hockeyfan7

What do you mean by Core Power? Are you talking about their shakes? If so and you're drinking 4 a day, you're getting way too many carbs and sugar. 4 of those shakes a day is 112 grams of carbs and 104 grams of sugar. That's too much at this point. Are you drinking the light ones? Even so that's 52 grams of carbs and 44 grams of sugar which still may be too much depending on what else you are taking in. That much sugar may be making you crave more of it. Are you on real food yet? I was at that point and I didn't do Protein shakes at all.

I make "cheese" crackers. 275 degree oven, break slices of cheese into smaller pieces, put on parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. Makes the cheese crunchy like a cracker. You can bake longer if you want them crunchier. Protein and crunch all in one. I've used cheddar, swiss, havarti, colby jack.

I am a revision from the lap band. I chose sleeve because I didn't want to have my intestines rerouted and I already have malabsorption problems from Celiac disease. I didn't want to exacerbate them.

Do you have Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield? That's what I have. I had to have the following: - 6 months supervised weight loss program - my doctor just wrote a letter that I had been doing Weight Watchers under her care - 2 visits with a psychiatrist - 2 visits with a nutritionist - sleep study - Mammogram - Pregnancy Test (mind you I'm 52 and can't get pregnant but they still made me do it) - H pylori test - Bone density scan - EKG - Blood work - Chest X-Ray

My orthopedic surgeon gave me Voltaren gel instead of the pills. It's working fairly well.

Flintstones complete is what my NUT recommended.

My surgeon requires 2 nights for sleeve and bypass and 1 night for lap band.

I eat a cheese stick. Or last night I had a couple of ounces of grilled pork chop. As long as it's Protein it should be fine. I ate pork chop at 11:30 pm last night and still was down a pound this morning.

Bariatric Advantage's chewy bites in chocolate - tastes just like a chocolate truffle. The lemon isn't bad either.

I absolutely hate broth and I would never want to eat it. So no, you don't have to.

I had a band to sleeve revision on June 1st. I've lost more weight since June 1st than I lost in the past 2 years with the band. I haven't thrown up. I don't have nausea. I don't have that sharp stabbing pain when the port moves and slides over a nerve. I can eat chicken again. I was never able to eat chicken in any shape, sort or form after the band. My tastes changed. Sweets don't taste good and don't even look appealing. I've eaten more vegetables in the past 2 months than I've eaten in the past 6 years.

I didn't want the malabsorption. I already have Celiac disease and didn't want to run the risk of not getting enough nutrients. I also didn't want to mess with my intestines.

I pretty much had no pain. I had one dose of morphine in the hospital that they gave me right after the surgery. I had one dose of liquid Vicodan because I had a major headache and that's what they brought me. I have a big bottle of liquid Vicodan upstairs because I got the prescription filled but I didn't use any of it once I got home.

What kinds of things are you eating? I find if I even look at a carb that doesn't come from veggies or fruit the scale jumps up a couple of pounds. As soon as I cut them out it goes right back down.

I started seeing a drop in the scale the first few days. Of course I spent a lot of time in the bathroom peeing. The day of surgery I got nothing at all. The day after surgery I got 2 oz of ice chips every 4 hours. It wasn't until day 3 that I had to start drinking Protein shakes.

I've been dieting since I was 18. I could write the book on proper nutrition. But knowing it and doing it are two different things. I also could probably tell you about the nutrition and science or lack thereof behind every diet plan out there. I grew up on a farm where we grew our own vegetables and fruits, had our own meat, etc., But that doesn't mean I actually followed a decent plan.

I used a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Bariatric Center of Excellence. Along with the surgeon it comes with the nutritionist as well. Both are used in conjunction. I saw the NUT before surgery for the pre-op. At that time there was also a 2 hour class on the surgery, what happens after, and the stages of the diet plan. After surgery when I was still in the hospital the NUT came to see me, my surgeon came and the bariatric coordinator came. I was given everything I needed for the 2 weeks after surgery. 2 weeks after surgery I saw the NUT for the next phase of the program. I saw the surgeon at 3 weeks after. I had another appointment with the NUT 2 weeks later. I see the surgeon again tomorrow. My next appointment with the NUT is in another 3 weeks. The follow up care continues for the first year. And I can call or e-mail the NUT with questions any time I want.

I'm in my 3rd month from my revision and I'm very happy with it so far. I've lost 35 lbs and I do have restriction even though my sleeve is not as small as a usual sleeve. The other day I pushed it and finished my plate and I did throw it back up. Otherwise I have not had a problem at all. I know not to do that now.

You also may find that your tastes change - mine did. I used to eat sweets all day long. Now I just ignore them. I've eaten more fresh vegetables in the past 2 months than I have in the past 8 years. I eat out. I order salad and some kind of grilled Protein. I love steak so I usually have steak and salad. I've eaten fajitas at a Mexican restaurant without the tortillas. And I just box up a good part of it and have it for a meal the next day. I have had popcorn at a movie but I can't eat more than a couple of handfuls and I'm done. I just eat a few bites of my son's instead of getting one for me.

Yes. It took me at least 6 weeks to even have some resemblence of energy. Your body has had major surgery and my surgeon said it can take up to 6 months to feel back to normal. I just rested as much as possible. I took naps when I needed to.

Yes I was not quite prepared. I had my first appointment to discuss my band to sleeve revision and then 2 weeks later I was in surgery. And I had to make an unexpected trip across country for work in that 2 weeks. But I was determined to do it so I just went with the flow.

Congratulations - that's great! I can't stand the taste of ice cream any longer either and can totally ignore sweets now. Keep up the good work!

My nutritionist just said use Flintstones Complete. I buy the generic Walgreens brand of the Flintstones Complete - same stuff but cheaper. I can't stand the bariatric ones I tried. I really like the Bariatric chewy bites Calcium in chocolate - tastes like a chocolate truffle. The lemon isn't bad either. I can't do liquid - it makes me barf. The taste is too nasty for me.

Alex - I buy mine at either Amazon or BJ's Bariatric Pantry. I like the chocolate truffle the best. But I also like the Caribbean Cooler, Crystal Sky and Twisted Cherry. The strawberry and vanilla are OK. I have a friend who loves the mint cookie. I liked the Peanut Butter cookie okay too. Hated the oreo. I mix mine with milk only. 12 oz of skim milk and either a scoop from the big jar or one of the packets if it's the grab and go. I use a shaker cup with the wire ball. I have a friend who puts the mint cookie in her morning coffee.

Yes I did on June 1st. I had it done in one surgery. I was throwing up everything and couldn't get into the green zone with the band. The one thing I found is that my sleeve is slightly larger than normal because of scar tissue around the esophagus. My surgeon didn't want to run the risk of leaks so he didn't wrap the sleeve too tightly. That being said I don't have as much restriction as a direct sleever and I can eat 5 to 6 oz of Protein and some veggies at each meal at 3 months out. However, I do not miss that port at all. Mine would slide over a nerve and give me sharp stabbing pains. And I definitely don't miss the throwing up every time I eat. Good luck with your surgery.