Amelie2016

Thank you I think I will also take the magnesium type Vitamin I've been taking along with all that. I don't want to throw off my electrolytes or god forbid, faint or anything from taking something I "think" will be safe here. I might take my bottle of pain medication in MY OWN pockets that day, even if I'm in pain and out of it ... feel better about it, like my jean pockets I guess. Then nothing is on her. My Bariatric Dr is handling the pain control while I'm in the hospital. But yes, the other stuff I should take. That's going to be a huge ziploc if Vitamins are included. I really don't know, just guessing. You have no idea how much fear the pain management industry is forced, by the DEA to instill in us, it's really humiliating and rather unnecessary for us compliant patients.

Excellent! I just happen to have some of that in the kitchen. Also, where do I get one of those awesome Popsicle holders?! =D

I could not get an answer that satisfied me from my nutritionist so maybe you awesome people can help I'm on my phone ugh I want organic fruit Popsicles with no artificial colors , however isn't this impossible since real fruit contains natural sugars ? And will I just have to eat those fake Popsicles ? Forgive me for using the word fake but corporate fake food really helped me get to where I am and I am determined to make better choices Especially since I have other issues Thank you all so much I'm going in for a dental cleaning now and just last minute prepping February first is almost here !!! Ahhhhh! Home Alone face

Welcome home! I too am very happy to hear from you! Thank you for checking in, this is helpful to all of us other anxious people <- Mine is on the first in just a few days and I'm terrified, too. So hearing from you really helps. Does anyone have a favorite popsicle brand that's natural and naturally sugar free? Or is that impossible because real fruit would have sugar? Confused. I just instantly think of sugar free Popsicle artificial. How much walking is involved? Sometimes I think all that walking will hurt more than the gas pains cause of my knees and feet problems. lol BIG HUGS

Dear Megan, I can not think of anything more hurtful and actually more ignorant, than what your sister said to you. Many people do not suffer when dieting, or even ever gain weight from the Corporate Feed we're given. They don't always eat organic and still they don't gain weight. Any scientist will tell you that some people are born "survivors" metabolically. We are the kind of people who would live throughout a barren winter or summer because we held onto and made fat stores better than our stick thin human counterparts. Modern day, we lose out because we are efficient in holding onto the supply ... and especially in America, the food is laden with so many chemicals that cause you to crave and retain and have sugar/insulin reactions that destroy a perfectly healthy body in due time. I'm sorry Megan. But your sister is a rube.

Hello there I know I have to let go of coffee pre op and supposedly post op. But I have Fibromyalgia, and I don't have any energy as it is. I'm about 5 days on the pre op diet and yes I have had about half the amount of coffee I usually do to try and cut back, but on the 3 days that I've tried to have Green tea (still caffeine) instead, I am useless. I am a zombie, and I may as well be dead in the bed. I have used coffee so much of my life in order to get things accomplished, but I was never an all day coffee drinker. Two cups in the mornings and that's it. So, what is the reason that I have to get off caffeine? Green tea seems to have half the amount of caffeine, and even using two tea bags left me in a zombie state. There is something about either the coffee itself, or the ritual, that energizes me. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I just broke down and got an unsweetened coffee with cream at Starbucks. I have to do laundry, clean the kitchen, do the bed covers, unpack old unpacked boxes, prepare for my mother to arrive. If you don't have Fibro or Chronic Fatigue, this will sound silly I know. But trust me, every little thing helps get through the day.

OMG Thank you so much for linking this! I started reading it and this is what I am going to do until I finish it now! <3

I haven not had mine yet, mine is in one week. I just want to give you a GIANT HUG and tell you that I have felt the same way. I also want to tell you that you will be able to have a beer again. If I thought that I could never have a beer again, I would not do it. My ex husband had the RNY and after a year he could have a few beers. The best part, it hits you and you don't need much. So careful. My heart goes out to you. I can't tell from your profile what kind of surgery you are having, and I don't know if you have a spiritual life, so I am a bit limited here. But I bet nearly 90% of patients before hand feel this way. *HUG*

