winning_by_losing

I'll be there.

Well I had terrible back issues prior to surgery, so my viewpoint is a little different. Once I got down about 80 pounds the pain started to let up for the majority of the time. Unfortunately now when the pain returns it feels so much worse than before. I'm guessing partly because I used to manage it with ibuprofen and partly because it is no longer constant. The tylonol we're allowed to have now does nothing for the pain, so ice and rest are the only things that give me relief now.

Surgery was Tuesday morning, was released Wednesday afternoon. I was originally told 2 nights would be mandatory, but was told Wednesday morning that as soon as I could get my ride down to the hospital I could leave. While I was waiting for my ride I got to take a shower, do some more walking and chat up the nurses.

I've had it a few times. I wouldn't say it is the best overall option, but when in a bind and fast food is the only option - I think this is the lesser of the fast food evils. I opt to go without the cheese, as they use the full fat stuff, but since it isn't like they pile it on I doubt that is too horrible. The only other fast food I've eaten was some grilled nuggets from Chick-Fil-A. I've read about other people getting Pintos N Cheese or eating the insides of a taco from Taco Bell, but I'm afraid I'd be too tempted with some of my old faves, so have avoided Taco Bell.

Has anyone with Kaiser tried this? If so, was it approved or rejected?

Unfortunately this all depends on your specific program. This question has been asked quite a bit and some have responded that they were scheduled for surgery a week later, where others it is years. For my program specifically, I was referred by my PCP, then a week later was approved for the program. About a month later I had an introduction meeting where they walked through the 7-9 months leading up to surgery. Luckily as I was in the midst of the program they sped things up and it really only took about 4 months until I had the surgery. Leading up to that was many group classes, appointments with different people and all of the preparation.

Unfortunately what tastes good to you pre-surgery may not afterwards. I got lucky in that the Premier Protein shakes that I drink were my fave before surgery and still taste good after. But I also stocked up Isopure before surgery as it tasted just fine, but afterwards couldn't stand it. I ended up giving it away to someone in my support group. So while the idea of testing them out before hand is good, be cautious as you may have to repeat the whole process again afterwards.

Good luck. Keep us updated on how it works out. As for popcorn, drinking while eating, sweet tea and using a straw - all of those are big no-nos for my program. Popcorn has no protein, so all it would do is make me hungry. Drinking while eating flushes the food out of our pouch and makes us hungry faster, while allowing us to eat more than we need. Sweet tea - I can't even imagine the effect the sugar from sweet tea would have on me. Unless of course you're talking the Crystal Light or Mio type of sweet tea. If that is the case, there should be no issues there. And using a straw as I was told injects a bunch of air while drinking essentially adding gas to the pouch and adding risk of stretching it out (same reason we can't have carbonation any more). Keep in mind, this is all just what I was taught during my classes that I have chosen to follow very strictly. I'm no expert and won't try to tell you what to do, but I personally will avoid all 4 of those items you listed like the plague.

Hang in there. Not everyone drops a ton of weight right away. Remember, you just put your body through some significant trauma. Not only does it have to heal, but it also has to get used to your new plan. If you were able to lose 11 pounds each week at Weight Watchers, you were doing great even before you started this journey. Now if you stick to your programs plan and approach it the same way you must have for WW, you should see some great success. I know my first 2 months I questioned whether my surgeon had even done anything. The weight was coming off at 3-5 pounds a week, I didn't have issues getting in my fluids, never felt full and didn't seem to be progressing. Luckily I stuck with the plan, kept my focus and now at 6 months out I'm 15 pounds from my goal.

For fast food type of eating out - a small chili from Wendy's is all I've ever tried. For sit-down type of eating out - I've found that no matter where we end up I can always find something. I tend to go for a small steak or fish meal. chicken works too, but I've discovered that most of the time it is either covered with some sort of sauce (I question sugar content) or it ends up dry. Usually not the case with fish or steak. I then typically have 1 or 2 more meals from the leftovers. And my fave has always been Mexican. So far all of the places I've been have all been very accommodating when asking them to give me a burrito without the tortilla, just the meat with lettuce, tomato, cheese and green chili. Usually makes good leftovers for 2 more meals.

Unfortunately, as you'll find out in so many areas, our bodies all react so differently after the surgery that trying to gauge where you are versus others is likely to leave most frustrated and unhappy. I had very similar thoughts in my early stages. I even mentally questioned whether my surgeon had even performed the surgery as I just wasn't losing, didn't have any issues with any foods, never felt full, etc... As I continually read here and a few other forums hearing of people who started out MUCH smaller than me losing double or even triple what I'd lost, I couldn't figure out why I was so far behind. Luckily, I just stuck with the program (fluids, Proteins, exercise, food types, etc...) my team suggests, kept my focus on myself and now at 6 months out (my surgery was Feb 25th), I have 15 pounds left to hit what I thought was a completely impossible goal

I'd highly recommend doing some more research. While I join the others above in highly recommending it and would do it again in a heartbeat, the fear you have is real and likely isn't going to be eased simply based on our experience. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised/relieved when you look at the true numbers as far as risks go.

