Sadiebug

The reason you can have more now is because the extreme swelling from surgery is starting to go down. Plus, as Creekimp said everything you are eating (liquids, yogurt, etc) is just sliding right through your pouch. Taking an hour to eat yogurt is a long time. My surgeon recommends that we eat our meals in 30 minutes (and at 2 weeks out we were on 4oz of pureed). I think you're fine - but if you do have concerns you can always call your surgeons office to discuss them.

I kind of figured I was the only one who runs to the scale after a big poo to see how much I've lost....

I started before surgery because I wasn't used to taking lots of pills and was nervous about abruptly starting them all on top of recovering from surgery. A few months ahead of my surgery I started slowly adding them in to my normal routine. I did have to stop them a day or two prior to surgery so be sure to ask if your surgeon has any specifics about that.

I have been on two cruises post-op and multiple other vacations and it always works out. Stick with Protein and veggies/fruit as much as possible, trim visible fat, avoid sauces where you can. Sometimes asking for a gluten free option helps because it can be more protein focused (not always). eggs and chicken are usually good choices. I've been all over the Caribbean and there is always tons of fresh fruit and nearly always a chicken option. Sometimes the pork can be pretty fatty so try that with caution. Take some of the individual protein power packets with you and a shaker bottle so you have that to fall back on. You'll have a great time!

You should have plenty of great fish options, too! Have fun!

I only used my phone, ipad, extra long charger (in my room the outlets were all the way across the room), a hair tie, pj bottoms for under the gown and slippers. I wore the same clothes home that I wore in. My hospital has free wifi so I used my ipad to stream videos. I wasn't really watching them but they helped to drown out the noise and were a good distraction from the pain and stuff. My hospital gave me chapstick, toothpaste/toothbrush and had shower stuff if I wanted it (I ended up waiting until I got home to shower) - but if you are picky about any of that bring your own. Extra pillows are a great idea if you have a long car ride - mine was only 5 minutes so I was fine without.

I have been on two cruises post-op and multiple other vacations and it always works out. Stick with Protein and veggies/fruit as much as possible, trim visible fat, avoid sauces where you can. Sometimes asking for a gluten free option helps because it can be more protein focused (not always). eggs and chicken are usually good choices. I've been all over the Caribbean and there is always tons of fresh fruit and nearly always a chicken option. Sometimes the pork can be pretty fatty so try that with caution. Take some of the individual protein power packets with you and a shaker bottle so you have that to fall back on. You'll have a great time!

Oh my gosh, reading your post was like I was reading something out of my brain just prior to my surgery! I had so many of the same emotions. Here's what I've done to cope post-op:
for the first month or so after surgery I still had so many cravings and head-hunger and real hunger. And I was still well over 300 lbs so I wasn't able to "enjoy" the benefits of smaller clothes or being able to exercise or whatever. I got through with a lot of willpower, a lot of crying, a lot of yelling at my poor husband and a few days of throwing up because I tried to "eat" my feelings and made myself sick. After a month or so I was able to see the number on the scale consistently moving down in a way I had never managed before and I used that number to help get me through the harder times. I also lost my hunger from around months 2-6. This was something I could never wrap my head around pre-surgery - but it really does happen. So, I might have wanted food to cope but nothing sounded good, nothing tasted good and it just wasn't worth it. From about 6 months on I was finally able to find other coping mechanisms. One of them for me is exercise - but I had to try and lot of stuff to find something I really enjoy (spin classes). I still hate running, don't really love walking, hate the gym...but I do it because I have to. I also play with my dogs, sew, crochet, work puzzles, watch TV, play games on my ipad. My husband and I enjoy going to concerts now and travelling more because I fit in the seats much better and am able to be more active. now that I'm 18 months I still have days where I want to turn to food but fear of regain stops me nearly every time. I just don't want to go back to what I was dealing with at 350 lbs. I also journal a LOT. I started during my 6 month pre-op visits and have continued it every single day. When I have bad days I go back and read previous entries to see how I was feeling and how far I've come. Pre-op one thing that helped me were to make a list of all of the things I disliked about being 350 lbs - not fitting in chairs, not being able to walk up a flight of stairs, not being able to find clothes that fit. I also made a list of things I was looking forward to when I lost weight - buying clothes in a normal store, being able to walk to lunch with my co-workers, not walking into a room and being the biggest person, going to a football game and not being heavier than most of the players on the field. Those lists helped me quite a bit along the way. Hang in there! You will get through it and you will find ways to cope. It's HARD but it is possible. Good luck!!!

