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So, I purchased a product ’Egg Whites International’ to add additional protein to my Premier Protein Shakes. Is there a protein limit for each sitting? Or can I realistically add an additional 10-15 grams of protein to my shakes ? Look below

Agreed! Don't look back! And throw yourself in front of anything that is going to help you keep eating healthy..cooking classes, support groups, outings that include exercise. My goal right now is to get my steps to over 8000/day (10 would be better but 8 works for me for now!). I don't make it everyday for sure, but I'm slowly progressing. So as said above, focus on the future!

I'm sorry you are struggling and happy you've had an "Aha moment" and posted about it. I've been saying this from the beginning of my personal WLS journey. If we don't get right in the head, the surgery--which face it, it's not magic bean surgery--is not gonna do all the heavy lifting. We are such crafty, smart, surviving specie(s) haha, that we WILL figure out a way to outsmart our surgery. What I still hear however is more magical thinking coming out of your mouth. Tomorrow, nothing will be different. You will wake up, resolve to mystically "do better"/"be better" etc, but guaranteed by 3-5pm, you will break and go for the fix. There is NO magic in this process. No WISHFUL thinking. Unless/until you accept that your success depends on being accountable for your actions, and decide that will make concrete changes that are actionable, you will continue to despair and the beatings will continue until morale improves. Honestly, the ONLY way to confront this issue we ALL face is to have a great plan. In your case (and in many of our cases, the key to the plan needs to include strategic partners: surgical team (who needs to know you're struggling and doing things you aren't supposed to do, bariatric counselor/therapist, RD), reading books on ending these self-defeating behaviors whatever they may be, making a concrete check list you USE and follow faithfully each day, decide on zero tolerance of going off-your checklisted plan, and being content that it takes time to correct behavior and weight. It also takes a physical plan for exercise. Then you have to DO YOUR PART. You must log. You must weight foods. You must PLAN. You should maybe think about weighing daily, measuring monthly. Check things off your list. I doubt seriously that you've stretched your pouch. Most likely, what has happened is that your pouch has matured which carries with it a natural "opening" or relaxing of your tum, which means you "CAN" eat more. It doesn't mean you "SHOULD" eat more. If you go back to your rules and follow them, you should begin to feel your restriction again. Set your rules! 1. No more than 1 cup of food at a meal by volume. 2. Eat dense, dry, lean protein first (60-80g per day). 3. Eat al dente or raw veggies. 4. No meat lube, sauce, compound meals that are highly caloric. Keep your food separate! It will hang in your pouch better and provide nutrition without a bunch of added calories you don't need. 5. Cut your carbs to 20-30net carbs (carbs - fiber) per day. 6. Aim for almost zero sugar. 7. Drink your water (100+ ounces per day. 8. Don't drink your food! No liquid calories. 9. No eating/drinking 15 mins before and 1 hour after 10. Exercise daily. Try for 10K steps each day. 11. Take your supplements. 12. Get a real life support group and attend regularly. 13. Come here and get involved and on the BP facebook group. 14. Above all--see your doc, RD to get a plan for success. AND get a referral to a bariatric counselor. 15. Consider joining OA. I wish you success, health, and a good life. I don't mean to beat you while you're down. I'm trying to make sure you don't waste any more of your honeymoon period spinning your wheels and participating in a giant fantasy.

I’m 3 days out, 1/17/19, and I’m feeling much better today. I had the worst gas pain in my hips and shoulder. Today, I was able to get out of bed without my fiancé’s help. I’m able to advance to stage 2 (purées) today but really nervous... I’m so tired of protein shakes and I’m so tired of the taste of “water”... Gas-X has been my best friend! Anyone have tips for starting to work out? So nervous! I want to get the scale moving but not hurt myself!!

#19 - My vitamins & supplements

I'm gonna claim it. Yesterday I hit 144.8lbs and today I'm still at 144.8lbs. That means that technically, I've just crossed over into the very top end of my "Normal Weight Category" for my height of 5'4". Yippee!!!! I'm still 4.8lbs away from 2nd Goal, but I will just keep trudging along. These last 10 pounds have been brought you by Matcha and green tea, the teas that boost your metabolism. And by my gastro guy who insisted on me going back to my 1cup or less per meal portion control.

