Miss Mac

It sounds like your bariatric team let you down by not informing you better about your options and consequences. Well, you can't undo your sleeve, so you may as well hop on for the ride.
The first month is tough. Not only are you healing, but your body which has been used to indulging itself, is now being told "no" or "let's find an option for that".
Hopefully your surgeon gave you a meal plan to follow that will graduate you from liquids, to purees, to soft mushies, to regular cooked food. For many of us that takes four to six weeks.
You will feel so much better when you start soft mushies and may start to get some energy back. The foods that you have to leave behind are the ones that really weren't food at all. Instead of nutrition for your mechanical human body that your soul lives in, you were probably eating mostly factory edibles made from highly processed ingredients.
Now you can focus on what it takes to keep a human being alive. You will find that the human body does not need nearly as much food as we thought it did to thrive from day to day. As the pounds drop off, you will feel more encouraged that maybe you did do the right thing and will have a better quality of life because of it.
Worry is a waste of time. Poo poo happens in this life, whether it is spraining an ankle or getting reflux, or something more tragic and heart-breaking.
Hang in there kiddo. You have already made it through two weeks and lived to tell about. Keep coming here for encouragement. I wish you good luck and good health.

I have done the opposite. I have had Ellen Degeneres hair since 1978. I did not feel pretty enough for long hair and punished myself my keeping it extremely short. I got it cut one more time before my sleeve surgery in December of 2013 in anticipation of hideous Hair loss, and aslo decided to embrace the grayish white that was taking over my natural strawberry blonde hair.
As it turns out, I was one of the fortunate few who did not experience hair loss. The ramped up Protein and outstanding nutrition have given me the thickest, strongest hair I have had since my hippy days in the late 1960's. So, I have let it grow and grow. It is nearly shoulder length now and soft and beautiful. I also found some hair color that matches the strawberry blonde that is still in my eyebrows. Losing my excess weight has given me a new perspective on how to treat myself.
I am a domestic violence survivor, and one of the best points of insight that I got from counseling at a women's shelter was that sometimes we get so used to being abused that we begin to abuse ourselves. Baratric surgery has been an eye-opener for me. At 63, I have the best hair I have had in 38 years. I am always happy to hear when others are emboldened to try something new, and to re-invent themselves.

Oh, nooooooooooo!
Well, then....what's done is done. Time to start over. Just as a refresher, here are the basic concepts again:
While you are hanging out here for support, you can initiate the following steps that most of our plans have us do for our pre-op preparations.

Drink no calories.

Drink Water until your eyeballs float - 64 - 80+ ounces per day.

Don't eat anything made in a factory. You can do this by shopping the perimeter of the supermarket and avoid the aisle unless you need a spice or paper towels...that kind of stuff.

Eat at least 60 ounces of Protein per day, and at any meal, eat your Protein first - then veg - then fruit.< /span>

Dessert should be something like an apple, not apple pie with two scoops of ice cream.

Avoid sugar, grease, and salt as much as possible. Eating clean will help you discover the real taste of natural food. If it weren't for sugar, grease and salt, McDonald's would have no business. When I gave up candy bars and started eating dark chocolate, I realized that it wasn't the chocolate I missed - it was the sugar.

Try to wean yourself off of soda and diet soda. Most bariatric plans discourage soda pop and anything with bubbles post-op.

Reduce starchy carbs like bread, flour, sugar, rice, noodle, biscuits, white potatoes, macaroni, spaghetti etc.


So what is left to eat? meat, eggs, cheese, Beans, Peanut Butter, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, and fresh fruits and non-starchy veggies. You can adjust your current recipes to reduce carbs. The World According to Eggface is a good place to start. Check out the forum here for recipes, also Sparkpeople.com and Myfitnesspal.com.

Many of us use Myfitnesspal.com for logging our food every day. It is really an eye-opener if you are honest with yourself about what you eat.

Weigh and measure your food to accurately acknowledge your actual portion size. There is a scientific principle that says, "You cannot control that which you do not measure."

Exercise where you can. Move your body every day. Don't become part of the sofa.
Hugs for a new start. Now, off you go!

It is no secret that bariatric surgery exposes the raw dynamics of our relationships. That is not necessarily a bad thing. People just can't keep their mouths shut and you will very quickly find out what people really think about you. Then you have to deal with it and distance yourself from toxic interaction.
People that you thought were your friends can be mean and unsupportive.
Family can be mean and unsupportive.
Workmates can be mean and unsupportive.
Often when a marriage breaks down after you begin to lose weight, it was already broken before your surgery. Insecurities and jealousies can only hide for so long.
As you lose weight you gain confidence. Spousse find out that you can speak up for yourself, and they don't like it. They may throw roadblocks in your way, like deliberately bring home junk and eating it right in your face. The balance of control in a marriage can change.
So, just be prepared for what may come. If your mate can't be supportive of you being healthy and happy, then they don't deserve to be with you. You will either have to fix or flee.

