laceemouse

Week 7 is a lot longer out than the 25 days.

I would say no, it isn't realistic. We lose the most the first month and after that it slows down.

My pre-op testing was an EKG, blood work, and a GI test where I swallowed some goo and they took x-rays while it went down. Some people have other testing, like a chest x-ray or a scope down the throat. You will have to ask since different surgeons do different tests.

You will have on a hospital gown and be covered by a sheet. The only parts they will uncover are where the surgery is being done. I did not have a catheter, my surgeon doesn't think the surgery is long enough to need one.

My surgeon recommended Celebrate Vitamins. He gives out a paper saying which ones need to be taken after different types of surgery. He also sells them, so I bought them from his office. I bought all the ones he recommended. I tried to take them but yuck, no, I just couldn't do it. Maybe one day but not now (I am 7 weeks out and still struggle to get a lot down, those pills are big, chewable but BIG) When I went back at 1 month I admitted I was not taking them. The nurse recommended prenatal gummies (and they had told us NOT to take gummies in the paperwork) She said to eat one a day really slowly. I tried one. It was awful. My tummy did flip flops, I felt terrible for a couple of hours afterwards. Again, maybe one day I will be able to take them??? So after several weeks of NO vitamins I bought Flintstones. They are so small I can handle one a day. I was really worried about my Iron getting low (note: I had been told by my surgeon NOT to take kid vitamins) My surgeon says NO to vitamins you can swallow because, according to him, our tiny tummies can't break them down. BUT I know a lot of people here do take vitamins they swallow. Keep in mind your taste buds may change after surgery. Mine did A LOT! Things that tasted fine to me before, or even good, taste terrible now. That can change over time but I am still struggling. Protein shakes have been really hard for me. I hope I can take all the vitamins, and drink all the shakes I have bought, at some point. What a huge waste of money.

I think most WLS patients have to watch what they eat for the rest of their lives. Do you track calories, carbs, Protein, fat, etc? Most people track on their phones and keep under a certain calorie/carb level. Other than that you have to play with it. Some people can eat all things in moderation. Others eat almost no carbs. If you track you will be able to see which foods help you keep the weight off and which ones don't.

I was cleared to try anything at 5 weeks out. I took it slow but by about 7 weeks I was able to try small amounts of most things, including most fruits and veggies. Chew well and eat slowly.

This is the BMI chart, you can see what you need to weigh to be healthy BMI. Keep in mind that a lot of people consider this too low and there are other factors to consider. For instance, a very muscular person will always be above normal BMI but it doesn't mean they are fat. https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/quick-guides/what-is-a-healthy-weight

How far out are you? What stage are you at? I am 7 weeks out and I could have a little taste of taco meat but too much would make me feel barfy.

There is no way I would have been able to walk that much, watch people eat, or even stand the smells in a restaurant that early out. I was hardly getting any calories in. I was weak and shaky. I got tired and napped almost every afternoon. It wasn't about pain, I was never really in pain. It took me HOURS to get a Protein shake down at that stage, I would have to drink a little, put it back in the fridge (it's even more gross when it isn't cold) and try again in a little bit. But, most people seem to feel like they never even had surgery a couple of weeks out so you will probably be fine.

75 pounds at 6 months sounds really fast to me. As others have said it really depends on your starting weight. Men lose faster than women. Bypass people often lose faster than sleeve people.

Are you on any medication for reflux? Some surgeons give it to everyone post-op but I had to ask for it around week 4 or 5. It sounds like you are doing well with eating! Feeling tired is normal, you are recovering from major surgery.

It is very common for your taste buds to change after surgery. They may go back to normal over time or not. When I went to my surgeon for my 1 week post-op check up I was really struggling to get even one shake down a day. I am 7 weeks out and still struggle with getting 60-70 grams of Protein each day. I get close on my Water requirements but even that is hard. Water is you number one priority now, sip, sip, sip. Try water at different temperatures, I prefer very cold but others prefer room temp. If you get dehydrated you will experience even more nausea. Watch out for signs of dehydration like dark urine. As far as the protein I don't know what to tell you. I tried a hundred different kinds of shakes and they are all gross to me. I could get one down a day those first few weeks if I sipped a little several times a day. I also had a yogurt each day. It will get better over time but I took me a long time to feel better. Most people seem to be great after a few days. I don't get it at all. If you really get concerned call your surgeon. Many people have success adding Protein powder to pudding, etc. The fruity Protein Shakes are easier for some to get down. Just keep trying everything.

