catwoman7

I didn't use any bariatric-specific sites after I was through the phases - but I would imagine most low carb recipes would work (and of course you'll have to have some kind of protein at every meal, too...)

no - but I'd be a little surprised if it's related to your sleeve. Keep us posted! I'm curious..

ScarAway. I got my first tube of it at Walgreens. Then I noticed it was much cheaper at WalMart, so I got my second tube there...

I think that's more of an issue with bypass than sleeve, but I'll let other, wiser people respond to that - there are a couple of medical professionals on here. edited to add that your surgeon's office would probably know that as well - I'm assuming they get these kinds of questions all the time.

yes - it was! I really couldn't wear compression garments consistently because of the pain from those dang things!!!

I used a box of it and then went back to silicone gel (although I alternated using silicone gel with oils or rich lotions that I could massage my scars with, since you don't/can't massage them with the silicone gel, and my surgeon wanted me to massage them at least once a day - and preferable two or three times a day). Nothing helped with the wayward sutures. When they got unbearable, I had the surgeon - or my PCP - take them out.

might have been the scar tissue that was removed that - (i.e., that took the extra time). Also, I'm not sure if having surgery done robotically takes longer or not - if so, that might have been a factor as well.

they might - although mine all eventually popped out through the incision, as I recall. They were pretty painful! It stopped after about four months, though - I guess that's when they've all dissolved.

my RNY took just over an hour. But there's the prep and the recovery, of course - that may be why some people are reporting theirs taking a lot longer than that (??). The surgery itself is pretty quick, unless you have other issues going on (like a hernia).

I count everything as long as it's not caffeinated (although some people count caffeinated beverages, too...)

I had it at 55 (am 60 now). Lots of people have it at 60+ !

if you're following your surgeon's plan to T, then it's just a stall. I've heard of them lasting about that long....(and even longer once you get several months out..)

I recently stepped mine up because I had a slight gain over the holidays. I'm doing weights 2x a week and cardio 3-4x a week (usually water aerobics or some kind of dance cardio - like Zumba or WERQ. Although I've even done 30 minutes on the stationary bike when I'm not in the mood to do anything else. Anything is better than nothing...)

really? Most of the vegetarians I know are very healthy...

I've gotten it when I drink too fast or drink something too hot or cold. My stomach especially seems to react when I drink really cold things.

the first few months you're really not eating enough to worry about calories. For me, it could be a struggle just to get in everything I was supposed to get in (like all that protein!). I didn't start counting calories until I could physically eat enough to worry about it - like after around 10 or 12 months. Once in maintenance, I focused on protein (as usual...) and overall calories.

the above poster is correct - there doesn't seem to be a consensus among surgeons. Some don't allow it at all, some allow it right away, some limit how much you can have (e.g., 1-2 cups a day), some are OK with it after a specific amount of time has passed. I was allowed to have decaffeinated after the first three or four weeks, I think (decaffeinated coffee still has acid in it, which was probably his rationale). I had to wait for six months to drink the caffeinated kind, and I was limited to one cup a day, but honestly, I drink more than one cup most days.

they're both pretty invasive - just in different ways. Cutting out 80% of your stomach and throwing it in the trash is pretty darn invasive... there are sometimes medical issues that would make one surgery or the other more appropriate. I had GERD pre-surgery, so it was a no-brainer for me - bypass. Sleeve can often (but not always) make that worse. Bypass can often (but not always) improve (if not outright cure) it. if you have no medical issues, then either is a good option. There are plenty of examples of people successful with either surgery.

I agree with this - sounds like the dreaded three-week stall (usually happens during the third week, but not always - the first major stall can happen any time during the first 4-6 weeks or so of surgery). Just stick to your plan and the weight loss will start up again. My first stall lasted two weeks, but once my weight loss started up again, I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days.

sounds like constipation - sometimes a lot of gas gets trapped behind it which can cause a lot of pain and bloating. chronic constipation is actually pretty common in bariatric patients, both sleeve and bypass. A lot of us take a capful of Miralax every day to help with it. Others take things like stool softeners, Smooth Move tea, etc. Just experiment with what works for you and keep on top of it. I wouldn't mess with harsher laxatives except for during the times you really need them (like when you've been blocked up for three or four days). Those aren't made for daily use. But stool softeners and things like Miralax can be used regularly. even with the daily Miralax, I still get backed up once or twice a month. When it happens, taking Milk of Magnesia for a night or two usually does the trick.

my insurance company required me to go through six months of a supervised diet (supervised by either my PCP or a registered dietitian). Even though at first I thought it was going to be a giant PITA, I actually got a lot out of it - and I lost about 40 lbs to boot! She had me aim for about 2300 calories per day and add in regular exercise. I had to gradually increase my protein, gradually decrease my carbs, eat more fruits and vegetables. I also had to gradually wean myself off of caffeine and stop drinking carbonated beverages. I felt it really prepped me for the post-op life. Once I had surgery, the required change in eating wasn't nearly as drastic as it could have been.

thanks - I missed that part of it!

gaining weight aside, breads (esp dense, chewy ones like that) could be pretty hard on a healing stomach. I wouldn't do that again...

I'd run this by your clinic. If you're nauseated every time you eat, you could be developing a stricture. You're in the right time frame for it.

most of us have our first major stall sometime during the first 4-6 weeks after surgery. It's usually during week 3 (but not always), so we call it "the three week stall". Sounds like you're right on schedule! the increase in weight is probably just water weight. It should come off within a couple of days.