RoachBug

Not yet, Dammitt! I am accepting applications though.. Just give me a little heads up first, so I can get in a extra Protien drink or two for some energy.

Had my surgery on 5/25 (along with a hiatal hernia repair). I was knotted up pretty bad the fist day but the meds took off the edge. I was definately ready to come home to get some real rest, without being poked and prodded every hour or so. Definately not with the swing of things as of yet, more exhausted than anything. It has been a little better each day though. I was glad to actually be able to get in the 64oz of liquid the last couple of days, one small accomplishment. Seems weird to have to take 15 minutes to take my meds, was used to just chugging em' all down at once. Was pleasantly surprised to see 10lbs dissapear during my 3 days at the hopsital...it's a start.

I thought my Ex was the only one who used that excuse!

@@CHM LOL, brilliant minds think alike (I swear I was just thinking exactly the same thing)! In case we actually are all going to implode, for the barbaric use of straws after surgery, I did a little (note little) investigation. Someone allready stole my idea of creating a airless drinking straw. A quick Google search led me to the Amazon page. I personally had planned on naming mine "The Bariatric Siphon". The siphon idea is straight forward, I was still working on the plans for the vacuum attachment, that would suck out all the dangerous air from your mouth/lungs prior to drinkage. Keep having problems with collapsed lungs...

Had the sleeve and hiatal hernia repair on 5/25. Immediately after surgery I was not feeling to great, felt like bad stomache cramps. Once back at my room i was given a couple different meds via the IV for the nausea and also Dilaudin for the pain. Within a few minutes the majority of the stomache cramp pain was gone. I could tell when the meds were wearing off and I was getting ready for another dose of Dilaudin, but nothing unbearable. Have felt a bit better each day since. FYI, the drinking gets a lot easier as each day passes also.

Only been home a few days here. I stocked up on Powerade Zero, Water, nice assortment of Protien packs to try (did pick up a large one of non-flavored at GNC), lowfat Cream of "..." Soup (if your plan allows), and be sure to grab some Sugar- Free Popsicles and Jello. Also picked up some skim milk to add to the shakes and soup for extra protien. The nutritionist at the hospital sent me home with a good sized supply of Protein powder and gel packs (could have saved a few bucks there).

Had my surgery (Gastric Sleeve and hiatal hernia repair) as scheduled on 5/25. Had a 3 day hospital stay and was released on Sat.. As for the diabetes meds, I was on Metformin, Glyburide, and Insulin (Degludec). I cut back the insulin the night before surgery and did not receive it or the other diabetes meds while at the hospital. With the meds and insulin I was averaging around 95-105, the last month prior to surgery. They checked my blood glucose frequently. After surgery my reading was 185 and dropped down from there. I have not had any diabetes meds since last Tues and have been averaging around 80 (which is somewhat low). As for my heart meds, directly after surgery I was given them crushed/mixed with Water. The first couple of days were a challenge with such small sips. I had been practicing trying to take smaller drinks but messed up and gulped a couple times (not recommended). My surgeon along with the cardiologist team went over my heart meds and felt that none were "too large" to swallowed. On Friday I was given the meds in pill form. Weirdest thing was it taking 15min. to take my meds, 1pill at a time. I was so used to having em' all go down the hatch at the same time with one big gulp.

They have by far the best commercial I have viewed. Who doesn't love unicorns and "rainbows", lol.

Woot! Less than 24hrs to go. This time tomorrow morning I should be in surgery. Seems like it has been forever since I started (Nov of 15) but as tomorrow approaches it seems like it went fast. A tad nervous but overall I'm excited to start on this new journey. I wanted to thank all the members of the site. Your posts have been a great source of info on what I can expect. All of the pictures posted have been a awesome incentive and inspiration. Thanks~

Headed to OSU now. See all you folks on the other side!

Doc gave me the norm schedule for post op visits, 2wk/month/2 months ect. He then let me know that due to the meds I am currently on (heart, BP, diabetes), that I would definitely be seeing him more frequently. He said that as the weight starts to drop dramatically, so will the prescription strengths. He said normally his patients are released the day after surgery, however, he would feel more comfortable planning at least a 3 day stay for me. He said this should give him a little extra time to adjust my meds before sending me home. He said hopefully we will be able to eliminate the diabetes meds and adjust the heart meds as we go along. Surgery is scheduled for next Wed (5/25/16), nervous but excited.

