BlueTattoo

This is a good recipe i thought i would share:
sugar free Fudge:
16 oz. Low fat cream cheese
1/2 c. Splenda
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate , melted
1 tsp. vanilla
In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese , meltdd chocolate, splenda, and vanilla. Pour in 8 inch baking pan lined with foil. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Makes 16 squares.
1 fudge square = calories: 108; fat 8g; carbohydrates 6g; protein: 5g;

Pink Fluff:
16 oz. Low fat cottege cheese
8 oz. sugar free cool whip
1 lg box sugar free cherry Jello mix
2 bananas
8 oz crushed pineapple,drained
Mix all ingrediants and chill. Makes 6 cups
For 1/2 cup = Calories: 140; Fat:1g; Carbohydrates: 11g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 7g; diet stage soft solids.

well i'm 2 weeks out and I feel great! I'm on soft foods now! Yay for real food and not just Protein drinks! I go in today to get my staples removed! Can't wait bc these darn things are itchy!!! i went back to work 9 days after surgery. I handled it well untl someone hugged me a little too hard. *they didnt know i had surgery* so that put be in pain for a while but nothing a few pain pills couldn't fix! I'm already down 27 lbs from pre-op to current. So far no major complications! I just wish I did this sooner!!

Yes! I feel like a bitch on wheels one minute and a crying damsel in distress the next minute. My hormones don't know wtf is going on with me.... but as long as I don't like grow a mustache or beard I'll be fine. lol My husband has been feeling the brunt of my hormonal changes, though part of it he's brought on himself.

That might well be a bucket load of hormones flooding your system, which had previously been stored in the fat you're losing (particularly relevant to women)... It could also be the fact that you're not eating half as much as you used to and are missing those carbs and sugar!
I can growl now and again. I try to walk away and have a cup of tea...
Gives me just enough time to calm down and not try and remove my fiance's head with a rusty spoon.....

After coming off an almost 4 week stall, I finally lost 9 pounds this week, bringing my total post op loss (excluding liquid diet) to 21 pounds. My weight loss has been oddly slow and I've been quite discouraged but these last weeks I've been focusing on getting my Protein and liquids in and working out at least 4x a week(even bought fitbit to motivate me). I'm pretty thrilled and motivated to stay track over the holidays. Best Xmas present a girl could ask for

my doctor for my Gastric sleeve was Dr. Clayton Frenzel. I talked to a few patients that not only had the gastric sleeve but also had their Tummy Tuck and breast lifts with him. I plan on using him when I hit my goal weight. His office also tries to work with your insurance to get them to cover most of the cost for the Excess skin removal.< /p>
http://www.mycompletetransformation.com/dr-clayton-frenzel.html

I'm addicted to the attention that I get from men when I go out! That's just awful to say but I said it. I still haven't gone home with anyone...My confidence isn't quite there yet. But, it sure is fun to flirt...and kiss a little...

Why do the stoopid stores open at 10am!?!?! What's a girl supposed to do all morning!?!?!

well i'm 2 weeks out and I feel great! I'm on soft foods now! Yay for real food and not just Protein drinks! I go in today to get my staples removed! Can't wait bc these darn things are itchy!!! i went back to work 9 days after surgery. I handled it well untl someone hugged me a little too hard. *they didnt know i had surgery* so that put be in pain for a while but nothing a few pain pills couldn't fix! I'm already down 27 lbs from pre-op to current. So far no major complications! I just wish I did this sooner!!

I can only speak for myself... have no idea if this applies to anyone else. I have been very successful with the sleeve.... maintaining at goal and am a transformed woman, weight and looks wise. One of the things I had to do was be a little humble and accept that my surgeon had a "program" that is very successful for many many people. I many not understand or agree with 100% of it - but letting go of my arrogance and sort of surrendering to the process, the program, the guidelines is the only reason I am here today at goal.
I have a lifetime of dieting, weight watchers, etc etc etc and could probably teach a class on nutrition for all the reading I have done. It was always hard for me to to accept that my "knowledge" wasn't getting me any where and I needed a new path.
So, there are lots of people who do for example weight watchers as "Jane's plan" - you know, I will follow it sorta when I feel like it but tell everybody I am following weight watchers. In general, those lots of people don't have the best results compared to those who do.
As time goes on, you do find your way. Maintaining at 150 is much easier then the daily battle i used to fight to keep from gaining more weight when I weighed 300# so don't be afraid. What vets are trying to tell you is that you never even get a chance to find your own path if you don't do what needs to be done to get to your own personal goal. And alot of people lose about half of what they want and kinda grind to a halt. If you picked a surgeon with an excellent track record and good results, why WOULDN'T someone follow their instructions to maximize your own odds of getting to goal?
btw, my comments are not actually directed at the OP as she has already decided, it is for others who read this and wonder why not...whats the harm in following "janes plan". I can tell you why, because Jane's plan never got me to goal, it was my surgeon's plan who did. The sleeve just enabled me - he even asked me "what are your secrets to success" since he knows the sleeve does not do the whole job, it is up to each of us individually. That applies no matter what WLS you have.

