snokb04

I was off 3 weeks. That was all my surgeon would let me have off and his APRN tried to tell me all I needed was 2. Both the surgeons I work with couldn't believe I wasn't off for at least 6. It was rough but I made it through.

I tried a Pinterest thing where you use the cheese to make a crust as you cook it. So I put some mozzarella cheese usually about 1 1/2 - 2 ounces in a 8" skillet on medium heat and then put pepperoni about 1/2 to 1 oz on it. Now that I can have veg, I plan to use mushroom. Then let it cook until it's melty and the bottom seems kind of solid when you lift up the edge with a spatula. Then I put it on a plate and the bottom gets more stiff after off the heat. Then I put some sauce on the top and cut it up. I'm only 2 months out so that portion fits right in my plan at the moment. I actually like it so I'll prob keep doing it that way and add a side salad once my portions get larger. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I really wanted to start a blog but haven't a clue where to start. Lol Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My surgeon told me that 2 weeks is pretty much the norm, but because I am a nurse he took me off for 3. I'm still not sure it shouldn't have been longer but I made it through. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I took what I wore and the loose ugly pants that I wanted to wear home...wore the same shirt I wore in. The hospital gowns covered it all and I looked seriously sexy in their non-skid socks. Otherwise I took my phone...barely looked at it after the cursory texts answering others and saying I was fine. Kindle...didn't use at all. CPAP mask and tubing...they used their own machine. And Aquaphor....my lips were soooo grateful. I actually spent more time than I thought I would sleeping or dozing so when I wasn't sleeping I just watched HGTV and dozed. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So I'm on this committee that meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month. I missed last month since I was on FMLA and this month's meeting (I'm 2 months out) was today. It is in the college of pharmacy in a classroom that we reserve so it has those chairs with the tiny desk thing that goes up and down in front of you. I hope you know what I mean. Prior to surgery, I would always have to leave the desk up and pull another chair over to me in order to write/look at portfolios on that chair's desk because the desk would come nowhere close to going down. Got some funny looks the first few months that I did that. Today, I went in, sat in my usual seat, started to scoot another desk over and stopped. I kinda looked around to see if anyone was paying attention and decided to lower the desk on my chair to see how much farther I would have until I could put it down. IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had to tell someone and I was afraid people I know would think I'd gone crazy for being so excited about something like that....figured I could Celebrate here without anyone thinking I was TOO crazy! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My programs goals are half your body weight in grams of Protein with 60-90 grams of that from supplements for the first three months. So needless to say, starting out at well over 300 pounds and at 309 currently, I rarely am meeting the goal at only 2 months out....so I'm mostly getting at least the 60 from supplements and usually between 100 and 110 for the day....so that's what I'm doing, but my plan might not look like your plan. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've found that the answer to timing questions, depends on your program for the most part. In my program, we start Protein Bars after week 4.

Okay, forgive me if I'm being repetitive because I did skip over some of this. When you ate the first 3" why did you stop? Were you full? How long was it before you came back and ate the rest? I don't think it means there is something wrong, but I'm not the surgeon or NUT either. My NUT has told us to eat our pre-portioned food over 20-30 minutes and no longer than that because if we do what we did pre-surgery and take a break for a few and then eat the rest, some of the food has had time to move through the stomach and you can/will end up overeating. We are also supposed to stop before we get that full feeling, which at 2 mos out, I have yet to master. Weighing out what I'm supposed to eat (3 oz, maybe 4 if it's something like Refried beans at 2 mos is what my program has advised us is the goal) is still too much for me sometimes. We also have been told not to go longer than 6 hours without eating food or having a supplement, so I do one or the other about every 4 hours. We also have to wait one hour after eating before drinking and can't have any type of grains for the first 6 mos., mostly because she wants us to take that time to, hopefully, get in control of our eating habits and learn to focus on protein (goal is half our body weight in protein and only 40 net carbs per day max) and produce first. That said....we had a Survivor's Celebration yesterday at the cancer center I'm a RN at. I did pinch off one bite of someone else's ciabatta bread and it actually felt like a brick in my stomach. So won't be doing that again. I recently watched Dr. Wiener's YouTube video about head hunger and realized that, sometimes when I think my stomach is grumbling, it is not my stomach at all. If you haven't watched his videos, I highly recommend them. Everyone's programs and bodies are different. For example, someone whose stomach is healing faster and whose swelling is going down faster, may be able to eat more than me even though we had our surgeries around the same time; however, I do think it sounds like perhaps you ate again too soon (unless it was hours later) vs. something wrong with your sleeve. Hope that rambling explanation was helpful, but ultimately your goals and your decisions on how to eat are yours alone. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Kroger brand chicken is my fave. I'd probably enjoy homemade if I had the kitchen motivation to do it. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I can't stand Quest bars! I like the Pure Protein okay, but my fave is Powercrunch. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I don't really know how much is too fast, but I do know my program has told the sleevers if we lose 5 or more pounds for 2 weeks in a row to call the NUT. I think it might be different for the bypass because they also told us that bypass is going to lose more quickly up front but the amount of weight loss typically is comparable between the 2 after two years. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No grains (including rice) for the first 6 months on my program. No fruits or vegetables (except condiment vegetables) for the first 8 weeks, so I'm ecstatic I get to have green Beans Saturday! Refried beans with some cheddar were what I mostly ate during purée phase. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Yep. Normal. Walking and simethicone should help the gas pain.

