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I have a friend who feeds avocado to her baby so it seems like it's a good soft food. He loves it. I also love it and love it mixed with finely chopped hard boiled eggs for green egg salad. It may be too early for you to eat eggs bc some people can't tolerate them. I had no problems with them cooked in any form, though.

I still have scars from my first lap band surgery 17 years ago. Then my second lap band surgery, my gallbladder removal surgery and my lap band removal surgery. Now the VSG. I'm over it at this point bc I'd rather be thin and healthy than scar free. No man I've ever been with has even asked about them. Must be what's north and south! [emoji3]

I wonder if your body is thinking it is in starvation mode, and holding on to the fat for dear life. I am working to get in 60 mg protein daily via premier protein shakes...I suspect that will help bc like you my solid food intake is pretty limited. I'm down about 20 lb since 3/28. 100 more lbs to go. Also, thinking exercise will jumpstart you again. Check out 7 min app. Keep us posted.

My point was, expected weight loss is at the 2 year mark for everyone across the board. No one is really expected to hit their goal weight at one year. That is the standard, not 1 year. Only people on forums think you have to lose it all in the first year, because of the "honeymoon" period. Which is total BS. Honeymoon period is just an excuse to never learn proper eating habits.

You will probably need a sleep study, EGD, and psych appt for sure as well as medically supervised weight loss classes. But I know my doctor said that some preoperative appts had to be within 6 mos or 3 mos of surgery date. So wait on psych evaluation. But get a sleep study scheduled asap bc this takes the longest.

So, my doctor told me that the insurance will help cover the cost of a tummy tuck if you are having medical issues from it. He said you would have to have seen the doctor and have it documented as you lose the weight that you are having redness, irritation or yeasty issues. Normally, I wouldn't go to my doctor for that as there are otc treatments but if I can get 90% of my procedure covered by my insurance I'll show you my under belly irritation lol. Does anyone know how long after surgery you can have a tummy tuck bc if I can have it around December after surgery end of May I've already met my deductible....

The sick feeling is likely detox. your body is so used to eating a certain way you are in withdrawals. Make sure your are fueling yourself with high protein 5 times a day. The small meals can help keep your blood sugar more stable (which may be causing the sick feeling). Get protein shakes for 2 of those 5 meals (I personally love the pre made premier protein shakes- COSTCO or Walmart has them). Wean yourself. That's what pre op is about. And it's about preparing for post op. This is what you will have to eat like for a very long time to get to goal. Exercise is important too. Walk or use an eliptical. Get your body prepared bc they expect you to walk literally hours after surgery and you want to be ready. I started but cutting out sugar. After a week or so I realized I was just replacing that with carbs (chips, pretzles, etc). Once I had my first appointment, I said to myself, I'm going to lose this weight with or without the surgery and really cleaned up my act. Within a couple of weeks I eliminated all carbs and caffeine and started taking vitamins. the pre-op liquid diet is VERY important for shrinking your liver. The liver lies on your stomach and they need to lift it to perform the surgery. A small liver will make it less risky. It looks like you don't have much more to lose to get you where's they want you. If you are following those liquid-diet guidelines you should be able to get that 12 pounds off before surgery. Good luck to you!

I have been the same weight (was actually up a few pounds-PMS) and I have NOT cheated. I hit ALL my protien goals, my carbs are very low and I surpass my water goals. I take my vitamins and have moved a lot. I'm just getting home from vacation, literally now ( was perfect on vacation) and hoping being home in a more normal routine will break it. My three week mark is tomorrow. I normally wouldn't say ignore your doctor, but I will here. Just keep doing what you are doing and your body will catch up. update- I just weighed myself on my home scale and I'm exactly the same as when I left one week ago. Which means I may be down and pound or so in the morning. I usually weigh myself as soon as I wake up- when I'm my lowest. So I was stalled all week. I wasn't completely sure bc I was away and when I made it to my in laws, she had 2 scales. one scale had me 4 pounds UP 😱 And the other had me at about the same...

