KevinS62

Hey Peeps. I haven't been on in a while. Life gets in the way I suppose. I hope everyone was good during the holidays. I have to say, as careful as I was, I ate too much on Thanksgiving and got home with some pretty painful cramps. I hope that lesson is learned, LOL.

My weight loss progress was going great until about the end of October, when I plateaued a bit. Weight is still coming off, but not at the same rate it was in the first three months. In the past 10 weeks, I've lost 7-8 lbs. I guess the honeymoon is over.

In the middle of this, I had an accident. In early November, two of my dogs got into a fight. While trying to break it up, my knee buckled and I went down. The result of this was a torn ACL, torn cartilage and an impact fracture to the tibial plateau. Surgery was Dec 12. I'm off the crutches now and rehabbing. My goal right now is to get back to 6,000 daily steps again without my knee filling up with Fluid.

I'll get brave one day and post pictures. Maybe once I get to 216, when I have lost 100. Yeah, that's it. As a goal, I think I'll shoot for 216 by the end of March which would be one year after I had my Oh-Hell-no moment and decided to start this journey. 😄

On 12/28/2022 at 9:51 AM, Scooter1973 said:

Hello my July Buddies. I am 49 and I had a rue n y on July 13. So far I’ve lost 78 pounds. I lost 115 prior to surgery starting back in 2018 so I’ve lost a total of 192 pounds since June 2018.

Right now I weigh 222 pounds and my goal weight is 180.

Looking good Scooter. I think you and I had surgery on the same day. I am doing similar. When I went in, I weighed 289 and I'm right around 229 now. *Oops surgery day was Jul 14, 2022.

Looking good @MsGina Hope you get some help with the bruising.

On 9/29/2022 at 2:43 PM, Jesse Liberty said:

I lost very quickly before and immediately after surgery, but now that I'm about 6 or 7 weeks out, it has slowed dramatically (less than 1/2 pound per day).

I am 3+ months out. I lost around 25 the first month, about 15 lbs the second month and close to10 more in the third month. I think I'm holding steady now, losing about 2 lbs per week.

When I first got the surgery, I was weighing daily. I couldn't stop myself. Well, I think I could have, but I was determined that it was a data science thing and I wanted to have the daily numbers for the first month. I was driving myself mad. LOL.

I'm glad you both busted through your stalls. I don't know if I ever had a stall, but weeks 2-3 were definitely slow for me. Finally, after week 4, I had to stop weighing daily or I would have gone nuts. LOL.

I have definitely lost some inches. I had some 3XL shirts that are piled up and ready to be given to charity. Even some of my 2XLs are getting baggy on me and will be added to the stack. I'll be unpacking some XL shirts soon that I haven't seen in years.

I haven't run a tape around my waist since early September, but at the time I had lost 9 inches since I had measured in mid-May.

Hey July peeps. How is everyone doing? I hope all is well. I haven't been on in a while, but I was taking a break from work and decided to check in.

I continue to make decent progress. It's been a little more than 3 months since surgery. I think I lost 25 in the first month, 15 in the second month and 10 in the third. That's 50 lbs post op on top of the 28 pre-op. I seem to be losing 2 lbs per week at this point, and I'm real happy with that.

I don't remember when I looked at the menu I got from the dietician. But I think I am doing most everything on it, avoiding carbs, doughy bread, sugars, etc. I take my Vitamins. I'm tracking my food in the MFP app and trying to get my Protein.

Some food/drinks I've found working well for me:

• Old Wisconsin Turkey Sausage sticks (Walmart and Amazon)
• Low-fat/Light String cheese
• Quest Protein chips (Loaded Taco is my fave but others are good)
• Body Tech whey isolate Protein Powder (Rich Chocolate)
• Fairlife Protein Shakes (Chocolate and Vanilla) - Delicious!
• Ole Xtreme Spinach and Herbs tortilla/wraps

Occasionally, when I'm out of the house, I have no choice but to eat what is available. If I can't get something low calorie/low carb, I try to modify the item, like removing the bun, not eating the Pizza Crust, etc.

I haven't had heartburn in over a month, but I am still on a prescription (Esomeprazole?) for now.

Probably my biggest issue is knowing when to stop eating. At times, I just forget how small my stomach is and keep spooning food in until I fill it to the top. Oh, that's so uncomfortable. LOL.

20 hours ago, MissMerryberry said:

The reason she doesn't just keep me on omeprazole is as our stomach heals, it does start producing the right amount of acid and the right amount of acid helps us digest more things (like getting back to "normal foods"). Anyway, so the nurse said to try to not take it after 90 days so our bodies can fully utilize the new acid, haha.

Obviously, I'm not my surgeon or my nurse, I just wanted to agree with omeprazole as something to try, but not for too long ?!?!?!

Thanks - I didn't get to the store yesterday but I will this afternoon.

The two "O" words are hard to tell apart and un-pronouncable (is that even a word?).

