Alex Brecher

Well…thanks! And you’re welcome!

Sorry to hear it! It may not be much consolation, but it’s normal. Meat is often not tolerated well post-op. It may come back, though! @@Renkoss, the issues might have also been related to the processing of the ham. There’s a chance that unprocessed meats might not have the same effect…but then again, you only know if you try. Everyone’s different.

@@her1981, You wrote that out so nicely! I think general ignorance may be largely to blame. At least, that’s what I prefer to think rather than that people are mean! People probably think that it’s dangerous, disruptive, and something to be avoided at nearly all costs. I also suspect that many people who struggle with their weight but are not in a position to get WLS are wary of it or suspicious. They may wonder why they need to keep on struggling with their weight (even if it’s not as high as our pre-op weight) while we “get” to choose WLS. They may not realize that WLS isn’t an easy path to take. The news may also have something to do with it. You tend to see news stories about WLS fatalities and patients who regret WLS; you don’t see stories about thousands of delighted WLS patients. I’m not blaming the media or saying they shouldn’t report such stories, but these tragic anomalies are what get publicized. Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with you. People should respect other people’s personal health decisions.

@@Beck90, A couple of comments. One is the way you said you could drink diet soda on “previous diets.” This isn’t really so much of a “diet program” issue as it is a weight loss surgery and lifestyle change issue. For example, your previous diets might not have required you to chew your food XX times before swallowing, or to separate food from beverages, but the gastric sleeve does. I realize this doesn’t answer your question about diet soda, but my point is that there may be some differences after sleeve compared to with other programs you’ve tried. My other point is relatively unrelated to weight loss surgery; it’s a point just about the artificial sweetener and the research on it. Researchers consistently find that people who drink diet soda do no better than those who drink regular soda (and all of the sugar and calories in regular soda), and may even do worse. Diet soda may make you hungrier and (as @@PinkPolkadot619 said, increase cravings), which would be opposite to what you’re hoping for from the sleeve. But keep asking around – it’s always good to know why you’re doing what you’re doing, and what your plans are for post-op.

@@CrissyCakes, Congratulations! June 7 will be here before you know it! I am so happy for you! Good luck with the pre-op diet and getting ready, and let us know how everything is going!

@@Ele marie, Please drink your fluids! I have seen so many weight loss surgery patients literally end up in the emergency room because of dehydration, and it sounds like you’re drinking a small enough amount that you could do the same. Even if you don’t get dehydrated to the degree of having an emergency, drinking your fluids will help. It’ll help your recovery and your energy. It will even help you get your taste for Water back sooner!

@@pinklantern, I am sorry you are feeling this way. It is very tough. As you noted, you’re at a tough time right now, and things will get easier. At this point, there’s no going back, so the only thing to do is figure out how you’ll make the best of what you have. If your friends won’t even do anything that doesn’t revolve around food and alcohol, it may be time for some new friends. You don’t need to drop your current friends (although maybe you do, if they’ll never do anything besides drink), but you can always find more. If loneliness is the problem you’re having, go find people. You can look for gastric sleeve and other WLS patients to be able to talk to people who know exactly what you’re going through. Maybe you can join a support group if you haven’t already, or put out a shout on these boards for someone in your area or someone who wants to be your buddy. You can also find new friends that have interests other than food and alcohol. All three of the activities you mentioned can easily be social ones! Reading groups are great, and they may be more common than you think. Ask your local librarian. You can take a drawing class and be confident that everyone in there loves drawing just like you, and that’s a great starting point for a friendship. Or look for a walking group on meetup or start your own. Good luck. I know it’s tough when everything changes and nothing seems fun anymore. But know that you’re right – this is the worst of it.

@@Inner Surfer Girl, Thanks for the reminder. I agree with your points. A lot of people don’t seem to realize how important Protein is. The requirements your surgeon or nutritionist tell you aren’t a goal or a best-case scenario. They’re requirements! And, like you said, no bonus points for not hitting them! That’s a great way of putting it. Water, too. I think sometimes water is even more under-recognized and under-emphasized than protein, but it’s just as important as protein, if not more. It’s more important if you’re concerned about things like life and death, and not ending up in the emergency room from dehydration. Thanks for the reminder. It was a good reason to get up on your soapbox.

