Writerjennifer

Congrats. That's awesome!

@@Ginger Snaps So glad you're feeling better. I'm getting about the same as you, calorie wise, but I've been sitting in my comfy recliner and not doing a whole lot (except I do try to walk around some throughout the day). At this point, I'm more worried about not getting enough Protein, I really don't want to lose my hair, I don't have any extra to lose. @ Heck yeah!!

I had surgery Monday... I get hungry, but almost as soon as i start 'eating' (i'm still on phase 2 so more like drinking), the hunger goes away pretty quickly.

I was told to get the bowel prep, magnesium citrate and that it is available from most pharmacies over the counter. No need to wait. You can take it as directed. If you have a question about when to take it, call your doctors office, they can tell you. I took mine at noon, and it was several hours before i needed to use the restroom (an even then it wasn't rushed), so you should be good to go to your pre-op appointment without worry.

What about acrylic ?? As long as it is the clear acrylic with clear polish, you should be fine. The white tips on a french manicure won't interfere with them seeing the color of your nail beds. Any colored acrylic will interfere with them seeing the color of your nail beds.

You are not the only one having cravings. I am not a chocolate fanatic... but I have been craving toast with real butter. I am three days out, so there is no way I can have it. I would suggest you discover the reason behind the craving. This is a bad precedent, very early on, that you are setting for yourself. Think of your goal? What do you want? Will chocolate help you attain that goal? Or hurt you? You can resist. Be strong. You can do this! Jennifer

I would be very careful. You do not have to explain about your medical issues, but as you are on FMLA and will be using this as your excuse you shouldn't lie. FMLA has specific regulations and legal rights and responsibilities. Please read up and consider the consequences should they discover the lie. Either be honest, or decline to specify the reason. Your surgeon and doctor knows that the surgery will help your immune issue. that should be sufficient.

Sometimes its all i can do to not act. My husband will go to the store or fast food and he doesn't ask me if I want anything, he knows I don't. It's all I can do to just be silent and wait for the opportunity to pass. I consider that a win. Sometimes we have to take all the wins we can get.

You should be ok with the clear/white french manicure.

I'm only down 2 pounds from surgery day, just 3 days ago. I'm not obsessing about the scale yet. lol. But I do check every morning. I'm just happy to be on the loser's bench and recovering well. Are we all ready to rock this sh*t?

Do you mean pre surgery? As long as they can see your nail beds, then you should be ok. They use the color of the nail beds to help indicate blood flow has been restricted.

my husband cut out soda pop and lost 17 pounds. but he's a guy. (and not seriously overweight) Years ago I switched from regular soda to diet and lest 10 pounds. It was a loss, but so minor it realy didn't make a dent. I cut out diet soda (and all imitation sugar (migraine triggers)) and ended up gaining 10 pounds. Small changes can make small adjustments. But the change has to be something you can do forever, not just till you reach your goal weight.

That's awesome. So glad you're feeling better. I just had my surgery on Monday. We're doing it!

I wish I had dreams about food last night (first night back from the hospital). Instead I slept like crap, and for some reason dreamed about the Originals character names. Not about the characters, just their names running through my head, over and over. I would much prefer dreaming about food. lol

Sipping cream of chicken soup now... I'm curious to see what others ate too... have to find a way to get some Protein in. Jennifer

I know! It's crazy! During the 6 months weight management program required by my insurance I noticed that a lot. Date night = dinner and a movie. lunch with mom on Saturdays. Taking the kids out = fast food and movie (with popcorn). Meetings at work = pot luck or birthday cake. Overtime on Saturday = doughnuts or bagels brought in by the boss. Birthdays, holidays, just a regular day = food, food and more food. And I am hating my Protein powders/drinks. Ugh. Jennifer

I just had surgery Monday. My husband got the dirty look when, on the way home from the hospital yesterday he wanted to stop and have me buy him something from taco bell. I was like, no way am I spending my money on junk food when i can't even have a bite of anything at this point. Then he wanted to order pizza for the kids for dinner. I said no to that to. He complained, we can't stop eating bad things just cause you can't. I explained to him that I just need a little time to adjust. The worse thing is... he doesn't even want the food because he wants it. He only wants the fast food because he doesn't feel like cooking. I am sure it's going to get worse before it gets better. But we can do this! Jennifer

