Radar

I went out and bought the food. Tonight's dinner was orange, yellow and green bell peppers cut into strips and a package of Bill Bailey's Carne Asada in the package with the seasoning already on the meat and stuff. I just can't speak highly of this enough. It's at costco... sometimes. When you can find it, grab it because it doesn't last long. It's tender and juicy, and incredibly delicious. I also bought some baby spinach.

I thawed the meat, cleaned and cut all of the peppers, and julienne cut an onion. Everything was ready to sautée as soon as she walked in the door. She thought I was waiting for her to cook it, but I'm a very good cook. I was waiting so she could eat it fresh with us. My nutritionist gave me a list of veggies I can eat "unlimited amounts" of. Bell Peppers are on the list and I happen to know my wife and daughter love them so this was a win win. After feeling starving all day I finally feel full and happy.

I'm going to have to put my health above being polite so I can eat at a normal hour. Then I can work on going to sleep at a normal hour. I do IT work for a hospital so I have to be up at all hours. I get calls at 3am to fix stuff.

Thanks for all of your support and helpful suggestions. This should be a sticky thread.

There's an old saying in Ireland... "You are the author of your own fate".

It's time I started writing a better story.

I'm a little stressed too. I had those Protein shakes, but my wife does nails and doesn't get home until 8:30pm which is a very bad eating habit for my daughter and I. I thought I was going to pass out tonight by the time she got home and I was grouchy as hell. My wife asked why I was being mean. She thinks as long as she's getting paid, it doesn't matter how long we wait for her, or how it inconveniences us. Plus I feel like she's trying to sabotage me. My diet was supposed to start on Monday and she said, "one day won't matter and talked me into eating at a family BBQ. Tonight I told her I can only eat a little bit, but at least it was all very healthy. She gave me a larger portion than I should eat. I didn't eat it all, but I ate more than I should have.

I'm eating without her from now on.

I am already starting to get used to the shakes. I wonder if I'm losing weight. As each day passes and I get more used to it, I think the pre-op diet will become easier.

Sitting here in TJ trying to fall asleep.

Tomorrow the driver picks me up at 645 to take me to the hospital. 8am is my surgery time.

Nerves have been flushing through me all day from the moment that I was given my concent forms to sign.

Then the hospital gave me he option to have my surgery from Friday moved to tomorrow .... I jumped at the chance.

My head is pounding, my tummy is growling and I am so nervous.

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life.....

Good Night !!!!!

You're going to be fine. Try to get some sleep. If you can't, drink a shot of tequila before your midnight deadline! I can't wait to hear you talk about how everything went smoothly. Goodnight.

Sept 21

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

Me too!

After a supervised diet since November 2014, I have finally been approved by my insurance company for the surgery. Scheduled for September 16th. Thank the Lord!

Congrats! and you're welcome.

My Pre-Op diet had a bit of a rocky start. It was supposed to start on Labor Day and my wife convinced me that one day wouldn't make a difference and to be fair, it didn't take much convincing on her part.

So I started on Tuesday, but I messed up again. As they say, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. I had some Protein shakes that a body builder friend of mine gave me so I figured, "Hey, why waste money when you can use what you've got?" and I used them, but in the middle of the day I noticed they were 300 calories vs the 160 calories in the Protein shake my nutritionist suggested. They had a lot more Protein but after speaking to my nutritionist, I decided to go to costco and pick up a few things after work including the RTD (Ready To Drink) shakes they sell, specifically the Premier Protein brand which come out to only $1.39 each. They have chocolate, strawberry and vanilla and at 160 calories they have 30g of protein. These weren't on the list my nutritionist gave me, but I provided her with the nutritional facts and she approved of them.

After work yesterday I went to costco to get the shakes, but I also wanted to get those Tyson pre-cooked frozen chicken breasts so I can quickly and conveniently toss one in the microwave for my meals. I was disappointed to find that my Costco no longer carries them. I filled out a suggestion card and went to Smart & Final and they didn't have them either, but they did have pre-cooked frozen chicken breasts cut into strips which is close enough. I prefer the breast to be whole so it doesn't dry out as much, but I'll take what I can get. I also picked up some baby spinach and when I finally got home, I heated up some of the chicken and sauteed the spinach in a teaspoon of coconut oil and minced garlic and it was great. I prefer olive oil, but I'm trying to be good and there was no coconut taste.

