BarefootDrummer

Oh, one more thing. I don't know how you feel about the scale, but I've been weighing myself daily and I took my measurements at the start of the preop diet. One week in, I have lost almost 9 pounds, 2" off my waist and 2" off my hips! I think seeing that scale go down every day is the best motivator of all!

I'm on day 8 of the preop diet. The first few days are the hardest. They say it gets easier day 3. I think it did, but then day 4 was hard for me. I was craving everything. I think it was because I was camping with a large group of people and handling food for everyone. I was so proud that I didn't cheat - not one bite. You can do this!! Can you have yogurt on yours? I can have greek yogurt. I try to do a few different things with it and I find it more filling that shakes. I got some sugar free Hershey's syrup (only 8 calories a tablespoon). I put that on top and put it in the freezer for a little bit. Don't freeze it solid though, it's too hard to eat. If you time it just right, it comes out like soft ice cream! I kid you not! LOL. I also bought some popsicle makers last night and plan to do some yogurts in there and maybe try some Isopure in there. I don't know if that will work or not. We shall see. On day 6 I tried ProtiDiet chicken flavor Protein Soup (the one without the noodles). I ate it with a spoon to make it feel more special. It tasted so fabulous! It was like a creamy chicken and I kept imagining it had noodles. Ha, ha. But I think the switch up of flavors from the sweet shakes and yogurts to a salty soup was great. It's only 80 calories and has 15 grams of protein. https://www.amazon.com/Protidiet-Creamy-Chicken-Soup-Pouches/dp/B001FUEY56/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1469017521&sr=8-2&keywords=protidiet+chicken+soup I'm trying out the Isopure too. I have to be careful with artificial sweeteners. That has 40 grams of protein and is a clear fruity drink. I think that might be the easiest thing to drink post op. It's different, but doable I think, especially if you're doing it slow. If you have any tips you've discovered, let me know. I have one more week then... SURGERY! :-)

Good luck on your surgery! I'm on day 7 of the pre-op diet. I haven't hit constipation yet. I've been quite the opposite with horrible diarrhea. The doctor said to try to wait it out a bit and see what happens. I did start taking some lactose enzyme pills and switched what I could to lactose free. I think the extreme amount of dairy all at once is more of what got me.

Yay. You must be so excited that your surgery is so close. I am on day 7 of my preop diet today and I have surgery next Wednesday (27th). This pre-op diet kind of sucks, but I'm sticking to it, even through a big four day family gathering we just had this past weekend. I've lost 8 pounds so far on it, so that's really nice! I took measurements too so I can watch those shrink as well. I want to do photos, but haven't done that yet. Good luck on your journey!

Ha and I see after I just posted above, that this was posted in "The Guy's Room". Sorry to invade guys. I can't figure out how to delete a post, but I think the information I posted is still the same for guys or gals.

I am not an expert. I haven't had surgery yet, but I've been pursing and researching WLS since last November. I've been seeing the surgeon since January for my insurance required 6 month diet. My surgery is next week. I know it is hard searching through the topics trying to find answers to your specific questions and it feels like a big step to make a post, so I'll try to answer what I can. In my area (Upstate NY) I actually hear WLS advertised on the radio. A few different hospitals advertise their weight loss options and they have a free seminar you can go to. I ended up doing my seminar online. So you might want to contact your area hospital and ask if they have or know of any free seminars in the area on WLS options. Or if they can refer you to a bariatric surgeon. Many general surgeons can do the surgery, however I think it's nice to go to a practice where that is their specialty. The doctor I chose has a big practice catering just to that. It is listed in their hospital's online directory under "weight loss." I would make my first step be finding one of these centers or surgeons who specialize in WLS and then making the initial consult. They discuss SO much in that appointment and can answer so many questions. Having worked much for surgeons in the past, I don't think you'll get many options in picking the time of day of your surgery. You can request a morning surgery, but that usually doesn't mean you're guaranteed that. I think in an ideal world, being the second surgery of the day would be perfect though. They are warmed up and awake, but not exhausted. I can't speak from experience about the loose skin. I do know genetics and age have a lot to do with it. I've lost a lot of weight on diets in the past and my skin caught up each time. It was slower weight loss, so the skin shrunk along with me. I know that with WLS, it's the rapid weight loss that makes the skin appear extra saggy at times. Then it will shrink some more with time. Will it shrink totally back to tight skin? Everyone is different. If you're young, with good genetics and hydrate well, maybe it will. I think it's likely you'll have some areas you don't like though. With my weight loss in the past, my stomach always kept it's saggy pouch, even though it did get smaller and wasn't noticeable under clothes. As for diet, my surgeon is requiring a 2 week pre-op liquid "stage 2" diet and then I will do this same diet for two weeks post op. I'm on day 7 of it right now. You focus on high protein liquid. I'm supposed to be trying to get at least 80 grams of protein per day. I am not supposed to be having any sugars either. I can have skim or whole milk, black tea or coffee (but need to switch to decaf a couple days before surgery too), sugar free puddings, sugar free jellos, Protein Shakes, high protein/low fat/no or low sugar yogurts, protein soups/broths (without chunks). It kind of sucks. I am doing mainly yogurt and protein shakes through the day. 2 weeks after surgery, I'll be evaluated and switched to pureed foods. You still aim for the protein, but can eat pureed things in the mix. And then I believe it is 1 month post op, I switch to soft foods. This is a pretty typical WLS diet around surgery time, but surgeons are varying it now. Some don't require the 2 weeks pre-op. They say they do those 2 weeks to shrink the liver so that the surgeon has better access to the stomach, which makes sense. Some keep you on clear liquids for a few days after surgery. It can vary a bit, but this is my protocol. I'm not sure there is a best season. I want to be free of this weight NOW. So, NOW is the best season for me. LOL. Good luck on your journey. I think once you can get in for a consult or go to one of the free seminars that a lot of places offer, you'll get a lot of questions answered.