My mother was not a bariatric patient, but she became pregnant with my youngest brother when she was 44. For the first five months she thought she was going through the change. Then the change started to kick!

It is no secret that bariatric surgery exposes the raw dynamics of our relationships. That is not necessarily a bad thing. People just can't keep their mouths shut and you will very quickly find out what people really think about you. Then you have to deal with it and distance yourself from toxic interaction.
People that you thought were your friends can be mean and unsupportive.
Family can be mean and unsupportive.
Workmates can be mean and unsupportive.
Often when a marriage breaks down after you begin to lose weight, it was already broken before your surgery. Insecurities and jealousies can only hide for so long.
As you lose weight you gain confidence. Spousse find out that you can speak up for yourself, and they don't like it. They may throw roadblocks in your way, like deliberately bring home junk and eating it right in your face. The balance of control in a marriage can change.
So, just be prepared for what may come. If your mate can't be supportive of you being healthy and happy, then they don't deserve to be with you. You will either have to fix or flee.

I had never heard of it, so I looked it up. Apparently, it is a fairly new procedure that has only been performed on humans for about a year and a half.
However, I am quite intrigued by the concept and the fact that it can be done without incisions and can be revised more than once, if needed.
I am 64 now, and actually, if that had been one of my options when I had my sleeve in 2013, I would have gotten the endoscopic procedure. Totally new concept!

It sounds like your bariatric team let you down by not informing you better about your options and consequences. Well, you can't undo your sleeve, so you may as well hop on for the ride.
The first month is tough. Not only are you healing, but your body which has been used to indulging itself, is now being told "no" or "let's find an option for that".
Hopefully your surgeon gave you a meal plan to follow that will graduate you from liquids, to purees, to soft mushies, to regular cooked food. For many of us that takes four to six weeks.
You will feel so much better when you start soft mushies and may start to get some energy back. The foods that you have to leave behind are the ones that really weren't food at all. Instead of nutrition for your mechanical human body that your soul lives in, you were probably eating mostly factory edibles made from highly processed ingredients.
Now you can focus on what it takes to keep a human being alive. You will find that the human body does not need nearly as much food as we thought it did to thrive from day to day. As the pounds drop off, you will feel more encouraged that maybe you did do the right thing and will have a better quality of life because of it.
Worry is a waste of time. Poo poo happens in this life, whether it is spraining an ankle or getting reflux, or something more tragic and heart-breaking.
Hang in there kiddo. You have already made it through two weeks and lived to tell about. Keep coming here for encouragement. I wish you good luck and good health.

It sounds like your bariatric team let you down by not informing you better about your options and consequences. Well, you can't undo your sleeve, so you may as well hop on for the ride.
The first month is tough. Not only are you healing, but your body which has been used to indulging itself, is now being told "no" or "let's find an option for that".
Hopefully your surgeon gave you a meal plan to follow that will graduate you from liquids, to purees, to soft mushies, to regular cooked food. For many of us that takes four to six weeks.
You will feel so much better when you start soft mushies and may start to get some energy back. The foods that you have to leave behind are the ones that really weren't food at all. Instead of nutrition for your mechanical human body that your soul lives in, you were probably eating mostly factory edibles made from highly processed ingredients.
Now you can focus on what it takes to keep a human being alive. You will find that the human body does not need nearly as much food as we thought it did to thrive from day to day. As the pounds drop off, you will feel more encouraged that maybe you did do the right thing and will have a better quality of life because of it.
Worry is a waste of time. Poo poo happens in this life, whether it is spraining an ankle or getting reflux, or something more tragic and heart-breaking.
Hang in there kiddo. You have already made it through two weeks and lived to tell about. Keep coming here for encouragement. I wish you good luck and good health.

