mmbell0908

I believe that "eventually" contraindicates raw fish and shellfish as "soft foods now." Tough, rubbery and chewy don't qualify. Maybe later.
My sympathies. I further believe that oysters on the half-shell and sashimi are reasons to live.

Hi everyone!
I know that we can eventually have oysters and sashimi, but I'm wondering if they're acceptable options on the soft foods plan? And, if so, if anyone tried them & what their sleeve's reaction was. These are my two favorite foods, so I want to reintroduce them successfully!
I am only 10 days out from surgery, but I'm SO excited to eat real food that I'm meal planning now to kill some post-surgery, recovery boredom.
Thanks!!
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G​oogle "The World According to Eggface," she has lots of Bariatric recipies and advice. Good luck, hope this helps!!

I have depression and bipolar disorder. I've been approved. I see my therapist every week and my dr every month. Both are ok with me doing this and willing to write a letter of recommendation on my behalf if needed. Please be honest about your health conditions. It will only help to make you more successful.
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You need to answer questions honestly! This is for your benefit. It's unlikely you would be denied - and if they feel you could use some counseling prior to surgery - it will only help you postop. Good luck! Sent from my KFFOWI using the BariatricPal App

Bad advice...They are experienced in detecting deception. I was open and honest about being treated, with success, for years. I let him know I have a very regular and close relationship with my providers and follow their treatment plan. He said he was comfortable because I was being treated and knew to seek help if the depression worsened.
The psych forms I was asked to complete asked for history of medications. Since the psychiatrist will be in contact with the weight loss team, I wouldn't take that risk.
So many of use that struggle with weight also have depression so it isn't anything new to the psychiatrist. I told him that I believe weight loss might help and he agreed.
I asked him when & why he has denied someone. He told me only once has he denied someone and it was because they admitted to him suicidal thoughts, seeing bugs on the wall and not getting treated.
I hope this helps!

As long as you are actively being treated and you are in a good routine, you should be good. They are assessing if you comprehend the risks, changes and can be compliant with the life long routines. If you are out of control and meds aren't helping, then you might not get approval if you are using your treating doctor.
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I think you should be ok. According to the paperwork I got from my surgeon's office, they are checking for things like un-treated depression and excessive risk-taking behaviors. I was diagnosed with dysthymia (long-term chronic depression) and I asked my surgeon if it would be an issue, and he said no, as long as it was being controlled and I was not suicidal. (no worries there, I would like to live, that's why I'm having the surgery)

There are alot of foods you can try. tuna, baked fish, salmon, cottage cheese, hummus, Beans (add cheese), ricotta bake (recipe online), greek yogurt, home-made Protein Shakes (watch sugar), chicken salad..Experiment and see what works.

I lived off of ricotta bake in my soft foods stage. You really shouldn't be worrying about calories and fat in your early food stages. It's not possible to eat enough to do any damage. During the food stages, you should just be worried about Protein, Water, and getting enough calories to live!

I remember telling my WLS team at the 2 week follow up that I am always hungry and didn't think this was supposed to be the case. In hindsight it was due to being on liquids and puree. My hunger dissipated after progressing to solid food.
Now 2 months post op I rarely feel hunger. It's like they said I have to remind myself to eat.
It has also become clearer to me when I want to eat for emotional reasons....pleasure, boredom, stress, etc. I'm glad the new size of my stomach will no longer allow me to binge in an attempt to satisfy an emotional reason.

Thanks everyone. You guys are the best support group!! ⭕️⭕️
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I asked that of my doctor and was told that it can happen as far out from surgery as 6 - 8 months. Think that is why they give you such a strict diet to follow. At least my surgeon did but I know many surgeons that do not. I know I am not taking any chances.

I saw a 5 pound gain from retention after surgery. Today I'm post op day 6 and I'm down those 5(so back to pre surgery weight)
Erin - 35 - illinois
HW:262
SW: 228
CW:220
Surgery date - 6/22/16

Gross! Why bother.

