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I haven't had any flare ups with the PKD, so I haven't had to take steroids. I've been pretty lucky so far, but as I age, things can change. It's a weird disease; no cure, but many people don't even know they have it and end up dying from something else. Even still, the last CT scan showed that my kidneys are enlarged with all the cysts, but there isn't really anything to do, unless the labs start to show impairment of function or they see protein in my urine. For now, it's just a bit of flank pain.....which comes and goes. I just have to be careful and clear all prescription drugs through my nephrologist. I take Meloxicam for joint pain, which he says is a huge no no. I'll have to figure that one out. Though I don't take it every day, it's been a wonder drug for me; the difference between painful/miserable walks, to being able to walk my dog for close to an hour without wanting to lay down in the middle of the street and cry. I've never heard of the IF diet, but I just looked it up online. It's very interesting. My husband stopped eating dinner a couple of months ago, and dropped a good amount of weight. He wasn't following that plan, but just decided to stop eating at around 4pm. It's worked well for him. I do have thyroid issues and have been taking meds for many years. I'm hypo-thyroid and have Hashimotos disease. My numbers are good on the dose of Synthroid I'm on, so I've got that part covered. I'm going to work with the nutritionist at my surgeon's office. I love her and she can help me get on an eating plan that works at this stage. This might be TMI, but I had a total hysterectomy a year before my band surgery, and it's 5 times harder to lose the same pound than it was before menopause and losing my ovaries. I remember "older" people always telling me to lose the weight while I'm young; it's much harder when you're older. I was young and cocky and didn't believe them. HA! And here I am.......struggling along Thanks for your input, FluffyChix - I appreciate it When did you have your surgery? I see you live in Texas. I'm in California, and we've been talking about possibly relocating to someplace around Austin (Hill Country), when we retire in a couple of years.

I started at a 46G and I am now in a 38DD after losing almost 90 lbs. I have to admit, they do not look good. I am 35 and my nipples point south. Yes, TMI, but losing weight hasn't really helped the way my boobs look naked, though I look a LOT better clothed. For me, breasts have always been the first place I gain, and the first place I lose. They apparently have been through too much over the years and have given up

I had the gastric sleeve on Nov. 29th. I am doing well except the constipation is horrible! I take colace twice a day and today is day 4 with no bowel movement (sorry for the TMI). I am wondering what others use to help with this? I am feeling so bloated. I have milk of magnesia, and some generic laxative pills i got from CVS pharmacy, also have miralax in the house. I am not sure what I can take. I called the Dr office but with it being Friday late in the day the MA said she would call me after she gets an answer, which may not be until Monday. I don't think I can go that long without this making me sick. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I drink at least 80 oz of water a day so its not that. Thank you all in advance.

Hi, yes you all were right. I did get enough pills to last me several days. I just wound up taking one. Hopefully, they will make me drowsy and will fall asleep. Maybe this is TMI but I have been peeing so much because of the IV fluids and every time I finally get comfortable in my chair, I have to get up to use the bathroom. I just had a really nasty protein shake (chocolate mint) but of course I am still hungry, lol! The shake was just a sample I purchased. Thank God it wasn't a big container.

Just found this thread... I still douche - but only after my period ends. I hate the end-of-period smell! TMI Alert - I also douche after more "active" periods of sex, because depending on what my DH eats, his semen smells funny after we have sex. Not the same day, but the next day...if we're going at it like bunnies, I find I WANT to do it more, but an external wash with soap and Water will usually take care of it. I find it interesting that there is advice NOT to do it...my mom was a Nurse and she recommended it to me because she did it. Not sure there was a medical backing for it back then, and by the postings here, there isn't one now. Because I'm a type II diabetic, I am more prone to yeast infections, but when my blood sugar is under control, I have no problems and since being banded, I haven't had a single one.

