CharmingTortoise

Ack, goodness, how have I not thought to make sure my will was up to date. The life insurance and family matters (care of my son) are already set in stone but I didn't even think about the will or power of attorney or those types of decisions. I have researched the living crap out of this surgery and you are literally the first person who has ever mentioned this. It really needs to be said more often!

I can't wait to not have to lie and say I "forgot" my bathing suit. I can't wait to not cry in the changing rooms because I've gone up another size (or two) I can't wait to NOT shop at Victoria's Secret, Aeropostale, Hollister and all the other places who couldn't accomodate my plus size body. If you can't bring yourself to clothe my plus size body, you don't get my money to clothe my skinny ass either! I can't wait to not dress like I'm 20 years older than I really am I can't wait to not have to put deodorant anywhere but my underarms I can't wait to not have to tell my husband to slow down a little bit while we are walking - I'm going to make him keep up with me I can't wait to not feel tired all the damn time!! - That's my biggest one!! p.s. I absolutely love this thread!

I'm so jealous, I'm in 18's right now and can't wait to get in to 16's. Congratulations on your voluptuous hips!?!

I've tried both kinds of the Jay Robb protein - the egg and whey. The egg is not a protein isolate so it may not suit your nut. I didn't care for the egg protein. The whey was okay but definitely not a favorite. I have also tried the Unjury and Syntrax Nectar. I by far prefer the Syntrax at this point but after surgery, who knows. Jay Robb offers sample packs of both the egg and whey protein packs. Unjury has a chicken soup and unflavored protein which I think will be a godsend after surgery when having sweet protein after sweet protein will probably get monotonous. Definitely try different ones. I like the Syntrax because they have some real fruit flavors like lemonade and cherry versus shake-type flavors.

Wow, I agree with Isajck. I can't believe they didn't give you very specific instructions. I got mine early and they are super clear on what you can have. Here are the instructions that I was given. http://charmingtortoise.tumblr.com/post/50553274207/pre-and-post-surgery-diet-instructions-northern Wow, sorry they weren't clearer with you. That must be terribly scary. Hope things get better for you.

Awww man, I didn't get one Guess that means I'm going to have to keep working

How did I not ever think of this?!? That is brilliant. I will have to tell my husband that one. When the Behaviorist and I discussed this she said that for me, I needed to make sure that my mind was completely engaged. So I try to do the following: Sudoku puzzles Video Games - I love Sims 3 and SimCity 4 Research for Vacation or vacations I'd like to take in the future Researching VSG (I'm still pre-op and obsessive about that sort of thing) Researching Plastic Surgery - I have a lot of hope that I will totally need that! Talking to family, friends or co-workers Standing up at work - seems to alleviate the boredom and I forget about food Crafts - I like papercrafting and cross stitching Looking at stupid animal videos online There have been some great suggestions, I will definitely be incorporating a few.

Once you get used to being a night time mushroom you'll be fine. Instead of using the Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks food logs I break mine out to Midnight to 6am, 6am to Noon, Noon to 6pm and 6pm to Midnight. It's much easier for me than trying to figure out what should be dinner and what should be breakfast and is a shake a snack or a meal? lol I'm with BusyBeingMe - I keep (almost) the same schedule when I'm working and when I have days off. It has really made working nights a lot easier for me. I've been working nights almost all of my adult life though.

Wow, this was really cool! Book marking that for sure

If you want to know how many calories a day you should be getting you need to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate - Which is basically the amount of calories your body will burn just by being alive. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ There is one that I've used. Just make sure you are using it for the right sex. As for what to eat, it really is individual.

