anikka

For Calcium, I take the Bariatric Advantage chews. They are like having a piece of candy.

I'm almost 8 months post op and I finally had a little breakdown yesterday because I realized I can and will meet my goal weight.
I thought, "Once I get under 200 I will be happy." While I did a little happy dance, I wasn't truly happy or convinced. I thought, "When I get to 180 I'll be happy." Then I got to 180 and it was very anti-climactic.
I mentioned to my mom my size 14's were starting to get baggy so she went through her closet and laid out a pile of 10/12's. I tried them on yesterday and they all fit. And I don't mean barely zipping up with muffin top. They looked great. My butt looked great. I finally got tears in my eyes and realized how far I had truly come. I'm only 18 pounds from my ultimate goal weight and if I decide to get a Tummy Tuck I could very well end up a 4/6. That blows my mind.
If you truly go into this understanding your success depends on the right mentality and use this surgery as a tool to help you reach your goals you WILL lose the weight. You will be successful. But you have to completely change the way you think about food. You don't live to eat, you eat to live.
I still struggle, and probably always will, with some trigger foods. Cake is one. Ice cream is another. They are a slippery slope for me and it's best (for me) to stay away from them.
If you need any help, advice or a listening ear along the way I'd be glad to help!

When you get to go back to work is really going to depend on how well your body tolerates the surgery, whether you're still on pain medications, and if your job is one where you can be mobile often, yet sedentary when necessary. Not being able to get in liquids and Proteins is the hardest part of the first week after surgery. I had no pain after leaving the hospital, I was able to get in liquids relatively easily and take on the Protein through shakes. My issue was getting my blood pressure under control. I went into surgery with high blood pressure as one of my issues. Coming out of surgery my blood pressure dropped considerably. I went to my PCP one week post op and she changed my meds and that helped. By the time I visited with my surgeon 2 weeks post-op, I was off the BP meds all together.
My daughter in law had surgery on a Wednesday and went back to work the following Tuesday. She had some complications but felt she needed to get back to work. She's a teacher's aid in an elementary school. Although she came home exhausted, she kept going to work each day. So really, it'll just depend on what you can handle post surgery and it's difficult to guess what you will experience until you're in the midst of it.

At this point you may need to go back to measuring your foods again. As time goes on some stop and the amounts increase. Just a thought...good luck!

Please make sure your getting plenty of Water too each day.that helps.with the feeling fuller longer .

I wonder if it maybe you need to deal with your depression and food addiction and that may help you. Have you tried to seek any sort of counseling? This is really early to be having issues. Try to make sure you are controlling your carbs and sugars. Try to focus more on dense Proteins and you will probably be able to eat less than you think.

My nutritionist said that straws can introduce air into the stomach which can stretch the sleeve or create nausea. She recommended waiting til 2-3 months out. I waited until 5 weeks out and then tried the straw. I get no nausea and no more air than I did drinking without it. I am better able to get my fluids in with a straw than without so for me it worked out. Good luck!

I struggled with veggies when I was on pureed. I tend to like my veggies raw or steamed crunchy, which was obviously not an option. I ended up getting some baby food that had fruit and veggies blended together and I mixed a little Protein powder in. Other than that I at Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and eggs. I pureed hard boiled eggs with light mayo and a little mustard and that was good.
You will probably be less hungry if you get more Protein.< /p>

Hi I'm Anikka. I am from San Francisco. 45 years old. Married, 3 kids, 3 grandkids, 3 furry grandbabies too. I was sleeved on 5/28/15. Currently in a stall and appreciating this site very much (Thanks @Alex).

Hi I'm Anikka. I am from San Francisco. 45 years old. Married, 3 kids, 3 grandkids, 3 furry grandbabies too. I was sleeved on 5/28/15. Currently in a stall and appreciating this site very much (Thanks @Alex).

Happy Father's Day to dads ! ????
Even if yours had to leave us, they are still in the Fiber of our being.
I miss talking to dad, he has progressed in his dreadful disease to non-verbal, and bed bound for 5 years... Still warm and cozy at home.
I shall go over and watch the ball game with him though and be happy he is here for another year.
Hope the dads and grand dads have a wonderful time being honored⭐️

I'm right there with you @Gummie24. It stinks! But we WILL get through this stall and we WILL be successful at weight loss.

The truth hurts, but when provided through love, I find it hurts a bit less. Your daughters are brave and I love that they had no qualms about telling you that you own your own weight loss destiny. Makes me think about my current situation and owning what I'm not doing that is contributing to my personal disappointment. Thank you for the encouragement.

I would call my doc about pain at 8/10 and 3 weeks out just to make sure this is normal, just in case it's not. Be on the safe side and check with them.

I took my BP meds the evening before surgery. Day of surgery I was not given any BP meds in the hospital. My blood pressure was 151/81 consistently after surgery. Day after surgery I was given my regular dose of BP meds while in the hospital. Once home, I was monitoring my BP daily and it was pretty low - 103/65. I saw my regular doc 1 week post op and she reduced my meds. By the time I saw my surgeon, 12 days post op, I was taken completely off the BP meds. I've been consistently "normal."