1) Protein. I get 90% of my calories from pure protein. I completely avoid carbs like the black plague. I snack on chicken, and whatever I can get my hands on. Yesterday for lunch I had pulled pork bbq, 3 oz and I was done, saved the rest and ate it again for dinner. No sides, no bread, nadda. The bbq was more than enough. 2) Routine is my bff. I know what I'm going to eat every single day before I leave the house, I leave nothing for imagination and I workout with other people so even if I'm not feeling motivated to do it, I know they are waiting on me to show up- there for I actually do my workouts religously. 3) Here's the tough love. I commit to at least 1 FULL HOUR EVERY SINGLE DAY to working out. Math says it takes 3500 calories to burn 1 lbs of fat, even on a low calorie diet and your BMR helping to burn some calories that still a LOT Of calories that you need to burn. 4) READ the guru's. I've read Jillian Michaels and Bob Harpers books, I've read Oprah's trainers, I've read all the top hollywood trainers books. I've educated myself thoroughly and there are several key things THEY ALL AGREE ON: A) To lose weight you must work out a MINIMUM of 1 hour 6 days a week and it must be intense, not lolly gagging- doesn't matter if it's running, walking, elliptical or what you got to make it intense and get your heart rate to 120. B.) Weight lifting is NECESSARY. At least 3 times a week for 30 minutes at max weight. All the trainers said it, if you want to change your metabolism it starts with weights. Muscle burns more fat. There for increase your muscle. If you rotate a day of weight lifting for cardio, or add them both in for a 2 hour workout 6 days a week, magical things might happen. C) Carbs are the enemy. They all agree. We are a carb heavy society. And because of our sleeves now is the time to back away slowly and reconsider them later. Eat a very heavy protein diet. D) Sugars are the enemy. And you know what I'm talking about. Even the Protein shakes are full of crap. Time to step back drink h20 (and none of the other crap) and focus on Proteins again. I will miss my smoothies and my fudigcles and my occassional sweet tooth cravings, but do want to lose weight or not? E) DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT eat after 7pm. Water ONLY. sleeping on a full stomach, partially full, or any thing at all in your stomach will screw with your metabolism in your sleep. Just don't do it. Maybe masters swimming and water polo are my saving grace, but I know several people who've had success with trainers, workout buddies, etc. It's HARD. Period. No matter who we are to get this done. It takes time and commitment. I have PCOS (PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome which has been a huge factor in why I needed the VSG- my body cannot regulate my hormones or my insulin), and I have always gained between 7 and 10 lbs on my period (sorry guys for the TMI but weight gain is true for the vast majority of women). If I only fluctuate by a pound or so I will be delighted. So this week I'm easing up on myself and just training and ignoring my numbers as they will most likely go up. BE AWARE of your cycles and get a calendar. Start tracking on your calendar, calories consumed, when your period is, when your PMS'ing (which is when your hormones start to surge and the first onset of weight gain pre-period happens) and watch what happens. You might be bloating because you're so close to your cycle. I also get horrific acne- which right now is pretty bad :/ so that's my indicator mother nature is about to come kick my a$$. I work out a LOT. A minimum of 2 to 5 hours a day and that's why I've been dropping numbers. I know a lot of people cannot commit to that, but I'm doing with with a packed schedule and a kid because my health is #1. It's time for me. THIS IS MY TIME. And I don't have anymore time in my life to waste. I'm being as completely proactive as possible. Hope this helps!

Ah, OK. I haven't really had any so I guess that's why I haven't searched for solutions. Don't get me wrong, I have the gas, lol. Accompanied by a lovely diarrhea (TMI), but no pain or even feelings of the gas. Sometimes I hear it gurgling :girl_hug:

Well, to be honest, .................... WARNING, TMI I woke up with "ROBERTA, YOUR SURGERY IS OVER" and a nurse sticking a suppository up my you-know-what!!! (hey! exit only!!). I don't recover well from anesthetic. I've been under the knife about seven times and I guess this is just the way my body handles the medication. I was very much out of it. I didn't have a "fun" stoned feeling, you know, "wow man, I feel goooooooodddd zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz" (god it's been YEARS since I felt like that! HA HAAA). First thing I felt was the pain around my sternum from where the port was placed. Soon after my chest started hurting...intense pressure and pain under my ribcage......it hurt to breathe .. they sat me up which helped a bit, but it didn't go away so they gave me some percocet (spelling??). It was quite painful until after the meds kicked in. The chest pain was really something. The port incision felt very raw. The narcotics made me breathe really shallow so I was in and out of consciousness and remember telling myself to not forget to breathe. I would say it took a good four hours post-op for me to be able to stand up on my own. The chest pains were reduced by about 50% by sitting and standing up. Then of course that night I got all hyper, just like my anesthesiologist warned me (something about the mixture of the anesthetic and another med they give to patients before they go under causes hyperactivity). Felt great, no pain. HTH

