultant from the hernia repair. That was it. Localized to that region only. It also hurt much less than two prior hernia repairs I've had due to not being an open-wound repair. I never experienced a single gas pain event that I'm aware of. I did burp some the next day.

Yup. Sure did. The surgeon that did my sleeve wanted to be the one who did the EGD. It was a breeze. I scheduled for early in the morning. Fasted after 10:30pm. Arrived there at 6:15am. They had me bag in the room in just a few minutes. It was like taking a really nice nap. A non-event. I was instructed to have a driver due to the anesthesia meds. No problems.

You are right. It's frustrating. Especially frustrating when you care for someone's health more than they apparently do. I think there is a great misconception that has been permeated into urban legend that weight loss surgery does the work for you. We all know that it does not and that it takes effort and discipline to be successful post op. Seeing a lack of effort or discipline from folks post-op is sad because you know they are simply prolonging their struggle and if they don't snap out of it they may even be worse off now.

70 pounds lost these past two months...........outstanding !!!! Your surgeon has to be grinning at every visit. Very well done.

I wouldn't touch it.....or any food type that I haven't been cleared for. I wouldn't even think about those foods or be out shopping for them. It's just a way to torment yourself and remain food-focused. Hopefully the NUT has given you a safe list of foods that are appropriate for the stage you are at. You just have to form you daily menus from there and be done with it. Let it go. Sure, it's going to be a limited menu......but it's supposed to be restricted to safe foods. Looking beyond at future foods is pointless and constantly doing so may keep you from breaking free from it. My two cents, anyway. Unsolicited, of course.

Guacamole ? One of the simplest and most flavorful homemade foods I've ever encountered. Maybe by then you'll be able to eat Quest chips or could make some kale chips to spread it on. Another thought that comes to mind would be a Crockpot of chili, stew, Soup. Sure is the right time for it and everyone could enjoy it. Happy Birthday and you have a great supportive family. Good stuff.

I agree with @@RILEYSMOM22 in that they are okay.....tasted fine to me and were actually on our approved list of Protein drinks......but they only have 15 grams of protein if I remember correctly. The 100 calorie / 20 gram protein MUSCLE MILK shakes are usually sold at the same locations and were better for me. Premier Protein Shakes were even better flavor and had 30 grams protein, I believe, but weren't as easy to find. The blue-topped Atkins shakes became my last choice.

Wow. Talk about giving yourself a great birthday gift. Look at ya !!!! Looking incredible. Happy 25th Birthday !!!!!!

That is awesome. You would have been the teacher's pet for my surgeon. He kept telling everyone all along that he discharges with minimal restrictions and fully expected us to be up and running in a few days....certainly no more than a week. He stated repeatedly that the quicker we return to normal the life the more successful we'll be. I can see what he means with this. Do you find yourself running out of gas at work or are you feeling like you are experiencing normal energy ? That does sound like a nice environment to got back to. Enjoying the folks we work with and the interaction makes a big difference, I think, too. Positive environments are where we all want to be.

That doesn't make much sense. I thought our doctors were are advocates, right ? Seems like you would have a greater span of control of your return dates. "No...you must work.....you should have 2 jobs by now". Smacks of communism. On the flip side....perhaps the doctor feels that a nudge in right direction will be helpful for you at this point......getting back to routine living.....moving around.....back in the flow of things. Doc may want to get you moving in order to add in some more calories to fire up your metabolism. I know if left to my own devices.....I'd have stayed in that hospital bed for much longer than they allowed me to. Doc wouldn't allow it and had the weightlifter male nurse in there 3 hours after surgery to "persuade" me to get the hell up and go walking. I knew it was coming and I knew it was in my best interest......but the hernia repair & newly ventilated abdomen with 9 fresh new holes protested like a beast. Turns out that those walks were key to my healing. Sometimes the docs push us harder than we'd push ourselves.....and it winds up getting us on track and progressing better. All you can do is evaluate the situation and think hard about your's and other's safety. Is it safe for you to proceed with the doc's instruction ? If so....then maybe it's worth a bit of a struggle. I sympathize and understand about work being antsy. I've taken 3 weeks out of my schedule....to allow the umbilical hernia repair to heal and stop hurting......but I worry that's not how they will see it....."He's had some radical weight loss surgery and is laying out of work......all he needed to do is lay off the biscuits and pizza". I know they really aren't thinking like this.....but I've had the "no trusting" wall up so long that it's my often initial reaction. Are you safe to return?

