smg

I am a little over a month post-op (sleeve) and I agree with some of the above comments I no longer crave most of the foods I craved before surgery. I am very happy that I decided on the sleeve as it was the best choice for me. About which you should go with I would say it has to be a choice made ultimately by you with input and recommendations by your surgeon. I will say that if you intend on making your decision based solely or partially on which one you can eat "bad" foods easier on, you will be setting yourself up to fail before you even begin. Regardless of the surgery, you need to commit to lifestyle changes that include (perhaps most importantly) making better food choices than what you've done that's led you to where you are. Something as sugary as sweet tea is most likely a no-no regardless of the surgery you choose, especially since it's a liquid. With the sleeve, liquids drain through your new baby stomach very fast and if it's full of sugar, it's going to wreak havoc on your duodenum and blood-sugar levels. You may even experience symptoms equivalent to that of a bypass patients "dumping syndrome". It's difficult to think about giving up things that have been so much a part of our lives for so long, but it's the commitment you have to make in order to be successful long-term. Think of this as a reboot, and try to purge all of that bad stuff from memory. A few weeks or a month without it, and you most likely won't even miss it. The other thing to consider is that your tastes may change after surgery. Mine certainly did. Things that I ate or drank before surgery that never stood out to me as "too salty" or "too sweet" now come across as so salty and/or sweet that I have absolutely no interest in them. Best of luck to you whichever choice you make!

I was really lucky to have found a surgeon that also has a wonderful NUT on staff. I'm sorry you are not happy with your NUT. It really does make all the difference in the world to have people on your team that you really feel you can count on when needed. It might be tough or awkward to switch pre-op if your NUT is physically part of the surgeons staff, but if it's just a referral relationship then I would say go for it. If it is a staff NUT, you may have a conversation with your surgeon. If you don't want to, then I would say interview some independent NUTs and go with who you feel comfortable with and who you feel will help you ultimately succeed. That's what's important in all of this. Making sure you are comfortable with the people on your team. The best advice is don't settle for what's there or readily available. Find the right choice for you. Best of luck.

Somebody may have already mentioned this, but a simple delicious treat for me (one that even my kids like) is to buy fresh organic blueberries, stick them in the freezer overnight, then just pull them out and eat them as Snacks. They don't freeze like a rock, as some fruits do, and they are a wonderful and super-healthy snack.....and it literally takes seconds to make...lol. Or if you have a juicer that has a "blank screen" attachment, you can run the frozen berries through that, along with a frozen banana and have a 100% fruit sorbet....also delicious...and healthy!

That's great that you're feeling better @@haleymarie You should definitely continue to push to get in your liquids and Protein every day. Try some different ways to get your protein in. There's some water-based Protein drinks that will help you get in both your liquids and protein. About TIme Pro Hydrate and Isopure are two that I know of. Also, there's a protein pudding recipe that's really good as well. Just take a scoop of vanilla or chocolate Protein powder, 6oz of plain, nonfat greek yogurt, and 1-2 tsp of Water. Mix it up, add water to thin to your liking. You might not finish it in one sitting but it's a great way to get in some extra protein while getting a "snack" as well. Best of luck!

Best of luck to you! The journey begins!!!

Whoa! I don't agree with your NP. Perhaps if they were speaking only of Iceberg lettuce I might, but there are many greens out there with TONS of nutrition. Instead of Iceberg, try spinach, or romaine, some Kale, swiss chard, collards, endive, escarole, leaf lettuces, dandelions...etc....etc. There are so many greens that provide excellent nutrition I'm really shocked to hear a physician tell you to pass on them altogether. I will admit, that it's difficult to get enough of them, but you might consider juicing with fresh greens, carrots, cucumbers, celery, and add some lemon and ginger or an apple to help the taste. Lots and lots of Vitamins and minerals!!!

