Catherine707

My doctor had us doing 15cc every 15 minutes the first day, 30 cc every 15 min the second day and then sipping constantly the following day. It took me at least a week to get up to 60 grams of protein. The fluids are more important but getting the liquid protein in will help you heal faster and feel better sooner. Good luck!

I cleaned out my closet yesterday. It was a NSV for me, after losing almost 60 pounds I was still wearing my "before" clothes. I was hoping for that moment when you raise your hands and your pants fall down, but I guess because all my clothes were knits with elastic waists, they expanded with me when I gained weight and contracted with me as I have been losing! So back to the closet.... I had saved a bunch of clothes for years hoping to have them fit when I lost weight "some day". I tried a bunch on and expected them to not zip, and boy was I surprised when they fit and some even looked good! I spent the rest of the day doing 6 loads of laundry since the "new clothes" had been in a dusty closet for at least 3 years. My question is to those folks who have lost a significant amount of weight. Did you save a "fat outfit"? Something in your top size to help remind you of where you started? I'm trying to decide if it is worth it, or if I should just ship them all off to the local charity and be done with it. Any insight would be most appreciated!

I use a GNC unflavored whey protein powder to "fortify" greek yogurt and soups. It packs about 30 grams of protein in a scoop and adds creaminess without sweetness. I wasn't a fan of protein shakes before this process, but have learned to like them, the Chocolate Premier Protein shake from Costco is a good one, I don't think it is too sweet. If you avoid all shakes, you might have to work harder to get your protein in each day, but it can be done.

Yeah for you! Makes heading to the mountains for your trip that much sweeter! Have a good time and I hope you don't need the trench coat until you get home!

The insurance companies are masters of bait and switch. They will make it as difficult as possible for someone to get WLS, in the hopes that the patient will give up and either pay for it themselves or not have the surgery. Most insurance companies are for profit so every dollar they don't spend on patient care goes to the bottom line and enhances their profit margin. So, you have a choice to make. You can give up, stay at an unhealthy weight OR decide that you aren't going to let them win and continue to fight for your health, and your future. My insurance is still putting me through hell 4 months post surgery and I am mad as hell!! I will not give up they will pay what they owe! I understand the frustration and hope that you find the strength to push through the barriers and do what you need for your health!

I personally focused on foods that had a high protein content. I have only had mashed potatoes once since my surgery on May 23rd. I am ever vigilant about eating foods that got me into this condition, so I decided that potatoes were a once in a blue moon luxury. Congrats on your successful surgery. Be sure to follow your doctor's instructions closely!

I think the first step to life long change is to realize you have a problem with food. Congrats you have completed that first step. For any WLS to work, you have to have a handle on your food issues. Understanding why you eat to excess, why you sabotaged your band and how you cope with emotions if you can't use food to numb are important things to get clear before taking the next step. Have you tried any counseling or other means to understand your relationship with food? Any WLS is a tool and can be "worked around" once you heal from surgery. If you don't know why you are making bad food choices, then your likelihood of being successful is reduced. There are some good books and online courses to also help you get a handle on your food issues. Good luck to you, I hope you find the success you are looking for and deserve!

Oh boy I am right there with you! I lose that much hair each time I wash and comb it out. So I only wash it twice a week now! My surgeon reiterated at my 3 month appointment that IT GROWS BACK! I am holding on to that fact and preparing to wear hats and scarves if necessary. So far the loss seems to be from all over so I don't have a "bare patch" anywhere. It is scary, but I agree with you I would rather be at a healthier weight than worry about thin hair!

What does your surgeon say? I still would wonder if your thyroid might be low causing a slower than normal metabolism. Have you tried to up your calorie count? If you are avoiding carbs my nutritionist suggested using peanut butter to increase my calories when I was having vertigo issues from too low calories. Otherwise I have been using some simple carbs to help up my calorie count to where I can function.

Wow, that is a slow loss. How many calories are you consuming a day? Are you using My Fitness Pal or another application to track all of your intake (food, water, vitamins etc)? Has your surgeon said anything about your weight loss in your follow up appointments? How is your post-op blood work looking? Have your thyroid levels been checked? I'm sure you must be so frustrated with such a small weight change. I hope you figure out why your body is so atypical soon!

As you read people's stories here on VST you will find that there is no standardization about what you can and can't eat and the timing of food. I would have gone insane if I had to do 2 months of a liquid diet. I was on liquids 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after, and I was never so glad to see a scrambled egg as I was after that month! Best to get a clarification from your doctor's office as the post surgery guidelines vary tremendously from doctor to doctor.

B-12 was on my Doctor's mandatory list... I use the GNC lozenges.

Scared me a lot pre-surgery and even as I was recovering and feeling like crap, I kept saying to myself "what have I done"? But now 14 weeks post surgery and down almost 60 pounds I know I could never have acheived these results on my own. I like my nice and steady weight loss, and the new smaller portions of food I consume. My energy is on the increase, and life is pretty good!

