Sparklingbeauty53

Vega - or the like - salad dressings/salad, applesauce, any kind of a berry pie or tart or mixed in a sauce.

I met all the criteria and the first time I was denied. I appealed after doing more of their requirements and then I was accepted. Don't take no for an answer so easily! Find out the details of the appeal process and dot all your i's and cross all your t's and go for it again. Turn the crushed feelings into determination! Good luck to both of you!

It has been my observation that those that go low carb have higher success rates. I was a diabetic too (guess I am still but not on anything!!!) and carbs were the enemy. Even now I hesitate to put fruits back in my diet because of the fear of blood sugar spikes in even healthy foods. Forget white carbs after surgery. Stick to Protein first, then veggies then carbs and you won't miss them! Really!

My favorite is Jay Robb. It is light, mixes well and tastes great. I have his chocolate, vanilla, and pina colada flavors. I add Torani sugar free syrups for different flavors. You can buy sample packs at the Vitamin Shoppe to try them. He also has strawberry and orange crème flavors but I haven't tried them yet. They are not really heavy and I like that. I take Premier premade ones if I go away. I mix mine with almond milk unsweetened vanilla flavor. I tried the sample pack of Nector and Twisted cherry was good so far but weird since I am used to milky ones.

Remember this is your journey. Unfortunately the people we need the most are emotionally unavailable. The upside is that you will have to depend and support the most important person in all of this YOU! . I only had one friend not agree and she stepped lightly but was still say the same. I thanked her and told her I know she cares for me but this is about me and I am comfortable with my decision. The funny thing is she was the first person to show up to the hospital to visit me.

I like your attitudes ladies!!!!!!

Are you ready for this journey? How bad do you want it? Sugar is not your best friend. It is more like your enemy. You gave up cigarettes which is phenomenal but the sugar will have to go too. You don't want to risk it after surgery. Sugar and carbs have you at the place you are at now. You have to let it go and find the inner you that can do it. As a diabetic sugar is sugar is sugar rather it is honey or not. Your body uses it all the same. Perhaps posting like you did is your way of saying you are getting ready to let this go...how cool for you!

I hope you find the good doctor you deserve......that connection is so important. You may have been spoiled by the previous relationship but you can at least get some one better than this one who may not be empathetic enough or may have issues with WLS as a solution. Any medical professional who doesn't get how amazing this is, how you have recovered your potential for a really healthy happy life, is not worth your co-pay.

my pcp does all my blood work for vit. minerals, lytes etc. my wls and pcp leave me notes to take to the other one on concerns etc. I wouldn't want a pcp that wasn't tuned into my band. I do have to explain stuff but at least he is asking all the right questions.

I usually do have freezer bags full of chicken, beef, and vegetable broth. But I fell way behind the ball in getting that stuff ready for post-surgery.
I bought some low-sodium organic vegetable broth and it is just what I needed! I measure out 4 oz of Water, chicken broth, diluted apple juice, and now veggie broth in these tiny little Tupperware's in the morning and then get busy cycling through them all day long. Adding the vegetable broth has made getting in more fluids today SO much better.
Thanks all!

I am sure it does.

On my list of Clear Liquids, it's included.

If your unsure you can always pour it through a strainer.

So are chicken and beef broth. If you can see through it, it is a clear liquid!

Normal! Things get better, they really do an lots of people eat popcorn too. Not me, not yet but it is a trade of I chose to make. We have the right to be in foul moods as we are human and wasn't food a go to thing for us? Now we don't have that. Vent here. It is ok!

I met all the criteria and the first time I was denied. I appealed after doing more of their requirements and then I was accepted. Don't take no for an answer so easily! Find out the details of the appeal process and dot all your i's and cross all your t's and go for it again. Turn the crushed feelings into determination! Good luck to both of you!

Perhaps you have to stop the meds as you do this? Monitoring must be very strict though. I didn't have to do a preop diet so it didn't affect me but you need to watch your numbers like crazy while you are on this journey. I would make sure you get in touch with your endo to discuss how to do this too they are the sugar experts. They have people on call 24/7. If you don't have one then call the dr that put you on this liquid diet for help. They should be available 24/7 as well. No waiting for a call til Monday if you are on the diet now!

I was a sugar and carb addict for thirty years. My surgery has freed me from that addiction. The dumping threat has kept me from easing back into it. Sugar and simple carbs have very little nutritional value and so are not nutritionally necessary. They are my trigger food so I choose to never eat them again. I know this to be my weakness and have made this my permanent lifestyle change. Complex carbs are good for you and recommended. After surgery you can't eat as much so we eat Protein first, then veggies, then if you can you eat a little complex carb. Most times I can barely get to the vegetables and never to the carbs. I'll occasionally make a meal or snack out of brown rice and quinoa salad, six bean salad, or hummus mixed w/tuna. I mix brown rice or refried Beans into my turkey chili. I use hummus chips or lentil chips for an occasional crunchy snack. I don't have cravings for sugar and simple carbs any more and it's very liberating. food does not control my actions or thoughts any more. I don't plan my life around my next binge. I'm indifferent when other people eat those things in front of me.
I did dump for the very first time a week ago (my surgery was 5/30/13). I had eaten some B&M baked Beans w/o checking the sugar content (I assumed they were lower sugar like another brand I sometimes eat). It was a painful, miserable experience that kept me in the bathroom at work for an hour and left me weak and shaking for even longer. I checked the can afterwards and sure enough it had 13gr of sugar - much higher than I'm used to. I won't be getting lazy on my label reading again...
Some people have found a way to incorporate a little sweet into their diets and make it work for them. Perhaps you will be able to also. Just be careful if you do. Don't let it open the floodgates to the eating habits that made you overweight to begin with. Best of luck to you! :-)

They usually know if you have a leak right away because they test for that in the hospital after surgery.
If you have a leak it will be repaired by your surgeon.
Leak surgery is not plastic surgery.

I get it and understand completely but it is scary. More scary to be cut open though and go through what you have already so this is just a piece of cake. (pun intended) Think of the the thrill once you do it! It will be a "high" moment! I am proud of you and you can do it.

Remember this: They are goals! No one got their liquids and Proteins right in the beginning! We all tried as hard as we could and that worked. You are on track-do not be hard on yourself. Keep the liquids in small amounts by you at all times and sip here and sip there and drink your Protein shakes. It is all good and you are on track!

I have had no problem getting Protein in. My goal is 60-80 grams and I am there. Usually around 70. I want to chop my hair off to make me feel better and see less hair all over my clothes but my hubby said leave your hair as it looks fine. He never interjects like that so I am dumbfounded on what to do. I am trying to roll with it and that is all I can do!

Remember this: They are goals! No one got their liquids and Proteins right in the beginning! We all tried as hard as we could and that worked. You are on track-do not be hard on yourself. Keep the liquids in small amounts by you at all times and sip here and sip there and drink your Protein shakes. It is all good and you are on track!

Thanks again for the responses everyone. I am glad I did this and I know my troubles like knee pain, walking trouble etc. was just around the corner for me so I knew this was a must for me. I don't have big bursts of energy but maybe that will come down the road and I like the response "Yes, I feel better about my accomplishment!" because that is totally true!

Thanks ladies! It is amazing not using a cane anymore and taking the stairs, etc. I am so happy for both of you. I do exercise more easily now too. I am grateful for this opportunity and for the weight loss. I don't want to sound in any way ungrateful. My co morbidities were just the no symptom types!