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Congratulations on your surgery date! I still have a few steps to complete before my claim (? I think that's what it may be called) is submitted to insurance for approval, but if all goes well, I am looking at a surgery date of mid to late January 2019.

At five weeks I was plain yogurt and berries in the morning, chewable vitamins only or go to the patch. Broth, cottage cheese, string cheese. Water, water, water ! Sleep, rest heal, don’t worry. Everything will be fine. I’m at 7 months, 149 lbs. down and feeling like a million dollars, riding a bike 10 miles every day. I had major hernia surgery at the same time as my bypass Bariatric surgery. I was a mess. You will be fine, get your stomach right and everything else will follow.

We have had to leave our beloved mini Schnauzer a few times when we take a cruise or a motorcycle trip. The longest we have been gone so far is 10 days. Our friend who owns and operates the kennel literally sends us a text update with a picture or short movie of Bella every day. She loves it there which makes it easier but I do miss her very much. The first time I took her I burst into tears as I was leaving so my husband takes her now. I don't know if you are familiar with The Dog Whisperer (Cesar Millan) but he states that dogs do not really have a concept of time and one day or ten days is the same for them. She is always super excited for about 5 minutes then back to normal so I hope he is right. She also gets super excited when I come home from the grocery store...

So I got sleeved 10/25/18. It went really well!!! Doctor said my liver was perfect and I was actually released same day!!!! But today I went back to work , which I work at a desk so its not aggressive or anything however I've been getting this great pain in my back. The same side that the larger incision was made so I don't know if its normal or not? Also. It hurts to drink water. I've tried it room temp and cold. Its so hurty lol. I am drinking PowerAde Zero however doctor said it was fine but I was curious if others had a water problem? Or am I just being a baby lol Thanks for listening!

2 of my incision sites are super sore and swollen. Dr. Said it was area they worked in the most, ouch. Other than that, im progressing as expected. I was sleeved 10/24 Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/03/04/the-protein-puzzle-meat-and-dairy-may-significantly-increase-cancer-risk/#749e74c058b7 This research describes a "high protein diet" as being a diet with 20% of total calories coming from protein. Since most bariatric patients fit this profile, it is worth reviewing and discussing with your doctor. This is particularly important as you move to maintenance. Why High-Protein Diets May Be Linked To Cancer Risk Alice G. Walton Despite the popularity of protein-rich diets like Atkins and Paleo, new research suggests that it may be wise to steer the opposite way, especially when it comes to cancer risk. In the new study, middle-aged people who ate protein-heavy diets had a markedly increased risk of dying from cancer compared to their low-protein counterparts. But, as always, there are caveats: Protein from animal sources – meat and dairy – was what largely produced the risk, whereas plant-derived proteins seemed to be “safer.” And the rules seem to be different for people over the age of 65. So what are we to do? "There's a misconception that because we all eat, understanding nutrition is simple,” said study author Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California. “But the question is not whether a certain diet allows you to do well for three days, but can it help you survive to be 100?" In the new study, the team followed over 6,300 adults over the age of 50, to see what effect high-, medium-, and low-protein diets had on longevity. A high-protein diet was defined as 20% of one’s daily calories coming from protein, a moderate-protein diet is made up of 10-19% calories from protein, and a low-protein diet consists of less than 10% protein. People in the study ate, on average, 16% protein, with two-thirds coming from animal sources – pretty typical of an American diet, the authors say. The findings were intriguing: People from ages 50-65 who ate high-protein diets were four times more likely to die of cancer – this is in the ballpark of smoking risk, say the authors – compared to people who ate low-protein diets. Even those who ate moderate-protein diets were three times as likely to die from cancer. And people who ate high-protein diets were 75% more likely to die from any cause, including three times as likely to die from diabetes. The team calculated that reducing protein intake from moderate to low would reduce the risk of death by 21%. Interestingly, when the source of the protein was taken into consideration, things changed a bit. When animal-derived sources taken out of the mix, the mortality risk was significantly reduced: In other words, plant-based protein did not seem to present the same kind of problem as protein from animal sources."The majority of Americans are eating about twice as much proteins as they should, and it seems that the best change would be to lower the daily intake of all proteins but especially animal-derived proteins," said Longo. "But don't get extreme in cutting out protein; you can go from protected to malnourished very quickly." Why the protein-cancer connection? Protein intake influences the levels of the growth hormone IGF-I, which not only affects the growth of healthy cells, but can also encourage cancer cell growth. In fact, in the current study, the team found that for every 10 ng/ml increase in IGF-I, people who ate high-protein diets were 9% more likely to die from cancer than those on a low-protein diet. This growth hormone mechanism seems to be the reason that calorie-restricted diets have been shown to increase longevity in certain species, including, possibly, humans. But again, there are more caveats. IGF-I levels decline over the years, especially after age 65, which is part of the reason that people lose muscle tone and become frailer with age. And the current study bore this out, too: When the team looked at people above the age of 65, people who ate more protein had a reduced risk of death. The protein issue is therefore complex, and will require some more research. But the recommendations arising from the current study, says Longo, line up with those from the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine. Longo tells me that generally people should stick with “plant based proteins and/or stay as close as possible to 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. This is about 54 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person… However, going lower than that can be detrimental.” So, it may be wise to watch your protein intake, at least in middle age. And at any age, eating a plant-based diet is probably smart, as study after study shows the near-indisputable health benefits of doing so. "Almost everyone is going to have a cancer cell or pre-cancer cell in them at some point,” says Longo. “The question is: Does it progress? Turns out one of the major factors in determining if it does is protein intake."

