Kristina J.

Facebook now charges for you to email people you don't know/haven't contacted before, but only to go to their main inbox. Each FB inbox also has a folder called "Other" and unpaid emails go to the "other" folder and can sometimes be overlooked, hence the extra fee to send to someone's main inbox. But I believe she said she is checking her "other" inbox regularly as people are still adding to the group

I am on a kale chip binge this week! Lol I just made them for the first time last week and love them!! I was missing crunchy/salty since I've been dieting leading up to pre-op diet and surgery, and the kale chips nailed it. And they're so low in calories.

Oh Pixie, you poor thing!! You're gonna psych yourself out. I had a pre op liquid diet for both of my lap band surgeries. Honestly, they weren't bad!! The first day or two I was hungry but with Protein shakes, you can really ease that hunger. Just keep busy and you'll be fine, I promise!! I'm not worried about my pre op diet at all, and in fact, looking forward to it... is that even crazier than the OP?! lol But honestly, the day I start my pre-op diet, that will mean I am a mere 2 weeks away from the help I have been working toward getting for over 10 years!! Don't worry about it. It won't be nearly as bad as you're worried about. Heck, for my first lapband surgery I had to do seven days of clear liquid diet!! lol We SO got this!

Sorry... I was busy eating myself into oblivion... Is this thread alive, yet again?!

That's a good point. I had my 1st band placed by one doctor, and he removed that one after complications. But with my second band, it was placed 6 years ago. I've moved twice since. I'm sure that doctor/group will still be counting my band as successful despite the fact that I've had multiple complications and am having a revision in May with another doctor. Never thought of it that way.

You can definitely tell the difference already!! You are looking great! Keep up the good work!!!

I just did. I've been very sporadic on VST the last week or so. My 3 year old daughter has been pretty sick and my 1 year old has been teething, and my husband is working night shifts until August, so we've had a long long week around here! lol

I'm not sure who it was directed to since a few of us actually said that, including me. However, it was a JOKE. It's been a long and high tension thread, so when someone (I think it was bigfatloser) said she was fuzzy on her Percocet we all followed her tension breaking lead and started joking about the fun fuzzy that is narcotics (prescription pain meds in this case). However, we didn't add the necessary disclaimer that we are not pain med addicts and that it was a JOKE. Lol So, officially. I don't abuse prescription medication, nor do I partake in any illegal drugs. It was in jest to lighten the mood after a lot of fighting. Jeez. Silly me for forgetting my disclaimer. Hahaha

I know this is a touch off topic, but I thought I would share anyway. I am 5 weeks pre-op and a stay at home mom to two toddler girls. I need to be healthy, especially to keep up with my active kids and be the mother they deserve. But I am not blind to the risk of surgery. I thought about (and posted about) possibly leaving a video for them, but that felt too morbid. I instead was inspired to write out a list of the 25 things I want them to know. I wrote it as though I'll be healthy and successful and around for the long haul, but knowing they'll have my words either way, makes me feel so much stronger. For me, it was a perfect way to have a "just in case" that isn't a good bye! Just thought I would share (including my list) in case any other mothers are struggling the same way!! Here is my list for them: For my sweet girls: 1. You two are the best thing I have ever done with my life. Not a day passes that I am not taken by the beauty of your spirits. 2. Your dad is one in a million and loves you more than any spouse ever will. Never settle for someone that doesn't value you the way your father does. 3. You will fight. So very much. But you will never have a better friend in life than each other. Fight. But apologize and forgive quickly. You'll need each other your whole lives. 4. Never stop taking chances, but respect your body and your heart. Once broken, they are never the same. Make sure the risk is worth it. 5. Do kind things for strangers. You never know the impact a small act can make in someone's life, or even your own. 6. Listen to my sister. She knows me in a way no one else ever will. If you can't come to me, go to her. She is smart, fair and loves you through my eyes. To her, you do no wrong. 7. Take time out of your life to visit your grandparents. You are blessed to have them all. You only have them for so long. Make the time. 8. Follow your passion and your education. The two are not mutually exclusive. Go to college. It is so much harder to go back, than to follow through. 9. Learn from all your aunts and uncles. They know things your father and I can't teach you. They have such a variety of talents and skills. Take advantage of their experiences. 10. Get dirty. You are girls, not porcelain dolls. God made dirt, and not just for the boys. 11. Read a little bit everyday. Open your hearts to the worlds that can only exist on paper. 12. Keep faith in God. Life is too precious not to be a gift from a higher power. Be thankful. Be spiritual. 13. You can always come home. Always. 14. Dance as adults like you dance as toddlers. Be silly and let it all out. It's exercise for your body and your soul. 15. Take pictures with the people you love. You won't look back on a picture with a lost loved one and care about your appearance. You'll be glad you didn't care when someone pulled out that camera. 16. Don't diet. Live healthy every day and nourish your body. Eat to live, don't live to eat. Write about your feelings, don't eat them. 17. You will both make mistakes, some big, some huge. Own up to your missteps. We will fix them. Nothing you could do could ever keep us from loving you. 18. Never settle for someone who doesn't ignite your soul. Life is boring, love never should be. 19. Value your belongings. Take care of your things and they will last. Pick up after yourselves. No one likes living in someone else's mess. 20. Be honest, but be kind. A little diplomacy goes a long way. 21. Play cards. But just like in life, be humble when you win and gracious when you lose. Luck is fickle, you'll be on the other side soon enough. 22. Stay independent. You are both spitfires who have always insisted on doing things your way. Spitfires can change the world. 23. Learn to change a tire. AAA is a blessing, until there's no cell service. Never be so delicate that you can't take care of yourself. 24. Keep your cousins close. They're the closest thing you'll ever have to more siblings. 25. But most of all, never doubt that you were made with pieces of my own heart. I was in love with you long before I met you, and I will love you beyond the limits of time. You will always be my babies, even when I'm rocking yours.

