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I've honestly heard of that. :-( You should ask your doc, they will tell you if it's enough protein in it or if you need to change it.

Hello all! Thought I'd introduce myself... I'm Jennifer and I had my band surgery yesterday. Done outpatient and was home by 4pm. In a lot more pain than I thought I would be. I'd had my gallbladder removed a year ago and was fine, didn't even need pain meds but this pain was totally unexpected. I took the Tylenol with codeine the doctor sent and it helped but gave me that hungover feeling so I switched to just regular Tylenol in hopes my headache/hangover would subside. It's better but not 100%. Clear liquids and soft/mushy Proteins (per my doc's diet orders) have gone down well in very small portions. I just can't seem to shake this headache/migraine. My doctor made it very clear I could not take NSAIDs anymore (for life they told me) but Motrin and aleeve are the only meds that take away my pain. I have chronic neck pain (that losing weight will def help but until I've lost enough I still have episodes of pain) and Motrin and aleeve were my go to. Now that I can't have them I don't know what I'm going to do. Thanks for listening and I hope to participate more and more now that I am on the post op side of this!

What I do is track using My Fitness Pal and stop by my surgeon's office once a month to weigh (no charge and takes 5 minutes). The receptionist records in my chart. I eat high protein and low carb. South Beach and Atkins recipes work well during the weightloss phase.

I've asked this before but didn't get any responses so I'm worried I'm not getting the right protein. Anyone else use egg white protein powder as their protein powder??? I've been using it all along but wonder if I should be using whey protein powder. Anyone?

I do Low Carb/High Protein for 10 days (but I started already) and then water only the day before the surgery.

DJAY210, I'm a year and a have since I had my sleeve. It's hard to get your water and protein in and your going to feel weak for a while. It took me about 4 months before I wasn't weak or lightheaded.

Has anyone had the VSG in Belgium at the St Elizabeth hospital? I am looking into getting surgery there and would love to hear of your experience. I am hoping to go at some point this year.and thinking of going through http://www.obesity-solutions.co.uk/ has anyone else?? I'm in England so Mexico is not an option when I realised how much the flights were Thankyou in advance to any replies!

Hi all, Looking for some advice. I had my sleeve surgery 10/3. On solids now and doing ok. Still trying to get all my Protein and Water in. But I'm still exhausted, I haven't started to excercise yet and never did before surgery. I'm scheduled for a family vacation at the end of this month(cannot get out of), I also have a 7 year old I want to keep up with. I am renting a scooter. But I'm still concerned about my energy level just getting around the parks. Obviously, I'll bring my own cooler. Any advice is appreciated?

Should I do a pouch test? I am 7 months out, and lost 70lbs and have 20 left. I have stalled but workout about 6 days a week. I eat well and get my protein in. Not sure if it's weight training or what...maybe exchange of fat for muscle??? Super annoying to bounce between 158 and 160 over and over.

Not that I know of I just get the regular bag. If you want a pre made shake try premier Protein. I love it. It comes in chocolate and vanilla.

I gained too. But then I found out they dropped the requirement, so no worries for me. You, however might want to do what I did on the month after I had a gain. I did a week of high Protein, no bread or sugar, and I dropped 10 pounds in 10 days, and went back to the Dr and had them document that weight instead. Of course I wasn't able to KEEP it off, but it showed I was trying. I think the diet is just a silly hoop. Just do your best.

During my liquid phase I was on nectar Protein powder (~25g per scoop) and 1% milk. I also supplemented with PROTI brand broth and Water add-ins which each are infused with 15g of protein. My surgeon's office sold both, but you can find them online or at super supplement stores.

I too had trouble getting to 65g of protein. I just did my best by drinking some protein drink each day. It is only a short period.

