Marisa46

I had a similar problem although mine developed earlier after the surgery. It turns out that I'm lactose intolerant and the color (mine was yellow and occasionally orange) was the result of malabsorption. I take lactaid when ever I have yoghurt, cottage cheese, etc. and I switched to lactose free milk. Problem went away. If you have had your follow up blood work done and everything else is normal you might try stopping milk products to see if it helps. It also may help to wait a little longer before having liquids after meals.

It took a while for me too; so don't worry too much. At 6 weeks I still didn't have a great deal of stamina. Remember that normal is a relative term; my prior normal state was having constant pain and being unable to walk more than 5 minutes without getting short winded. A suggestion for the Protein Isopure has individual (8 ounce) size bottles that I order from Amazon.com. It's not a shake which is great because I will never ever have another shake as long as I live! 8 ounces and 15 grams protein; the drink has been a life saver since I became lactose intolerant and had to give up Greek yoghurt. Good luck. Things will get better.

There's no way I could have gone back to work after one week. I don't think anyone in my office would have appreciated hearing me moan and complain. I was only half awake the first week even though I had stopped taking the pain medication after a couple of days because the meds made my head spin. The second week the littlest thing made me winded; I live on the third floor of my condo (no elevator) and I moved so slowly. Granted I'm much bigger than a lot of you. I honestly didn't feel well enough to go back to work until after the 5th week and even then I had a few curve balls.

If you honestly feel that you can go back after 1 or 2 weeks without endangering your health then WONDERFUL; but please take your time and rest as much as YOU need to. The purpose of the surgery is to make life better but we have to be well to enjoy it.

You need to fill out FMLA paperwork, so that your job is protected just in case things don't go as planned and you can't come back in 2 days. I think a week is way to soon but since everyone is different .... just be careful not only is your body stressed but adapting to a new way of eating is a major change.

OMG! This dish looks delicious! Will definately make!

The medical center that did my sleeve has a manual and "absolutely no Protein shakes" after week 7. According to the nutritionist relying too much on Liquid Protein can actually inhibit your weight loss in the long run. So I'm learning how to get my protein without the shakes.< /p>

How are you feeling now?

and the universe isn't singling me out and ganging up on me!

LOL! I had that feeling so many times. I'll tell you what I tell my tantrum throwing 'inner child' Life is hard and no one knows how hard it is until there up against it. If you are happy where you are don't move but if life is making you unhappy and you want change get busy. Your choosing to love yourself and make changes is getting busy. APPLAUSE

Stellina, when I read your post, I couldn't help but relate. I was in a similar set of circumstances a year ago:

1. My Mom has Alzheimer we are trying to keep her at home but it didn't seem like it was going to happen because
   
2. My Dad who is horrible with finances had managed to put my family in the position where there was an excellent chance for a foreclosure on my parent's home.
   
3. The love of my life , my soul mate, the man of my dreams had just embezzled, absconded with $25 k and I was looking at financial ruin while
   
4. Said love of life was in Big Bear with HEATHER
   

Fortunately, I am employed (Praise God) I've been unemployed many times the last time was in 2003, I know what it's like to know you won't get a job you interview for because the interviewer gives your hips that "OMG she's huge!" look. I'm not going to try to put a positive spin on anything because the number of things that you are going through now would BREAK a weak person. BUT

That's the bright spot. YOU ARE NOT WEAK! You can get through this SH#+ and you will thrive because you haven't given up. I'm in awe that with everything that is going on in your life you are choosing to go through WLS and improve your life. Please don't give up on yourself. The WLS process is hard but you are up to the challenge. Go out and kick some kharmic a$$!

Any possibility that the prednisone combined with the sleeve may be causing the hunger? I remember prednisone's effects on me --even with the small dose prescribed I became both hungry and intensely irritable. Maybe your nutritionist could shed light on it?

BTW, I think your surgeon needs a course on "appropriate responses when hearing the out of the ordinary from patients." I hope he said that nicely at least.

Yumm truffle dressing! Maybe it's a stage because I crave everything but I know it's mine hunger because I don't feel hungry. Maybe it's a search for what will satisfy us in the most elemental way. I was a huge carb adict too (hopefully was) but now meat sounds so lovely. Maybe this journey helps us to crave what we need instead of feeding our emotions?

