M2G

Okay looking at the group members we also have ilegal and Lisa'sHope and I know Lisa just joined recently. Has anyone been in contact with her and is she still with the plan? I know she has a lot of other health issues currently and I'm wondering if this helped at all with that or if just is on the back burner right now? DId ilegal ever post here? Just trying to clean up our list since the discussion is on the table...

Ok, adding... sorry Denise...you are not forgotten...you started this group! We owe you a big thank you! Skinniness= Dorrie Feedyoureye= Kim Sarsar = Sarah MG2= Sheila Ccjane = Sheryl Georgia = Georgia Uk Cathy = Cathy Swizzly = Dee Brown= Wanda Globe= Florinda?? ...GT help! Susan= Susan Laura-ven= Laura Chimera= Supersweetums= Sheila Coops= Sue OrgeonDaisey= Denise

Okay filling in from what I remember Skinniness= Dorrie Feedyoureye= Kim Sarsar = Sarah MG2= Sheila Ccjane = Sheryl Georgia = Georgia Uk Cathy = Cathy Swizzly = Dee Brown= Wanda??? Globe= Florinda?? Gosh it something like that...it's an unusual name...sorry GT for not remembering...GT help! Susan= Susan Laura-ven= Laura Chimera= Supersweetums= Sheila Coops= Sue Butterthebean= Patrick (right? Apparently he is a reader here...? Hi BTB!) Pipefitter = Fraiser....JUST JOKING! Sounds like you have a lot to choose from at the moment Sheryl! Who is Cynthia 4722?

LOL Kim! Sarah, CCJane is actually Sheryl...(gosh I think with an S vs C) ...close to Sheila. And also close to Sarah. LOL. There are a couple of girls that go to spin with me (don't know them except from the gym) and when we sit together it's Shannon, Stacey and Sheila. That is a LOT of S names goin' on there! And Laura, I forgot to say something about the Tourettes...yep...when the moment strikes and they are friends good idea to point it out/help those good things happen!!

Sarah (yes my is Sheila but so is supersweetums...lol, although I don't think she is here much anymore, but I think it's because she is happy where she is at...) OH MY GOSH you look so great. I love love love the horizontal stripes. My whole life my mom told me I was too big for horz. strips...now I do love them and I don't care what anyone says! I agree with your friend you don't need to "lose" anymore! And I'm sure it is not a subject you like to bring up...hey had my kid when I was 18! It's nice to have an older child though giving you glimpse into a possible future relationship with your boys...course I always hear adult relationships between boys and their moms is diff. than girls and their moms. From the way you talk about your daughter she sounds awesome so you must have been doing something right. Awww, gotta love 11 year olds...my youngest is 11...she is smart as a whip and beautiful but a bit on the sassy side. Gotta love that though. My 13 yo (almost!) is the textbook older child with a heart as big as all get out and brains/looks to match! Oh and the jeweler would NOT make it smaller...I'm sort of regretting that. He was in disbelief that my wedding finger was so small. My right hand is not as small...ring finger maybe a 6 or slightly less? But I cannot wear my wedding ring on my right hand. Anyway, I had a creepy thought the other day (because as I said my girls are always like look at your skeleton hands!...I was like if they are like this at 40 WHAT in the world (God may I be so blessed) will they look like when I'm 90? HA HA! OMG...I think that is why I'm still here... because if I let my guard down and think to myself "I got this" well that is my first clue that I'm falling off the wagon. I am not sure that I've found a happy medium yet. Remember when in Oct. my surgeon was like "oh let's lose 10lbs and get you NOT thinking about your weight" and I was like "wha?????" DO I EVER GET TO NOT THINK ABOUT THIS?????

Bonnie, I'm a grazer too and unfortunately the sleeve doesn't really help with that. Dense protein DOES stay in there for a good long time, but it's something I have to be constantly aware of or I could easily fit more unnecessary food/calories in my day!