@@Dub out of curiosity, what did your BP drop down to? Luckily when it happened to me, I was at the OSU Pacer Clinic. Had originally thought it was a drop in blood sugar but ended up to be my BP (after a change in meds). My low was 50/40, definitely had me out of it. Ended up getting wheeled over the ER for the night till they got it under control.

Hmm, never saw a sugar free Slushie/Slurpee. Will have to give it a try.

I love Slushies, though it seems to be a one sided love affair. Due to the 1, 2 combo of buldging waistline and diabetes, I had to break up with dear old Slushie. When I started taking insulin (not too long ago), I really began paying close attention to the carb/sugar content of everything. I was shocked to find that a 20oz Slushie has a whopping 76g carbs (all from sugar). The really frightening thing is the fact that I never would get a "reg" 20oz but the Big Gulp size. Not hard to figure out how the glucose levels were so high, when I was drinking 150g carbs/sugar from one Slushie. During the nutrition classes, one of the slides showed the equivalent in sugar cubes for a large Slushie. After seeing that pic, I could not imagine having one again. Slushie was and is a cruel mistress.

Remember the saying: "Opinions are like --------. Everyone has one, and most of them stink!".

I would definately get ahold of your doc and let him know whats going on. I have dealt with the fainting spells myself over the years, not a good feeling at all. I have had them as a result of dehydration a few times when I was really sick, more often associated with my blood sugar bottoming out, and most recently due to my BP bottoming out ( was due to a increase in a med). I have had a couple heart attacks. Both times, out of the blue I began to sweat heavily (drenched), dizzy feeling, nausious, tunnel vision. Then came the pain in my left arm/shoulder and or pain bottom of neck. Whenever I have had a fainting spell, it always freaks me out because I have all of the same symptoms as when I had the heart attacks, minus the pain in the arm/neck. Not trying to scare you but the fainting should be cause for concern and followed up on with your doctor.

Did tattoos for a few years here (and had a shop). I would think that any of the artists that have enough skill to get on the show, should be used to dealing with different types of skin. I can see where if a person had lost a ton of weight and was getting ink on sagging skin it would be extremely difficult but I can't see anyone having that done. I agree with your friend, he was likely trying to make excuses to save himself from elimination.

Believe it can be made with any white fish.

This is one of my favorite recipes and can be tweaked to your taste. If you are willing to try something a bit on the different side, give it a try (I think you will like it). The main ingredient in the dish is fish and shrimp which are cooked via the acidic juice of lemons and limes. I entered all of the ingredients into the recipe app in MyFitnessPal, the nutritional list is posted at the bottom. It's definately a low carb / high Protein meal. Ceviche • 32 oz Tilapia Fillets • 12 oz Shrimp (de-viened, shelled, tail off) • 1 bunch Cilantro (finely chopped) • 1 cucumber (peeled and cubed) • 4 tomatoes (diced) • 2 Jalepeno (finely chopped) more or less to taste • 0.25 cup(s), Extra Virgin Olive Oil • 3 Lemons • 3 Limes • 1 large Red Onion (finely chopped) • 1 teaspoon = 2 cloves, Garlic, Minced * Cubed the Tilapia fillets and shrimp into small pieces and place into a glass bowl or pan. Slice the Lemons and Limes in half and remove the seeds. Squeeze the juice from the lemons/limes over the Tilapia/Shrimp mixture. Stir to coat all and press down to submerged as much as possible in the juice. Cover the bowl tightly and place in the refrigerator. * The acid from the lemons/limes will cook the fish/shrimp in approximately 45min. I myself let the fish/shrimp cook in the juice for approximately 3 to 4 hours, stirring frequently to assure everything is evenly cooked. *After the fish/shrimp is cooked via the acidic juice, drain (leaving approximately 1/3cup of juice in the bowl along with the fish/shrimp). Combine the rest of the ingrediants together, stir thoroughly, and salt to taste. The Cerviche can be eaten at this point, though I prefer to place it in a air tight container and chill first. Cerviche is typically eaten with chips, on salads, as a side or as a main dish. I personally like it as its' own dish. It's a low calorie/low carb high protien meal. Nutrition Facts Servings 10.0 Serving Size 1 cup Amount Per Serving: calories 257 % Daily Value * Total Fat 10 g 15 % Saturated Fat 2 g 9 % Monounsaturated Fat 5 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g Trans Fat 0 g Cholesterol 120 mg 40 % Sodium 427 mg 18 % Potassium 289 mg 8 % Total Carbohydrate 11 g 4 % Dietary Fiber 2 g 8 % Sugars 4 g Protein 31 g 62 % Vitamin A 14 % Vitamin C 53 % Calcium 5 % Iron 13 % * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs.

