TES

The stricture repair is the easy part! The waiting to be diagnosed was the nightmare part. I'm so glad mine has finally been addressed!

Wow, that's really uprofessional--of your supervisor, HR, and the insurance company. So sorry you are going through this. What you are doing for yourself and your health will hopefully all make it worth it in the end!!

Girl !! You know I'm going to call you out on the Water thing!!! That is the key! It sucks sometimes because I feel like I'm drinking all day.. like its a full time job! But when I keep it up I lose the weight.
Oh and I know about the display thing! My favorite is when they ask me everyday "how much weight have you lost now" of course they don't do it as much now because they value their lives!!

Guys - reality check here...
I'm a guy, I started out at 260 and I'm 5'9" tall. Tomorrow will be my 6 week postoperative and I've lost about 26 pounds and I'm freakin' unbelievably HAPPY about it!!!
When was the last time I lost 26 pounds in 6 weeks? Uhhhh let's try, NEVER? Losing over 20 pounds in under a few months is crazy unbelieveable, and all you guys should be head over heels happy about this!!
It's really not physically possible to lose weight at a faster rate than this, unless you started out at 400 pounds or something like that.
You can go on the Internet and find out how many calories a day are required to maintain your starting weight. Then of course you subtract what u are eating to get your deficit. Multiply that by thirty days, divide by 3500, and you get a really rough estimate of how many pounds you can expect to lose. But don't forget, the lighter you get, the lower your maintenance calories become, and thus the slower the weight loss gets. It seems most people here can expect to lose 5 to 10 pounds a month after the first few months of more rapid loss. Hang in there!

i am vegetarian and make a nice chili with Boca burger,pepper,onion canned tomatoes,chipoltle,of maple syrup.....and i suggest soybeans because it's 30 p per cup

I was just getting around after my 9 am surgery. The minute I woke up, I thought (and said out loud) what in the heck did I just do to myself? I was in so much pain and so so thirsty. A friend had told me - even if you don't feel like it - get up and walk. That's what I did, almost non stop. I was ready to feel better and go home. Each day got easier and easier, I tracked everything I put in my mouth. Everything. It made me feel like I had some control over what I was going through.
Over time I started getting compliments, you look great or wow you've lost some weight. I look back now and yes, I had lost weight. What I think was so noticeable though was I was smiling - a lot. I didn't ever see my self as unhappy pre-surgery, but I was. I can admit it now. How could I not be? Who is happy with themselves at 368 pounds??
Today I still believe - 1 year later that I made the absolute best decision of my life. Not because I can shop at any store (but I can and its fun!!!) or that I don't have to worry about how the chairs will be wherever I go. It's because I feel great and I'm healthy. I'm happy and I am becoming the person I've always wanted to be. I wouldn't change a thing.
HW: 368
Pre: 368
Height: 5'6
Today: 204

Thanks so much for the great advice, everyone! I am seeing the dietitian and PA today so I will ask about the liquids. Our guidelines don't limit the rate at which you consume liquids, but I try to use common sense and listen to my body. I can drink Water a lot more quickly than a Protein drink, for example (and right now, I thin my Protein drinks with almond mild bc I think it's easier on my sleeve).
I am a vegetarian so won't be eating meat--but hopefully I'll feel that type of restriction with vegetarian Protein sources that others feel with meat. I think it will make a difference even when I get to regular purees. My thin puree of oatmeal and peaches was about the same consistency as a Protein shake. But it did seem to fill me up a little more, maybe because it's just something different. I probably thinned it a little more than I needed to (we have to go to applesauce consistency) but I just wanted to be cautious the first time out. I pureed it in the Vitamix so it was more like cream of wheat.
Thanks again--hearing everyone else's experiences really helps!! This forum is a great support and source of helpful information. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share.

Thanks so much for the great advice, everyone! I am seeing the dietitian and PA today so I will ask about the liquids. Our guidelines don't limit the rate at which you consume liquids, but I try to use common sense and listen to my body. I can drink Water a lot more quickly than a Protein drink, for example (and right now, I thin my Protein drinks with almond mild bc I think it's easier on my sleeve).
I am a vegetarian so won't be eating meat--but hopefully I'll feel that type of restriction with vegetarian Protein sources that others feel with meat. I think it will make a difference even when I get to regular purees. My thin puree of oatmeal and peaches was about the same consistency as a Protein shake. But it did seem to fill me up a little more, maybe because it's just something different. I probably thinned it a little more than I needed to (we have to go to applesauce consistency) but I just wanted to be cautious the first time out. I pureed it in the Vitamix so it was more like cream of wheat.
Thanks again--hearing everyone else's experiences really helps!! This forum is a great support and source of helpful information. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share.

So true! You wouldn't think that ONE little bite could make such a big difference in being comfortable or miserable

Liquids won't be any or much restriction, it depends on the food. If it's a slider food like carb, there won't be restriction, when you get to meat products, there will be a restriction and if you eat too much, then it sits in your esophagus forever and then you get all mucusy.
Enjoy the no restriction on liquids and learn to stop before you get restrictions when you hit solids. Sometimes now I worry about not having restrictions then I take that one more bite that I shouldn't have...there will be restrictions. Good luck

I have never really felt any restriction with thin liquids, like Water or tea. I might feel a little discomfort if I take a few big swallows, but what I consider to be normal drinking has never been an issue for me.

