Jaye W

You have to learn to fill up on fluids, distract yourself and don’t eat every time you are “hungry”. Your previous statement about not being able to achieve what you plan if your body is crying out to be fed is already setting yourself up for failure. Take it one meal at a time, one day at a time. You can do this!

Insurance paid for my vsg and pre- op clearances. I had to pay my deductible then everything was covered at 100%. If you have insurance through an employer, It will depend on the specific policy inclusions/exclusions that are chosen by your employer more so than the insurance carrier that you have. For instance all Aetna, bc/bs, tied healthcare etc policies are not the same regarding coverage.

I use obvi collagen proteins or vital proteins collagen powder daily. I do not count towards my nutritional goals as I use it as a hair/ skin supplement. My skin is definitely better - my complexion has improved/ feels softer. I think it is helping with hair too. No noticeable hair loss after 6.5 months ( including gall bladder removal around 5 months post sleeve).

Congrats!

This is great for breakfast on gym days when you need more complex carbs

I am glad your Mother In Law is being supportive and that you are going to focus on yourself. Good luck on your journey!

I hit the next goal! Down 101 lbs. 5 months post sleeve, 1 week post Gall Bladder removal ( Cholecystectomy). HW 264 SW 235 CW 163 GW 130-145

I am close to you in age- I am 49. I also think I look a lot better with clothing ON than OFF right now so pictures can be deceiving. There is much to be said for a good pair of leggings and a good bra! My stomach, butt, triceps and inner thighs are my current problem areas. They have some loose skin but I accept it is part of the process. I think my Biceps actually look the best , I think they respond well to working out. I am taking a collagen supplement daily - in hopes that it will help maintain some elasticity with my skin. I have noticed my complexion is a lot better since adding the collagen. Hard to say if it is helping with elasticity since I had to take a month off from the gym since my gall bladder surgery. As my weight loss slows down now, I am going to get back to the gym this weekend and really going to focus on workouts with the goal of tightening up/toning as much as possible. Starting to research body recomposition - building muscle and losing more fat. This will also help with increasing BMR for maintenance. I am going to continue to reassess things as time goes by. I always thought I would never want plastic surgery but I may change my mind and get the Mommy makeover in a year or 2. My boobs are flat and saggy now and they are the only part of my body I am unhappy with right now. My stomach has some loose skin but it still feels better than it did at 264 lbs. From what I understand genetics, age and prior weight all play into loose skin. I am working on giving myself grace and accepting my imperfections and working to continue to improve as much as I can. Advice Welcome....

I hear you loud and clear. My weight loss is already starting to slow down. I am hoping that I have a good foundation now for the continued journey. I would like to continue to lose more but it seems it is going to be slow and harder to do as I get closer to goal. Just going to take it day by day meal by meal. Any advice is always welcome!

1. My program had me do liquids for 2 weeks pre-surgery and I think it was 10 days post surgery. I think I lost 7 lbs presurgically during liquid phase and 13 lbs in the liquid phase post surgically for a total of 20. That is going to be different for everyone depending on your starting weight etc. 2. A lot of weight is lost during the liquid phase but it is also done for proper preparation and healing of your stomach. I personally think the choices you make once you can begin eating solid food is the most important because this is where you are making the choices/changes that will hopefully change your habits for the long term lifestyle change. I also think the liquid phases are not real life- you have a list with very specific things you can/cannot eat. Once you are on solid food you have recommendations to follow and must choose to avoid the things that contribute to weight gain. I did however keep some of the tricks from the liquid phase (sugar free popsicles, sf jello, broth, protein drinks/shakes to fight hunger. Pre-op I lost 29 lbs from my first surgery consult until day of surgery. (27.3% of the weight lost) Post-op I lost 13 lbs during the liquid phase after surgery (12.3% of the weight lost) 64 of my 106 lbs has been lost during the soft/solid phase. (60.4% of the weight lost) 3. I personally had no brain fog or weakness/fatigue after surgery. I actually felt very enrgized after surgery. I made sure to get some carbohydrates as permitted by my program in my liquid phase (G2 instead of Gatorade zero to add some carbs). Some of the fatigue/fog can be related to anesthesia. Luckily I recover well from anesthesia, but not sure that is something that can be controlled. I had to take 4 weeks off work because I do heavy lifting at work. I really think that time off was beneficial because that is when I developed a new routine of walking 2 times daily and really had nothing else to distract me from making changes to my eating habits, searched for recipes, had time to shop for all the food I needed, and was able to have reduced stress for 4 weeks. I highly recommend if you can afford to take a few weeks off work to do so in order to get organized/develop new habits/heal properly. 't. 4. Advice- listen to your surgeon/program and follow the program. I know some people say that exercise is not important, but I really feel that my activity/exercise level is what has contributed greatly to my current weight loss. I also believe there is research indicating that those that exercise regularly have better long term success than those that don't. Exercise is a good way to get away from the kitchen when you are hungry as well as burning calories and improving overall health. I also learned to roast vegetables which has made a huge difference in my food choices. I used to rarely eat vegetables. I now usually roast green beans, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, onions etc with my protein (chicken, pork, beef, fish). Learn to read food labels- it now takes me longer to shop because I read the food labels before buying something. Also have found a lot of things at Aldi's that are good choices for my new lifestyle. Keep seeking support via this group and/or other groups. This is also something that contributes to long term success. Good Luck on your journey!

