heidikat72

I think part of the pre-op requirements should include watching the actual surgery. I honestly believe some folks may not have a clue what was actually done to their insides. I see so many posts from early post-ops saying they are having trouble sticking to their "post-op diet" and have "cheated"............I don't think these folks understand it's not a diet it's a prescription! I don't think they understand that they are risking their lives by eating solid foods too soon....I get the feeling that they think when they eat something that's not on their plan they just think it will slow down their weight loss...........not that it may kill them!!!...........okay I just had to get that off my chest! End of rant!

it will vary greatly! Even though I was a very high BMI - I lost NOTHING the first two weeks. Please don't start comparing or stressing about the scale this early out. The first month - just focus on plan and healing. The weight loss will happen but the rate really cannot be predicted.

At this phase it is most likely what is called "head hunger". The nerves were cut as your sleeve was made so very unlikely you are really feeling anything. Between that and the consistency of pureed foods, you might not feel restriction at this point. When you start having dense Protein like baked chicken, that restriction will kick in.
another possibility for what is feeling like hunger - are you on a PPI? Even if you are, you may need a dosage adjustment. Excess acid often mimics a "hungry" sensation.

Have you given deli sliced turkey a try? just watch out for the sodium level and try to find a low sodium one.
Also the flavored pouches of tuna and salmon were a staple of my soft foods phase. I also baked tilapia in either a foil or parchment paper pouch which helps keep it moist - just don't overcook!

I'm in the same boat, but I think mine is a boredom hunger. I just make sure I'm constantly sipping in between meals.

I like some of the Ocean Spray diet cranberry drinks, like diet cran-lemonade, diet cran-pomegranate, and diet cran-mango.
G2 and Powerade Zero were go-to's for me as well.

I haven't done it but I think it should be ok. I use the caramel premier as my coffee Creamer and add it directly to my very hot cup of coffee without problem. I think the ready to drink shakes aren't as finicky about temps as the powder (adding powder to hot liquid above 140 degrees makes it clump and be yucky). So as long as you gently warm it, it should be fine! There is also Protein hot chocolate mix that is a powder but can be added to hot Water - I've tried that, I think the brand is Healthwise - and it was pretty good.

Okay, I experimented. I made up 8 oz of skim milk with Gold Standard Extreme Milk chocolate Protein powder cold, and then zapped it for a little over a minute in the microwave. It got very warm, and a little frothy on top. It did not clump, but I think if I had continued to heat it, the froth would have continued to build. I may conduct further trials. In any case, it is almost like drinking hot chocolate with a little whipped cream on top. It is very good, and since it is about 39° here with the wind blowing at up to 35 mph, it is going down very nicely.

You can be proud of yourself you lost so much weight. No need to listen to all the negative comments try to stay above it,ignore it. Way to go girl down to 353 ...
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You don't need a snappy comeback, your weight loss is all you need. One thing you don't need is critical people who don't understand anything we have gone through. You don't need to impress anyone. It's not about them. This is all about you, your weight issues, your choice to improve. Just go and if anyone says any thing, tell them the truth. "I don't need all the fats and carbs...so enjoy."
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@@weneebug
This one looks great too

I haven't done it but I think it should be ok. I use the caramel premier as my coffee Creamer and add it directly to my very hot cup of coffee without problem. I think the ready to drink shakes aren't as finicky about temps as the powder (adding powder to hot liquid above 140 degrees makes it clump and be yucky). So as long as you gently warm it, it should be fine! There is also Protein hot chocolate mix that is a powder but can be added to hot Water - I've tried that, I think the brand is Healthwise - and it was pretty good.

You should try online dating. Set a week or two aside where you just say yes to as many dates as possible and don't assign too much importance to any one date. Just focus on getting comfortable with putting yourself out there and the rest will flow from there. That's the great thing about dating in 2016!
I don't advise discussing surgery on the first date if you can avoid it. Personally I hate dinner dates anyway, try meeting for coffee, museums + galleries, go see a band or a play, hang out in the park....stuff that doesn't necessarily entail food/booze.

