blashlee

@cheryl2586 Because I also drink my Protein shakes for Breakfast, so that would mean having to wait 6 hours to do that as well. I don't just drink it when I work out, I kind of start and finish my day with it.

@@Ms. Reid, You dont have to switch jobs or make up any excuses for when people have questions. "I'm eating less and moving more, thanks for noticing." If you're not comfortable telling people you've had surgery, then that's that. It's not their business to know and you shouldn't be made to feel uncomfortable. As I get closer to my actual surgery date, the few people I have told have been absolutely supportive and those are the people whose voices matter. People I work with and random friends of friends I encounter as the days wear on, those people's opinons and thoughts don't mean anything to me.

@Stevehud Could be different; i'm doing bypass and you had the sleeve, the absorbption is different I guess.

Has anyone found or can anyone recommend a Protein powder or drink that is calcium-free or very very low in Calcium? I work out mostly in the evening and drink a shake or Protein Drink after, but I also take my Iron at night and I was advised by my dr to find a protein that is calcium-free or incredibly low in calcium, as calcium affects iron absorption. I can't mix calcium and iron within 6 hours of each other, which is nearly impossible if I'm having Protein shakes (that have calcium) 3-4x a day. Thanks in advance!

I love Cellucor Protein powders. They mix well, they're low calorie, high protein, and low in carbs and sugar. These whey protein powders are designed for athletes who are looking to lose or maintain weight while gaining or maintaining lean muscle. They use very clean ingredients. They're really well priced. They dont have that funky protein aftertaste you get from a lot of powdered Proteins. And they have like 8 different flavors, you're almost guaranteed to find something you like. But i agree with the fact that everybody's preferences and tastes are different. I don't like chocolate protein, while some people think chocolate is the best thing ever. I prefer the more "unique" flavors such as Red Velvet Cake Batter and Peanut Butter Marshmallow.

I'm 27 and pre-op. I'm having gastric bypass on 4/6/15. I have all the same concerns you are, but I'm beginning to weigh the potential positives over the potential negatives. Your first year will be difficult. You're going to have to relearn how to eat and drink and maintain your new lifestyle of Protein, Vitamins, exercise etc. My doctor's post op instructions ban alcohol for a year. Others have had alcohol within their first year. Every body is different, but my doctor boasts a low number of patients with post op complications and problems if they adhere to her instructions. The things I worry most about are being isolated from my friends. They love to eat, and they're not against an all day Mimosa Sunday Funday. Then I think about what I was doing that caused me to gain so much weight. The bulk of my weight was gained after I turned 20. I had a boyfriend who worked in fast food/nightlife industry. Then I turned 21. I went out to drink a lot. After drinking, we ate greasy food to end the night. The next day you eat shitty food to nurse your hangover. It was cyclical. I attribute a lot of my problems with food to the social aspect of it. We eat to Celebrate, we eat to catch up, we drink to destress from the work week etc. I won't be able to do that anymore. Food for me has to be nutrition only; not to celebrate, not to cope, not for boredom. You'll have to learn to eat to live, not live to eat. And it's going to be really hard. And if your friends are your age and not dealing with the same struggles you are, it's going to be harder because they aren't going to be able to offer the type of support you'll need. I agree with @@Djmohr, you need to express all of your concerns to a therapist or psychologist. And you should find a support group for WLS patients and see if you can't find a WLS buddy or mentor, especially to get you through the first year. Good luck with whatever you decide <3

I'm the queen of sass and snark. I'm honestly waiting for the day someone tries to step to me and tell me what I'm about to do in about a month from now (gastric bypass) is easy or asks me why I did it. And I hope they do it on a day that I don't feel well or am already struggling so I can give them a full blown response. And I hope it makes them wish they never ran into me in the break room. Or regret that they ever learned to express an unwanted opinion again. Ever. I almost hope it's strong enough to get me warned by a supervisor. Cuz then maybe word will get out that I'm not someone to be bothered or quizzed. :-D but still just as sweet as Splenda, I promise.