A few years ago people used to take SIX WEEKS off work after a major surgery like this. Now people expect to feel better in a week and be back at work at 2 weeks. We had major surgery and are surviving on very few calories, of course we are tired. I am 7+ weeks and still get tired some afternoons if I do too much.

I just mean who cares what other people do. We aren't in competition. My husband and I have been married for 29 years and still have a wonderful time together, OFTEN, but we don't compare ourselves to anyone else. There is no need. I know most of you guys don't have kids. We have 4. So yep, sometimes we have had to take some time off. Again, in the long run, what does it matter??? I didn't have any staples, just sutures, but I had a lot of bruising on my tummy after surgery. We waited a little over a week, which is way longer than we usually go without but again we are happy so who cares???

On my first visit with my surgeon I was given a check list of what my insurance requires for approval. They went down the list with me and we discussed what else needed to be done before submitting to insurance. If you needed 89 days of nutritional visits and you only had 63 someone in your surgeon's office messed up. It isn't the insurance companies fault. Most surgeons employee a staff that can make sure everything necessary for approval is sent to the insurance company. It's a total waste of time to send it in if everything isn't there. Do you have to use this surgeon? They sound like they aren't aware of how the process works.

I am 7 weeks out today but was also told I could try anything at 5 weeks as well. I have been slowly trying new things, some sit better in my tummy than others. My favorite Snacks right now are a Babybel cheese or a few nuts (almonds, walnuts, I just got sunflower seeds but haven't tried them yet). I bought some high Protein Kashi Go Lean Cereal yesterday. It is cinnamon flavor. I ate a half cup of it dry last night while watching tv. It was almost like Cookies. (I should add, most people do very low or no carbs so they wouldn't eat cereal, but my surgeon doesn't recommend super low carbs) I also like some of the Protein Bars, a half or third is a good snack. I bought some Halo Top ice cream but haven't tried it yet. Oh and Peanut Butter, a spoonful eaten really slowly is yummy.

Why does it matter? It isn't a contest.

No judgement here. When was your surgery and what are you eating?? Are you having normal BMs??

I am 7 weeks out today. I had diarrhea around day 4 or 5 (bad, had to run to the bathroom) At my 1 week check up my surgeon said sometimes it happens when the system starts working again. He recommended Benefiber. You put it in your Water and can't even taste it. Since then I had diarrhea one other day, but just once and it was mild. Other than that I have been very regular, like clockwork, having a normal BM almost every morning. SO......not everyone gets constipated. I'm glad I don't. Hopefully your diarrhea will be short-lived like mine was.

You can try whatever you want. Exercise helps some because the muscles grow a little to fill in the loose skin. But overall skin just can't bounce back after it has been stretched out so far. The problem isn't just weight loss surgery, losing weight by any method results in loose skin, even women who have been hugely pregnant (like with multiples) have problems with loose skin. Even people who look thin can have problem areas. Why do you think shape wear is a billion dollar industry?

Best of luck to you!

Most of the big clinics in Mexico have websites, Facebook groups, and other ways for people to ask questions before the surgery and get help and support after the surgery. I would have been scared to have surgery in Mexico for the same reasons you are bringing up but I know a lot of people do it and have great experiences. Have you chosen a surgeon there? I was ask them what you are supposed to do post-op. I am 7 weeks out tomorrow and have had 3 appointments with my surgeon and called the office at least 3 times with questions/concerns.

Well it will take several weeks for the staple line in your stomach to heal so it is probably just normal. Some people do better with cold drinks, others with room temperature or warm drinks. Just be sure to drink very slowly.

Prior to the surgery only my husband and adult kids knew. After the surgery I have been very open telling everyone, I even announced it on Facebook. BUT, I am a very open person and hope to remove some of the stigma surrounding weight loss surgery. I didn't want anyone trying to talk me out of it or scare me before surgery. Most people keep it a secret. Thin people are never going to understand, they think we should just have some self control, quit eating so much, and get off our butts and work out. Fat people aren't going to be supportive either. They have no desire to see you lose weight while they get fatter and fatter.