Catherine707

Those first few weeks were tough for me. I sympathize with your discomfort and pain. How are you doing on your Protein and Water intake? Sometimes it takes 2 weeks for all the anesthesia to work its way out of your system. Hang in there it does get better!

It is very common for people in weeks 3 and 4 to stall and not lose any weight. I think it is because you lost weight quickly after surgery and your body needs to "catch up" to all the significant changes and the trauma from the surgery. Don't worry about it, keep following your doctor's program for Protein, Water, and exercise and you will be back on the losing track in no time!

I like the Premier Protein shake from costco. 30 grams of protein and a yummy not too sweet chocolate flavor!

Yes the GB disease is a side effect of weight loss, but there are other factors that predispose you to gall bladder problems. In ultrasound school they taught us the 4 "F"s that are likely to have GB stones - Female, Forty, Fertile (had a baby), Fair skinned. Large stones are better than small ones because the large ones won't go into the common bile duct and cause a blockage. I found out I had stones in Ultrasound school, but never had a GB attack until 4 years later, and that was 10 years after losing 50 pounds. The laparoscopic surgery is easier to recover from than the gastric sleeve. I went back to work after only 4 days recovery from GB surgery. I was off for 6 weeks after my sleeve surgery. I hope you start feeling better very soon!

I have experienced the same thing. I found that the weight loss that quickly is more an indication of hydration levels and if I've been dealing with constipation. I can easily lose 2 pounds if I've not had good bowel movements for 3 days! (sorry if that is too much information!) Likewise the "real" weight loss seems to come in waves for me. I will be at a constant weight for 3 or 4 days and then suddenly lose 1 or 1.5 pounds. It is just so unpredictable!

You are quite the supportive fiancé! Your fiancé is very lucky to have someone so committed to helping her! I personally didn't have this type of complication, so I can't help from personal experience. I think the Dr's suggestion of an anti-inflammatory is a good one. Likewise I would go back to a 100% liquid diet to help the stomach in every way possible. Yes, one gets tired of the Protein shakes and other mushy food, but the pain is an indication that there is a problem and it is best to dial down the need for stomach motion to help digest the food. Has she been on an acid reducing medication since surgery too? Prilosec seems to help with the post surgery abundance of acid while the stomach heals. Good luck to you both!

Wow, and I thought I had problems with my insurance company, you are in insurance hell! First remain calm.... I know it is hard to do! Second gather everything you have that talks about approvals and limits. Anything in writing from your insurance and your employer (if your insurance is through an employer). Third document every single contact you have had with the insurance company. Sit down NOW and do the best you can to remember every time you talked with them and if you have it who you spoke with. OK that will get "your ducks in a row", and get you ready to do battle! The next step is dependent on your particular situation. Does your employer provide your insurance? If so contact HR and log a complaint about the insurance company not paying for a pre-authorized surgery. Be nice to the HR people, because they can be very helpful in this problem. Next figure out what other resources you have available to you. Talk with the hospital about if they were aware of any "lifetime cap on bariatric surgery". Ask if they have had problems having the bills paid by your insurance company. I found people at my doctors office and the hospital were very sympathetic and helpful when I realized that they didn't cause the problem, but were victims of the insurance company too. Does your state have an insurance commissioner? This was the constant threat I held over the head of my insurance company. If they didn't fix my problems I was going to report them..... it worked to get things moving. Finally get a big dose of patience! I had my surgery on 5/23/13 and the final bill was paid correctly on 1/22/14! It took them 8 months of me badgering them weekly for the bills to be paid as they should have been originally. Good luck - you CAN win against the insurance company! I can be done!

Your body has been through a major trauma, so be kind to yourself and just stick to the plan your doctor gave you for Water, Protein, and exercise / movement. Some people drop a lot of weight the first month, some don't. Everybody's body is unique and the challenge is to find the right balance of protein, water and calories for you. But that comes later after your body is healed from the surgery which can take 2 - 4 weeks. If you want to weigh on a scale, invest in a good one, don't rely on a video game to accurately measure your weight! Good luck, I know you will be successful with your weight loss journey!

