VSGKirk

Don't know where to really share this, so I figured I'd share it in the forum of "my people"...
I have a very stressful job and have to spend the work week away from home. Many many night pre-op, after a stressful day, I couldn't get to a mexican food place or Taco Bell fast enough. My typical order would be a 2 lb carne asada burrito with EVERYTHING and chips. At Taco Bell, it would be their new XXL Steak nachos, and of course since I would starve on the 5 minute drive home, I'd always have to get an extra burrito or taco to get me started. I was like a drug addict or alcoholic who couldn't wait to get home so I had to start "using" in the car!
Fast forward a few months...
Work, more stressful than ever. Being away from home, sucks a** big-time. The difference? I bee-line home and log onto VST to see what I've missed throughout the day. I interact with some really fantastic folks who "get" me. I make plans for the future. I look forward to the future.
And oh yeah, if I remember... I go over to the fridge and pull out a greek yogurt and feel completely satisfied.
Thanks you guys, seriously!

Don't know where to really share this, so I figured I'd share it in the forum of "my people"...
I have a very stressful job and have to spend the work week away from home. Many many night pre-op, after a stressful day, I couldn't get to a mexican food place or Taco Bell fast enough. My typical order would be a 2 lb carne asada burrito with EVERYTHING and chips. At Taco Bell, it would be their new XXL Steak nachos, and of course since I would starve on the 5 minute drive home, I'd always have to get an extra burrito or taco to get me started. I was like a drug addict or alcoholic who couldn't wait to get home so I had to start "using" in the car!
Fast forward a few months...
Work, more stressful than ever. Being away from home, sucks a** big-time. The difference? I bee-line home and log onto VST to see what I've missed throughout the day. I interact with some really fantastic folks who "get" me. I make plans for the future. I look forward to the future.
And oh yeah, if I remember... I go over to the fridge and pull out a greek yogurt and feel completely satisfied.
Thanks you guys, seriously!

Don't know where to really share this, so I figured I'd share it in the forum of "my people"...
I have a very stressful job and have to spend the work week away from home. Many many night pre-op, after a stressful day, I couldn't get to a mexican food place or Taco Bell fast enough. My typical order would be a 2 lb carne asada burrito with EVERYTHING and chips. At Taco Bell, it would be their new XXL Steak nachos, and of course since I would starve on the 5 minute drive home, I'd always have to get an extra burrito or taco to get me started. I was like a drug addict or alcoholic who couldn't wait to get home so I had to start "using" in the car!
Fast forward a few months...
Work, more stressful than ever. Being away from home, sucks a** big-time. The difference? I bee-line home and log onto VST to see what I've missed throughout the day. I interact with some really fantastic folks who "get" me. I make plans for the future. I look forward to the future.
And oh yeah, if I remember... I go over to the fridge and pull out a greek yogurt and feel completely satisfied.
Thanks you guys, seriously!

Don't know where to really share this, so I figured I'd share it in the forum of "my people"...
I have a very stressful job and have to spend the work week away from home. Many many night pre-op, after a stressful day, I couldn't get to a mexican food place or Taco Bell fast enough. My typical order would be a 2 lb carne asada burrito with EVERYTHING and chips. At Taco Bell, it would be their new XXL Steak nachos, and of course since I would starve on the 5 minute drive home, I'd always have to get an extra burrito or taco to get me started. I was like a drug addict or alcoholic who couldn't wait to get home so I had to start "using" in the car!
Fast forward a few months...
Work, more stressful than ever. Being away from home, sucks a** big-time. The difference? I bee-line home and log onto VST to see what I've missed throughout the day. I interact with some really fantastic folks who "get" me. I make plans for the future. I look forward to the future.
And oh yeah, if I remember... I go over to the fridge and pull out a greek yogurt and feel completely satisfied.
Thanks you guys, seriously!

Don't know where to really share this, so I figured I'd share it in the forum of "my people"...
I have a very stressful job and have to spend the work week away from home. Many many night pre-op, after a stressful day, I couldn't get to a mexican food place or Taco Bell fast enough. My typical order would be a 2 lb carne asada burrito with EVERYTHING and chips. At Taco Bell, it would be their new XXL Steak nachos, and of course since I would starve on the 5 minute drive home, I'd always have to get an extra burrito or taco to get me started. I was like a drug addict or alcoholic who couldn't wait to get home so I had to start "using" in the car!
Fast forward a few months...
Work, more stressful than ever. Being away from home, sucks a** big-time. The difference? I bee-line home and log onto VST to see what I've missed throughout the day. I interact with some really fantastic folks who "get" me. I make plans for the future. I look forward to the future.
And oh yeah, if I remember... I go over to the fridge and pull out a greek yogurt and feel completely satisfied.
Thanks you guys, seriously!

