lollyfidy1965

Thanks, Peacequeen!! I AM proud...and amazed...and so grateful for having had the opportunity to have my surgery done!! I know, from years of experience, I could NEVER have accomplished this kind of loss...EVER...any other way!!

I don't know this first-hand, but have read (in other posts on here) that the military doesn't allow a waiver for someone post-VSG to join. If you do a search (on here), you should be able to find the post I'm referring to...there was a link to some official DoD information there, I believe.

Well....thanks to multiple muscular injuries in my left hip/leg, I likely won't hit my Labor Day goal (to get to 250 lbs). I'm actually ok with that, though.... I mean... I've lost 47 pounds, and will be fewer than 5 pounds short of meeting my goal!! I have no reason to complain about a 47 pound loss, in roughly 10 weeks! LOL (And the goal set was, in truth, a "stretch" goal...I had no reason to expect I would actually go from 302.4 to 250 in just 10 weeks!! LOL) Moving on to the Halloween weight loss challenge....to get down to 235! Wishing everyone great success! Laura

Your surgeon needs to release you to go into water, whether its a river, pool, or bathtub. The risk of infection is too high to go in before being "officially" told its ok to do so....and your surgeon is the only one who can do that for you.

I hope you will read what I'm going to say, and understand that it comes from a place of love, caring, and concern (and based entirely on my impression of the comments you posted)... You have more going on, psychologically, than not losing weight "fast enough". My suggestion would be to reach out to your surgical program, and ask to speak with their therapist. If they don't have one on-staff (I'm making an assumption, based on my own experience, that they would), finding a therapist to help with your ingrained self-esteem issues might be helpful. You need to rediscover all the reasons for which you are worthy of being loved....especially by yourself. Self-love will give you the strength to face the rest of the world without feeling the need to concern yourself with the thoughts of others (even including your mother). So many of us have been taught to hate ourselves...because we were too "fat," or because of some other reason (most often imposed by those around us). The process of losing weight, and becoming healthier, ends up being about so much more than just "losing weight"!! In the end, the amount of weight you've already lost is wonderful...truly!! Don't allow those niggling voices get the better of you....don't allow them to derail the progress you've made! I wish you nothing but success, and peace of mind! Laura

Gotcha, Wheetsin. My response was purely informational...and not really even directed at you (but for anyone looking for a suitable "jello"-type food).

Glad to be a little helpful! I'd love to hear your thoughts/feelings, after you've read it!

Just as an FYI...gelatein 20 has whey protein isolate in it

FYI...dark urine, at any time of day, is an early indication of dehydration. You might want to drink a little more before bed. As for my "product" (LOL), like the OP, I can go every day, for several days in a row, and then skip a day or 2. Its definitely more "work" to go, since surgery, but there's nothing unusual about what finally does come out.

If you're looking for protein sources, you might google "gelatein 20"...its a high-protein Gelatin...88 calories, and 20 grams of protein in a 4 oz cup. If you email the company and ask, they will send you a sample of each of the two flavors to try, before committing to an entire case. I "like" the fruit punch flavor, and have one as an evening snack on days when I'm running short of protein.

If you've ever done Weight Watchers, there is trackable information available from them. The same with any other "purchased" diet programs (Jenny Craig, NutraSystem, etc). When I filled out my paperwork I listed multiple attempts at WW, NutraSystem, Atkins, working with a personal trainer, and Herbalife. There was never a question asked about providing documentation related to any previous diet attempts. Hopefully it won't be an issue for you!

You can try Vitamin Shoppe....they have LOTS of high-protein, sugar-free products, and can even provide a list of products that are appropriate specifically for WLS customers. (You'll have to ask a manager...and keep asking until you find someone who knows what you're talking about.) You can also google something like "bariatric surgery foods" (or something along those lines)...I'm sure you'll find lots of websites offering appropriate products.

