Megdelyn

dinner is usually my smallest meal. I just can't eat as much at the end of the day! I've been making pan sautéed chicken cutlets. Quick and easy. Use the thin cut chicken, dip in milk and flour or bread crumbs or corn meal and sauté in a hot pan for about 5 minutes a side. I eat one, the kids eat the rest. Sometimes I put Pasta sauce and mozz. cheese on it and serve over pasta for them. Another favorite is turkey kielbasa with potatoes and onions (and green peppers if you like them). Again, in a pan, sauté very thinly sliced peeled potatoes, then add in sliced onions and peppers, then add in sliced kielbasa. (I sauté five minutes or so before adding the next ingredient.) I end up eating 4-5 slices of kielbasa and a small "pile" of potatoes and veggies. Sometimes I just have a slice of turkey and a cheese stick for dinner.

AlabamaWLS charges just under $12k as well.

I don't. My scars from the band surgery faded a lot over time. The only scar that I'm concerned about is from where they took the port out. That by far is the biggest and ugliest of the bunch. It's about 3 inches long while the rest are 1/2 inch at most. I'd love to find something to help minimize it, but honestly, there are no bikinis in my future regardless of my weight so I'm not willing to throw tons of money at it.

I, too, struggle with Water. I prefer to eat food so I'm probably not getting in as much Protein as when I was having two shakes a day. And my water consumption is also too low. I struggle to drink 32 oz while at work, although I do have coffee in the morning and tea at night. The mix in powder helps me a lot! Even though I cannot eat a lot, my food choices aren't always that great. It's hard to make a meal for the kids and then find something else for me to eat.

That was rude of your coworker, however it's probably not worth getting upset about either. It says more about her issues than yours. And anyone who heard it probably realized it was inappropriate. I haven't told many of my coworkers, just the two I work closest with. Only one other has asked about my weight loss so far and I didn't say anything about the surgery. But I don't think I'd be bothered if it were common knowledge. Just an opportunity to educate people if they are curious.

My list of new things is almost the same! I can tell when my stomach is empty. It's not the same hunger feeling like I used to get. It is strictly a physical feeling that my stomach is sending me that my body needs fuel. We also went on vacation last weekend to New Orleans, a foodie paradise! I avoided the scale all week but today I got on and I was down! I didn't watch what I ate while there, although I stuck to Protein first. But the portions I ate were so small compared to how I used to eat. We went for ice cream and I ordered a scoop in a cup and could only eat half of it. Never in my life have I pushed away ice cream!

I wish I'd known how weak and tired I felt after surgery. I wish I'd known how hard it would be to poop without taking a Fiber supplement. I wish I'd known that I'd have bad heartburn and need to take Prilosec every day. I would have been better prepared had I known, but I wouldn't change anything!

I haven't done this for myself, but I used to keep a list of 100 reasons to lose 100 pounds and read it once in a while. In a way, some of the changes I've already experienced, just losing 30 pounds, have made a big difference in the quality of my life. Before surgery I was in pain every day. After surgery, I am pain free more days than not. Before surgery I had borderline hbp. After surgery, my bp is textbook. Before surgery I could only walk up stairs one step at a time (step, together, step, together). After surgery I can walk up like normal. I'm certain as I think about it, my list will get longer.

Congrats! I'm so happy I had the revision too. Eating out is a whole different experience now! I've been out twice with my husband since my sleeve surgery and I just ate off his plate. At the first meal, I ordered an unsweet tea, totally forgetting I cannot sip and eat! What a waste. At least we'll save a little money by only ordering one meal and no drinks.

I haven't kept it a secret but I haven't been advertising it either. Most of my friends know, a few of my coworkers. Response has been positive.

Six weeks for me too. Although there were still some restrictions, like no rice, Pasta, raw fibrous veggies. I have tried eating lots of different things. I was at a work function and the only meal was lasagna and salad so I ate a small amount of lasagna. I took maybe a little more than half a cup and I couldn't finish it. I've also tried pizza, ate maybe 1/3 slice. Yesterday I had a chicken wing. One. It was enough. I've been craving salad.