I HATE most protien drinks. But I love my premier protien. Walmart has 4 packs and COSTCO has 18 11 oz bottles for lime $25. There are 5 flavors I know of. They have bananas and cream (I hate banana usuallybut this is tolerable), the vanilla is the best vanilla shake I've had (usually another think I hate) and the chocolate is definilty my favorite. I ordered the strawberry flavor on COSTCO.com (like strawberry quick) and caramel which is pretty goodness too. Thing I like is that it's smooth- not gritty or chalky. I haven't found a powder yet that I can get past 2 sips. It is a bit sweet, but you can cut it with almond milk (or any milk really- I just gave up milk bc it made me break out). The dannon oikos greek has 15 gms of protien. You can have cottage cheese. I never did it, but chocolate pudding (sugar free) with a scoop of protien powder. Lasagna bake- basically one egg and one cup of ricotta cheese with Italian seasonings on the bottom of a small glass dish. Top with sugar free (or low sugar) sauce and bake 350 for 25 minutes. I cut that into 4 servings. There are actual recipes out there for it, I just wing it, but that's the basics. Good luck! Find stuff now you like bc you won't want to have nothing when you get to the soft food stage post op.

I am 8 days out and so HUNGRY! I know what head hunger is and that is not what this is. My stomach is growling and the fluids (water, broth of all kinds) & Protein are not filling me up. I can drink about 3/4 cup in less than 15 minutes. I feel full (it doesn't hurt but I can feel the fullness). Less than 20 minutes later I am hungry again. I end up heating up a cup of stuff each time bc I know within a couple hours it will all be gone. Is this normal?!?! I wrote my nutrionist that my surgeon requires me to work with but I honestly think she is a dingbat. I just want more of something....eggs sound so good and maybe some applesauce. I see people that had both the day they left the hospital and I don't understand why the phases of food are so drastic between surgeons. I honestly am depressed that I have to do this another 6 days. It doesn't seem like a long time, but to someone who is hungry it is I am doing really well with recovery. I haven't had pain meds since day 2, I sleep all night like 7 hours at least, I have zero pain. I have been up and living life since day 3. I cut grass, pulled weeds, went shopping, went to an amusement park (no rides though). So I'm being active...I just want to eat!

I just started metimucil last Thursday night and by Saturday I've been going every day 1-2 times per day. I barely went for 2 weeks straight post op. I use the sugar free powder. Prior to surgery I used the capsules from COSTCO but they are too big for me now with my new sleeve. I do 1teaspoon in about 4 oz of water bc you have to drink it pretty fast. Within 5-8 minutes. Then I follow it with some clear fluids. I used benefiber from the day I left the hospital to prevent constipation but it didn't work at all. I liked how it mixed with clear fluids and was basically tasteless, but it didn't do anything for me. I would like to get my fiber from food, but even pre op my diet was FULL of veggies and constipation was a problem, for years! My brother told me about it a couple of years ago and it's the BEST.

So from day 1 I took benefiber 3 times per day and the first few day I took miralax and it just wasn't working. I was going a little, but it wasn't regular or normal. My doc said not to do miralax bc it's just not natural compared to fiber. Well the benefiber did NOTHING. last Thursday, just at the 2 week mark, I bought sugar free metimucil powder. And FINALLY, I'm normal. Every day, once or twice a day since Saturday sorry tmi but I know it's a common problem. i had VSG, so I can't do 2 teaspoons in 8 oz of Water bc you have to drink it fast- or it will thicken too much to drink. So I do 1 teaspoon in 4 oz of water. You still have to drink it quick (5-8 minutes), and then I have some clear fluids after. There are a few calories and carbs, but it is SO WORTH IT! If you are suffering, try it. I don't love drinking it, but it's only 4 oz so I just do it knowing the results!

I won't have a hospital stay Bc I'm having a mini sleeve, it's the same as a gastric sleeve just the procedure is completed differently and is minimally invasive but i will b in recovery for 4 hours. Is there anything that anyone recommends taking with them even tho I will not be staying in the hospital ?