In some health food shops you can find feta packed in "soft blocks" typically with water similar to fresh mozzarella. Less crumbly and you can dice it to match the size of the other ingredients in the recipe....but I like it crumbly just the same

So I adapted a couple of recipes to come up with this, but you can adjust however you want based on your stage/needs and of course, taste! This is great to make in a large batch and freeze some for ready-to-go meals on busy weeknights. However, if you have 2 teenage boys at home like I do, having anything leftover might be difficult My wife thought that this was one of the best Soups she's had, and she's not typically a Soup lover so I took that as genuine! I did make the taco seasoning homemade, as well as the enchilada sauce, but feel free to sub store-bought if you don't want to make them or don't have the time. ** NOTE - The picture shows corn in the soup, but I don't usually add corn (except for the kids as they love it) and you can or cannot depending on your taste and where you're at post-op. (The recipe does not have corn in it so if you want to add, I would add about half can, drained) SOUP INGREDIENTS 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds) 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce (RECIPE BELOW) 2 14oz cans black Beans, drained and rinsed (if you want a mixture, add 1 can black beans and 1 can pinto beans) 1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice 1 4oz can diced green chiles 1 Jalapeno, diced, seeds and ribs removed (optional) 3 cloves of garlic, minced (you can use 2 if 3 is too strong - we love garlic) 1 medium onion, diced 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder Salt & Pepper to taste Garnish with chopped shallots, green onions, cilantro or sliced avocado DIRECTIONS Add chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker. Add other ingredients (except garnish) and stir to combine Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours Shred chicken with 2 forks, stir, garnish and serve hot You can refrigerate or freeze the soup for quick leftover meals (if there's any left!) ENCHILADA SAUCE INGREDIENTS 1 28oz can of whole peeled tomatoes (plus one empty can of water) 3 tbsp Ancho chili powder (regular chili powder works fine) 3 tbsp taco seasoning (salt free/sugar free recipe below) 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped (it's going in the blender) 3 cloves of garlic 2 jalapenos (seeds and ribs removed) - (add more or less to your taste) 1/2 tsp cumin 1 chipotle pepper with seeds removed and 1 tbsp of adobo sauce from the can (OPTIONAL) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper DIRECTIONS Add all ingredients to a high quality blender and blend until smooth SALT FREE/SUGAR FREE TACO SEASONING INGREDIENTS (big batch to save for future uses) 8 tbsp ancho chili powder (regular chili powder works fine) 1 tbsp chipotle chili powder (optional) 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tbsp paprika 1 tbsp dried oregano 4 tbsp ground cumin 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste) 1-2 tbsp black pepper (more or less taste) DIRECTIONS Add all ingredients to bowl. Mix well and store in air-tight container. I use old seasoning jars for this and make labels for them. You can make more/less of this but this amount will last you some time.

That's a great idea @@Pillar2butterfly !!! I'm going to try that as well. What a great way to add Protein to the salad!!!

@@Daisee68 The recipe originally called for 2 tbsp of olive oil but I cut it to 1 and for as much as this makes (and the little amount I can eat...lol) it's not that much oil per serving. Obviously, change it to your own tastes!!

Had one of the freshest, and best tasting salads I think I've ever had yesterday, and figured I would share it. Found it on Green Valley Kitchen and it was amazing, and really inexpensive. Avocado is one of my favorite foods, but post-op it's hard to use an entire avocado before it turns brown so make sure you have others to share this with as you probably can't eat the whole thing... Ingredients 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 1 small-medium avocado, diced 1 handful of fresh Italian parsley, minced 4 oz of feta cheese (I use the fat free Athenos brand) 2 tbsp minced red onion 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (I use the Pompeii jalapeno infused red wine vinegar - yum) Fresh ground black pepper Directions 1. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Add them to a large bowl. 2. Peel cucumber, dice it into a size close to the cherry tomato halves. Add to the bowl. 3. Remove pit from avocado. Remove with spoon, dice into cubes and add to bowl 4. If not using crumbled feta, cube it and add it to the bowl. 5. Mince red onion and add it to the bowl. 6. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and black pepper. Pour over salad. 7. Add parsley and stir gently being sure not to break up the avocado too much. Serve right away NOTE: If you are not going to eat this right away, then save the avocado until right before serving...otherwise it will turn brown. Super-easy and quick to make, and super delicious and nutritious! Below is a picture of the salad (from the site, not from me)

@@KristenLe I think that's absolutely the right answer. Now is when you start developing your good habits to make an easier transition post-op. Keep up the good work! It's all worth it!!

