Dub

13+ months past my sleeve surgery. Breakfast this morning was two hard boiled eggs and a slice of pepper jack cheese.

Let it ride................slow ride.............

I low-carbed up to the 2 week liquid diet. The liquid diet for me was 3-4 Protein shakes per day....very low carb shakes. I stuck with this same liquid diet for the month after surgery as well. Looking back on it now....13 months later......I wouldn't change a thing about how I approached it. Grateful for the weight loss.

I kept two Yeti cups full of ice Water near the recliner that I used as "headquarters" for the first week or so. I'd take sips every few minutes and simply kept at it. It certainly kept me hydrated and created a need to get up and hit the restroom every couple hours. I pretty much did this around the clock those first couple days home. By the fourth day or so, I'd make sure to take walks outside and increase my range. The leg soreness went away by the third day. One month out found me feeling much better than I had in years. Now....13 months out.....so relieved that I did this. Grateful for the entire experience. I'm very encouraged at the control I now have over eating and weight. I feel normal in this regard for the first time since being a kid.

A steady improvement has been noted. I still have times when I struggle....but nowhere like before. I also had sciatic issues that are completely gone now.

I also had an umbilical hernia repaired at the same time my sleeve was done. I waited 3 weeks before wearing belted pants. Loose fitting gym clothes where my norm from the hospital until that 3 week mark.

Well......you have plenty of time to find out. You can go ahead an adopt the foods you'll be eating later on one for weight loss phases. See how you do....and go from there. For me...it was all about how bad I wanted to get the weight off. I had some back issues that motivated me in a big way to do whatever it took. Looking back on it....I'm grateful for the injury that provided the impetus to bolster my enthusiasm to lose, lose, lose. Take your normal meals now......drop off the sides and Desserts and focus on eating the Entrees (assuming these are Proteins & fats). Drop off the non-Fiber carbs and see where it leads you. Seek the input from your program's NUT. You'll likely start losing weight and feeling more in control of where you are....and getting to where you want to be. Losing weight prior to your surgery will feel great, too.

I did at 3 weeks post op. I'd lost a good bit prior to surgery and it continued to fall off. I was at Best Buy looking at music....bent down to the grab a CD from the bottom shelf and almost....almost passed out. Cold sweat, dizzy, clammy feeling for a while after. Went outside and sat in car a while before driving home. I checked my blood pressure once I made it home. It was crazy low. I was still taking meds for high blood pressure, too. A call to the doctor....meds were immediately cut in half with a plan to further reduce later on. I felt much better a couple days later an only experience the dizziness when I had low blood pressure. Around 6 months post op I was taken off the meds and my blood pressure has been doing very well since. Not sure if that's what is causing yours....but it caught me off guard bigtime.

That is very creative. Awesome way to work around the bread.

If I left it up to my NUT....the answer would be, I suspect, never. She drilled into my head not to "waste" space on salads and such. Much of what she said I feel was for folks in the beginning stages. My surgeon, however, begged to differ. His advice when I hit the 6 month mark was to continue with my hearty meats and to add in small amounts of raw vegetables. I can say that kale is one of my mainstays. I may not eat it daily....but at least 4 times each week. A chilled hard-boiled egg, some chicken or steak over some kale with a small amount of no/low carb dressing and a great meal is had. I've had zero problems digesting it. All is well. I've not tried the smoothie thing but am considering adding the gear needed to begin making them with a scoop of unflavored Protein powder thrown in.

I consulted two surgeons prior to having my sleeve surgery. I was actually in two different programs for 2 months each. The first surgeon was very strict on everything. He spoke in terms of "never" in regards to carbonated drinks, alcohol, certain medications and etc. He was also in the first 5 years of his practice in bariatrics after being a general surgeon for much longer. The second surgeon who I actually used...was further along in his experience with bariatric surgery. He also was very clear on certain aspects but also left certain things open for me to test and evaluate.

Absolutely amazing. You have become the person you were at 25.....only you now run marathons....and all sorts of miraculous acts of youthful zeal. Absolutely amazing.

I would simply stay on protein shakes a while longer.

My first Thanksgiving was 6 weeks after being sleeved. It was a very careful affair....just some turkey and ham. This was my second Thanksgiving. I enjoyed a bit of everything. My Sister absolutely throws down in the kitchen and conjured up recipes from Aunts and Grandmothers who have passed on. Every bite brought back great childhood memories. A lot of food over the day. Glad to be back home and back to normal life. Hopped on my scale and all was on track.

@@Dub i was told that sleevers are NOT allowed NSAIDS am i wrong?? kathy This sleever was. So grateful. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Finding a new 2XL coat in the closet this morning. It's been in there forever. Cut the tags off and am wearing for the road trip today.

