anonbaribabe

This is what my surgeon told me. He said that it will likely affect me more quickly and to be careful when drinking. He by no means said, however, that I can't or shouldn't drink. I've also seen that some surgeons differ on when alcohol can be consumed after surgery. I only have to wait 6 weeks, but have seen that others say 3 or 6 months.

Obesity can cause health issues—we, of course, know this. However, it would be erroneous to assume that every patient knows all of the complications and health risks that come with obesity, which is why it's part of a doctor's job to educate their patients about this. It might not be something that patients want to hear, but it's the harsh reality of it. My PCP brought up my weight when I first starting seeing her and I'm glad that she did. I'm obese—it wasn't rude for her to say this, it's just a fact. She asked me what I was doing about it, I told her that I was counting calories, exercising, etc. and she told me to keep it up. It was a positive conversation. She didn't reprimand me and I didn't feel belittled. I'm a sensitive person, but appreciated her honesty. I think this is information that must be told to patients, but that the way in which it is delivered is important. I don't think it helps to skirt around this type of information because a patient might not be as willing to look into a nutrition class/healthy lifestyle program if they're told "you're just a little overweight," when in reality they're morbidly obese. They might not see it as an actual issue if they're not told the truth about their weight. I totally understand that this is a tough issue and that many who are obese don't want to be confronted with this information, but I also think that it's important that doctors are transparent with their patients.

This is a good suggestion. I had to go to a nutrition class earlier this week and they told us that we shouldn't focus on the amount of food we're taking in, but instead should listen to our bodies. Even though your surgeon says you're allowed the 3 ounces at a time, your body might not be ready for that yet.

Premier Protein Cookies 'n Cream isn't bad. I've heard the Strawberry 'n Cream is good too, but that it's hard to find. Advantedge has a Cold Brew Coffee shake that I like. It's lower in protein (17 grams), but also only 100 calories. They make a Chocolate Marshmallow that I want to try (30 grams of protein), but I haven't seen it in stores.

Congrats! August 13 will be here before you know it

I've also heard that a front-clasp bra is better than a sports bra for this reason. Same with a dress so that the waistband doesn't rub against your incisions.

Hi! I'll be able to eat food on my pre-op diet, but I have a friend who recently had to do an all liquid pre-op diet and she said that it was pretty terrible, but that it got much better after day 3 or 4.

Hello! I'll also be getting the sleeve. Like you (and many others who have chosen to have WLS) I've lost a significant amount of weight, only to have gained all of it (plus more!) back. Welcome!

Welcome! I'm in the beginning stages of a required 3 month diet, which will end in mid-September. I'm hoping to have a surgery date in late October/early November. I'll also be getting the sleeve

Welcome! Congrats on losing 100 pounds!

My pre-op diet will be 2 meals (mostly lean protein, some veggies) and 2 protein shakes for 2 weeks and clear liquids the day before. I asked my surgeon about the dreaded 2 week protein shake pre-op diet and he said that he only requires this pre-op diet when patients have very high BMIs. I think that it's very helpful to learn about others' experiences, but can also be concerning when one person's experience differs greatly from another's. I wouldn't worry too much However, if you're still worried you could develop and follow your own low calorie/high protein diet pre-op diet.

Let me know how the others are! I have a running list of things I need to buy for post-op

I know, same! I think that it's to avoid dehydration, but it's going to be really hard to get 64 ounces of water and 2 protein shakes. These will be perfect!

I've seen those and was wondering how they are—thanks for the review! Post-op, my doc doesn't allow for protein shakes to count as fluid intake, so these would be really helpful so that I can get in all my fluids and protein.

NSAIDs decrease inflammation. Examples include Advil, Aleve, and my favorite: Extra-strength Excedrin After bariatric surgery they can cause irritation to the stomach, which could lead to ulcers. My doctor also said that eventually, some bariatric patients can tolerate NSAIDs in small doses, as long as it's infrequent.

My doctor gave me a list of meds that I won't be able to take after surgery and it includes ibuprofen, since it's an NSAID. Tylenol is okay to take, though.

I'm getting the sleeve!I had my first nutrition/exercise class yesterday and someone asked how often their patients regret having WLS and they told us that this virtually never happens. They also said that a majority of their patients who have revisions do so out of medical necessity (such as having severe acid reflux), but not due to lack of weight loss.

My insurance also requires that I lose a certain amount of weight before I am cleared (5% of my starting weight). The coordinator that I'm working with told me that if I don't lose the 5% in the specified amount of time that I can weigh in every couple of weeks until I meet my goal. If I don't meet my goal in that amount of time, it doesn't disqualify me—I just have to wait until I hit the 5% to continue. I agree with Rick that you should confirm if it is a requirement of your insurance company or the surgical center in order to determine how to move forward and what options you have. Hope that everything goes well!