newat52

My head hurts just reading this post. Talk to your Doc and maybe see if they will agree with step down. Good luck, it will be worth it!

In the first few months you will probably need some help. You will have a lot of Protein and little to no fiber. I would put a teaspoon of Miralax in my Protein shakes in the morning and I take children's fiber gummies. I also eat prunes. MOM or miralax work great but once you get cleared out keep an eye out and use them when you need them. Good luck!

Love me a skinny peppermint Mocha! Now most every morning I make a 3 oz coffee and stick it in the freezer for an hour or so while I enjoy a hot coffee. Then I take about 4-6 oz skim milk, a heaping teaspoon of either sugarfree chocolate or vanilla pudding depending on the flavor I feel like that day and 3 ice cubes. Blend it. I add a scoop of same flavor Protein powder (I like unjury) then add the cold coffee and I have a delightful, protein packed, yummy coffee treat! I have this 6 of 7 mornings. I have grown weary of fruit smoothies.

Do it very slow. I am about a 2 cup a day girl. I Started out with my usual, second cup was half caf. Did that for about a week. then both cups were half caf. Again, about a week, then half caf first, decaf second. It didn't bother me at all. Post op pretty much did reverse. It took about 3 weeks to even want to have coffee and it took about 2 months to get back where I was an am now. Good luck!

Hundreds of surgeons and NUT instructions. All as different as snowflakes. Yes, you would think that since we all had the same surgery, we would all have the same, pre op diet, post op diet and post op restrictions. Straws? Never? After a few weeks? From the get go? Same question for alcohol, caffeine, grapes, carbonation.....the list goes on. My take is that I trust my surgeon and follow his advice but at the end of the day I know that since there are so many different instructions for every surgeon, my conclusion is this: Our surgeons are basing instructions based on the following, first they are going on medical fact, then medical opinion, covering their asses and lastly, serving the lowest common denominator. I don't recommend anyone not follow the instructions given to them, but I also believe in common sense. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! p.s. I use a straw all the time. I get way more liquid and way less air than just drinking. Probably get close to 100oz a day with my straw and Tervis Tumbler. I take it with me everywhere!

Perfectly normal! If you didn't have some anxiety you probably are not ready for this. It IS a big change but what a positive step for your health. You are taking steps to eliminate obesity and all the health issues from your life forever! Yep, your diet will be different for a while but also hopefully for life! Won't mean you cant have anything, just in moderation, the sleeve really helps with that. :-) Yep, you may have saggy skin, but you probably do now but at least there will a lot less fat under it. And maybe you won't have that issue. I think the younger we are the better the chance of bounce back. You are doing great, this is a very emotional thing. My guess is in 6 months you will be so happy and so healthy that the pre-surgery anxiety will be but a tiny blip on the radar! Best of luck to you, the sleeve will change your life and you will love it!

Your post made me smile! Who knew we had bones in the middle part of our body? Lol! I have discovered my hip bones in the last couple of months. I find I keep checking them to make sure they are still there! Congrats!

One sleeve, right?

This is a much debated topic of conversation here. You will get opinions from every side. I can only give you mine. For me, I am a private person and have never discussed my health, weight or many other personal issues. It's just not up for discussion. My husband (who is my rock) and our youngest son know and that is all. Period. It's no one's business. When people ask me how much weight I have lost, I reply with "a good amount" or "a bunch." If they ask me how I have done it, I simply say " a lot of hard work." All are true. If they persist, I will give one more polite reply. After that, my good graces are gone. It doesn't happen often but when it does, I will say something to the tune of "Wow, you sure are asking a lot of personal questions." They get embarrassed and will stammer something like "well, I was just curious." To which I reply, "yes, I can see that." I will usually walk away at that point. I guess I'm just at the age where I don't feel like I owe the world an answer to any and all questions asked. Just because someone asked, does not in any way, shape or form require an answer of me. I just was raised in a way that personal things were just that, personal. Do what feels right for you, and if you want to keep your private life private, do it and don't feel bad. You don't owe anyone an explanation. This is your journey and it's not an easy one. It's by no means the easy way out. Do it whatever way you think is best for you. Good luck to you, you will love your sleeve and it will change your life! I was self pay and for me it was the best money I have ever spent on my health and quality of life! I wish the same for you!

Congrats! One step at a time! Keep it up!

Don't you know they put a highly addictive chemical in them? I swear it's true!

I take my glass away and set it by the sink. If I am out, it was harder in the beginning but now its becoming habit. It will get easier as time goes on. Good luck!

