Tracy46545

lol Chandra, We've been chasing each other all our lives. I was born in Midland, moved to Bay City for age 1-4, then was adopted and moved to the more southern part of Michigan. Used to go to Ann Arbor every month for a club I belonged to. I am currently banded......have been totally unfilled since June 6, 2009. Cannot tolerate even .25 cc in my band without hideous reflux and vomiting. So on December 14, my superb surgeon, Dr. Alberto Aceves of Mexicali, Mexico will remove the band, and repair any damage that has occured as he does a VSG. (I have total confidence in him). I've been to Mexicali two other times and cannot imagine going anywhere else for a surgery. I'm self-pay, (no health insurance) and could go places that are cheaper...but the standard of care at Mexicali is stellar. I'm going alone and know that my "extended family"/ ie Aceves's Staff...will take wonderful care of me. Don't worry about your food intake...everything will moderate out. What Protein sources are you going to use in the first 20 days? I'm using unjury...have used it in the past and had no problems with it. I ordered 18 of the convenience packets in various flavors and will take the chicken broth and unflavored ones with me on my trip since I'm spending an extra day down there and might not be in the hospital. Once I go to full liquids I can use the Muscle Milk light which I've also used with the band. Let's stay in touch! Tracy

Hi Chandra.....I was born in Midland, MI! Best of luck with your upcoming surgery!!! Tracy

I don't remember anything in my paperwork about doing a bowel prep. I'll be vacationing in the Long Beach area for four days prior to my surgery day. If I have to do bowel prep it's going to seriously affect my plans for those four days!... I'm having revision surgery from Band to VSG. Does EVERYONE have to have bowel prep? Tracy

Here is a quick look at just some of the problems found when mixing herbal preparations with surgery: Echinacea This herb often is used for preventing or treating viral, bacterial or fungal infections. Because some people can be allergic to echinacea, those with allergies or asthma should be cautious of using this supplement at any time. This also is true for people with pre-existing liver conditions. Echinacea may diminish the effectiveness of immunosuppressant drugs so people who are having any kind of organ transplant should avoid taking echinacea for several weeks before surgery. Ephedra This herb promotes weight loss and increases energy. Ephedra is known to increase blood pressure in some people. A rise in blood pressure during surgery could lead to danger, at worst a heart attack or stroke. Ephedrine can persist for an entire day in your blood stream, so don't take this herb for a few days prior to surgery. Garlic Garlic inhibits your platelet's ability to aggregate, or clot. This means it can become harder to stop any bleeding. It's a good idea not to take any kind of garlic herbal preparation for at least a week before surgery. Ginkgo This herb is taken for a number of conditions, including improving mental alertness, reducing dizziness caused by altitude sickness or vertigo and erectile dysfunction. Ginkgo also inhibits the platelet-activating factor, part of the normal blood-clotting process. This effect can make it harder for your body to heal after surgery. Stop taking ginkgo at least 36 hours before surgery. Ginseng Ginseng is thought to protect the body against stress. Unfortunately, it also may lower the glucose (sugar) in your blood. This could be a serious problem for a person with diabetes and could even cause a dangerous blood sugar drop in people without diabetes. It's a good idea to stop taking ginseng a week before surgery. Kava Kava commonly is used to treat anxiety. Kava may act as a sedative and might interfere with traditional sedatives given during surgery or shortly after surgery. Kava could interfere with the anesthetic medication that you receive during surgery. Try to discontinue kava at least 24 hours before your surgery. St. John's Wort This herb is widely used to treat mild to moderate depression. St. John's Wort also can increase the metabolism of medications. This may interfere with drugs used in organ transplants or anyone who may need to take an anticoagulation medicine after surgery to stop bleeding. It is a good idea to discontinue St. John's Wort at least five days prior to surgery. Valerian This herb is used to calm anxiety and promote sleep. Because valerian may have some addictive qualities, it is a good idea to taper use for several weeks before surgery.