I had my surgery on 24 July and I to am on an insulin pump (medtronic). I was having some weird things happening with me. I would have a Protein shake with one cup of milk and would bolus for 20 grams of carbs but my BG would zoom up to 180 or so. Then the rest of the day I would do ok on my basal only but at about 5:00 pm my BG would crash to the low 50's. I had to start suspending my pump at night and would wake up the next morning to start over with the same thing. My endo finally told me to simply disconnect the pump all together for a week and see how it went. My BG is now not less than 156 and goes up to around 220 and stays there most of the time. I think I will be getting off the pump but I do think that at least for a while I may need either some insulin or or an oral drug to hold me over while my weight decreases. I have lost about 30 pounds in 3 weeks and I am sure that my weight loss will continue. I just don't know what my diabetes will do to cooperate. I am 60 years old and have been diabetic since my mid 30's. So to be totally honest I don't think that I will be completely "cured". Perhaps if I had gotten the surgery 30 years ago it would have been different. But you will never know till you try. I have gotten pretty tired of pumping insulin.

Protein can be critical. It prevents your body from loosing muscle and it looses fat instead. Also, anemia and other complications can occur from not getting enough protein. Like the above posts say, stalls are totally normal. Everyone is different. It was suggested to me that at day 6 or 7 of a stall (early on after surgery) starting to log what you are eating and see if there is a diet reason for the stall. Also, either way you can go back to liquids and walk a little more to kick the body back into gear

I'm interested in doing the pre-surgery Protein diet that I did before having the sleeve done. The diet consisted of a Protein shake for Breakfast, a protein shake for lunch, a cup of fruit and for dinner 6 ounces of meat and a vegetable. Is this enough for healthy eating post-surgery? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was given no Protein goals at all. I am currently day 4, I was banded on Monday. On mine there is 2 protein shakes a day 15-25g and I have been drinking Atkins (which are delicious) and 15g each. I am SO sick of this shakes and soup diet already it's not funny.

Maybe you can try a VSG friendly diet so that you can start getting use to it. High protein meals and maybe start a workout routine. Good Luck!

