SunnyCox

My doc said four weeks. My incisions looked healed today (week 3), and I am so ready to get in the pool.

If you have a Jimmy John's nearby, you can order any of their sandwiches as an "unwich." An unwich is the same ingredients as the sandwich wrapped in lettuce instead of bread.

When someone makes a comment like your patient about you looking prettier, then try to take it in the spirit of the comment. They are trying to give you a compliment even if it didn't come out right. Personally, I find myself to be prettier after losing 40lbs, and remember that the patient wasn't saying that you were not pretty before!
For the other guy, he is just an a*****e.

Being obese can cause a fatty build up in your liver. When you digest food in your small intestine, the first place the blood containing the absorbed nutrients flows is to your liver, so your liver gets the first pick of the nutrients.
Fat is deposited in the liver which is related to insulin resistance, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Many obese people have insulin resistance and have fattier livers.
The liver also stores extra sugar/glucose for when your body gets low. Most pre-op diets are low calorie and low carbohydrate. When you go on a low carbohydrate diet, you force the liver to release more of the stored glucose, and as you lose weight from the reduction in calories, you also lose some of the fat from your liver.
If you know what you are feeling for, you can often feel an enlarged liver just under the rib cage on your right side.

When someone makes a comment like your patient about you looking prettier, then try to take it in the spirit of the comment. They are trying to give you a compliment even if it didn't come out right. Personally, I find myself to be prettier after losing 40lbs, and remember that the patient wasn't saying that you were not pretty before!
For the other guy, he is just an a*****e.

Dr. Phil
Friday
9/7/12
3:00 pm eastern
set your DVR
woman lost 220lb w/gastric bypass surgery
discussion w/DH concerning how it effects her marriage

Congrats! You are (approximately) 200lbs lighter already!
You can find many posts on this forum where partners and family didn't agree with the decision to be sleeved. In some ways, it can make you stronger and more determined to be successful. This forum has been my support group. Find one in your area to join. I had surgery in Mexico, and I found a group of sleevers who had lunch once a month in my area. They told me that I can go to the hospital's support groups even if I didn't have my surgery with that hospital.

Congrats! You are (approximately) 200lbs lighter already!
You can find many posts on this forum where partners and family didn't agree with the decision to be sleeved. In some ways, it can make you stronger and more determined to be successful. This forum has been my support group. Find one in your area to join. I had surgery in Mexico, and I found a group of sleevers who had lunch once a month in my area. They told me that I can go to the hospital's support groups even if I didn't have my surgery with that hospital.

You've already lost probably 200 pounds! See how easy that was?! I know it hurts now, but once you put your focus on YOU, it'll become clear that this is probably for the best.
ETA: @SunnyCox, we cross-posted the same idea! Great minds... :-)

Congrats! You are (approximately) 200lbs lighter already!
You can find many posts on this forum where partners and family didn't agree with the decision to be sleeved. In some ways, it can make you stronger and more determined to be successful. This forum has been my support group. Find one in your area to join. I had surgery in Mexico, and I found a group of sleevers who had lunch once a month in my area. They told me that I can go to the hospital's support groups even if I didn't have my surgery with that hospital.

so, i started this journey with my preop diet on April 1, 2012. at 5'6" i weighed in at 373. i got my sleeve on june 4, 2012. now, on september 1, i am still only 5'6" but now i weigh in at 258. i decided to Celebrate by sharing a before and after (during, since i'm not at goal yet) photo. my beautiful wife is a non-op, but is so supportive of me that she has lost 54 pounds by eating with me, and excercising with me.
also, to share my favorite nsv so far. i was able to join my cross country running son in a 5k, the second picture is me getting ready to cross the finish line at 49 min 20 seconds.
life is good, just wanted to share.

Hopefully this will keep going. These are my before and after pics. Today is my 4 month anniversary of my surgery. I have losy 90 lbs from 315 lbs to my current weight in this pic at 225. Forgive my old age and shirtless ness but I couldn't resist. My surgery was on May 1st 2012. Hopefully others will share theirs.

You have such a pretty face... (often because they can't mention the rest of me).

You have such a pretty face... (often because they can't mention the rest of me).

