leebick

I found that I like the shakes made from powders better than the ready-made, preserved shakes. I make my shakes with unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I really like the Syntrax Nectars. I also make a yogurt shake, with one of the almond milks and a container of Dannon lite and fit greek yogurt, but I add enough unflavored Syntrax protein to equal the amount of protein that I'd get from a regular shake. I suppose you could make these with skim milk instead, but I cannot stand the taste of skim milk and don't like to use it in anything!

What kind of laxative would you recommend? I am having surgery in 2 days and I definitely DON"T want to have to deliver the "butt baby" so many have talked about. I can't imagine I could use psyllium post-surgery (because it swells) but I'm not sure what else to consider. Also… how soon after surgery can one start using a laxative. I know my surgeon will tell me, but it's always nice to hear others' experiences/recommendations.

So much for my all-liquid diet. I cheated today. After breakfast (syntax grapefruit protein shake) we drove 3 hours to a graduation party BBQ for my daughter's boyfriend. I was all set, feeling good about making it through the day. I'd packed my almond milk and 2 servings of protein shake powder, liquids, and s-f jello into the cooler with my husband's beer. We got to the party and discovered NO COOLER. I didn't know what to do, but I knew that there was no way I'd survive a 9 hour day without something in my system. I drank a LOT of liquids and weighed out 4 ounces of boneless, skinless, non-marinated grilled chicken breast for my meal. I didn't eat anything other than the chicken breast and am hoping that it was OK to have solid protein instead of liquid protein for one meal. I had another shake when I got home tonight and will be "back on the wagon" tomorrow; I'm having surgery on 5/26!

How much more do you have on this diet?I know it's hard, I am on week 4 of liquid diet now (2 pre op) and now 2nd post op it's definitely easier post op, but hang in there, it will benefit you during your surgery. Did you say youre on 4 week liquid diet? Why 4 weeks Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App It's probably 2 weeks pre-surgery, 2 weeks post-surgery. That's what my doctor has me on, too. I think I miss food more now, at the end of the 2 weeks pre-surgery, than I did at the beginning of the full liquids. Oh well... I'll survive; in 48 hours I'll be on the way to the hospital for surgery!

I just went to si03.com and can't find the sampler pack. Can you please help? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Yes... it's a little awkward, because there's nothing to click on. Go to the si03.com page. Move your cursor over the top right grey quadrant, where it says "Monthly Special". The quadrant will change to a green background that says "Nectar Variety Sampler" and give you the number to call. Yes, you can only call, not order online, but they know exactly what you are talking about. It's quick and painless once you call.

Yeah, me too. I think I had momentary brain fog from my pre-op diet!

Gah! I'm sick, I think. My daughter had this for a week, and then my husband had it for a week, so I am pretty sure from those experiences and my symptoms that I am getting what they had. Low grade fever, terrible chest pressure, itchy/burning in my chest and throat, and I have a dry, unproductive cough. As the day has progressed, my sinuses have clogged and my eyes and nose are running. My sleeve surgery is scheduled for Thursday. If this crap I have continues like it did for my family members, on Thursday I should be totally congested, coughing, feeling miserable. What really concerns me is that when I get a heavy cold, my asthma usually kicks in, and it often develops into bronchitis. I'm calling my surgeon's office in the morning. Will they still do the surgery, or will I have to postpone? I canNOT believe I am this close and am getting sick. I feel awful, both physically and emotionally!

Good luck tomorrow! My surgery is on Thursday- we can be losers together!!

I'm not really too worried, given the variety of pre-op diets I'm reading about and my "low" BMI. I am more disappointed that I couldn't "do it" and make it through the full 2 weeks, although it was a glitch situation and not an intentional choice. I was surprised that the chicken didn't taste totally amazing; it was good, but I thought that after 10 days without food, it'd be like manna from heaven! I also feel really proud of myself for not losing control when surrounded by all this incredible, home-made food: baked Beans, 7-bean salad, potato salad, four different dips, cream-cheese marble cake, lemon squares, peanut butter-chocolate bars, etc. I'm back on shakes/diet this morning, and interestingly enough, it's somewhat of a relief. I know what I can eat, when, how, and that I'm moving forward It's almost comforting!