The surgeon had given me a 30-day prescription for the esomeprazole (Nexium), and I told him at the 5 weeks post-op I didn't think it was bad enough to get another prescription. I probably should have taken him up on it. But, I would get something over the counter if it continued.

I think I will try the Prilosec over the Nexium. I think I read that it might not last as long, but it might also work faster.

2 minutes ago, MsGina said:

Hey Kevin,

See if you can get some Omiprazole.

How are you doing MsGina?

Thanks, I'll have a look at the pharmacy. My heart burn isn't horrible, but it recurs often, mostly in the evening. I'm eating right, but there are times I forget and eat a bit too much or a bit too fast, and that's when it hits me.

I had chronic acid reflux years ago, but it got better when I quit smoking 13+ years ago. The Alkaseltser chews help, But I'll check out the OTC heartburn stuff and talk to the surgeon about it at my next visit.

Hey all - I guess I'm 8 weeks post-op. I haven't been on in a while, so I thought I'd check in.

I have now lost 38 lbs since surgery. When I include the 3-4 months pre-op, I've lost a total of 66 lbs, which puts me at the halfway point to my goal weight of 185.

I've thrown the menu out. Okay, I exaggerated. I still have the menu--somewhere, but can't remember when I looked at it last. I am eating right, avoiding breads, carbs, sugars, fat, etc. I still log my food daily. I take my Vitamins, watch calories, and make sure to get 90 grams of Protein and 64 oz of fluids.

The only complaint I have at this time is recurring heartburn, which I have been taking care of with some Alka-seltzer chews. I think I'm going to try some over the counter Nexium next.

Hope all of you July Peeps are doing awesome!

1 minute ago, SleeveCaroline said:

I stopped weighing myself everyday because it was difficult watching a stalled scale. I only weigh on Fridays now.

I feel like I can definitely eat more than a few ounces at a time. I can eat almost up to a cup but I am trying to mindful and stop before that.

I can see the weight loss in my face and my clothes are fitting better.

Wow, that sounds like me,

Five-week Post-Op update.

• W1 - 7/22: -12.6 lbs
• W2 - 7/29: -5.6 lbs
• W3 - 8/05: -2.6 lbs
• W4 - 8/12: -3.8 lbs
• W5 - 8/19: -4.4 lbs

That's 29 lbs since surgery to go with the 28 lbs I lost prior to surgery. It's great to see the numbers go down because when I see myself in a picture or in the mirror, all I see is my (still) big belly.

I was weighing myself daily for the first 4 weeks, and not seeing big results each morning was driving me crazy. So, I am only recording my weight on Fridays now. After the first week, it looks like I'm losing about 4 pounds a week now. I think that's good, right?

NSVs: My face is definitely thinner. My pants fit much looser and I am now fitting into some clothes that I had outgrown. I had to dig out an old belt since the one I have been using no longer had enough holes. I'm about to fully transition from my 3XL shirts to 2XL. Right now, it's a mix in my dresser drawer.

Physically, I feel great. I still get hungry, but I fill up fast. I have a bit of a problem knowing when I'm full and it's hard to get out of the habit of eating everything on my plate. If I eat too much, it's a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt. I guess this concerns me a bit. I want to get better listening to my stomach.

The diet plan completely sucks, and I try not to cheat. But it sucks, so what do they expect? I just got back from a family visit and had two 1,000 mile drives. For the trip, I made a low-fat chicken salad and had string cheese and Quest Protein chips for Snacks.

On 8/11/2022 at 2:29 PM, MrsPinedo said:

Speaking of Fairlife, has anyone tried their bottled ‘nutrition’ drinks? 30g Protein, and they taste exactly like chocolate milk, I mean EXACTLY. Zero aftertaste. Sooo frickin delicious. I’m ordering online to try the other flavors. Premier Protein is ok for me, but the Fairlife ones absolutely taste like a cheat.

My costco has them in boxes in the Protein Shake area next to PP, they don’t come refrigerated.

The Fairlife Protein Shakes are good. I bought a case of the chocolate, but once I bought an individual bottle, I think was banana/strawberry which was also good.

If I have time though, I mix Bodytech whey Tech Pro 24 with cold Water. Their rich chocolate flavor is awesome and tastes exactly like chocolate milk. The vanilla ice cream flavor is good as well. But I do not care for the strawberry shortcake flavor. 🤮

On 8/9/2022 at 10:08 AM, Puella said:

Question: Has anyone used the plain Protein powders by adding them to Soups or yogurt or pudding, etc, in order to maintain protein levels for each day? If so, which brand? I will do anything not to have to drink the shakes twice a day. Thank you.

I've been using GENEPRO. There's no taste, so it's easy to add to Soups. The problem I've had with them is that they don't mix well and can lump up when I microwave the Soup if I don't get the powder to fully disolve.

Hi @schla73. I'm not an expert, but I haven't heard of a Gasteric Sleeve Bypass. Is that like the Duodenal Switch (DS)?