Ok so here is something to make u sisters laugh in the stress ofndieting and prepping for our surgery next Tuesday. So since i begin my preop doet tomorrow i have been literally CHIWING DOWN. im having food funerals ALL DAY EVERY DAY. my 11 year old son just told me that im like a bear preparing to hibernate for the winter (because im eating so much)
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Going really well so far, I started the 12th so I have 8 more days to go! I am struggling to get my Water in(any suggestions would be awesome) but I really like my Protein shakes so I really haven't been hungry. I do notice all the food advertisements more which makes me a little emotional but, I know that I'm better off following the path I'm on. Good luck to everyone we are getting really close now.
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So I have been eating a lot of popsicles lately. Last night I scared the crap out of myself. I started having difficulties speaking and thought "holy shit -I think I'm having a stroke"! Well it wasn't a stroke (Thank God) - I had a frozen tongue from popsicles!
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Don't let them put you in the hospital bed when you get moved from recovery into your hospital room. Instead, have them put you somewhere you are sitting and can more easily get up and down. A rocker or glider is ideal if there is one in your room. If not, go for the visitor's chair or loveseat. You will be more likely to get up and move if you aren't struggling in and out of bed. Also, when you are sitting, cross your arms over your abdomen and rock back and forth, pressing against your abdomen with your arms as you rock forward. This helps get the gas out. Again, it's ideal if you have a rocker or glider to do this in, but you can use a chair or sofa if you have to.
You should only be in bed when you need to nap/sleep.

Aloha sleevers,
For all of you who are ahead of me. I heard the worse pain is getting rid of the gas pain. Any tips or remedies you want to share on how to get rid of it besides walking...Do share anything else that might be beneficial for my 1st couple days...So nervous and excited...

I had 2 weeks pre op diet of 3 Protein shakes and unlimited broth. I didn't cheat at all. I had my surgery 12 hours ago and apart from some shoulder pain from the gas I feel amazing! Best of luck, you can do this! I found the first 2 days and the last 4 days the hardest but in the middle it was fairly easy
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@@bellabeans - the point of the pre-op diet is to shrink your liver. The surgeons come in from below your ribs and they want your liver out of the way. Don't cheat on this. If they have to move the liver out of the way it creates complications. Because I stuck to the program, my surgeon had a straight shot, and I was out for 25 minutes. Cut my recovery time down significantly.
I didn't cheat, I wanted to get in and out.

Check with your surgeon but.... A dear friend was having surgery (totally unrelated to weight loss) and when the doc found out she's been taking phentermine he postponed the urgent procedure until she's been off it for 2 weeks. Apparently it doesn't mix well with the anesthesia and can cause major complications. Check with your surgeon!
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I don't post it on social media or anything, but whenever anyone asked how I was losing weight, I told them I had surgery and eat a high protein/low carb diet. I usually had to explain VSG because most people only know about lapband and bypass. But I'd answer any questions they had and then move on. Since I see dozens of clients/day, I've had this WLS conversation a couple hundred times. I am not ashamed of my surgery and have gotten nothing but support and well wishes. Three people have actually had WLS after seeing and hearing about my success. The fact is I did not lose weight through "diet and excercise", I lost it because I had 85% of my stomach removed. I just would not have felt comfortable lying to everyone I know. But that's just me.

You don't have to lie about it. The surgery is not HOW you are losing weight. You are losing through diet and exercise. You are eating smaller portions, making healthy choices, and moving more. That is HOW you are losing weight. And that is an absolutely true, acceptable, and appropriate answer. The surgery is just a tool to help you do that, and it's nobody's business. Honestly I'm doing a lot more of the work than the surgery is. I could totally screw this up all on my own and the surgery couldn't stop me.
I told no one except for my mother who had the lap band, my sister who is a nutritionist and tried to talk me out of it (biatch), and eventually my aunt and only because I needed her to pick me up from the hospital and spend a couple days with me. Even the friend who dropped me off at the hospital at 6am thought she was taking me for an upper GI series Then at 5 weeks in, I told one old friend who came to visit for a weekend. I thought he would call me crazy but to my shock he said he was very proud of me. And that's it. Outside of that tiny handful of people, I'm staying in the closet about this and am totally cool with that. I don't feel the need to share this bit of my life with all my friends and acquaintances, and I certainly wouldn't feel bad about not telling coworkers or strangers.
Not comfortable talking about your private medical situations with the world? Then don't. It's not their business.