Did you plan this all yourself or did you get a personal trainer? Congrats!! I need to lose enough as quickly as possible up front, so that 1) I FIT in the equipment, and 2) it no longer shreds my knees to walk! I planned it. I've lost weight on my own before (50+ lbs on 3 separate occasions). I've read the studies that show that most people regain the weight if they lose it without surgery. I knew from experience that my body would fight back again if I lost the weight only through diet and exercise, which is why I got the sleeve. I knew how to lose weight, I just couldn't lose all of it and I couldn't keep it off. This feels totally different. It's amazing to feel satiated at maintenance, thanks to having far less circulating ghrelin, as opposed to constantly being hungry with another 50+ lbs to lose despite eating the correct foods, which is what I experienced losing weight without the surgery. Before I injured my back nearly a decade ago (end of high school) and became depressed and ultimately gained 150 lbs after years of yo-yoing, I was quite fit. I worked out in high school, so I knew how to workout. I knew how to measure macros and count calories. It definitely helped knowing how to do all of this ahead of time, but it isn't rocket science - you can learn how to do all of this through a bit of reading. Thank you for taking time to answer my inquiry. I am really impressed with your self awareness and also knowledge and discipline. I do hope I can keep finding you on this board. My surgery date is Feb 1st and I'd really like to stay in touch! Same sort of thing happened to me. I was thin and beautiful at one point. But my Fibromyalgia took over, and just doing the basics took all I had. So when I gained weight, I did lo carb dieting, and I too realized that even on lo carb diets, nothing was heppning after awhile, not like the first few times I dieted and lost. I always gained it back within a year or so, and of course now I am at my heaviest. You just confirmed for me, thoughts that have been going through my head over this surgery. And I needed to read that. So thank you. I know this is not going to cure my Fibro. But I know it's going to give me the edge I now need, and the new lifestyle I will require so that I never end up like this again. I just dread the loose skin. Vanity is a bad thing. But I suppose I can start saving a little each week so that I can get cosmetic surgery when I am at a decent weight to do so. I am scared I'll look like a shaprei puppy!

Well, you made me laugh! I'm sorry!! BTW I have tried online dating sites and even Eharmony. GOD the psyche eval was a crock. Eventually, since I am a gamer chick I ended up meeting my now husband online. I had joined a guild he was in, and he was in charge of my class, we were friends for awhile and then it just grew. I love him SO MUCH and he says he feels the same way. We're married nearly five years now. =) PS He is having his sleeve in about 7 months. =)

I am, Karak2007! We go in at 5am, wait for 3 hours and my surgery is scheduled for 8am! I spent last week making bone broth out of chicken bones and froze them in aluminum muffin holders, with plastic wrap on top so I could just pop one out when needed. I already have the chew-able Vitamins. What do people mean by having an extension cord ready? You mean for the phone? Did your Dr.s tell you to bring your own vitamins for the hospital stay? I'm so glad to be able to read what you all are doing to prepare. I've been dieting the last 7 days or so, in ketosis for sure, very lethargic right now. Drinking lots of Water and getting my house in order. I'm the girl having a hard time getting off caffeine with all I have to do. I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

Thank you all, you are the voices of reason I need. I never drank much coffee, only 2 cups if that. I will not drink it post op, but they did allow me some clear tea's on the first week post op and those seem to have caffeine. So, still going to check again. My nutritionist did NOT call me back this week and I've been running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. Too much to prepare and only me to do it. My mom gets here the night before surgery. Thank GOD. OH and I just rescued an English Bulldog, and this time I rescued one much younger, I used to just rescue seniors who were couch potatoes. THIS little dude is like a Jaguar Herder! I've never seen a dog with so much energy and playfulness, he's adorable but man he wears me out! =) It's morning, I'm rambling. Sorry. Yes, I will NOT jeopardize my recovery, I do not want complications and I even began seeing a counselor aside from all this so I could prepare for my life change. =) Only 8 days now. I'm getting new mattress delivered today. Weeee!

Ok So this is how my evil brain has been working. No coffee? Ok then. I'll just have a zero calorie Rockstar. Or, 1 zero calorie shot of a five hour energy Or, 4 tblps of pure Matcha from Japan Or, 8 bags of Green Tea I don't want to be non-compliant, but I've got things to do!! And I'm chugging Water all day long, I even have a glass bottle that is 67 ounces and I can sterilize it use it over and over again to regulate hydration. PS why does the "Edit" button have to be so loud? Ok, I edited something. Do we really need to BOLD that?!

*swoon*

Did you plan this all yourself or did you get a personal trainer? Congrats!! I need to lose enough as quickly as possible up front, so that 1) I FIT in the equipment, and 2) it no longer shreds my knees to walk!

Hi there! First you can try looking up Farmer's Market's in your area and trying to find leads to local farms. Sometimes there will be an entire community you can contact that will sell you beef and chicken and lamb bones. IF you can not find organic, which was a problem for me because I am not extremely rich and the bones from the Koch Farm here cost like 12-25$ a pound, (come on). I called my grocery store and they ordered the bones I needed. First, I purchased rotisserie chickens from Sam's and took all the meat off and froze the white and dark meat, separated. Then I had picked up the chicken feet that I ordered from my grocery store, it took 2 days to come in. I cooked the carcasses and feet for 2 days on a slow, slow bubbly roll. ANYWAY. Try looking locally for farms, if no luck, try a Sam's and then ordering from your other grocery store! PS Whole Foods have beef bones in stock in the freezer section, but they looked at me like I had a third eye when I asked for chicken bones and chicken feet.