Oh yeah, my NUT wasn't terribly effective. I had to lose 10 pounds and it was really hard to lose. I'd go to the nutrition appointment and she'd say, "Well, you're down another pound, so it's going in the right direction. Are you chewing everything completely? Are you making meals last 30 minutes? Are you exercising on schedule? You're doing everything right, so just hang in there." Yup, I paid for that advice 4 times. No diet advice, no suggestions on how to change the exercise routine, etc. She's a nice person, but it's also hard to look at someone who is 5'10", weighs probably 135 lbs., and think of her as some sort of support person on this journey. I finally started losing weight when I went onto strict Adkins induction. I've lost quite a bit, but losing those first 10 took about 12 weeks!

You won't get any Protein from a fruit or veggie shake unless you add unflavored protein. Also probably way too much Fiber, sugars, etc. for the early post-op days.

I really enjoy the Syntrax Nectar shakes. These are made from whey protein isolate and meet all the protein/carbohydrate/fat requirements from my NUT. I make them with unsweetened plain almond milk (almond breeze- OK'd by my NUT) for the shake flavors or water for the juice flavors, and they are really good. If you go to their website (si03) you can order a sampler pack for $17 (incls. shipping). They will send you a single serving of each of their 15 flavors. I order the 2 lb cans from luckyvitamin.com for about $33 (it works out to less than $1 per serving).

I know… and that's the dilemma. I know the sleeve isn't magic; it simply forces you to eat minimal calories at each meal. If I am eating smartly and exercising, how is that different from having the sleeve? I don't know- maybe I am just delusional from hunger at the moment, LOL, but I am less sure now about having surgery than I've ever been. Is this common?

YES!! I am scheduled for surgery on Thursday, May 26, and am on day 10 of my 2 week pre-op, full liquid diet. I have lost 30 pounds since my initial weigh-in in January, and that includes a couple of weeks of full-out eat/drink whatever I want (with a 5 pound gain). While I know I can't do the liquids-only thing forever, I am pretty sure that I could do shakes for Breakfast and lunch, with a moderate dinner. I've also gotten back to regular exercise, something I was never very good about. In my nutrition appointments, my NUT anticipated that with the surgery, I would lose about 80lbs of the 110lbs that I am overweight- but I am already 30 pounds closer. SO… should I just try to stick it out through the summer and NOT have the surgery? What if this is the weight loss journey that works? Will I be able to stick to my diet and keep it off? I will be 60 this summer, so I am not looking for skinny-mini. I am hoping to weigh under 200 pounds and maintain that for however long I have. It's a dilemma...

I will have sleeve surgery on 5/26/16 and I'm feeling anxious, not sure what to expect. I had my gall bladder out 20 years ago. It was laparoscopic surgery, and I had 4 small incisions. I think I was in surgery about an hour. I had virtually no pain from this. My surgery was in the early afternoon and by midnight I was doing laps around the ward. I had some tenderness in my abdomen for about 5 days, but that was it. I am not sure what to expect for pain with the sleeve surgery. I'd love to hear your experiences- how painful, how long did it last, etc. I know we are all different, and I'm willing to take pain meds if I need to- I just would really like some idea of what to expect!

It varies considerably, depending on your surgeon's requirements. BTW, this is the pre-op diet that usually is only for two weeks -- to shrink your liver prior to surgery. I knew the OP was talking about her pre-op diet. I asked because I was thinking that the veggie salads could increase her carb intake. Like I said, just curious- and really jealous, because 7 days of shakes, broth, and Jello is getting tedious, especially with 7 more days to go!

