SqueakyWheel&Ethyl

Cracked me up!

From what you've described, it sounds like you are like 90% of Overweight America. We are inundated with processed sugar and pre-made meals... Fast food in a world where we are always watching the clock. If diets in our environment really worked, the success rate would be much higher. It's a multi-million dollar industry. Why? Because when it doesn't work, we try another diet, or pill, or exercise gadget. I like to think I have great self-discipline. And, I know lots of other people who are overweight who are devoted to their career, their family, their home care. Successful people. Yet, we cannot conquer weight loss. GS has the best long-term success record of every weight-loss alternative I've found. If there has been ANY failure, it's with everything that came before it. It's a tool to better our lives, every bit as much as the tools we use to invest in our future. With your health in such danger (as is mine), this is the best gift you can give yourself. And, if you want to think its easy, then do it! Frankly, I don't have time to focus on any other diet plans. This "easy" way is allowing me to live. LIVE. In your case, it isn't about looking better or having pants that aren't as snug. It's about saving your life. Grab the BEST TOOL available to get your health back.

Ethyl is explained in my blog.... She is the identity of my body, who talks (or complains) to me when I eat too fast or eat the wrong thing, or wants something else to eat. Listening to my body more than I ever have... So she deserved a name. A new friend I made on here yesterday said hers is "Susie Sleeve."

My question is what purpose does it serve to see what a TOTAL STRANGER rates another total stranger? Is this a popularity website? Can I get elected prom queen?

Thanks for sharing. That's good to know the experience was good. I might consider it for a tummy tuck or boob job after this is over. I doubt my insurance will cover either of those.

Ok, thanks. Now, what does it have to do with the Reputation I saw somewhere? What is that about?

What is the green bar on my profile page? What does the number represent? Mine said "Excellent" last time I saw it, but it changes. Why? What purpose does it serve?

Glad to hear Effexor works for you. I took Effexor for almost a year and regret it. It is extremely addictive. It was very, very hard to wean off of it. I ended up seeking advice online and following it, buying empty gel caps and dividing the granules up myself taking out about five granules per capsule and reducing it again each week. It took me 4 months to completely get off it. And, while on it, it changed my personality (according tofriends and coworkers). Attention to detail is important to me, but it made me not care if my work didn't get done... And not care if I jeopardized my job, etc. My brother took it for several years and had a tough time weaning off, too. We both think its dangerous. Effexor really scares me. It sounds like it is serving the purpose you need and I'm happy for you. Just be very careful with it.

My VS is done, but I'm curious about all the international travel procedures I've seen here in chats. I'm sure someone has weighed the pros and cons for why they chose to go outside the US. How much (ball park estimate) is it in Mexico? Canada? What are the pros/cons?

This is inspirational. Thank you for sharing this!

she is part of an FDA study.

I did a dumb thing tonight. I decided to go get more of my nutritional supplies at the grocery store. Skim milk, tea, flavored water, Soups, Jello, pudding, yogurt. A member of my household asked me to pick up some mini-donuts for her. No problem! I have no desire for that anyway. Then, I get a text to pick up their favorite sodas. Ok. What I didn't prepare myself for was walking through the bakery and deli and produce surrounded by chewable food everywhere. Familiar foods.... Foods that I enjoyed before... And I walked past all of them to get my Soup and water.... And the other items. Needless to say, Ethyl was pretty distressed and put out with me for taking her in there! The ghosts of Eating Past swirled all around me in that store. I told myself if I ate anything, it would make me sick. I KNEW that! It wasn't that I yearned for any one item. It was the psychological impact of knowing I was surrounded by familiar foods that I used to find pleasurable. I'd say it would be like placing a NEWLY recovering sex addict in the middle of the Nevada Bunny Ranch with free passes. What did I learn and what do I recommend? If you have other members in your household ABLE to do the grocery shopping, let them. DON'T go into a grocery store when you haven't eaten solid foods in a week. Just don't do it. It is an unnecessary stress. JUST WAIT until we are leveled out on a regular diet before going grocery shopping again. Did I succumb? I'm so proud of myself. I didn't. I raced home and made some Cream of chicken soup and kicked back and enjoyed it. But, I'm not going back in a grocery store until I'm on solid foods. It is just too cruel.

I have a 20 year old aide that works for me who had a neuro stimulator implant installed about a year ago. The battery pack sits under her skin high on one butt cheek and the leads go up her back to the base of her brain. Very Sci-Fi! And it works! If you cannot function at all, maybe talk to your neuro about it.

my surgeons office said they have NEVER had a decline because no weight was lost in that 6 months. Lucky for me. I GAINED 5 lbs!

