4ALongerLife

Jicama is supposed to be a healthier alternative to water chestnuts..... could you use them instead? I've never cooked with either but love the 'crunch' of it.

Grrr I think you are right.... no corn until after the 1st 6 months (on my sheet).

Awesome! Thanks for posting!

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

OMG y'all I'm so excited. Went to Vitamin Shoppe and they DID give me a store credit w/o a receipt (woo hoo) and it was enough that I got one grape Isopure RTD (as the sales lady suggested the flavor), then one nectar Sweets packet in vanilla Bean Torte flavor (there is 23g of Protein in this packet you mix it with 8 to 16 oz of Water and so far, it tastes good..... it mixes with some sediment but omg something new to taste and with protein woo hoo), then I got one other thing in the fridge.... called Pure Protein in Tropical flavor. It's a clear protein (it's green actually) and I'm sorry I forget the protein amt in it. But those are now the three things I'm going to try the next few days. Woo hoo something new and hopefully helping me heal! Thank you all for your inputs! I am soooo encouraged..... truly every day has been better through this journey, especially with your inputs and positive vibes... thank you!

lol yes ma'am, on 3/19 someone hit a pole near Baylor Carrollton in the mid day and the lights flickered and I think that's when their generator came on. that evening, it was storming and again the lights flickered. i just think i'm apt to murphy's law... go figure. and yes they did a leak test after my surgery and it wasn't there (or wasn't spotted). i know when i went in for pneumonia they did another leak test upon my er admit and nothing was seen. when i was admitted with excruitiating pain due to the leak/abscess, the radiologist that was there (Dr. Siegler) had me drink the first half cup that they dilute but then he said wait a minute, let's not dilute this barium and can you do another sip for me? i did and voila he saw it.

Congrats to you on your surgery date and my best wishes at an easy surgery with a speedy recovery to follow!

I am going for the Isopure RTD bottles today. I tried to find my Vitamin Shoppe receipt for the bullets and I can't find it ... grrr. I didn't realize they will take those back. Call me cheap but I'd try to return them if they'll take them. At about 3.50 a pop, yeah I was going to try! Now to balance start of the day, working from home and going for the Isopures. I am encouraged by your posts... thank you so much! And VST Addict, you are too kind. I'm ok.... my first post ... I admit I was down and feeling sorry for myself. But each day, I get a little bit stronger. And thank God every day for that (even though I'm praying any leaks are healed up, please lord....). But ty so very much for your kindness!

sweetie, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. it's better to ask than to not to and something go wrong or develop wrong from it. you know whenever we are 'fat' we learn to hide everything don't we? (or maybe that was just me? doubt it, but i'll admit that was my behavior) i stuffed my emotions and food helped me cope. THAT was silly but... it was learned for years. how i wish someone had been available to ask stupid questions of to save me years of damage. changing our behaviors is the hard part of this journey and that's what it will take to be successful. well that's where my focus is... how to change my maladaptive thoughts into measures of success. due to this focus, i honestly don't care who thinks what of me on this journey. i justify it with i honestly don't know, i distorted my view on food and now i have this grand opportunity to make this change a success. the surgery's only half of it, it's a tool to help you get there, there's much more work to be done. i am like a baby, new and learning... so questions of all sorts are ok. ... it's daily small steps and i struggle with this. maybe i'm overthinking, maybe not... but there's nothing to be ashamed of anymore sweetie. please be proud of yourself. it took a HELLUVA lotta guts to get where you are. (and maybe you are like me, i minimize everything that i do well from years of being belittled and made to feel ashamed. but guess what? no more.. i AM changing and i'm going to fight to be successful). but i still would like to encourage you just to ask just to make sure it's nothing harming you ok? best wishes...xoxo

lol I was going to say I have seen worse on that show "my strange addiction" but dropped it. (is that the show you were thinking of by chance? it's a weirdddd show) Honestly, my fear would be that over time, your body will become used to the chew/spit reflex. I googled as Niahri said and read other threads on this. Do the same and speak with your dr., nurse, nutritionist. Maybe you need a Vitamin that could alleviate this craving. (they have chewable Vitamins in orange, I forget the brand and those ARE good for you... maybe that would help your craving as well?)

