Inner Surfer Girl

YES! I've started drinking Decaf sun tea and found I really like it. Very refreshing and I don't have to wait for the carbonation to go away.

All you need is one person to make you feel like you are the bottom of the heap. We have dealt with so much and been through so much that it does not take a lot to bring a patient down.
How many times did we all try and fail at different diets. I would almost say that that is the biggest issue that haunts us all on here. And when mistakes are made do we get the best results by putting people down or by encouraging them to do better..
You catch more flies with honey then vinegar...Same on here!

I just want to say that some of you are REALLY judgemental. Everyone has a different journey, everyone has different experiences.
Here is what happened to me: I did surgery at a private hospital in Israel. All my instructions were given out in google-translated English and we did not need 6 months prior counseling, nor did we need a liquid diet, nor did I need to meet with a psychiatrist. I had exactly one meeting with a NUT who barely spoke English. None of these were really a downfall however, and thankfully I have managed to lose a significant amount of weight.
What I did struggle with, however, was that about 4-5 days after coming home (I have three kids) everyone was stuffing their face and having a party. And I ate exactly one tiny pretzel that I chewed into pieces. And you know what? It didn't hurt, it tasted good and I was fine.. What happened next was not OK though- I really was panicked that my sleeve wasn't working, or I had ruined it. I NEEDED support desperately from people who had BTDT, and I made the mistake of posting on here. I got exactly one piece of support and the rest ridiculed/ derided/mocked or basically told me how stupid I was for doing so. Ummmm people f**k up- didn't many of us screw up somewhere to be in need of surgery to begin with? I think this board is great for questions, but you know what? Sometimes people make mistakes. And need support for those mistakes, not to be ridiculed or made fun of or be called out for being stupid.
Had someone said to me back then- "you know, you shouldn't have eaten it, but you haven't ruined your sleeve- PM me if you need to talk in future" that would have done a lot more for my self-esteem and support through the process than all the people who told me I was dumb and I shouldn't have done surgery to begin with etc.. etc..
It is HARD to have little kids who wander round with food and not feel inclined to touch any of it despite having basically been on a fast for at least a week prior. It is HARD to make dinner and smell something yummy and not touch it. Yes, you should realise all thise before you do surgery, but realising something and living it are two very different things. And, quite frankly, if you cannot be in a place to give constructive support to someone who is likely going through a really low point in their lives, look away and move on. Don't mock or deride- keep it in your head or write it on a private chat or FB status. Those of us who feel like we failed at some point need help, not more mocking thrown their way.
To be clear- I am in no way advocating someone to stuff their faces right after surgery - or any point ever after surgery (I am one of the very few who suffers/ed from dumping syndrome after the sleeve) or eat stuff they shouldn't. I am just askign that people on this board be gentle and kind to people who have made a mistake. If you want to be supportive- help them get back on the right track in a kind way.

My surgeon said to make sure to have someone drive me home (nodriving for 10 days,) If your sisters are so worried maybe they could take turns coming to you!

VSGAnn....I am doing so much better! Thank-You for asking! I had a mental lapse, that wanted to eat. I know it seemed as though I had eaten a lot....actually, had eaten just a bite of the things I mentioned. I did not eat the whole thing! Anyways, there is so much "unknown" once you are sleeved and everyone has different directions and experiences. I gave in to myself and ate some things I shouldn't have....BUT..Since then, I have been doing well....Not eating the bad, only the good! I do feel better every day! I have lost 30 pounds since my surgery on 7/3.

I am still pre-op, but the biggest mental hurdle for me was giving up pop. I wasn't sure if I would be able to survive without it. I have. I started by switching to tea to get the caffeine kick. Now I am reducing the tea and focusing on Water. It wasn't nearly as hard as I had anticipated.

I feel that there is not just one right answer for any given question.
I think that one person may be able to say something better then another.
I feel that someone may have a way about them to get their point across without causing hurt or fear.
I wonder how many times a question is asked when it becomes too many.
I certainly have seen that those who comment on those that ask the same questions over and over again have probably seen someone else post the same or similar thread.
I wonder if there is more then one way to learn something. Do people all learn by being told once, I don't know...How about three times, or ten. Does it really matter in the entire scheme of things.
If we are all teachers and have experienced this marvelous experience of WLS. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could put it out there without getting tired to teach others what we have experienced or learned through all this.
How much do we give when we have paid it forward enough.
Is there a time when you or I might be just the person to say what needs to be said so that another will say oh, okay I got this or I understand that now. I am okay with that part of this journey!
I wonder! I really do.

