Lissa

Congrats, AJA!!! Welcome to the loser's bench and keep on rocking that sleeve!

I chose the sleeve over the band for all of the reasons listed above, and then some. My late mother-in-law had stomach cancer and had a stomach gastrectomy for that. She was left with even less capacity than I have, yet she still managed to eat and to take medications with it. I also have a sister in law who has had THREE Gastric Bypass surgeries, and we had a very frank, involved discussion of her complications and revisions. Not for me. Lastly, a former co-worker had the early stomach stapling surgery. Watching her eating habits and problems convinced me I'd rather be fat than have those issues. When I finally went for the seminar, I was initially going for the LB, but the doctor said one thing that convinced me completely. He said that those with the sleeve can only eat so much, period. Even for someone whose main problem was sweet addiction (like me), the sleeve is a better choice because it restricts how much of any food one can eat. I was sold, right then and there. 5 months and 81 pounds later, I'm very happy with my sleeve! Good luck with your decision.

Lacie, I'm so touched by the fact that you could articulate this whole mental process and that you did it here, in public. You know why you wanted to binge and you stopped yourself rather than relying on the sleeve to do it. Yeah, the sleeve told you "Nope", but you could have found a way. Instead, you listened to it. I'm proud of you, not in a condescending way but in a "You go girl" way!!! The head work is the toughest part of this surgery. You sound like you have a good handle on things, but I'm still going to encourage you to see a therapist if you can. As you get further out from surgery, your capacity will increase. A therapist can help you work through the issues before you get to a point where you're having a tough time...or a tougher time. Great job on not giving in to the binge!!!

Mater, Good luck!! Can't wait to see you on the loser's bench!!

Pookey, Your mom knows and is dancing for you in heaven!! Congrats! That's a major HUGE milestone for you!!!

Yay!!!

doggz, I think she's laying to rest her "trigger food". I can pretty much eat anything I want and not have problems with craving it, but crunchy cheetos are my nemesis. I should lay them to rest along with her cheesecake and the pepsi another poster is dumping. I've decided that crunchy cheetos must not come in my house again until I'm way closer to my goal. Perhaps by the time I reach goal, they will just be a distant, but fond, memory.

I really like the mini-babybel cheeses and Frigo string cheese since surgery. My other go-to snacks include pork rinds, almonds and SF pudding. I have never liked beef jerky, so I don't have any opinion on that.

Welcome to the loser's bench!! I'm sorry you've had a rough week, but it sounds like you are moving forward. Just keep trying to sip and worry about protein drinks after you're able to get some water in you. Walk a lot to help with the gas and it will help you recover quickly!

Frumpy, Which you aren't, BTW. Take away the hassle about going to the gym. Buy some cheap 1 to 3 pound weights and start using them at home for biceps and triceps exercises. There is a WHOLE section here about exercise and fitness after the sleeve. I found a link in there to an abdominal routine I'm using every other day to work on my core muscles. It's TOUGH, so I'm doing a very modified version of it, but I'm getting there, plus I'm making sure I get my 30 minutes of walking in every day. Take the little ones for a walk, "hike" around the backyard with them, anything that gets you up and moving. If I remember correctly, there are a bunch of songs that have hand, arm and leg movements to them for little kids. Why not do those with your kids? You could even make it a game for all of you to dance a little each day, doing some jumping jacks or toe touches as part of the dance. Every little bit helps and makes an incredible difference in how you feel and heal. Exercise also pays benefits quickly in increased energy levels, ability to move easier in daily tasks and getting your kids started on a basic routine now will pay big dividends in their lives. I'm not the world's best exerciser, but I have managed to commit and stick to doing my ab routine for the last week, and I've been doing the basic weights since surgery. I am NOT hard-core, mostly because I can't be hard-core yet. My health won't take it, YET. However, I've already seen improvement in my stomach area, despite two c-sections. I also have a bit of muscle in my arms and legs, plus the shelf that used to be my butt is now GONE. You don't have to be a gym rat to get results, although it does help if you can make it happen. I just know how hard it is to make that time when you have little kids at home! Good luck!!

Love it!! You are rocking that sleeve!! AND those shoes! I need to shop my closet and see if I have any shoes that still fit me! I haven't worn heels in years, but it would be nice! Enjoy Vegas and remember, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!!

You look great!!! Congrats on your success so far!!