Hello everyone! I joined the site yesterday and posted in the General Discussions, but thought that I would also introduce myself here since I am working towards bypass surgery. A little about me - I am 29 years old. I was an athlete my entire life, through college. After college, I stopped working out and stopped watching what I ate, and gained almost 200 pounds in about 8 years. I finally went to a primary care doctor in August, and he thought I may have a medical issue and that's why I gained so much weight. He ordered many tests and everything came back great, he said that I am fortunate to have great genes! He recommended weight loss surgery and sent me for a consultation. I went for my consultation and decided that the sleeve would be my best option. I began the process: started my nutrition classes, passed my heart clearance, passed my psychological evaluation, then went for what the surgeon thought would be a routine endoscopy on October 9th. When my surgeon received the pathology results from two biopsies he took during my endoscopy, he realized that I have Barrett esophagus. Due to this diagnosis, I am not able to have the sleeve surgery and will instead have gastric bypass. Because of the new surgery option, I will be having the surgery at a hospital and not at the previously planned surgery center. Also because of this, I now have to do everything through the hospital. This past Monday, I had my first nutritionist appointment there (they are counting my first one from the surgery center, so I have two completed). I am scheduled to have two more, one in November and one in December. The scheduler at the hospital also said that they do their own psychological evaluation, and will not use the one I previously had done. If all goes according to plan, I will be having surgery mid to late January 2019. I did a lot of research about the sleeve, but am still learning about gastric bypass. I am so sorry for the long post but just wanted to give an explanation of how I got to this point! I look forward to hearing about everyone's different experiences and learning more about weight loss surgery.

Have you done a "reset" yet? Pretty much just "start over", start a 2 week pre-op diet, then fast for the 2 days when you would have "surgery" then start up a post-op diet process again. Have you had any skin removal yet? If not, that could be where your weight is getting stuck, if you've reduced your fat content to a level that's low, yet still are 10-20 lbs over what you feel you should be, it could be extra skin.