Surgery was Monday. I don't really notice any bloating, but today I am hearing a lot of gas moving around. Not sure whether it's in my intestines or just in my body. Jennifer

I'm home, and surgeon put me on full liquids before I left, so I get to have tomato soup and cream of wheat (thinned) and yogurt (thinned). Yum! I am off the pain meds already. How is everyone else doing? Jennifer

I had surgery yesterday at about 2pm. I got home today at 2pm. I was started on full liquids before lunch at the hospital today. Best tomato soup ever! Just saying. I was a little worried about the after surgery pain, but mostly I was worried about complications during surgery that would abort my bypass. So when my husband said the surgeon told him everything went fine, I was definitely relieved. I had a major migraine, probably triggered by the anesthesia. I was tapping the morphine button every few minutes just waiting for the beep that told me it was delivered (every twelve minutes according to my nurse). During this time I was drifting in and out of a drug induced sleep. But by 8pm the migraine went away and I stopped pushing the button. After that I didn't have any morphine or any other pain medication at all (some are set to get a low dose and are allowed to increase with the button, but mine was set to only deliver if i pushed the button). I had three, just three, incidents of nausea. I breathed in to the barf bag (is there a better word for that?) for a minute and it passed. Nothing since the last time, which was in the middle of the night last night. Today, i walked a few times, and the last time I could feel a bit of pressure/pulling/pain in my abdomen, but it was minor. I had more pain from being in that bed, barely able to move for nearly 24 hours than I did from the surgery. Before I came home I felt a little gas pain in my shoulder. But that was it. It's been a very good experience. The only exception was when the IV blew and had to be redone, my veins are tricky and it took 7 attempts to get the second IV in. My arms are covered in little bruises. But I always have troubles with getting IV's. I feel good. I keep looking at the 5 little gauze pads on my stomach, pretty much the only evidence so far that I had surgery. I keep wondering... did I really get the bypass? I don't feel different. But I am not breaking my phase 2 diet to find out. lol Jennifer

This is the exact opposite of the support group here in Reno. I went a couple times and both times the host gave a little speech about wls (different each time), then she led a quick intro and q&a session. This is the group that my surgeon says we have to attend at least once prior to surgery. There is another group for post-ops only and I have not gone there yet... but... you are right, i think. Negativity attracts negativity. If the host doesn't guide the group to present the positive side, or the positive actions one can take in these bad situations, then they are obviously scaring off all the people like yourselves. I do not think, however, that post-ops without these problems don't need a support group. I think we need it more. People with negative experiences are focused on that and will be very hard to pull to the light side. But those of us with good experiences need to commune with others and share the struggles of weight loss and rebound, and will power and share victories as well. We need a receptive group that will embrace us and to whom we can provide our support as well. I guess we have that here at BP, don't we?

Amazing! I have been wondering what sizes look like... now I know what I will look like at a size 18. It's amazing the difference a few sizes make. You look awesome! Jennifer

Tomato Soup is to die for! For me, at least. I am having a hard time choking down the chocolate shakes. But the tomato soup is so good. The book my surgeon gave me suggests cream Soups with non-fat or 1% milk Protein supplement drinks Thinned hot Cereal, like cream of wheat (can't wait to have this for Breakfast tomorrow) Thinned mashed potatoes Thinned sugar free plain yogurt, plain non-fat yogurt. Good luck! Jennifer

I know, it's it crazy? It's bad enough to have an ice cream store next to a Baskin Robin's. But when the Gym has vending machines with junk... they could at least sell marginally healthy Snacks lie granola bars and Protein drinks or the tuna and cracker packets. My work has a vending machine. I've been there over 2 years and I think I only bought something twice due to a real craving. But usually I go, look at the junk, and walk away. Jennifer

That's sad that he would be so closed minded and uneducated. I went to my PCP asking about weight management, and he referred me to the program at the University. When I went back to see him for check-ups, etc., he always commented positively on my weight loss (even when it wasn't much.) My favorite was when he said, "it's not something we are usually happy about, being in the 'obese' category, but you have lost enough to drop out of the 'morbidly obese' category and that's definitely something to Celebrate." He went on to explain all the health risks that are less of a risk because of my new status. So not only praise, but sound medical reasoning to back up the praise and reinforce the importance of the landmark. Love my PCP. Can't wait to see him next, since I just had surgery the next time I will have lost a bunch more! Jennifer