raeraerae

Are you taking any diuretics? They could be working too well now.

That’s fantastic! I’ve noticed I don’t hate how I look so much in photos as well [emoji846] And thanks! It feels good.

I have had small amounts of treats here and there. I count them as a meal or snack, even if it’s just a tiny bit. I also have maintained or exceeded my exercise goals throughout. The sleeve is a tool to help me but my efforts and choices are the key.

I had intermittent buyer’s remorse for about a week or two because I felt so crummy. Then I started to feel great and had a lot of fun challenging my body and mind and watching the weight fall off. It’s been nine months and I feel fantastic. I can do so many things I couldn’t do before. I couldn’t be happier and ask myself why I waited so long! Good luck to all and hang in there if you’re feeling a rough patch. [emoji177]

This is my favorite thread. I love reading about everyone’s non scale victories. Today, I was leaving the gym and accidentally closed the door on the person behind me. I turned around to apologize and it was a guy I used to work with and hadn’t seen since before surgery (March 2018). I smiled, called him by name and asked him how he was. He didn’t recognize me. He said “I think I know you. I know your voice, anyway”. We had a great chat. It was very cool.

My surgery was also postponed - three times, actually. It sucked. I wanted to start my new life ASAP. I was so excited to do things that were challenging for me as a heavy person. I decided to start my new life regardless of my surgery date and embrace the extra time - like having extra time to study for a test. It really helped me through the anxiety and the uncertainty of having my dates rescheduled. It also helped me lose 50 pounds before surgery and get me to a lower weight on surgery day. I didn’t ignore the crappy feelings and took the small victories where I could. I don’t know if my experience will help at all but I hope this time isn’t too tough for you. Waiting is hard. But as they say, don’t quit before the miracle happens!

Delicious and healthy. Great work and very creative!

I couldn’t take any vitamins - everything made me throw up. A doctor at work recommended these two liquid multivitamins to me and I can take them with no problem. I buy both the morning and night formulations and I buy them on subscribe and save so I save like $7/bottle. I also take half doses so each bottle lasts me two months instead of one, as the same doctor recommended. They’re delicious and don’t have any artificial sweeteners in them. I don’t get sick to my stomach and I can take them with or without food or drink. VEGAN LIQUID MORNING MULTIVITAMIN by MaryRuth (Raspberry) Highest Purity Ingredients, Vitamins A B C D3 E, Minerals & Amino Acids to Provide Energy All Day Non-GMO Gluten Free Paleo, 0 Sugar 0 Fat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MDRTV8A/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_TbJwBb9F40F24 VEGAN LIQUID NIGHTTIME MULTIMINERAL... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O9MT12S?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

I had buyer’s remorse for the first week or two, mostly just because I felt so crummy. And I understand there is a lot more at play here than control over what you eat, but I wanted to mention that I have more control over what I eat now than I ever did before. I do not mindlessly eat or just shove something in my face because I’m in a hurry like I did before. I spend more time planning what I’m going to eat, when I’m going to eat it and how much of every item. I spend time controlling the speed at which I eat and how much I chew. For me, this is healthy control. And I no longer question why I did this to myself. I look and feel much better. I eat healthy and can have most anything I want.

Great work! You look fabulous [emoji2]

Are there artificial sweeteners in your protein drinks or anything else you’re having? They tend to increase hunger because they still make the body release insulin as if sugar was consumed. Blood sugar drops and the the person experiences hunger, real hunger. One of many reasons to avoid artificial sweeteners. I know artificial sweeteners work really well for a lot of people and it’s important to do what works for you. I don’t knock it if it’s working for a person, but if it’s not working for you, maybe it’s worth looking at.

I work in an emergency department and sometimes NG tubes are placed here. But there is special protocol for WLS patients that includes being seen by either their surgeon, their surgeon consulted if they’re from out of the area, or by our surgical team. I have a note in my emergency contacts information in my phone should I be out of town and nonverbal for whatever reason. Additionally, if a patient were to come in as a trauma - like a car accident, extensive tests, scans and exams of the skin and body are performed and I think it would be noticed before NG tube placement. Honestly, unless you’re coming in ambulatory for an abdominal/digestive issue that requires and NG tube after days of distress, placement of one is probably not a day one priority. We use NSAIDS in our ED but mostly on patients who are able to give a history and understand explained risks. Either that or we use IV or IM versions. What kind of foods do you like? I have a ton of recipes for all stages.

I took 2 weeks for my gallbladder (3/6/18) and 3 weeks for my sleeve (3/19/18) so 5 weeks total for both surgeries. I know people who went back in a week and people who took 6 weeks off for sleeve only. It depends on you, your job and employer, your insurance and your surgical team, I suppose. I could have had more time if I wanted it but I was starting to feel a little better. I had a hard time getting a handle on my nutrition for the first few weeks so I was really exhausted. I would exercise and feel good for an hour, tops and then I would feel awful. Once I got a handle on my fluids and getting enough food in, I started to feel better and was ready for work. Some people feel great straight away and go back to work right away. How physically active are you at work?

Puréed spinach and cottage cheese. Blanching the spinach in boiling salt water first kept it a bright, brilliant green. It looked and tasted fabulous!