As a dietician working in a bariatric clinic I meet a lot of patients who over eat. This is far from surprising. However, what never fails to astound me is how many of these very same people are malnourished.
It’s easy for the general public to make the connection between malnutrition and starvation in the developing world, but when it comes to overweight Westerners being malnourished it’s a different story.
In the developed world, where obesity has reached epidemic proportions, we are seeing more and more people who are overweight or obese being diagnosed with malnutrition because they consume too much of the wrong foods; foods with little to no nutritional value that are low in Protein, Vitamins and minerals.
To understand this contradictory situation you must understand the different types of nutrients and how vital they are. This is one of the main reasons why so many Westerners are plagued by chronic diseases.
According to Joanne Slavin, a nutrition professor at the University of Minnesota, the main culprit of malnutrition is usually poor protein.
“If you don’t get enough protein, you might still get enough calories without getting enough nutrients,” says Slavin.
In my experience the main “shortfall” nutrients tend to be Calcium, Fiber, potassium and Vitamin D. Many overweight individuals have packed on extra weight over the years because they have poor diets that are typically high in refined foods. These highly refined foods are high in unhealthy fats and sugars and low in the aforementioned nutrients.
In this age of calorie counting, it’s important to consider all aspects of your diet. But let me tell you, calorie content is not the be all and end all. A calorie from a Mars bar is the same as a calorie from an Apple when it comes to energy exchange, however, an apple is much richer in vitamins and minerals.
As US based nutritional consultant, Carol Cottrill, points out “when we eat the empty calories found in processed foods instead of wholesome, real food, our appetite is curbed temporarily, and our stomachs feel full, though our bodies have not taken in the nutrients they crave. This is the setup for what's known as subclinical malnutrition. Not to be confused with the undernourishment experienced in famine-stricken countries.”
To keep our body healthy, we must fuel it with the necessary ingredients that can only come from a healthy, well-balanced diet. When we don't get nutrients, our internal functions don't work as well - and this is when we become vulnerable to diseases such as obesity.
Image Credit: Melissa Gruntkosky

My surgeon said to make sure to have someone drive me home (nodriving for 10 days,) If your sisters are so worried maybe they could take turns coming to you!

Back in the day, Dear Abbey offered a generic response to nosy questions: "Why would you want to know?"

In my opinion this is definitely the way to go. I don't own a scale my husband threw it away right before I had the surgery because I knew I would be on it multiple times a day and would end u gettng discouraged so for the past 15 months the only time I weigh is when I go in for my monthly check-ups. It's so nice to see that bigger number on the scale PLUS you don't see those little ups and downs and stalls that get your mind in a frenzy. For me I think this was the best thing I could've done for myself!! Keep up the good work!

Wow...what a wide variety of opinions and experiences. I am going to go it alone, but have set up friends, and cousins who live in the area (my sisters live an hour or more away depending on traffic), as well as a couple neighbors, as back up. If I have problems or complications of any sort one of my sisters will come to tend to me or take me to her house. Will let you know how it all turns out.,. Thank you for the input.

My opinion is that it is less about intelligence or thoughtfulness and more about emotional "blockage". Let's be honest, even if your doc gave you ZERO instructions, there is a big world wide web out there... lots of sources. I thing that people can get just so emotionally wound up in weight, food, fear of failing etc that they aren't "at their best".
while I was well prepared, educated (both self and by surgeon/NUT) for the sleeve I have in the past been just plain STUPID about maintaining my health.
Let me give you an example - I did weight watchers for years where you count points. I knew better but like i lot of people I got caught up in sort of trying cheat the system - you know, super high Fiber things calculated low points, that type of deal. Stupid, yes, but I did it.
There is something about being "ready" to really change that can be elusive. Some of us didn't know if we were ready but tried anyway.
Others thought they were ready but really weren't.
Some are in such a state of mind they don't even recognize "ready" as a concept.

I ignore the folks coming in here for validation of bad habits
I am in insurance as some of you may know. What I tend to see is a clear lack of education, clear lack of understanding the healthcare system and most especially an absolute refusal of people to self advocate!
I love to educate people on how to work their healthcare system but it goes on deaf ears because they won't self advocate.
I can't tell you how many people do not know :
1- your doctor can be reached after hours. Call the office there is a service. If it's voice mail listen to the message. There is usually a phone number.
2- your doctors and their staff have heard EVERYTHING before ! Don't be embarrassed by anything ! Ask ask ask. Tell tell tell!
3- you're not 'bothering' the office. It's your right to receive health care. Go get it. Call if they don't return a call, call back. Again and again and again.
4-If your doc office staff isn't willing to support you they have a boss. Either it's the doc or another person. Find out and reach out.

