theoldmusicbox

Oh yeah, another cool benefit is that we were spending about $220 every 2 weeks for groceries for my family of 5, after my surgery we now spend right about $300 a month. Nice side affect!

Well, you seem to have done what you can to prepare, my advice for post op is this. Move as much as you can. Get out of bed as soon as you can on day of surgery and go walk the hall of the hospital. Try doing this at least 2 or 3 times on day 1. Same on day 2. You will be sore and groggy, and may have some gas pain that will all be made worse if you just lay in bed. Getting up and moving will help. Get a 20 oz Water bottle and make it your best friend. I had horrible cotton mouth for the first 2 weeks. Learn to have your water bottle close so you don't get dehydrated. When you get home, follow your post op diet. Yes, the liquid diet sucks, and yes, the full liquid diet isn't much better (however, strained low fat cream of chicken and strained low fat cream of potato Soup were like heaven after liquid diet stage) but once you get to the soft food stage, life is good. Find new healthy recipes to introduce new things. You don't want to just eat smaller portions of the same crap that made us big. If you haven't heard yet, www.Emilybites.com or the world according to egg face, or bariatric foodie are the sources for healthy food that is was friendly AND doesnt SUCK! my kids ask for Emilybites dinners. Also, if you have a support group in your area, I suggest going at least 2 times, it's nice to SEE people in their different stages. Good luck Good luck

Mio sweet tea tastes a lot like mcdonalds sweet tea.

I'm sorry sexymary there are a couple people in my support group I go to at the hospital that have that same issue. I am one of the very fortunate ones that had the really great experience. Clear liquids for 2 days, full liquids for 2 weeks, soft foods for 2 more, then introduce real food as tolerated. I did have 1 instance of vomiting, but that was all my fault. Tried to drink a full serving of beef broth in 5 minutes because I was in a hurry. Bad idea. I have heard them say that it does get better in time, and they have started loving their sleeve, I hope you get to that point soon. Hang in there. Much love O

I am 'that guy' that the other slivers might want to throw their Protein drinks at. I was the second surgery of the day, so, I woke up and was in my room by about 12 or 1. I was in some pain, but morphine was great for me. I was up walking about 4 times that day, and also, I don't do bed pans, so, I took myself to the bathroom. Day to, up and walking, handling all the sample 'foods' I was allowed to try, went home around 2 day after surgery. At home, pain level was about on par with appendectomy. Worst thing was severe cotton mouth. Get yourself a 20oz Water bottle and make it your best friend. Not gonna lie, liquid diet sucks, but it goes pretty quick. I only had 1 vomit issue, and that was my fault, and I knew it was coming. (don't try to do a whole serving of beef broth in 5 minutes at 2 weeks because you're in a hurry) I was back to work at a very physical job (I have to lift over 100 pound objects several times a day) in my allotted time, and now that I'm on real food, if you came to my home for dinner, you'd never know because we found awesome food choices. I am almost 2 months out, and for lunch today, I had an Emilybites taco cupcake with a jalopeno pepper on the side. So, yes, best case scenario is possible. I would do it again tomorrow, and twice on Sunday. Good luck with your journey Good luck,

Yeah, I was thinking approaching this with a definite moderation level. I was thinking maybe 1 or 2 times a month.

Not at all, like I said, I barely used any of the spray. I used a 6" sautée skillet, and only used enough to "coat" the bottom of the skillet. Not enough to soak it in. Maybe 2 Tblsp. The tenders were very juicy, but crisp on the outside.

ok, so, I had some boneless skinless breast tenderloins that, in the past, would be fried in oil or butter. I had a hankering for that and after a few days of thought, this is what I came up with. The main reason to avoid 'fried' foods is because the oil/grease/butter that we cook it in is full of calories and fat, right? Well, i have been using parkay butter spray for all of my butter needs, it has 0 calories, 0 fat and only 5mg sodium. So I thought to myself, why not? I unscrewed the sprayer, and poured just enough to cover the bottom of my skillet, heated it and fried up the tenders. It tasted awesome. Any thoughts? Is this a great idea, or is this a good intention and I'm not seeing the downside? Honest question here. My sleeve treated it like anything else I've eaten. What are your thoughts? P.S. This is not a 'gateway' thing, nor a slippery slope. Had I not thought of this, I would have just gotten over my hankering, and had an Emilybites cupcake, so, no worries, just haven't talked to my nut yet, so I thought I'd ask here. Thanks guys, much love.

