Swanton_Bomb

I'm pre-op and I'm getting conflicting information about snacks. My nutritionist gave me suggestions for healthy snacks, and then she gave me a meal plan that said absolutely no snacks. Now by snacks, I'm not talking about mindless Cheetos in front of the tv. I'm talking about a planned, portioned, healthy snack such as string cheese, fruit, nuts, protein bar, etc. With previous weight loss plans, when I was on-plan and doing what I was supposed to do, I did best if I brought a snack to work. I work long days and it keeps me from gorging at dinner. Maybe I just won't be hungry enough for a snack after surgery, I don't know. So do you snack?

I'm getting closer and getting scared too, and getting cold feet (the hair loss scares me to death, in particular). I just keep telling myself: You have been trying to lose and keep off this weight for over twenty years. Clearly I'm not good at this and I need help. I know the statistics say that surgery is the best tool for success. I need to do it. Good luck, whatever you decide.

Thanks for all the responses. Very good advice, I'm learning a lot!

You can set alarms on your phone (or better, your fitbit, the alarms are less intrusive) to remind you to drink water.

Would anyone who has experienced hair loss be willing to post a picture (face hidden if you are private about the surgery, of course). It would help to actually see what I'm in for.

I'm close to tears thinking about this aspect of the surgery and just how bad my loss will be. I am not a very attractive person, and my hair is literally the only thing somewhat decent looking about me, and it's pretty thin now. I'm really scared about this and the inevitability of it. I do NOT look good with short hair. I know extensions can be an option but they damage regrowth. I'm starting to wonder if this is a mistake. When I first started the pre op process I thought the hair loss would be minimal, but now I'm reading about people who have lost enough to need a wig and people who lost so much they felt they had to shave their heads. I feel sick to my stomach over this.

My nutritionist said regular sized pills (the size of a Motrin, but don't take those since they are NSAIDS) are fine, even immediately after surgery, but no horse pills like viitamin and calcium tablets.

I just read a thread about someone who lost so much hair she felt compelled to shave her head. While this woman looks adorable and is rocking it, I would look like King Kong Bundy. Of all the rough things ahead, this is what I fear the most. I feel sick to my stomach thinking about it. I don't look good with short hair at all.

That's a lot bigger than most drinks, that might be the only reason why it has so much protein.

My final weigh-in and pre-surgery consult is October 2nd. I'm wondering how long it will take for insurance approval and how far surgery dates usually are. I'm getting nervous (and excited too) and I kinda want to get it over with, plus I want to have an idea of how to plan ahead. Any experiences that you can share as far as the timeline goes?

I haven't had my surgery yet but I have only told my husband and mother and I'm not planning on telling anyone else. People are too judgemental about it, and I'm also afraid that it will set up unrealistic expectations for my weight loss. In reality, people lose 50-70% of their excess weight. Not everyone is a People magazine cover. I also don't want people acting like the food police and commenting on my food.

I am pre-op but I have struggled with this on diets. When you are trying to be mindful about food you realize how everything seems to revolve around it.

I am still pre-op, but my nutritionist has it listed as a suggestion as an alternative to rice, which she says is usually not well tolerated. I hope I don't have too many problems with fiber, the most success I have had with losing weight in the past has been by having lots of high fiber foods, I am thinking they may help post op too.

Oh, wow. Stuff is getting real. Thanks for your reply!

Do you know where I can read more about this? How did you discover this? I can't find anything anywhere.

I've known for many years that I have a problem with food (obviously, I mean you don't become obese without having issues) but I recently came to the realization that I prefer food to pretty much everything. I would choose food over spending time with friends, a concert, shopping, a great movie, a good night's sleep, a vacation, nice clothes, anything. It satisfies me more than anything else. I knew I had a problem but this made me realize that my problem was just as serious of a compulsion as a drug or alcohol addiction. I hope I can defeat this and become healthy, not just physically, but mentally.

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I think this is going to happen more and more because of all the media attention to the opioid crisis. I'd rather see a thousand drug seekers get their fix than one person suffer in pain. I worry about this being a problem after surgery because we can't take NSAIDS. I hope you get a decent doctor to see you soon.

I'm thinking a sock bun (there are foam tubes for this if you don't want to use a sock) would be a good way to conceal if you don't want to cut, especially if you use a colored spray or Toppix or something to fill in the hairline.

What type of issues has your surgeon seen with the biotin?

Diet preachers are so irritating. I have someone in my life right now that won't stop pushing high-fat keto (85% or more) on me. I've tried it, and it is not for me. Many people find themselves not hungry on that plan....I am ravenous, and I honestly find it kind of gross. Others are pushing plant based all the time. A great option if it works for you, but I not only enjoy dairy and meat but I lose better and feel better when I eat it. There is no one right way for anyone. The only diet that works is one you can stick with, something that is realistic for you and helps you mentally and physically feel good. I've always done best on moderate carb, moderate fat, high protein, lots of veggies...and portion control. That's why I am choosing this surgery, because it will help me restrict my portions and push me toward protein and veggies while not completely eliminating carbs. That doesn't work for everyone, and I wouldn't push it on anyone. I wouldn't suggest any eating plan unless someone brought it up and asked. You can politely decline a food without getting into a whole speech about how gluten blows you up or how cows milk should only be ingested by baby cows. Just say "No, thank you." You can add a simple, "I refrain from X" if you must. If someone asks, and you are comfortable, by all means, give advice. You might help them. If they haven't asked though, no need to get into the details. Anyone dealing with any diet preachers?

So I have a fudging hiatal hernia. I didn't know, PCP couldn't feel it, it was discovered in pre-op GI series. Now I know from my seminar that my surgeon does hernia repair at the same time as WLS so hopefully this won't set back my date or anything. Anyone have experience with this? I know obese people are at higher risk for it, but my PCP says my weight was unlikely to have caused it on it's own.

What kind of broth are you drinking? Bone broth has a lot more protein than regular canned broth, maybe that will help getting a few extra grams in.

Does she work part time? Maybe she can finance the 20% and pay it back.

Neither of you have insurance that can cover the procedure? Perhaps she can get insurance. Maybe you can self pay for both of you in Mexico (or even another state, it varies a lot from state to state) or use a financing plan to borrow the money. Good luck.

I am pre-op, but I imagine that what has been helpful for me in losing in the past will still be important. Meal prepping is #1, and for me personally, I need to plan for a snack for the afternoon. A lot of times I wouldn't because I didn't want the extra calories and because a lot of plans discourage snacking, but I realized that because of my schedule, which usually has a crazy early lunch, if I didn't have a snack in the afternoon I would go positively crazy overeating when I went home. It is better for me to add and plan for the 200 calories or less in a snack than eat an extra 500 calories at dinner because I am ravenous. I find that some protein, like a string cheese stick, combined with a mandarin orange worked really well. It was satisfying and I love mandarins (icy cold!) so it was a treat and a pick-me-up that kept me going through the after-school meetings and my commute home. I would look forward to that little orange! I know those will be off limits for a while after surgery but I will still plan for a snack at that time.