Daisee68

Sounds like your NUT doesn't really know what she is talking about. I would call the person that does the insurance submissions and ask them about the gain/loss weight requirement. AND you will have to have Protein shakes post-op, so if she doesn't like them now, I wonder what she will recommend post-op. Try the Premier Protein ready to drink shakes. Great protein and very low sugar. For a powder, check out Precision Engineered whey Protein Isolate. I have had great success with it and really like the taste (also very low sugar). The vanilla even smells heavenly. Lastly are you writing down all your food in a log somewhere (ie MyFitnessPal or LoseIt or Livestrong/MyDailyPlate? You will need to do this post-op, so it is a great habit to get in now to see how many calories, protein, fat and carbs you are really getting. What you think may be "very little carbs" may in fact not be. Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

Highest weight - 336 Weight at first consultation (Jan 2015) - 323 Surgery weight (June 4, 2015) - 296 1 month post-op weight - 281 3 month post-op weight - 252 6 month post-op weight - 221 1 year post-op weight - 175 I am done. I was told today by surgeon at my 1 year follow-up that I was "normal" BMI - 25.0. More importantly, my diabetes is in remission and I am off cholesterol meds.

I had that issue early on when I was very constipated and also when I took strong laxative once it kicked in but if you aren't struggling with that, I don't know. ...

I had my 1 year post-op visit with the surgeon today. She was thrilled and declared me "normal" BMI! Wow! I never thought that would happen and certainly not only 1 year from surgery! She also said I had lost 100% of my excess weight and look great where I am. I lost 150 pounds since my very first appt with surgeon last January. 130 pounds lost from 1 week liquid pre-op diet to today! AND she said she had no issues with me going ahead with plastics!

Give it one more day and stick with some liquids and see if your system calms down. If not, call them again tomorrow and tell them you are concerned you are going to get dehydrated. Everytime I vomited, I had to stuck with liquids for 24 to 48 hours afterwards to let my system calm down. Sometimes it worked but never permanently which is how they finally figured out it was a stricture. I'm so sorry! I know how frustrating it is. Try to rest and maybe it will calm down for a little while. Do you have some Zofran (or other anti-nausea med) to take? What foods are you trying? Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

@@scampbell33 - So glad it was what you needed to read! Thank you for the compliments! I know I should post before and after pics but I just haven't pulled that bandaid off yet. Maybe soon.... Best of luck on your journey!! Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

Thanks so much for the comments! Glad it was an encouragement to several! Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

Thanks @@UsernameTaken! Glad it was encouraging! Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

You should be able to fly without issue (I think there are others that did), but I will warn you that you may be tired. I think it is totally doable, but be sure to find a shake now that you can tolerate as you will definitely need to supplement that early out. (I still drink 1 Premier Protein ready to drink shake per day at 1 year post-op to hit my protein goals, plus I have come to really enjoy them.) You will only be able to eat VERY small amounts at that stage and possibly need some pureed / soft foods, so maybe you can prepare your family for those - refried Beans, laughing cow cheese (or other soft cheeses), MAYBE thinly sliced deli turkey, greek yogurt, etc. It is so great that your family is supportive, but know now that it will be a little difficult being around family and all that food at that early out. It will not be impossible, but just expect it to be a little hard and give yourself a little grace and a little time alone if you get overwhelmed. Good luck and have fun!

I was nauseas for a long time and continued to take Zofran during that time. If you don't have an anti-nausea med, call your dr and see if they will give you one (preferably the one that dissolves under your tongue as it works better). It is all very overwhelming in the beginning but I promise it gets easier! I don't know if this helps, but posted here http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/369473-one-year-surgiversary/ about my 1 year post-op yesterday. Maybe it will give you a little encouragement in these really tough days. (If you read my very early posts from last year, you will see how miserable I was at the beginning too!)

4 oz is likely too much at this 4 weeks post-op (especially if you are trying 4 oz 6 times per day). Agree you should cut back to 2 oz and see how that goes. Don't stress about getting to that Protein and Fluid goals this early. You will get there but it may take time.

Great news @@UsernameTaken! I hope you keep improving every day!

I am 1 year post-op and still have a little difficulty with steak. It is a little tougher to digest. Next time you try it, maybe try a smaller amount and cut it up in really tiny pieces.

