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Great option as well! When was your surgery?

Have you looked into a protein product called Plant Fusion? 100% vegan, no milk products the proteins come from peas, artichokes and amaranth. Some sleevers to become lactose intolerant for a bit after surgery. Didn't happen in my case, but I know that others have had the issue. Plant Fusion is at GNC and at Amazon.

If you don't like "shakes" try the syntrax nectar. I bought the variety pack to try them all. Flavors like lemonade, iced tea, fuzzy navel. They aren't creamy, more like a regular beverage. I mix them with ice and water, they are 100 calories, sugar free and 23g protein. I'm pre op and just giving them a try to see what I like, and so far, so good. [emoji1303]

are There option after. Surgery to help you with weight gain?

It sounds like you are asking if there are options to help you gain weight, but I suspect you really are asking if there are options to help you continue to lose weight or to fight weight gain? One suggestion is to go back to basics if things get out of hand--substitute protein shakes for one or two meals. You can also track your food intake if you don't usually do that and see exactly how many calories, how much protein, etc., you are getting. I find the MyFitnessPal website useful for this. If I've misunderstood your question, I apologize.

I'm not post-op yet but as someone who has always had a sweet tooth and cravings, this is something I do worry about after surgery. I know that when I've done very low carb diets, the cravings went away, but as soon as I allowed myself the smallest amount of something creeping in, they came back with a vengeance. So maybe look at what you are eating and see if there is something a little too carby that could be triggering this. Even the Protein shakes (and esp bars) sometimes have too many carbs. Even some artificial sweeteners can raise blood sugar in some people, acting just like sugar. Right now, pre-op, when I crave something sweet after eating (years of dessert have conditioned me) I eat a small dill pickle. The sourness does cancel out the sweet cravings.

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I'm wondering how to get enough calories in. I started pureed foods today and so far have had 3/4 of a scrambled egg and 1/2 C. of Protein pudding. Add in my Isopure and that is only 310 calories, 60g. of protein. I plan on some thinned out refried Beans with a little cheese for dinner, but I am pretty sure I won't get in very much before I am stuffed.

I was very skinny through college. Started picking up weight due to stress at work... pretty awful. The only fun part of the day was going out to lunch. That + sitting at work, sitting in night class and sitting in the car going and coming back from school and the weight steadily piled on. I had gestational diabetes that was very well controlled; I lost 25lbs. with each pregnancy (I was ready to eat the table!). Gained weight back again and have struggled to keep my weight in check. I'm retired now, so I don't have work stress anymore, but find it hard to be motivated and able to move around a lot. Since finding out about the Protein shakes, I got my hopes up that I could do this without having a large portion of my stomach removed. Reality check--- I know the statistics on being able to lose t all the weight and KEEP IT OFF for good are very low. So I'm going to go through with this and hopefully can get rid of diabetes, sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

I understand your angst. I had to do 30 days. 14 days before and Post Op. The first 4 days are torturous. They were for me. I'm not gonna lie. Sugar depressed Popsicles and Jello got me through. Along with being resolute that I was making a decision to change my life for the good forever. I also wanted to ensure my doc had the best view when he operated on me. That's the purpose of the liquid diet. I did hat a little fear he would know if I had cheated too. Lol. I did have one slice of fat free turkey lunch meat. Lol. I savor end every flipping bite. Anyway....the best advice I can give you is to experiment with your Protein drinks. The best one I made and still do is....Unjury unflavored pro powder, unsweetened cocoa, PB2 Peanut Butter, ice, 1/4 of frozen banana 1(cut up, put into ice trays, froze, and transferred into baggy), milk, and sweetened with Stevia. This gives you about 31 grams of protein and 220+ calories. It will keep you full for at least 4 hours. I don't like super sweet stuff....this was perfect! Also, Health Wise protein juice mix....my fav is Lemon Raspberry and I doubled the Water. I still like it now. Bariatric Choice is a good website for options. Best Wishes! You Can Do It!!!

Ok, I know, 60-80 grams a day as per my NUT. HOWEVER, do I HAVE to drink a shake? If I'm getting my Protein in can i skip the same shake. I'm SICK of them.

