JeanZ_RN

I don't know of any sleeve-related reason. Could be this is something not related to the sleeve at all. Best wishes!

Excellent thread, Jenny12, thanks for starting it! I learn something new so often on this forum!! And a special thanks to lsereno and suejersey for being so specific about a typical day's intake. I look forward to being at goal, and now thanks to you two I have a more clear idea what my intake during maintenance might be like.

You might want to do a search for this topic - I've seen numerous posts about Protein shakes since I joined last fall. My fave is Premier Protein, chocolate. I keep them in the coldest part of my fridge, and when I know I'm going to want one I take one out, shake well, and put it in the freezer. I leave it 25-30 minutes (freezer at home) / 55-60 minutes (freezer at work). At the end of that time I shake well and drink. I love the very-cold ice-shardness.

WooHoo! Congratulations!

As McButterpants says, You can only control what goes in your mouth - your body does the rest at its own pace. Keep working your sleeve, and following the plan, and it will happen. You got this!

I take the Iron +C chewable from CelebrateVitamins.com, the grape flavor, and I actually like it. Out of the whole fistfull of Vitamins and other supplements I take each day, it is one of the 2 that I actually look forward to because of the taste. (The other is the Calcium soft chews from the same company, 250 mg each, the carmel flavor.)

I'm betting on dehydration. Especially if your dizziness occurs when you first stand up.

Decrease carbs to almost none, at least for a while. That will help with the cravings, too. Then once you're losing again, be very careful about increasing carbs. If you increase them at all do it very slowly, and when the weight loss slows or stops, decrease carbs just a bit and you should start losing again. Then maintain that level of carbs or less as long as you want to keep losing.

It can be used to supplement an otherwise-normal diet, or by a person who intends to gain weight, but that's not its only use. If you use it to make Protein shakes and you adhere to the rules set by your nutritionist and your surgeon, it will help you lose weight.

No drain, 1-night stay. I think it's odd that a surgeon would never (or always) use a drain. Seems to me more logical to have that be a case-by-case decision. But then I'm a nurse, not a surgeon.

I've been a registered nurse for 30+ years, and I've never heard of IV Tylenol either. There's always something new coming down the pike!

I just took the survey. I don't cook because I don't enjoy it, and it's a bother.

12.5 cm - Wow! As you probably know, you are lucky to be alive! Congratulations on your perseverance! You got this going, now, so I know you WILL get to your goal.

WOW you look terRIFic! Congratulations! I am so envious! I also have bad knees, and I haven't even considered running. What made you decide it was worth a try? I'm afraid of my worse one giving way, and then I'd fall, get all banged up, maybe even hurt the knee more. Any words of wisdom?

I was impatient at first but after hearing the following several times, I got to a place of more patience with the process. (1) the weight didn't get there overnight and it's not going to disappear overnight; (2) slow weight loss (2-3 lbs a week) is safer and healthier (3) slow weight loss will minimize saggy skin It probably helps that I'm 60 years old, 'cause if there's one thing that life has impressed upon me (beaten into me) it is that there's no point getting antsy about something that you can't really affect. It's gonna get here when it gets here, no matter if I agitate about it or not. The only difference is that if I fuss and fume, it's going to SEEM like it's taking LONGER. So now I go about my business and relegate the weight loss to a secondary position in my life. I do still talk about it a lot with my close friends, and I get excited about the milestones (like BMI under 30 a few days ago), but I'm able to work and enjoy life day by day too. There's a wise saying that I don't remember exactly, but it's something about we can't always control what happens to us, but we CAN control how we react to it. Best wishes!

I've also had many surgeries and I agree that Lovenox is pretty standard post-op. I did once a day for 10 days once home from the hospital, and I took every one of them.

How could they NOT be pleased?? You are doin' GREAT!

What team? And how come you haven't seen them in almost a year?

I tried several kinds, pre-made and powder, and the only ones I liked were Premier Protein chocolate. They make a vanilla one as well but to me those had a grainy feel. And the way I liked the Premier Protein pre-made ones was to keep them in the coldest part of the fridge, and when the need for one came up I'd shake it well then put it in the freezer for 30 minutes (freezer at home) or 55 minutes (freezer at work). The result was still liquid, but had ice shards in it. That's the way they tasted best to me. Sometimes I had to shake it a more than once after it came out of the freezer to get it to flow smoothly. Keep on keepin' on - you can do this!

Some people on here have said post-op hunger can be reduced or remedied by an acid reducer (prilosec or similar). If you're not one one, you may benefit from it. And if you're already on one, you may benefit from an increased dosage. Ask your surgeon.

I've heard NSV = non scale victory. That is, one not directly related to the number of pounds lost.

I went back to my desk job at one week post op, but would have done well to take one more week off. Not for pain or fatigue, but because I just couldn't get my mind on work at that stage. All I was thinking about was when I should stop drinking so I could eat 30 min later, what to eat and how much, etc. And for a job that involves keeping track of several pre-schoolers, and wondering if one of them will run into you full tilt... my advice is, take at least 2 weeks off.

The only thing I really miss is my diet Barq's root beer. And that's only once in a while. Eventually I'm going to give in and have a sip, but I'm trying to put that off as long as possible because I understand it will most likely cause me discomfort. Yes, I did have food funerals. Several of them. The thing is, I can't remember now what foods they were.

Many people on this site refer to it as their surgiversary.

Sip, sip sip sip sip, pee, walk sip sip sip. We NEED the water!! As for talking to someone who has been there - read the posts on this site. They are FULL of wisdom! Follow the rules and it will happen.