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My favorite always and still is Premier Protein, I especially like liked their Peaches and Cream and Caramel, Wal-Mart where I usually shop, in their one stupidity deleted almost all flavors but vanilla and chocolate, BORING! I have also liked Muscle Milks flavors. I have been on shakes since Hector was a pup, and after 5 months Hector (my imaginary 🐕) is nearly grown up but my tummy isn't. I could get my flavors off of Wal-Mart.com, buy them at Sams Club(23 miles north) or Costco in Columbus(48 miles SE) but nary a one in Mount Vernon where I live. I haven't checked out GNC, we have one in Knox Village Square, only excuse I have is they might be expensive, today I used my on-line coupon from Ensure, they have a strawberry protein Plus, not as much protein as Premier Protein but calories are too bad, and Joy Joy they have strawberry, I'll let you know if I like it. Claricey, I am a patient-type birdie with a slightly wounded digestion now, I have ulcerations in my jejunem, the second section of small intestine used for bypasses, don't worry, it is NOT that commin, so I am fed basically 12 hours a night on Total Parenteral Feeding through a vein in my upper left arm, been that way for 2 months the 29th. This gives my GI system less stress, had a follow-up endoscopy, have them every 2-4 weeks, they are seeing improvement, were able to stretch my stomal stricture where my pouch and intestine connect slightly, maybe a couple more attempts and I can expand my diet further along, I am allowed either a shake or soup once a day, but my major calories are"piped in". Really not THAT BAD, gotten used to it, I would not probably not starved to death from inability to digest my proteins correctly and malnourishment, alas there is TOO MUCH of me for that to happen, but I ran a strong risk of it affecting my ❤ and that would have been "curtains" for me. So I am very grateful for the intervention, and that my Surgeon Dr Bradley J Needleman and his partner(who does my endoscopies( Dr Sabrena Noria that they knew just what to do. I'll make it through, just a little bumpy now. But you do have to be odd to be #1, so I try to be upbeat with what I Have.😝🌈🍀

Yeah, I got the same bs from my family for awhile. Two days after surgery my sister goes "It doesn't seem like the surgery is working for you." Naturally I respond "Its only been two days, you dipshit." At the end of the day rude comments from family bother me less than those from aquiantances. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Sophie, I enjoyed recipes with a bit of spice kick to it, but now the foods with a small amount of spice, I can feel the insides burn a little so I have been trying to avoid them all together. I am going to have to come up with something bc this is disheartening to me. Thank you! Sent from my SM-G930VL using BariatricPal mobile app

Anyone else getting these weird back-handed compliments? Work started back up for me today and I got a lot of "Oh, you're wasting away/too skinny/ etc. comments. Which are all bs anyways because I'm still technically "obese" according to my bmi. Why are people so rude? How do you guys respond to comments like these? #rantingaway Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

How long does the super smell go away? I can't eat anything or keep anything down bc of it. I can smell EVERYTHING! I am 3 weeks post op and last 5 days have been awful.

I get full quickly, but I do get hungry. I am not sure about how long it takes for me to get hungry after a meal--but it's usually in the evening when I feel particularly hungry. I had my week 3 stall for 5 days, now I think I am in week 6--so, it's another little stall. No big deal. I think this is just par for the course. I lost 6.5 pounds last week, so I expected a stall around now. I am sure the losing will start up again in a day or two. If not all do something to change up my diet a bit to get things going again. Probably adding more fiber to my diet would help! Hey Lolo, I agree that weight is lost in the kitchen, not the gym (technically the gym helps with weight loss too, but only if you stick to a solid diet plan). I am at the gym for 2 hours a day (because I take a 20 minute warm up on the elliptical or treadmill (moderate intensity), take a 45min-1 hour spin class (high intensity), then probably 30 minutes of weight training (4-5x a week) (I do cardio everyday, but only 4-5 times a week of weight training). There is a few minutes of down time between each activity, so the total minutes adds up. This is my "ME" time (the only ME time I get in the day). I feel great and I am starting to get some muscle tone and definition. I am also definitely improving my strength and endurance, which is important to me and is definitely a health benefit. I have watched Dr. Vuong's videos, including his video on why WLS patients shouldn't exercise for at least 6 months. To be honest, I am not a big fan of Dr. V. He might be a great surgeon, but he's also a full of himself and a big self-promoter. He puts out videos with controversial topics just to get his YouTube views up (IMHO). A prime example is his video entitled "Real Talk: Why You Should Not Exercise After WLS". Seriously, tell me that title isn't begging for views when every other bariatric surgeon in the world encourages their patients to exercise, including Dr. Matthew Weiner (another YouTube surgeon that I respect). Frankly, Dr. V has some good advice on nutrition and post-op dieting (that I largely agree with), but he is also full of crap half the time and much of his advice is based on broad assumptions and generalizations about WLS patients and how he believes we think and feel. His primary reason why WLS patients should not exercise is because he believes that for us, exercise (particularly) is a form of punishment that we inflict on ourselves or something we feel we have to do because that's what society expects. For some weight loss patients, maybe this view is true, but it certainly does NOT apply to many of us (yourself included!!). He also assumes that we have no idea what we are doing in the gym and we should not start working out in a gym until we can afford to work with a personal trainer. I think this might be a good advise for any person (WLS patient or not) that has never worked out before and has no idea what they are going to do when they get to the gym besides walk on a treadmill for 15 minutes. However, to suggest this should be a rule that applies to WLS patients in general is total BS. Clearly, Dr. V incorrectly assumes that all we did as obese people was sit on a couch and eat all day. That may be true for some WLS patients, but many of us had active lives even when we were at our heaviest and even went to the gym (we just couldn't lose weight and keep it off effectively). We are not all people that could have been cast on "My 600 Pound Life". Anyway, I can keep going when it comes to Dr. V--but I won't.