LOL! I agree, I just couldn't get on board with having to puree my meats or foods. In all honesty, I found the post op diet quite easy.

It was 3 weeks of liquid, it had to go through a strainer. Weeks 4-6 were soft foods, yogurt, refried beans (my savior) eggs, soft proteins like tuna and salmon. If all is well after 6 weeks, no dietary restrictions but was recommended to slowly add foods. I am so happy with Dr. Nicholson! Best of luck to you!

That is fantastic! Really sounds like the first Dr. was trying to bully you into having surgery with him if any way possible. He surly does not have your best interests in mind. It's very important to feel comfortable with your providers. Best of luck to you! You will love your sleeve!

That is my view right now. I did have sleeve surgery for health and not vanity reasons. At this point, I still don't think I will have plastics at anytime in the future but I never say never. Except wallpaper. Wallpaper is a never, ever, ever for me. I digress... Nice to consider another point of view. Good luck to you!

If I was you, and I was when I was a week post op, take action and soon. It can get really bad, really fast! Don't let it happen to you. Trust me on this, I learned the very, very hard way. If I have to take the role as self professed constipation cop, then I will do it happily . Get the MOM, get the Miralax, you need to move it out. Also, remember as you heal and are on a different diet, you will be taking in large amounts of Protein. Even shakes and Protein drinks are still protein. You will also be taking in little to no Fiber. Not a good combination for regularity. Good luck, hope everything comes out ok! ;)

I used Dr. Nicholson. It really is all inclusive. I was very happy, Almost 7 months out and could not be happier! He is top rated surgeon. Good luck with your decision. You will be so happy with your sleeve, wherever you get it!

This morning, I'm going through security at the airport and the TSA agent looks at my license and looks at me, does a double take and says to me, "you lost some weight since this picture was taken, actually, a lot of weight" I was floored! I think that was the highest of the highs I have had since surgery! On top of that, yesterday I purged my closet yet one more time and I now own exactly 3 pairs of pants. 2 recently purchased size 10 jeans and a pair of yoga pants that are big but still stay up! Is life great or what?????

I get great liquids each day. Each day before coffee, I drink a 20 oz glass of water. Easy, because I have been doing that for a decade and I'm used to it. About mid morning, I switch to cucumber water in my turvis tumbler with a straw. It works for me and I get 64 0z of just that each day not including anything else. That said, this weekend has lots of confession. In DC with hubby, he is working on the healthcare exchange for the District and they go live on Tuesday, (government shutdown or not) so I have been to some of his favorite places, had chicken wings on Friday night. (three and damn were they good) we went for fab dinner last night and I did break down and have 2 bites of the best bread that I have ever had. (see prior post swearing it off till the end of the year) but I did wake up this morning and did not eat another bite of it even thought the restaurant sent a loaf with us. Had some wine and 2 skinny girl margaritas today. Thing about it, don't feel bad in the least. I should but don't. The chips and salsa today were not touched by me. and not a single desire to have it. I believe that could be construed as a success? Will get back to it tomorrow when I get home. Have walked a ton this weekend and feel damnfantastic! There ya have it!

GONG!!! REJECT!!! That's loaded with Protein, you're gonna have to do better than that! Try again, otherwise you're gonna have to go sit on the good girls bench.

Feel great about it! Everyone loses at a different pace. The minute you start comparing your loss to those of others you will come out on the short end of the stick. Don't go there, it's destructive to your mental attitude. As long as you are following your surgeons and NUT plan, and I'm sure you are especially this early out, your body won't have a choice. It will come off. It didn't get put on in a month and it won't come off in a month. People tend to drop large amounts more rapidly when there is higher BMI. Slower, the lower your BMI is. Celebrate that you have taken this amazing step toward your health and well being and let your body do the losing. Hang in there, it will get better and better each week and month.

LMAO!! Just goes to show, EVERYONE is human! Too funny!

\ Depends on your surgeon. I've been "using" since 3 weeks post op. I get way more air without than with. My surgeon says ok after a few weeks but some have people convinced that your sleeve will get stretched out and your stomach will grow back.

b***h!! Coke AND a straw??? Humpffff....Made my bottle of wine last month seem tame. Yep, the whole entire bottle. It was so freaking good I cant even tell you! Had a headache the size of Mount whatever the next morning but it was totally worth it. :-) Don't regret it an will probably do it again in the right circumstances. But coke AND a straw??....20 Hail Marys for Lipstick Lady!