It could very we'll be you devopef a lactose intolerance. It's very common post op and usually goes away. That being said, Im almost 2 months post op and still can't tolerate regular milk. I do like the lactose free milk but it's got sugar. I also do well with almond/soy milk. If I take a Lactaid pill before I drink milk Im good. I've tried a pea based Protein before and it was awful.

My husband and I chose the option to obtain the "passport card" instead of the "book". The card can be used for all land and sea travel. The passport card is also half the price of the traditional passport book. Ours came in about 3 weeks after filling out the order.

Same issue for me ... I started having issues about 3 weeks out ... apparently there is enough milk Proteins in most Protein shakes (both powder and RTD liquid) to cause issues ... I have managed to get past it with the help of Lactaid chewables prior to the Protein shake ... that helps 90% of the time ... not always but the vast majority of the time ... sometimes the reaction would get worse at times, but, it has helped. Currently I do 2 Protein Shakes a day ... EAS Myoplex with Lactaid around mid afternoon split over 2 hours and then an Isopure in the evening ... Isopure RTD drinks cause me no issues at all and have no milk proteins good luck ...

I am starting Friday also!! I’m excited too. What kind of protein shakes and vitamins have you been taking? Have you thrown up? I feel like it’s weird that I haven’t thrown up.

My is surgery date is 04-04-2016 and I'm on second day of Pre-Op diet. I'm with you Tobysgirl already dying of hunger. :-( Mine isn't a total liquid diet, I am able to eat one lean Protein and veggies a day, and drink 4 Protein shakes, popsicle, broth, and pickles. I can do this but my stomach is saying no way!!! I counted it's right around 1000 calories a day for two long, very, long weeks.

While fruit is healthy, many (not all) plans don't allow it during the Weight Loss stage because of the high sugar/carb count. I dont have enough room for it! I am still at about a 2oz capacity, so I tend to go for the Protein.

For a while, I could only have one serving per day, either applesauce or canned peaches. At three months I was more able to eat raw fruit. Now, I am 17 months out. When I make a smoothie I will be liberal with berries, but cautious with bananas. Most days, I will eat one piece of fresh fruit or the berries. Last week I read A Pound of Cure by Dr. Matthew Weiner. He is a bariatric surgeon and recommends that once we are several months out and hit an arduosly long stall of several weeks, a person's diet could be adjusted by eliminating processed sugars (white sugar, corn syrup, powdered sugar, molasses, etc) and artificial sweeteners including Stevia (which I have mentiond many times is my one vice in this whole process). He also recommended eliminating wheat and grain products, but I am already there a long time ago. He implies that since sugar from fruit is natural, the body processes it differently than processed sugar and should be embraced months out from surgery. Based on his theories in the book, starting on Friday morning I eliminated Peanut Butter, milk, cheese and sweetener (I was up to 30 a day) from my diet. I added more greens and veggies, and made a huge bean salad with cuke, tomato, mushrooms, green pepper, celery and salsa added to mix in with spinach and greens cold salad. I have also had a pear and an apple each day and either apricots or cherries at bedtime. I am also drinking 80-100 ounces of Water in between all that. I was skeptical, since the scale has not moved for months in spite of my best efforts and an aggressive exercise program. I should not be surprised that my bowels are moving properly like crazy without laxatives, stool softeners and prune juice. But from Friday morning to Monday morning, I have lost three pounds. When I get to 135, I will be recommended for a panni. Although I was checking in ok on water, Protein, carbs, and calories, my Fiber was very low. These adjustments certainly add fiber and reduce fat (I lovvvvvvve cheese and could eat it all day). My one year labs were excellent except that my bad cholesterol was off the charts. I have a doctor visit and blood labs coming up on June 23rd I think.....well it's that week anyway. I am hoping that this added fiber add reduced fat will help. I am still not off of my blood pressure meds. Even though I have have good numbers at the doctors office, he will not take me off of my blood pressure med cocktail until I get my cholesterol down. I can see his point since I already had a stroke when I was heavier. If that visit goes well, I will keep eating fruit and Beans and greens.

