AutumnLily

Thanks Tiffykins I am able to eat about half a palm of steak right now (approz 3 oz) so I am thinking I will have a bit more room later. I rarely eat chicken breast as I find the meat too dry. Love the thigh and legs so I think I can get a half decent portion in. I am waiting till about 6 months post op to try sushi in a roll form. May even wait longer as I am afraid of trying rice (afraid it will get stuck I guess). I am looking forward to the day when I can frequent the sushi bars again.

I can honestly tell you that I love food 100% just the same as I did pre-op. It took me months to get here, and I really didn't start liking food again I was at goal, and was able to really add in more food into my daily intake that consisted of more than just meat, cheese, eggs, and greek yogurt.

Also, get creative. There are fabulous recipes out there that really made eating easier, and more pleasant. You'll be able to enjoy food again. I eat a huge variety of foods, and do not keep anything off my menu just because I had VSG.

I had sushi(3 slices of shrimp tempura roll), and some pepper steak with fried rice this afternoon for lunch, for dinner I had 1/2 sonic corny dog, 3 chili/cheese tater tots, and 2 cheddar poppers. Okay, so it took me about an hour to eat dinner tonight because the corndog was filling, BUT it was a mad pregnancy craving, and it's what I wanted.

Seriously, you will enjoy food again, but it will take some time, and some creativity on your part.

The sushi and pepper steak sound mmm mmm mmmmmmmm.. Was it the large sushi rolls or the smaller ones? Im curious how big of a steak can you eat now that you are 2 years post op.

Rapid weightloss can trigger the gallbladder to produce excess stones. I have heard of several people that needed their gallbladder out within the first year post op. Some had theirs removed at the same time as surgery and some (like me) had theirs removed pre surgery.

Good you got in and removed as sometimes the stones can travel to the pancreas and cause a whole lotta problems with acute pancreatitis (not very nice). Sounds like your doc is being careful by going in again to remove the last of the stones.

Get well and soon you will be back on your feet and feeling great.

There are several companies that will send out samples of their Vitamins. Which would be good for you to try with out spending the money.

Have you tried Vitamins in liquid form or chewable form? May be the pills that are giving you the problems.

Bariatric Advantage Samples

Celebrate Vitamins samples

There may be other places that provide samples for you to try. Its worth a shot as it sounds like you are in need of vitamins in what ever form you can get.

Are you taking a PPI? Maybe the upset stomach is due to excess stomach acid?

Congratulations of finding the right combination of food to Water to break your stall. Hope you are feeling much better after your cold and you can get back to getting in your protien needed.

Keep up the great work.

That is good news!!

I find it easier to search when I am in the forums section and usually a single word or a couple of words and I usually find what I am looking for. I agree with Tiffykins that when you have replied the same info over and over that you just do not want to reply anymore. Lately I have been slacking on reading the boards and sometimes only read the status updates.< /p>

I'm feel quite sure I am not the only person to ask this question or have this problem. Since the surgery I have become extremely lactose intolerant. This is complicated by the fact I've never really liked the taste or texture of meat. I will eat some grilled chicken and I am beginning to enjoy some kinds of fish. But the idea of eating meat everyday for the rest of my life is pretty gross. So pre-surgery I was using a whey Protein from GNC as a supplement. I tried using is post sugery with absolutely disastrous effects even with the lactose pills.

I tried the local health food store for a spirulina based Protein vanilla sample. I have to say that was gross. Generally I can just power through something if it must be done. Nothing could

make that particular brand palatable. My best description is it smelled like a piece of lettuce threw up. So incredibly gross. So I find myself in dire need of help. I really need something

that isn't too horrible but also won't break my bank.

Any suggestions at all would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

The farther you get out the less you want to rely on Protein shakes to get your protein in. That being said there are many products that have protein besides meat.

Cottage cheese, cheese of different kinds, greek yoghurt has more protein than regular yoghurt (these products should be fine for lactose intolerance as the lactose sugar is more or less broken down for you). Try a sample of cheese from your local grocer and see how your body reacts. Its more of a trial and error when it comes to lactose intolerance. Lactaid milk, soy milk, almond milk.

Then there are the Beans, lentils and nuts of different kinds. Just google high protein foods and you will find an interesting list of foods.

Hey I always say better late than never. I too took my time making up my mind. I lurked on this site for 2 years before I made up my mind that I was ready for this change.

Welcome and you will find a lot of information on this site.

Congratulations MAN!!! You are rocking that sleeve and have had alot of success. I love those weeks with the huge drops in weight. I just have to remember the feeling when I stall (crossing my fingers that I do not experience one) .

Iron 94 37 - 145mcg/dL TOTAL

Normal amount of Iron in your system

IRON BINDING CAPACITY 338 250 - 420mcg/dL

Due to the normal amount of iron your IBC is within the normal range. More iron less capacity to be able to bind and visa versa low iron will show a higher capacity to bind.

IRON SAT 28 20 - 50%

OK IF MY IRON CAME BACK NORMAL WHAT THE HECK IS THIS? LOL THE PA SAID THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IRON, BUT I DON'T GET IT...I JUST EMAILED HER, but in the meantime does anyone know? I'm at a 12, but should be 12-150 Ferritin...