I'm anxious, a little nervous but determined. Most of my anxiety is because I'm going alone for the surgery and all the recuperation after. More worried about getting my vehicle from long term parking at O'Hare Airport in mid-December than anything. Weather could really make that a miserable event just five days post surgery. I spent some time this afternoon cleaning out kitchen cupboards and making some homemade chicken stock. I put it up in 4 oz portions to freeze for that first week of Clear liquids. I know something homemade will be much more comforting to me than something out of a box or a can. My surgery is 4 weeks away also...looks like we'll be sleeve sisters! Tracy

Mine is Dec 14th.....which means I get to have "full" liquids instead of "clears" on Christmas morning.....AAAAALLLLEEEEEEEuuuuuuuuyahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Tracy

Add some CoffeeMate pumpkin Spice creamer.....oh .... my ...... god

I'm not sleeved yet but I am banded and I know that many people that have had bariatric surgery complain of inability to tolerate eggs. I personally get stuck on mashed potatoes every time UNLESS I drink with my meal (not a good idea). Eggs seem to go down if pan fried "over easy" or poached...but scrambled or in omelette's is an excercise in futility. It makes sense that the "crisp" (not sure if that's a cracker or a cookie) would go down easily...it's more highly processed, nearly pure carbs and will dissolve easily with just normal saliva. IMHO, Tracy

i'm doing revision surgery next month. What helped me alot was to simply spend several days reading EVERY POST on this site. The positive comments and success stories are awesome to read...but just as important is to thoroughly read the Complications posts. I think having a realistic overview of the "good, the bad, and the ugly" is the best way to decide on something that will strongly impact the remainder of your entire life. There are posts here about intimate issues, eating in public, dealing with stalls, dealing with comments from family and friends, dealing with doctors reluctant to "act" in an emergency, virtually a thousand thoughts and opinions. I'm grateful for this (and other forums) as they bring the information "up close and personal" much better than the innumerable "studies" done by the "experts" (most of who aren't fat and wouldn't know what to do about a food addiction if it bit them in the ass). Welcome to the site! Tracy

Thanks for the quick answer! Tracy

This is a good question. I am a private duty homecare provider for a man with Alzheimers. No stairs, no lifting, honestly probably no more "work" than being at home. I'll bet I can even manage a nap or two if needed. I'm having surgery on a Monday and plan to return to work on the following Tuesday. That's Christmas week so I'll have a short week with a break in the middle for Christmas day (no work that day). Is this realistic or do I need to plan on two weeks off work? Tracy

Hey Marilyn...I went past your old place last week! I was coming home on 331....lol Anyway..I've been to Almater Hospital twice before. Once when I was banded 9/15/07...and again this past January to help a friend while she got her sleeve surgery. I'm flying home on the 18th of Dec so I'll miss being there for your surgery but I will be sure to find you on the 17th! Can't miss a visit with a fellow Hoosier! tracy

Cheesey macaroni & Squash Ingredients 6 oz. extra lean ground turkey 1/2c onion, chopped 2 oz Velveeta Light 1 cup uncooked whole wheat macaroni 1 spaghetti squash Salt & pepper Nutritional Info Fat: 5.3g Carbohydrates: 45.4g Calories:337.9 Protein: 31.2g Cook macaroni per package directions. Drain and set aside. While the Pasta is cooking, prick your squash a few times and pop it in the microwave. Cook on high 15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, cook turkey and onions in a large skillet over medium high heat until the onions are clear and the meat is browned. Drain fat. Return to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and cheese and stir well. Scrape 1/2 of the spaghetti squash (or desired amount) onto each plate. Top with 1/2 of the pasta mixture, then salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot! Number of Servings: 2 Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ZGIRL21.

Ok...it was Cauliflower "Mock Mac-n-Cheese"...not spaghetti Squash...oh well..here it is anyway Kosher salt, as needed, plus 1/2 teaspoon 1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets Vegetable oil spray 1 cup heavy cream 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, plus 1/2 cup for topping the casserole 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Equipment: 8 by 8-inch baking dish Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of Water to a boil. Season the water with salt. Spray the baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pat between several layers of paper towels to dry. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking dish and set aside. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, and whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, salt, pepper and garlic and whisk just until the cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour over the cauliflower, and stir to combine. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until browned and bubbly hot, about 15 minutes. Serve.

Tiffany, oddly enough I just ran across a recipe for mock mac-n-cheese using spaghetti squash. The comment was that it looked gross but tasted great! I think I found it on SparkPeople recipes......I'll see if I can find it in my files and post it. I love using the spaghetti squash and even make baked spaghetti with it...it's a wonderful vegetable and very underused! Tracy

I notice that some "sleevers" have issues with Pasta (much like banded folks). I use Spaghetti Squash almost exclusively for my "pasta nights" now and love it. Has anyone else tried it and tolerated it better than pasta? Tracy