Tracy46545

CreatingLee, That's great for you. The nearest Costco is 90 minutes away here and I'm not a member. We have Sam's Club locally and they don't carry the Muscle Milk Light or otherwise. The local Walmart carries Muscle Milk...but not the Light version. The local bodybuilder shop will get it for me by the case for a reduced price but I haven't done that yet. I wanted to be sure my tastes didn't change after surgery.

Take Chapstik or Blistex...when they come with the blue dye to do your first swallow test after recovery, it will stain your teeth (temporary...but still) I put Chapstik all over my teeth before I drank the dye and it didn't stain my teeth! (lol..it's the little things that make me happy). You'll be happy to have it for the dry lips too. Warm socks, nothing more miserable than cold feet. slip on shoes or slippers for walks within a few hours of surgery. They want you UP and MOVING! My IPod was a necessity for me...something about having my own music on hand while I drifted in and out of pain meds, really helped. Loose clothing to wear home, nothing fitted because your tummy will be swollen. Some $5 bills to tip your driver or to take a taxi for your last meal. A list of YOUR questions. Don't count on remembering them when you get there, things move fast and you have to be ready. there are some great lists here on the forum somewhere....I don't have time to look them up this morning but if no one else responds by this afternoon I'll try to do that.

Hope, I also think it's time you insist on being seen. Track your Fluid intake for 24 hours...tell the doctor's office..."hey..I'm only getting in "x" # oz in a 24 hour period! I need more hydration! In the meantime, how about ice chips? would that help? also Jello?

Angel, some of what you're feeling is indeed detox.....detox from carbs. We're so accustomed to getting in carbs in ways we don't even think of. In fact...check the new Protein drink that you've just gotten......is it around 3 carbs per serving? If not...try to find one that is. I use Muscle Milk Light...available in my area in convenience stores, gas stations, fitness (bodybuilding) stores and some Vitamin Shoppes. It has 20 gm protein and 10gm carbs but 0 gms sugar. It will take some searching to find a Protein Drink you can "depend" on, and as others have mentioned, your tastes may change dramatically after surgery. The best thing you can do is to really read the labels and look for the highest amount of protein you can find with the least amount of carbs. Do your best and you'll be fine. When justifying the costs, just remember they are replacing meals and calories of junk nutrition your body used to think it needed! look at theworldaccordingtoeggface.com website....it will give you lots of ideas for using protein powders to make really imaginative Desserts, ice creams, shakes etc. However, she'll tell you straight up that if your protein powder tastes like Monkey's ass plain, it won't taste much better than monkey's ass after you use it to make ice cream etc.....lol Pre-op I "fixed up" some bad tasting shakes by adding in some sugar free pudding mix, or Torani or DaVinci sugar free syrups. It sometimes helps to drink it from a cup or bottle with a smaller spout so you can get it past your nose. best wishes,

Good plan Chandra, I hadn't really thought about having a Protein shake before bed to help with the next day but it makes sense. Really increasing the # of protein grams is the first step to stopping hunger...so it's easier to say NO to the head hunger. thanks for the idea,

Not the best source of Protein...but at least it's some. That's my story and I'm stickin' with it!

I can relate to all this.....if I could have "just one" I wouldn't have required surgery! Once the carb demon is awakened however, it takes me weeks to beat him back into his cave! bludgening tool in hand.......

I don't quite agree with your doctor's attitude that if you aren't vomiting you can't get dehydrated. If you aren't taking enough fluids in you can also get dehydrated! i'm sure you're staying on top of that and will contact him again if you aren't feeling better within 12-24 hours....right? (dehydration can make you nauseus too). keeping you in my thoughts and prayers,

Gary, If you can stand to go alone, just fly. Your trip will be less exhausting which will speed healing. I went alone and had surgery Dec 14th....no worries there. Fabulous staff, and you'll meet friends so you won't feel alone at all. Plus it was almost easier for me to be there alone and not have someone fussing over me.

Wisconsin_Girl, I have to share some post-op dreams from my FIRST weight loss surgery.... The first one was horrible....I had a nightmare that a little girl was being tortured...like an old time martyr..and I was being pampered at the same time. Very weird but I remember waking up with my heart racing thinking about how I was going to get her away from the guys that were torturing her. Second dream was more pleasant....I was returning to work the next day and I dreamed that when I got there every cupboard that I opened had Oreos in it. Not the packages...just the Cookies themselves, stacked in neat stacks and rows...lol..Oreos for days....and I couldn't have ANY! No dreams ...good or bad, with this surgery. Hang in there!

CaptCarol, Remember that if you have the surgery in January...follow the post op plan and really exercise, that you'll likely be 40-60# thinner by the heat wave summertime. Your body will not require quite as much to cool it because you'll have less stored fat. You will have to concentrate on getting in fluids, but it might not be as worrisome as you're thinking now. Additionally, with the weight loss, you'll be more comfortable wearing less clothing in the summer! Tea is a great drink but the real thing is a diuretic, not sure about the Crystal Light version...but be sure that whatever you're drinking is NOT a diuretic as you don't want to be peeing out all your hydration. I think you'll be fine because you're already accustomed to drinking a good amount of fluids to stay hydrated. You're planning ahead and that's key. you're gonna do great!