Well, folks, I had my RNY in July, 2014. I started at 302 pounds. I finally, finally, FINALLY, F I N A L L Y!!!, hit onederland this morning!!! I stalled out 2 years ago at around 205, and never lost another ounce. Bounced between 205 and 215, and just got fed up. Went back on my post-RNY regimen around Thanksgiving, and this morning was 199.8!!!!! I cannot believe it!! I never thought I’d see the scale dip below 200. 4.5 years, but, if you work at it, and just stick to the program, it will work!!! *hugs for everyone!!!!* Carmen

I had ablation in 2010 with tubal. Was told by Dr that after surgery first one or 2 could be heavy. Yep happened. Month 3 period spotting period spotting you get the gist all the way to Dec. Have pcos. Went back to gym. Provera to stop it and here I am 47 and back on birth control. Ultrasound showed 2 small fibroids says not big enough to be the issue. Biopsy on Wed of lining. Mine def grew back per the ultrasound. She won't redo the ablation. I don't like her suggestion as not a guarantee to stop spotting. She tells me usually wls corrects pcos. Your body is doing everything it shouldn't be. Ha welcome to my world!! Think I'll be staying on bc until my weight stabilizes then see where I am. I don't expect to see menopause until 52-53.

Hi everyone!!! Super excited tomorrow is the day !!!! Surgery day !!!! So many emotions and did ok on my liquid diet but this clear liquid last day has been a lil rough. I think it’s bc I know this is it .. the last day of old me . And Tuesday morning is the first day of the rest of my life ... hubby is very nervous 😬 but I know I got this !!! Anyone else is having surgery tomorrow?? Excited happy nervous omg so many things going on in my head ... can’t wait 😊

Thanks, I'll check. And most of the places like these are not currently accepting donations in the DC area. Many feds are taking the involuntary time off to clean out their houses. So the charities are full.

Hey Lolo2020 The loss was quicker earlier on and has slowed down since. But I was losing anywhere from 2-4 pounds a week initially. Take advantage of this honeymoon period where you're not "hungry" so you can make better choices. For me the hunger hasn't come bk yet so I'm tstill taking advantage of that by eating healthy. I do have my mega sweet tooth that gets me. Ex Skittles. I also weigh every day bc it keeps me in check. But I know that maybe considered obsessive to some but it's what works for me. You can do it. Just focus on the prize and reward your self w a new shirt or pants. That has been very exciting for me...buying clothes. Hope I've helped. Let me know if you have any other questions I can help with.

I am still a Dr. V sub because he's honest about what he's selling (I don't need to buy it) And his advice is still spot on for most people not just the WLS community. Stop eating BS if you're gaining/regaining and he was like sure, yeah you may need to try IF to gain some control ...

We did that last year on our return from Canada in June. We ticked "yes" to the streams, farms, etc box and got taken into the other line. When I told the guy we'd been gold panning in the Columbia River in BC he laughed and sent us on our way.

