beachgurl84

I've heard other sources say only 10 grams per hour. I try to drink mine slowly over an afternoon while working at my desk. I figure one way or another I'm covered. Apple melon rocks but I haven't tried orange. I usually grab the alpine punch. Grape taste like smelly feet unless it's really cold. I saw Passion Fruit online but haven't found it in any stores. Wal-Mart & GNC both (anywhere actually) sells one thats a 3.8 oz tube that has 42 grams in it. I can't remember the brand but it was $0.50 at Wal-Mart. I tried the Acai berry flavor, well, I gagged my way through it. It was so concentrated you could taste the protein and they made the berry flavor so strong to try and cover it, the whole thing was gross. So keep that in mind if you're checking out a 4 ounce mix. It's great in a pinch but I couldn't tolerate it daily.

I don't remember the logic behind it. I just remember it was something about when your body is losing weight this rapidly the alcohol can cause neurological problems. Maybe that doesn't mean brain damage exactly but it's a heck of a lot easier to spell. I already gave up smoking to have my surgery, alcohol is a no brainer (lol) for me. It's just not worth it. I've heard a lot of people on this site talk about the alcohol setting them back on weight loss. To each his/her own i guess.

Yea I'm already pretty sure I need to buy a few new items. Just wondering how much people actually lost before they started noticing a change in size enough that they needed new clothing. I already plan to only buy the bare necessities and I have no shame in rummaging through friend's closets.

Hi Everyone, Just curious, when did everyone start considering it might be time to try on a new clothing size? I've lost 50 pounds and I knew my clothes were getting baggy, but my jeans (same jeans I wore before surgery) are driving me crazy with how baggy they are today. I haven't paid attention to my measurements too much so I don't know how much smaller I actually am. I know everyone is going to be different, but I'm curious how much weight you lost or how much time passed after surgery before you thought it was time to try a new size?

Have you considered the Isopure RTD Protein or powder? The RTD packs 40 grams of protein to 20 oz, has 160 calories, zero carbs, and it's lactose & gluten free. The RTD is much tastier than the power.

WOW I got a huge lecture from my doctor about the brain damage alcohol can cause while your body is in the intense weight loss mode. I was told at an absolute minimum 6 months after surgery but they'd prefer at least 8. Wonder if my doctor is being over protective or if the other doctors aren't aware of the possible risks.

I feel hunger too. And just like you I can't eat much in one sitting but can easily resume an hour later. So I usually leave my chicken or whatever sitting out, munch on it a few more times, then put it away when I'm done for good. If I don't do that, I might go grazing for something unhealthy, and that's never good. But, no matter how hungry I get now, it is nothing compared to what I felt before the surgery.

I was weighed the day of surgery but for my records, they used the weight of my preop appointment, 14 days before surgery. There is about a 5 pound difference between the two.

I'm 8 weeks out and proud to say I officially hit 50 pounds lost today. That being said, I only see a difference in my thighs, boobs, and some of my butt. My waist & hips have not changed at all. So in some ways my pants are baggy, around the thigh area especially, but because my waist & hips haven't changed I can't go down to a smaller size yet. So I agree, totally frustrating.

I think I even wrote my own post about how miserable I was the first two days. It sucks cause you can't roll over or adjust to get comfortable. Besides the pain you're just plain uncomfortable. It does get better though, I promise. Every day is a little bit better. One day you'll realize you don't have to stand up using weird angles because you don't have pain anymore, or you can bend over without cussing at gravity, or you can lay on your side or stomach without pain. BUT, it takes time to get there so take it day by day. The best part is while you are in all this pain, the pounds will be shedding off your first three weeks so you have something exciting to look for right away.

If it's truly just gas pains, then yes it's common. Best thing you can do besides use Gas-x strips is walk. Walk and walk and walk as much as you can. Don't over do it, but walking will help move the gas where it needs to go. I was miserable and I could hear the rumbling like a diesel engine in my abdomen for almost two weeks after surgery. If you think you are having pains that aren't normal or caused by gas, then you should probably call your doctor. You can't be too careful and any advice you receive on here is nothing compared to what your doctor has to say.

I'm really glad to hear you called and asked. We can all give you our opinions but at the end of the day, none of us are doctors. You can see how everyone's plans vary. Good luck to you!

Depends, are you on liquids or are you on a clear liquid diet? Most people are on Clear Liquids day before surgery which would mean no tomato soup.

I was warned against juicing too much because you lose a lot of Fiber. My NUT told me though if I don't go overboard, a little juice now and then isn't a bad thing.