I was on a full liquid, not clear liquid diet when I did this. That was day 3-21 post-op for me. All the ingredients I mentioned were dry when I ground them up and they became a fine powder. Mixed into broth or soup, with or without a blender, I didn’t have any trouble with clumping or swelling up of the ingredients. No more than with protein powder, anyway. This person did something similar but used some ingredients I wouldn’t use on a full liquid diet. But it gives you an idea and a visual. https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/why-you-should-make-your-own-protein-powder-0162600/ Hope his helps!

Congratulations! It sounds like you’re working it and it’s paying off! I’m two months out. I feel surprised and frustrated sometimes when I get full so quickly, even when I’m working hard to pace myself over 30 minutes. But I keep listening to my body! I have tons of recipes. What kind of things do you like?

I’m sorry to hear that you’re experiencing this. I don’t have any additional information on strictures, no experience. I do know about stents and that in medicine we use them in a lot of areas. We use them to treat heart attacks, aneurysms, strokes, prostate problems, gall bladder, pancreas and bile duct problems, kidney stones and to create or support fistulas for dialysis patients. I don’t say this to scare you but to point out that it’s a well-developed method that is used frequently. I would start writing down all my questions for my surgeon and specialist. I would also be curious about whether it’s a plastic stent or a metal stent and why. Different materials are preferred for different procedures and reasons. I would ask what the rate of success is with this procedure and what to expect if it doesn’t work out. And what to expect if it does! I’m wishing you the best of luck. I have a good feeling that it will work or for you and I hope I’m right.

Getting natural proteins was hardest on a liquid diet. Unjury makes a good pea protein powder called Planted. I also just ground up dried lentils, peas, chickpeas, etc into a fine powder in a coffee grinder and mixed into broths when I was on liquids. Just to up the protein. The more your diet advances, the easier it becomes.

Thank you, that’s a great start [emoji846]

Hey All - I am heading out on a 4 day kayaking trip. We will sleep in a cottage every night and have breakfast and possibly supper there before/after each day trip. I am planning meals for the cottage and while out on the water or parked on the shore. The cottage has electricity, stove, oven, microwave and fridge and I will have a cooler with me in my kayak. I am on diet 3, soft foods. I was wondering if anyone had and any ideas to share for food and snacks. I am used to being on the go with school and work. I have mostly been doing good but have skipped some meals and snacks in the past week in favor of convenience when busy. I am looking for things that are easier to set up, store and eat. For my health and good habits, and so I don’t get weak on the trip, I want to really stop and focus on making sure I can fit high protein, nutritive food into my day. I am fairly active, so I was told to have 3 meals and 3 snacks. An example of what I have been doing when I allow myself the time to prepare and eat properly: Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg, 1 tbs cottage cheese Snack: 6 oz 2% Fairlife milk Lunch: 4 shrimp (about 2 ounces), 2 ounces puréed spinach Snack: 2 ounces yogurt Supper: 2 ounces red lentil purée, 1 ounce puréed quinoa, hemp, cottage cheese blend (yes, it really puréed!) Snack: 0.5 ounce grav lox, 1 oz cottage cheese, 0.5 ounce avocado I plan to have a very stern conversation with myself and make every effort not to skip meals or snacks. Rather than sacrifice quality (I don’t love prepared foods), I have been sacrificing quantity (not eating) due to being so busy. And I always say we’re never too busy to get it right at work, so I need to implement that in every day life, too. In a pinch, I’ve eaten part of a little packet of almond butter or half an Epic or DMX bar. I guess I could do that but I was trying to think of more options. Does anyone have any other on-the-go and travel meal and snack ideas?

I enjoyed puréed peas, lentils (esp red), cottage cheese, ricotta tomato sauce bake, avocado with black bean purée, and puréed chicken salad. And still do now that I’m on soft/fork tender foods.

I like DNX bars and Epic bars are good but not as good as DNX. They are made with meat and vegetables. Low carb and sugar but I don’t think they have as much protein as the others described. The DNX bar I have been getting is the grass fed beef, sweet potato, fennel. It has 11 grams of protein, 160 calories, 5 grams sugar, 7 grams carb, 1 gram dietary fiber - but made from food. Grass Fed Beef, Organic Medjool Dates, Powdered Egg Whites, Organic Sweet Potato Powder, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Dried Goji Berries, Organic Spices, Organic Ground Fennel Seed, Organic Garlic Powder, Sea Salt, Organic Sacha Inchi Powder, Celery Juice Powder (celery powder, sea salt), Organic Moringa Oleifera Powder.

Today I got to work and there were no 3x scrubs in the changing room. I almost didn’t dare try the 2x but I did and they fit! In the weeks before surgery (3/19/18), I was just barely comfortable in the 3x scrubs. Before that, I was mostly wearing my own scrubs because the 3x were too tight. I am enjoying the non scale victory and doing less laundry [emoji2]

I agree with previous posts, but have you considered trying to reduce your use of artificial sweeteners? I would never discourage the use of artificial sweeteners if that’s what works for a person but some research indicates that artificial sweeteners may cause hunger and other changes in the body. I chose to try to avoid anything sweetened, naturally or artificially. As a result, puréed carrots tasted sweet enough to be dessert. Nature’s candy [emoji846]