Well I don't know if that is just an "estimate"...I'm sure it is. Everyone is different and you can stretch any pouch (band, sleeve, bypass, etc.) by constantly overeating and overfilling it. What you are describing seems about normal to me. The sleeve does relax over time, because when you are first sleeved, a major organ has been severed, stapled, likely oversewn, and there is definitely swelling that naturally relaxes over time. I get that you are using "bites" as a measurement but bites sure can be different sizes. I still weigh/and or measure my food on a fairly consistent basis so I know what I'm eating. I'm 3+ years post-op. I max out at 4oz of dense Protein....steak, chicken, fish, etc. I usually measure out 100grams of whatever "meat" is on the menu (which translates to just about 3.5oz) of protein, add in an ounce or two of other (which is usually veggie or fruit or carb) and that is my meal. So basically a meal for me would top out at around 5-6oz of food total. Now if I were to sit and eat popcorn or chips or something like that I'm sure I could eat a lot more of that kind of stuff because sliders are designed to do just that...slide right through. As far as your goal...seems like your BMI is at the healthy stage, I wouldn't worry too much if you don't shed the last 22. Just my 2 cents.

Wow amazing and awesome! Congrats on having 2 years under that tiny little belt! PICS PICS PICS!

Hey Sally Pearl how did your class go?

Oh Coops I did not mean to yell at you. I'm so sorry! Please accept that my intent was to confirm that you look amazing. You know (as oft chatted about here on this thread) we become our own worst enemies and we are often our own worst critics, and that is what I thought you were doing to yourself, and I hate to see that. If you do have some skin or something you don't feel should be there (you are about 9 months post-TT right?) you should talk to your surgeon. You don't have to prove anything to us, whatever you feel is an issue is something we can't see...all we see is your beauty. Sarsar...my apologies also...I will be 42 in Jan. Didn't realize you had your dd at age 18...that does change things doesn't it? I was 28 when I had my almost 13 yo, so that just makes a big difference. I feel my age creeping up on me and the times when I can't remember 3 pages of posts...bah! You have a sharp mind, that is is for sure!

You need to find out this information from your INSURANCE specialist because everyone is totally different! My specific plan called for 6 months of nutritional visits. I choose to have those with my surgeon's on-staff nutritionist. The surgeon didn't care if I lost or gained weight. HOWEVER, my insurance was very specific. My approval was based on the WEIGHT at my last of those 6 month visits. I had a BMI of over 45 so I wasn't in danger really of "slipping" below the line, but my bariatric case manager was very honest with me. If I fell below 40.0 at the end of 6 months then I wouldn't qualify as I had no other co-morbidities.

Okay...newest latest greatest update. BOTH of my girls now have the flu. One is on the "mend" as she has been on Tamiflu since Mon. the other was dx'ed today. Oh joy of all joys. So it has been messing with my workout schedule but I have an angel for a husband who let me go the gym today for two hours to blow off steam while he stayed home with 2 sick girls. Gotta love that! So while I'm already behind my target I'm happy to be at 54.4 miles for the month. Did some more planking, weights, abs and cardio yesterday. Just praying that I don't get sick too!

Love this Lynda. You are doing a great job by stopping this now before it gathers into a big ole ball. Good for you. I *wish* I had your resolve last year when I gained 8lbs between Oct-Jan 1st. I've drawn a line in the sand this year too. No more. I refuse to gain. Holding steady is fine by me but I will NOT go down the same old road and think to myself "it will come back off in Jan." no more delusions!! You are doing awesome!!!

Okay, I'm going to steal (gosh I can't help myself...as I said "if I had a British Accent I would never shut up!") Amazeballs (ok sure with tinsel on them there balls) and Chuffed to Beans for ya! You did awesome and I'm impressed with the layering and the heavy necklace...ha ha! You look amazing and those 3 little lbs do NOT make or break you. And all the nurses drs. *know* we weigh less on our scale at home. Clothing DOES add weight, and if I could hop up there nekkid I sure would just to prove it. Well, with the flashing skin...maybe notsomuch. You are awesome lady. Job well done. One year under that big ole belt of yours around a skinny waist!