You have such a pretty face... (often because they can't mention the rest of me).

You have such a pretty face... (often because they can't mention the rest of me).

For my coffee, I use the ready to drink Muscle Milk Cookies 'N Cream. I have heard of plenty of people using the Protein powder instead.
I am only 7 weeks out. I have been on solid foods since week 5. Not everyone does a long post op phase of liquids and mushy foods. For me -
Week 1 - Clear Liquids
Week 2 - full liquids
Week 3/4 - mushy&soft food
Week 5 - solids
For the record, during my evening Snacks, my food of choice is edamame or watermelon, but on occasion, I have had ice cream or frozen yogurt with some fruit. I had half of a cupcake at a birthday celebration. I find that these foods seem incredibly sweet to me now, and I don't need more than a few bites before I feel satisfied. I purposely do not eat past the point of satisfaction. I do not want to feel stuffed. I did hit a stall at week 3-5, and I went back to mostly liquids for a few days. I am steadily moving down with another 8 lbs gone in the last 7 days. I feel that I may lose weight faster if I didn't have these treats or if I were on a liquid or mushy diet longer, but I am still losing. I am not miserable. I do not feel deprived. I'm satisfied, content, and I am still moving towards my weight loss goals. I am a firm believer that I shouldn't have to eliminate any one food from my diet. I want to have a normal, well rounded meal plan that involves moderation and healthy choices with occasional treats.

When I was on all liquids, I had a problem getting in more than 500 calories. I would drink roughly 3 shakes a day (20-30g Protein each) (160-180 cal each). The liquid stage for me only lasted two weeks, so it wasn't very long that I wasn't getting in enough calories. If I found that I was feeling a little lethargic, I would drink some fresh fruit juice - good for Fiber and calories.
Now that I am eating more normally, I have no problem getting in all my calories. In fact, I often have to make sure that I don't go too high which keeps me tracking my intake during the week.
I also supplement with shakes. I am not a big fan of eating first thing in the morning, so I found a way around this by pouring my ready made shake into my coffee (half shake / half coffee). I do this twice in the morning and get in 30g of protein and 160 calories.
A second shake for brunch would be another 160cal and 30g of protein.
I eat mid afternoon usually deli meat and cheese / fajita meat / or something similar. This usually runs me 150cal and 20g protein.
For dinner, I eat taco salad, a hamburger patty, or something similar with cheese. 150 cals and 20g protein.
(Sometimes I add sour cream, avacado, or greek yogurt - which adds about 60 calories)
After dinner, I usually stay away from heavier, protein foods. I'm too close to going to bed to want to lay down with food in my stomach. I tend to have a cup of watermelon, edamame, steamed veggies, etc. I usually get another 150- 200 cals and sometimes some protein depending on if I eat Beans vs veggies or fruit.
If I feel like I need more, I eat a handful of nuts.
This makes anywhere from 750-1000 calories a day for me. It has been more than enough to lose weight without feeling run down. There are plenty of calorie dense, healthier foods (nuts, avacado, olive oil etc) that can fill your diet once you can eat solid foods.

I agree. You do not need another visit. Call the cardiologist or pulmonologist office and fill out their release of medical records form. Specifically list the x-ray on the form if you must. If you ask the office staff for help and tell them you had a chest x-ray, they can make sure it is listed on the form to obtain it for you. Your PCP may not send the x-ray films, but at the least, they will send the over-read of your x-ray which could hinder things a bit.

you do not need another dr's appt to get your chest x-ray. you just need to request in from medical records or have the pulmonologist/cardiologist request it and they have to do it.

I pondered sex in the hospital, so I don't find it that hard to believe. In Mexico, you have a full size bed in the room in addition to your hospital bed. After the first night, I had no pain, never had a catheter, and I was in bed with my partner. Personally, I didn't want to sleep in the hospital bed away from the person who takes care of me everyday and loves me and comforts me. Plus, one of the things he looks forward to the most is when we crawl into bed together. Dr. Kelly even apologized when he walked in with us in the bed together early one morning when he come to check on us even though we were only sleeping. Seeing as how we both had our PJs on, and the nurses dropping in unexpectedly, I wasn't that adventurous, and my shy side won out. Hahah.
I was also told that I could have sex as soon as I felt ready. The only restrictions I was given involved dietary changes, medications, vigorous exercise and lifting weight.

