babsvt

I use "Lose it" Great app.

Would I want to be skinny? No. I want to be healthy and fit and YES I want to wear a bathing suit in public even with shakey inner thigh skin. Had my surgery in Mexico mid July 2013. Down 65lbs. Have 55 pounds to go to where the NUT told me I could easily get down to. But I want that number that I was in high school which is another 30 less. So it means I have 85 pounds to go. Will I be able to get there? And if I do, am I trying to recapture all that I didn't do in high school because I thought I was fat at 5' 7.5" and 145 pounds? Or was I living in my head and thinking of self-limiting behavoir and then acting on it? To me. this whole journey is to stop the limiting self talk and behavoir and to let myself....just be. Just be who I am truly, out from the layers of protecting fat, and self-conscience behavoir.

I use 'Lose it'. It tracks protein. You can scan in the bar code of your food and keep it in the food list to be used again. You can also modify previous days entries snd create your own food totals for dishes you make yourself. The only thing I've found that many programs have is that if you put in your exercise, the program will add additional calories to your total daily calories so you can end up eating more. That might not be clear so here's an example. On Lose it, I adjusted my daily calories to be 1088. If I exercise before eating breakfast and have burned up 200 calories and log this into the program, then the program says I can eat 1288 calories. I think my fitness pal does this too. I solved the issue by noting exercise on my calendar and using 'lose it' to track my protein grams, carb grams and calories.

Sorry...... what is a slider food?

I agree. I don't think you're eating enough. Consider this: over the years you spent money on food, enough money to help you get into the situation where you had some type of gastric surgery. Now that you've taken some control over your food and are nine months post-op, and are headed in the right direction; now is when you feel you are not deserving enough to spend some money on yourself to get proper nutritional advice? The lack of proper nutrition at this stage can set you up for a host of medical problems such as gall bladder problems, nutritional deficiencies, leaching of Calcium from your bones, hair loss, weak bones etc. There was a time when we might have felt that we didn't deserve the things and experiences that 'normal' people had. NOW IS NOT THAT TIME! Go to a nutritionist as fast as you can!

Chapstick Cepacol tablets for dry mouth and sore throat (due to airway tube). Jello cups no sugar added fruit pops Lots of gas-x strips 2 boxes Bouillon cubes

Add more oil to your diet like olive oil. Also take folic acid.

I bought Centrum adult chewables at Wally World (Walmart).

I'm looking for a high protein bread recipe that doesn't have bananas in it. Does anyone have one with the protein count per slice?

I have some recipes I can share. babsvt

Best thing I ever did for myself. Wish I did it 10 years ago.

What is the purpose of wearing the garment during weight loss? Is it to help with the loose skin?

Dr Ramos Kelly was my doc and he was great.

I went to Dr Ramos Kelly and was sleeved 7/17. He is fabulous. He spent a lot of time talking with me and my sister (who was there to take care of me). The hospital staff were fantastic even though I didn't speak Spanish. Dr Kelly came to the hotel every day after I was released. Happy to share info about my experience.

For some reason I found my way to this conversation and it is exactly what I needed to read. Thank you Laura for starting this thread. I am a food addict that would hide food. I learned it from my father. The interesting thing I found out about myself was when I didn't hide cookies/cake (my heroin of choice), and left it out on full view, I didn't eat it. I was sleeved 7/17 and since 7/1 have lost a total of 61.6 pounds. I'm feeling good but also know that it is a slippery slope. I absolutely cannot have any of my trigger foods around me. I am one bite away from bingeing. Thank you all for sharing your insights and lessons. This was exactly what I needed to be reading at this moment in time.

Hi all. I had my surgery in Mexico with Dr Ramos Kelly on July 17 and Fahc Bariatrics is doing my followup care. Lost 61.6 pounds so far and feeling great.

Was sleeved 7/17. Pain in the hospital was gas and started right on gas-x strips. Pain on turning over. Got more pillows to prop me sideways. Found it easier to have one hand on my abdomen holding it while using my other hand to help lever me back up. Best way to turn is how you are taught if you have a back injury, let your legs do all of the work. You'll feel and look like a slug rolling to side, swing legs over and roll and push yourself upright. Wallowing in about a dozen pillows also helps lot! On pureed foods. Trying to meet Protein and Fluid goal set by consulting NUT. Was told to NEVER eat more than 6 oz (by volume) at a meal for life! So I'm measuring everything and not giving myself more than 1/4 cup, slowly eating that to the beat of a 30 minute timer. If I do not feel full, I measure another 2 oz by volume and take a bite at a time. Unfortunately I have taken that one bite too much and did have to vomit. Also NUT told me a warm drink right before I eat is FINE as it warms the stomach and esophagus preventing spasms and helps with GERD. Still have to wait for 30 minutes after I eat for any other liquid. Used to love ice cold drinks but found it caused pain. Now drinking room temp liquids or decaf hot tea or broth.

