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Thanks for your support! May 9th is not too far either. I go back on all Protein diet on Friday. Have been doing at 2-3 protien shakes anyway so shoudn't be that hard! How is your pre-op diet going, comeflywithme?

I think a lot of us have some similarities. I didn't purge, but I was a huge fried food, fast food, sweets girl myself. After surgery (I'm 13 weeks out) food just doesn't have the same appeal. It's hard to explain how, but my hunger feels different too. I have all I can do to get my 2-3 oz of Protein in each meal, never mind the extra veggies or carbs I should be trying to add. Best of luck to you!

So I went into my 1st consult today nervous as heck because the first place I went to said even though I'm self pay they would have to check with the Doctor and Finance dept. due to my BMI only being 35-ish and my weight 198.8 lbs this was yesterday and I was so pissed, because I just didn't and still don'g understand why you have to get sick before they will approval you, which is what I'm trying to prevent from weight. My mother and most of her side of the family have suffered illnesses due to being overweight and her and a few of her siblings have passed away with these issues and it was mainly due to their weight that caused the health issues. Nonetheless, I remember my mother telling me and my sisters some time before she died to please never let out weight get out of control because its caused her so much grief with her health. So of course I see myself getting bad off and try to prevent it to only be told a possible NO by the first doctors office, but the prayers of two are more always have been in my grace and calling those things as though they are have surely helped, so back to the story I was talking to a lady that I've been chatting with on this site and asked her to pray with me and rather she did or didn't she was very positive and said it will be ok and it would go better at this second appt. today and BOY or BOY was she right and I thank God for her and this site because I was LIVID yesterday to the point of crying, but ranting to her helped me calm down and realize who " has the final yes or no to my life and situation and that would be "GOD"he will align things according to his will. I truly feel now that it wasn't meant for me to get the yes from the 1st doctors office not that I got a NO, but this is the main doctor that I wanted to say yes this appt. from today and he did even though I was keeping my options open in case he said no and he said YES! I'm so happy. He meaning the doctor said he mainly want me to do the Endoscopy and if that is good and for me to get a release from the PCP and he will move forward with my surgery. Also, the 2nd part of this good news is I though the it would cost around $28k because of what the first placed told me and so I planned for that only to find out from this second doctor t today that it would be in the range of $16k plus the cost of the Endoscopy maybe another $3k-4k unsure of the cost of those anyway it would be nice if my insurance could be billed for that but, I'm not sure I have to find out when they call me with my first appt. and they also, setup all the appts. such as Psychologist, Dietician, EKG & Labs and the Endoscopy for me so I'm believing and trusting that all that will be fine since I don't have any issues or co-morbidies which is why my insurance wouldn't cover it however back in 2011 I had acid reflux he want to ensure all is good with that I'm sure it is as my doctor took me off the meds for this and late 2011 only on meds for a few months before it was better, but I did stop eating tangy foods which I think helped me. So I just wanted to share my story and say how thankful I am for this site and the wonderful people I've encountered on it. I won't mention the lady name but I'll say thanks BUNNY you know who you are! WHEN PRAYERS go UP BLESSINGS COME DOWN! 😀 Sorry in advance for any typo's, I was ECSTATIC when typing.

I was sleeved June 18--so I'm living into Day 4. I'm on Clear liquids and I'm supplementing some with Protein powder added to skim milk. So, pain. I remembered something my surgeon said to me when he was checking me out of the hospital. He pointed to a white board marker when I asked what size my new stomach is now. Then he said, 'Of course, there's internal and external swelling for two to three weeks. What you're dealing with inside your new stomach is a space about the width and length of a PENCIL." That's stuck with me when I'm sipping along. A pencil. A PENCIL. It's kept me out of a lot of pain. Just thought I'd share.... Hope everyone is well!

I am just over 4 weeks out and have lost 50 lbs. so far. SUppose to have 100-110 gr of protein a day. Switched over to the long term vitamins/calcium the about a week and a half ago which is about the time my syptoms started. I have been very tired or rather weak feeling and a loss of balance. I was thinking it could be stress as a lot is going on right now but just not sure. Mostly getting my protein in but not the full amount everyday. Probably average about 80-100 a day. I will probably contact my Dr. today but I am not scheduled to see him again until the 8th. Just wanted to know if this was normal at this stage of the process before I "blow the whistle"..

during my pre-op diet I was only able to have protein shakes, broth and vegetables....my nutritionist told me if I was extremely hungry I could have a hard boiled egg

Wow this is totally speaking to me. I realize after reading this I have been slacking on my protein intake too! Thanks for posting this reminder..

isopure dutch chocolate powder at GNC is yummy and 50 grams of protein with two scoops . add water and i add two packets of splenda . its good and im not hungry pre-op on it.

