Matt Z

The truth is no ill wind... it's just the truth! Sulfur can't change the way it smells, but it'll never leave your nose wanting LOL

Actually, if you look at the procedure you'd understand what I was saying. The "pouch" is identical to a sleeve. The stomach is sleeved and reconnected to the digestive tract, I never said it was identical to the sleeve procedure itself, I said it was "essentially" a sleeve and reconnect, which, it is, they sleeve the stomach and rather than remove the other portion of the stomach, they reconnect the sleeve to existing anatomy. Pretty straight forward exactly what is done. My comment about the reflux, I didn't make that up, "Bile *AND* Digestive juice could reflux" and what do we call "Digestive juices"? Acid! So, I'm glad that this surgery resolved your Acid reflux issues, but, medical professionals state that it has the potential to increase both BIle and Acid reflux.

Do you need assistance as to where to change this? Or are you trying and it won't let you? From a computer, when logged in, click on the drop down arrow next to your avatar in the upper right of the page. Select "Profile", on your profile there is a box to the lower left of your avatar that says "Profile Photo" when you hover over it. Clicking that will bring up the photo dialog box to upload a new photo, import from URL or chose "No photo" The weights can be changed by (again from a computer) going to your drop down next to your avatar in the upper right of the page and selecting "My Surgery" then selecting "Progress" from the list on the left of the screen. This will let you adjust your current, goal, start and day of surgery weights.

Are you still tracking your intake? Are you still tracking your water? Are you still tracking your exercise? Are you still getting your proteins first? If not. Start tracking EVERYTHING again. Make sure you are burning more than you eat. Make sure you are getting upwards of 128oz of water. Make sure you are getting 60+ mins of exercise a day (work really doesn't count) Make sure you are eating your dense proteins first. Check what your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) because as we get older and thinner, this number drops. Get back on track, go back to when you first started and make sure you are STILL doing all of THOSE things. Burn more calories than you eat and you'll start losing weight again. And really, don't neglect that water intake! Our bodies need water to process and remove fat.

The whole "no longer receive hunger signals"... doesn't happen for everyone, in fact I'd hazard to guess it doesn't happen to *MOST* people. You are only 3 weeks out from surgery... you are still healing. Lonely... you've got everyone here. You'll feel normal again soon, it just takes some time... but it does happen. Now, you've said you've started eating... what was your post-op diet like? Most sleeves are upwards of a month on liquids only, every doc is different, which is why I'm asking. But if you weren't cleared for foods and are eating, there might be other issues. All that said, have you called your PCP, Surgeon or Surgical Team with this and asked them for their advice?

@ShawnGS check this thread out for your BCBS Fed questions.

My lapband was approved by BCBS, not Federal though. But, I have GEHA, and they approved my revision to bypass. So I don't see why BCBS Fed would have you any troubles. You'll more than likely need to do the typical stuff, GEHA required a 6 month doctor monitored diet prior to approving. Have you checked in with BCBS Fed to see what they require for approval?

Oh I know I do... Hell, I've flushed while pooping so it just goes right down the drain... still really stucks. You sleevers really are missing out on this "fun"!

Actually... https://www.calebwilde.com/2014/11/10-things-bodies-can-do-after-death/

I was light headed upon standing for a few weeks as well, given you had a much more invasive surgery with complications, this doesn't sound outside the realm of possibility. I assume you've discussed this with your PCP, Surgeon or Surgical team already... what did they say about it?

It's only rough for a bit... then it gets fun. Congrats and good luck on your recovery!

Just want to stay away from the carb heavy beers, calorie heavy mixed drinks... and of course take your time drinking, your tolerance might have changed.

Any sugar free / calorie free "soda" and clear rum is going to be a low calorie, low carb drink. Any calorie free flavored water and alcohol... you could mix it up, get a pina colada flavored water additive and put some vodka or light rum into that. Straight up scotches, whiskeys and bourbons work.

Congrats, you are human! Don't worry. Just breathe. Just remind yourself why you are doing this. What your goals are, and how the surgery is going to allow you to meet those goals. Fear of such a massive change is 100% natural. Just relax, find resolve in your decision and stick with that. Stay Strong! You got this!

Looks like there are lots of supplement suppliers/stores in Turkey, would be a matter of checking out the labels to find a "good" protein shake.

What surgery did you have? Your avatar still says "pre-op" We were advised to stay away from alcohol for a minimum of 6 months for bypass. And forever if we could...

The reduced surface area of your stomach and the reduced amount of time items stay in the stomach can and will effect tolerances.

So then I ask, what's the harm in someone not believing in God that makes most of those that do, feel they need to break out their bibles and attempt to convert people? My lack of religion doesn't harm or offend anyone else. Thank you. I mean, in today's society where everyone is so keyed into offenses that this shouldn't even be a question. When someone says "that offends me" that's it, end of conversation, you don't get to try to walk someone back from being offended. It wouldn't fly if the offense was a racial or sexual reference or joke... it shouldn't be any different for religion or lack of religion. The arguing about how someone can't be offended by something offensive is absurd.

