Fluffnomore

I just saw a friend last night who had RnY probably 8-10 years ago. She initially lost either 130 or 180 pounds (can't remember but it was significant) and told me she has gained 50 pounds back. She said that her "pouch" (is that the right term?) was the size of a shot glass and over time it's stretched again to probably 1.5 to 2 times that size. She basically said she has to have 6 small meals. But she has stopped exercising, and she still eats chocolate at night, and that is what has caused the regain. She knows what to do and says she will try to do it, but she's in her late 50s and nothing comes easily any more. It's interesting in comparison with your post, Pear. She knows what she needs to do and hasn't yet been interested in making the changes. From my perspective as a newbie to WLS, it was a cautionary tale of sorts.

I'm puree/mushy so I will partake of the stuff that looks to be that. I think it will be a mashed potato heavy week. And maybe some sweet potatoes, if they aren't prepared with a buttload of sugar/marshmallows. A bite of pumpkin pie, perhaps. I will put more on my plate so that I don't draw attention to myself. I don't feel like getting into it with 60 relatives at once, 10-20 of whom are my cousin's new in-laws whom I have never met. And I'll have a Premier Protein shake at the hotel before and after.

GG, you're right. I'll go back to figuring out more ways to get written up in my local Police Beat.

You know, it's the craziest thing. The coffee worked too well (see Lipstick Lady's rule #2 I think) but there were no freaking staples. I've put in an urgent call to my surgeon to find out why.

No…my little assholed dog decided that it would be a great idea to bark in the yard, and refuse all commands to come the fucked inside. Let me tell you, it's disconcerting when your doorbell rings that early.

Just got all nutty and had a second cup of coffee. Here's hoping that by 10 am I will be pooping out my own future Barbie dream house. It will be nice. In a redneck moment, I've already had the cops visit me this morning, around 6:00 am.

You can also order Bariwise hot chocolate. It's protein hot chocolate and if you make it with water it is okay for the liquids phase. Full for sure, and possibly even clear if it's rated as a protein "shake" type of thing by your doctor.

I could wear my bra, no problem. And being a 36GG, it was important to keep those puppies contained.

Yes, agree with Elsnanny. Truly, of all options a cruise is best. You can order low carb meals ahead of time and they will knock themselves out to accommodate. You need to stay away from the midnight buffets (no good can come from that.) And even if it's all-inclusive, although it most likely isn't, the good news is that you will save a ton by not drinking on the cruise. I'd bring some Premier Protein and some unflavored Protein powder and just supplement where you can.

Off topic, Revs, I would like to invite you (and our fellow sufferers) to join an imaginary group created by me and some of my friends: ACORN (Adult Children of Registered Nurses.) It's a support group for those of us who grew up under the watchful eyes of an RN. No one but us can understand the joys of never being able to fake illness, of our mothers refusing us medical treatment until we were on death's door or alternatively over-diagnosing us with diseases out of their Merck Manuals. Our motto, stemming from a teenaged car accident that one of my co-founder friends got into, is "Don't Bleed On My Couch." My story is that when my Water broke in a non-obvious way with my first child, a week early, my parents happened to be busy that weekend (they live 700 miles away.) My mother's reaction to this was, "Oh honey. I'm sure it's nothing. Don't go over to Labor and Delivery and bother the nurses." I ignored this sage advice. C was born 10-12 hours later.

About two weeks. One day I just left it off and I never went back. My core muscles were in good shape but it felt good, particularly when riding in the car or sitting up at work for a few hours.

Hey now.

Are you in pain still? I agree with MichiganChic. Get thee to Emergency for IV fluids. You'll feel like a new person. But do call your doc (they must have a 24 hour service) and check back in and let us know, okay?

I for one, for instance, am hoping that my latest bout of constipation will result in me pooping staples today. It would be nice to break up the laundry and cleaning with a session of counting tiny staples. Maybe building my own Staples Center. I could put it on the Ebay.

