wildcat74

For me, the multi-Vitamins made me sick, almost to the point of throwing up. I found PatchMD, and I wear two Multivitamin Patches each day. No more barfy feeling! Had my bloodwork done for my 6 month follow-up at 5 months, actually, but everything came back with good number levels. No issues.

Way to go!!! Great job! I'm hoping to be able to say that for myself soon, I'm 8.5 lbs away, so close!!! lol

Yep, exercise sucks. I always said, If I'm running, it better be because someone is chasing me! In all the decades I was overweight, I never (or rarely) went to a gym. Always felt people were staring, wondering what I was doing there(I'm sure that in all actuality they could care less). I have everything at home I need to exercise. I have a treadmill, which suits me just fine, however, my daughter would prefer to walk outside. I feel safer in my house. I have Zumba, DDP Yoga, Insanity, couple other DVDs I like, kettle bells, and just ordered Body by Jake Power 200, or Tower 200, it fits on the door and you can do several exercises with it, and Cize, another ShaunT DVD set. SO. If I don't tone up, it's now my own fault!!! Well, it's always been my own fault, but I'm running out of excuses. I have a mini exercise store in my house!!! I've lost weight, I can breathe again, I can move better. So now, I don't have the old excuses not to move. It's time to get up and get busy(for me)!! Even when I see progress, I hate exercise. But I love me(sorta) so I'll do it!

I like Body Fortress whey Protein, 30 grams a scoop. Not grainy, blends really well in my smoothies, and I also put it in my sugar/fat free pudding when I make it. Quite yummy and curbs the sweet monster.

Hi everyone! I had my surgery on 9/21/15. I lost 37 lbs before the surgery, I'm down 41 pounds and about 60 inches since the surgery. I thought I would be farther along than I am by now, but in January I only lost 2.5 bs. For the whole month!! YIKES! I finally started losing again a few days ago, so that's good. I still rely on Protein shakes, my doctor told me not to count calories, cause I should just be eating the 4-5 ounces at a time and it should be protein first, so I don't count them. I found I love smoked turkey. I'll get one and put the meat in separate snack baggies, then those into a gallon freezer bag and grab as necessary. I make Soup, eat it as a snack, or put it in salad. What I eat has changed alot. I don't care for boiled eggs any more, or eggs in general, really. I'm trying to figure out what I can eat that doesn't make my stomach hurt. Sometimes hot stuff is not good, or cold or warm. Just depends. I don't like Water without flavoring. I don't tolerate spicy things, and have only had red meat once. I found that if I take instant sugar-free/fat-free pudding and mix it with 1.5 cups milk, and one scoop Body Fortress protein powder(30 grams a scoop), it gives me a yummy 'sweet something' if I need it. The Protein powder mixes really well with the pudding and in smoothies, it isn't grainy. I'm starting to feel like a person again. I can breathe much easier, my knees and hips don't hurt near as much either. I can sit cross-legged on the floor(and get up!) and tie my own shoes. Amazing the things ya take for granted!!

I had no idea there was a Vitamin patch! YES!!! So glad you mentioned them Shellyd67!!! Thank you!! Taking the multi twice a day, I still get sick. Makes me all nauseous and barfy feeling for about 20 minutes. I have tried the chewable, the liquid, doesn't matter, I still get ill. I am 8 weeks post op, and do not want to feel this way twice a day, every day, for the rest of my life. I just ordered the Multivitamin patch and the B12 patch. Taking the D3 and Calcium is no big deal, they do not bother me. Hopefully the Patches will be a God-send and I can get past the nausea.

Thanksgiving wasn't as hard as I thought. And in reading the posts, seems we've all done a really good job today!! Our dinner was traditional, for us...turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce,... and I forgot the rolls! lol.. I had some turkey, and a bite or two of the green bean casserole and stuffing, and a piece of sweet potato. Didn't feel deprived, don't eat bread anyway anymore(stuffing was first time with the bread, other than a piece of toast once), and I felt great. I've gone from a size 22 to an 18 since the surgery 9/21/15, and I'm pushing to be in the 100's by 12/31.

Hi! My surgery date was also 9/21/15! SW 288 when I began the process, 251 day of surgery. CW is 229. Doing great so far, feel really old tho, I'm 59, yal are so young!! I'm married, almost 36 years, 1 daughter, 2 grandkids, great son-in-law. I also work full-time. I had the surgery cause I could not breathe without wheezing, no stamina whatsoever, could hardly walk, and hubby swears I snored like a freight train!! lol. And all my joints hurt terribly. No high blood pressure or diabetes, just fluffy. Now tho, I do not snore, I do not hurt near as much, and I'm beginning to see changes. So glad I was able to do this!

I had hunger pains from the beginning. Totally threw me for a loop, thought it would be couple months at least before I felt hungry for anything. Brain/stomach still on a routine and I'm almost 6 weeks post op. Tastes are changing. I didn't like coffee for a month, I can drink it now, but only about a half cup or so. Still get gas pains, but they come and go and are not all the time. So still learning how/what to eat. Not eating salads yet, or beef, too early for that I think, and no bread at all. Doc said I could eat anything I want, eventually, but never anything carbonated. Don't know if fruit is off limits forever, but can find out my next appointment. I've lost a total of 57 pounds since I began this journey 3/31, but lost 26 since surgery on 9/21. Updated my ticker and found I was under 40 BMI. That's an accomplishment, haven't been under 40 for 20 years I bet. Clothes are starting to fit better and I can wear some I couldn't before, but I look in the mirror and I still see the same fat person I was. Hopefully that will catch up to my progress one of these days.

