Inner Surfer Girl

I am so sorry you experienced so many complications and difficulties. Hearing about your success and optimism is awesome! Congratulations, I wish you nothing but success in your new career. Getting rid of your wheelchair must be thrilling.

Be careful walking in stairwells alone. They aren't always the safest places to be. Years ago I worked on the 13th floor of a building that also had several levels down to street level. Whenever we had a fire drill we were all sore the next day.

It is very normal. You are healing. Do everything you can to get in all of your fluids and Protein. It will help you to bounce back faster.

Since you have conflicting information and aren't having complications or issues, I would go with the one that would allow me to get in the most Protein. If it helps, my surgeon allowed Premier Protein during my clear phase.

I put a bird feeder outside my front window late in the winter and have been feeding the birds since. Boy can those creatures eat! I jokingly liken it to the drive-thru. They get so excited when I fill the feeder. It's fun to watch them get in line and take turns at the feeder. They can clean it out in a day. All of that is to say that if you mean I eat protein rich meals and snacks frequently throughout the day? Then yes, I eat like a bird.

If your surgeon clears you to be off four weeks, you could plan to have your one month follow-up before you return to work. If you take less time you will still have follow-ups, but I would think your one week would still be while you are off of work recovering.

My understanding it is converted to glucose for energy and then if not burned is stored as fat. I am learning that Protein is a delicate balance. If we don't get enough our metabolism slows down (it needs protein to do the required work of building muscle, replacing skin, reconfiguring out body to make it smaller) but if we get too much excess that it can't use right then it can't store it. Also, if we don't get enough our bodies will consume our own protein (muscles). That it is why it is important to eat enough protein but to spread it out throughout the day. Eating frequent protein-based meals and Snacks is preferable to eating one or two big meals/doses of protein. It keeps our metabolism going and it keeps us from getting hungry.

I didn't go to Mexico, but the only thing OTC I remember using immediately post-op was liquid Tylenol. Be sure and get the adult version. The children's version is full of high fructose corn syrup.

Keep in mind that we only metabolize about 20-25 grams of Protein over an hour so if you are adding protein to your yogurt to get 45 grams of protein, unless you are dividing it up and eating it over multiple meals you aren't really getting 45 grams of protein. Aim for multiple meals of no more than 25 grams of protein each, spread out over the day.

I can't answer your question about why men are so clueless. Fortunately, since I am single I didn't have to deal with this during my recovery. Other than politely asking him not to eat junk in front of you again, I would suggest that you control what you can (yourself) and just leave the room until he has finished eating. If he wants your company during meals he MIGHT get a clue.

You and your body will love this. Best of luck. Walk, walk, walk, and sip, sip, sip!

Of course I am interested! Welcome and best of luck with your surgery. It sounds like you have a great deal of support at home with your kids which will be so helpful with your recovery. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

One thing my surgeon advised to completely avoid is high fructose corn syrup. Most processed food uses it. I would bet that the uncrustables have high fructose corn syrup in addition to the starch in the bread. I would get a Jif to go cup before I would eat a PBJ sandwich.

Congratulations!

I too liked seeing all of the other patients in the support group meeting. I found it interesting that Ashley's mother had bypass. The awful way she speaks to her daughter is terrible. To find out she had bypass, too was interesting because I would have thought it might have made her more supportive and compassionate. I hate it when they show the person's family criticizing her weight while eating badly themselves. I also found it surprising that we don't hear more from Dr. Now about Protein and fluids. His focus on calories and only eating three times seems like really old-school dieting advice.

In the first weeks after surgery, I probably re-read the food plan pages in my manual several times a day.

My guess is that even puréed raw vegetables would still be too rough/jagged. According to my NUT all of the food phases are based on texture.

I was 51 and this was my first surgery ever. I was afraid. It is perfectly normal to be afraid and anxious. This is major surgery. The good thing is that was the worst part of my whole experience: the pre-op fear. I couldn't have hoped for a better surgery or recovery experience or even dreamed of better results so far. You can do it! "Feel the fear and do it anyway!"

For some reason I couldn't see this post until I quoted it. Did you use a funky font or something?

@@jintycb, I just added another item to my bucket list: walking with you in a royal park.

Have you considered attending some OA meetings and/or working the steps around food? When you read the Big Book and change the words alcohol and alcoholic to food and compulsive eater, does it still apply? I agree with others, the sleeve is not a magic cure buy it has been a miracle for me. That said, I think the reason I am seeing results is in part because of the mental work I have done around food up to now and in part because I have radically changed the way I eat. I too recommend you start tracking your food with MyFitnessPal or a similar app. Focus on getting enough Protein (at least 100 grams since you are a guy and an athlete). Avoid starches, added sugars, and fried foods. Completely cut out anything with high fructose corn syrup. Choose healthy, whole foods instead of pre-packaged processed foods. Eat good fats. Take Vitamins (at least a Multivitamin and possibly D3). Exercise (sounds like you are already doing so). Wean yourself off of caffeine and carbonation. I would suggest you check in with a good NUT to talk about your goals: losing weight, running, etc. so that he or she can help you determine the level of macros you need (protein, fat, and carbs) for your activity level and to lose weight. One of two things will happen. Either you will lose the weight and not need surgery, or you may decide to still have surgery but you will be better prepared. Keep in mind that whether you have surgery or not, when losing weight you WILL experience stalls. It's how you deal with those stalls that will determine your success. Keep us posted on how you are doing and what you decide.

Definitely call your surgeon's office.

I am so sorry. Sending hugs.

Keep in mind that no one know how much everyone who has ever had surgery has done over time. There is no master database of all of that information in addition to the fact that the number would be forever changing. What doctors go by is data derived from a specific set of people over a specific amount of time. As others have mentioned if you focus on what you are in charge of: your Protein, Water, exercise, Vitamins, food choices, and attitude, you will do great.

The predicted weight loss is based on results from a few specific studies. They are estimates and not predictions. Is it possible to lose all of your excess weight? Yes. Is it possible to lose very little of your excess weight? Yes. Is it possible to lose part of your excess weight? Also, yes. As far as I can tell is that the only real limit is how much effort you choose to put into following your program. If you do what you are supposed to and don't give up when you stall or experience difficulties, then you can lose all or most of your excess weight.