MuffinBirdie

I am telling my coworkers that I'm having a gastric surgery that will effect my esophogus (this is true because my band slipped causing esophegul problems and this is a revision to a VSG). I'm letting them know upfront I have to be on a liquid diet for quite awhile after the surgery and that the bonus will be I get to lose a lot of weight fast! I don't like not being fully honest with people - but having had WLS before I know just how judgemental people can be about it... for your sake, I would come up with something to tell them that isn't a LIE so to speak but gets you off the hook so you don't have to hear any backlash or have people talking about you behind your back (and how you "obviously" have no self control and took the easy way out...). That's just my opinion though. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Profect Protein has no soy, no sugar, no carbs.

Quorn (sold at Krogers) is a good, healthy option. You could also get Profect protein drinks which have btw 25g to 50g protein and zero carbs. There are also high protein, low sugar/carb hot chocolate, soups and oatmeals available on most large health-food websites. I can't remember the brand name but if you do a google search you can even find high protein pastas.

Anybody know what % of people lose their love for chocolate post-op (I hope to be one... ? Do all VSGers get their normal appetite back at 1.5 to 3 years?

Ah! That clarifies it well. Thank you for taking the time to straighten me out. I agree though... why push the envelope!

quick note about below msg...I'm not trying to be argumentative here... I'm just trying to clarify since I don't completely understand. How would Fluid in a sleever make the food go through them faster when in a full size (un-sleeved) stomach fluid doesn't make food go through faster... or does it? Though I do understand how it could more easily cause stress on the seam if a person drinks and eats too much. I've read that the part of the stomach that is left behind is a much stronger muscle than the removed section of the stomach and less prone to stretching. Have you read the same? I've read that makes the sleeved stomach less likely to stretch due to over eating (though that's not really a problem I have since I'm banded). You've done so well with the VSG, I hope I find it to work well for me also. Thanks for your help! Mae

Why not? Since there is no band it wouldn't be an issue of making the food "go through" faster. Is it so sleevers don't fill up on liquids and not get enough to eat (whoops, I wrote Fluid there.. I meant food)? Thanks! *This is Ajalew posting again, I remembered my OLD password and username from several years ago on LBT and am using that*

YES YES YES!!! Get some removed ASAP as that can cause erosion and slippage. Almost all band problems stem from over restriction. I just got .3cc's removed today because I was too tight to eat apples and grapes. Its important not to be over restricted because that, for one, will cause for problems with the band in the future and two, will make for a much less healthy diet. When I can't eat an apple to satisfy my sweet tooth I'll grab some ice cream since it'll go down easily. It's hard to get some removed because we think not being able to eat solids will somehow be better, but its not. Also, if you get ill where you vomit it could swell up to the point where you are not able to swallow even your own spit. It is very unpleasant - ask me how I know. My advice is its much better to not be as restricted as you could be then to be over restricted. Man was not meant to live on liquids alone. Mae

The trip is still on but keeps getting put off month by month. If life would hurry up and slow down I could hurry up and GO!!! I don't know of any doctors in S.A. I'm afriad. Check on the web is what I would do.

My hair is naturally messy - come people would call it naturally curly. I had "Japanese Hair Straightening" done (which is supposedly less damaging) and really enjoyed it. The only thing is if you have had any other chemical treatments done to your current hair it could make for a mess and cause major frizz problems and just all around not be good. It is damaging so if you have it done I reccomend you get it colored with a natural based color-enhancer that will coat the hair with some protective. That makes a HUGE difference. Basically you have to condition the heck out of it once you've had that done. But overall I was very delighted with it. My current longer hair is wavy because I had a bunch of wavy extensions put in since it's been awhile since I had it straightened and the new hair growth is wavy.

LOL! You go girl! You've got the mindset. Your turn is coming. Best of luck, Mae

LOL! That made me laugh so hard. Thanks for the compliment!

Excellent question Jack! There is a huge difference in me now that I am 125 pounds instead of 250. I feel "worthy" in my own eyes now would be one way to put it. Some people are comfortable with their weight, it doesn't hold them back. They still go out and have fun and have some semblence of confidence. That was not at all me. The heavier I got the more inverted I became. I spent as little time outside of my house and office as I could. I lived under a rock. Now I LOVE going out. I'm sooooo girly and everything I own is pink and purple instead of black or navy. I own one pair of ugly shoes and everything else has heels. I've gone from bag lady to a lady with class and style. The people I run with now never knew me overweight. They all ask me for style advice and I even get the occasional "she can wear that - she looks good in everything" comments. Sooooo not me before. I have confidence that I can truly accomplish anything I want and I know my life will not be lived under a rock anymore. I have HOPE which is something I did not have when I was overweight. My weight didn't just weigh me down physically it weighed me down emotionally. I never felt "right" being overweight and that misalignment of who I felt I SHOULD be versus who I was (overweight) caused a lot of pain and basically paralyzed me. Now I am living out the reality of who I was meant to be. I find I am much more loving, I much more touchy-feely and enjoy letting my guy touch me whereas before I didn't want anyone near me for fear they might discover how fat I really was! Like I could somehow hide it... right. So internally the only change is I no longer imagine living life - I DO live life. And I enjoy it thoroughly. I doubt everyone has such an issue with their weight, but it bogged me down big time.

Thanks for correcting the link! Ya, four weeks was two weeks longer than I had planned. Luckily I seriously have the world's greatest boss and he gave me PAID work leave! Can you believe that?!? I totally had not expected it. He's amazing though! Best job in the WORLD!

I had no work done to my legs, only tightening on the sides just above the hip bone. The scar I have goes nearly all the way around with about 6 to 8 inches between the ends on each side. That smoothed out and tightened my legs enough that I didn't have them do anything else there.