chi/catlady

I was self-pay, so no insurance company was involved. I am short, 5' 2", so my BMI was about 31 or 32. I also have hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, as well as a strong family history of heart disease. I am grateful to the surgeon for allowing me to have the surgery, because I was failing at weight control, and I suspect that I would have been back at 204 lb or more, if I hadn't had the procedure.

I love the HMR Meal Replacement shakes. There are 4 kinds: HMR 800, with 16 grams Protein per shake; HMR-500, with 10 grams protein per shake; HMR-70+, which is lactose-free, can also be made into a pudding, and has 14 grams protein per shake, and another one which I don't use. They all come in chocolate or vanilla, but can be mixed with flavored liquids to change the flavors. They are available online at hmrprogram.net. I have been using these shakes for over 10 years to lose weight. I lost from 204 lb to 128 lb in 2003 and maintained the weight loss for over 5 years, as long as I stayed in the maintenance phase of the program. after I left the program in 2008 after moving away from Fort Worth, I began to gain weight, slowly at first. By mid-2012, I had gained up to 165 lb, which was about half of the weight I had lost. That is when I decided to turn to bariatric surgery. I had the gastric sleeve on 12/19/12. My surgeon was Dr. David Kim. I am very pleased with the results I have seen so far. I have lost 18 lb in 6 weeks, which does not sound like much compared to what others are losing, but for me it is an accomplishment. I continue to use the HMR Meal Replacement shakes since my surgery. They are delicious and are an easy and convenient way for me to get extra protein.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope that you are feeling better. The leak is what we all fear most, and hearing about your experience has been helpful.

Stay hydrated!