For the person that is pre-op right now wondering if this is really the right decision for you while you struggle with your insurance for coverage, I was you. For the person that is recently post op and has a million and one questions, excitement mixed with regret and is scared to death to drink Bc of that weird, heavy and sometimes painful feeling, I was you. For the person in the first 3 phases after the surgery struggling to get down their protein, water and vitamins in.. or these vitamins, I was you. To the person that is weighing themselves every day, twice a day and finds themselves stalled even though you are doing EVERYTHING right, I was you. To the people on this journey that are learning more and more about themselves every day, finding the strength in will power and the empowerment of eating to live instead of living to eat, gaining back your confidence while on some days still struggling with poor self-consciousness, I am you. This journey began for me 8 months ago, and what a journey thus far.. there has been struggling, feelings of defeat and many tears.. but I would do the VSG again in a heartbeat Bc I have my life back, I am no longer a prisoner in my body and I have grown so much as a person. People sometimes ask me if I have any regrets, the only "regret" that I have is that I didn't do this surgery sooner. Wishing everyone on this journey (pre and post op) support, love, and light. YOU CAN DO THIS! Below is a pic I took the day of surgery August 24, 2016 Next to it is a pic that I took exactly 7 months post op on March 24, 2017 I'm down 68 pounds. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I guess they gave me some meds. As soon as I complained about shoulder pain they fiddled with my iv and the pain was gone in minutes. As for Gas-X, the doc laughed when he saw mine and said all the americans bring that. I never used it because I was never poop chute gassy. In fact for my hysterectomy they made me stay in the hospital an extra day because I had not passed gas and until I did. Whis is weird bc normally I'm gassy. I think the Gas-X is for intestinal gas, methane, CH4. I think the shoulder pain is residual proppant gas, carbon dioxide, CO2. In most chemical reactions the chemistry is important so I guess it is here too, ie Gas- X is intended for CH4 only.

How far out are you and did you have the sleeve? Sometimes I get confused on this forum bc people post in the wrong area. I am 1 week out from the sleeve surgery. I have been tolerating fluids and protein shakes fine. It is hard to get them all in though. I do feel like I could eat real food. I am not hungry, but just feel like I need to put something other than liquid in my body. I don't know if that is normal or not at this point. Honestly at this point I don't even feel as if I had surgery other than being able to see my incisions and knowing I need to only drink liquids. I even went to an amusement park Sunday and walked around all day with no problems. I drove myself to the store yesterday and went shopping. I have cleaned my house numerous times and even cut grass outside with the push mower (it's super light). I am not worried bc I do not hurt at all. I stopped pain meds on day 2 and gas medicine on day 4. I had 2 bowel movements already even with just the liquid phase. I'm starting to wonder if I am abnormal lol and I don't feel like I have lost any weight which is depressing. I refuse to buy a scale though so I am judging by my clothes and my looks. I sometimes wonder how people say they lost 10 to 20 pounds the first week. Just sitting over here bored and wondering if I should have chose bypass instead.

The premier protein shakes are the best for me. They are 30 grams of protien each and packed with vitamins. In the beginning it took me over an hour to sip one down, but now it's about 40 minutes. I try to do 2 each day. I drink Gatorade G2, but I water it down. I like it better then the MIO drops (personally- so many friends love them). So I will pour the Gatorade into 3 different empty 16z bottles of water and then water it down. I do this bc the Gatorade still has calories and carbs and I'm trying to keep my carbs down as low as possible and don't want excess empty calories. I will drink plain water, but I find it hard too. I get my premier protein from COSTCO. Chocolate, vanilla and bananas and cream. They have strawberry and caramel on line. I've heard that Walmart may carry it too in 4 packs. It is WAY more paletable for me then any other protien shake so far. I just haven't found a powder that isn't gritty and gross - but again it's so personal, my friend will ONLY drink the powders. Vitamins are important too. I use patches (patchmd.com) and today was the first time since surgery I didn't wear them...and I felt like crap. Needed a nap and if I wasn't visiting family, I would have stayed asleep...so I think they are helping with my energy. The patches I love bc it's one less thing to factor into my day of "eating" and drinking. But get in you FLUID! Dehydration is one of the most frequent complications from surgery and it can be prevented (most of the time) with some effort. And believe me, I feel you, it was effort. I set alarms to remind myself to take sips and eat. lol. I hope you feel better. It takes some time, but focus on healing and the protien and fluids will help the healing.