Monday I begin week 5 post op. I can tolerate chicken, Soups, a few crackers(they mush up really well when you eat them), but I don't have crackers very often as 5 = 10 carbs. I still drink the Premium Protein shakes, along with EAS Carb Control ones. I hate greek yogurt, but mix fruit in it and eat it once in awhile. Cottg cheese works, and I make pizza with the cauliflower crust, and can eat a small square. I found a protein pudding, but it's expensive, so I only eat that once in awhile. I ordered some Liquid Protein, 15g per ounce. I thought that would help me get the protein quota I need, because I can't eat that much yet. I can't tolerate the chaulky chewable Vitamin, so I got that in a liquid too. I tried tuna fish with boiled egg in it(made tuna salad), it did not sit well. Not sure if it was the egg or the tuna. Hated coffee right off the bat, but I can drink a little now. About half a cup and I get done with it. I seem to be doing ok. I feel pretty good! People say they can see the weight loss, but I look in the mirror and see the same person as before the surgery. I can wear3 different sizes of clothes, which is odd, just depends on the brand I guess. I've lost a total of 50 lbs since I started this adventure 3/31/15, but only 18 since the surgery. I go for my 6 week follow-up on 11/10, and I hope to have lost some more weight by then. I hope he clears me for aerobics and weight training, I'd like to get some more weight off by the end of the year.

Hi! I had my surgery 9/21, and had a two week follow-up on 10/6. I'm down 46 pounds since I started this journey on 3/31, and down 15 since the surgery. I haven't had any trouble with the protein shakes, I use EAS low carb or the Premier Protein shakes. I also found a pudding that has 15 grams of protein in it. Another way I found to get protein is to mix my yogurt with a scoop of protein(25g), add the pudding(15g),and add the Premier vanilla(30g) and that gets me to 70grams. I drink it over about 2-3 hours, cause it makes about 20 ounces of liquid. I can take about 4.5 per meal. I drink tea and water. Used to be a coffee hound(pot and a half a day), but that was the first casualty!! I do NOT like coffee!! Go figure. I tried all sorts of combos, don't like it at all. I feel like I'm a week ahead of schedule food-wise, but I spoke to my dr and he said if I can tolerate it, just eat slowly and I should be fine. I have had chicken, cream of wheat, and tomato soup. I wanted to 'eat' to see how I would do, as I have to go back to work on the 14th. I do not want any surprises there....! You could try freezing the protein shakes and then whizzing them in the blender, kinda comes out like soft serve ice cream. Found that out yesterday. One thing I did get a surprise about, was the fact I'm still hungry. Or that I get hungry, I should say. Everything I read before the Op was that the hunger would go away and may be gone for months. Ha! How about 48 hours? Day 3, I could have wiped out my kitchen! didn't of course, just had alot of chicken broth. I spoke to a friend that had gastric bypass 10 years ago, and she said that it was phantom hunger, my brain still had to catch up with my new stomach. It seems to have done that, I don't go stare into the pantry much any more. Congrats to everyone on their progress! I believe that once hurdles are overcome, we'll all do very well!! Look how far we've come so far!! We had surgery!!! We did it!! That, for me anyway, was a major accomplishment!!

So far, my negative reaction has come from my family. One sister still won't speak to me, another will, but changes the subject real fast, and my mom is still sure I'm going to die soon. I haven't been back to work yet, I took 3 weeks off and have one more wonderful week. Don't wanna go back, but hey, gotta pay the bills, right? lol It's sad that people can't be happy for you and just let it be that way. I've told my mom several times everything fell into place for the surgery, great doctor, hospital, got time off, but she still calls, scared to pieces something will go wrong. You can't change the way people react. But you can do the best you can in your power for YOU, and give the rest to God. Let Him sort it out.

My Stage 2/week 3(and maybe 4) is cream of Wheat, mashed potatoes made with 1% milk and added cheese for Protein, tomato Soup, V8 juice, the Protein shakes and chicken broth. Maybe some protein pudding s well. Not quite restaurant fare just yet, but not Jello either!!

Your brain has to catch up to the fact your stomach isn't what it used to be. I'm two weeks post-op today, and I was hungry from day 3. Caught me totally off-guard. I thought the hunger pains were supposed to vanish for awhile!! Crap!! So I struggled with that for a few days and found a forum in here regarding that issue. Your brain has to catch up with the surgery and get used to the new you. It still doesn't realize things aren't the same. If I had been told that in the first place, I would have been prepared and realized what it was. My friend, who had a gastric by-pass, said she called it "phantom hunger", and she just ignored it and ate at certain times to stay on schedule and pretty soon the brain got with the program. I found my "tilt" level, that was interesting. I'm still excited about what I have done, and I can't wait to see what I'll be like a month from now. Hang in there! It'll get better!!