TES

Also, what if you asked your doctor about physical therapy? If you could do water exercise or land exercise with a qualified PT familiar with your back condition, they could show you how to do the exercises so that they don't cause a situation like the water exercise that required the pain meds for 3 days. I know that I have a bad hip (I need a replacement or resurfacing) and have had knee surgery, and even water aerobics are hard on those joints sometimes. I went to PT and they helped me do the land exercises and use the machines correctly to protect my injuries, and there's a great water aerobics instructor who showed me how to modify some of the exercises so I don't put too much stress on my knee or hip.

Honestly, they can't force you to see this internist. I would keep going to your endocrinologist (I'm sure that you are), and I would find another bariatric internist recommended by other patients and let the bariatric surgeon know that is where you'll be doing your follow-up care. Are you also seeing a registered dietitian (RD) who specializes in bariatric patients? If not, I would definitely find one. I am a slow loser also and my RD is really my most important post-op coach. I don't know what I would do without her. Diet is about 75% of what will make or break our success, and it takes on even greater importance when you are limited in the exercise that you can do as you are, so I would see if there are any tweaks that you can do to help there. Obviously I know that you are working very hard and your weight loss isn't a reflection of that, but at the same time, there is always room for all of us to tweak and optimize what we can. I would really, really focus on getting at least 60 to 80 g of Protein, even if you have to do more shakes, and try to drink at least 100 oz of Water. An RD will have lots of specific ideas for you that work for you, your lifestyle, and the particular preferences of your sleeve.

You can get the Morningstar products in any major grocery store in the freezer section. I would just ask a worker where the vegetarian burgers are. The shakes sound good--I thought you meant 440 calories for 1 shake, but that's for two...got it! I use the ready-made ones or make mine with almond milk or soy milk, but I would think skim is fine too if you can tolerate the lactose and aren't trying to cut calories right now (almond milk is good when you are watching calories or want to spend them on other things bc it's 40 calories/cup--but it also doesn't have much protein).

It sounds like you both have a little anxiety about the surgery and this is how it's coming out, but it will all work out. That is so nice of your mom to offer to help care for you after the surgery. I agree that it is really great to have some help post-op, even if you could get by on your own. The first night, I slept on the couch downstairs and asked my husband to come down during the night to check on me (just to make sure I was breathing...lol...which was totally irrational but it made me feel better!). He also made some of my drinks and gave me my meds when I was feeling really punky. I really appreciated it and would have done the same for him. I would definitely work around your mom's schedule. She is probably taking vacation time to do this, which is very generous of her. A few weeks either way isn't going to make a big difference in your success, since this is a lifetime change. By the way, my surgery got moved at the last minute, and my husband couldn't get off of work and my parents were on vacation, and all of my friends (who knew) were working. My husband dropped me off for the surgery and met me in my room many hours later (he was there when they wheeled me in). It really was no big deal that he wasn't there sitting around twiddling his thumbs while I was in pre-op, surgery and post-op. The surgeon called him after to tell him everything went well (I gave him the phone number while we were in pre-op). Personally, I would take your mom a bouquet of flowers or pretty spring plant and tell her how much you appreciate her help and support during this time. Wishing you all the best!

Have you tried any of the Morningstar vegetarian proteins? I like the veggie meatballs with some ricotta, sauce, and parm cheese (about 3 veggie meatballs with the other stuff for about 18 g of protein). Also, the "patties" are good (breakfast patties like sausage but vegetarian)--10 g of protein each. The fake chik 'n strips are good too.

what kind of Protein shake are you drinking? You should try for one with at least 20 g of protein, minimal carbs, and no more than 200 calories. Muscle Milke lite and Premiere are good, or you can use whey Protein powder in a blender with some almond milk. Maybe add some PB2 (powdered protein powder).

When you first get your surgery, the diameter of your stomach is as much as a coffee stirrer (the ones you could get some fluid thru if you tried really, really hard). I'm surprised that a pill would go down a stomach that small? The first time I tried to swallow my meds whole (at 6 weeks, per my surgeon), I threw them up. Now I take one at a time with very little water.

Is she an internist or an endocrinologist or both? Or were there two doctors involved? Sorry, I know the confusion is on my end...just trying to understand. How is your food going? Are you getting in plenty of protein and water?

Can you put in FMLA so that even if you take unpaid time off related to the surgery/presurgery etc., your job should be protected?

My surgeon doesn't require a pre-op diet, just 1 day of clear liquids and a bowel prep before surgery. He examines you at your pre-op visit and shows you where your incisions will be, but the PA told me he is really palpating your liver and checking abdominal fat, etc., to see if you need a liquid diet prior to surgery. Most patients do not need to do it. I didn't, and I have a much higher BMI than you do. Hopefully you can still take some weight off on your pre-op diet. It gives you a nice head start and helps you feel better when you hit a stall after surgery. Make sure you are drinking more water than you ever though you could--over 100 oz if you can.

Those 3-oz protein shots are probably collagen--my surgeon doesn't recommend them bc they aren't very bio-available and the protein quality isn't as good. Try for whey or soy protein if you can.

Well, you did have a bypass and all. I think there is a forum for that. Unless of course on April 2 you find out it was just a big hoax or something.

We'll miss you around here, Fyre!

Do they? What if their BMRs are the same?

15 pounds in 2 weeks is a LOT! Did you expect it to come off a lot faster than that? As far as the gain, I'm sure that it's just your body getting adjusted. It will come back down with Protein, water and walking! Congrats on your loss so far--that is awesome!!

I'm eating Greek yogurt with Protein powder, JustGreatStuff (Peanut Butter powder like PB2), English Toffee Torani SF syrup, and fresh raspberries. It's so delicious--tastes like a fancy dessert. And a protein load too! What are you eating today?

I gained 18 lbs of fluid from the hospital! It came off over the course of several days when I got home. My surgeon's office tells us not to weigh for a week after surgery bc this is so common. I should have listened but didn't. I knew academically that it was fluid, but it was stressful. So I understand how you are feeling. Drink as much water and walk as much as you can! Plus get in your protein. All will help you diurese to eliminate the fluid (which basically means you will be peeing like crazy and maybe get diarrhea/liquid stools). Congrats on your sleeve!

Thanks SpaceDust!

Nanaspez, congratulations on your wonderful weight loss--and on getting off 27 pills! Talk about an NSV!!!

I believe that is true about the BMR if the extra weight is due to lean muscle mass. Not sure about having more weight due to adipose tissue (aka fat). It's bc muscle burns more calories even when at rest, so when a muscular person exercises, they burn even more than someone with less lean muscle mass.

Do you mean when people talk about slider foods, drinking with meals, etc.? Sometimes I think that info is shared to tell people *not* to do it if they want to be successful...but I could see it being used for self-sabotage in some cases.

SpaceDust, thanks for sharing. Curious: what are you basing that statement on--your own experience, clinical studies that you have read, something your surgeon or PCP said, etc.? I do hear it said so much, but was surprised when my RD said that it is not true in the patients she sees (except for the men with lots of muscle mass who have a higher BMR). I am just wondering if it's one of those things that is repeated so often that we start to believe that it's true when the data aren't necessarily there to back it up....

I feel like I could have written so much of your post! It helps to know we are not alone. And congratulations on your 46 pounds, gone forever! Hopefully it helps to think about how that is 30lbs more than pre-surgery in the same time frame, and you will keep it off forever! But I feel you on the slow rate of loss and how it's so difficult to lose and easy to gain. Sometimes when others say that they lose really easily but gain really easily, I think--I would take that! lol. It's better than losing slowly and gaining easily!

carpe diem!