@@Kwilliams03, I think most (or at least a lot of) people who have the sleeve were morbidly obese. The standard guidelines are to be morbidly obese, which is a BMI of 40 or over, or to have a BMI of 35 plus a comorbidity. Good luck with your decision! Let us know how it goes.

I would first ask your nutritionist or surgeon about their opinions. I would think it would be normal to eat more than 2 ounces of salad greens at a time since they’re mostly Water. When you finish chewing them up, there’s not much left of them. I would also suggest keeping really close tabs on how full you are. I would think your goal when eating salad would be to stop when you’re just as full as (not more full than) you usually are when you eat the meals you have been eating up until this point. You wouldn’t want to get used to stuffing yourself with salad, even though it’s low-calorie, because eventually you might feel the need to get stuffed at every meal.

Thanks so much for this great article! What a way to honor these women on Mother’s Day. I love the way you gave us beautiful examples of women at different places in their lives and who had different choices of weight loss surgery type and also an example of plastic surgery. Jassira’s story in particular shows what women can go through in order to become mothers. I don’t think that motherhood is always appreciated as much as it deserves. Congratulations to each of these strong women and the many others like them. This is a great way to Celebrate these and other women who have worked so hard and shown so much dedication not only to themselves and their health, but also to their families.

@@VSGAnn2014, Thanks for the link to the other discussions and also to the second study showing that WLS patients had their metabolisms return to normal or as expected after a year (although I can’t access the link you posted). @@Djmohr, That is a really insightful observation that you kept losing the weight as a sort of game when you were younger, only to eventually get to the point where you couldn’t lose weight anymore. I think for anyone who is successful at long-term maintenance, as is true for you, there is no such thing as a “diet” other than eating well. I do disagree that WLS is the “only” solution to obesity. It may be the only solution for some of us – and maybe for all of us who have gone that route! But I do know people who have lost serious weight (50 to 100 or more lbs – enough so that they could have been WLS candidates) and kept it off for decades. They work really hard at it, just as hard as we (WLS patients) do. But obviously for myself, I felt that WLS was the only way to go!

It’s been in the news all week, so let’s talk about it…there’s a new study in the journal Obesity that answers some questions many of us have been wondering about for years. In case you missed it or need a brief refresher, here’s a very brief summary. Researchers followed 14 of the 16 Biggest Loser contestants from Season 8 (2009). They found: -13 of them regained weight since the finale. -Four were heavier than their Season 8 starting weights. -Resting metabolism slowed…a lot. Contestants burned about 500 fewer calories per day than same-weight study participants who had never lost a lot of weight. -Hunger hormones worked against contestants, with leptin (a satisfying hormone) dropping, and ghrelin (a hunger hormone) rising. -Contestants thought about food…a lot. I don’t think the weight regain was a surprise to those of us who are not too confident in the show’s weight loss methods that depend on grueling exercise for hours a day. These methods just don’t seem sustainable, either mentally (is it really fun to exercise 6 hours a day for life?) or practically (some of us have jobs and families…). But there is also a lot of buzz around the physiological factors, including slowing metabolism, thinking about food, and increased hunger. Does that mean we’re all doomed to be obese forever? Clearly not. Many of us are successful maintainers. So here’s what I take home from this study. -I can’t compare myself to anyone else. John Doe may weigh the same as I do, but that doesn’t mean I can eat like him. So why would I even look at what John Doe is eating? -Take your weight loss journey as a chance to develop healthy habits that you can love forever. You’ll only be losing weight for a year or two after surgery…then it’s time to maintain. Consider that first year or two when your sleeve, band, or pouch is doing the most for you a time to figure out what works for you. If you make a mistake, it’ll be easier to get back on track when your surgery is recent and you’re still motivated by the prospect of weight loss. -Fix your head. If you’re going to be battling hunger more than most people, you’ll be a lot more successful if you’re not battling emotional eating, too. What did you think about the study and its results? Did you learn anything you can apply to yourself?