I keep wondering about this too. I know there is no magical way to totally counteract this, but there must be some helpful things. I know Biotin is often mentioned for the skin and hair. Are there any creams that work noticeably well? And what about baths with something in it, an oil or skin softener of some type? It seems like it would really be able to absorb everywhere in a soaking bath. Any ideas?

My surgery is July 27th and I've really struggled with this. I feel like people tend to think they can spew their opinions at you if you're having WLS. I think because they see it more as surgery than weight loss/personal decision. I think there are a lot of people out there who have never truly struggled with obesity and who also do not know anything about WLS who feel like WLS is taking the easy way out or cheating. When in reality it is a really hard thing to do. I feel like it's committing to a diet for life, like it's so much bigger and harder than any other diet I've ever committed to. I just don't want to deal with their judgement or negative comments. I told my best friend (who also struggles with obesity) but then I didn't even tell my husband about it through 5 months of my required supervised diet. I finally told him last month, a day before I went in for my EGD. He is being super supportive and I need him on my side. I think I will not tell anyone else right now. I feel like it is such a personal thing. What business is it of theirs? Maybe after surgery, when I've lost a lot of weight, I will feel different about that. But for now, this was a hard enough decision to make, I don't need their negativity to get in the way. I talked to the psychologist about this at my appointment and he said you have people who go both ways, those who tell anyone and everyone, sharing every step on social media, and those who keep it totally private. He said there really was no wrong way and to do what feels best to you. I do agree with the post above though - you can't take it back. So sit on the thought for awhile and make sure of your decision before you tell anyone. Word spreads fast.

Me to but I struggled. I did not take enough extras to work. Tomorrow will have broth and propel on standby. Sent from my SM-N900V using the BariatricPal App My surgery is the 27th and I just completed the second day of preop diet too. I lost 3 pounds the first day from being in the bathroom all day. I had my preop appt today and Doctor said to wait a couple more days and it should get better. Im just hoping it isn't all the lactose. I also have a pretty constant headache going, probably from being dehydrated from being in the bathroom so much. The doctor and nurse both said it starts to get easier on day 3-4.

I'm on day two and OMG. I lost 3 pounds on the first day because I was in the bathroom all day. I'm a little worried because I've always thought I'm probably lactose intolerant. I just dealt with it but it seems like the liquid diet is really all lactose too. It was really hard for me to find protein items that didn't have artificial sweeteners ( as they have me a headache). I'm wondering how much harder it will get to find lactose free and no artificial sweeteners and meet the high protein low carb/calorie. Ugh. I'm going to give it a couple days first and see if it gets any better.

Yay! I'm glad the surgery went well. Congratulations on the continued weight loss. You're doing great!

It feels so real today! I'm 2 weeks from surgery and started the preop diet this morning. I didn't think this day would be so emotional. It feels so real though. It feels like I've just stepped through some big door, saying good bye to the past and doing a slow walk down the hall to the future. Wow. I'm excited and scared, and a little sad to say good bye to some foods and the way of eating I've always known. Phew...my new life awaits me!

Can you post a link to the stomach brace/stomach binders you are talking about. Thanks.

@@shel774 - My nutritionist got me hooked on the Oikos Triple Zero yogurt too. I love it! I've never heard of True Lemon. I'll have to look that up. Thanks for the tips.

