jjinWA

How did you prove the pics are 3 years old and not taken recently?

Is it bad to add raw spinach or fresh fruit in my smoothie (protein drink/yogurt blend). I am about 6 weeks out.

Was your surgery performed by a surgeon here in the US? What recourse do you have? Did your ins cover this surgery. Can they require a redo? Is the new surgeon just trying to drum up new business? How do you know who to trust? Dr 1 or dr 2?

Really? 1/2 slice of toast = 4 1/2 grams of carbs and 2oz potatoes cannot be much either. So you have absolutely no carbs until 6 months? Well, that may be the issue then. I will discuss with my NUT after I track my food for a week. That will help me get on the right track.

I honestly do not track... That may be my issue. Today: 1 egg with 1/2 slice of Dave's Killer whole wheat toast ( dry with no butter) Small container Greek yogurt with 4oz skim milk with 4 slices of peach, and handful of spinach leaves = blended smoothie 1 chicken thigh with 2oz mashed potato and gravy 2oz pork roast Not sure if I am eating too much or not enough. Of course drinking all my water and taking my vitamins, calcium, and B12 shots.

Guess I will keep on chugging.... Just like the little train that could..... I think I can, I think I can. Yes, I will get there. God grant me the patience that I need to reach my goal!

I think those that are missing the food of the past directly correlates to the same people who are in stubborn stalls and the weight is not coming off. At least that is me that I am speaking of here. I think if I could at least show some success on the scale the motivation to keep on the diet would go along with that weight loss. What is hard is giving up the food, having to struggle to eat 4oz of food in one sitting, having to focus focus focus on protein, water, exercise.... And in the end not lose a pound in weeks! I am not giving up and I know this was the right thing to do, but if the weight does not start coming off soon, I will want to hurt someone! My poor hubby better keep a wide berth for a bit. Ha.

BTW... My surgery was June 17th

I am at the point that I think this is where I am going to stay. I am past two weeks of stalled weight loss and still nothing! Weigh the same every single darn day! Maybe 198 is my set point at that is is for me. No matter how little or much I eat.... Still at 198! Low carb, good protein, walk over 10,000 steps each day, drinking required water..... Etc etc etc. So depressed and frustrated. Only lost 28 lbs total so far and 6 of that was preop!

I just had this talk with my daughter tonight. I recently had Sleeve surgery and she is considering the same surgery in the near future. We were in the restaurant tonight on vacation. We ordered the most delicious tuna steak I have ever seen. She thoroughly enjoyed it while I could only take a few bites and was too uncomfortable to continue. I told her that the joy of eating great food, for me, may be gone forever. She asked me if I would recommend her to still have the surgery. I honestly was torn. Not sure how to answer. I know the weight loss may likely be the best trade off in the end, but like you, I have always enjoyed great food! I think as time goes on and I actually see and feel the weight loss the trade off may be totally worth it. But for now I am honestly not there yet with that thought. Been 5 weeks since surgery and I've been in a stall for over a week. I ask myself daily if it will all be worth it. Food is now simply a means of survival and body nourishment and no longer a source of enjoyment. I need to find other enjoyment and move away from the focus if food. It will take some time to get there.

Yup. If not on pain meds try stopping anti nausea meds. I quit both at the same time and I no longer suffered from nausea just as the case was with Pelicanlady. I also found drinking a whole container of premier protein drink made me light headed.. After a long explanation from my doctor he basically said limit my intake of protein drink to 4oz at a time. That has helped me as well.

Is he still on pain meds? I found that the pain meds actually made me sick. I stopped taking the pain medication and the nausea was gone!

They monitored what went in and what went out! The nurse set up 10 1oz cups of water. When I drank those she brought in 10 more. She saved the empty cups and left them on the gray. When I reach 50oz in one day she said I was good to go and would likely be released from the hospital. They basically want to make sure you are able to hydrate with no nausea or other issues. Not sure why they kept track of what went "out."

As recommended by my NUT, I take my thyroid pill early in the morning. Two hours later I take Bariatric Advantage advanced Multi EA chewable. My Vitamin has Iron so need to space out between thyroid pill and calcium intake because iron will bind with both the thyroid and calcium. Following two hours after vitamin I can take my Bariatric Advantage Carmel calcium chewy. I follow this regime getting in two vitamin tablets and 3 calcium chewys each day. Because I am very low on B 12 I get b12 shots monthly. I take Benefiber every morning. I need it! This is going to be my life forever more!

He just said that they must meet stringent level of training and ongoing education to obtain and maintain FACS credentials. This is much like what I had to do and must continue to do to keep my CPA status. I am an auditor so my CPE (continuing professional education) courses that I must take each year focus in my area of expertise - internal auditor of a corporation and as an external auditor for publicly traded companies. He stated he and other surgeons with FACS status follow this same type of training whereby they focus in their area of expertise, for him being bariatric surgery. But again, that does not mean a doctor without such accreditation is not pursuing this same ongoing training. It is simply a requirement for those with the accreditation to meet the standard level of expertise and continuing education requirement. To not do so would mean the loss of the accreditation. A professional without the accreditation is not monitored to determine if stringent level of training has been met or if continuing education is ongoing. The use of CPA or FACS or other types of accreditation assures the user that the professional in question has meet the required guidelines set forth by the licensing board.

