JamieLogical

That sounds like WAY too many carbs. The way the liver shrinks with the pre-op diet is by depleting your glycogen stores. In order for that to happen you need your body to go into ketosis. Usually, to push your body into ketosis initially, you need to be down around 20-40 carbs per day.

I always use a combo of Claritin D and Mucinex, because I'm always struggling with sinus congestion whenever I get sick. Just be sure that you only get the "D" version of one of the two. Don't want to double up in pseudoephedrine .

Glad you have found comfort in these forums. They were an invaluable resource to me through my pre and post-op journey. I am so grateful for them and all of the people who participate and contribute. Please feel free to post any questions or concerns you have. Also feel free just to come here and vent and rage at the world, because we have all been there. The pre-op diet is no fun and the first couple of weeks post-op can be very trying. So if you need to come here for a shoulder to cry on, don't hesitate!

Congrats! I had my 18 month check-up on Monday and I too have been maintaining for a full 6 months! That's a new record for me! My doctor has seen me lose and regain weight so many times. She was THRILLED that VSG has allowed me to maintain at goal for this long already.

Love that you are taking such a proactive role in preparing for his recovery and are being so supportive through this process. Not all of us have that. Make sure he knows how lucky he is!

I would definitely talk to your surgeon ASAP. You shouldn't be in pain still. Uncomfortable? Yes. Tired? Yes. Emotional? Yes. Pain? NO!

Many people who experience a stall on the scale are still losing inches. That's why it's great to take your measurements regularly. So when the scale is being a bi***, you can go to the tape measure and still see some progress.

I had my breasts lift with implants done by Dra. Laura Carmina Cardenas. But that was 4.5 years ago, so I couldn't guess at her current pricing. I had a fantastic experience with her and the recovery house she's affiliated with. I had an extended tummy tuck with muscle repair and all over lipo at the same time. My results were excellent. I'm hoping to go back to her for a spira, thigh lift and butt lift in August or September, once the running season is over (I'm doing my first half marathon in April!).

That is quite good to know (the pushing of a yogurt rich diet). Depending upon the brand and such, they can have an extremely varied microbe content. I suppose an interesting test would be to break down post surgical success based upon which yogurt brands (and in turn, which microbes) lead to the most desirable outcome. That experiment would be much further down the line however LOL. Speaking with my mother, she remembers being pushed into an extremely high protein diet post bypass, and told to avoid fruits and vegetables. I had forgotten that fact. Thanks for the insight, Brad We are all encouraged to eat a high protein/low carb diet. Yogurt is a great option immediately post op because of it's soft consistency. Some of us are even allowed it in the "liquid" phases. It remains a good option later on as well, due to its high protein content and low carbs/sugar. Another thing that might be interesting to explore is the prebiotic Fiber content of many high Protein Bars. Many use isomalto-oligosaccharides and a major brand, Quest, just switched to soluble corn fiber. I was an avid Quest Bar eater until the switch and my gut bacteria definitely didn't take the switch well. I became HORRIBLY bloated and flatulent. I couldn't even be in the same room with myself it was so bad. I had to switch to another brand that was still using isomalto-oligosaccharides.

I think you could find similar prices from several reputable surgeons in TJ. Breaston augmentation is definitely NOT THE sort of procedure where you want to go with the lowest bidder. So definitely do your research.

@@rastus I agree that drinking AFTER eating is just uncomfortable as I am still too full of food. Drinking WHILE eating is the real danger for sleevers.

My nutritionist has had me on a probiotic since I was pre-op. Also, the brand of shakes my surgical center pushes (Vitaleph) includes probiotics in the protein powder. Another thing to note is that most surgical programs really push yogurt, particularly Greek yogurt as a stable of your diet post-op.

Some people are on puree when they are still in the hospital! Every surgeon and plan is different. You should stick to the plan that YOUR surgeon has given YOU. And, of course, if you experience any problems, feel free to fall back to the previous food stage.

