CelticHarpist

I really like the SF Torani syrups and the SF Monin ones. Oikos is a great yogurt. I like Voskos, too. And a Stonybrook greek organic one. I'll have to look for Fage as I have never noticed that before and sometimes I go to Walmart. Maybe the availability is different in different areas of the country.

I was expecting the worst and actually had a fairly easy recovery. I was back to work in two weeks and a few days. I had a little pain the first day after surgery as I would make myself wait to use the morphine machine they attached, so finally they gave up thinking I would actually use that and put me on percocet pills instead. No pain after that. On the third day, I didn't need anything for pain without pills. I had some discomfort only in the bellybutton incision for a couple of weeks following. If I had known about belly bands available post surgery from medical supply houses or walgreens I would have bought one presurgery to use post because holding the belly area or placing a pillow against it helped. My odd feeling after surgery came from the gases they used to blow up or extend the belly during surgery. I had none of the gas pain the medical professionals predicted to me. The odd feeling was that my waist had been distended and might never come back. I found it does return though - whew. I would do this again in a heart beat, and I was very apprehensive presurgery. Good luck to you!

I am 2 months out and I burp with every "meal". Lots of quiet little burps. Sometimes it is less if I eat even slower. Sometimes I don't wan to eat THAT slowly though. I have wondered the same thing.

I actually think of myself as when I was thinner, so seeing pics of me at my fullest weight or even now can feel discordant to me. I think I am going to feel "more myself" again when I lose weight. I know this isn't everyone's experience but I think it may be where I am headed. The hardest part for me may be the loose skin and flaps or folds when I lose weight, as that I didn't have before when thinner. It will remind me though of my journey. I hope that by hiding it under clothes until I can afford to do something about it, doesn't undermine my newer regained self esteem.

Loved this post! Only two months out myself, but looking forward to the smaller sizes. You look fantastic! So glad you shared the pics with us, too. I would add: Expect to quietly burp a lot. At least I certainly do. Esp loved the laser tag pic. Tag you're it!

I've only been nauseous a few times and today is one. Sigh. Mainly they have happened when the food I ate was too dry (over-microwaved) and that wa in my 5th week, or when I ate too fast. Yours sounds like pre-food though. <br> Nothing sounds good today to me. I may drink my proteins today. Hope yours doesn't last long.

Congrats! Sounds like you feel great. You are losing a bit faster than I am, I think. (Sleeved June 11). As the Japanese say: Gambatte! Go for it!

Wow, I am soooo impressed. You look terrific. More power to ya. I love Devils Tower (or the great bear lodge). Nice to see the pics.

lol I love this discussion - soda as gateway drugs, and diet coke addictions. I do miss my diet coke. It's still worth it without any, and going okay for me. They are having me drink some coffee each day now starting last week, telling me it helps lessen constipation (seems to work).

I agree to trust your doctor. My doc had me do the pre-op diet for 10 days. I followed it faithfully as he said the operation goes easier with the liver having shrunk some of the fat out of it. The pre-op diet helps your liver metabolize some of its fat stores so it shrinks. The liver is large and covers the stomach in a floppy way. The shrinkage helps the surgeon reach the stomach without nicking it. The surgeon needs to concentrate on the stomach as it tends to twist or turn slightly making the removal its own challenge. The surgeon doesn't need to try and keep the liver out of the way while he is concentrating on all that, or partially worrying about nicking the liver.

I was given a gift of a facial with a chocolate martini so I asked my dietician. She said to wait til close to the end date of the gift coupon to do it which isn't until Oct. My surgery was in June. The surgeon said to wait a year for alcohol or just one on a special occassion. The latest research on NAFLD (Non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease), which most high BMI people have even if the doctor hasn't mentioned it like that, shows to try to avoid alcohol consumption as much as possible. Hopefully lessening weight especially by over 20% will correct some of the benign NAFLD problem (also shown in research). If a person is NASH, the not benign condition but inflamed and fibrotic liver, then alcohol isn't recommended at all. This question might be a good one to ask your doctor or dietician because of these factors.

I need a little feedback. I had my pre-surgery visit with my doc yesterday and I asked him what I would feel like afterwards. (My surgery is Monday). He gave the oddest response. He said, Think of it like if you were in a bar fight and were stabbed 5 times in the stomach. I would never say such a thing to a patient. I would never place myself in a situation like that visual. Is this really true? Yipes. Has me a little freaked out.

In case someone happens upon this topic, I wanted people to know that there was some soreness after surgery for me but nothing like this image conjured. Four incisions didn't hurt at all, and the major incision which was through the bellybutton area oozed a bit (looks a bit like a chicken foot grabbed me and held on!), and had a longer healing time from soreness. The major scab there is gone but it still looks like it is healing (though mainly knitted). The surgeon explained he cut through a major muscle there so it would feel the worst. As of now, two months post-op almost (not quite), that pain is gone. I am happy I went through with it, and with the results to date. Totally worth it!