Thank you for your post. I am only 2 weeks post surg. I lost 13 the first week and this week went up 1 pound and holding. I even tried starving myself for a whole day. Nothing happened. I'll try more protein. thks!

At three months out from surgery my hair started coming out 3-4 times the amount it has for years. I have always met or exceeded my protein requirements but it is still coming out. I think this is because of the few weeks I was so limited following surgery. Granted, my hair loss has finally slowed down a bit; however, I continue to lose a little every day. I know it will grow back. I've added a biotin supplement from GNC to my diet to help hair, skin and nails so I'm not sure if my body has finally balanced out since surgery or what. All I do know is that I will continue biotin as a part of my daily regimen until I see a change in the fullness of my hair. Everyone hang in there; I know we'll survive it's just waiting for the turn around for full hair again. (Naturally curly here; have ONLY used shampoo, conditioner and an over the counter V05 hot oil treatment every six months. Never even considered coloring due to the damage it can cause to some people's hair.) I know... WE WILL SURVIVE!

My sister bought me one of these cookbooks for Christmas, and I finally got around to sitting down and looking through it. The author really seems focused on low-calorie, high-Protein options. Certainly, not all of her recipes are WLS-friendly, but I was surprised at the number that were. We had Stuffed Chick Cordon Bleu tonight. I had half a serving for 95 calories with 17g of protein! My boyfriend has actually already bought me 2 more of her books! I just thought I'd share in case someone else was looking for something new to try!

Has anyone tried Protein NRG? It's protein flavored water - I just saw it on Shark Tank. It's sold at Walgreens. Has anyone tried it? I'm going to go get some tomorrow. I'm hopeful. I do NOT like Crystal Light. I had one flavor I liked (Raspberry Peach Fiber) but it's discontinued! This company makes watermelon flavored water. Yum! Check it out. I'll report back tomorrow. http://www.pronrgusa.com/

Thanks, DeAna. I visited my primary today who sells Ideal protein. Got some cream of chicken soup with 21 grams of protein per serving. Fill a little more satisfied today.

Personally, I wouldn't take my own food into a restaurant, unless it was a Protein shake. You can always order soup and enjoy that. Since you can't consume much, it won't really matter. I've heard of wls patients being allowed to pay child's price for a buffet, but I doubt they will allow you in with your own food. I am curious though how it works out.

I was just starting mushy foods at your stage...I remember that my NUT's main advice at that point was to get fluids in, so I would say you are on track there...I might have been eating more like 400-500 calories per day around 3 weeks out, but I was having more problem getting fluids in than soft foods and protein

Everyone is different. Based on the experiences of others I have read I'd say your experience is normal. I am 3 & 1/2 weeks post op and I can eat about 2 oz of soft food per meal. I get in around 550-600 cal a day. Honestly I wish I couldn't eat so much so maybe I could move past this slump (refuse to call it a stall] I have! As for Protein, can you get unflavored protein and add it to Soups? I started doing this. I also have my daily shake, some meat and greek yogurt. I try to hit 70 grams a day as a goal. All of this is based on my guidelines. The fluids are important too so you don't get dehydrated.

Well I'm 30+, however, I got pregnant a year after my band. I just wanted to reassure you that the band will not interfere w/ your pregnancy. I did not require any unfills, but that is always an option if you or baby are not doing well/growing sufficiently. That's the beauty of the band-it's flexible. Good luck in your endeavors

Check out this video of my journey. Also the other links below will show you to other areas where I talk about my journey and you can get in touch with me personally with any questions. I am more than happy to talk with you if you need any advice or help. It is truly the most amazing thing I have ever done. I am one year out and down almost 210lbs. I am doing things I never dreamed possible. The only thing I will urge you to do is to do your research. You need to know exactly what you are getting yourself into. I researched all aspects of the different kinds of surgical options, the preparation, recovery, hospital experience, and diet. I knew exactly what I was in for both good and bad. In this process, knowledge is power. I promise though, if you do this, it will be the single most amazing thing and gift you can give to yourself. The process will be the most incredible journey and you will meet some of the most inspiring people you will ever get to know. There has not been a day that has gone by, good or bad, since my surgery that I have not regretted not doing it sooner. You are still young and can enjoy your new life and your new body. If I can help in any way or you have additional questions, please let me know. I am an open book. You can contact me at the links below and be sure to check out the video of my journey so far. http://youtu.be/7lhcbypslHQ @Fat2FitBlue Blog: http://wakingupfromh...s.blogspot.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook...ealjonathanblue