I have Independence BCBS and hoping to hear by 10 more business days.

And I guess you turned into a February 2019 after all! Good luck whenever it happens.

My vitamins are liquid and kept in the fridge. I am hardly in there anymore so that's why I forget so easy... I started setting reminders so hopefully it'll help lol. In other news lol, today is day 19 - when I DO remember to take my vitamins, I take Mary Ruth's daytime and nighttime liquid vitamins. I went over them with my NUT and Dr and the only downside/ question they had was that each one has 8g of carbs per serving. Sad ( or not so sad?) part is... that still keeps me well under their goal of 50g of carbs so they are okay to take. I love the liquid vitamins over pills. Pills sit like rocks in my stomach, and these are GF so with having CD I don't have to worry. Which is super nice! Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

@Kay07 hey gorgeous wonderful pic with matching smile - you look great i agree, 2019 will be a great year for you, followed by many more!! when you got it - flaunt it☺️ kathy congrats

My surgery date is in 10 days and I’m having doubts and hoping I made the right choice. I’m so scared of the procedure and the hospital stay and the life changes.

Lol. I have 10 more days ...but I will live. However my family may not! Haha

I had a lap band placed in 2011. On the 9th of this month, I had it removed, a hiatal hernia repaired, and a sleeve done. I have so many mixed feelings about this whole thing. 10 days post op and wishing I had just had the band removed. Anyone else super emotional and not sure they made the right choice?

I've been reading and following a lot of the posts. Trying to get as much information as I can. I had the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty done 12/13/18. I've been following the recommended diet. I'm about 6 weeks out and have only lost 10 pounds...total. I exercise by walking for 30 mins five times a week & go to the gym for an hour, 3 times a week. I saw the dietitian just over a week ago. She thought maybe I wasn't getting enough calories. I've been getting most of my water in & all my protein. She wants me to eat around 800 calories a day. 9 days later & I've only lost 1 pound. I'm getting discouraged. Anyone else have this happen? Or have some helpful information? TIA

Had my sleeve done in 1/15/19. Since the surgery nearly everything tastes terrible. The only things I can stomach is chicken broth and popsicles. My protein shakes, sf Jell-O, sf pudding, yogurt, cream of wheat, etc makes me nauseous. Does this pass? I’m afraid I’ll never get my protein count up. I’m using chicken bone broth so I’m getting some protein but nothing near my daily goal.

I have Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. My first surgeon appointment was 11/14/19 and my surgery is scheduled for 1/23/19. Insurance requires 6 months medically supervised weight loss. I had been seeing my primary doctor about my weight for over a year and the insurance accepted 4 months from my primary Dr (internal medicine doctor) and 2 months with a nutritionist.

This is me! Surgery in Feb 2016; found out I was pregnant October 2016, had my son June 2017... gained 20 lbs during pregnancy. Still have not lost the weight and gain 10 more lbs totaling 30lbs. I’m at a loss I don’t know what to do.... 😩

Well I didn't get to see Dr Needleman Tuesday but I did see Valerie his Senior Nurse Practioner. She is happy I look healthier even if I only lost 2 pounds since December, said I will just have a slower trek because of the TPN but I will still, regain my momentum. Endoscopy is still on for the 25th, don't know it will solve any questions. Woke up this morning with the right subcostal pain, Dr Noria said that's my ulcers romping and stomping in there. I made chili night before last, it was pretty fine, but I heated some up for me in the microwave. And after 10 minutes it all came back,up. Valerie said I should be on Stage 4, and my mind says " You can handle it, just take it slow", it's writing checks my body refuses to cash. Precious says " Oh no you don't!" and I'm off to the races again. I asked if I will always be a Gastric Cripple, they all say" Of Course Not" but I just aren't so sure. This feels like it has gone on FOREVER÷ They say I might still be healing inside. My blood work is turning out very very good except my iron is low, that's something they can't enrich my TPN with so I will need to get some iron, I think I read the fumerate variety is best, don't know how much it would cost at Wally or a drug store, or maybe I need a prescription from the Doctor. Are your bowels doing any better for you? That seems to be your trial thing.

