barbi1281

I'll have to try the Body Fortress Chocolate or the Chocolate Peanut Butter... I have their strawberry and their vanilla and I struggle constantly with getting my protein but if I can make hot cocoa that might be the boost I need

At 194, my BMI was 38... that's how much I weighed when I made this decision... I'm 5'0. When I made my decision, I was 30 with bad reflux, sleep apnea, degenerative joint disease, prediabetic, prehyperlipidemic, hypothyroid and my asthma was one of the worst cases my doctor had ever seen. I had just updated my living will and my life insurance and I was so sick that I couldn't go outside without a mask and I had to carry a portable nebulizer and an epipen EVERYWHERE. Oh and I forgot to mention that I have two children who stared in fear every time I couldn't breathe which was just about every day - sometimes multiple times per day. I tried exercise, low cal, low carb, WW, fad diets, and Phentermine and I couldn't lose weight - my thyroid HATES me with a passion. This was my last resort, so yep... I had surgery to lose just 80 pounds and TO KEEP IT OFF. It's been almost 3 months and I've lost about 45 pounds. I can breathe and I don't live every day in fear of dying. I can play with my kids again and I even do hard cardio without breathing trouble. I couldn't have done that without this... that's why people do this at 180 pounds.

Thanks!

My primary care doctor said that surgery was pretty much the only way I was going to lose weight and keep it off since I am hypothyroid. My surgeon said I'd lose a bit slower than most people. To counter that I keep my calories really low and he thinks that's a good idea. By keeping my calories between 500-700 and my Protein up I average about 3lbs/week (overall - not every week).

Thanks everyone! I feel great which is most important

I had nearly 80 to lose when I started... and I'm hypothyroid so it felt unattainable considering that I NEVER lose consistently and I ALWAYS lose SLOW! But here I am... Two months out... 37 pounds down and happier with this decision than anything I've ever done since finishing college! I just wanted to come on and share my progress pics since today is my surgiversary! Here you go and if my undies offend you I'm sorry... they just show progress very well . Top row pics were taken the night before surgery - bottom row were an hour ago.

I agree that you should wait. I know I definitely am not taking in enough nutrients for one, let alone two, yet and I'm about as far out as you. I know it's hard when you want one so bad and the husband is on you too (my husband is really on me right now - we miscarried right before surgery). I keep telling my husband that we have to wait because as much as it hurts to wait, it'd hurt more to lose another because my body can't sustain a pregnancy or to give birth to an unhealthy baby. The time really will pass before you know it and right now just concentrate on making a healthy nest for your baby to grow :-)

@Noonie - have you done a sleep study? Even though my asthma was so severe it was deadly, it didn't qualify - nor did my other lengthy list of comorbidities but I was an evil snorer and my doc sent me for a sleep study... just so happened I had sleep apnea after all and never knew. Either way, keep fighting. I was at the point of suing for bad faith denial... to me this was life or death.

I have Cigna and they're pretty quick but they're also pretty quick to claim they didn't get something even though they did. If they deny you and you know you should have been approved or they say they didn't get something STAY ON THEM! I called multiple times a day and that was the only reason I had my approval in a timely manner (meaning 2 denials and nearly 2 and a half weeks after first submission). My surgeon said Cigna is one of the worst to deal with and it would have taken way longer if I wouldn't have been such a thorn. Just don't let them get you down or make you give up no matter what...

I'm thinking of purchasing a Fitbit... do you own one? If so, what do you think of it? Would you buy it again?

As your surgeon again but if they say no, you should be fine. I was supposed to do a liquid diet but I struggled with it due to migraine problems. In the end I was pretty much taken off of it and my surgery was textbook. It all depends on your body (low bmi vs high bmi), your health, and your surgeon. My cousin just had the same surgery and was on a 2-3 week liquid only diet and followed to the tee and still had problems with her liver being to hard (she used to be a heavy drinker so I'm sure that played a part) but they were able to do her surgery regardless - just took longer. Don't worry :-)

I was sleeved 10/16... I eat pretty randomly so bare with me . Today I had a half of a double tall skinny peppermint mocha from Starbucks on my way to work. Mid-morning snack I'm currently having peppered turkey breast from the deli. For lunch I'm having 1-2 oz of deli chicken, a mini babybel light, and a triscuit (yes one). I will get home late tonight because I have an appointment after work so before I leave work at around 3:30/4 I'm going to have a sugarfree tapioca pudding mixed with unflavored Protein powder. I probably won't eat dinner tonight because of my late night - I'll most likely go home and drink a Protein shake. As for ideas... my usual go to lunch is deli meat and cheese on a triscuit (I call it the bariatric sandwich ) or deli meat smeared with laughing cow light and no triscuit - sometimes I microwave it for a change. Dinner, I eat whatever I serve my family - I just get only a taste of the sides and fill up on meat first.

I am selective about who I tell and I feel that this is my right and that no one is entitled to know every detail of my life unless I'm comfortable sharing it. There is nothing wrong with you assuming the same right. I agree that you can't untell someone and I'm glad I didn't tell everyone because I know how hard this is and if I decide that I'm going to tell someone, I am going to tell them the whole thing including how hard the process was and this is (and I seriously may strangle someone who tells me it's easy). Prior to my surgery though, the smallest group of people knew because I'd made my decision and I didn't need anyone's judgments one way or the other.