Sorry if TMI, but who else can I ask? Doing protein shakes and was so happy to finally that delicious premier protein drink you guys recommended , except about thirty minutes after at work I had to run to the bathroom ... this didn’t happen when I tried it yesterday. Never happens with Bariatric advantage... happened a couple times with other drinks like quest and iconic protein. As you can tell my dr didn’t give me much of a pre or post op consultation . Also what is “dumping “

Oh my just weighed myself today. I have gained 4 pounds can’t seem to get them off I do not know what to do. I am exercising and eating right. My surgery is February 7th. I am so worried that if I don’t lose the weight they will cancel my surgery. Any one ever had surgery cancelled? I am to start my period (sorry TMI) soon and I think that is why I am bloated, but will they understand that? Any advice?

Ya. I an drinking liquids but since the gas pains I'm having it feels like I am swallowing big bulls when its just sips. I get a horrible pain my shoulder...but I think it just all leads back to the gas bubble. I'm having problems with hunger too...I'm not hungry but I feel like I should be eating something...drinking something I guess lol. ya I can't shower til Sunday and I will just have my mom take my bandages off. to make matters worse this might be tmi but I am on my period too so instead of tampons. I just resorted to page. my nurses were worried that u bled a lot but I told them no worries...just mother nature lmao. just keep walking around and start doing things urself. its a better healing time add faster too. best of luck to u!

For me, if that was the case, I would never be able to eat. Seriously, I slime badly over minimal things. Foods that I do great with one day, I can't even get one tiny bite down the next day and it isn't about my band being to tight. I have a fickle esophagus. Warning **** TMI **** TMI Ahead****** Yesterday I had tiny piece of chicken for a snack and for 2 hours I had issues with it. I barfed 6-8 times and nothing came up but slime and a bit of discolored or should I say, chicken colored slime. This type of thing, not necessarily this bad, happens at least 5 times a week. I've gone to liquids for 24 hours after an episode and it makes no difference when I go back to regular food or even soft foods again. It is hit or miss. Drives me nuts! :grouphug:

Thanks so much for the support, kids! I'm definitely feeling better, but I'm VERY sore and bruised. I didn't bruise at all with my RNY. Not sure what touched it off. I had a few sips of diet Ocean Spray and I immediately felt a wave of nausea. I went upstairs and lay down for a little bit and within 30 minutes I had to go throw up. Then it was like clockwork. Nothing was coming up, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't keep anything at all down. The nasty stuff you have to drink for a CAT scan was the worst. I was able to hold it down for the scan, but when they wheeled me down for the ultrasound, the motion made me violently ill. That was the closest thing to puking my guts up that I've ever experienced. I know it came from below my pouch because more than a pouch full came up. Sorry if TMI. I was SO ready to go to the ER when they came to get me at 9 am Friday.I usually have nothing but good to say about St. Peter's, but this time was different. They had trouble with my IV so they put it in the crook of my elbow, rendering my arm useless. Four more failed attempts in my wrist left me with a nasty bruise. Then while I was in the OR, they started a new one in the top of my hand, but they left the other one in! It kept poking my bicep and I almost took it out myself. Then, the icing on the cake was that they brought me a dry ass hamburger on a white bread bun for lunch yesterday! SERIOUSLY?! LOL! But as always, the nursing and medical staff were top notch. Now I don't feel like eating much at all. My ribs are still sore from wretching so hard. and now I probably don't have that little string in my incision anymore since they went back into that one! I just can't believe it took me down so fast. My gall bladder was fine in December.

It is dangerous to weigh yourself outside of a formatted timeframe! I wear light clothing, and weigh at the exact same time of day every other day. I do not eat or drink before doing so as well. Something I've learned over the many years of dieting! I can lose so much wind in my sails when I have a moment of weakness and step on the scale when I already had first thing in the morning, after my morning tinkle and before coffee even standing next to nekkid. Ok, TMI sure - but that's how I roll! Anyway, when I go outside this routine and I see I'm up a few pounds I really beat myself up. I try super hard not to weigh myself any other time! It brings me way down.