I have little flashes of it, I guess? (Sleeved 10/3/18.) When I was still miserable, post-op, was probably the worst. I didn't have the full-on "what have I done to myself?" reaction that a lot of people describe, but I was definitely having some feelings, not too many of them positive. I was only really miserable for maybe two days after surgery day, though, and the feelings receded quickly. Now I'll think about wanting to have a croissant, or something I enjoy, and be a little sad I can't. (I know that I will probably be able to have a bite or two of any treat I want again in the future, and some of those treats won't even be all that appealing, so it's really only a little sad. Certainly not sad enough to risk it so early, right?) Or I'll think about the future and about how there's a good chance I'm going to have trouble "blending in" at certain restaurants or in certain crowds of people, forever, and I get a little sad and think "maybe I shouldn't have..." but that's as far as I get, because of course I should have had this surgery. I had a comorbidity that made it pretty much a necessity. A doctor I respect once said (I'm paraphrasing) "Regret comes from indecision. If you're unsure of your decision, that's a recipe for regret." I think that's often true. If you're fully prepared (as much as one can be, just reading others' experiences and statistics and such) and really, really sure this is the right thing for you, I don't think you'll spend a lot of time regretting your choice. But a little? Yeah, I think that's likely, because, as Missouri-Lee said, it's an expensive and irreversible decision, and those always come with "what ifs."

This thread is great. I love seeing new folks come in and watching the progress of those who have been here a while. ❤️ I started over 300, but I saw a 2 in the first digit on the scale today. (Something like 13.5 pounds down since surgery on 10/3. Not exceptionally fast, but nothing to sneeze at, either. I can already walk further and climb hills and stairs better.)

Hi! Your stats are similar to mine. My highest was 365 - surgery weight was 327 (on 10/10/18) and current weight is around 312. And today I went to the gym for the first time in 10 years!! I went with a friend who has a membership. I did 25 minutes on the treadmill which isn’t super long but I DID IT! And then I JOINED the gym so I can go anytime now!! I plan to go again tomorrow and shoot for 30 minutes!! 👍 You are kicking butt, my sleeve twin!

Today was my first set of appointments to start the process; nurse practitioner, dietician/nutritionist, and physical therapist. In addition, I got my bloodwork and EKG done. I already have a mammogram and colonoscopy on record. I went in with a positive attitude and I think that helped, I was more excited than nervous. I mentioned that I had been reading the forums on this site to learn what I could and I think it helped me comprehend the massive amount of information I was given because I sort of studied ahead, plus, they gave me a notebook The dietician noted that I take a lot of supplements, and she stressed that I will be restricted to taking only a few after surgery, at 200% the regular dose; multi-vitamin that includes iron and other minerals and B12 sublingual at night, calcium citrate 500mg liquid or chew three times a day, plus vitamin d, liquid or small gelcaps. I forgot to ask about my Wellbutrin and allergy medicine. Oh well, there's time! A lot of people in these forums say NOT to try the drinks, food, or supplements pre surgery, but my dietician encouraged me to try different things to find what I like (even though my preferences may change post surgery). I have already purchased some Protein20 drinks, Premier Protein shakes, sugar free Gatorade, Propel electrolyte water, bone broth, and some Millie's sipping broth samples. My choice is the gastric sleeve but they will probably try to convince me that the bypass is the best option (and "gold standard" as I keep reading everywhere). I was scoped in July and they found a hiatal hernia, some non-bloody ulcers, and Schatzki's ring. I was instructed to continue with the Omeprazole in order to continue to calm my esophagus and stomach. I hope they let me stick with the sleeve, I don't want to deal with malabsorption issues and I prefer being able to take NSAIDS. I have enough dumping from having my gallbladder removed and being sensitive to grease/oil. Today while at the hospital, I had a long break so I had brunch consisting of an egg-salad sandwich (which they said was freshly made that morning) and half a bag of chips. Let's just say I had to visit the restroom 4-5 times during the rest of my time there, ugh! The insurance company has told my hospital (OHSU Portland Oregon) that the procedure is covered, but have not yet responded regarding what they require from me. The hospital requires two nutrition classes and a few more tests. My EKG came back "borderline" so I am being referred to a cardiologist to make sure everything is ok. I made my two nutrition class reservations and psychological evaluation appointment, as well as my sleep study consult. I'm 58 and have had a hysterectomy (1 ovary left) so I'm not required to get a pap smear, review birth control, and they're not requiring that I be screened for drugs & alcohol (I quit smoking 31 years ago). I'm hoping to have it all done by February, but won't know what else I need to do until my insurance company forks over some information! This facility only requires 24 hours of clear liquids before surgery (yay). While I was given my diet information, I think I'm going to slowly incorporate better habits and definitely pay attention to my protein and fluid intake for now. Since my BMI is slightly over 41, I was cautioned not to lose more than 10 pounds because it would put me below the required 40 BMI. That is unless I end up being diagnosed with sleep apnea (I have high cholesterol); neither joint pain or depression qualify as co-morbidities. My lab results have already been provided and they found my ferritin to be low, so I need to begin taking carbonyl iron with vitamin C right away. I've read a lot of different posts of people sharing their program information, so here is my post-surgical diet information from my booklet: STAGE ONE - first day following surgery - CLEAR LIQUIDS STAGE TWO - starting day two post surgery, for 14-21 days - FULL LIQUIDS STAGE THREE - starting 2-3 weeks post surgery, for approximately 6 weeks (depending on how the patient is doing) - SOFT FOOD STAGE FOUR - approximately two months post surgery - SOLID FOOD (low sugar & low fat) Over the weekend I cleaned out my cupboards of a bunch of food and food-like substances; what wasn't expired I took to work. Fed the crows some expired cereal and crackers. Haven't tackled the freezer yet. Since my surgery isn't scheduled yet I have plenty of time! I just wanted to thank everyone who posts their experiences and questions and advice, I think people are very supportive here for the most part!

