TStew

I've just purchased the travel size buckwheat as well! I've been using it for about two weeks and although it seems to be okay for my neck, it's taking some getting used to.... I didn't even think of taking it with me. It's so heavy!!! lol

I can't even watch it!! lol Maybe after my surgery I'll give it another shot....

This is the shopping list that I've been putting together: CLEAR Protein powder for day four and five Protein Ready to Drink Protein powders Bottled Water Propel Vitamin Water sugar free Jello broth Low Sodium Broth pureed Soups liquid Vitamin D Liquid Vitamins Liquid B12 Slippers Flip flops for shower A firm pillow to hold against belly when needed. Small Mirror Shower Cap? Pepcid Gas-X Strips Chap Stick Guided Imagery CD

I've found a FANTABULOUS supplement for sleep and you can find it in some health food stores (I know Henry's carries it). It's called POWER TO SLEEP PM and it's made my Irwin Naturals. Henry's charges about $20 for it but I get it online at vitacost or luckyvitamin for $10-$15. I don't take it every night - only when I need it and it really does work and I wake up without any weird groggy feelings! I've shared this with many people in the past year or so and *most* are so happy! My friend is on Ambien and started having terrible nightmares and found herself eating whole cakes in the middle of the night and all sorts of craziness. I gave her six of them to try for a few days (2 caps, 30 min before bedtime) and she was really amazed. She said that she felt so good the next day and was laughing and full of energy and her daughter thought she was drunk! lol

I've recently had experience in a Cognitive program and it is fabulous. They teach you how to 'alter' your core beliefs and how to change your thinking. The Cog Model is a circle - SITUATION>THOUGHTS>BEHAVIORS>SITUATION and around and around. If you can recognize automatic thoughts and work to change them - the negative emotion will change. They have all sorts of ways of working something out. It's very interesting and I'm glad that I now have that knowledge and I hope I will use it! I'm currently looking for a Cog therapist.

I love baked parmesan cheese! I buy the shredded kind and just make a few little piles and throw it into the toaster oven until it's browned and crunchy. It's pretty rich so I can never eat more than two and it definitely satisfies the crunch craving!

Thanks for the feedback! I'm now scheduled for Jan 28th with Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. Going it alone so pretty nervous about that but I noticed at least three others on here that will be there the same time so I'm hoping to connect with them! They are actually picking me up at home! Can't get much more convenient than that, huh? lol

Hi! Did you decide? I'm scheduled with Dr. Aceves on Jan 28 (being picked up 1/27) so we will definitely be at the hospital at the same time if you're on for 1/29! Tami

Hi! Did you have your surgery yet? I'm scheduled with Dr. Aceves - being picked up in San Diego (I live there) on January 27th for surgery on Jan 28. Tami

I am scheduled with Dr. Aceves on January 28, 2011 and for the past month I've been eating a terrible diet. I've been pigging out on fried foods (when I normally don't even eat much of that stuff), fast food, and other tasty evil things. This pain has been going on for about two weeks and I'm hoping that it's just a little gall bladder unhappiness and it will go away when the diet improves. Any feedback? I had an ultrasound in July and at that time I had no gallstones but the liver was fatty/enlarged of course. Should I be worried? I've had GERD for a few years and get heartburn but never felt this burning feeling. However, during the gastro exam, the doctor asked if I have burning because he could feel that my liver was enlarged. I was very surprised because my blood work never showed any problems. I really, really, really hope that I do not have to get the gallbladder removed

OMG - THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I played around on the website for so long yesterday and couldn't find anything to give me hope!

That made me laugh! lol Thanks I always thought I would be a huge baby but instead, I'm just a bitch! lol Not really if they are nice to me but I get irritable REALLY easy. Zero to bitch in .5 seconds!

Where do you get protein shots?

But do you think it will matter that it's a surgeon in MX that is not licensed in the States? I called yesterday and waited on hold for about 30 minutes and then the girls said she couldn't answer my question. She saidI would have to apply to find out but I can't apply until 9 days after the surgery! Makes a LOT of sense.

I've been reading and reading about anything and everything concerning the sleeve and when it comes to diet it seems that most of you are using low fat items. I know low fat = much higher sugar/carbs content. It's the only way they can make it tasty after removing the fats. In terms of post surgery diet - is high sugar considered a little more acceptable than high fat? Everyone seems to be watching carbs so I'm surprised that they will go fat free. Please chime in with your thoughts on this and what your nutritionist recommends. I'd really appreciate it!

I don't know if CA is different than othe states but after my last two surgeries (uterine / sinus) I was eligible for 6 weeks off (State disability) with approximately 55% pay (non-taxable from what I understand). The doctor has to sign a form in addition to the application that I fill out and I'm wondering if having surgey in MX makes a difference. Does anyone know?

They're really not a big deal but I hope I don't have to have one!!! I had one before and it was a little gross having to empty it. I got over it quickly but others got pretty grossed out when they saw it. The worst part was when they pulled it out. It wasn't terrible but it did hurt a bit as it was yanked out. Once it was out the pain was pretty much gone. I was so just so damn happy to have it out I didn't care.

