Rogofulm

How long ago was your surgery? I was on insulin and metformin pre-surgery. By the second week out, I went off all diabetes meds and my levels have remained in the 80-100 range ever since.

Yes it does! But by day four you may really start to notice improvement. That's when I was able to stop taking the pain pills. Hang in there! And make sure you get your fluids in and take some kind of Fiber to avoid constipation. That can be a real problem in the first week or two. Good luck!

177 this morning. (Actually, 176.5, but I'll save that half-pound in case I need it next week. ) Thanks, Susan!

Woo HOO!!!! Congrats!!!

Congratulations! I knew it would! Next week it's my turn. I've agreed to lead our monthly support group meeting and my topic is Social Eating and Surviving the Holidays. Wish me luck!

Hi Melissa, Sounds like you've gone a bit off the reservation. If you're not already, I'd suggest jump-starting your day with a protein shake. Then just eat protein plus a few veggies all day long. And you MUST get your fluids in! Here's how I do it... Hope it helps! I bought two 24-ounce Tervis Tumblers (and handles) at Bed, Bath & Beyond; one for work and one for home. At least 30 minutes after Breakfast (and after coffee) I fill one up with sugar-free, decaf Crystal Light (or generic) iced tea and sip it all morning, finishing up at least 30 minutes before lunch. At least 30 minutes after lunch, I fill another and sip it all afternoon. (Sometimes I work in a snack, sometimes I don't.) Then, at least 30 minutes after dinner I fill my last one at home and sip it all evening. That's 72+ ounces of Fluid every day! If I have to go somewhere, I bring my tumbler in the car with me. And if I'm hungry and it's not mealtime or snacktime, I drink even more. If I'm going to a casual party where there won't be anything "appropriate" for me to drink, I bring along more tea in a cooler. A bit obsessive? Perhaps, but it works!

Great article, thanks!

Congratulations! Keep it up!!!

Did you get a prescription for Protonics (Pantoprazole) from your doctor? When I ran out my stomach hurt all the time until I got it refilled. Then it went away.

Congratulations! Keep it up!!!!

Jot down a quick outline and tell your story. I presume that's what the doc wants you to do. If this is for the seminar, it's a marketing thing for the doctor, right? You're not on his payroll, so warn him that you're going to be brutally honest. Then be honest, and share the good, the bad, and even the ugly. Like.... It hurts like hell when you first wake up, but it quickly gets better during the night and over the next few days. Like... be sure to get your fluids in, or you can get badly constipated during the first few weeks. And like... It's the best decision I could have made, and so far I'm thrilled with the results. (Assuming you really feel that way.) Good luck! Having read a number of your posts, I know you'll do great!

Congratulations! Keep it up!!!!

I bought two 24-ounce Tervis Tumblers (and handles) at Bed, Bath & Beyond; one for work and one for home. At least 30 minutes after Breakfast I fill one up with sugar-free, decaf Crystal Light (or generic) iced tea and sip it all morning, finishing up at least 30 minutes before lunch. At least 30 minutes after lunch, I fill another and sip it all afternoon. Then, at least 30 minutes after dinner I fill my last one at home and sip it all evening. That's 72+ ounces of Fluid every day! If I have to go somewhere, I bring my tumbler in the car with me. And if I'm hungry and it's not mealtime or snacktime, I drink even more. If I'm going to a casual party where there won't be anything "appropriate" for me to drink, I bring along more tea in a cooler. It sounds obsessive, but it works!

