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I'm not trying to load up on too much stuff so early in my six month timeline, but I would like to try a few of the staples that'll become frequent eats once I'm post-op. Are there products, websites and prices that you can recommend I try? Even grocery store items? I'm also a costco member of that helps. Thanks !

I'm working a twelve hour shift tonight and I've not have coffee........but......two 20 oz Diet Dews and a 20 oz Diet Dr Pepper. Whew.....I'd normally have another in an hour or so......before I took a break and read your advice. Now....I'm going to go for Water instead and see how that goes....????

Thanks to each of you. I'm hearing you loud and clear. My six months doesn't begin until mid July. I'm going to push myself to have my diet soda intake cut off by then. Days off will be easier than work days. coffee is something that I'm going to have to hang onto for the time being.......at least until I meet with my surgeon and NUT and broach the subject with them to find out the timing of future coffee stoppages.....temp or long term. I understand the diuretic aspects of it and the need to offset with lots of Water. My normal coffee consumption rate is a large cup followed by a large cup and a half of water. I drink a lot of water during the day. The artificial sweeteners are interesting. I agree with the point that they must be okay.....due to the stated comment above about them already being an inclusion to many allowed products. Splenda, Equal or Stevia may be causing global warming or pushing us to a Zombie war.......but it's staying in my coffee......which I'm going to leave as caffeinated for now......... The diet sodas will be tough......but I'll do that NOW vs waiting. I will also begin working on stopping drinking 30 mins prior to eating........and on eating my Protein first. I'm sure there will be many other things to cut out that I need to address. Sooner the better. Ideally I'll be able to live and eat now more and more closely to the post-op way. I appreciate your help with the suggestions, insight and rationale.

The future use of these two will be what for me as I progress into pre-op bypass and onto post-op life after bypass ? I have over six months before the surgery which is enough time to make huge changes......but ouch ! . I really enjoy these products n daily life. What are the dangers and reasons for eliminating them? Open to advice how you did? I have committed to making all the changes needed......not just the "easy" ones, but I could use some help with better understanding the rationale for this one and getting my arms wrapped around it. Love my Diet Dews and home brew Java made from fresh ground Beans. Love them more than the Snicker bars and pizza that made me the man I am today .

I've been wondering the same thing. I knew of a couple excellent Protein powders from when I was lifting weights five years ago...Gaspari Myofusion and one called Trutein. Great flavor and low carbs. I don't know how they'd work for us now, though.

I hank you both so very much for your responses. My reply is short now....in bed and sleeping.....getting ready for night shift tonight. My iPad keeps crashing due to being overly full....memory maxed out. This sight runs very slow on it. Better response will come later when I can get to laptop or PC. Thank you. It's going to go well, I believe. I'll use my time ahead wisely and educate myself as well as continue to adopt new methods now. No more diet soda? No more coffee? Wow. That is going to take some mental adjustment. More than the sugary Snacks I've been dropping from the menu. Diet Dew & coffee is like a food group for me. :rofl:

I've worn 5xlt and 6xlt shirts for most of the last 15 years. Five years ago I became highly motivated to adhere to strict diet and exercise like crazy. 120 lbs of weight dropped and I was down to wearing 3XLT and some 2XLT shirts. Gained it all back and am feeling every ounce of it right now. Hoping everything lines up and this bypass surgery takes place as hoped in December 2015. Ideal size was the question.......I saved most of my smaller sized clothes in belief that someday....somehow....I'd get back to wearing them again. Tossing them just seemed like I was giving up the hope. If I was wearing 2XLT & 3XLT shirts with 120 lbs off........and I truly need to lose 200+ pounds.......then I'm anticipating wearing an XL or XLT sized shirt by the end. 6'4" at 250lbs sure will beat the current 6'4" 450lbs. Lord knows I can't wait to get there.