It would worry me if I could drink 17oz of Fluid in 20 minutes. That sounds like you may be risking stretching your pouch. My guidelines read -- 1oz of fluids every 10 minutes to avoid stretching new pouch. I don't want to worry you more- but that could be why you don't feel much restriction. Maybe you should talk to your surgeon. Or do you have a nutritionist available at your bariatric center?

Sorry if that sounded rude, after I read it I thought it sounded rude. But you know what I mean... I wondered the same things postop until I started Real Food...I'm almost 6 months out and have alot of restriction with solids, even liquids still....

When you start solids you'll know what restriction is...

That sounds so good, Pottergirl!

Try to break it down. Focus on say the next 4 hours. Find something to do to keep your mind occupied. Then set the next goal for a few more hours. Drink the allowable liquids/water to help stay hydrated. Try this for the next few days rather than THE BIG WEEK AHEAD. That can be daunting. I have done this many times myself. In between you will find strength, this is the time to remind yourself "this is for me! " If I cheat, I cheat me. No one else will be affected. Repeat how you are the most important person in the world to you. Go to a mirror and smile at yourself. My wonderful husband had finally got this through my head. And if this doesn't work, try the fact that this IS what you will doing after surgery and you will be able to then so just do it now. hope this helps!

I'm 7 weeks out this week and am still having trouble making myself consume enough fluids and calories (but it's getting better !). This surgery isn't all peachy and easy for everyone even if they had no complications, so take those "it's so easy" postings with a grain of salt and hope you get as lucky. I didn't. I was speaking to a dear friend of mine a few days ago about my struggles (she is a nurse) and she told me the story of a 44 year old woman who had wls almost 2 years ago. This woman claims she was never told how to eat post op (which is BS in both of our opinions since insurance paid for her surgery and there are a million insurance hoops to jump through) so she did not consume enough nutrition nor enough fluids and the end result has been tragic. Yes, she's lost weight, but she did it completely the wrong way, by not eating and drinking. As a result, she has lost the ability to hoist her own body weight due to muscle loss, she had kidney stones the size of marbles, is almost bald due to Hair loss, and has damaged her liver beyond repair. And by "beyond repair", I mean this woman is now bed ridden (sp?) in a skilled care facility waiting to die. Her liver is failing because she turned her "tool" into a weapon by choosing not to nourish her body. She blames the surgery instead of taking the responsibility herself. "it's all the surgery's fault". Moral of the story: there are worse things than not meeting your weight goal, especially if you allow yourself to become so obsessed that you destroy your body trying to get there. My surgeon is the head of the bariatric program at a center of excellence and, though opinions are widely varied, his opinion is that the weight loss doesn't stop after any set period of time if you're eating proper nutrition, getting proper hydration, exercising moderately (he's a marathon runner HAH !), and stay focused on getting to your goal in a healthy manner. Weight loss may slow down somewhere in between 6 and 18 months (his numbers), but none of us got fat in a couple years time so what's a few more months ? As for me, I plan on following the healthy and steady wins the race method. I can't imagine that I'll give a rats arse what I look like if I'm lying in a box because I've starved myself or exercised myself to death (though I don't think I've ever been in any danger of exercising myself to death ) My best advice is to use your common sense, do research beyond these forums (though these forums are very helpful), make a healthy eating and exercise plan and stick to it, and filter out the extremist postings. This surgery is about living a better, healthier life. It's not about destroying your body just to be as thin as possible as fast as possible. We all want fast results, but rest assured, if you don't do it the right way, your body will pay the price, and this poor woman's story is proof that the price really can be your life if you don't. Just my 2 cents...

I agree with your larger point that the honeymoon period is real and that you do yourself a favor by losing as much as you can - preop combined with the honeymoon period. I have lost about 120#. I plan to have a total loss of about 130# by the time I get to my one year anniversary Dec 12th.
I lost about 95# of them by my 6 month anniversary. It has taken me nearly 5 months to lose the next 25 as there was a long stall built in there but I have lost a couple of sizes during that last 25 too..
I don't agree with you on your methods though, but to each his own.
I am active, I work out, I did stay very low calorie in the beginning but have moved up to the 1000-1200 cal a day range. I do things like reduce carbs or change the workout routine to get things moving and to shake it up.
I have already met my first goal, and feel I am on track to lose the last 30# but it will likely take me another 6 months.
This process doesn't end for me when I get to goal. I am really trying hard to make this forever... whether I stay at my current weight or get those last 30# off I am still trying to keep with a sustainable lifestyle I can do forever. I can't sustain 500# calories a day (did it for a few months) and working out for hours on end every day.
You are entitled to your opinion, but I want to be sure that some of the newbies that this is targeted to see that there are other points of view.
Again, i do agree with your main point which is "Take avantage of the honeymoon period - it is real!"

Work out four hours a day?! That's hilarious. And ridiculous.
Yes, take advantage of the do-called "Honeymoon Period" to make healthy, PERMANENT changes. Going to extremes is what got us all here. And going to new extremes will not serve us well either.
Be aggressive, but be smart, too.

I was just talking to someone very close to me about this topic last night. I already started being active and cut out on fast foods (except for my emotional run to Mickey D's a few days ago). I started some strength training on my own and cannot wait to have my surgery.
Even though I don't completely agree with the initial posting, I do understand that the first few months are the most critical for our weight loss goals and I will take advantage of it.
Thanks for the advice!

Just have to share my great news. Today marks my 2 week post op visit to my dr office. I am down a total of 25 lbs and best of all I am officially off of blood pressure meds! For the first time in over 5 years I have a healthy blood pressure without meds! I am ecstatic! I never knew what a difference 25 lbs plus a healthy diet could do for me.