This may be tmi lol but when I find the scale has not dropped (and I’m not in a stall) I find I need to have a BM. Sometimes I’m constipated. So have to take things to help. Then I rewrite and I’m like aww there it is lol the correct number

The two week diet actually made my body freak out too where I was just kind of bleeding but enough to require feminine products (sorry, TMI?) and subsequently made this period technically 17 days long. How miserable! So I had surgery when it was still the end of the cycle -- thankfully, and yes, dealing with tampons was a pain. Especially with having to pee so much from the IV fluids. Just hope your body gets this period completely out of the way before surgery! (:

Hi guys...Monday was filled with ups and downs. Came out of surgery in a lot of pain from gas that pain meds couldn't do anything about. Slept then i got gas medicine then I felt better but then the nausea took over like crazy. I was so nauseated I couldn't even speak. Next day felt much better walked around and then I got discharged. At home pain was worst from incisions but now I'm doing better.. Thank God for forts that's all I can say for now. I know that TMI but for future sleevers that's the best advice ever. I hope everyone is doing well and hanging in there...Later

Thank you, everyone! Y'all are too kind! My surgery was 2.28.13 - My skin has done well for the most part. TMI but my breast seem to have deflated but they needed work before surgery so fret not. Toning exercises are really important, no one could stress that to me enough!

That was actually one of the things I talked about in my preop psych evaluation. Culturally, black men appreciate a more voluptuous frame. When I was young and thin, everybody in my family tried to fatten me up. What most consider fat, we consider "thick". So yes yes and yesssss. @@mschan218 get ready to lose it girl. I haven't lost it all but I'm only 4 months out too. I had a nice butt before weight gain but I don't think its going to hold up much longer. I had a 38/23/42 measurement in high school mid 20's it was more like 40/26/45. So always small waist bottom heavy. @@losergrl75 my hubby met me in high school I was about 125 with those measurements. When we married 5 years later I was 125. So he's used to a smaller me... however he's really grown fond of BBW. I mean really. Like TMI his porn of choice is BBW. I'm afraid although this man has loved me through it all that I will not be as attractive to him. I know that's just my personal issue but it lingers...

I am just wondering if anyone had to do a bowel prep prior to surgery? I am supposed to drink Magnesium Citrate which is basically a liquid laxative. Sorry for TMI, I am just wondering if anyone else had to do the same thing.

A 'Weenkie' in fact, still do and he's 15...LOL, my son still holds on to it...In fact, I asked him yesterday what he has done that he wouldn't want me knowing about (because we were having a laid back conversation and he was confessing that he used to play with fire when I was at work!!!!!) and he said, ummm...besides masturbating all the time!!! LOL he's a joker, but that was TMI

I'm 2wkb post op..... How much is too much? I know it's normal but it seems like everything I put in my mouth including water just.....well has me going right away. Sent from my Pixel XL using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey Biggie, Welcome to the forum. The first 5 days, I was convinced that I had made a mistake. I hurt (gall bladder came out, too), I felt like a balloon, and I was scared to drink too much. I had a real turn-around at day 8, and I've felt great ever since. Gas-X, lots of walking, and I don't measure my Water. I drink to keep my urine clear or very pale. Probably TMI, but it works for me.

That was actually one of the things I talked about in my preop psych evaluation. Culturally, black men appreciate a more voluptuous frame. When I was young and thin, everybody in my family tried to fatten me up. What most consider fat, we consider "thick". So yes yes and yesssss. @@mschan218 get ready to lose it girl. I haven't lost it all but I'm only 4 months out too. I had a nice butt before weight gain but I don't think its going to hold up much longer. I had a 38/23/42 measurement in high school mid 20's it was more like 40/26/45. So always small waist bottom heavy. @@losergrl75 my hubby met me in high school I was about 125 with those measurements. When we married 5 years later I was 125. So he's used to a smaller me... however he's really grown fond of BBW. I mean really. Like TMI his porn of choice is BBW. I'm afraid although this man has loved me through it all that I will not be as attractive to him. I know that's just my personal issue but it lingers... I totally get where you're coming from. I also met my hubby in hs when I weighed about 110 soaking wet. So he has seen me small, big and every weight in between. But he definitely loves thick women. He's in the fitness industry, so he thinks Serena Williams body is hot! Sent from my XT1565 using the BariatricPal App

Fallon I don't think I have told him how much better our sex will be but I will do that tonight we have good sex now but I am limited to what I can and want to do tmi I know but I want to be able to give him the best and here lately I don't even want to have sex cause.I'm thinking of what I look like and what he thinks of me he says he thinks.I'm sexy but I don't and he just don't understand that