Watching the videos was mandated by my program. Good call on their part. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

For me it was very simple......I needed the ability to take Advil or other nsaids. Surgeon was very educational and helped me decide to sleeve. Glad I did. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It was something that was occurring before I realized it. More specifically, it was something was occurring and stirring change in me before I realized it. Throughout my marriage we were always a Beauty and the Beast couple. She was the good looking side of things. I was the workhorse outdoors lover who only occasionally would grab a haircut, shave and dress nicely for date nights. A real life Duck Dynasty couple without all the fun aspects of the show, lol. It was how it was and I was fine with things. The year leading up to my surgery was a tough one....not so much for me....but for the family living with me. I was an ass. A complete and total ass. A couple years before I ripped out ankle tendons while golfing. Surgery to repair...."No more golf, Big Guy" was surgeon's advice. Damn..there goes something that I really, truly enjoyed. Gone. So were forays into woods. Knee problems and other problems kept me from hunting, too. Then I had a scare with some pulmonary issues. More doctors. More restrictions. Then the blessed back injury occurred. Knocked me outa doing anything but the most basic...shower....sitting in chair....and labored effort to get around house. Weeks and weeks of this. So pissed off at not being able to be active. Couldn't make it to work for almost two months. Everything I was before was now on hold. Ill tempered and angry. Crash diet engaged due to not burning any calories. Spine surgeon advised bariatric surgery as first step....I proceeded with scheduling it but was skeptical. Couldn't eat or drink like I used to now either. Hard to live with. A real s.o.b. Resentful and not accepting the new low I'd slumped to. Hell, even my dogs didn't want to be around me anymore. No humor. No supportive comments. Just a great big fat old minus sign sitting in a chair and watching the world move around him. FAST FORWARD to the sleeve surgery and the weeks afterwards.....hope is flooding in. I'm feeling much better and I can see how things really are improving with my health. FAST FORWARD three months......wow.....wow.....I'm feeling much better. It's like I've been kidnapped and then brainwashed into a positive thinking person and dropped back off at home. Problem was that much strain had occurred in marriage over prior 18+ months. I'd been such a negative person....could find no joy....irritable and quick to snap of with short comments. Now all the sudden I was happy and firing on close to all cylinders.....close. Then....the new attention from others began to be noticed. It was a nice and welcome feeling compared to the mess I'd made of a 20+ year marriage. It was a pleasant distraction and something that I needed to experience in order to get to another level of awareness....to better examine myself and the life I wanted to live. I've always been a guy who is resistant to change. Maintaining the status quo was a tremendous goal.....especially when I was grossly overweight and so unhealthy. I was fighting to maintain "normal status"....as sad of a state as it was. The new me.....healthy version....unburdened from pain and fear of health issues......secure in my own skin....the new me was all about making needed changes to get to the life I want. I want to grow into new capabilities and better embrace my roles as father, mate, son, boss, employee and friend. It took the post wls realization that I was not the old me in order for me to better see what life could be like if I reached for it. The attention you mention was something that helped me raise my eyebrow and look around.....look ahead and made me say "Hello, Life.....I'm coming at ya". Those attentions were a paradigm shift for me as I realized that healthy living was a wonderful thing.....but that I wanted it all....to live healthy but with shared passion and desire.....and that it is attainable so long as I keep moving forward and putting in the effort to grow and to accept and facilitate change. Preach on, brother. You were the one that warned me about the wild times that may ensue from the hormone dump and adrenaline rush. You were spot on. It was like being on a 'wonder drug' full of feel good & energy.

Very well said.

I generally do mine on the grill on a pan that has raised ribs. I'll let the fish soak in Frank's Red Hot....then take out and hit it with whatever rub catches my eye for that cook. Just before serving it I'll squeeze lime juice and some lime zest on it.

I miss nothing about being grossly overweight. There was nothing healthy about it. I was at risk for heart issues and a liability to my family. Leaner, lighter, happier and ready to enjoy life's challenges now. Never again.

My sleeve surgery was in October 2015. It didn't take long for me to lose track of what I was most excited about after wls. No kidding. So much was rushing at me and all of it good. It was a slam trip to have to repeatedly clean out the closet and take clothes to Goodwill and the like. This summer found me using borrowed or rental kayaks and enjoying hours slipping around the nearby Savannah River or Augusta Canal. Fishing or simply enjoying being out there. I have a fairly decent mountain bike that I'm looking forward to riding this winter. As a tall guy, but no longer a "bigger & taller" guy, lol, I'm looking at car choices for my next car....some of them are radically different than I once considered when I was Sasquatch sized.

I really have grown fond of Mad Hunky Hot Whang Rub. http://madhunkymeats.com Their brines are excellent, too. I run my grill 300-350 degrees and start with them over direct heat and then move them over to the side. Many great ways to sauce it. Frank's Original Hot Sauce, Sriracha, orange marmalade and butter mixed together makes a nice sauce....carbs in it...but not too bad if you go easy on the marmalade.

@@DubI respect your wisdom but I have to question you on this one Dub. School me please. The dirt rubbing was a joke. Pickle juice is serious medicine for sore muscles, though. Not the sugary stuff....but standard no-carb pickle juice. Drink a cup of it down......slam it down as best you can. It was a strange the first couple times I tried it.....but now it's a go-to move if I'm having prolonged soreness. I don't know why it works.....or if it does for everyone.....I only know that it helps me. I was skeptical at first due to the nature of the pro-tip about drinking pickle juice. It was bro-science kicked around by some hulk looking dudes in the gym. A lot of the widsoms, bro-science, that they were talking about was generally categorized as foolish.....but this little gem was genius level thinking on their part.