Yesterday I felt like I was starving all day and today I'm doing much better, but I'm still hungry. I'm due for my 2nd shake about now. I try to wait as long as I can before I drink them so they will last me until dinner.

Hopefully I can stick to the plan the rest of the way and my early slip ups won't make that much of a difference. I have a feeling I'll lose closer to 20 pounds than the 10 my nutritionist was hoping for.

How are all of you doing on your pre-op diets? What cool tricks have you learned? What tips or suggestions can you offer to make sticking to the plan easier? What experiences or challenges have you run into? How did you overcome them?

I can't wait to learn more from you all.

Great job @@pindoctor! I'm happy to see your progress going so smoothly and thanks for the tip on the sample cups. I think you can buy less of them if you go to Smart & Final, but it's still a good idea.

I spoke to my nutritionist and she doesn't like the shakes I've been using but she does approve of the Premier Protein ones from costco. So I was off track for a day, but will quickly get back on track tonight.

I told her I am feeling a bit dizzy so she said I can have 1-2 pieces of approved fruit during the day or evening and an unlimited amount of veggies from the approved list with a maximum of 1tsp of butter, oil, or other flavor.

Get a Withings. It will download your weight to an app. I use Fitbit app. So you can fiollow your progress automatically. It costs $145 so is not cheap. I don't think it matters too much the difference between scales. More important is what happened over the past month or so on the scale you are using. Using the same scale will reveal the trend. It was definitely worth it for me. I also use the app RevUp and so a fitness person also follows this. The withings also determines your fat percentage so a trend will be much slower than just weight.

I was also going to recommend the Withings scale. It takes your weight, body fat percentage, air quality, etc.. Plus they have a pedometer called the "Pulse" you clip to your body if you want to get one later. It's $100 but it tells you the number of steps, the elevation, walking and running patterns, your sleep patterns, and your heart rate. Both the scale and the pulse upload the data to a website that keeps track of your progress and integrates with other popular websites like Runtastic.

Check them out for yourself....

SCALE

PULSE

I am excited. I started my pre-op prep diet. Week 1 is 2 Protein shakes and 1 meal per day and week 2 is all Protein Shakes. I am not using the brand they suggested because I already had some at home. The brand they suggested is 160 calories with 25g of Protein and the ones I have are 300 calories and 40g of protein. I only have a week of these and will likely switch to the Premier Protein RTD (Ready To Drink) pre-made shakes at costco which are 160 calories and 30g of protein.

I'm sure I'll lose about 10 pounds before surgery in less than 2 weeks!!!

I think this may be tough. Any advice would be helpful. I think it's ok for me to have tea and Water between shakes, so that should keep me feeling full.

Believe it or not I hadn't weighed in until today. My official starting weight is 303 pounds. I took photos of myself facing forward and a profile photo and a picture of the reading on the scale.

I may pick this up. Thanks for the recommendation.

Surgery tomorrow, omg!!! I dnt even know how to feel....is that weird? Im happy, scared, nervous, excited all at once. O, lets not forget hungry. Only clear liquids today

It's going to turn out great!

Hang in there. Old habits are tough to break. If you fall off the horse, just get back up and keep going.

Life knocks you down, and the difference between winning and losing is just that winners get back up one more time than they get knocked down. Think of it like this. If you have a child, how many times do they have to fall down before you stop trying to teach them how to walk? The answer is there is no limit.

It sucks slipping up. Just try to learn from it, and keep going. I know you can do it.

@@Jay05

Yes, from what I was told, the first 3-4 days are the worst. The PA told my hubby to be prepared, he said everything that goes wrong during that time will be the hubbies fault. Sun comes up late, hubbies fault. Water not hot enough, hubbies fault. We laughed about it, but PA said that will be the worst pain. There was a lot of stuff poking around in there and a lot done, so it's only within reason there will be pain.