Imagine this. You and your doctor agree that you need to lose weight. You tell your doctor you’ve been thinking about weight loss surgery. Your doctor lets you know his or her thoughts about WLS, and they’re very negative. You may not need to imagine it because it may have happened – or be happening – to you. What should your next step be when your own doctor is not supportive of WLS? Doctor’s Orders: Lose the Weight Almost all Weight Loss Surgery patients and nearly everyone who’s considering getting WLS had a similar experience to the following. You go for a routine visit to your primary care physician, endocrinologist, or regular doctor, and you get the news you’ve come to expect: you’ve gained a little weight since the last appointment and you’re developing obesity-related problems. Bottom line, your doctor says, is that you need to lose weight. It’s no secret that you need to lose weight. You’ve probably tried a thousand different diets. They may have worked, but only for a time. Then any weight that left came right back, with a few extra pounds. You recently started thinking about weight loss surgery, and you bring up that idea to your doctor. “Weight Loss Surgery Is the Wrong Choice” Some doctors are against weight loss surgery. They have the same reasons as anyone else who may be against weight loss surgery. They say it’s the easy way out, or you can lose weight on your own, or you might have complications. It’s great for them to express their concerns to you since that’s their job. But it’s not okay to deny you the opportunity to lose weight just because they don’t like the idea of WLS and may not have ever done any research into it. The Ideal Doctors are supposed to be compassionate, understanding, and competent. If that sounds like a tall order, it is. But it’s not unrealistic. You need to feel comfortable discussing your health and health decisions with your doctor without your doctor making you feel like a failure for not losing weight already and for considering Weight Loss Surgery. You Come First Your doctor should put you first. Putting you first means taking into consideration your future health, your dieting and weight history, and your own beliefs about whether weight loss surgery is right for you. Your doctor should put you ahead of any personal beliefs or biases about weight loss surgery, or lack of knowledge about it. Seeking a “Second Opinion” You’re always entitled to a second opinion when it comes to your health and healthcare decisions. You may not need an official “second opinion” on whether you should get WLS if you’ve already decided you’re going for it. What you do need is an opinion from a doctor who will support you. You can consider switching your primary care doctor if it’s important to you that your PCP be supportive of your WLS journey and during it. You may even want to find a doctor with some understanding of WLS and how to help you prepare for and recover from it. That’s not always possible, for insurance and logistical reasons. It may not be desirable if you like your PCP otherwise and don’t want to jump ship. A Supportive Bariatric Surgeon Whether or not your family doctor approves of Weight Loss Surgery, your surgeon absolutely needs to be on your side. While you can expect bariatric surgeons to be supportive of you getting WLS, that’s not the only thing to consider. Consider whether the surgeon makes you feel confident you’ll get the support you need and that you will succeed. Whether because of their poor bedside manners or lack of attention to detail, some surgeons will keep you in doubt about your decision. Those are not the right surgeons for you! You may need to have initial consults with one, two, three, or even more surgeons before settling on the one that’s going to boost you up. A Personal Decision Ultimately, weight loss surgery is your decision. You can decide to get it, or not to get it. It should be a decision based on what you think will help you lose weight, how much risk you’re willing to take by going “under the knife” (although it’s laparoscopic these days!), and how you think it stacks up against your other options. It should NOT be a decision based on what your doctor thinks or how uncomfortable you feel talking to your doctor or surgeon about it. It’s up to you.

We still haven't implemented a fix that works 100% of the time. We are upgrading the site and app in 2-3 months and it'll be permanently resolved once we do the upgrade. Your mobile experience will also be greatly improved at that point. We have some interesting things we plan on rolling out once the upgrade is completed. I really appreciate the feedback everyone provides. You have no idea how useful it is for us to make things better, thank you!!

I've been following this thread and will definitely try to figure a way to add the chat room from the app! Nope!

Yup! Please visit http://www.bariatricpal.com/chat/ .

