Creekimp13

Antibiotics are really bad to wipe out your gut microbiota, so there could be some merit to their playing a role. Try eating yogurt, probiotics, etc. You really should contact your doctor and discuss this ASAP.

Even though this is a very safe surgery, remember that it is major surgery and that complications happen. Having moral support around at a time like that is extremely helpful. Clearly, you're gonna need a ride home. My doc was pretty stringent about having someone with you the first three days after surgery (so in my case, the first two days I was home). My hubby stayed home with me the first day and it was nice to have him around (I like having him around anyway...lol), and my mom came over the second day. After I brought her coffee and made her lunch and started picking up my house (all to her horror)...lol...I convinced her she could go home around 2pm. I felt perfectly able to take care of myself...but I was off all Rx pain killers. Pain killers are the bottle neck. If you're on them...you really should have someone around. You should also use extreme caution and preferably use the stove/shower/anything potentially dangerous when you've got backup.. in the event you get dizzy or have an issue. Lay in a good supply or all your clear liquids and protein drinks. Don't go too crazy, since your tastes might change. I loved cherry sugar free jello before surgery and couldn't stand it afterward...who knew? If you don't have someone physically with you....at least consider doing a telephone lifeline with a support person....someone you call or text just to touch base with several times a day on a schedule....so if you turn up mysteriously missing they know you need help. Also, for the first few days.....hiring a nursing student from a community college is win-win. You get a helpful young person who works cheap, and they get a professional reference. You could ask an instructor for a recommendation. Any health profession student would work,,,physical therapy assistant, nurse, EMT, imaging tech, respiratory therapist, etc... The short answer is....I could have easily been ok without any help. The long answer is that you never know when you're going to have complications, so it's good to be prepared...and it's nice to have someone there.

Nookie, you need to get in touch with your surgeon's office right away to talk about why you're getting dehydrated and find a solution ASAP. What you are describing is not normal. Dehydration is DANGEROUS...don't mess around. Best wishes.

Feel better!

They brought me Decaf in the hospital 8 hours after surgery.

If you don't drink more than that you will inevitably end up in the emergency room with dehydration. Call your group office ASAP for advice and help.

I have heard of this, but this was not my experience. My surgeon preferred a strict 2 week liquid diet to shrink the liver. But yes, I have heard other people say they did not have a pre-op diet.

Yes, about half of people regain some of their weight two years after surgery. The good news, is that you typically don't gain that much back. People typically lose about 60-70% of their excess weigth, and gain back about 8% of their excess weight. Say you have 100 pounds to lose... The average person facing this challenge will lose 60-70 pounds by 18 months post surgery....and will typically regain about 8 pounds in year two. You'd still have a permanent loss of over 50 pounds. Some people, however....can gain even more back. Typically, these folks would benefit from some therapy to help with addictive and self sabotaging behaviors. And some people....hit their goal and stay there:) You get out of it what you put into it.

Congrats, Fluff! Wishing you a quick recovery and a great experience:) You're on your way!

Happy to help. People get very fixed on the idea of rapid weight loss using very low calorie ketosis diet. And it's great for some folks...not knocking it. Just glad to let folks know there's another way...probably several other ways, really:) Lot of paths up the mountain! However you're working your program, I wish you luck, good health, good energy, and lifelong results:)

Sure. I lost 26 pounds during my 6 month presurg diet eating 16-1800 calories per day. Day of surgery I was 234. Today I am 204. I've lost about 30 pounds in about 11 weeks since surgery. I'm really happy with this. My group works with a research hospital and focuses on returning people to normal calorie intakes sooner...because this is correlated with better long term outcomes. We will lose as much weight as those on very restrictive calorie diets, but it takes us longer. At the end of 18 months our weight loss is virtually identical to theirs, statistically. Now, here's the interesting part.... After five years, we have less regain than the restricted calorie group. The theory is that by resetting our metabolisms to deal with more realistic food intake sooner...we get some long term benefit from that. More food now...less regain later. Win-win:) I also like my group's inclusion of lots of complex carbs, fruits and whole grains. I'm a Mediterranean diet fan...so this works well for me.

Since week three after surgery, I've eaten 1000-1200 calories per day, including lots of carbs....per my doctor's orders. Losing slow and steady, giving my skin a chance to recover (not expecting miracles, but a good fighting chance never hurts) Loving my new Forever Diet:) Future looks extremely livable and enjoyable. Moderation is the key. Someone else said....you can't kill the craving dragon, so you'd better learn to ride it. Feel like I'm doing that. I do expect to hit my goal within a year, making great progress:)

Ask if the hospital you are going to is a center of excellence. Ask the doctor how many sleeves he does each year, and how many he's done in his career. Ask him what his complication rate is. Ask how you'll be able to get help after surgery. Does his office have a dedicated emergency line? Ask what percentage of excess weight his patients typically lose in 18 months. Ask what sort of support you'll get post surgically.

