kimbernada

My hands-down all time favorite is the Syntrax nectar chocolate Truffle. I'm sure you've read this already, but you might find that what you like pre-surgery changes after the surgery. I really liked to use a blender for the shakes during the pre-op diet. Afterwards, it was just too much foam. Now, however, (finally) I can drink a shake that was made in a blender. The Syntrax Matrix shakes seem kind of gritty to me if I make them in a Blender Bottle. The Syntrax Nectar shakes taste great either way. Using a Blender Bottle for the Nectar shakes is good because there's WAY less foam. (I really like all of the "creamy" Nectar flavors. I had been hoping that their fruity drinks were more like well, fruity drinks. However some people REALLY like the fruity ones over the creamy, so that's great that you got some sample packs to try.) I just bought a box of 12 chocolate truffle shake packets to take on our trip to Puerto Rico. I figured that would be better than packing a whole bunch of snack-size baggies filled with a mysterious powder. Kimberly PS. That sure would be hard to have to do so much detective work to find out how items are processed. I'm allergic to shellfish, but not as severely as you. That's great that you've found some shakes that are safe.

Great job!!

This may have already been mentioned, but Red Lobster has an awesome broiled Canadian Walleye! The lunch size is a meal plus two more with the leftovers. I'm allergic to shellfish but my friends like to go there.

I was never on full liquids. Well, I take that back. I was on full liquids the afternoon of the day after my surgery - which was tomato soup and pudding, in the hospital. I was discharged about an hour after that. They had me start on soft foods the NEXT DAY, which happened to be at home. (Seemed kind of scary to me, but that's what my doctor's binder said - and I confirmed it with them a few times.) So what someone should or shouldn't be doing depends on what their doctor's plan is.

That includes any liquids used to make foods.... like soup, pudding, etc. I had expressed a concern to my doctor about not being able to "drink" 64 ounces of water. She added up what was in the foods plus what I was drinking and I was pretty darn close.

Yep, you can count any liquid as part of your water consumption. You should really make the shakes with milk (skim or light soy) to make sure you are getting in more nutrients, especially during the pre-op diet. It makes the shakes taste better too. Kind of weird, but I switched to light soy milk for my pre-op diet and now, almost 7 months later, I really only like my protein shakes made with it. I can use skim milk, but the shakes taste "off" to me now. (I have a protein shake every morning for breakfast.) Also, I had my "meal" at noon at work because it was so much easier to be able to eat with my team. I'd have a shake for breakfast at 6, a frozen dinner under 300 calories for lunch at 11, a shake at 2 pm, and a shake for supper. I was able to have unlimited veggies too. I suppose it also helped that my hubby went to visit his parents for a week during that first week of the pre-op diet. It made it SO much easier for ME because I didn't have to be around his food. I never did feel deprived. The shakes I drank were Bariatric Advantage. Very filling and they kept me satisfied 3-4 hours.

I honestly never had any gas pain from surgery. I know others HAVE had gas pain like you've described. I was thinking that Gas-X strips worked for that, but maybe I'm wrong. (That's been known to happen before.) Walking is the best thing for getting the surgery gas out of the system.

Also, I really don't remember much about pain with the surgery. The morphine in the hospital kept it at bay and then I made a point of taking the pain medication every four or five hours (or whatever it said on the bottle). I only used the pain meds for a few days. I was able to sleep in my own bed on my side from the first night home. I only stayed at the hospital one night.

I think the one benefit of being in your twenties is that your skin is still fairly elastic. When I was 16, I lost 115 pounds on Nutri System. My skin just seemed to snap back, even though I'd been overweight for many years. I think I had just a little saggy skin on my stomach, but it wasn't bad. Now? Well, I do have the saggy skin on my arms and thighs. At 44, I guess I'll take it. My chiropractor keeps telling me that I don't look "old" like some people do who've had weight loss surgery and drastically lost weight. My face, that is. He hasn't seen my arms or thighs. LOL I did switch to Clinique and use some of the extra face stuff too like the Repairwear Laser serum, eye cream, and Youth Surge. I'm not saying anyone needs to go out and spend the $$ on expensive stuff, but make sure you are following some sort of regime for skin care - like Olay or something.

I hear ya! I pretty much only weigh myself on Fridays or Saturdays. (Occasionally I might slip in a Wednesday scale reading, but only for those "big" numbers that a person is waiting to see.) I had my hubs take before and during photos. We did the before, and then 1 month post op, 3 months post op, 6 months post up. I probably should have done measurements too... but those photos are AMAZING to look at. BTW, my first stall started about week 3 and lasted for three weeks. I'm thankful that at least I knew it was normal, so I didn't really let it bother me much. I knew that I was following the doctor's plan and tracking everything. So when I was over that hump, holy buckets! The weight loss continued. Yay!

