Maddie

In the beginning, cold liquids really hurt. So, I did more broth and hot (warm ) tea. It did get better with time.

I have terrible relux if I forget to take my Nexium. It really works well.

I used Baratric Advantage Chewables.

I am by no means telling you to ignore the tightness in your chest, but it could be from you being stressed about it. If you get any severe stomach pain or you think the pain in your chest is something else, go to the ER.

Gratz on the weight loss so far. Did your surgeon set goals/limits for your daily caloric intake? My dr limited mine to 800-1,200 calories per day total. For the longest time, I actually had a difficult time getting that many in. I see you're eating low cal foods, how many grams of Protein are you getting daily and what percentage of those calories is protein?

It's possible you have an irritation in your esophagus from all the reflux. I would make an appt with you surgeon. Mine got pretty bad so they did an endoscopy and discovered I had developed an ulcer from the reflux. If that's what it is, it's easily treatable. In the meantime, it's good idea to journal your food intake in case you can find a pattern of it happening more when you eat certain foods.

What a lovely bride you will be. Congratz sweetie.

My surgeon and nutritionist agree that 75% of each meal should be Protein. Daily intake of protein should be around 80 grams. I agree that you need to get enough Water ease up on the carbs. Personally my mid-morning and mid-afternoon Snacks are all protein. Either I have a cheddar cheese stick, some cottage cheese, or a protein shake. It takes a while for you to figure it all out, not to mention a while for your body to adjust and heal. Keeping track of your food and water intake can really help you pinpoint where any changes need to made. Also, don't rule out the fact that stalls happen, no matter how good you are. lol Hang in there you'll get it.

Sounds like you are off to a good start. I see you have lost a good amount of weight and with the counseling under your belt. You should have a strong foundation. WTG

BRAVO! My hat is off to you for making 19 months and your willingness to keep going. You are gonna do great. Nice to meet you Sarah and I look forward to hearing how things go. Best of luck to you.

I agree, I would see if the surgeon's office could coordinate things since it's his idea that is changing the dynamics of things. It's also only your surgeon that could possibly convince the ins to pay for the additional days. Just keep jumping through those hoops, you'll land on your feet.

No doubt you have always been quite lovely. But what a huge transformation. Huge gratz!

At day 17, the pain is most likely from adhesion (strands of scar tissue). As the scar tissue grows and you move more, it tears. It's nothing to be alarmed over but it does hurt. It passes though. However, never hesitate to go the ER if you are concerned.

My surgeon said that smokers continue to be at risk for leaks. Other than that you shouldn't really worry about them after the first few weeks.

I remember my first egg being incredibly satisfying. You are doing things the right way, eating slow and listening to your body to know when to stop. Glad you enjoyed your meal!

Thank you all very much. Oh, and to answer the question about the eyelashes. I had never worn false lashes before. But the photographer recommended bringing some natural ones and some fun ones. She put them on for me, thank goodness. But after seeing how it's done, I think with a little practice I could do it. The natural ones make your eyes pop without being over done. I was actually glad to learn how to do it because, as you get older you natural lashes thin, so it's nice to know I can wear them when going out. Thanks again for all your kind remarks. (((hugs)))

Waiting sucks, hang in there and good luck.

If I overeat, it will come back up. But, it didn't take long for me to recognize when I should stop. Since we can't eat till we are stuffed like we used to, we have to listen to our bodies. Most people do get a "signal". For me it's a hiccup, for others it's a sneeze for a runny nose. I think one of the "rules" that helped me most was quite simple. In order to make sure that 75% if my meal intake was protein, I literally eat 3 bites of protein and then 1 bite of my veggies or fruit. Can't miss, lol. This way I can still put mac and cheese on my plate and not feel guilty.

Thanks so much Jane, that means a lot.

That would make anybody's day. WTG!

Gratz on the weight loss. You're right, in the beginning, it seems like we will never get there. But, now you are living proof that it works!!!! Keep it up, you're doing great.

One of the main reasons they want someone with you, is because you are on pain meds and not everyone gets around well on them. It's mostly for safety reasons.

It takes a while for the swelling to go away and protein drinks sit heavy. It will get easier as you heal.

B: protein shake S: cheddar cheese stick L: inside of a taco S: cottage cheese D: grilled tilapia and steamed cauliflower

Thanks GF, you made me feel so good, lol. It's sometimes hard to believe we have come so far, isn't it?