Lynnlovesthebeach

I lost 9 lbs on the 2 week preop diet and gained exactly 9 lbs from the IV fluids. At the end of week one I was back to my preop weight and the end of week 2 I had lost 6 lbs. I wore an abdominal binder so I really couldn't tell how much swelling I had. Good luck on your journey.

Long after everyone else had quit making comments about my weight I had one person that just would't stop. Every time I saw her she would say things like "you've gotten too thin, you need to quit losing weight, how much more are you going to lose etc..." I finally told her if she didn't stop commenting on my weight I was going to consider it harassment and go to management. She has stopped. If anyone else makes a random comment I just say "this is the size I'm supposed to be." I was 112 lbs when I graduated college and I have a couple people at work that remember when I was that size so I'm fine where I am. Congratulations on your weight loss!

Just increase your volume as you can. I doubt anyone hit 64 oz in the first few days, at least I know I didn't. I was discharged from the hospital having only drank about half of a 16 oz bottle of water. In the first few days your job is to slowly increase fluids and walk. That's it! Everything else can wait. Congratulations!

As catwoman7 said, you will feel restriction when you get to the solid food stage. The more dense it is the less you can eat. I'm 3 yrs out and I still get my runny nose signal if I have one bite too much! That's why it's more important to follow your teams guidelines on how much to eat at certain stages. You will know if you eat too much...don't try to find out, it's not worth it! You get the "foamies" and wish you could throw it all up! As far as head hunger, yes it's a real thing! I think it gets easier. I didn't feel physical hunger for about a month and then it came back. Although I don't feel it often, I do feel it sometimes. I sometimes have to remind myself to eat because if I wait until I feel hungry that might not happen. Congratulations on your surgery! I wish you much success!

If it's a solid weigh it on a scale, if it's not measure it in a cup. I know I can eat about 2 oz of chicken or steak, sometimes a little more and about 1/2-3/4 cup of whatever is measured...soup, vegetables etc. You will learn your limits as time goes on. I buy a lot of "single serving" size items like the 4 oz cottage cheese, I can eat the whole thing. If I bought a large size container I would just measure out 4 oz. I buy the big size Fage yogurt and measure out (on a scale, not in a cup) individual portions at 5-6 oz. It gets easier as you figure out what you can eat.

Yes, those are the usual tests they do for cardiac clearance if you are not an established patient. I had already done the holter monitor previously so did not have to do that for surgery. EKG and stress test are the most common tests.

You said you were leaving back on page 2 but you haven't left yet! Would you just go already!! Take your help elsewhere. WE DON'T CARE!! We'll be fine without you! And before you respond, I walk every day...don't need you to tell me to do so!

I use the free version of My Fitness Pal. All I really care about is my protein intake so it's really just to make sure I get enough. I'm 3 yrs out now and still weigh myself daily but record it only once a week on Sunday. This works for me.

As others have said all programs are different. My program allows straws. I think after you cut out fast food fountain drinks most adults probably don't use them often. The only time I found a need for straws was when I had my skin removal surgery on my arms. Then I drank everything...even coffee...through a straw because I couldn't bend my arms enough because my incisions go past my elbows. I think we have to remember that we get "guidelines" not laws! As adults we have the ability to try things and decide whether it works for us or not! You know your own body and will figure out if using a straw makes you uncomfortable and will put it on hold to try again later after you heal.

I work 12 hr shifts so I have to plan for the whole day. My plan was pretty routine at first. I drink a protein shake on the way to work. My next meal is yogurt with a few blueberries or strawberries. My favorite yogurt is Fage plain greek with one tablespoon (or less) of sugar free, fat free jello pudding powder (white chocolate or cheesecake are my faves) and one packet of truvia per serving. My next meal is the prepackaged flavored tuna mixed with a little fat free mayo and eaten on Crunchmaster crackers, usually about 5. Initially I could not finish all of this at each meal but now I can. Early on my snacks were things that I could eat quick like cheese sticks or beef sticks...things I could carry in my pocket. Now my snacks are those things still but I've added bananas and peanut butter crackers or slices of lunchmeat. Now that I'm 3 yrs out, I don't necessarily have the tuna as much. Often it's left overs from a restaurant I went to or something I cooked on my days off. I work 3 days a week so those 3 days my food plan is easy. I make sure to have variety on my nonwork days.

If you look in the candy isle at the grocery stores or Target you will see Russel Stover has a whole line of sugar free candy, as well as Hershey now has sugar free reeses peanut butter cups and other candy bars...