Not sure if you've found anything that doesn't agree with you yet, but just as suggested above, you likely don't want to find one while you're out trying to have fun as at that point you can easily kiss the rest of that day goodbye. Being so early into your journey, I'd recommend sticking with the Proteins you know work for you. This may mean having to do most of the suggesting when it comes to places to eat, but shouldn't restrict you from being able to enjoy yourself. I'd also recommend packing some good Protein bars for just in case. In a real sticky situation where there is nothing on the menu that works or nothing that sounds good, it is an option to still enjoy your company but allowing you to stick with your needs.

I would suggest trying to increase the fluids. I know in my program we've always been told to get an absolute minimum of 64 ounces each day. If you're only ever getting that at your maximum, plus the extra your body needs for the colace, it sounds to me like you're dehydrated in addition to the protein/iron issues we all deal with.

Wow, after reading all of the responses I wonder if this is a male/female thing. I've lost 185 pounds so far and while me feet LOOK skinnier than they used to, I still wear the same 15 EEE that I have for the last 20+ years.

I've heard good things about the 5 day pouch test (http://www.5daypouchtest.com/) I haven't used it myself yet, but supposedly it helps to refocus your pouch as well as your mind and can be a sort of reset button.

Another option besides the gravy is salsa. I make a batch or two of fresh salsa each week and put it on almost everything I eat. eggs, chicken, steak etc... It helps keep things moist and adds a ton of flavor while keeping things very simple.

I think the decision really comes down to your goals and what other health issues you may have. For me - I chose RNY for two main reasons: 1 - The proven track record and history of RNY surgery looked to me like a more sure way to lose the weight I need to. 2 - The malabsorption and dumping would prevent me from sabotaging myself and potentially reverting to old ways I didn't have comorbitities to consider and truly made the choice based on what I thought would give me the best chance at success, but since I never had the sleeve I can't say for sure that any success I have with RNY would/could not be duplicated through sleeve instead.

I've never had the shakes part, but I know if I stand up too fast from laying down (or even reclining too far in a chair) I get dizzy have trouble balancing and everything goes dark for what feels like an eternity (though I'm sure it is closer to 30-60 seconds) I'm just under 6 months out and this still happens on those occasions I have to get up quick and forget. What I've been told is that it is related to having so much extra blood still being pumped through my body that the blood pressure just can't keep up. I try to be very cautious about slowly moving to a seated position before standing all the way up. Not sure if this has any relevance at all, but figured I'd share just in case.

Not to take away from the original post, but my program considers bariatric surgery elective as do those from everyone I've spoken to about it at both of the support groups I attend. Regardless of the classification, my insurance covered part of the cost, though I had to pay a great deal out of pocket. All of that said, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, regardless of cost. After getting to the point I am so far (still 19 pounds from my goal) I've been given a new lease on life and even if I were forced to pay hundreds of thousands (instead of just tens) I'd do it again without question. It took me a little longer than SugarFreeMe to get from Obese to Overweight, but then again I started my journey at almost double her weight. I'll never get into the "healthy" category according to the BMI calculators, but without a doubt I definitely feel and act healthy. I'm now able to do many physical things I would never have been able to dream of the last 15 years.

I'd have to guess it is because each program is still in the learning stages. While these surgeries have been around for a while now, there doesn't seem to be a large amount of studies as far as all food types and their effects on us who are going through the journey. Specific to the items you mentioned, in my program we were allowed the soups during the 2nd week, but only a few ounces and since I never found any with enough Protein to make them worthwhile, I skipped it completely. The mashed potatoes though are a different story. We were told to make the instant kind (higher protein) using powdered milk (more protein) and milk instead of Water (even more protein) and to melt in some low-fat or fat-free cheese (yep, more protein). At that point, the 2 TBSP meal size wasn't going to give us much of anything as far as calories goes, but it was a decent way to get protein in that tasted oh so wonderful after a week of Clear liquids only. After that 2nd week though, potatoes have been pretty much a no-no. Since they're all starch and very little protein, they don't aide in the journey. Yes, I've eaten them a few times. I've had 2 or 3 bites when they were served as a side to a steak I ordered when eating out. And I even had one of the baby potatoes in my stew over the weekend while camping. But I don't plan to be able to make them a regular option in the future.

For me, it is all about hiking. I'm not ready to conquer any 14'ers yet, but have really enjoyed all of the mountain hikes I've gone on this summer. Once the snow starts to fly I'll have to find a new fave for a few months, but I'm hoping for another 3 months before I have to worry about that.

Unfortunately for those things that can't be cooked for very long (like eggs), they always seem to be cold before the 20 minutes is up. Once you graduate to more substantial options (chicken, steak, fish etc...) they tend to stay warm longer as long as they're cooked in the oven or on the stove. I find that anything I heat in the microwave cools down exponentially faster than things heated via other means.

6 months out and it hasn't gone away for me. I'm just getting used to it being part of the new me.

Not the scalp part, but just about everywhere else itches all the time. Before surgery I never had anything like this. And now, I've resorted to having to use lotion to keep my skin moist. I've hated lotion with a passion in the past, but unfortunately now it is part of my daily routine.