I like Cellucor whey, I've tried the Cor-Fetti and Red Velvet Cake Batter flavors. Cor-Fetti is really sweet and rich, the Red Velvet is much better IMO. Still sweet and chocolatey but not overpowering. I also like Quest Strawberries & Cream and Vanilla Milkshake flavors. They have casein and whey proteins so they're a bit thicker in texture. I make all of my Proteins with Water, never milk. The quest ones I blend with ice, the others I blend or shake and pour over ice.

Review of what I got.. Multivitamin Chewables in Pineapple-strawberry Mandarin Orange, Grape<--These were all good but Pineapple-Strawberry won for me. Calcet Creamy Bites in Lemon<---incredible. Cheaper to order from drugstore.com so I will order from there. Calcium Plus 500 chewables in Cherry Tart and Berries & Cream<---These are huge and hard, definitely won't be able to try for a while post op, I'll stick to chewy calcium. Vitamin D3 500 IU in Orange<---texture and taste was fine but not enough IUs for what my doctor wants me to take. calcium citrate Chews in chocolate and Berry<---both were good but the Calcet Lemon are still the best. Multivitamin Soft Chews in Orange and Very Berry<---GROSS. Tasted like plastic. They didn't chew down very well, I had to spit them out. Multi-Complete in Forest Berry and Orange<--Orange was better but both were good. Similar texture to Flintstone Vitamins. Melt pretty well and go down easy. Iron+C 60mg Berry, 18mg tangerine, 30mg grape<---Grape was the best, tangerine was also good but not enough for what my doctor wants me to take. Celebrate ENS drinkable multivitamin + calcium in Cranberry Grape<---Ew. and ENS Protein in Chocolate<---Too many carbs, didn't try I also saw that I got the sublingual B12 in Cherry Tart, it was disgusting I chewed it up and choked it down with Water. So far I plan to order the Pineapple-Strawberry multi, Calcet Lemon Creamy Bites, the Grape flavored Iron (30MG), I found liquid B complex and a better tasting sublingual B12 from Vitamin Shoppe.

My surgeon told me she would have even accepted a simple note on a prescription pad. And then it turned out my insurance didn't even require it. The PA should be able to do it, but if not just ask if another physician at your doctor's office or within your group can see you. That's what I did, they also tried to make me wait a month to see my doctor so I saw an associate within her medical group instead. Good luck

^Yup! They will still take them back. They can look up your transaction with your Costo membership #. Don't lose more than half what you paid! PS the strawberry flavor is the best, chocolate is very bland. vanilla is just meh vanilla.

90 days really isn't that long, and even if you self pay no respectable surgeon is going to operate on you without requiring at least 60-90 days of preparation (dieting, nutrition classes, EKG, lab work etc). I started seeing my doctor in January and I'll be having surgery in April. Even if I could self-pay, I would be going through all the same steps, a lot of them aren't just for insurance purposes. A good surgeon wants to make sure you're completely healthy (mind and body) to undergo the surgery because it is truly life changing. Save your money; instead of self-paying, see what happens with your insurance. You might need that money to replace your clothes and shoes as you shrink

If you bought them from costco you can absolutely return them, even if you opened them. If I lived near you I would take them off your hands; sadly I'm all the way on the West Coast.

I have the Charge HR; I've had it for about a week and so far I really love it. I wore my Polar HR monitor to see how accurate the HR was on the fitbit and it was never off by more than 2 BPM. Only thing is it says the battery life is 5 days but I think it's more like 3.

@@leag78 it happens. I have a friend that is a big eater. Anytime I've always been on a diet, she's happy to sabotage it or invite me out for foods that are less than acceptable while dieting. She recently had a stroke and is disabled. Now if we wanna hang out it has to be something where we can sit down since walking has become so difficult for her. Naturally that means going to movies or sitting down to eat. As if it wasn't hard enough to get her to wanna do something other than eating. I love her to death and she's one of my dearest friends but her eating habits and mine don't line up anymore. When I tell her about my having surgery, she's gonna have to be on board or be prepared not to see as much of me because now my nutrition isn't just about my weight, it's my whole life.

