Creekimp13

They're standard at my hospital. They look like this: https://www.braceability.com/plus-size-abdominal-binder?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhunQwpWw2AIVnrbACh1lrg0MEAYYAiABEgKAjvD_BwE

My group says "70 minute rule" No drinking 10 minutes before eating A meal should last 30 minutes...no drinking with the meal No drinking 30 minutes after the meal. I'll admit, I'm not always perfect with these rule. But I agree with a previous poster....trying to drink while eating or just after is incredibly uncomfortable. Unless the food was a slurry like oatmeal...it's like trying to swallow a rock.

I think the OP has challenged us to look at reality. it can be a little discouraging to do this while you're working really hard and looking for the best outcome possible. Statistics back up most of what s/he said in the OP. People do regain weight. Statistically, it's a fact. There are also people like Introversion...who almost replace their food addiction with a health obsession. No offense, Introversion, I absolutely admire you....but you're unusual. Most 120 pound women are not as active as you, not doing the cardio you do...and certainly can't eat 2200 calories a day. You're in top athletic shape and that's incredibly cool....but you're not the norm. I think we can learn a lot from studying outcomes of whole surgery populations, particularly long term studies. If you've ever looked at the "estimated weight loss" calculators...you know that different people have different results. There's a big difference in weight loss between the top 20% and the bottom 20%. Some can be attributed to behavior and choices, and some seems to be the luck of the draw (or the curse of the draw...lol...depending on which way you go). I know one thing that has changed recently, is how doctors and dietitians are approaching calorie intake in the weeks after surgery. The old school of thought was to take advantage of inappetence and have patients lose as much weight as possible during the honeymoon phase of surgery by restricting calories severely. There used to be more tendency to limit patients to 500-800 calorie diets for months after surgery. And yep, people lost weight fast. What we're learning now, however, is that that rapid weight loss and super low calorie diet can reset the metabolism to a starvation level that actually can inhibit weight loss after a while, and can be correlated with more regain years down the road. A newer strategy being increasingly embraced in the bariatric community is to move patients up to a 1200 calorie diet as soon as possible after surgery, and encouraging exercise early on. This idea is to reset the metabolism to burning through a normal number of calories ASAP...and giving patients the energy to exercise hard and safely. Food choices are extremely important, but addressing exercise habits in resetting metabolism is becoming increasingly more important. Bariatrics is an emerging science. We're learning so much about the science of gut flora interactions, the roll of hormones and addictive behavior, genetics...all sorts of variables. Will your body pick a set point that is difficult to overcome? it's an excellent question. One I don't think we have a solid answer to, yet. Lot of different theories and a lot of studies to consider. It's fascinating stuff.

OMG, you melted! Look at you go! Well done!

Have not experienced any nausea. So sorry for those of you who do. Hang in there! Everyone says it improves rapidly. It was my worst fear...so glad I dodged the bullet, but sorry for those who didn't. Feel better!

Unless you have serious commodities...specifically, type 2 diabetes.... I don't think a Canadian surgeon is gonna touch you for sleeve. Gastric balloon, possibly, but not sleeve (unless the following information has been updated) Currently, Canadian clinical practice guidelines suggest bariatric surgery for adults who have had previous unsuccessful attempts at losing weight by lifestyle modification and who have • A BMI of 40 kg/m2 or higher (class III obesity); or • A BMI of 35 kg/m2 or higher (class II obesity) and obesity-related comorbidities. These guidelines are in line with recommendations used in other countries. With preliminary evidence of positive results for those with less excess weight, some experts now suggest considering patients with BMIs of 30 kg/m2 to 34.9 kg/m2 (class I obesity) and type 2 diabetes for bariatric surgery. https://secure.cihi.ca/free_products/Bariatric_Surgery_in_Canada_EN.pdf

Be patient. Watch your food journal, watch your calories. Drink your water. Hit your protien goals. Add some cardio. But mostly...just be patient. Bodies can be stubborn:) Hang in there!

Heck, I'm thrilled to be getting into wide calf tall boots for the first time in years. Got a pair for Christmas and I LOVE them:) Someday, skinny boots...someday! But for today? I'm so happy just to HAVE tall boots again and look sharp and have a little space in them, I don't care if they're wide:) Congrats, though, your boots are gorgeous:)

Bring it up to the doc for sure. 137/101 is too high. My group told me to phone if my BP went over 160 on top or 90 on the bottom. I had a couple days over 90 when I was first taken off my meds, and did half a BP pill for a while and it helped. Then my BP dropped again for a few days and I went off completely. Have not been back on since, and it's been steady high 120's over mid 80's. i'm happy with this. But yeah, keeping track and keeping your team in the loop is the way to go for sure! PS...my heart rate dropped significantly, too. i'd been on BP meds and a diuretic for over 20 years! No more:)

I know a few people who have had good luck preventing hair loss by doing Lady Rogaine as a preventative. Some people report good success with big doses of biotin and using anti-thinning shampoo. I'm doing ok so far....not quite a month out. Hair loss usually hits about 3-4 months out, I'm told. My nutritionist also said that hair loss was correlated with people who ate fewer than 1000 calories for extended periods of time. There's a push at my group for us to get to 1200 calories per day by week 6. Most people at my group are getting 1000 per day by week 3-4.

