notmyname

Thanks all. I just realized on the app you can’t tell what board this is. I’m looking for vegetarian options (I think I posted on the veggie board)

Indony have the recipe on hand, but google eggface ricotta bake. Super easy.

You should be fine. I just had my 6 week checkup and asked about travel. They said I could travel anywhere - just to make sure if I'm on a long flight I walk around every hour or so. Agree that you should tell them about dietary restrictions. And it might be good to take some protein powder on board just in case. But on a cruise, you should be able to get food that works.

Friday I was cleared for all exercise. Super excited. I have a training session today and Pilates next Sunday! Yay! I was also able to put on a pair of pants today that didn't fit last year. Finally some downward movement in my waist size! Also, a question - any late October sleevers (I was 10/29) tried some of the harder raw veggies yet? I am craving carrots (they've always been one of my favorite foods), but I'm a bit scared of trying them.

I also had reflux. I met with three different doctors to get opinions. One wouldn't even think of doing a sleeve on someone with reflux that requires PPIs. The other two looked at my endoscopy results, monomotry, and Ph tests and determined that, while they slightly preferred the RNY, sleeve would be fine. Basically, my Ph tests showed few reflux events, I did not have barrets, and my monomotry was perfect. I had the sleeve on 10/29. My doc wants me on PPIs for 3 months, then we'll see how it goes. I hope I made the right decision. I also had a (I know somewhat irrational) fear of rearranging my intestines. It is too early to know how it'll all turn out in the end, but so far so good. All that said, I'm hesitant to advise someone to make the choice I did given that I know it was irrational. And both of the docs who were OK with the sleeve specifically said if I'd had barrett's, I would need a bypass. Good luck with the decision.

You posted this awhile ago, so I hope you've restarted already. I was told I was OK to restart Pilates at 6 weeks as long as I avoided anything that hurt. I have a private session in a week and I'm SO excited!

I had a cold before hip surgery. Even if you feel better, tell your anesthesiologist the day of your surgery. There are things that s/he may want to monitor knowing that you've recently had a respiratory infection.

I like to have a variety on hand. I drink Premier chocolate, but its not my favorite. I also use the Unjury chocolate powder with milk (only available on their website and in some hospital pharmacies). Sometimes I like something other than chocolate (since I'm not a huge fan of chocolate anyway), and I find the Syntrax Nectar ones to be good. I bought a sample pack and tried all of them. My faves are the lemonade, fuzzy navel, and the oreo one (that's not what its called). I typically drink the lemonade or fuzzy navel as my afternoon snack because they seem more like a drink and less like a food replacement shake. I find that they need a few ice cubes. Pre-op, I used to add a lot of ice and blend them into a nice big slushie-type drink. It may be good to get some sample sizes of a bunch of different ones to try. My Vitamin Shoppe had a pretty good selection of single serve powders from a fair number of brands. That way, I didn't waste a lot of money buying big tubs of stuff I don't want.

I asked my doc about using an abdominal binder and he said I didn't need one, but could get one if I wanted. Ultimately, I didn't and I'm kind of glad. Right after surgery, even wearing tight tank tops was super uncomfortable. I can't imagine what it would have been like with a tight binder around my abdomen.

The first thing that stopped fitting me was my pair of tall boots. Which makes me sad because it's too early to think about buying new ones and they're my perfect shoe for work in winter.

I’m not gonna lie - the immediate aftermath wasn’t the most fun I’ve ever had. But I felt pretty good fairly quickly. My one piece of (very TMI) advice - stay ahead of constipation if you have it. That was my most unpleasant side effect.

41. Did my sleeve on 10/29. Doing well so far. Cleared to slowly incorporate any (healthy) foods I want.

I got this from another poster on this website (sorry, can't remember who).

I make dried beans and freeze them in 1/2 cup increments. That way, I always have something in my freezer to eat in a pinch.

I had reflux and a hernia before surgery. I met with three surgeons at different practices to get multiple opinions. One wouldn't do a sleeve on anyone with reflux. The other two had some tests done (EGD, monomotry, and Ph testing) and determined that sleeve would be OK. I just had my 6 week check up. I'm still on nexium 2x/day. I'm able to eat spicy food and haven't had any incidents of reflux so far. Doctor said that I should stay on my PPIs until my 3 month visit and then we can see. But so far, so good. I hope I made the right choice and the reflux stays away

On the weight - its worth checking. Often, the weight that matters is the one the first appointment with the surgeon, not the weight on the day of surgery. But every insurance co is different, so I'd check (and get it in writing, if possible). Also talk to your surgeon about other potential commodities. Maybe the beginning of arthritis? sleep apnea (s/he'll likely order a sleep test), pre-diabetes, something else? I wouldn't start worrying until you meet with your doc. My BMI was over 40, so I didn't have to worry about co morbidity, but my doc went through a LOT of questions to suss out if there were any.