Just stay ahead of it and take those pains meds!! Most important.

You will survive and be a new happy person, believe!

Day 3 post op... Feeling much better, finally can see some.light at the end of the tunnel. Havent felt hungry at. still on 'free liquids'.

I know I expected pain but nothing prepared me for th back and should pain.. this hurt much more than the op (tummy incisions) I didn't have a drain and was walking day 1. Good luck to you all. It's a very tough couple of days but it doesn't get easier. I hope to be going home in the morning.. Can't wait as I cannot sleep in this bed! x x

Thanks for this post. I've heard a bunch of people say during their hospital time in post-op, they were in so much pain they were regretting the decision to have surgery but months later they were happy they did it. I always have back and shoulder pain and I don't really know what this surgery would do to the back or shoulders. I thought it would all be abdominal pain. Hopefully they give you some good meds to keep you hurting too badly.

@amberc425 I really agree with you. Radar you should really check into this place. It almost sounds like a place that wants to do as many surgeries as they can.

Is the hospital you are going to a Center of Excellance? That should be a requirement for Bariatric surgeries. Even the ones in Mexico have that certification.

Just be careful, very careful. You have a beautiful daughter that needs you.

Actually it is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. My doctor is one of the top Bariatric surgeons in Los Angeles. He works at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Marina Del Rey. I will be doing it at Marina Del Rey. His name is Dr. Sergey Lyass and I have all of the confidence in the world in his ability.

@@Radar with all due respect, I'd so some research on this place. Sounds like they are just pushing you through instead of really taking the time to make sure this is the best choice for you. How can they do a psych evaluation without seeing you? Same with the nutritionist. I know you're anxious to do it, but you wanna be sure you're in good hands. Again, no judgement but just sounds like they are being a little too lenient.

As far as my pain, I'm ok. I just got home to my mom's because I live up two flights of stairs. I just crushed my narco pills and it made me feel like I was gonna throw up trying to swallow them. I'm gonna try my best not to use these at all, because the amount of liquid I had to swallow to get them down almost gave me my first stuck feeling, and I've been doing good so far otherwise. But I won't lie, my 5 year old already has my nerves through the roof. It seems like she is extra hyper because she hasn't seen me, and I'm trying to be understanding that she's excited to see me, but she's jumping around and trying to have me smell her underarms to see if she stinks (I know, a weird thing we do) and I can't deal right now. Kinda wished I stayed in the hospital the extra day lol, so be prepared for that with the kiddos @@Radar lol

To be fair, I told them my insurance changes at the end of the year and asked to get through as quickly as possible. The psych evaluation was a form and a phone call with the psychologist. I met with the doctor and nutritionist in person. The second appointment with the Nutritionist was over the phone.

My daughter is 8 but acts older. She's very smart and loves me as much as I love her. I know what you mean about kids getting on your last nerve when they are riled up. Luckily she is normally very good and if I'm sick, she will try to help my wife take care of me. I'm happy your mom is helping take care of you.

I hadn't thought about stairs. I live in an old apartment building with a ton of stairs. There is no way around it for me.

After surgery, the NUT has given me a Diet Progression list.

Day 1 & 2 - Clear liquids

Day 3 - 7 - Full liquids - Protein Shakes, sf Jello, sf pudding, smooth yogurt, blended cream Soups.< /p>

Week 2 - 3 - Soft foods

Week 4 and on - Regular diet

The only reason the first few days diet would extend would be how I tolerate things.

Also from day 1, 48 oz of fluid/water, and from day 3, 80g of Protein.< /p>

And Vitamins, chewables.< /p>

What does NUT stand for? Nutritionist?

I think my diet will be stricter than yours. It will take me longer to get back to regular foods than you. Also they want me to take liquid vitamins which I didn't even know were a thing. I can swallow a ton of pills but liquid medicine always makes me queasy. Maybe I can dilute it in Water or do it all at once in a gulp and chase it with water. I don't like chewables either.