I just remind myself that I'm choosing not to eat "junk" food. I think sometimes we compare ourselves to alcoholics or drug addicts when we are food addicts. We say things like alcoholics or drug addicts never have to have alcohol or drugs ever again to break their addiction but we have to have food. I know in my case, my addiction was sugar and junk foods and that's probably what got me to my highest weight. Now I try my best to avoid those and so far it's working. I just remind myself I never want to go back there! Whenever someones asks me, "can you eat this on your diet?" I tell them, "I'm not on a diet. I can eat anything I choose to eat...I choose not to eat that."

I put my dress similar to yours on and it's way too big...here's one I wore last night though.

Sounds like you are doing fine. Even at 5 lbs a month you'll reach your goal before a year is up. I didn't reach my doctor's goal until 9 months and my personal goal until 11 months. I kept losing after that and am way past where I thought I'd be. I'll be three years post op on the 9th. Keep at it, you'll get there!

That looks great on you! I think I have one just like it but in pink. Living in Florida, I have worn nothing but sundresses and T-shirt dresses all summer because I don't have the legs for shorts. I'm starting to go from the fuller kind like that to the more fitted kind too because just like you said, well, because I can! Isn't it great to be able to?

Congratulations on your weight loss and decision to have plastics. My plastic surgeon has been the guest speaker at our WLS support group a few times and he shows a lot of pictures of different procedures. He has several pictures of men. I think it's great. Men deserve to be just as happy with their bodies as women do! I've had 2 plastic surgeries so far. First was 360 lower body lift and arm lift. Second was upper body lift...breast lift, back lift, reverse tummy tuck . I have one more to do which will be thigh lift. I can't wait to be done! This has all been worth it!

I've learned a few things when eating around coworkers. I have my "decoy" water bottle that I put on the table, knowing I'm not going to drink it, because I got tired of "hey, I'm running downstairs to get something do you want me to pick up a drink for you?" Also, I work 12 hr shifts so I pack extra snacks. I just unload 1/2 of my lunchbag and no one notices how much I eat or not eat. The people that matter to me know I eat small portions.

I'm sure they hate me at doctors offices. It used to seem like it was too much trouble to them to have to switch from the "regular" cuff to a "large" cuff, now they have to switch from the "adult regular" to the "adult small." And usually they have to look for that one!

Mine is pretty prominent after losing weight. I didn't know it could be removed. I wish I had known that when I had my latest plastic surgery 6 weeks ago. I had a breast lift, reverse abdominoplasty and back lift. Since it was the same area he could of just taken it out. That is one of the "signs" people use to tell you you are getting to skinny, "I can see your bones!" Mine doesn't really bother me though.

My responses are pretty similar to everyone else. When asked how much I usually say "a lot" or "more than I weigh." If they insist on a number I just say "more than 100 lbs." When they ask how I say "a lot of hard work" or "complete lifestyle change." When they ask about diet, it's "high protein, low carb, small portions." And for those people that insist, "one donut isn't going to hurt you," I say, "no thank you, I broke my sugar addiction and I'm never going back there...I know what it does to me!"

If you had surgery Aug 23 that means you are more than a month post op and you have had no guidance from your surgical team? That is unacceptable. I'd be on the phone first thing in the morning asking lots of questions! Did you read the booklet? Sometimes I need verbal explanations even after I read things. It is acceptable to ask for clarification of what you read.

If you wanted to binge on something like ice cream or cake or something that goes down easily you could probably do it. It might make you sick but you could do it. You can also graze...and that's why most people gain their weight back according to my doctor. But with dense foods like steak or chicken or other proteins you are going to feel your restriction before you could binge or it's probably going to come back up if you ignore your cue to stop or you are going to feel miserable for a while! I would just stick to your guidelines and not challenge them, they are there for a reason.

I live alone and told no one except my brother I was having surgery. I spent one night in the hospital and then my brother picked me up and took me home. I had everything prepared before hand. Stocked up bottled water, protein shakes, meds, etc. I slept in my recliner for probably a month. Because I didn't take narcotics, I drove on day 4 because I found out I was allergic to the staples and I needed some benadryl. My recovery was actually fairly easy. I spent my days sipping water, protein shakes and walking and napping because I was so tired...and plotting on my calendar how many more days until I could eat something solid! Sipping the water and protein shakes was a full time job the first week! Sounds like you are well prepared already. You probably won't need the nurse.

Walmart has one that is fairly cheap called ReliOn. I think they have a couple of different versions, mine is called Prime. I used it lot during my "prediabetic" stage but only occasionally now. I'll always check my glucose at home before I get labs done just to see how it compares and it is pretty close. The refill strips are pretty cheap. Used to be $5 for 25 but I haven't bought any in a while so they may be more now. Sometimes they lock up the strips and you have to ask for them because they are a high theft item.

Our support group is virtual too and yes, we have the same problems. I wish we would go back to in person!