Pre and post-op lovenox self-injections, 1 week on each side. I had a clot and 2 pulmonary embolisms about 3 months previous to surgery. Matter of fact, I'm still on coumadin, although I was taken off of it for 1 month, then had to start taking it again. I had the horrible bruising as well.

Slow and easy wins this race! You are doing great if you can manage most of the liquids in a day this early! Keep sipping and sipping, then walk, walk, walk. You will be amazed at how quickly your body can handle more sipping and more walking! It is more important to get liquids in than Protein, especially very early post-op. You must stay hydrated because dehydration will cause WAY more problems than lack of protein right now. Good luck!!

My aunt is selling them. So are the clerks at both UPS and Fed Ex, where I go almost daily. And now, apparently, one of the salespeople at a community I work for is selling them for her DD as well. I'm surrounded and not sure where to hide! I actually asked my aunt if I could just donate $5 and not have to have the Cookies at home, so we gave them to her hubby!

I was sleeved August 30, 2011 as well. I'm having wierd weight loss issues. I'll got about 10 days with no loss, then whoosh 5 pounds off. Last time that happened, I dropped 10 pounds overnight and it stayed off! I still don't understand that one. But, then I didn't lose an ounce for three weeks and, in fact, bounced up and down 2-3 pounds during that time. juice is HORRIBLE for us right now. It's basically pure sugar and doesnt really have enough Fiber content to keep us regular. I think you're right on track to start over with Clear Liquids, but you might try Lil Miss Diva's Boot Camp. It's a great way to reset your metabolism and I've already dropped 3 pounds in 3 days. Pure Protein and green veggies only for 5 days, then back to strict sleeve rules on food. Are you getting in all your Water? Oh, and if you started at a lower BMI, you might not lose as fast as others. Besides, "only" 45 pounds? That's FANTASTIC in 5 months. How much could you have lost on your own in 5 months without surgery? Good luck!!

I agree that it's a lie that you have to file a paper to keep a doctor from talking to your parents! I've got two adult sons whose doctors often requested that I leave the room while they had private talks with my sons. The kids usually told me what it was about (drugs, alcohol, sex), but the doctors never would because of privacy laws. My youngest was dx with diabetes at 14 and his endocrinologist often asked my son if he wanted to doctor to go over the diagnostic tests with me in the room. ALL patients are entitled to privacy. As for the surgeon deciding not to operate, F him. There are other doctors and you can go to another doctor. Your insurance has already approved your surgery. If you're determined, and it sounds like you may not be?, then call that surgeon back and explain to him that YOU are the patient and it is YOUR decision that counts, not your father's. If the surgeon still refuses to do your surgery, call the insurance company and ask for another doctor's name. BTW, if I lived anywhere near NY, I'd offer to be there for you on the day of surgery. I'm a good mommy-figure.

I drink Premier Protein shakes regularly, too. My Nut and Surgeon both recommend them. I did ask about the protein bullets and got frowns from both because of the collagen. The first place I read about problems with collagen protein was the weight-lifters' boards. If you google "collagen protein" and "weight lifting", you'll find some very long and involved discussions on those boards. They sound just like the science nerds I knew in HS. I was a nerd, but not over science, for clarification! LOL The discussions I read convinced me; then my Nut and doctor backed it up. I won't be using collagen as my protein source. I was really intrigued by the idea of getting 30-48 g of protein from a 3 oz drink, too!

I have to agree with the suggestion to keep a protein bar in your purse, or keep several in your desk if you have a desk that is all yours. It makes it much easier if you get caught without lunch for some reason. Most of the convenience stores down here carry some kind of protein shake, which gives a decent option if you are caught without lunch. The tuna packets are great, too. I keep one in my car at all times because I do a lot of travelling every day and the tuna pack is easy to put together just about anywhere.

I have a card that says I've been sleeved. I keep it behind my driver's license in my wallet. It asks restaurants to let me order from the kid's or senior menu and also alerts medical personnel not to do a blind NG (nasal gastric?) tube on me. My doc had it waiting for me at my first post-op appointment. I also have a note under ICE on my phone that says who my contact is and to see the Notes section of my iPhone. In there I keep a list of my meds, updated weekly, along with my surgeon's name and phone number and some quick information about my health. Hopefully, both my phone and my purse will be handy if there is an emergency. Oh, and I didn't get that idea out of my thick skull. There's a long thread about emergency information somewhere here.

