meggiep

With an iPhone (thats what I have too) you can click the arrow that allows emailing and it gives you the option of selecting You Tube so you can load it from your phone. You don't even need a computer! It prompts you to log in, name it, tag it, and select the category (ie blog/people) and voila- a few minutes later it is on You Tube.

What kind of phone do you have? I wont be much help because both my iPhone and our Flip video have a way to select You Tube so it is a no brainer. Having created my channel, I just sign in when they prompt and the uploaded video goes to my channel. You have some things to do like giving them a title, tagging them with descriptive words, etc. It really is easy! Hopefully someone will chime in with info for you if yours is not an iPhone. I am really having pfun doing videos and also enjoying all the vlogs of others.

I am now actually glad it worked out this way- it was so sudden to be on liquids without planning for it. I also can work out for a few weeks longer trying to tone my abs and my arms! We can be of great support to each other and all the May sleevers!

As mentioned above, the magnesium citrate is to purge your body , completely clean it out! Not the same at all, My doctor does not require liquid calcium citrate so I will either have the calcium chews or lozenges.

Congrats! Mine just got set for May 9th so we can share the journey together. Awesome you are doing it with your sister- that will be really special.

About time you did an update!

I think something happened and the surgery did not happen. Not sure why exactly.

Ii would back off and follow what your doctor said to do. For all the reasons mentioned- a little vigilance now for a healthy life with a healed whole stomach is not too much to do...

I was getting the shots 35 years ago!

According to my doctor- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of CA are the best so hopefully that will be true for you! I do know some employers exclude it (dumb!) Good lucks!

What a great idea! Thank you , all of you, I love this place- the support and love is awesome.

She has the opposite problem- the doctor does not think she has lost enough weight pre-op. Maybe a couple of dulcolax the night before the weigh in? ;-P The thing is- if we lost easily, and bountifully why would we be wanting the surgery? It seems unfair, however they do want you to lost enough to shrink your liver so maybe that is the issue. Maybe they will let you contact some newer patients to sell them your bars, it isn't fair to stick you with them.

Tuesday I got an email from my doctor, in response to mine saying all my requirements were complete and I was ready to start my pre-op two week liquid diet with a word from him- and all it said was "Start you liquids". I called his nurse and she said since she was submitting to insurance and my insurance usually approves pretty fast that yes, I should start my liquids. My sons birthday is today so we moved his dinner to yesterday- my husband brought me a box with all my favorite See's candy, and my son brought the most humongo bag of movie popcorn covered in butter home from the theater where he works. A friend took us to Outback and I had the biggest prime rib with all the works- then my husband and I stayed up late eating popcorn and candy. It was so sudden, I didn't even get to think about things! Aside from the food hangover I woke up with I woke excited and ready, really ready to start this journey. So ....the nurse calls to ask me if I have questions and confirm everything was sent yesterday. I mention to her that , for our wedding schedule as photographers I need to know I can have the surgery by the 20th or else I can't have it until after May 7th. She says "Oh- there are not dates available during April at the hospital" WTF? HUH? Then why did they tell me to start my two weeks of liquids? She apologizes because she had not checked with the scheduler when she told me to start liquids. (would she have bothered to tell me?) She transfers me and I do get a date, a real date, my date- May 9th at 7:30 at the hospital where I most wanted it to be. But I feel like the rug was pulled out from under me and thrilled as I am...and knowing it is only 19 days later than I thought...I am down today. Oh well, I only ate about a tenth of that giant bag o' popcorn last night so tonight we'll watch some movies and munch and cuddle to get over it. SIGH. It kind of decimates my I Have a Date post...

I'm sorry that is the case for you, the not liking Protein foods part- because it will make this journey harder! First of all it is ultra important to get that staple line healed and protein is the thing that will do it. Much as you might like to beautifully rewrite that fact....uh, that would be a no. Then there is the long path of weight loss ahead of you. When I went to the first appointment with my surgeon, he actually sat down and started drawing a truck, which looked like any pre-schoolers ideal of a primitive looking truck- I'm sure you can picture it! He started explaining something about two gas tanks and at first I, as usual, felt my mind wandering while I also tried not to giggle at his drawing. However, something, maybe the tiny part of me that is trying to save my life by having this surgery, started listening and I actually got what he was saying- one tank being the sugar and carbs we eat, and other tank being the fat excess (call it junk in the trunk if you want). I had myself a major aha moment when I got that if you keep putting things in the carb/sugar tank, even a lesser amount, your body wont switch to using the other one. And unless you eat enough protein, your body will consume muscle to make up for you starving it, even if you have a TON of fat to lose. Consume a lot of protein, and when that carb tank empties the switch to the fat tank will occur. You have to do it girl. Yep, really. I suggest finding some unflavored powder to mix in to other things that taste better to you. That sounds like the best bet for you.... love meggie the toastaholic

I found out today that though they had me start my preop liquid diet there was actually no surgery slot for me so guess what? I am May 9th too!!!

