shelly75

Hi I completely understand why you're freaking out. I did too. Here is what I did. I started losing hair at month 2. I did a lot of research. I decided to start taking Viviscal. It's expensive but after a month, my hair stopped falling out. I also used Organix Shampoo and conditioner with Biotin in it. I eat my recommend dose of Protein and a Multivitamin. I also ate a lot of red meat for the protein and the Iron. By month four I was no longer losing hair. Month 6 now and it's growing back. I can't guarantee this will work for everyone but something in there worked for me. Find what works for you and stick with it. Good luck!

I've also been swallowing pills since day 1 (blood pressure pill) and I take a sleeping pill from time to time. I've never crushed them or been told to do so. I never had a problem swallowing them, they are not big pills though. My Multivitamin was another thing. They made me wait 1 month before starting it. I had to cut it in half, but even that was hard because of its size. Five months out and I can swallow it whole now. So, hang in there. It'll get better.

No. The only medicine I can use is Tylenol. Check with your pharmacist. Explain your condition and you'll see that they are very knowledgeable about what you can and can't take after bariatric surgery.

It's actually written in the book given to me by my surgeon to not dye my hair for a year and to keep it short. I kinda cheated and have dyed it twice but with a more natural hair dye. It's called Hair Wonder. You can buy it online. No harsh chemicals and it covers grey hair. I was losing too much hair to take that chance.

My doctor doesn't really go by calories. However, based on all the threads I've read here, 1500 seems like a lot. Some people stay around 1200 calories until they want to stop losing weight. I guess it also depends on how much you exercise. I would definitely talk to your surgeon and see what he or she recommends. Good luck.

I'm from Canada and I buy Viviscal from the Shopping Channel. I also use hair Wonder, which is a natural hair dye. I NEED to dye my hair at least every 3 months because I have a lot of gray hair coming in so I researched and came up with this one. So far I've used it twice, with no additional Hair loss. It doesn't cover as well as the regular kind, but that's fine. I think you could crush Viviscal, or cut it in half. I had the sleeve done and was swallowing pills right away. I only had to cut my multivitamin in half, but those are really big. Hope this helps.

I've never heard of that product. I started losing hair after 2 1/2 months, still losing at 4 months out, but a month ago I started using Viviscal and I think it's working. My hair is still falling out, but not as much and I see a few tiny hairs regrowing under my bangs. I also use Organix Shampoo and conditioner, the purple bottle with Biotin in it. I take my Multivitamin and an Iron supplement and I try to get in 80g of Protein a day (thank God for cottage cheese). Everyone tries something different, but so far this is working for me, so I'm sticking with it. Good luck.

popcorn is actually on the list of foods that I can't have for at least one year. I used to eat a ton of it, so it's probably a good thing for me that I can't have any. Another thing I have to stay away from for a year are pineapples and I really miss eating them. I can have canned ones, but no fresh ones. Anyone else have pineapples as a food restriction?

You might have thrush. It's common with this type of surgery. All you need is a special mouthwash prescribed by your doctor and you'll feel better in no time.

The first month was hard for me. I spent 2 weeks wondering why I had done this to myself. The surgery itself was not painful, to me anyways. I have had a c-section and gall stone surgery, so I knew what to expect. What I didn't expect was to feel pain when I ate or even drank Water. I HATED the pureed stage, I had to force myself to eat. Luckily, that only lasted 2 weeks. The good news is, it gets better after a month. I am now 4 months out and starting to feel normal again. I am a teacher and was off work for 2 months. I needed those 2 months, but many people go back after a few weeks. I guess it depends on what kind of job you have. I have a 5 year old daughter, but my mom was helping with that. If your kids aren't too young, you should be ok, just no lifting them for a while. Walking really does make a difference. Get moving right away if you can, it will make your recovery easier. Make sure to get all your water in, that's hard at the beginning, keep a water bottle with you at all times and sip, sip, sip. Good luck.

I had the sleeve on April 10th. Only taking a Multivitamin a day and an Iron supplement every other day. My hair started falling out after 2 1/2 months. I started taking Viviscal 3 weeks ago and I think my hair is not falling out as much. They say it takes at least 1 or 2 months before it starts working. I was also told to get a haircut and keep my hair short for a while, which I did. I notice that my hair is thinner, but it's not noticeable to other people. Hopefully, this keeps working. My friend also had the sleeve and she was losing a lot of hair. She started doing a treatment with coconut oil and lime every week and she says it got better. I wish I could help you more, but that's all I have for now. Congrats on your weight loss, that's amazing. You loss twice as much as me.

You'll know, but unfortunately, only afterwards. For me, it usually happens 5 or 10 minutes after I'm done eating. I get nauseous and feel like I need to throw up. I never do, only saliva comes out (sorry if I'm being gross). It's the worst feeling in the world, but it does teach me to not overeat. After a while, you will know what portion size you can tolerate. Eating slow is a pain, and I still struggle with it. I usually eat half my plate, leave it and do something else for 5 or 10 minutes, then heat up my plate again and eat a little more. I just can't sit at the table for 25 minutes, it drives me nuts.