How exciting... my time rushed past me so fast, I was overwhelmed I think... that "feeling the emotions again" perhaps? Congrats to you. I wish you a great surgery, fabulous and easy recovery and all of the positivity that your soul can hold. Best of luck to you.

How exciting. Truly! Congrats to you and your wife. I wish you and your missus quick recoveries, great experiences throughout this journey and years of living much longer & stronger. Congrats to you and your family... God bless.

I'm not sure nutritionally what you actually are getting from it, but I don't think it's weird. Maybe ask your dr. about this though. Input is always good.

Best of luck to you all! I know you are so excited, nervous, jittery, can't wait... etc... remain positive through it all and god bless each one of you.

Thank you everyone for your posts... I sound like a freak'n cheerleader or something lol... I am always so thankful for all of your posts, truly. You guys make me smile, TY TY TY TY TY and may you all be blessed for your kindnesses. My apologies... I haven't checked in here as I have been on conf calls, "working from home" but not taking on tasks just yet. Not till this "hunchback of notre dame" aka "botched boob job" of a piggy back drain (I stuff it under my shirt to go "out" in public so those are the two names my family and my dr. have given it lol thought you might have a chuckle at my fortune/misfortune he he) but once this drain comes out, then I will take on work as before. TODAY was a good day but I wish I had checked back here sooner. Grrr. I was just gonna say 'screw it' (pardon the language) on the Protein. OMG those bullets now, I open one and smell it and immediately my throat contracts and I just have to breathe and keep swallowing not to wretch. I WILL try the Isopure. You know I used to work out a LOT but I never did Whey because I didn't need to gain. I remember seeing IsoPure but never really looked at it. So ty for the tip! For the lady that is the RN that posted.... bless you for saying what you did. I've had a few ppl in my ears about 'you sure you dr. didn't mess up'. Yes negative nellies, I am sure (pppthhhh). My dr. is wonderful and I would recommend him to anyone and everyone - he's had the surgery himself and he has years and years of experience. He's really been a champion to help my worries on the medical bills and has been ever so patient with my sometimes anxious, overly worried, crazy self. He's truly got my confidence and faith (and I generally don't give that easily). I have to admit that I've stopped taking my flagile by mouth. Side effects, enough said? (I believe I will be "allergic" to this forever more....or so might be my story... I hate lying but omg the side effects of this stuff, jeesh) I'm still on clear liquids (since 3/5 essentially) and worry about losing my hair. I'm taking Biotin 5000 mcg a day but.... lord knows it grows hair right where I didn't intend. lol I am also losing still very fast. I don't mean it as a complaint, but it scares me is all. I lose about 5 lbs every two days. I'm almost 5 lbs from going under 200 (jeesh). I never intended to go through it this way, but then again, it's so weird to be this small again (so quick). I just hope I can advance my diet soon and that I can make it work. I truly appreciate you all.... your input, your support, and for the time you spend in responding. Thank you guys so much. Hope you all are having a ROCKING week!

You look amazing! Congrats!

I'm worried now on losing my hair as I'm on a clear liquid diet now for 4 weeks (due to complicaitons and issues from my original surgery on 3/5). I can't quite get the Protein bullets down (they are disgusting) and prior to surgery, I've taken Biotin for a long time. I'll have to go back to it (as I've slacked) and check out the mcgs. Thanks for all of your inputs on this subject and I have to say to "The *Coasting* Super Moderator, holy cow your before and after pix. Wow. Good luck to you all on this journey and thank you for your input!

