serious

A very dear friend of mine, her grandmother used to make me greens. I LOVED them! She passed away about 2 weeks ago before she taught me how to do this myself. For this reason I especially appreciate this recipe.

I know she used ham hocks. I do not even know what a ham hock is. Can you tell me how greens are made with ham hocks and where I get these things?

Grandma was very special to me. I was not prepared for her to move on. She was supposed to teach me how to make southern fried chicken and greens the old way. But she passed away first. She spoke of taking the easy way out, frozen greens and cooked her way. I do not know what her way was. It was very good. ;o)

Your timing is perfect, thanks for the recipe.

ETA.... I believe she said she used collard greens, is there some special recipe for collard greens? She introduced me to this fantastic food and it feels like I'll never get to experience it again now that she's gone. (

Wasa,

I basically cook my collards the same as the OP; in chicken broth with minced garlic, BUT, I use turkey wings as the meat. I am originally from Atlanta, so I appreciate good southern cooking. I cook mine in a crock pot and can eat that meal for days. Plenty of good Protein and Vitamins in it. :001_tt2:

Okay so I need some help! I still can't take in much liquids (Renee has tried to get me to go in for IV Fluids but I don't think I am that far gone yet) I am on full fluids and can't seem to find anything really I can take! I need advice on what works best! I have tried Tomato Soup, different kinds of smoothies, stew and bean and bacon Soup blended up, Atkins shakes, and whey Protein shakes. I can't take more then 3-4 sips and sometimes that makes me feel ill!!! The only thing I have been able to get down..about (2 oz or so) was the carnation instant mix I made for my kids and that is not really ideal... Please let me know if you found anything especially good that might help me get more into my body...the past few weeks have really sucked food and liquid wise! Thanks all!

Eyfura,

You know you can also do ice chips, (different textures) and sf popsicles. I used to get Vitamin Water and make ice cubes from it. I tolerated frozen things better during the liquid phase than just liquids. This was the only way I was able to get enough in. For one thing, you can hold frozen things in your mouth and just let it melt. Even at three months out, Water and such has to be very, very cold or slushy. I went hiking the other day, and got nausaeous off of room temperature water.

I am a band to sleeve revision. For me, the sleeve not only provides restriction, but my tastes have changed. I am past three months post op, so I don't see that changing.

Anyway, my point being, that pre sleeve I was a big time sweet eater. I could eat sweets all day long and I loved candy. I would eat candy everyday. When I had the band, that was a recipe for disaster since the band allows you to eat slider foods and didn't affect my sweet tooth therefore I gained weight.

With the sleeve, I cannot tolerate anything too sweet. I am finally able to do what all the diet books advise; I can eat maybe a bite of something sweet when I do get a sweet craving, then I'm done. It's like miracle.

I never considered the RNY because there are way too many people reporting complications that never seem to end on the complications forum on OH. Also, I only had about 60 # to lose. I am a little over 3 months out and am now only 20# from goal.

I am one of the ones whose tastes did change: and I think it's here to stay because I am now past three months post op. Plain Water is boring, I can only drink it if it is super cold.

One trick I have found that works for me is to cut my juice with water; like 1/4th juice with 3/4th water. That way I can get some flavor and get my water in at the same time.

Juice, Vitamin water etc, are all too sweet by themselves, so this works for me.

I'm just curious, did your sleeve surgeon tell you what he expected you would lose with the surgery?

I had my consult with my doctor this week, and I was kinda surprised by the comments he made. He flat-out said to me "you won't become skinny" and that I'll only have 60% EWL at most. I know he's saying that because he is trying to be realistic, but I thought that was a fairly discouraging thing to say to a new patient. Doesn't my weight loss really depend on the things I do (or don't do) with the sleeve? I was just reading about a guy at OH who lost over 200lbs with the sleeve. I want to be that guy. I don't want to be thinking in my head "okay that's about the limit for loss with a sleeve."