@@Radar

Whoa, they have never weighed you? I'm sorry but that just doesn't sound right. I have been weighed every time I go into the office. I did have a 4 month waiting period.

Are you self pay? But even then, they should be tracking your weight from the first time you walk in the door.

What kind of after care are they giving you? My surgeon's office has already laid out the post-op schedule I'll go through. I'll see a NUT twice and will see the surgeon frequently for the first year.

I have been to the initial visit when I met the doctor. They asked me how much I weigh. I told them 300. I did a psyche evaluation which was just a paper I filled out, scanned and sent in. Then I did an endoscopy and an appointment with the nutritionist and they just asked me again if I know how much I weigh so I told them. Then I had another meeting with the nutritionist over the phone and I was approved for the surgery and the next day they called me to tell me when the surgery was. The whole thing was 2 months start to finish.

They gave me a bunch of papers laying out the diet, and schedule and stuff. I have to meet up with them on the 14th and they will be doing all kinds of tests and x-rays, and other stuff, and I'm guessing they will actually weigh me at that time. A week later I'll have the surgery.

I haven't seen any post-op stuff yet though.

Do you guys recommend the RTD (Ready to drink) Protein shakes like Muscle Milk(32g), EAS Myoplex (42g), Met-Rx Protein Plus (51g), Pure Protein 35 (35g), or Premeir Protein (30g)?

Or should I use Protein powder mixes? I want to make this as easy as possible to stick to so I was thinking about stocking up on the RTDs.

@@Radar I'm in the hospital now, I was told I'd be here for two days, but we are determining if I need to stay a third day, because I haven't been eating very much. I think I'm gonna go home later because I drank half a Protein Shake just now.

Don't feel bad about the "food funeral" lol. I was supposed to be on a two week liquid diet, but I only did it for two and a half days before my surgery. As long as you don't weigh more on your surgery date then you did at your last appointment, you should be ok. But it is imperative that you consume liquids only 48 hours prior and nothing after midnight the night before, or they will cancel your surgery.

They have never weighed me. I just told them I was around 300. I hope you recover soon. How is the pain?

I am going to do my best to stick to the diet the nutritionist gave me. My wife is pushing me to do this so she will make sure I stick to the plan too. Thank you so much for posting this while you're still in the hospital. I was guessing about 3 days and then go home for another 3-4 before heading back to work. I am a systems analyst / engineer so I don't move around a lot. The walk from the parking lot will be the toughest. It's at least a quarter mile each way and probably more if I don't get a good spot. I think that first day back to work will be tough. Get some rest and feel better soon!

I don't know how the prep diet is for you guys, but for one week starting tomorrow I will have to drink 2 Protein Shakes a day and have one meal, and the following week it will be 3 Protein shakes a day, which will be tough since my stomach hasn't been reduced in size yet. I am feeling a bit guilty because I've sort of had a last feast before it all starts because I'll never be able to do it again.

Can anyone tell me how many days you typically stay in the hospital before you can go home?

OMG Radar, as a children's social worker with child protective services, this just made me so upset hearing about all the abuse you endured as a child. No judgement at all, but when this is all done, it would be great if you did some individual counseling to ensure those issues from your past don't creep into your future as you embark on this new journey. Again, I'm so sorry for what you had to endure, and I'm looking forward to you getting a chance to focus on yourself so you can continue to be the best dad! Best of luck to you Radar ❤️

Thank you so much for your kind words of support, and for all of the nice words from everyone else too. I forgave my parents and even started talking to my dad again. I bought my mom a house and emptied my 401k to give my dad some cash for a house he bought and he promptly said I never gave him any cash and asked me if I had a receipt and denied beating my mom and most of the abuse he did with my brother and I.

I always felt worse for my little brother when he got beat. I took a lot of beatings for him. He's 45 and has never been right. He's never held down a job and he's got psychological problems and uses drugs. I held my pain inside for a long time and then realized my holding hate was hurting me, not them. It's like Carrie Fisher said something like "Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." I forgave him and that removed any power my parents had over me.

As an adult I have their respect.. well at least the love and respect of my mother.

