peteyrulz

Not sure who's yelling at who. Those who get their knickers in a knot ... yawn. Skip what you don't like and carry on.
Anyway, back to the topic ...
I, too, was in NOLA last week. Good times.
I am addicted to My Fitness Pal. But even MFP doesn't have calories for a few dishes I sampled last week in amazing restaurants (!!!). So for the first time in 5-1/2 months I couldn't fill out MFP meals on a couple of days.
However, I did pretty much what @@CowgirlJane and others suggested -- I ate Protein first, ate very small amounts of luscious amounts of things I knew I could never find on MFP, and did not overdrink. And I even had a beignet and cafe' au lait at Cafe du Monde. BTW, a Cafe du Monde beignet actually is listed in MFP. I think it's only 175 calories.
Oh ... and this morning (Monday morning) when I did my weekly weigh-in I had lost 1.8 pounds last week. Huzzah!
I also did a LOT of walking all over town, including Audubon Park. That's the great thing about active vacations -- you can get a lot of exercise in. And just because it's there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Or overeat it.
No sure the above means I'm a self-righteous dieting Nazi or someone who sinned with beignets.
LOL!

My point is that NONE of us are going to be 100% perfect in our eating all the time. For goodness sake, we have to LIVE. So you go on vacation and overdo it a little? Get back on track the next day. Just because you break one plate unloading the dishwasher, doesn't mean you have to break the rest along with it.....
I know I'm a noob and in the "honeymoon" period of my surgery. But I'm also looking at this long term. If, ONCE IN A WHILE, I let my hair down a little and have a good time, I'm going to try to make sure I'm getting right back on track as soon as possible.I KNOW it gets harder as time goes on. But if I'm making good choices 95% of the time, I know I have a chance of keeping the weight off. I don't know. Maybe some of you can bookmark this thread and throw it in my face in a year or two when I'm struggling with maintenance, lol. I only know what I know NOW.
UGH. Sometimes the holier than thou attitudes on here are too much.

You've done great! Having a little treat on a fun vacation is fine. Also, crab has plenty of protein! If I couldn't have a drink once in a while post surgery I wouldn't have done it.

My goal with this surgery was obviously to lose weight. But one of the best things that has come of it so far is my development of a more sensible, healthy relationship with food. When I was in high school, I had a 22 BMI - I starved myself every day and worked out two hours a day to stay thin. I was terrified of food. When I was 323 lbs, I was addicted to food. Both were sicknesses. You have to develop a healthy viewpoint. Foods are not "bad" - they are just food. Food is for nourishing your body 90% of the time and for purely enjoying 10% of the time. If you look at eating something you enjoy on a vacation twice a year as a "failure" or "bad", you are going to be miserable for a long time. This is not a diet. It is a way of life. If you eat something higher in fat or carbs or sugar as a treat, that is ok - as long as it remains a TREAT (a treat is something you have once a week, or once a month, etc - not every day). Teach yourself to enjoy healthier foods, enjoy exercising, and enjoy cooking wholesome meals. Make it a lifestyle, and allow yourself a Bloody Mary every once in a while. Food is not the bad guy. Everything in moderation ????

We are on similar pages. NUT has my carbs set at 40-45% and those should be from plant-based whole foods like veggies and fruits...which helps with net carbs because of Fiber.
I am at a semi-stall & panicked because I thought it was the carbs but I lift weights and notice my clothes are still getting looser. So it seems to be still working out.
I will be at 7 months on Valentine's and am down a total of 80lbs.

Not a nutritionist here ... just a patient like everyone else. And only 5-1/2 months post-op.
But it seems to me that most eating phases of the weight loss portion of our programs simply don't allow us enough calories to eat all the good carbs, Fiber, Vitamins, minerals, etc. that our bodies require.
But that's no biggie to me. The weight loss portion of our WLS journey typically (for most patients) lasts only a year or less. During that time we should be taking vitamin/mineral/calcium supplements and can also take Fiber supplements.
And anyway, most of us are instructed to ratchet up our calorie counts as the weight loss phase continues, so we can gradually improve the nutritional value of our food intake.
But we won't improve our nutritional intake if we add slider junk and slider foods instead of more veggies, fruits, and whole grains.
Honestly, I'm not a dummy. But before WLS I really didn't understand how poorly I was eating. I sure wasn't eating enough Protein. And I didn't have a clue how much Calcium, fiber, or key Vitamins I was taking in as food. And I also didn't take a vitamin/mineral supplement.
This whole experience has been a class in Nutrition for Grown-Ups.