All of your jitters are perfectly normal. I know I couldn't even think straight before mine. I didn't want to tell anyone what I was doing - I was honestly ashamed that my weight was as bad as it was and felt ashamed that I couldn't "get it in control" by my own efforts. I've lost and gained 60 to 80 lbs many times before in my life, but as I get older, it's harder (esply with this lovely hypothyroid). With all of that being said, I had complications after my surgery (no you won't have these! you will be ok) but I have since told people what my surgery was for and I am rather shocked at the way that it is accepted. With so many commercials and billboards in today's society about this as a way to battle the obesity that is plaguing our country, I guess it's being more accepted? Just stand firm in your decision. This is for YOUR health. Be proud of yourselves. This is not an easy decision, it's not the "easy way out" and you CAN use it as the tool it's supposed to be, just follow what your dr. says. Please do your breathing exercises, advance your diet as instructed in the ounces suggested... and stay positive! Use this opportunity as a way to regain energy and live life to the fullest. For your daughter, tell her all will be ok, this is for you to be around much longer for her. Best of luck wished to you all.

Thank you NiseeG! Are they clear liquids? I am not advanced to full liquids (i.e. milk yet). So if these are clear and ok to swallow then woo hoo, prayers answered. Those protein bullets are 42g to 50+ depending on the type you buy and I was doing what I could so I wouldn't lose my hair but omg last night I couldn't do two a day (they are so syrupy and thick tasting to me). And now choking down vit water with protein powder... ugh. C'mon milk stage! lol... ty for the tip! I have to end this note with... thank God though that I'm better than I was and thank you for your help, concern, support and prayers!

Thanks all for the prayers (for certain) and for the healing, positive thoughts. I went to my dr. yesterday and he took my PICC line out of my arm (the line that went into my arterial vein/in my heart) and my JP drain in my belly. I STILL have the accordian/piggyback drain in my diaphragmn but he wants to watch that for one more week to see if I'm having anything come out of it. So far, it's nothing and has been for the last 2 days (which my first thought is yeah! that means the abscess is clear? idk but i'm hoping). I'm on Clear liquids still this week and need to increase my Protein in my clear liquids. If you have tips on this, please let me know. First, omg those protein bullets are NASTY. My dr. said try to do 2 a day. I can usually suffer through one in the early morning whenever my tummy's making all kinds of sounds, but I tried an acai berry bullet last night (from Vitamin Shoppe) and I was SICK ... I did one ounce from it and thought I was gonna hurl. This morning I took some vitamin Water zero and mixed it with my procel powder (a Protein Powder my dr. gave me that he liked). It's only 5 g protein a scoop, which I mixed in 14 oz. liquid, but I'm trying to think how else to get more protein into my clear fluids.... as well as get more clear fluids into me. Dr. said 4 oz an hour, but I have to be diligent or I lose time and can't make it up. (I'm trying not to be dehydrated.) But that's my update............ and truly, I thank you all for all of your support and positivity. Truly, thank you!

Good luck to you! Stay positive!

congratulations! wish you success on the road ahead!

Thank you all that replied .... for the support, for the prayers, for the concern. My mom died in 2008, my father in 2009, so the only way that this "dream" was possible for me was receiving some life insurance money to pay for this. After my parents deaths, at the way that my siblings acted, I no longer have family. I DO have one wonderful husband and a gorgeous son. Thank God this experience has proven that I am blessed with them, again and again. I do feel better today. Sorry my post was originally written whenever I was feeling a bit down. This surgery was supposed to be a 3 day experience. IDK how I'm going to pay the hospital and dr's bills, but it will all work out I guess. Funny how God does that ..... isn't it? My dr. was Dr. Harry Meyers and I honestly think he is a great dr. He's had one other leak, back in 2009, but nothing to this extent. I just think I was the 1 out of 100 odd cases that occur. (I swear "murphy's law" sometimes rules my life, lol) Thank you all again for your support. I go to the dr. this afternoon and I'm hoping that he sees progress is going well.

Thank you both for the support, I truly do appreciate it. I will keep you guys updated. I am supposed to go to see my dr. Monday afternoon.