It sounds like your bariatric team let you down by not informing you better about your options and consequences. Well, you can't undo your sleeve, so you may as well hop on for the ride.
The first month is tough. Not only are you healing, but your body which has been used to indulging itself, is now being told "no" or "let's find an option for that".
Hopefully your surgeon gave you a meal plan to follow that will graduate you from liquids, to purees, to soft mushies, to regular cooked food. For many of us that takes four to six weeks.
You will feel so much better when you start soft mushies and may start to get some energy back. The foods that you have to leave behind are the ones that really weren't food at all. Instead of nutrition for your mechanical human body that your soul lives in, you were probably eating mostly factory edibles made from highly processed ingredients.
Now you can focus on what it takes to keep a human being alive. You will find that the human body does not need nearly as much food as we thought it did to thrive from day to day. As the pounds drop off, you will feel more encouraged that maybe you did do the right thing and will have a better quality of life because of it.
Worry is a waste of time. Poo poo happens in this life, whether it is spraining an ankle or getting reflux, or something more tragic and heart-breaking.
Hang in there kiddo. You have already made it through two weeks and lived to tell about. Keep coming here for encouragement. I wish you good luck and good health.

My pureed stage was anything that was for supper - put in the blender. My favorite was Italian beef, which I used to eat on a sandwhich, but no more bread now. You simply take an oven baked beef roast, shred it, put in on the stove to simmer for about an hour with the drippings, a bit of Water so it doesn't scorch, sliced onions, green peppers, a beef boullion cube and Italian seasoning. Take your portion and puree it in the blender....delicious. I put a few fresh cooked green Beans with my portion just because it is my favorite veggie. The family can have the rest for sandwiches.

It sounds like your bariatric team let you down by not informing you better about your options and consequences. Well, you can't undo your sleeve, so you may as well hop on for the ride.
The first month is tough. Not only are you healing, but your body which has been used to indulging itself, is now being told "no" or "let's find an option for that".
Hopefully your surgeon gave you a meal plan to follow that will graduate you from liquids, to purees, to soft mushies, to regular cooked food. For many of us that takes four to six weeks.
You will feel so much better when you start soft mushies and may start to get some energy back. The foods that you have to leave behind are the ones that really weren't food at all. Instead of nutrition for your mechanical human body that your soul lives in, you were probably eating mostly factory edibles made from highly processed ingredients.
Now you can focus on what it takes to keep a human being alive. You will find that the human body does not need nearly as much food as we thought it did to thrive from day to day. As the pounds drop off, you will feel more encouraged that maybe you did do the right thing and will have a better quality of life because of it.
Worry is a waste of time. Poo poo happens in this life, whether it is spraining an ankle or getting reflux, or something more tragic and heart-breaking.
Hang in there kiddo. You have already made it through two weeks and lived to tell about. Keep coming here for encouragement. I wish you good luck and good health.

It is no secret that bariatric surgery exposes the raw dynamics of our relationships. That is not necessarily a bad thing. People just can't keep their mouths shut and you will very quickly find out what people really think about you. Then you have to deal with it and distance yourself from toxic interaction.
People that you thought were your friends can be mean and unsupportive.
Family can be mean and unsupportive.
Workmates can be mean and unsupportive.
Often when a marriage breaks down after you begin to lose weight, it was already broken before your surgery. Insecurities and jealousies can only hide for so long.
As you lose weight you gain confidence. Spousse find out that you can speak up for yourself, and they don't like it. They may throw roadblocks in your way, like deliberately bring home junk and eating it right in your face. The balance of control in a marriage can change.
So, just be prepared for what may come. If your mate can't be supportive of you being healthy and happy, then they don't deserve to be with you. You will either have to fix or flee.

Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but does not get you anywhere.
The Dali Lama said, "‘Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.
I call what you are going through - Hampsters in my head.
They get in there and just run amuck, distracting me from other thoughts that are more productive, and disabling me acting on other things that would make me happy.
The hair loss is disheartening, but it is temporary. It sounds like you are doing a lot of things right, and you are getting good results. Take time to go through the postings on this link:
http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/219831-what-was-your-final-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back/page-129?hl=%2Bfinal+%2Bstraw#entry4094671
There are now 1, 287 posts about why we all put ourselves through this. As you look through it, you may see successes that you have already had. You have already lost 45 pounds and in some ways must be reaping benefits from that. Let that thread encourage you.
You did not say whether or not you are taking an anti-depressant medication. I went into depression after a stroke in 2010. I was so worried about having another stroke that I was checking my blood pressure every fifteen minutes. My doctor put me on Buproprion (Wellbutrin) and the bariatric doctor tripled the dose. It makes a difference for me and keeps me level all day.
Find a project to do. For me it was expanding my family genealogy back several more generations, through Ancestry.com. Find something to keep your hands and mind occupied.
Open the drapes. Get outside. Volunteer somewhere.
Decide what you would do if you could do anything in the world you wanted, and then start to do it. No matter how impossible that goal seems, if you cut it into small enough steps, you can find a way to start. Take one minute at a time. Spend time doing the things you enjoy, and avoid doing things you don't. Socialize with people you like, and stay away from people you don't. Live every minute like it's your last. Remember you have two choices in life. You can spend the next five minutes being happy, or the next five minutes being sad. Whether happy or sad, you are using the same amount of energy in that five minutes. Work at a place you enjoy and where you like most of the people. It's depressing if you don't like your job or the people there. Acquaint yourself with your mood ebb and flow and embrace it. If you have more energy in the morning, utilize mornings. Maintain a regular schedule - awake at the same time each morning, take your meds at the same time, go to sleep at the same time. Have fun and laugh often. Rent funny movies. Laugh and smile often. It's contagious. Get a puppy - or two. Come here often for support and let us know how you do.

