BabySpoons

I never even had a puree phase. I went from full liquids to soft foods at 2 weeks. You should be safe but most here will tell you to follow your bariatric teams' recommendations.

I love hearing about the health improvements even more than the weight loss. Congrats!!!!!

Before surgery I had a hard time drinking plain Water unless it was flavored/sweetened with Crystal Light. After, I couldn't drink sweet and preferred cool clear water till about 3 weeks after surgery.

I set out three 20 oz bottles and start sipping throughout the day with a goal to finish them all before bedtime. If not, if I woke, I'd drink more and hopefully finish by morning. But I never forced myself to meet goal. I just did the best I could without allowing myself to become dehydrated.

The remaining ounces I got from my Protein Drinks, milk, broth etc. Early on if you have to choose between drinking or eating....drink.

8 hours ago, MsTeeTee said:

I’ve been forcing myself to eat my Protein instead of drinking it.

At less than a month I wouldn't be forcing anything. Hydration is way more important at this point than trying to meet Protein goals. You have plenty of time for that when food isn't such an aversion for you.

Most kids have seen chubby kids at school teased and bullied so I'm sure they get it. Explaining that some people's bodies are broken and need the surgery to fix it should suffice.

GL with your upcoming surgery!

I just woke up thirsty and glugged down quite a bit of SF Raspberry tea and I'm over 4 months out from surgery.

Even though liquids usually pass through your new stomach pouch fairly quickly, it can be painful, especially early on, to drink too fast. Even more so with food in your tummy. Sometimes I wait longer than 30 minutes to drink after eating something.

Everyone's tolerance is a bit different but since hydration is crucial early on, I would say concentrate on getting your liquids in before anything else. I realized around 2 months I could drink instead of sip, and I was pretty relieved.

35 minutes ago, BeanitoDiego said:

Breathing is much easier today, and I'm grateful for that!

Glad to hear that! And 4 days out from surgery. Every day will get better for you.

37 minutes ago, BeanitoDiego said:

I do know that the hole in the diaphragm was stitched smaller to keep the hiatal hernia in check.

Yeah, doc told me 10% of my stomach was pushing up into my chest. No wonder I had almost daily bouts of reflux and couldn't breathe to do anything. I'm grateful as well. If I hadn't decided to have the surgery that hernia may never have been found.

1 hour ago, BeanitoDiego said:

I truly hope to never experience a sore diaphragm again.

Did they not send you home with any pain meds??? I can't imagine how mine would have felt if I had none. Ouch!!! Glad you are through the worst of it.

But....in the end it's all worth it. My doctor told me after he repaired the Hiatal hernia that he stitched my diaphragm smaller. I wonder if that's what they did with you ??

So, between having the RNY and repairs, I haven't had any more episodes of GERD. "Knock on wood."

I'm middle of the road I guess. Try as I might, I can't drink coffee without Creamer. No sweetener unless it's a cold brew.

Here's one I saw earlier and oddly enough reminds me of you @ms.sss since you mentioned taking pole dancing classes post op for exercise. LOL

Day 1 after surgery - 2 weeks I could have unsweetened applesauce.

2-5 weeks I could have canned fruit packed in Water or if packed in juice drain and rinse before eating (no skins, peels, seeds, dried fruit or fruit juice).

5 weeks on I could have raw fruit. No restrictions on type.

12 hours ago, Mike.J.Y said:

I think my bill will go down 1k a month at the minimum.

Wow, that will be quite the savings for you. What you going to do with all that extra money??? LOL

I was doing OMAD (one meal a day) and Keto for the last couple years without much luck. So I wasn't getting takeout very often. Except on Chinese Fridays.

I bought a side of beef from a local farmer and filled up my freezer pre-op, so I should be set now for a good long time, Protein wise. Grilled steak is still a struggle to eat. But cooked in the Instapot with beef broth and veggies (Swiss steak for example) works well for me. Along with roasts and lean hamburger in various dishes. Soups are still my friend so looking forward to cooler Fall weather.

I allow an occasional carb. Potatoes, corn on the cob, baked Beans, low carb tortillas but for the most part, meat and veggies are my mantra. Oh and low fat dairy.

So yeah, I spent my food savings ahead of time on the moo cow >

59 minutes ago, ChunkCat said:

Coloring in big, bold swear words was cathartic. 🤣

That made me smile. 😏

18 minutes ago, losinglosinglosing said:

Now, I'm like, take all the pictures you want. I'm constantly posting selfies and pictures of myself with others online. It's so much fun. One of my favorite NSV.

I've seen your photos on here. You have done so well and should be proud. You look great and looking forward to when I can smile for the camera. 😁

2 hours ago, LindsayT said:

make sure you're taking progress photos for yourself

I keep track of my progress using the 3D Body Scanner at my club every month. The comparison capabilities are pretty impressive and precise.