I totally agree with Gemini. I was mad when they threw a 6 month nutritional counseling at me, too... At first. But, I think it was THE RIGHT thing to do and should be required whether by insurance or self-pay. It isn't often I am happy to eat crow. But, this really is an important element. Not only did I learn a lot, but it gave me time to make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN I was IN. I mean REALLY in. I liken this decision to a marriage. It's a lifetime commitment. Those six months solidified my desire to do this. My advice.... Ride with it. You will be glad you did. I am!

I was a soda addict, too. But, after fighting so hard with the insurance company to get approval, and knowing how much this will all cost, and going through all the obstacle course the ins co required, and STILL getting approval... I made up my mind I'm gonna do whatever it takes to make this a success and that means I CAN live without carbonated water! My old life ended on April 17th at 2 pm. I was reborn in that operating room. My old life and my old eating choices just didn't work for me. They were killing me. So, I am trying to adapt to my new life and my new way of feeding my body. The echoes of the past are still lingering, because its still so new. But, I figure if I just work hard on my new life, the voices of the past will fade away eventually. That's my hope. My new passion is Raspberry tea. Find your new favorite beverage. Change is good.

In my 20's and 30's I had horrible constant one-on-top-of-the-other migraines. In and out of ER and all they could do was knock me out, but the pain was still there. Saw a neurologist who put me on a cocktail of beta blockers that reduced the frequency and intensity, but they were still bad. At least I could function. Then, I met a man who did acupuncture. Skeptical at first, I was still willing to try it. He put several needles in me and had me lay still for 30 minutes. He said the headache would be gone when he was done, and I could throw all my meds away. He said I will be pain-free for 2 weeks. I thought he was nuts. When he removed the needles, the pain was gone, and all I felt was a bruised cavity that had been through a war. I stopped my pills, just to test what he said. I remained TOTALLY pain free for 12 days. He apologized for it not lasting 2 weeks. Are you kidding me? I was PAIN FREE for 12 days! That was a miracle to me! Try it. It changed my life. I never took prescription drugs again. And in my 50's, I don't get migraines at all anymore.

So happy to hear your story. Thanks! And, congratulations!

Ladies, PLEASE don't let discouraging words of others make you doubt yourselves. You must be hanging out in a different area or board than I am. I rarely see negative! And, what little I see, I don't internalize as part of my journey. I researched this for a couple of years before I had mine done. I'm sure you have, too. From all of those I know personally who have done lap-band (4), 2 have been successful. The other 2 are both over 300 lbs right now. It is not difficult for the band to fail. One reason is slippage, medical complications that warrant retreat, etc. another is when the person manipulates the situation intentionally and self-sabotages. With the sleeve, it's a LOT harder to sabotage yourself. Your body just won't let you that easily. And, unlike the band, you can't change your mind and reverse it. You REALLY are committed. Let me share one more interesting piece of info rarely shared. I asked for the sleeve. My surgeon asked me why I selected that option. Then, we discussed my medical history and he said I would never be a candidate for the bypass surgery anyway. I'm excluded from it. Why? Because I am EXPECTING to need a liver transplant in about 10 years (hoping never...) and when a person gets the full bypass there is critical tissue removed that MUST be in place to have a liver transplant. Forgive me. I don't recall the name of that tissue, but it gets removed with bypass surgery. So, I told my Dr, NO-ONE should EVER get a bypass, then! What if, through illness or injury, they need a liver transplant someday? He said they factor that risk in when deciding to do bypass. It is usually reserved for those who are at highest risk to die from obesity soon. So, please set your sights on a positive goal with the sleeve and don't consider bypass unless it is your only hope. And surround yourself with people who will lift you up and encourage you. I personally try to balance the elements of my life with 30% Receive influence from people with more knowledge and experience than me (LEARN) 40% Surround myself with positive thinkers on a similar path (GROW) 30% Be there for those who are starting out and could benefit from my journey (HELP) Nothing in excess.

YEA!!! ATTAGIRL! Don't be scared! Be EXCITED! This is an adventure that is beginning for a new way of life that is going to make you FEEL BETTER! Jump in feet first! But, yeah, pay the mortgage before they knock you out. ((HUGS))

When I had HORRIBLE PMS in my 30's, my family would say, "the Beast is back." It made it easier for my family to offer forgiveness to me, too. . Thanks for the advice you shared here, too.