I didn't die, and was having small salads, including tomato and avo (don't get along with the cukes, though!) after about the first month. Yes, protein is priority but once you are reliably getting that in, it's great to widen the variety into other nutritious foods. My doc was putting me onto veg after 10 days as my protein intake was already more than adequate. YMMV.

After I got out of hospital from my surgery, just before Christmas last year, had 10 days in a hotel, because my surgery was in a different city. They had cable (I don’t). I discovered “The Food Network”. I watched endless cake decorating, dives and diners, Halloween baking, my kitchen rules - all on an endless fascinating loop for 10 days. As I sipped my protein soup and my mushed fish, and drank interminable glasses of water. Food Porn. Grieving for loss of a life-long companion and comforter. Retreat to a familiar mindset. BUt, it passes!! NOW - my internet browser first picks are health and exercise, my Facebook ads are heart rate gizmos, and my Twitter feed gives me local charity marathons!

Yep! I get a runny nose as I eat and if I've filled my pouch/sleeve, I do what I call "machine-gun sneezing" where I just sneeze over and over again. We're talking like 10 or 15 times in a row! I generally try to avoid that, so I stop before I get to that point. It's one thing to sneeze like typhoid Mary in private, but you get some strange looks in the office or in a restaurant.

I also take Feosol Complete, and it was recommended to me by my Hematologist. I ended up with a serious iron deficiency several years ago, despite taking iron (my ferratin was a 6 - anything under 10 is considered "critical") and had to have an infusion the day after I met the Hematologist. She recommended the Feosol Complete because a poly/heme iron absorbs further down the digestive tract and iron salts (the usual iron supplements everyone takes) are absorbed in the duodenum, which RNY and DS patients no longer have access to. I had one other infusion as my body tried to regulate itself, but haven't had a low ferratin level in over 5 years since taking Feosol Complete. And it DOES have to be the "Complete" version. The regular Feosol is not a poly/heme. Hope that helps! ~SW: 278 CW: 165~ RNY 1/5/2005 "What got you here won't get you there."

Hello, I am new to the forum, and was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences. I had my sleeve surgery one week ago, Friday, January 11th 2019. After 2 days in the hospital with TERRIBLE gas pain, I was back at work with very little pain by Monday. By Tuesday, I had no problem drinking 64oz of water by 3PM. By Wednesday, my fondest wish in the universe, even more than world peace, was for an iceberg lettuce wedge salad with crumbled blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, split baby tomatoes, and crumbled bacon. This morning at work, before finding this forum, I did my usual pattern for this week. I googled "pictures of wedge salads" and fantasized. I now have a new obsession: a single meatball with marinara sauce and a little parmigiana cheese. While I am getting by on my liquid diet of water, protein shakes and cream soups at night, I fear for my sanity. On my post-op visit to my surgeon this Tuesday, I am going to tell my surgeon that I fear in 2 months I will be the skinniest guy in the nuthouse. Can anyone relate?

I havd my surgery done at 12:45p, Thursday (today). After about 10 hours I felt like my self again. Thinking clear and walking on my own. I’m so lucky to have an amazing husband and found an amazing surgeon and hospital. My sleeve took 20 minutes before of how well I followed my two week diet, even though I cheated a few times very little. I’m very sore but nothing I can’t handle! I can’t believe I made it!!!

Your loss rate will generally decline over time as you lose weight - you simply need fewer calories to move you 200ish lb body around all day than it took when you were 300ish lb. There are also some water weight effects that happen early on, in the first couple of weeks that skew the impressions as well. If you are losing 10+ lb per month at this point, 35-40lb from your goal, you are doing great. Within a couple of months, you will likely be worrying about overshooting the mark and losing too much - cross that bridge when you get there!