Barry W

Don't set up a pattern where you are vomiting after eating chicken. This will create an association in your brain such that the taste and even smell, can make you nauseous. Skinless chicken breast is one of the healthiest protein sources going, so you don't want to have to quit it "cold turkey".

I liked the SlimFast Advanced Nutrition shakes (their newest formula) the best. They still weren't great, but good enough to drink anyway. You can also use Protein bars if you tire of shakes. Just avoid anything with too much sugar - more than a few grams.

Yes, cold cuts are processed meats, especially stuff like bacon, sausage, bologna, hot dogs, salami... these are considered unhealthy for all people, not just post op bariatric surgery patients. I think that a few cold cuts, like turkey breast, are much less manipulated and have fewer nitrites and salts.... On whole grain bread, you can alternatively use tuna salad, reduced fat cheese, or Peanut Butter as healthier alternatives.

I had a morphine drip in the hospital, but didn't use my oxycodone prescription they sent me home with. Had some discomfort, especially the first week for sure, but it was bearable. Main issue was getting in and out of bed for me.

Regarding exercise, it doesn't need to be a long, grueling workout. Just go for daily walks, and start small and gradually lengthen them. Regarding the alcohol, I'd suggest seeking out a support group or counselor.

I eat brown rice and other "healthy carbs" like legumes and fruit. I have not had a problem (with excessive appetite). I think this can vary from person to person though.

I had the endoscopic sleeve procedure. My scars are visible, but nothing dramatic. Five scars of different lengths arranged in roughly an oval layout. Length varies from about a half inch to maybe an inch and a quarter. It's been 7 months now, and they have turned the color of the surrounding skin, and I'd say they are nothing to be concerned about on me. My dressings didn't fall off, and I kept them on for a little longer, hard to recall exactly, but I think 5-7 days. And then I replaced them with new, low adhesion bandages applied fresh after each shower and used a topical antibiotic spray as a prep. Did that for maybe another week. I was careful not to press the wounds with fingertips for the most part - I did make a mistake of scratching under my shirt on one of the small wounds and actually broke the scar tissue very easily - it's very weak at first. So don't scratch any itches. Didn't get an infection though - the other measures probably helping.

Yep, as the others say, I think that so long as you are already doing the right things, just be patient, and progress will come. Don't try to do anything extreme with diet or exercise or you may damage your metabolism (or worse).

There are a lot of anti-carb evangelists out there. As to carbs being of zero biological value (and only being a negative), I would direct people to look at research articles looking at epidemiological findings of diet components of whole grains. For example, this one entitled "Consumption of whole grains and Cereal Fiber and total and cause-specific mortality: prospective analysis of 367,442 individuals". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4371798/ ...which states "Consumption of whole grains were inversely associated with risk of all-cause mortality"... you will find similar findings from MD/PhD Walter Willett of Harvard, who manages the large multi-decade Nurses Health Study. All carbs are not alike. Those foods containing substantial nutrients and fiber with them can be beneficial. Not saying you should eat HUGE amounts of multigrain bread, fruit or legumes - all healthy carb-containing foods, but studies show that in moderate amounts, they are beneficial. People can do whatever they like, but my opinion on carbs is that one should not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I had the same problem, think that's normal. You're just going to have to sleep the best you can on your back for a little while. As I recall, first I could only lie on my back comfortably, then on my side, and finally on my stomach. I don't recall exactly, but I think it was 4-6 weeks before I was really comfortable lying on my stomach again.

I am a chemist and I think there is an awful lot of bad information out there that can be confusing for both lay people and health care workers alike. If you don't have confidence in your nutritionist I wouldn't hesitate to find someone else to advise you. Also, once you get past the special restrictions of the first 2-3 months, you should basically be following the same nutritional advice as everyone else - lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, emphasizing fish, skinless turkey and chicken for Protein, plenty of legumes, and moderate amounts of healthy (fiber-rich) whole grain carbs, along with portion control to keep your weight moving down.

Progress has been very slow these past few months, but I am down to 228lb, and I see that I have just ducked under the bar for the obese category - very psyched! Spent the past week at the beach in NC with family, and for once in recent years, didn't feel ashamed of my body. Also got in a lot of good exercise walking and bodysurfing, feel a little more spring in my step after all that activity

The first couple of weeks are were pretty rough for me, but then things got better day by day. Your body has to make many adjustments and so does your mind. Stay positive and do your part and good things will happen over time...

Yeah, if it's not dry skin or a rash that came from some known agent - like a harsh cleaning chemical you used without gloves or something... then I start to suspect an allergic reaction. If it's just the skin, you could try a topical antihistamine, but if you also have swelling, then you could try either Benadryl or Claritin antihistamine pills (Claritin doesn't make you drowsy, and there are also store brand versions of Claritin - from CVS and Walgreens). You can also try switching to dye and perfume free bath soap, shampoo, and laundry soap - hypoallergenic personal care and laundry products. The extra chemicals in these can certainly cause issues for some people, and there is no downside to making such a change. The problem could be unrelated to the surgery.

I probably have 5 cups of coffee per day, usually made with Land o' Lakes fat-free creamer (IMO opinion easily the best fat-free creamer) and Splenda.