White Sale

Well, darn, there goes that excuse.

Yep, 23andme, just like PAstudent mentioned.

Are you getting enough iron? Taking it separately from the calcium? Easily bruising is one sign of anemia, but, of course, talk to your doctor about your lab results.

Just like sc101071 said, they still work. I tend to let them sit in my mouth for a while and absorb sublingually. I would've been super bummed if they didn't!

I added unflavored protein powder to everything: strained soups from Panera Bread low-fat ricotta with salt and pepper roasted garlic hummus sugar-free dark chocolate Jell-O pudding

It may be acid reflux. It doesn't seem as if the two would be related, but they may be. I sometimes have a similar pain, usually toward the end of the day, since I take my PPI first thing in the morning. It is in the same place as yours. Try to notice when it happens - time of day? after a meal? etc

I'm regular, but not doing anything special. I do use a Squatty Potty, though.

I say avoid it altogether, but I totally understand wanting to be social and normal, ya know? From what I've read, after having VSG, it takes half as much alcohol to get you drunk and the effects last twice as long. It enters your small intestine quickly and with little pre-digestion in the stomach. So if a typical margarita has 2.5 ounces of liquor & liqueur, to us it's like having 5 ounces.

Yes!!! My jaw sometimes hurts with all the chewing I'm doing hahaha!! How will you know something doesn't sit well? Like, nausea or something? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App The best way I can describe it is that it feels very heavy in my stomach, but I don't feel nauseous. Everyone is different, though. When in doubt, ask your surgeon; after all, you paid him/her a lot of money to answer your questions!

I'm in the same sort of situation - my diet "rules" ended at 4 weeks post-op. Basically, I don't have any restrictions besides the standard Protein first, low sugar, low carb type deal. So I measure my food and chew it to high heaven. The only issues I've had is "hard" foods, like raw carrots. They sort of feel like cement in my stomach, but even that is improving. I measure my food to know when I'm full. My stomach nerves aren't healed and won't be for months, so tracking and measuring gives me a fact-based knowledge of my intake. My suggestion: chew very well and measure everything. If something doesn't "sit well" in your tummy, wait a couple of weeks before you try it again.

I chose to self-pay and have the operation in the U.S. The fact that I did not have any obesity-related diseases, that I have a clean medical history, and that I am young-ish meant that the surgeon only ordered 3 pre-op tests for me rather than the entire litany many folks go through. PROS: -I shopped for a surgeon without regard to whether or not he/she was "in-network" -It was quick. I scheduled my surgery for 3-4 weeks after my first pre-op appointment. -No hassle of dealing with endless insurance paperwork & requirements. CONS: -The price I was quoted did not included everything, when I was led to believe that it did. I'm now faced with over $5000 of unexpected costs. I'm very salty over this. -If anything goes awry, I'm up the creek without a paddle.

Hmmm, I would say no less than 6 weeks. By that time, he should be eating more nutritious foods and his energy level will be up enough to help you.

You aren't able to feel full yet because the nerves responsible for that sensation have been severed and need time to grow back. In the meantime, measure and track your food. It's the only way to know for sure that you're not eating too much or too little. Meeting your Fluid goal is critical. If drinking doesn't cause you discomfort, it is a blessing as far as getting to your daily intake.

Well, I had my first (and hopefully last) episode of vomiting. I went for a walk and after coming home, I was incredibly thirsty. Without thinking, I gulped many gulps of delicious, cool Water. TERRIBLE DECISION. Instant regret. Holy guacamole. After about a minute or so of awful pain, I felt nauseous. That water came right back up and out. Let my mistake be your lesson: do not drink large quantities quickly. Be mindful every time you put something into your mouth.

Is pickle juice off limits for you? I had it during the liquids stage to help keep me sane; I would freeze it for something salty to crunch on.

You're probably in a stall. There's really not much to be done about it. Keep on your plan, drink your water, walk regularly, and measure every morsel of food. I wish I had a magic cure to break these stalls, because they're such a difficult thing mentally, but I don't. All I will say is follow the rules and it will pass with time, but be prepared that it may be 2 or 3 weeks before the scale moves (which sucks, but it is what it is).

I had my sleeve in December. I had never had surgery before. I was so nervous! I'd be excited, then scared, then happy, then calm, then nervous again. I tried to remind myself that everyone in the OR has had years, decades, of training and they choose to do this job every day. They have a genuine interest in seeing their patients come out healthy. The loss of control is still very scary. Once they give you that first bit of drug for "anxiety", you won't have a care in the world. Best to you! Remember: walk, walk , walk, walk, and repeat!

I was tired beyond anything I'd ever experienced. The combination of not eating and surgery is really difficult. It may depend on what your diet plan is post-op. For me, I had 7 days sugar-free clear liquids (no protein), then 7 days of SF full liquids, then on to pureed. It wasn't until pureed foods that my energy improved. I felt very weak. My first time driving and doing errands was probably 12 days PO. Even when I returned to school, over 3 weeks after surgery, I was so surprised at how tired I was when I got home! You mentioned you're taking classes - it was VERY difficult for me to study, just be aware. YMMV, though

Basically, it came down to time. Time is one of the few things you'll never get back. The diets I had tried ranged from mild to extreme. I simply don't have whatever it takes to lose weight that way - whether it be a mental issue or something with my physiology - it never lasted. I'd never seriously considered WLS until I saw my first gray hair. I had wasted so many years being overweight and shy that I'd missed out on living. I researched all of the various procedures and decided on the sleeve gastrectomy. The long-term outcomes are better than LapBand and the same as RNY. I didn't like the RNY for two reasons: it is a rearrangement of the anatomy and malabsorption is a life-long risk. I didn't like the VSG because it is not reversible. So I watched a ton of YouTube videos by people who had the VSG, both the good and the bad reviews. I met with some friends of friends who had the procedure. The overwhelming majority said they would do it again in a heartbeat and do it 5 years sooner. I would have much rather lost weight through diet and exercise, and avoided surgery altogether, but it just wasn't possible for me.

...chew up food and spit it out while on your liquid diet? I'm dying to crunch SOMETHING, so this afternoon, I chewed up a pickle, but didn't swallow a bite. It satisfied something in me, though. I just needed that hard & crispy sensation. Other than this, I've been following Dr's order exactly (Down 15lbs since 12/23). Am I a total weirdo or have any of you resorted to something so silly while fighting through your liquid diet?

People judge others by appearance - I know I do, especially at first. Men and women do it equally, but I think women are a little more careful about keeping it to themselves. Fat people are one of the "safest" groups to discriminate against. Even though you're the same on the inside, your looks have changed. The best people, in my opinion, are the ones who were as open to getting to you know when you were heavy as they are now. I've not lost enough weight to experience what you have. I'm accustomed to being completely invisible, so the thought of getting attention, to me, is quite intimidating. There are some great videos on YouTube about WLS, relationships, and being treated differently. Things like having others hold doors open, flirt, look you in the eye, or even getting promotions at work after weight loss. It's just such a deep part of the culture. I imagine that it is hard not to take it personally, though. I know I'd be bitter! Don't let such shallow people ruin your day; they're not worth your time, energy, or emotions. Congrats on getting rid of those 55 pounds!

Pickle juice ice cubes

Wow @@BigViffer! That's very impressive And here I thought I was fancy in Excel with my Monte Carlo simulations...

Happy Saturday! I enjoy seeing the numbers represented visually, so I thought I would share the graph of my progress so far. I had a slow 3 weeks before today's weigh in, but happy with the progress! Anyone else track their weight this way?

Bathrobe, toothbrush, charger, headphones, pen & paper, and a comfy-cozy pillow.