Miss Mac

My psych evaluation is coming up on the 9/18, same day as my surgeon visit. I am actually looking forward to it because the damage to my self image comes from former spousal abuse. I was able to make a daring escape in the middle of the night, and got a divorce, and moved far away, and went back to college at the age of 56, but I never got counseling. His hurtful words come back often, but I have to knock them away like cobwebs. My self-worth shouldn't depend on the ghosts of rages past. I (and you) are loveable and worth being loved. It is bad enough that people can hurt us so much with their words, but I do encourage you to not mentally abuse yourself. The surgery can definitely be the catalyst that gets your health on track. I agree with 2Big2Skate that a psych visit can help you get your thinking on track so that the surgery has complete advantage for you. I am looking forward to mine to help me put my surgery in the proper perspective.

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 just discovered this thread.
The subject matter (Syncope) really concerns me. I am nine months post-op, and on August 25, 2014, I was sick all day.......no fever, but puking and whistling shi*s time after time. Into the wee hours of the 26th, I had made yet another mad rush to the bathroom. So.......I did the necessary bodily functions, got up , put myself back together, felt whooshy, but turned around to wash my hands.... and passed out and hit my head on the bathtub.
I was unconcious on the floor for almost a full hour. I tried to call out for my boyfriend, but the bathroom door was shut, and he was sound asleep with the air conditioner on.
So, when I finally got up, I got back on the pot for round two. Once again the universe was spinning. I stood up, pulled myself together and passed out and hit my head on the bathtub again. This time I was out for an hour and a half. When I became alert enough to stand up I went to bed and fell aseep exhausted.
Yes, I know that if you are present when someone has a concussion, you are supposed to keep them from falling asleep, but I was so tired. I slept for six hours straight before waking up. My boyfriend was unaware of my condition and got up and went to work.
Later that evening I was talking to my daughter who is a healthcare professional. As an occupational therapist she travels to the homes of patients to teach people how to recover from a stroke, accident, or catastrophic illness. She told me that I should have called an ambulance. Well, my PCP is closed on Tuesday, so I called on Wednesday, and I did not get a reply until after supper. He told me to go the the ER anyway to get checked out. They did admit me and took a CT scan of my brain and then a images of my hips (because I was complaining of a sore hip and had a big bruise. They were concerned that I may have fractures my hip. (Turned out to be a deep bruise to the bone)
Well, they kept me overnight for observation and to pump six bags of fluids and electrolites into my system. The diagnosis: Syncope
I had to wear an event monitor for 30 days. Well, I have done my time, sent the monitor back to the provider.
I have an appointment later thus month to see the cardiologist for followup. OMG I hope it was just dehydration. When the cardiologist came into my hospital room, she mentioned the vagus nerve, and said that she will be working in cooperation with my PCP to start eliminating possibilies. It's past bedtime, so that's it for this respone. Now I will be thinkin' when I ought to be sleepin'.........darn it.

A nice ripe one would mash up pretty good. Remember when you start purees, they must be runny enoigh to fall off the spoon. Maybe you could thin it out with some chicken broth.< /p>

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. The list is from the National Istitute of Health, a government agency www.nih.gov. Maybe this will help if your insurance is really pushing for co-morbidities. Mine (BCBS Federal Employee) only required co-morbids if the BMI is under 40.
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

My Grandma was 37 when my mother was born and 41 when my aunt was born. My mother was 44 when my youngest brother was born. She thought she was going through the change until "the change" started to kick. Surpriiiiiiiise! He just turned 49 himself.

A rite of passage is a ceremony and marks the transition from one phase of life to another. It can be a celebration as much as it is an ordeal.
It will help you transition to a new life role from which you come out of the experience with a new and empowering story that helps you take responsibility for the decisions that set the course of your future.
It puts you in a place to explore what kind of enhanced quality of living you can obtain when your day is not consumed with food and the cooking and eating of it.
Many have gone before you and are looking forward to having you join us on the other side.

The comment that bothers me is that he wants you to watch him eat. I had a mean old rotten ex-husband who wanted me to watch him watch TV and not leave the room, even to go to bed. That's control and intentional sabotage.
Does he feel like he is losing something if you lose more weight. Would he have a tantrum if you eat grilled chicken salad while he eats a Big Mac of if you do something else while he eats?
Tell us more about the dynamic working here. It might make a difference in what direction we go with our comments. I am all for walking away from jerks - life is too short to live with a jerk. Others feel that more direct conversation or self-examination is the way to go. Please clue us in on where you stand with him, apart from the weight loss issue.

eggs will have that effect on me. That is why natural gas is scented like rotten eggs, otherwise you would never smell a gas leak.

Here you go......comment #4.
http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/358648-need-a-healthy-snack/?hl=%2Bmicrowave#entry4046572

Well, I am in my grandma years, but one thing I do know is that your little nugget will definitely benefit from your outstanding high Protein nutrition. So, already you have a head start. Even you you gain some pregnancy weight, you will still be ahead of the game from this time last year.
There are several post-op mommies on the forum who I am sure will share their PCOS and post-op stories. I wish you the best of all possible outcomes. Hugs from Chicago.

