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You're certainly going to lose some muscle mass, but it doesn't have to be a lot - keep up with your protein intake (80 grams a day can be harder than you think when you're "just not hungry") and start gentle exercises as soon as your surgeon clears you (emphasis on GENTLE)

Leaks are pretty unlikely from a laugh or cough. But you have to be careful not to lift anything heavy for approx. 4-6 weeks (my limitation was 10lbs, then 20lbs). It will be sore and you will know when to "baby" it. The hospital that I had surgery at gives all bariatric patients a "Bari-Bear" and it helps when you sneeze or cough to hold it close to your abdomen. You can do the same thing with a pillow. Scar tissue can always pose a risk, but that's what pre op testing is for. It should only cause a problem for future surgeries. There is always the possibility of a stricture as well. But they are easily identified and treated. You don't need to practice sipping, your body will remind you, that I promise. Some people don't have a problem with drinking after a few days, weeks, and some take months. But within a few weeks, I could gulp without a problem. The bigger concern is the frequency that you are drinking. Make sure you set a timer and get your fluids in. One of my top ten tips, is to avoid protein shakes until you have to (pre op diet or after surgery) because those shakes will become your worst enemy eventually. No need to expedite the process. Crushed ice should be OK after surgery. I know a lot of community members who actually make snow cone ice and its been a God sent for them. Good luck my dear! Congrats

This all sounds logical & If you've begun the process, more than likely you are seriously *thinking* about going through with it. No one else has to live in your body so as always, the choice is yours alone, but I personally would only take bariatric surgery advice from a Bariatric Surgeon (same for Neuro, Cardiology or any specialization) I bet anyone would be hard pressed to find family & friends telling them to continue to walk on a broken ankle, struggle to see without glasses or leave a dangerous bacterial infection to run it's natural course because that's what nature intended. In fact in our times modern medicine and technology, it's commonly understood that intervention is often necessary to live an optimal life. Do whatever gives you that option. Good Luck ♥️ Side Bar: I personally believe the stigma, fear and disapproval surrounding bariatrics can be born from the perception that an obese person has fallen to the vices of greed, gluttony and sloth. These semi subconscious ideologies are deeply rooted in our Westernized society as seen in the parabolic work of Dante Alighieri or philosophical writings of Thomas Aquinas.

I am a Type 1 diabetic and wear a pump. I did go out and buy some glucose tablets. My dietician advised that I drink milk to raise my lows. I have adjusted my basal rate and my bolus amounts per meal. My diet is pretty strict, but thankfully not all liquids. I have to have 3 Protein shakes a day. Breakfast, mid-afternoon, bedtime. lunch and dinner can either be salad greens, 1/2 cup veggies, + 3 oz protein or I can have 1 frozen meal like lean cuisine, just less than 300 cals and 14 g protein or more. Freebie Snacks include celery, radishes, SF Jello, SF popsicle. After those first 2 lows, I haven't had any since. It is just going to be a trial and error as to what the magic level will be. I'm sure I'll have to adjust even more after the surgery on April 5th, since I'll just be on liquids for 2 weeks.

I am a month post op. everything is going great. I don't feel sick and I get all my water and protein daily. I lost 18 lbs the first 2 weeks and now I'm done. Am I done losing for good? Getting so discouraged!

I love savory foods with a lot of flavor. I based this recipe on the Ricotta Bake from previous threads. The cheddar and Greek yogurt were the key to making this very satisfying for me. 15 ounces light ricotta cheese 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (would also be great with broccoli or cauliflower) 1 cup freshly grated/shredded parmesan cheese 1 large egg 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (use 2% if you like, for less fat) 3 tablespoons fat free Greek yogurt salt to taste Mix all together - except for 1/2 C of parmesan -- put in a baking dish. Then add another 1/2 C of parmesan cheese on top and bake @ 350 till golden - - about 30 minutes. or Mix all together and put in a container of your choice. When you want a melty, cheezy snack, spoon out about a tablespoon and microwave for 30 seconds. (If you are concerned about the raw egg in the recipe, baking is always the safe bet. Reheating is easy and equally melty and cheezy.) According to a recipe/nutrition calculator, each tablespoon contains about 6 grams of Protein. Fat will vary with the type of cheese you use. With regular cheddar, it has 5grams of fat and 81 calories.

I started buying protein shakes from Market America for their Transitions Diet here is the link for the shakes. http://www.marketame...tion_shakes.htm There really good and don't have that power chalky texture and they fit into the low glycymic with the high protein for the pre-op and post-op requirements. If you order please put in the shonnee22@yahoo.com refered you. I actually will order both the chocolate and vanilla and mix them together. For 14 servings it is 29.95 which isn't bad at all. This shake when mixed with Skim Milk has 26g of protein.

I can't stand the taste of most low carb Protein drinks. The best ones I have found were the EAS and Atkins advantage that are premade in the 4 packs to buy. Expensive but much better than the powder. Both can be found at Walmart.

