TheRealMeIsHere!

I was kind of thinking that the veggies are mostly Water and shrink down. Like how you can have a HUGE mound of raw spinach, but cook it and it's reduced down to maybe a quarter of what it started out as. It's just terrifying to see how much salad I can eat. But I guess, since the amount of meat I can eat is not huge, about 1/3 cup, then my sleeve isn't stretched? Try this experiment. Take your salad and put it into a blender. Add 4 oz of water and blend. Pour this into a measuring cup. Whatever is over the 4 oz mark is what your salad has been reduced to. Salad has always been one of those things I can eat a good portion of because it does reduce well, whereas the dense Protein is pretty much already reduced to whatever it is going to be.

I still eat the dense protein first. As a matter of fact, that is ALL I eat at a meal. I rarely eat 1-2 bites of a carb (pasta/rice/potato/whole wheat bread) Sometimes a half sandwich, maybe 1-2 times a month. I eat a salad, mid afternoon, because I get hungry, then and don't want to eat something high calorie. Yeah, as far as meat, my limit isn't much more than it used to be. But why can I eat so much salad in one sitting, without feeling overstuffed?

I am two years post op and have maintained my goal weight for over a year. Around 18 months out, I could suddenly eat more. Prior, I could only eat 1/4-1/3 cup of food at one time. As of 18 months I could do 1/2-1 cup, depending on the food. salad, on the other hand, I can eat 2-3 cups at a time. Am I stretching my sleeve? Wouldn't I know if I was pushing the envelope?

My dr. said the longer I wore the binder or some kind of compression, the better the final result. Wore mine for 3 months

LMAO! woohoo! Congrats on the ribs, who woulda thunk they were hiding all this time? .

an amazing transformation of mind and body!

It's bogus Our center does not obtain skin from these patients for several reasons. First, this method of obtaining skin is cost prohibitive. The amount of transplantable tissue obtained from tissue reduction surgery is minimal when compared to the amount of tissue obtained from a cadaveric (deceased) tissue donor. The procurement costs would be much greater as it would require the services of doctors, nurses, anesthetists, and other health care professionals as well as the use of an operating room and other hospital services. Cadaveric donation requires only trained tissue recovery technicians, and they can procure tissue after the body has been sent to the morgue (rather than in an operating room), thus keeping expenses to a minimum. Additionally, cadaveric donated tissue can be used for transplant soon after recovery (as soon as quality assurance testing is complete), however, the FDA requires that tissues recovered from living donors must be placed into quarantine for six months. At the end of six months, all serologic testing (HIV and Hepatitis) of the donor must be repeated before that tissue can be used. It is extremely difficult to obtain a skin graft from tissue than has been removed during tissue reduction surgery. The usual procedure for tissue reduction surgery involves the removal of skin and underlying attached tissues, often several centimeters. Skin grafts used for transplant (burn patients) are only 15/1000 (0.015) of an inch thick and do not include these underlying tissues. Skin grafts for transplant are obtained by the use of a surgical device called a dermatome, which peels off a very thin (0.015 inch) uniform layer of skin. I do not know of any tissue bank that would pay for a donor's tissue reduction surgical expenses for the purpose of obtaining skin for transplantation. If you are interested in donating your tissues upon your death I would encourage you to share this information with your family. Your gift can save lives and greatly reduce suffering. Can I donate a small piece of skin in exchange for money? No. Our center does not obtain tissues from paid donors. In fact, the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and Federal regulations prohibit monetary inducement for donation.

I take Walmart Active Kids chewable complete Vitamins. Early on, took two a day, now just one. Also, in the beginning, took liquid Iron, calcium (Tums) Vit. D and b12. My insurance paid for most, the rest I got for less than $10.00 each, for several months supply. Why does your doctor want you to take so much Christian?

thank you!

Oh wow buplee!! That sound delicious. Do you have a dehydrator or do you dry them some other way? I would love to dry my own fruit.

Great idea!!! Just check the label on the dried fruit, many add sugar

Yep, I also get plain FF Greek yogurt and add Splenda and extract or unsweetened cocoa, lime/lemon juice. I hear that crystal light powder, those packets of frosting creations and Splenda or SF jello is also good.

The Dannon Light and fit Greek does not have sugar, that's why I get it.

Dannon has some new flavors of light and Fit Greek. Caramel Macchiato strawberry Cheesecake and Cherry chocolate They are amazing, as well as all the other flavors!! Can't decide which I like better http://www.lightandfit.com/light-yogurt/light-and-fit-greek/cherry

at first, your weight will go up, due to swelling, and you will wear at least a size or two bigger. Once all swelling is gone, you may wear the same size as now, just better.

YES, just had a panni/TT on 10/17/2013. First printed the ins. criteria from their website. Took that to my pain management dr. who wrote a letter echoing EXACTLY what ins. wanted. Wrote my own stuff about how my co-morbidities are resolved, importance of exercise in keeping weight off and co-morbidities gone. How excess skin impedes exercise. Took all that to plastic surgeon, was approved in less than a week.

AWESOME news!! My apnea went from 48 apneas/hr to 6 Hypoapneas/hr. Pulmonolgist said as long as it's over 5, ins. will pay and I could use CPAP or not. I tried for two weeks to go without CPAP, and slept HORRIBLE! I think I'm just so used to it, it actually relaxes me, I put it on and it's like aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!......

2 years out and cold all the time. I wear as many layers as physically possible, just to be in the house! Going outside in the cold is torture. Balmy 90 degree days are my FAVORITE!!

Wow u r amazing and is very string women I wanted a tummy tuck but insurance didn't cover it.. but how r u doing now I'm feeling and doing wonderful! Thanks for asking. If you have back or possibly other problems, try to get a referral from the doctor that you see for that. First print the criteria from your insurance website and take that to them. Write a letter to your insurance explaining how the extra skin impedes exercise and exacerbates the pain. Also mention how important exercise is in maintaining a healthy weight and preventing any comorbidities from returning. Then the doctor can include this letter with the request for approval. Sometimes insurance denies, just to weed out the not so serious. It may or may not work, but it might be worth a shot.

Yes it IS too good to be true, looks like alot of possible complications http://ezinearticles.com/?Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-With-Duodenal-Switch&id=444089

I would do the abdominoplasty. Bigger benefit for your buck, but depends on which bothers you more. Pain was minimal for me and VERY manageable with the pain meds. I had a TT/Panni on 10/17/2013

It's all cracking until one starts crying and the other one starts spewing Sleeve or no sleeve laura-ven can hold her tequila Ok imma going to have to imagine your pretty eyes to go with the rest of the fabulousness I'm seeing... : Don't kill me I can't draw!

Yep, the bruising is gone. Thanks for asking. I love my tummy!! Still wearing shapewear for a few more weeks, but......the difference now, is I look the same with or without shapewear. Not like pre-surgery where the shapewear had to have superpowers to hide my fat suit! I even bought some HOT bodycon dresses for the holidays, in a size small, thank you very much!!

awesome!! You are both very beautiful! You really could pass for sisters

My nightmare when my drains were in!! I would have passed out cold!