Before you have gastric bypass they warn you of a few things.
1. You can gain the weight back
2. Alcoholism is a possible side effect after surgery
3. food that used to fill you up or make you sick won't do that as much after awhile
4. Smoking cigarettes causes ulcers post-op
My mom always says no matter how much I'm warned - I've always had to learn every lesson the hard way. Gastric bypass was that way too.
My story is just a warning for all you newbies out there - all the stuff they warn you about is real.
Hey, I'm Kaylee and I had my surgery when I was 20 years old on June 11, 2012. I was 280lbs. In less than 8 months I got down to 150 lbs, 130lbs lost.
For the first 9 months I was insanely strict. If it wasn't a lean Protein or a non-starchy vegetable I wouldn't eat it. Couldn't pay me to eat a carb. While this is good health wise and I'm sure made my surgical team sing - it was the start of my inevitable failure. I was so strict that after awhile all the foods I had denied myself even a nibble of became so enticing I felt ravenous.
My first screw up was picking up smoking again almost a year after I quit. Pure stupidity, I was just bored and thought I could do it socially, wrong. Got ulcers and have had them for over a year and a half. Without acid reducer pills I'm in a lot of pain.
Breaking that golden rule led me to break other rules because hey, I already screwed up right? I started having those forbidden foods I had not allowed myself to even look at for such a long time. Bites turned into mouth fulls turned into plate fulls.
Then came introducing wine back into my life. I suffer from depression and when you don't have to put effort into getting drunk anymore it is so appealing. I fought depression with wine and started drinking every single night - going through a box of wine every 3 days or so.
I then moved from sunny south Florida, away from all my friends, to cold Missouri in the middle of January 2014. I fell into a deep depression and my drinking got worse, and since I was waiting for all my stuff to arrive in the moving truck I lived off hot pockets, Bagels, pretty much anything I could toss in a microwave or toaster. I ate crap, drank daily and smoked like a chimney for pretty much the entire year of 2014, all the while pretending my scale didn't exist and convincing myself my clothes were shrinking and I wasn't getting bigger. I was too ashamed and terrified to look at the scale.< /p>
I finally got up the courage to face what I had done to myself the start of January 2015 and got on the scale. 204lbs. In the span of one year I had gained 54lbs. I felt disgusted with myself and cried for days and days and beat myself up emotionally. I failed everyone, especially myself.
But nothing good comes from beating yourself up over what you cannot take back. I can't take back living on bagels and wine for an entire year. What I can do is fight to get back to 150lbs though.
So on January 12 I quit smoking, quit drinking every day and have reduced it to just Saturday's with my boyfriend at home versus my downtown-bad-habit-factory, and have gotten close to back to basics but allow myself some freedom - for example for lunch on days I work out I let myself have my chicken and veggies inside a wrap [carbs are my crack] instead of depriving myself of anything I want.
I want very badly to get back down to 150lbs... I'm terrified I never will and have somehow ruined this "one and only chance" I've made up in my head. Like I had this wonderful gift of being thin and now that I messed it up I'll never get it back, but I know that type of thinking won't help me. So I'm going to keep going and hopefully someday get back to it.
If you've actually made it this far, thank you, I really needed to get this horrible guilt off my chest. I feel like an absolute failure but getting it out helps.
So advice to all you n00bs:
1. Yes you can gain it back, I'm an example.
2. Becoming an alcoholic is a real risk you need to watch out for post op.
3. You will be surprised how much food you can get into your body if you really try
4. If you quit smoking never pick it up again, I didn't even have a desire to smoke and managed to become a pack a day smoker again within a month. Not even one after you quit.
And most of all - NEVER EVER stop using your scale. I ignored what I was doing for so long and that's how I ended up gaining the amount I did. If I had just looked a couple months before and saw 175lbs I would've done what I'm doing now back then. I would have never let it get this bad if I had just swallowed my pride and looked. I'm lucky that I caught myself when I did because I was headed towards being morbidly obese again.
Good luck to you all - try not to make all the mistakes I did.
Here's to hoping I can look like this again

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Got my date!!!! February 24, 2015 Got to meet with my doctor this Thursday, Pre-op on Monday and then start my 2 week pre-op diet on the 10th!! It has been so frustrating waiting!!!! Today I go into work and put in my request for time off!!!! Yeaaaaaa!!!!