Hi! Your stats are similar to mine. My highest was 365 - surgery weight was 327 (on 10/10/18) and current weight is around 312. And today I went to the gym for the first time in 10 years!! I went with a friend who has a membership. I did 25 minutes on the treadmill which isn’t super long but I DID IT! And then I JOINED the gym so I can go anytime now!! I plan to go again tomorrow and shoot for 30 minutes!! 👍

When I came home from the hospital I weighed myself the next morning (I was stupid - they told me not to). I figured I would be down because I hadn’t eaten in 3 days. I had GAINED 9lbs!! I couldn’t believe it! But then I realized since I hadn’t eaten if was obviously all the fluids they pumped on me! By my 2 week post-op appointment (my surgeon doesn’t do 1 week) I had lost THOSE 9 lbs plus 10 more!! So down overall 10lbs in 2 weeks! My point is - especially right after surgery you can’t stress about the weight because you probably still have fluid in you. As long as you are drinking your water and getting your protein in you will do great! Good luck!!

I would say I think I'm one of the few that did not / has not experienced "buyers remorse." But, I can also say for myself (and truly me alone), I did all the research I could possibly do. And I don't buy / do things without doing my due diligence. Even my impulse buys are based off detailed research. When I made the final decision to go through with the surgery, I was ready and ready "now." 10 weeks later, super slow progress (IMO), several stalls... I still have no regrets or buyers remorse.

So, I seem to be stuck. I have not lost any weight for over 10 days (100g up, 100 down, 200 up, 200 down). I'm eating ok, trying to drink as much as I can and taking my vitamins. I walk to work from the train, which is about 3/4 mile each way. I'm trying to walk more during the day, but I just cannot make the scale budge. I know I'm losing something because my clothes are looser now. I'm also having a lot of trouble with nausea. I tried to eat a scrambled egg on Sunday and it came straight back up. Last night I tried well cooked cauliflower and some roast chicken breast with sauce and I promptly vomited that too. Knowing that I was still empty I tried about an hour later to have a slice of cheese which I had been able to tolerate a few days ago. Nope, I immediately felt extremely nauseous and alternating hot/cold. I feel like I'm pregnant with morning sicknes, but trust me, if I was we'd be calling the Vatican because it would be a miracle! I'm due to fly to Canada (I live in Australia) on Friday and I really don't want to be sick for 2 weeks over there. Unfortunately I can't change my travel plans either. Any suggestions from you lovely people how to get back on track? Thanks

