FLHappyGirl

Sounds like you are ready! The one thing I really enjoyed the first week were sugar free popsicles. It was a combination of being able to chew again all while getting additional fluids down. You're gonna do great!

I'm a year and three months out so I can probably tolerate a little more food than you but one of my favorite breakfasts is overnight oats. In a small mason jar I mix 1/3 cup oatmeal (I use old fashion, not instant) a tablespoon of powdered peanut butter and then cover it with some premier protein shake. Stir it with a spoon and let it set overnight. I usually heat in the microwave for 20 secs to take the chill off but it is good cold too. You can change the flavor by changing the protein shake. It is delish and I am stuffed until lunch!

You might want to ask for a prescription of Nystatin powder. It works fast. It is all about keeping the area dry whether it be from bathing or sweat. I hope it clears up soon!

I have a desk job. I took the first week off and worked from home the second week. I could have made it back to work the second week but glad I stayed home. The hardest part for me was the fatigue the first few weeks but it gets better every week. Good luck!

I'm about 8 months post op and about 10-15 pounds from goal. I always hit my protein and water goals however I was in what I thought to be a stall for the past 6 weeks. I realized (after looking at my food diary which I am diligent about keeping) that I was substituting certain easy to grab foods as meal replacements. I am in no way trying to trash talk protein bars but what I found myself doing was eating them instead of real food. I wasn't feeling as full as I once did when doing this. Once I started in with real food I realized my sleeve is working just fine and the hunger was not there. I will still enjoy a protein bar here and there but don't use them as meals unless absolutely necessary. If I get hungry between meals drinking water has once again given me that full feeling. Maybe it's a coincidence but after two days of real food the scale moved.

I tend to agree with your last statement. It is much like an alcoholic being forced to take a look at their behavior/addiction when a drinking buddy takes the step to heal themselves. I think it is all in the delivery. My decision is not for everyone so if I suspected someone was going to react negatively, I didn't point out their flaws; instead I simply said, "your health may not be affected by the added weight but mine is suffering." And in the likely event they follow up with "why don't you do it on your own" you can reply that you have tried and been unsuccessful in the past (I'm assuming here). I would always point out my health problems (diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, arthritis, whatever it is) is only going to get worse. If you do nothing it won't get better. Again, I always make sure to direct everything toward myself and leave them out of it. After all, it is about you. Take care of you! Oh, and it is one of the reasons I limited who I told.

I quit cold turkey over 10 years ago! I educated myself through http://whyquit.com/ and truly believe it is the reason I never picked up another cigarette. There is so much information on this website and its free! The support group is great too. Good luck and stick with it! If you stumble don't give up. You are worth it.

Completely agree with OutsideMatchInside! I made the mistake of microwaving my first pizza and it was a puddle of greasy, soggy goo. I did take the suggestion of transferring to a pan after microwaving and it helped crisp it up a bit but had I not it would have been almost impossible to eat. The flavors were ok but the calorie count for the amount of food is not worth it in my opinion.

I had surgery on a Thursday and was home on Friday. Off all pain meds by Sunday. I took the a full week off and then worked from home the next week. I probably could have made it back to work if I had to but being able to take breaks and lie down for a few minutes was super helpful. My biggest challenge was the fatigue which gets a little better each week. Good luck!

I can totally relate! Several years ago I went on yet another diet and recalled the moment things went bad! It was when a very judgmental, vain person kept on and on about how good I looked - this was all at work and in front of several of my peers. It made me so uncomfortable and I swear something in me flipped a switch and the next thing I knew I was back to my old habits. You have to learn from these things; I won't let that happen again. I can't blame her (even though she made me want to punch her in the face), after all it was me who stopped exercising and eating right. You've identified the trigger, find a way to use it to your advantage. I saw this article a few weeks ago on My Fitness Pal and it validates that we are not alone. Good luck! You've got this! http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/5-worst-things-say-someone-losing-weight/

I know there are a lot of views on weighing yourself daily. I weighed (and still do) everyday but I don't let it bother me if the scale doesn't move or fluctuates slightly upward. After years of not wanting to know what the scale said, it is important for me to weigh in everyday to stay accountable. I'm six months out and getting closer to my goal weight, things have slowed down but that is to be expected. Stick to your plan and you will have amazing results. Oh, and I started dairy (greek yogurt, cottage cheese and ricotta cheese) around 3 weeks maybe a little less.