Oh my gosh, reading your post was like I was reading something out of my brain just prior to my surgery! I had so many of the same emotions. Here's what I've done to cope post-op:
for the first month or so after surgery I still had so many cravings and head-hunger and real hunger. And I was still well over 300 lbs so I wasn't able to "enjoy" the benefits of smaller clothes or being able to exercise or whatever. I got through with a lot of willpower, a lot of crying, a lot of yelling at my poor husband and a few days of throwing up because I tried to "eat" my feelings and made myself sick. After a month or so I was able to see the number on the scale consistently moving down in a way I had never managed before and I used that number to help get me through the harder times. I also lost my hunger from around months 2-6. This was something I could never wrap my head around pre-surgery - but it really does happen. So, I might have wanted food to cope but nothing sounded good, nothing tasted good and it just wasn't worth it. From about 6 months on I was finally able to find other coping mechanisms. One of them for me is exercise - but I had to try and lot of stuff to find something I really enjoy (spin classes). I still hate running, don't really love walking, hate the gym...but I do it because I have to. I also play with my dogs, sew, crochet, work puzzles, watch TV, play games on my ipad. My husband and I enjoy going to concerts now and travelling more because I fit in the seats much better and am able to be more active. now that I'm 18 months I still have days where I want to turn to food but fear of regain stops me nearly every time. I just don't want to go back to what I was dealing with at 350 lbs. I also journal a LOT. I started during my 6 month pre-op visits and have continued it every single day. When I have bad days I go back and read previous entries to see how I was feeling and how far I've come. Pre-op one thing that helped me were to make a list of all of the things I disliked about being 350 lbs - not fitting in chairs, not being able to walk up a flight of stairs, not being able to find clothes that fit. I also made a list of things I was looking forward to when I lost weight - buying clothes in a normal store, being able to walk to lunch with my co-workers, not walking into a room and being the biggest person, going to a football game and not being heavier than most of the players on the field. Those lists helped me quite a bit along the way. Hang in there! You will get through it and you will find ways to cope. It's HARD but it is possible. Good luck!!!

I'm in a very similar situation except with nexium. The plan after my gastric bypass was that I would be able to come off the nexium completely since it would "cure" my GERD. No luck so far! I am down to 40mg every other day which is a significant decrease from what I was on pre-surgery. My doctor has me taking a pre-digestive enzyme before every meal which helps quite a bit. You can buy those over the counter so maybe consider that? I have the exact same pain you describe when I try and quit the nexium fully - and I was so freaked out about it the last time that I called my surgeon and got in for an endoscopy right away to make sure it wasn't an ulcer or anything. All clear thankfully. My surgeon and my GI doc are both ok with where I am for now and we will continue to try and wean as much as I can without pain. I will say that when I first dropped to every other day I felt a lot of pain on the in between days - but now that I've been doing that for about 2 months I don't notice anything. Not sure if that is due to the pre-digestive enzymes or if it is my body adjusting finally to the lower dose. I think it's probably time for me to drop my dose even further but I'm just not eager to go through the pain again...

I'm going to respectfully challenge this entire premise. food hasn't worked FOR you (or me, or pretty much anyone). If it did work for you, you wouldn't pursue weight loss surgery. Instead, realize that food has been working AGAINST you. It's a huge source of stress for you.
The good news is you're soon going to set that huge source of stress aside. You're going to develop other, much more healthy, coping mechanisms. We don't know what that will be for you, but we'll be cheering you on as you discover it.
Good luck. You are not alone.