My family doctor was very supportive. I had a band in 2009, then had it removed and the sleeve in May. For the band,I had to do a medically supervised diet and a psych visit. I saw Dr. Azrin at Brookwood for that. For the sleeve, because it was a conversion, I didn't need to do anything extra. What is your family doctor's objection to the surgery?

Actual riding shouldn't be that strenuous on your abs. Lifting could be a problem, but you got friends to help with that.

I had surgery end of May, and we're planning a camping trip July 10. No riding, just tent camping. And that feels about right A month might be adequate time before you go trail riding. 6 weeks would be better. But a weekend of riding and camping could be very tiring and strenuous, especially with the restricted calories and types of food you can eat. The weekend sounds fun, I'd do that first and schedule the surgery for October if you can.

Hey, I had my sleeve May 26 as well. I'm allowed to eat a lot more now, but I just don't want to. My sample meal plan said 2 oz tuna and 1/4 cup green Beans for lunch, and I'll tell you after 2 oz tuna (tuna salad really) I don't want the green beans. The tuna is enough. I really like cheese sticks, cottage cheese, and the fortified instant oatmeal. And hot dogs and bologna. Though I know I'm not supposed to be eating the bologna but it's so good and it doesn't give me heartburn! I can't eat eggs, and I'm sick of yogurt. I'm still too scared to try a lot of other stuff.

Four weeks ago, May 26. I had the band done in Sept of 2009.

I also chose the sleeve over RNY because I don't do daily medication well. I forget, I'm not that routinized. I was afraid that if I didn't take Vitamins every day there could be worse health effects. And all the rerouting scared me. The sleeve seemed less invasive. I had my band removed and the sleeve done in one surgery. I didn't want to expose myself to anesthesia that much. It was worth a slightly longer procedure than facing two of them.

I had my sleeve May 26 and even though the recovery hasn't been as smooth as I would have liked, I have no regrets. I AM NOT HUNGRY! At all. Ever. I can eat three or four bites of something and I have to stop and wait a few minutes. This morning, there were pastries in the break room at work and I didn't even want one because a: I still feel full from breakfast; and b: I know I could take one or two bites and it probably wouldn't feel good. I can't speak long term about the sleeve. I had the band 5 years ago and it sprung a leak after I lost 60#. Gained most of that back. The sleeve feels different. I've heard that the constantly full feeling eases up with time, but I expect this to work for the long term.

I ended up taking off more than a week. It wasn't from pain, but I just felt so weak and tired I had trouble walking to my office building from where I park. You'll see that everyone had different post-op experiences. My surgeon's office recommends a week off.

It is quite possible my memory is faulty... But I'm sure I was eating a lot sooner with the post-band diet.

Yes yes and YES! The first week or two was very hard. I missed chewing. I missed flavor. I did not sit in the same room with my family while they ate. Which made the food jealousy easier, but it was lonely. It's slowly gotten better. I'm 4 weeks out so I can eat some foods. I still don't like to sit and eat with the family, but when I do, it doesn't bother me nearly as much. Partially because I am chewing now, and I can have things with more flavor. I did have some pizza with the family the other day. It smelled too good not to pass up. But I could only eat three or four bites. Small bites. And I was done. That was such a shock to me! The desire to stuff my face is still there. I wanted to gobble down that pizza. But I physically could not do it, and that was one of those life changing moments. Made me realize that this really will work.

That's probably a seroma where the port was. Its a buildup of Fluid under the skin at the site of the incision. They typically go away with time. Just keep an eye on it because there is a risk of infection. If it gets very painful or if it feels hot to the touch or looks suddenly red, call your doctor. I had a would vac where my port was to keep down the chances of infection, but now I'll have a nice scar there. Oh well.

I had the same surgeon for both, and I remember the band post-op diet very differently. I don't remember doing more than a week of transition from Clear Liquids to real food. And the list for each stage was different. I remember eating a lot of laughing cow on wasa crackers, which I can't have yet with the sleeve.

Good luck! I am so glad I got the sleeve. Even though it took me longer to recover from the sleeve surgery than the band, I already feel a difference. Totally worth it!