It sounds like you are at the front end of the process so I will discuss the steps along the way from my experience. I attended an introductory seminar at a hospital that specialized in bariatric surgery. In this seminar, the various types of surgery were discussed, I underwent an initial screening, I met with the surgeon and selected the surgery, and I met with the liaisons on insurance. Insurance is an important consideration for this type of surgery. My insurance required that I undergo a 6 month medically supervised weight loss and exercise program in order to qualify. So I began this program. I underwent a mandatory psychological review to see if I would qualify. Many of the weight loss problems have a psychological component to them. I began attending free bariatric surgery support group meetings once per month. I began to diet and exercise on a daily program. I went cold turkey on caffeine and carbonated beverages. I had been on a 6 diet-coke per day habit for many decades. I went through a week of terrible withdrawal syndromes after I went cold turkey. After 6 months my insurance indicated that I qualified for the surgery. I underwent a one day pre-op physical exam to uncover any physical problems that might endanger my operation or recovery. These uncovered a few problems, so I underwent a second round of pre-op exams with specialist in their respective fields to resolve these issues. I attended a one-day training session that went into fine detail about the surgery, the vitamin/protein/fluid/meal volume allocation after surgery. I underwent a RNY gastric bypass operation 17 months ago. I lost 110 pounds. I am now at 150 pounds. My diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, frequent urination problems, profuse sweating have all gone into remission. In clothes, I went from a size 3X in shirts down to a size small. In pants, I went from a size 46 down to a size 33.

BEEF JERKY -> An 80g bag gives 50g protein with no carbs (dont get the candied or added sugar jerky). Only downside is high sodium content, but as a snack, if you eat half a bag, you'll be okay.

Wow really. Was it a difficult process to have it approved? How did you go about getting the insurance? Can you give me as much info so i can look into this option. Thank you

:rolleyes:I'm here. I couldn't get in to my own journal this weekend. I could read everyone elses but my own. ODD. So, it's day 17 and I am down 16 pounds. I can handle a pound a day. I know this wont keep up as I have been starting to incorporate real foods back in to my otherwise semi-squishy foods. Today I had 2 scrambled eggs, 1 chunk of mozzarella cheese, a protein shake, applesauce, yogurt, and 1.5 stuffed shells. After eating the stuffed shells, I went to the gracery store and didnt feel so great. I came home and made some shepards pie for my lunch or dinner tomorrow (we'll see how I feel at lunch). When I eat "real" food, I get light-headed and gross feeling for about 2 hours after. I was feeling crappy but now I feel fine. Thats just another thing to ask the doc about. I am on the "early" shift at work for the next 2 weeks. I hate the 7am but love the 4pm. Today was quiet since the giraffe wasnt there and pretty much all of the insurance co's that I must deal with were closed. I got a lot done. There was minimal drama today. Usually Mondays are drama-filled since the weekend has occured. I am off to shower and play with my doggie... then nighty-nites.:redface:

I loved my protein shakes before they became the only thing I could eat all day long. 4 protein shakes a day and nothing else makes me cranky and sick of the protein shakes.

@WishMeSmaller: thought i’d add another endorphin-producer suggestion: SWIMMING! I had my first lesson of a swim class I enrolled in this morning (aside: i already know how to swim, I just want to swim PROPERLY and basically look as smooth and effortless as Mr. & the Kid...i am currently a very ugly, inefficient and “splashy” swimmer so I joined to learn proper form, lol...but I digress...) Anyhoo, one of the drills we did was laps with a pull buoy, which basically nullifies the use of your legs and forces you to rely on your upper body and core...and man, what a workout! Cardio and arms and back! I didn’t feel it in the core as much as i thought i would, but i think its because I wasn’t doing it properly. May be an option for you while u wait ur injury out? Your foot can get a break from gravity and excessive use, while still getting some exercise in...

I understand where you are coming from 100%! I'm always hungry and that has been ongoing since a week after surgery. I can ignore it which I often do, because anything solid makes me feel sick and in pain. The only relief I feel is when I get it out. I still can't eat anymore than one or two bites of anything, and salad is still not sitting. But.... There is a light at the end of this tunnel! Soup!! It is the only thing that not only stays down, it doesn't hurt! I am a huge fan of the bean and bacon soup. It tastes great, and the beans offer the much needed protein we sometimes don't get. Also, I've found sticking my bottle of water in the freezer for an hour forms some ice and makes it easier to drink. The cold feels pretty good on my pissy pouch! Also, I'd you are craving something green, I've found making any kind of greens ( I prefer mustard) and subbing the hocks with a smoked turkey leg and maybe a wing or two, gives you a healthy broth and some protien. Really taste wonderful as well. Good luck. It's all about learning and we are all doing it together.