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Alithinos

LAP-BAND Patients
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Posts posted by Alithinos


  1. She sounds pretty toxic. Friends don't undermine efforts to get healthy and they definitely don't enlist their children to manipulate you. The fact that she's got her kid calling you names is appalling. Anybody who thinks that's appropriate has some serious problems. I have definitely outgrown friends before and wonder if this is what you're dealing with here. It is sad, especially if their kid is so close with your daughter, but I'd rather be friendless than abused. It will most certainly affect your kid's relationship. At the same time, do you really want your daughter to associate with this nest of vipers?

    The cheating thing just kills me. Having 85% of your stomach removed is akin to having the majority of your troops wiped out to win a war. It helps reset your metabolism (for a short while), which you kind of need. (Also, the surgeons at Johns Hopkins automatically push for gastric bypass instead of sleeve if you have diabetes - has your surgeon gone over the pros and cons?) The emotionally healthy and intelligent are going to get this. Join a support group now and start backing away from the frenemy for your own sanity...


  2. I was told Protein helps with healing as well.

    I am 5 months out now. My 3 month post op testing said my Protein levels were too low when I was shooting for 60 g a day. The surgeon advised me that my goal should be at least 80 a day for a while, and her assistant noted that the patients who stay on supplements long term do better with weight loss as well. So I am having at least 2 unjury shakes a day for the time being...


  3. At two weeks post-op, the last thing I wanted to think about was food. Now that I'm about 4.5 months out, going out to eat just doesn't hold the same attraction for me that it once did, and we were big fans of tasting menus... I kind of get bored when we're out to eat now. Agree with the posters who recommend starting new traditions to Celebrate. What about getting tickets to a concert, a show, seeing a comedian, the couples massage idea (massage is great for healing), take a walk on the beach (if you are in Naples, where your surgeon is located) or down on 5th Avenue, which is so cute. That movie theater at the Mercato is something special too. (I have family in Naples - love going there for Christmas.)

    At the same time, it is normal to feel down and to mourn food a bit, particularly at this time post-op. This is a good time to start new traditions, habits, and to focus on the years you've gained with your spouse as a result of this surgery.


  4. I'm getting to this party kind of late, so sorry about that.

    For the original poster - I live in NoVA and used Johns Hopkins' Bariatric Surgery Center up in Baltimore because it was a surgical center of excellence (which is what my insurance required) and I knew I'd get excellent care from them. I'm concerned that you're not being provided with good information from your surgeon and would recommend you consider contacting Johns Hopkins to see if they would see you (and if it is covered by your insurance - I realize that this is a major consideration). There is also a group at Howard University that you could check with.

    My surgeon was Dr. Anne Lidor - she has offices in Columbia, MD. She is great. Yes, it would be a haul to get there, but I do it. Any of the surgeons in the Johns Hopkins Bayview Bariatric practice will be good. I hear great things about Dr. Schweitzer's skill as a surgeon even though his bedside manner might be a bit rough. A colleague of mine used him and has been very happy with his gastric bypass.

    Somebody else mentioned the quality of your Protein supplements, which is another good point. I use powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury - it was highly recommended by Johns Hopkins nutritionists and I'm lucky enough to enjoy it. I use their Protein powders with unsweetened almond milk.


  5. Did your surgeon have you taking something to help prevent gallstones/gallbladder problems post-surgery? Mine has me taking Ursodiol twice a day - I think for at least the first 6 months. A friend of mine who had the same experience as you (and who had the surgery two years ago) was not on Actigall or anything post-surgery. She had her gallbladder removed pretty much at the two year mark and believes she started having gallbladder issues about 6-9 months out.


  6. My energy levels returned around the 3 month mark. The first 6 weeks were pretty tough despite having my parents along for the first three weeks and a very supportive husband. Hang in there. You will notice improvement as you go. I also recommend getting a weight loss surgery specific cookbook.

    Also, you might consider looking into joining a support group. I dont think they have requirements that you must have surgery at their center and they are usually free.


  7. ER ASAP. They will work out a payment plan with you. I went about a week after my surgery due to dehydration and terrible acid reflux and it helped get me back on track. It also helped me make sure I didn't have any other issues such as a leak, a clot, etc...

    Don't feel badly if you need to put the baby on formula - they will be fine. You need to take care of yourself right now.


  8. I had spasms there about a week to two weeks out that would usually hit in the middle of the night when trying to sleep. Landed me in the loal ER to get some some additional fluids, anti-GERD meds and a GI cocktail. It was a combination of acid reflux and gas and it was miserable.

    My GP upped my protonix script (for acid reflux) to twice a day and I took Miralax each day for two weeks as well. Trust me - if things are moving through your system, the gas ain't so bad. Now I'm fine with just colace.

    I'm 4 months out today and am starting to take two protonix every other day to see if I can get it down to 1 a day. So far, so good.


  9. Ugh - I tried that New Whey Protein Shot prior to surgery. Found it at the CVS. It smelled like a large, wet, dirty dog and tasted unimaginably worse. The nutritionists at Johns Hopkins do not recommend those. First of all, they are made with inferior Protein, so even if it says it has over 40 g of protein, you're not getting the full benefit. 2nd, they add that the human body really can't process more than 25 g of protein at a time. You could still spread it out over the course of a day, but the wet doggyness is NOT worth it. Try Unjury's chicken Soup if you want something a bit different.

    If you can handle whey protein, make sure that the primary protein source is whey protein isolate. You don't want whey concentrate - a google search will explain the differences between the two.


  10. I seem to be one of the rare persons that loves unjury. I like them because they are not as sweet as some brands and because they don't foam up as much either. I could not handle thick foam early on! (Note: a Blender Bottle helps.)

    My go-to flavors are chocolate supreme, vanilla ( surprisingly my favorite), and chicken Soup. I also have the unflavored. Was not a fan of the cheese sauce, but it could have been worse.

    Their strawberry sorbet is ok too.


  11. If you have a regular sized crockpot already, have you considered making more than a few servings at a time and freezing the extra? My dad helped me with this right after I was sleeved. We made 3 meals, pureed them to get me through week 4, and froze them into ice cube trays. It gave me pre-measured amounts of high-protein and tasty foods (check out Eating Well AFter Weight Loss Surgery by Levine) that got me through the mushy stage like a champ. Check out the pot roast and chicken and mushroom Soup as well as the Chicken Beau Sejour recipes. So handy, especially if you are feeling a little fatigued with going back to work.


  12. I had an allergic reaction to the glue they used on my incisions, which is common apparently. It was awful. At least I didn't have an infection. I took Benadryl every 6-8 hours for several days since the surgeon did not want me putting anything on the actual incision sites for at least 3 weeks. Even having a soft t shirt on was a killer. I think they might have a oral liquid version of Benadryl, which would be easier to take.

    It is good you're having it checked out.


  13. My husband (who snores and only has a wee beer belly) says my snoring seems to have gone away. I'm down 40 lbs since surgery. I also did not have sleep apnea and the sleep study doc estimated my snoring and sleep issues would improve as I lost weight.

    Can't recommend ear plugs highly enough. I like the foam ones. Buy your husband a box and tell him things should be better by the end of December.

    I have to wake my husband on a regular basis to get him to sleep on his side or stomach instead of his back (which is the worst for snoring).

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