tonibugg

I was nervous about what my best friend would say, so I didn't tell her until I got home. She was stunned silent, but later that evening, this is the text I got:
"If u need anything let me know. I think you are very brave for what you did. I really admire that. If you need any help along with this process let me know what I can do. Maybe it was good I didn't know bc the mother side of me would have come out and I would have been a nervous nelly.."

Y'all are going to love me for this one....
Slice a banana up and freeze it overnight.
Put banana in blender/food processor with a few drops of vanilla and skim milk (just enough milk to get the bananas moving in the blender. start with a little and add more as needed).
Once it's pureed, it's the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Welcome aboard! I joined a little over a month ago and have been addicted ever since! Being able to talk to someone about what emotions etc you are going through in every part of this journey has been so comforting.
congrats on your journey!

We are going to be sleeve sisters. I am in the DFW area too. I also had an Atena exclusion so I am paying cash here in DFW. My family would not let me go to Mexico I would love to join a support group.
My name is Katie
Mother of two
30 years old
Start weight as of April 26- 295
Current weight: 263
Surgery: 6/29/12

Hey y'all. I'm Amy. I live in Coppell and work in Plano. I love the idea of having meet ups with other locals. I think the support is wonderful.
When I initially was going to have the band, I started a DFW support group on a lapband board. I collected information (name, location, email, cell phone #, and personal information each person wanted to share) and made a chart and emailed it to everyone in the group. It makes it easier to get to know each other and to contact everyone for get togethers.
Tonibugg, I'd be happy to do that with this group if you want me to. I don't wanna butt in on what you started unless you are okay with it. If you are, y'all can PM me any information about you. Include your email and I will send the chart to everyone.

17 pounds is great! If you started at a lower BMI, you'll lose slower initially. The great news is that you'll get to goal faster and you will be neck and neck with the higher BMI folks by 9 months out because you'll lose more steadily.
If you're higher BMI, then you need to up your Water intake to at least 64 oz a day. Water is truly the key to losing here because it flushes the junk out of our systems. Make sure you are eating enough, get in that 70 grams of Protein per day and try to stay on the lower end of carbs UNLESS you're working out a lot.
Working out, in and of itself, can slow down our weight loss as well because it converts fat to muscle. Just keep doing it... oh, and lose the words "only" and "slow" about your weight loss! They're depressing words. When have you ever been able to lose 17 pounds in six weeks before???

When I see something trying to sell on this site, I hate it. I get a really bad view of that person and then I start questioning if they actually had the wls or is trying to expand their business. Those people need to get off of hear and post it where it belongs! Not here,not now. Sorry, I just had to vent. This is a great topic! Thanks for posting it!

Lots of reasons for me but I'll list my most important ones =)
1) My sister in law, friend and cousin all had the gastric bypass and they have all had not only complications (some more severe than others) and they have all gained back a minimum of 60 lbs each!!
2) Dumping syndrome.. not interested in this process at all!
3) Malabsorption problems
4) Did not want my intestines rerouted.
Now for the reasons I chose the sleeve..
1) I have not found anyone in any forum or otherwise that has gained weight back.
2) Most lose the weight goals in 12 months.
3) low complication rate vs any other surgery
4) Sleeve was performed prior to the GB for super morbidly obese in order to get them to a safe weight for the GB surgery. Research!
5) Almost all surgeons I have talked to, read about or listened to on various sites all agree that the sleeve is the best option for wls currently
Like I said there are so many more reasons but these were some of the big ones for me!
Good luck with your decision and your journey, whichever journey you choose! =) Make sure you listen to your heart, body and surgeon (lol) and do what is best for you. Don't let other peoples reasons decide for you!

You look fantastic! Congratulations =) Your post just reinforces my decision to go for it!

I would love to get together with some local people. I have been to the local support group at Presby Plano (and LOVE Carmen), but would prefer to get together in a less formal setting, and I would LOVE to meet up for coffee or lunch, or even with our significant others for dinner. I have thought of throwing this idea out there, glad you did. Thank you.
My name is Amanda
Married for 11 years
Have a stepdaughter, 17
I live in McKinney
I am a stay at home wife at the moment, trying to find what exactly I want to do. Also, I travel quite a bit.
Age 47
Sleeved at Presby Plano in December 2011

One thing I would HIGHLY recommend you research is the issues with malabsorption with the GP. In short, after about 12 to 18 months, the body typically resets itself and while it might only actually absorb half the calories you are consuming for that first 12 to 18 months, steadily your body will adjust and absorb more calories until you are almost where you were prior to surgery. So, if you were used to eating say 1,500 to 2,000 calories after surgery, your body is likely going to only absorb half of that in the beginning. Eventually, your body will adjust and it will start seeing all or nearly all of those calories leading to weight gain because you won't realize what is happening with your body. This is most often what leads to re-gain for those that have the GP.
Also, understand that you are signing up for frequent labwork for LIFE to be sure your body is getting the necessary Vitamins it needs to keep you from having other health issues. Just imagine if you had this surgery, started regaining weight and left with the side effects of having to take a laundry list of Vitamins just to stay healthy. No thank you!
Just try to research the best you can. Ultimately you have to feel comfortable with your own choice. Just sharing some of the thoughts that went into how I made my decision for the sleeve. I have absolutely no regrets except that I didn't do it sooner!