Many have had to lose weight prior to surgery. In my case, it was my insurance company that required me to have 3 visits to the surgeon, each at least 1 month apart, and I had to show them I was taking this seriously by losing weight before each appointment. Then there's the pre-op diets that many have to do which shrinks the liver and makes the surgery easier for the surgeon. I lost 28 pounds in the 3 1/2 months prior to surgery.

1 hour ago, Warriorprincess1982 said:

I had my surgery July 5th and I have been stalled since July 18th…I’m 25 pounds down which I’m grateful for but this stall is very scary. 2 full weeks of no change. I can’t help but to be discouraged when I see that others in my support group aren’t stalling.

Welcome to the July Peeps and also to the site. I'm sorry about your stall. That has to be frustrating going that long without the scales moving.

After I lost 12.6 in week one, I lost 5.6 in week two and only 2.6 in week three. I need to be happy that I''m 20 lbs down but it feels like my progress has slowed to a crawl. At my 2-week post-op visit my surgeon told me not to worry about it. It's temporary and my body was going through changes.

Many on the forum have mentioned a "Week 3 stall", so you are not the only one this happens to. It's temporary and you should break out of it soon.

I planned for a week off, but put in some half-days from home. My surgery was on a Thursday and by Monday I was putting in 5 hours a day from my bedroom office. I felt pretty good physically and probably could have put in full days, but felt I deserved a little relaxation time. I went back to full days at the end of the first week.

I was told to take the Calcium at least 2 hours before or after the mutivitamin. So, I take a Bariatric multivitamin when I get up. I have an alarm set for 9 AM to take two Citracal + D3. Then I take two more Citracal + D3 in the evening before bed.

It seems like a lot of Calcium + D3 to me, but I'm going by the guidance I was given.

It was the first day of week 4 for me. I ordered some of the Quest chips a few days ago and they came yesterday. The Cheddar and Sour Cream flavored Protein chips were pretty good. You can say they are expensive for a 1.1 oz bag, of chips, but good for the reason I got them for. And I wasn't planning to eat them every day.

38 minutes ago, flamingolady1408 said:

I am in my 8th week and tuna salad is a lifesaver.

That and a chicken salad. Might pack a little of both. Thanks.

57 minutes ago, Tomo said:

I use a hot logic mini oven (there is one for the car) that you can either keep warm or actually cook things on the road.

I just checked those out on Amazon. I didn't know. I guess I better show the wife.

1 minute ago, catwoman7 said:

Some patients did really well just with stage 1, so they started offering the sleeved stomach as a standalone surgery. Ta da! The VSG was born!

You literally beat me with that by seconds!

The DS was recommended to me by my best bud. He had the sleeve and 4-5 years later he went back for the DS. He's totally happy with it, enjoying life and even suggested it to me when I asked him about surgical options. So there's that.

I went to the same surgeon he got the DS from and asked about about it. As you were told, the sleeve is actually the first part of the DS, My surgeon said years ago, the DS was done in two parts. They would do the sleeve and have the patient come back for the second part. What they found out was that the sleeve was all that was needed for many/most. At least that's the story he told me and that's how he talked me into going with the sleeve. By doing so, I know we can always come back and complete the DS.

Bottom line, I can only say that my best friend had the DS after having a sleeve and recommends it.

53 minutes ago, SleeveCaroline said:

I had my two week Post Op appointment this morning. I am right where I am supposed to be. I've lost 18 lbs since Pre-Op diet, wounds are healing nicely and I have advanced to pureed food! I put Amy's Organic Black Bean and Vegetable Soup in a Magic Blender and had about 1/3 of it. Delicious after the liquid diet. My husband and I are leaving first thing in the morning to drive from CA to NY (a family cottage)...three days. We used to stop at fast food places but now it will be rest stops since I am bringing my own food...greek yogurt, cottage cheese, shakes and the leftover bean Soup. Even my husband is bringing his own food. Since I have not told anyone about my surgery, it was my plan to have the surgery, get clearance to go to NY and by the time I return I will be on regular food (just smaller portions). It will be easier in those social situations back in CA. I am glad everyone is doing well.

Sounds like you are doing great. Funny you mentioned your trip. I was just asking about eating on a 1,000 mile trip (Louisiana to Iowa) and got some good tips. In case you hadn't seen it, Eating/Drinking on a Road Trip: 4-5 Weeks Post-Op. Enjoy your trip!

17 minutes ago, Starwarsandcupcakes said:

As always, try things before you go if possible because unexpected dumping on a road trip isn’t fun.

More good tips. Hadn't thought of chicken pot pie at KFC. I could go for some Wendy's chili. Thanks.

30 minutes ago, kcuster83 said:

Ground meat (turkey or beef) is easy and where I started. It is already almost pureed and then chewed to meat pudding consistency. haha

Good luck, you got it!

Meat pudding. You all are cracking me up today. Thanks.