miiasan

@@itstimealready - thinking you meant 196 - and great job! I was 227 on the day of my surgery - am 212 today - 5 1/2 weeks later. I lost 7 lbs in the first week in addition to the Water weight from the surgery. I stalled after the 1st week for 4 weeks and have been averaging about 3/4 lb a day since the stall broke. The stalls can get discouraging - but I just stick with the process. I had fluids the first 2 weeks - the Protein shake I could drink before the surgery my stomach didn't like afterwards so really had to work hard to get the protein in. After 2 weeks I could eat pureed foods which made it a bit easier. At four weeks I was allowed to move to soft foods and that is where I am at now for a few more days. With soft foods I am able to get most of my protein in with food and only sometimes need to drink some shake - or a drink a shake on days I just don't feel like eating anything. I know what you mean by people telling you that you can lose the weight on your own 'ugh' - I had that, too. But from all my dieting through the years my metabolism had slowed down and I ended up with a lot of co-morbidities which are slowing resolving themselves. As long as I get in all my protein and fluids I feel great - and sometimes that is the hardest work I do all day!! But it is all worth it. Good luck on your surgery! This is a great website and the folks on here have great experience and wisdom.

I take Bariatric Advantage chewable essentials - they come with Iron and without (I don't need the iron) - Mine are a fruit flavor and I really like them. I take them twice a day and they cover all my needs except the calcium. I take their calcium chewables - I have the chocolate flavored ones but will probably move to another flavor when I'm done with the ones I have. I take the 500 w/ vit d3 two times a day and that covers my needs.

no - You should call doctor's office or at least your NUT - You had your surgery in Sept? you should able to eat regular foods? do you eat anything with Fiber? - like Beans? Fiber helps both ways - with diarrhea and with constipation. Also, are you lactose intolerant? I found out I was after surgery. I even had problems with whey Protein and was glad when I could actually eat most of my protein instead of rely on shakes. Drink plenty of fluids and throw in something with electrolytes to help with dehydration issues - because you are probably at least a little dehydrated. But you really need to call your NUT as soon as you can and if he/she is not available an on call nurse.

@Dar200. I am still having trouble with water also. My NUT wanted me to try it every so often to see if I can tolerate it because she was concerned about the sodium levels in some of the stuff I could get down. Today I am trying to force down water for half of my fluids. I have to drink it much slower and still have the stomach pain once in a while but overall am tolerating it better. I hope tolerating water gets better for you. I am thinking of trying different brands or types of water to see if that helps. Also can relate that food is not appealing right now. I can tolerate food in the morning the best as I actually wake up a tiny bit hungry. By late afternoon I have to force myself to eat which is no fun. I can only eat about 2 ounces at a time unless it is soup. My NUT wants me to eat 5-6 times a day and 800 - 1000 calories a day. IMPOSSIBLE!! But at least I get in 600 a day pretty regularly. I think if we keep working at it things will even out. It is like the whole weight loss thing. Each person is different and progresses at different rates.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I lost a lot in my face, so even before surgery folks were noticing I was losing weight. My healthcare has my picture on my file and my PCP told me I look like a totally different person! She made me get my picture retaken. Anyway, have a non scale to share. My knees have bones! In fact they have gotten so bony that I accidentally knocked them together when turning over in bed last night and it hurt lol Anyway, enjoy your day!!

Hi guys! After a LONG stall the scale finally started creeping down a week ago. As of today I have lost 7 lbs this week for a total of 14 since surgery. I am 5 weeks out - so that is an avg. of 2.8 per week. I will take it! Although my weight loss has been slower than a lot of folks, I am being patient and kind to my body. I did not gain the weight over night and seeing the scale creep down instead of going up is awesome. I weigh less today than I have for over 25 years; My energy level is pretty high and I am feeling great! I look back on all of our highs and lows this past month and a half - all of our struggles to get in protein and fluids - and I see a great group of people who are winning the battle against obesity! Our struggles are worth it and we are heading down the victory lane!

@sleevemylife. I am so sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I am 5 weeks out also. Most of the time when I feel nauseous it is because I ate one bite too much. Most of my meals are still 2 ounces but dense protein is harder to eat and in my zeal to get in all my protein I don't want to stop at just the 1 1/2 oz mark that fills me up. Because I sometimes push that extra bite I end up feeling pretty uncomfortable for a few hours. I hope this is the case with you and not something more serious. Also hope you are getting in all your fluids as dehydration can also cause this. Getting in all my fluids is always a challenge for me. Sometimes the day just isn't long enough!