My surgery is July 27th. I'm in the process of ordering some different Protein powders. I needed some that didn't contain artificial sweeteners and you guys gave me some suggestions. I just got thinking about the size of a Protein shake. To make them the way I really like, I use a bunch of crushed ice in the blender and it fills up a big cup. Even if you just mix them with Water or buy the pre-made. They usually are like 12 ounces. How does that work with a newly sleeved person? I was thinking I can get my protein in because I like Oikos Triple Zero yogurt and Protein shakes. How does that work? Does it take forever to get one down? I can't imagine sipping on the same shake for hours. Just curious!

@ - I do catch your drift! Your story helps me to stick with the decision to not tell people. You are so right about how they will be watching everything that goes into my mouth too. I hate that. And you're right - that does NOT help an emotional eater to succeed. My husband and I were just saying the other day how it seems like people often try to get you to fail because they feel threatened and insecure. We were talking about it in regards to alcohol as some drinkers at his workplace got a recovered alcoholic to start drinking again, on purpose! Idiots! And my 18 year old son chimed in that he feels it too. He decided to give up sugar recently. He doesn't have a weight problem, but realized it doesn't make him feel good. People are on his case about it. Why?! I think because it makes them feel bad. It is sad. Why can't we all support each other in this crazy game of life!

@@MissB1982 - I'm not too nervous about the surgery itself. I have had other surgeries and usually tolerate them quite well. I am a little nervous about the diet immediately after. I'm such a picky eater and can't do artificial sweeteners. I won't do pureed meat. ICK! I picture myself eating yogurt and drinking Protein shakes for weeks on end. I guess I can do that, but it sure will get old. I'm also worried about what other people think and having them find out. I don't plan on telling anyone, but my husband said - you really have to learn to be OK with other people knowing if they find out. He doesn't want me to get torn up inside if/when someone brings it up. I see his point. Why can't something like this just be my business though? :-) I'm also thinking about the foods that will be leaving my life, at least for awhile, or maybe never eaten the same way again. I do want to change forever, so I know some of them may never come back again. I feel like I want to make sure I get some of them now, but I also want to continue to lose weight over the next month leading up to the surgery too. Everything in moderation, I suppose.

Congratulations on starting your journey and great job on being proactive! I first decided to pursue the surgery in November and have just gotten through everything required and approved for July 27th surgery. I'm so excited too. I'm glad you switched doctors when you realized the other wasn't a good fit! I had breast cancer and found that you really do need to be proactive with finding a doctor that is right for you and one that you can truly trust. Good luck on your journey!

My insurance Excellus BCBS required that I do 6 month supervised diet. I was hoping past Weight watchers, doctor's visits, etc would count. It took me a long time to work up the nerve to do the surgery, to have to diet for another 6 months seemed crazy! Also my BMI was just at 40, so I worried, what if I lost weight and then they didn't approve me?! And what if I didn't lose weight, would they not approve me for that? The 6 month diet involved seeing a dietician that was right in the same office as my surgeon. It seemed like her main goal was to really get me prepared and ready to eat the way I'll need to after surgery. I was not required to lose weight. They did want me to journal my food though, which I bulked at since I've done so much dieting in the past. She wanted me to try to eat around 1000 calories a day and 100 grams of Protein and no more than 100 grams of carbs. She wanted me to start trying some of the Protein shakes, bars, foods, etc and start focusing on protein as the #1 thing. I thought it sounded awful to do the 6 months when I was ready back in November for the surgery. But, it did go by fairly quickly and got me used to eating the way they wanted. I only lost about 10 pounds. Some weeks when I went in, my weight was up a bit. Hopefully your insurance won't require the full 6 months, but if it does, use it as a time to prepare for the new way you'll be eating. Good luck on your journey!

I was required to attend one before surgery. I went to it and was pleasantly surprised. They had the psychologist there and he talked about brain chemistry and dieting. It was a subject I was interested in. The fitness expert was there and he asked what everyone was doing for exercise and added in some tips. And a nurse talked about some general stuff and asked people questions. Then she broke people up. There were people there who already had surgery. She had all the sleevers raise their hands so you knew who they were, all the RNY raise their hands, and lap bands raise there hands. You were supposed to go talk to them. So I went over and sat with someone who had the sleeve done. There were about 6 of us pre-op patients there asking her questions. The surgeon, nurse, psychologist, and fitness expert roamed around and joined in on some conversations as well. They had papers on the table for everyone to exchange contact info if they wanted. I found it really helpful. I decided I wanted to go to another one. They only hold them monthly. This one was very different. The nurse talked about a lot of different things, but if you have done your research, you already knew it. Then the fitness expert talked about working out in the heat. I'm an active person and have worked out in the heat in the past. I already knew about hydration and such. There was only one post surgical patient there this time. She had RNY. I plan on having VSG. Everyone asked her a few questions, but it also seemed like the audience wasn't too interactive. They were all just there because it was required. I found this meeting totally a waste of my time. Now I'm torn whether to go back again or not. After the first visit, I thought this was a group that might be able to help keep me on track through this whole process. Then the second visit seemed like a waste of my time. So who knows, maybe your second visit will be totally different!

