Evilah

I'm really nervous about the clear liquid diets because artificial sweeteners, even the slightest bit, give me headaches. It's a combination of sensitivity to the chemical and need for sugar. Anyone else suffer this? Any advice to offer? Evilah

fat soluble toxins: Parabens (preservatives in cosmetics, food, etc.) Estrogen Mimickers, and estrogen itself (Birth control pills, dioxin from water/air, pthalates from plastics even polyethylene plastics 4,5,1,and2 but especially from polycarbonate plastics) Solvents (alcohols such rubbing alcohol, benzene -soft drinks with benzoate and citric acid-, various alcohols used in shampoos and cosmetics), Air pollution from cigarettes and cars, but ESPECIALLY cars (PAH's polyaromatic hydrocarbons). :mad: Water pollution (Pesticides, etc.) Im' assuming most people don't expose themselves to pesticides, but then someone buys them. There's so many more successful natural ways to deal with pests than pesticides. If you live near a cotton field, or even near any other farm where crop dusting is used, you probably have bad exposure to these sorts of chemicals) If it is fat soluble, whatever does not get deconstructed and made excretable by your liver, or absorbed by Fiber (and excreted as a solid) in your gut) goes right into your fat cells. Plus, heavy metals can get stuck there too if they form a complex with a molecule (one that is fat soluble on one end, and can chelate a heavy metal on the other end). I know for sure that they get stuck in your liver cells, and won't come out unless you use chelation therapy. MINI RANT: Most people go on and on about the dangers of tobacco, but here's the deal, your daily commute exposure or exposure if you live near a highly trafficked roadway or freeway is as bad or worse than smoking a cigarette. It has been proven repeatedly that such exposure increases heart disease, decreases childern's intelligence, and causes respiratory problems such as COPD. Google it. I live in Washington, and my response to their no smoking ban, was that there are from more people smoking their tailpipes right into my lungs than cigarettes. I have asthma, and second-hand smoke will irritate me, but diesel fumes or burning oil will send me to the hospital. I have a really hard time being civil to other people who talk about how "healthy" they are, and concerned about other people, then putt away in their poison puffing vehicle. If you drive a vehicle with bad exhaust PLEASE PLEASE fix it, or if you don't know find out. There are so many people whose lives are made miserable by car exhaust. Chimney smoke is pretty bad too, because of the large particles it contains. I drive a newer honda 4 door honda civic which has near zero emissions, and as soon as I've saved up the down payment, I am purchasing a prius which has virtually zero emissions. I shove my large body into a newer smaller car, even though I could afford to drive a larger more comfortable slightly older larger car, because I can't drive something that I know makes me sick, and others too.

I live near two surgery centers where lap band is done. One is a center of excellence for bariatric surgery, and the other does exclusively lap band, is newer, but closer to home. HELP! What factors are most important to my decision? Proximity to home for fills, support, and nutrition?

Someone was posting earlier about community MRSA. I am one of those evil people who carry it around. I spent 6 months in a transplant ICU with family member, and that's where drug-resistant bugs get started. In immuno-supressed people who need tons of antibiotics/anti-fungals to stay alive. I'm pretty sure I've got it living on my skin along with all the regular staph aureus. I feel guilty about it. My family member died, btw. Makes you wonder if transplants are worth it at all.

For those who got banded at st. francis, or nwwls, how did they seal your incisions? glue? stitches? staples?

:help: I am having the hardest time making a decision about where to get my surgery done. Now that I have insurance pre-authorization, I really want to get it going. Plus Ihave a toddler, and I will have help in June with her, so that's the best time for me to get my surgery done. If I switch to NWWLS I don't know how far off they will push my surgery, but they are so close to my house! ! I didn't know that they were so good until I read all of the posts here, so I went with the center of excellence (dr's oh and hirai). I would be glad to get comments/posts from anyone who can help me with this decision!?!?! thanks, evilah

Jen/Miss Wolfy, I live in near you! If you come back by here, please private message me! thanks!

If you live anywhere from north seattle to kirkland although way north to stanwood and marysville meet here! Just a general area, anyone is welcome regardless! I would like to meet some people who live near me to meet up in Lynnwood, Kirkland, Everett, Marysville, Mill Creek, Mukilteo, Edmonds, Bothell, Woodinville, etc. !

<p>Is there a support group for NWWLS bariatric surgery patients? I am tentatively getting banded at st. francis but live north of seattle</p> Okay, I am editing this post! I read through this ENTIRE thread, and found several support groups through yahoo and different surgery centers. I did my intake with Dr. Hirai on the 18th of april, and my endoscopy is scheduled for next friday. My insurance gave me pre-authorization today, but after hearing all the great stuff about NWWLS (which is very close to my house) I'm wondering if I should switch and stay closer. I chose st. francis because it s a center of excellence according to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. I like that Dr. Oh is very strict though, I believe that people who stick to stricter liquid diets at the beginning experience better results, less slippage, erosion, and more weight loss long term. HI EVERYONE!!!! -Evilah

If Dr. MacMahon banded you at Steven's hospital in Seattle please post here!