Oh my gosh, reading your post was like I was reading something out of my brain just prior to my surgery! I had so many of the same emotions. Here's what I've done to cope post-op:
for the first month or so after surgery I still had so many cravings and head-hunger and real hunger. And I was still well over 300 lbs so I wasn't able to "enjoy" the benefits of smaller clothes or being able to exercise or whatever. I got through with a lot of willpower, a lot of crying, a lot of yelling at my poor husband and a few days of throwing up because I tried to "eat" my feelings and made myself sick. After a month or so I was able to see the number on the scale consistently moving down in a way I had never managed before and I used that number to help get me through the harder times. I also lost my hunger from around months 2-6. This was something I could never wrap my head around pre-surgery - but it really does happen. So, I might have wanted food to cope but nothing sounded good, nothing tasted good and it just wasn't worth it. From about 6 months on I was finally able to find other coping mechanisms. One of them for me is exercise - but I had to try and lot of stuff to find something I really enjoy (spin classes). I still hate running, don't really love walking, hate the gym...but I do it because I have to. I also play with my dogs, sew, crochet, work puzzles, watch TV, play games on my ipad. My husband and I enjoy going to concerts now and travelling more because I fit in the seats much better and am able to be more active. now that I'm 18 months I still have days where I want to turn to food but fear of regain stops me nearly every time. I just don't want to go back to what I was dealing with at 350 lbs. I also journal a LOT. I started during my 6 month pre-op visits and have continued it every single day. When I have bad days I go back and read previous entries to see how I was feeling and how far I've come. Pre-op one thing that helped me were to make a list of all of the things I disliked about being 350 lbs - not fitting in chairs, not being able to walk up a flight of stairs, not being able to find clothes that fit. I also made a list of things I was looking forward to when I lost weight - buying clothes in a normal store, being able to walk to lunch with my co-workers, not walking into a room and being the biggest person, going to a football game and not being heavier than most of the players on the field. Those lists helped me quite a bit along the way. Hang in there! You will get through it and you will find ways to cope. It's HARD but it is possible. Good luck!!!

I saw/will see the surgeon at 1 month, 6 months, 12 months (bloodwork), 18 months, 24 months (bloodwork) and then annually from then on. My program also has dietitians on staff that we are 'required' to see at the same appointments as above but they are also available for appointments in between as often as we want. I choose to meet with them once a month - and they are very quick to order bloodwork or refer to the surgeons if they suspect any issues. I wish my program had one at 2 weeks because I felt like a month was a long time to struggle through without any support.

Another recliner person here! I slept in that for about a week and then in bed with tons of pillows propped all around me so I was propped up on my side. It took probably 3 weeks or so before I was able to sleep normally on my side and about 4 weeks before I could comfortably sleep on my stomach. It sounds crazy but during those first few weeks I felt like my insides were going to fall out or tumble to the side every time I laid flat/on my side/on my stomach. It will get better though. Best of luck to you!

I had some changes in my vision during the first few months post-op. My eye doctor and I chalked it up to a combination of the anesthesia and hormone changes due to the rapid weight loss. Everything stabilized about 4 months out and it's been the same ever since. If it doesn't stabilize after a few months though be sure to ask your doctors - some Vitamin deficiencies can cause vision problems. But I think you're too early for that to be what's happening.

My program allows free visits with their dietitians for life if you had surgery within their program. I only live about 5 minutes away from where they are located so I have taken full advantage of this perk and meet with them monthly and will continue to do so as long as I'm seeing a benefit. I found it very helpful during the first 6 months because I was progressing through new foods and increasing my quantities and could talk to them about how that was going and ask questions. Now that I'm 18 months out my appointments are really just a check-in and a way to keep myself accountable - much like the weight watchers meetings I used to go to back in the day. My vote is yes, take full advantage of the resources you have available (assuming you have the time and money of course).

Try and make your goal each day to do a little more than you did the day before. Fresh out of surgery I was barely hitting 2k steps but I just tried to do a little more each day. I found it easier if I broke up the steps throughout the day taking 100-200 at a time and then resting. Going out for a long walk was so difficult at first. If your work schedule allows try getting up and taking a lap around your house once an hour. And while you are at your desk keep moving your legs around - lifting your toes up and down and then lifting your heels up and down. Look on youtube for desk exercises/stretches so you can move around a little more even while you are working. Every little bit helps. Good luck!

