JustBeth13

Hi all! I am 56 years old, wife, mother (of 2 college-age kids), dental office manager, Episcopal deacon, and sick of my weight. Sick of pain in my knees and feet. Sick of missing out on so much that I want to do in life. I've struggled my whole life long. Lots of dieting, lots of weight loss and then weight gain. The frustrating thing is that every time I lose weight it finds me again, AND it brings friends with it! So I was only 15 pounds overweight the first time I went on a diet when I was 15 years old. Now I'm 150 pounds overweight! I started thinking seriously about WLS more than a year ago when my husband and I met with a retirement planner and his first question was, "Tell me what you want your retirement to be like." I had a million ideas - all of which involved me fitting into airplane seats and hiking all over exotic locales. I was in so much pain (knees and feet) I realized that, unless I made a signifiant life change, in 7 -10 years I wouldn't be hiking exotic trails but I'd be in a wheelchair! I spent six months working out with a trainer and watching my eating (tracking every bite, etc.) and only lost 10 lbs! Seemed like I was going to be fat forever. Then, one day, my daughter finally came clean with me and tearfully told me how worried she was that she was going to miss out on having a mom for important events in her life - like college graduation, wedding, children. I realized I had to do something drastic or she would be right. I had VSG on June 2, 2015 at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon, after having completed the 3-month medically-supervised diet required by my insurance company (lost 17lbs in the process!). So far, I'm doing well - 63 lbs gone from my highest to now, 40 since surgery. I feel AMAZING - knee pain is gone! I keep thinking, "If I feel this good now, IMAGINE how I'm going to feel at goal!!" Can't wait to experience that because exotic locales are waiting!!

Hello Oregon! I live just south of Portland a few minutes. Was sleeved at OHSU on 6/2/15. All went swimmingly until I hit soft foods yesterday. Overdid it - I swear I didn't think I was overdoing it! I thought I was following all the rules and doing what I should, but I just ate too much I think. Going to have to learn about listening to my body! Heaving this morning and am back to fluids for a couple of days. I go to the support group at Legacy once a month (Thursday evening group). Hope to connect with people! Beth

Isn't it funny how different doctors do it differently? I was on clear liquids for the first 24 hours, now I'm on "full liquids" for 2 weeks. Basically, that means anything that will fit through a fine sieve. Best of luck to you! We can do this!!!

Remember, fluids are the most important thing for us right now (I was sleeved 6/2), but there are good ways to get protein in without the shakes. Do you have any of the protein powders? I have two different powders: Isopure Zero Carb vanilla - 25g protein per scoop, and GENEPRO tasteless powder, 30g protein per scoop. The Genepro is really spendy, so I use it sparingly - mostly using the Isopure. You can get them both through Amazon. Here are three of the things I've been eating: Super Milk Pudding: SF pudding (I like cheesecake flavor) make up with 2c skim milk and 2/3 c powdered skim milk. Makes 8 servings 1/4 c each. You can add a scoop of vanilla Protein Powder if you want to amp up the protein. Without the powder it's 3g of protein per 1/4 cup (which is a great amount, I've found). If I add the protein powder, it doubles the protein to 6g. Cream of Wheat or Cream of Rice: Cook Cereal according to package directions. Dissolve 1 scoop protein powder in 1/4c milk. Stir into hot cereal. Mix in 1/8 t cinnamon and one MINI squeeze of Stevia (if that - I found it too sweet so next time I'm leaving out the Stevia altogether). This makes 2 servings 1/2 cup each. It slides right down and has 15g of protein in each of the 2 servings. Broth: Heat 1 c broth (homemade or canned low sodium) and mix in 1 scoop Genepro tasteless protein powder. 30g protein in the one cup. Anybody else have any good ideas / recipes for "full liquid" recipes????

You're right about every place being a little different. I'm on chewables or cutting meds in pieces for 6 weeks! Not interested in trying to swallow one of those big things so that's fine with me. I just cut them into two or three pieces.

Better each day. Strained one of my incisions on the first night home (day after surgery) by trying to get into my bed - which is significantly lower than the hospital bed was. I've been sleeping in my chair/ottoman for 2 nights now. Just reached for something and it didn't hurt - so there's progress there. Got 92g protein and 62oz fluids in yesterday (day 3) so I think that's kicking it! Also walked "laps" around my downstairs. Each one takes about a minute and I keep having to add furniture to circle around so they continue to take a minute as I'm speeding up. Anyway, did 52 laps altogether yesterday. Hoping all this pays off and I'm off these pain meds soon.

EnglishDan - I think we may have been on the same day! June 2? I also had to sleep in my chair as the hospital bed was way, way higher than my bed and I strained one of my incisions trying to get into bed at home last night (my first night home). I think I'll stay in the chair again tonight. Congrats on the pounds lost - I haven't weighed yet and think I might not until my appt on June 12. We'll have to see if I can hold out!l

You are not alone. Seriously, on the way home from the hospital I was looking out the car window and spied a KFC. "Hmmmm, chicken...that sounds so good," was what I thought. I could almost taste it! Ridiculous, here I was in a car with a pillow pressed to my abdomen and afraid we'd hit a big bump and thinking about fried chicken!

Me too, DebiDoo - how are you feeling??

Thanks! I'm going in TOMORROW! Yikes - I'm freaking out. Show up time is 6am; surgery at 8am. Wow, it seems like it took FOREVER to get here and then, all of a sudden, it's time to go! Praying for courage!!!

I'm up on June 2 and roller coaster is a great word for it - I'm hanging on for dear life!

How are you jane13??

My oh my - approval came in and I'm on the schedule for June 2! Yikes - this is getting very, very real.

It's official!! Approval came in and I'm on the schedule for June 2! Yikes - this is getting very, very real.

Tomorrow morning is my last appt with my PCP as part of the 3-month medically supervised diet my insurance requires....yikes, why am I getting so nervous about this whole deal??? It seemed like such a great idea 3 months ago, but I can feel my feet getting colder with each passing day. PLUS the stress of it is showing up in my eating so my pre-surgery weight loss has stopped! Gotta get my mojo back!!!