Thanks Rtrem! Jennchap - GREAT POINT! I'm sure it will be much easier now!! LOL

I'm a little more excited than scared at this point. I'm doing it alone and I'm very thankful that I've met two others that will be there at the same time (although I'm the only surgery scheduled for Saturday). I'm mostly scared about my oldest sister who is my only family in San Diego and what she will be saying about me while she's visiting family in MI for two weeks. She's leaving the day I'm scheduled to get home and I seem to be her favorite topic for gossip. I'm not even sure if I want people to know but if she knows, my whole family will know before the new year. Hopefully she won't pull in forces and have my whole family gang up on me and try to talk me out of it! Nothing like a lil' family support!! lol I'm so ready to get his over with and get on with my life! I wish Dr. Aceves could just put me to sleep wth a Protein filled IV until I'm ready for mushies! The liquid diet is going to be really tough for me. I'm used to drinking 'not so tasty' things like raw egg and greens smoothies BUT I drink with a straw and I down it in about two drinks so I don't have to smell it. I used to have my blender at work and make them there and my coworkers called it the 'Fear Factor Breakfast'. Anyway, I read that straws will likely cause gas and you have to sip sip sip. I'm sooooo not a sipper and I use a straw for EVERYTHING - even hot tea! I got into the habit so I wouldn't stain my teeth and now I hate liquid against my lips and teeth. I'm ready for the old me to fight her way out of this fat suit!!

I was just reading about this on another site. People suggested putting it in yogurt, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, and any cold liquid mixture. Someone also mentioned that if you put it in something cool you can heat it very slowly and it doesn't clump.

I had one several months ago and there was discomfort but not real pain. I was SHOCKED when the Gastroentologist told me I had an enlarged liver just be feeling it! My blood tests have always been normal so it was very depressing to find out that I have a fatty/enlarged liver. He is the one that put WLS in my head. At first I was insulted and pissed off that he had the nerve to say that to me but I started researching and I hope to get sleeved in December (hoping I don't chicken out). I panicked and did a ton of research after finding out about my liver and the good thing is that the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself. The bad thing is that if it gets bad enough it turns to cirrhosis and that is permanent damage. One of the things that opened my mind to WLS. I have the liver of a heavy drinker and I don't drink at all.

I would think that you're also going through some detox in addition to food withdrawals. When you cut the sugar and carbs and all that other stuff it's not uncommon to feel like total crap and get headaches and other discomfort. I did a 21 day juice cleanse once and I remember that it was supposed to take ten days for most of the toxins to be cleaned out. It was tough. I don't know how I did it because I had a fiboid tumor removed in Aug and I had to do a bowel prep and one day on Clear liquids about killed me!! Just stay strong and from what I've read - after surgery it doesn't even matter because you're not hungry at all. It's much easier to do the liquids only after surgery. Have you ever heard of EFT? It stands for 'Emotional Freedom Technique" and it's a form of self acupressure. You make a statement and tap on different areas of your face, neck and chest and after a few cycles the craving or the anger or whatever negative emotion you are feeling is just GONE. In minutes.... It's amazing! It really does work. I know there will be someone ripping me for giving out information without scientific proof that it works but I don't give a crap. I have a holistic background and I'm open to anything that WORKS whether there is scientific proof or not. I was taught EFT by a therapist in a professional setting and it WORKS. Gary Craig has a ton of free informtion on the web and there are many videos on Youtube that show you how to do the tapping.

This is about the crap that gets ADDED TO OUR food to make it taste better and make us crave more and eat more and choose one product over another. It is a conspiracy and it's not a theory. Junk manufactures want us addicted and they will do whatever it takes to make us buy and eat their products. It's all about money and it is up to us to educate ourselves and make informed decisions (or not). Maybe you should consider the long term effects of eating small amounts. This is my last reply on this post. I'm not into all this drama.

I don't need a scientific study to prove that garlic makes me fart. I'm smart enough to realize that I'm reactive to certain substances or foods. MSG gives me headaches and I'm sure there are millions of other sensitive people that react to it as well. I’m not about to put that stuff in my body after all of the articles I’ve read. Scientific studies can be very tricky. First of all, who do you think funds the millions of dollars for these studies?!? People interested in making money. Bottom line. I don't know if there are any reputable studies proving it's dangerous or not but if there isn't, it's because there isn’t anybody who will make any money from proving it's unhealthy. I'm sure there are plenty of studies that show it's not dangerous and I wonder who paid for THOSE studies... Hmmmmmm.... The companies who put it in their food maybe? Follow the money trail... If I cared about your opinion I might take the time to find out about scientific studies but I don’t so I won’t…. I trust my doctor, I trust my nutritionist / naturopath, I trust my chiropractor and yes, I trust the millions of articles that try to get through to people about how dangerous it is and what it will do to your health in the long term. To those of you that agree with the rude and condescending post above, read the article again before you jump on the denial bandwagon... Maybe a little slower this time? It doesn't say that MSG MADE you fat. It states that MSG contributes to obesity. BIG DIFFERENCE. If you choose to eat it, that's your choice. If you choose to remain ignorant of the dangers, it's another personal choice you are free to make. After all, ignorance really is bliss in most cases. I'm just sharing information that I believe in and consider valuable. The smart ones will do their own research and trust their own instincts. Whether you agree or not is totally up to you but I'm not about to be intimidated and/or discouraged from sharing information. If you don't like it or don't like me, please click on the next post. I'm here for support, not drama.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

I have a pdf version saved if anyone wants it. Just send me an email address and I'll be happy to share.