I don't have PCOS and I haven't but I used to have EVIL periods when I had my copper IUD so here's my advice for what it's worth . For the cramping - a heating pad is your best friend! I always felt like there was an evil gnome stabbing me in the uterus and heavy heat on my abdomen always helped. I also didn't mess with tampons because (1) they did nothing for catching my heavy flow and (2) I always felt like my cramps were worse when they were in. I use Always Inifinity and I swear I love those things... If you think it's too heavy for that, there's nothing wrong with trying Tena or Depends pads - they're made to catch heavier/faster flow (urine) and after a year long bad period of cough variant asthma testing my bladder, I can tell you they really do work. Good luck and periods do get better... your's is probably just wonky since it was out of commission for so long... and even when they don't you learn better of how to manage them. Hugs.

I'm a coffee drinker and I take one 40 mg Protonix daily. I've had NO problems with reflux or any acid since I've been on it. Little warning though - if you get drug tested at work it gives a false THC reading

Personally, I can't tolerate Unjury or Isopure unflavored in anything but dairy based liquids. I've read that people can tolerate the unflavored proteins in clear liquids but I think it just tastes horrid (think I just poured iced tea in my milk glass). Are you still in liquids? I found that greek yogurt and making protein pudding help me get my protein in... I probably eat more dairy than I ever did before because I don't do well with shakes either - but when all else fails I do force down a shake.

It's hard when someone asks you and you're torn with whether/not to tell them so you just throw something out there ... We've all been there LOL. On another note - I only eat a couple of beans sometimes... ask my husband

Everyone that knows about my surgery has learned so much about this not being easy at all but they also know how it has made a difference in my life too. I really feel like this was my second chance and that I wouldn't see 35 without it which is why when someone overweight asks me I do share my experience - the good and the bad.

I selectively tell people that I've had surgery... most people do not know and it's my right to not tell them. People are judgmental (like the anesthesiologist that I had a consult with yesterday) and I don't always want to deal with that nor do I always have the energy to deal with it. That said, I almost always tell people that are overweight as well... I like to share my success with them because I know it may of crossed their mind and almost always they have questions for me after that and I'm open to them and even willing to give them my email to talk more later. What I have found is most people - overweight or not are NOSY about weight loss of any type... I'm only a 36 days out and I've dropped from an 18 to a 12 and I get a lot of questions from my thin coworkers and I know they don't need to lose weight... they're just curious... with them I just say that I've drastically cut my calories and fat intake and I eat hardly any carbs and a lot of protein (I usually say it's like Atkins but worse LOL). I also exercise daily. Sometimes they ask what else but I tell them there's not much else to tell... I just eat very little and that I have to if I want to lose weight because I'm hypothyroid. They usually see me eating something because I have breakfast and lunch in my office so that helps... also I tend to have a semi-normal half portion and then I wrap up the rest for later or the next day.

I'm more or less going to stay out of this as I've already made my opinion very clear before... I do want to say though to the ones claiming that if this scares you so bad you aren't ready... I personally think that's a bunch of bull! I was terrified when I went in for my surgery and I cried until they took me into the OR, but I was clearly more researched and prepared than quite a few people that claim they know more. I was also terrified when I gave birth to my oldest daughter... as a matter of fact I had a full blown panic attack while pushing - She's 11 now and I still remember thinking that I couldn't do it or that I'd break her somehow. The truth about fear is that it is often an irrational yet natural response to stress and you can't control it. This is even more so true for people like myself who have a need to be in control of ourselves when we are suddenly putting our life in another's hands... That said, I don't think for a moment that you can place someone else in your shoes and say that because you weren't ready, they aren't ready when they are having a normal psychological reaction to what may be the most stressful decision of their life.

Today is my one month and I'd do it again in a second. It was worth it a hundred times over for me... Prior to my sleeve I was in the process of getting into a clinical trial because I'm one of the few people with asthma so bad that I was on all of the top meds at the top doses and still not controlled - they were going to try to open my airways surgically, but so far in the month since my sleeve I've been able to come off 5 of my asthma medications and I physically feel better than I have in years. I was prepared for anything when I had my sleeve done and I think that helped a bit with making rough patches easier.

I had the same problem on liquids and was terrified that this wasn't going to work for me... once they start letting me eat solids it was a whole new ball game and I'm full on nearly nothing. Even my children laugh at how little I can eat. I say consider yourself lucky because for me being like that has made this entire process pretty easy... I can tolerate most foods and have no problem getting my shakes down .

I've had some of the same issues but I pay more attention to my clothes and what people are saying than the scale. I was sleeved the 16th and stalled 2 weeks out. I don't even think about it much now... I weigh myself and I'm happy when there's a loss and when there's not I just celebrate in other ways - i.e. I'm wearing a smaller size now, people have noticed my weight loss, I've already gotten off of some of my meds, and yesterday I found my collarbones. Whatever NSVs you've had and are having - celebrate them. It's not just about the numbers on the scale... it's about everything overall. If all that fails - go to the pet store and pick up a 25lb bag of dog food and just think that you were carrying that around all day every day before your sleeve - you haven't failed at anything... you've already lost a great deal of weight in one month and there's more to go. Just keep trying and know that most of us hit stalls and it's frustrating and it sucks but we'll all get there sooner or later if we don't lose sight of why we're here . Sending you big hugs :wub: .