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That was my guideline...high protein and low carb. I don't have to do shakes or liquid.

Dear Cindy this is your LOVE LETTER TO YOURSELF Jeremiah 29:11 You can do this! YOU have for this! The old will be gone The "New" will come Jesus Loves You! YOU ARE THE DAUGHTER OF A KING! Remember when times get tuff, YOUR WHY... A DAUGHTER that calls you MOMMY Cindy you where created for GREATNESS! I BELIEVE IN YOU Water SIP Protein & walk! Then REPEAT Cindy remember your weight loss journey begins in your MIND & SPIRIT You are creating Health & Abundance CINDY LOVE YOURSELF. Take care of your NEW self! THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING PART OF MY ‪#‎weightlossjourney‬. FOLLOW me ON ‪#‎youtube‬ & watch the video Love Letter to myself the night before Vertical Sleeve surgery! http://www.cindyvirden.com HW 268 SW 250 CW 242.8 TL 25.2 pounds TL since surgery on August 4, 2014 7.2 pounds ‪ #‎vsg‬ ‪#‎verticalsleevegastrectomy‬ ‪#‎verticlesleeve‬ ‪#‎gastricband‬ ‪#‎gastricbypass‬ ‪#‎gastricsleeve‬ ‪#‎weightlosssurgery‬ ‪#‎bariatricsurgery‬ ‪#‎bariatricfood‬

@@msfitn2014 - Good, i am glad you are aware of the issue. I have seen it talked about a bit around here but I wasn't sure if doctors and nutritionists were telling patients about absorption rates or not. @@KrissySMD I know that, prior to this info, I was thinking about how to get the most Protein in a single serving that I could. So I was looking for shakes that had like 40 grams a serving thinking it would be easier to choke them down. Now, I will cut the scoop in half which will be both more economical and more palatable to boot.

Being an ex personal trainer and nutritionist I can tell you my thoughts, your body cannot absorb more than 45grams of protein at any given time. And in fact it is a waste of calories. Any additional protein will put both your liver and kidney at high risk. It's also a well Known fact that you can gain a kinda coating of protein around your kidneys ( a coating of fat ) so it is definitely dangerous. I have worked with people, albeit 4 yrs ago that have had kidney issues because of this same reason. Of course feel free to google it for a second opinion. :-)

CANNOT WAIT until Monday when I can finally have full liquids. Salivating, fantasizing over what to have first. Ideas, anyone? I love Soup, so that's not a problem, not one little bit. ---Begin Rant--- I love my own homemade chicken broth, but I'm soooo over it now. tired of all the other sweet options on Clear Liquids, juices, jellos. but will tough it out. gave up on Protein supplements after 2 days - blech. don't think there'll be a problem starting stage 2, as i like the Premier Protein from costco. Longing for savory stuff... ---End Rant--- So, would love to hear your full liquid ideas - savories please! I can manage just fine finding sweet options. Thank you!

I'm 11 days post op and I was having a hard time with my protein. My new best friend is SF hot chocolate mixed with one scoop of unflavored protein powder. I mix it all up in my shaker and then heat it up in the microwave. I use a little extra water to cut down on the richness of it.

I am so glad to have all of your support! Thank you. Over the weekend I decided to tried ground meats and chew them REALLY good. SUCCESS!! I can eat about 2 oz of meat so that helps with Protein intake. I might actually get all my protein in today!! I'm using one your suggestions...starting the day with a shake(11g proteins). Then I'm eating a meat at my next meal(13g). Sipping Herbalife Beverage Drink mix throughout the day(15g protein). With other meat protein based meals. My fatigue is so bad that I feel intense urgency to figure out how to work in the protein/calories each day. I hate feeling so wiped out! I may need to take a day or two off of work just to rest up. I'm one of those people who don't miss much work. I had surgery on a Wednesday and went back to work on that Monday. So maybe I just haven't given my body enough time to heal. Us nurses sometimes are the most non compliant patients. LOL