I agree totally with everything Wasa said, but I wanted to add a comment about attitude. I an an RN and have worked in many hospitals throughout the country. It is no secret that part of healing and winning the weight loss game is your mental attitude. That's why the attitude of your health care provider is important. You need someone who does not mindlessly quote statistics, but sees you as an individual who can do this. It's a partnership. Your health care provider, imo, should be one of your biggest cheerleaders, afterall, you are entrusting him to perform this service for you. I don't pay anyone, whether it's a doctor or a hairstylist, if I feel they can't work with me. Telling someone they won't ever be skinny can become a self fullfilling prophecy. The human mind and body in the hands of a skilled and positive surgeon can work wonders. I've seen it.

Curious Serious -- where in Indiana?

As to the calling up CNN being equal to telling co-workers ... I'm right there with you!

Lafayette, Indiana. Great hospital and staff, by the way!

One time on the other site I referred to the sleeve sisters as a family and I must say that you are all becoming much more like that than ever before. VegasAngel said the forum has been become her exchange addiction. I am one of the sleevers (going to be next week) that has chosen not to tell family or co workers about this surgery. I find myself wanting to talk about something so badly especially since it is such a big thing in my life and here is the only place I can talk about it. Its not often when I feel like I need such a voice and then to have things that I do say to be appreciated and found to be of value. Kudos to all of us and thank you for being here for me and the others like me.

I have only told two people, one of them is my sister who is very level headed and will be able to give medical info in case I have some sort of emergency where I am unable to speak for myself. I worked three months in the frozen cold of an Indiana winter to pay for this surgery and I did this for myself. I don't need anybody's judgement or monitoring. I certainly did not tell my co workers; that would be the equivalent of calling up CNN and telling them.

Go over to the Lap Band board and dare to mention the sleeve. If you post the stats and long term complications... just the facts, mind you - you are told that you are a band basher and band hater.

I think a lot of noobs only research the good about the band because they so much want the least invasive procedure and they con themselves into thinking it will work. When you post the facts it scares them. My opinion only. The vets with problems (especially self pay folks) are kicking themselves for not getting a sleeve and sometimes they get pretty defensive.

At first I went through the "kicking myself stage" for not getting sleeved to begin with but I quickly got over it. There were no long term stats on the sleeve and we had no way to really research it just 2.5 years ago. That isn't true today but it was then.

Today there is no excuse for not researching. All you have to do is put WLS in Google and you get a wealth of information on all surgery types. But people are convinced "least invasive" is safer long term than more invasive.

That was kind of happening on our VSG forum on lapbandtalk. Alot of us had bad things to say about the band BECAUSE A LOT OF US ARE REVISIONS and did not have good experiences...thus we vented about it. But the bandsters still came to our forum and basically tried to stop us from saying anything negative.

I am so glad we have this forum now.

I remember after being banded about 6 months, I used to go to the boards grasping at straws, hoping that someone would give me some advice to make this thing that I had paid for work for me. That is when I first started hearing and reading about the VSG. I was one of those who said, "But I don't want 80% of my stomach removed!" I even went so far as to email Dr Curry and ask him about the lapband vs VSG. He basically told me he would not recommend VSG....

Fast forward: post VSG I am 20# away from goal and I haven't even reached the 3 month mark yet. I don't miss my removed stomach and am glad it's gone....and Dr Curry is doing VSGs on anybody who signs up with him.

me too!

ok for real. It costs us any time the president or his family step out of the rooms at the white house..... there security is a cost already built in. He can't just take a train to union station unless he takes the whole train! It is because he is president.

I do not begrudge them a night out.... I doubt we as taxpayers paid for the tickets (likely got them for free or he paid for them) but we do have to pay for his transportation there ..... just like we paid for him to go to the capital building or lunch with Bidden (he just paid for the food) ,

It is a perk or such of the job...... I would think the scrutiny of his office and invasions into their personal moments hardly will ever make up for this.....but it is all a part of package..... I think few would want, but many could do better or at least just as well!

Bravo! Very well said. Incidentally, They paid for their own tickets.