I’m pre-op. I’ve lost 21 pounds in two months on the doctor requested 1100 calorie diet. I’ve been very happy with the weight I’ve lost and am looking forward to losing even more as time passes. It dawned on me today as I was getting dressed that my happiness really is tied to the scale. I was ecstatic that I finally fit back into my pretty size 18 jeans with the little jewel on the buttons. I know everyone says you aren’t supposed to tie your happiness to your weight or your body but you know what, I do, and I am okay with that. I am not comfortable with myself at this size. I don’t move right, I feel awkward, and I definitely don’t feel sexy. I think it comes down to the fact that I am ashamed that I have abused my body to this point and I’m just not happy with myself. I’m starting to think about it like this – Would you be proud of your house if you let it go and didn’t clean it for years and years? Would you let people come over and see that mess? Would you even want to live in it yourself? So how am I supposed to be proud of a body that I haven’t taken care of? How am I supposed to look in a mirror and be okay with the mess that I’ve created? I know that this not a popular opinion or thought. I’ve read Health at Every Size, I’ve read the blogs, the Pinterest boards, the Facebook pages and even posts right here on the Vertical sleeve board about how you are supposed to love your body, no matter the size. And it is a great notion. I have tried to love my fat self but I really can’t. Hell, I even cut my hair short after reading a certain fat love blog that eschews that it is okay for fat women to have short hair (HUGE mistake for me). For me, there is no love for my poochy belly, for my inner thighs that are so fat I can’t keep my legs together, my multiple chins or even my stretch marks in my under arms. Some would say that I’ve just been brainwashed about ideal beauty. Maybe I have or maybe I’m just realistic that this isn’t really the way I want to live my life. Maybe I’m just really shallow. It’s entirely possible. I know surgery and losing weight won’t make everything in my life better. I get that. What I do know is this, every time I see that scale number move in a downward direction, I feel like I am getting my life back. I know that I can walk and take stairs without getting winded. I can tie my shoe without having to hoist my leg up by my pant leg. I can wipe my behind properly again. I’ve actually felt like doing some housework and taking walks with my husband and dogs. These aren’t huge things to most folks, it’s not like a scaled a mountain, but they feel like huge things to me. So for now, I’m accepting that my happiness is tied to my scale.

I had the paraguard for a couple years with absolutely no problems. Mine was put in without any problems or pain right at my midwife's office. No increase in cramping or spotting. I had a tubal ligation which is why I don't have it anymore. If for some reason I had to go back to needing birth control I would definitely go back to it. There is no way I want to take the pill anymore, it makes me an absolutely psycho beach! And I definitely don't want something that my husband would have to put in or I would have to remember to put in.

I always tell my husband, You have to clean up around the wood pile if you want company

Gorgeous!

You look awesome. Quite an inspiration.

In Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies it actually says that carbonation stretching the stomach has never been proven. However, it does say that it will give you gas.

I have discovered the secret :ph34r: (at least for me) to enjoying protein drinks - Nose Clips! For some reason when you plug the nose that weird taste from the protein isn't noticeable. All I can taste is the flavor that the drink is supposed to be. Nose clips will make it hand free and also make it so once I have the surgery I don't have to try to hurry up and drink it. I was also excited that for once, it was a cheap fix! Who would have known the swimmers knew the secret all along. Wish they would have shared though

Congratulations! I hope everything goes well for you, including your flight. Wishes for everything to go smoothly are going your way!

That is so amazing! Congratulations.

This is what I worry about. We used to do "Sunday dinner" on our Sunday work nights and now I can't participate even pre-op. One of my co-workers has tried to pressure me a couple times to order with the group and I have a rough time saying no. Of course I want to, but its just not worth the calories or fat to eat something fried! It makes me feel a little awkward but I figure that will lessen as time goes on. They know I'm having surgery so I just have to stick to my guns.

Go to the very first post in this thread and she has it listed as a document.

I work 12 hour shifts, midnights and all we do is sit. I've been trying to get up a couple times a night just to get a little movement in. I also occasionally will sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair. It's fun and gets the body moving a little bit. I also take the stairs instead of the elevator but its only one flight so it's not that big of a deal but I figure any movement is better than no movement.

I've never heard of anyone going to Canada for surgery. I would love to hear of their experiences. Canada is much closer to me than Mexico. Should I have the desire for plastics later I might look to Canada. Guess I never even thought of it as an option.

I'm planning on taking two weeks. Someone I work with had band to sleeve revision and was back to work within a couple days of being released from the hospital. We have sit down jobs but work 12 hour shifts. I think she was nuts though. My doctor said that a minimum of one week off was needed.

I'm not going to say that this is what's going on with you, just my own personal experience. For myself, when my irrational rage and irritation rears its ugly head, I am dipping a little lower in my depression. It may be something you want to talk to your doctor about. That being said though, my irrational rage and irritation is usually like my mother-in-law talking with her mouth full of food or repetitive noises. I do tend to agree with a lot of the other posters in saying that this could be perfection normal result of the surgery. I think getting irked at someone for being a jerk that showed no concern for a fellow human should be considered "normal." What she did is just rude!