Georgia, forgot...LOVE the new profile pic!

OMG OMG OMG, I was gone for only 24 hours...I love you ladies to the moon and back...the post...3 pages worth! So from memory: Coops...what F*CK are you talking about...where is the pooch??? You need some bloody glasses girl because that f'ing tummy...there IS NO POOCH or pouch or whatever the heck you called it. Shed the jacket (that is MY trick to hide the bumps...girl you so do not need that anymore) but since we are all honest here, get rid of it, you look fab girl. LV...OMG I love your skinny new body, you are rocking it my friend! TOTALLY. And the straight on photo you are still rocking it and like Kim said the only thing missing is that smile (I know, I know it's hard to take a selfie and smile at the same time...so HARD!) How old is your son again? Crap I'm going to have a 13 year old in ONE WEEK (gasp!) and we are soooooo not doing the dating thing yet...I tell them they have the REST of their lives to be ADULTS, but only ONE shot at being a kid. I know it's coming, I know it's coming but hoping it holds off for as long as possible...I'm so not ready for my kids to have boys hanging around. Dorrie and Brown (wait, it's Wanda right am I getting that right? Gah! Old age sucks...lol) you are both struggling right now and I just want to know I'm thinking of you and just want to say TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME. Do NOT beat yourselves up over slipping up here and there...please hang in there with me. I'm taking things ONE DAY at a time right now also...it's the only way I can deal with the holidays. SOmedays are better than others, and I'm OK with that. Hugs. SarSar, OMG I love your posts! You are older than me (I only say that because your daughter is grown, for all I know we could be the same age ha ha!) but your memory is sharper than mine...you jazz out 3 pages worth of comments like you were born to rock this thread. LOVE THAT! Sheryl and Daisy, YEP we need more juicy details of your love lives because us old and boring and married ladies get such a crazy fascination about hearing of your men and your dates...LOVE IT. Kim, my goodness lady...you just wrote so beautifully about how you feel about this group and it being closed and I could not have said it any better than you did. Seriously. I'm very partial to this group, even told the Big A that you guys are my sanity. It's true and I don't like the idea of disrupting what is working. This is like a precious baby and I don't want it to be spoiled by the world getting it's evil hands on it ... LOL! ANd I love the story of you meeting your hunky hubby! LOVE IT! I laugh so much because my hubby is like a big teddy bear (even though he was also sleeved and lost weight, and he is much more muscular than I am) but he has big hands and my hands are (not so lovingly) referred to as skeleton hands by my girls. Little stinkers. Both of my girls, ages 11 and almost-13 have bigger hands than I do...my ring size went from a 5.5 before being sleeved to a 5 after losing weight. AND MY RING IS STILL TOO BIG. Sigh. The jeweler was hesitant to make it any smaller than a 5...he was afraid my hands would swell, NOT SO MUCH WHEN YOU ARE FREEZING ALL THE FREAKING TIME! Gah! Susan, glad you are giving this a go. I have heard of re-sleeving, and would be very interested to hear what you have to say about. I also heard it was very risky as the original staple line is a "weak" spot and has to be treated as such. But I would really like to hear what you know about it, please share. BUT PLEASE GIVE 5:2 a good long fighting chance also. I've only lost about 12lbs in 6 months, but I REFUSE TO GIVE UP on this extra weight. Okay since no one objected HERE IS THE EASIEST FUDGE RECIPE you will ever ever see! Takes 10 minutes or less! 6oz evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk) 2 cups of sugar 1 stick of butter (what is that 1/2 a cup?) 1 cup of mini marshmallows 3/4 cup chocolate chips (or butterscotch or white, or PB, you get the point) Mix the first 3 ingredients (butter is okay to just throw in there without cutting, and straight from the fridge is fine) in a tall GLASS MICROWAVE BOWL and microwave on normal high for 2 minutes Take out and stir Microwave again for 2 minutes Take out and stir Microwave again for 2.5 minutes Take out and stir Microwave again for 2.5 minutes This time take out and dump in the marshmallows and chips. Stir until all is creamy fudge (work quickly, it cools as you stir) and then once all mixed, pour into a greased pan and let set. It sets up very quickly but really is best after it has been in the fridge for a bit. It's also easy to freeze and makes GREAT gifts. I've not met someone who doesn't not like this fudge...even people who are self-professed NON-lovers of fudge say this is the best recipe. I've never found it online either...but there are million ways to make fudge but this one is a no fail thing. EXCEPT here are the rules: DO NOT DOUBLE the batch and let your microwave cool in between batches (like I can make one am, midday and eve but don't keep using the micro continuously...or it may not work so well.) Okay, my latest update is that BOTH of my girls are sick. They have the flu. It's a germy household here and I'm ready to go crazy. HOWEVER my husband (aka angel) let me go workout for 2 hours today to just GET AWAY from all the germs. We are probably $600 into the double flu for them (one script of Tamiflu was $230 and I'm NOT joking!!!) AAARGH! So I blew off steam at the gym instead of eating my frustration today. Yay me.

