Teachamy

37 grams of carbs = nearly 4 units of insulin for me, so if I am going to indulge, I will indulge in something that doesn't send me to the can! Thanks fo your cautionary tale. It was a good one!

It depends on the flavor. Plain is sort of an acquired taste. Kind of like milk. You get used to it. There is also vanilla and chocolate. My kids love the chocolate variety. I usually put the plain in Cereal, but since I won't be having cereal post-surgery, I probably won't be buying it very often.

Me too. After an unrelated health delay, I have an appointment with my NUT and social worker for a check-in today. Hoping to see my surgeon next week, and hoping to schedule surgery for Dec. I look forward to "shopping in my closet" soon too!

Cravings (and folks are different in what they crave) is not uncommon!
Just on general principles, I say "If I crave, I don't want". It's like ANY food or restaurant commercial on TV... If on TV, it's OFF my plan!
Trying to beat my evil craving brain into submission!

hmmm, I wasn't ready for this at 3 weeks, but since I don't like scary stuff, I ain't ready for this now either...

Thanks all, for sharing in my (my mental thesaurus is failing me, the best I've got at the moment is...)chagrin...
Better (perhaps "more effective" would be more accurate than "better") than any laxative I've tried to date! Including the old standby Fleet enema!
Splenda is a component of the "sugar substitute mix" of these. If I had a package at hand (Oh yes of course I have more, I bought a case online... because pooping one's drawers should never be limited to "just once"!), I would list more info, but you can probably look it up online pretty quickly if you are interested. Okay, grabbed a package because it really wasn't that quick to find the info online... Maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and Maltitol Syrup are the first 2 ingredients on the ingredient list (ChihuahuaMom, stay far, far, away from these!!!), so that's where the beloved "laxative effect" comes from.
Most definitely, there is the carb issue. They're about 37g carbs/serving w/8g Fiber, so that's what, like 2 carb servings I think?
Pre-sleeve, I'd always bounced back and forth with my personal "sugar philosophy". Is it better to just have a little sugar or is it better to go with a substitute. Fortunately, I've never had an A1c or fasting glucose test that was high (though my docs kept poking me because my "fat" square peg didn't fit in their "must be diabetic" round hole...), so I've had the flexibility to have the choice.
MIJourney: I would guess one bad sugar free candy experience would make you suspicious of them all. To which I would say "Good call!"
Thanks all for having a laugh with me! What good is a "I Just Pooped Myself" story if you can't share it, right?!?! And it sounds like I'm in good company!!!

And remember, sugar free doesn't mean carb free. An important distinction for diabetics.

I once posted a joke about "skinny b*****s" on FB. I was stopped by an older coworker in the hall who told me she has anorexia and has developed osteoporosis because of it. She said, "It's not always easy to be a skinny b***h." Because we are human, we often judge ourselves based on others. I am constantly trying everyday to remember that I haven't walked in others' shoes, and I don't know their struggles. Trying to stop feeling sorry for myself!

I once posted a joke about "skinny b*****s" on FB. I was stopped by an older coworker in the hall who told me she has anorexia and has developed osteoporosis because of it. She said, "It's not always easy to be a skinny b***h." Because we are human, we often judge ourselves based on others. I am constantly trying everyday to remember that I haven't walked in others' shoes, and I don't know their struggles. Trying to stop feeling sorry for myself!

(This post shows up a little better on my blog because I can intersperse pics with the narrative, so posting the link in case it's easier to see there: http://sleevers.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/when-it-comes-to-weight-loss-trends-matter/)
I woke up a little anxious today. I’ve been obsessing about this whole weight loss thing. I’m counting calories, Protein, carbs obsessively. I’m so hungry that I’m hangry (hungry + angry). I’m worrying about whether I’m eating too many calories even though I’ve stayed under 800 calories. Every half pound up or down on the scale is driving me crazy and I’m taking it personally.
So I decided to do what I do best, which is to look for trends in numbers and to use numbers to tell a story. There are three pictures below.
The most depressing is to look at my weight over 7 days. Oh, see the stalls! Oh woe is me! Clearly I’m failing! oh no! I cut 85% of my stomach out and I’m failing!

I take a deep breath and look at my 30-day trends. Hmm, maybe it’s okay? I still see those flat lines that look like stalls. I dunno. But hey at least I see some drops. It’s looking a bit better.

But I wonder what it looks like at 90 days? After all, I’m in this for the long haul and so perhaps I should have a longer-term perspective. So let’s look at a 90-day trend.

Whoa! What do you know! All I see are steady declines. I don’t see the stalls that much anymore. Rather what I see is a line that consistently goes down. Perhaps I’m doing okay after all. I now see a trend line that is reassuring, that is different from what I’ve achieved before, and that I believe will continue for a while.
Now to keep this perspective throughout the week ahead and not get frustrated. I need to do this because I'm driving myself (and my husband) nuts.
What does your trend line look like? If you're on MFP or any other app tracking your weight, do this and see for yourself. Would love to see them posted so we understand that success isn't a straight line down, it's a line that generally trends downwards.

Wow. An amazing story. So glad that it did not end tragically and that you fought for yourself! What measures can be taken to penalize the unbelievably horrible hospitals/doctors that misdiagnosed you?

Agreed--try at least 1200 calories. I know this sounds counter-productive, but maybe slow down the workouts for a while (30 min. per day instead of 90) to see if that helps. (Especially if 1200 calories is difficult for you.)