Ah the love/hate relationship with the scale! There seem to be 2 distinct camps..... 1) those who weigh every day and can't imagine not doing so, and 2) those that weigh 1 time per week or month. I think either can be an ok way to treat your weight and the scale. You just need to figure out what works for YOU! Personally I weigh almost every day. The progress is slow, but it helps keep me accountable with how diligent I am following the weight loss program. I am ok with multiple days of no loss. I am ok with a small gain. I expect to see about 2 pounds per week overall loss. It took me a long time and a lot of pounds (over 50) before I could look in the mirror and see "weight loss". I even had trouble with my pre-surgery clothes still fitting even after 60 pounds. Everyone's journey is different and you need to figure out what motivates you.

I'm down 95+ pounds in 8 months, I still have 50+ pounds to lose. My weight loss has been slow but steady and I think that has helped give my skin time to shrink with me. I don't have any really saggy parts yet, but there is still a ways to go. I didn't do this surgery to become a Sports illustrated Swimsuit model, but to be healthy and do the things that obesity kept me from enjoying. I'm not going to worry about a few wrinkles or sags if I have made my body healthy and strong!

Congratulations on taking such big steps to a healthier you! Good luck with your appointments tomorrow!

I'm guessing that you don't have any current GB stones or inflammation so your doctor didn't prescribe anything. There isn't a lot you can do to avoid GB issues. It just comes with the weight loss territory. If you do develop GB stones, then avoiding fat will help control the pain of a GB attack. Some people have problems in their teens with GB stones, but the "general" population that is likely to get GB problems follow the 5 "F"s (we learned this in ultrasound school) Fair, Female, Fertile, Forty, and Flatulent! LOL

I have between 1000 - 1200 per day, if I go below 850 I feel like crap and have no energy. My weight loss has been a steady 2 pounds a week for over 6 months. Everyone needs to figure out what works for their unique body. I would say that 108 pounds in 10 months is excellent! Have you hit a stall and that is why you are thinking about calorie count?

As you know, there are many things to consider when evaluating bariatric surgery options. One thing that has been important to me is the follow up / after care post surgery. When you see a doctor that is local (or within a reasonable drive) you develop a relationship with that doctor and will continue to see them at regular intervals. My doctor is a 2.5 hour drive from my home (not exactly an easy appointment) but the information and support I receive at each follow up visit is worth the 5 hour round trip drive and over night stay at a hotel. I go in with a list of questions each visit and come away with information, and validation that are extremely valuable to me. Not everyone needs that kind of support but I think it has really helped me lose almost 100 pounds in 8 months! Keep in mind that while $18,000 is a lot of money, your health and well being are priceless. This surgery changes your life in ways you can't imagine until you are well down the road to recovery. Feel free to ask lots of questions in these forums and of any doctors / hospitals that you are considering. This is not a "fast" and "easy" way to lose weight, take your time, consider all of your options and make the decisions that are right for you!

How are you doing after a few more days of healing?

I think anyone who doesn't have some trepidation before this surgery may not fully understand what they are embarking on. Fear and nervousness is normal. Keep your eye on the prize - a healthy body - and you will get through the first few bumps in the road without a problem. I learned that physical and emotional discomfort are temporary - bad feeling pass, and you move on to new highs and lows. I am thrilled to be 90 pounds less than I was last year at this time! I have had other health issues to deal with not related to the sleeve, but I am looking forward to the day when I can do the things that my weight restricted me from doing. Change doesn't come easy, but it is so worth while in the long run!