Mine was endoscopic also. Took a nap, woke up with a slight sore throat, went home.

My surgery was on 12/23/2013. I feel like I have given up every vice there was, except there was no way that I was giving up artificial sweeteners. Any coincidence that I have been on a plateau for nearly six months and the minute I finally give up sweeteners, the weight started falling off again????? I am convinced.

I am probaly 80% paleo/primal, but do make a couple of concessions. One is that because I am pushing 64 and have spinal and orthopedic issues, an aggressive exercise program with intermittant high intensity is just downright painful. At my doctor's suggestion I did buy a recumbant bike/elliptical and work in stretches every morning. With post-stroke balance and perception issues I am way more sedentary than I would be because I am a high fall risk and have ended up in the hospital because of falling. That just means than I am barely burning up the 1,000 calories a day that is my limit at 20 months out.
My second concession is dietary. My bariatric physician still pushes 80 grams of Protein daily to include eggs and dairy. Primal eating discourages Beans, legumes and dairy, but the bariatric doctor says I need those as a good source of Protein. My primary doctor says to eat a variety of meat, but not pork.
Primal/paleo encourages fresh fruit, but the bariatric doctor says to only eat one serving a day because of the sugar. Primary doctor wants me to eat several servings of non-starchy fruit only. Bariatric doctor says I can have slice of whole grain bread daily. Primary doctor says I should be eating oatmeal most days and no bread. Primal suggestion is to avoid grains altogether.
I find that with Miss Tummy in charge, I barely have room for ANY fruits or veggies after I eat my requirement of protein first. The Constipation wasn't worth it. Small tummy or not, I don't think humans are meant to live on just meat and Water.
So, I find myself pulled in five directions at once:
1. What my taste buds and flavor memeories want
2. What my bariatric team wants
3. What my primary doctor wants.
4. What is recommended from paleo/primal nutritionists.
5. What my Mediterranean chef boyfriend suggests from a lifetime of raising a Type I diabetic son.
Geeze Louize......this is so confusing. I have given up sugar, sweeteners, colas and bubbly beverages, salt, grains, starchy veggies, most dairy, and anything made in a factory. I do eat eggs and meat of all kinds - including bacon. I use regular dairy butter, but have cut back 90% on milk and cheese. Peanut Butter is the devil only because I could eat a whole jar on a spoon without adult supervision! I might have two slices of bread all week.
I guess that I am officially a Mediterranean-Primal-Paleo-Non-Standard American Diet-"Upside Down food Pyramid" kind of person. I have tried the 5:2 plan, but have dizzy issues when my calories dip below 800. So, I find that even after bariatric surgery and losing the equivalent of wearing a pony for a belt, I am STILL grasping for that magic formula that will balance nutrition, exercise, and healthy weight management. This all makes my poor brain so tired. T.I.R.E.D.

Instead of losing who you are, you will discover who you are. Weight loss shrinks your belly, not your sense of humor. Most of our bariatric teams include access to a psychologist who can help us navigate through the mental and emotional changes that come with a shape we are not familiar with.
You don't have to eat healthy food. You get to eat healthy food. You will no longer be a slave to the processed food industry and their marketing machine. Their stuff is not really food anyway. They produce factory edibles full of chemicals and pesticides. With you new high Protein lifestyle, your body will thrive instead of just exist under reduced circumstances.
You don't have to exercise. You will be in a new body the enables you to exercise. The human body is built to move. That is why we have arms and legs and muscles and joints. We were not meant to become part of the sofa, but that is what our excess weight has done to us,
You will get to re-invent yourself. You may be shy now, but when you lose weight, you gain confidence. When someone gives you are hard time about your body or medical choices, you will either want to educate them or cold-konk them. But you won't take it any more and hide behind your weight with shame.
Although it may be painful, people can't keep their opinions to themselves and they will expose how they really think of you. That's when you realize that you may indeed have to adjust your circle of friends or distance yourself from toxic family who would rather see you fail than be thinner, happier and healthier than they are.
Chirp up. You can ditch the spiral of despair and grief for the old you and accept the challenge and adventure of creating the best you that you are supposed to be.
Are you familiar with the comedienne Lisa Lampanelli? She got sleeved a couple of years ago and is just as funny as she ever was.
You have already had your surgery and may as well hang on for the ride.
By the way, the discomfort and nausea will go away. Before you know it, you will be at your one year anniversary and wonder where the time went.

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.

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.

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.

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.

9 weeks post-op
Cup of hot tea with meds
exercise before Breakfast
Breakfast: egg and either a piece of bacon or 1 oz of leftover meat from dinner (steak is my favorite)
Mid-morning snack: usually 3 oz Greek yogurt with berries
Lunch: tuna and egg salad or 1/2 cup of leftover stew or Soup
Afternoon snack: 1 slice of deli turkey rolled with slice of avocado and Tomato
Dinner: 1 oz some kind of meat, with some kind of veggie
Exercise: If I am having a good energy day, I will add a second exercise session. When this nasty weather breaks, it can be an after dinner walk with my sweetie.
Bedtime: hot chocolate made with sugar free cocoa mix and whey Protein chocolate powder and lite Cool Whip
When I quit eating so much cheese, my plateau broke and Constipation quit.

