ieshankiurki

Congrats!!!!!

I LOVE the elliptical. I used to do it for an hour at a time and would burn 700 - 800 calories. I stopped after a few months, because there were NO results that were positive. I essentially held ground right were I was. I must have been taking in enough calories to offset the calories I burned, so I was pretty much a hamster on that stupid thing.
Now I'm hoping, once I'm sleeved and ready to start rigorous exercising again, that when I get on the elliptical and work my way back up to that level I will be able to kick butt and see results that I expect!
If you can....push yourself to go longer on the elliptical. You will burn calories about 2-1 vs. the treadmill everytime....and the endorphens are WONDERFUL!!!
Good luck.

Any chance there's another bariatric center of excellence near you that you can go to for a second opinion? Maybe they would be able to to the revision (removal + sleeve) in the time before your COBRA runs out so you can still have it while covered? I know it's getting close to the end of the year, but it never hurts to try if the possibilities are available to you.
Good luck. I hope you're able to find a surgeon who will be able to perform the procedure(s) you are wanting so you can get back on the road to slim. Going through all of that just to end up right back where you were at the beginning is heart breaking. We're all doing this because we've all traveled that road too many times, and the idea is to find a path that will not lead back to where we are!
Hugs and prayers.

Can't speak to the band to sleeve revision but can say that after one month I was pretty much back to normal as far as pain level and activity. My diet plan allowed solids after 5 weeks...albiet small amounts but I was able to eat most things...I say most because you find that some things you ate pre-surgery no longer agree with you...
But speaking solely based on my opinion, I would allow my insurance carrier to remove the band and then move forth with the sleeve at a later date...With the chances being about 50/50 whether they can do the band to sleeve revision in one surgery, you run the risk of two surgeries anyways and the letdown of waking up to find out you are not sleeved. You also your sleeve surgeon time to reviews some medical records and X-rays to get an idea of what is involved so they can give a realistic expectation when you would be ready for surgery and what it would involved (i.e. scar tissue issues) to sleeve ya. But I am just a gov't worker and not a doctor so take what I say with a grain of salt...

Thanks for the inspiration!!

Yes I have prayed for you, hope you are ok.

I had mine on Friday and am 20lbs down. Just took my first dose of Percocet for the day and have been great. The first 24 hours were no fun but now I am amazed by how easy recovery is so I keep reminding myself to take it easy. Still sore and bloated but really so very manageable. This will be a great year, I can feel it.

Me too! We will do just fine!

\o/

AWESOME!!!!!! Good Luck

Today hasn't been bad. Thinking of rolling it into tomorrow too and doing a weigh in Tuesday am.
Congrats on your 11 lb loss ans good luck on surgery!!!

My surgery day is tomorrow and I just finished 10 days of Pre OP diet which includes Atkins Shakes, broth, one small meal a day (1 cup of salad w/2 oz. of deli meat), jello, etc. Lost 11 pounds. YEA
To be honest it wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. Not even hungry the last few days and really sick of the protein shakes.
What was tough was smelling the fam's lunches and dinners. Luckily my hubby cooked and was so supportive but it was still tough.
Good Luck and I am sure you will all be successful.

My liquid diet starts tomorrow! i don't know about you but I hope the adrenaline and nerves can help me get through my intense desire to eat everything in sight! The END IS NEAR our wait is almost over!

Thank you! I need to ease into it and get used to it and realize that all that food I want to eat will be there when I can eat it.
Good luck with your liquid diet... D-Day must be near for you!

Wow! You are very impressive. I think it's a great idea to practice the liquid diet. I am in total shock today because today is day #1 of my pre-op diet and I didn't practice. I wish I would have. I wish you the best of luck, 47 days will fly by!!!!

