Miss Mac

It's like CurveyJones says. whey Protein was the big culprit for me, too. As soon as I was able to start eating regular food, my bariatric doctor and NUT suggested that I replace supplements with real food as soon as possible. Even now (ten months), the whey Protein shakes make me feel gassy and bloated. You are far enough out that if you go for 15 grams protein with each meal, and 8 grams protein with a morning and bedtime snack, you will at least have the 60 gram minimum that our doctors suggest.

I feel your pain. I have been treating radiculopathies for over six years, but it is because of 14 ruptured discs in my back (my spine coud not carry my weight anymore). The discs pinch the nerves. Monday I finally had nerve ablations done on three of them, with notable relief. Could your pain be coincidence and not surgically related at all? Another relief measure is lidocaine Patches. So here are my relief processes: 1. Hydrocodone 2. Lyrica 3. Lidocaine patches 4. Nerve ablation (radiofrequency) surgery (A disconnect is created between the problem nerve and the pain receptors in the brain. There is a lot of info about that onine. I wish you well......nerve pain sucks.

Pre-op

I was sleeved 12/23/2013, with BCBS Federal. What I did for my two year documentation was that I had my primary care physician's (PCP) office print out a copy of my last two years of medical records. I took that and highlighted every mention of my weight and every mention of the doctor adjusting my daily calories, every mention of my struggles with weight loss, and every mention of any condition that would be considered a co-morbidity. I also highlighted any comment that reflected my weight increasing in spite of my best effort, and my blood pressure and blood sugar readings for each visit. When the surgeon's packet was prepared for submission, I had them a include a letter that I wroteabout how my excess weight was affecting my health and my quality of life This included the fact that my high blood pressure was the primary contributor to the stroke I had in 2010, and that the excess weight had caused my spine to start collapsing because the vertibrae could not support my weight and 53"waist. One other thing I wrote was how my neurosurgeon had already repaired 4 discs in my neck and also needs to do a full lumbar fusion - but can't unless I lose weight. Once the info was faxed to BCBS, I was approved in two days. At my first visit to the bariatric center, my BMI was 40.1. I was told that even if I start to lose pounds during my three-month medically supervised, they would submit with my starting statistics. You should have no problem so long as your team will document as many co-morbidities as possible (at least two when your BMI is between 35 and 40. BCBS Federal is the best insurance I have ever had - ever, and I think all I had to pay was a $150 co-pay to the surgeon. I hope this helps. I wish you good luck and good health.

My guess is that it will help keep his body more sterile during the process. Two months before my sleeve, I spent 8 days in the hospital with ischemic cholitis. Actually, I was in the hospital for a lumbar fusion, and in the process of taking scans and MRI's and other imaging, the bowel problem was discovered. The spine surgery was post-poned indefinitley because the neuro-surgeon did not want to risk perforating my bowel and leaking the contents into my abdominal cavity. Sounds like your husband's doctor plans to put things back the way they were, but needs to keep the surgical environment clinically sterile.

My oldest sister is always burning the candle at both ends. She usually ends up using her time off to recover from bad (like hospitalized) bouts of bronchitis. Insist on relief soon, and some extra compensation while you are at it. Go to HR, not your manager.

Does your manager control what actually goes in the machines or can you contact the vending company? My experience with vendor management is that they fill the machines with their best selling items, otherwise they would never make any money. You might suggest that they at least run a test - say one week - to see if it makes any difference. Vending machines have to have a tag on them somewhere to identify who operates them. Good luck.....this just may work. Otherwise, since Water and bagged nuts will keep for a while, stash some in your car.

I had mild gastritis and esophogitis that was helped by quitting ANSAIDS and ibuprophen, and starting to take Omeprozole. I have a small hiatal hernia that was to little to mess with. Because of all that, I had to quit caffein and acidic and spicey foods. My other digestive problem was chronic diverticulitis, and one month before my sleeve, I spent eight miserable days in the hospital with ischemic colitis. However, since my sleeve surgery 12/23/2013 all of that has gone away. I will give credit for that to eating healthfully in the way that I should have been eating all along. I had to wait a bit post-op before eating salads and spicey foods, but I can do that now. Today for lunch I had a green salad (with spinach and kale included) with diced chicken breast and a dressing combining corn and bean salsa with a little ranch dressing. One of my favorite foods now is chili with Beans, diced onion, and shredded cheddar. A couple of weeks ago I had corned beef and cabbage. If you follow the proper progression through the post-op diet, you will be eating regular foods in no time. For me it was one month and then I very cautiously starting to re-introduce foods on an experimental basis. I tried eating some steamed cauliflower in week five, and Miss Tummy brutally punished me for four hours. Other things she doesn't like, she gives back.

Due to some back surgery, I already have a lifting recliner in my bedroom. It really came in handy after my sleeve surgery, and helped me get up and down comfortably.

Same for me.....inserted after I was out, and then removed when they were sure I could get up and walk about.

We'll leave the light on for you.

I am on the south side in Alsip, kind of stuck in the house due to mobility issues. I am going through ablation procedures (had one this morning) to calm down pinched nerves.......doctors are trying to delay an inevitable full lumbar fusion. I am a slow loser, but glad to be down 60+ pounds....40 to go. It is encouraging to know that there are bariatric brothers and sisters in surrounding communities. Welcome to the forum.

