IcanMakeit

I was hoping for a holiday challenge. Thanks for organizing a great way to stay on track during food season. Please count me in.

No change this week. Still 148.

Let us know what your doctor says. Neither my primary care physician nor my surgeon answered this question. My pain wasn't just in my back, it was also in my shoulder and arms. It felt like my bones were aching. It went away on its own once I started eating solid food (about six weeks post-op).

I think I can guess what's going on with your friend. She probably started isolating herself when her weight regain got out of hand. She is more than likely heart broken and embarrassed that she gained so much weight after the previous success. I also think you deciding to get the surgery is hard for her to deal with because she is so regretful. She is probably also jealous that you now have an opportunity to get it right, while she feels she blew hers. Perhaps an honest and sympathetic discussion will help her to see that you value her for herself, not her weight loss. Maybe when she sees that you aren't judging her, she'll stop shutting you out.

i am sorry you are going through this. Did your surgeon explain the logic or medical necessity behind his weight loss requirement? Perhaps he feels surgery would not be advisable at your current weight? If that is not the case, then I would ask him to reconsider his decision. Unless you are especially at risk, it doesn't make any sense! Before my surgery (actually before I even decided to have surgery), I dieted by having two Protein shakes in place of two meals and a third meal that was low carb, high protein and moderate in calories. I did this for 5 months and lost over 40 lbs. Perhaps a plan like that would work for you.

I wore my favorite maxi dress to and from the hospital. It was a real pick me up to put on something that I felt good about wearing when I left the hospital. If you have something that is pretty as well as comfortable (no waistline), I definitely recommend it. My constipation raged for about three months after surgery. I absolutely had to use laxatives every week. But now, nearly five months out, I rarely need a laxative. So for me constipation was uncomfortable, but temporary.

I have Blue Shield through CALPERS. My authorization came through in less than 10 days. The whole testing process was only about a month and a half. No pre-op diet was required, just nutrition counseling. I was amazed at how frictionless the process was. Every requirement was for the protection of my health, not because of bureaucracy.

I agree with @@BellaLuce4 . Talk to your doctor/nutritionist about how you are feeling and ask if your restricted diet is really necessary. I have been on this site for a while and I don't remember any one else posting that they have to eat only protein, no dairy, and no vegetables. My doc had me on full liquids for 4 weeks and I thought that was unusual since so many others were on full liquids for only two or three weeks. I followed the diet given to me because I didn't really feel like eating anyway. So for me, it worked out. But if I thought that my doc's standard program didn't work for me, I would definitely question it.

Woo-hoo! I surpassed my Halloween goal! 148 this morning. And that's with birthday cake earlier this week for my birthday. (I guess being able to eat only a few bites of it pays off.)

I wish I had known how common it is for the newly sleeved to have difficulty getting in all of the required water and protein in the early days. I was so afraid that I was doing something wrong, and later discovered that many, if not most post-ops had the same problems. It really helped me to stop worrying and trust the process.

152 this morning. The scale is barely moving. Perhaps because I haven't been able to exercise since my back went out. Gotta see the doc and get this taken care of. I really miss being active and pain free.

From Ketogenic Diet Resource: Some doctors and other medical professionals confuse ketoacidosis, an extremely abnormal form of ketosis, with the normal benign dietary ketosis associated with ketogenic diets and fasting states in the body. They will then tell you that ketosis is dangerous. The difference between the two conditions is a matter of volume and flow rate*: Benign dietary ketosis is a controlled, insulin regulated process which results in a mild release of fatty acids and ketone body production in response to low carbohydrate intake, and higher fat consumption. Ketoacidosis is a condition in which abnormal quantities of ketones are produced in an unregulated biochemical situation. In order to reach a state of ketoacidosis, the body has to be in a state of not producing enough insulin to regulate the flow of fatty acids and the creation of ketone bodies. Here's a table with actual numbers to help show the differences in magnitude: Body Condition Quantity of Ketones Being Produced After a meal: 0.1 mmol/L Overnight Fast: 0.3 mmol/L Ketogenic Diet (Nutritional ketosis): 1-8 mmol/L >20 Days Fasting: 10 mmol/L Uncontrolled Diabetes (Ketoacidosis): >20 mmol/L

I'm glad to see my fellow May sleevers checking in. I'm happy to be among a great group of losers. I think that my decision to have the VSG was one of the best in my life. Compared to how I was at the beginning of this year, my life is so improved. At this point I have lost a total of 91 lbs, 52 of them since the surgery. My ultimate goal is looking more and more possible, although my short term goal of reaching 150 by my birthday next week probably won't happen. I'm very happy with my results.

