Catherine707

You are only 2 weeks out. Take it slow, drink as much water sip by sip as you can, and try a different protein drink if you can't tolerate the one you are used to. Remember you are also getting fluids in your protein shakes. I also "fortify" greek yogurt with unflavored whey powder. It boosts the yogurt to about 30 grams of protein. The Dannon Oikos - Traditional Greek Yogurt - Orange Cream does not have any chunks of fruit in it to upset your stomach. Also the Premier Protein drinks at Costco seem to be a favorite of lots of folks on this site. Hang in there it gets better!

I got the same instructions, and just couldn't chew everything to the consistency of applesauce. I take reasonable bites, chew them well ( but too much) and swallow with no issue. I eat slowly but not at glacial pace, since about week 3. I think this is something you figure out with trial and error for yourself over time. At the stage you are in right now, you should make things as easy on your swollen stomach as possible, but as the swelling decreases and you heal, you can find your own "happy place".

My insurance pre-authorized my surgery and confirmed my medical need, but when it came time to pay the bill decided that I hadn't gotten authorization for the hospital stay and only paid 50% rather than 90%. I have been fighting with them for 3 months, and can't get a straight answer out of them. The difference is huge! I owe over $9,000 right now and I should be paying only $2,000. Insurance in this country is arbitrary and the "for profit" aspect is contra to what is best for the patients.

I was frustrated with the same thing. Then I thought about how all my clothes are "stretchy", they expanded with me as I lost weight and contracted with me over the first 50 pounds. I think I am used to baggy clothes now. I have a couple of tops that I had to put in the give away pile because I was swimming in them, and I am getting close to that point for other clothes. My work pants are really baggy in the butt, and I can wear one size smaller now too. I just haven't lost as much in the tummy area as I was expecting at this point. It is nice to hear that other struggle with this issue too.

Congrats to you!

Staples? Really? I just had "steri strips" on my incisions and they took them off at my 10 day follow up. Staple removal shouldn't be painful, maybe a bit uncomfortable. I'm just surprised that you have staples at all!

I have struggled with this issue too. I eat "simple carbs" like crackers and the occasional potato chip, and I realize that they don't satisfy me, or stay in my stomach for very long. I would say I have evolved into eating healthy most of the time with the occasional "treat". I am happy with the pace of my weight loss, and my doctor is happy too. My blood work came back with good levels of all the vitamins at 3 months. I debated, should I avoid every non-organic food, and finally decided that with the sleeve I make much better choices, and I am getting good results. So long as that continues I will have a bit here and there that aren't ideal, knowing I am making this choice and I can revisit it down the road if things change!

Yeah, pretty amazing life change isn't it! Of course, there are down moments too, when you would have used food to sooth or comfort and now you can't, but it is all worth it when you see the scale trend down down down!

When I started looking into WLS, I dove into the medical journals, and discovered that the lap band has a complication rate of about 15%. That means that 15 out of 100 patients will have a significant complication! The sleeve complication rate is about 1% and is even less with an experienced surgeon. I also got scared at the malabsorption issues and the dumping syndrome that comes with by pass surgery. So the sleeve made the most sense for me. I have had a nice steady weight loss for the past 3 months and have lost 55 pounds, so I am feeling like I made the right decision for me.

Yes 1/4 of the meatloaf is one serving. It freezes so well in individual bags that I cook a meatloaf, divide it into 4 portions and package individually.

Congrats to you! It is stories like yours that give those of us still in the process and dealing with good days and bad days a light at the end of the tunnel! Keep up the good work and healthy living!

Sweet and sour turkey meatloaf. 258 calories per 1/4 serving and 23 grams of protein. Easy to make and tastes great! It also freezes well. Here is the recipe: 1 lb of ground turkey (I use 93/7), 1/4 cup sugar free apricot jam, 1/4 cup Heinz chili sauce (like ketchup but has more flavor), 1/2 t minced garlic, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 2 T dehydrated onion. Mix jam, chili sauce and garlic in a bowl. Add breadcrumbs, turkey and onions. Mix well. Form into loaf in a pan spayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cook at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. It is Yummy!

I agree with Patiscuba, only take the drugs if the problems seem long term. The time post surgery is a roller coaster ride of emotions and it does get better once your body gets rid of all the anesthesia and you are able to consistently get your water and protein in each day. Be kind to yourself. Maybe your body needs a bit more time to heal than others. Don't compare your experience to what others say is their experience. Just focus on the positive healthy changes you have made in your life!

