gardendiva3

Sue - Keep updating! Those of us waiting in the wind are anxious to hear how you are doing! (Especially this Idaho gal). Reb

Hey Gurl - What I love about VST is reading people's blogs and finding out there is an entire community of people that relate to what you are feeling and can empathize with your situation. In the everyday world - people judge you for you appearance and when you are overweight, you feel like everyone is looking at you. So we go through that endless cycle of joining WW losing 20 pounds and then gaining 28 back after we get bored with the plan. So then we join Jenny and pay enormous $$ for food that contrary to thie claims, tastes like spicy camel spit. So we sneak real food to supplement the food that was too spicy - too many green peppers - whatever. I never met a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I couldn't sneak in at 2:00 am. So we decide to try slimfast or optifast or some other shake program. But we are starving after a few days. And then we are told that WW is the only logical way to lose weight - we rejoin WW and buy a Bodybug to wear on our arm to HELP us lose weight... This time...we lose 13 pounds in 4 months and gain it all back in 3 days. But of course we tell ourselves, "we just weren't ready." The problem with this cyclical method of TRYING to lose weight is we feel like failures every time we don't reach our goals. Are we really failures? No. Did we try really hard? Maybe, but probably not. The point is the one thread that is common is we keep typing to lose weight by changing the type of food we are eating and counting endless fat grams, calories, and fiber. I believe you will succeed and I don't know you--but I relate to what you are saying. The sleeve is going to take one important factor out of the equation...hunger followed by binging. Not gonna happen Gurl! You will succeed because that single factor will help you modify former behaviors. In the meantime - start getting ready mentally for the hot little mama you are gonna be. It will happen. You've changed the formula by electing to have this surgery. God bless you. Have a great surgery! Reb

:welcome: Amazing! I don't have to swallow those horse pills! I went online and orderd a Ninja (after reviewing Consumer Reports online) and I will be in the smoothie business two weeks before my surgery. To think that 3 weeks ago I knew nothing about VST and this wonderful :grouphug4: support group...so thank you to those who recommended various sites for vitamins. I found iron in capsules - but I plan to open those "ponies" :rip: and put them in a morning smoothie. Between this site and several others of my favorite recipe sites - I've found some smoothies I just have to try. I know I'm going to LOVE being sleeved because I used to enjoy cooking :hungry: (or was that eating?) and now that it's just me - I love the simplicity of limited choices...at least for awhile. Variety will be fine after 6 weeks but I will have no problem getting the liquid shakes down. :focus: Back to the vitamins - Costco does carry gummy calcium and "chews" and I found the sublingual B-12 in Cherry flavored tabs that disolve under your tongue - yea baby! Ok so there were NO iron gummies bust some chewables that were outragious in price - forget that. I found this big pill box to put the assorted weeks vites (less the iron that will be PULVERIZED) :ack2: by Mr. Ninja. While I was at Costco I picked up a BIG bottle of some GUMMY FIBER! Farewell Metamucil--bite me Beneful! No "as seen on tv" stomach discomfort for me...why can't they just say constipation.. I am truly ready now...oh hurry September 2 be near to me. Oh the joy of having people share such trivial stuff. :party4: Thank you thank you thank you! :thankyou:

Kathy - You've got this! I know the pros and cons of the daily vs. weekly weigh in can swing both ways. You have to decide if it's best for you to stick with a weekly or some other schedule for weigh-ins. I was chatting with my friend last night and she told me about her vitamix machine and how wonderful it was for PULVERIZING vitamins along with ice and everything else to make a perfect smoothie..she even adds 10 -12 spinach leaves in a fruit smoothie to get in her iron...says you can't taste it. OK...she's gonna have to prove that to me. So I blogged yesterday about my affinity to swallowing pills. They just get stuck in the back of my throat and OMg - you can't believe what a chore it is to get down a few pills. So I found some gummy vitamins, calcium, and B12 that dissolves under your toungue - really cool. So my question to you about all of this vitamin stuff is: Did you pre-op take your vitamins for at least a month and are you eating them now? I'm hoping I don't go through the "weak-feeling" syndrome so I decided vitamins make a difference in my life now...they must really be important when you aren't getting enough minerals and protein in your food. So part two of this - I went to Consumer Reports online - and checked out the blenders...they rated the Ninja ($60) just barely below the vitamix ($439). Wow. So I went to other sites to review and they all talked about what good smoothies this machine makes. If you need to put some zip back in your liquid meals - consider this Ninja and the ton of recipes for smoothies on ALLRECIPES.COM and COOKS.COM and BHG.COM ...and that's not including any of the huge sites dedicated to smothies only! I ordered a Ninja and plan to test it on my vitamins because the iron pills I found in a capsule which I will open and dump in my morning smoothie. Good luck friend - I don't know how you do those 3 12-hour shifts in a row. My daughter does it too so I know it can be heck. Reb

Thanks very much - I will check these out!

