Miss Mac

Hey Bruce, that's O K, we'll talk to you. I also recommend the guys' forum.

Same here.

That rash will turn into the grown-up equivalent of chicken pox and will be contageous until the blisters break. I had shingles a couple of summers ago. The nerve pain was significant. Get some cotton balls and a 50 gallon drum of calamine lotion. (Well, have plenty on hand) Don't let anyone touch your blisters. Follow general care as for chicken-pox. You may indeed have to delay your sugery for three or four weeks. Make sure you have good pain relief on hand, and tell the family not to touch the blistered area. I hope you get over this quickly as it is a lot to bear. On the up-side I suppose, is that your surgery will feel like a day in the park after this. Sorry, but there is no happy way to prepare someone for shingles. I wish you the best of recovery.

Per other comments on Lyrica and stalling. I have been on Lyrica since summer of 2010. Since that time I gained 50 pounds and never made any connection. I definitely will research this one, because I need every advantage I can get. I have lost those extra 50 pounds, now I need to lose the other 50 extra pounds that contributed to my stroke in September 2010. Oh man, now I have to research if there is a connection between Lyrica and stroke. For sure, I am not stopping half-way. Stalls are so exasperating, but every couple of pounds, it finally breaks out and I lose another two or three and then stall again. Oh well.

Baby spoons...yes. They will slow you down considerably. Also, if you are not doing so, weigh and measure your food before you eat it. A long-standing business pricipal is: You cannot control that which you do not measure. I have found that if i try to guess what something weighs or measures, I get off the mark real quick. 1/3 of a cup of something quickly becomes a cup of something. Two ounces of meat becomes four. So, measure, measure, measure. Annoying, but it helps, and makes you more concious of what you are eating. Having said that, keep that food journal going, too. I long ago tired of myfitnesspal, but I still keep a journal by my bed, where I account for things as the day goes on. If I don't track, I lose track.

I was sent home with all kinds of meds, with no instruction as to swallow them or not. Added to my blood pressure meds, I just swallowed everything from the start (with some of my proteinshake) with these exceptions: There was one tablet that was large enough to break in half. I swallowed it with a Protein shake. I had to get a smaller fisf oil capsules, and even still, Miss Tummy will give it back most days. I stll eat fish twice a week to compensate for the fish oil rejection. The down side of swallowing pills is that if they get hug up in my throat, I have to be careful not to drink too much fluids to get it down. I had to look up Levofoxacin to see what it was....looks like the normal course is 7 - 10 days and then you will be done with it. My best hope is that if you must spill it into a drink or Soup, try something with a flavor to distract. I know we are not supposed to drink much fruit juice because of the sugar, but there was one liquid med that I followed with a little prune juice with some sweetener in it. I guess we all cope in our own way. Good luck and good health.

My bariatric team was spot on to reply quickly to my questions and emails.....same day. I agree with SherB, An effective team will not leave you dangling in mental anquish and worry. Be proactive.

I had success with sweet almond oil. Just FYI in case this would work......when my daughters were little kidlets, I would use Peanut Butter to get gum out of their hair. But I believe the concept here is that something slicky will do better than something soapy.

To give yourself a headstart, reduce carbs drastically, eat Protein - then veg - then very little fruit. You will be surprised what a difference it makes to cut out anything made in a factory. Just go for the fresh foods along the perimeter of the store. Here's wishing you a sucessful journey.

Isn't that nice when you start having more than one good day at a time?

Originally, when I asked my doctor if I was a good candidate for a lap band, he referred me to the bariatric clinic at Loyola University in Chicago. When I went for my first appointment, the staff explained the different options for weight loss surgery. I went with the sleeve on December 13, 2013, because I did not like the idea of a port with a lap band. I had no idea that you were left with a port. I have had a couple of dark days where I have wondered what the heck did I do?, but overall, I do not regret my sleeve one little bit. I am halfway to goal and feel better in many ways. Also, my primary doctor has begun the process of eliminating medications. I am sure that you will make the best decision for your particular medical needs. I wish you good luck and good health, and welcome to the forum.

My first onery thought was just take a little "vacation" to Tiajuana, and don't even mention surgery. My second more sane thought was tell her you'll think about it, and go ahead and have your surgery. Unless she lays down in front of your car, she can't really stop you. So here's to your health. Clink.

Hmmmmmmm......26. Your skin looks flawless!

At two weeks I had cabin fever, but it took a month befor I felt like any kind of normal.

At six months out, mine have faded fairly well and just look like old bruises. I have had larascopic surgeries for other reasons, and the scars are minute and faded to white on my already paleface skin. You have to know where they are to see them.

Take Chapstick. You won't regret it.

Madam, it looks like we are the ones who missed out. You look so healthy and happy in your picture. The Mediterranean sunshine has done you some good. Please, when you can, tell us more about your trip. As for your sense of humor, you crack me up all the time. Also a word to newbies reading Madam Reverie's posts........she is spot on consistently with helpful advice. I am glad to see her back on the forum. Madam, we did miss you. I was wondering where you disappeared to. Oops....I was wondering to where you disappeared.

Peace of mind, not piece of mind. Sorry. I can spell, but I just can't type!

So long as you are buying new tires, you may as well buy security cameras. It may not stop vandalism in your neighborhood, but it will give you some piece of mind knowing you would have a good chance of identifying the fool who does that kind of nonsense.

TMI for public broadcast. I will send you a private message.

I was lurking around on this site when I was pre-op, and was really more concerned about everyone's shoulder gas comments more than incisions and procedures. When I had my final pre-op surgeon's appointment, I asked him about what pain management he offers for the shoulder gas (which is caused by the CO2 they pump in you to create an air space for manpulating tools.) He told me that they would extact as much gas as possible before closing me up. Post-op, I had no shoulder gas at all. Surgical pain was more limited to my biggest incision. I had a morphine drip in the hospital, and hydrocodone at home. No other issues with pain, just being careful to not lift anything over five pounds or over-exert my abs. If you can sleep in a recliner or prop yourself up for a few nights, that will help reduce any pain you might have with getting in and out of bed.

I am 5'4" and started out at 235 with a 53" waist. I was in 20/22s Now 5'4"..............................176...........42"...squeezing into a 14 pant and 12 top. In my early 30s, my healthiest weight was 135, and I was a size 10 then. Looks like the sizing is much more generous now. Perception of obesity was different, too. A Gitano size 7 was a LARGE! No wonder we are dismorphic if we are told that 120 pounds, size 7 is large.

Hiccups or a Tupperware burp.

Retired from Federal service; My primary referred me to the Bariatric Program at the hospital. They established my program based on my coverage requirements and started me on a three month supervised diet. I had to provide two years worth of documentation that I had tried to lose weight on my own. My primary printed out a complete copy of his doctor's notes for the last two years. I went through with a highlighter and marked every place where my weight was measured or mentioned. I also composed a letter detailing all of the different failed attempts with various well-known diets. In the letter, I also explained how my weight has affected my quality of life, my family history of morbid obesity, and how I expected the surgery to improve my health. Claim as many co-morbidities as you can. here is a list of conditions that the insurance companies consider Obesity Comorbidities To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death in the immediate family

I can eat 1/2 a grapefruit with no problem, but an orange....not so much. Go figure.