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Mother’s Day from BariatricPal! For everyone who is a mother or is a mother figure, thank you for all that you do! For everyone else, I hope you will take this opportunity to thank your mom and any other mother figure in your life. You moms out there do a lot for us! This newsletter is all about treating yourself, treating yourself, enjoying your family, and becoming healthier together. Here’s what you’ll find: A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Time-Savers for a Healthy Family Have a great Mother’s Day, and enjoy the newsletter. Then spend some time with your family, and don’t forget to logon to BariatricPal and discuss family, recipes, and whatever else is on your mind. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Mothers often find themselves putting everyone else first. You might feel so busy you can’t squeeze in a quick workout. You might cook your family their favorite meals while you depend on nothing but canned tuna and hard-boiled eggs to stick to your WLS diet. You might skimp on sleep so you can take care of the house and get the kids ready for school. And the idea of losing yourself in a good book or spending a few hours at a day spa? Those may be distant dreams. Are You Putting Yourself Last? Too many mothers feel they need to put others first. After all, taking care of your children and maybe your spouse and parents is your job, right? Add that to possible duties of housekeeping and holding down a job, and your time and energy are easily accounted for. Weight loss surgery magnifies the problem. You may feel guilty about surgery, especially if it was expensive for your family. You may worry that WLS pulls you apart from your family, since you need to eat a new way and set aside time to prepare food and work out. You may fight the guilty feelings by trying to put everyone else’s needs and wants behind yours – and that just doesn’t work. The trouble is, you can only give so much for so long without taking care of yourself. You need to make the time to recharge regularly and to keep up with your own emotional and physical health habits. If not, sooner or later, you will not be able to give your best to the ones you love. You’re Not Selfish; You’re Smart What happens when you think about putting yourself first? What feelings come up when you think about making your own meals before you make your family’s, or going to the gym in the evening instead of coming directly home from work, or postponing the housecleaning so you can meditate? If you’re like many weight loss surgery patients, you may feel guilty. That’s not fair or productive. When you take care of yourself, you are in a better position to take care of others. You will be stronger, happier, and more cheerful when you are healthy. Take some time to identify what you would ideally do if you did not have family responsibilities: which foods would you eat, what kind of workouts would you do, and which hobbies or relaxation activities would you pursue? Then figure out which ones are necessary for your long-term stability and work them into your life – even if it means making some of them a priority over less important things. Really, it’s okay to skip the dusting for now if you need that time to plan a few healthy meals. Take Care, Mother or Not By the way, being good to yourself so you can be at your best is not just for moms. No matter who you are, you can give your best if you are at your best. You’ll be better father, friend, son or daughter, and coworker. You’re not being selfish when you take care of yourself. You’re putting yourself in a position to give your best to the world. A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate After weight loss surgery, holidays are about more than just food. You can focus on family and on other fun activities besides eating. But the truth is, you’re likely to end up around the table at some point if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day. Almost all family gatherings tend to revolve around food, so instead of fighting it, you might as well make the best of it. Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed If your Mother’s Day includes a little pampering at home…lucky you! Fresh fruit salad, cottage cheese with raw veggies, and Greek yogurt pops with fruit are some of the easy and healthy options you might want to ask your little helpers to serve you. You can also enjoy breakfast in bed or a more luxurious brunch at home with the help of The BariatricPal Store. We suggest whipping up a batch of instant Protein Pancakes in chocolate chip, golden delicious, or blueberry flavors. Serve them plain or with fruit or Greek yogurt for yourself, and let your children make their own feasts with toppings such as whipped cream, syrup, peanut butter, and fruit. For an early morning or mid-morning treat while hanging out with your kids or spouse, everyone might enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or cappuccino – protein included! Mother’s Day Brunch Out Are you going out for Mother’s Day? Lucky you! While that buffet or 12-course menu may look like a disaster at first glance, there’s a good chance there are plenty of healthy choices for you. Look past the breakfast pastries such as muffins, danishes, and doughnuts, doughy options like bagels, pancakes, and waffles, and fatty options like bacon and breakfast sausage. Think that doesn’t leave you with much? Think again! Check for any of the following. Omelets and egg white omelets with add-ins such as vegetable and natural ham. Fresh fruit. Seasonal fresh vegetables. Simple protein items such as cottage cheese and yogurt. Smoked salmon. Freshly carved turkey breast. The rules of your weight loss surgery diet hold here, too. Keep portions small, eat slowly, and You’ll have even more to celebrate than Mother’s Day when you realize you just got through Mother’s Day brunch without losing control. A Time to Reflect and Be Grateful We know not everyone celebrates Mother’s Day or approaches this day in the same way. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t take the time to reflect and be grateful. Any opportunity is a good one for realizing all that you have, even though life can get tough sometimes. You may be grateful for the opportunity weight loss surgery has given you to get healthy and have a new lease on life. Maybe you’re thankful for your family and friends who support you and make life worth living. Maybe you’re happy to have a job that puts (healthy) food on the table and a roof over your head. These things are simple and basic, but remembering to be grateful for them can truly make you appreciate them and be a happier person. So, have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and keep working towards those goals for weight loss and health! BariatricPal is there for you at every step of the way, so we hope you will keep contributing to the forums. Thanks for all of your support!

