TheGamer

Not with pasta (which I've only tried twice), but some foods just don't sit well with me. It's not consistent, either. Some times I'm okay with things, other times not so much. There are times when just thinking about a food makes me feel queasy and I know I should just leave well enough alone.

I ended up buying two 16oz Tervis tumblers to help me keep track of my liquids. I keep one at home and the other at work. As long as I drink at least 4 of them a day, I know I've got my liquids in. Knowing me, I'd forget which cup was the one that indicated the cups I'd drank, unless I wrote it on there

Thankfully, the law says what it says. If HR wants to "side" with her, then HR has basically said they're okay with any legal repercussions, which most businesses will avoid like the plague. If she's violated the law, that's not really negotiable.

Awesome! Total inspiration

Try an immersion blender. Rather than putting the food in the blender, you put the blender in the food. It makes it *much* easier. Now that I think about it, maybe one of those baby food maker things might work, too.

I don't worry about calories, personally. Most days is 600-800, though some days (like today!) it's more than that. I can't eat enough to worry about them at this point. I focus on my protein, water, and then everything else. My guidelines for carbs were to have no more than 100g a day.

If you did not authorize her to share that information, then she could be running foul of the HIPAA laws. Where I work, unless you specifically state that information can be shared, it is not to be provided to anyone that you did not tell.

I didn't start really feeling it until I started having stricture issues post op. How much restriction I feel always seems to be based on what I'm eating. Some foods just seem to take up more space than others. I think that we all have had to tackle the head hunger. We're conditioned to eat. I learned (and still learn on occasion) where my limits are. Rather than being able to have a lot more and a little discomfort like pre op, just one or two bites more than I can handle and my body goes "STUUUUUUUPID!" It's good that you're having a smooth recovery!

Yup, this is the time to make sure all those people are on the same page. Get in contact with your surgeon's office and let them know. They'll advise you on the best course. There are also other pregnant sleevers around, so I'm sure some of them will chime in.

I am still an avid gamer and I don't think that will ever change for me. I played my first video game at age 6 and 30 years later there's no way I can give them up. Prior to surgery if you had asked me to give up food or games, food would have come first. I actually gave up WoW after Cataclysm. I've been playing Guild Wars 2 and Borderlands 2 these days, both of which are pretty low commitment, though I know I'll end up raiding again at some point. I like the ability to use my gaming powers to lose weight, though. I have a PS2 and PS3 with multiple versions of DDR, so I can game and exercise at the same time!

Thank you everyone for the kind words. The VST community has been a great support along the way and I'm glad I can share my successes with you guys!

It gets better after the first couple weeks. Remember, you did just have an extremely invasive procedure where they removed 85% of major organ. It's going to hurt. Once your body gets over hating you for that, it's not as bad.

The bill I saw (before insurance) was in the neighborhood of $30,000. I don't remember the exact price.

Without insurance, it would have been impossible for me to have this surgery. I am single and work in the non-profit world. While I can cover my rent and other bills, I don't have a lot of extra cash. I certainly don't have the kinds of funds it would take to get a procedure like this done, even traveling outside the country to do so. As it was, coming up with the program fees and paying for my part of the insurance was a financial struggle. I'm still paying off portions of it, but I don't regret it at all.

My periods have been all over the place post-op. I had my first one immediately following surgery, even though I'd had one two weeks before. I've had them be super light, super heavy, and even last for two weeks! Even a few months out, it's still messing with my normally regularly scheduled occurrence. My gut says it's the WLS, but it never hurts to talk to a doctor anyway.

Cravings don't stop just because of surgery. The key is to remember that anything is okay - in moderation. What you may find, though, is that your body reacts to certain things in unexpected ways. I have found that I am very sensitive to anything with a moderately high sugar content. I feel miserable if I eat something that is loaded with sugar. I may still crave it, sometimes even eat it, but it has made me miserable to do so.

One of the reasons I chose VSG over other weight loss surgeries was the fact that if I wanted something, I could have some. Don't beat yourself up over the occasional treat, just remember that they should be the exception. It's very easy to get back in to that old mentality where one leads to two leads to three, especially with slider foods.

Do a search for "week 3 stall" on the forums and you'll see that pretty much everyone has experienced a stall around... well... week 3. It's totally normal and as long as you stick to what you're supposed to do, this too shall pass. Stalls are a part of the weight loss process and nothing to worry about. With as little caloric intake as we get, especially immediately after surgery, losing weight isn't really an option.

A little fever is normal. You're healing and that can tax your body. What you want to watch out for is a fever that goes higher than 101, which is one of the indicators of infection.

I took two weeks off and then let my body dictate the week after that. Worked a couple half days, some full days, then was back up to speed from then on out.