I had 2-3 days of a headache. Luckily I can have 6 oz of meat and 2 cups of non starchy vegetables between shakes. This keeps me from going insane. I'm always hungry in the afternoon, nighttime and morning I can handle it. I am struggling with coffee. But sugar and starch getting burned up in your body, withdrawing from that, will give you headaches. So, do NOT have any sugar or starch - carbs, after this headache is gone, you don't want to go through that again. You're on your way, that's why you're suffering. I think. =)

Hello My surgery is Feb 1, so not long now. I'm in my pre op diet. I'm IN full ketosis. I have my Ketostix at home to test my urine to be sure that I am in ketosis. I am hungry, of course no energy, drinking tons of Water, and trying to figure out why there are so many varying opinions on coffee intake, because I need to get tings done every single day until I am in surgery. NOW. About Stalling: I have been a yo yo dieter my entire life, I am 46 years old. I have noticed that every-time I went back on a lo-carb diet, I would lose maybe 5 pounds and stop. I HAVE to lose enough weight to make exercise a reality. I can not even FIT in the "regular" gym equipment, or walk long w/o my knees grinding out. So it is a necessity that I lose enough via this drastic measure, to give me the edge I need to move MORE. Is there a phenomenon whereby if you have been a yo yo dieter on lo-carb diets, that they just stop working out for you?

I want to take 6-8 weeks off. Gonna talk to my surgeon on Thursday. I hope he agrees. The surgeon I am using writes notes for six weeks, yet he assured me that most people feel better by week two. But I also hope you can get at least six weeks. I have a feeling we have a lot of retraining to do and a huge amount of lifestyle changes coming up. This is already changing me in the way I see food, how I got this big, how the food industry is, what's pushed on me, what choices I have, what I think I can and can't afford. It's big. lol =) Good Luck!

OHH ok, that makes perfect sense. It dehydrates you! Of course, that's the one thing I did not even think about. Thank you! Ok, back to Zombie-stage it is, after this incredible caffeine wears off! And I am glad to hear it gets better!

I really do hope that I can eat fermented foods after I have healed enough. I even got old fashioned Crocks for Christmas, so that I can make my own Kraut and pickles, and then get creative if all goes well. I am and have always been addicted to fermented foods, so I am happy to hear many of you can eat and tolerate fermented foods well. Even if I have to give up spicy, to protect my stomach, that's OK. I just neeeeed the fermented pickles, kraut and even organic apple cider vinegar. =)

Mind if I ask you, what brought you back into the hospital? And what was the reason for your extreme discomfort? Then, how the heck does anyone hike after 2 weeks! lol My many many kudos to you!! =) The sleeve is out patient in the practice where I went. I was sleeved at 10am, awake at 11:30, walked around recovery a lot, and the pain was extremely debilitating. The nausea as well. The doped me up, let me rest, but by 3. The place was devoid of other patients and I was getting the stink eye. Got iv meds for the road and sent home. Pain meds at home could not keep up and nausea had me dry heaving for hours. Which made me panic as I was sure I was ripping staples and adding to the pain and then nausea from the pain... chicken... Egg it was all a big cluster fudge. Hubby called doc, doc said, "get back here to the ER." I got to the ER and my lifeguard husband watched me slip into early shock. Pain and nausea meds went in fast, and I was admitted. The next day, they sent me to a swallow test to see if I had torn staples. All were in good and tight, so it came down to everyone figuring out that, for me, iv painkillers are a nonstarter without first pushing the ZOFRAM anti nausea drugs. With proper pain and nausea meds, I got back to right very quickly. I am exactly 6 full weeks out from surgery today and I feel 90%. I still have some soreness in the abs. My wounds are all healed over and I think the internal sutures dissolved this week. All the lumpy tension inside the 5 wounds suddenly went flat. They got itchy again for a day or two as well. As to the hike. It was an easy path, and only a mile and a half each direction. Elevation change of maybe 350 feet. I went slow, sipped Water, and it was something I could have done before surgery easily. I did, however, take a percoset that night as i had totally run out of gas shortly thereafter. Like, whew, that was overdoing it. Which is my style. When in doubt, do something. Thank you for answering me so quickly, and really, this is truly inspirational. It's just so bad that they were bent on pushing you out the door so soon and didn't figure to give you the anti nausea first. But I am so happy to know that you are doing so well now! Good luck on your journey and thank you for sharing! =D

That's fantastic!

You sound like a super hero!

You guys I verified that this company was legit. I called and asked them how they could profit from selling these awesome brand name supplements and Vitamins and mixes and herbs for nearly half price that I find them in Whole Foods or GNC. They, this company, told me it was because they purchased in such huge bulk amounts and their turnover was so rapid that they could afford to get by on the lesser profit just from the volume of sales. SO. To confirm this, I called one manufacturer of a supplement that I take, and asked them if they did in fact sell directly to that company and if their product was not expired and if everything I had been told seemed legit. They confirmed that they did sell to the company, and the company chose to sell at a huge discounted rate. SO for this supplement, which is my favorite, I had been paying 26$& at Whole Foods. For this Vitamin company, I only pay 14$. It's the exact same product, and not expired. http://www.allstarhealth.com/ Call them!