@codingirl79 hi newbie you are brand new here, but i see you have lost 80 lbs - DOS. 11/6/18 - post sleeve, that's terrific sounds, like you are doing everything right!! being healthy and a cutie, what more could you ask for!!☺️ at 10 months out. you have to "weigh" LOL your options - how about meeting in the middle with you calories, see if you can maintain at 1300. Try it for awhile and see what happens. Continue to up/down your calories until you are maintaining - and feeling good Many variables like @summerset good luck welcome to the boards☺️ kathy congrats

You may find that you need to be on a stool softener and fiber powder every day. I add a non flavored powder fiber to my water every day. You don't even know it is there, but you do know when you forget. You should be regular, but you will need help to get that way because we are now eating so much protein and pretty much no fiber.

The high protein diet can stop you up. Add a stool softener and take Miralax until you get relief. You don't want to end up in the ER. Make sure you getting all your non protein fluids in too!

So weird all the conflicting theories on hairloss. I was told it is due to the loss of Protein you experience after surgery...since most people can't get all their protein in. I started taking Biotin about a month ago and I have no idea when I might be banded...on the six month supervised diet right now. I will caution you on the Biotin, it can cause breakouts...so you'll want to start on the lowest dosage you can find. I'm currently on 750 ml...found it on Amazon.

When I attended my orientation, the bariatric coordinator explained that we would have to choose between the two and we pick them. The Dr uses both and it's up to the patient. I have been running searches but to no avail. When they passed both around the room, the differences that stood out to me were the way the band inflates. The Lap Band has sectioned pieces on the ring and the Realize has one continuous band (non perforated) if that makes any sense. My question is - Did others have options between the two? Are there pros and cons to each? Are they the same in results? Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

I switched to decaf prior to surgery, actually because of other medical problems caused by caffinated coffee (irregular heart beats). I actually have a Kurig and use K-cups with my own decaf (too cheap to buy the pods), but also add vanilla protein or chocolate protein to start my day with along with jump starting my metabolism. Once in awhile I'll get a decaf, non-fat venti latte at Starbucks, which has protein also, so MyFitnessPal tells me. Plus my pouch likes something warm the first thing in the morning. Doesn't care too much for something cold.

I'm 4.5 months out I've lost 70lbs since surgery and total of 110lbs since I've started the program a year ago. I'm very happy but very scared of going back. Typical day 5 oz low fat yogurt with my crushed medicine. Protein shake about hour later. This is where I'm worried lunch I eat 6-8 oz low fat cottage cheese. I get my water and at least 2-3 protein shakes that's not my worry. Dinner 3/4 cup fish/chicken with salad. I'll sometimes swap lunch and dinner ,but the fact that I can eat 8 oz cottage cheese worries me. In between meals I'll sometimes eat a banana 3/4 of one. I've done this with minimal exercise plan on changing this very soon as weather gets better. Just very worried I can eat so much without sickness.

I have become so tired of protein drinks too. But I know we have to have it. A friend told me about Nectar unflavored protein. I was sorta sceptical, but thought I would try it so I got a jug and tried it twice today. I was amazed that I could not taste it. I put 2 scoops in an ice coffee and 2 more this evening in sf cho. soy milk. It was good too. The vit are awful and the nut at the surgeons office was telling us about one that is vanilla flavor, so I got some of them and they are not as bad as the fruit flavored one.I try my best to not smell the protein or vit. Make sure to wash your mouth out really good after taking the vit. Make sure what food you do eat is high in protein, I think chicken is your best bet. I wish I could help more. Maybe if you have soup you could try adding the protein to that. It is 10 gms a scoop so you would not have to have to many scoops to get in enough.