Congrats! And best wishes on a healthy effective procedure:)

Phentermine can cause rapid or irregular heartbeat, delirium, panic, psychosis, and heart failure. It's kinda like legal speed...not super healthy. Works great...for a short time. The group I go to warns against it and doesn't prescribe it. They think it has more risks than benefits. A great deal of emphasis at the nutritionist will be placed on documenting everything you eat. You'll talk about goal weight, target calories per day, exercise goals per day. You'll talk about smaller plates, avoiding processed and fried foods....looking for foods with less fat and more protein. You'll talk about foods you need to avoid and foods you need to increase. You'll talk about portion control. Pretty much weight watchers on steroids. Same information, but a lot more emphasis on journaling everything you eat...and they'll want to see your journal next time, so make sure to follow through. Future visits will include going over your journal and talking about how to improve choices/portions, etc. As tempting as it is.....don't lie in your food journal. Record the screw-ups, too. it'll help you find healthy substitutions that keep your cravings on track.

The article seems VERY tabloid to me. "an extremely reliable source" Oh yeah? How about a name? "three patients from NYC" Oh yeah? Names please. "had kidneys removed in Mexico" Oh yeah? At which clinic? Which doctor? And why were they all Jewish? LOL. Just seems really outlandish. Where are the names of the doctors who discovered the missing kidneys? Even that would have given this a little legitimacy...and yet, there's no detail. There's a lot of legitimate press about surgery in Mexico. Some really good, some really concerning. But the ones I'd put stock in have details. They have specific names of specific clinics and specific doctors that are correlated to specifically reported crimes. A lot of people have success in Mexico and are happy to be able to afford surgery they couldn't otherwise. I, personally, wouldn't go to Mexico because I think having a support system close by for aftercare is extremely important. Your odds of success go up drastically when you maintain a years long relationship with your clinic, utilizing dietitian services and rechecks with your medical team. Emergencies are scary when the doctor who did your surgery is not in the country to consult. My advice to people going to Mexico: Make sure your surgeon is board certified. Make sure he/she has a good reputation and talk to previous patients. Make sure you have a medical support system back home. At the very least, get your general practitioner on board so your surgery is well documented state-side in case of emergency. Make sure you are getting all necessary pre-screening procedures to guarantee your safety. Make sure you're getting an EKG, chest film, and at least an upper GI contrast if not an endoscopy, and of course, blood work. GET YOUR RECORDS. Get phone numbers to call for follow up care. Work with your insurance companies at home to get your surgery covered here. Don't go to Mexico because you're impatient...it's a terrible reason. This process is safer....with a safety net, and a long term association with your care givers.

Thanks for posting that, Losebig, that's interesting! I had a hernia repair, too...so maybe it wasn't sleeping on my neck wrong at all...though, weirdly, the gentle stretched did seem to help me quite a lot? Mine improved rapidly, so I didn't think much of it. I appreciate the info! Glad you're feeling better:)

I'd mention it to the doc, but I wouldn't worry overly. A little healing adhesion or suture that's pulling when your muscles contract isn't a big deal. Should improve with time. But definitely mention to your doc in case there could be something more serious. I'd pretty sure this isn't any big deal.

Well done! Sip, sip, sip, walk, walk, walk:)

Best wishes for a safe effective outcome! You got this:) Remember....walk as soon as you can. Sip, Suck, Stroll:)

Well done! Look at the results of all that hard work:) Proud of you!

My PA actually mentioned this to me. "Most people will lose ten pounds plus or minus, but occasionally, you won't lose at all on the pre-surg diet. It doesn't mean you're broken. Don't panic if you don't lose." My PA is severely type one diabetic, and she, herself, didn't lose anything on the pre-surg diet. I had the good luck to lose a few pounds on it....but I know there are people who really don't, or who only lose a very minimal amount. It's ok. You're unusual, but not unheard of:)

My doc wanted an upper GI with barium....which I promptly flunked. LOL. Had "abnormalities", so I had to go in for an endoscope. Found out I had chronic gastritis and had biopsies taken to make sure I wasn't carrying the ulcer bacteria. I was not. He also wanted an EKG, Chest films, and a lot of blood work. I think most of this is pretty standard. I know that if there are any abnormalities on anything...you get sent for sleep studies and stress tests and cardiologists and stuff....just to be sure you're safe and that everyone is prepared for your particular health issues. I felt very safe with my doc....he was all about looking before you leap and having a good strategy plan for each person's health issues. I liked that he was thorough and made the surgery as safe as possible.

I'm sort of herteroflexible. Does that count? LOL:) Sleeved and lovin it. Welcome!

Depends so much on your fitness level before surgery. I was walking 7 miles a day before surgery, so had no problems at all walking 30-60 minutes a day the very day after. You have to start somewhere. If you're comfortable with 10 minutes, try to up it a couple of minutes every few days until you reach 30. Get a pedometer and try to up your step goal. If they want 30 minutes....do it in three sets of 10. Sometimes, it's a lot more manageable when you break it down. Also...make sure you're eating. Get your fluids in, get your protein in...then work on getting your calories in. It's hard to exercise with an empty tank. Good luck!

Congrats on all that hard work! nice job!

Three weeks out, my plan is cool with a little turkey, a little bit of potatoes, some apple sauce, etc. Cucumbers not so much...need a few more weeks for those. But turkey cut very small and chewed very well is totally ok on my plan 3 weeks post. Deli turkey is so soft, I can't imagine why you couldn't have it. (that said, you should follow your plan) If I were still on protein shakes at this point, I'd be miserable. I'm glad to be eating 1000 calories a day. I feel human again. Also have great energy to exercise....which feels pretty dang good.

Congrats! Wishing you a safe effective outcome:)