keep your chin up! you have proved them wrong! I have had fibro over 25 yrs, now finally dx with hashis, SLE an many others. I was perscribed sevella..started throwing up it messes with my insulin. cymbalta that stuff scared me after hearing all the issues of coming off it. I had a yrs script but never took it. I was lyrica..it helped but insulin issues. gained 40 pds in 3 months! I could not get it off! went off it! been there done that. BW came back with insulin resistance, thyroid was dying..hashis finally after 20 yrs I had an answer! armour thyroid went on right before surgery bc my thyroid had to be within normal to be released for surgery. it did! I no about chronic pain. I live with it daily. its getting under control better due to plaquinil but I also have turned to essential oils as topical oinments. I do use a muscle relaxer to sleep at night when I sleep better I dont hurt as bad but still in pain. I am 6 months post 95 down I still deal with polymyalgia an the other health diseases I take day at a time but I am very careful what I eat an I also do minimum exercise. I do some work around here after 15 20 min I have to sit for a while to reboot. I do this thru out the day. I understand. do what you can. enjoy the journey an dont compare yourself with others. even if you get out when weather is pretty an ealk around the yard or down the front of yourself an work your way up to longer walks use your muscles and you will feel better mentally an start to feel better physically. baby steps! hang in there! but these scripts are awful an work against the insulin an causes other issues. I hope you find something to help your pain. I did a drastic diet change 2 yrs ago..off all processed white stuff! all additives, preservatives...I did it an you can to. I got off of all modern grains. wheat, berry wheat..etc...no breads starches for me. no caffeine most of time. I do drink a cofee in the mornings or Im a bear! lol...you have to see what works for you...

I am so glad to see your post. I also have Fibro, as well as several autoimmune diseases. I'm on so many flipping meds that I have to keep them on a spreadsheet. I know without a doubt most, if not all, of the meds have either put the weight on or made it dang near impossible to get off.
I was sleeved on 12/8 and am in the midst of a 5 week stall. I'm wondering if it's not the meds that are contributing to the slow loss. My goal with the sleeve was to eventually be able to wean off of some of the meds and hopefully be able to better cope with all of my symptoms.
May I ask which med you eliminated? The one that I suspect is giving me the most fits is Cymbalta. It is AWFUL to come off of. I've tried to twice and I just don't know if I could handle it a third time. But, if there's light at the end of the tunnel, I may have to just suck it up and try again to taper off it.
I wholeheartedly second the suggestion for aqua therapy. I can barely walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes, but I can walk laps in the pool for almost an hour. It's so much easier on the joints. I had knee surgery in July and it actually feels good to walk in the pool. Now trust me, I can totally relate with the pain of just getting out of bed in the morning. I get it. But the pool is the one place I feel I can truly move and not go into a crazy flare afterword.
Good luck to you! Keep up the good work!

the only failure is in giving up, and you sure dont sound like the giving up kind. Channel all that energy into keping your head up and I know you will see a positive result!
I'll tell you this 1 and a half years ago i weighed in at 408 pounds and at 5 foot 7 that is pretty big. i had shoulder surgery from literally sleeping on my shoulder with so much weight on it i crushed it. afterward I had Physical Therapy, I had to start many sessions with 15 minutes on an exercise bike. After those 15 minutes i thought i would die, literally they would come over to me and say " you need to sit down, heres some Water, and would take my blood pressure etc. Now just a short time later and down 70+ pounds including pre op diet, I had a selection of three canes to use due to bad back and knees , arthritis and general weight, I actually have a handicapped placard on my car, but now I am riding 30 minutes on the bike 5 times a wee, and while i feel it im not in severe pain or about to collapse. If you keep down this path I hope you will find that it will be possible for you to do so many things that you thought were out of your reach.

30lbs in 3 weeks even if it was delayed you are seeing results! You're so Not a failure