When you did your swallow test after the surgery was it OK? Could they have predicted something was wrong

I live with my fiancé and grandmother (her place). I'm 5 weeks out and having an awful time between nausea, acid reflux, heart burn, and getting food in/staying down. All I hear ALL day, LITTERALLY from her is "just eat something already!" she knows what I'm going through, and I've explained nicely, and it doesn't get through. I've even asked her to stop, I can't, nut says no, I don't want to end up in the hospital yet again... Even got snippy with her and she just says it more often!!!! I get she cares but how do I stop it!!!?

"just eat something already" is not coming from a woman who understands what you are going through. It's not supporting you and it's driving you crazy. I think I just stated the obvious (one of my faults) I handle people like that by tuning them out and going about my business because if she has witnessed everything you have been through and all she can come up with is for you to eat something then she just doesn't get it.

I can't wait till my year is up to get pregnant! I told myself I didn't want to have kids passed 30 and I am turning 32 in November and still have to wait till I am fully healed before I can get pregnant but I hope and pray when I am able to that I actually do!

Good luck! Honey and congratulations on taking the positive steps in your life to be a MOM!

Good luck Marisa! I am also being sleeved tomorrow.

Tomorrow is going to be a big Sleever's day! Good luck Crafty! We should all compare post-op experiences.

I wish you a very good healing! That's what my nutritionist said to me and it's stuck in my mind. I will be sleeved tomorrow too at around 10:30 AM. It's amazing our day is here already!

Great list!! Most of the above for me, and also cutting my own toenails!

OH! I can't wait to be able to paint my toe nails again!!!

My BMI is 69. My surgeon has always been positive. He does insist on a liquid diet (liver shrinking diet his office calls it) before surgery, but he requires that of everyone who has a stable blood sugar. I think it may be that the surgeon you talked to hasn't had the experience or for some other reason isn't competent (confident) doing the surgery for you. Good luck and don't give up.

I'm in the same boat. Try to be focused and calm (that's what I keep telling myself). Definately call your insurance company after it's submitted they can give you a time frame on when to expect a decision. Lady Lisa thanks for that encouragement I will be calling first thing in the morning!

If you your insurance company has a bariatric coordinator then the best thing you can do is ask. In the long run studies have shown that insurance companies save money by covering weight loss surgery. The health problems associated with obesity are expensive. But honestly you are having surgery next week! In my experience once your approved and have a date then your submission process is over.

It sounds like you have good coverage. Most likely what people who work with benefits call a "cadillac plan". How generous your insurance plan is allowed to be determines how you are treated.

"Fall down seven times; get up eight" that is the way I look at having the surgery. It's going to give me a powerful tool in getting and keeping the weight off, but I expect to have to get up more than once on this trip.

We are all afraid one way or another. Some of our fears are valid; some fears are not. Be kind to your self. Be good to yourself. If you can't cut back now then maybe you can start working on another facet of the journey.

The thing is you won't know if losing 40 pounds before surgery is something that only this Surgeon will suggest to you until you get a second opinion from a doctor in another practice. The other doctor may have more experience with higher BMI patients and require you to go on a liquid diet. The amount of time on the diet is based on your BMI. They do this to reduce the size of your liver to make the surgery safer.

Also make sure the surgeon you choose is certified to do bariatric surgery.

The other side of this is that you must be comfortable with your doctor he's going to be in your life for a while here so no sense in being miserable. This first surgeon has a more caustic manner than you may be comfortable with. Unless your insurance company is saying that he is the only one who can do your surgery, if I were you, I'd keep looking around

Thanks Everyone! Your support means a lot. Fortunately, my PCP is very supportive so I know it's possible to find a doctor with empathy. I'm going to concentrate on the encouragement and place myself in Jesus' hands, thanks!

I'm a little discouraged. I have 3 doctor appointments today. The first one (Gastroenterologist) went fine. I'll have my endoscopy on May 2. Because of my weight it will have to be done in the hospital. Not great but OK.

The second appointment was with a Cardiologist who made me feel like crap. How could I feel like anything else with questions and comments like "did any of your friends tell you that you were getting so large" and on the amount of Prozac I'm prescribed (80 mg) "that's too much". The doctor had a hard time believing that my blood pressure was only semi high (160/81) and my electrocardiogram was normal. So I have to have a stress test, but I'm too fat for the treadmill in his practice.

I have genuinely never been the type of person to go out and seek abuse; but I've got at least 5 more appointments to go with other doctors. I hate having my feelings hurt and I'm wondering if I've made a mistake.