Last night went clubbing.. And the bouncer thought I was using someone else's ID lmao and let me tell u he wasn't kidding.. I guess in a bit more I will have to go get a new ID pic lol
It felt GREAT!!
Update.. Starting weight 285 .. current 203 !! Down 82 lbs in 6 months 10 days.. Working out 5 days a week..

Hi Everyone,
If you are sitting out there with a lot of questions like I was 4 years ago, I want to tell you that I was 63 when I had my surgery in Mexicali, with Dr. Aceves—I believe he is the very best you can find to do your surgery. I lost 105 pounds and YES I have kept it off for 3 years now. It took me 14 months to lose 105 pounds.

My ONLY regret is that I didn’t have it done sooner. It is unquestionably the very greatest thing I have ever done for myself! I will be honest and tell you that the 1st month after surgery will be the hardest month you will ever have to do. During the 1st month you will be making lifestyle changes, letting your body heal, and start to retrain your “OLD” thinking brain to the new ways in life—this is a struggle because you “Old” thinking brain has been used to ALL the food you have been eating all your life. But, it is only 30 days and you can do this! It is NOT a miracle cure, it is a tool to allow you to lose the weight and maintain it for the rest of your life.

What is a typical day in my life like now? I want you first to know that I do not ever really feel hunger anymore—again your old brain will try to tell you that you are hungry—we call this “Head Hunger” because it really isn’t real. Now I just know that I need to eat small amounts of healthy food during the day. I have now changed how I cook and I now crave healthy things—I know it is hard to imagine that you will do this, but it is true. Yes, I do have desert –but I have learned how to bake in a healthy way. I have a great Low Carb Cookbook that allows me to eat a lot of things I loved in my past life and they are healthy now.

So this is what my day is like:
· I get up about 7:00 am put on my walking clothes and shoes and go for a nice brisk walk for 2 to 3 miles with my husband. Believe me I didn’t start out walking brisk or this far. Do the best you can, but do SOMETHING for exercise. Sometimes in the evening we will walk 2 more miles.

· I return home take a shower and for Breakfast I have a Premier Protein Drink. I still to this day have a Protein Drink for breakfast and that is all I need.

· I do all the normal things anyone else does during the day, like clean the house, grocery shop, laundry, and plan the meals, work in my yard. I am also own my own business where I am an Instructor in 1st Aid, CPR and AED to people in my community.

· lunch usually is some kind of a salad or I have some protein—usually chicken, with some fresh veggies, some fresh fruit.

· I have an afternoon snack, maybe something that I baked from my Low Carb Cookbook. There are some great products that are healthy to have too. There are all kinds of things you can snack on that are OK
· dinner is always about 2 oz of some kind of protein. I eat, chicken, fish, or Pork. I eat very little red meat—and I always loved red meat in the past, but I found out that my tastes have changed a lot after I had surgery. I always have some kind of fresh veggie, maybe in a form of salad and then fresh fruit. I eat about 1,000 calories a day sometimes a little more depending on how much exercise I do. I NEVER feel deprived.

Part of keeping the weight off is finding ways to cook that make it taste good. You can learn to convert some of your old recipes to being healthy too. I do have desert, but not every day. Sometimes just the taste of something will satisfy your need for it. Food NO longer controls me I now control the food and the amount.
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. I just want you to know that you can be this successful too. I have written a lot of things over the past 4 years, and I have information for those who are thinking about having surgery if you want any of it. You can be successful too.
I remember thinking what if I am the ONE person this will not work for, because I failed at everything else. So you are not alone, because many of us have thought all the same things that you have. I think the best things that you can do, is ask all kinds of questions. Check on who is doing your surgery. Like anything there are good and bad doctors out there, and I want you to be safe and have the very best you can have.

Hugs,
Suzanne
Sleeve 10/21/2008
Lost 105 pounds
Dr. Aceves- Suregon

I'm glad to know it is possible. I'm 5'1" and started at 279. I want to be between 130-140, and my doctor said 160 was more reasonable.