Yep. Before sleeve I could count on a very loose (sometimes urgent) one, generally first thing in the morning. Thanks, Absent Gallbladder. Now for the first time in years I can go a few days. As a matter of fact I am pondering which stool softener or Fiber concoction to take today. I'm sure it's because at this stage there's no fiber in my diet.

My car is named Big Bertha. Big Blue Bertha, LOL.

"I didn't realize all the things I'd have to face when I had surgery. I thought it was just about eating less. You could have told me this until you were blue in the face, and I would not have known that when one addiction/maladaptive behavior stops, you realize how many OTHER maladaptive behaviors you took on, just to keep that one going. Kind of like telling one lie and then the others you tell to hide that lie...That's what this is like. " Yes, a thousand times yes. I am starting to look around my house and see what I am calling my "f*&k it" piles. Clothes that need to be donated. Paperwork that needs to be filed. I was at an event last night and there were a few glitches (nothing major, no one knew why) that I KNOW have exactly to do with the fact that my desk is a mess. I kind of don't know how I feel about this. I am looking around and there's just so much work I have to do. It's overwhelming.

Maybe too much, but I appreciate that the study the big chart of complications was based on is from the NIH. The complication rates looked much more like what I saw when I researched ahead of time. The article referenced way above (comparison of band to sleeve) quotes complication rates that I have never seen anywhere else. (Maybe from that surgeon's own practice?) Also the part about recovery was crazily exaggerated, at least based on what I have seen here and elsewhere. But that's also why I liked this one. It gives people the opportunity to share their stories so it's not just a bunch of facts on the page. And to be clear, I am only for or against any surgery for ME, in the context of what will fit into my life and lifestyle.

That's an interesting analogy. It really is a mind game. Some of us had the "I'm not THAT fat" mentality beforehand. Some of us will never see ourselves as skinny no matter what the scale says. We have to concentrate just as much on what we say to ourselves, as what we put in our bodies and how we exercise.

Mine? Four weeks last Thursday. So I'll be exactly 5 weeks on T-giving. My doctor's orders are clear liquids for 2 weeks, full liquids for 2 weeks, purees for 2 weeks, soft foods thereafter slowly re-adding in tougher things like meat. However, at my appointment the PA also said, "You can slowly try a variety of things. Just don't think you can go to lunch an order a caesar salad with chicken. One thing at a time, lots and lots of chewing. Your plate will not look like a real plate for another month or so." My take is that purees are kind of subjective. There's not a huge amount of difference between purees and soft foods; the main thing with purees is that you are seriously breaking up the fibrous connections in meat and veggies. So, that's what I'm doing. I have had no problems so far tolerating anything I've tried. The good thing about Thanksgiving is that there are a lot of pureed or soft foods already. Since I can only manage about half a cup of anything, I'll have to supplement with Protein drinks no matter what I do while I'm traveling.

Been pureeing for a few days. Have pureed roasted chicken and beef stroganoff. It tasted really good after a month plus of the other stuff. I'll be in a huge setting at Thanksgiving, so there will be no pureeing. I have not quite decided how to handle it but am leaning towards chewing about 30 times. My PA also said I could slowly start to have things like chili without pureeing it first, but again, to chew more than I think I should. Of everything I have done so far, I have to say this part is the hardest. My issue with drinking meals for so long is that I have to re-teach myself how to eat. I have not had any issues digestively, but man it is hard to chew enough. Insight into an old habit, I'm sure. But eating real food is also so rewarding.

It should be fine. It's a little salty, but so is broth. Be sure to pick all the bits out.

I completely agree with the corrective surgery concept. I am 44 and KNOW I was staring down at the potential of being where you were before you got banded. It might have been 15 years, it might have been 20…or sooner. But my attitude is why waste time when I can fix it now. Inspirational words, and thank you for telling your story.

I too am wondering about this. Part of it is that I am cranky that I've been hovering (not stalling; I don't want to say stalling) at the same weight for about a week. I've lost about 26 pounds since surgery, and that was a month ago. I am having trouble seeing how I will ever lose 10 pounds in a month with a week of hovering. Which makes me, oh, exactly like everyone else.

I'm thinking about Harry Fatter for my brain.