Please post here if you were banded at Northwest Weight Loss Surgery.

Dr. Oh, Hirai, or Srikanth patients, please come and post here!!!

Ultimate Meal Replacement is the name. It's a powder and you blend it with fresh fruit and water. it's amazing . tastes ok and keeps your bowels moving.

I think my thread is maybe out of place, would a moderator fix it? I didn't look at the food forum before I posted it.

My liquid diet time is coming up. 10 days before, 6-8 weeks afterwards. I'm going to be on liquid meals for a long time, and I have started a chart comparing them on my computer. Any suggestions for me to try?

Please post what good liquid meals you have. Including hearty soups. Anything you can eat on the liquid diet, but especially nutritionally complete products or recipes.

laurend, I have nearly popped my knee out of socket and once pulled a muscle giving myself a pedicure. LOL. wearing my husbands glasses help me magnify the area and see details so far away! LOL Carlene, I used to get my eyebrows threaded at this great salon in houston called aisha's. can't find another one here in seattle. My eyebrows never look so good as they did when they were threaded. I don't trust a waxer, and have trouble getting it right tweazing. The threads trim and pluck at the same time... amazing! enterprise, I want to have laser hair removal too, but my mom (wound nurse) told me that killing your body hair causes healing problems for those areas of your body. Hair follicles create growth factors that seep out into your skin and help you heal if you get a cut or bruise or something and if you kill the follicles you just don't heal as well from any skin injury. Just an fyi, even knowing this I'm still debating getting some laser hair removal, like my bikini line! I'd never do my underarms because they're too easy to shave and I think shaving scrapes off the dead skin cells along with the stink and any deodorant hanging around. laura, I need to get an eyebrow razor. I think I've seen, but never paid much attention. I bought my husband a manual nosehair trimmer. its a little cylinder with slots that you stick in your nose, then you squeeze the lever and the internal razor trims all of the hairs that stick into the slots. Very cool, I thought.

Dry hair-- I only wash it twice a week, with garnier. It has the highest amount of silicone in it which protects hair and makes it look shiny without look greasy. I also do a deep treatment ONLY on my ends when they look like they need it. WHEETSIN! I am a nail junky. I love having my nails perfectly painted and filed and I like to do it myself. I love to use orly rubberized bonding base coat for two things: as a basecoat, it prevents chipping, makes my manicure last 7-10 days. I do two top coats. I learned how to use a cuticle nipper and my home manicures and pedicures look a million times better and last longer. I use homemade body butter for my feet (shea, cocoa, and coconut butter with sweet almond oil and jojobo oil, essential oil too if I want fragrance, and I don't forget to add a few nutrients like vit. e to nourish)

Asking for a tip! I want to plant some approx. 24 inch plants in a narrow (18 inch bed) close to the house under the overhand. I want to plant lavendar but I don't know if it will grow. It's part shade, well drained, semi-moist soil any suggestions? evilah

Wonder if I can make a surgery date in may???!? probably not! insurance approved, endoscopy and surgery date scheduled next week. evilah

;Hi, What is this group? About finding clothes, I have tailored so much of my own clothes to make them smaller. (during my weight loss attempts of the past) A used sewing machine and a library book go a long way if you like working with your hands and have a bit of time. evilah

I would be wary of eating any large amount of food, you could make your pouch stretch. That is not a good situation. Maybe it happened already, ask your doctor evilah

I forgot to say, best wishes, good luck, you know, with finding a match!

Hey puddin, Wanted to tell you that when I was thin I had the hardest thing with sex/promiscuity. I didn't sleep around, but my values call for NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE! and I always felt guilty about any sort of physical contact. Especially after I got raped. It was terrible-- part of the reason I gained all of this weight was to keep men the HECK away from me because I was constantly being hit on and chased after. When I walked through the door of a dance club or party, men would turn and stare and I felt like fresh meat in a lion's cage. So getting fat helped! I'm married now, thank god, to a really good-looking guy who married me for my personality and brain while I was sort of fat (but 70 pounds lighter than now). I thank god everyday for him, because I never have to worry about violating my values again! FYI, I met him at school, and we had a strictly friends relationship for months before dating. You just sort of have to get out of the "date" mind frame and into the "friends" mindframe. Then one day you'll have this guy who is your best friend, and love hits you like a mack truck, and you know you're meant for each other and you get engaged then married! (OK that's how I did it. But that whole everyone's only friends thing was passed on to me from several different happily married women) You've got to figure out if they can be your best friend first, no physical contact. Then it will last, and you will feel good about yourself and keeping your boundaries. Happily married for several years, Evila

I'm 5'9.5'', and my doc thinks 145 is a good weight for me.