Here is something to consider, and it all depends on your starting BMI and your insurance. When I started my program and had my official weigh-in, I had a BMI of 41 with no other co-morbidities. I was hung-ho and figured why not start lifestyle changes now? Two days later, the WLS program manager/NP called me to say she'd processed my insurance and to warn me against losing weight. My insurance does not take the official starting weight as the weight they use to determine if I qualify for surgery; they use the weight recorded at the pre-surgical meeting with the surgeon. The NP warned me not to lose too much weight in the interval between starting the program and meeting the surgeon (which was almost 3 months); if I lost enough weight for my BMI to fall below 40, my insurance would not cover my surgery. Fortunately/unfortunately it was not an issue- maybe because over Christmas I gained weight - but I qualified and will be having VGS surgery in a week! (surgery date 5/26/16)!

Just curious... Is the diet supposed to be low fat, low carb, high Protein? Or just under 800 calories?

I am currently on a 2 week, pre-op, full-liquid diet. I'd give anything to have your limits- at least you get to eat!! There's no way I'd be wasting 300 calories on one protein shake! Large eggs are 75 calories, unsweetened vanilla almond milk (almond breeze) is 30 calories a cup. A cup of cooked, diced, boneless, skinless chicken breast is 150 calories. A can of tuna packed in water is 100 calories. Light and Fit greek yogurt (Dannon) is 80 calories per container. IF you want a shake, use the unsweetened almond milk and a greek yogurt, but I'd choose solid food over shakes any day! Plan it out, ONLY eat what you are allowed, measure... but EAT!!

Hi Jamie! I found making the decision for BWLS surgery to be intimidating and struggled with some of the same ideas. I wasn't sure how I felt about making such a radical, anatomical and physiological change to my body. I wasn't sure if at my age (60), I should even bother. It took awhile for me to wrap my head around the whole thing, but I realized that for YEARS I haven't been the person I want to be, the person I know lives inside this body. I realized that my body is just the suitcase that carries the real me, and I am REALLY ready to look like the person I know is in me, to regain my health and strength, to stop being ashamed of my body all the time. Don't talk yourself out of this surgery because of fear. You are going to lose the body fat, not your "you." As a lifelong dieter, I can tell you that stalling in any diet is not uncommon, but there are ways around it. Change your diet, change your exercise routine. shake up your metabolism a little bit. Heck, when my sister stalls, she actually eats more calories (but still healthily) for a little while. Once she convinced her metabolism she wasn't dying of malnutrition, it kicked back in and she kept losing. As a mom with a 23 year old daughter, it makes me sad that you sound so scared and unsure. This procedure will be life-changing, but in a good, positive way! Don't be afraid of losing yourself. Your SELF has been lost inside your body for years. You are taking the steps necessary to uncover the real girl you've always seen and felt inside. You can do this!!

I hope you were able to make your decision and are satisfied with it. I changed from bypass to sleeve mostly because of worries about malabsorption and dumping syndrome (which I already experience to a degree due to having no gall bladder anymore). I was worried about this, though, because the NUTs always say that you lose less with the sleeve. Then I talked with a friend who has the sleeve, and she's lost all her weight and more. She said that the amount you lose is ultimately up to you; if you stick to your food regimens and maintain an active exercise program, you can lose what you want. I know it worked for her, and it helped me to ultimately decide to have the sleeve. Surgery is 5/26/16. Good luck to you!!

Just finishing up day 4 of a 2 week pre-op liquid diet. I guess I am doing OK, but I am pretty sure I'm not "eating" enough. Once I get into the habit of not eating, I kind-of forget to eat. I know that sounds stupid, but it's how I am. I have spent decades not eating breakfast or lunch, so I have become a champion at not recognizing when I'm hungry but then eating a "hearty" meal to compensate. It's how I've kept my girlish figure, I tell ya- LOL! Time for new habits, new outlook, new relationship with food, for sure! Yesterday my daughter's boyfriend graduated from college and we had his family over here for a BBQ- on day 3 of my liquid diet! The only thing I ate was one bite of grilled chicken breast; my husband brought them in from the grill and, well, old habits die hard. I grabbed a little piece from the plate and stuck it in my mouth without thinking! I also had one taste of homemade baked Beans to make sure they were OK and didn't need anything added. It was hard, though, especially smelling the grilled sausages with sautéed peppers and onions! I am not a sweet eater, so the cheesecake and Peanut Butter bars didn't tempt me, but ooohhhh, the grilled stuff was hard to ignore! Right now I'm not really sure what I can eat. My pre-op diet says 5 Protein "meals" (basically whey protein isolate shakes) and 5 servings of liquids daily, but I am not sure what that can be, other than no-sugar, no-calorie drinks. Someone said sugar-free popsicles and sugar-free Gelatin count as liquids. It also lists broth on my acceptable foods list, with a couple of brands, but I am hoping to make my own and freeze it for post-surgery. It also lists the healthy choice Soups (strained) as being acceptable. I am not sure what else can be eaten- although I've read the binder the program provides. If anyone can list the foods they could "eat" on their liquid diet, it might be helpful. TIA!!