Speaking of addictions: I have been so very used to logging into lapbandtalk that I still go over there first...am having to get used to coming here now. Well, here I am, and I find Wasa and Mac debating fine points....and I think, this is a good site, the gangs all here! Feels like old home week.

Ok, sleeved ladies, I have a question. Do you find you have more restriction at that time of the month? I read people with the band experience it but I would swear I am experiencing it now. I'm 2 months post-op today so I suppose it could still be the healing process. Am I nuts or are others finding the same thing?

Yes, yes and yes! I had the same thing with the band... I also become easily nauseated, so I have to be super careful what I choose to eat.

When I started to research WLS I was leaning towards the band. It seemed to be a simple surgery and not very invasive.

Then I started reading different boards and about how unhappy so many were and the problems they were having. What struck me were the healthy foods that seemed to not work with the band, such as broccoli and other vegetables. I thought that was terrible. I wanted to eat less but I still wanted to be able to eat some of my favorite vegetables, etc.

That's the thing; I basically eat healthy, I just wanted something that helped me to eat less. I love veggies and fish and lean meats.

I think I just had a simple case of band intolerance from the beginning; once I started solids, no matter how much I chewed, chewed, chewed, solids always felt weird going down. I only had one tiny fill the whole time, and I had an experienced band surgeon, ( no slip or erosion), so it wasn't that. It was the sensation of food going down that made me uncomfortable, made me feel like someone was sitting next to me choking me everytime I ate something solid.

I tried to work with the band, since I was a self pay and thought this was just the way it was, but eventually my more rationale side won out and said this can't be the right, so I started researching the VSG.

Also, since I really couldn't tolerate solids I would eat slider foods, because I WAS STLL HUNGRY! For me, the band did nothing to abate my hunger, thus my problem with overeating was exacerbated since I couldn't eat solid heathy food, so I ate junk and sweets that went down easily. So, I gained instead of losing. I also became more and more depressed, and some days, it was very difficult to get out of bed.

Fast forward to the sleeve. I am able to eat healthy foods, just less of them. I get full on a few bites. I have hunger, but it is quickly satisfied with the few bites. If I try to eat too much of something sweet, I get very nauseated. So, where before, I used to eat maybe four candybars at a sitting, now, I can be satisfied with a piece of peppermint candy every now and then.

I had my revision on March the 11th, and currently weigh 160#, 30 # from goal. The results I've had with the sleeve are what I wanted; ability to eat healthy but less, something to bring my sweet tooth under control, weight loss without having to kill myself in the gym. THIS is why I wanted WLS and THIS is what I got with the sleeve.

For me, the best thing is just the fact that I can enjoy dining out with friends and family again. I haven't been able to do that in three years without the inevitable race to the bathroom to choke up my food!

I know, isn't it great! But initially, since it was a trial run, I could just envision myself choking, then pbing right there on the beach, ( because I hadn't scoped out where the restroom was), in front of everybody, ruining everybody's appetite. So glad those days are behind me! I was so abused by my band, I still need reassurance that this time it's different.

About how much Protein to you take in per day? I don't come close to 60-70 grams/day but my blood work is all normal and I feel fine.

I am not getting in 60-70 grams either. My blood work is also normal, I feel great and I am losing weight and, with all the exercise, gaining muscle. Untill I see something negative physically, I will continue as I have been. I do still do a Protein Shake in the am to keep the number up. I did not like the protein hot chocolate. I also love veggies, so I follow the "macmadame plan" where I eat a little veggies first, then follow with protein. I don't have room yet to finish off with veggies.

Tonight is my "test run" for a first dinner out. My niece is getting her RN pin and we're going to dinner before the ceremony. This time, it's all family! They know I am always trying to lose weight so I plan to follow the same routine as for lunch.... no bread/butter, skip the appetizer, spread the entree around the plate (thanks, WASA), and take a taste of someone elses dessert. I'm also going to skip lunch and just have a soy slender drink so my stomach is as empty as I can get it. LOL.

Hi all,

I am in St Croix doing a 13 week contract. I went out to eat with some other traveler's I met here. This was my first "test run" with eating out and with eating with people who don't know I had the surgery. I perused the menu with trepidation, thinking it would be like when I had the band: one or two bites then the inevitable choking on anything solid and not dripping with sauce.