In response to your question: I follow the rules established by my surgeon: No drinking with meals- wait 30 minutes. Keep protein between 60-80 g daily, drink at least 64 oz of fluid daily. I do not eat until I am full. I measure everything and keep my portions below 1/2 cup or 4 oz of protein and then add some veggies or fruit as the sides. From Day 1 after surgery I use the Baritastic app and track everything. I use measuring cups/spoons and bought a digital food scale. I weigh all my carbs (fruit/veggies) in grams. For instance instead of logging 5 strawberries I weigh them in grams and enter that. I pre-plan or log each meal before I make it. Sometimes I plan the entire day so that I can swap things out if needed to meet protein goals and keep the carbs and fat where I want them to be. I generally got to the higher end of the protein range (80 grams) as soon as I could tolerate it. I meet the fluid goals most days. I use a lot of powerade zero, crystal light as well as water. I started walking after surgery and worked up to 30 minutes twice a day, every day. I bought a fitness tracker for motivation/accountability. My steps range between 10K and 16K daily. I listen to podcasts related to WLS or post op sleeve etc. I find it helps me learn new things. I also check this board and a few other sites frequently to stay motivated and see what works and what does not. I also attend the support groups offered by my surgeon's office. Most days I eat 3 meals and a snack between lunch and dinner and a snack in the evening. The snacks are small and are accounted for in my tracking. I weigh myself every morning and do measurements in baritastic app every 2-3 weeks. If we are going to eat at a restaurant I budget/pre-plan the day and check out the menu before going so I know exactly what to order. 4 weeks after surgery I began using light dumbbells for curls and arm exercises around the house. 4 months post op I joined a gym for weight training. I was going 3x a week until I had to have emergency gall bladder removal in July. I am planning to start the weightlifting again later this week (post op 4 weeks from gall bladder surgery now). Hope that helps! Good luck on your journey.

Steeler Nation

I am a Pittsburgher - born and raised. Got lots of Steelers gear. Lol

Many hospitals will not allow discharge ride to be Uber or Lyft due to the anesthetic/ narcotics you have had in the day prior to dc. If your husband is displaying this passive aggressive behavior prior to surgery he may continue after surgery and actually try to sabotage you. You may want to seek a therapist now who can help you with this issue or your relationship. Good luck, it is hard enough with good support, I imagine even harder with no support.

Way to go!

I used to get up and walk around the house during commercial breaks.

Thank You both for your responses. I am hoping things go smoothly for me as they did for both of you. I worry because I work in home health and spend my day either in the car or in patient’s homes. Bathroom issues would be a big problem for me.

I am 5 months post op sleeve and 2 weeks post op Gall bladder removal. Just wondering if anyone who had wls and Gall bladder surgery takes any enzymes or made any major changes to diet due to not having a gall bladder anymore. I like to be more proactive than reactive.

I bought protein hot chocolate for post op- it was a great treat

I just had mine removed unexpectedly on July 26. The incision where the surgeon pulled out my Gall Bladder is a bit bigger than my sleeve incisions were. ( due to the size of my gall bladder and gall stone according to the surgeon). This incision is right below my sternum and is just today feeling better ( 12 days out). Incisions well healed. The pain was bearable during the day and managed with Tylenol. At bedtime I was taking the oxycodone as prescribed since laying down stretches the incision. Lifting restrictions are the same as the sleeve - nothing over 10# for 4 weeks. I used the same strategy as after sleeve- taking short walks frequently during the day as tolerated. Diet wise I had no changes, as I am 5 months post sleeve. Just have to avoid fried foods and high fat which I was already doing. Also I am avoiding spicy food right now. I had some diarrhea at first, it seems to be getting better- was told that is normal. I don’t feel anymore tired than I did after sleeve. Just had checkup today with surgeon and everything is looking good, no changes, should not affect my progress. I actually lost 10 lbs since surgery. Good Luck!

Along with needing the time due to lifting restrictions I enjoyed having the 4 weeks after sleeve surgery to get my new eating plan under control. I was on soft foods by the time I went back to work. If you can afford it, take the time.

I am 5 months post sleeve. Was doing great, felt great, no complications, was working out at gym, hitting protein/ fluid goals, almost seemed easy. Had a gall bladder attack and had to have it removed last week even with that no regrets. Just continuing one day at a time, one pound at a time.

Congrats! Great job!

Wow. What a change! Great job! Thanks for sticking around to continue to mentor newbies.

Great job! Keep it up