Hello all... First time poster.. I have less than 3 months before surgery.. I am 34 and a mother of 2 wonderful childern. 7 yrs and 1 year old. I remember hearing women say how hard it was to lose weight after having children and I used to think BS!! This has now become me and has been me for quite some time now. It seems like if I look at food I can gain the calories from it without even eating it. My question is how do mothers with young children cope with the snacks in the house. My children are very healthy both physically and mentally both love fruits and veggies and do not have not weight issues. I pack my daughters lunch for school so I tend to keep extra in the pantry. I cannot completely remove snacks and certain foods from my home, like I have done before I had childern. How do mothers cope after surgery with having childern and staying out of the snack pantry. I am thinking of all the things that got me to not being able to control my weight and i have come to the honest truth that indulging in snacks and also eating their leftover food from of their plate contributes big time to me not being able to control my weight. Before I became a mother I rarely snacked, grocery shopped maybe a few times a month, now I'm in the grocery store at the least a couple of times a week. (I love the grocery store) any tips. Thanks in advance! Sent from my SM-G935T using BariatricPal mobile app

It has to do with the amount of tissue loss and sag. At my largest i was a 40H. So going down 3 cupsizes, and going from a 50" chest to a 4 1" chest makes the lift they have to do more complex. Also I breast Fed two kids, and this is my second major weight loss (112 pounds in my early 20s). My skin has had it. The good news is that they usually can do the lift and implant at the same time. I am just a special case. I felt ok going to bariatric pal MX. The price was right, for sure. But my family just was not in board. And it felt really impersonal. As for their work I thought their tummy tuck looked on point with what you get in the states. The breast were...um, how do I put it it...a little porn star in appearance. 😅

My surgeon uses a different pre-op diet: 2 shakes/day, unlimited veggies, 3 oz. of meat/day, and very limited other things, so it's low carb by nature and totals less than 1000 calories/day most days. I started it a week early and have dropped 15 lbs so far and hope to drop a little more this week. For my 2 protein shakes, I'm usually having Amazon Elements Grass-Fed 100% Whey Protein Isolate (vanilla) mixed with 2 tbsp PB2 and 1 tbsp cocoa and 8 ounces of almond milk (yum) for one shake and a "latte" made of chocolate equate premier protein knockoff mixed with 12 oz. of decaf coffee for the other. I don't like most pre-made shakes, but I don't mind it in coffee for now. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy the Amazon brand protein powder, though, and I hope my tastes don't change much in that regard after surgery. I only bought it 'cause it was on sale and the ingredients look very similar to an expensive brand called Jay Robb that I've read a lot about. I'm getting about 20 grams of natural fiber/day and STILL need a fiber supplement. I'm not taking it, but I need it. Must be all the protein.

Same. It’s two weeks; 1 meal a day, low cal/low fat /low sugar/carb with unlimited protein shakes. I’m just doing salads (chicken or salmon) with skinny girl or Walden farm dressing. I suggest knowing what protein shakes you’re going to use prior bc some people are sensitive to certain ones. And heads up Costco’s premium protein shakes are on sale this month. 👍🏻

As for the hydration issue, that's true. Caffeine is a diuretic But if you're getting plenty of water (more than 64oz a day), hydration is not going to be an issue for you. You just don't count coffee towards your hydration amount and you might want to add extra water 8-16oz of water per day for 8oz cup of coffee you consume. Personally, I have been having issues with constipation, so I added one 8oz cup of coffee to my diet per day (with some premier shake in it instead of milk). It has definitely helped get things moving to the point where I am not taking stool softeners! As for your doctor's advice regarding caffeine stimulating hunger, that's absolute NOT true. In fact, it may be just the opposite. At best, caffeine is hunger neutral. In particular, at least one study was conducted to determine whether hot caffeinated coffee reduces hunger. In that study, the study, the subjects were given hot beverages and asked to rate their hunger. Each group was given coffee, tea, decaf coffee, decaf tea or just plain hot water. The study found that any hot beverage reduces feelings of hunger--regardless of caffeine content. In short, caffeine does not increase hunger and the debate is open as to whether it helps reduce hunger. It's ok, my surgeon did a great job for me, but I know some of the info his office gives his patients is pure BS. For example, the crap about never drinking from a straw and never drinking carbonated beverages against because they stretch your sleeve is total BS. You don't drink with a straw or drink a carbonated beverage because you will probably major gas pains if you do. Not a good thing!! However, later on neither a carbonated beverage or a straw is going to hurt you. Nevertheless, for many people carbonated beverages are trigger for drinking sugary drinks or diet chemical drinks loaded with artificial sweeteners that are bad for you. If you're going to have sparkling water one year post-op, you'll be just fine.

I can’t have protein shakes yet. I think I get that in 2 more days. Jello and broth aren’t appealing to me so I’ve been having popsicles, water with crystal light, Powerade Zero And watered down v8 fusion. I think I’m not drinking enough bc I’m scared to get my sleeve too full.