FYI, if interested: Excuse its length, but here's the email blast I received of today's ASMBS' Connect: News topics of the week re: obesity and WLS. You might find some articles of interest to you. They sent: The following is a summary/brief analysis of the obesity and surgery stories making news this week: Company Seeks FDA Approval for Balloon System for Obesity… Retinopathy Stable After Bariatric Surgery…Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management for Diabetes… UK May Seen Huge Increase in Bariatric Surgery… New Clues on How Metabolic Surgery Affects Diabetes…Sharon Osbourne Felt Like a Cheat After Surgery… Obesity Worse Than Smoking… Childhood Obesity Drops in NYC… Stigma Around Obesity Persists… Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in the News… ReShape Submits Dual Balloon System Application to FDA (Bariatric News) ReShape Medical is seeking FDA approval for the ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System, "the first and only dual balloon for non-surgical weight loss designed for people with a BMI 30-40." According to the company, the system is the first device to meet its primary effectiveness endpoints in a U.S. randomized, sham-controlled pivotal trial. Dr. Jaime Ponce, Principal Investigator in the so-called REDUCE trial, commented, “Meeting the primary endpoints is an important accomplishment, as it convincingly demonstrates the superiority of the ReShape procedure over diet and exercise alone. The ReShape procedure offers a new alternative to help patients kick-start weight loss and learn new behaviours. We are excited about what this new treatment option may do for millions of people needing to lose excess weight.” The device has been available in the E.U. since December 2011. ReShape Medical anticipates a launch in the U.S. in mid-to-late 2015. No Change in Retinopathy in Diabetes 2 Years After Surgery (Medscape) Results from the STAMPEDE trial presented at the American Diabetes Association 2014 Scientific Sessions show no change in diabetic retinopathy for patients two years after bariatric surgery. Lead author Dr. Rishi P. Singh commented that he was “pleasantly reassured” that there wasn’t a higher incidence or significant progression of the disease after surgery. He said the results demonstrate that regular eye exams are still important for this patient population. "This is the first time that a prospective, randomized clinical trial has shown that intensive medical management vs gastric bypass doesn't appear to increase the retinopathy incidence or progression, nor does it increase the rate of vision loss or changes in intraocular blood pressure (a sign of glaucoma)," he added. Dr. Bruce Wolfe, bariatric surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University, commented on the results saying, "The induction of remission or improvement in diabetes control is positive for the patient, but drawing conclusions about the many-year process of diabetic complications of diabetic neuropathy or diabetic retinopathy is premature." Additionally, he added that patients who are informed that their diabetes has gone into remission after they have had bariatric surgery may think, "I don't need to go to these eye assessments anymore," but that would be too hasty, he stressed. Better Long-term Diabetes Outcomes with Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management (Healio) Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy helped adults with type 2 diabetes achieve better blood glucose control than standard care alone, according to research presented at the joint meeting of the International Congress of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society. To determine long-term outcomes of diabetes in patients with sleeve gastrectomy vs. medical care alone, investigators reviewed medical records of veterans with type 2 diabetes, ages 18 to 80, undergoing the surgery at a VA medical center in a major metropolitan area. Two years of data from the charts of 30 patients treated with surgery were compared to 23 control patients. All patients had received medical treatment and been part of the MOVE national weight management program designed by the VA National Center for Health before being offered surgery. Significant improvements in BMI and HbA1c were seen in patients with surgery at one year, with improvements sustained through the end of two years; BMI decreased from 46 to 34 and HbA1c from 7.25% to 5.98%. These kinds of outcomes were not witnessed in patients without surgery during the study. At study completion, 76% of patients with surgery were able to discontinue or reduce their diabetes medications, compared with 26% of patients receiving medical treatment only. Thousands More to Get Obesity Ops on the NHS: NICE Calls for Huge Increase in Surgery - But Even Obesity Charities Condemn It (Daily Mail) New draft guidance from the U.K.’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) suggests that people with obesity who have type 2 diabetes should be assessed for bariatric surgery under the country’s National Health Service (NHS). At present weight loss surgery is given to patients on the NHS who have morbid obesity with a BMI score of over 40 or to those who have a BMI over 35 and who have another serious health condition - such as type 2 diabetes. But now Nice is suggesting that people with a BMI score of 30 to 35 should be considered for an assessment for surgery under the NHS if they have been diagnosed within the last 10 years. This could mean hundreds of thousands more patients could be considered for treatment. The draft guideline also recommends that people who have undergone bariatric surgery under the NHS should have a "follow up care package" for at least two years after their operation. However, opponents of the guidelines say it is wrong of Nice to recommend that the NHS offer operations costing £5,000 when the agency faces a £30billion deficit. Scientists Discover Clues Why Weight-loss Surgery Cures Diabetes (Medical Xpress) A study published in the journal Endocrinology found the actions of specialized cells in the intestine that secrete a cocktail of powerful hormones when we eat may help bring us a step closer to understanding why gastric bypass surgery "cures diabetes in most patients." The research team showed that gut hormone cells previously thought to contain just one hormone, had up to six hormones including the hunger hormone ghrelin. Study team leader Dr. Craig Smith, a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Cell Physiology at University of Manchester, commented, “Understanding the messages the gut sends out when we eat food and when things go wrong, as is the case in diabetes, is our next challenge and hopefully one that will result in the development of drugs which could be used instead of surgery to cure obesity and prevent diabetes.” Sharon Osbourne Opens Up About Feeling Like a ‘Cheat’ After Gastric Bypass Surgery (NY Daily News) In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sharon Osbourne commented that she has “secret shame” about having bariatric surgery in 1999. "I felt (like) such a cheat when I had that band on my stomach,” she said. "People are saying, 'You look wonderful! I'd go, 'Thank you, I just have to leave and vomit.'" Osbourne had the gastric band removed in 2006 and says she controls her weight through the low-carb Atkins diet, but admitted she struggles because she is still a food addict. Obesity in the News… Extreme Obesity Cuts Lifespan More than Smoking: Study (Reuters, CBSNews.com, Voice of America) Extensive media coverage of the “largest-ever study of the effect of extreme obesity on mortality,” which showed the “most extreme cases” may shorten a person's lifespan more than smoking. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute found people who suffered from severe obesity died 6.5 to 13.7 years earlier than people of healthy weight. A data review was conducted of 20 large studies from U.S., Sweden and Australian, which included 9,564 adults with extreme obesity and 304,011 of normal weight. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes were mostly responsible for an increased risk of dying “at any given time” when BMI rose to levels of extreme obesity. The study was published in the journal PLOS Medicine. Severe Childhood Obesity Shows a Decline in New York City (Reuters) The prevalence of severe obesity among school children in New York City was down by almost 10% in the 2010-11 school year compared to the 2006-07. Earlier research had shown a decline in overall obesity among NYC public school children, but the prevalence of severe obesity had not been studied. The new study, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, shows NYC rates “buck national trends.” Height and weight measurements were recorded for 947,765 children attending public schools in kindergarten through eighth grade. Severe obesity fell from 6.3% of the children in the 2006-07 school year to 5.7% in 2010-11. The change represents a 9.5% decrease. The prevalence of severe obesity was highest among boys, minorities and poor children. Additionally, while prevalence declined in every group, the greatest decrease was among white students and wealthy students. Many Obese Women Face Stigma Every Day, Study Finds (HealthDay) A new study found women who were overweight or suffered from obesity were likely to be faced with frequent, daily insults and humiliation from strangers, family and friends. Researchers recruited 50 women who were asked to log their “weight-stigmatizing” events in a diary during the course of a week. A total of 1,077 occurrences were reported including physical barriers (84%), nasty comments from others (74%), being stared at (72%) and others making negative assumptions (72%). Each woman experienced an average of three negative events over a seven-day period. Researchers found BMI was “the most significant factor associated with all forms of stigma except that caused by interpersonal relationships.” Ted Kyle, advocacy advisor for The Obesity Society, felt the study was limited due to the size and lack of data from other groups including males and other ethnic groups as most participates were white. He commented, “Most everybody struggles with some kind of health issue but obesity is something you wear on the outside.” The study was published recently in the Journal of Health Psychology.

