Matt Z

LMAO [emoji23]

VSG 10/11/17
HW = 360
SW = 292
GW #1 = 220 3/7/18
CW = 219.8 (6'5") [emoji256]

Welcome to the guys room Diane, you know, the one, for guys.

Your excellent advice came on a day when I was on a low self confidence day. It is exactly what I need to hear. Thank you for also sharing about your son, I also am NeuroDiverse, something denied existence in my childhood, a female Aspie. Just another of the facets that make me, me! Sometimes I interpret too literally, subtle can escape me. And after being told I was inherently flawed most of my existence, it is difficult to believe I can be loved and accepted as I am. Difficult but no longer impossible! I will go back and read your kind words frequently and treasure them. I have a psychological 2 hour appointment April 25th in Columbus. I am apprehensive because of what I have alluded to but I must have faith I am enough sufficent to satisfy them. My road to surgery has been torturously bumpy but I shall not give up, not where I can see the goal ahead. And I remain with faith in *ME* when all else fails.

Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

One thing to always remember. There is only 1 person in this whole world that you have to answer to, and that's yourself. If at the end of your day, you can look yourself in the mirror and say that you did what you wanted, how you wanted and that you don't regret what *YOU* did... then you are good to go. It's not easy, by any means. But the opinions of others really don't matter if you are happy with yourself. Don't try to change you to make other's happy, be yourself at all times and if people can't deal with that... that's on them. You will find people to like you, just by being you. People do weird things all the time, make fun of people because something about that person makes them feel bad or something. People that don't / can't accept others have problems accepting themselves and are projecting.

I know it's tough, my youngest is on the spectrum, leaning towards Asperger's, so his social skills are much different. He gets made fun of often because he's too smart or too odd... but he doesn't even give those people a second thought.

Keep your head up, be proud of who you are and always be yourself no matter what.

Hey I found out our local Wal-Mart does carry Halo,Top. $3.89 for its tiny container. Funny but right now I'm not the least bit tempted.

Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

You only fail when you give up. You clearly haven't given up. So, this isn't failure, it's a set back. I felt like a failure as well, I lost a decent amount of weight, then that was it, gained and lost, over and over. For 5 years. I stopped going in for check ups, etc, because I didn't' want to be "that patient" that failed with the band.
Guess what. My surgeon not only laughed off my "failure" but advised me that the band was over hyped and that my results were typical. I still have a long way to go, that's why I'm having Band to Bypass revision in a few days.
Just remember not to beat yourself up over falling down. Just get back up, dust yourself off, dry your eyes and get back on the path.

Ooh, this is cool, too!

Take as deep a breath in as you can, hold it and push into it a bit, hold that for as long as you can (don't go too hard, you are not trying to cause any tearing, just adding more pressure to force the gasses out). Then release. Doing this forces the built up gasses to make their way into your system faster and really speeds up the recovery from being pumped up like a Macy's Day Balloon.

Take as deep a breath in as you can, hold it and push into it a bit, hold that for as long as you can (don't go too hard, you are not trying to cause any tearing, just adding more pressure to force the gasses out). Then release. Doing this forces the built up gasses to make their way into your system faster and really speeds up the recovery from being pumped up like a Macy's Day Balloon.

@FluffyChix You've repeatedly asserted that marijuana causes the munchies. Maybe that's the case for you. But that's not the case for everyone.
While the original poster asked about smoking, smoking isn't the only way to ingest marijuana. Edibles exist to avoid inhalation & problems associated with it.

Oh boy. [emoji28] You got me there! Because 2007 data published in a peer review journal went over my head. You're so right! Weed is terrible. Kills thousands of people a year.

Haaaa...

You have a good day. [emoji4]

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm really not going to debate with you... but if you're a scientist you wouldn't have put a news article as a source to prove a point. lol

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

False. Smoking cigarettes is 1000000x worse. I don't even smoke pot (besides once in Amsterdam) & I'd do it over cigarettes any day.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

If you're smoking weed, it carries all the risks of smoking cigarettes with some additional risks on top. Look at this as a chance to live a healthy life. At the very least, discuss it with your surgeon.