The menu had shrimp with fries where you get four jumble, and I mean jumble shrimp. So, I ordered that. I was able to eat three of the shrimp and two french fries. The other two ordered, we ate talked and had fun. No one paid any attention to what I was not eating, (but after all, who eats all their french fries?). We all asked for to go containers, and I ate my one shrimp and four french fries for lunch today. :mad2:

Wow,

I give this board two years, then it is going to "revise" to VerticalSleeveTalk.

I'm sitting here thinking and honestly, I can't think of anything. The sleeve is like a band that actually works without all the complications.

Sorry, I got noth'en.

I didn't develop any problems with the band like reflux, erosion, slippage; I just had band intolerance. I had my band for 2 years and 3 months and like Wasa, can't think of any positives associated with it compared to the sleeve.

Hi all,

Was in Whole Foods this am getting Vitamins. Went to get coffee at the coffee stand, they had bits of this new organic, dark chocolate out as samples.

I took one small piece and proceeded to checkout. Boy, was it sickenly sweet! I was suprised because this is dark chocolate, which I used to find not sweet enough pre VSG.

I have finally cured my sweet tooth which was my downfall with every diet and the lapband. I'm so happy. I am also down 30# since surgery, and back in my medium scrubs!:biggrin:

Congratulations to the soon to be sleeved ladies. You'll do great and I look forward to hearing your progress.

I can't imagine eating even a small bag of french fries. I go to a regular diet on May 2 but am still working on getting soft foods down. tuna (2.5 oz) mixed with 2 teaspoons of mayo is becoming a favorite. I get in some decent Protein and can nurse the portion slowly until I get to the end. I know that candy and chocolate and icecream go down real easy so I have not brought any of that stuff into the house. I seem to crave healthy foods... a trend I hope never ends. LOL.

I could have advanced to a regular diet, but have stayed with the soft foods longer, just getting used to the feeling of fullness. I still do a Protein Shake in the am, and have been eating a lot of tuna fish. I plan to advance to regular tommorrow. I think I'm ready. I had some chocolate which I was craving during my cycle, so I bought a hersheys with almonds which I used to love. The first bite was good, the second left a weird taste in my mouth, so I threw it away. Haven't really craved anything sweet since. For the first time in my life, I can go food shopping and not be hypnotized by the bakery or the candy section.

I, too, am craving healthy foods. :smile2:

Tastes good, eh? ;o)

Feel better now that you got Fluid, calories, and Protein in?

How is Dr. Campos doing? Your sleeve brother?

WASa,

I didn't know Dr Campos was getting a sleeve. Ernesto (the driver) told me he was getting a sleeve the first week in April too.

Hi, everybody, my name is Jackie and I had VSG last August. I've been on OH for over a year now but I came here to check out your board.

at 8 months out I've stopped losing: I'm about 5 pounds above goal and over-all feeling pretty good.

no more honeymoon, though, so there are issues to tackle!

who is here, mostly pre-ops? revisions?

whoever you are, nice to meet you! :thumbdown:

Jackie

edited to add: what does "furl this post" mean?

Hi Jackie,

I know you from OH. I am a revision from a lapband to a sleeve. In fact, there are a lot of us here; people who revised from a lapband to a sleeve. Welcome!

The smell thing is why we tell you not to stock up on Protein powders pre-op. :cool2: They won't smell the same so they won't taste the same.

I think this time is hard. But I found going to regular food harder because I expected stuff to go back to normal and it didn't.

I buy things in very limited qualities; #1, because I can only eat a few bites and I don't want it to go bad on me, and, #2 because of the "smell/taste" thing. MAC - do you know what causes this? (the smell/taste thing), I'm just curious. Enquiring minds want to know.

LOL, thanks Susan! I'm so ready to go to full fluids tomorrow. I can't look at another cup of broth! I've been baking for Easter today but never craved that kind of stuff. I'm a hot bread and butter person so it's nice to not have it in the house.