Yep, call the surgeon. It sounds very similar to what happened to me and it turned out to be a stricture (narrowing of the opening exiting your stomach due to overgrowth of scar tissue). It is a super easy fix - they do an EGD with a balloon dilation. I had it done twice about 1 week apart because it was so tight, they were afraid to expand it too much the first time. I felt better immediately. I did still say nauseas for quite a while (up to about 6 months) and had to keep taking Zofran but it finally went away and I haven't looked back! So sorry you are having such a rough time! I truly do understand! Hang in there! And call your dr tomorrow!

It is the 3 week stall. Do a search on it in these forums. Completely normal.

Wow! What a difference a year makes! I have been thinking about this day all week. One year... What a ride! Here are some stats: I am 1.1 pound away from being "normal" BMI; I am down 147.8 pounds total (121 pounds of that since surgery); I have lost 83.5 inches (18 inches off my hips ALONE / 12 inches off EACH thigh!); pants size down from loose 28 to 12 or 14; dress size down from 24 or 26 to a size 12. Some of the best NSV's: Buckling airplane seatbelt and not having bruises on my thighs from the plane seat arms; ability to get up and down off the floor so easily; my clothes have stopped falling off hangers; ability to fit in a "normal" robe when I go to a spa or even the doctor; crossing my legs; not sweating all the time; diabetes in remission and no diabetes meds; off cholesterol meds; ability to mow my own lawn without being so exhausted I had to lay down for hours afterwards. I know there are more.... How did I do it? Perseverance. Seriously one bite at a time. I ate poorly or too much, I got right back up and did better next meal - not tomorrow, not next Monday. My keys to success: Therapy and logging my food daily and having occasional checkups with my NUT. (It is good to have someone look over my food logs and say "careful on that, or try more of this"). I really think therapy though is my number one tool. I had some breakthroughs just this week in how I saw food and will continue to see this therapist for AT least another year if not longer. Oh and I cannot forget the support I received from friends and family. Were it not for those cheering me on and yet still staying out of my business (i.e. not constantly saying "should you be eating that"), I do not think I would have been so successful. And of course this incredible website. Without the advice and the ability to rant and read others experiences here, I would never have been able to do this! What do I eat: deli turkey, cheese, blackberries, blueberries, apples, tuna, pork tenderloin, lean ground beef (less than once per week), turkey sausage, turkey pepperoni, LOTS AND LOTS of chicken (grilled, boiled, fajita style, rotisserie, baked, roasted, etc etc), cucumbers, avocado, green olives, mushrooms, onions, occasional slice of bread (a few times a week), triscuit crackers (limiting myself to 2 or 3 at a time), did I say cheese LOTS and LOTS of cheese. I still have 1 Protein shake per day (30g protein) to make sure I get to my protein goals. I eat around 100 - 120g protein per day / 60-80g carbs / 45-55g fat - total calories 1100-1300. (I have been averaging closer to 1000 this last 2 weeks and I need to be sure t get those calories UP because I am ready to stop losing weight.) I cook for myself, so it is much easier to manage I am sure than others who cook for families. What didn't change: I am not one of those people that have SO much energy they cannot stand it. Nope. I am still a fairly lazy person. I hate that I am but it is true. I watch too much tv still and I still don't enjoy exercising really (and don't do it as often as I should). (I mostly walk and it is nice to know that I can go on a 2 mile walk without a lot of effort but I don't get that HIGH from exercising some talk about.) I want to be healthier and I will keep working on that part but I will never be a marathon runner or CrossFitter, etc. I still struggle with making food choices. The struggle is much easier than it used to be (most things don't even cross my mind to eat anymore) but I still crave salty Snacks. I give in sometimes but I am working on the addiction part of that. Not because you cannot have salty snacks but because it is an ADDICTION for me. And yes - I have loose skin. LOTS of it. My butt and boobs took the worst hit. You cannot see it when I am dressed and it isn't as bad as I thought it might be, but I am going to have it fixed. I am planning my first of plastics for this fall. I took money out of my 401K to pay for it. I do not need to be perfect, but I want to be able to wear sleeveless shirts and some shorts without being uncomfortable and I need my butt and thighs to be reshaped so I can fit in pants (which are tough to buy right now). I had some struggles in the beginning - I had a stricture which we didn't figure out until 3 months post-op so I was constantly vomiting. I stayed nauseas until 6 months post-op. The constipation is probably the very worst part and it has only really resolved in the last couple of months as I have started to incorporate more Fiber in my diet. (It is tough to get fiber in the beginning.) I thought I was a SLOW loser (average 10-12 pounds per month). I know now that isn't slow. It is just right. My best advice to people starting this journey - DO IT! Seriously - just do it. Just work the program. Use the tools - all of them - therapy, logging, NUT, restriction, Vitamins, exercise. STOP comparing yourself to others!! It will derail you! (PLUS I just don't buy into the "I lost 40 pounds my first month") This is your journey. No one else's. Everyone's journey is different and comparing yourself to others is defeating mentally. GO SEE A THERAPIST! Please... accept that you have a food "issue". I will buy that some of you don't but let's be honest, the overwhelming majority of us have food "issues" and until you face that fact, you cannot learn how to start to move past it. HANG IN THERE - just keep moving forward. You are going to be stunned when you look back a year from now... My journey is not over. The hardest part is just beginning - Maintenance. I have lost weight before but never kept it off, so this is the real test. Can I do this for the rest of my life? I truly hope so. I have a great head start by having developed some great new habits and faced some of my food addiction issues that I allowed to derail me in the past. I have some big changes in my life coming up job-wise and it is going to take discipline to make it work. I will keep seeing my therapist and keep my eye on the prize!

