GACaldwell

I was restricted from lifting anything over 10lbs for 4 weeks. Ask your dr though, they may be different for you. I didn't do so well on the soft/pureed foods so my dr moved me up to more solid things earlier...but here's the thing with that...you're going to be traveling so getting sick while traveling is way worse. Stick as close to your plan/diet as you can. bring Protein powder with you to mix with milk or Water (easy to find) or see if you can find a store near where you are staying that stocks them. Soups are your friend! Just dont push it too much while your traveling or try anything crazy food wise and you should be fine. Yeah I get the real taco thing...I was in Mexico and didn't get a street taco at all! But thats ok...I can always go back later!

I know it SUCKS to have the weight loss slow down..but thats normal and healthy! As others have said keep working your plan. You can start working on toning if you're cleared for exercise though and that may make a bigger difference in what you see/feel than the numbers on the scale.

I too enjoy the premier Protein drinks. chocolate, Vanilla, Caramel and sometimes bananna. I did not like the strawberries and cream one.

I buy Dietz and Watson (Its in Winn Dixie here) Low sodium Lite Turkey. It's got less calories and sodium than the pre-packaged meats and is not as dry as Boars head.

I had an 11+ hour trip home from my surgery just 4 days after having it and it was fine. I did take a pillow to hold over my stomach for take off and landing so that helped. The biggest issue I had was making sure I could find things I could eat/drink so try to plan that if you can so you're not stuck. Oh and I did the pre-boarding thing so i had time to get to my seat and the stewardess helped me put my bags away...if you tell them at the gate you have a medical reason to early board and need help they are more than happy to help you. the pilot does all the work anyway!

When your partner has been gone for a while (8 weeks..he's a truck driver) and the first thing he says when he gets out of the truck is "Holy CRAP you look great!"

From my sister pre-op when I told her I was doing this to control my BP & help avoid the inevitable heart attack with heart disease on both sides of my family: "I'll just have to be fat & if I have a heart attack then I have life insurance & they can bury me." O_o From one of my partners: "No fair...this is so much easier for you than my diet. You're totally going to pass me I. Weight loss and I'll be jealous." From the sister at 2 months post op and 30 lbs down "Have you lost any weight? I don't really see it in your face?"

I tried a free trial of Hello Fresh this week. Can't say I was super impressed. Lots of carbs in the things they sent...Tortilla wraps, rice & Pasta. It was the classic box and there is an option for "fit" meals but the amount of food for what it would have cost was astronomical. just my experince so far! Sent from my SCH-I435 using the BariatricPal App

I tried the Hello Fresh box this past week. It wasn't very friendly for us...lots of carbs. Sent from my SCH-I435 using the BariatricPal App

Welcome @@NYCDreamer! So exciting as you get ready for surgery! By the time I got to my surgery date I was BEYOND ready! LOL Looks like you've already done an amazing job at dropping weight! Good for you!!

One thing no one told me to take but I knew from two C-sections was absolutely necessary..a Pillow! I had an 11+ hour journey back from Mexico and between the wheelchair my husband kept running into walls with at the airport & flying/take off/landing having a pillow to hold over my stomach was a lifesaver. We were given everything we could have needed for me in the hospital..bottle Water, slipper, hospital gowns. My companion had to eat elsewhere though so we made sure we had money for that. Past that: Any meds you currently take Comfy clothes to come home in...seriously pick your most comfortable outfit! Toiletries Info for your travel companion..google translate was a lifesaver for my hubs Gas X for the ride home (for sure!) Protein mixes for the right home..like I said 11+ hours for me so I had to have something to drink on the way home & there are not a lot of options at the airport.

The cravings were hard for me too..but what I started doing was taking small bites and appreciating the taste more of the things I craved. It has never done me much good to deny myself anything because it will overwhelm my OCD brain and I'll binge. But where I used to eat an entire king size bar of chocolate (chocolate is my weakness) I nibble on one square at a time now. I still track it..the calories still count but I'm not overdoing it. Also, Learning to replace it with fruits helps..my new fave snack is sliced strawberries with FF cream cheese & splenda. Also, I've learned to commit to my routines...water, Protein, exercise as an alternative to snacking/overeating. If I can get my BRAIN to STFU first by using one of those then its a win.

I went to Mexico too...My dr removed the drain while I was still there and covered it with gauze/tape...it still weeped a little of the white/pink Fluid but I felt SO much better after the drain came out (admittedly, I thought I was going to puke when it was coming out though!) I didn't have stitched that needed to be removed..they just dissolved. Hopefully you'll get an answer from your dr!

So far..good! I'm down around 30lbs so far...25 the first month and then I've been hovering with the last 5 this past month. Eh..im not worried about it being slow as Im loosing inches a lot faster than lbs these days. I've been lucky in that I've had VERY few complications...I dont have any issues eating or drinking. I am tired more than I used to be but that's ok..it will come back. Im so glad I had the surgery..it's been life changing. The biggest positive is that my blood pressure is down to a normal level for the first time in almost 9 years! I have a history of heart disease on both sides of my family and my dad has his first heart attack at 40 yrs old. I'm 38 and Ive been on BP meds since I was 30...so the impending heart attack was a big factor for me in having this done. I feel a lot better knowing I'm doing everything I can to help keep me here.

I've heard this happens with some Drs. Please look for another practice! I'm Bi-polar and my Dr had no issues doing the surgery on me. If anything it has helped tremendously.

@@henna2010 How are you holding up? Checking in on you!

Yikes! I'd be scared to do it right before the holidays...we focus too much on food in my family!! But hopefully yours is different. As it is, I'm worried about holidays and I was sleeved in July. What do you do for work? I have a desk job (Office manager) and I cant stand missing work due to the way they do PTO here but even still I had to be out about a week. Because of the way I scheduled it (I went in on a thursday, had surgery that day & was back to work by the next wed) I had the time off...if you have time off with the holidays thats an excellent reason to schedule it then. I was too impatient to wait and my partner drives a truck so tiem home was a factor.

Didn't read everyones responses but heres my experince: I was sleeved on July 25th of this year..so far I'm down about 29lbs (It's fluctuating right now due to travel/eating choices) I'm ok with that! I've set my one time goal of 135 by next year..but I'm not stressing getting there all at once. Yes, I weigh in every day, but i don't let it affect me mood...i just see it as a tool..like "Huh, I ate xyz yesterday off plan and this is what happened..ok. I know I can't afford that every day" Kind of thing. Also, I work at a desk and I have a crazy busy lifestyle (3 jobs, 2 kids, 2 partners, yadda yadda) so I have found ways to include exercise into my day. I belly dance on the weekends...so I do tummy rolls all day sitting at my desk and that helps tone! You can also look up desk exercises you can do at work. I sit on a stability ball so Im always moving even when Im sitting and typing. The bosses thought it was weird at first but now its just my normal. Take the stairs, park further away, do squats while you pull laundry from the dryer...there are a thousand ways to get some type of exercise in every day even when you dont have time to work out. Also, if no one has mentioned it before..check your measurements...While I haven't lost a ton of weight, Im loosing inches like CRAZY! I've been recording my non scale victories and celebrating them even more than the scale victories. And remember..you can do this!!

I hate this for you!! Especially because it causes emotional pain. My partner had to have one done every time he (He's FtM trans) went to his pain management dr. He'd just laugh and tell they they were wasting their time. I had a hysterectomy when I was 30 yrs old. So when they ask "when was your last menstrual period?" I say 2007.If they are stupid enough to ask if I'm pregnant after that, then I need a new dr.