Are you making sure that you are eating protien rich foods, like soft meats, cheeses, and eggs? One thing my NUT told me to buy was unflavored protien...I usually add it to some low fat pudding or yogurt and it turns my yogurt from being 13g of protien to 23 grams of protien.... It was a good investment....also I like Injury strawberry sorbet protien powder and if I see I'm not going to meet my Protein numbers (which is 60 too) I mix a scoop of that with 8oz of crystal light lemonade and have a 8oz strawberry lemonade drink that I really like... the lastest thing I have been experimenting with is with Jerky...I have to eat it slow of course (6 wks out) but I found one that's 80 cal and 14g of protien.... What Vitamin do you take?? I take the Celebrate chewables and like them....they are expensive, but I'm worth it!

For those who have to or are choosing to do the protein shakes pre-op--what size are the shakes? I've found some that are 500 grams, 55 grams of protein, almost 300 calories, 14 grams of carbs.... I've asked about the pre-op liquids and the clinic said they don't ask for that, but it's up to me. I'm just not sure of how much. These full shakes x 3 per day just seems like a lot. Maybe 2 x plus a meal? If a regular normal meal-shake is 200 grams or something, then one bottle per day could be enough with 1 regular meal. I'd LOVE to lose about 25 lbs before the surgery. Of course, not knowing when the surgery is makes it tough to plan, so I'm trying to get ahead of the game.

Went to my last visit with my DR.today. Found out that I may not be able to get the Surgery because of a issues with genetics.Sad but glad I have a doctor that's going the extra mile.. He told me to start the Liquid Diet anyway until he can talk to Genetic specialist..something that has to do with protein..please pray for me.. But my life is more Important:(

I am 5 days post op and I still weigh more than the day of surgery. I have had no trouble getting my fluids or protein in. I have had minimal pain and feel pretty good. I can not tell if I am full. I've had a full carton of yogurt that ended with a runny nose but I did not feel full. Help !!

My husband and I finally received the information on his insurance options for next year today. His options are staying the same - which means we can switch to his plan and still have something deductible and out-of-pocket-max free. Add to that it will save us $8 a payperiod of my own plan that's going away. So we will be switching to Aetna. From things I read around here, seems Aetna is good about this. But I don't know what my specific case will be. Right now I am on Cigna. Cigna required a six month supervised weight loss program which I am one month into. Cigna required a pysch consult which I have done the testing for. I go back on Monday to get the results. Yes, I'm nuts. Not sure why anyone has to pay for that info. :smile: Cigna required letters of medical necessity from any practictioners with ongoing care. In my case that's my PCP and my OB/GYN. I got one from my PCP. I see my OB/GYN next Thurs but don't expect an issue here as he has mentioned this in the past. The good news about Aetna is all of my doc's - the pcp, the ob/gyn, even the surgeon, are still in-network. So there will be no change of care. Cigna required a nutritionist consult. I will have that on Thurs when I go in for my weigh in. When I go in for that weigh in, I'll see what they might be able to say about this switch. Seems that some with Aetna only have to do three months of supervised weightloss. So maybe this is happening sooner? But in perusing Aetna's website, I found a document that says I have to have documented severe obesity issues for two years or more. I have not been over a BMI of 40 for a year, let alone two. I've been at 40 (and counting) since the start of this year. Last year I hovered around 37-38. Got off BC at the beginning of the year and that threw everything out of whack. Problem is that while I have history of a BMI over 35, I do not have any comorbidities.... I feel so much better about the insurance. There may have to be a delay in getting the insurance requirements sorted out after that insurance plan goes into effect (Jan 1 2010) but in the meantime I can keep plugging away on all this other stuff. I do know that I will still have to have the psych consult and a nutritionist consult. I do know there is a supervised weightloss time period - may be 6 months may be 3. But I can keep all this going. And the motivation is back. I no longer feel like there's a potential hurdle to overcome. YAY!:crying::thumbup::thumbup:

My husband and I finally received the information on his insurance options for next year today. His options are staying the same - which means we can switch to his plan and still have something deductible and out-of-pocket-max free. Add to that it will save us $8 a payperiod of my own plan that's going away. So we will be switching to Aetna. From things I read around here, seems Aetna is good about this. But I don't know what my specific case will be. Right now I am on Cigna. Cigna required a six month supervised weight loss program which I am one month into. Cigna required a pysch consult which I have done the testing for. I go back on Monday to get the results. Yes, I'm nuts. Not sure why anyone has to pay for that info. :wub: Cigna required letters of medical necessity from any practictioners with ongoing care. In my case that's my PCP and my OB/GYN. I got one from my PCP. I see my OB/GYN next Thurs but don't expect an issue here as he has mentioned this in the past. The good news about Aetna is all of my doc's - the pcp, the ob/gyn, even the surgeon, are still in-network. So there will be no change of care. Cigna required a nutritionist consult. I will have that on Thurs when I go in for my weigh in. When I go in for that weigh in, I'll see what they might be able to say about this switch. Seems that some with Aetna only have to do three months of supervised weightloss. So maybe this is happening sooner? But in perusing Aetna's website, I found a document that says I have to have documented severe obesity issues for two years or more. I have not been over a BMI of 40 for a year, let alone two. I've been at 40 (and counting) since the start of this year. Last year I hovered around 37-38. Got off BC at the beginning of the year and that threw everything out of whack. Problem is that while I have history of a BMI over 35, I do not have any comorbidities.... I feel so much better about the insurance. There may have to be a delay in getting the insurance requirements sorted out after that insurance plan goes into effect (Jan 1 2010) but in the meantime I can keep plugging away on all this other stuff. I do know that I will still have to have the psych consult and a nutritionist consult. I do know there is a supervised weightloss time period - may be 6 months may be 3. But I can keep all this going. And the motivation is back. I no longer feel like there's a potential hurdle to overcome. YAY!:thumbup::scared2:

Hi, my name is Beatriz and I live in the Greater Chicago Area. Thinking about bariatric surgery and looking for info and support. I thought my latest blog post would be a good introduction: Moving to a new city meant I had to get a whole new set of doctors. I’ve been lucky enough to find good ones that (seem to) know what they are doing and with very short drives from home. My first visit with the endocrinologist was great and I’ve been taking care of myself, following (almost) all his recommendations. Next appointment was with the OB-GYN to discuss my rather frustrating femaleness and the whole trying to conceive thing; not an easy task for a person like me. I am not blind to my health issues. I am morbidly obese (that took courage to write down!), I have type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels, a poor-functioning thyroid gland and other conditions related to my weight. It annoys me to no end when people talk to me as if they think I have no idea of what I have to deal with. Yet I don’t do enough to change things; or maybe I do but it doesn’t work. I’ve been chubby all my life. I have tried every single diet in the book. I remember my mom making me drink grapefruit juice and other badly-tasting concoctions every morning when I was a kid. When I was in 5th grade I went to see weight-loss doctor who ended up giving me amphetamines to everyone’s dismay. When I went to college I saw a doctor who was very much in vogue with the Atkins diet. I’ve seen tons of dietitians; I’ve done the Herbalife thing and some others. In 2005 I was able to lose 50% of the weight I need to get rid of all by myself, but once I left the discipline of eating healthy and going to the gym every day I’m back at square one. It happens all the time. I’m not going to elaborate on the psychological consequences of the “Yoyo Effect.” I think I’ve managed to have a pretty normal life despite being made fun of when I was a kid, feeling rejected by the guy I liked when I was a teenager, being told I wasn’t good enough to attend a certain college where only pretty people go, etc. And while I have to admit all that has played a role in my development as a person, I think it’s a matter of personal responsibility to deal with it and take the steps to change certain things that don’t work. So now the focus is my health and the fact that if I want to be ready for conception I need to take a very careful look at the options out there. That’s why when my OB-GYN asked me if I’ve ever considered bariatric surgery I decided that I’m going to look into it. I’ve heard horror stories and it’s scary, but there are also the good stories and it doesn’t hurt to ask. I talked to my cousin – who’s a doctor and one of the people whose opinion I value the most – and when she told me “by all means, go for it!” I knew I had to get more information. So I’ve been reading a lot about lap-band surgery, I joined a message board and I’m trying to get an appointment with a surgeon my OB-GYN recommended (still waiting for the office to call me back). From the looks of it, I’m a good candidate for the surgery, and I know it will be a long process but I think it’s worth a shot. In Spanish we say “A grandes males, grandes remedios.” – It means the bigger the problem, the bigger the remedy needs to be. Maybe it’s time for me to think bigger.