Obesity Comorbidities
To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. It is from NIHS.gov (National Institute of Health, a federal entitity which uses this list to establish co-morbidities for insurance companies). My insurance is BCBS Federal Employee, and this list was used for me. Polycystic Ovaries is on the list.
Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death in the immediate family

Retired from Federal service; My primary referred me to the Bariatric Program at the hospital. They established my program based on my coverage requirements and started me on a three month supervised diet. I had to provide two years worth of documentation that I had tried to lose weight on my own. My primary printed out a complete copy of his doctor's notes for the last two years. I went through with a highlighter and marked every place where my weight was measured or mentioned.
I also composed a letter detailing all of the different failed attempts with various well-known diets. In the letter, I also explained how my weight has affected my quality of life, my family history of morbid obesity, and how I expected the surgery to improve my health. Claim as many co-morbidities as you can. here is a list of conditions that the insurance companies consider
Obesity Comorbidities
To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery.
Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death in the immediate family

Same here. I have said before on this forum that Federal BC/BS is the best insurance I have ever had - ever. I am six months into my program and two months post-op and still have not received a bill for anything except my doctor office co-pays.
Also, losing the first fifty pounds has made a remarkable difference in the pain in my joints. Even my posture is better. I will always have post-stroke mobility / balance issues, but the pain relief is noticeable.

My mother was not a bariatric patient, but she became pregnant with my youngest brother when she was 44. For the first five months she thought she was going through the change. Then the change started to kick!

The first incident I remember was at about fifty pounds. I went to see a pain specialist that I see every three-four months. When they got me on the procedure table, they went through the "time-out" and I heard him whisper to his nurse "Do we have the right patient on the table? She doesn't look like it's the right patient. So they did the "time-out" over again. That's when I told him it was really me, only fifty pounds less of me.

It sounds like your bariatric team let you down by not informing you better about your options and consequences. Well, you can't undo your sleeve, so you may as well hop on for the ride.
The first month is tough. Not only are you healing, but your body which has been used to indulging itself, is now being told "no" or "let's find an option for that".
Hopefully your surgeon gave you a meal plan to follow that will graduate you from liquids, to purees, to soft mushies, to regular cooked food. For many of us that takes four to six weeks.
You will feel so much better when you start soft mushies and may start to get some energy back. The foods that you have to leave behind are the ones that really weren't food at all. Instead of nutrition for your mechanical human body that your soul lives in, you were probably eating mostly factory edibles made from highly processed ingredients.
Now you can focus on what it takes to keep a human being alive. You will find that the human body does not need nearly as much food as we thought it did to thrive from day to day. As the pounds drop off, you will feel more encouraged that maybe you did do the right thing and will have a better quality of life because of it.
Worry is a waste of time. Poo poo happens in this life, whether it is spraining an ankle or getting reflux, or something more tragic and heart-breaking.
Hang in there kiddo. You have already made it through two weeks and lived to tell about. Keep coming here for encouragement. I wish you good luck and good health.

Last night, I woke up several times with your situation on my mind. I hope you understand that my comments are coming from the perspective of a domestic violence survivor, and that ultimately I wish you good health and peace of mind.

Since I do not know you or what the other dynamics are in your marriage, my support comes from the frustration you expressed in your post. No one deserves to be verbally abused, or physically assaulted, or isolated from supportive family and friends, or mentally undermined, or denied medical care. It sounds like he is planting seeds of doubt about your ability to be in control of your own life and health.

Do you think he would also be unsupportive if your health issues were from a congenital condition or cancer or something catastrophic? Is he more concerned about medical bills and the inconvenience of doctor appointments and downtown for recovery or do you think he is frantically worried about you and doesn't know how to compassionately express his concern?

One thing that helped me to escape from my husband who became a clinically diagnosed sociopath was that call to a women's shelter to get a professional opinion about what my options were when his psychosis began to affect my health and safety. They introduced me to the cycle of abuse and helped my navigate my way through the emotions and confusion of examining how to change the people and surroundings that were robbing my peace of mind and mentally holding me in a dark place.

