kranky813

@@cowboys4life I was on clears for 2 weeks then put on them for an additional week because I was not doing too well post op - mainly just feeling lousy and very emotional. They did allow me to take clear liquid Protein so my body wouldn't freak out too much and think it was completely starving for 3 weeks and start to shut down My saving grace was Isopure ready to drink. By itself it's awful! I made a mixture of mine that included 8oz of Isopure (about 1/3 bottle), 8oz same color Powerade Zero (about 1/3 bottle) and 8oz of Water. It didn't taste bad at all and gave me over 10g of protein in each bottle that I drank. I would drink 3 of those mixtures daily and had 40g of protein in a day plus 48 oz of water/liquid. Kill 2 birds with one stone.

Completely missed the vitamins!! I prefer the Flintstones Vitamins. I take one in the morning and one at night. I also take a generic chew-able Calcium and Vitamin B12.

Great Question!! Ok for me personally things to have on hand at home: *Timer so you can drink every 10 minutes – phone works too *Several pairs of comfy pants/shorts – I changed frequently during the day * Things to do at home – movies, Netflix agenda, books, etc… * Set up of where you are going to sleep – couch, bed, etc… Shopping: *Protein shakes * Water – if you don’t like your own water * Clear liquids to drink (you will get sick of water) * I personally bought Isopure and mixed it with equal parts of Powerade Zero and water (gave me some protein in the first few days) *sugar free Jello * Sugar free popsicles * Sugar free fudge sticks *chicken broth Good Luck!!!

You look AMAZING!!!!

How are you out from surgery? Are you following your plan that was laid out by your doctor? I will tell you the basic things - Make sure you are getting enough Water and Protein in. These are probably the 2 most important things you can do. How many calories are you eating on a daily basis? What sort of food are you eating? Knowing those things will help figure it out. Also, are you exercising? Otherwise... I will tell you that I just got off of a 2 month stall. I was sitting at 169/170 no matter what I did I couldn't drop a single pound. Then one day boom! I woke up to 165. Since I go back and forth between 165 and 167 but I seem to be sitting at a stall again for the past week. Stalls happen, you can't prevent them or control them. It's your bodys way of catching up to what is going on with you.

My surgeon didn't even mention it at all. I would call and check or ask at your next visit.

@@Andrea72 I felt that way too at first. I would read that people were feeling amazing on day 3 post op and I couldn't figure out why I would spend most of my days crying my eyes out! Hang in there... it will get better. There is a light at the end of the tunnel... that is what I needed to hear when I was in your shoes. I think it would be good for you to step on the scale. I know you don't want to but it might just be the ticket to start you feeling better. Good luck at your post op tomorrow. I would certainly mention these feelings to your doctor. I talked to my nurse every day for about 3 weeks post op. She was my best friend for a while and talked me off of a bridge a few times Keep us posted, we are here for you!

I set my goal weight for 140 because that is a normal BMI for me - right in the middle of normal actually. My surgeon said 150 so we decided to meet in the middle. Right now I am at 165 pounds and wear a size 5/6 pants and am 100% comfortable. If I lose some more great if I don't I am totally happy where I am. Just saying

I couldn't stand to drink them as they are. I made my own concoction and loved it! 8oz of Isopure 8oz of Powerade zero (same color as Isopure) 8oz of Water Mix together in a water bottle - add ice or not and drink away! No chalky aftertaste and not as sweet.

@@crazygoose Good Luck today! I am sure you are all checked into the hospital now getting ready to go in for surgery! We are all here waiting for an update once you feel up to it.

@@4MRB4PHOTO Good call out! I get my potassium from adding a half a banana to my meal plan when the leg cramps get too much. I don't take any extra supplements. I like to get the additions in the natural way vs. taking more pills. I am pretty good at taking my Vitamins but looking at: AM: B12 Multi-Vitamin Biotin Vitamin D Lexapro Welbutrin 10:00am: Calcium 5pm: Calcium Bedtime: Multi-Vitamin Now add in the extras for the ulcers and Pnemonia( Which are temporary): Carafate - 4 times a day Omeprazol - 2 times a day Another antacid (can't remember the name) at bedtime Zithromax - AM Steroid - 2 in the AM Norco - As needed for pain Xanax - As needed for anxiety I am sick to death of taking pills and supplements. UGH!! LOL