Looking in the mirror :-D
It is crazy and almost embarrassing at how obsessed I have become with checking myself out. Mirrors can't be walked past, shop windows evoke a quick glance, even the iPhone provides an instant 'selfie' so I can keep in check.
Oh the shame! Lol. Not really, I think it is a healthy part of the journey for me.

Do they do alcohol tests? Are you worried about a nurse being drunk when you are in the hospital?
And what about prescription drugs? Highly prevalent in the medical/nursing community. All of these studies note that the main drugs of choice for nurses are depressants/opioids/narcotics; marijuana is NONE of those.
Sullivan, Eleanor J., Leclair Bissell, and Doris Leffler. "Drug use and disciplinary actions among 300 nurses." Substance Use & Misuse 25.4 (1990): 375-391. "A survey of 300 U.S. nurses recovering from alcohol and other drug dependency was conducted to describe the effect of drug use on job performance and related disciplinary actions. Subjects reported experimentation with or dependence on a variety of drug categories. Many visible effects on job performance were reported but only 23% reported disciplinary action against their nursing licenses. Females and older nurses were more often dependent on alcohol, while younger nurses and males reported narcotic dependency with greater frequency. Narcotic use was significantly related to disciplinary action."
Trinkoff, Alison M., and Carta L. Storr. "Substance use among nurses: Differences between specialties." Journal of Addictions Nursing 10.2 (1998): 77-84. Dunn, Debra. "Substance abuse among nurses—defining the issue." AORN journal 82.4 (2005): 572-596. Trinkoff, Alison M., Carla L. Storr, and Mary Patricia Wall. "Prescription-type drug misuse and workplace access among nurses." Journal of addictive diseases 18.1 (1999): 9-17.

Do they do alcohol tests? Are you worried about a nurse being drunk when you are in the hospital?

I kow this is an old thread, but I'm disturbed by the misinformation I've seen on these sites re: cannabis.
I stopped smoking two weeks before surgery, and started smoking again about two weeks post-surgery. I don't drink or smoke cigarettes -- this is my relaxation/meditation/recreational substance of choice. I NEVER get hungry when I smoke; never have. In fact, if my stomach is upset for ANY reason, including hunger, smoking makes it feel better right away. Usually helps with headaches as well. I, too, am energized by it, more social, more focused.
I think a lot of people who comment negatively have 1. never smoked weed 2. never smoked it responsibly as an adult 3. never smoked high-quality weed 4. have only ever read crap scare-tactic "studies"/propaganda about it and/or have insulated themselves from the real science on it.
Marijuana is not addictive, toxic or detrimental to neurons; it is not a nervous system depressant (like alcohol). There has never been a recorded incident of marijuana overdose. According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), lifetime, moderate marijuana smoking (defined as at least one joint per day for seven years or one joint per week for 49 years) was not associated with adverse affects on pulmonary function. [1] Marijuana use is not associated with increased prevalence of certain types of cancers, such as melanoma, prostate cancer, or breast cancer. [2] Marijuana use has never been associated with higher prevalence of tobacco-related cancers such as lung cancer. [3] and [4] Investigators have concluded that using a vaporizor (very common these days) is even more "safe and effective." [5] and [6] Anecdotally, it has had ZERO negative impact on my post-surgical health, healing, energy, or appetite. In fact, just the opposite.
___
[1] Pletcher et al. 2012. Association between marijuana exposure and pulmonary function over 20 years. JAMA 307: 173-181.
[2] Sidney et al. 1997. Marijuana use and cancer incidence. Cancer, Causes & Control 8: 722-728.
[3] Hashibe et al. 2006. Marijuana use and the risk of lung cancer and upper aerodigestive tract cancer: results of a population-based, case-control study. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention 15: 1829-1834.
[4] Marc Kaufman. "Study finds no cancer-marijuana connection," Washington Post. May 26, 2006.
[5] Hazekamp et al. 2006. Evaluation of a vaporizing device (Volcano) for the pulmonary administration of tetrahydrocannabinol. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 95: 1308-1317.
[6] Abrams et al. 2007. Vaporization as a smokeless cannabis delivery system: a pilot study. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 82: 572-578.

