Candace76

Congrats! How do you feel? Have the liquids been going down easy? Are you starting full liquids yet or still on clear? Any tips/advice to share so far for hospital stay and first few days out? Wishing you lots of luck!🍀🥳

Sending my sympathy & prayers for you and your family. Very sorry for your loss.

Wow, so close! Best of luck tomorrow. Wishing you a safe & successful surgery and amazing results !🥳 Please keep us posted!

Hi MoreThanWords, I am still a few of weeks out, but I also was worried about what to eat, so I wanted to be prepared and get some the clear liquid & full liquid staples before I start my pre op diet. I have tried some protein shakes from Unjury & Premier Protein. They were ok. Not a fan of vanilla now, but that may change after surgery or if I get tired of chocolate. I like adding them to coffee (Unjury had a cappuccino flavor, I want to try it with caramel flavored Premier Protein), and will probably do that once it is allowed. From Walmart, I purchased some sugar-free drink mixes, chicken broth, veggie broth, beef broth, sugar free jello, & sugar free ice pops. Some items were name brand and others were Walmart brands. Trying to save $ where I can as supplements, vitamins etc. all add up. I bought a tub of chocolate Premier Protein from Walgreens. Yesterday, I placed my first order on BariatricPal and ordered Aunt Millie's broths (pho & Thai), BP Protein soups, BP protein fruit drinks, & Genepro Unflavored protein mix. Last week I ordered some cups for shakes, water, & broth. I got one cup with a strainer for traveling (in case I need to order soup & strain it). I still need to get vitamins, hibiclens, and prilosec before the surgery. Before the puree & soft stages I want to purchase a mini portable chopper/processor & food scale. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I see us probably having a lot of broth and soups in those first few weeks. Jenfs5, thanks for recommending Fairlife, I want to try that brand now, too. Also worried about those clear liquid days (after surgery probably won't be bad as it isn't long and based on others experiences-you aren't that hungry at first). Hopefully, the excitement of being so close to our surgery will make it a little easier. I read other people say that the broth helped fill them up and jello helped give the chewing feeling. (Not a big fan of jello, but when you are only allowed a few things it may be nice to have) Best of luck everyone!

LizzLosingIt, thanks for sharing all the details. It sounds like you are very prepared for your surgery. Wishing you a successful surgery, easy recovery, & amazing results!

July is almost here!!🥳 We are all getting closer now! How is everyone doing on Pre Op diets, requirements, and planning? I look forward to hearing about everyone's surgeries & progress. My update- I go to my pre op meeting next week. Yesterday, I went for cardiologist's clearance (waiting for doc to review echocardiogram). I am planning on starting pre op on 12th or 19th (it wasn't required, but thought it would be good to get a head start). Then I have 2 days of clear liquid diet before the surgery on 26th. Lots of luck, everyone!

So sorry that you have not received the guidance & support needed for this surgery. Luckily, you have found a community that can help give you the tips & support you need. There are great YouTube videos of people who have gone through weight loss surgery, and I think there was at least 1 that I saw from the UK 🇬🇧 . The talk about meal ideas, tips, tricks, etc. (Search: VSG UK) Wishing you lots of luck!

This is funny, thanks for starting! Moist does not bother me, but I get how it could bother people. I am guilty of journey and have recently caught on to my over using it, especially with weight loss. I am trying to look for better alternatives, although I am not bothered by its use. Words I hate-FAT, OBESE, BARIATRIC 🤢😖🙁 (yes, I realize I am on "Bariatric"Pal! Sorry, BP, I like the website/ app/company😉😊🤣).

I think it is great that you came up with an alternative "reward"/routine for completing food shopping. I can relate to using food to reward or treat myself for completing a task. I used to start my work week with what I called "McGriddle Mondays" (surprised McD hasn't used that yet😉) to get ready to face the week ahead. For me, I also think some of my overeating has been due to periods of restriction/dieting and then needing to have a break from the restrictions (yo-yoing). Some of it is habit, such as 3:00 chocolate fixes, and having to end the day with a dessert. There may still be more "whys" for me other than rewards, rebelling restrictions & habits, so thank you for bringing this up, as I think you are right. We need to be aware of our why or triggers, because those can manifest in the future if we are unaware or don't find ways to manage or resolve them.