My first 14 days I lost nothing! And I don't know when the weight loss actually started because I refused to weigh myself at home during the first month and only did weighings at my post op appts with the surgeon. At my 1 month post op I was 22lbs down. Now 5 months later - I'm 78.5lbs down. Do not focus so much on weight loss in the first month - focus on healing. If you stick with the plan, the weight will come off but for some of us, our bodies fight it initially - or at least are reeling from the major surgery we just did.

it is a crazy tough stage but in the grand scheme of things it really doesn't last that long. You really do have to power through it. The sugar free popsicles were a major help for me immediately post op - satisfied the need to chew as I crunched on the ice before it melted. At 4 days out - really focus on your fluids (protein is important, but dehydration will land you back in the hospital on IV fluids and nobody wants that!). Think of it as your job - because for the first few weeks, meeting Fluid and Protein goals is your job, your only job. It took me until about day 5 or 6 after surgery to meet my fluid goal - almost over night it became so much easier to get fluids in. But initially i was sipping for what seemed like constantly from 6:30am until midnight to try to meet fluid goals. It was a chore. And then focus on protein - it is important for healing as well as general health - I know a lot of people don't like the shakes but think of it as a prescription you have to take instead of a meal to enjoy.

My first 14 days I lost nothing! And I don't know when the weight loss actually started because I refused to weigh myself at home during the first month and only did weighings at my post op appts with the surgeon. At my 1 month post op I was 22lbs down. Now 5 months later - I'm 78.5lbs down. Do not focus so much on weight loss in the first month - focus on healing. If you stick with the plan, the weight will come off but for some of us, our bodies fight it initially - or at least are reeling from the major surgery we just did.

My hospital would not have released me to an Uber driver/taxi driver, public transport etc. So make sure you check with your hospital. They want to make sure you have someone looking out for you. Uber would definitely be an option to get you to the hospital though.
If your friends want to help - let them (and this is coming from someone who hates to ask for help - I had to get over that) but don't be afraid to set boundaries too (I had to firmly tell two friends that I really did not need anyone staying with me at home after surgery). You surgeon should be able to tell you what the typical hospital stay for his patients are (mine was 2 nights). Then that morning, they should be able to give you a good idea of what time that day you'll be released. I'm sure one of your friends wouldn't mind being on "standby" that day to bring you home.

I would see another doctor. Seriously. I'm 43 and sooo wish I had listened to my primary when he started mentioning surgery back 10 years ago. But I had to hit my rock bottom first. And FYI, my surgeon's team doesn't really even do the band anymore because of the long term complications.

My first 14 days I lost nothing! And I don't know when the weight loss actually started because I refused to weigh myself at home during the first month and only did weighings at my post op appts with the surgeon. At my 1 month post op I was 22lbs down. Now 5 months later - I'm 78.5lbs down. Do not focus so much on weight loss in the first month - focus on healing. If you stick with the plan, the weight will come off but for some of us, our bodies fight it initially - or at least are reeling from the major surgery we just did.

I regretted it for a solid week and a half. Like, actual "I really wish I could undo this" regret. Then I went into a stage of being okay but not happy with it. I also wasn't losing for a few weeks immediately after surgery so that did not help my frame of mind.
With every new food stage I felt better and more human, I'm counting down the days until I can have a piece of chicken or some ground turkey (2 more weeks!). I think the beginning is just hard, harder than a lot of us thought it would be.
@@GinaCampbell I know you've had your fair share of issues but from previous posts it doesn't sound like your surgical team was the best and you had some previous health problems. I'm not dismissing your issues, but make sure you tell the full story to someone who is contemplating surgery.

@@hudjess, you've given more information in this thread than you did in yesterday's thread. You have been and are dealing with so much that gets you down. You said that you have anti-anxiety meds, but nothing about whether you're in therapy. If you don't have a good therapist, it seems that finding one is most important. Working with someone who is knowledgeable about anxiety and its triggers and sources will do so much for you. You'll be more comfortable inside your own skin, more available to your daughter, have better chances for following through after your surgery and just enjoy life more. I think those things should be priority now.

It will help in that Hair loss is less noticeable with short hair, but it won't actually reduce the amount of hair you lose, at least not in any significant way.

I feel VERY comfortable in my own skin... Even the parts that need to be tucked lol.
I am back to having the confidence in myself I thought was forever lost.
As for the last few pounds? If they don't ever come off, that's ok, too.
8 months ago I could not walk without aid.
Anything better than that was a win in my book.
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I think I must look in proportion or something, because I've never gotten those comments, lol. I think 10-15 pounds I probably would.
I've told this story before, but when my husband was lamenting to his surgeon about people telling him he looked too thin, too skinny, blah blah blah, his surgeon said "There are so many obese and overweight people these days, they don't even know what a normal, healthy weight looks like anymore".
Made sense to me.

Good advice, I just got mine right before surgery so I'm good for a while. I would recommend finding a center that has the newer 3D mammography equipment. It provides much clearer images and less chance for a call back. Most hospitals/clinics are switching over their old equipment to the newer so it shouldn't be hard to find.