I had the gastric sleeve surgery on 03/05/12. On my pre-admissions form for the VSG, there was a question about anesthesia - whenever I had my son in 2004 I had to have more than the norm as my body didn't 'go to sleep' equally on the left and the right. Based on this response, the anesthesiologists gave me more than usual for the VSG. After the VSG surgery I was passed out, very lethargic, slept alot. I would try to do my IS (breathing exercises) and couldn't barely do them. Then I'd pass out to sleep again. I had a slight temp in the hospital so they kept me an extra day. I was d/c'd 3/7/12. On 3/9/12, I went back to the hospital. I was spiking a temp and my pulse was rising. Slowly, I couldn't do my I.S. (breathing exercises) as well as I had been doing them. I went back to the ER and they admitted me for aspiration pneumonia. I stayed in the hospital 6 days, on I.V. antibiotics. I was d/c'd 3/14/12, taking levaquin by mouth. I followed my diet, did my breathing exercises, moved as much as I could .... but my temp would spike now and again. I went to the ER that weekend twice, as my temp at home would be 101-102, but once I got to the ER it went to 99 or normal. The ER said that getting out in the 'nite air' sometimes does that (no idea why but ok). Then that Sunday, 3/19/12, about 330 in the morning, I could no longer sleep in the bed. I felt short of breath (very shallow breathing, couldn't inhale deeply) and I had a pain in my left shoulder and mid back. I tried to wait until the dr's office opened at 9 that Monday morning, however by 845 I couldn't take it anymore, the pain was excruciating. They told me to go back to the ER. I did and they did xrays and cat scans, I had a leak in my stomach and an abscess in my diaphragm. So hospital readmission 3/19 to 3/29. They wanted to rush me to revision surgery that night. I went into a slight shock I think, teeth chattering, scared, wishing I had never done this..... but the electricity kept kicking in and out all day at the hospital (first someone hit a pole and caused the electricity issues that day, but that night severe storms developed and the lights flickered quite a few times). My dr. said let's not take any further chances, we'll do your revision first thing in the morning. I had revision surgery 3/20, early. The dr. found the leak and saw where part of my stomach line was necroting so he cleaned that all out, restitched and reglued the line and cleaned out as much as he could. Then they did XRays to see how it looked, more barium swallows and then a cat scan .... they wanted to see the abscess and if I had any other leaks, which I do, now in a different part of my tummy. The radiologist placed what is called a piggyback drain (it looks like a long bag with an "accordian" at the top) into my left flank (right under your bra line/where the diaphragm is located). I have a JP drain in my stomach (it's right above my spleen per the dr.) . I got worried about the cost of my stay and spoke with my dr. on this as he was thinking that I could go home on home TPN (total proper nutrition - it's a bag of nutrition that they mix up especially for each patient, based on the blood draw, which tells them what you are missing in your system. It's high in amino acids, which encourages quicker healing of leaks). I didn't have this coverage in my stinky insurance plan (I work as a contractor, which means great pay/lousy insurance.... well according to the option I chose). Dr. did an endoscopy on 3/27 to see where any leaks were and how big .... there's still one about the size of a pencil eraser. Social work/case mgmt became involved, trying then to put me in a nursing home (hello, i'm 38 years young) or on home iv antibiotics/tpn. That's where things got really bad - social work consulted me mid walking activity and told me of the nursing home option. Next time I saw them as I was doing laps in the hall, she told me maybe my dr. could do a feeding tube and send me home. Either way, I thought that was inappropriate and it brought me to tears. My dr. came in and said we can do a dobhoff tube (in your nose) and you can do Protein shakes at home through that OR we can not put a tube in and see how you progress. I have been IV'd so much (each time they gave me vancomyocin, I would swell up and hurt at the IV site and they'd have to move it), they put in a PICC line (iv that goes into your arterial vein/a more 'direct' route). Tired of being a pin cushion and hooked up to so much, I opted for the no tube. But I am worried. The dr. said this will deplete some of your muscle mass, but I was very active in the gym before and used to weight lift so I have more muscle mass than most. But I am worried on healing, worried on paying the dr's bills and trying to figure how I'm going to pay the lessor rate that the hospital has generously given to me (payment plan probably for 36 months). I started out 254 originally in my dr's office. I am 215 right now. Do I regret the surgery? At this time I do... yes, I do. I am worried and scared and I am praying so much that God has to be pestered by me. But I came here to see what experiences or thoughts perhaps anyone can share..... please no negativity... I can't take it. Thanks for your time reading my long diatribe of a story.