When first making the decision to open up to the tool of bariatric surgery I simply assumed that the sleeve would be the procedure that I preferred. This was due to having the full run of my plumbing and perceived ability to eat the foods I wanted, but restrict the amounts. Seemed simple. My younger sister had bypass 15 years ago and I just didn't think that "aggressive" a procedure would be needed for me. After all.....I've lost large amounts of weight in the past through diet and exercise....I just needed a little help......or so I was believing. My physician who was discussing this with me eased me into the conversation and led me to find my way to the surgeon I've selected. I've been to his group presentation.....the first required step. Even after listening to my sister and seeing her progress.......for 15 years......and for secretly thinking in some small way that she took the easy way out.........I didn't "get" it. That presentation really altered my thinking about restrictive and absorptive restriction. I realized in that group session my "hero" status as the big brother doing it on his own......over and over again......was a stupid cycle. I needed to get all the help available.....every tool in the toolbox to get the lifelong results I strived for. Dr Carlson addressed the full room and fielded every question asked. An hour went by....then more.......he'd long since made his informative presentation.....yet stayed to discuss our concerns. A lot of "ah-ha" moments were had. I heard the lady seated behind me speak to her friend, "The sleeve is what will work best for me". My wife, seated beside me, was quiet. She reserved her comments until much later when we were driving home. She proceeded carefully fearing that she knew my mind had already been made up on the sleeve. It was a relief to her when I acknowledged that I felt I needed the bypass.......like my brave little sister did so many years ago.....doing her own research.....as a young woman on her own.......when most folks hadn't heard of such. One of my issues is reoccurring reflux. Some nights it can be really bad. It subsided greatly once I completely cut out alcohol from my intake on April 2, 2015. Back in early April of this year I'd begun resuming the fight to loose my weight. I'd taken evaluation of my current state of living. I loved to grill out.........really loved it. It is therapeutic. I loved to crack open a cold beer and fire up the coals. More beer throughout the cooking and serving everyone had me relaxed and happy. After dinner, I'd normally get drowsy due to several beers......then it'd be time to hit a couple tequila shooters and another beer......or a rum & diet coke or two. I'd get my relaxed and happy state back. It was clear which non-essential calories to drop first......cut out the beer and liquor along with seriously revising the menu on my plate. Guess what.....these were the nights the reflux was bad. Drinking + spicy food (the only kind off my grill ) = reflux. I discussed this "revelation" with my wife. She pointed out a few times since when I'd complained of reflux....since I'd cut out alcohol. I realized she was right......it was still occurring but less often. I have decided that I'd prefer the bypass.......but don't even know yet if I'm approved for it. The waiting and suspense of insurance is driving me nuts. Don't get me wrong.....I'm glad the procedure isn't something as easy to get as a bad tattoo.......but I wish it was more straightforward from the insurance company standpoint. Down the road the results I get from the bariatric will certainly lessen the costs I'd otherwise pose to them, right ? Sorry for the rambling. I'm just eagerly impatient and ready to get this ball rolling in the direction that will lead to successful and long lasting health provided I continue to do my part. I'm checking stuff off the mandatory list at least.....and this website and the folks here are already helping me find answers to the tons of questions I have. My mandatory checklist: Attend the group session---done in early June. Meet with the bariatric program's & surgeon's nurse to review my case and 8 pages of medical Q&A i was to complete--done this past week. Meet with surgeon on official visit----scheduled for July 1. Meet with program's nutritional guru----first of the 6 visits is on July 7. This I understand will be the "start" date of the mandatory 6 month timeline to surgery. Meet with psyche guru----awaiting appointment scheduling now. Internal scope evaluation of stomach and other plumbing-------to be scheduled after visit with surgeon I still don't have any type of official indication that bypass is a covered procedure (United Healthcare). I don't know if I can hang on 6+ months before getting this latest umbilical hernia taken care of. I want to get on to eating the foods I'll be living by after the surgery......eat like I've had the surgery......begin accelerated weight loss now......not wait until the surgery. I just want to be sure that I can't lose "too much" on my own that the insurance balks and says, "No way buddy.....you got this.....do it yourself". I can do a lot off by myself.....but I fail to keep it off. I don't want to sabotage my chances for coverage. So many questions that I'm sure will be resolved and clear in the weeks ahead......it's just right now I want to get going with progress of some type......no matter if it's from bypass or from my jumping onboard with the new plan. The compelling reasons for the need to get going are probably no different than most other folks here: I'm having back spasms from reoccurring back injuries due to herniated T-12 vertebrae. Spine surgeon stated that bariatric surgeon can do more for my spine than he could with back surgery. Sounds legit. Umbilical hernia is driving me nuts. It's worsened when back goes out and my posture and such gets weird. Knees are shot....ortho doc says I need knee replacements sooner than later....he's saying 5 years tops.....plus hip, too. He also stated that 200 lbs off my frame would push those replacements back a long time. I already feel some benefit in my knees from the initial pounds coming off. Swelling in my ankles is greatly reduced. Sorry again for the rambling. I'm jittery after finishing up the last day of miracle steroids (4th round with them since April) on my back. The side effects are sleeplessness for me. I get jittery after the 6 day cycles. I'm hoping for a good long sleep later today....tonight. Aside from dropping the alcohol, fried food and reducing sugar & starch intake (doing these).........what can you advise me to do? What other dietary-related actions? Breakfast choices now are oatmeal (made with Water and small amount of salt) vs sausage biscuits and such. lunch & dinner has me eating lots of salads. Snacks are nuts, fruits like blueberries and apples and occasional whole grain toast with small amount of health choice butter substitute or Greek Yogurt. Drinking tons of water. 40oz of coffee every day during the first portion of the day......a lot, I know. I use nonfat creamer and Splenda or Equal (10 packs for 40oz coffee). I'm still having 2-3 20oz Diet Mt. Dew's every day. Sounds like a ton....but it's way down over the number I used to drink. I go to one a day on days off....but do poorly during workdays. No more drive thru's and only salads from fast food restaurants. What else should I be doing? Should I order the "Big Book on Bypass" and get started on it ??????? Stir crazy and tired of my 46 years of fat fighting. 5 years ago I burned off 120 and felt like a new man.......still have many of the 2X & 3X clothes. I saved most of them.....refusing to toss them due to that being symbolic of me throwing away my hope of wearing them again. I lost that weight.....but failed to keep it off. The brief period at that reduced weight was enough of a taste of healthier living that I have craved ever since. Virtually painfree and full of energy. Leaner.......able to wear my old high school letterman's jacket and button it up......too small still, but at least it would button up. Another 100 pounds off that and I feel like i'd be walking around feeling like a Gazillion dollar lottery winner. I may never get a winning lottery ticket.....but I'll be supremely happy to get 200 lbs off........and MAINTAIN that level. So ready to get this machine krunk up and in gear and burn some rubber down the track. This waiting is like sitting there with the engine revving up but the parking brake locked in place...........

