Splenda

Not quite as sweet as a Crystal Light packet, but they don't taste bad. I like the watermelon flavor the best.

Honestly, go to the grocery store and buy a rotisserie chicken for dinner tonight. Keep the carcass and use it to make your own broth. It will taste better than store bought, be healthier for you and you can be precise with the sodium/spices.

I went to Lab Corp for a blood draw and I could finally sit in one of their waiting room chairs. Pre-surgery, I had to stand up because I didn't fit in the chairs (I looked like a muffin trying to wedge itself into a thimble).

It's not unusual. If you can handle/tolerate protein shakes, then find some very high protein ones (I am partial to the Premier Protein 30g premade protein shakes, but to each their own). If you can get to the place where you drink two shakes per day that get you to your protein goal, then you can get through the days that you aren't that hungry. On most mornings, I mix a 30g Premier Protein vanilla premade shake with two scoops of Chike protein coffee (20g protein). Then I get 50g of protein in a 16 oz drink. Find ways to maximize protein in the smallest amount of food.

Congrats! My advice: this journey is much more about the mental/emotional than it is the physical. Barring really nasty complications, the physical end of the surgery will be fine, especially once you are recovered. But the mental/emotional aspects will be with you for the rest of your life.

Well, I didn't cancel quite as dramatically as you did. In 2013, I started down the path, doing pre-op visits, etc. At the same time, I started Tim Ferriss's slow carb diet. I did great, had a ton of weight coming off. I realize now that his plan re-inforced my binge eating habits in a way that made it impossible for me to maintain once I went off the diet. But at the time, I had this confidence that I could do anything. The nutritionist asked me what I was doing to lose weight and I explained the diet. She told me that I needed to realize that once I had the surgery I couldn't eat like that any more. Now that I am post-surgery, I see that she was absolutely right. But at the time, it offended me. I was losing weight like crazy (ended up losing 150 pounds in 13 months) and she had the audacity to tell me that I couldn't keep doing it? I cancelled the rest of my appointments. It was another 8 years before I re-started the process and went through with the surgery in August 2021. Before my actual surgery, I had a lot of the same fears you did. RNY is a pretty freaking permanent and I had no clue what awaited on the other side of surgery. Laying alone on the gurney during pre-op, not knowing what life would hold when I awoke...that was tough. I had always seen VSG/RNY as my last resort. What I realized was that I had come to my last resort. The next diet was very likely to turn out like all of the others: works for a little while, but the weight comes back. I didn't want to do that to my body (and mind) any more. I have a wife and four kids and they deserved to have me around for a while longer. So I went through with it not because I had confidence that everything would be roses and rainbows on the other side, but because it was the best (and probably only) option for me to turn around my health. Bariatric surgery is a bet on yourself. It's a bet that you have more discipline than you realize (or that your body shape shows) and that if given a real opportunity, you can turn this around permanently. Are you ready to bet on yourself?

If you think you are dehydrated, buy a box of these from Walgreens (they are usually found in the baby aisle by Pedialyte). Use them like a Crystal Light packet. It will help get the liquid into your system/bloodstream VERY quickly and prevent dehydration. If you are waking up the headaches, drink one of these before bed.

Short term: try different things from the pharmacy aisle and see what gets it moving. Long term: prioritize fiber in your diet. Eat foods that promote fiber: salads, beans, some fruits (apples, raspberries, blueberries, bananas). For salads, I find that an oil-based dressing also helps grease the skids, so to speak. Take a daily probiotic. Drink plenty of water/liquid (low moisture creates hard stools). If/when you are allowed to, drink some coffee in the morning. If you need to stay caffeine free, try some cold brew decaf. All of those things will soften your stool and help move you along.

"Skinny people believe that schlock"

Congrats! You look great.

I haven't specifically tried deli roast beef and I think I could probably handle it. I haven't had problems with deli meats or ground meat. I handle chicken pretty good. I wasn't able to handle beef short rib without getting the foamies.

My tastes have changed to the extent that I judge foods by "How enjoyable/easy is it going to be to chew that food real good before I swallow." Pre-surgery, I loved steak. Especially fajitas. But even if I knew my stomach could handle steak (I am 2.5 months out and sure it couldn't), the idea of chewing a piece of steak down to being super soft repulses me. It's not worth it. Another one was watermelon. I tried some about a month ago. The flavor was fine, but chewing it down is just a terrible experience. It feels like you are trying to break down little strings of plastic in your mouth.

I am also a sandwich lover. Here is what I have found (2.5 months post-op). I have used Sola bread and Orowheat bread for sandwiches. Both are keto-friendly, meaning they are high in fiber and protein and low in carbs. The pieces are small, but they are still 60 calories a slice (Orowheat) or 70 cals/slice (Sola), so that is over 100 calories before you put anything in the bread. You will also need to toast the bread because it helps chew it down and regular bread can "ball up" in your stomach and cause problems. If you use toasted bread and use the sandwich as an occasional meal rather than a staple meal, you should be OK. I did eat some tuna fish sandwiches for lunch, but it was just tuna fish straight out of the foil packet on toasted Orowheat. I went with tuna for the high protein content and Omega 3s. With fries, moderation will absolutely be key. Can you steal 3 fries off someone's plate and eat them without discomfort or throwing off your diet? Yeah. I wouldn't eat a full compliment of them, both because the grease/oil could cause dumping and a fry doesn't have a ton of nutrition. If you are going to eat potatoes, try to eat them baked/boiled with the skin on, to maximize your nutrients.

