Lissa

Biggie, Your doc probably does think you're taking the Nexium, so he's now added an appetite suppressant. Before filling that Rx, why not try the Nexium for a couple of weeks and see if it helps? I didn't think I had acid issues either, but my doc started me on pantoprazole and suddenly I didn't have any hunger anymore, and that was at 3 months out. I am amazed at the difference! I never had heartburn or reflux before surgery, so I wouldn't have recognized either after surgery either. Good luck! I hope it works for you!

Nancy, If you do decaf, you should be able to have coffee now. Add a little protein powder instead of the creamer and enjoy. Be aware that even decaf coffee can cause diarrhea issues, though.

An appetite suppressant? It seems like he would have given you an acid reducer first, since many people think they are hungry when it's really an acid problem. Are you working out a lot? That will definitely affect how fast the pounds come off because muscle does weigh more than fat. However, 18 pounds is nothing to sneeze at, especially if your clothes are getting looser and you're feeling better. Good luck! You're doing great!

I love and hate my scale, too! I finally moved it out of the bathroom and into the kitchen so I'd quit weighing every time I went pee. That was a good move since I didn't lose an ounce in February, although I did drop 3 pants sizes. I'm glad I live alone so that no one has to see me dart through the house in the morning to weigh before I shower, though! It's finally moving again, though, so I may allow it back into the master bath!

LOL, Enerfina! Yes, I'm such a party girl! I hadn't been out before the bachelorette party in probably 2 years. I do have a big circle of friends, though. We just don't spend a lot of time drinking.

Good luck! Here's hoping that it's step 1, then a sleeve!

I had my first drink (diet coke and rum over ice) at 4.5 months out. I felt a little tipsier than I would have felt from one drink before, but I've never been a big drinker. Several weeks ago, I attended a bachelorette party where I drank 8 drinks over the course of about 7 hours, along with several glasses of water to combat the diuretic effects. I felt buzzed for a bit, then sobered up REALLY fast. I'm sure my liver hated me, but I had no adverse effects. No weight gain, no hangover and we had a blast. I did dance all night, so maybe that affected my alcohol absorption.

Have you tried logging out, then logging back in? Sometimes this fixes issues for me with another message board.

If you're going to make yourself eat chicken, why not try a chicken alfredo dish? You wont even be able to finish the chicken portion, so the calories in the sauce aren't that big a deal. This is supposed to be a special dinner, so I think you should order something that sounds delicious and filling even if it's not technically a high Protein choice. If you REALLY want Pasta, load up on the protein earlier in the day and have pasta. Besides, I just read a thread several days ago between MassIndex and PDXMan where they discussed carb-loading before races as being an important consideration. You may actually have a better race if you DO add some extra carbs in your system. BTW, congratulations on your first 5K!!!

"Waiting to Exhale" because it seems like I've always been waiting for something before I can start living. Waiting to grow up, then waiting on the kids to grow up, and now I'm waiting on the weight loss. But, I've changed that and I'm doing something about it instead of waiting anymore.

Meljp, I woke up from surgery with tons of energy that hasn't really flagged yet. The more weight I lose and exercise I do, the more energy I seem to have. Strange how that works, hmmm?

None of the foods mentioned above (except carbonated drinks, and there is debate about that) are totally off limits after surgery. Yes, it will be awhile before you will be able to eat steak and foods containing rice, like sushi, comfortably. But, you will be able to eat them again, just in much smaller portions. I've eaten one or two bites of rice since surgery. Rice and bread both fill me up super fast and aren't that appealing now because I'm concentrating on Protein every day. Now, if you ask me about cheetos...I'll find room in my sleeve for them! LOL I've been eating steak comfortably since about 3 months out. I can only do 2-3 oz of steak at a time, but I can eat it. If I'm in a restaurant, I ask for it to be done a little less than I like, then it's perfect when I reheat it at home. I don't find much that I still crave from the carb side of food (see cheetos above!), and, if I really want something, I'll plan it into my daily meals and work around it on the protein. Lately, I'm finding that I just want something different to DRINK, though. I'm about watered out, even with the help of the Mio drops. I drink lots of decaf tea and coffee and (shhhh), some decaf diet coke. A few days ago in WALMART, I found myself reading labels on everything in the drink aisle, looking for something that appealed to me without caffeine or citrus, which still upsets Rex (my sleeve). I've also been looking at all the Protein Bars out there to find one that sounds appealing. I'm sure the gal at walmart was chuckling because I bought a sample of every Protein Bar they had with more than 15g of protein that night.

I went to the seminar in May, had to delay my June consult to July because of health problems, and had surgery August 30. It would have been August 12, but I had to wait for 3 months after a blood clot before I could have surgery. I see that you're in FL. What doctor are you considering?

Early post-op, it's more important to get in the liquids than the protein. Work on the liquids and do the best you can on protein. It does get easier once you're back on solid food again.

I love that it's called food porn, too. I watched a TON of food network right after surgery, but I did stick with shows where the host's taste is different from mine. Guy Fieri's recipes always make me go blech, so I watched every show he was in. I like him, but I've made three of his recipes and they didn't do a darn thing for me.

Dea, A week out from surgery, you should be concentrating on liquids anyway. Do the best you can on the Protein, but make sure you're getting the Water you need into your body. I drank a lot of broth (chicken and beef) during my first few post-op weeks. It doesn't have a lot of protein per serving, but it does help keep you hydrated, gives you a break from straight water, and is NOT sweet. I couldnt stand sweets for the first 4.5 months post-op. I wish I still couldn't, actually. Good luck! It WILL get better!

I always keep a protein bar and one of those tuna lunch packets in my car or my purse. I have no refrigeration since I drive a lot. I keep telling myself I should put a cooler in the car.

I kept a pair of my biggest pants. When I'm feeling like I cant see the difference in my body, I go put them on and laugh as they hit the floor! Works every single time!

:::smirk::: I'll never tell!

Buy a body pillow! Better than having the fat there! Congrats on the NSV!! BTW, my body pillow has a name: Brian!

Yay! All of those are terrific NSV's!!!

http://www.womansday.com/sex-relationships/sex-tips/8-sexy-ways-to-burn-calories-110923 I had to look up the answer.

You're ourborous sized!! I kwym about weird sizing, though, although I think women's clothes are worse than men's about crazy sizing. I wear anywhere from 18 to 26, depending on who makes the clothes. Lissa

I'd shout it from the rooftops if I could. No problem telling anyone and everyone about this surgery. Nay sayers, which there are not many of, get "I was literally dying. This surgery saved my life!"

I saw my college age stepson last night for the first time in a few months. He came up and said he didn't recognize me until he saw my face. Lissa