I concur with everyone else... The first month is the hardest, it will get so much better!! I was a complete mess the first month or so because of the hormone imbalance. After about a month or two it regulated and I started to feel amazing! You just have to get through these few weeks and life will get so much better. Like you I didn't want to eat or drink anything. For me I didn't even want Water, it was so depressing to even try to get the water in. You HAVE TO get your Protein in and your water in. Even if it's just in Protein drinks. It sucks, it's the worst, but it's not forever. I am 7 months out and eat normally now (well the new normal) and water is just 2nd nature to me. You will get there but please please keep up on your water and nutrition. We are here for you... you aren't being negative, you are feeling your feelings and it's ok to do that.

I am in the exact same boat but like others I refuse to get my ring re-sized until I am at the maintenance phase of my journey. I actually just went to walmart and bought a fake ring to wear. It gaudy and had a huge fake diamond in it... but you don't have to buy the gaudy one like I did I don't really care if I wear my ring or not, I'm married in my heart so to me it doesn't matter but my husband gets weird about me not wearing a ring. I do it mostly to please him. It cost me a whopping $8 and it's really shiny, who doesn't like shiny!

Do you mean pre-surgery related depression or just depression in general? I guess you could say I had a bit of both. I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 15 and have been on medication for it for almost 15 years. I did start to get a little more depressed prior to my surgery though because even though I was excited I was also fearful of giving up my best friend. food was my comfort, strength, my entire world so knowing that I am going to have to give that up was really hard on me for a while. I became a little more depressed and fought a little harder with it. So what's it like after surgery... I obviously can't speak for everyone but I feel a LOT better about myself being 70 pounds down. I have more self confidence and I generally feel better. No sore back or neck, knees feel good, etc... I still suffer from depression though. I will suffer from it until the day that I die. Losing weight isn't an instant cure for depression. I had to modify the drugs I was taking (I take Lexapro) We had to increase the Lexapro and add in Welbutrin. I honestly believes it helps. I will also say that there are some times I will get a little more sad than other times. For example I brought my kids to Culvers on Sunday. We all got our meals (to go of course) and we all ate in the car (bad idea - just so you know) I ate half of my burger and was full. No fries, no drink, nothing else just my burger (yes the toppings and bun too - I was really bad that day ) Anyway, I felt a twinge of depression/sadness. I was a little frustrated that I coudn't even eat one whole fricking burger!!! I was angry for about 5 minutes. I mean really angry...... But then... I realized that first of all what I was feeling was acceptable. I still mourn food sometimes. It's normal and it's an OK feeling. It's ok to feel what ever it is that you are going to feel, they are your feelings and you have a right to them. Secondly, it's not like I couldn't eat it at all. My body was full and I didn't want to over stuff myself and feel miserable. I was just having an internal temper tantrum because I couldn't get "what I want". And Lastly... that is the reason that I had this surgery. To give me a cue to stop eating, to help me with portion control, to lose weight, to get healthy, to feel better about myself. Then I remember that I don't take any obesity related medications, I am down 70 pounds, I fit into a size 5/6 jeans and I feel good about myself. It was totally worth it. Oh, and screw that other half of the burger and fries... didn't want em anyway

@@Elode I will trade you!! I am going in for the TT and a lift and reduction. Even with the weight loss I am sitting at a DDD... Ugh the only problem is that those big beauties look directly at my toes! Figured I need the new Tatas to go with the flat tummy and kitty

@@Elode ahhhh!! I've been wondering where you have been! Keep me in the loop with the plastics! I am getting them myself and an super worried. Doing same as you, TT and some breast stuff. Also some lipo. Will be following so don't forget to keep us in the loop, also don't forget to share your Before and Afters

Oh boy! I am so sorry to hear this. I know personally how hurtful families can be. For years my grandma would tell me that I really have a pretty face but I need to lose some weight. So, now that I have lost 70 pounds she constantly tells me I look anorexic and should put some weight back on. (she doesn't know about my surgery) Honestly, all you can do is laugh it off. What is most important is what you think and feel about yourself. Don't let anyone else define you no matter what you weigh or how you look. Their opinion is just that... their opinion. I bought my daughter a poster for her room the other day and it speaks to me and her on so many levels... it says: Be your own kind of Beautiful