I'm going in tomorrow, Richmond BC. How are you doing? Who was your surgeon?

Following bc I'm hoping to be in your shoes next year. And just wanted to say congrats on your weight loss. 100 pounds! Awesome!

Just got mine on April 6 in Richmond BC

I feel great! I just finished up 5 days in Disney World doing 8-12 hour days at tha parks, pushing 75 pound stroller. Lol. I did most rides except I pushed it a bit with the Big thunder Mountain, comes to an abrupt stop and I was a tiny bit sore. Day one after surgery I felt crappy. I had to be up by 5am for my surgery so I was definilty tired later in the day. I thought I would be up and walkin laps around the place (bc a few people I knew had been just after surgery). I was 2 hours post op and like I'm ready to go, let's walk!! And then 1/2 way down the hall I was like, ok let's go back. 😂 But every 2 hours (even overnight) I got up and walked, each time going further and more steady. I passed my swallow test with no problem and tolerated the water, protein shake and jello, so I wasn't out by 1:00 the next day. They said to catch up on my sleep on my first day home and then I could go to the gym and they wanted as much moving as possible. I don't go to the gym, but I used my eliptical every couple of hours for 5-15 minutes day one and then every couple of hours for 10-20 the next. That helped so much with the gas pain. My gas pain wasn't that bad and was totally gone by day 3. I did use a few gasX strips each day, but I'm not sure if it helped, but it couldn't hurt. I was driving by day 3, but sore and tired. Since I have kids I couldn't take the narcotics too much (driving, etc) but I took Tylenol during the day and the oxy at night for the first 2 nights home. I went back to work day 4, but my work pants hurt my incisions (yoga pants we so comfy that I didn't factor in a belt and sitting at a desk) so I only made it 3-4 hours. But day 7 I was back normally with no problems. My only complication so far was a wicked rash that formed on my abdomen. I took benedryl each night (again can't get doped up on meds when you've got kids depending on you). They weren't sure what was causing it, because it wasn't really around the incisions, lightly all over but heavy on my sides. But it started to get super itchy near the incisions and the glue was coming off (after 8-9 days) so I peeled it off and the next day the rash improved and after that nearly gone. So I'm thinking it was an allergic reaction to the glue they used OR from the stitches. Either way, if that's my worst complication I'll be blessed. It WAS hard to get my protein and water in those first 2 days, but I make it my business to get it in. I over pack stuff for work and travel just to be safe and I track EVERTHING on baritastic (app). That's the most user friendly app for me personally and has been a very valuable tool. As far as weight loss, I'm hopeful. I'm away now, and I have. Even perfect on my diet. I ordered shakes and had them delivered to the hotel along with some foods I can have (yogurt, cheese) but I will see tomorrow when I weigh in at my mother in laws house. One big thing I WAS NOT prepared for was the weight gain after surgery. I was UP about 6-8 pounds on my home scale the day I came home. This apparently is common bc they have you on IV from an hour or so before surgery until a few minutes before discharge (which for me, was about 30 hours straight. I lost that over the first 4-5 days and now I'm about 10 pounds down from surgery. Since pre-op (about 4 weeks ago) I'm down 20 But I FEEL good. I have energy. I already look visibly better in clothes. I'm starting to see my old shape I'm not sure if they work, but I take biotin pills (COSTCO) and vitamin patches (patchmd.com) calcium/Vit D, B-12 and multi vitamin, and biotin plus. I told my PA at the office and she said other patients had good results, so I'm hopeful and I think they are helping with my energy. I'm praying they keep my hair fro falling out, but I've read that it says futile lol Don't overpack for the hospital. Just comfy clothes to walk in (I'm not a fan of the gown. And comfy clothes for the car ride home (and a pillow to hold over your stomach for the ride home). Someone posted about dry mouth here and it was helpful. It's NO JOKE. I packed a dry mouth spray and that was good. You can't swallow, but 2 sprays was soaked up immediately in my dry mouth- yuk. I'm typing on my phone half asleep- so sorry if there are typos