I am 2.5 months out and still really struggling with sadness at not being the weight I expected to be. Yes yes, "what did you expect, to lose 100lbs in 3 months?" I don't know... maybe deep down inside I had hoped I would. I can't get over my impatience. I always want instantaneous results with everything. I know and knew going into this that that wouldn't be the case here. But I still end up crying and upset since I feel like I've gone through a lot of BS since surgery and I'm not happy with the results I am getting. In this particular moment, I just feel really depressed. I feel like I have such a long road before I lose another 100lbs and then so much more pain and money with all the plastics I want. And at this point I just anticipate endless complications. It just feels like a neverending road of pain and disappointment. Sorry, feeling bleak today and just needed to get it out. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

Oh J San regretfully,NO,to all 3 . I think I look like road kill, cheeks are caving in , look like 2 dead relatives I never noticed a resemblance to, my son says I look just fine and stop being so harsh toward myself. How I feel? Not great, I have what seems to be hunger but it is just probably my ulcers, my stomach pouch, the Ms Precious Pouch, does not entertain the ingress of anything hinting at solid, so am on a limited liquid diet, I have a stomal stricture, 2 ulcers in the pouch and multiple ones in the,jejunem, bad enough to be hospitalized on November 28th, on the 29th I had a PICC line installed in my upper left arm, I am fed TPN 12 hours on,12 hours off, to allow my gastrointestinal. system to heal up. I have the line still. No date of removal has been given, the feedings have a calorie count of 1430, which has caused me to go into a WL stall or close to it! Oh I feel much clearer of mind, than I did when I was dehydrated and had proteinemia, so that is GOOD. So apart from being exhausted, fat, and nearing an emotional breakdown from all that has happened ,and financial unstable, my post surgical trek has been just ducky. But you know, I refuse to let it cloud my life, I am still going to be a winner. I did not have major surgery to become a loser, I am in this to win this , and I still shall. Don't count this old red-headed broad out, I will not leave this life without a fight👈!😝👉

Hello all! I was sleeved July 23rd. Weight loss for me has slowed down here lately too. I still see it go down just not as fast as it was. Starting weight was 238. Pre op weight 221 and currently I am 165. My goal is 135. I'm only 5'4 1/2. I'm not a breakfast person so I drink a Premier Protein Chocolate shake over ice in the morning. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. My weakness is sugar in the evenings...particularly skittles🙄 Working on cutting back on that. I know the honeymoon phase is almost over so I need to get that in check and start working out regularly. My bum has become flat (which I'm happy about seeing as I've always had a big bum) but bc I don't have muscle back there from not working out and losing weight it hurts to sit bc of my now boney tailbone. Anyone else have that?? Need to get to the gym and work on that.

I got the sleeve December 28th. Successful pre-op week long liquid diet and day before clear liquids. 10.5 lb loss Successful surgery, anesthesia hit a bit hard and I didn’t end up fully waking up until middle of the night surgery night. Began walking, could hardly sip, all normal stuff. I could immediately pick myself up and didn’t require assistance in sitting up or walking around, was just extremely tired. Three days post op I began feeling what I assumed were the dreaded gas pains dead center of my abdomen. I called my doctors office, scoured the forums for advice, nothing helped. I tried the milk of magnesia assuming I was backed up, not the case. Tried gasx bc the pain latest 3 days non stop. Couldn’t hardly move, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t walk, couldn’t sit, lay, anything. So! Fast forward to Thursday (6 days post op) and I’m balling on the phone with my doctors office pleading there’s no way this is gas. So they bump my post op appointment to the next morning if I can wait. If not, they say don’t wait to go to the ER. Next morning on Friday my mother rushes me to the office, we barely get through the door and they’re sending us to the ER next door. After many tests, hours of different pain meds that didn’t work...a ct scan shows a prominent Portal vein thrombosis. A massive and extremely painful blood clot in my chest bc of the surgery. Little pre surgery info, I’m extremely healthy. I’ve never had heart burn, acid reflux, diabetes, heart problems, any issues health wise. I’ve now been in the hospital for over a week dealing with the excruciating pain, blood thinners, 6 days of NO FOOD OR WATER, not even ice chips. Talk about torture. So, just a heads up...it’s not always gas pain. This may be super rare, which is what I’ve been told, but still...it sounds like gas pains...it still may not be. If your pain is at a 10 go to the dang hospital.

Ahhh sounds like you have Blue Cross or something. I have Anthem Blue Cross and they require the BC Center of Excellence junk too. So your surgery was performed in the right place and your doctor just charged wrong? That's messed up.

My very first before/after food post! Thank you Tealael for telling me about this one! Tonight for dinner I made a new, and so awesome, meal. Chicken in a creamy parmesan mushroom sauce with veggie noodles and green beans (bc GBs are my favorite!) First one is my before photo, second is my after. I added the pic of the noodle bag just incase anyone hasn't seen these. I stopped when I felt restriction.