Miss Mac has given you some wonderful advice. I hope you really do reward yourself as you hit each mini-goal. Setting short term, achievable goals helps to make the weight loss journey enjoyable, and you'll really appreciate the rewards as you earn them. And as you hit each goal, I hope you'll come back here and brag. We're all rooting for you.

If proper nutrition and supplements aren't helping, this sounds like a question for your primary care physician, if you have one. If not, go to a clinic and talk to someone. In the past (long before bariatric surgery) I suffered from extreme anemia and had to be hospitalized. It's nothing to take lightly.

It's great that you let everyone know that the post-op experience is not horrible for everyone. In fact, I'll bet you are right and most people will say it wasn't that bad. For the people who might have been turned off by the negative posts by people like me, I hope they stuck around long enough to read the "walking on sunshine" posts that I, and many others posted after a few weeks.

I am happy for you that your surgery and recovery have been without drama. As one who complained bitterly immediately post-op, I can tell you that your theory regarding pain/discomfort levels, and the rate of recovery did not hold true for me. I was absolutely miserable (with nausea, not pain) one day and ready to dance the next. It was like the sun came out after a storm. From what my surgeon told me, I understand that my experience is quite common.

If I understand your stats correctly, you are asking if it is possible to lose 240 lbs in six months. That would mean a rate of loss that averages over 9 lbs per week. I have never heard of anyone doing that. But this doesn't seem like a healthy goal. Most people who have more than 100 lbs to lose plan on it taking a year or more. I hope you will give yourself some slack! You don't have to be superwoman. If you set your expectations too high, you may get frustrated when you don't attain them. That could lead you to give up. Just follow your surgeon's program, take it one day at a time and you will eventually reach your goal. I forgot to say: Whatever loss you attain by your birthday will be a victory. Enjoy it.

153 today. I was afraid to step on the scale because, due to a back problem, I have not exercised or even moved much for a whole week. Better get back on track before my weight gain fears materialize. My back is better but still painful. I'm going to start slowly.

Ok, so now you know what doesn't work. Just because you made a mistake and took a wrong path does not mean you are doomed to failure. You are now doing what you need to do to get on the right path: start over at the beginning. It won't be easy, but it is definitely do-able. You can do this!

High five! What an amazing accomplishment. I hope you are feeling very proud of yourself. I am in awe at the speed in which you attained your goal.

My authorization did not have any such caveat (that I am aware of). However it probably isn't anything to worry about. Contact your insurance company and make them explain so you can rest easy.

I love your screen name. Here in California "Tina" is just a normal name. Lots of girls and women I know have that name. This group hasn't been very active. But maybe that's not unusual for this website. It would be great if there was more activity so that we could get to know each other. Possibly we're all well enough that we have nothing to report. I hope that's it.

"So has anyone else just made the decision and gone from the consult to surgery within a month or two?" (Raises hand.) I did exactly that. I started dieting on my own at the beginning of this year and really had a lot of success. I was feeling pretty good about it until I thought back to the last time I dieted seriously. I lost over 120 lbs and then proceeded to gain it all back after only a couple of years. That's when I reconsidered weight loss surgery. I had thought about it years ago, but decided it was too drastic a step for me. But with the realization that all of my weight loss might be undone after a few months or years of success, I changed my mind. I went from that "ah ha" moment to being post-op all in 2 1/2 months. I am only 4 1/2 months out now so it's too soon to say that I'm a success. But I do feel strongly that this tool is going to make a difference when I reach maintenance. It's helping me to develop better habits: I have gotten used to eating small portions, and then waiting to see if I am still hungry; I'm working on slowing down when I eat; and I make sure that the food I put in my mouth is nutrient dense rather than empty calories. I have also returned to logging all my food and exercise. (And I exercise! I never did much of that before with any regularity.) These changes give me confidence that I will continue to enjoy my new healthy lifestyle in the coming years, so I think that even though I made a snap decision, I made the right decision.

Today's weight: 155. I'm now 20 lbs from my surgeon's goal. I know the last 20 lbs are the hardest, but these challenges help me stay focused. I hope there will be another one after this one.