I had surgery June 17. Not winning any medals here either. Lost 6 on pre-op and 20 since surgery. Been in a stall where I have not lost an ounce for over a week. Trying not to get discouraged. I am following the plan keeping carbs at a minimum and drinking water as required, etc. my current weight is 199.5 and holding, and holding, and holding...:-). I will continue with the plan and eventually I will see the scale move again. I certainly hope so. I have a long way to go yet!

...Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, often listed as "FACS", is a post-nominal title used to indicate that the surgeon's education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation, and have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by via this accreditation process.. In order to apply for membership, a surgeon typically must be certified by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties. FACS certification is somewhat like the CPA Board of Accountants process. The CPA board will not issue certification until the accountant has passed stringent testing requirements, and includes an ethics exam. To keep the CPA status and remain licensed as a CPA continuing education must be meet yearly. This ensures that the CPA stays updated on the changes that occur in Tax, auditing, and accounting standards. Any disciplinary actions, Etc are reported via the Board of Accountancy Web site for the publics information. Based on my discussion with my surgeon his FACS status must be earned and maintained much the same way. He stated his surgical results are monitored and published, etc through ABMS and any disciplinary actions would also be published via this web location. In order to keep his FACS credentials he must pursue continuing education, training etc ensuring he keeps abreast of updates in his specialty (bariatric surgery). Based on my conversation with the surgeon, such accreditation provides additional assurance to the patient that this surgeon has meet additional and higher standards then that of a doctor with just MD status. Surgeons with FACS or other types of accreditation have received additional and continued ongoing training in their chosen area of surgery specialty. This does not mean a dr with with just MD status is not competent in his field. Just as it does not mean an accountant is not competent in his field. The accreditation of CPA or a FACS simply means that the person has proven they have met the stringent requirements of competency by the certified boards in their field of expertise.

I won't take offense, but I am a CPA and that is NOT an organization. Having obtained the CPA certification requires a very stringent testing process to prove competency in taxes, auditing and accounting methods, to include governmental, GAP, IFRS and other such accounting standards, and does not simply mean joining an association. On the other hand, AICPA is an association and if you are a certified public account you can belong to the association. I do belong to that association. I do indicate CPA after my name on my letterhead. Ha, I do not add AICPA after my name. Although I do include my associations in my resume under the section of organizations and associations. Very big difference for sure. If I were to seek out an accountant for high level competency, I would certainly look for one that had achieved the CPA certification. Not to say that any accountant may be able to perform the same duties, but chances are likely that a CPA has more knowledge, experience, and training. Now that you say those letters behind a doctors name mean nothing other then associations that they belong to, as you just incorrectly stated was the case with CPA, I will call my surgeon and ask him what FACS means and what he did to get that distinction. I will get back to you with his response.

Good information. I may be incredibly stupid, but I never even gave this a thought. Checked my dr who did my sleeve here in the US. He has FACS in his title. Phew! Still debating surgery for my daughter who has to self pay. Is anyone aware if there are any surgeons in Mexico that have these credentials you list above?

I had sleeve. My surgeon said never take Motrin, Ibuprofen, etc. only can take Tylenol. For me, never means never. But your surgeon should be your final resource on how you move forward with this type of pain reliever.

Nothing is fooling me. I know what being fat does. But if obesity was the only cause for us having ailments, then why do many "healthy and thin" people have the same ailments. Whatever would cause them to have the same issues if it is only obesity that is causing us to be sick. My daughter is obese and has no co-morbities. Her knee is a true ailment. Course the trainer having her press 300 #s as part of her exercise routine might have been more the issue then her weight. Just saying! My brother has terrible knee issues. He is 6' and 190#. Sad that he is so "obese" it blew out his knees! Oh yes, he has high blood pressure too! How can that be? I just get tired of the dr always saying weight is the go to answer for every ailment that an obese person has.... It is just a standard form of discrimination against fat people.

Sorry I meant this for Jennyweber

Use this site for your research. Go to the options and enter Lopez as the search word. Any posts with his name will be highlighted. That info should help you with your decision to use Lopez.

My NUT has recommended the Quest bars and that is good enough for me. I do not crave them, but instead use them as a go to source if I am low on Protein for the day and not able to get protein from other sources. I am currently on vacation in San Diego this week and we are scheduled to go to the the zoo on Weds. and doing the Hop On Hop Off Bus tours on Thurs and Friday. YES I will have the Quest bars with me during those excursions. Oh yes, and a huge Water bottle. My life is so different now. No more sodas and snack foods from the street vendors! I have to plan ahead. The Quest bars help me with that planning. I love all of them. We had a blind test in my support group. We all tasted various bites of Protein Bars that the NUT selected as good sources of protein. Hands down the Quest Bars won over the others. Another good one was the YaYa bars. I have yet to run across them in the stores. I get the Quest bars at my local GNC store.

I know weight can be an issue, and something we all know here on this site. There are many illnesses that come about due to weight. BUT I hate that obesity is the blame for everything! If that were true, why would skinny people drop dead from heart attacks. Why would perfectly healthy looking people get cancer? You never hear that they died because they did not monitor their health better. Someone get sick and also be fat. weelllll... We all know why they got sick! I call that bullsh..t. I know many people who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc. and they are not fat. Now how can that be????