Oh man that is a bummer! I really feel for you! I kind of had the same thing today as my doctor told me on Monday to start my preop liquids since they were submitting to insurance and I would probably be approved fast so they wanted me to be ready. Well the problem was he didn't check with the scheduling coordinator and it turned out there wasn't a slot for me until May anyway! SO I went from being in countdown mode on liquids to having it pushed to May 9th. Did they have you diet before this? It really does not seem fair to do this- and eight pounds in ten days seems good to me.

I think part of it is having no date, right? It is hard to keep your eye on the prize when that is the case. One thing that helps me is to have a reward goal. For me it is the cutest night shirt my husband bought me for my birthday last year- and it didn't fit me. It is the most awesome print- perfect for me! Whenever I falter I have that to hold up, maybe eve try on, and look at. What is the specific thing you have been told to do? Diet for six months? Lose a certain amount of weight? It seems like you are kind of up in the air and that has to be hard. Just remind yourself what your ultimate goal is- to have surgery that will be the ultimate aid in controlling your intake and helping you finally lose the weight. This is a hurdle you must do to get there. Man, I feel for you and the main thing I can do is send a hug your way. Obviously we all share many of your problems or we would not be resorting to something so extreme. ALso- try to eat plety of protein to keep you full longer- and also whenever you want to blow your diet go for a walk or exercise.

I say go for it- I am really enjoying doing mine and I want to do it for others who come after me as they have been so inspiring to me! My husband does them with me but many people do them without a camera holder. I started a thread for vloggers - http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/15511-are-you-a-you-tuber/page__p__131491__fromsearch__1#entry131491 Let me know when yours is up!

Mine is done during surgery.

With my doctor shocking me by telling me to start my liquid diet now in case my insurance suddenly approves me I realized I did not have enough Protein here. My nutritionist told me that the ready to drink protein drinks at costco are almost universally liked, so I got 24 chocolate and 24 vanilla today so that I can drink three a day . The are called Premier Protein and they have 30 grams of protein in an 11 Fluid ounce drink and only 3 grams of carbs. My doctors rule of thumb is to never select a Protein Drink with less than double digits of protein and with never more than single digits of crabs so this one has great numbers.

I think you could be shocked and amused out of your boredom if you just watch "Extreme Couponing". My darling husband (and video guy for my vlog) and I came home from my last dinner before liquid diet/my son's birthday dinner at the Outback and are literally open mouthed watching it- seriously the first woman we see looks like she experiences sexual desire while shopping with her coupons. Scary? Yes! Funny? VERY! ps its on tlc

I start tomorrow- full liquids. Mainly protein shakes. What is hard is it is mainly in case my insurance approval comes through- then they could slot me in fast. It is hard without an actual date!

I had already been to a seminar by my doctor so I had already selected the sleeve. My first appointment my surgeon asked my history in terms of the things I had tried for losing weight, and various questions about my lifestyle, why I want the surgery, etc. I was weighed and measured so my BMI could be officially logged. My doctor talked a lot about what it takes to succeed and also taught me some things about why carbs are so important (lack of them) in the weight loss process. He told me I was a good candidate for my surgery and then told me everything I needed to do to qualify. He printed a lost with all the tests, etc. and as my doctor he put in referrals for all of them. I then had a list and when I went home hit the ground running scheduling anything and everything I could Prior to my appointment I call my insurance to make sure the sleeve was covered, and also what their requirement was independent of what my doctors might be. I was fortunate in that my insurance requires only that I complete my doctors requirements. Yours may vary. Many insurance companies require a six month diet with monthly appointments. SOme do not cover the sleeve-make sure yours does! My appointment was on 2/16 and I really pushed my way , through tons of roadblocks that meant delays, such that I completed my requirements last Friday. My surgery will be some time in the next six weeks, depending on whether I can get a date that works with my life.

What happened? I have been waiting for your post surgery news in a day or two...

I am keeping you in my prayers!