Don't know where to really share this, so I figured I'd share it in the forum of "my people"...
I have a very stressful job and have to spend the work week away from home. Many many night pre-op, after a stressful day, I couldn't get to a mexican food place or Taco Bell fast enough. My typical order would be a 2 lb carne asada burrito with EVERYTHING and chips. At Taco Bell, it would be their new XXL Steak nachos, and of course since I would starve on the 5 minute drive home, I'd always have to get an extra burrito or taco to get me started. I was like a drug addict or alcoholic who couldn't wait to get home so I had to start "using" in the car!
Fast forward a few months...
Work, more stressful than ever. Being away from home, sucks a** big-time. The difference? I bee-line home and log onto VST to see what I've missed throughout the day. I interact with some really fantastic folks who "get" me. I make plans for the future. I look forward to the future.
And oh yeah, if I remember... I go over to the fridge and pull out a greek yogurt and feel completely satisfied.
Thanks you guys, seriously!

When you made the decision to pursue WLS and have the courage to come on here to admit your weakness, you've earned the right to stop beating yourself up over food. I agree, move forward, get back on track, be kind to your body and prepare it for surgery.

When you made the decision to pursue WLS and have the courage to come on here to admit your weakness, you've earned the right to stop beating yourself up over food. I agree, move forward, get back on track, be kind to your body and prepare it for surgery.

Well I've done an EGD, a sleep study, a stress test, pre-op blood work and EKG, pre-op visits, and tomorrow I start the all liquid diet. Not to mention the fact that I had the band placed and it has failed (leaking) with no restriction and I've regained, so now I'm getting sleeved. I'm not lazy, stupid, or misinformed.
I was chatting with a woman at the doctor's office last week who was 6 weeks post-op. She was so happy as she had already lost 30 pounds. She told me she no longer felt the need to eat all day long and she felt free for the first time in her life. She was in her late 50's. I know I don't want to give up another 20 years of my life living like this. That's why I'm doing this. I have such an unhealthy, exhausting relationship with food. I don't eat because I'm hungry each time. I eat because I can, because I'm sad, because I'm happy, because it's there. For me it's like I can never shut that need off. I hate myself everyday for not being able to control it. I just want to be "normal" when it comes to food. I want a tool that will help me eat because I need to, not because I want to.
I'm scared too. I worry that it won't turn out how I want it to. I worry that I'm sacrificing so much just to do this. I swore I'd never go this route, but yet here I am. But I also know I have to do something. I just want to be free. I'm doing this for myself and for my family. I want to be around a long time. And I want to actually participate in my life, not just be a bystander. Tomorrow is the start of all liquids. I know it's going to be brutal, but if this is what I have to do to get where I want to be, then I'll do it.
So, this "rant" is for those of you who tell me I'm taking the easy way out. Walk a mile in my shoes and tell me how easy it is. Until then.... Shut it!

My strange addiction that should be put on tv is the fact that I like getting my stomach cut out and telling other ppl to do it. Even if their skinny. It doesn't matter what age, I even went up to a baby and explained to it that it's healthy. I even went to dog park and consulted with a shitzu. It's gotten very bad. I feel that I should be the poster child! With my cute mug.

oops, I have also had some guacamoli, so plz don't load any cannons yet, . often is raw veggies ingredients pre packed.

Guess where you are going to "fit-in" soon? Airline seats, theater seats, amusement park rides, kayaks, regular clothes...the list goes on and on!
Which is better? That, or being able to down a crapload of food?
You are going to be just fine!!!

Hey Guys,
Just wanted to give you all a heads-up if you are pre-op and come back with unusually high or borderline high levels of Iron in your blood.
My surgeon, although noted the elevated level, was not concerned.
As they were inflating my abdomen, it triggered a vagus nerve response that actually stopped my heart. They introduced Atropine and I came back. They waited a few minutes and decided to proceed with the surgery once consulting with other physicians and a cardiologist.
Everyone seemed completely baffled by the phenomenon, especially since all of my pre-surgery test came back so strong.
When I reminded the doctor that my Iron levels were unusually high and mentioned that my father has been diagnosed with hemochromatosis, a light bulb went off for him. The iron deposited in my heart has messed with it's circuitry.
I've had no post-op complications and have healed remarkably well (returning to work 7 days post-op), but I have appointment up the keester with cardiologists and hematologists to get this blood disorder under control.
Moral to the story - be informed, disclose all of your family medical history (even if you don't think it's relevant), get tested if you have a close family member diagnosed and don't be afraid to ask questions!
Thanks!

