Pookeyism

Avoid the fast food! Be strong and yes Lissa is always right, lol.

What year are you? What classes are you taking? Finals used to be so iffy for me. One semester i'd be working my tail off, and studying, and be ok...the next I would be stressed and sure I had failed and blah, blah...you know? Drink all your liquids - eat what you can - protien first. Get in some serious B vitamins! Good luck! PS - exercize!

You will know if you have or develop a leak. Just take it easy and take in very small amounts if it makes you feel better, take in less htan recommended at one time, BUT remember that will be longer you will have to eat/drink to make it up. Good luck. PS - Maybe the few hundred extra for another barium swallow would be worth it - in regards to calming your nerves.?

That is good to hear! I had self pay, but I have seen so many people struggle so hard with their insurance (although nothing like this should be taken lightly by an insurance company)! Good luck! Keep us informed!

Biotene in a pump from walmart will coat your mouth, too. Walk, walk, walk...it wil relieve the gas. Just about the only thing that will.

Its all over...AND just begun! lol

Oh wow...your before and after pics are stunning. Congradulations you! PS - please consider finding a monthly meeting somewhere in your area. They are free. It will not replace your nut or doc but gives you resources via aquaintances that you would not otherwise have. Keep going! wow!

Really like "the squirrel method"!

So many hugs for you! It is perfectly normal. We are all here for you and cheering you on. Think forward to all the things that will be better for you when you have lost some weight and feel better and it is warm outside and the sun is shining on your face. God bless!

I was beginning to feel good by day 6 but day 7 began some unfortunate events that while unrelated to my surgery affected my health and healing for several weeks. I feel good even when I feel bad - if that makes sense. What would have wiped me out is not as taxing, it does not eat up as much energy - my head is clearer to handle it.

Thanks for pasing this on. I will have to look at it when I am not at work.

Can't help you there - I avoid chains - if I recall correctly, keeping sodium and MSG in mind, the ice tea will be ok, lol. :/

Try adding mootopia brand milk where these call for low fat milk. you can get itn regular, vanilla and chocolate - 8 oz of the chocolate is 150 calories, 15 g(!) pf protien - the vanilla and regular is 12g of protien - lactose free and reduced sugars...heb carries it. mash potatoes, btw, is a very nutritious food but also high on carbs. Try some different meats - duck, bison, veal, quail (mmmm), rabbit (get the right kind). The way meat is prepared and the cut can affect us soooo much - keep it in mind. When you cut it to chew, also remember - cut it against the grain thinly, it will be so much easier to chew. I have a friend who added turnips and pumpkin (two separate occasions) to thrice ground bison and it was heavenly. So easy to chew.

I have a theory that it swells occcasionally if irriteted, etc...it will still get hard and feel bloated sometimes, even if I have ate nothing but small mushies and even just protein. george (mah sleeve) has a mind of his own...

I am avoiding fillers like that, but really I was able to have them at 6 weeks - my guess is earlier but it was first time I tried one, and it went down well (with a piece of OMG prosciutto ham and thin sliced aged (3 yrs) cheddar with touch of whipped lilac honey...).

I really want to run, but I cannot find any clothing that prevents (TMI and ewww coming - just warning you) my apron from clapping. I am really suprised because it is large, but not overly so. The problem is, if it claps, it chafes - and I am in HumidHell--I mean Houston Any suggestions? I really want to get back to running. Very happy for your success! Yayyy!

Toriniville? JK - what is that?

Yup! they aren't too bad, either. If any of you want a Celebrate Sample, I can pass on the name of a distributor (is that OK to say here?). I have a co-worker that was in need of re-training herself (I think of what she is doing more of behavior mod than diet mod - she is just dieting to assist in the loss of a few pounds). she is going to Physicians Weight Loss and I "borrowed" a Meal Replacement shake from her and it was great. It gets really thick with crushed ice or super cold Water. They have a Fiber replacement drink too that works crazy-good and tastes just like fruit punch. I drink it as a "refresher" with crushed ice.

Your doctor should not dismiss your pain so easily. Go get a second opinion. Pain means something is wrong. Period. just because you hurt after surgery is no reason to assume it is the surgery. Pain management is one of the most highly understood and easily accessable treatments a doctor can prescribe. They should never turn away a patient in severe pain. Consider asking for your doctors visit fee back. I think if more of us did thisi it would make them think. I will post a longer note when I have a chance but I have heard of several instances where people were showing signs of serious illness but it was ignored because it was probaby due to "the surgery".

I can think of things I would have done differently in the process, and things I wish had went differently - but my only regret is I did not do it sooner.

Low carbs/low fat is the important thing...get right back on your horse! Good luck!

dont know if it is normal, but I had them. I eat "Sea Veggies' seaweed snack from YangBan...crispy, salty 35 calories 1 carb, 1 protien, dissolves into almst nothing...imagine a good for you, paperthin cheeto...

If you drink the Celebrate shakes, you may not need it...celebrate is one of the highly fortified brands.

Walk all you can, just a slow ramble is fine...if u hurt really bad get someone to walk with you so you can out your head on their shoulder and just scoot along. Consider asking for liquid hydrocodone - it helped me the most.

- will he be assigning post-op in hospital follow up to another doctor? if so what are his fees? - discuss your pain meds right now - and what they will give you if the first batch does not work - and what they will give you if that doesnt work - no kidding - make sure at least one option is oral, and one is a shot. - what will be assigned to you on the way home - for nausea, pain, sleeplessness, etc. You don't want to chase these things down if you don't have do just after surgery. I list these because I was thorough - thought i was anyway. These snuck up and bit me, so to speak.