Just got my surgery date this morning, for May 25th. Pre-Op low carb/high protein diet starts on the 18th (though I have been following it already).

Had my pre-op meeting today with the surgeon and dietician. I have a surgery date of May 25th, a week and a half away (woot!). The doc said that generally his patients stay in the hospital for 1 or 2 days, depending on how things are going and their ability to get up and around and Water intake. He said with my heart meds and insulin, he would be more comfortable planning on a 3 day stay. He said that should give us enough time to figure out the initial new dosages for my medications. He stressed that as the weight comes off, the meds will continue to need adjusting. He said that while this is being done, I should plan on seeing him on a regular basis post op. The dietician went over my pre-op liquid(ish) diet. It really did not seem as bad as I thought it was going to be, not to much different than what I have been doing of late. Low carb, high Protein, and liquids (1200 calories/ 120 grams protein/ 75 grams carbohydrates/ 48-64oz water). She said that normally she recommends 5 high protein Meal Replacement shakes throughout the day to supplement the one small meal (Lean Cuisine frozen dinner or salad) to achieve the protein requirements. The shakes would normally not count towards the water goals. Due to concerns with the water intake and the heart, she said that I could replace 1 of the shakes with a Protein Bar and also go for the lower end on the water requirement. I will need to follow the diet plan the week prior to surgery. I asked if it was allowed to substitute items in place of the shakes/Lean Cuisine, as long as I stayed within guidelines. I have a Ceviche recipe that I love, that will give me a good chunk of the daily protein. Best part is it is low in both carbs/calories. She is not a fan of seafood but said that would be perfectly fine.

Heard someone mention Ceviche the other day. I haven't made it in quite a while and I got a craving. Did some checking first and realized it's a great high Protein / low carb dish. For a 1cup serving, it has 31g Protein, 11g Carbs, and 257 calories. Cerviche is a dish made around the world, with slightly different ingredients. White fish, shrimp, and other seafood is cooked by citric acid from lemons and limes, and then combined with other vegetables. It can be used as a topping to chips, salads, or eaten alone as a side dish or main meal. Made with hot peppers, it has a nice spicy bite. I will link the recipe below, it can also be found on MyFitnessPal under Roachs' Ceviche. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/view/264996842770173

Srry, I guess BP does not like links in the posts. If you want the recipe, give me a holler and I can post it.

Just had a new tatt done this evening! That being said, I will give you a little bit of background. I am a retired Deputy Sheriff (retired early due to heart problems). I was extremely bored at home and wanted to try and keep busy. I went back to college again for Computer Networking (not as fun the second time around). It kept me occupied for a couple of years. I always enjoyed art and tattoos, so I was lucky enough to pick up an aprenticeship with a local tattoo artist. We became good friends and a couple years latter opened up our own shop. We have both moved on since then but I still appreciate a good piece of art, wether on myself or another. As for wether or not you should get a tattoo at this point, I would say that it mainly depends on where you are getting it. A tattoo on the wrist/forearm/top of the foot (which definately does not feel good), would be fine in my opinion. If you were planning on a chest, stomache, or even upper arm tattoo, I would suggest waiting. If you were planning on a tattoo on a area that you carry a lot of extra weight, you have to realize that though the tatt itself will be fine, it's placement can change with dramatic weight loss. Talk to your artist and let him know that you are getting ready to have weight loss surgery. A good artist will point you in the right direction, after all you as the client will be a living billboard for his/her artwork. The tattoo I had done tonight (The Beatles), is on the side of my forearm. This would be the first I have gotten in the last couple years, they still hurt!

The Water thing is definitely a concern. In the classes, on here, and even with the doctors at the bariatric center, they keep stressing the importance of water. I asked about this, being that I had been told to limit my water intake due to the excess Fluid surrounding the heart (hence the diuretics Lasix/Metoprolol/Amiridarone..last two also fall into the category). We will be discussing things in more detail at the Pre-Op but the bariatric doctors have not seemed concerned, they are aware of the situation and reasoning behind the surgery. As for my HFS, I think he is going with the need outways the risk. I will let you know more after the Pre-Op on the 13th.