Hi fellow Aussies, thought i would share with you all an online store that was recommended by another BP member of where you can purchase Quest Bars, Syntrax nectar Protein powder and Vitamins at a very reasonable price and also has pretty good shipping rates, for example i just purchased 2 boxes of quest bars and the site gives you three options for shipping 1 @ 9.99 no tracking and can be delivered up to 30 days 2 @ 15.99 has tracking and guaranteed delivery between 5-9 days 3 @ 32.99 has tracking and i cant remember the exact minimum/ maximum days it was but it was less days than option 2! Site is called www.vitacost.com If you have found other online stores that will ship to Australia please post it here

Premier Protein chocolate, vanilla and caramel. I like the Pure Protein in Banana Cream also

I'm a little over 3 weeks post op. The things I am finding the most useful: - food scale. Get used to measuring everything. - Immersion blender. You will be drinking lots of Protein shakes. I had been using a shaker bottle, but the immersion blender is so much easier and makes the shake smoother. - 4 oz containers. Has 2 uses. First, makes it easy to make sure I'm eating the right amount. Second, my portion of food fills the container, which for some reason makes me more satisfied with the meal. Even though 4oz easily fills me up, it was depressing to see my tiny portion of food in a big bowl. It made me feel deprived even though I wasn't hungry. Brains are weird! - Tiny spoon & fork. Helps make sure I eat slower and take smaller bites. - 32 oz Water bottle with measurements on the side. Makes it easier to keep track of Fluid intake.

My dietician told me about unjury which is a protein that is high in protein but low on calories, fat, and sugars. You can go to their website and get samples of each flavor for 0.99 each. Both of the chocolate ones are my personal preference. I think they taste more like drinking an instant breakfast than some of those other brands of protein that can be a little chalky and thick.

Hello everyone, I'm in the process of researching banding as an option and need your assistance. My greatest fear is of losing friendships. food is my friend, and I have a few relationships that are based on food and alcohol, and my greatest fear is actually all about losing these friends. I'm a huge emotional eater and party girl, and it's not the food and or the alcohol loss that scares me, it's losing friends that scares me as most of my friends are just like me. Any of you share these concerns? Any advice?

Good luck! It's not easy, but I must say I did better than I thought I would. Get some pre-made Protein drinks, clear and non-clear too. The day I went home, they still wanted me to hit the 45-60g protein mark with clear only. I could not wear my own pj's/bathrobe because of the iv in my hand, so I just used the hospital gown the whole time, including my walks. My hospital had several pairs of the non-stick socks for my use and also toiletries. I would suggest a heating pad. Helped with my bloated stomach and painful incisions, plus the hospital room was freezing. I tried to sleep mostly, vs. watching TV or phone or reading. Work on your breathing exercises to help you clear out phlegm and trying to burp. The pressure on my chest was rough, but once I got the burp out, it felt so much better. I had to use the end of a toothbrush several times to get myself to gag and burp. Not glamorous, but it worked. I never threw up or had gas in the hospital, though I tried just to get rid of the pressure.

Hello! March 5th is my date, bright and early in the morning. This Thursday I start my pre op diet to help shrink liver. Pretty standard for WLS. Of course I am nervous, but I have found that if I "embrace" what I am doing.... and do what I can to research and prepare myself, it lessons my fear and helps me feel empowered. I know that I don't have a choice to not have the surgery if I want to live an extended life . One with out health problems. Feeling good about your surgeon and the hospital makes a big difference . I am fortunate to have an excellent surgeon and at a "center off excellence" hospital I am having my house cleaned the day before I go in, fresh sheets on the bed for when I come home. I am stocking up on my waters, Soups that will be mixed with Protein , and sugar free pop cyles.. that's for the first two weeks. I am also looking for ways to "pamper" myself through the hospital "experience" . I feel like I might as well make the best if it! I bought a new night gown and bathrobe to take to the hospital. I'm bringing my own pillow and a fuzzy throw for the bed. And of course my own toiletries , cell phone and charger. I"m bringing a sound machine that has nature sounds. I like the white noise to lull myself to sleep. If you have someone to rub your feet or back, lotion would be helpful too. I am very blessed to have an awesome and supportive husband Your doing something positive and wonderful for yourself by having this surgery, your taking care of yourself!! I'd love to hear about any other tips and suggestions that any one of you would have