liannatx

@@CloserToFine, I love your take on this. I also think that this might be coming from a personal place.

Love it! I love a good cut, thick healthy ends just make hair look great. Do you feel SASSY now? LOL!

I chose the Sleeve and I am very happy with it. However, I really think if I had much over 100 lbs to lose I probably would have done the Bypass. Statistically, the weight loss is faster with Bypass... and with WLS the majority of weight is lost in that first year window. With Bypass the malabsorption makes the faster loss, yet there is the aspect of dumping. With the sleeve it is all about tiny portions of the right foods. People can, and do, reach goal with ANY of the surgeries if the commitment to following a plan is strong enough. You are doing the right thing by researching this before you make a decision.

I was given pills for pain, and acid blockers in pill form, the day I was released. I think we avoid seeds at first because they don't dissolve, but any medication will. I would not crush or alter any prescription drugs...

The first 2 days I took everything they would give me... anti-nausea, pain, anything they could put in my IV. I was spitting up bloody foam, and with ice chips I started throwing up foamy pink Water. I swear on morning three when I was released I was so so so much better. I was in full makeup that morning, sipping some diluted apple juice, and ready to go home. I never had the gas pains with this surgery.... but have had them before and they really make it bad. Walk and try GasX strips... not much else helps, maybe a heating pad when you get home. Day 3 was my total turning point, and every day was exponentially better than the one before. I was back at work full time after one week. It will get better!

I ended up doing really good with Syntrax Nectars. They have fruity flavors that you can mix with Water, and seem much lighter than the typical chocolate or vanilla. I am hooked on Cappucinno flavor and I really like the strawberry, Fuzzy Navel, and Caribbean Cooler flavors too. 90 calories, 23 g Protein, 0 carbs. They might be worth a try.

Wow, I am sorry you had such a severe complication from the band! I bet the weight loss and maintenance with the Sleeve will be much healthier and life long for you. This site is a great support and resource as you learn about your new Sleeve! Welcome!

Do you have full day or half day with them? I teach 4th graders, and I felt fine going back after a week... I *think* two weeks is the a general amount of time that doctors advise taking off. If I had kiddos that little I would take the two full weeks. The tiredness and lower energy level lingers for a few weeks, so if you have full days you might even want 3 full weeks off (since you have the days). There is no real way to predict how fast you will bounce back.

Like @@wantingabetterlife, I started using an E-cig. (I actually haven't had a "real cigarette" for over a year) I smoked it up to the day of surgery, and the surgery and recovery both went very smoothly for me. Back in 05 when I had the Lapband I smoked up until a week before surgery... I just couldn't stay quit. For those 7 days I did chew the nicotine gum, and my surgeon at the time was okay with that... but cautioned me not to start smoking again while I was in the healing stage. I lasted about 2 weeks after that surgery before I started back.

Love it! Isn't it crazy to realize just how little that stomach can hold?

That is such a great milestone to reach! Don't cha feel like a million bucks?!?!?!

20 lbs in 2 weeks is great!

I had nothing to eat or drink the day of surgery, and only a few ice chips the second day. The ice chips made me foam and spit up. I guess I had 0 calories for the first three days. On day 3 I was able to sip on some VitaminWater Zero... and from that day on I haven't had any more problems getting my fluids in. It just varies for us all, but I know that for the first week it is more important to work on getting the fluids in than the Protein or calories.

Fabulous! All that effort was surely worth it!

chicken or shrimp fajitas! (just the chicken or shrimp of course) One of my first solids was ground turkey taco meat. My husband had made stuff for tacos... and I used a tiny bit of the meat with some shredded cheese and mild salsa. It was beyond delicious.

@@lauraellen80 I liked the flavor infused broths too. I drank hot teas too, just to have some variety.

It would probably be best to call them and ask. Mine had a one surgery exclusion, and i chose to self pay for the sleeve. Maybe someone will know, but to be sure it would be better if you asked Anthem.

I went back after a week. I was lucky and had an easy recovery. Like @@rp1980 said, I think it was easier to get into a routine. I also felt better each day just from moving around and getting out of the house.

@@Miss Mac LOL! "The rest is just expensive pee" I have heard this also.

I was skipping coffee altogether and having a Syntrax Cappucinno every morning... they are so delicious iced. Recently I have been making a cup of coffee, adding a scoop of the Cappuccino and a packet of Stevia, and putting it in a 20 oz tumbler full of ice. I love my iced Cappucinno Protein drink, and will probably drink this all summer it is so good! If you add Protein Powder to coffee, the coffee really needs to cool down or it will cook and clabber the protein. I think that is why I prefer to just have mine iced, to me that is better than lukewarm coffee.

Good grief! Well, I glad you are the path to feeling better now. It is going to such a relief to be back in your own home, bed, etc... Hope you have a speedy recovery now, you deserve it!

What are your daily grams of Carbs? I would cut out the empty starches and carbs for sure. No more Tostitos, baked potato, home fries, red potatoes. They might be okay way down the road, but while in the Weight Loss stage they are not very good. The are pretty nutritionally empty compared to lean Proteins and veggies... so they are basically taking up space that you could be eating something that is a better choice. Personally, if I eat many carbs right now it just triggers hunger and stalls the loss... which makes sense because I gained most my weight on carb heavy meals.

I got mine on Amazon, and they have them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was about $10, and called "The Veggetti". That name cracks me up for some reason : )

You look fabulous! I also love the short hair on you... super cute!

While fruit is healthy, many (not all) plans don't allow it during the Weight Loss stage because of the high sugar/carb count. I dont have enough room for it! I am still at about a 2oz capacity, so I tend to go for the Protein.