Oh, that is CRUEL!!! GOOD FOR YOU FOR RESISTING! STICK TO THE PLAN!!!

One last note...I'm going to move this to the Food & Nutrition instead of in the Gastric Sleeve Surgery Buddies/Mentors topic.

I'm just going to mention what my surgeon's rules are. He went to a gastric sleeve convention of some of the worlds top bariatric drs. and one of the things they have discovered is that carbonation DOES affect the sleeve. So his recommendation is to quit anything carbonated. Constant use of carbonated beverages will stretch the sleeve. I quit Sept. 20, 2010 and have not touched anything carbonated since. That is just my personal thing, it was a easy thing to let go of. I used to drink at least 1 diet coke every day, and I've found that I can live quite normally and naturally without my precious diet soda. I'm not telling anyone what TO DO, just what I've found works for me personally. By all means follow your surgeon's advice For me it's not worth the risk of possibly stretching my pouch.

Oh and OD, you will see that Laura, Dorrie (Ms.Skinny) Coops and I are all now "BariatricPal Hosts" I think we all pretty much got the same email saying "hey will you host a forum for me?" from Alex. We are all now basically the same as the old "Moderators" where we can move posts, edit them, etc. We are not being paid to do this. I can't speak for Susan, but I think the rest of us are all just donating our time to the cause.

OMG, I have so so so so so so been exactly where you are today. I always would *wish* for at least 3lbs under what I would weigh with clothes so that I could see a certain number on the scale when I head in to see my surgeon. I just counted in my head and I've seen my surgeon at least 10 times in the last 3 years. WOW! That is too much anxiety over what the f'ing scale says. Sheesh. I've learned to let go of some of that. Because in all honesty does 3lbs +/- make a difference. NO. Does my surgeon really care? No. He cares about me, not what the scale says. Just sending you a hug today Laura, because I know how stressful it can be. Try to let go of the OCD part about our weight...it will serve you well in the long run.

Welcome Susan! I know originally you were against the idea of the 5:2, so it's a welcome sight to "see" you here! LOL, I think all of us here (with a few exceptions) have hit that LOW weight and then BOUNCED back up While I did try to EAT MORE at one point in my journey I found that it was not what I needed=gain for me. The sleeve DOES and SHOULD allow me to eat LESS, not more. Although I do have to say when I was eating MORE it really wasn't because I was eating a LOT more dense protein, it was basically just more overall in general, which is really not ideal. So I say give it a try, and you have nothing to lose but extra lbs. I totally am here to cheer you on in this journey!