I'm still new, but I believe that slider food is defined as something that gives you very little nutrition, but high calories (mostly, the crap that made us obese in the first place) i.e. Chips, icecream, candy.....junk.

Hey, I started office visits in march of this year, got working with nutritionist in April, I got my sleeve pro refute on June 5 this year. Since April, I have lost 100 pounds and 11 inches of my waist so far. I'm 5'6" and started at 373. I choose the sleeve because I felt it was the best chance to still lead as normal a life afterwards. You don't get the malabsorbtion issues that ru-en-y brings, and the only big benefit that rny had was some longterm studies, a very small % better weight loss, and it helps defeat diabetes better, but, I'm not diabetic, so, i like the sleeve better. I don't think I'd like the band with all the adjustments and honestly, just the though of having that 'nub' in my tummy to stick a needle for adjustments..... Uh-uh. My experience with the sleeve has been amazing. I would do it again in a heartbeat. So, for me, the sleeve made the most sense. Good luck

I want to do a happy dance for you. Keep up the good work!

I got my sleeve on June 5, 2012. I really started getting serious with my nut April 1, 2012, when I tipped the scale at 373. (5'6") I've lost a total of 100 pounds since. For any pre surgery folks that are reading, this is what you can look forward to. I can tie my shoes without holdin my breath I can cut my own toenails I can go up at least 6 flights of stairs and not pass out I can hug my kids and their hands touch at my back (first time in their lives) I can sit at a booth when we go to a restaurant I can buy pants off the rack, without going to a big and tall store (on a funny note) I can put on my 'starter jeans' and my 14 year old son can get in them with me, and we still have room I can walk 2.25 miles and still feel like going further I can prepare healthy food that doesn't suck, even my kids love Emilybites.com recipes I CAN, and I repeat I CAN do this. I CAN win this, I CAN be healthy and better for my wife and kids. And trust me, if I can, so can you. Because I have sucked at this and failed my whole life, but now, it has become second nature and I have all the tools to fix what I let get broken, and so do you. Much love O

I feel the same as you on these things. Here's my short list I'm looking forward to ------ getting my driver' license renewed and NOT lying about my weight. ----- buying the 'cool' motorcycle jacket, not just 'this one since it fits me' for cooler riding days. ----- walking my daughters (12and 4) down the aisle when they get married (before sleeve, dr said that i might not have been around for that if I didn't get under control) ----- going to amusement parks with my 14 year old son and not just being his company in line, but ride the rides with him ----- joining my son to help him train for cross country. ----- finishing a 5k in less than 50 minutes without passing out or dying (my first ever attempt will be in 2.5 weeks) ------ being able to be an inspiration to people, and not feel like they are all just thinking 'wow, how does a person let themselves get that big?' ----- feeling like my wife isn't lying when she says that she really is still attracted to me. ----- burning all of my 2x 3x 4x 5x and 6x t shirts while dancing the happy dance around this fire pit, because I won't ever need them again.

My surgeon said no for me, can't remember why, but I guess I just don't have enough to spare. I would ask your surgeon, just to be safe.

You have 10-20 oz of liquid listed each day? Please tell me you are getting more than that in a day

I use ground chicken breast for anything that calls for beef. I find I to be more forgiving than turkey, and soaks flavor better. IMO. Emilybites rocks!

I have been heavy guy for most of my life. I am 37 years old, 5'6" and my starting weight was 373! I went got a lot of great info and help from my pre-surgery NUT visit in march. Myself, my wife and kids started using her guidelines on April first this year. With a great amount of support and encouragement from them, I was 323 at surgery day on June 5. I'm currently at 278 (5 pounds from onederland woohoo). I am married to the hottest chick I know, so there isn't any ex or anyone like that, but my evil fantasy is that I won't make my wife jealous of other women, but that other women would be jealous of my wife. I think this would be easier between 165-175.