Most diet plans are based on the diet for gastric bypasses. A great comparison of the diets for bypass, lapband, duodinal (spelling) switch and vsg can be found on the Cornell medical site of diet plans post surgery. Go to www.cornellweightlosssurgery.org. Go to patient information on top banner. Click on "helpful documents". (If it asks you to log in then back up and click again. Don't need to log in). A list of info will come up. If you open the other bariatric surgery diet plans, you can see the differences between them. I'm 1.5 weeks post surgery and I've had a scrambled egg (3 mornings), baked tuna (a portion that fit a 1/4 cup measuring cup) eating a forkfull the size of my index fingernail and chewed 30 times (vital to absolutely pulverize it and make it almost liquified in my mouth.) With the tuna I had to add a little mayo to it to moisten it. I watched the clock to make sure it took me 30 minutes to finish the tuna. I had a soft scrambled egg this morning that weighed 2 oz. lunch was a Dannon light and fit strawberry Greek yogurt. I had chicken soup tonight with mixed vegetables. The chicken was about 1.5 ounces and the mixed frozen vegetables were cooked in broth for 12 minutes till very overcooked and pureed. I took two tablespoons of that, added it to the pureed chicken, added it to broth to make up a 10 oz mug of thin soup. Sipped slowly and chewed the pureed part 30 times. I waited 30 minutes by setting a timer. Then I had two ice pops. An hour later I had a Protein drink. a few days ago I found out the hard way that I can't drink ice cold drinks anymore. It seized up my stomach and gave me 1/2 hour of the most intense pressure on my chest. Uggg. Check out the Cornell site but talk to your doctor too.

I wish you luck and can't wait to see how you're healing. I had a vsg by Dr.Kelly on 7/17/13. My sister travelled with me. I paid her hotel bill, food bills (she had a vsg a year ago so it didn't cost me much! and flights, and medical travel insurance. However I realized two days before my flight back home, that I was going to need assistance with the flight. I emailed Jet Blue from Tijuana and requested curb side check in and assistance at San Diego and JFK airport in NY. Jet Blue was wonderful. I requested being changed to an aisle seat (was originally booked into window and center). Jet Blue made changes on a sold out flight. I was given an aisle seat and my sister was switched to a seat directly behind me so she could fetch and carry for me. As soon as we checked in curbside, a wheelchair met me, I was expeidited through security check, meaning I didn't have to wait on line, but was still checked per regulaions, was wheeled to my gate, was the first one to get on the plane by being wheeled to the plane. I got the same attention at JFK in NY when we landed. Was wheeled off the gate to baggage claim and out to the curb for pickup. I am at my sister's rightow but requested the same assistance for this Friday when I fly home by myself. Get all the help you can even if you think you don't need it. See if a nursing student or a visiting nurse association can be a travel partner. Hell, my sister might be interested. She is a voal advocate who isn't afraid to step up.

whoops had a hanging chad there.... Overall a great experience.

Hi JPWill Babsvt here. I was on the same trip as JPWill. Correction though: I was there as scheduled. The other lady from Virginia was in a day earlier than scheduled. Since I wasn't due to leave till Sunday (I built in one more day for recovery time instead of leaving on Saturday), Lora called me while we were all in the van heading for the border crossing and asked me if I would switch my surgery to Wednesday, as the Virginia couple showed up unexpectedly and unscheduled. Knowing that Dr. Kelly only likes to do 3 surgeries a day maximum, I was concerned it would end up being a very late day with four surgeries. I said I would be happy to move my surgery to the next day. At that point, after we arrived at the hotel Lucerna, my sister and I were dropped off at the hotel and the rest of the group went on to the hospital. It was probably a good thing that I switched to the next day as I ended up with a complication that was due to my own stupidity. I'll post something about my experiences in a few days. Otherwise I second what Jpwill said. Overall

Thank you all for your insight, advice and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

Add sf instant pudding mix: pistacho (watch out for the nut pieces), chocolate, or extracts: orange, raspberry. Add some Splenda and whirl away.

I posted this under another forum, but this might be the right place for this... There seems to be very different stages on when to eat foods after surgery and I'm getting confused. Some plans are liquids only for 1week, then full liquids week2, then pureed foods week 3, then soft food week 4, then solid food week 5 and beyond. My sister had surgery a year ago May in NYC. She was started on pureed and soft foods by day 3 and by week 3 was on solid foods. I'm having mine in Mexico on 7/16. I see my Vermont bariatric doctor two weeks after the surgery (he doesn't want me to go to Mexico, but will be my doc anyway.) The only food plan I located on line that followed the guidelines my sister used was from Cornell. Almost all others were similiar to the 'phased-in' plan over 4-5 weeks. So here's the confusion. My Vermont doc won't give me a food plan, and my surgeon in Mexico uses the phased-in plan. My sister is arguing with me as to what foods/liquids we need to take to Mexico and what I'll need afterward as I'll be in NY for a couple days before returning home. What plans are other people following? When are you eating full liquids, pureed foods, soft foods, etc.?

What wonderful words. I am also on my preop liquids. I was to be on 3 shakes a day and one Protein meal with vegetables for one week, and Liquid Protein and liquids for the 2nd week. I started the liquid only phase several days earlier than what I was supposed to so I could get used to it. They're not bad. Had a decaf coffee shake for bfast (rounded decaf instant coffee 1/2 tsp, unflavored Protein powder, Water, splenda). Just had lunch -chocolate raspberry Protein Shake (1rounded tsp choc sf instant pudding, unflavored protein powder, raspberry extract, water and splenda). I leatned if I use too much sf instant pudfing, it gets very thick. The pistacho sf pudding is great too. Just spit out the pieces of pistacho.