I think it's normal at first. The first 2 or 3 weeks, I was losing 1 pound a day. Then it slowed down. I lost about 25 lbs the first month, 15 the second and 10 the third. Now I'm all over the place. I lost 6 lbs in one week, then nothing for the next 2 weeks. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't worry. You'll lose fast, you'll stall and you'll lose again. As long as you're getting in all your Protein and your liquids, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Call your doctor if you're worried and see what he or she says. That's always the best thing to do.

I had that kind of pain too. I called the nurse and the doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory meds (suppository, but oh well) and I saw a major difference within a few days. Some people take longer to heal I guess. Even Water would hurt going down, it was horrible. I spent the first 2 weeks regretting my decision. Call your doctor and explain your symptoms, maybe they can prescribe something. Good luck.

The first month is hard. I hated the pureed stage, it was a chore to eat. Nothing was good. I also had trouble not drinking during meals. Learning to eat slow was also difficult, but you learn to do it or you pay for it. I also really missed "real" food during the first month. However, all those things are temporary and they are worth it. Now at 3 months, I am dealing with Hair loss, but so far it's not too bad. I'm sure if you ask anyone on here they will all say that all those things are worth it to get your health back. That's how I feel.

I'm not allowed Crystal Light or any other sugar free drink. My nutritionist says that the sugar used in those is worse than real sugar. She says it makes you hungrier and makes you crave sugar even more. I've never been big on sugar free drinks, hate the after taste, so I don't really mind. I stick to Water and one Protein Drink in the morning. I also feel hunger, which is a little bit disappointing, but I get full faster than before. I still take my acid reflux pill in the morning, used to have to take 2 a day, so that is getting better. The nurse told me to take some Tums also and it seems to help. Hang in there, I'm sure it will get better with time. Good luck.

Then it's probably not the meds. The surgery put a lot of stress on your body. Maybe that's what is happening. Your doctor will know for sure. Good luck.

Are you taking any pain meds? Anything derived from morphine makes my blood pressure extremely high.

It's normal to be anxious. I was really nervous about the anesthesia also. I kept thinking something bad might happen and I would be leaving my daughter behind. Everything worked out well. No problems whatsoever, other than a little nausea when I woke up, but that's normal. As for the hunger, I didn't do a pre-op diet, but I can tell you that I was NOT hungry post-op. It actually surprised me. I do feel hunger now, almost 3 months post-op, but it takes a very small amount to feel me up and I stay full for at least 2 hours. The best thing is that I'm not constantly thinking about food, mainly because my taste buds seem to have gone through a change of their own. Things I used to love just taste ok now. I wasn't expecting that. It's a major decision and it will change your life. Good luck.

My hospital gives 3 months off work, but I was able to convince my doctor that I only needed 2 months. I still got tired easily, even after 2 months. I honestly don't know how people go back to work after 2 weeks, there is no way I could've done that. I guess it depends what you do and if you have easy access to a washroom. lol Good luck.

I wish I lived close to you, I would definitely attend. Good luck!

I was sleeved in April and I'm still not eating burgers and pizza. I think the point of the sleeve is not just to limit the quantity, but change the quality. I make sure to get Protein in first, I really want to get that 60 to 80 grams a day. If I had a burger, the bread would fill me up and

limit my protein intake. Honestly, I am so scared of losing my hair that it is motivating me to

eat right and get in all the nutrients I need to hopefully keep my hair. I know it's hard, I'd

love to have some pizza, but I'm just too scared. Hang in there, I'm sure it gets better.

Call the pharmacist and ask him or her what is safe for you to take. I have noticed that often,

they know more about the medication than the doctors do. I had severe allergies after my surgery,

called the pharmacist, explained my situation and he gave me a list of what was safe to take. Good

luck.

Yes, I was craving too for the first 2 weeks. I went straight to puree at day 3, that's my hospital's protocol, and hated that stage.

I remember craving cheese, pizza and strawberries. The cravings went away. When I was able to eat cheese, it just didn't taste

the same, it still doesn't. Strawberries still tastes good, thank God. Haven't had pizza yet, so not sure about that one. For some

reason, my tastebuds seem affected by the surgery. Foods that I used to love are just ok now, so no more cravings. I'm not sure if this happens to everyone or if it goes away, but it is what I am going through right now. It does get better though, the first month is the hardest. Hang in there.

I know I'm full when the food just won't go down anymore. I get a feeling like it's stuck in my

throat. With time, I have learned to stop before I get to that point. You'll get the hang of it,

you have to test your body and see. Don't eat too fast, I learned that the hard way, even

though I had read it many times. That is the worst feeling ever. Eat slowly, take a break, reheat

your food (lol) and eat a little more. You'll be fine.