joatsaint

Here's a typical day's food for me. I've been eating pretty much this amount everyday since my 1 year surgerversary. :-)

Here's a typical day's food for me. I've been eating pretty much this amount everyday since my 1 year surgerversary. :-)

Here's a typical day's food for me. I've been eating pretty much this amount everyday since my 1 year surgerversary. :-)

Here's a typical day's food for me. I've been eating pretty much this amount everyday since my 1 year surgerversary. :-)

Here's a typical day's food for me. I've been eating pretty much this amount everyday since my 1 year surgerversary. :-)

I have not tried these Protein bars, but thought I'd post the deal anyway. The website is kinda tricky when it comes to ordering. The "Quantity" drop down box is confusing. If you only want to order 1 flavor, choose a quantity of 1. Choosing a quantity of 2, means you want more than 1 flavor. After choosing your flavors, and adding them to your cart, go to your cart. In the cart, you can choose how many of each flavor you want. Put in the number of bars you want and "update" the quantity. http://www.isatori.com/Sale-Eat-Smart-Small-Bar-Single-P2078.aspx

My primary consideration was how many times has the doc done the procedure. I got a list of approved surgeons and hospitals from my insurance and Googled each doctor and looked at their years of practice doing the Sleeve and the patient reviews. 2nd was location. My nearest insurance approved doc was in Houston, TX. 2 hours away. I wanted a hospital that was not in the city proper. I wanted to avoid the traffic that Houston's famous for. :-P That was it. I spent a few hours over the course of a week researching and picking my surgeon and deciding on one of the 3 hospitals he was practicing in. Everything worked out well, except for that loooooonnnnnng ride home! Frankensleeve felt every curve and bump in the road. :-(

From personal observations, I know that my head hunger kicks in harder when I'm sleep deprived. My brain knows it will get a temporary boost from the sugar and craves it. Unfortunately, it's only a temporary boost, in a few hours, my head hunger will return. :-(

I too had the same doubts and fears before surgery. But there's no comparison to a diet vs. WLS. It's a completely different world. But you have to be ready to change. When I finally committed to WLS, I was at my lowest point mentally. I was ready for a change. I was willing to give up anything and everything to change. I see too many questions asking the same thing. "When can I eat X again?" And I think to myself, "You may not be ready for WLS." There are some WLS failures. Some because of medications, metabolic disorders and some people just aren't ready to give up their favorite foods. You have to ask yourself, "Am I ready to give up processed foods and eat healthier for the rest of my life?" I can tell you, that for the 1st year, my new Sleeve did most of the work. I lost 130lbs. After that it became my responsibility to choose the right foods and portions. But by that time, I had engrained new eating and exercising habits into my life. The next 40lbs were all me! I had to watch my caloric intake, what I ate and how often I ate. But it's a cake walk compared to the mental battle I had with head hunger pre-op. There's just no comparison. That little nagging voice that told me I was hungry 24/7 was gone. Whether it was the psychological impact of "this is what I had to do to lose weight" or the size my new Sleeve that did it, I don't know. What I do know is that I'm in control of my eating since WLS. I can regain the weight if I don't stay on top of what and how much I'm eating. But now it's completely my choice. :-)

You're not alone. For the 1st 6 months, I was very limited on the foods I could eat. Turkey hamburger and refried Beans were my main staple during that time. eggs, chicken, beef, fruit, vegetables... were almost certain to cause Frankensleeve to throw a fit. The funny part was that I could easily tolerate processed foods like creamy peanutbutter! :-( Hang in there, things will improve as your tummy heals. All too soon you will be able to tolerate more kinds of foods and a bigger volume of food. Take this time to get into good eating habits, like eating slowly, not drinking with meals, and noticing when you feel full - rather than eating everything on your plate. 3-C plan for success! Control what you can (your actions and thoughts). Cope with what you can’t (external emergencies and other’s behavior). Concentrate on what counts. Stay positive. Believe in yourself. Focus on your progress, not perfection. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/31168-my-favorite-mexican-food/

My best piece of advice, research research research. Read the forum, watch Youtube videos of WLS patients. Hi Lucia, and welcome aboard. I too was scared/excited to death! at the though of WLS. It helped me a LOT to just lurk here at BP. I eventually saw that every one of us has the same doubts, fears and questions. Feel free to post your questions, or PM me. We love to help get you off to a good start on your "adventure" (I don't like the word "journey", so I use "adventure" I'm taking it back!!!!) :-P And just to toot my own horn, I've got a Youtube channel that I've been updating with many of the most frequently asked questions about WLS. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaOsuR2p6f49ptPSPoNav1Q

It took me months post-op to build up to walking 2 miles continuously. I HAD lots of foot and knee pains. I started out by parking as far from my office's front door as possible and walking in. From there I started walking the perimeter of the building 4 times every morning. Like I said, it took months, but eventually I built up my endurance and my feet and knee pains went away. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/31216-nsv-2-you-best-step-off-b-hatch/

Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Wellesse-Multivitamin-Absorbing-B-Complex-16-Fluid-Ounce/dp/B004YB429Q

I started doing short (2 miles or less) drives on the 5th day. I was still hurting pretty bad and didn't want to get too far from home. I hadn't taken any meds since the day I was released. I was back to my normal self by day 8 and back to work on day 11.

