Ginger Snaps

Well said moonlight!

Amen sistuh!

Guess everyone is moving along. I have the second appt with the surgeon next Tuesday and psych eval that same day. I also have my cardiology appt scheduled in midMay so I'm hoping to get an early June date Congrats Consuela! Maybe we'll end up around the same time to support each other I'm in that boat where I can't lose or I drop below a bmi of 35. Really frustrating wanting to do something about the weight but having to wait for it!

Don't take this the wrong way but are you sure carbs were over 50 and not Proteins? My surgeon recommends no more than 15 carbs a serving so that ends up being around 45 a day Why not try calling the nutritionist and being sure you are clear?

I'm pre-op but like you, I had done a lot of research online (WebMD is my favorite website). My two questions were: Am I a good candidate (I'm at a BMI of 35.9 so I'm a lightweight)? Which surgery would be best for me? I've started the list for my next appointment with him -- I keep a running list on the notepad app on my phone, so when I'm there, I just open it up and start asking. This month's list includes how long would he advise to wait before travelling (I am trying to plan a family vacation to Belize) and will I leave the hospital with external staples and/or a drain.

Have you had a sleep study done? I was falling asleep driving, at my desk, during meetings (even ones where I was actively involved). I found out I had pretty severe apnea but I wasn't even aware of it. I sleep alone (well, with my dog but he doesn't complain about snoring) so nobody was around to hear me stop breathing. The CPAP has literally saved my life and I'm SO much better now. Best wishes!

I've had enough manager training to know that what you're experiencing is a hostile work environment and should be taken seriously. Good for you going to a manager and talking about it. If it continues and the manager doesn't discuss it with your coworkers, I'd go to HR. While a compliment here and there might be fine, you shouldn't have to talk about your weight loss all day long. And whipping out a camera??? Unbelievable and over the line. Stand up for yourself but also get your manager or HR to help out, too. Don't let it continue on or get worse. You shouldn't have to deal with stuff like that at work.

I would be honest. Even though you lost weight on the programs, obviously they haven't been successful for you long term. That actually helps you more than if you haven't tried anything at all and are looking to WLS first. Good luck!

Nikki -- hope you find out some answers soon and let us know what you find out. Best wishes!

You're half the man you used to be! Congratulations on all the hard work paying off!

Sounds weird to me... Cardio helps burn calories. Building lean muscle will help increase your metabolism. If you aren't working out some, you're not only losing fat, your body will also burn muscle -- actually slowing down your metabolism. I guess part of the answer lies in what your goal is... is it just a number on the scale or healthy body composition? I wouldn't go against the doctor but I would definitely ask for a better explanation.

WOW WOW WOW!!! I would "like" a hundred times if I could! Congrats and be sure to stay online so we can learn from your success!

My sleep doctor gave me a weight target and said when I reached that and maintained or dropped lower, she would redo the study to see if I still need the machine. Looking forward to that even though I'm one of those weird people that actually loves that little machine -- it helps me sleep SO MUCH BETTER!

OK -- obvious question here -- have you contacted your surgeon? Or NUT? Also, make sure you're getting lots of Water -- dizziness can be a symptom of dehydration. Best wishes!

Sorry -- one more piece of info -- I'm also on the low end of BMI. I'm at 35 with co-morbidities.

I'm pre-op but leaning towards the bypass. For one thing, my doctor said the sleeve is not as good at helping with reflux as the bypass. I also want the best chance for great success and the bypass has better long-term stats. I'm also attracted to (in a weird way) the dumping syndrome you get with bypass. I need that additional "feature" to help control the sweets/carbs... I know those will be a challenge for me and I need all the help I can get for it. Good thing to discuss with your surgeon.

My NUT commented on how often I hit Wawa (pre-op, guess that'll have to change). Gotta have a Wawa! (are you a Jersey girl? we don't pump gas, you know!)

So -- how's it going? Are you surviving? lol

Wishing you all the best on your surgery. Try to focus on all those things that helped you make the decision to go down this road. And focus on how you're going to feel when you're healthier, lighter ... all the things you look forward to doing. And be sure to come back to this thread and tell us how you're doing!

I would ask the surgeon his thoughts. In my case, my surgeon worked directly with this NUT practice to develop a plan that he approves. Fortunately, my NUT is also covered under my insurance. Your surgeon may have a more general approach and would be OK with you going to another NUT. I would just ask him for his opinion. He may have a booklet (mine does) that he would give you to take to the new NUT so they could counsel you on it.

On another topic Trever -- WTG on the weight loss! You're doing SOMETHING right!

My NUT recommends walking away from dried fruits. You get a lot of concentrated sugar and miss out on the water you get in fresh fruits.

WTG!!! Congrats! Looks like the hard work is paying off for you!

I'm pre-op but my nutritionist has told me a good rule of thumb for Protein bars and shakes is no more than 10 grams of sugars and no more than 5 grams of fat. Just bought a bunch of Quest bars at GNC and they are very low sugar/fat. And so far the ones I've tried are very tasty.

Web MD has a lot of information including stats on each of the main 3 surgeries, comparison of risk, etc.