It likely isn't dumping. I had MONTHS where the same food would be okay one day and not the next (sometimes even during the same day). I don't have an explanation for it, but just to say, you are not alone. I have read it from many people. Often times you can go back to that food in a week or so and it is just fine.

I take SSRI and had to increase the dosage after surgery (additionally I got laid off from my job which did not help). I hope to go off of it someday but right now too many changes going on to take the risk. Maybe next year! It is pretty common I think due to hormone dump but as others said, I would recommend getting your Vitamin levels checked and then talk to a dr about anti-depressant. It doesn't have to be forever but could help you get through a short period of adjustment.

I was alone on Day 3. You will be fine. Just have to rest, walk and sip. Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

Check out Poshmark.com. Tons of used clothes (and some new). Great way to fill your closet while you are changing sizes and then you can resell them! You can filter by type of clothing and size and brand Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

Put it under your tongue to allow it to dissolve. It absorbs better. Sent from my HTC One M9 using the BariatricPal App

@@UsernameTaken - Is it the kind that dissolves under your tongue or a tablet you swallow? I found the sublingual worked much better. If not that kind, you might call a dr and see if they can prescribe that instead?

@@UsernameTaken - So very sorry you are going through all this! Not sure if Zofran is what you are taking for nausea but if so, be sure you stay hydrated or it doesn't work. (A tip given to me from my doctor when I was vomiting so much and Zofran wasn't working....)

@@DebraM04 - Let me tell you what my therapist would (has) told me. First, take a deep breath and forgive yourself. Seriously.... don't give yourself reason to do it again but just FORGIVE. This thing isn't all about willpower. It is some (it has to be) but you have a tool to help and will learn a new lifestyle. I don't know about you, but I have a very rebellious personality (only when it comes to food), so my therapist has really had to work with me on that. Yesterday she asked me if one of beloved nephews that I spend so much time with is rebellious / strong willed and if so, how I handle it. (I don't have children.) My response was that I try to take a deep breath, not yell, send them to their room and give us both a minute to calm down and then go back and try to discuss calmly if they understood why I sent them to their room and how we can handle it better next time and then we go do something else. (See, can't you tell I am not a parent? If I had to deal with my own children every day, I KNOW I wouldn't be that calm. Not that easy!) But what I am trying to say is, if you just try to push / pull your way through this chanting "next time I will be better", you will likely "relapse" again. My therapists says she sees so many that work the program this way and then end up in her office just exhausted and have a "break". I am 1 year post-op tomorrow and I have had my struggles and my breaks and binges (mostly on chips and cheez-its) but when my therapist said this to me this week, it is like it finally clicked in my brain! If you are able to see a therapist, I strongly encourage that you do (but I understand with 5 children that may be very difficult). This is a very long process (life-long in fact). You will eventually learn to take it not one day at a time, but truly one bite at a time. Eventually (hopefully) it all becomes habit. I am still working on that.... trust me, I don't have it all figured out. I just wanted to reach out to you and say - Ok, you did it. It's done. You cannot undo it. Just try to search why and how you can stop it from happening next time. With regard to the hunger part, if you suspect it is at all acid (which is VERY common), it is possible you need a stronger PPI. I had to take a prescription strength Protonix (Pantoprozole) twice daily for a long time to keep mine under control. I hope some of this helped!! HUGS!! Tomorrow is a new day! You got this!

This thread made my day!! I wish I was even half as witty and clever as you all! Thank you! I haven't LOL'd like that in a while! Keep posting!