My energy was pretty good....but my clinic stressed eating more calories than most do. By three weeks I was eating 1000 calories per day and felt terrific. I still eat 1000-1200 per day and will stay here for the remainder of my post surgical 18 months, or until I'm at goal. I think it's the starvation level calories that cause the energy crash. Eat more as soon as they let you. it'll help. PS...carbs have always been part of my group's plan. Ate cream of wheat and thin oatmeal very early.

Your experience is extremely normal. Sometimes our bodies kinda freak out over the rapid weight loss and throw up some defense mechanisms....which would be terrific if we were starving during a famine....but are kind irritating when we're trying to lose weight. Many many many people experience what you're experiencing. Don't worry, everything is fine. Stick to your program. Eat well. Exercise. Be patient. All is well.

Oh my. I bet peaches and cream is wonderful, too:)

Cream of wheat was on my program and I ate a metric feck ton of it. Never experienced dumping. I do, however, get nauseated if I eat more than a couple bites of a rich dessert these days. Don't often have them, but when I do, those two bites are delicious and I know to stop:)

Nope. You're not doing anything wrong. You're having a very normal experience. 16 pounds in three weeks for someone your weight is excellent. Again. Don't worry about the scale. Stick to your plan. Do some walking. You're on your way. Be happy:)

Stop obsessing. Stop extremist thinking. Too much "nutrition nazi" is just as harmful as going crazy and eating everything in sight. Moderation. Moderation. Moderation. Stop looking for the diet that gets you there the quickest and start looking for a Forever Diet that you can live a happy life with. Don't eat food you don't like. Don't do exercise you don't enjoy. DO make the effort to find healthy foods that work in a balanced diet that are delicious. DO make the effort to try and find exercise that you look forward to and enjoy. Do find healthier substitutes for old favorites. Exercise with your bestie, your kiddo, your hubby, your dog, your horse. Stop reaching for perfection. All or Nothing is a recipe for failure. Be happy with every victory. Wake up every day and make the choice to try hard even after a stumble. Love yourself.

Literally thousands of people. You're not unusual. Stick to your plan, don't worry about the scale.

Well...you are down 100 pounds from your heaviest...which is pretty amazing. HUGE health benefits right there...so stop thinking it was a failure. Even now...it's a serious success. I get that you would like to weight less, though...and you can. But it's HARD. If you feel like you can't get your self sabotaging habits under control...the next step is therapy. It's not a bad thing, and it could really help to resolve some stuff that is throwing a wrench into the works. A lot of folks are resistant to the idea, but it could be a serious help...so what's the harm in giving it a try? You should still be able to get some benefit from the surgery. Particularly, if you work hard to stick to your diet and add activity. You'll lose slower...but you can still lose. You didn't put it all on in a few months. This is gonna take a while. Be patient with yourself and be fair to yourself. You really have come a long way already. Don't diminish how awesome that is. Best you can do is wake up every day ready to try hard. Get back on the program and fight for every pound. You can do it. It's not too late:)

I don't really think so...but a very sexy guy once told me I looked like Kate Winslet, and I was flattered. (way back during Titanic before she was blond)

Can seem overwhelming for a while:) But bit by bit...it all gets done and you're having surgery in what feels like record time. This is a big deal. You're changing your anatomy forever. You need time to do your research.

What you actually will need to do will depend very much on your insurance and your surgeon. Some require lots of steps, some require very few. While it's generally true it'll take around 6 months...I've seen it move much faster and much slower depending on the individual requirements. Some programs require all sorts of things that other programs....don't. You will likely need to do a supervised diet for a while and prove you can lose weight. You will likely need to get a psychological clearance. You will likely need an Upper GI study...either barium swallow or endoscope. You will likely need chest Xrays, an EKG, and blood work. Some doctors want other clearances depending on the health of the patient. Some will want a cardiologist to sign off, or a pulmonologist, some will want a sleep study....some will want you to go to a group support meeting, meet with a trainer, etc...etc... There is no One Size Fits All. When you pick a surgeon, they'll give you the list of their specific requirements for you.

We use 500mcg. I just get regular and munch it up...it's tastless.