Raine

The directions says to mix one scoop into your favorite cold beverage or add to your Soup, not hotter than 130 degrees. Um, that is a huge scoop to disolve! Any ideas or suggestions with this stuff? 7 days post op and I know I'm not getting enough Protein so I thought I would try it, then I saw the size of the scoop, holy cow Batman!!! :/

Thanks, Empress! I am going to try that I have been putting the crushed tab on the applesause and taking it that way but that bitter gross taste is still there. I'll try the desolving them in it and see how that works! Down to ten pills so far daily. I have eliminated the 4 fish oil, 2 gemfibrizols, 2 metformins and 2 Niaspans for the next two weeks until they do additional blood work to see how things are. I shouldnt complain lol from 20 to 10 in one day not too shabby!

The two weeks pre-op isn't as nasty as it sounds. You will just need to find the Protein that you like to get through it. I like the Atkins low carb/low sugar drinks, mostly the dark chocolate. When you drink other things, mix up between fruity for fast drinks and the savory for when you need something salty. Beef broths have been my stand by for that, get a hot cup of Water and disolve a boulon cube in it. At night I would have a strained Soup different flavors. Hope this helps! Bill, I was sleeved last Wednesday, was told I could do the full liquids on the Sunday afterwards. Doing ok so far. No real bad things going on except having to take my damn pills which is seriously gross when you have to crush them. lol Hope everyones journey goes well, it will be a bumpy road here and there but so worth it in the end when you see, feel and hear the difference in your body! Raine

Thanks! You too! I am feeling so much better now too. Keeping all the liquids down and going to try some soup today to see how that goes. Haven't had dry heaves, been sick to my stomach or even a little gas pain. I guess since I went through all that the first two days someone said enough is enough. Seven more days and I can start on mushies. Yayyyy!!!

Congratulations! So happy you had a wonderful experience!

Thanks, I am feeling a lot better and am amazed at the difference a couple of days could make. One thing I forgot to mention was that because of the blood I lost they had to give me two bags over a couple of days because I was becoming anemic. Everything works out in the end Having my hubby and son there with me constantly helped me feel a lot better too.

I am one of those people who will read everything there is to read about something that I am going to be doing to myself. I want to know every detail of what I will be going through. Thats just the way I am. So when I found this site I was like yayyy and read until I went into overload. I will say it prepared me for a lot of what I should expect and then some, but not what I actually went through. I am not writing this to scare anyone but just to be informative. My husband told me that if I had read what I went through I wouldnt have been so scared. April 27th at 7:00 am scheduled for surgery. Got to the hospital and checked in by 5:00 am. Everything is going according to schedule and am excited to be there because I know that this is the first step to making my life better for me and my family. The last thing I remember is giving my hubby and son a kiss and telling them I love them and I'll see them in a couple of hours. Fast forward to recovery, pain, pain, pain, they move me over to another bed and that is more pain. I was expecting this because I have had other surgeries in the past. Everyone is calling my name to make sure I am coherent and I keep thinking I'm going to hurl on these people if they are not careful, and hurl I did. But what I hurled was blood. Apparently there was some internal bleeding in my stomach and what built up had to come up along with a giant clot that they saved for the surgeon to see. Scared the bejeezus out of me because I hadn't read where anyone had gone through that! So they monitored me through out the day and I kept spitting up blood and unfortunately both my husband and son saw it at one point too. Wish they didn't have to see that but what are you going to do. That eveneing they let me have some ice chips and OMG what a god send, ice never felt or tasted so good. Through out the second day, I was still spitting up blood just not as much as day one, which the doc said was a very good sign. He said he has seen this happen before and everything will be fine. Then as they are monitoring me, they realize my oxegen levels are really low and put me on oxegen. Ok, tube up the nose and breathe in breathe out. On Clear liquids and had broth, Jello and ice pops to eat. They decide they want a chest xray done to make sure all is good there, and low and behold I have the begining of pnemonia. So they treat me for that as well. Day three, I am much, much better, keeping the liquids down nicely, and they put me on a full diet, broth, Breakfast Protein drinik and a clear flavored drink as well. No more blood, yayy, I want to go home now thank you very much. Day four, the doc tells me everythinhg is progressing nicely and says he could send me home but he is not going to because he wants to monitor my blood work for another day. Fine, I'll stay another day. Day five and I can come home. I feel really good except for the achy breaky feeling of being kicked good and hard but that will pass. I am doing the liquids pretty good so far but I know I'm not getting in the protein that I need and have to work on that. They already dicontinued me taking 3 meds twice a day and that is the reason I wanted to do this. In the end, I feel good, and I know I'll be fine because my body is telling me so. It is also telling me when I put too much liquid in as well, weird feeling too but I am getting used to that too. I don't regret the decision at all, even with the complications. I know in the end this is what needed to be done. So thank you all for your support and advise here. I will keep everyone updated and unundated with questions and observations as they happen. Raine

