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Hello Dalal, My son tells me that you live in a beautiful place. He visited there after an invitation from the Princess whom he met at the Para-olympics in 2004. My exercise story is just a little different. I started walking immediately after surgery and was on the treadmill on Day 5. Only 20 minutes but on there. I went back to work on Day 7 and I think that just really tired me out. I do most of my exercise on the weekends now. Last Friday I swam for an hour and on Sunday walked for an hour. I have just been cleared to do any exercise, including weight lifting etc. My energy level is so much higher at 5 weeks than it was at 2 and 3 weeks. You're going to do great!!

I'm using Obage products on my face and neck. I just got a big bottle of cocoa butter lotion for all around body. I have a little tub of shea butter/cocoa butter cream for hands and feet because those are getting dry. For detox I use a thick cream that I bought at a spa in Cambodia. I guess I'm a mishmash of products right now.

Cindy, Keep posting about how you're doing. This is a great group here on VST!

I didn't worry about protein during my five day clear stage. I experimented with isopure jello pre-op and unflavored protein powders in chicken broth etc but post-op the thought of any of them made me want to gag. I took a sip of Isopure post-op and that was it, I couldn't look at any of it again. I felt like the Isopure burned my throat. I know that protein is good for healing but I also knew I had a big stockpile of it in my system from eating low carb for months pre-op.

Measuring here as well, but I like to throw it on the scale for an idea of the weight as well. My plan at 1 month out is 1/4 to 1/3 of dense Protein then 1 T of fruit or veggies and 1 serving of carbs (2 WW crackers, 1/4 slice well toasted bread, 1/8 small baked potato). I skip the carb and most always eat just protein. 2 oz of meatloaf completely fills me up. I can eat 3 oz of soft fish. 2 oz of chicken etc.

Tiffy, I just wanted to say that my gallbladder came out last November and last week I was able to eat a small amount of avocado again. Give it a try at some point.

I started on Protonix the day after surgery. No other pills for a month.

Pammie, thanks so much for the directions and warning about the Elk Grove group. I remembered that I know a woman in Sacramento that I met at the obesity help luncheon in January. She had her RNY with Dr. Park last year. I shot her an email this morning and we're going to have dinner and go to the meeting together. I love seeing all these great pics!

Anyone know what time the meeting is tonight at the Elk Grove Kaiser? I would like to try to make that since I'll be going up in the afternoon.

Joan, Welcome to the group! How wonderful to hear how great both you and your co-worker are doing. Pat and everyone, the pictures from Saturday are fantastic! So cool to see everyone looking so vibrant and healthy!

I'm glad the scale finally moved for you! My plan requires me to weigh daily but I really just pay attention to what it says on Wednesday. I know I really slowed down the last three week to just about 2 pounds a week. I know that this weight is going to come off so I'm being patient. This week it took me from Wed to Sun to let go of one silly pound. Let's compare notes to where we are in six months!

Good Luck Terri and welcome to VST!

Chrissy, Pat and Donna are right. They operate on our stomach and not on our brain. Long term success starts in our brain and ends in our brain. Our stomach's can't walk to the ice cream shop alone. It's what we do with our tool that counts. Getting the tool is just that, a tool. I count every calorie, fat and protein and make sure to keep my carbs pretty well under 20 a day. I track it all in Myfitnesspal.com . Early Sleeve from what I've learned is being on a very low carb diet, but that said, it's so much easier because with my Sleeve, 1/3 cup of dense protein will keep me full for 4-5 hours. I notice with shrimp that I get hungry a little sooner. Of course 3 big shrimp are a meal. I'm loving the savings at Whole Foods!

Hi Cindy, welcome to VST! You've come to the right place to ask questions. First, congratulations on an incredible weight loss thus far. I'm a little envious. :thumbup: I take Protonix 2x a day and haven't had a bit of heartburn after day 3. I've been getting in 64 oz of fluids since Day 5, as required by my Kaiser plan. I would definitely ask your doctor if there's a physical reason you can't get in your fluids. I stop drinking 30 minutes before a meal and start again 30 minutes later. I start my day with a 16 oz mug of hot herbal tea and try to have another before lunch. After lunch I'll have a 16 oz bottle of Water or crystal light or something like that. Then it's just one more bottle or mug of tea before the end of the day. I eat 3x a day. I'm on soft foods right now. I eat 1/2 to 1/3 cup of dense Protein at each meal. Generally that's around 2-3 oz of protein. If I try to eat more it hurts. I'm not eating much anything else because I want to optimize my protein intake. My plan calls for 1/4 to 1/3 cup protein and then either a bite or two of fruit or veggies. I'm pretty much skipping those for now. I think sugar is tough on our small sleeve. We absorb things so much faster now. We didn't come all this way, have surgery, just to go back to old eating habits. I see some people that can occasionally have some sugar, but most don't even try it until they've reached goal. Go check out that Cornell guide. I think it's really very good. Good luck and keep asking questions!

