BryBro63

I have found the Hawaiian Punch Water enhancers to be very good, and they have a really good variety of flavors to choose from. If you have a Wal-Mart in your area, they sell them for about $1 per box, with 8 in each box...I keep very well-stocked, since I sometimes get tired of plain water. These really do help me get my liquids in for the day!!

Yes, the stall around this time is very common...some call it 'your body stabilizing'...keep doing your thing, and you'll definitely work through it and start losing again!!

Head Hunger is simply your desire for food when you're not really hungry...it tends to happen to us sleevers, because your head is thinking that you have a full-sized stomach, when your stomach is actually 80 percent smaller. This usually happens months after you've started with solid foods, and it's typically the main cause of grazing. The best way to fight this is to keep healthy, small Snacks around, that won't fill the sleeve up too much. Wish you the very best success!!!

My advice...or at least what I was advised - As far as Vitamins, I was told to stick with the chewables for life, since the solid pills may pass through your sleeve before being fully absorbed. I was using the Centrum chewables based on the recommendation of my surgeon...he said this one was the most complete. As far as calcium, I was told to stay away from any calcium carbonate, and find only the calcium citrate. The Bariatric Advantage chewables worked really well for me until I started using the Nascobal Nasal spray for my B12. This is a mail order Rx, and it comes with a multivitamin, Iron, and calcium - all chewable - and it's nice and convenient.

Truly the worst part is waiting for insurance approval!! I ended up calling and nagging them whenever I could until I finally heard from them...I couldn't just sit by the phone waiting!! Also my surgeon would give me a tentative date, but wouldn't schedule me for a solid surgery date until they received approval. Hope you get your good news very soon!!

Congrats!!!! Wonderful news!!!

The exact same thing happened to me, with my BP meds...once I started losing, I started feeling really dizzy, and I brought this up to my surgeon and my nutritionist, thinking I'm taking in too few calories or something. My nutritionist suggested I speak to my cardiologist, and he immediately knew what the issue was. My meds were reduced, because I was taking doses based on my weight. Once I adjusted my dosage, I felt so much better!!

Good idea!!! Borrow whenever and wherever you can!! As far as weight amount, I had lost about 30 lbs. or so when I started to pick up smaller size clothing. I also got talked about so badly by my wife, kids, and co-workers about my baggy clothes that I had no choice but to go shopping!

Actually, pretty much when your clothes start falling off of you, start getting new stuff...which is the fun part!! However, please don't make the same mistake that I did...I was so glad that I was buying smaller sizes that I ended buying too much stuff at my new size, and then lost some more, and then the new clothes were falling off of me!! Best bet is to not buy too much, and not buy too high quality until you're much closer to your goal weight...THEN start investing in a nice wardrobe!!!

First of all, welcome to the site!! I'm sure you'll find a great deal of helpful and useful information here, as well as meeting alot of great people!! To try to answer some of your questions...it's hard to say what will be out of pocket vs. what your plan will pay, since this is something that is on a plan-by-plan basis. I personally only had to come up with $300 out-of-pocket, nd the rest was covered by Aetna. As far as the start of the process until the actual surgery, it sounds like you've already covered alot of the prelim process (seeing the nutritionist for 6 months, etc.), and also teh USUAL requirements for the surgery is to have a BMI of 40 or higher, or have a BMI of at least 35 with at least one co-morbidity. Most of what you mentioned would be considered valid co-morbidities. The liquid diet is obviously harder prior to surgery than post surgery, but I've found that you're so anxious any excited about the surgery itself that the liquid diet thing becomes easier than you think! As far as bowel problems and vomiting, you just need to try your best to follow instructions carefully!! The sleeve tends to not give too many bowel issues, but for the vomiting, you just need to assure to eat SLOWLY!!! I only had 3 episodes, and every one of them was due to me eating too fast!!! You learn very quickly, and adjust very quickly!!! Hope my info helps...and I wish you much success!!!

I'll try to address all 3 of your issues - my opinion, of course! For Vitamins and calcium, I use the Centrum chewables (not too bad, comparatively speaking), and I use the Calcium chewables from Bariatric Choice...they have several different flavors to choose from. To get a good amount of Protein in, there are the Quest Bars which have about 18 - 21 grams of protein in each bar. They also make protein chips which have about the same amount of protein. They both have a large variety of flavors to choose from. The only way I get the fluids in is I carry a bottle with me everywhere I go at work and at home and just continually sip! Wish you the very best success!!!

I was told the same thing...6 weeks, and I was dying to start using the weights!!! Now I'm lifting that much more, to try and gain back some of muscle lost during the weight loss process...it's much easier now, and much more fun!!!

Also some of the protein shakes can be calorie-heavy...take a look at the ones you're drinking and see what you're taking in.

Actually I had what sounds like the exact same pain...used to bother me a little bit when I did some of my walking. I did bring it up to my surgeon, and he did tell me to keep an eye on it and let him know if things change or it gets worse...then what happened was the more active I got, the more it went away. I would say be sure to mention it to your surgeon, but if it's the same as my instance, my guess is that it should get better with time. Best of success to you!!

Congrats to you!!! I bet you're truly feeling great, and that's wonderful!!!

When I asked this same question, I was told the only interaction to be concerned with is the Iron and the calcium, which need to be outside of 2 hours of each other. That and the fact that you can't take too much calcium at the same time, because your body only stores what it needs at each dosage.

I weighed myself at home the day of the surgery. I did this without a stitch of clothing on, to get my actual weight. I then went to the hospital, weighed in with just the gown, and weighed the same. At least I had some consistency! When I go for office visits to my surgeon and nutritionist, the scale seems to fluctuate all over the place! Once I hit goal weight, I kind of let my clothing be my gauge.

According to my Nutritionist, I was allowed coffee 4 weeks post-op. The concern is more the caffeine than anything else. With that, I asked if it was okay for decaf. She said one cup of regular, and anything else decaf for the rest of the day. Just be careful with the sweeteners. One other caveat...coffee, be it regular or decaf counts as liquids, so count them as your daily liquid intake! Wish you the best!!

Again, Quest Bars...best selection and variety, great source of Protein, and not bad on the calories, I've even seen in a few places where there are recipes containing Quest Bars. One person even told me to try slicing up a chocolate chip Quest bar and putting it in the over for a few minutes, and it comes out and tastes just like chocolate chip cookies!

I originally was going for the lap-band surgery because it seemed to be the simplest, and I had not been aware of the gastric sleeve. After doing more research, I went for the sleeve because I wanted something permanent, yet not as invasive as the bypass. I love my decision, and I love the results!

Wonderful news!!! Onward and 'downward'!!! Congrats!!! I have the FitBit, which works pretty much the same as the Jawbone...I love it, and it's a great motivator!!! Wishing you much success!!!

I noticed the same thing when I started losing....it's not so much that your arms are getting shorter, it's more that since you're now smaller, your taking up less body material for your clothing, so the clothes sorta 'hang more' off of you. As SimplyChearvon says, it's really a great NSV!! Wish you the best!!

That's where I hot mine from about a year ago, and been enjoying it ever since! One little know feature they have is if by chance you lost yours, you can call the company and let them know... they will check the servers and see if you haven't connected for awhile. If not, they'll send you a replacement, free of charge!!

Originally from Philadelphia PA, and currently live in Sayreville NJ...Jersey Shore!

Best bet is it takes lots of notes, ask lots of questions (write each one down as you think of them!), and get a folder or binder to keep all the information that will be given to you. I found for me that organization was key to keeping everything together both physically as well as mentally. But believe me when I tell you...as much as it can be a bit stressful, it's truly all worth it in the end!!