mojaleski

I had to chuckle about the Tab & Fresca comments. I LIVED on Fresca in 1972 while losing 73 lb on Atkin's...(which rendered me 132 lb. and thin for 1st time ever. Of course had not reached nearly 280 lb. back then which I did by 1998. Now recently 238 and ready for my surgery 9/12. It never occurred to me I might not be able to eat some things like sugarless popsicles. And I am happy for the tip to try 1/2 tsp of things at first to see how they go down...but I will remember. Thanks.

I can't wait...9/12/13 sleeve date...and I will be looking forward to one egg filling me up!

hahahah...typo or auto correct and I am unsure which... I do have to admit I look pretty good for being 170 years old though. Glad you picked up the error. Now if I can correct it I will be doing well. :-)

Ready to go! Very exciting!

Good luck with your surgery!!!

I don't like the chocolate muscle milk or the ESA vanilla or the Atkins caramel. They can be doctored up... I think to be at least somewhat palatable...but they are all really chalky..to me. And I bought the ready to drink liquid ones. I am searching for Premier Protein which I have read the most positive reviews on.

Still searching for Premier shakes...RTD... and no luck yet...but recalled reading many people think chocolate muscle milk very good... I don't like it...another chalky taste. I have to find something to put in these to make them better. I recall when I did 90 days of all liquid diet Cambridge food for Life powder mix I used to just add all sorts of flavorings (a few drops of peppermint or other flavors and they were DELICIOUS. My skinny husband at that time used to ask me to make a shake for him...as good as a thick shake at a fast food place and no one would guess it was a diet drink. So I think these can be salvaged with some sugar free flavors...but I hate drinking anything that my description of it is "NOT TOO BAD". lol

Where do you get Premier RTD? I would get some and try them. Which is your favorite flavor? Did you ever try the ones I bought today? I want to get something that is DELICIOUS and not just simply "not too bad" ... lol. Thanks.

So today I decided to buy a blender and some "ready to drink" (RTD) shakes, thinking that a can of powder is going to turn me off immediately (vivid memories of Carnation Instant Milk in a box and other powdered Protein drinks I had years ago). I found the cafe caramel, came home and poured half of it in the blender, added ice and tasted it in a few minutes...drinkable, not terrible...or particularly flavorful but CHALKY...so I added 3 packets of Splenda, a couple TB of fat free Greek Fage yogurt and a splash of sugar free caramel syrup from Starbucks...quite an improvement. Next time I will throw in some instant coffee as well. I also bought a 4-pack of the Atkins mocha flavor. The Atkins RTD 11 oz. shakes have 15 g Protein, 160 cal. and 2 net carbs. I also bought two 4-packs of EAS AdvantEDGE...11oz French vanilla and a Dark Choc. RTD shakes...and they have17 g protein, 100 cal. and 2.5 net carbs. I will try one tomorrow. One thing I liked about the Atkins is it has a twist off cap like a bottle of soda...so I could seal off half to make another frosty concoction later. The EAS brand has just a fold down container like a cardboard milk container....could spill in a cooler. By the way, I drank some in the glass after blending but poured the rest in my Bodum insulated stainless container I always used for coffee. When I went to pour some more into my glass it wouldn't pour...it had gotten COLDER in the container and I could eat it with a spoon...much improved!!! I will be getting some more Bodum insulated containers...shorter ones to eat my drinks! Anybody have any suggestions for doctoring up some of these RTD shakes? mojaleski

Hoping to have my sleeve surgery in September at Lahey Clinic Hospital in Burlington, Ma. with Dr. David Brams if all goes well with my pre-op testing. I am excited! 70 years old, retired RN and ready to be done with this weight and how it gets in my way. Had thought I would only consider the band, since it is reversible, I thought...but after lots of research I found myself thinking I wanted to do this only once, that is have surgery only once and read myself into believing the gastric sleeve was the best option for me. The nurse practitioner, who went over my particular family history, agreed and so here I am...waiting...but not so nervous as I was a week ago. I am excited to have it and move forward. mojaleski from NH

I am a 70 year old woman with no comorbidities and a BMI of 41.8. Medicare is my primary insurance now but BCBS has to approve to pay what is not covered by medicare. I have my fingers crossed. Anyone have any personal stories with BCBS of NH?

Good morning and thank you for the personal email. I did get your number and will give you a call. When is a good time for you? I am in Eastern time and don't want to call you at 0-dark-30 your time! I am really happy to find you, someone my own age, who has had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy so recently.

Hi...glad to find you here on this forum. Not so many of us in our age group. How long had you had the band and what caused you to be doing the conversion to sleeve? I had initially thought I wanted the band...but now am believing the sleeve is the right procedure for me. I have been to the info session and also my first appointment at Lahey Clinic in Ma... saw nutritionist, nurse practitioner (a wonderful woman) and a psychologist...came away feeling at ease and confident in the choice. If all goes well with the upper GI series next month and Medicare and NH Anthem BCBS approve I should be having the surgery in September. I am looking forward to it and getting my body back...it won't be how it looks nearly as much as how I feel. Meanwhile I will join a gym for exercise and take off some weight! Would love to hear about your experiences. Where did you have it done? mojaleski from NH

I was in quite a state last night when I discovered, in just googling Lahey Clinic and one of the surgeries my posting in one of these forums. "Beside myself" comes to mind. To think of all the very personal and generous shares people post in these forums, believing only others considering or having had weight loss surgery could read what they wrote or perhaps see a very personal photo... It never occurred to me that people who I have not told I am going to do bariatric surgery yet could google a hospital and discover my post on the forum without finding the forum to begin with or joining it. I have deleted my photos...and will just use my nickname, mojaleski from here on...and hope to continue participating because it is so valuable to me, although I am still very new. I am feeling confident about the surgery...now hoping to have the sleeve after discussing at length with the nurse practitioner at Lahey. It seems the most prudent option for me, given my age, osteopenia and family medical history...so if my upper GI fluoroscopy is okay that is the direction I will keep heading. I am also a good candidate for the band so it is still an option. Started weight loss plan today too...tracking my food...and will be joining a health club so that I can exercise, in earnest. (argghhh) Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. me

Anyone else 70 years old and having had this surgery?