SnohoGal98296

Ditto on the herbal tea, I love Tazo Passion too Try warm broth savory instead of sweet I too can barely tolerate any Water flavorings like crystal light or Mio full strength, have you tried to mix it heavy on the water and light on the mix? I am prep the above are just what i prefer personally :-D

- Husband - I'm behind you 100 percent - Son (17yrs) - Why can't you lose weight by dieting and exercise? - Daughter (20yrs) - okay - Mother - I think that's the right choice - Sister - I know someone who knows someone who knows five people who have died from that! - Cousin - who's already had WLS twice, Welcome to the club! - Boss - Just let me know how I can help So a mixture!

Thanks Katie, I do worry about him, but I think you are right :-D

Thanks Lil Red!

I hear ya on the "spent thousands of dollars" thought, I was thinking this while driving home last night, I bet I have paid the equivalent cost of weight loss surgery in all of my past dieting!

RJ, Does caster oil have an odor?

Just sent you a PM, let me know if you receive it ; -D

You know I was wondering what I would be planning for the big day if I was already sleeved. I am aiming for a March surgery date. I was thinking that if you are going to a party that you could bring a great veggie tray with a great dip made with greek yogurt. Maybe a jello dish so no one would notice your jello snack.

So sorry for your loss, positive thoughts and good energy flowing your way. ..

As someone who wears a size 24W I have had to request a seat belt extender. But it depends on your body type, if you are apple shaped and carry your weight in your belly you probably will need one. If your weight is more generally distributed then you may not need one.

For powdered - Try the manufacturers websites, I know unjury and syntrex both have sample packs that can be ordered online or by phone. For RTD, Try Trader Joe's and Whole food too, assuming those exist where you live.

Really? If you want to trash talk, then here we go... Hope your old man can stand the cold. .. Yup that's as mean as I get... Hope you enjoy the big game, since you love orange so much, stick to carrot sticks and avoid those dastardly cheetos! It is blue Jello at my house :-D

Nothing in messages. But I haven't checked my email yet, maybe it went there, I don't remember how I set that up...

Congratulations RJ, I hope I loose my weight with as much class as you! You get that plastics and enjoy the healthy bod you deserve.

Thank you everyone! I really appreciate your responses, this post has been buzzing in my head for a week or so now. I don't know about the brave/thank you's part though, I just felt like writing it down and sharing it (all be it with a modicum of anonymity) with my BariatricPals would help. But I have to say that coming from RJ, knowing your story, is stunning. ..

SLVRSAX - May I ask where you were sleeved? And shout out to my Sno homie!

Kiap82 - Who hoo you go and do Blue Friday, I will too, but you will have to be brave!