@@daveintx this has been an interesting line of discussion - and I think has done its job of getting you to think through and re-evaluate some pretty serious stuff. When we marry, we take on a partner who goes through our life's journey with us. None of ever really realizes when we marry what we will go through together - yet in the end if we love each other we will make it through. You are right in realizing that you have been prepared for this in many ways that she has not. Breathe in and breathe out. Love is patient, Love is kind..... I pray that the rest of your journey is a smooth one filled with joy of discovery and re-discovery.

yeah. I guess I have a different perspective. My husband loved me when I was 125 lbs - he loved me when my weight ballooned up to 275 lbs and he loves me now that I am slowly loosing the weight. He cares and supports me through every decision I have made - even if he doesn't always agree or understand. Has he always wanted me to be thin and healthy - yeah, for sure - but he never withdrew his love because of it. I loved him when he was a buff lean healthy man. loved him when he smoked for 20 years and I would have done anything to help him quit. I loved him when he finally quit. I loved him when he became a type 1 diabetic. I loved him when he had pancreatic cancer and nearly died. I loved him through a year of recovery from a whipple procedure. I loved him when he was diagnosed with leukemia. I loved him through all his chemo treatments - and still love him today - just as I did when I met him 41 years ago. I know that a lot of things can cause a marriage to fall apart. I can tell you in no uncertain terms if there was abuse I would not tolerate it - but in my marriage vows I made a commitment 'to have and to hold till death do us part' Things aren't always perfect or easy.....sometimes it takes courage and understanding and just plain love to see it through.

Hmmmm... hate to say this - but why did you marry her in the first place? Did you love her only because of weight? You had WLS and it is working for you - and that is great! WLS is a huge decision as you know - and a personal one. Perhaps in time she will see the benefits of it and look into it - or perhaps it wouldn't be the right thing for her. Perhaps you need to cut her some slack and not expect something from her just because you have had WLS. I know you probably want her to lose the weight because you love and care for her and want her around in the years to come. Nevertheless, you might want to re-examine the things about her that you do love and not judge her because she is not falling in line with what you have done about your weight.

I got the Unjury through my doctors office. I think you can order it through this websites store. Also@@onia you will find that slim fast. And special k have too many carbs and not enough protein for both the pre op and after surgery. You Nutritionist should be Abe to give you good suggestions. I will tell you from experience that you will want shakes with a high amount of protein. After surgery it will be hard to get your protein in

Hi - and welcome! I am retired, so... but I didn't slow down my routine or any projects I had. If I remember correcly the 2nd and 3rd day of the pre-op was the worst for me - I was on liquids only - but by the 4th day I was doing fine. I drank Premier Protein shakes. They are low carb, 30 grams of protein per 11 ounces - 160 calories, I think. They actually taste pretty good. They come in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry cream. You can find them at costco or Sams at pretty good prices. I had a problem with them after surgery for awhile - my body didn't like whey protein - but now that I am a few more weeks out I can drink them once in a while with no problems. There are many other Protein Shakes and supplements out there - one I used after surgery was unflavored unjury Protein powder. It is easy to put in stuff like Soup - you don't really taste it and it is about 21 grams of protein per scoop. I am sure other folks will have more suggestions. Some folks get samples of different varieties to try and choose that way... Good luck with the pre-op diet and your surgery!

congrats on your weight loss! May you have continued success in the months to come!

Yeah, I get the sugar addiction - probably most of us had it at one time or other. I know I did. Having WLS, though, is a major change in our lives and way of thinking - as you know. I think sometimes when folks have numerous food funerals they are only whipping their poor bodies and minds around and making it harder on themselves. I know you are getting the bypass because it MIGHT keep you from eating sweets. It might NOT keep your from eating sweets also. Dumping syndrome is not a given. If you don't have a problem eating sugar after surgery, you are going to have to be able to push it away and not eat it. Otherwise you will not be successful using the tool you are given. WLS is not a magic bullet - it is only a tool. We still have to do the hard work to lose and keep the weight off. I think the time before surgery is to train us in how to eat after surgery. We practice not eating and drinking at the same time - eating a certain amount of Protein - drinking a certain amount of liquids - chewing each bite of food thoroughly. It should also be a time of focusing on healthy eating - giving up the sugary, bad carb foods. I do hope you decided against the sugar tonight. The pre-op diet is hard enough without going through sugar withdrawal also. If I sound a bit harsh, I apologize. I think you need a reality check though - and I am just giving you tough love. Good luck with the pre-op diet and with your surgery. I wish you every success!

Hi not quite sure how to respond except have you tried changing types of liquids? I can't drink plain Water yet - it lands really hard in my stomach. For a couple of weeks the only way I could get in my fluids was to drink warm low sodium broth. I still can't drink cold liquids, but find Powerade zero and crystal light go down well. For me it is a timing issue - it takes about 2 hours to drink 20 oz because I have to drink slowly still. I never get full from drinking liquids, though - only from eating. You are not eating and drinking at the same time? That would surely get you sick. I accidentally drank something only about 20 minutes out from a meal once and I was sooooooo sick. You should call your doctor's office if you can't get nourishment down and feel so poorly - you could quickly end up in the hospital with at least dehydration. I know it is the weekend, but you should have an on call person at your doctor's office that you can call. They can help you out as to what to try / do. I hope you get to feeling better really soon. You have to get your nourishment in!!

yeah, I'm sure she means well - and it is hard to tell your mom to 'back off' lol You aren't that far out from surgery so it is still new to her - maybe in time she will stop asking so frequently - or maybe you will need to find a gentle loving way to let her know that you are allowing the process to work in its own time.

