suzcomptime

As far as my mini goals, I just looked at other people on here and how fast they lost after surgery and tried to come up with something reasonable. I assume I'll lose 7 or 8 lbs during 2 week liquid pre-op. That means I would need to lose about 10 lbs in the first month to get to my onederland goal. My next goal is 23 lbs in 3 more months, that may be too aggressive....I am typically a slow loser. But I'm not going to get too hung up on that.....I set the goals for it to be fun, not so I can get down if I don't quite make it that fast. I have hope and that sustains me.

Honestly, I made mine up. I actually put my goal weight about 15 lbs higher than my weight watcher goal weight and 30 lbs higher than my high school weight Why? I guess for me I am not looking to go back to high school size, I am looking to be healthier so that I feel like biking, swimming, canoeing, hiking etc. I am hoping to avoid high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol that my mother has so for me fitting into smaller clothing isn't the main goal, although it will be a nice perk I am hoping my highish goal will keep me from being discouraged and if I get there and am more active and feel like taking off a few more than I will.....13 lbs below my goal weight puts me at normal bmi and is around what my weight watchers goal is for my age.

WOW!

I'm over 50 too but my nutritionist told me to take the Centrum chewable regular because she said there were some findings that iron could be low after bariatric surgery and that is one of the differences of the Silver....Centrum Silver has 0 iron. I assume that there would be periodic blood tests to make sure iron and other nutrients are at an acceptable level??? I haven't thought to ask that.

hmmmmm I have tickets to a baseball game at 3 weeks out.....will this work since it is mostly sitting. We have Beach Boys tickets at about 4.5 weeks after my surgery. Does that sound feasible? Again, probably sitting most of the time.

I am using Centrum chewables (the ones with iron), I use fish oil which are large so for after surgery I bought two flavors of liquid fish oil that I can add to food I eat (lemon & pina colada), I bought a Bariatric Advantage b-complex which I have yet to receive in the mail so am not sure what that is like, I use the Bariatric advantage Calcium chewables (my Dr. recommends calcium citrate not calcium carbonate)...I think that's it. I currently take glucosamine chondrotin or however it's spelled....for arthritis in my knee. I bought a mortar and pestle to crush them but then found they are available in liquid. Haven't worried about that one as it isn't as crucial although once I am cleared to work out, I will need to start it back up.

I sometimes do my protein shake in the blender with ice to a thick shake consistency. It gives you little chunks of ice and you can kind of crunch it or it at least it has more texture to it. Not sure if that will help because it really isn't quite chewing but what someone else said is correct, (at least my Dr. says) 'no gum'. Good luck.

Actually the one I just watched was scneaux 2 years out.

When people say muscle weighs more than fat, they aren't technically saying a lb of muscle weighs more than a lb of fat. Another way of saying it is "muscle weighs more than fat, given the same volume but I think most people think that is understood .....but the bottom line, like everyone has said is that you may be losing those inches so take measurements and then have something to feel good about. The other good news is that the higher your % of muscle to your total body, the more calories you will burn.

I've been watching you tube videos of people 1 to 2 years out. Most that I have seen do not have a lot of restrictions on types of food, amount of food is small but I am thinking I will just eat slowly (supposed to anyway) and not feel excluded at family events. I am presurgery but had just watched a video from someone 2 years out when I saw your post, so that I would let you know that the videos can be helpful.

I don't like to cook all that much either. I can do it and make big meals for family get togethers that my family loves but cooking isn't a hobby for me like it is for some. I haven't tried any of these tactics yet, still pre-op but I bought some unflavored Protein powder and chicken flavored Protein Powder. I thought it I was in the mood for soup that didn't have much protein or if I couldn't get down enough food for my protein I would add these to food. I have heard pros/cons about the chicken broth flavored plus I have heard taste buds change after surgery so I will see how that works. In the beginning stages I think it is more about getting your liquids in rather than worrying about protein. Protein comes later probably more feasible during the pureed stage that you are in. For an early stage I bought several flavors of V8 soup, butternut squash, garden broccoli, potato leek which appear to be very smooth (I will also strain). I will add protein powder to them to help get my protein during my early stages, when it is puree time, I bought a baby food blender, I am hoping by then the flavor of new things will offset the fact that is blended to mush

Uh Oh, I just bought liquid Tylenol because I thought that was the only pain/fever reducer that we could have. Do you have a book from your doctor that might confirm that you can't have Tylenol? I'll consult my booklet too and let you know if it says anything.