I have been shocked over and over again by what I personally did not know. I studied this for two years. did research and watched videos and asked questions on here and to my team. I did not know:
What to eat and when in detail.
64 oz. of Water..say what? I loved water..What I hate it now..Never heard of such a thing!
I did not know any nutritional retraining I would need.
I did not know that you can get a leak 18 months out.
I did not know that you can get reactive Hypoglycemia.
I did not know that when you gain muscle you get bigger.
I did not know that you could really die from WLS.
I did not know that people would treat you mean because you lost weight.
I did not know that people would tell me I took the easy way out.
I did not know that people can live without eating for 5.5 months...
I guess I did not know a lot. But then I live in one of the the poorest Provinces. Not to mention the most backwards Province in Canada when it comes to health.
I had no idea that most of the things that happened to me did.....I am shocked that more people are not aware of this life saving chance. And that more people die because they are not invested in the changing of lives....
I had no idea I would hate tuna after my surgery and I when it was I would be able to finally eat at all....I had to learn to eat again..Who does that!
I never knew that people sucked the chocolate off of peanut M n M's and thought they weren't cheating..They should have eaten the peanuts..you know! Or lick the cheese off Doritos and feel satisfied...Say what!
I know this is a little off the best but you know what I think: there are still people who think you can't get pregnant the first time you have sex.
For such a time of the information age. People are still eating boxed macaroni and cheese and thinking that it is good for you.
For now I will try to answer as many of those questions as I can and when and if I do tire out..I will back off and call it a day!
For now..nope!

I am down 50 pounds and many clothing sizes since March 4th surgery - no longer diabetic and off blood pressure medication. I feel fabulous and have so much energy!
Visited my grandsons last week in Florida and was the "nanny" for 4 days. We stayed in a hotel most of the time and while it was a little challenging food-wise, the room had a fridge so I stocked up on cheese sticks, hummus, bottled Water, Greek yogurt, etc. Breakfast was included but I stuck to my fat free plain Greek yogurt and added a little honey and almonds (courtesy of the hotel). I ran around with the children for four days and never got tired. No seat belt extender on the plane, walking was no effort - in fact I enjoyed it because it was exercise, I was able to cross my legs on the plane, etc. EVERYTHING was EFFORTLESS....................for the first time in forever I actually enjoyed the flights and everything.
I just cannot believe this new, glorious life...........................SO GOOD!

My surgeon said to make sure to have someone drive me home (nodriving for 10 days,) If your sisters are so worried maybe they could take turns coming to you!

Yay, I just realized today that I know weigh what my driver's license says I weigh! That is so awesome!! Just thought I'd share my "win" today LOL

It's the Intensive care after surgery, I think it's the normal procedure here (I'm in France). My surgery went well without complication but the medical team put me there after surgery to render my body back to normal condition. My surgeon already told me before surgery that they will keep me in the hospital 5 days post-op, then he gave me 1 month off work. Here in France the Social security pays for the pre-op exams and operation. The employer gets the compensation for my sick leave and my operation is confidential meaning by law, the employer cannot ask what my operation is for.

I agree with you. My children are far from rude but in reality I was much bigger than most of our immediate family. I don't think that they ever intended to hurt my feelings or anyone else's for that matter but they are only five (now) and they question everything not just why are people fat. I always make a point to explain to them that it is not polite to hurt people's feeling but I'm not sure they completely understand why the question is any different than the hundreds of others they asked that day.

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The few times a child has said that to me I have smiled and said "Yes, I am!" When they have asked why I just tell them I ate too much candy. At that age, they are just trying to figure out the world. Its the grown folks with no manors or tact who I grieve for. Why would want anyone else lioks like would be their business is beyond me.

Alcohol is a huge choice/decision for us WLS patients. But at just 4 weeks, you really haven't arrived at the point yet where it is your "choice." You're still under your surgeon's care. Wouldn't you feel better asking him/her that question?
But, some food for thought in your future choices about alcohol. As you've read here from other posters, many docs have many different opinions. The nation's largest HMO that does extensive research on bariatric surgery patients recommends NO ALCOHOL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Besides the obvious safety reasons of getting drunk very easily and causing death or bodily harm behind the wheel, the major concern is WLS patients' vulnerability toward what they call TRANSFER ADDICTIONS--alcohol being the most common one. We've already had a major addiction with food our whole lives, and are ripe for replacing our food addiction with something else--like alcohol.
But, like every step of the way on our new WLS lifestyle, everything we do, every bite we take is a CHOICE, and we have been taught that every choice is subject to consequences that we have to be ready to accept if we choose the behavior.

My surgeon said to make sure to have someone drive me home (nodriving for 10 days,) If your sisters are so worried maybe they could take turns coming to you!