I went to unjury and bought the starter kit, which is basically a sample pack of their protein powders but I will probably make heavy use of the unflavored and just it it in everything that I can. I've seen so many people go through this surgery and as soon as they can, jump right into white flour and sugar despite the fact that we need protein first, then they struggle to get out of that cycle because it goes down so easily. I plan to get as much of the daily recommended amount as possible.
I am not much for shakes but my friend who had the surgery said muscle milk makes okay protein drinks. They are really sweet, though, which means they'll only taste good if they're ice cold.
For vitamins, I don't like pills so I got Celebrate ENS Multivitamin & Calcium Drink Mix in wild cherry. There are 14 packs so I have a good two weeks to decide if I like it. You just mix it in with water or Crystal light or whatever and you have your vitamins.
I also bought a bottle of Biotin, which I am iffy about actually taking before I need it. The last time I took Biotin I broke out in pimples everywhere, from the impurities coming out through my skin. Not sure I can go through that again but maybe I will take a low dose.
I got the wild growth hair oil, not for WLS reasons but because I wear my hair in a pony tail everyday and I am losing the hair at my edges. Though it is known to make the hair very soft, and I am all for soft hair.
I am grateful and blessed to have someone close to me that just went through the procedure so I will pass along any tips she gives me-- like making sure to start getting your water in and practice sipping, not gulping.

Hello! I am set for December 17, 2012. What kind of vitamins, protein shakes, ect do you plan to buy? Also, I'm taking vitamins now to help with hair loss, maybe? lol... I can only hope and try right? :-) I'll look into the oil you are trying.

Thanks so much for your comment Adorable...I've made up my mind to sleeve. Now to be sure my head stays in the right place. The constant up and down is wrecking my body so this is like my last ditch effort.

I think we have all felt that okay this is going to be the year, month or week we were going to start. Some of us prevailed and some have failed. I have the band and I thought that it would help me achieve my goals. I played sports in high school and college and know how to work out and eat but despite it all I still gained. I think we all have this idea of how we should be and how we are going to get there and start out but when we dont get the results we start to fall off the wagon. We all need help and most us dont want to admit it but for us its food we think we should be able to control it but we cant and our bodies react by getting bigger, which none of us want to see so we avoid full body pictures or try to stand behind others. I just hope whatever you decide its the right path and that it will work out for the best.

Yes! I go thru this thought process almost everyday too... It's a big deal and it's very drastic, but I keep on with it - like some one said once, when you have faith, even though your scared... you just do it scared!! And trust that all will be fine. I know it all won't be wonderful after surgery- there surely will be things I don't like afterward, but I am getting Diabetes now, I don't like that either and I want to be healthy and I have to keep reminding my self of the reasons i'm doing this. But you are not alone for sure. In the end, I just know it's gonna be great for the overall health of us and we are doing the right thing... Thanks for sharing your thoughts

You're familiar with what this surgery is, right Tiffany? They do take your stomach. 85% of it, anyway.
You keep your stomach with the bypass. (or band)

God didn't make us with 85% less stomach, but he also didn't make us to give into temptation and get ourselves to where we are today. The idea is to use those he has put in our path with the talent and ability to perform a procedure that will get us back to where God wants us. Healthy and able to avoid the temptation the devil puts in front of us so we don't abuse the beautiful body and life God was loving enough to give us in the first place. Don't give in to doubt! God put you here at this time for a reason. I feel that I'm here right now because this is where God needed me to be so I could benefit from the procedure the has helped the medical profession perfect. Years ago they would have taken my stomach, or I would have been wearing a mu-mu waiting to die from a coronary or a stroke. Now with this procedure, I get to keep my stomach, lose weight, be healthy and live a long, happy life.
Good luck!!!

I'm going through them right now!!!
I have felt calm and relaxed about this whole thing up until now. Before I felt like God was leading me in this direction and now I'm confused.
God didn't make us with 85% less stomach... Should I be doing this!?!?
This is a huge decision to be making... There's no going back.
It's scary and I'm right there with you on this one!

I'm about the same amount of days out from surgery as you. Honestly since it was just the one time. I would have done the same thing! I am on the phase two (lasts 5 weeks after operation) diet for the gastric sleeve. I can have creamed soup, oatmeal,malt o meal, jello etc..I am curious as to why I can't have cooked egg whites, or cottage cheese especially since they contain protein. The consistency of oatmeal flakes is much rougher (or even malt o meal) than an egg white that has the consistency of jello, or oatmeal. It confuses me why certain soft foods like those aren't on my very limited food list.
So sorry about your grandmother.

So sad about your loss.......HUGS!!!!! That cornbread must have been what you needed........ Good stopping when traveling. My surgeon and PCP tells us every hour.....