Anyway, I'm a bit nervous about the surgery. In my case, deciding I want the surgery, going through all of the hoops, and actually getting the surgery will all have taken place in 2 months. I've watched a ton of video journals on YouTube by people who have had it done and listened to the things they wish they would have known, and what to expect. I feel like I'm going into this with my eyes wide open.

Surgery was done Wednesday. How is everyone else doing? I still have drain in, and due to holiday won't have it out until Tuesday. Not my favorite thing but better safe than sorry! Hope all my September pals are doing good post op and pre op!

I hope you feel better soon. I don't even know what a drain is and it sounds awful.

Managing well at home

Really enjoyed a night in my own bed and a shower this morning.

Just had 1 dose of pain meds today, paracetamol ( Tylenol in USA I think?)

Managed Ready Brek thin porridge for breakfast, and Soup for lunch.

Still tired, and my calf muscles cramp when I walk upstairs.

Get well soon!

My gastric sleeve surgery is scheduled for September 21st only 17 days away. In 3 days I have to start my 2 week surgery prep diet. It didn't seem real until I was told yesterday that I was approved and today that I'll be getting the surgery in less than 3 weeks. Now it seems real and I must admit, I'm slightly nervous. I'm just happy my doctor is one of the best around. He normally works at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center but I'll be having the work done in Marina Del Rey.

Here's my story...

I was once in really great shape. I grew up very fit but always felt fat anyway. I wrestled for 6 years and had to go up a weight, and down a weight all the time. Eventually I couldn't bounce back as easy. When I got out of the Navy, I was a monster, and I was in the best shape of my life as a very solid, cut, and muscular 170 pounds. I got a hernia shortly afterwards or even when I was still in and got an operation for it. I couldn't hit the gym as hard as I did before due to the pain. Follow that with about 5-6 pretty bad car accidents (I must have a bullseye painted on me) and my back and shoulders got pretty messed up too. Pair that with me being a professional computer geek and there just wan't a lot of exercising going on.

My diet was horrible too. I work a A LOT! I work at strange hours and have gotten into some pretty bad habits. My wife does nails so we never eat dinner before 8pm and normally around 9pm. I have never been one for planning meals and just grab whatever is close and cheap which is usually fast food. As Louie C.K. says, "The meal isn't over when you're full. It's over when you hate yourself". I grew up with a father who was very poor as a child and he drilled into my head that you eat everything on your plate.

As a child I was abused very severely both mentally and emotionally as well as physically. I could go into the horror stories like having my head held under Water or a towel twisted up and put around my neck and being lifted by it, or having my body tossed across the room into a wall to fall on the floor, or being kicked in the face with steel toed boots on my father's feet and many worse things, but let's just say my brother and I had it very tough. Eventually I learned to forgive my parents, but I never forget. To this day my father won't admit to what he did. He just says, "I wasn't a very good father" but if I mention specifics he will deny them.

Now I'm a father of my own and I feel like a failure because of my weight. I want to take my daughter to Disneyland and ride the rides with her, but I can't fit in the rides and she's too short. Well she's getting taller and I intend on being smaller. I will not see her childhood wrecked because of my weight. I want to play in the park with her and ride bikes together and one day see her graduate from college and dance with her at her wedding.

My daughter was born when I was 37 years old. I had planned on an early checkout, but now I have to stick around. My plans have changed.

I am doing this surgery to save my life. I have diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides and high blood pressure and hopefully after this surgery I can lose enough weight that I can exercise without much pain and can get back into the shape I was in when I was younger.

This is me in the blue shirt back when I was in shape...

]

This is a photo of me taken a month ago...

My goal weight is about 140 pounds away. I've done every crazy diet in the book including but not limited to Fen-Phen, Belviq, Master Cleanse, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Body for Life & Eating for Life, etc. but eventually I either hurt myself with the exercise, or try to eat something normal around my family and all of the weight comes back with extra.

This is it for me. This is the end. I'm drawing a line in the sand and this is where I say NO MORE! I will change my lifestyle, change my body, and change my life once and for all and I'm never going back.