The requirement was removed July of 2014. My surgery was November of 2014 and there was no 6 month requirement for me. They only revise the procedure annually so it won't change again (if at all) till July of 2015. Here is the link to the official medical procedure guidelines on the BCBS NC website. You will see it was reviewed May 2014 and next review is May 2015. All that being said, if your insurance is through an employer, they may have their own requirements that can differ from the BCBS requirements. http://www.bcbsnc.com/assets/services/public/pdfs/medicalpolicy/surgery_for_morbid_obesity.pdf

Looks like you've gotten some great answers and since every individual's experience varies, I'll throw my two cents in. 1) Per my surgeon's instructions, I take one Flintstones chewable Vitamin a day. 2) I have suffered from acid reflux for years and I even have Barrett's esophagus from years of being untreated because I am allergic to omeprazole. I took protonix prior to surgery and I take it now. However, since I am eating so much healthier, and not a lot of grease like before, I haven't had a single problem since surgery. 3) The answer already given for this, that all surgeon's require different things and it could be based on your own individual circumstances, is the best answer you are going to get until you talk to an actual surgeon. I had 5 days liquid diet preoop and one week of liquids post op. According to my doctor, this was based on my BMI which was 49 day of surgery. 4) You should eventually adjust your lifestyle enough to include enough healthy, Protein rich foods so you don't need a protein shake every day. However, this will also depend on your activitiy level once you reach maintenance. If you find you're running marathons every weekend, you'll probably need the extra boost. But for a regular lifestyle, your diet should give you everything you need. 5) I don't know anything about adding ice to your shakes but the response above about making them frothier and possibily causing gas seems to make sense so you'll just have to try it and see. 6) The sleeve doesn't come with dumping syndrome problems like the bypass does so you will absolutely be physically able to eat anything you want....eventually. Well, actually everyone is different and some people can't handle certain foods after surgery but in general, you won't have any problems. But that's why you will hear many times throughout your journey that the surgery is only a tool. It will not keep you from eating cakes and candies. You will have to make the decision on your own. Now, that being said.....we're all human, and if we had willpower made of stone we wouldn't be going through our own journeys. An occasional taste or sample isn't going to hurt anything. We want to live well rounded lifestyles and be healthier but we're not saints. I've had candy since my surgery. Yes, I knew I shouldn't, yes it stalled my weight loss, yes I learned from it. But it wasn't the end of the world. I got right back on track and just kept moving forward. The sleeve helps you do that. It's not a fad diet, it's a lifestyle change. So don't go into this thinking you're going to have to give up everything and live off vegetables for the rest of your life. You won't. You will learn how to make better decisions and do everything in moderation. I'm only 2 months post op but I've lost almost 50 pounds in those two months and I wouldn't change it for the world. Good luck to you. I highly recommend staying active on this site as there are so many ways it will support you and provide you with the answers you undoubtedly have.

I only had to do a 5 day preop diet and I lost 10 pounds in those 5 days. It actually wasn't too hard. Clear liquid diet with 3 protien shakes a day. Could be any kind of protien shake as long as each shake was under 200 calories. I'll admit, I cheated a bit because I drank the Oh Yeah! shakes and they were 220 calories each. Other than that, all Clear liquids. You can have as much broth (add a bullion cube for flavor), sugar free Jello, black coffee, and unsweetened tea as you want. Try to get at least 60 oz of Water each day. Most of what you're going to lose is water weight anyway. All the sodium from holiday foods will do a number on you. That's why so many people dropped so much in just a few days. When you start a diet the first thing to go is the water weight. Good luck to you. I know it sucks to be sick right before surgery. I had a sinus infection and I was scared to death to go to the doctor about it because I was afraid they would postpone my surgery so I took cold pills (non asprin kind) every four hours and used a netti pot twice daily to get rid of it without antibiotics.

I am 7 weeks today since surgery and as of this morning I've lost 34 pounds since that day. 44 if you count the weight lost on my 5 day liquids diet during preop. I keep getting bummed because I will drop like 10 pounds in no time then stall out for a week or more. Then I read other posts on here and I realize 34 pounds in 7 weeks aint to shabby when it comes to weight loss. I still have 100+ to go so I'm similar to @easymack63. We can get through this, just gotta keep chugging along. I agree it's easy to get grumpy and bummed about it when the scale aint moving but when looking at the bigger picture, I think we're doing A-OK!

I'm 3.5 weeks out and just finished my first stall. I think for me it was not getting enough calories. Once I started adding real calories into my food instead of just broths and Protein shakes, the weight started coming off again (I was only getting about 300 a day before).

Yes definitely sounds like heartburn/reflux/gas pains. With all acid meds you need to take at least 30 mins before eating. The rocking movement is always helpful and gravity works too so a walk will help. Another idea, since it's bothering you first thing in the morning, is to look into a pillow wedge. Maybe the wedge will help prevent everything from building up overnight and you can at least get going in the morning without thinking about it.

@@BitterSweet* is probably right. It's probably either anemia, Vitamin D, or something similar. If it was something urgent they would have worked you in right away. I had anemia prior to surgery and low Vit D but I was only on a low daily supplement for each. Post surgery I'm even lower so I'm on an Iron with Calcium to absorb easier and I have to take the 50mu of Vit D for 6 weeks, 3 times a week, and then have more bloodwork. I think most people get hit with these so I wouldn't worry too much. If you are feeling extra fatigued, that could be an indication of either.

tall decaf skinny vanilla latte

I think my stall has finally broken after about 10 days!

Ok so I should definitely wait at least a couple weeks apparently before I start changing anything to try to get the scale moving. Depressing but it's only a bump in the road. I can already tell a major difference in the way I feel after losing the 30 immediately following surgery. I just can't wait to see what it feels like with the rest of my weight off.

WOW THREE WEEKS!!! I might die of f frustration if it last that long. I'm not surprised mine started around 2 weeks, cause I dropped 30 pounds since 5 days preop when i started my liquid diet. I just hope that doesn't mean my stall is going to longer to let everything catch up. Congrats on your steady loss! Hope I can say the same soon.