Definitely an exciting and nervous time, but you'll do great! Best tip I can give you is to WALK, WALK, WALK....and then WALK some more. Also SIP, SIP, SIP, and then SIP some more...stay hydrated and walk as much as you possibly can....your body will thank you for it! Best of luck and let us know how everything goes!!

I had a similar plan pre-op. For 2 weeks prior to surgery, I had a Protein shake for Breakfast, another for lunch, and for dinner I was allowed a lean protein and brightly colored vegetables...the good news was that there was no size limitation on the dinner portions. I felt lucky as I know a lot on here are put on liquid-only diets pre-op. Large amounts of veggies for dinner helped me stay full longer. Veggies that are high in Fiber like broccoli/asparagus really helped...the goal of the pre-op diet is to get your liver smaller than what it is now to give the surgeon better access to the abdominal area as they move the liver out of the way during surgery. It's a challenge for sure, but the best advice I can give is to do your best to stay busy and not dwell on it. The time will go by faster than you think and soon you'll be watching the pounds fly off!!! It's well worth it!

@@KristenLe Sounds like great news that you may get through the process sooner than you thought! About the 1 pound loss, I wouldn't look at that as anything less than success, especially in the early stages. If nothing else, it shows that your efforts are paying off, no matter how little it seems at the moment. Stay positive and best of luck!

@@GigiLane I had my procedure on April 15th and so far, I'm doing great. I'm feeling better than I have in years, of course being 52 pounds lighter helps that a great deal, and I'm able to get out and be active without getting exhausted almost immediately and no knee pain! I know I'm still at the beginning of my post-op journey but things like riding a bike, taking a walk, or going for a swim have been so much easier and, even though I'm still a ways off from where I want to be, my confidence has increase tenfold. So far, so good!

The psych eval isn't as scary as it sounds. You'll do great! Best of luck!

Welcome Senetria! I'm a few weeks post-op but what a great journey it's been so far. Best of luck to you on yours!

Congrats on your date. All of the anticipation is well worth the results! Best of luck to you!!

Sometimes the shakes were too thick for me as well in the first week post-op. Isopure zero carb and about time pro hydrate were lifesavers for me!

It's not just an insurance requirement, but a requirement by the surgeons themselves. I had to complete one even though I was a self-pay patient. I believe the main reason is to check for severe eating disorders or possible clinical depression.

Las Vegas, NV cost me just under $11,000

I don't even pay attention to it because you know what, they cost FAR LESS than the amount the of food I was eating before surgery....especially when I ate out (which was near constant).

My surgeon recommended waiting at least a week before coffee, and then to try a sip and wait a while to see how it feels. It's not that the coffee itself is so acidic that it hurts, but because it's acidic, it can stimulate secretion of gastric acids in the stomach the increased amount of gastric acids at a time when you are healing is what can be painful. I've spoken to some who had coffee almost right away without issue, some had to move to decaf for a while and some just had to wait. I waited 2 weeks before trying any and when I did, I drank decaf for a few days before trying regular coffee. Luckily, it didn't irritate anything for me. I would say to always listen to your own surgeons advice. Everyone is different, and he/she knows best based on your specific case.

Luckily, I've never had the "foamies" either, but our NUT did mention it pre-op and said that eating slowly, chewing your food to "applesauce" consistency and taking small sips of liquids will prevent it. The biggest recommendation was to make sure you eat slowly. Take a bite, chew well, swallow, and allow your body a minute or two to see how it reacts and make sure you aren't full... ...after surgery, your eyes will definitely be bigger than your stomach!!