YES ! Yes, I do. I've had two prior umbilical hernia repairs over the past 7 years or so.....and now I have a monster sized one. I'm hoping that I can hang on over the next 6+ months before my anticipated surgery date. I want to be exercising now and adapting to whatever suggested way of eating the dietician suggests on our first appointment on July 7th. I'll see the doctor on July 1st for first visit and hopefully get hernia recommendations and evaluation. I'm hoping there is some type of abdominal wrap I can use to ease things up so I can burn calories on the treadmill walking inclines. It's a safe way for me to walk as doing open road stuff on uneven pavement is no good on my worn out knees. I want to loose as much as I can prior to this surgery some 6 months from now because every pound off is a step towards less arthritic pain.....lower blood pressure......better blood flow.....etc.....etc. I want to learn what is acceptable hernia pain......and what is scary-dangerous pain that may require immediate repair. I feel for you. Hope you can get it evaluated and hopefully there is something that you can do to ease up the pain.

Yup.....I learned on the second hernia surgery to keep a pillow tucked against my abdomen.....slight pressure. That pillow helped ease the pain of movement and deep breathing, clearing through.....and God forbid a sneeze. I'm hoping that I can employ this same tactic while healing hernia and doing the stuff they'll want me to do for bypass.....leak checks and such. Much respect for 4 weeks out on knee replacement. That is some serious effort on your part. Well done !!!!

Amazing results!!!!!

Outstanding and inspiration!!!!

I'm just now beginning the appointments. I'll be on a 6 month wait that begins on July 7th after the first visit with dietician. I have a massive umbilical hernia (previous surgery on twice for similar repair) that I'm hoping to have repaired at the same time that I have the bypass. The surgeon has a firm 2-3 day hospitalization window with bypass. This is good for the hernia repair, too, I think. The last two were outpatient basis and recovery was NOT fun. I'm concerned about having gastric issues at same time of hernia recovery. I know it'll hurt but at least taking a month-to-six weeks off work to recover from hernia will allow good timeline for bypass adaptation. Thoughts? Insight? I'm lost but feel better about the direction my weight battle is now heading.