Amerigirl, I think 100 in 4 months would be the exception...and not the rule. It may have happened but I'm sure there were other contributing factors such as perhaps surgical or healing complications that preventing taking in nutrition etc. However...it seems to be very likely that you could lose 3-4 pounds a week with the sleeve...(pretty much twice as fast as any other weight loss dieting plan). It's all individual and depends on how hard you're willing to work the "tool" and do the exercising etc. As for picking up baby......I was told not to lift anything more than 15# for minimum 3 weeks after surgery. I believe the risks are developing a hernia or straining your staple line if you disregard these cautions. Some one with more experience will probably jump in here and answer this! Tracy

I don't know any other surgeon in Mexico but Dr. Aceves and Dr. Campos, so I can't really express a preference. However, the care I get there makes me wish I never had to go to a hospital in the USA. Tracy

DaliteDesign, I think we can be "normal" when we've learned to respect the "tool". I don't think it happens just because we had the surgery. There are many ways to "eat around" even a sleeve surgery such as drinking with meals or just consuming sugar calories and processed foods....so we still have to pay attention to what goes in the mouth. However, thankfully, the "tool" helps us stay in control and even when the cravings get bad it helps to restrict the portions! Tracy

I treated it like a holiday! More sweets than I should have had...but probably about 1% of what I had last year. Sum total spread out over the entire evening: two pieces of Peanut Butter fudge, a 1/4 cup of the cheerios out of CHEX-Mix, and my supper which was 2 oz Light and Fit yogurt, one meatball, and 1 tsp artichoke dip. I sipped low sugar Gatorade all evening. Last year....geez...almost ashamed to say: Probably 12-15 pieces of peanut butter fudge, easily a dozen Christmas frosted Cookies, 2-3 sugar yum yums (sugar cookies), 3-4 pieces of chocolate fudge, 3-4 peanut butter balls, several cups of Chex-Mix, pistachio bark, peppermint bark, 3-4 peanut butter blossoms, divinity, pecan log roll, pecan pie, Chocolate Charlie (local product made with milk chocolate, peanuts and homemade marshmallows), chocolate chip cookies, macadamia nut cookies, meringue cookies..............(this is all mom's normal "spread" at Christmas), in addition to the fantastic meal she prepares! I'm so grateful for my TOOL!

JoyfulJoy.... Once you go to Almater Hospital....you'll wish you NEVER had to go to an american hospital again. Tracy

At the nursing homes they either put crushed pills in applesauce or pudding. That might help...

Erin, What a sweet ispirational idea! This site is FULL of just the thing you're looking for...just peruse the various forums...I'm pretty sure no one will mind if you cut and paste as long as you give credit to the author.

Well done GonnaLoseWeight!!! The tool helps...but YOU did the work....take the credit, enjoy your success and let it put in you a resolve to finish the battle!

My one and only New Years Resolution is to start college Jan 17th and NOT drop out for any reason. No matter if I have a health crisis, a financial crisis or a total mental dumb-out.

Dark Dove chocolate is very much on my diet plan (after post op recovery). It has so many health benefits. However, just like the nuts, cakes etc...it all needs to be kept in strict control. A treat "now and then" isn't going to kill your weight loss. NOT exercising to burn off the extra calories is what kills your weight loss!

Hey...those happy dances can burn alot of calories....we should all be "happy dancing" every day!!! Congrats!

That's what I had to do too Teshanelson1. I put away every dime I could and saved and scrimped and borrowed. Thankfully I won't allow a guy in my life that doesn't pay HIS own way....so I don't have to support a man that way and I have no children to support either. Some of the money had to be a credit card advance and you know those fees and percentages are high for that..but I determined that I was worth it. My committment to myself is that if I go in debt now....I would return to college to finish my bachelor's degree so I could earn more money in the future. I had surgery (revision from lapband to VSG) on Dec 14th and I start classes full time on Jan 17th. Now mind you, I'm no spring chicken..I'm 49 1/2 yrs old returning to college and I'm also working 48 hours a week, but it will be worth it. FOR BOTH of us!

I wish they had the "Click" product at MY Walmart! ... I just ordered some online...whew....over $20 for 14 servings...but I have to remember that it's high Protein as well. If you don't mind me asking Stoongal...how much was it at Walmart?

Since Stoongal referenced Cornell Weight Loss Center...I thought I would look up what they had to say. Again....please follow YOUR surgeon's post-op orders but if variance is allowed, Cornell has a nice plan. Very helpful ideas, food logs, etc. Here is the link: Enjoy! Click here: http://www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org/pdf/dietary_guidelines_sleeve_gastrectomy.pdf