kim0518

The dreaded week 3 stall! Mine lasted for two weeks. Once you begin upping your calories, it should break. Be sure your sugar and carb grams are minimal and protein and healthy fats are high.

I totally understand! There are those who will be against it...some because they worry about you, others because they are jealous. You have to do what you believe is right for you. I had surgery in Mexico. Imagine the backlash I received from friends who knew! It was the best experience ever! It isn't this back ally, dirty thing people imagine. It was actually better than having surgery in the US! I paid $4000 US & everything was included in that, except airfare, which was only about $250. They treated me like royalty. It was awesome. So, do what works for you! It is your life. The naysayers don't have to lug the excess weight around & have it wearing out their hearts. Good luck, Sweetie!

Insurances rarely pay for the surgery. I did ALL the jumping through hoops required by insurance...2 sleep studies, psych eval, 3 nutritionist appts, etc. and they still denied me. I had high bp, sleep apnea, and a host of other issues. Insurance said to just take meds to manage my conditions. This was after I spent about $3k out of pocket doing all those ridiculous requirements! I ended up going to Mexico & paid less than my copay/deductible would've been if insurance had covered it. Had the best experience ever! I am 9 months out and have lost over 110 pounds, far exceeded my goals & expectations, don't have ANY health issues anymore.

Whether you choose to tell people or not is a personal decision. You can just tell them you are trying to eat healthier, smaller portions, no fried foods, low carb, and no sugar. That isn't a lie! That is exactly what we do!

My nutritionist says we should be doing 80-90g of protein a day. If you don't have a nutritionist, I highly recommend getting one that specializes in bariatric diets. Fortunately, the place I went to for surgery provides one free of charge for life. She has been a God send and has helped me through stalls & coached me on what I did wrong in the beginning.

People respond differently. I saw a guy get released from surgery, walk over to the buffet at the hotel, and eat bacon & eggs. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. He ended up in severe distress. Your stomach has to have time to heal. Eating foods too soon could cause complications...food particles getting stuck around the staples, infection, or even a leak or rupture. Please follow your doctor's guidelines.

Depression is normal. If it continues once you begin solid foods, I would join a WLS suppirt group (one that is a therapy session, not an online group). You will regain energy. Right now, you aren't getting any nutrients to fuel your body, so you're running on fumes. From the sound of it...gas fumes. [emoji3] I pretty much slept the first two weeks. It all gets better with time. I am nine months out & don't regret a thing. Some things are still a struggle, like not drinking with my meals, but the struggles become less noticeable & just a way of life after a while.

This is very common in the beginning. Here is what is likely happening... 1) your body lost pounds immediately because it was a new change, but now it has had time to adjust. 2) in the first weeks, the body is being starved of nutrition & calories. After a week or two of this your body starts saying, "Hey! This is bullshit! Give me some damn food!" When you continue to not feed it, it then goes into starvation mode. 3) you would think starvation mode would drop pounds, but the opposite happens because your body now has no idea when or if you will ever feed it again, so it is saving all the fat it possibly can. Sooo, what can you do about it? As backward as it sounds...start consuming more calories! Once you get up between 800-1000 calories per day, your body will say, "Oh! I don't have to hoard these old fat cells anymore." And you will begin losing weight. How do you consume that many calories this early? Protein shakes! Find one you can tolerate, and drink up! Once you are on solid foods, eat healthy fats, like avocados. Even a few tablespoons of natural peanutbutter that is low in sugar. Keep the carbs & sugar at a minimum, and protein at a high. And remember, healthy fats act as a lubricant. I won't paint that picture as I think you can figure it out.

For those struggling with jumping through all the insurance hoops of sleep studies, psych evals, etc., you might consider another alternative. After spending about $4k out-of-pocket, the insurance denied me. I had surgery in Mexico. Paid $5k and it included everything, except airfare to San Diego. The doctors & staff are wonderful. I know what is going through your mind right now...this woman is crazy...but it was the best experience & I have lifetime free access to a nutritionist & I have a wonderful support system. I went through Mexico Bariatric Center in Tijuana. Check it out if you are looking for an alternative.

This word seems overused, but I can't think of a better description than AMAZING! Good job!

I am concerned that you are eating solid food (lean meat) when you are four days out. You should still be on Clear Liquids this week. Then, thick liquids beginning on day 7. Then, soft/pureed foods, beginning week 3. Eating solid foods too early can cause a leak & other complications. The mental hunger is normal & will eventually fade, especially once you get to the solid food stage & certain foods you used to love either taste different now or make you sick.

Welcome! What does your doctor say about your progress? I know we are all different & lose at different rates, but 43 pounds in a year & a half seems excessively slow. My nutritionist always asks if we are doing the following when we hit long stalls: 90 g Protein per day Minimum of 64 oz water/day No coffee Low carbs No more than 24g sugar/day Consuming between 1000-1200 calories per day

Yes, I had surgery May 17th in Tijuana. I have lost 100 pounds, exceeding my goal.

So did you have it done in Sweden, or did you go elsewhere?

My nutritionist always recommends Fairlife, but it bothers my stomach. I just use regular milk when I need milk.