I bought some 2.5 oz jars of the baby food meat. I haven't tried as surgery isn't until 5/21. The small jar has 8-10 protein.

I bought some from Walmart, it was in the coffee isle with other flavored ones that were not sugar free. The sugar free ones are harder to find.

I bought some Unjury chicken soup protein but I haven't tried it yet. A lot of people recommended it and I figured it would be good for a change from the protein drinks. Something like that with some spices added might work and it is good for protein too.

Mine was a long wait too. My Dr. office will not send to insurance until x # of nutritionist visits and psych evaluation. The nutritionist appointments had to be at least 4 weeks apart. I sped things up a little by asking to be on a wait list for cancellations and managed to get earlier appointments than originally scheduled. Once insurance approval was received, I had to do 2 visits with the trainer before I could meet with the surgeon (2nd time) and schedule the surgery in that meeting. At that point he was 2 months out for surgery openings which gave me plenty of time to schedule the endoscopy. The chest xray, blood work and a bunch of other tests are walk in at my hospital no appointment necessary so no long wait needed for those. My preop was scheduled a week before surgery and who knows what other tests will be part of that. It was a long process and I didn't have the 6 month diet requirement so I can imagine how long it feels for you.

May 21.....can't be here soon enough. Feels like my life is on hold.

A friend of mine who recently had sleeve surgery called it her food bucket list. I hadn't really thought of that and didn't think I wanted to go that route because eating has not been a friend to me....but I did find a week or so ago that I bought a couple things to eat that I would never have allowed myself before. I guess it's part of the process.

I would suggest asking to be referred to a nutritionist or dietician. See that person for a few or several visits and I would try and specifically find one that specializes in bariatrics. My surgeon is part of a bariatric center that has a nutritionist on staff. I would try and get to see that person and they will be able to help you the best and like has been said, "correct and move on, don't worry about the past" and log your food every day. I know that helps me. My bariatric center also has a personal trainer that I have seen a couple times and have another visit paid for after surgery. Health insurance did not cover the trainer but it did the nutritionist except for a copay.

Sounds like a blast!!

Even though they should have been more thoughtful about the way they said it. Part of the issue is group dynamics....you said it was your only meeting so likely the others perhaps knew each other from other meetings together and perhaps they wanted to be positive for the sake of the person going into surgery. I am certainly not saying they were right to make you feel bad or that you were wrong to be honest about your experience.......but I do think the psychology of group dynamics could have played a part. The other thing is so what if everyone else had a different experience....we are all different and the group leader should have sensed that you being in the minority that night might have made you feel bad and that person should have countered to make you feel comfortable just like the others were trying to make the person next to get a sleeve feel comfortable. The leader should make sure the meeting works for everyone. I wouldn't write off meetings yet, you may find after a meeting or two, you won't feel like such an outsider and even though it isn't always good news, I want to hear the real stories. It doesn't mean you are an oddball, but you may not be the majority if there is such a thing. That's OK, they may have struggled with other things and had other issues that may come out later if they are honest.

I haven't done my pre-op tests yet. What is the pft? I am clueless about medical terms

Sounds scary...lung cancer That must have been frightening. Thanks for answering all of our questions so that we know what to look for if something is wrong after our surgery.

How did it happen to get discovered?

Good luck to you. I for one am doing this for my future health not my vanity. I am 56 years old and don't have much vanity left I do however, see my Mom who is only 18 years older and who has had similar weight issues to me. We both were not overweight as children or young adults but in our 30's we starting packing it on. She now deals with heart issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, & Type II diabetes. I am hoping to avoid these. My insurance covered my gastric sleeve which is scheduled for 5/21. My BMI was just over 40 which qualified me with no co-morbidities. I asked my doctor to refer me to the bariatric center and she said "sure, one of the nurses here had it a few months ago and she has done wonderfully." It is scarey but I have read many results on here of people that had it and it is rare that someone is sorry. Most of the ones that are sorry are a few weeks out and having some issues adjusting but later once they have things figured out they have no regrets. Maybe you could check with another Dr. for a second opinion?