catwoman7

I had strictures as well (two of them). This could potentially be one. If so, it's a really easy fix...

I have a desk job,so I really don't lift heavy things, but I know I had to wait something like six weeks to be cleared for weight-lifting (as in the exercise)

I have very little pain other than really sore abs (that felt like I'd done 1000 crunches). If it were up to me, I wouldn't have taken any pain meds while in the hospital, but the nurses made me use my morphine pump so I could get out of bed and walk more comfortably (because of my abs). I felt almost no pain at all if I was lying down or sitting up - it was just transitioning. the pain meds they sent me home with sat unopened people are all over the board with the pain issue, but lots of us really didn't have any, so you may be fine.

on the other hand, if you're undereating your plan, then yes - you can (and should) try to eat according to your plan. You don't want to get sick. But that stall is going to break at some point either way.

almost everyone experiences the dreaded "three week stall" (it's not ALWAYS the third week, but sometime within the first month or so after surgery). Don't increase your calories - just stick to your food plan. It *will* break.

nope - that's very normal!

depending on your weight now, you're going to have sag no matter how fast or slow you go. I'd just try to lose as much as I could without resorting to drastic (and unhealthy) means

yes - it broke during week 4. I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. After that, I lost about 10-12 lbs every month for the first six or seven months (I kept losing after that - but it slowed down quite a bit - maybe 6-10 lbs from months 6-12, then 5 lbs or less per month after the first year. Some people lose slower, some faster... But you will have stalls along the way. Just stick to your program, and they'll eventually break.

mine lasted two weeks (week 2 and 3 post-op)

it's just anxiety. I don't remember having these kinds of dreams, but I'm sure it's just because you're nervous about it.

that is really weird. I'd just keep going until my body decides to stop (and without taking drastic means to get there....). Your body may decide to stop at 180 - or not.

I had hardly any pain at all - although my abs for the first week felt like I'd done 1000 crunches. So *transitioning* was a bit tough (i.e., going from lying down to sitting) because of my abs, but otherwise, if I was just lying down - or just sitting - I really had almost no pain at all. I was very surprised by that.

almost everyone has their first stall within the first month after surgery. In fact, we call it "the three week stall", because it often (but not always) happens during week 3. If you search for it, you'll find tons of posts about it. Just stick to your program and it will break. i stalled weeks 2 and 3 and it finally broke during week 4. Then I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days.

I lost 16 lbs my first month, but I've lost 216 lbs altogether. People lose at different rates; just stick to your program and you *will* lose. Like the above commenter, I lost a bunch of weight before surgery (57 lbs, to be exact). People who do that sometimes lose slower that first month post-surgery, from what I've seen lurking around these boards for a couple of years. It could be that people who lose a ton that first month are losing a lot of Water, and for those of us who lost a lot of weight before surgery, that "water weight" is long gone.

people lose at all different rates. Be glad you're a fast loser - I sure wasn't!

I doubt it would keep you from getting jobs (other than military). I can see it potentially disqualifying you some insurance policies, though. But then being morbidly obese would as well

I think I got to the 1000-1200 kcal range when I was close to a year out. I'm still in that range at 17 months out.

I was around 700 calories a day at eight weeks out - and I was worried i was too high... also, I didn't go off plan *at all* for several months. Now at 18 months out, I'll occasionally have a cookie or a small slice of pizza, but that's pretty rare - maybe once or twice a month. I'm about 95% on plan.

I think that's why so many programs require a sleep study - because sleep apnea is very common in obese people and a lot of people don't realize they have it. And that's something the anesthesiologist needs to know about so they can account for it during your surgery.....

I like unjury and Syntrax nectar products. I can't taste the Protein in either one. And both make non-milkshake flavors: Unjury makes a chicken broth flavored one, and Syntrax has several fruit-flavored ones (that I always mix with Crystal Light because it makes the flavor more intense)

before surgery when I had acid reflux, yes, even Water could set it off. I thought I was the only one...

Thank you so much for telling me about Upcal D, just ordered some. I found the paks and each one could be split into two servings (2500 mg calcium citrate- the rest would come from my multi). I like that there is no soy in it like so many other products. I did buy a bottle of cc but for later use, I want to prepared for right after surgery. I too will add to yogurt and cottage cheese. Thank you! the calcium number that's important is the *elemental* calcium - not total calcium - as elemental is the amount you actually absorb. Upcal D has 500 mg of elemental calcium per packet. Although that's OK, because your body can't absorb more than 500-600 mg of elemental calcium at a time - so you're supposed to spread out your calcium dosages over the day (so you take calcium 2 or 3 times a day - depending on your surgeon's instructions) (this is true of any calcium supplement - not just Upcal D) you can supposedly mix Upcal D with any food or beverage, but just so you know, it suspends in liquid rather than dissolves, so if you put it in a beverage, you have to give it a good shake before taking a sip. Although if it's a really thick beverage, you may not have to do that. I mix mine in with my morning yogurt. It's slightly sweet, so it works better in sweet things than savory things. I can't tell it's in my yogurt at all.

I was never a big drinker pre-surgery (we're talking maybe five glasses of wine per year), but I haven't had any alcohol at all since my surgery 17 months ago.

I just factor them into my daily calorie range. Like an above poster said, it's a daily t treat I allow myself. Although I usually just take one. For the rest of my doses, I mix Upcal D into my morning yogurt (9 calories) and drop or crush a couple of tablets into my Protein shake (0 calories)

actually, you're a bit late - most people have their first stall within the first month after surgery. Almost everyone has a stall right out of the gate. Mine was weeks 2 and 3 post-surgery. It finally broke week 4, and I dropped like 6 or 8 lbs within a couple of days. Just stick to your program and it'll break. If you have to, stay off the scale.