Thank you, I don't really care for Quest bars too much anymore, they seem too sweet after trying OhYeah! Victory bars. But there are lots of people that love Quest. It's all just part of my wanting to "pay it forward". I get so much support from Bariatricpal members, that I like to share anything that will help out. If you have a favorite brand of Protein bar, let me know and I'll add it to my "deal" searches. @@joatsaint you frequently post many/all of the freebies etc for products with a lower sale price nice of you to take the time and post/share your findings unfortunately................ i HATE cookies and cream waiting for the next good sale you show us 171 lbs down (4 til GOAL ) you're aces dude keep up the good job kathy

Congratulations on doing so well ladies. When I woke up from surgery, my pain levels were hitting 9's and 10's too. Thank goodness for the morphine drip!! Mine had a push button dispenser, so I was hitting that button like I was trying to win a prize on a game show. :-P Hang in there, it gets better every day. In 6 months, you'll look back and see how all this was sooooo worth it!! Welcome to the Loser's Bench!! :-)

You might want to call them back and confirm the information they gave you. For the 1st 2 weeks post-op, there was no way I could have eaten any solid food. And even after that, it took a long time for Frankensleeve to tolerate any kind of meat. Your new sleeve is going to be tiny and swollen for at least a month, so I don't see how they expect you to get in enough protein without resorting to supplements.

Ran across this deal today [ 7-20-2015 ] on Jet.com Order 2 boxes of Quest Bar Cookies and Cream for $35.60. The trick is to order 2 boxes. If you order only 1, you won't get the sale price. https://jet.com/Quest-Nutrition-Protein-Bar-Cookies-and-Cream-212-Ounce-Innerpack-of-12/6406353f1c33496ba349e9fd6890f5c6

I like being in a food rut! :-) I'm kinda paranoid about allowing myself to look forward to or crave certain flavors again. I work hard to not care about the flavors I'm eating. I'm never going back to that pre-op lifestyle where food had control over me. I have convinced myself that whether it's Brussel sprouts or pizza, they are equal in how much I like the flavors, so I might as well eat Brussel sprouts. :-) My favorite goto meals are: roasted pork loin/roasted chicken/eggs and Brussel sprouts/cauliflower/broccoli Protein bars: OhYeah! Victory bars - chocolate chip cookie dough/cookies and cream Drinks: Crystal Light lemonade/coffee I know it sounds kinda dull and boring, but I want it that way. :-)

Your weight loss sounds right on track. I was losing, on average, 13lbs a month for the 1st year. Keep up the good work. When I felt my weight loss was too slow, I reminded myself of how fast I was NOT losing weight pre-surgery. :-) http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/31257-are-you-a-half-fast-loser/

I have a desk job and I was back at work on day 11. Probably could have gone back at day 9, but I'd already scheduled the days off. I've read about some, who were back at work after 3 days, and some who were off for weeks. But it'd be a safe bet to assume you could be back at work within 14 days.

I am an expert on my own opinion. :-P

Congratulations on doing so well. And Congrats on your 1st NSV!! :-P food losing it's domination over my thoughts was the best part of VSG WLS. Thoughts about what/when I was going to eat ceased the day after surgery. Up until then, I was always planning my next meal because I KNEW I was going to be hungry in 2 hours, no matter how much I had just eaten. So, I feel uneasy when I read questions about "When can I eat _____ again?" or "I am worried I can't eat ______ ever again." When I read things like this, I am worried the person who posted isn't ready for WLS because it does take a commitment on their part to change their eating habits. And they may still be too attached to certain foods. I was soooooooo ready to be DONE! with the control food had over my life. It looks like you are too! I am so happy for you for taking control of your life. 3-C plan for success! Control what you can (your actions and thoughts). Cope with what you can’t (external emergencies and other’s behavior). Concentrate on what counts. Stay positive. Believe in yourself. Focus on your progress, not perfection.

I had 2 friends come to the hospital with me. There was no problem with visitors. But I would call your hospital and find out their policy, I'm sure it varies from hospital to hospital.

I fall prey to head hunger on occassion - even 30 months post-op. I have made a deal with myself. I can have a little of whatever I'm craving, as long as I fill up on Protein first. If I'm still hungry after eating protein, then I eat a bit of whatever I crave, like having (just) 1 donut or cake - 1/2 a coffee cup full (a real coffee cup, no Starbucks Grande cup!) :-) I am slowly retraining my brain to go for protein whenever I get a carb craving. I've started paying attention when I eat and notice the foods that cause me to have head hunger later on, or foods that make me hungrier as I eat them. Not surprisingly, most of them are process foods or foods like rice, Pasta, and potatoes - foods that convert into sugar quickly. As long as I eat real food - vegetables, protein, fruit - my head hunger mostly stays away. It's only when I start eating frozen meals, side dishes that come from a box or bag, or processed meats (lunch meat) that my head hunger returns with a vengeance. You are not a failure for giving into head hunger. It's only a setback, setbacks are not permanent. They only become a failure when you stop trying.