dms75

Short term, Miralax. Careful with laxatives, including teas with Senna leaves, some create dependency if used a long time. Long term, double the Water intake and add Fiber supplements. Eat plenty of raw cabbage, peas, snap peas, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries, apples with peel, etc. I had to up my water intake to a gallon a day to fix my constipation issue. I take 5 of these gummies daily. https://www.costco.com/Vitafusion-Fiber-Well-Sugar-Free,-220-Gummies.product.11516194.html No choking hazards with these gummies.

Older, but still check out. Baritastic full report 082920.pdf Baritastic full report 082420.pdf Baritastic full report 061620.pdf

I used Baritastic religiously for 18 months. It's - as the name says it - fantastic! Completely free, great customer service whenever there was a glitch, easy to use. Stick with it.

Do you drink water/liquids during/after meals? If so, don't. For at least an hour after eating.

A nice warm pad around the shoulder/neck always helped me with this type of pain.

Local grocery stores (Giant, Harris Teeter), but most conveniently on Amazon.

No, you're not doing anything wrong. https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=3 week stall

18 months out. 422 lbs to 216 lbs.

Have a nice meal on TG. Do a 10-14 days full liquids only, between TG and Christmas. Protein shakes, soups and water. Have ONE nice (not big, nice) meal on Christmas. Then, get the Baritastic app (or something similar) and count calories. Eat 3 meals a day, no snacking. Stay below 1,400/day. Focus on protein (meat, fish, shrimp, eggs) and mostly raw vegetables (cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, celery, kale, spinach, salads, etc,.) and fruits. Drink 90-120 oz of water a day. Come back here for chats every time you feel like you're stumbling. You should be able to drop 30-40 lbs in less than 3 months. Good luck!

Also, because you're going to eat a lot less (and a lot less fiber as a result), you'll be prone to constipation. Drinking a lot of water (I do 96-120 oz a day) helps keeping you regular.

Scrambled eggs!!

Try the Fairlife Core Power shakes. They're delicious! Taste like real milk. I drink the chocolate one blended with ice, and the vanilla one I blend with ice and a shot or two of espresso. Better than the Starbucks frappucinos! https://fairlife.com/core-power-brand/elite-chocolate-protein-shake/

The answer is: Yes! All of the above. Low cal, low fat and low carb. At least low complex carbs (like bread, cake, rice, potatoes, pasta, etc.). Simple carbs, like vegetables and fruits are welcome. One suggestion: eat 3 "big" meals instead of 5 small meals. And by "big" I mean until you feel your stomach full. Then don't drink any fluids for an hour (I go up to two hours) and that will stave off the feeling of "hungry", because you're not flushing the food out of your stomach. The point is to fill your little stomach to capacity (not over!) and keep it full for as long as possible. If you eat small meals, you'll always feel hungry, and may end up eating 6, 7, 10.... small meals, which add up to more calories than 3 full meals. IMHO, at 6 weeks, you should be cleared for raw veggies and fruits, so have 3-4 oz of meat each meal, then fill up on salads and fruit. Then stop. No snacking in between meals, because you still feel full. Should shoot for 600-700 calories a day at this stage, all included.

Pay attention to the teas. My surgeon told me that the senna leaf tea is creating dependence, meaning if you drink it for a longer period of time, you won't be able to go #2 without it, or other help. Do your own research on "Senna dependency". Better to increase water and fiber consumption.

Today - almost 18 months out - I met my first goal: over 200 lbs lost, and joining the double digits club (in kg... of course 🙂 ). 99 kilos today (218 lbs), lost 204 lbs from my top weight. Feeling good! Friends, it's a (life) long process, hang in there and have fun with it. Never mind the small ups and downs, look for the trends.

This was the visualization that shocked me realizing how much weight I was carrying around.... 😲 We all know how big and heavy those 50 lbs suitcases are, when traveling... Well, at some point - while packing for a vacation - I realized I was carrying 4, yes F O U R !!! of those suitcases around on me, at all times. 😲🤪😭 Boy, does it feel good NOW, to have put down those four bags and stroll around with my hands in my pockets! 😊😁

Walk, walk, walk! Take deep breaths. Try to sip some very cold water. And of course, if the pain does not subside, call your surgeon pronto! Or go to ER!

Robotic surgery is NOT like driver-less trains or pilot-less airplanes. The surgeon sits at a table, looks into a 3D monitor and actually manipulates the arms of the robot. Your surgeon is able to get a magnified 3-D view with high-definition while operating from a comfortably seated position. Your surgeon can operate precisely with these advantages: Improved dexterity Wider range of motion Enhanced visualization including areas that are not visible by the naked eye Improved access to otherwise almost inaccessible areas Improved outcomes, sparing healthy tissue

Yes. I'm 18 months out from VSG, and had a gallbladder pain attack. Scheduled for the gallbladder removal this Friday (11/5). It will be laparoscopic, but for some reason I'm more stressed about it than I was bout the sleeve.

If I must eat bread (mostly as a vehicle for something else, like a spread or a turkey patty), I toast one slice of the 647 series breads from Schmidt. It's got 40 calories and plenty of fiber. https://www.schmidtoldtyme.com/647-bread/

What I found helpful for me, to be able to change my lifestyle, was to force myself to think of food as a necessity, and not a pleasure. For people like us, food cannot provide entertainment, or emotional support, or pleasure. Not anymore. I know it sounds harsh, but it's the truth. I used to be a lover of bread, cake, sugar, bacon, fat steaks, fries, deep fried chicken, etc... I just had to find other things to love, and "divorce" my first love (food). She was a mean lover, and did bad things to me, so I had to dump her and forget her... 😁 Now I see food as a chore, a necessity, a subsistence issue. Of course my eye wanders if I pass by a fresh donut or a steaming loaf of bread... but I look away and focus on something else. It's hard, it takes time, but it's doable... like most addictions.

Short term, Miralax. Careful with laxatives, some create dependency if used a long time. Long term, double the water intake and add fiber supplements. As soon as you can eat solids, eat plenty of raw cabbage, snap peas, blackberries, raspberries, apples with peel, etc. I had to up my water intake to a gallon a day to fix my issue. I take 5 of these gummies daily. https://www.costco.com/Vitafusion-Fiber-Well-Sugar-Free,-220-Gummies.product.11516194.html

Baritastic

On the topic of waiters... I just spent a week in Naples, FL on vacation. At one restaurant (upscale, indeed), the waitress - who was amazing, btw - told us she pulls "a couple thousand" a week. Didn't mention what a "couple" means.... At a different restaurant (lunch-type, less posh), the waiter told us he's on track to make six figures this year. Both in their early twenties. We asked about cost of living and both mentioned renting 2bd apartments for $1,400-$1600 a month, split with roommates. If I were young and hungry, I'd chase the money and move around where things are happening.

https://unjury.com/vitamins.html