TEXASLADY52

I had mine last year with Charlotte Hodges with Barker Bariatrics. They use Forest Park Medical. It is a beautiful facility and since this is primarily what they do....the staff is great and well trained to care for you.

I use GENEPRO....it is unflavored and oderless. You can mix it hot or cold. I have been using it for the last ten months and I love it. I had a hoorible time finding a Protein drink I could tolerate right after my surgry.....they all gagged me! I mix mine with Crystal Light (or Wyler...it is cheaper) lemonade and sip on it all day.....30 grams of protein per tablespoon.....so you don't have all the clumping and yucky stuff!

It drove me insane at first.....I would read all the updates and see how people were dropping weight right and left and I wasn't. I got really down on myself and thought I was a failure again!! Then I stopped letting it get to me.....This is my body, my journey...yes we are all different. I may be slower ....I will just reach the finish line when I get there! Don't ever tell yourself you have lost "only" or "just" 32 pounds....put that same weight of can goods in a sack and pick it up.....then you will realize how much weight you have removed from your bones carrying around. 32 pounds is a small child!

Someone recommended the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer. You can get them from Amazon......I am going to order me one.

I personally still drink milk and I am one year out. I find when I drink a cup of milk I stay full longer and I don't want to snack. I still have at least one protein drink a day because I prefer too.

@@MissLiss you might want to check with your NUT on drinking 50 grams of protein at one time. It is my understanding your body can only absorb 25-30 grams of protein and anything above this amount is wasted.

I think this is the hardest habit to break. It will be one year next month and I am still trying to take smaller bites and chew better. My husband is a fast eater and I find myself eating right along with him. When we first married I use to tell him all the time to slow down we weren't going to a fire...lol!

Are you having any depression or stress? For years I did not sleep.....2 hours and wake up...2 hours and wake up. I was always tired and my memory and thinking was foggy. After surgery they had removed me from all medication and I slept like a baby.....I was thrilled to death. Thought well this surgery had cured my insomia. Then I went through some problems and started back on Wellbutrin for depression....one in the morning and one at night......the insomia was back. I cut out the night one and it helped a little but I still got up couple times a night. I cut out the morning one and I'm back to sleeping all night... I don't get up to even use the restroom. Check out your medication and see if this could be part of your problem. You can do the 5 day pouch test to get you started back in the right direction. If that is too hard....do the 48 hour pouch test. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=103328028732&story_fbid=10152874403078733

I can only do the lemonade. I cannot stand a sweet drink. I stop at Sonic every morning and get a 44 oz cup of ice......this usually will last me the entire day. Like you...I have no problem keeping my Protein and Water intake up.

I use GENEPRO and mix it with Crystal Light. It can be mixed with hot or cold. It is oderless and flavorless. It has 30 grams of Protein. I keep a big cup of it at my desk......I get in my protein and Water at the same time.

Unless the doctor wants you to lose X amount of punds......NO! The purpose of pre-op diet is to shrink your liver. If your liver is too large it is hard for them to operate.

Lot of us have had this fear. When you go through stalls you will go through the fears again. I have failed at so many diets....I thought oh no not again! Follow your program and you will succeed. Even when you are not dropping pounds....you are dropping inches. Don't worry about how fast someone else lost their weight or they lost more than you.....we are all different and our body works in different ways. Good Luck!

At first thin your refried Beans to soupy stage. Then add some cheese. This makes it lots easier to eat for the first time. I ate lots of soup during the puree and soft food stage. It has no nutrition value and I know carbs.....but when I was wanting something and was not tolerating food good...I made a package of flavored instant potato.....made it thin to soup stage......it was so good!

Here is a great article on 23 ways to fix Cauliflower www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/cauliflower-not-carbs?utm_term=.ul28aRORd

I keep on hand StarKist lunch To Go, Albacore Tuna in Water. It comes with reduced mayo, a spoon, napkin and you mix it up in it's own tray. It doesn't require refrigeration and it has 18 grams of Protein. I buy a box of them at costco. You can also buy just the single serve tuna if you are able to eat it dry and it only has 80 calories.

I am skeptical of everything. I know the doctor that prescribed this and he is a well known Holistic doctor here in my town. I really don't think he would put her on anything that would be bad for her? I talked to the girl that was taking them and she said that they had really helped her?

What a Blessing! God is truly good! We don't know whose lives we will touch on a daily bases....it maybe just a smile or hug that someone needed!

There is several sites on Facebook....Plus Size Galore sizes 22+ is one of them. Phat Fashionista Plus size clothing resale is another one for under size 22. Set up a PayPal account and you are assured to get your money before you send the clothes. I have had very good luck with this. I print the postage from home and mail them from home.....very simple. You will have to post pictures......Good Luck

I find that I snack out of boredom, especially when I sit all day at my desk. Old habits are hard to break! When you want a snack....drink Water, walk around....do some kind of exercise and it will go away. I did a 48 hour pouch test when my snacking and grazing got out of hand. I went back to basics and drank liquids for 48 hours. This helps eliminate the carbs and all of the cravings. It also helps you feel the tightness of your pouch again. Good Luck....you can do this and reach your goal. I'm not where I want to be but I will get there and you can too!

Call them....if you have already done so....take a chance of getting a different person that will be more understanding. I got hold of one that sid "I'm not suppose to tell you this".....be as nice as you can be....pour your heart out to them try to get them to understand what you are going through and how bad your need this surgery. Don't give up......keep calling until you get someone that will help you.

I feel like I am the Queen of stalls. My weight loss has been "slow"....in my perspective. I never had the "honeymoon stage".....and loss a tremndous amount in the first six months, but I did lose inches when I wasn't dropping the pounds. Just follow the plan and it will come off! You cannot compare yourself to anyone else. At first, I read the threads and it drove me crazy to see how other people were dropping weight fast. My body is going to do what it wants to do.....but I feel so much better and evetually I will get there.....and you will too! Relax and enjoy this wonderful journey!

I agree with Djmohr. The first couple months is all about healing. That should be your number one concern. It was a long time before I could eat anything. I lived off of Soups, puddings....etc. Soup is still my goto food.There is still a lot of things I can't eat. Everything has to be moist and I can usually tell with a couple of bites if my stomach is going to tolerate it. Like she said......stay away from crunchy things and bread at this stage. I would take packages of flavored instant potates and make them to soup consistency and drink it. It had no nutritional value but I was healing and it was very comforting. You will get pass this and you will love your new journey. Good Luck!

I appreciate all the compliments I receive BUT after losing nearly 100 lbs....I am tired of hearing "I can tell by your face you have lost "some" weight" I know darn well my cheeks didn't weigh 50 lbs. apiece!!

There is a good Forum on Facebook......BariatricHELP Forum.......full of good information and it is a closed group

Depends on your insurance company. I got mine back real quick. When it was submitted it took 2-3 days. There is a lot you have to do before it is submitted. I had to have three months supervised diet and test ran. I had to write a letter to the insurance to put in the packet. Your doctor should be able to tell you what all you will need. It took me 5-6 months from my first visit until the surgery. Good Luck.