Nice to hear your story! Congrats. Your pic looks amazing. My grandmother used to wear a corset - do they still make those? Does yours have whalebones and tie-ups?

Isn't it exciting! My blood sugars are running morning and night about 102-105 and I am not on any medications for it now. This is without more than normal daily exercise-dog walking, housework, etc. It gets even lower if I faithfully aerobic exercise or swim. Taking 1/2 my bp med now and that may be dropped eventually. Nice to have secondary medical conditions improve.(My surgery was June11)

Lol, I had refried beans with low fat parm cheese for my second meal. My first was mushy crab cakes - very yum. Savored verrrrrry slowly. Enjoying every second.

I don't mind the EAS protein drinks one can find at Walmart. I like the french vanilla and the chocolate tastes somewhat like chocolat milk with 17 grams protein.I prefer adkins chocolate fudge for chocolate but that is me. I like adding sugar free puddings to the shakes and ice for a milk shake concoction. Sugar free pistachio is nice in vanilla ones. I also got some sugar free torino syrups like raspberry and mint to make things more palatable.

Smaller utinsels help - I use dessert spoons and cocktail forks or the tiny plastic spoons I got from a nurse similar to what you get in ice cream shops to take a taste test (you can actually buy these). Putting your spoon or fork down between bites helps. I count my chews for each bite and try to get up to 40 - doesn't always work but it helps slow things down.

Mine was 15 minutes before and 30 afterwards. I like the idea of filling up with liquids earlier so you are hydrated.

I love coffee, too, and medical reports show it can be good for folks. My written instructions post-surgery included being able to drink de-caf coffee and tea. I find de-caf tastes odd to me. I talked with my dietician today who told me there are several reasons the written list instructs this: caffiene is a diurectic, and caffiene can also soften stools. She told me to go ahead and drink a cup/drink of it, if I wanted to, daily, as it might actually help my infrequent constipation to abate.

My doc gave me the go ahead after the month check-up. Swimming is a favorite for me. Prior to his okay he hadn't wanted me to bathe or swim with these incisions.

I thought I replied to this so I hope I am not re-posting, but I don't see my reply up. My doc recommends sublingual B12 to help with energy. He has me on a regimen of a multivit, B complex, Calcium citrate plus D3, and a sublingual B12. B12 is the energy vitamin. It is mainly found in meats so your proteins become very important. I know a woman who had a RNY and now needs to take B12 shots monthly due to her bloodwork returning deficient. I hope things go better for you soon!

I too am glad I had the heparin shots following surgery to discourage clots. They are a good thing. The one thing I wish I had known prior to surgery is about a tummy band or binder post surgery. It would have made my belly button incisions (I had five incisions total) much more comfortable. I found Walgreens sells them for about $30. I would have bought one. They are only a certain circumference so maybe wouldn't fit all, but I would have liked one. I understand from another discussion on the boards here that you can obtain them through a medical equipment service as well, and perhaps at less cost.

Hi, I chose the sleeve due to reading ahead and finding it had less complications. I too didn't want the digestive nutritional issues of a RNY or the left stomach inside. I like that the hormonal producing area would be gone. I was terrified prior to surgery due to some offhand remarks of my surgeon and his only having experience doing maybe 1/2 a dozen. So terrified, I had some breathing problems in the recovery area due to my high anxiety. But I knew he was used to stomach surgeries as he is a digestive tract surgeon and had done lots of stomach cancer removals etc. I did the surgery mainly for improved health reasons overall, with the side effect of good weight loss. It turned out fine. I have only had a couple of bouts of constipation for 2 days each time, and I am out a little over a month. It is "newer" due to it being used recently as a primary weight loss procedure but has been around a looooong while as a pre surgery before RNY for extremely large folks. Recent medscape articles are saying the lap band is being less and less used in Europe and mainly only being done in USA now. There have been complications with the lapband. Lapbands are contraindicated for diabetics due to erosion issues. I didn't like the look of them or the idea of something that large, needing adjustments, using a port under the skin which needs a large needle insertion, inside of me. This has been a pleasure (the sleeve). I am looking forward to working with it as a good tool in health.Celtic

I've liked it with applesauce, and with other fruits like peaches in the past. A good friend who is a salsa lover swears by eating cott cheese with tomatos or with salsa in it. Personally my favorite way is to dollop it onto lentil Soup, pureed butternut squash, or other dense Soups like pea. It can be used in place of ricotta in recipes, too.