What I have noticed is that things SMELL differently. I LOVE coffee but a freshly brewing pot of coffee in one of the units at work last night made me sick. It did not smell like coffee. I'm wondering if it's related to anesthesia. I've had general before but this was my first spinal/general. Being 9 days post-op, I would think anesthesia related events are over with. Hmmmm... perhaps I'm just weird. LOL.

Happy shopping for your Easter full Fluid dinner!

I stayed on Full liquids for the seven days, then went to mushies. That is when you will really see how this sleeve works. I am staying on mushies longer because I am still in the learning process, and I get full on 3-4 bites of whatever. I can't imagine eating anything more solid right now. Fortunately, with mushies, there is a variety of things you can eat.

Yes, things "smell" differently. When the lady would come and clean my room, I had to ask her to stop, the "sweet" smell of the lemon scented stuff she used made me nauseous. I went to the library, ( New Orleans has this wonderful old library that is a converted mansion) a couple of days ago, and went to use the bathroom. They had used ammonia to clean it. When I closed the door, I thought I would die. I asked the librarian if they poured a whole bottle of ammonia in there, because I almost passed out. She said no, they cleaned it two days ago and the window had been left open. She went to investigate, and said she could barely smell the ammonia. Easter Sunday I will be a month out, so I don't think it's the anesthesia!

I'm 6 months out and have a Protein shake every morning and Protein hot chocolate every night.

When you are on the full liquids, you can make every drink have protein of some sort in it so that can help. Then with mushies, I just considered that practice for real eating and not a big source of protein or calories.

Even now it's easy to eat lunch and realize you only got in 10 g of protein. Sometimes I eat my meals in stages so I can get more in. I know that if I ate slower I'd be able to do it in one stage, but sometimes I rush before I think about it and then I feel full on just a few bites. I know I need more sustenance so I wait 15 min and then eat the rest.

Mac,

Where are you getting the protein hot chocolate?

Hi folks,

Here's my situation. I got a band in 2006 and did great for the first 18 months - lost about 75 pounds. A year ago I had a fill somewhere other than my doctor's office and plateaued then started gaining. A few weeks ago I found out I had a lot of inflammation and had an unfill at which time I also discovered that I'd lost saline from the cheap fill -- who knows, maybe I didn't have a real fill that whole time.

I went to another doctor who diagnosed a slip and pouch dilation. He recommends a VSG but insurance denied it. They say they don't cover VSG which I can fight because they do (Federal BCBS). And they also say my complication doesn't warrant band removal and that since I no longer am morbidly obese I don't qualify for revision (that's just stupid since I met all the qualifications and had coverage when I got the band).

I went back to the original surgeon who repeated the barium swallow and says if anything was wrong it was a very small pouch dilation which is now reverted. They gave me a very small fill with the idea that I could slowly return to restriction. I'm up about 30 pounds from my lowest weight and pretty upset about it.

At this point I could either try to make things work with the band OR move forward with a VSG revision, most likely self-pay with Dr. Aceves. But that's a lot of money and I worry that if I couldn't keep the weight off with a band I could just as easily be unsuccessful with a VSG.

I'd love some insight as to whether I ought to give the band some more time with proper physician visits, support group etc. Or if I ought to just scrap it and dig into my savings and get the VSG. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Britt

Hi Brit,

You've come on a VSG forum where several of us, Wasa, Vamp, Elisabeth, Susan etc. are revisions from the band to VSG. So, I think all of us are probably going to tell you the same thing; revise to a VSG.

I myself, feel like once you start having problems, to get another band is a waste of time. I think the research, especially after a slip, bears this out.

Ultimately, it is your decision. Do your research, talk with your physician and do what you feel in your gut is right for you. I was banded in December of 2006, and was just revised in March. I was self pay with the band, and I was self pay with the sleeve. I did not have any problems with a slip or erosion, it just was not the right surgery for me.

Still, I researched and read for almost two years before I came to the decision to revise, because I needed to be comfortable with my decision.

Keep asking questions, and good luck with whatever you decide.