There have been several posts on this forum about how the weight loss process impacts relationships in positive and unfortunately sometimes negative ways. Companionship should be about loving and caring and sharing. If you do not have that, then why are you still there?

There was a psychologist on Oprah who addressed issues with lopsided toxic relationships. One of her comments turned my life around. She said...."Instead of thinking 'I love him - so why does he treat me this way?' Start thinking 'why would I love someone who treats me this way?'

Whether I have hit the nail on the head or not, I want to encourage you to pursue good health and happiness. You have a right as an individual to determine what your course in life will be and who surrounds you in your journey through life. If you have to battle genetics, uncooperative body parts, and gnarly old habits in the process, then do it!

I know we get tired of being strong, but you can pull strength from sympathetic friends on this forum. With the sleeve, you have already taken that first leap of faith to have a healthier happier life. When we stumble along the way we can grab a cane, crutch, or go-cart and keep on moving toward the prize.

Life for anyone is a series of adjustments - a change in plans from day to day to day. My signature quote on this site is from Wolfgang Von Goethe. It has helped me face many unimaginable obstacles in my life. Goethe said, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can......BEGIN IT! For boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
Good luck sweetie.....do what you have to do get healthy and happy. We are here to encourage you along the way. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Last night, I woke up several times with your situation on my mind. I hope you understand that my comments are coming from the perspective of a domestic violence survivor, and that ultimately I wish you good health and peace of mind.

Since I do not know you or what the other dynamics are in your marriage, my support comes from the frustration you expressed in your post. No one deserves to be verbally abused, or physically assaulted, or isolated from supportive family and friends, or mentally undermined, or denied medical care. It sounds like he is planting seeds of doubt about your ability to be in control of your own life and health.

Do you think he would also be unsupportive if your health issues were from a congenital condition or cancer or something catastrophic? Is he more concerned about medical bills and the inconvenience of doctor appointments and downtown for recovery or do you think he is frantically worried about you and doesn't know how to compassionately express his concern?

One thing that helped me to escape from my husband who became a clinically diagnosed sociopath was that call to a women's shelter to get a professional opinion about what my options were when his psychosis began to affect my health and safety. They introduced me to the cycle of abuse and helped my navigate my way through the emotions and confusion of examining how to change the people and surroundings that were robbing my peace of mind and mentally holding me in a dark place.

There have been several posts on this forum about how the weight loss process impacts relationships in positive and unfortunately sometimes negative ways. Companionship should be about loving and caring and sharing. If you do not have that, then why are you still there?

There was a psychologist on Oprah who addressed issues with lopsided toxic relationships. One of her comments turned my life around. She said...."Instead of thinking 'I love him - so why does he treat me this way?' Start thinking 'why would I love someone who treats me this way?'

Whether I have hit the nail on the head or not, I want to encourage you to pursue good health and happiness. You have a right as an individual to determine what your course in life will be and who surrounds you in your journey through life. If you have to battle genetics, uncooperative body parts, and gnarly old habits in the process, then do it!

I know we get tired of being strong, but you can pull strength from sympathetic friends on this forum. With the sleeve, you have already taken that first leap of faith to have a healthier happier life. When we stumble along the way we can grab a cane, crutch, or go-cart and keep on moving toward the prize.

Life for anyone is a series of adjustments - a change in plans from day to day to day. My signature quote on this site is from Wolfgang Von Goethe. It has helped me face many unimaginable obstacles in my life. Goethe said, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can......BEGIN IT! For boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."
Good luck sweetie.....do what you have to do get healthy and happy. We are here to encourage you along the way. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

There are a few of us on here. I am in Alsip on the far southwest side. My sleeve was done 12/23/2013 at Loyola University Medical Center. Where are you having your surgery? What part of this great metropolis are you in?

My pureed stage was anything that was for supper - put in the blender. My favorite was Italian beef, which I used to eat on a sandwhich, but no more bread now. You simply take an oven baked beef roast, shred it, put in on the stove to simmer for about an hour with the drippings, a bit of Water so it doesn't scorch, sliced onions, green peppers, a beef boullion cube and Italian seasoning. Take your portion and puree it in the blender....delicious. I put a few fresh cooked green Beans with my portion just because it is my favorite veggie. The family can have the rest for sandwiches.

I was eating regular foods at 4 1/2 weeks, just not so much, and way less starchy carbs. Enjoy your trip. The fewer people you tell, the better, especially if your crowd is judgemental and unsupportive. Ben Franklin said, "To whom thy secrets thou doest tell, to him thy freedom thou doest sell."