Hi Everyone, I go by SnohoGal98296 - I have been visiting and posting for a few months now. At first I was lurking to learn about your experiences and your pre and post surgery successes and failures. I also wanted to learn if you had the same experience as I have and if those experiences helped lead you to weight loss surgery. I did this research to determine if WLS was for me - and through this site, my outside research of specific surgeons and my own family who have made the leap for themselves and are very happy, I have made the decision to get weight loss surgery, specifically the sleeve. I am just in the process of determining which bariatric surgical center at which I will spend my hard earned money. I am self-pay, well employed and well insured, but with a WLS exclusion. As this is a huge investment for me I have closely examined specific reasons why I want this procedure. Below is my list (I apologize in advance for any TMIs :-D): I have tried nearly every diet on the planet - I am 45 years old and first realized I was overweight when I was about 10 years old. Here is a list of diets I have tried over the past 35 years: Lowfat / Nonfat liquid VLC diet (I snuck my Dad's Optifast in the 6th grade) Jenny Craig Weight Watchers Acupuncture Hypnosis Grocery Diet (Lean Cuisine, etc) Starbucks Diet Subway Diet Atkins South Beach Medically Supervised Optifast Medically Supervised High Protein / Low Carb (I was most successful here) Here are my physical observations since my last diet and regain, I don't make this list to complain but to remind me why I need to be proactive for my health, in no particular order: I am 5'6", I started my last diet at 275lbs, I lost around 50lbs. and was feeling pretty darn good about being in the 220's. I thought I could lose more and keep the weight off and did for almost a year, unfortunately the diet was too hard to maintain and I ended up gaining back the 50lbs. plus another 20lbs. Actually I am fluctuating between 295 and 298. At my first surgical consult their scale, fully clothed in the afternoon, said 302lbs. I have finally eclipsed the largest size of my favorite work slacks - Lee "khaki" style slacks. Their largest size is 24W. I wear 24W in other brands but not in Lee anymore. I have been on two business trips since October and on both occasions I had to ask for seat belt extenders, (funnily enough on the USA based airlines but not on the Japan based airline). When I bend over to tie my shoes I feel starved for oxygen, I often need to prop my foot up to reach. I am unable to wear my favorite pair of boots anymore, my calves won't fit anymore - and they are men's boots. I have resorted to fastening my bra before I put it on because my arms don't bend that way anymore. I have a few creases in different areas of my body that get raw and irritated if I get sweaty. I have had to have prescription yeast infection treatments for these areas. Needless to say I hate to sweat now, in fact it makes me itch. I barely fit in my son's car and the seat belt is fully extended when I fasten it. It is close in my car - but I have few inches there yet. Some public restrooms stalls are too small for me, I have to use the handicap stall to have the space to reach, if you know what I mean (sorry TMI). At a recent meeting at work, the chair I was sitting in broke, snapped underneath me with a loud crack and I barely caught myself before tumbling over backwards, and I yelped! My only relief from complete embarrassment? A normal size guy broke his chair too, a short while after mine did. When I go to bed at night, I have to sleep with 2 or more pillows because I can't lay on my back without my own neck flesh choking me, I also need the pillows to sleep on my side due to my body is larger than one pillows width from the mattress surface. I have borderline high blood pressure. I do not have type II diabetes, although my surgical consult reminded it hasn't been tested in a couple of years. Climbing the single flight of stairs at my work, walking between buildings, or trying to keep up with my family while we are on walks causes me to be out of breath. Walking or standing for more than 20 or 30 mins makes my feet and back hurt so badly that I have to sit down. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year was excruciating. Doing normal housework is now a workout. My hips brush the armrests of my office chair, not too small yet, but close. There is a woman at work who had to have facilities order her an XL chair and everyone knows about it. Regarding my family - My husband is truly supportive, he backs me 100%. My 17 year old son wonders why I can't diet and exercise more. My daughter really hasn't weighed in - I believe she supports me. I have a cousin who weighed over 440lbs. when she got the lap band, she got down to 300lbs and all weight loss stopped. After her band failed (i.e. broke internally, she didn't regain very much) she got a revision to RNY and has begun loosing again. Her son just got banded this year and has lost over 150lbs. and just got engaged. I feel comfortable within my own family with this decision. Regarding work - I have told my Boss and she supports my decision but I will only tell my coworkers on a person by person basis. Some will understand and support others just don't need to know. So these are some of the reasons why I have decided to get weight loss surgery, what are some of your reasons?

Nice! Oh it is getting close now! Go Seahawks!

That is a smoking deal! My Doc had them for $1.95 each! So getting 12 for $13.99 is great, I might do that just to have some on hand :-D

I prefer the powder type myself my Dr has the Syntax Nectar in individual single serve packets so you can buy/try 1 of each flavor, look online if your Doc doesn't do this for similar options. Lots of pals say Unjury is the best too

Thinking the same thing! Almost like it glitched, incomplete sentences, off topic, maybe this was site error?

Watched Penny's episode was so sad. Just watched Zsalynn's episode and she dropped over 200 lbs in the 12 months with a verbally abusive jerk husband sabotaging her the whole way. Zsalynn said she would do something about that but could only manage 1 hard thing at a time. I hope she went on to lose another 100 lbs and divorced that creep! He was even verbally abusing their 8 year old daughter when she stood up for her Mom.

Thankfully I can say that my jet lag is resolving, I didn't wake up until 5am this morning! So here I am again! Had my first consult yesterday and talked with the surgeon about BariatricPal, received caution that some info can be "inaccurate" but I told her that it is valuable because I can now recognize the trends of healthy advice/advisors and those that are not, whether intentionally or unintentionally! I can also read about trials and tribulations... and some just for fun posts (Go Seahawks! LOL)

Yay Hawks Pals! B- Welcome! K- Hang in there! All that Orange must blinding! SF - Ditto!