Try and make your goal each day to do a little more than you did the day before. Fresh out of surgery I was barely hitting 2k steps but I just tried to do a little more each day. I found it easier if I broke up the steps throughout the day taking 100-200 at a time and then resting. Going out for a long walk was so difficult at first. If your work schedule allows try getting up and taking a lap around your house once an hour. And while you are at your desk keep moving your legs around - lifting your toes up and down and then lifting your heels up and down. Look on youtube for desk exercises/stretches so you can move around a little more even while you are working. Every little bit helps. Good luck!

Try and make your goal each day to do a little more than you did the day before. Fresh out of surgery I was barely hitting 2k steps but I just tried to do a little more each day. I found it easier if I broke up the steps throughout the day taking 100-200 at a time and then resting. Going out for a long walk was so difficult at first. If your work schedule allows try getting up and taking a lap around your house once an hour. And while you are at your desk keep moving your legs around - lifting your toes up and down and then lifting your heels up and down. Look on youtube for desk exercises/stretches so you can move around a little more even while you are working. Every little bit helps. Good luck!

In my feelings lol

I'm in a very similar place as you I'm 18 months post-op and still 40-ish lbs away from what I originally set as my "goal". I have come to terms with the fact that I might never make it to my goal but I'm really trying to at least get my BMI below 30 (about 15 more lbs). My surgeon and dietitians are more than happy with the progress I've made so far. That actually makes it a little harder for me because they aren't pushing me to continue losing - they consider me a success because I lost at least 70% of my excess weight.
Tracking is the number one thing that helps me. I don't track every single day but when I'm struggling I will start tracking for a few days to make sure I know what's going on. I also am constantly on the search for new products and new recipes so I don't get bored and mixing up my diet and exercise routine typically helps the scale move. I have lots of long stalls these days but overall the numbers are still headed down...it's just painfully slow.
Keep up the good work and feel free to give me a shout any time.

I'm in a very similar place as you I'm 18 months post-op and still 40-ish lbs away from what I originally set as my "goal". I have come to terms with the fact that I might never make it to my goal but I'm really trying to at least get my BMI below 30 (about 15 more lbs). My surgeon and dietitians are more than happy with the progress I've made so far. That actually makes it a little harder for me because they aren't pushing me to continue losing - they consider me a success because I lost at least 70% of my excess weight.
Tracking is the number one thing that helps me. I don't track every single day but when I'm struggling I will start tracking for a few days to make sure I know what's going on. I also am constantly on the search for new products and new recipes so I don't get bored and mixing up my diet and exercise routine typically helps the scale move. I have lots of long stalls these days but overall the numbers are still headed down...it's just painfully slow.
Keep up the good work and feel free to give me a shout any time.

I can totally taste the fluids when they are pushed in my IV For the first 6 months there were some things that tasted funny to me but then it all went back to normal. I remember I would frequently ask my husband to taste things and tell me if they really tasted funny or if it was just me... It would get really bad when I was too low on carbs and would slip into ketosis (my program tries to avoid this).

We all know about the warnings. Most folks who have actually researched it know that most of the warnings...stretching, etc.... are kinda....lacking....in facts and evidence.
A lot of people do have the occasional carbonated beverage. The world will probably not end.
I think the big taboo around them with doctors and nutritionists has more to do with the fact that they are empty calories and habit forming. They're just not generally a good choice. Sugary pop, beer, wine coolers.....tons of calories, and little nutrition. Bad habits.
But no...doctors have actually looked at the sleeve diameter of people who have been wildly successful and who have failed terribly...a year or two out.....and there's really no difference. Even if they've been drinking soda. The difference is new dietary habits and new exercise habits.
What destroys people's efforts isn't the carbonation.....it's the sugar and calories. Carbonated beverages are a gateway to screwing up your diet, rebound hunger, and a return to old habits.

You are going to be amazed at how well you're going to do after surgery. Your pouch will be so small and you'll be forced to eat right. My kids have lots of treats and dinners I can't have but that's ok. I just make my own. I've been doing that for years. The only thing that kept me from cheating on my pre-op diet was someone's post on here that said they cheated and their surgery was cancelled. You can do it, girl. Fill yourself up with Water. It helps tremendously! My kids will grow up and move on one day and then it will be just me. You've got to do what is best for you.