I like a lot of others get the hiccups! I know once those start it's time to stop. Even one more bite and I have gone overboard I will also sweat or my nose will start to run, it's sort of a weird feeling but when I am full I will start to get sweaty. Gross when you are out in public!! Those are the weird eating related things I will also say that I get really cold now. I live in MN and when it's 50 degrees here in the spring time people are out in shorts and t-shirts because it feels so warm. Not me this year. I was outside when it was 57 the other day and I was freezing! I was the only one in my neighborhood to have on jeans and a sweatshirt and still feel cold OOOhhhh... I also get leg cramps a lot more. Almost like charlie horses in my calves. I believe that I need to take in more potassium but that never happened before surgery.

This is very very normal! My sleeve did the exact same thing in the beginning stages. My surgeon told me it's my sleeve getting used to working again and digesting the food that is going into it. It does stop after a while. Just be patient. If it hurts then you might need to talk to your surgeon but if it's just noisy and feels a little weird that is completely normal. Mine will still do that occasionally depending on what I eat. If I eat some kind of dense carbs it will still make those noises. Sort of tells me that I shouldn't be eating what I am putting in my mouth lol. This is very very normal! My sleeve did the exact same thing in the beginning stages. My surgeon told me it's my sleeve getting used to working again and digesting the food that is going into it. It does stop after a while. Just be patient. If it hurts then you might need to talk to your surgeon but if it's just noisy and feels a little weird that is completely normal. Mine will still do that occasionally depending on what I eat. If I eat some kind of dense carbs it will still make those noises. Sort of tells me that I shouldn't be eating what I am putting in my mouth lol.

If you are fairly certain that it is gas related and the pain eases up when you do pass gas maybe try something to help with the gas such as beano or something similar. I'm just throwing a suggestion out there for you but it might be worth a try. Also, can you email your doctor in the states to get his/her opinion via email? Might be worth it to try. Hope it gets worked out quickly!

I didn't see mine jumping and twitching but I could certainly feel it. It's the spasms you go through after surgery. My surgeon gave me a medication to help with the spasms. If it's bothersome I would call your surgeons office and ask for something to help. If it doesn't bother you but is just weird I can tell you that it will go away eventually. Your new tummy is just figuring things out and healing.

I am on an IUD so I can't speak to Birth Control pills specifically but I can tell you that my doctor said I will need to use 2 forms of birth control from when I started my journey and that was prior to surgery up to 2 years after surgery. The reason for this was that weight loss makes you very fertile and you don't want to get pregnant right away after surgery. Right now I have the IUD and we use condoms however I have convinced the hubby to get a vasectomy so that should cover the 2 forms for life

I've never heard of this before and am glad you are going into see your doctor. I will tell you that I did have some itchy skin issues but I have become a lotion freak and that has really helped. I also get bruises all the time now. Bruises can be a sign of anemia from not taking your Vitamins and can be dangerous. I went in to get checked and was fine but I would mention it to your doctor. I would advise you to take your vitamins. If the brand you are taking makes you nauseated try a different brand. It is so important to get those vitamins in. Good Luck!

It was a surprise to me too.. a huge surprise, in my pants, a few times The best advice someone gave me was never trust a fart. I am 6 months out and still have to be cautious. It will get a lot better. It will start to get better when you are eating solids again, just try to be patient. I was the same as you and sometimes had to shower a few times a day just to feel clean. Right now I was say go ahead and take the Imodium. If you are nervous about it you can always cut it in half and just take half now and if that doesn't help take the other half later.

@@Athenyx coffee is a love/hate relationship with me. I love coffee and when the doc gave me the ok to drink it again I was so happy!! However, I will say that every single time I drink it (which is daily) about an hour after I start to drink I have to run to the bathroom. Once I go to the bathroom I'm fine but it doesn't matter if it's only one sip of coffee or the entire cup, it's like clockwork with the bathroom run. I did ask my doc about it and he said it's fairly normal for that to happen with drinking coffee. It's up to me if I want to run to the bathroom or now. For me, it's worth it