I did not have the surgery at my hospital as they have no program for it, but it would not have bothered me in the least to have it there. The surgeon I chose did his residency at my hospital (of course it was YEARS ago) but we still ended up knowing many of the same people since I previously worked in pre-op/PACU, the pre-op nurse ended up being friends with a co-worker and my floor nurse is in the same school cohort (and study groups) as a good friend/co-worker.....so it's probably a good thing that everybody, including the GU and CT surgeons and the Rad Med doc I work with (and some docs I don't work with), already knew what I was doing! I work in a multi-disciplinary oncology clinic with 47 providers, 19 nurses, 5 CSTs and I think 18 support staff. Most of them know about the surgery by either asking why I was going to be off, why I was off or overhearing others asking me questions, and I've been lucky that everyone has been super supportive and encouraging. One of the reasons I chose to be so open about it was BECAUSE I wanted to dispel and educate those with preconceived notions that people sometimes have regarding WLS and people who choose to have it. So far, I haven't encountered negativity, just a lot of curiosity about the process and what I can/can't eat at what stage, side effects, etc....and a lot of compliments now that I'm over 50 pounds down, but I'm one of those people that get embarrassed by gushing compliments so I tend to just say thanks and leave it at that. I just go quietly about my business and don't really talk about it unless people ask me questions or bring it up. If they say anything behind my back, that's none of my business. ha ha

There are a few brands of Greek, Icelandic, or Bulgarian yogurt that are high in protein, low in carbs, and tasty. Fage is readily available at most grocery stores and Target. Trader Joe's has a plain Greek yogurt that is excellent, but you have to be careful to check the labels and make sure you're picking up the right one because they make several, and some don't have as favorable protein to carb ratios. Plain, unsweetened kefir also makes a good base, as does Fairlife milk which is higher in protein than most other brands. I began making smoothies using a high-protein dairy as a base with some lower-carb frozen fruit like raspberries. Acai is also lovely. Del Monte has no sugar added fresh peach cups that only have 12 carbs and are excellent in smoothies. Trader Joe's makes frozen sweet potatoes cubes that actually have less carbs than fruit, and I'll add a couple of them to a smoothie with milk and cinnamon. I also have made smoothies using unsweetened cocoa, PB2 or Peanut Butter, ice, and high-protein milk. Dr. Matthew Weiner is a bariatric surgeon who has recommended the "set point smoothies" to patients. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MxZYAwzPuk When I was really struggling to meet my protein goals, GENEPRO gave me a boost. It is flavorless, odorless, and dissolves very well into hot or cold liquids, as well as into applesauce, yogurt, soup, and the like. Some are rightfully dubious about the claims that it has 30 grams of protein for a tiny serving, and I wouldn't recommend it as a primary source of protein. I only used it for supplemental purposes. I cannot have whey protein, and most plant-based Proteins were unpalatable to me. You can buy it on Amazon. I love Dr. Weiner's videos. I thought I'd watched all of them, but I missed this one! I'm definitely going to try his smoothie recipe. Thanks for posting that!

