Born in Missouri

@Chunkysoup I see from your profile page that you are self-pay. Is the sleeve not as expensive? Did cost play a part in your decision?

@Chunkysoup Wow. How exciting. I'm happy for you, too. Did you decide on the sleeve or did your surgeon suggest it instead of the gastric bypass? I'm always curious about how people decide on one over the other.

@Luzbella. The surgery date on your profile page said July 29th. Wow. A two-week liquid diet! Suddenly, my week-only diet doesn't sound as challenging anymore. There really is no standard! By the way, are you addicted to caffeine? Were you told why you need to be on an all-liquid diet pre-op? In case you weren't: "In order to reduce the amount of fat around the liver and spleen, a preoperative liquid diet must be followed 7-14 days before gastric bypass surgery. A large liver prevents your surgeon from visualizing certain anatomy during the procedure. If the liver is too large, it then becomes unsafe to perform the surgery."

@James Marusek Thank you, James. I'm aware of the altered taste buds. I did quite a bit of research on the subject after I noticed the difference post-op. See below. I've always found Crystal Light and other on-the-go flavorings unpalatable. Everything has a cloying aftertaste. And the flavors available for most products today are pretty much the same. Blue raspberry has to be the worst flavor ever created. Recently, I found a bottle of peach-flavored water at CVS, but after I got it home I realized that it was sparkling CARBONATED water. Peach and coconut are the only two flavors that are halfway tolerable for me. Anyway, I left the lid off the sparkling water and allowed it to go flat. Then I drank it much later. I won't buy any more of it, however, because I noticed it had other additives that didn't sound body-friendly -- so that's the end of my peach water. I will keep trying to meet my fluid requirement because I know that liquid is crucial to my health and healing. Thank you for your comment. Researchers at the University Hospitals of Leicester looked at the relationship between taste, smell, and appetite among 103 patients who’d undergone gastric bypass surgery between 2000 and 2011. Nearly half of the patients polled reported their sense of smell changed following weight loss surgery and 73 percent noticed changes in the way foodtasted. Topping the list for patients experiencing taste changes is increased sensitivity to sweet foods and sour foods. Reduced tolerance and cravings for sweets and fast foods are common changes are reported by many patients. Some patients may become so sensitized that even Protein Shakes and powders taste overly sweet and are difficult to tolerate. (Some tips that may help include thoroughly chilling the Protein shakes to improve taste.) Food aversions usually develop immediately following surgery and may lessen or disappear over time. In studies, animal Proteins top this list with patients steering clear of chicken, steak, ground beef, lamb and cured meats like bacon, sausage, and ham. eggs, dairy products including ice cream, cheese and milk and starches such as rice, Pasta or breadalso ranked high on the list of disliked foods. Interestingly, very few patients reported aversions to fruits or vegetables. Some patients even report loving veggies like broccoli or cauliflower even more. Patients may feel turned off to foods for a variety of reasons including smell, appearance, texture or consistency. Sometimes a change in preparation method can help improve tolerance. Simple adjustments like stewing meat instead of baking or grilling and poaching eggs instead of frying may prevent the often-reported feeling of food “sticking” on the way down. While the exact cause is unknown, many experts believe sensory changes occur as a result of fluctuating hormones in the gut and their effects on the central nervous system. This gut-brain axis as it’s known and its relationship to bariatric surgery is a subject of much research and speculation. In a nutshell, the nervous system relays countless transmissions about your hunger, satiety and cravings each day between your GI tract and your brain. Because the carriers of these messages are affected by changes in weight and the removal of a portion of the stomach, it is highly likely they have an impact on taste, smell, gratification and other sensory perceptions. Leptin and ghrelin are hormones that are known to have a prominent role in the relationship between hunger and satiety. Ghrelin also plays a role in determining how much of what we eat is burned for fuel versus stored as fat. Weight loss alone results in an increase in ghrelin, which explains why we tend to feel hungry as soon as we restrict calories and begin to shed pounds. Surgically induced weight loss, however, in which a portion of the stomach is removed or bypassed, reduces the production of ghrelin while restricting the volume of food consumed. This unique combination explains, at least in part, why bariatric patients are able to eat less but not feel hungrier as a result. Leptin also plays an important role in telling your body when you are full and how calories are stored. It is believed that weight loss improves the body’s sensitivity to the messages leptin delivers to the gut and brain. This in turn may result in greater food satisfaction with smaller quantities and less flavor intensity.

It's all good, Luz. Why not take photos to document this early part of your journey? You might want to share your story some day and images can often say more than words. Keep us in the loop. I see that your surgery is scheduled for July 29, 2018. When are you supposed to start your all-liquid pre-surgery diet?

A supernumerary kidney? Hey, it beats having a supernumerary nipple. http://www.wetpaint.com/celebrities-extra-body-parts-nick-jonas-extra-tooth-1442257/

"It is very important to drink plenty of liquids. Your goal should be 10-12 glasses a day. At least 5-6 glasses should be water. You may also want to consider drinking lemonade. Research suggests that lemonade may be helpful in reducing the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation." I'm not sure Crystal Lite Lemonade qualifies as lemonade, since it's only lemonade flavoring. Perhaps it's too soon for anything too citrusy now, but you might be able to ease into actual lemonade, with real lemons , in the near future.

