Mini Me Wanna~Be

I am just starting my journey my Dr consult is on Dec. 3rd. I'm dying that I have to wait. Well here is my story: I'm 41 female, mother of 18y/o daughter, live in Mohave Valley, Arizona originally from So Cal. I'm 286lbs now and have been overweight almost my whole life. I can't honestly remember when I was under 200lbs, if I had to guess I'd say Junior High School. my top weight was around 360 I stopped weighing myself. I am an Insulin dependent Diabetic, I have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, nuropathy, chronic fatigue and I'm sure there is something I'm missing but I think you get the point. My Rhuematoligist told me at the rate my knees are deteriorating if I don't get at least 120lbs off LIKE NOW I wont be walking when I'm 60. That's scared the **** out of me, my best friend in Cali had the Gastric Bypass 2 years ago and I saw the transformation she made, she lost a person and I knew that's what I needed. I didn't have insurance until a few months ago and have been doing as much reading as possible on the different surgeries and decided the Sleeve was best suited for me, I don't want my innards rerouted and have absorption issues. I am very afraid that I will be the 1 person that this diet doesn't work for, I have tried so many times before to get the weight off but it never lasted, I think I have tried every "diet" out there since I was 16 years old. I NEED someone there to get information from who has been where I'm planning on going and that can give me support, direction, encouragement and an ASS KICKING when I'm being stuck on stupid and have my head stuck up my ass. I don't necessarily need someone in Arizona, these days with computer's email's and texting we could be thousands of miles apart and still be there for each other. I DO NEED someone that will be honest with me even if it hurts my feelings and not tell me what they think I want to hear but to tell me what I need to hear. I want to lose the weight but I also want to learn to live a new life and with that comes a new way of eating so I can become a smaller and better me. So if you are up to a challenge and would be willing to be my mentor/buddy who has been from the beginning of there journey to a successful part of there journey. Oh and I have to say I ask a million questions. So if you are willing to help me please send me a personal message and introduce yourself and tell me your story. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this, shows me you already care about me :}

I know my taste's will change so I'm not stocking up on Protein powders, I will be ordering samples from as many of the places I have seen listed on here and I think I should order some unflavored Protein powder from what I have read it will get used a lot. Just need to figure out which to get. Also if there is a difference between unflavored and natural flavor. I am on a budget and would like to start now (so I don't have a huge out flow of money all at once) in getting things that will be important for me to have after surgery , like the right Vitamins, kitchen tools, best protein shaker bottles, will I need gas x or antacids (ive never had heart burn before) or anything else you all can think of that you needed, wanted and used after surgery. Thanks in advance for your help and info :}

Iggychic, I am very sarcastic as well so I welcome your comment. I'm not auditioning or interviewing so sorry it sounded that way. I just wanted to put myself out there and let people know a little about me and I am curious about others and there journey's. I have found in the past I learn more from doing myself and from hearing what others have done and the things that worked for them. When was your surgery?

rdoactv, that's what I was thinking but I wanted to make sure my thinking was correct. I'm going to be in big trouble with the not using the straw thing. I have sever arthritis and have found using the big plastic tumblers with the screw on tops are easiest for me to hang onto without spilling, they all have straws :{. will have to work on finding a new cup. Thanks again for your help :}

Mr. Sarcasm :} (I don't know how to type your screen name....lol) Thank you so much for the info. I will start my info search on Whey Protein powders and ready to drinks. Thanks again :}

I so can't wait til I get to that point and get that call. I haven't even had me consult yet. Congrats on your progress, keep us posted on your surgery date :}

I totally feel you in this, I did everything for my ex. I never did the things or went the places I wanted to go because he would never make my wants important, it was ALWAYS about him and for 20 years (started dating @ 15, moved in 2gether @ 17 was together 20 years & he never married me) I did all the changing and all the bending to make "his" life better & happier. Well at the end of the day he came home on a Wednesday said he wasn't happy and thought we should separate for a while, mind you we had not been fighting or arguing. Then he came home on Friday and said he was moving out on Sunday and on Sunday he left, knowing since I worked at a High school my job would be ending in June (this was in April) It broke my heart I spent many years trying to get him back and blaming myself for his leaving and him not being happy and when I finally started working on "ME" and fixing "ME" I realized him leaving me was the best damn thing that ever happened to me, I say that because if he wouldn't have left I would have never become who I am today and I can honestly say for the 1st time in a very long time I am very happy. Oh and my ex has spent the last 5 1/2 years trying to get me back and I know I am better and deserve better than the way he treated me. Met a man 4 years ago and got married in June. I am a better person and a better mother to my daughter. You are WORTH MORE and should be treated with love, honesty and respect. Unless you aren't giving those things to him. And if I'm not mistaken if your married and he buys a house don't you BOTH own it???? So if he's buying a house and leaves you won't you get 1/2????? just something to think about. Sorry my post was long winded, I hope it helped. And so you know even though the people on VST don't know you and you don't know them doesn't mean they can't give you support and lend an ear )or a computer screen...lol) I have just begun my weight loss surgery journey but since early October I have felt like these people understand me and are willing to help me and support me. I wish nothing for you but the best life you can have and be happy, cus if Momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy. Those kids need a healthy and happy Mom, you can be what you want to be. I hope this has helped you know there are people who understand and care about you because you are you. Keep in touch and let us know how YOU are doing :}