Hey Everyone! Let me start by saying thank you so much for all your support and advise. I don't think I could have fed my OCD demon if it weren't for this site!! Tomorrow morning is my time! I can't wait for it to be here and done and so I can be on the road to recovery and a new, not pill free, but less pill life. This is going to change everything I have been fighting my entire life and I am so excited. So to start my journey out right you need the right tools: Vitamins ... check Pain meds ... check Other meds for those other nasty thing that "might" happen ... check Protein drinks ... check French Manicure ... check Pedicure ... check Support of family and friends ... double check! I think that about covers it. Again, thanks so much all of you!! Raine

Oh and in between those I have a beef broth to offsett the sweet with the savory.

I feel your pain Meggie! That is what I thought my first couple of days on Protein shakes!! I tried making my own smoothie with the no fat greek yogurn and skim milk, and a crystal lite packet, total about 30 grams protein. Its funny but after a while the drinks don't taste that bad, like all things in life, you get used to them. I drink the Atkns low carb, low sugar ones 4 times a day, 15 grams each. Morning, midday, late afternoon and evening, gives me the 60 that I am required. Sometimes I mix a chocolate one with two packs of Starbucks Via decaf made with one cup of hot Water, pour in the drink and then over a full glass of ice. You will get creative about this, I promise. Good luck! Raine

Congratulations!! and welcome home.

Empress I am so happy for you, everything you have said is everything everyone on here has felt at some point or another. I am on Wednesday and will keep you all posted as well. Good luck it has been a hell of a ride.

I am on the pre-op diet for almost 2 weeks now and am down 16 lbs! I think its a great idea to start it before hand. What I would suggest is that you substitued a meal a day with a protein shake to get into the groove so this way by the time you have to do the pre op diet, its a breeze. Eventually, I've noticed that the drinks start to tast better with time, because thats what you are becoming used to. I use the Atkins low carb, low sugar. Has 15 grams of protein. Not too bad. Good luck on your journey!

Welocome and Good Luck!!

I haven't had mine consistantly for years!! Hope this doesnt happen after the weight loss and pill reduction lol that would soooo not be cool

Congratulations!!! It will be fine and so will you!!! Stay strong you are on a road to a better you

Welcome aboard!! This will prove to be a very good decision on your part. Good Luck on your journey!

Wish you all the best! The prize is well worth the trip!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! Job well done!

I'm not sure about the food yet, but as far as skin care goes, I use Cetaphil. Its a great great product. My Mom's doctor recomended it to her when she was doing chemo and her skin dried out so much and it worked wonders. I have been using it ever since and love it. Good Luck on your journey! You will do wonderfully!

However they do it, however they achieve it is up to them. Its a personal journey and if you choose not to share it then so be it. That being said, about me, well, I am the mouth that roared LOL Everyone that knows me knows what I'm doing and I'm damn proud of it. For once in my life I am taking full responsibility for my life and health.

GOOD LUCK!!! I am sure you will do great

I know we can all do it! The support her is great. It is saving me lol. I am cold all the time too. I have a fleece on as I type!

Temptation sux! Especially on the special food holiday's. I am going to allow myself some rich soup on that day but thats it as far as the bad foods go. I am being sleeved on the 27th. Can't screw it up now! Good Luck!

I used duct tape, works everytime!