I wanted to schedule surgery right away but I have a 6 month wait (probably Feb). At first I was upset but now trying to implement new habits, finding protein sources I like and stopping soda ahead time, it's probably a blessing. The time will go by fast.

Do the shakes have lactose? There's also liquid Protein maybe that might help a little better Sent from my LG-H811 using the BariatricPal App

Quest bar, I'm rounding into week 5 and have no problems so far with foods. I see my docs Today. Just curious if I could nibble on it since I'm going to a convention this weekend and it's easier to pack a bar in my purse. So any thoughts? My shake I can get in the morning. And we do break for lunch so I can get a planned meal in then. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

So I had my surgery on 6/29, after being a Lap Band patient from 9 years ago. I have lost so far 21lbs. I find myself on the scale everyday, just to be sure that I am not going in the wrong direction, which I probably need to stop doing. I just came back to work this past Monday, and it seems that I am moving round more but I haven't lost a pound. Again, being that I have been down this road, I want to be sure that we have as many WINS as we can. I just want to be sure that I am doing okay ya'll. I go for my 4 week follow up with my doctor tomorrow. Ya'll know I am over the shakes, but I still drink at least one every morning, and try to get the rest of my Protein through my food, and if anyone knows of another one that's a little easier to deal with or other ways to get my protein in besides Celebrate? I've heard about gummies and other stuff , but I just want a little more input. Of course I get full quickly, so I stopped adding almond milk to my shakes because it makes it to much. I am literally trying to get in the 4 oz. per hour. So now I'm just mixing it with Water, which isn't too bad. Any suggestions of anything more that I can or should be doing? I'm watching how my body reacts to anything that I eat, which is a job in itself. Some of ya'll have had great successes, and I want to be successful too!! I am open and very receptive!!

You're not alone. I'm 6 weeks out tomorrow and sleep 10 hours a night. I'm exhausted. I take my Vitamins, too, and I aim for 800 calories a day. I struggle to get my Protein and Water in. I get in the bare minimum. I know I need more calories and hydration because I've started walking an hour a day. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thank you to everyone for your advice and experience. I know it's different for everyone. I wanted to provide you all with an update. I just came from my six-week doctors appointment and I asked all these questions to them. They stated that the fatigue is completely normal. That our bodies are just getting used to the new sleeve and weight adjustment and it should subside within the next six weeks. The caloric intake I'm taking in is normal as well. They stated my three meals a day of 2 to 3 ounces with two Snacks with your Protein shakes, are perfect. I wanted to give you all that update for anyone who is going through what I am going through now. If anyone's doctors have said anything contrary to this, please let me know. I'm always open to hearing other opinions. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App