Sometimes with stress on the body, like surgery, it can cause it to come early or be delayed. I felt so sorry for girls that came in to get spinal fusions where I worked. (Huge surgery to correct scoliosis). Almost every single one would get her period the first day or two after surgery whether or not it was time. Personally, mine started a week early which happened to be the day of my surgery (I'm soooo lucky) and then the next month it was two weeks late. I've had problems with irregularity in the past but not for pretty much the last 5 years so I think it was the surgery stress. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Just to update you Lisa. That stuff has worked wonders! I didn't even read the instructions on the bottle because the MD office attached their own instructions, but it's awesome! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have unjury unflavored. It is the one recommended by my program and the sample worked well so I bought it. My program also raves about the Unjury chicken flavored btw. I tried a sample and it was good. I've only used the unflavored once, in some cream of chicken Soup during week 3, but I couldn't taste it. I'm planning to make some sugar free pudding this weekend and put in a scoop to try. One thing to keep in mind. Our NUT preached to us that our tastes might change and not buy a ton of ready made drinks or huge tubs before surgery. Who thought she was exaggerating? This girl that's who! My favorites before surgery as far as the milk type drinks were muscle milk strawberry and vanilla. The only thing that doesn't make me gag now is the premier chocolate....but only that flavor. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I worked in pre-op/PACU for over eight years before transferring to an oncology clinic 2 years ago (my old lady job). The urine hcg tests that are typically used in pre-op (as do most) have a window during which time a false negative is entirely possible. Even the NIH recognizes there is a small possibility that the blood test can give a false negative as they recommend repeating in a week if the blood test is negative but pregnancy is still expected so I don't get why your specialist (I'm assuming you mean ob/gyn) says it is impossible! So sorry this happened to you! If it's something you constantly wonder about, it's easily settled by requesting copies of your lab results from the hospital. A point of care urine test may not show up on a lab report...some systems point of care tests are documented just in the chart, but a blood test will be on a lab report. In the meantime, YOU'RE PREGNANT! After thinking it would NEVER happen! That is joyous and exciting!!!! Congratulations! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Me too! 50 pounds and suddenly everybody is saying they see it! My clothes are loser but I don't see it in my face like they say they do. I'll take it though! Congrats! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My program recommends no fruit or vegetables until week 8. They want us to start out by focusing on Protein and they are right, IMHO. It didn't have anything with getting fat from fruit the way they explained it to us. There is no way I would be getting all my protein in right now if I was trying to eat fruits or vegetables on top of it and protein is extremely important as your body is learning a new way to get energy. Last thing I want to do is lose muscle instead of fat because I'm not getting enough protein. But goes to show how different programs are. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I use Truvia but only because I'm cheap and will use it til it's gone. I will prob try Stevia in the Raw or just plain sugar after that. I also use half and half. I avoid Splenda like the plague because it gives me headaches and makes me nauseous...even before surgery. Just found out the other day that my sis-in-law's mom grows stevia and uses it in her recipes somehow...I'm going to look into that more later. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Friday the 13th?? You are brave! Lol. When I worked in surgery, we nurses would always say we would never have surgery on Friday the 13th, the day before a holiday, or, if it's a teaching hospital, the whole month of July and August. . My surgery was in April but congrats and welcome to the club! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Wow. I didn't realize until I read through this how lucky I really am. I have chosen to be really open about my journey and that, if someone didn't agree with it, that was their problem. The only person who questioned my decision was my best guy friend, and that is because he is one of those people who think it's "the easy way out". We are still friends though and he hasn't changed the way he treats me. My best girl friend was very supportive. My mom was supportive, but leary of the surgery itself, but now that I've done so well, she's fine. Surprisingly, the girls I work with have probably been the most excited, most supportive of it. I even chose to tell the surgeons and the rad med docs I work with when I told them I'd be off for 3 weeks. Now that I'm back to work, people are full of questions and I look at it as an opportunity to educate others about this process (I.e. How it's sooo not the easy way out) I get a little embarrassed when people at work get so excited about telling me that they can see the loss, especially when it's only been 4 weeks and *I* can't see it yet though I can tell it in other ways. I hope it stays this way with all this support, but if someone chooses to distance themselves from you because you have taken the steps to better yourself and become a healthier version of you, were they really that good a friend to start with? Hopefully, you can tell her you are doing it and tell her the reasons WHY. Her insecurities are HERS but let her know you love her and are there to talk about her insecurities and options to change those things as well. Perhaps you can inspire her to become a more confident version of herself. TL;DR. My friends and family rock. Tell your friend and give her a chance to support you. Maybe you will inspire her. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App