My fitness pal also has a great online gastric sleeve forum

Your body has been through MAJOR surgery, and needs time to recover. Unfortunately nausea is a big post-surgical reality, but it eases within a week or two. I felt like you do at 1 week - wondering what the hell I had done to myself, and second guessing my surgery every moment. I PROMISE it gets much better pretty quickly!!! My advice - keep forcing down the liquids, you are on Clear Liquids now - so focus on broths, Water, crystal light, and Protein shakes if they are allowed. Follow your doctors nutritional advice closely. When you can, make sure you are getting enough protein down. My doctor said to have a glass of protein in one hand and a glass of water in the other and to take small sips back and forth almost constantly. In reality, I couldn't hold the glasses that long, but the concept of constant small sips is a good one while your stomach is inflamed following surgery. At about 3 weeks you should be getting 60 grams of protein and 64 oz of water in each day. This is important for healing and to start to feel better. Just remember to be kind to yourself, and to take baby steps and it will get better quickly and when you see how the weight comes off you will be glad you had the surgery! Hang in there it is worth it!

I agree that picking a surgery because you have a sweet tooth doesn't make a lot of sense! I am 8 months post surgery and have found that the restriction of the surgery was enough to help me control my sweet tooth. A lot of your success post surgery will depend on how committed you are to changing your life. Any bariatric surgery is just a "tool" to help you change your eating habits and ways of dealing with stressful situations.

The liver and gall bladder are on the right side of your body, but gall bladder pain can radiate and show up in odd places. The left side is where your stomach was, and the largest incision to remove it. The spleen is also on the left side but doesn't usually have any pain causing issues. The suggestion to talk to your doctor is the best one. Better to be examined and told that it is "normal" than to not see the doctor and it gets worse!

I had a horrible experience with Blue Cross / Blue Shield of CA and Delta Health System. My bills from my surgery on 5/23/13 have still not been paid properly and that was after I fought them for 4 months to get pre-approval of my surgery. I hope your experience is much better than mine, but be prepared to call and raise heck with them on a regular basis. Good luck, I can tell you that all the heart ache and frustration of dealing with the insurance issues was worth it in the long run. I'm down 90 pounds in the past year!

Well that all counts as exercise in my book! Sounds like you are doing exactly what you need in order to be successful with the sleeve! Quit second guessing yourself about calories as long as you see a downward trend!

Yes, a stall is common in weeks 2 - 4. Don't worry about it, keep following your doctor's instructions about Protein, Water and calories and you will start on the losing path before you know it!

I found that I needed about 1200 per day to lose consistently. Anything under 800 and I get vertigo and feel like crap the next day. I haven't been able to exercise at all post surgery because of an ankle issue, and I had surgery on my ankle in Oct. I have been completely sedentary since then. Just starting to walk around and exercise on the bike now. I'm guessing that running around after 2 small children gives you more "exercise" than you think! Have you thought about getting a fitbit or other tracking device to monitor your activity? Good luck to you!

Hi London, I used to live in the IE but currently am living near the CA / Oregon border. Congratulations on taking this big step towards health! I totally can relate to being sick and tired of the liquids. I had my surgery on 5/23/13 so I am about 6 months ahead of you. I got really sick of liquids too. One of the key pieces for me was getting unflavored Protein powder. I use the GNC pro-performance brand. I try to have 30 grams of protein in my Breakfast every day. I alternate between a Premier Protein shake (from Costco) and a "fortified" Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt I like best is the Orangeciscle from Okios. When you add the Protein Powder it has 28 grams of protein. One of the things that the doctors don't tell you is that in about week 3 or 4 everyone stalls! I didn't lose a pound for 2 weeks at that point, but then I started losing 2 pounds a week consistently. We all want to have a huge weight loss, and in the first 3 weeks people tend to lose a pound a day, but that doesn't last. A consistent 2 pounds a week doesn't sound like much, but over time it really adds up! I have lost 90 pounds in the past year (pre and post surgery)! I found it was critical to ensure I had my 60 grams of protein, 64 oz of Water and a minimum of 800 calories per day or I felt like crap the next day. Good luck to you and feel free to message me if you have any questions! Catherine