I had to attend a seminar put on my by surgeon before I could schedule my appointment. He offers them in person or online. I opted for the online one. It was like 90 minutes long. So I saw him and got a feel for him during that. Then my very first appointment (back in January) was with him. I had to have 6 month supervised diet, and I met with the dietician for those, as well as a fitness expert. I saw the surgeon again for my EGD (he performed it and went over the procedure before starting). Now I don't think I'll see him until the morning of surgery. (July 27th). I also had to attend a support group meeting. I went to two of them and the surgeon showed up at both of those to answer questions for people as well. It seems quite reasonable to ask for a consult with the surgeon. He is going to be cutting you open and rearranging things in your body. This is a person you need to feel comfortable with and trust. Call your insurance company and discuss whether the consult would be covered and push a bit if they question it. Ask them what they'd do if they were you. Good luck on your journey!

Oh my gosh!!! This is exactly why I don't want to tell people. I swear people feel like it gives them a free pass to talk about your weight when you have WLS. Since you had surgery, you're a free target. I swear it's not the same when you are dieting without the WLS. Big hugs to you. You're doing great. I absolutely LOVE your response. I probably would have coward in the corner and not known what to say. I love that you stood up for yourself. You deserve that respect. She was a jerk and you called her on it. Good for you!!!! This shows the ignorance people have about WLS. They think it is some magic tool. You go in, have the surgery and miraculously the pounds just fly off, almost like liposuction or something, no work involved. You just get to sit back and eat chocolates and watch yourself get thin. Ugh! I feel like it's one of the biggest commitments in my life. It's not going to be easy and it's not going to be a free ride. I think most people who have had or are having WLS, who have done their research get this, but the general public, especially those who don't have weight issues, just don't get it. I'm sorry for your interaction. I'm glad you stood up for yourself!

Does anyone have any chewable Vitamin suggestions that don't have the artificial stuff in there? I'd prefer Stevia. I absolutely can't have aspartame. I don't always have a reaction to sucralose. So I don't know if that's only minimally used if that would be ok.

Wow, you've just told a lot of my story! Like you, I grew up with all the "bad" foods. When I did my weight history for my consult, I realized my first diet started when I was about 9 years old! I've lost many hundreds of pounds over the years. I too even did the HCG diet a couple of times one year. I got down to a healthy weight and started living my life again. Then I zooooomed back up to my heaviest weight at the end of that year. I also got breast cancer that following year and I really question whether the HCG played a role in that. Chemo put me into menopause, but despite my doctor saying it wouldn't happen, I ended up getting my cycles back about a year later. I thought about WLS many times throughout the years, but I would read about the specifics, the way you had to eat and I thought, well I can just eat that way without the surgery and lose the weight. (Like with the HCG diet.) The problem being, I just gained it back every single time. This past November, my 42nd birthday, I journaled about what I wanted to happen in my 42nd year of life. The whole thing really spun around the weight and how it was holding me back from living the life I wanted to live. So, I looked at WLS more seriously. It took me a month to fill out all their paperwork and get it back to them. Then I didn't get an appointment until January. I was psyched to go and found out that I had to go through the 6 months supervised diet. Ugh! During that 6 months I have really asked myself a lot of questions about whether the WLS is the right thing for me. I wasn't 100% sure the whole time. I waited to tell even my husband until last month, and I think it was at that point I decided... I'm all in! I need this. I'm willing to do the work, but I think I need a tool like this if there is any possibility that I will be able to keep this weight off permanently. My insurance just approved it last week and my surgery date is July 27th. I know your frustrations with the medical world. I decided to turn to the doctors at one point and see if they could offer me help from all my yo you diets. You know what she suggested? Eating pretzels! Yah! They are a much better snack than chips and such. Pretzels! There's my answer! OMG!! And I've been told to try every sweetener and thing available in my one morning coffee. I use 30 calories of sugar in one coffee a day. That is not the reason I'm obese! People who have never dealt with this problem really just have no clue. It sounds like you are just as ready as I am to make this change in your life! I'm excited! Keep us posted on your progress.

@@Bufflehead - Haha, dirty dish Water. Isn't it funny how different things taste to people? I bought some of the premade Orgain Protein shakes and I swear they tasted like Band Aids. I don't go around chewing on band aids, but you know that smell - well it tasted that way!