Nah, I'll just lose enough weight not to need one. I don't mind asking, I just want to get to the place that the seatbelt fits me normally.

Not asking for a seat belt extender on airplanes.

Catwoman is right. You are in the dreaded 3 week stall. It is incredibly frustrating because you went through all of the work for surgery and then ... nothing. I lost 24 pounds in the first 2 weeks. I lost 6 pounds over the next 18 days. Lost 36 pounds in the last 44 days. For the next 2 weeks, either don't step on the scale or step on it expecting no weight loss. Go only by what you feel (energy levels, etc.) and if your clothes start to fit better.

"I'm finding my inner child. Turns out, he/she's a lot skinnier than I thought he/she was."

Gastric bypass on Monday morning. Returned home Wednesday afternoon. Thursday morning, stepped on scale and weighed 5 pounds more than I did Monday morning. Wasn't until Saturday that I was below my Monday morning weight. I felt tender/swollen for about 10-14 days after surgery. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't step on a scale until 7 days after surgery (and I do best when I check the scale daily -- I need the daily feedback).

The way the PA in my surgeon's office put it is that you have to experiment and find what works for you. There are some things that your body will struggle with for no apparent reason. The first solid food I ate was tuna fish with some Greek yogurt and a little bit of salt/pepper. You eat slowly, in small bites with great chewing and wait to see what happens. I know this sounds weird, but I know I am generally okay with a food if I can burp. When a food doesn't work for me, it feels like there is a manhole cover over my stomach and the food feels like it backs up on me until I vomit. But if I am burping, then air is moving through the system and things will be okay. You will find there are foods that you tolerate that you don't enjoy (chewing watermelon down to a pulp is a deeply unpleasant experience). You will find some foods go down easy (for me, tuna fish, sauteed spinach and/or ground beef all go down fairly easily). You will find some foods that you can handle, but your stomach lets you know that it doesn't enjoy breaking them down (for me, grilled chicken, white rice). The minute that your stomach indicates that it is full or it is having trouble, put down your fork and stop. It's not worth pushing it. Go into this with the attitude of "I am going to try this, I am going to listen to my stomach, I am going to do the big three [slow, small, & chewed] and we will see what happens." Solid food is not something to be scared of.

My answers: A1 -- Yes, you'll be fine and the meds will work. A2 -- Buy some liquid Tylenol prior to surgery to keep around for a few weeks until you feel OK taking tablets. B1 -- Yes, but you may want to invest in a good, sturdy cane. Also helps when going from seated to standing (like the toilet). B2 -- That is going to be tough. If you have a recliner, you may want to sleep in it for a few days. B3 -- In the hospital, I could not wipe. It wasn't until later in the first week that I could do that on my own. B4 -- I had surgery on a Monday and I think I showered on Thursday or Friday. Don't scrub your belly/scars. Doc's office told me to soap up my chest and let the water/soap run down the belly. C1 -- I have a desk job and by the end of week 2, I was fully back, both physically and mentally. C2 -- I probably would not have tried biking until at least a month out. And I would have been terrified of falling off my bike and landing on my stomach.

I took mine and used it. I slept in the recliner in my hospital room and put the CPAP on the tray that they would place my food on.

The idea behind the caffeine restrictions is that it irritates the lining of the stomach. Coffee is an especially bad offender because it is so acidic. If you are truly needing a fix, I would recommend Grinds coffee pouches (sold at truck stops and on Amazon). They are marketed for people trying to quit chewing tobacco who want to have something in their mouth that mimics the feel of tobacco. They are small pouches filled with ground coffee that you keep in your cheek/lip. It will give you the flavor of coffee in your mouth and allow you to absorb the caffeine into the bloodstream directly rather than the stomach.

I struggled with the pre-surgery diet and the liquid phase. For me, the week prior to the surgery was much tougher than the week after the surgery (I had no major complications, so take that for what it is worth). And it is a struggle for the reasons that you mentioned -- you are completely changing your life. You are not just changing how much you eat, you are changing what you can eat and you are changing your emotional coping mechanisms. I had my little plan for how I was going to eat right and eat light for the few weeks before the surgery and then my emotions and fears blew that plan to pieces. My mind was terrified of what was to come -- I had some terrible eating binges about 10 days before surgery. But remember why you ever stepped into the surgeon's office to begin with. For me, it was the realization that I had been telling myself for 20 years that the "next diet" would work. Some of the "next diets" worked for a while, but none of them kept the weight off. Everyone says surgery is a tool for weight loss. Agreed. But I needed an extreme tool to lose an extreme amount of weight. It was now or never and I didn't consider never to be an acceptable answer. So I buckled down, made it through the liquid liver phase (it gets better after about day 3) and got through to surgery. And it has been worth it. I'm 2 months out and do not regret it.

I am two months post-op and I use Premier Protein/Ensure, but the 30g premade shakes. I drink one in the morning and one in the afternoon. That gets me to 60g right there. At that point, it is easy to get to at least 75 -- one packet of tuna fish will do it. The shakes are the way to guarantee that you hit your protein goals without stressing your stomach.

If you spend a lot of time cooking for yourself, also focus on how to make the best version of something post-surgery. For example, early on, you will be eating soft, "boring" foods like oatmeal. Put your talents toward how to make the tastiest version of oatmeal you can. Or how can you make a different oatmeal every day for five days? How many ways can you "dress up" a can of tuna fish? Spices/flavorings will take on a big role in your post-surgery life for those moments where they are about four foods that you can consistently tolerate and you need to make each meal slightly different to hold off boredom. View it as an opportunity to flex some cooking muscles.