It depends on the brand. My

Three months is about when I started to have some appetite come back, but I still max out at about a cup of food or 1/2 cup of Fluid. I, too have to struggle to not regain at ten months out because of nerve issues in my leg making exercise excruciatingly painful. I have been stuck between 172 and 175 for over three months in spite of staying around 800 calories. One thing that might help your brother are videos by David Stamps. You can check him out on Youtube. He has several different videos for people who have physical challenges to exercise. My favorite of his is Chair Boxing.

Green beans

Couldn't give you a number, but I had no noticable hair loss at all......just a few strays around the house.

Count me in......I need some fresh motivation.

My surgery was last December, but in November I was in my four month supervised diet. Turkey was perfect for a Protein, and my boyfriend made a cranberry relish with sweetener instead of sugar. He made mashed potatoes, but just enough for a small serving each. We also had chicken livers wrapped in bacon (another protein), and fresh green Beans. He did make a box of stuffing, but I chose not to have any, as I was full enough on Proteins and veggies. We had gravy, which I also pased on, devilled eggs (also a protein), and celery stuffed with cream cheese (also a protein). Dessert was sugar-free Jello with sugar free whipped cream in a parfait. I ate enough to be satisfied and had plenty of diet-friendly leftovers for several days. Plus he took the turkey carcass and made Soup. Both broth is a great protein and nutrient rich base for soup. Both of my daughters were doing Thanksgiving elsewhere, so it was just me and my guy. If I were to be involved in a family Thanksgiving, I would offer to cook and host so that I would have control over ingredients. The holidays do not have to be a miserable disaster where you feel left out or the family comes over for boiled eggs and tap Water. Get involved and do what you can to have control over ingredients. Make lemonade or ice tea using sweetener (Monk Fruit is natural - Aldi's has it). Just let the family know that with or without them, you are instituting some new traditions in order to improve you health and well-being. Either they will come or they won't. And as far as you're concerned - if they don't want to embrace your new life, oh well....carry on.

Glad you made it through the gauntlet. I agree with your comment about meds and applesauce. I get the 50 calorie packs of applesauce cups, but found out that strawberry or blueberry flavored works even better.......especially for my stink-a** horse pill Bariatric Advantage AE multi-Vitamins that I have to take. I pulverize them with my mortar & pestle and put the result in applesauce. I have even taken regular low-sugar applesauce and added an apple cider drink packet. I take them before bedtime so that the applesauce can help as a natural laxative.

For me, it's the principle of the thing. Since my four month pre-sleeve diet (I am now 10 months out), I have resolved to not consume anything made in a factory. As much as is humanly possible, I give Miss Tummy foods closest to their natural state as I can tolerate: real butter, real eggs, meat and veggies baked, broiled, steamed, and fresh fruit. My one vice is artificial sweetener which I have cut back by 80% at least. Where I used to consume probably 20 a day, I am down to just a couple a day in my morning tea. Recently I discovered Monk Fruit sweetener (all natural) at Aldi's. It gets the job done without the metallic aftertaste. I have finally reached the point where I do not miss any of that stuff that made me fat and gave me heartburn. Even if I could have soda pop, I will go with milk, lemonade, ice tea and filtered Water......lots of filtered water. Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, and Fresca, rest in peace.

Oh dear, I am so sorry that your new tummy gave your dinner back to you. If it were me, I would not count calories for anything that did not pass on through. Opinions on that may vary.

If you feel like you have to justify the time off to HR, just tell them you are having a medical procedure that requires some time for rest and recuperation. You doctor's letter does not need to say anything more than "tfarr" is under my care and due to a medical procedure will need to remain off work for ___weeks. If you do volunteer to be more specific with your information, HR is bound by law to keep it in confidence. If you say anything to co-workers (and are not a patient in your own facility) they can (and will blab it all over the place. Take as much time as you are allowed and do not feel bad about it. I am guessing that any one of your co-workers would take the time off and not worry about the place being under-staffed or how hard you have to work to cover them.

My experience was the same as for BeagleLover. Retained CO2 is one of the concerns I shared in my final surgeon's meeting. He said that he extracts as much as possible. When I woke up after surgery, there was no gas pain at all.

The pre-op liquid (or for some folks strict reduced volume) diet is a rite of passage to a new lease on life. You may not like it, but it won't kill you and you will live to tell about it. I added all kinds of non-caloric stuff to my Protein shakes. To the vanilla shakes, I added more vanilla and some sweetener packets. To the chocolate shakes, I added sweetener and sugar-free cocoa packets. I got a few strawberry shakes and added extra sweetener and a little vanilla to them.....not great, but not so bad - just tolerable. Just think.....in a few weeks post-op, you will be ready to encourage others who follow behind you. Bariatric surgery is definitely a "pay it forward" situation. Having bariatric surgery does not mean that you will never enjoy a meal again, but it does bring a new outlook on how you can enjoy real food in moderate quantities that nourish your earthly human container. You can expect to come through this - diet and all - just fine. I wish you good luck and good health.

I started out post-op with a capacity of 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons (appx 1/2 cup total). At ten months out, I can eat closer to one cup total, but still get "full" signals from Miss Tummy when she approaches max capacity. Either I get a Tupperwae burp or the hiccups when she is done. One cup of food is nothing compared to what I used to eat. Used to be I could eat six White Castle burgers, with fries, with a 16 oz. shake. Now, I don't even want to go there.