I have seen this and not quite understanding the difference between clear liquids and full liquids. I'm only just beginning my journey but am trying to do as much reading as I can so I know what to expect. Also I have seen a couple times in the past few days that after surgery we can't drink thru a straw, do you know why? Thanks in advance for your help :}

I have not had the surgery yet, im just starting my journey: I confess I'm afraid of what the Dr is going to say on my consult visit. I confess I'm afraid that my insurance will not approve me for the sleeve I confess that I have been obsessed with VST and read for hours every night when should have been doing other things. I confess that I am so jealous of all the people who have had surgery and lost weight because if my insurance approves me, I think I will fail and be FAT the rest of my life. (I can't remember when I have weighted less than 200lbs im thinking middle school. My highest weight was 350 im @ 283 now) I confess I'm afraid I wont be able to eat & drink what I'm supposed to because the Phase's are confusing to me. I confess I'm afraid that people will think I took the easy way out by having this surgery and be very judgmental of me, esp family. (but from what I have read and learned from you all it's NOT easy at all) I confess that I'm afraid I will not have people around to give me support and encouragement during my journey. I confess that I have a fear of not being strong enough to not start drinking diet soda again, that I won't be able to drink all the water & get all the protein in that I'm supposed to, to keep my calories & fat intake down and that I wont be able to do the gym and exercise like I will need to out of fear of failure. I confess that I believe this website is the best thing I have ever found. I confess I feel & think the people on VST are the bravest people I have ever known. (Even though I don't Know any of you) I confess that I want so badly to be like all of you. Thank you all soooooooooo much for putting yourselves out there and being honest with everyone about your doubts and fears. It makes me feel like I'm not alone in mine :}

Not to burst your bubble but I have had this happen to me before and I figured out Bra's are made by different manufacturers just like other clothes we buy, how many times have you tried on a certain size within a certain brand and you always wear that size but if you go to a different brand that size you've been wearing no longer fits. Go back to your original brand and see what size works for ya. I hope what I said was understandable.

Has anyone ever tried adding protein powder to there jello or pudding recipes? If so how did it turn out and what did you have to do special to make it work? thanks in advance for your help :}

I haven't had surgery yet but im so happy that you shared that with me. I am so looking forward to having that happen to me. Congrats on your victory :}

I have been reading alot of different post from all of you re: what you should & shouldn't eat and what you can & can't eat. I don't think I will be able to eat chicken broth just warmed up out of a can, I cook with it but it seems very fatty and greasy just by itself. Do you all think it would be ok if I made canned chicken noodle soup, top ramien or the lipton boxed soup and just strained the noodles off and drank the juice? and if you all have any other idea's of things that worked for you can you please let me know. I want to start stocking up on somethings. Thanks in advance for your help :}

@Ailly, Thank you so much I will try this a few times so by the time my liquid phase starts I will know what the heck im doing. :}

@Bmarion662 in my house there is NO such thing as "throwing" away of food, we have 2 dogs oops I mean the Girlz who think they need to eat a little of everything that we eat. They have no belief that they are dogs.....lol Deltatrans44, I have never heard of Italian wedding soup but I will have to try it for sure. Thanks :}

@Ailly, thank you and if your Hubby would like to share his recipe I would love it. I love to cook but have never made soup so I'm not sure where to even start. It would have to be chicken because of my severe arthritis I don't eat any beef and yes sodium is an issue for me I just didn't know what else to do. Thanks again for your help :}

dwbrown1978, what brands did you use of the soups and jello's? I have never seen high protein jello's. Any help you can give me to prepare would be awesome. Thanks in advance :}

I have found that sometimes things that say "Diet" are lower in sugar than "Sugar free"

I don't have a smart phone can you use it on your laptop or home computer also??

Im pretty new to all this just starting on my journey. Sorry if this is a dumb ? but what is a fitness pal? There are a few things on here that I feel im totally lost...lol Thanks in advance for your help :}

Is it common to become Lactose Intolerant after getting sleeved?? My husband had gastric bypass 10 years ago and a couple months after surgery he discovered he couldn't have any dairy, just wondering if same chance with sleeve. Thanks in advance for your help :}

I am pretty new to this site and very new in my journey to lose weight by having the sleeve done. I have read a lot of post that have Abbreviations, can you please translate for me? Like NUT, PCP & so on. I'm sure once I see them in print I'm going to give myself a forehead slap and say OMG why couldn't I figure that out, but I also don't want to assume and be thinking the wrong thing. Ive looked everywhere I can think of on this site to see if I could find them but I haven't found them yet. Thank you all in advance for your help with this :}

I'm just in the starting stages of my weight loss journey and I find this to be very helpful. Thank you so much for posting this. I have copied it and added it to my Gastric Sleeve Info folder on my computer so I will always have it close. Thanks again :}

If you are taking vacation or PTO days for your recovery time you don't have to tell them anything. What you do on your time off is NONE of there business. However if you have a medical need to be off longer then you will have to tell them something and probably have to have a Dr sign off and say you can return to work, but still you don't have to tell them you had WLS. Hope you get thru all perfect and don't have to tell anyone that you don't want to know.