My heart aches for you. Nicotine addiction is stronger than heroin, I've been told. Damn those cigarette companies! Please see your therapist AND your GP. Its their job to give you the resources you need to beat this. Would it help if you think of the "voice of temptation" as a different person? I'm figuring the mean nasty person you described is only born out of that addiction - and not you at all. So, maybe if you mentally separate the two, it will give the REAL you a little more strength to fight the battle with "her." And, your family may find it easier to take, if there is a humorous reference to that other person. "That's not Mom who just bit my head off. That was ---. She won't be here very long." I'm asking God to give you strength to overcome that evil woman terrorizing you right now. And, I applaud you for coming here to ask for help, too. Blogging how you feel daily may be a good tool, too. <<HUGS>>

Hi Mary, Yeah, we are all scared going into it. But, if you've tried and failed at traditional dieting, have done your homework, and really want success, I believe you can do it. WE can do it. I found it helpful to take all the material given to me during my visit to the nutritionist and retyping it in a format that would fit into my daily schedule. I planned all I would intake in the liquid Stages and stocked up on them, even typing out my own customized diet schedule. I was so groggy after surgery, having that material to refer to has been great! It's like I am being mother to myself by following what I had already planned and not having to MAKE decisions. Just read and do. Be sure to complete your profile and share your story. You can blog your experience on this site, too, and read other blogs for more helpful hints. And the chat room is always open with different folks milling about in it. Join some groups, too. Find one for May Sleevers. It's always good to compare notes with those on he same chronological path as you. And, make friends! This is a fantastic site and a REAL support group. Good luck!

Day 6 - Monday, April. 22nd. The weight "falling off" has slowed down. I'm seeing my weight fluctuate back and forth about 2 lbs throughout the day. Typical. My lowest weight daily will be early morning before I have any intake. I think the 3 lbs that fell off in 10 hours a couple of days earlier was a fluke (with my scales). Today, that 3 lbs is definitely gone. I awoke groggy from the pain pill I took Sunday night. I felt buzzed most of the day. I hate that feeling. No more pain pills for the sake of sleep. I used my 4-lb hand-held weights for arm and shoulder exercises/ strengthening. Even five minutes of it while sitting on the sofa is better than nothing. I ate SF Butterscotch pudding for breakfast (made with Double-Milk). The Fruit 2-O peach water has become one of my favorite drinks. So is Snapple Peach tea. I need to make a pitcher of decaf tea sweetened with Stevia. The only ready-to-drink tea I have here has caffeine in it. And, I think it is playing a part in my restlessness at night. I don't think I drank enough, so I am going to log the volume now. I haven't been journaling my intake. Bad girl. Adding protein grams in my head really isn't accurate enough. Ethyl thinks so, too. (Ethyl is the name I gave my body, since I am listening to her more than ever. I'm learning she has a lot to say. Don't worry... I won't end up with a split personality from this.) I came up with a great idea last night. I'm looking forward to testing it on the regular diet stage. When I crave a crunchy snack, I'll pour a little Special-K High Protein flakes into a little bowl and eat them. Dry. They taste really good. The protein is needed anyway. And, if I mince them up really good, I'm hoping Ethyl will like them, too! It satisfies the psychological desire to crunch something. Showering and washing/drying/styling my hair exhausted me. I had to rest for an hour to regain my strength. My protein drink helped pick me up again. Mid-afternoon, I decided to push myself to walk. The more I move, the quicker I can flush out the toxins from anesthesia and those pain pills. So, off we went, the dog and me. Two blocks to the local park. Upon arrival, I sat and rested. I was tired! No! Just two blocks? Before surgery, I'd walk to this park and do 5-8 laps on the jogging path (power walking - not jogging). I hadn't even started the first lap and I had to rest? Okay. Ten minutes later, we were walking the lap. (One lap = 3/8 of a mile.). I had to sit and rest halfway through the lap. Ten minutes later, we resumed. And, this was no power walk. It was a nice leisurely stroll. I'm pacing myself. When the 1st (and last) lap was completed, I had to sit and rest again for 10 minutes. Trying to get enough strength to walk the 2 blocks home... Tempted to call my husband and ask him to come get me. No shame in that. I still made progress! But, I'm determined to finish what I started. So, I finally returned home. An hour had passed and I had walked less than a mile. Ha ha ha! That's ok! This is Baby Steps. I don't expect Ethyl to be able to break my walking record before April 17th. This is a new life. New beginnings. I'm doing just fine. Still no nap. I should be taking advantage of this time and sleeping more. After two months camped out with my sister in ICU (Jan-Mar), I am still sleep deprived. Hard to turn off my thoughts. I'll work on a good nap tomorrow. This forum has been so helpful and filled with great advice and tips. Someone told me the burnin' in my sternum was probably tomato soup. Of course! I hadn't considered that! Thank you for the good advice! And, I find I can share my story of my battle with my insurance company to help others, too. That makes me feel good to know I can give back. So, I changed my Display Name here from PBCNasher to SqueakyWheel&Ethyl. We are one and the same, you know.

thank you for this. Puts it into perspective. We can do this for 6 months.