It is OKAY to be scared, I was. I had a 2 year old at the time and bought all the supplements, had my mom help out all this stuff. You know what? When I got home I was absolutely fine to take care of myself and my kids and I still have a pantry full of shakes/supplements. This is the easiest surgery I've had out of 2 ankle surgeries, a c-section, and lots of oral surgeries. You will be fine. Breathe, YOU WILL BE FINE!! BTW I had no problem taking care of my 2 year old, including picking him up if he got a booboo.

I am in Irving Texas if I can help any.

Yes!!! I was sent home with meds ...

So is everyone on here so far good with a meeting in July?? If so we should decide on what city is best and pin down a date! Woo Hoo! Can't wait to meet everyone in person!!!!

Tonibugg , great choice !!! Dr Rodriguez and staff are wonderful ! Hospital is very nice , They too very good care of me June 8th .., I am doing great ! Btw I am from Houston Tx and my name is Ernestina Pena

Hi All!! I am constantly looking for new friends on here that are going to be new sleevers in the DFW area so I thought I would see how this forum worked! Soooo... Here's the plan =) I would like to see if we can get a "support" group going on here so we can follow each other and be able to keep in touch on and off the board (unless you would only like to be contacted VSG board, just let us know!) I would like to maybe even get together as a group for lunch/dinner or whatever! I think that having a close knit "sleever family" (lol) would be so great to have =) Reply if interested and let's see what we can put together?!?
Here is a little info about me!!
My name is Toni (girl lol)
Married for 24 years (love him <3 )
Have a 21 year old daughter who gave me a beautiful 17 month old grandson Logan
I live in Oak Point Texas on 5 acres, LOVE the country although I am definitely not a country girl lol
I manage several Physical Therapy clinics in Plano, Frisco and McKinney which allows me to work from home #blessed!
5'4" and 229lbs =(
41 years young!
Due to an exclusion in my Aetna policy (grrr!) I will be having surgery in Juarez Mexico with Dr Rodriguez at the Star Medica Hospital on June 29th!!!! so excited!
Some of my goals are:
1) sky dive!
2) zip line
3) hiking in North Carolina mountains!
4) Run with my grandson =)
Look foward to meeting you all!!!

I'd like to see an actual scientific study providing evidence of this to be honest. It bears noting that Wiki is hardly considered a reputable source of reliable information. In fact, it is banned in most all quality colleges and universities as a research resource because it is such a volatile, unreliable place to get information.
All the head fuzziness anecdotally reported can be attributed to lots of potential factors and the loss of ghrelin is only one of them. It is far more likely to be a complex mix of a change in metabolism and intake, the recovery from a major surgery, anesthesia, chronic mild dehydration, mental distraction from the massive change, a change in relationships and how one relates to the world due to a change in body image, a change in how the world is noticed to be relating to the patient due to a different body image, the subsequent need to assimilate, process and recategorize impressions of the world on a social level, self esteem/self image level and the body adjusting to a different state of health etc etc etc.
I just don't see enough scientific basis here for this to be a reliable conclusion as yet. I would be interested in seeing it if it exists beyond Wiki.

I am totally with you! About two years ago we went to the amusement park where my parents live and I couldn't fit on my favorite roller coaster. I was so embarrassed. That is definitely going to be a non-scale victory for me when I start losing weight.

I've had more than one "shallow Hal" moment with cheap lawn furniture, sometimes not so cheap furniture....I won't miss that.
I've already noticed the "going to the bathroom" part is easier after losing 50 pounds. Not so much the going, but the .....uh....cleaning afterward.

Funny, sad, but true!!! I am printing this list and placing on my mirror. Having my wls on June 29th. Getting very excited.....and staying calm about it because the benefits out weigh the risks!!!!!

YAY!! fellow June 29th sleevers!! I was thinking there wasn't too many of us out there!

They are I'm one week at work doing great. Only one scare that needs to heal.. Drink my Fluid.... Get gas strips and walk all the time

June 29th wishing it was sooner, but it will be here before I know it!