Is there a chance that perhaps your period is coming up? I know I used to gain at least 5 pounds of Water weight from that darn thing. This week I gained about .6 pounds thanks to mine. (I had a procedure done so I only get it for less than a day now.) I waited a couple of days and then showed a loss. If you started up any new exercise, that could also cause you to retain water. (As well as eating foods high in sodium.)

I agree. I measure out my food. I have a Weight Watchers serving spoon that is a 1/2 cup. My head still doesn't believe that is enough food, but my sleeve sure lets me know. Even at restaurants, I get the to-go box right away (if I forgot my own container) and only leave the portion that I know I can eat on the plate. 1/6 of a baked potato and a few ounces of the fish or chicken.

At almost 7 months out, I can only eat a 1/2 cup of chili or soup with three saltines - BUT I can drink an 8 ounce protein shake or yogurt normally, so I think it depends on how dense the food is. If the soup is more liquid than content, I could see how a person could eat more. (Kind of like yogurt, which is really only 3/4 of a cup now since most are 6 ounces.)

You look like you've always been skinny!

I hear ya! I have absolutely no regrets having the surgery. (Well, other than I wish I did it sooner.)

I have the almond crunch and strawberry cheesecake. They are okay, but kind of have a weird taste. I've read that they taste good heated up in the microwave.

I agree... do the research. The surgeons at the Center of Excellence that I went to still do all three of the surgeries, but they all seem to feel the RnY or the sleeve are the best options. My mind had been made up for the RnY until I went to the informational seminar. I thought I was going throw up or pass out when they started talking about another option. Seriously! It was too much information. Then I started researching and I think I made the right choice for me. (The sleeve.)

I was told to shoot for 60-70 grams (not based on height, but I am 5'5"). I shoot for a minimum 80 and can sometimes get over 100. That's counting a shake and Pure Protein bar. I don't think I could get that much by just eating. For supper tonight, I had a Morning Star Grillers veggie burger patty with a tablespoon of Famous Dave's Sweet and Zesty sauce. The patty was 130 calories with 15 grams of protein. Actually, I just checked my "totals" and I'm at 69 grams of protein with just the shake, a homemade bean and beef enchilada for lunch, and the veggie patty.

How are you mixing your Protein shakes? I've found that using a Blender Bottle makes the consistency more like chocolate milk instead of something super thick (when made in an actual blender). I do think you should be VERY concerned. You NEED to get in the protein. Protein helps the body heal, etc. and helps prevent some of the hair loss. I still have a shake every morning for Breakfast. Sometimes I add in a scoop of Isopure unflavored protein to make a mega shake -- around 50 grams of protein. Do you like pudding? Make some sugar free nonfat pudding and add in a scoop of chocolate Protein powder. My favorite protein powder is Syntrax nectar Chocolate Truffle made with light soy milk for a total of 30 grams of protein. This shake does not get thick if it sits around a little, again made in a blender bottle. Tastes just like chocolate milk to me, maybe yummier. The vanilla Torte and strawberry Mousse flavors are pretty good too.. and still the thinner consistency.

I found that I had to switch to a different protein powder after surgery. During my pre-op diet, I was drinking Bariatric Advantage shakes and really liked them. Post-op, however, I found that they were too thick. I could only drink a few ounces at a time. I switched to Syntrax Nectar shakes (chocolate truffle is awesome) and found that these did not get thick. They are more like chocolate milk. Even now at just past six months, I still don't care for the thick shakes. I'll make a Bariatric Advantage shake every once in awhile, but it takes me probably an HOUR to drink one of them.

This stuff is supposed to work: http://devrom.com/ I bought a bottle but I haven't noticed any issues with noxious gas.

The only thing that I did not like about Curves is that you exercise in a circle, facing people that you don't know. It just seemed weird to me.

I always donate for cards/gifts/flowers for others but I was still completely shocked when my teammates sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I don't know why, but I guess maybe because it was my "choice" to have the surgery that it never even crossed my mind (compared to say, a car accident, etc.).

This is the thread where Sleeve Master was talking about how he likes Syntrax Matrix. http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/62707-how-do-you-know-when-your-full/page__st__20#entry621325

On a side note, I just remembered that my tracking info showed that the two Syntrax Matrix containers were supposed to have been delivered today. (Vanilla and Chocolate) I didn't see them on the front step when I got home today and forgot about them. Must be a new FedEx driver who stuck them next to a side door. I've been using the Syntrax Nectar and really like those.