So, use this time to get back on track. Start tracking everything you eat and drink. Make sure you are getting that 80ish grams of protein a day and upwards of 128+oz of water. Get back to doing targeted exercise, at least 60 mins a day. Snacking is perfectly fine, as long as you are doing it smartly! Are you separating your drinking from your eating by at least 30 mins? Drinking too soon before or after eating will cause food to slide through your sleeve and not stick around. Time to get back up, dust yourself off and do what needs to be done. You got this!

There is never a guarantee that the hunger sensations will subside, nor that the hormone that triggers hunger will stop. I don't think we have the ability to turn off certain gene's, yet anyway. Try doing a sleeve "reset". Are you still tracking your intake? Are you burning more calories than you are eating? Are you getting your protein like you are supposed to? Are you getting your water totals like you are supposed to? Are you exercising? Without all of that information, everything else is just a guess. But, more than likely you aren't getting your protein totals, or water totals or exercising 60 mins a day. More than likely you are getting more calories than you are burning. Easy way to fix this, start tracking EVERYTHING again. Find out what your BMR is (Basal Metabolic Rate), and eat less than whatever that is... and you'll lose weight again.

You clearly can't connect. Because you keep making statements about me that are so far from the truth... they can only be called lies. Having my eyes opened to reality, to the actual truth. Hasn't hurt me at all, it's freed me and I'm very grateful for it. I couldn't imagine my life, basing decisions and interactions off of some horribly written stories that can't even keep themselves straight. Nothing you ever say is going to change the facts, the truth, the reality. I know humility and humble, I know love. I don't need religion, which no matter what you want to think, is a controlling faction. Clearly there is no logic, because it's based on fairy tales told by people that didn't know how to explain what they were seeing. Just because it's an old story, doesn't mean it's not just a story. Anyone that believes someone is going to hell, for a choice they made with other consenting adults... and thinks that's "love"... seriously needs the truth, the real truth, not the fabrication you currently base your life on. Your continued lack of respect shows me all I need to know.

And to be clear where my lack of religion has gotten me. I'm a proud father of 2 very well adjusted, always praised for how good they are children, that were brought up without lies and deceit. I'm a proud husband of 20 years this year (and no we didn't have a church wedding, nor was it officiated by anyone from any religion). I served my country. I've co-founded a charity group CigarsForWarriors.org I donate to charities very often. I respect all life, all walks of life, all religions, all people, all sexs, all genders, all preferences. ALL HUMANS, unlike most "religious" folks that have issues with people for their choices. I have no religion, but have more compassion it seems than you do. My mind is open to so much more, my eyes are open to so much more, my life is open to so much more. It's ok if you need someone to protect you, it's ok to still be a child. I chose to walk with my eyes open to what's real. Remember, only Sheep need a Shepherd.

You haven't upset met... I don't understand where this "everyone is upset with me" logic comes from. You are free to believe whatever you want, but belief does not equal truth. To be so focused on 1 thing, you've left yourself no room for the truth, you've only left room for your belief, your opinion. Do not confuse opinion with fact. You can have faith, without religion. It seems only the blindfolded religious folks seem to feel that you can't have faith without religion, and that was one of religions greatest tricks. Enjoy your controller.

This is just more highlighting of the problem. You don't know anything. You only know what you were taught to believe. Belief is a funny thing. I haven't been deceived, I've been educated. I grew up Catholic, I went to CCD, I had one on one's with Sisters and Fathers, I also got in a lot of trouble because I asked questions that they couldn't answer. Like a simple one, if God created only Adam and Eve, they had 2 boys, Cain and Abel, Cain kills Abel, so now we've got Adam, Eve and Cain in the whole world... yet, incest is a sin. So, where'd everyone else come from? I've asked so many religious people this question, and none of them have a good answer, and that's because there isn't an answer, because the bible is a story, that's been rewritten far too many times to count by far too many people to count. You'd be equally as "intelligent" if you based your life off of the book The Tommyknockers. I'm not mad, I'm not hateful, I don't make fun of religious folks. I just can't fathom how you all can blindly follow a several thousand year old story as if it's real. I mean, we know the sun isn't the center of everything and the moon isn't made of cheese now... it's time to understand that, the bedtime story that you've based your life on, is just one long drawn out control mechanism. Now, if you can't have the basic human decency and compassion to honor someone's wishes, then, you can keep whatever religion allows you to feel you are better that someone else over information that cannot be proven. And again. You are free to believe as you wish, I will not stop you or make attempts to counter your beliefs and it would be great if you could at least do that much for the rest of humanity. Your opinions on unproven things don't have any effect on my life and I'd greatly appreciate you keeping your religion to yourself. And @LibbyT85 Honest question, how do you feel about a Satanic Temple doing a worship in your honor?

It's not the initial ignorance that's a problem. (or lack of compassion that others might not share your views), it's the continued pressure / insistence that somehow if someone doesn't believe in what you do, that your imposition of prayer for that person, is what's best for them... I mean, as I've stated before, I don't care. But if you can't say that you'd be as appreciative of any other religion praying, doing worship, doing rituals, etc in your honor when they know you don't believe in whatever that is... Odds are, you won't be as appreciate as you expect others to be when you do it. This is the root of this issue (as I see it), that someone's personal will doesn't matter because of someone else's personal opinion of religion. Live and Let Live, but if someone tells you to not pray for them, it's disrespectful and rude to disregard that persons wishes, regardless of your own personal opinion.