blizair09

I make an eating and drinking schedule for every day. It really is a full-time job. I still have 2 more weeks of medical leave before I go back to work, but when I do have to go back, I'm going to have to set alarms on my phone or something to prompt me when it is time to drink or stop drinking to help keep up with it when my mind is focused on something else. I haven't had the need or urge to drink while eating or right after, but keeping up with everything is a huge organizational task. I feel like I am a pretty organized person, but it is a challenge even for me. (That's why I don't see how these people who talk about going back to work after a week can do it all in such short order...)

I actually cut alcohol out during the second month of my six-month pre-op diet program (April). I dropped my calories from 2000 to 1800 to 1500 to 1200 (the last three months of it), and I could allot any calories to alcohol with my total caloric intake at those levels. I needed the food a lot more than I needed the booze. It's been over six months with no alcohol now -- something I never would have thought I could do, but I am glad I made that decision. I'll bring it back in very limited quantities later on (specifically in December), but right now, I don't have a place for it.

I also suggest a high protein/low carb and that you track everything that goes into your body.

Congratulations! Keep up your hard work!

The gas was a big part of it, but it was an overall feeling like hell experience. I ached from the trauma of surgery; I mourned the loss of "normalcy" as I knew it (even after all the changes I made in my six-month pre-op diet). Physically and mentally, it was a tough time, but like I've said many times before, the rebound was quick and fierce. By Day 3 post-op, I was already on the road to feeling better.

Awesome. Congratulations!!

I have been walking 2 miles a day since the end of the first week post-op. I am going to try to add in another mile this next week and see how it goes. My doctor said to wait 6-8 weeks to do anything more strenuous than walking.

How is your Protein and Water intake? What do you do for exercise? What has made you gain the weight?

Congratulations! Keep up the hard work!

Not really. They had pain medicine in my IV. I was uncomfortable in general, but walking helped with the gas issues. It was the next two days when I got home that were the worst. But, by the third day post-op, I was feeling much better.

I am a carb addict. I have accepted it and I'll be the first one to admit it. It always makes me nervous when I hear people on this board go on and on about how they are learning to eat in moderation when someone says something to them about something carby they are wanting to consume. For me, there is no moderation with carbs -- none at all. While I can't cut them out of my life completely, I can minimize them in weight loss now and in maintenance later on. Some ask if it is something I could keep up long-term, and I say if it keeps me from weighing 400 pounds again, you bet your ass I can. I encourage you to get back on the low-carb train and ride that bad boy to your goal. You'll get there. And once you rid yourself of the carbs, the cravings will subside and you'll strengthen your willpower to say no to them in those tough situations. Best wishes!

I had my physical on February 3 where my PCP referred me for surgery. I had the first of my six required diet visits on March 3 and the last on August 10. I had my PCP clear me for surgery on August 14. It was approved by insurance on August 29, and I was sleeved on September 28.

Congratulations and best wishes!!

Was the gym thing a doctor requirement or an insurance requirement? I'm just curious since I've never heard of insurance requiring gym visits...

I was disoriented at first; in fact, I didn't even know where I was right away, but that cleared up pretty fast, and my family was with me in fairly short order.

Ignore her and do what is best for you. At some point, our parents' opinion should just become an opinion.

Nothing about this journey is easy at all, and it is not for the weak-willed. I encourage you to embrace the low-carb life pre-op and take this time to prepare yourself for what you will HAVE to do after the surgery. Work with a nutritionist and a psychologist to help you map out a plan and get to the root of your food issues. That will likely help you a lot. With what about low carb are you struggling? Best wishes!!

My six-month insurance-required diet program was the best thing that ever happened to me. I completely re-established my relationship with food (I did low carb/high protein/high healthy fat with less than 20 carbs per day), lost 99 pounds by the day of surgery, and prepared myself for both the surgery and the life after the surgery. I am convinced that all that hard work pre-op is what has helped me to heal better, to embrace the food stages, and to continue the second half of my weight loss with success. After having been on this board for several months now, some of the biggest recurring problems for people are there because of how little they did pre-op to prepare for the surgery and life after. I encourage you to take advantage of this time, lose the weight you can, and get yourself ready. You'll be so thankful later if you do. Best wishes!

I know you are glad to be on this side of the whole thing. It will continue to get better each day. Best wishes!

Congratulations and best wishes!

My team told me to stay off of the scale at least until my first follow-up appointment (one week after surgery). I did as they said, and everything has worked out. I had a nice loss in the first month, even with the "3 week stall" that lasted about half of that time. Nothing is going to be accurate at first. Even at one-month post-op, I wonder if it is completely accurate. Healing takes time and that makes the scale go crazy sometimes. Good luck!

I was able to get in 64 oz after the 3rd day post-op. The first day, I think I got 32oz, and the second day, I got 40 oz. My plan didn't expect 64 oz until Week 4 post-op, but I was able to get a jump on that. (And I did the same with the Protein, too.)

I'm a month post-op tomorrow, and I haven't had any significant pain since the first week. Did you talk to your surgeon?

Good progress! Keep up the hard work!!