If bariatric surgery is excluded from your coverage, you will not get insurance to pay for any reason. If your policy is through an employer, you can request that they change policies to one that includes it, or get a group of people at work that are interested in the surgery and provide statistics and data to management / HR about how some very expensive health issues are corrected with WLS. Wouldn't they rather pay $20K for WLS than $200K for heart bypass and rehab?

I use the GNC brand of sub-lingual B-12 but I just let it dissolve in my mouth because sticking it under my tongue hurt. I am 3 months post surgery and had all my blood work come back great. The GNC is a cherry flavor but isn't too strong and I don't mind sucking on it for a minute or so until it is gone.

I had a lot of anxiety after my surgery too. Nothing really made me comfortable and it was so bad that I was afraid to go to sleep. I think this was just my body adjusting to the enormous changes, and catching a respiratory virus in the hospital didn't help either. Keep following your doctors suggestions for fluids and protein, and if you are still feeling this way, calling and asking for an anti-anxiety medication like Buspar or Xanix may be appropriate for you. Getting some walking in during the day might also help. For me the problem only lasted a week or two, and it was really bad for only a couple of days, then it slowly eased up. Hang in there, I promise it does get better!

That sounds very painful and uncomfortable. How are you doing on your water consumption? Does increasing fluids help flush the toxins out of your body? Hang in there, hopefully this will pass quickly!

I started the year with a BMI of 56.3 and now am at 46. I am 13 weeks post-surgery and have lost 55 pounds so far. I was surprised at how quickly your BMI improves.

Yep that is the only shake I can tolerate as well. I only use the chocolate and have it for breakfast every other day. I have heard people say they like the vanilla and then add sugar free syrups to change the flavor, but I'm not a huge fan of vanilla, so I just stick to what I like. In Oregon at Costco a case of the shakes is over $25, so you have a great price too!

I had my sleeve sx on 5/23/13, and had a slow time healing from the surgery. In week 3/4 I stopped losing weight, and had horrible vertigo, and it was challenging to get 50 grams of protein and 40 oz of water into my body. I found for the first time in my life that what I do (or don't do) today affects how I feel tomorrow. I never really had that connection and feedback loop before. I started focusing on the protein grams, fluid amounts and total overall calories. Through trial and error I determined that if my calorie count was below 850 for the day that I was basically bedridden the following day. I boosted my calorie count and even ate carbohydrates! As I consistently got more protein, fluids and calories I also started feeling better. It took almost 3 months for me to feel like I had enough energy to get through a day of work, basic household chores and other life skills, but I am much better now that I was 2 months ago! I have lost a total of 55 pounds (including what I lost in the liquid diet pre-surgery). Hang in there, you will find the right balance of things for your body too. Experiment and try different combinations until you uncover what is right for your body!

You are so right, this is our individual races and foward movement is much better than staying where we started! Congrats on your success so far!

My experience was hit or miss. Some people who knew how much I struggled with my weight were supportive from the beginning. Others required some education and to be told that they weren't having the surgery, I was, so how their body would respond wasn't relevant. Other people acted like I told them I was going to murder someone. For me telling fewer folks was better, and helped control the nay sayers. If you have done your research, consulted with a surgeon, and you feel deep down inside this is the best option for you, then be stong in your conviction and move forward to do the right thing.

Yoga and meditation can help releive all that stress. Hang it there it does get better!

I use the Centrium Silver Chewable - it doesn't have a lot of iron in it, so I also take a Celebrate iron supplement a couple of times a week.

I got "real" with myself after trying very hard in 2012 to lose weight and failing in both attempts. My first attempt was on a low carb diet that ended up with having my gall bladder removed due to a stone wedged into the neck. My second weight loss attempt in 2012 was Medifast - 3 weeks in I had a major reaction to the soy in the food. At the same time an acquantance was losing weight quickly after WLS, and I started thinking "if she can do it, I can too!" That led me to researching my options and at the beginning of 2013 starting the insurance approval process and the steps w/ my surgeon. I had surgery on 5/23/13 and have lost 53 pounds so far. It hasn't been an easy road, but I'm headed in the right direction.