Course Subject - Vitamins 101 or How to Swallow Horse Pills Ok - so we gotta take vitamins after the sleeve and probably before wouldn't hurt. I can't swallow those big honkin vitamins! Do they make gummy bear vitamins for adults - not the multi-vitamin - I see those at Costco. What about the Sublingual B-12, the Iron and Calcium. I wonder what a chewable Iron would taste like...spray starch perhaps. OK really, anybody who is taking these vitamins and they've found something very small - which I might be able to swallow OR if you've found gummy vitamins - please let me know the 411. My last resort would be to learn how to get these things down without choking. People say throw your head back but that just makes the vitamin go to the front of my mouth. Choke - cough - gag... and sometimes worse. Also - my grandbabies have gummy calcium but I would need to eat 9 a day and they are LOADED with sugar. GardenDiva3

Is this a powder you can add to shakes...sort of like metamucil? I'm trying to find one that is not gritty. Thanks Reb

Kathy - Don't beat yourself up - I'm sure your body did that for you. (Pain is sometimes good) I will share this little thing a friend of mine did that had RGB. She went to Ross and bought 4 plates that were small - and bright colored (I was thinking of individuals colored plates from WalMart) - and whenever she has a meal - she always takes those plates are for her only. DON'T TOUCH MY PLATES! I just laugh when she says that. Anyway - because they are like salad plates or a bit smaller - they make her think about what she eats just by virtue of their unique appearance. So I got to thinking...you know how people hang those decorative holiday plates on a rack...there are usually three or four and sometimes you can find a stray plate that is unusual...she recommended not getting 4 that are the same or...find funny plates. So my mission is to go to Ross and Macy's every few weeks to look for a small odd plate to keep just for this purpose. A visual reminder to slow down - take your time. She also ate with chop sticks for a few weeks because she could hardly work them. HAha! Good luck - you are doing great! Reb

Well, I can't say for sure, but there is a gal on youtube "gastricsleevereviews" that started at 209 and was at 124 8 months later. She doesn't look like she has any sagging skin and even though she is younger - just start slathering yourself with lotion in the mornings after your shower. It has helped my 56 year old bod more than I would have thought. I am getting sleeved Sep 2 because I NNED to live longer to play with my grandbabies...and I'm pre-diabetic and hate to go places because I feel FAT. So do it for yourself...make the famous list of 12 things you can't do now but that you WILL be able to do when you are 60 or 80 pounds thinner. Good luck. Reb

Me too! Thanks for sharing

Hey Dcct - Good luck. I tried a dry-run this past weekend and didn't finish the whole weekend out with liquids. I need some calories or I get the shakes. How can they tell me to drink only clear liquids for three days before surgery? Yowza. So did you find a decent protein powder/shake? I haven't bought any yet but really like your idea of being prepared. I'll join KathyD49 in prayers for a successful and EASY surgery for you! Reb

I second Kathy's comments. At least you didn't have your surgery on July 5th! It would be tough to live with all of the "fire-cracker" jokes coming from the bathroom. OK I know you aren't supposed to laugh yet cause it hurts. Yesterday I was looking for some protein shakes in the store and I see all of this "colon cleanse" (otherwise known as butt drano) and man I thought - who would want to do that? So - just know you have nothing to fear. All of these people around us have already done this and they survived and are helping us cope. So - you will hear from me when I am getting the "willies" the latter part of August.

Hey Epiphany - Just out of curiosity - what portion of the surgery does your insurance cover? I manage the benefits for our company and we do not offer WLS as an option - so I am going to Mexico where it is a lot cheaper and paying for it myself. At first everyone said "Mexico? Really" and then I tell them about this place where they treat you like you are a guest at a resort. Plus I talked to several people from town that went to this hospital. Anyway - I would like to promote our work place covering a portion of this surgery and so I am curious how benefits are being managed. I notice that you have requirements before the surgery. Are all of the "pre-treatments" included in the cost or are they additional? My sleeve is scheduled for Sep 2 and I don't have to do any kind of a diet until 3 days pre-op. Reb

Kathy - It looks like you and I suffer from the same syndrome...blogitis... I can't figure out if I'm suppose to blog on my blog or blog on someone else..Surely there are instructions somewhere. I have to "clean for an hour" and then play for an hour...it's my way of not reading all day or wasting away the day when I should be getting something done. I am addicted to computer games and I don't know many 55 + ladies that like to do this...but I also love gadgets, laptops, kindle...I can't get enough so you would think I might be at least a little bit savy when it comes to walking around a web site. Enjoy the weekend - the house cleaning can wait. I like the fact you can be real and state your fears and articulate your feelings...I've never felt a bone....maybe just arthritis. Back to work - talk to you later. Reb

Hi Taylor. I can relate to the 911 and shift work story. After my 20-year marriage went south - I moved to a new town and started with the State Police as a dispatcher. The graveyard shift was a killer because I am definately a morning person. Good for you on having the suregery at 21. My only regret is that the VSG wasn't around 30 years ago. I've been obese for way too long and it's time to do something serious and positive for myself. I'm not scheduled until Sep 2. I work in HR and can't get away until the summer is over. In the meantime -- I'm having at least one meal replacement shake each day and I've gone through all of my cupboards and gave all of my "carbed" goods to my daughters. I had lots of pancake, cake, rice and potato mixes. Did you measure everything when you first had your sleeve - I mean actually measure a 2 oz drink before you used a straw? Can you take a normal swallow of liquid or do you have to sip everything at first?

Hope your surgery went well and you are up and around soon. I'm not scheduled until Sep 2 . I want to hear how you are doing and how they "promote" sipping instead of drinking....and how soon before you go from clear liquids to shakes... Reb

I have not had the surgery yet but I am scheduled for Sep 2. I too have started one protein shake a day and will transition to two a day two weeks before surgery. The doctors say the reason it is good to lose a little before the surgery is because the liver shrinks a bit and can be "laid back" and would be out of the way when the sleeve is performed. I am 57 and this is the best thing I've done about my weight for the past 35 years. Think about the future and what a LIFE you will have when you start feeling better about yourself and more comfortable in your skin. Best Wishes!

Hi Everyone! I joined today and I'm from Lewiston. My surgery isn't until September 2 but I am excited and looking forward to LIFE for the first time in a long while. I haven't figured out how to move around too well on this site or add my photo yet but I will work on it tomorrow. I'm hoping to learn a lot before the surgery. Cheers and congratulations Gayle.