iHeartNettie

My surgeon was Dr. Bilal Kharbutli too!

Thats probably for the best but I am just saying I would do anything for a spicy tuna roll...yummy

Hey iHeartNettie,
I'm struggling with getting my Protein drinks in as I am on a clear liquid diet still. I went to the store yesterday and something that they suggested, as I tasted it, it made me think of you and possible satietiating the desire you have for oranges/pineapples. It's a drink.... Cytomax Protein Pure Performance in tropical flavor (it's green). It tastes like coconut and pineapple. The sales lady also told me the 'orange flavor' was good. But I just wondered if that would fulfil your citrusy/fruity craving AND could increase your protein intake (if you need it). If not, pls disregard, but I'm wishing you well!
thanks

This may be kinda gross and I do apologize for grossing anyone out. But I have developed this new eating habit and i'm not sure if it's healthy or not and I would appreciate some feedback. Ok so I have been craving citrusy type fruits intensely, but I am afraid my body won't take too kindly to digesting the hard pulpy stuff in the fruit. So I have been chewing up oranges and pineapples and then spitting then spitting them out. Its satisfying and I think I am still getting the Vitamins from the juice I just don't want to put my digestive system through any unnecessary grief. Is this bad?

Before I could have soft meat post op, I used to chew the heck outta ALL the seasoned meat I could get my hands on, and spit it out! And I have read many posts on this forum of people who do the same. I don't have to do it anymore because I'm 6 weeks out...but it sure served it's purpose right after surgery. I do agree that it should not become a habit though. I don't get into psycho babble because there is a psych disorder for EVERYTHING and you sound just fine to me. Good luck on your journey!
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I feel your pain. This is hard physically, mentally and emotionally. The loss of food (my only addiction) has been so devestating to me. Now I feel obsessed with losing weight and making a real effort to steadily lose. It's been 6 weeks and I haven't hit a wall yet but if I did I'd probably flip out. I think all your doubts are completely normal. And we are all gonna slip up everyonce in a while. But you have to learn to forgive yourself and keep moving forward. As long as your making a conscious effort, I really don't think you can fail.
I wanna tell you what I did the other day. I was with my family (who are constantly eating) and my brothers were eating potato chips. Without even thinking I picked one up and put it in my mouth. It was easily the best thing I've eaten in the last 2 months. The flavor was so intense, I ate those chips until I physically had to stop. I probably had about a handful. Well afterward I felt intense remorse. And I even wondered if it was possible I could have gained weight due to this "mini binge."
But then I thought about it. So what if I had a handful of chips. Before this surgery I use to eat a family size bag in one day plus fast food about 3 times a day plus a trip to a buffet plus a huge home cooked meal with everything deep fried and slathered in butter...Catch my drift? Nobody is perfect and everybody slips every once in a while. You just need to pick back up where you left off and keep up the good work and the lbs will come off in no time! Good luck

Well for what its worth I have done this too post-op. Oranges just seem like they'd be so hard to digest so with oranges only, I will chew a piece up & then spit out the "casing" of an individual segment. I've never eaten more than 3 segments of a cutie, and the weird thing is I never ever wanted oranges before surgery. Must be some Vitamin deficiency ? Anyway, I personally woyldnt worry about it unless you start doing it w/ other food or continue doing it w/ oranges well past the typical healing period.....but that's just me

Uh oh I actually figured this because I've seen it on a few different tv shows but I also heard that the Vitamins come from the juice of the fruit and not the pulpy left over stuff so i was hoping i found a loophole.

Mine was done @ Henry Ford Wyandotte... Dr Bilal Kharbutli. Couldn't be happier. Everything went smoothly & no pain except gas pains from the surgery!

Nothing tastes as good a thin!

This is a letter that I wrote from my overweight self to my skinny self. I thought that since we're all on this crazy roller coaster together, you guys may get something from it so I decided to share.
Dear Skinny Bedhead,
I don't know what we look like, what we're up to, or how long the winding road was for us, but I do know this- there are a few things that I want to say to you.
It seems like we've been fat since the Dawn of Time... or at least since the age when body images start to really matter. Through all of these years there have been so many excuses: Injuries. Surgeries. Pregnancies. Illnesses. No more excuses. Excuses are easy to make. Changes aren't. But it doesn't matter anymore because the biggest change (surgery) has been made, and since I'm writing to my skinny self- I have to assume that we finally stopped using excuses as protection.
Remember all of those nights sitting on the couch in front of the TV eating ice cream and Jax? Remember spending hours on Pinterest pinning outfits that we loved and wanted to wear someday but never really thought we'd be able to? Don't ever let us go back to that again. Don't dream about a life instead of having a life. I need you to be stronger than me, even though we're one in the same. I couldn't do it, no matter how many times I lost the weight, so I need you to be strong and never turn back like I did all of those times.
Don't get discouraged by stretchmarks, sagging skin, or hair loss. Right now none of that matters. What matters is getting healthy and being able to to comfortably get on the floor to play, to go on rides at the fair, to ride the stupid warhorse at the Ren Fest. The kids. The kids are what matter. Being healthy and full of energy & life for those amazing little people who deserve so much more than a fat, lazy, tired, depressed mother. I'm ok with saggy skin and Hair loss if I get all of those wonderful moments instead.
Take pictures. Take a LOT of pictures, every chance you get. For years we've hidden behind the camera and there are thousands of pictures of daddy with the kids, but almost none of mommy with the kids. Change that. Smile huge, loving smiles.
Teach the kids (our daughter especially) to love their bodies and treat them right. Make sure not to ever give them self esteem issues, but at the same time be sure to teach the absolute importance of living healthy. Do not ever let them become what we became. Be their support, their guidance, their teacher, and their friend. Don't be the voice of their self-hate.
Never forget that we were fat. Don't ever look at an overweight person and judge them. Don't ever be cruel or snide or hateful. Not everyone can or will make this journey for a myriad of reasons that are nobody's business but their own. Always remember how much it hurt. Always remember the rude glances, the harsh words, and the utter desolation of obesity. Don't take this amazing gift for granted. It so easily could have not happened for us. We're lucky. Most people aren't so lucky. Be a candle in the darkness for those people. Uplift them, support them, love them unconditionally.
But most of all, uplift, support, and love US unconditionally. Don't hate me for what I did to our body. Don't look back with bitterness or scorn. We learned so much through our battle with obesity that even though I hate the toll it has taken, I'm glad it's a burden we had to carry. Look forward toward all of the beauty, wonder, and awe this life has to offer. Grab it by the reigns and don't let go. Live life, don't let it slip away.
Be the mother, daughter, sister, and wife we were always destined to be- Because it's better late than never!
With so much hope,
Your Fat Self