For your hot cocoa mix, my NUT has approved 1 cup milk (I use fairlife for more protein), 1 TBL unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 packets stevia, and a tiny bit of vanilla. It really hits the spot, without sending me into a sugar spiral.

I feel your pain. My gym is at work, so all my coworkers are there seeing me in my gym clothes and see my total lack of coordination/stamina. Y'know what. They're all focusing on their own workout. So I go. And I feel shlubby and totally out of shape. But only one way to change that is to go. And I do have a trainer there, so I have an appointment. And, at least for me, if I have an appointment to meet someone, I'll go. Good luck.

Thanks! I am actually super excited. And the NP said that given my progress so far, I may be able to lose more than I'd initially thought, so that's encouraging. As for the NUT, I have asked her for recipes. She sends me to the internet. she's also the one that runs the support group - where she basically lets people yell over each other to be heard. Before I did this, i went to a local integrated weight loss practice - they have endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists, and exercise folks on staff (well, I still see my therapist there and go to one of the groups). Lots of great groups for different issues. The nutritionist there was awesome. We'd chat, and she'd pull up a bunch of different recipes for me to try. And was good at helping me plan for tough situations (like next week I'm at training all day for 3 days, so no access to the kitchen at work). Current NUT just pointed to the protein list and said some of these don't need to be heated. Former NUT would have helped me brainstorm meal ideas. Oh well. Just one more thing I need to do for the program. At least my therapist is starting a bariatric support group that meets twice a week starting in January, so looking forward to that

Honestly, (after getting over the surgery itself), I feel less tired after the surgery than during the pre-op diet. Stay the course and it’ll get better.

Had my 6 week follow-up today. God appointments with the nurse practitioner and fine with the NUT. Both said I was doing great and right on track (and I’m finally “just” run of the mill obese, not morbidly obese!). Unfortunately, I find the NUT to be less than helpful. My old NUT would help me find good recipes, etc. This one just points to the list of proteins in the notebook and doesn’t really give a lot of guidance. Luckily, I have always cooked a lot and know how to cook healthy foods. She also left me out in the waiting room because she forgot I was there. After about 30mn I finally asked and she seemed flabbergasted, even though they told her I was there when I was done with my appt with the NP. It’s too bad I’m required to see her when I see the doctor.

If it were me, I'd do the earlier date. I was pretty weak and tired during my pre-op liquid diet, so I wouldn't have been able to cook for Christmas then, either. Is there anything you can pre-cook now and freeze? Teach your friend/significant other/kids/whoever you're cooking for how to cook it and then supervise on the day its cooked? Or just bow out and say someone else needs to do it. We don't need to be superwoman every holiday just because that's what we've always done - sometimes it is time to take time for you. Hard to tell about services, though. If someone else was driving me and it wasn't midnight mass, I likely could have made it that soon after surgery, but it wouldn't have been pleasant.

I do too. Although each fillet is 6oz and all I can eat is 2, so that’s a bit inconvenient. I’ve tried to chop them frozen with a cleaver, but that makes a mess. :). So quick to cook. Made a great tilapia the other day. Bariatric Foodie’s tilapia with fire roasted tomato sauce (minus the asparagus) - so good!!!

Eggs were pretty easy for me. One of my go to is ricotta bake (just google eggface ricotta bake). Really good. I add some sauteed and pureed spinach. I also really do well with tilapia - just need to find more ways to cook it!

I took two weeks of and teleworked a third. I likely *could* have gone into work that third week, but I was still pretty wiped out. In fact, my first two full days back in the office, I had to leave early because I was pretty tired. Edited to add: my doc said he'd prefer me not drive for 2 weeks, but that I could drive 24 hours after my last pain pill. One of the considerations is that my abdomen really hurt when I moved in certain ways, so I wasn't confident that I could take action if something unexpected happened on the road and I needed to brake quickly or swerve or something.