JamieLogical

There are many great brands, but they are not all created equal when it comes to your specific feet and your stride. That's why I recommend a running store that sells many different brands. That way you can try several different brands and consult with someone who works there about which brand is best for you.

Wow! Congratz!

The FMLA paperwork includes the duration of time you will need off. Mine was only for 15 days, because i have a desk job, but I am sure that if you explain to OCC about your job requiring lifting, they will complete the paperwork so you can take more time off. There is a section of the FMLA paperwork that pertains to job duties as well, so that is factored into how much time you need off.

I did and it wasn't an option for me. Now flights left that late that would get me home the same day. So what I did was have the OCC shuttle take me to the Holiday Inn Express near the airport the day before my flight out, stayed the night there, then took the Holiday Inn's airport shuttle to the airport the morning of my flight.

I was on 40mg omeprazole for 2 months post op. Cut down the the 20mg over-the-counter dose after that, but recently went back up to 40mg (two 20mg doses a day) now.

THIS!!!! DO NOT SKIMP ON YOUR RUNNING SHOES. Yes, the are super expensive when you go to a real running store, but it will be SO worth it when you don't have chronic back, hip, knee, and foot problems. Also, buy inserts and take out the factory installed inserts. The ones from the factory do absolutely nothing, you need reinforced arch support. My physical therapist recommended SuperFeet brand, but ask the person at the running store about your options.

Well, as long as I'm measuring my body fat percentage on the same scale every time and see it trending downward, what does it matter how accurate it is? And thanks for making me feel like sh**, btw.

For those of you who are having trouble getting your water in because of the burping, I found it was a little better for me if I marched in place while sipping. Give that a try.

I was allowed strained cream Soups in my full liquid stage. I was instructed to strain out any chunks, but I ate pretty much every cream soup my grocery store sold! The variety kept me sane. As for hummus, I was able to eat that during my soft food/puree stage.

The surgery CAN work, if you are willing to work too. You will have to change so many aspects of your life. It is hard! It can be emotionally taxing. It is definitely physically taxing. But it CAN work.

My first few weeks post-op, I was burping with every single sip of water. That got MUCH better a few weeks post-op. I'm still probably a bit more burpy than I was pre-op, but nothing at all like those first couple of weeks!

Scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, and other soft cheeses (Google Shelly's Baked Ricotta!). I don't think I was allowed fruit that soon out from surgery. I was supposed to be getting protein protein protein.

I knew before my sleeve that it would mean never drinking soda again. I'm six months post-op and haven't even been tempted to drink soda yet. Don't think I ever will be at this point.

I weighed in about 1 pound heavier at OCC, but I don't know if it was a difference in the scale, or just the fact that I'd flown the day before and I was weighed at a different time of day than usual. One thing to keep in mind is that you will not have anything by mouth (not even water) after midnight the night before your surgery. So you'll be pretty dehydrated.

I would think you'd be pretty well healed by August, barring any complications.

Congratulations! I hope you have a smooth recovery.

Awesome!

Congratulations!

I think of sliders as being foods that I heard about once in a Daily Show interview with a food scientist. He used the term "diminishing caloric density" to describe the way cheetos and other snack foods dissolve or melt in your mouth. Think of cheese puffs or cotton candy. It starts off big and fluffy, but it melts down when mixed with saliva and doesn't take up much space. Because it becomes so compact, it doesn't take up much room in your stomach and doesn't make you feel full. Other sliders would be liquidy foods. Don't drink your calories!

My employer gave me time off for plastics under FMLA. Our HR department told me that it doesn't matter what led to your being medically incapable of working, just that you have a doctor certify that you are medically incapable of working. Edit: This makes it sound like FMLA only applies to plastics if it is an in-patient procedure (requiring an overnight stay in a hospital): http://www.thehrspecialist.com/34516/Does_the_FMLA_cover_leave_for_cosmetic_surgery_.hr?cat=employment_law

Well, you'll definitely get to eat a lot of cheese! During the soft food phase, I practically lived off of cottage cheese and Shelly's Baked Ricotta (Google the recipe). I still have a reduced fat string cheese for my morning snack every day and have cheese at other random times with meals or as a stand-alone snack. As for coffee and tea, I wasn't allowed caffeine until 30 days post op, but different surgeons and nutritionists have different requirements.

Awesome that you are feeling so good! Remember to walk walk walk and sip sip sip.

Every surgeon will have different post-op restrictions, but once your restrictions are lifted, a mix of cardio and strength training will be an excellent workout. A lot of people skip the strength training, because they like seeing the pounds fall off on the scale, but the truth is, a lot of the weight most people lose after WLS is muscle. It takes a lot of muscle to carry around our extra weight! Ideally, to achieve a good body fat percentage, and not just a low weight, you want to retain as much of that muscle as possible and make sure you are losing fat.

As your weight gets lower and lower, your loss will inevitably slow, as long as you are eating the same amount. When you are thinner, it takes fewer calories to sustain your weight. Ideally you'd hit a balance at some point where the amount you are eating matches the amount you're expending and your weight loss will stop. If that point is significantly below your goal weight, then you might have to try to increase your calorie intake to slow it down. That's something you should be able to work with your nutritionist to figure out.

Reflux for sure. Go ahead and buy some Prilosec (generic omeprazole is fine) and start taking one a day. Then try to get an appointment with your surgeon or regular doctor.