I'm scheduled for May 11th. Getting really excited!

Thank you all for such sweet encouraging words! This site has been such a huge help in my journey and I am thankful for every one of you! I'm glad I could share something personal that other moms can relate to.

Thank you both! I am glad to have the list. I'm am sure everything will go exactly as planned, but I feel better knowing they would have my words to them just in case.

Congratulations!!!!!

I can only speak to what I know, but my father had a bypass 15 years ago, and despite losing 200lbs, he has now regained all but about 40 of it. The only other person I know personally with a bypass lost 100 to regain 75, 5 years later. That was part of my decision for sleeve over bypass for my revision. Regain is possible with any surgery but sleeve just feels right for me.

She is absolutely stunning!! What a wonderful transformation for both of you!!! Congratulations to you both on your tremendous success!

I actually strongly disagree. Obviously the OP should expect bias from each individual site, however, I think that using these individual forums to research and make a decision can be an invaluable tool. Had lap band forums been around (or had I been aware of them) when I was researching surgery in 2003, I could have browsed the complications section, like I have many times with the sleeve, to find out what the downfalls could be, and possibly avoided living the same fate myself. Clearly anyone making a decision about ANY major surgery needs to make that decision with their doctor based on their individual circumstances. However, I think discrediting the information obtained by speaking to people that have had the surgery (or possibly even 2 of the surgeries) that you are researching, can be a wonderful place to find some answers. It helped me decide between sleeve or bypass for my revision and I am so thankful for the insight of others, both on this forum and others.

I'm only on a self imposed 1200 calorie, high Protein, low carb diet leading up to my 2 week liquid diet for my May 11th surgery, so I have a little more wiggle room in my current diet than you right now, but I can definitely relate. Today, I am battling the smell of Easter dinner and all the candy (I have two toddlers so despite my best efforts to keep us all healthy right now, people keep giving them candy lol). And on top of that, it's my grandmothers birthday, so my sister got her a decadent carrot cake (her and MY personal favorite) from a local specialty bakery!! lol I am summoning ALL my will power to make it through today! Hahaha BUT, we can do this. It's especially important right now on your pre-op to stick to your doc's orders. A little slip likely wouldn't cost you your surgery, but it would probably make the rest of the diet even harder and mess with your head having "cheated." We'll make a pact!! Lol You don't, and I won't!!! We WILL survive this pre-op Easter!!!! Deal?! I need you!!!

I have chosen him for my band to sleeve revision. After MONTHS of research, I couldn't be more confident in my decision!! You're likely looking at a surgery date before mine (May 11th) but we can definitely check in with each other and compare our experiences!

I love Dannon light and fit too. I was worried about the sugars so it's the only one I've eaten regularly. I love it!

I am right behind you on May 11th to get my band out and revise to the sleeve! I am anxious and excited. It's been way too long with this band. I had my band unfilled 3 weeks ago. It's been a struggle not to gain in the meantime, but I wanted to heal as much as I can with my band still in to make surgery as easy as possible!!

I know, it pretty much is the sensitive spot for all of us here. And as I've gotten to know you, I could see where you are coming from but sometimes your meaning gets lost in your words. I don't agree with how some things were said to you, but I do get it. For me, this can literally save my life. It's not preventative, it's necessary to save me. And while I understand why you want and need this surgery too, you do have to be sensitive to the fact that a lot of us have a GOAL in the range of a 30 BMI. I think that's why it's sometimes hard to understand someone with such a low BMI opting for surgery, even though it is actually obese. But I also understand that by doing this now, you can save yourself from ending up at my weight in another 10 years. And lastly, I think therapy is an important factor in our total health through this process. This is a MAJOR life change and I advocate (and utilize) pre-op therapy as well as post-op!! Even as someone who's been through weight loss surgery before, I need the extra support to deal with the changes and my food issues. But I'm happy to see the everyone had pretty much made up before I joined and now it's just a narcotics trampoline party!

Oh no way... You're a lightweight. I'm a big girl. You wouldn't dare mess with me in person! lol Honestly, I do see both sides. Well, without the mean and hurtful parts (from both sides), but it's a really emotional topic for all of us here so things can get heated quickly!!