You look amazing! Keep up the good work!

I was required to have my primary/family doctor sign off prior to surgery. It has more to do with general health and being a suitable candidate for anesthesia than anything else. For example, my heart rate was elevated the few weeks prior to my surgery and my blood pressure was borderline high. My Primary doctor explained that an anesthesiologist may not perform surgery if they think it is a risk to put you under. I was treated with meds through my surgery date. Shortly after surgery my previous medical problems resolved themselves. I suggest talking to your primary care doctor and if they won't sign off talk to your surgeon to see if there are other parties that can clear you for surgery. You want to be safe and make sure you have the best possible outcome with the fewest complications.

I eat full fat cottage cheese, mayo, ricotta, etc. I stick to greek yogurt. The low fat versions typically have more carbs and don't taste good. Based on the small amount I eat it has never been a concern.

Irma knocked out our power for a couple days. I was somewhat prepared and lived on some of my favorites: Nuts (cashews, almonds, mixed) Hard boiled eggs - deviled eggs - egg salad protein shakes canned chili grilled hamburger patties - no buns cheese - string, babybel, laughing cow Ak Mac crackers if I had a need for crunchy carbs (2 crackers are usually plenty) Protein bars I wish I would have had pickles, that would have been a treat! It would have been really easy to stuff my face with crap food, it is easy to do and was readily available. Being prepared is such a better feeling!

I got one from TheWorldAccordingtoEggFace website that I love. You put oats (I use 1/3 cup of the Old Fashion ones) in a small mason jar. Then I top it off with Premier Protein (maybe 1/4 plus a splash) and stir in a small scoop of powdered peanut butter (PB2). Stir and let sit overnight in the fridge. I zap it for a few minutes in the morning just to get the chill off. It is delicious and I am full until lunchtime! You can use any flavor combination! My favorite is chocolate peanut butter.

Perfectly timed post. I was just noticing my sternum the other day and thinking it felt so weird. It may sound silly but I've also noticed the bones in my hands when I wiggle my index or middle finger. I can actually see them!

It gets better! I'm 7 weeks out today and feel more and more energized every week. I took lots of power naps the first 3-4 weeks. Working out has helped me sleep better at night which in turn helps during the day. Hoping you get over the hump soon!

I didn't want a lot of people to know either. My main reason was because I didn't want to hear any negative comments. Unless someone is familiar with all aspects of WLS there are so many misconceptions. I did my research and I really didn't want anyone's unsolicited input (especially from people not familiar with the process). Work was easy, I told them "female surgery". Most of the men just slowly walked away (some ran) and it never was brought up again. The women just assumed I told the truth since I'm of that age. Now that I am beginning to lose the weight and it is noticeable IF someone asks what I've been doing I just tell them when I went for surgery I got a kick start and ran with it (which is a half truth). I also tell them I've lost weight before and have been unsuccessful in keeping it off so keep me in your thoughts/prayers/good vibes (whatever they believe). This kind of changes the subject off how you did it. While I still haven't told anyone at work, I have told some friends the truth since surgery. They have all been supportive. I'm social too (mostly at-home gatherings) and no one has asked where my glass of wine was! I just make sure I have a big glass of crushed ice topped off with Crystal Lite! It's my mock-tail for now. Maybe they think I've switched to vodka :-) ! Either way no one questions it! They probably just assume it is part of the diet. I wish you the best of luck. At almost 6 weeks out I am so happy with my decision, I've never looked back!