Your BMI (body mass index) is 33.3. Most of the US suggests a BMI of 40+ regardless of comorbidities or 35+ with several comorbidities. Mostly no one in the US will band under 35 is the "general" consensus. For your height you would need to weigh in around 241 for the 40+ category and 212 for the 35+ category as well as several major health issues that are comorbidities (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc) Yes, there are people like you. Yes, there are people like you that were banded. Yes, you have every right to use the tool like anyone else. Yes, you do have to be a bit larger if insurance in the states were to cover it (I was told to gain 40 and come back, uhhh don't think so doc). Yes, there are other options. Many of the lower BMI patients (me included) who struggle with weight loss go to another country to have the surgery. I was a self pay and went to Mexico. There are MANY of us going to Mexico but I have heard others going to Australia, Belgium, Italy, Etc etc. The costs vary from surgeon to surgeon and country to country. I believe most of Mexico is around the $9-10k range. Most of us either paid in cash, financed it, second mortgage, equity takeout, got a low interest credit card (with miles), hocked a bunch of garage stuff in yard sales, ebayed stuff for the money, sold a car and rode the bus, whatever we had to do.... Going to another country is not for everyone though. It can be a bit nerve wracking. There are plenty of qualified fantastic out of the country surgeons and there are some whackjobs. You MUST do your research to make an educated opinion and decision if you decide to self pay out of the country. Another option may be to look into a US test group of lower bmi bands. I know there have been some. One in New York was just done and they banded many with under 35 BMI for comparisons. I don't think they do it often and it probably is hard to get on, but might be worth a looksee. I too did not have A LOT to lose but I had gained and lost it 4 times in 10 years. I do not have a problem doing the dieting to get it off, I have a problem with maintaining it. I lose, then gain with some, then lose, then gain with some, then lose, then gain with some.... over and over. It was a vicious cycle. The band has allowed me to diet and lose the weight and maintain that weight. For me, it was not the losing tool it was the maintaining tool. I lost most of my excess weight early on and I have been maintaining now without a crapload of effort at my current weight for 3 months now. I do wish to lose about 15 more till my goal but for now, I am good at where I am. It is not the bands fault I am not losing the rest of the 15, it is mine because I am not exercising properly. The band will not cause you to lose the weight at your current weight. you will have to work WITH the band. The band will not restrict you from eating that Twinkie for dinner and feel full and satisfied, but if you choose to have the small skinless baked chicken breast instead you will still feel full and satisfied. It is hard at first to get over the fact that you aren't eating to savor the initial taste and mental satisfaction that the Twinkie gives you. I wish you much luck in your journey and your research. You are off to a good start in your research by coming to LBT. There is a search button up top that may also give you lots of great info in your journey. I know there is also a links thread that you may find useful. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=11424 Links http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7959 abbreviations and what they mean

I am a year post op and last night started vomiting with Diarrhea. Was a rough night and became dizzy and nearly passed out a few times. Things seem to have settled yet all I have tried is apple juice and one protein shake. I am scared to try solids even though many recommend crackers and toast. Any suggestions on what to eat or should I just remain on fluids for a few days.

@@Soexcited I had my surgery at South Bay with Dr. Zane (really wonderful man). I am doing fine, I am no where close to getting my protein in because I stopped tolerating the protein drinks (anything chocolate flavored). I had to be placed on extra medicine because it would hurt like hell every time I swallowed something. That issue is MUCH better now. Other than that, I lost 10lbs in the first 10 days and I think I have lost another 10lbs since my first post op appointment which was on 7/16. No regrets