Those cravings have got to be rough. I don't know how much Protein you are eating or how many times a day, but perhaps drinking some fairlife milk between meals or a Protein Bar might help curb the hunger and get you through the day. You also might want to talk with your nutritionist to go over what you are eating and get your diet tweaked.

My weight loss has been slow, too. In fact, I had a 3 week stall only one week after surgery. My NUT told me that people lose at different rates. Some people's insides take longer to heal than others. Sometimes it takes longer for some people to get over the shock of the surgery to their bodies. It is important not to compare your weight loss to others. Each journey will be different. The important thing to concentrate on is getting in your liquids and Protein and to exercise as much as you are able. The weight loss may be slower at first, but will eventually move right along. It is hard to get everything in at first, but is so important to the healing process. I was getting in 60 grams of protein each day; my NUT wants me to try to get in around 75. It is hard when we have waited so long for this tool. It is hard when we see others report great weight loss in the first month or so after surgery. Nevertheless, each journey is as different as each person taking it. The tool has proved itself to be useful and reliable. Hang in there! And if you need to step away from the scale for a bit - do so. Good luck on your journey!

it would not hurt to call your bariatric office and talk with the nurse there.

yeah, there are several posts on here about stalls - take a look at them. As long as you are following your doctor's instructions you should be fine. A week without the scale moving isn't really a stall - sometimes your body just needs to catch up to your weight loss. If the scale continues not to move it might help to increase your Protein if you are only doing the minimum right now. take a look around the forum though - there are posts about stalls that could be helpful to you.. Good luck with your journey!

@@thbrown223 - yeah, I am new to this - only about 5 weeks after surgery - so the stall at only one week was pretty frustrating. I had lost 23 lbs on my own before the pre-op diet. I lost 7 lbs on the pre-op (mine was only 10 days) and then 7 lbs more the first week after surgery (not counting the Water weight from the surgery itself). the second week after surgery I actually gained a little over a pound back and then......nothing for three weeks. I am glad the scale moved yesterday. I think understanding that stalls happen and that every person will lose at different rates is so important in our journeys.

I use fitbit - used it before surgery and just ignore what they say should be my daily calorie intake. I don't have a problem with cutting down the serving size at all and it is easy to add a food that is not on their list. I would caution though to check their nutrition info against the label of your food. Since you are able to input foods sometimes folks don't get it right. I like fitbit because it tracks Fluid and also tracks my activity (steps). I can input any other exercise that I do. It probably isn't the best out there but works for me

64 oz is minimum and I chugged something down once and it stayed down but I was in terrible pain for about a half hour while the air slowly worked itself back out and the liquid down... I know that at 17 days out from surgery I did not have enough energy to do much of anything. Be careful...I did not have full energy until a little over a month past surgery. Also remember that you need to eat your Protein and waiting between eating and drinking is all important. You won't regain your energy without the protein and we have to eat such tiny amounts at a time - it will really be tough.

yeah, 64 oz is the minimum. I think I understand your question...you used to drink 5 liters a day and now, a week after surgery, you have trouble drinking 64 oz. You are still at the 'sipping' stage! So you have probably realized by now that you can no longer guzzle it down although with each passing week it seems to get easier to drink faster. Since you have a job with great amounts of heat and humidity and you sweat a lot, you might want to drink something with electrolytes in it once a day to help balance things out. There are several options out there - I use Powerade Zero. However, that may not be enough. I would talk with your nutritionist and see if he/she has any suggestions; wouldn't want you to pass out from dehydration.

Hi and welcome! I think you are approaching everything the right way. Do your research and decide if you are ready to make the lifetime commitment to a new way of life. As you probably know, surgery is just a tool. It will help you lose the weight that is causing your co-morbidities. That, in itself, makes it worth all the effort. But it is not something you want to go into half way. It is not an easy way out at all; in fact it is hard work and requires a lot of commitment. I have a friend who had surgery 5 years ago - lost all her weight, but gained it all back this past year from reverting back to old eating habits. That is just sad... I had gastric bypass surgery 4 1/2 weeks ago. I have a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type II diabetes that required tons of insulin every day. I chose to have the surgery because it can help reverse these. It has. I am off my blood pressure meds and currently only take a small dose of insulin each day. My endocrinologist tells me that my diabetes should soon be in remission. For me, that makes it all worth it! There are lots of people on this site that have great wisdom; if you can't find an answer to your questions somewhere in the forums be sure to ask. Good luck with your researching and your journey!