Hi I'm Anikka. I am from San Francisco. 45 years old. Married, 3 kids, 3 grandkids, 3 furry grandbabies too. I was sleeved on 5/28/15. Currently in a stall and appreciating this site very much (Thanks @Alex).

I took my BP meds the evening before surgery. Day of surgery I was not given any BP meds in the hospital. My blood pressure was 151/81 consistently after surgery. Day after surgery I was given my regular dose of BP meds while in the hospital. Once home, I was monitoring my BP daily and it was pretty low - 103/65. I saw my regular doc 1 week post op and she reduced my meds. By the time I saw my surgeon, 12 days post op, I was taken completely off the BP meds. I've been consistently "normal."

Hi I'm Anikka. I am from San Francisco. 45 years old. Married, 3 kids, 3 grandkids, 3 furry grandbabies too. I was sleeved on 5/28/15. Currently in a stall and appreciating this site very much (Thanks @Alex).

Hi there and welcome!
You have taken the first step to better health. I was very much like you when I began my weight loss journey. My health was deteriorating very rapidly. I had type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, reflux/Gerd, hypothyroidism, psoriatic arthritis, sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease and I had just been diagnosed with stage 3 kidney disease.
I was very sick and very miserable. I could walk for maybe 5 minutes on a good day. I thought I was going to die everytime I went up a flight of stairs. I also suffer from terrible Migraine headaches.
The day I was told my kidney disease was going to probably kill me was one of the worse days of my life.
I am 51 years old and way to young for all these health issues. It was my nephrologist who asked me if I had ever considered weight loss surgery. He gently suggested that this could put and end to many of my illnesses.
I immediately went home and started researching WLS. I got online and took an online seminar that evening which taught you all about the different surgery options and the benefits. I then had what felt like a million questions and I was very stressed about taking this step.
I have been on every diet you can think of since I had my second child when I was 19. I would lose 50, 75, 100 lbs and then gain it right back and then some.
I attended an in person weight loss seminar offered by my clinic. A nurse who was very thin showed up and low and behold she had gastric bypass some 15 years ago. I could hardly believe she had weighed over 400lbs.
I had the opportunity to ask all of my questions and learn about my options. From that moment on I got very excited about the possibility of losing this weight forever.
Over the next 9 months of testing, nutritionist visits and surgeon visits we built a plan for me to have RNY. This particular surgery was the gold standard for someone like me who had severe reflux. The other options could make that problem worse.
I had my surgery 7.5 months ago and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself! I am down 99lbs and have 45 to go.
No more diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and most importantly no more stage 3 kidney disease!
I can walk for miles, run up and down the stairs. I can keep up and in most cases out pace my family members.
Please don't be afraid! Focus on the possibilities of a healthy future. I recovered do quickly from my surgery and have had no complications. It is worth it!
My advice would be to take a deep breath and go to that seminar. Research your options and make a decision that will prolong your life and give you a better quality life.
Please keep us posted on your progress. I am excited for you!

You just did! Welcome to the forum. Keep in mind that although opinions and tact may vary, your bariatric bothers and sisters wish you an uncomplicated recovery and good health. Feel free to post on any topic. I come to the forum every day to see what is going on. It keeps me out of trouble.

I opened it when we launched premium VIP Membership. I added VIP membership to some select members that have assisted us or contributed in some meaningful way (you know who you are.)

Dont take his the wrong way, but when I was done laughing at your story, I just wanted to reach out and give you a big hug !!! The laugh was because I could just see your daughters giving you a stern lecture (s), and you going "but, but, but, but !!!!!! It's Protein !!! It's healthy !!!!" like a whiny teenager !!! The hug was because you have been through so much and have done so well and you still have the abilty to see that you can still make healthy changes for your future and be an example for your very supportive daughters. Great job on EVERYTHING you've done, keep up the healthy changes ! You can do it !!!

@@JustWatchMe love the post!!!

The past two weeks have been really difficult. Thursday we had to put our faithful dog Maggie to sleep after a short fight with aggressive cancer. First real emotional/stressful strain since I began this journey last July. I'm a glass half full kind of person so I know that my eating was not as bad as it would have been before I started...but it was not healthy. I'm more disappointed in myself for totally not exercising the two weeks.
so this morning, I duly noted the 2.5 pound weight gain over the past two weeks, put on the running shoes and took Roxy, our remaining dog for a walk/run. As we were leaving the driveway, the man that lives across the street, whom we have a very casual relationship (we wave and say hi) says...
"I hope you don't mind me saying something (at this point I think he is going to mention that Maggie hasn't been barking at him through the bay window which was a favorite pastime of hers) but whatever you are doing it is really working! Last week I saw you and I thought you had company...I didn't recognize you!"
Just when I needed to be reminded how far I have come and that I do have the tools to go further, an almost stranger provides the spark...thanks neighbor!

Thank you so much @@Babbs, your words are incredibly comforting right now.