Orchids&Dragons

Wow, you've been through the wringer! So sorry for all your troubles. I had trouble with food sticking in my esophagus. Turns out, the muscles in it don't work correctly. My doctor saw it when I had an upper GI for reflux. Yours could maybe be something similar? Also, since you've had all the antibiotics, have they had you taking probiotics to reestablish healthy bacteria in your intestines? If not, that could help with the colon problems. Hope you feel better soon.

Glad I could help. I'm curious to see what the other flavors taste like. I bought the variety pack.

Wow, that's the first time I've heard of that. When I bought them, I thought that even if I didn't like the flavor, they'd be small enough to take like medicine, just to get the protein. It was a happy surprise that I liked them!

I am not great with protein, so of course, my doctor upped my minimum to 75g/day. UGH! I chronically get close to evening and still need 10-20 g more protein. So I ordered the protein shots from the BP store and tried my first one today - apple. Delish! It's tangy, not toooo sweet, kind of like a cross between an apple Jolly Rancher and pineapple sherbet. It's less than 3 oz., so even in the evening it's not hard to sneak in. I'm delighted. I'd like to get away from supplements, but for the time being, I take a lot of them. This is much better than having to drink a 16 oz. Protein water right before bed.

I love Gretchen Rubin! I am totally an abstainer and an obliger.

Yes, liquids slide right through. You will start to feel restriction when you get to soft foods. No worries. And congrats on your surgery and smooth recovery! Don't wait until you feel hungry. Ever! You may be one of the lucky ones who doesn't experience much hunger post-op. Plan out your protein, divide it into 5-6 servings throughout the day and drink up!

Right up there with "when can I eat pizza and ice cream again?"

My mom said I was a HORRIBLE baby for just that reason. Guess I'm lucky she didn't leave me on a doorstep somewhere. That, and my habit of waking up at 4 am, which didn't stop until college partying kicked in. She used to leave my bottles on the bottom shelf of the fridge so that I could get them myself (by around 18 months).

I started with applesauce.

You look so joyful! Glad you had fun!

Good luck on losing without surgery. I hope you succeed. Good luck!

Well, for those of us genetically incapable of burping, maybe it could be FATAL! However, I'll risk it. I love my straws!

You're braver than me! I couldn't think about cleaning out clothes until after the surgery was done. And even at that, I still haven't cleared out any winter clothes, although since I had my surgery in Feb, I knew they wouldn't fit next winter.

That's a big one! Mean's your "mind set" has changed. Yeah, you!

Don't feel guilty. When it happens, take a long walk for penance and move on. Some days you just need more food for whatever reason. Just add some exercise to balance it out. No, I'm not saying we exercise enough to work off a banana split, but you're only trying to walk off an "excess" of healthy foods. (I use the term "excess" loosely!)

Lookin' good! Keep up the good work!

Welcome to the site! I have found this to be a very friendly and supportive community and I'm sure you will find others in a similar situation who can offer advice and support.

Did you try adjusting the amount of Miralax or splitting it into 2 doses, one in the morning, one at night?

Wow! Congrats on your success! Very inspiring! None of my kids are seriously dating right now, but eventually being the "momma of the xxxxx" was one of the reasons I wanted the surgery. I couldn't bear the thought of having to find a dress and be in all those "forever" photos at the size I was. Congrats to your daughter, too, may they have a lifetime of happiness!

Since I lost first from my face, the first sagging was jowls and under my chin. It seems to be tightening up a bit now. The back of my thighs are downright hilarious! Fortunately, they don't get shown off too often. Of course, the boobies will never be the same. I'm not even sure where to take my bust measurement now! As for baby bump skin - my last pregnancy was twins and they weighed in at 15.5 pounds total. I don't think that amount of stretch is ever going away.

Well, that's still amazing dedication. All your choices were healthy and lo-cal. I think the overwhelming % of folks on this site would consider this a very successful day. I understand that you have your own goals and timeline, but that will definitely make your path more difficult than the one the rest of us travel. And the working from home part is really tough. At least at work I only have a few options to choose from.

Good Lord, woman! That is dedication!

That sounds interesting. What is it called and who makes it, please?

Welcome to the site, JessieGrace. This is a very friendly, supportive community and I'm sure you'll get a lot of help here. I would advise you to use this time before your surgery to prepare. If you smoke, stop. If you drink caffeine, wean yourself off. You really don't want caffeine headaches while you recover from surgery. Research bariatric recipes and give them a try. Have a set of recipes ready to go for the different food phases. Make some healthy soups and put them in the freezer. Start exercising now so that you're already in the routine before surgery. Good luck, I hope all goes well for you!

Actually, I'm the opposite. If the hunger is gone in 30 minutes from an "inadequate" meal, I know it was head hunger. If I'm still hungry after ingesting just a few calories, then it is real hunger and I can eat a bit more. However, since I can't eat almonds yet, I don't actually know how much of a meal 1/2 oz. is. I actually do all my hunger testing with soft cooked veggies, so only about 20 calories. I don't even know why I used almonds as an example!