Congratulations on your surgery. Thank you for giving us your story. It is helpful to hear different experiences with weight loss surgery. Good luck as you continue to progress through the different stages of your weight loss experience. 😊

Hi Onmywayfrom256, I can definitely relate to your doubts. I know that the decision to have this surgery is right for me at this point, but I do have some fears of it not working the way I hoped, loose skin, hair falling out, regain, & complications. I have dealt with mild hair loss after having each of my 2 children. I am less worried about this, as I heard it is temporary. Still not fun. Hopefully, protein & iron supplements will help. The loose skin is something that I may not be able to avoid, but I am going to try to take collagen in addition to all the other vitamins & supplements we need. I will also try cocoa butter & compression. Not sure if any of it will help, but I will try. Some things unfortunately are out of our control, so it is easy to fear the unknown. This is a big step we are all taking, and we all want to succeed in something that has been challenging for us. Most of us have been let down before with weight loss attempts, so those doubts unfortunately pop up. Hoping you feel better knowing that someone else has concerns about the road ahead. Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. Wishing you a successful journey. 🤞😊

Hi Kitkarmccarthy, there is a thread called, "Where are my August Peeps", you might need to scroll down the threads to find it. Good luck!

Lex2021- I hope it goes through and gets approved! I don’t know if my suggestion is helpful, and I am sure others may have better ideas, but maybe call them to keep checking the status everyday or every few days will help make sure it gets processed. If they didn't give you a timeline for how long it usually takes to get approved, see if they can give you an idea. Maybe they can try to push it through faster since the date is approaching. Wishing you lots of luck.🤞🍀

Thanks for the great tips! Good luck to you, also. This week i ordered a travel food thermos for soups or purees, a shaker cup, and a water bottle with time markers. I think remembering to drink water will be hard for me at first, especially since I won't be able to drink right before, after & during meals. I also ordered a travel mug that has a strainer, just in case I need to go to restaurants in the earlier stages (and order soup). It looks like soup & broth will probably be some of my regular go-to's. I saw a little cordless chopper that I am thinking about buying for the puree/soft food stage. It is the perfect size for a post bariayric surgery meal & looks like I can take it if I travel. I will look into the shakes you suggested. 😁

Congrats, Elahnen! Thanks. Wishing you well with your sleeve. What tips or products (shakes, vitamins, tools, foods, etc.) do you feel were your faves so far? I am starting to plan things to buy for pre op, stage 1, and stage 2. I know I do not want to buy too much ahead of time, as I may get sick of certain things or have a change in preferences. Have you found that your tastes have changed? Do you have many cravings for things you can't have now?

Hi Mama Des, Congrats on your upcoming surgery & welcome. I am also new (today!) and getting surgery in July. Yes, check out the July surgery posts as Star618 suggested! Wishing you lots of luck.

Thanks, LizzLosingIt. I am glad that you have such a great support system. My parents, sister, & husband were first to know and they have all been amazingly supportive. 💗 I recently told one friend and plan on telling another friend this weekend. I believe & hope everyone will be supportive. I am sure there is always at least one person that has to be negative🙄, but I usually find that it isn't someone I would seek advice from anyway. 🤷‍♀️ The YouTuber that I have seen the most of is Erin from My Level 10 Life. I saw many of her videos, & she was the first one I started watching. She has tons of content. I have also seen a few from Amber A'liyaa, Lindsey Val, Time to Shrink, Kimberly H., & The Chic & Savvy Belle. They all have tips I found useful. It is interesting to see their journey & progress. There transformations are inspiring. I also watched a few videos of doctors perform the surgery. Do you (or any other July People) have YouTubers that you watch? Also, has anyone found recipes they might want to try for the puree/ soft food stage? Or websites they like for recipes?

Hi Other July Surgery People!😊👋 My VSG surgery is booked for July 26th. I have met with the nutritionist, done my bloodwork & next I have to get clearance from my cardiologist (murmur & hypertension). My pre op class is on the 6th, it will be nice to hopefully meet some other people getting surgery there. Then on the 19th I see my endocrinologist (PCOS, hashimoto/hypothyroidism, pre-diabetes). In the next few weeks I will continue to research & plan for the surgery and the food plans. I like watching YouTube videos of other people who have gone through the surgery, and looking at recipes or shopping lists. I started journaling, habit tracking, and logging my food (which I still need to get more consistent with). I might start replacing one meal a day with a protein shake. Definitely need to work on getting more water in! I have not really told many people of my surgery plans, yet. I am totally fine with being open about it, but my weight is my least favorite subject, so I just haven't felt like sharing with everyone just yet. Wishing everyone the best on this amazing journey we will be on! 🤗 It will be great to hear everyone's updates as they go through the different stages of this process. It is nice to have other people to be in this together with. 😁