Thank you so much for the info!! I'm glad to finally hear good outcomes ! I feel like I need to stop following the FB groups bc it's nothing but complaining and horror stories!

I agree with James completely and was given the same advice prior to my surgery. I was a Starbucks junkie and gave it up, along with sugar and carbs leading into the pre-op diet. EVERYONE is different. Just like childbirth, you hear the horror stories from some and the ones who gave birth and were cooking Christmas dinner later that day. It's exactly the same. I went in the a "can-do" attitude bc the few personal people I knew were up and about so quick and easy. The one guy said he had NO pain and did 20 laps around the hospital floor right after surgery (and I spoke to him one week post-op). So I thought it would be the same for me....not so much. I got up ready to go 2 hours post op and fizzled out 1/2 way down the hall. Lol. That being said, each time I got up I went further and faster and was out the next day at home. I barely used the pain meds, but was definilty sore (but nothing horrible, I was just mostly weak and groggy) and my gas pains were GONE by day 3. I walked every day on my eliptical about 5 times a day for 5-25 minutes each to keep circulating and get the gas out. I think it's good to know the extremes going into it, and hope for the best case scenario. That way you are prepared. But don't focus on the bad stuff...I'm not sure why people want to freak people out when they went through the same thing. I remember the excitement leading up to it though, it was like getting married or having a baby-lol. But I was VERY scared. I never had a surgery before and I was second guessing myself thinking something bad would happen and it was just because I couldn't lose weight on my own. But I kept my eye on the prize and know that the risk was with the reward. And my kids would have a better mom and my husband would have a better wife (not just my body, but my lifestyle and health). Im just over 2 weeks out and I feel better already (of course I was prepping for a month or so prior to surgery so it's been about 6 weeks of better habits). Good luck to you!

Hi all, My sleeve surgery is scheduled for May 8th. When I met with the surgeon last week to schedule the surgery, the first thing he asked me when he walked in the room was "so why the sleeve?" I answered him and he proceeded to tel me that he thinks bypass would be better for me because on the sleeve, I will most definitely get heartburn for the remainder of my life, also that bc i have a family history of diabetes, that with the sleeve I am more likely in 10 to 15 years to still develop diabetes, and lastly that with my height and weight and getting the sleeve, I will only ly lose about 5 lbs but with the bypass, i will lose around 60 to 80. I have foe a lot of research and found that the sleeve is the best option for me and I stuck to my guns, even as he stared me down waiting for me to change my mind. But now I second guessing my sleeve decision and thinking the bypass would be better for me. Anyone have any experience with this dilemma? Thanks in advance

I had surgery on April 4 and feel great. The first 24 hours was hard as I kept vomiting blood. I refused pain meds and all the sudden the vomiting stopped. My last dose of pain meds was late afternoon April 5. I got out the hospital April 6 and came home. I feel like my normal self. I keep forgetting my incisions are there and will go to do something (vacum, laundry, just bend down) & then they become sore for a few seconds. The surgeon told me it would take a lot for them to open though and there is no blood so I'm not stressing it. I have been shopping and today went to an amusement park (no rides for me though just walking). The only problem I am having is not getting enough fluids in. I'm finding it so hard no matter how much I sip sip sip and I'm hungry....not head hungry...I'm hungry. I'm not starving, but I feel like I could actually eat. I have not got on a scale bc honestly the number is not what matters to me. I just want to look in the mirror and say "hot damn" and feel better (energy wise). I can say that at this moment I do not feel any different weight wise.