You aren't even hitting 60 grams of protein? That's a real problem. I was easily at 100 grams at 3 months out. You should definitely work on protein and water and worry about everything else after you are on track with those two.

Hi All, Thanks for the responses. My Protein has always been high. It's the staple of my diet I get like 100g a day. I up'd my cal intake because before during my dreaded 5 month stall I was around 800 calories. The more I ate the more I lost. I only weigh on Weds and Saturday mornings. I think the workouts and Water is helping but I will just have to wait until Weds to see if there is a difference. I have read the boards and know that this to will come and go eventually, Just needed a place to vent. Thanks all.

Dlcoggin posted the following to one of my posts whey was once considered a waste product from the process used for making cheese. It is a highly digestible, complete Protein made from cow's milk. Whey concentrate is about 80% protein with relatively low levels of fat, carbohydrates, and cholesterol (but still higher than whey isolate). So whey concentrate not only has a high percentage of protein but also provides healthy fats that boost the immune system. But if you're lactose intolerant, whey isolate may be easier to digest. Whey isolate goes through an additional micro filtering process that is not used in producing whey concentrate. As a result, whey isolate is about 90% protein. Micro filtering removes the lactose and fat but also destroys many of the immune system boosting properties of whey. Whey isolate can also be significantly more expensive than concentrate because of the additional processing required. The digestibility of various Proteins is published in the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). The PDCAAS has been adopted by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization. Proteins are ranked on a scale of 0 (least digestible) to 1 (most digestible). Whey, Soy, Milk, and Casein proteins all have a PDCAAS score of 1.0. The bottom line is that with whey isolate you get more protein per gram (but not necessarily any better) and it may be better handled by those who are lactose intolerant. With whey concentrate you get slightly less protein per gram but added benefits from the higher fat content. As several folks have noted, the first test that any protein you're going to drink or eat has to pass is - taste. If you are not lactose intolerant and you find a protein that you like, the difference in protein content for whey isolate vs. whey concentrate vs. milk concentrate should likely be a minor consideration. One word of caution - stay away from the protein "bullets" and "shots" that you will see in stores and read about online. If you look closely at their ingredient list, you will see that they are made with collagen protein. These products are attractive to bypass patients because they contain very large amounts of protein in very small volumes - usually 3 to 4 ounces. The problem is that collagen protein is an incomplete protein (meaning that it is missing one or more of the nine essential amino acids that your body requires and cannot manufacture) and more importantly, collagen has a PDCAAS digestibility score of 0.08. All the protein in the world is useless if your body cannot digest it.

I heard the collagen protein is worthless to us postop.

I was planning to buy gut feeling when excuse the pun. Is I will still be too weak and working on gas pains, hydration and getting protein in. I do have z desk job so I can manage urgent emails from home but think I will limit my self to that.

I have heard the same harsh comments as many people have...just cut back, exercise, diet, drink more water, eat more veggies...you name it, and I have probably heard it. I didn't choose to be overweight, it just seemed to creep up on me slowly and before I knew it, I weighed 300 pounds...from having kids, from not being active, from being a good cook, from marrying into an Italian family. I had WLS after my husband said to me that he was concerned about me and my health, and that he wanted me to be around so we could enjoy retirement together. He didn't want me to sleep all day and not be able to go for a walk, and mostly he could see how I was depressed from my weight. He is my biggest supporter, and he didn't care how much it would cost, just "get it done". So, after years of yoyo dieting, trying every fad diet in the land, I was banded and I have to say it is the best money I have ever spent. I do not regret it for one moment because you see, I am a food-aholic...just like an alcoholic, but with food. I was not able to help myself. Now, I have learned healthy eating habits and choose the foods that appeal to me. I no longer crave the chips, chocolates, ice cream, cake, cookies, popcorn that used to rule my life. Now when I get a hankering for something to eat, my thoughts turn to protein, veggies and fruit. But I know this would not have been possible without my band. My band is a reminder to me each and every day of the new me, and I am going to be on this wonderful journey forever. So, when someone gives you a bunch of grief because you have decided or did have WLS, tell them to walk a mile in your shoes, and tell them to be sure to climb those stairs 2 or 3 times a day, and then tell them it is not a crime to want something better for yourself, to want to be around to see your kids or grand kids get married, to see them graduate. My bi-weekly trips to my dr's office are fantastic. I get excited to get on the scale and see that it has moved backwards, closer to a new me. The dr is proud of me too, and I can tell you, that goes a long way in my book of "good feelings". So if you are contemplating WLS, I say B-R-A-V-O. YOU GO AN 'GET'ER DONE'. You will probably find the road a little bumpy at times, but so worth it. I LOVE MY BAND Zil Banded 8/19/2011, starting weight, 299, weight loss to date 76#s, and another 65 to go...hoping to make it by 11/1/2012. Oh, BTW, it did take me 5 months to get into the green zone and that was with fills every 2 weeks.