So I've never really been a huge eater. Honestly. I do admit to a sweet tooth, but my personal hell is being forced to sit down to chicken wings with ranch dressing and a coke. Genetics is also not on my side an both my brother and I are quite large people. I've got pictures of my great Aunt Fanny in the midst of the depression and if she's not a solid 350lbs... Anyway, with 30 years of fibromyalgia, I had myself banded in 2009 at 311lbs at my doctor's suggestion to see if I could get some of my weight off, and to try to prevent more weight from accumulating. My body did not take to the band well. Either I had zero restriction or I had total restriction and I could barely even drink Water. Two solid years of Tomato Soup and beef broth as I was pushed to suck it up and "quit lying about what I could eat" by my band doctor. (no Protein Shakes for me as I'm allergic to them) Total weight loss in two years: 5lbs. Finally as half my hair was falling out and I was sick as a dog, I had no choice but to force them to empty out my band completely.
2011 I revised to an RNY by a doctor funded by the province (FYI the province isn't putting in bands anymore because of their dismal failure rate) and his words were "you can't fail to lose weight with an RNY". Well I did lose weight on the stupid pre-op diet. Now, I'm still allergic to the opti-fast so I did this insane version of an all-food diet that induces ketosis. I lost so much hair, I started walking into walls, and I may or may not have promised to foster a pink hippo, but it did the job for the surgery. After surgery though, no real weight loss ensued. Yes I followed the post-op diet, the nutrition plan, etc. I don't get as much exercise as I should, but when you're thinking of shopping for canes and collapsing on the floor when you get out of bed in the morning, it's a touch hard to meet that goal, but I'm doing my best. Again, the surgeon said I must not be telling the truth and I must be chowing down on high calorie foods or something because it's hard to eat around an RNY. They deemed me an RNY failure and I've been put in the provincial database as such (since the government paid for it, the government keeps stats on everybody).
A few weeks ago they decided to play with my fibromyalgia medications. They took me off a drug I've been on for the last 15 years. I lost 30lbs in 3 weeks. Yup, it's been the drugs all along. I lost my entire malabsorption window post-op, had to sit through years of disapproving lectures from doctors about my lying and cheating on my eating, and got the stink eye from my other WLS friends because they all agreed with the doctors that I could't get with the program and stick with the rules. Worst thing is that now I really do need canes and it's getting so hard to walk as my joints might as well be welded metal, and while I could have exercised away the weight in 2011, I'm not sure I can now. That makes me cry. The vindication makes me laugh. Sadly it's not continuing to come off that fast, but at least after 4 years, the stall is broken.

Thank you so much for your story. You answered many of my "surgery in MX" questions. Have a speedy recovery!

I am doing research for a doctor in Mexico for a sleeve revision. I currently have a LapBand and have it since 2003. Have had one slip, and one replacement. I am with constant heartburn, at night sometimes I aspirate in my sleep with it. So, need to have it fixed. I am aware that Dr Ariel Ortiz does lots of revisions, and fixes hernias. Does he suture over staple line? Dr. Rodriquez? Does he do lots of revisions? If you have had one of these two doctors I would love to hear your story. Thank You so much

And I thought I'd throw this in there too... why in the world does the insurance company want to deny a procedure that has been so successful in helping people lose weight and get healthy?
Certainly paying for heart medication, high blood pressure medication, diabetes mediation, sleep apna medication and more would be more expensive in the long run than just paying for the surgery. . I just don't understand why they provide no options what so ever. I even had asked BCBS about weight loss surgery and the lady politely said that its not the insurance companies fault I'm overweight. grrrr

I am 35 years old and I currently have a BMI of 34. I have been every BMI number from my highest BMI of 40 to my lowest BMI of 25 (with the help of prescription meds,diet, and lots of EXERCISE). I have been on this diet roller coster for 20 + years and I am done with it! I am done with the feelings of guilt for eating a peice of MY birthday cake, I am tired of working my butt off to lose just a little bit of weight and low and behold gain it back and then some! i am totally done with my cholesterol being 280!!!!!!!!!!! I am tired of being on dangerous diets, starving myself, running till my knees are completely sore and the plantar faciatis flares up, taking amphetamine prescription meds that are surly not doing my body good, all to gain it all back! Why wait till my BMI is back up to 40 or more and all the comorbidities that go with it? Why wait till you have stretched all your skin out and have to have MORE surgery to remove it? Why abuse your body until that magical day when you are totally unhealthy and can NOW have the surgery because NOW everyone is ok with it? Why not take care of business now and get on with living life? So as of Jan 13,2015, GAME OVER! This girl is getting off the roller coaster and getting on with life! I cannot wait for this new way of eating and living! See this is a change for the rest of our lives not till this diet ends or till I get to goal! It's FOREVER and I can't wait!! ???????? I pray and hope that you all have the best success and I applaude you all for being advocates of YOUR own health!

You don't need to give anyone a reason for what you do. It is your decision. Say something like, "Oh, I had no idea you were an expert in the field of what is best for me!" It normally shuts people up.

@@della street Thank you for posting! There's so much in this process that is contingent on humans being able to do their jobs right...human error plays a huge role in this process doesn't it? I've been futzing with BCBS since March. Now in external appeal. I'm ready to throw in towel & head to sunny TJ! Good luck to you, keep us posted.
We should all write a book: Adventures in Bariatric Sleeve Approval: Fun with Insurance!

@@della street Thank you for posting! There's so much in this process that is contingent on humans being able to do their jobs right...human error plays a huge role in this process doesn't it? I've been futzing with BCBS since March. Now in external appeal. I'm ready to throw in towel & head to sunny TJ! Good luck to you, keep us posted.
We should all write a book: Adventures in Bariatric Sleeve Approval: Fun with Insurance!

I have started a you tube channel to follow me if anyone is interested jill pill

CONGRATULATIONS!! Incredible. I see so many success stories here; the positive outcomes are what keeps my impatience at bay. Good for you!