So I made it thru the weekend. It's crazy that I can't find a trigger for feeling bad. The doctor's office is hard to get to a nurse. The voicemail message even says they are busy due to trying to process patients and schedule them by the end of the year. I started back on my GERD meds and today was fine. As I was leaving the office I was thinking about how I had to fast for the blood tests but they had me drink this sweet drink for the H Pylorie test and then 5-10 minutes later drew the blood. I'm guessing that in those 5-10 min that my blood wasn't affected. I guess if it comes back with a high blood glucose then that could be the drink.

Dec 10 here. It can’t come fast enough!

While cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and all-cause mortality risk is reduced after gastric bypass, the following "cons" were also revealed in a 2018 European study*: . -gallstone and gallbladder disease -gastrointestinal ulcer / reflux -bowel obstruction -abdominal pain -anemia -malnutrition -psychiatric diagnoses -alcohol abuse . *some of these conditions are short-term complications . https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/d-nsr092818.php

In this study, researchers measured weight within the 30-day period prior to surgery, 6 months after surgery, and annually. https://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/obesity/roux-en-y-gastric-bypass-outcome-diabetes-surgery-satisfaction/article/811016/ Related weight regain study: https://www.ecnmag.com/article/2018/10/amount-weight-regain-after-bariatric-surgery-helps-predict-health-risks

Hello everyone! I am new to this website and wanted to introduce myself. I started the process for gastric sleeve surgery in September. After having an endoscopy done in early October, the surgeon discovered that I have Barrett esophagus. Due to this diagnosis, I am not able to have the sleeve surgery, and will instead have gastric bypass. If all goes according to plan, I will be having surgery mid to late January 2019. I did a lot of research about the sleeve, but am still learning about gastric bypass. I look forward to hearing about everyone's different experiences and learning more about weight loss surgery.

5 - 10 mins maybe. At first you REALLY want to just listen to your body, my day 1 out of surgery and I didn't even get in 1 full 8 oz bottle of protein. Forget water. Day 2 was better, I got through a whole bottle, and some water. Day 3 I was home and already started purees. I was eating about 1 oz of pureed stuff a several times a day, and drinking something every 15 mins (except when I had to wait the 30 mins after eating). The big take away, is take your time. No matter what you feel should be happening, no matter how much weight you are or are not losing. Take your time, listen to your body and, if it hurts... stop.

Yes I do have that breathing machune. Is anybody having trouble getting 48 OZ down its so hard plus with the shakes just seem impossible and I'm getting nervous because I don't want to get dehydrated. I'm supposed to have at least 70 grams of protein a day. Help 😞 surgery was 10/26

I just so happened to save a bag of business skirts from when I was a size 12 a few years back. I'm a 22 now, so those are my goal clothes! I hope to get to a size 10, ideally. I just can't wait to start purging my "fat" clothes. I hate all of them! lol!

I work nights, 13 hour shifts just about. I eat my dinner around five pm. I eat a light snack around 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm. I take my meal break if I’m lucky around 3 am and eat left overs of what I have made earlier in the week....chili, soup, chicken items, etc. I try not to eat when I get home, but if I am hungry I will eat a little snack then too. My snacks are usually 130-150 calories and my meals are between 250-300 or so. It can be hard on nights because you are already fighting your body’s natural rhythm. Stay away from high carb senseless items like cereals and chips and such. I see ppl eating this stuff all night long but they can’t figure out why they gain weight. One lady eats almost a whole box of cereal every shift plus her meal....