I had to wait a month and only got an answer after I called daily for a week. Turned out the problem was their computer system that said my plan didn't cover bariatric - even though I supplied them with the written documentation that it did! Now 3+ months post surgery I am having major problems getting them to pay the correct amount to the providers! Insurance is a HUGE pain in the rear!

I use the unflavored Protein whey powder from GNC, it is cheap and easy, and so far it has only seemed like adding additional milk to whatever food I "fortify". I usually add it to Greek Yogurt to get a nice single serving w/ 30 grams of protein. You probably have a GNC near you. Plus if you don't like it they will take back the unused portion and refund your money. I always feel more comfortable if I can return a new item. P.S. Trader Joes will refund your money on their Protein Powder too!

My best guess would be a week for someone without siginificat Fatty Liver deposits, hence the reason most surgeons require a liquid diet for a week prior to surgery. If you have a higher BMI or documented more fatty liver deposits the doctor may request a 2 or more week liquid diet. I would ask my surgeon about this if you are concerned and follow their recommendations!

Wow, there are so many different variables to consider here. I had a longer than most recovery due to catching a respiratory infection in the hospital. I could barely care for myself 2 weeks post op neverless be a birth coach! My recovery was slower than some, but it is hard to know in advance if you will bounce back in 4 days, or 4 weeks. Another thing to consider is that babies have a timeline of their own. The baby may be due 2 weeks post sx, but it could come anytime from week 37 of the pregnancy to week 41! The mother should have a back up plan if you remain the coach. Good luck, in the birth process and with your surgery!

I had those eye opening moments too. Why is that we don't see ourselves at our true size? Well that is a whole different topic and post!

Yes anatomically most people have the left lobe of the liver superior (lying above) the stomach. The more "giving" and flexible the liver the easier it is to get to the stomach. Obesity (plus diabetes, high blood lipids, and cirrhosis) lead to a "fatty" liver where the individual liver cells are swollen with glucogen. A low carb diet uses up the stores of glucogen and helps clear out the fatty deposits.

I can relate to that "can anything ever help me lose weight and keep it off" mentality. I am 13 weeks post surgery and am starting to really see a huge difference in my body and my energy. I have been losing pretty steadily since surgery, in a slow 2 pounds per week, but it is working for me! I had a lot of food cravings post surgery and was afraid that they would never go away, but I can honestly say that I am no longer obsessed with food and outside of planning for my healthy meals, I don't spend anywhere near the time thinking about food as I did before surgery. This is a life changing experience, it is NOT an easy road, but if you are serious about losing weight and being healthy, you can be very successful with this tool!

I was sleeved on 5/23, so I am almost a "June" sleever. I have lost 57 pounds so far. I started at 318, and was 299 on the day of surgery. I am eating between 900 and 1100 calories per day. I have had a consistent 2 pound per week weight loss once I got past the week 3/4 stall. I am not losing as fast as some on here, but I also have an ankle issue that makes exercise impossible. I'm happy with my weight loss so far. You seem like you are doing well, how long have you been at the same weight?

Here is what I wrote in a previous thread, I hope this helps: Posted August 23, 2013 - 12:30 PM I agree that some of the "bariatric" Vitamins are way over priced! I decided to continue w/ my pre-surgery regime with some additions. I just had my blood work done ( 3 months post surgery) and everything was great (Vitamin levels too) except I am low on Vit D. Here is what I am taking: Centrium Silver Chewable Multivitamin (Daily) - $6 / month Celebrate Chewable Calcuim w/ Vit D (Daily)- $7 / month Celebrate Chewable Iron + C (2 - 3 times per week) - $6 / month GNC Biotin 5000 mg (Daily) - $ 7 / month GNC Vit B-12 Lozenge (Daily) - $3 / month I will be adding a GNC Vit D-3 tablet to my daily pills starting tomorrow. I have always resisted taking any vitamins, but I realized with this surgery and the reduction in food, that it was necessary. I put all of these pills in a 7 day pill holder and it really seems to be working for me. One thing to watch out for is the number of servings required to get the vitamins listed on the bottle. Some I looked at (gummies especially) require you to eat 3 or 4 to get all the required vitamins. That raises the overall price dramatically. I think $100 per month is excessive.

Every surgeon seems to have their own protocols for what surgery they do in a give set of circumstances. I know there are a lot of folks on the support site that had band to sleeve revisions. Good that you are getting another surgical consult next week. I would wait to see what that doctor recommends before making any decisions.

You need a calcium citrate supplement not one made with calcium carbonate. The citrate is better absorbed by your new stomach than the other type. We lose the optimal area of calcium absorbption when we have the sleeve. I buy the Bariatric Advantage calcium chews online from Amazon. There are other Vitamin threads on this site that have a lot of good information if you search for that topic. Good luck with your surgery!

I was back in the pool at 4 weeks. I don't know why your PT would say 8-12 weeks, usually they are encouraging you to get in the water ASAP. All incisions need to be closed, not oozing and not be infected before you go back in a public pool. This is for your and the other people's safety.