A future NSV for me will be when I lift the ban of no pictures posted of me on Facebook. At my heaviest, I had family taking pics at get togethers and posting online. I hated it and told them not to and yes, it's a pride thing. I don't know at what point I will feel comfortable with it again but I can't be the only one here who doesn't want their overweight photos online for everyone to see???

I'm looking forward to the day that I'll be OK with it.

2 hours ago, Mike.J.Y said:

It must have felt awesome to see the scale leave the 3's and see the 2's

Thank you, yes, I am more than thrilled with my progress so far. And I do feel like a million bucks. Going from completely sedentary to walking 2 miles a day outside, among other things, feels amazing.

I am almost halfway to my WL goal and can only imagine how much better I'll feel when I get into the 100's. Maybe like 2 million. LOL

I wasn't sure when your surgery was scheduled. It's coming up soon. I'm glad to hear you feel more comfortable with everything. You will do great and keep us posted. Good luck!!!!

8 minutes ago, Shanna NYC said:

remedied with a binder that I wore for just a few days until the worst of it passed.

Good point I forgot about. I asked for a binder at the hospital before I left the hospital. I had a long, somewhat bumpy ride home. It really helped.

At home, I just wanted it off so I used a pillow and held it against my tummy when getting up or down to take pressure off my incisions and I also slept with a body pillow.

On 7/17/2022 at 8:29 PM, SkinnyMingo1408 said:

Rays no sugar added BBQ Sauce that is pretty good. Not as sweet as the original

Rays has a sweet and spicy SF version along with SF Original and Hickory. Ray's Honey Mustard Dipping sauce is amazing too. I am never without a couple bottles.

Sweet Baby Ray's Expands Popular "Ray's No Sugar Added" Line with Two New sauces (prnewswire.com)

Skinnygirl also has a line of SF/FF products. salad dressings, preserves, drink mixers and Snacks. I love the Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing and was gifted a bunch of drink mixers I have yet to try.

With the popularity of Keto, there are now tons of SF options. Even ketchup. Too bad though that healthier choices are all so overpriced. 🤔

I took the shots semaglutide quite a few years ago before it was called Ozempic. I was on it just a short time for weight loss and help with insulin resistance. I remember it made me feel ill and nauseous most of the time. I stuck it out for a while longer until I read it caused cancer in rats. I don't remember losing any significant amount of weight either. But then I might not have taken it long enough.

I too have heard that it is now used in addition to WLS post for those with slow weight loss. I say give it a try as long as you are not worried about long term use side effects. Everything I've read about it up until now says you will regain the weight when you stop taking it though.

GL

When I first started calling around to find info on getting the surgery, I called a place in Omaha that told me the process from initial consult to surgery date was a year on average. The second call was to my bariatric team in Lincoln that told me best case scenario was 3 months.

So, depending on the facility. It could be a matter of how busy or just how efficient they are??? Your insurance will also dictate any mandatory time requirements for diet counseling sessions. Also, if any pre-op testing isn't medically cleared, that can hold things up too.

I had a whole hella lot of pre-op testing done and still had my surgery at that 3-month mark. I made sure to cross all my Ts and dot my I's in fear of not getting approved. I even thought maybe it was a ploy to scare patients into doing everything right and in actuality plan to approve us regardless. But after reading other people's stories here, I see that's not the case and doctors will postpone or cancel a surgery for various reasons.

I ended up going with Bryan Bariatric because they were the only one listed as in network through my insurance and are designated as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

Here's to hoping they move things along for you OP and Godspeed.

3 hours ago, SpartanMaker said:

It's sometimes misleading to think of strength training as the only thing that builds muscle. Even just walking can help, depending of where you're starting from.

^^Agree^^

I haven't lost 100 pounds yet but getting close and all I've done is stick to my diet plan and walk outside, I'm up to 2 miles a day. (6-7xs a week) Walking is considered weightbearing exercise and is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. And it's free. Pre-op I was completely sedentary and on disability.

When the weather turns colder, I'll start doing some weights in the gym. And possibly a rower to switch it up. Vary your routine otherwise your body adapts, and your gains will slow down. At least till you reach maintenance.

And most importantly, find something you enjoy doing or you won't stick with it. GL!!

On 5/7/2023 at 2:13 AM, summerseeker said:

Don't forget a glass of milk twice a day

I can drink milk till the cows come home. ❤️

I wonder if OP @bob_behn there and back? I would have a hard time in France with all the endless Pasta.

Lots of good travel advice here. I'm thinking small baggies of Protein Powder could get you temporarily detained??? Curious for future reference.