More... Follow these dietary recommendations to reduce stone risk: reduction in oxalate-rich and fatty foods to minimize enteric absorption, increased hydration to increase total urine volume and decrease urine supersaturation, calcium supplementation using calcium citrate instead of calcium carbonate, and citric salts (potassium citrate) to correct metabolic acidosis and hypocitrituria. Probiotics may also be beneficial, although existing data is limited. Oxalate-controlled diet: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11066-kidney-stones-oxalate-controlled-diet

I think Ash is on to something. Changes in urinary chemistry after RYGB are real. You may indeed be one of those post-op stone-formers. Here's a study I found. Despite all the medical terminology, there's still plenty to soak up in plain English: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4249680/

Our fluid requirements are such a struggle. I know I'm not even coming close to my 64oz. That being said, getting stressed about it makes me tense up even more. I've decided to give myself and my body a break. I'll do the best I can and my body will just have to live with that. Besides, it's not a forever thing.

@MN_Meg770 I sent you a private message.

Yes, I was asked to bring my C-pap to the hospital. Oddly enough, they never had me use it. It won't hurt to bring it, though. Do you have a full-face mask or a nose-only one? If you're feeling claustrophobic, your respiratory therapist needs to re-evaluate your setup. Be honest about your phobia (I have the same phobia). You deserve to be listened to and to be given what makes you feel comfortable using.

I will try my best to find out for you. Two of my three sons are medical doctors, and they can vouch for the fact that they learn embarrassingly little about most meds in medical school. Scary but true.

Good timing. I wish I had joined this forum weeks or months before my surgery instead of only a few days before. This is a warm and welcoming place full of nice and knowledgeable people. I know I've learned a lot. A welcome from me! By the way, there is a SURGERY COUNTDOWN ticker, if you're interested. See the word CREATE next to the shopping cart at the top of the page? Click the pull-down ARROW to the right of the word and select TICKER. Pick SURGERY COUNTDOWN and go from there!

Unfortunately, little is known about the malabsorption of many medications. Pharmacists (my daughter is a PharmD) are far more knowledgeable regarding meds than doctors. What's the name of your MS medication? Is it immediate release or extended release? I can try to find out for you. Sometimes it's not the medication per se, but how it's dosed, ie. immediate release vs extended release. The location of the receptors in the body for a particular medication also makes a difference. The malabsorption of vitamins and meds is an area that I find interesting. I'm always trying to make sure that my info is up-to-date.

@allwet I've always thought of scars from any injuries or surgeries as survival badges. And my stretch marks from childbirth as medals of honor. I wonder why my brain didn't classify loose skin with the same sense of pride. Yes! Loose skin will say something about where my body has been, what it's been through, and where it will not be returning!! Thank you for your wise words. They helped to put my thoughts back on a positive track.

That stigma! We're weak when we're fat, and we take the easy way out when we make the courageous decision to do something positive for ourselves. I'm so sick of this toxic social mentality. Everyone here will agree that YOU DID NOT TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT. Committing to a lifestyle change is hardly the easy way out! (I'm not talking to you, btw. I'm directly these words toward all those thoughtless fools who have no control when it comes to opening their mouths about something that most know nothing about.)

Wow. I can relate... to locking myself in the house and not mingling with others.

I know what you're going through because I'm going through it, too. I think you're on the right track. Lentils are a common cooking ingredient in my household. Try adding some dried or fresh mint, dillweed, or basil to your soup next time. Herbs enhance flavor without the need for salt or fat. A splash of lemon juice is nice, too, if you can tolerate it. Instead of buying ready-made soup, get some bone broth or low-sodium broth and make your own soup using cooked and pureed yellow-split peas or carrots or a combination of veggies or legumes... use your imagination! And don't forget to experiment with some herbs.

Post-surgery, artificial sweeteners can make foods that were okay or semi-okay now taste all funky. Have you tried plain yogurt and then tried added your own pureed fruit? I make my own yogurt which is much better than anything from a store. At least you tried brands of a higher quality. Gelatin-based yogurts can barely be referred to as yogurt. What about sugar-free yogurt pops? Are you wanting to include yogurt in your diet for variety ... or for the benefits of the microflora?

What do you plan to say if your girlfriends notice that you've lost close to 50lbs? Are you going to make up something or tell them the truth? Are you afraid of what others will say and you really don't welcome their opinions? Some people can say the most thoughtless of things.

Scroll down and read about the role of two fluctuating hormones (leptin and ghrelin) in the gut and their effects on the central nervous system. This might help to explain why you've now lost interest in coffee.

If you're this happy now, I can't wait to read your post once you reach your goal weight. It's always inspiring to hear about how someone's life has changed for the good... or in your case ... the GREAT! I do wonder about the statement, "I suddenly have friends coming out of the woodwork..." Are these new friends or friends you already had but who didn't really begin to notice you until you lost 60lbs? (If it's the latter, I'm inclined to question the meaning of the word "friends".)

I like to read. I was surprised to find out how little some bariatric patients concerned themselves with nutrition until their medical (and dental) health went south. https://www.bariatriceating.com/2015/03/top-10-bariatric-post-op-mistakes/ https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/dietary_guidelines_after_gastric_bypass/ https://asmbs.org/patients/life-after-bariatric-surgery