You can do this! I smoked for 22 years. During the last 15 of those years, I was smoking 3 packs or more a day. If I took the elevator from one floor to another, I needed to have my smokes with me in case the cable broke. If I wasn't dead, I was gonna smoke! SO... If I can quit smoking, the devil himself can – and so can you! I've been smoke-free for 19 years now, but I remember my addiction as if it were yesterday. Aside from marrying my wife, having a child, and now having bariatric surgery, I still consider quitting smoking as one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. Okay, Here are some tips: Sipping citrus drinks helps curb cravings. Since fruit juices are forbidden after WLS, perhaps Crystal Light lemonade will work. Quick intakes of breath also curb cravings. If you need to suck on something (since candy will be off limits), try cutting a soda straw to roughly cigarette length. Then stuff it with two coffee stirrers to give it a "draw". There's some satisfaction to be had there. For a week or two after surgery, all of your routines will be broken. That also breaks your smoking routines and makes quitting a little easier. I quit the day I had my hip replaced. Do not drink alcohol! Whenever someone tells me they quit and then started smoking again, I ask if they had an adult beverage in their hand when they had that first smoke. 100% say yes! The good news is that you're not supposed to drink booze on this program anyway, so that should help. And finally, nicotine cravings only last 30 seconds or less. At first they keep coming, but each day that passes, the cravings get weaker, and the time between them gets longer. You can tolerate anything for 30 seconds, right? Keeping this concept front-and-center really helped me make it through. Good luck -- you can do it! And imagine the double-health benefit you will achieve. You'll feel so much better!!!

Congratulations and welcome to Onderland! Keep it up!!!

My doc emphasizes lean Protein, lots of fluids, and keeping carbs as low as possible. Seems to be working...

If you keep following your program, it will work. There will be stalls, but the long-term trajectory will be down, down, down. Keep up the good work!!!

After 30-45 minutes, start sipping on a nice big glass of something. My doctor told me that, especially early on, when I feel hunger, it's often really thirst. It worked for me - give it a try!

What a cool idea, I'll give it a shot! Thanks!!

I'm sorry that you are in an awful situation. But it sounds like having the surgery might set you on a positive path. As others have said, at least you still have him for insurance and to help out with the kids while you recover for a week of two. After that you'll be on the mend and getting healthier and more energetic every day. And if afterwards he goes, don't let it sabotage your program. It's really important for you to have your head in the right place for this to work, no matter what else is swirling around you. If you think stress will lead to making bad food choices, you may need to reconsider. Because that will add additional guilt to your plate. But if you go through with it, I would hope as you feel better physically, you'll feel better emotionally too. Best wishes!!!

Yup, 5: 4 in a row and one a littler higher.

Okay, here's my formula: I'm all-in with my doc's guidelines to minimize carbs and focus on lean Protein and fluids – AND take all my Vitamins and supplements. I have one 30g Premier Protein shake every morning to kick things off, a 24oz tumbler of Fluid (Crystal Light decaf iced tea) throughout the morning, lean protein and maybe a few veggies for lunch, another 24oz tumbler of fluid throughout the afternoon, a healthy (low-carb, no starch) dinner, one last 24oz tumbler of fluid throughout the evening, and maybe a couple of Snacks, like low-cal Greek yogurt, as needed. I haven't had a bite of processed sugar since surgery, and don't miss it. I don't really worry about calories because they take care of themselves, and my secret weapon "comfort" snack (or meal replacement) is beef Jerky (low-fat and tons of protein). I try to walk 40 minutes per day, and try to go to the gym on Saturdays. Lather, rinse, repeat. I go to tons of social eating events and quite a few restaurants, but always plan ahead in order to control what goes in my mouth. If necessary, I bring my own food and drink. And I Celebrate each and every scale and non-scale victory while focusing on enjoying the ride. So far, so good! You may notice that this involves a somewhat selfish, or self-centered approach. I kind of think that's necessary in order to always keep your program as one of your top priorities. Stuff happens along the way, but we can't let it derail our journey. Don't leave the possibility of failure as an option. That's "old thinking". A positive, I'm gonna do this, no matter what! attitude really helps. Good luck!

All riiiight! Congratulations!!! Follow your program and it should keep coming off for a while. Enjoy the victories!!!

Thanks for your concern. Listen, I've started hundreds of diets over the years, and look where they got me – miserable and unhealthy. So I've decided to go with a modern technique that's proven to be the most effective weight-loss tool there is. It'll still take a lot of hard work, but I'm optimistic. I'm really excited about it and I hope you'll be happy for me too. It's really a pretty cool procedure! If you're interested, I can tell you about it... I find that most people are hooked at this point and want to hear more. I know you don't really want to talk about it, but information is what gets people on board. And then they stop judging.

Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the weight will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. If you're interested, here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again like crazy! (Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)