In 2005, I walked away from a ten year second marriage because his mental health issues were becoming worse and he refused to take medication to ease and control his symptoms. I made a strong effort to pray and stay, but when he began to mistake me for a punching bag, I had to go. I escaped to a womens shelter in the middle of the night and never looked back.
After leaving that relationship, I was confused for a while. With my first marriage of 23 years I had to leave because he became a serial cheater. My first marriage was when I was 19. I had been Daddy's good girl for 19 years, Green Meanie's good wife for 23 years , and mean ol' rotten A**hole's domestic slave for ten years. After I freed myself, I had no idea what food I liked to eat, what clothes I liked to wear, or even what music I liked. All my life was spent doing what the men in my life wanted me to do and be.
It took a while to figure out who I was, when no one was there to influence my decisions. Leaving was not as tough as I thought it would be. I have enjoyed being a strong and independant woman. I even went back to college at the age of 54 and completed my bacheor's degree in Business Management.
In 2006 I met a lovely genetlamen whom I am still with. He is kind a sweet and even nursed me through some serious surgeries and a stroke. He treats me like the queen of his universe. If I had been too timid or a afraid to leave those two other idiots, my life would still be a living hell.
What I am trying to say is that leaving a bad relationship where you are neither loved nor respected is not a bad thing. A one-sided relationship does not nurture our spiritual essence that lives inside our human containers. Men and women both deserve to have loving companshionship. I say that if your closest relationship is a hot mess, then do what the original poster and I have done. Walk away and don't look back.

Here is how I rate some of the Exercise DVDs that I have:
Chair Boxing with David Stamps.....my favorite
Chair Salsa with David Stamps
Chair Tai Chi with David Stamps
Exercises for the Bedridden with David Stamps...
I have to say that all of David Stamps videos are worth the money. You do not need a Lunk Alarm.
They are do-able and can be easily modified to your needs. Any of David's workouts can be done sitting in a chair or laying on your bed.
Chair Aerobics Circuit Training Beach Party (1960's style surf music) with Ronit Amaya ....Fun enough and you can use light handweights.
Fun Resistance Bands with Sunshine Good for balance strength and flexibility.
Easy Sitting Pilates and Calesthenics with Sunshine
Sunshine also has another one that uses handweights, and most of the time she is sitting down.
Stonger Seniors Chair Exercise Program - Core Fitness with Anne Pringle Burnell
Stronger Seniors Stretch and Strength - Anne Pringle Burnell
Anne is easy to follow. I use her DVDs a lot and can follow along without messing up too much.
Walk at Home / Walk Your Belly Flat with Leslie Sansone. This can be throught the house or standing in place in front of the TV. It uses every muscle in the body to help torch calories. She breaks up the walk into three mile increments. I use this one on any morning that I wake up with energy.
Easy Yoga for Arthritis with Peggy Cappy A little hard for me to keep up because I am not very flexible.
I have one other that may be of interest to you after you can enough strength to stand up some...although I have done this one sitting down if I fizzled out but wanted to keep going. It is Joel Harper's Firming After 50. I use this one frequently when I want to do body weight resistance. He has an intermediate level that a 30ish woman does, and a beginner's level done by his mother. So, I try to keep up with her.
Mr. Gyms Couch Potato Workout....Boring Alert!
I, too, have multilpe orthopedic issues, spine surgery, and post-stroke imbalance. I do these workouts in the privacy and safety of home where my boundaries are familiar. I hope this information helps anyone who is in a similar predicament of immobility and chronic pain. I wish you good luck and good health.

With your next meal, then go for a walk or put on some loud crazy music and groove to the music.
Get the crap edibles (can't call them foods) out of the house. Don't watch cooking shows for a while.
If I could give only one piece of diet advice, it would be "Don't eat anything made in a factory."
When you get up, stay out of the bedroom. Resist all day TV and becoming part of the sofa. Open up the window shades and let the sunshine in. When the outside temp becomes comfortable for you, take advantage of it and find reasons to be outside. We have a large back yard, and last year I set up a fitness trail for myself. Get a dog. Play with it and take it for long walks. The Vitamin D sunshine that you absorb will help perk up your mood.
As with any formidable task that is inconvenient but necessary, eliminate excuses one by one.
Want to eat crap? Don'y have crap in the house or stand by a vending machine.
Too tired to exercise? Your body is a living machine designed for movement. It will resist you like a toddler who just learned the word NO. But once you start exercising, your body will thank you by giving you more energy to get through your day. Then, you will be tired enough to sleep better.
Don't have time to exercise? Quit hitting the alarm clock. Get up and follow along with one of the gajillion 5 minute work-outs on Youtube. This morning I did a stretch and toning video - 4 minutes - helped to wake me up.
Make a list of what is holding you back, and find creative ways to get around it.
Chirp up, dear. You have friends here who understand what you are going through. Hugs.

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.