I think that the choice to have this surgery (sleeve, scheduled for 5/26/16) is very personal, so there are not a lot of people I've told about this. There are also a couple of people at work who have had the surgery, but I am not comfortable approaching them with questions, because as I said, I think it's very personal. I've told a few people, but not too many. My cousin had RNY about a year ago, so I talk with her the most. Of course my husband and daughter know, and I've told my boss (with whom I'm friends as well as co-workers) and 2 friends. My brother and sister know, too. My sister, of course, laughs and says I took the easy way out- but she could do it herself. Oh well. She lived on candy, soda, and butter for 4 years post-divorce, so eliminating those things helped her lose the weight she'd gained eating those things! That's not my life or metabolism. I am currently on day 4 of my pre-op liquid diet and am not really a happy camper, but I'm fine other than wanting to eat something... anything... preferable a piece of steak! LOL!

I am also unsure as to which procedure would be the best for me. I have made a list of pros and cons for both bypass and sleeve and still cannot decide. One of the biggest things that has me leaning towards the sleeve is my fear of dumping. I had my gall bladder out in 1995 (age 39) and had no problems with any foods until about 5 years ago. Now I find that if I eat certain foods (pizza, Chinese food), I am in the bathroom within 30 minutes, having terrible diarrhea. It's really awful! The thought of having dumping most of the time for the rest of my life is horrifying to me! Another thing that concerns me with bypass is the malabsorption. I understand that this is intended and is part of the reason bypass is so successful, and also that with careful eating and supplementation, malnutrition does NOT have to occur. However... I worry about my age, and aging. I will be 60 next summer, and while I still feel young and have no physical ailments, I see what friends are going through as they age. What happens if I've had bypass and then have a major medical crisis, like developing cancer, for example? How do bypass patients fare through chemotherapy? Is the malabsorption a problem for them? (There IS a fair amount of cancer in my family, so this isn't a far-fetched thought.) And what about aging, in general? Will having gastric bypass mean it'll be more difficult to maintain health as I become elderly- so would the sleeve be a better choice? Then there's the weight loss itself. My NUT tells me that sleeve patients generally lose less weight, all told, than do bypass patients. Will I not be as successful meeting my goals, or will my 'expected' loss be less than I'd like because of having the sleeve? On the other hand... bypass is the gold standard, weight loss is faster, and usually more weight is lost. There isn't as much data on sleeve surgery success rates because it's a newer procedure. I just read an article that says it seems that sleeve patients actually have a higher regain-rate than bypass patients, so there's that to consider and makes me think perhaps bypass is the better choice. But... am I going to regret bypass at times, like when I cannot toast my daughter's marriage with champagne, or have a slice of her wedding cake, without spending the next half-hour in the bathroom... for the rest of my life? I know most of these questions are actually unanswerable, because we are all different physiologically and anatomically. It's really hard to decide, though, especially as I have no co-morbidities at all, and am not "addicted" to sugar or high-glycemic carbs (we've had 6 packages of Girl Scout Cookies in the cabinet for a week and I haven't touched them- not even tempted). I know it's good to not have any issues, but this also means I don't have any factors that would guide me toward one surgery or the other. I have to decide soon- I have a final weigh-in next week but have met all the pre-surgery goals (meetings, weight loss, etc) and will meet with the surgeons soon after that weigh-in to schedule surgery. It's just so hard to decide.