I just LOVE Isopure Coconut and Premium Protein RTD is a staple in my diet! PB2 is amazing, too! I agree with you on all points until the end regarding protein limitations. LOL
You are partially correct, though. It has become accepted as universal fact after being widely touted across body building forums that any more than 30 grams of protein per meal will not be utilized for muscle synthesis. This is exactly why most body builders eat 5 - 8 meals per day. But protein can be utilized for much more than building biceps.
In this instance, we are talking about someone who had major surgery a week ago. It has been proven time and again that protein is critical to wound healing. In this respect, your body can require .8 to .85 grams of protein per pound of body weight. That is a TON of protein! LOL I have never been successful at taking in protein at that level!
Even after healing, increased protein ratios have many benefits. Protein can be burned as fuel. Calories from protein burn slower that calories from carbs, so you stay fuller longer. Since your body doesn't store protein the same as carbohydrates, increased protein can promote faster weight loss when carbohydrates are restricted or reduced. A high protein, low carbohydrate diet promotes better moods, less depression, increased self-esteem and an overall feeling of well-being.
I've spent countless hours researching diet and macro-nutrient ratios (protein - fat - carb ratios) and have found much success with a very high protein, low to moderate fat, low carbohydrate diet. I've designed diet and exercise plans for many and those who followed the plan saw success as well.
Ok, I'll get off my protein soap box now!!!

Isopure us 20 oz of clear drink that has 40 grams of Protein. no carbs, 160 calroies, no sugar. it taste like grape koolaide.. * i have grape frost* I'm drinking these during my clear liquid stage. and when i can go to full liquids, i'm going back to my Protein drinks. there are a lot of Protein Drinks i can't stand, but i've found that Premium Protein (has 30 grams of protein) are good and low carb low sugar, and the EAS protein drinks. also I found a powdered Peanut Butter called PB2! It's a life saver! It completely changes the taste of protein drinks and actually makes them tolerable! Look it up!
********** Take in mind that your body can only absorb around 25 g of protein per setting!!!! so split up your protein drinks accordingly.

This is funny. I just have to add don't be disappointed when you discover the love of your life doesn't put the cap back on the toothpaste, puts the toilet paper on backwards and doesn't rinse the can opener after opening a can of tuna.< /p>
In other words, your expectations usually far exceed the reality. The wake up is usually harsher than expected. There will be times when you sit there and say, "Who the hell did I marry? What was I thinking!?" Then, you catch them checking you out and the honeymoon is back on again.
The sleeve life is a roller coaster of emotions, just like marriage, for sure. Being a sleever, I made the commitment for life ... just like my marriage. I love my sleeve just about as much as I love my wife. Seriously
BTW, she just said last night it was the best $10K we ever spent. She loves it, too!

No divorce in the sleeve world... Stomachs are forever gone! Till death do us part...

I love this. So true. And if I hear easy way out one mo time, I will strangle that person. Pre-op had, but sticking with it...no cheating here! Oh..for those easy way out people..how about liquids for 2 weeks, pureed for 4 weeks soft good for 3 weeks. Then living with a few bites of food at a time. Oh yea, we are taking the easy way out! Please!

I’ve been married for 10 years, and have only been trying to get sleeved for a few months, but I’ve come to a conclusion…
… getting sleeved is like getting married.
Here’s how I see it:
THE PROPOSAL: “Will you sleeve me?” This is the question I asked the insurance company. “Let me think about it” was the answer. So I wait in anticipation. I knew I proved myself worthy to the insurance company (i.e., high BMI, >5yrs obesity, etc.) Now I just had to wait for them to accept me. Luckily my wait was only 2 weeks and the answer was “yes.” Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I’m the happiest girl on earth! I love my insurance company. I’m glad we’re in this thing together.
PRE-WEDDING PLANS: I’m “engaged” to have surgery. I’ve picked the date. I’m so excited, but do I want to share this news with the world? Not sure. Will my friends/family be supportive? I’m sure they will, but I still like having it be “my little secret.” I also need to take the pre-wedding classes (i.e., nutrition classes, blood tests, ekg, etc.) to make sure that I’m ready for this. They want to make sure that this will be a successful marriage.
THE BIG DAY (SURGERY DAY): Just like a wedding, everything seems to be revolving around the BIG DAY. The planning, the preparation, the excitement, all leading up to the one day that will certainly change my life for the better! I realize, though, this day is only one day out of the rest of my life – it’s really only the beginning of the process. Like a wedding day, most of the prep, money, and attention goes into this day. But in reality, it’s the honeymoon and marriage I look forward to the most.
THE HONEYMOON: The honeymoon is that time (within the first year) when all of the exciting changes take place, when the most weight is lost and a new person/lifestyle emerges.
THE MARRIAGE: Once the honeymoon is over, I expect to settle into a lifetime of healthier eating, ups & downs, new adventures, and unexpected successes (and failures) – just like a real marriage.