Hang in there GG. Remember doing SOMETHING is better than nothing. You don't have to run a marathon or be in the Olympics...just go for a simple walk. Clear the brain cobwebs and you will feel better, I promise! I did manage to workout today even though I wasn't able to go to the gym. I did 3 miles on the treadmill, planked (wow, thank you my fellow plankers for the inspiration!) and did some weight lifting. I think my little sick kiddo MUST be feeling better because she slept until noon and then was a bit sassy with me. Ah, there's my girl...back to being a bit sassy instead of lethargic on the couch! I'm starting to think that the $230 I paid for Tamiflu (with insurance!) might have been worth it.

You know what? I hadn't thought about the WAY that people actually date now. I met my husband when I was all of 20 years old (I will be 42 next month!)...before the internet really existed, and way way way before people met potential mates online. So I didn't consider that aspect of it being "like shopping at Amazon"...that actually has me giggling a bit, and I know this is a serious subject but wow, when you put it in terms like that. Like automatically my mind says "I would like to auto-build a man. He should be at least 6', broad shoulders, dark hair, green eyes, easy smile, (straight teeth please and none missing ...that just is NOT an option) and he should have a great sense of humor, and be good with kids, pets and older people." OMG, if it could all just be THAT easy. I don't mean to make light of your frustration, (so please don't be offended) but I do love the way you explain how it is. And I imagine like you said that is just the first step, never mind his education, his emotional (or G-forbid physical baggage) his family situation, or like you said even if HE WOULD treat you well if you actually GOT to that point. Bah, that is just enough to make a woman want to throw in the towel and sign off forever. Ugh! And while I feel like I met and married my soul-mate, I had a couple of non-soul-mate relationships before meeting him and yep you are right, that fear of not choosing wisely. All I can say about that is you are NOT the same woman you were 10 or 20 years ago (heck probably not even the exact same person you were BEFORE surgery) so trust your instincts. At least you know what you DON'T like.

GT, I have hopes that things will sort out...you are so strong to be facing all of this. Not an easy task and as Dee said none of us are in your exact shoes and we ALL have stuff that falls through the cracks. I am a praying person and right now you are in my prayers that things will fall into place for you. 1,300 cals is nothing...you showed some control and restraint there...half a corn dog? You could have easily eaten the whole thing but you didn't. SO HANG IN THERE!!! Love you also chickee! Yes to all who said FUDGE = CRACK totally 100%. I've been doing things like chewing gum while making it, so I won't be tempted to "lick the spoon" etc. But just being so immersed in chips, marshmallows, sugar, butter...ARGH! WHY AGAIN DID I SAY YES TO THOSE WHO ASKED FOR FUDGE? Next year I'm saying NO. Remind me of that in a year, k? Cathy - hang in there, you are having your fair share of stress at the moment, keep looking for positives and bright spots! Hugs! CGJ - Wow, sorry about the DUDS. Can I be honest with you? I wouldn't worry about the HEIGHT of a potential mate. I know it's easier said than done, but putting a height restriction on a someone...well, you might just miss out on someone who is fantastic because he doesn't fit on your "list". Look I like tall guys too, I'm 5'6" and yet when I met my husband he is all of 5'10"...there are days I feel as tall as he is if I have on heels and he is in socks. Or there are times when he has shoes on and I'm wearing flats or flip flops and I feel like he towers over me. I guess what I'm saying is definitely toss out the guys who don't fit in with the more IMPORTANT things on your list...like 1. treats me well, 2. has a good sense of humor 3. is on the same page with me from a mental standpoint, etc. But to just automatically discount someone because they aren't as tall as you like...well, kind of reminds me of the old Seinfeld things...man hands, she eats her peas too slow, her hair isn't the right color, etc. And you have admitted as much...you are picky...I'm not saying don't be picky. You should be picky...just don't get hung up on the wrong things. Finally, thank you all for a sane place to come. I had to get out the boxing gloves for this showdown...just goes to show me I should just stay OUT of some threads. This one had me pretty teed off! http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/290025-my-surgeon-doesnt-require-a-pre-op-diet/