DanaInNewOrleans

And SHAPEWEAR !!

I think most surgeons are a little distant from their patients....I even joked about it to my surgeon and he laughed and agreed good naturedly. I have not even seen my surgeon since my surgery. Hell, I did not even see him the day of my surgery! In my practice, basically everything goes through the nurse practitioner and nutritionist after surgery (and definitely before surgery). They run the show. If it was me, I'd choose the best surgeon as long as his staff was interested and engaged.

125 lbs???? Hellooooooo! Of course you are an Overachiever Sleever! Congratulations! How many calories do you think you were doing the first 3 months? 6 months?

When you were doing the 400 was that because that is your doc's guidelines? Sorry for so many questions but my plan does not specify calories.. I see some people are doing 600, some are doing 300, some say they're doing 1000 .... It's all over the map. I'm 6 weeks out and doing about 800. I'm thinking I need to lower my calories?? I'm just wary because I do not want to put my body in starvation mode ( that is how ended up like this -- yo yo dieting for 30 years) Forgive me for all the questions Thanks! Dana

Thanks!! How many calories are you taking in now? About how many in the first 3 months?

Thanks Ali! Question -- how many calories were you taking in during different stages...like at 3 months out, 6 months out? Congratulations on the 105 lbs!!

I'm taking both -- Prevacid in morning and night and Zantac in the evening.

Anybody have any experience with Federal Blue Cross and plastic surgery after weight loss? Do they pay? I hear that they do pay for quite a bit of it but I'd really like to know from someone who had it rather than from third party sources... I know I'm getting waaaaaaaay ahead of myself here since I haven't even had my surgery yet but I really think knowing I can finally look normal (for the first time in my life) would be a huge motivator to me. When I lost 160lbs( I've gained back 60) 12 years ago I was sagging skin everywhere--EVERYWHERE! I was very disappointed that I was still disfigured. I hate to admit this but my husband has never seem me naked with the lights on. He likes to joke by saying he gets glimpses of different parts and then just puts them together in his mind like a puzzle! lol... yes, he is a saint! But I would love to feel comfortable enough to be more at ease. The idea of plastic surgery gives me hope! Sorry if I've shared too much TMI.....

Do you mean you've haven't lost any weight or that you've gained recently?

Looking GREAT!

Count me in the slightly disappointed category. Surgery 12/21 and I'm only down 20 lbs....

I do the same with shrimp --- lots of protein in just a few of them. I keep them in the fridge and grab a few when I think about it.

Is the 300 calories a day 6 weeks post-op a typo? If not, that is extremely low. I certainly do not want to tell you not to listen to your doctor but ......well, I'm not sure what to say because 300 calories a day is absolutely starvation mode. Most people on here on probably on at least 600-800 calories a day at 6 weeks out and some are even higher. I'm sure there are some who are struggling to get in all their calories but I can't imagine their program limited calories to 300 a day. I apologize if I sound preachy...... just worried that you're not getting near enough calories. ~Dana

For some reason I did not feel the need to go crazy before surgery. My husband, friends and family were more concerned about me eating favorite things before surgery than I was. I think it was because I always viewed this as long term freedom -- I have every intention of eating what I want, the only difference being I will only be able to eat a small amount. I know that I will be able to eat my favorite things again, just in much smaller portions.

Hi Kay, Ok, so I know you've got to be somewhere around New Orleans if you're eating King Cake and boiled crawfish, shrimp and crabs! I'm in Mandeville...... I actually made sure I had a few things before surgery -- like beignets with as much powdered sugar as I could smoosh on them ( and I rarely eat beignets but for some reason I insisted that had to be one of my goodbye foods before surgery) ~Dana

Hi Traci, Calories are another thing that seem to be all over the map with everybody. I've been sticking to around 900-800 a day. But some people are posting that their doc has them on 300 calories 6 weeks out?? Some people are doing 500, some are doing 1200. My doc/nutritionist did not give any actual calorie guidelines, which I find kind of ridiculous. Their instructions say "if you are not hungry don't eat. Concentrate on fluids and protein" Well, if I waited until I was hungry I would never eat. I guess it's just individual trial and error on this journey... ~Dana

I'm in my 6th week post-op and I am finding everything tastes bland or "off". I keep trying different things but after a few small bites I just cannot go anymore-- it's not just a full feeling -- it's a "ugh" feeling. It's like I just can't stand the thought of eating it. I keep wondering if it were my favorite pre-surgery foods like steak would I feel the same way. NOTHING appeals to me. The only way I am getting real calories in is from my Protein shakes....(which are also the easiest thing for me to get down) I am also having a hard time getting water/flavored Water down. Makes me slightly nauseous almost every time. How many calories are ya'll getting in around 6-8 weeks out? Of course, MyFitnessPal keeps warning me that my calories are way too low and my body will go into starvation mode... ~Dana

Trust me, if I could have eaten the whole biscuit I would have! But half was all I could do. Which is fine with me! My problem is that I am really not wanting to eat real food for some reason. I try and it almost disgusts me. Very weird. I am mostly relying on my shakes for Protein and calories. Of course, the high carb , zero protein biscuit tasted great!

I ate half of a biscuit yesterday and I was fine. So I don't think bread will be hard for me, other than its high in carbs and I need to eat it sparingly.

Hi, I'm not a big fan of overly sweet shakes. My favorite protein powder is Syntrax Nectar Chocolate Truffle. I don't find it overwhelming sweet but sometimes I add more low carb milk to cut the sweetness or use just 3/4 of a scoop. It works for me. ~Dana

Thanks for the reminders! I'm a slow loser and this helps keep things in perspective. ~Dana

Lucky you to live in such a beautiful place!!

I'm going through the same thing. Really, the only way I am able to get to 800 calories a day is to rely on my protein shakes. They are the easiest thing for me to get down. I can only take a few bites of almost all other semi solid food. Without the shakes I don't think I could get anywhere near 800 calories-- I just can't eat enough of anything else for it to add up. I'm also having a REALLY hard time with water ....always makes me slightly nauseous.....

Surgery December 21 Down 20 lbs

So that is the reason things suddenly stopped "going out"!! It's been like a week! Thanks for letting me know!