Greetings from Michael,
My story begins with research, research and more research. Like everyone I was a hound when it came to getting my gastric sleeve and wanted the best place so I checked all over the US and found out pretty quick I didn't have the time to jump through all the hoops since I was self paying. I contacted a friend who had a lap band done in Mexico with great success found out her doctor and hospital. I checked it all out had everything set to go there and something didn't set right with me. I looked again and came across Bariatric Pal Deals. I put in a request and got a call almost straight back from David Lopez. He told me he could get my surgery done at less than half the 8650.00 I was going to spend. He gave me the name of a doctor they use and hospital I researched it and it wasn't for me because I wasn't comfortable made my wife the same way. I talked to David again and he said they have other doctors and hospitals they use but it would cost more ( I thought here we go ) he gave me information on Dr. Zavalza and Hospital of the Oasis ( florence Health Systems ) and a price still less than half what I was going to pay. I researched the doctor and hospital and the only negative was the Oasis was an old hospital but being updated. I cancelled with the other company and went with all David had promised pick up at the airport in San Diego, Ca., ride to their condo, accompanied to the hospital with a translator, ride back to condo for recovery, ride to the airport to leave. What my wife and I got was so much more!!!! Robert picked us up at the airport on Sunday evening took us by a store to pick up a few thing we couldn't carry on the plane and then took us across the border to the condo. I thought it looked like a compound at first but that's where we met Juan ( aka Johnny ) he got us settled in and said if we needed anything he was right next door. My wife was hungry so we asked where we could walk to get something to eat for her Juan insisted that he go with us because some places he would need to translate we went for Chinese walk out short walk to stretch our legs and bring back to the condo. Just our luck we picked the coldest time ever in Tijuana to make this trip Dec. 28, 2014 and the rest of the week I don't think it ever got above 50 in the day and was low enough to snow yes snow in Tijuana. We settled in my surgery was scheduled for the afternoon of the 29th. Next morning my wife wanted coffee so we asked Juan and he walked with us and was the best ever tour guide since he grew up in this neighborhood along with David. We walked to Starbucks got my wife her coffee then continued to walk around the neighborhood with Juan showing us some of the best views. David and Juan took my wife and I to the hospital that afternoon for my blood work and medical history where I met Dr. Jose Luna he took all my information got everything cleared for the surgery. While I was doing all this David and Juan took my wife to a late lunch and when they got back I was almost ready for the surgery when I meet Dr. Zavalza and he comes in to see if we have any questions and let my wife know he was going to take good care of me. Put her right at ease. The whole staff at Oasis made us feel so comfortable that we told Juan we didn't need him to stay we where fine. After my surgery was complete Dr. Zavalza went and told my wife everything went as planned and I would be back from recovery soon. When I got back from recovery Dr. Luna was there to check on my vitals and get me up for a short walk around the room and make sure of my comfort. He stayed telling my wife until I was sleeping well he would not leave and ended up staying till 1 am when my blood pressure was down and I was sleeping. He came back the next morning after I had already been up walking the halls ( Big Key walk, walk, walk ) helps to get rid of the gas. The Hospital of the Oasis had to be the best choice ever because the have 3 nurses each shift and the do their hand off in the room with the patient all friendly and smiling. Wednesday we went back t the condo and again went for a walk with Juan to get stuff from the market that I needed to eat and drink. Thursday we ( Juan, my wife and I ) walked to Starbucks and continued to walk because I felt comfortable came back by the market and picked up dinner for my wife and Juan I wanted to say a little thanks to him he was such a great person. Later Thursday Dr. Luna came by to check my incisions and my lungs and got on me for doing to much. We sat and talked about the protocol he had put together about the next 6 months how to progress and what to eat and when and not to try and jump steps it doesn't work. After he left us not more than an hour later Dr. Zavalza came by the condo to check on us and go over his commitment to the next 2 years following my recovery and steps to make sure all this will be a success how we will Skype and keep in contact. I never had 2 doctors that cared so much to make themselves feel like family. I really was nervous at first going out of country to have surgery but would do it again in a heartbeat if I could be promised the kind of care I received with all these people I now call friends. I want to thank David, Juan, Robert, Dr. Luna, Dr. Zavalza, and the entire staff from the front desk to all the wonderful smiling nurses. Best group ever put together !!!!!!! We are back in Memphis, Tn. now and still doing great no pain. I don't gush over many things in life but I will over Drs. Zavalza and Luna and Hospital of the Oasis if you have the chance and are looking to find great people trust in prayers like we did because we got the best !! Much love for these folks.