Kwyant, I so wish I could figure out how to link you to a post from a couple of days ago. You sound like the opposite side of the coin from that guy. Let me preface what I'm about to say with this: I have been where you're at right this minute, so maybe I have a little insight into what you're dealing with. I don't know what the problems between you and your wife are specifically, but, from your post, I assume that she thinks you have anger issues. Nothing scares a woman worse than a man being angry and yelling at her, especially if he's "getting in (her) face". That exact scenario moved me out of my house with my "loving" husband. I think that you both probably need some counseling, probably alone for both of you, then together once the two of you have your separate issues worked out. I know you are devastated right now, but I think you should carry forward with the surgery if at all possible. It will help you in so many ways to lose that weight. Your self-confidence will improve. You will have more self-esteem and, despite the fact that yelling at someone else seems like an aggressive act, it's usually more about not having the confidence in yourself to find a better way to handle a problem. Yeah, it will be tough to go through the surgery without her support, but you will be stronger for standing on your own. Once you're through the surgery and are starting to develop more confidence in yourself, maybe you and your wife can work on the issues you have. Maybe she's scared spitless right now and doesn't know how to support you through this. That could be a factor in how she's reacting right now. The one thing I do know is that you MUST put yourself and your health first and be happy/at peace with yourself before you can have a true, loving relationship with someone else. I wish you luck. I know it's hard, but tomorrow is another day and you WILL handle this.

I have done lots of the insides of fast food when I am stuck without another option. The fillings of most burritos and tacos aren't bad if you're on mushies. I took apart a couple of soft tacos at Taco Bell a couple of days ago because I forgot to put a Protein bar in my purse that morning! At 5 months out I still can't really deal with breads or rice. For chinese food, we have a great chinese buffet here. They have 4 or 5 lines of food and some friends took me out to dinner last night. I had some chicken w/broccoli and a bunch of shrimp prepared different ways. On soft foods, you could do the Soups, the egg foo young (removing big pieces of veggies or meat), the seafood "salad", which is basically a tuna-salad like mash of crab, fish and veggies. I don't like it myself, but I have an aversion to raw fish unless I can have wasabi. My sleeve does NOT like spicy food still. I would avoid the rice like the plague, though. It still beats me up!

I'm another one who knows that VSG saved my life. I was self-pay, so I had my choice of any surgery my doctor offered and I chose VSG. My reasons were 1. I spent a lot of time on the Lap Band forums reading about people's experiences. Very little positive with lots of negative. 2. I did not want to have my entire intestines re-routed. 3. VSG allowed me to reduce the size of my tummy without having to have major dumping issues. 4. I can still absorb vitamins and nutrients from my food, although apparently ALL weight loss surgery patients have to take some combo of vitamins and minerals. Good luck with your decision. You'll reach goal pretty quickly because you have a slightly lower BMI than others, but it still won't be "easy" or a cakewalk. You'll still have to put in the head work and the foot work to get to your goal. It will be worth it, though.

You're going into surgery as I type this! You're in my prayers and may God guide the surgeon's hands. Let us know when you're able to do so. Welcome to the loser's bench!!

Maria, I'm going to say this as gently as possible. Your family doesn't need the junk food any more than you need it. If you think it's necessary to keep junk food in the house, then make it something you don't like. However, they will be healthier, and your kids will learn better eating habits if you keep the junk out of the house. Having it there is too much of a temptation for you and will cause you to have problems making your goal. Saying that you have to have trigger foods in your house because you have them to feed is negative self-talk. I can't keep certain things at home because they WILL cause me to eat junk. Crunchy Cheetos are my nemesis. Do I allow myself to eat them? Yes, on rare occasions, I do. But, I will purchase a small, single serving bag and munch on a few each evening until they are gone. However, my self-discipline related to those cheetos is not good, so I cannot do that on a regular basis. I have committed to avoiding everything except Protein and green veggies for 5 days, then I'll move back to strict sleever rules (64 oz of Water, 70 g of protein, veggies and whole grains after that) for at least the rest of this month. So, no cheetos for me in February! You are doing great on weight loss right now, 33 pounds in 2 months is terrific! But, it will get harder as you move further out from surgery and the habits you create right now will either help you make it to goal or cause you to stumble as you get further post-op. You didn't have surgery to lose half your weight! You want to lose it all so you can be healthier and live longer. The surgeon sleeved your tummy and now it's time to sleeve your head. Who know, maybe by providing a living example of someone who eats right and exercises daily, you will help your kids avoid obesity and you may even encourage hubby to get healthier. THAT would be a couple of terrific NSV's right there! Good luck!!