@@AvaFern is definitely the exception to the rule. If you have the willpower to limit what you are eating regardless of whether you feel "full" or not, then more power to you. Most people who opt for the restriction of WLS have problems with willpower though and that "full" feeling is what keeps us from overeating. Pre-op, I would literally drink 4 glasses of Water at one meal when I was out to eat, because constantly washing the food down with water let me stuff more in there! I could eat an entire large pizza plus dessert by myself! Post-op, once I was on soft foods, the very first time I started to feel "full" the very first thing I did, without even thinking about it, was reach for some water to wash it down. I caught myself and realized how I had subconsciously been using eating and drinking at the same time as a way to eat more my entire life! I wasn't going to throw away the restriction of my sleeve by doing that all over again. It took a period of adjustment for sure. The first time I had tuna post-op, it was so dry I thought I was going to DIE if I didn't take a sip of water. So I did take a small sip and moved on with my life. In the beginning, I mostly just made sure I didn't have water within arms reach while eating. But now I can go out to eat, have them bring me a glass of water, drink it up until the time my meal is served, then just not touch it again the rest of the time I'm there. There was one time I was choking on something caught in my throat and had to grab my husband's drink to wash it down. So maybe not a *terrible* idea to keep water within reach while eating once you are in the habit of not drinking it subconsciously.

First of all, you probably do see a lot of horror stories from your job, but the risk of complication or death from WLS is VERY low. Much lower than that knee replacement surgery you know you are going to need to have. Which is saying something because, by definition, WLS patients are a high risk group! Many surgeons aren't doing lap-band anymore, so that might be one of your first questions at this seminar. It may no longer even be an option with the surgeon you are seeing. As for other questions, I can't think of many general ones that you couldn't already find the answers to here. I think you would maybe just want to ask specific questions about the surgeon, the program, what the requirements are for pre and post-op, etc. Every surgeon has very different requirements and guidelines, so you should use the seminar as an opportunity to find out the specifics of this surgeon.

Not to answer for the OP, but I will tell you how I manage protein without tracking. I'm supposed to get 100 grams a day. I just keep a running tally in my head. It's only one number, so it's easy to just do the math in my brain. I eat 5-6 times day and as long as I get close to 20 grams each of those times, then I will make my goal.

1.5 hours after seems extreme, but the reason is you don't want to flush the food out of your stomach. Leaving it in there makes you feel fuller longer. It is a way of fully utilizing your restriction. Eating and drinking at the same time or drinking soon after eating is one of the easier ways to "eat around" the sleeve. My guideline from my surgeon was to wait 20 minutes after. I usually wait more like 40-45 minutes, because I feel so "full" after eating and I feel like if I tried to drink anything, it wouldn't have anywhere to go.

Well, today is my 18 month surgiversary. I had my annual physical/18 month check-in with my PCP yesterday. I was sleeved in Mexico, so my PCP has handled my follow-up blood work and such. Everything was great! All of my labs were dead-on perfect other than my non-HDL Cholesterol being a tiny bit to the "low" side. Obviously not a cause for concern. She was thrilled to hear I am training for a half marathon. She wants me to email her and let her know how it goes. She was also happy to hear that I've been maintaining below goal for 6 months now. She has seen me through many of my past weight loss attempts and knows how prone I am to regain. Really happy everything is going so well!

Yikes! Well at least you know what the problem is and are getting it taken care of. Let us know how it goes.

@@JamieLogical i've heard the above many times never understood how hunger and acid go with each other reason is-------------?? thanx kathy Excess acid can cause "rumbling" and "gurgling" that many people mistake for hunger. The truth is, most of us don't know or recognize what REAL hunger feels like.

Yayayay! Stalls are a bi***, but you toughed it out. Good for you!

You should have been given specific guidelines for the nutritional values of your shakes. If you weren't, contact your surgeon's office or nutritionist.

My husband and I ordered 4 boxes. They haven't arrived yet. But I have no doubt I will be able to incorporate them in a moderate way. Luckily I'm in maintenance. If I were still trying to lose weight, I would probably steer clear altogether.

The liquid diet isn't about weight loss. It's about shrinking the liver. That being said, I had a two week pre-op liquid diet of just Protein shakes and one green salad with calorie-free dressing a day. I lost about 11 pounds in those two weeks.

Awesome! I signed up for my first half marathon in April and it has been incredibly motivating for me. I am staying hyper-focused on my training program. Hopefully this triathlon can be similarly inspiring for you. I think it's great to force ourselves way out of our comfort zones like this. Up until now my longest race has been a 5k!