Hey everyone! Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday (consider that a friendly reminder if you still need to get your mom a gift or reserve a table at her favorite restaurant…). Are you a mother, or are you going to be appreciating your own mother on Sunday? Or maybe both? How has weight loss surgery changed your relationship with your mom or your kids? Are you able to do more things together? If you and your mom (or your kids) are all adults, do you feel closer to them as you work towards being healthy? And…what are your plans for Mother’s Day? A walk with a heart-to-heart chat? Picking some flowers? A healthy brunch? Share how you’ll Celebrate Mom!

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Mother’s Day from BariatricPal! For everyone who is a mother or is a mother figure, thank you for all that you do! For everyone else, I hope you will take this opportunity to thank your mom and any other mother figure in your life. You moms out there do a lot for us! This newsletter is all about treating yourself, treating yourself, enjoying your family, and becoming healthier together. Here’s what you’ll find: A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Time-Savers for a Healthy Family Have a great Mother’s Day, and enjoy the newsletter. Then spend some time with your family, and don’t forget to logon to BariatricPal and discuss family, recipes, and whatever else is on your mind. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Mothers often find themselves putting everyone else first. You might feel so busy you can’t squeeze in a quick workout. You might cook your family their favorite meals while you depend on nothing but canned tuna and hard-boiled eggs to stick to your WLS diet. You might skimp on sleep so you can take care of the house and get the kids ready for school. And the idea of losing yourself in a good book or spending a few hours at a day spa? Those may be distant dreams. Are You Putting Yourself Last? Too many mothers feel they need to put others first. After all, taking care of your children and maybe your spouse and parents is your job, right? Add that to possible duties of housekeeping and holding down a job, and your time and energy are easily accounted for. Weight loss surgery magnifies the problem. You may feel guilty about surgery, especially if it was expensive for your family. You may worry that WLS pulls you apart from your family, since you need to eat a new way and set aside time to prepare food and work out. You may fight the guilty feelings by trying to put everyone else’s needs and wants behind yours – and that just doesn’t work. The trouble is, you can only give so much for so long without taking care of yourself. You need to make the time to recharge regularly and to keep up with your own emotional and physical health habits. If not, sooner or later, you will not be able to give your best to the ones you love. You’re Not Selfish; You’re Smart What happens when you think about putting yourself first? What feelings come up when you think about making your own meals before you make your family’s, or going to the gym in the evening instead of coming directly home from work, or postponing the housecleaning so you can meditate? If you’re like many weight loss surgery patients, you may feel guilty. That’s not fair or productive. When you take care of yourself, you are in a better position to take care of others. You will be stronger, happier, and more cheerful when you are healthy. Take some time to identify what you would ideally do if you did not have family responsibilities: which foods would you eat, what kind of workouts would you do, and which hobbies or relaxation activities would you pursue? Then figure out which ones are necessary for your long-term stability and work them into your life – even if it means making some of them a priority over less important things. Really, it’s okay to skip the dusting for now if you need that time to plan a few healthy meals. Take Care, Mother or Not By the way, being good to yourself so you can be at your best is not just for moms. No matter who you are, you can give your best if you are at your best. You’ll be better father, friend, son or daughter, and coworker. You’re not being selfish when you take care of yourself. You’re putting yourself in a position to give your best to the world. A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate After weight loss surgery, holidays are about more than just food. You can focus on family and on other fun activities besides eating. But the truth is, you’re likely to end up around the table at some point if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day. Almost all family gatherings tend to revolve around food, so instead of fighting it, you might as well make the best of it. Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed If your Mother’s Day includes a little pampering at home…lucky you! Fresh fruit salad, cottage cheese with raw veggies, and Greek yogurt pops with fruit are some of the easy and healthy options you might want to ask your little helpers to serve you. You can also enjoy breakfast in bed or a more luxurious brunch at home with the help of The BariatricPal Store. We suggest whipping up a batch of instant Protein pancakes in chocolate chip, golden delicious, or blueberry flavors. Serve them plain or with fruit or Greek yogurt for yourself, and let your children make their own feasts with toppings such as whipped cream, syrup, Peanut Butter, and fruit. For an early morning or mid-morning treat while hanging out with your kids or spouse, everyone might enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or cappuccino – protein included! Mother’s Day Brunch Out Are you going out for Mother’s Day? Lucky you! While that buffet or 12-course menu may look like a disaster at first glance, there’s a good chance there are plenty of healthy choices for you. Look past the breakfast pastries such as muffins, danishes, and doughnuts, doughy options like bagels, pancakes, and waffles, and fatty options like bacon and breakfast sausage. Think that doesn’t leave you with much? Think again! Check for any of the following. Omelets and egg white omelets with add-ins such as vegetable and natural ham. Fresh fruit. Seasonal fresh vegetables. Simple protein items such as cottage cheese and yogurt. Smoked salmon. Freshly carved turkey breast. The rules of your weight loss surgery diet hold here, too. Keep portions small, eat slowly, and You’ll have even more to celebrate than Mother’s Day when you realize you just got through Mother’s Day brunch without losing control. A Time to Reflect and Be Grateful We know not everyone celebrates Mother’s Day or approaches this day in the same way. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t take the time to reflect and be grateful. Any opportunity is a good one for realizing all that you have, even though life can get tough sometimes. You may be grateful for the opportunity weight loss surgery has given you to get healthy and have a new lease on life. Maybe you’re thankful for your family and friends who support you and make life worth living. Maybe you’re happy to have a job that puts (healthy) food on the table and a roof over your head. These things are simple and basic, but remembering to be grateful for them can truly make you appreciate them and be a happier person. So, have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and keep working towards those goals for weight loss and health! BariatricPal is there for you at every step of the way, so we hope you will keep contributing to the forums. Thanks for all of your support!

Should be right away. Sounds like the page is cached. Can you empty your cache and try again, please?

Yes, it is none of their business, but it still doesn’t feel good when they say that. I guess you could say “Yes, it is on my diet.” If you feel the need to explain more, and they seem to be listening, you could explain that “I am allowed to eat this because I am learning to incorporate real foods in reasonable amounts in my diet.”

I think everyone who sells things is out to make the most they can…I’m thinking about food, now. When you look at food costs, the foods that are specifically marketed as “healthy” are way more expensive, even if there’s no necessary reason. One of my favorite examples is soy protein: it’s used as a filler in meat products because it’s cheap, but if you buy vegetarian “meat” with soy (like veggie burgers), you’ll pay a ton for soy protein.

@@Andrea72, So glad you’re in a positive place now! Good luck with your half-marathon training. That should keep you motivated!

Every surgeon has his or her own methods. That’s why it’s important to choose a surgeon with good results (good weight loss and low complication rates) and then go all in – trust your surgeon completely once you’ve decided on one. Yes, as you see, it’s not unusual that your surgeon didn’t require the 2-week pre-op diet.