Dude. Put the pipe down.
Ask yourself, do you really need a case of the munchies?

It doesn’t give me munchies. I’m looking to not use the narcotic pain meds that gives me headaches.

Halo Top is less "Ice Cream" and more "Frozen Protein Shakes" (But it's still "ice cream") So if you WERE going to cave, it would be a good option.

Something I've figured out that REALLY has been helping me along with my Pre-Op diet is this frozen Jello ice that I make using watermelon.

2 boxes of sugar free jello
2 cups liquefied watermelon

Boil 2 cups of Water, add in 2 boxes of jello, mix as instructed, then instead of adding more water, add the 2 cups of watermelon, divvy up and freeze. They make amazingly tasty Italian ice style ices with no added sugars.

Generally yes. Call and find out. Mine was no polish, no fake/acrylic/gel nails so the pulse-ox can be accurate. Better safe than try to remove them just before surgery.

Found this, haven't used it since it's only for iPhone, but looks like an app like you are looking for.
http://www.seeyourprogress.com/

Found this, haven't used it since it's only for iPhone, but looks like an app like you are looking for.
http://www.seeyourprogress.com/

Ok Im waiting for a call back. THANK YOU and good luck!!

Sent from my SM-G935P using BariatricPal mobile app

It depends on several factors. Your current medical condition, liver size, stomach size, your doctors preferences, etc. I'm in the process of Band to Bypass revision, I'm on 2 weeks liquids but I don't need to do the typical day before surgery "flush". As always, if you have a question, make sure to contact your surgeon's office. Never hurts to ask, and it's their job to provide you with the proper information.

If you wish, you *could* start the diet on your own. There are plenty of write ups and instructions to be found online, but even still, I'd suggest making sure your doctor is aware.
Good Luck!

Update: My band has slipped and my port is flipped Surgery Tuesday to remove my band.

I can relate to this. I was banded back in Nov of 2011. Whereas I did lose about 60 lbs in total, I only lost 38 or so after the band. I tried my hardest, tracked all intake and expenditures. I just couldn't break 300. I'm currently floating between 300 and like 315. I felt defeated. I felt like a failure. I stopped going to my surgeon for check ups. I just kinda gave up on the band. Recently I decided that I have had enough of the getting stuck on good for you foods and was just done with failing at weight loss. I was nervous, anxious, and a bit scared to step foot in my doctor's office. But with my wife in tow, I did just that. I was relieved to find out that my experience, wasn't abnormal at all. I wasn't a failure. The band was over hyped and typical results were WAY less than promised. My doc told me that some companies have stopped making the band or replacement parts all together. One is in the process of selling their part of the company that does bands altogether. So, please do NOT take all the blame!
I'm currently working towards revision to bypass. I thought about the sleeve, but my doc will not do band to sleeve revision due to scar issue build up under the band being directly in line to where they staple when they sleeve. Scar tissue doesn't heal to scar tissue the same way that healthy tissue heals to healthy tissue. So, if I wanted the band she would refer me to another surgeon in her office, but she wouldn't do it because the increased risks of leaking were just too great for her to justify doing the procedure. That and going from a long term band installation to sleeve will *not* have the same outcome as those going from nothing to sleeve. As I'm already used to the restriction, it won't be as effective. So, I'm going to revise to the bypass.
Just understand, that the band was not the product that it was reported to be. You are not alone in the failure. The band failed you, not the other way around.
Stay strong. Stay positive. Stay focused.

Good luck man! I haven't had the exact same issue, but I know the feeling of being forced to deal with things. I've got a list of foods that I should be eating that I have issues with, either getting stuck or it just being super uncomfortable to eat. It's one of the reasons I'm trying to get my band updated to a bypass. It shouldn't hurt to eat lettuce.

Hope all is well!