Pookeyism

Probably a stricture but make them take video AND submit it for a second opinion - you could have an expanding vein, and that is deadly - please understand I am not trying to scare you - a ruptured vein in my Mothers throat is what they think killed her...six months ago today. They had "expanded" her throat twice to "ease a stricture" before she passed away.

The higher your initial weight, generally, the faster it will come off - your initial Water weight loss will be greater, and it just takes more calories to maintain depending on how heavy you are. Thus more intitial weight loss. BMI can be tricky, because it is not a true measurement of fat. But in general say, 2- 35 year old women both 5' 5" working similarly, eating same, exercizing same, chances are one weighing 350 lbs will see much more initial weight loss than , say, a 220 lb woman.

I don't have a soy protien but the unjuires are lactose free and are not dairy unless you choose to add it. Mootopia is dairy but it is lactose free milk, 1/2 the sugars, and it is protien fortified 8 oz milk is 12 g protien. I think Muscle milk is not milk at all, and GNC carries lean milk or something like that - again not milk at all...

I have been drinking benefiber in my coffee, and fiber supplement drinks, and it has eliminated the worst of the constipation, BUT I still get pain as food travels down

Pshaw! 3 weeks ain't nothin'! LOL Just keep going, keep your calories UP, don't skimp, and you will lose weight - you are probably losing inches! You are doing great! Dont forget that!

It is something we all deal with. Don't let it hurt too much, but take a lesson from it, and move on (so much easier said than done, I know).

I was told six weeks, although I did cheat at abotu 4 weeks and took one that just has a few inches of water...

Balls yeah! Ouch!

Also you can buy spandex cloth and make your own. I did finally, although I will be revamping it soon.

My citizenship into Onderland was hard fought for, too. It's like that Paramore song "It feels so gooood". Congrats and now that yousee how it can be, keep it in mid and try not to get down on yourself again. Be persistent. Good luck!

If they are rude enough to ask to share when you have not offered, be blunt enough to say no!

I had to really up the flossing and brushing...and tongue scrapping. I brush about 5x daily now, and even wipe down my upper pallette and cheeks with a very soft cloth.

Four days in a row no day skipped without at least one "meal" of real food. Yesterday I even reached my calorie goal by eating 4 small meals. I am paying for it now. WOW! I hurt. Just below my tummy and just above my pants line...not moving the way it usually does, as if it is discomfort passing food. :/

Lol - that is what we all want, and it IS a wonderful community! yay for us!

You absolutely MUST consult with your surgeon...be careful, you can wait a little too long or you can not wait long enough...which sounds worse to you?

I commented on it but I cannot find it either... I have submitted a question based on her statement to The American Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Association, and I am waiting on a response. I will follow up when I get one - but I would not worry too much, 10 years out the staples are no longer what is holding you together, from my understanding.

Thing is about vitammin deficiency is it creeps up on you - and you don't really get a chance to fix it often the damage is done. You really should be taking your Vitamins daily. You body does not take a Vitamin and use it in isolation - imagine a closet full of toys - it isn't like a hula hoop, you pull it out and use it. It is more like barbie - you need the dolls, and clothes, the house and the car and the beach party set and - you get the picture? all of this stuff has to come out to work together...now imagine it being a one-time only thing, you have to replace ti to use it again... Vitamin deficiencies open us up to immmunity disease, increased cancer risk, bone density and joint issue - and yes, how you body will look during and sfter weight loss (not to mention how you age and heal from sun exposure) literally everything you can imagine and then some... I have a chewable from Wal-mart that was recommended - Natures Own, and they are inexpensive and go down easy.

Hmmm...I am slowly getting concerned about my gallbladder. I think it is time to schedule an appontment with my PCP.

Yup but be careful, er, with the gas til you can "feel" them out - they can be tricky exiting, if you know what I mean. You can make very filling smoothies and ice juicers AND a tea that is very similar to tapioca!!!

Sometimes you just have to sit down, and not get back up till you have had at least a few ounces of Water. I still get distracted and so not sip enough, which can leave me at a deficit by the end of the day. A bit more personal - consider tracking your urination levels...you may be losing excessive water.

It's not a negative review, it is pointing out another part of the process...people come here and read these posts just for this type of information. What was good, bad and mediocre. With our care politeness over why something was is ok...just mention it too to be safe, and spare people glowing, glossy reviews of a process that actually may have been less than. It is a patient asking a physician a question after abdominal surgery, not a friend failing to respond after you asked them if they were free this weekend.

See you on the losing side (winning)!

If you are eating healthy and keeping a moderate pace on exercize, it seems totally possible that your body has caught up, so to speak, and is back on a level that it can let go of weight again.

Yay for you! Re: sneakers...until you can get a new pair try spraying them with downy wrinkle reducer inside, and blast them with the hair dryer and lace them tight, wait ti they dry and thy might be more snug - an conform to your new foot better.

Tell them what you told us - simplify or elaborate based on the person and how you know them to be in regards to individual catch phrases... ...My hubby was terrified, and I had seen this in him before in 2007 when I was hit by a car and was admitted for emergency surgery, etc. I wrote him a Christmas Card since we were spending the Holidays more or less focused on my surgery. I can't remeber exactly what it said but it went like this: "Baby, I want to apologize for all of this happening over the Holidays, and I appreciate so much how you are giving those special days over to my needs. You are always so generous that way, and you are such a good caretaker. You never fail to tend your kith and kinder you anticipate my needs readily and I see, I know, that you give of yourself more than you should, more than is what is easy or convenient. Thank you so much. I am concerned for my welfare but confident, and we are nearing the end of the tests, and will have the NYE to Celebrate a truly new year. I need this surgery, and I have you to calm me, reassure me that my choices are good - I need one more thing from you - do your best to try and phrase your words with me in a way that will make me feel confident as we continue through this, while not failing to let me know when you feel frightened or scared. " I took the way I know he sees me, his responsibilities, what points make him feel validated and expressed how I fee in terms that are on his levels of perception - so he could take what I said and use it for himself as comfort, flattery and praise and that enabled him to give back to me in expressing himself while still supporting me. Tell them specifically what you want, feel, and need, AND can give. The way you word it can be essential right now because you have to break through barriers of fear, some prejudice of seeing repetitive habits, attempts the did not work, etc. You are doing something that seems very foreign to many in regards to a rational way to deal with anything less than somethign broken, infected, cancerous, etc...that is how so many regard surgery. We have to come to people on this journey on individual levels, so that if you have to walk away (talking here more on friendship levels) you know you made reasonable effort. Then you focus on yourself, because you will have to very, very soon.