I would do exactly as your surgeon recommends, and see how you fare after a few days back on liquids. A week after I started "soft/pureed" foods, I developed breakthrough acid reflux (I'd come home from the hospital on liquid Zantac for acid). (This back-track took place when I was 4 weeks post-op.) My surgeon added a Prevacid solutab daily, and moved me back to full liquids for another 3 weeks. The additional time on liquids gave my sleeve ample time to heal, and I've had no more issues with reflux. (I've not thrown up since surgery.) Best of luck to you! Laura

Jennifer...don't be sad about the woman you've become.....be THRILLED about the woman you WILL become!! Even if it takes 6 months to have the surgery...use that time to learn everything you can about eating more healthfully (I highly recommend the book "The End of Overeating"), and to deal with any emotional/psychological issues you may have related to food. I promise you, doing that prior to surgery will make life after surgery INFINITELY easier!! Best of luck to you! Laura

Ali....unlike many who "fail" after WLS, you have the grace to say "this is all my fault." Do you realize how much strength it takes to do that?? Particularly in such a public forum?? I'm not sure I would be able to do the same. (Oh, I would place all the blame squarely on myself, but I doubt I'd wave that flag publicly!) If you're strong enough to do that, surely you're strong enough to get yourself back on track...right? If you don't feel up to the task on your own (even with the support of the love of your life), reach out to the program that performed your surgery. I'm sure your surgeon and nutritionist would be thrilled to see you getting seriously back on the right path...and that they would be more than willing to help you rediscover the road to success! Do whatever you need to do in order to make it happen...its NEVER too late to get it right!! (It might be more challenging, but it will never be impossible!) I wish you great success, and peace of mind, as you continue on your amazing journey! Laura

You're very welcome! I recommend that book to everyone I can....it really has been a game-changer for me! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, after you've gotten into it a bit. Laura

I don't think this is the place to ask a question like that....you should ask your surgeon. All the best

If you're a reader, I would highly recommend reading "The End of Overeating". It really helped me understand how the food processing companies intentionally manipulate foods, in order to make them addictive (and I use that word literally...you'll understand, if you read the book). The more I read, the angrier I became...and now I have a much stronger ability to resist those foods that are tempting to me...because I know the temptation is a function of those addictive attributes (of the food). Its made my post-surgical process MUCH more bearable....I'm not going to allow any food manufacturer control my health anymore! Best of luck to you!

I wish you all the best, Tiffany, and will have you in my thoughts and prayers throughout the day tomorrow!!! Laura

I like the Unjury chicken broth flavored powder...particularly when I mix it in liquid chicken broth, instead of water. I bought a big bucket of the Syntrax Nectar Fuzzy Navel, and can barely stand the taste (thanks to everyone on here who said it was wonderful...blech!). My favorite protein drink is the ready-to-drink chocolate Muscle Milk Lite...it reminds me of a melted chocolate shake, but no guilt!

I'd check with your surgeon regarding your "hunger"...it may actually be acid reflux, which is very treatable. I also use the Celebrate Calcium PLUS 500 calcium chewables (the cherry flavor), but have had no problems with them making me sick. That's another good question for your surgeon...alternatives, or alternative dose timing (with or without food, for example). Best of luck to you! Laura

Mine was 3 weeks...3 "meal replacement" meals, and 1 "normal" meal (but the meat portion was limited to very lean meats, and no more than 4 ounces). I could eat any non-starchy veggies I wanted, all day, as much as I wanted. Hang in there....this too shall pass!!

I hope this doesn't come across as overly critical, but....that looks like an awful lot of simple carbs (doughnut...sugary yogurt), and not much protein. If you're going to "pms eat", it would be better to choose low-fat, sugar free yogurt, or items higher in protein (instead of carbs, or junk food). Best of luck!

I had neither procedure done prior to my surgery, but every surgical/insurance program seems to have its own set of requirements to be met, prior to approval. Be thankful your insurance company doesn't require a 6-month, medically supervised weight loss program prior to approval!! ;-P Best of luck to you! Laura

Well said!