Since my initial consult in November 2012, I'm down 47 lbs!
I'm 5 weeks out so today looked something like this:
Breakfast: strawberry Greek Yogurt (3.4 oz) w/ granola sprinkled on top
Snack: Isopure Protein Drink, Alpine Punch (8 oz)
Lunch: 1/2 of a Lunchable (4 tiny rounds of ham, 4 crackers, 4 tiny pieces of cheese)
Snack: Isopure Protein Drink (again)
Dinner: 1 oz. sliced chicken breast & 1 cheese stick
Snack: 1/3c chicken Chili
I had to force myself to eat this as I have yet to feel hunger. I am not queasy and I enjoy the taste of food, but I'm just so indifferent. I had 4 16.9 oz bottles of Water and may have a little more Isopure tonight to get more Protein in.

Hey Marc!
So I've yo-yo'd from as little as 187 and up to 350+ from about 15 yrs old until 44.
Like you, I was pretty sedentary and didn't feel like I ate too crazy, but my daily intake food would look something like this:
Breakfast: A diet coke
Lunch: A salad with chicken, drenched in Ranch with a diet coke
Dinner: 1/2-3/4 Little Caesar's Pepperoni pizza - or - a 1.5 pound carne asada burrito - or - Steak nachoes & a bean burrito (Taco Bell). I had to feel "full" in order to relax and sleep.
You get the picture, I think. Poor food choices and would just inhale pretty much anything in sight in the evening.
I was 350lbs, with no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no heart disease, could lose weight like crazy, but could never keep it off because I would just go nuts at night.
Post-op, I drink lots of Water, no caffeine, no sodas, Protein, etc... So surgery has provided me with a fantastic tool which requires Portion Control - but at the same time gives me a great feeling of fullness. I wish this surgery had been around or available 10-15 years ago!!!
Don't know if that answered your question - but that's my experience.

If you're that close, don't you think you could just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, got your invite, before I respond NO, let me tell you why. I'm going to have a procedure that's going to keep me around a long time so that our kids and grandkids can play together."
Of course, I'm a dude - so you may need to soften the approach on that one!

I'm pretty sure the sense is always there...this time it just had to wade through a little caramel

If you're that close, don't you think you could just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, got your invite, before I respond NO, let me tell you why. I'm going to have a procedure that's going to keep me around a long time so that our kids and grandkids can play together."
Of course, I'm a dude - so you may need to soften the approach on that one!

If you're that close, don't you think you could just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, got your invite, before I respond NO, let me tell you why. I'm going to have a procedure that's going to keep me around a long time so that our kids and grandkids can play together."
Of course, I'm a dude - so you may need to soften the approach on that one!

If you're that close, don't you think you could just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, got your invite, before I respond NO, let me tell you why. I'm going to have a procedure that's going to keep me around a long time so that our kids and grandkids can play together."
Of course, I'm a dude - so you may need to soften the approach on that one!

I'm pretty sure the sense is always there...this time it just had to wade through a little caramel

Instead of beating yourself up over this, maybe dig deep and ask yourself what emotional need were those Milk Duds filling? Our sleeves are successful only to the extent that our minds will allow. If you're not already, see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. It's happend to all of us, otherwise we wouldn't be here, ya know? Be strong :-)

I'm pretty sure the sense is always there...this time it just had to wade through a little caramel

Instead of beating yourself up over this, maybe dig deep and ask yourself what emotional need were those Milk Duds filling? Our sleeves are successful only to the extent that our minds will allow. If you're not already, see a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. It's happend to all of us, otherwise we wouldn't be here, ya know? Be strong :-)

I'm preop, but have been on a very strict diet for the past two months. I work in a convenience store and those foods call to me all damn day. I HAVE had a few moments when I cave and eat.. Two weeks ago I ate 1800 calories in 10 minutes. YIKES. BUT.. I counted all those calories wrote them down.. and went on to have a Protein Shake for dinner. Now the old me would have said.. oh, well the day's ruined now... I'll get pizza... And I would have really felt guilty for a long time.. The new me recognizes that this isn't about "perfection" It's about progress and I am progressing.