FERRITIN 12 013 - 150ng/mL

Ferritin is the Water soluble and temporary storage form. This is the newly absorbed iron from your diet and not from the longer term storage (our body recylces iron with very little lost daily) form hemosiderin (water insoluble storage).

So a decreased absortion of iron is seen in total or partial gastrectomy patients and it can lead to a iron deficiency anemia if you are constantly depleted in your newly formed iron. You will see an effect on iron stores going to zero and serum iron and transferrin saturation decreased with a increased total iron binding capacity.

That all being said iron is mainly absorbed by the mucosal cells in the duodenum and depends on the serum iron (low serum iron increased absorption from intestine if available), amount in your diet and the pH in your gut (acid pH will enhance absortion).

Vitamin C will enhance absorption

phytates (in whole grains) and oxalates (in spinach) will chelate iron and decrease its absorption.

Alcohol will enhance absortion by stimulating HCl secretion by gastric (stomach) cells.

And I just got word tonight my Vitamin D is low Just so you know many people are vitamin D deficient.

I feel so stupid for taking this so lightly, and not taking my Vitamins for months...I know it's not to late to TURN IT AROUND. My goal was to be thin, but A HEALTHY THIN PERSON...I MUST DO THIS!!!

Thanks for listening and letting me vent...

I hope I made sense of the whole thing. Basically you have normal iron stores but you are low in your new iron coming in. So this will eventually deplete your iron stores in your body. Small increases in your food will help to bring the ferritin levels back up. Have a steak with a beer or a glass of wine. Vitamin C is also very good at helping to absorb iron.

You look so cute pregnant and the baby is growing really well. Congratulations again! I hope to be in your shoes someday soon (lost excess weight and pregnant). But I will know its not all sunshine and lollipops as I think it might be.

Sayonara lb. Guess it did not like that Florida heat and working out detailing the car.

You never know how ones skin will spring back. Depends on how much excess weight, your skin type. You could try to build muscle to help with "filling in" the loose skin. After awhile some skin does snap back but others may not. Its all really a guessing game I think. Best to give it a year after you get to maintenence and then decide from there if you would like to do plastics to smooth things out.

I have been trying compression garments for my arms to see if they have an effect. Some days I think yah there is a change and then others where I am like hummm I am going to have some good wing span.

It is hard to guess how your body will react but you can do your best to stay hydrated, work on building muscles and hey maybe compression garments are the way to go. Who knows? I sure do not.

checking in

SN........................starting wt................current..........goal..........lbs to goal

Autumnlily..................297.2.....................281.2.........270..............11.2

I wish all weeks were like this week.

Checking in

SN........................starting wt.....................current.............goal...........lbs to goal

Autumnlily.............297.2.............................276.6................270.................6.6

I have had a great 3 weeks of loosing. Lets see if I can keep it up!

sleep apnea is mostly due to excess weight so if you get the sleeve done and lose the weight you will not need the cpap machine. I personally would change surgeons as you have lived this long without a problem. It seems to me that every person who does a sleep study is diagnosed with sleep apnea. Makes you go hummm. Is it being over diagnosed?

Sorry I got lost with the you can have as many Protein drinks a day and then it stating that you can only have a maximum of 40 - 50 carbs with the Protein drinks. Then saying NO solid food allowed yet you can have protein bars and if you must chicken, steak, hard boiled egg... Plus there is no calorie limitations but how would you be able to have increased calories if you are not eating solids? When I was on my liquid diet post op I was trying to find ways to increase my calories to 500.

My pre op diet was lean Proteins min 60 gms and reduced carb to 40 gms for one week. Avoid sugar and increase Water to min 64 oz. I had no problem following mine. I think you might want to get some clarification from your doctor on the diet.

Im real as it gets and have not been paid to promote any doctor. I guess the only way for you to believe this is all true is to see the different posts and responses on this site. I think the doctors would be paying way too much money to send fake people out to promote this surgery. Some of the people on this site have blogs and vlogs. I do not have the time or the patience to set up either one.

Not sure how else to dispell your belief but to say you will have to find it in yourself to trust me. Once you have the surgery you will be less skeptical.

Hey now you can toot your own horn (sans belly). Congratulations on the 100 lbs lost and gone forever.

The amount of Protein in excess to convert to fat is negligible for us VST. Now pre op that could be a worry but post op we can only eat so much so it will be utilized before it is converted to sugar and then onto fat. If it is converted to fat we are in the fat burning mode so it would also be utilized.

mmmm this sounds wonderful for a hot day. Thanks for sharing

Congratulations !!!!! It is weird to see the amount of food we can eat now. And think really I can only eat that much. It takes awhile to get used to.

Keep up the great work!

You are right the weight did not come on over night. It is good that you are checking with your doctor's to see if you have something that is holding your back. How much more weight do you want to lose?

I mix any powders with 3 times the required Water also. I find them too sweet and need the watered down version to handle them.

At 3 months I had lost 64 lbs (including my one week pre op weight loss 16 lbs). And 48 lbs since my surgery day.

I am at 3.5 months right now and am down another 10 lbs hoping to lose another 10 lbs in the next 2 weeks.