Meesa, Welcome to VST! You're no stranger to WLS and I know you're going to do just great. We're starting at just about the same starting weight! I was Sleeved on 2/17/2010. Good luck and please let us know how you're doing!! :thumbup:

Hi Missy, I never had a band but others have and I'm sure they'll answer you. I just wanted to welcome you to VST. This is a wonderful forum with lots of caring people.

I'm 59 and had my surgery a month ago. I would say go for it! I think it takes longer to heal as we get older. I found the surgery to be fairly easy. I didn't have any complications and went back to work on Day 7. I'm loving my Sleeve. Please feel free to send me a PM if I don't see your questions.

Chrissy, just so you're not too disappointed, I was in orientation class with around 25 others and nobody got to see a surgeon that day. I would highly recommend you request and wait for Dr. Baggs. I had to wait a month for an appointment with Dr. Baggs but I had to lose the weight anyhow so it was no big deal. He's delightful and I am thrilled that he'll be doing my followup for the rest of my life. I totally trust him. He did my surgery but Dr. Fisher was also in the room as they always double up in the OR. Dr. Park is just starting to do the Sleeve so I'd shy away from her. I don't know much about Dr. Im. Overall, I just love Dr. Baggs. He loves dogs! :thumbup1: You'll get weighed before you're allowed into the orientation meeting. Eat Breakfast and don't take off your shoes. Hi Ali! Who is your surgeon?

Hi Chrissy, All of us at Kaiser are put on Protonix post-op. I never had heartburn pre-op but Dr. Baggs discovered and fixed a hiatal hernia during my Sleeve. I had acid reflux for three days post-op, then the Protonix kicked in and I've had zero symptoms since. I'm so glad you found your way over here to VST! Welcome welcome welcome. PM me anytime!

Hey John, Dr. Baggs told me that he would be using the mesh buttressing on me. I wonder if he changed that between my first visit with him in December and surgery in February?

Pammie, I know a lot of people online that have had their Sleeve for 1+ years and they are still just as happy with it. I saw a woman yesterday at support group that is 18 months out and 1/2 her initial weight. She become an athlete. It looks like she's a 6 or 8 and very athletic for a 53 year old. There seems to be little regaining. Many are losing 100+ pound in less than 6 months. One of my revision friends lost 133 in 6 months once she switched to Band. I see some who struggle a little bit with maintaining and have to add in more carbs to keep from losing too much. I really haven't seen people who were not pleased with the Sleeve. It's an initial adjustment just as the Band or RNY are. I'm very lucky that I had 0 complications and went back to work on Day 7. I'm a month out now and walked over an hour this morning and swam over an hour on Friday. Energy is pretty good. I'm able to teach classes that are 8 hours of standing up on back to back days. I just need to get more sleep than I did pre-op to re-energize myself. I know that the Band can be equally as successful, I'm just being devil's advocate with the other side of the surgery coin. :laugh:

Laurel, We're saving you a spot on the Loser's Bench. You're going to do great tomorrow! Let us know how you're doing. Tamra, 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month. I marked my calendar so I'll always know when it is.

Good Morning! Cloudy but not raining so I'm going for a long walk this morning with my best friend and her two dogs. I love going to the dog park because it's on the bay and there's lots of dogs running free, swimming and playing together. Always really joyful. Not sure about the rest of my day yet. Does anyone live near Elk Grove? I'm going to be up there tomorrow (Monday) night at the Holiday Inn Express off Hwy 99. Anyone want to meet up for dinner at Mimi's (next door to Holiday Inn) at around 7pm?

Chrissy, I accepted your friend request at verticalsleevetalk. Start reading over there and you'll find lots of good information. Put the word "revision" into the search box and you'll find banders that had to be revised to sleeve because of malfunction etc. I think it's good information to have when making your decision.

That's a terrific story. Across the street meant that you could really get to know each other and date before having to move half way across the country etc. :biggrin0: Lucky girl you are!