It may not be entirely the Protein, it may be the shake itself. Every time I go in my surgeon hammers at me about how the pyloric valve (the one at the bottom of the stomach) is very effecient at letting liquids through very quickly and keeping solids in the stomach. He tells me to avoid anything mushy or liquid with calories because they'll go right through and your body's hunger won't be as satiated. "Make sure you are eating solids." He warns me EVERY time that if I don't stick to the solid foods (meat, eggs etc) that the surgery could be pointless. Just throwing it out there

Your workouts are lasting far more than most 2-3 hours? Good Job! You need lots of Protein so the shakes are fine. Other items you should have on hand to eat during your rest periods).... Trail mix Orange slices banana String cheese Apples slices and Peanut Butter Low sodium turkey or chicken breast lunchmeat wrapped around your cheese stick of choice. Protein Bars cut into cubes. Mini fruit kabobs on (toothpicks) Or mini cheese and meat kabobs Pre pack 3-4 snack items of your liking to sustain you so when you stop for Water or other breaks you can take a couple bites of something that packs a punch. Afterward you can eat a light and refreshing lunch like a strawberry, avocado and grilled chicken salad.

Congratulations on your decision and determination to be healthier! Most of us know the feeling of yo yo dieting and the many other problems that obesity brings so you are in the right place! People here are wonderful and super supportive! I don't know for sure about Medicaid or Medicare but I believe that they do cover geriatric surgery but you have to go through along and difficult process to get it approved. Try typing Medicaid or Medicare on the search option and you might find other peoples previous comments on the topic. You might also want to call them and ask (that would be the best thing to do). After much research I decided the sleeve would be the best option for me too! Good luck and I look forward to seeing your journey!

Drs and NUTs are all over the place when it comes to Protein needs. If you know what works for your body stick to it! I keep trying to get mine higher hoping I will start loosing faster. Every time I go down to only one protein shake a day I stop loosing. No way I could give up my breakfast replacement iced coffee with protein added.

My surgery is May 19th but I already changed my diet on March 1st in preparation (we stay very low carb, low/no sugar as much as possible). So yeah, my closets and fridge have been cleaned out of all processed/boxed foods and junk that we don't need or shouldn't have. I've also begun the process of stocking my cabinets with Powerade Zeros, various protein drinks/flavors, got my food scale, child size utensils, containers.........the only things I have left to get are some sugar free Jello and Pudding, some bone broth, some flavorless protein powder, some sugar free popsicles and I think that's it. I even got my Biotene mouth spray and some extra chapstick for the hospital stay as others suggested. That, combined with what I already bought, should all get me through the first few weeks then I'll adjust or alter based on what I need/want from there. I feel well prepared, or at least I will be, over the next few weeks. As for how I feel, I'm just excited and ready to get it done and over with. As for the food, like I said, I've altered that over a month ago and had done this same thing in the past so I'm used to that and have no issues. I'm ready!!

I am 8 weeks out from surgery and can not add fruits and vegetables util next week. The last 4 weeks I have been on soft proteins only. I have not had a vegetable since before surgery. I would pay close attention to what your NUT has to say about your diet progression. They have an established program for a reason; It has worked for their patients. Good Luck to you!

Thanks everyone for the congrats and encouraging words. It is amazing how all of this is working out. I know i am still a newly banded and there may be time I won't be this excited. I will relish while I can and prepare for some of the possibilities that can happen. CTJohn great job on A1C. January 2014 mine was 11.2 repeat test before surgery (April 2014) was 8.2. I had changed my eating habits and increased the protein and lower carbs. Can't wait to see what my next A1C will be like in July.

There was a great debate on another forum about weight loss and hair loss. Some people say it's Protein, some say it's rapid weight loss, some say (like Daisy stated) that's a huge shock to your system. I didn't experience any hair loss with my band surgery. I'm a month out from the sleeve, and haven't noticed any hair loss.

Stalls will happen some will be longer than others, I been on a stall for 3months now yes its frustrating but we must keep on going maybe increase our water intake and protein,..until our bodies start to function again and it gets ready to start loosing pds,..just keep in mind while stalling we do loose inches.

In my humble opinion, nothing will prevent your hair from falling out. It happens to most. I thought I dodged a bullet, but I started losing hair at around 5 months. I do everything by the book...vitamins, protein, you name it. Still lost some hair. Luckily, it was thick enough that I was the only one who noticed. Well, along with my hairdresser At almost 8 months out, I am noticing some re growth, ( I look like I stuck my finger in a socket with all the new hairs growing in) so it didn't last too long. Hopefully it will be the same for you

Hi {almost} surgery twin! I'm being sleeved on the 10th. My liquid diet starts on July 5th, it's 3-4 protein shakes per day and water and/or other clear liquids only.