This sounds great to me! Don't get discouraged. You're Alice in Onederland.

Premier Protein chocolate shakes have 30g Protein, 160 calories, 1g sugar 24 different Vitamins and i think 5g of carbs. Most patients get put on a 60-80g protein a day regiment for the pre-op and post op. If you are having issues getting protein in, drink a couple of these. they taste better cold and with a straw lol. I don't like many Protein drinks but I can tolerate these. Also if you aren't on the "liquid" stage of your preop diet, eat a couple low carb low sugar high Protein Bars. The protein drinks fill me up and then I drink a lot of Water to keep that "full" feeling.
Everyone has slip ups, just move on. Everyone has slip ups every once in a while.

Premier Protein chocolate shakes have 30g Protein, 160 calories, 1g sugar 24 different Vitamins and i think 5g of carbs. Most patients get put on a 60-80g protein a day regiment for the pre-op and post op. If you are having issues getting protein in, drink a couple of these. they taste better cold and with a straw lol. I don't like many Protein drinks but I can tolerate these. Also if you aren't on the "liquid" stage of your preop diet, eat a couple low carb low sugar high Protein Bars. The protein drinks fill me up and then I drink a lot of Water to keep that "full" feeling.
Everyone has slip ups, just move on. Everyone has slip ups every once in a while.

Well, it's been a while since I've been to the forums. Life happens! Just a little background. I have been a member for 6 years. I did my research on what I wanted for WLS and I chose LapBand. December 30,2011 I had a hectic start to my surgery with my doctor giving me morphine ( which I'm allergic to). Which landed me in the hospital for 2 days, when it was supposed to be an outpatient procedure. I was on 100% oxygen and they had issues getting my heartrate above 40. Fast forward a few months. I had quite a few fills and unfills, never finding that "sweet spot". I kept having issues with food staying stuck in my chest, even puree foods. I felt like a momma bird. There was no slim, it was just chewed up food that hadn't hit the pouch. I literally felt like a momma bird, ready to feed her chicks! I fell off the eat healthy wagon and just tried to manage getting anything down while we relocated jobs and purchased a home. Finally in Sepetember 2013 I couldn't take it anymore... only being able to eat cheat foods. I went to a new doctor in Dallas and said look I'm broken! Fix me! I can't eat the healthy solid foods! I'm living off of empty calories and this isn't what I wanted from Lap-Band! So he scheduled a EDG scope. I was so worried what he would find. what was wrong with my band??
When I woke up he told me that the 10cc band I had was positioned so far up on my esophagus that I wasn't creating a pouch at all. That the food was just sitting in my chest not going down well at all. He also said that since I had a partial plication with my lap-band that about 25% of my stomach is just scar tissue now. You can't exactly undo another surgons sutures with plications. He also said that i had beginning stages of erosion. (wonderful). So he emptied my 10 cc band completely, and it was like a relief. I was able to eat fruits and solid veggies again. I was able to hold down my Protein bars! From sepetember 28th to now, I've dropped 16lbs.
We discussed my options and I chose to have the lap-band removed and go for gastric sleeve. I had my sleep study in October, my stress test Novemeber 15th and they submitted everything to the insurance on the 15th of November. On the 18th the doctors office said insurance called back and said I needed a psych eval and a nutritional appointment. I scrambled but managed to get them scheduled for the 19th and 20th of November. Here we are 5 days later and they called back with approval and surgery date! I go in December 4th for the revision. He is also going to remove the plication which is basically a big ball of scar tissue in my stomach. I'm a little nervous but more worried about being off work again. So far this is my WL journy. I've got from 260lbs to 215 lbs. But it's taken almost 2 years to get that far. I'm hoping to accomplish more this time around. I don't want to be "skinny" I want to be HEALTHY!