Sounds like a great plan. I drive by a Whole Foods store almost every day. I'll have to stop in and grab some of that.

The folks that were in our final surgeon's workshop asked him this question and told us that typically his instructions are to allow a couple days for the meds to clear out and to not take your post-op pain meds when driving.

Amazing. You look great !!!!!

That sure does sound really aggressive. I guess all you can do, if asked, is to let 'em know they can always stick to shakes & pureed for longer.

I'm sorry that you had to go through all this.

Very cool.

Sounds really good. Things are progressing along for you. I wish you the best of luck and know that you'll benefit greatly. As a side note.....have you had time to do much deer hunting this year ? I've pretty much given up on the chance to go this year....didn't even buy a hunting license. That's going to change next year. Hoping to have more time and certainly more energy to go.

Maybe Greek yogurt is what you want for a while. There are dozens of different flavors and many are 80-90 calories for a nice sized bowl that still has 12+ grams of Protein. There are enough different brands and flavors of Greek yogurt that it's not likely you'll get burned out on it like most of us do with Protein shakes.

Work....smerk......you guys are my peeps. Good, bad or ugly.....I'm here to stay. Cool thing for me is I work a goofball rotating shift schedule that is impossible to follow. I'll be able to pop in and pester you at hours of the day and night............................like a ninja.............................just bigger, fatter and less stealthy...........okay, more like a big dude in dark pajamas that he thinks are slenderizing. Ninja......or fat house ninja.....see, I'm already thinking about my costume for Halloween next year. I guess it'll depend on how busy I get in the gym. I don't always make great choices with such things, though. There was that time in my mid-30's when I went to a Halloween party with a fur loincloth and sword. I thought I made a badass Conan the Barbarian. Even had sexy wench at my side...... Yeah...made it to the party and didn't even make it to the freakin bar and was faced with, "Hey.....dude? WTF is a Sumo wrestler toting a sword ????? Dude???????" FUUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah....I'll be getting some professional guidance prior to next Halloween's parties.

This is a great point. It's something that I can only respond to from one perspective......my own. I'm not advising anyone or making suggestions. I'm simply not trained or equipped to do so. These are just my thoughts on the matter. I think that goals should be achievable. By this, I'm referring to the ultimate weight goal. It has to be a weight that our medical experts say is achievable. It should be a weight that is healthy and will be maintainable. Some don't seem to set realistic goals.....some don't even set them at all (in terms of weight). My goal is the weight that I want to live beneath. It has been a normal weight for me before and one that I know I can achieve and live normally with. Normally means without binge eating junk food....proper meal composition and proper timing of food....plenty of rest....plenty of exercise.....living normally. I really don't have incremental goals....because they simply aren't places I want to stop and hover at. They are just weights that are plotted along the way to my ultimate weight goal. Sure....there are certain milestones that I'll take note of and be happy about.....but achieving them in no way is a reason to take it easy for a while and enjoy things at that weight. No....they are to be noted and pat myself on the back....but then to blow pass them and reach my ultimate weight goal. My sleeve is a tool that is going to help me. My success isn't limited to the sleeve.....but it is a big tool for me. I have to take it.....my new way of eating......improvements with back and knee pains and push myself hard to get there. My success isn't contingent on one facet of my approach, but a combination built on using all my onboard resources to get me there. Reaching my ultimate goal weight this first year is very important to me. Living below this goal weight for the remainder of my long (I hope) life is MOST important me. I want to reach the goal.....but then put up very specific boundaries to live with. Examples: A 7 pound gain leads to immediate corrective action. If I'm unable to meet my cardio for that week....then I ensure that I'm measuring my calorie intake so I can stay at or below maintenance (example could be during the timeframe I'm having my shoulder repaired).......life at goal is LIFE and will come with very careful balance. Right or wrong.......for me there is only the ultimate weight goal that I want to live below. Everything else along the way are simply fun milestones to be noted. For far too long, I've plotted mini-campaigns to make it to a better weight. Birthdays have come and gone and I've not made it due to one reason or another. The culmination of these attempts are not failures....but, nuggets of wisdom that help me see better now how to attack next time. I had my sleeve 11 months (almost to the day) before my 48th birthday. I will reach this next birthday with the best gift to myself that I've ever "given" myself. Healthy, free from any medications, moving with lower pain.......and ready to pounce on opportunities to thrive and enjoy life. Again....for me......there is only one goal.