I am 38 years old. I am married with 5 kids ages 18,15,11,7, and 3. I was a cosmetologist for 15 years and had a shop in my house. Last year we sold our house and I went back to school to me a Medical Assistant, I passed my boards in sept 2013. My husband and I both got lapband in 2007, neither one had much success with it, just a lot of throwing up and being miserable. In July 2012, he had the band removed and sleeve put in all in one procedure. It has been a little over a year and he has lost 189 pounds.. ~ hes 6 ft tall and weighs 200 pounds & feels so much better. So this year I decided to do the same thing. I decided to choose a different dr though they are a center of excellence. My dr said he never removes band and does sleeve at the same time. So 2 weeks ago I had the band removed, it was rough.. I have had lapband put in, gallbladder removed, and 5 vaginal births and this was by far the most painful surgery. Its still really sore 2 weeks later. I am scheduled to have the sleeve Nov 1, if insurance approves by then. With the band removal they waited until that last day, they had 15 days for that. But I hope Nov 1 is the day, so I can get well then focus on my new career and find a job! This is a whole new life for me, new house, like new husband, new career, and soon to be new me.... I am so excited and Blessed......

Congratulations! That's a pretty big deal! And as far as your jeans purchase goes, I have bought some Seven for all Mankind jeans and have my eyes on some others. (All on eBay, of course!) Can't wait to be able to fit into them!

Wow you've been doing a fantastic job losing 200 lbs..... Try upping your calories for a few days and decreasing your calories after the increase. Keep your body guessing......It works.......Keep it up. You might look into the 5:2 diet plan also.......

Agreed--try at least 1200 calories. I know this sounds counter-productive, but maybe slow down the workouts for a while (30 min. per day instead of 90) to see if that helps. (Especially if 1200 calories is difficult for you.)

Okay, since this thread has already derailed, why not add this.
Please note: this is just for fun...and not serious:
In a fit of anger her majesty Queen Elizabeth II issued the following letter to the citizens of United States of America
To the citizens of the United States of America from Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
In light of your failure to financially manage yourselves and inability to effectively govern yourselves responsibly, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. (You should look up ‘revocation’ in the Oxford English Dictionary.)
Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy).
Your new Prime Minister, David William Donald Cameron, will appoint a Governor for the former United States of America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated sometime next year to determine whether any of you noticed.
To aid in the transition to a British Crown dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
You will learn that the suffix ˜burgh” is pronounced “burra”; you may elect to spell Pittsburgh as ˜Pittsberg” if you find you simply can’t cope with correct pronunciation. Then look up “aluminum” and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.
The letter “U” will be reinstated in words such as ˜colour”, “favour” and “neighbour”. Likewise, you will learn to spell “doughnut” without skipping half the letters.
Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels (look up “vocabulary”). Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as “like” and “you know” is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.
There is no such thing as “US English”. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter “u”.
You will relearn your original national anthem, “God Save The Queen”, but only after fully carrying out Task #1 (see above).
July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you’re not quite ready to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults and then used solely for shooting grouse. If you’re not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you’re not ready to handle a gun, let alone shoot grouse.
Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.
All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left side with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
The former United States of America will adopt the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland prices on petrol (which you have been calling “gasoline”) of roughly $10/US gallon. Get used to it.
You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French Fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat, and dressed not with catsup but with malt vinegar.
Waiters and waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.
The cold, tasteless stuff you insist on calling “beer” is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. New Zealand beer is also acceptable, as New Zealand is pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of the British Commonwealth – see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.
Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one’s ears removed with a cheese grater.
You will cease playing “American” Football. There are only two kinds of proper football; one you call soccer, and rugby. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American Football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies or Jessies – English slangs for effeminate males and blouses for big girls respectively).
Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the “World Series” for a game which is not played outside of the United States of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket.
You must tell us who killed JFK. It’s been driving us mad.
An inland revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty’s Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.
Thank you for your cooperation.
God Save the Queen!

I think everyone feels like that. Me? On a thrice weekly basis so far. My coping mechanism is surfing websites of expensive clothing manufacturers, fantasising about what I will buy and mocking the afflicted. It is a healthy and productive distraction.
Take a deep breath, try and throw yourself into something which will occupy your mind and don't be ashamed to shed the odd tear whilst telling people to bugger off! After all, it's entirely natural.
Hang in there, honey x

I have a packet of hot chocolate in a large cup of coffee just about every morning. I think it just depends on how far out you are and how aggressive you want to be in reaching your personal goals. I think for some people, even doing the sugar free alternatives are possible slipping points back to sugar enriched foods. But it all depends upon the person and their history.
Myself, I was never able to do sugar free. It just made me want the real stuff even more, so I just avoided it as much as possible until I reached goal. But others have been doing sugar free for years, so I don't think it would be as much of an issue for them.
As always, moderation is the key, but know that the first 6 to 12 months is going to be your optimal weight loss window. These items will be there for you next winter, too!

I will be 40 in January, and am hoping to get my sleeve in Dec. I have been saying for a while now that I will not be fat in my 40's, and I am committed to this journey. Let this be the decade I start sporting a bikini!

I drink Coke Zero. Through a straw.

It was suggested by my office that we limit carbs initially because our weight loss will be easier that way, and they don't want anything getting in the way of the Protein intake. We are were told to drink 64 oz. a day (including protein shakes) and 3 meals with 3 Snacks.< /p>

Wow! You look fantastic! And I love your black and white dress! Congratulations!

I haven't even had surgery yet, but I think naked jiggling sessions in front of a mirror are called for right now. Great motivation idea!

Get naked and flap your arms. That should start the jiggles just fine.