@@leag78 Don't take this the wrong way; I don't know you or your friend. But almost all of your replies seem to be defending her or your friendship. Almost as though you have to convince us that she's a good person. Or perhaps convince yourself? Someone can have great attributes and only have one flaw; for example if i have a wonderful husband who helps with the house, rubs my feet every night before bed, and surprises me with random gifts and flowers for no reason those are great attributes. But if the one bad thing about him is that he's completely unfaithful to me and will cheat on me given the opportunity, do those good things about him outweigh the bad? WLS is a long, hard road. I'm pre-op and already having issues with my social circle because of my changing eating habits and my avoiding alcohol. My friends don't invite me out anymore, I guess they figure whats the point if she can't eat and drink with us? Also, when I do go out people are always pushing me "one little drink won't hurt. Don't you have a cheat day?" They're excellent people, always there for me when I need someone and have opened up their homes to me and made me feel like family. But pushing me to drink when I'm under a doctor's care not to is just wrong. Offering me food I can't have and trying to justify it by saying "everybody deserves a cheat day." is not supportive to what I'm doing. It's going to be really important that you have support for your choice to have WLS and the journey you're on. If your friend isn't supportive or if you're afraid your friendship with her will change because of your decision, then the best way she can support you is not to stand in your way. I'm not suggesting you stop being her friend, but perhaps you won't be able to rely on her for support as much as you were hoping considering how close you are.

Breast augmentation is something I've been considering forever, even before surgery. I've never been that plus sized girl who has big boobs to match big everything else. I have a big tummy and virtually no bust in comparison. My doctor recommends people wait about 18-24 months post bariatric surgery before considering any plastics. But I'm already down a cup size maybe more just from my pre-op diet, I dunno if I can be happy for 2 years with no boobies LOL

@JustWatchMe that's what I feel too. I think something like this would be too new to have conclusive results on. And I'm not fond of the idea of having a foreign object in my body that has to be removed all the time. Not wanting a foreign object is why I didn't want to have a gastric band. What if I get tired of having to go in and have it removed and reinstalled? What if I move away and there's no doctor nearby that can perform the procedure? Too many questions for me. Not that bypass is the best method, but between me and my doc it's what we think is best for me, and they've been doing it for over 30 years with a very low mortality rate. "If it aint broke..."

Saw this on Buzzfeed today....not sure I agree. http://www.buzzfeed.com/joeloliphint/the-invention-that-could-end-obesity?bffb&utm_term=4ldqpgp#4ldqpgp

@@VSG butterfly Thank you for sharing! Good luck I hope you get your approval soon. Mine was really quick but I've known other people who've had to wait. Now that I'm approved and just awaiting further instruction, anxiety is slowly settling in, but it's mostly overshadowed by excitement.

I'm 27 and having gastric bypass on April 6th. I know exactly how you feel; I've never been completely comfortable with my body. I don't like to be intimate with the lights on, I don't like to be seen undressed. Those are all issues that you'll have to battle mentally even once you've lost weight. I've lost weight in the past, and in the mirror I still saw a fat girl. Your head has to catch up with your body as far as your self image. I've also been told by my surgeon and other WLS patients that being younger gives an advantage as far as skin elasticity. Make sure once you're able to really exercise that you incorporate plenty of strength training. Cardio is great for burning fat, but with your new tool you've already got that going for you. Cardio bodies tend to be thin but lack definition and curves (not all, and this isn't meant to insult anyone who just does cardio, every body is different). For women, building lean muscle mass gives us curves and shape, not bulk. And having more muscle keeps your body naturally burning off more fat. Good luck and congrats on your journey.

@@MariaElena1983 Thanks for sharing. I'm finding it easier to talk to with some people. I'm going to tell my closest family and closest friends in person and then everybody else will just find out as I go along. Now as I've told more people, what I don't want is for someone close to me to find out from another source. I'm definitely not ashamed of what I'm doing; just with everything on my plate right now I don't need to try to digest (see what I did there?) someone's negative opinions or nosiness or whatever. I intend to be an open book about it; a lot of people have WLS and hide it from their family or friends, I'm not sure where all the shame comes from, I hope to be apart of the change in people's attitudes and perceptions of it. It's helped so many people live happy and healthy and longer lives, I'm glad to be one of them.

I would take them back. I was fitted for running shoes and they made me go up half a size to account for natural feet swelling, and I realized by the time I do my run in September, they're more than likely going to be way too big so I'm returning them and will get refitted in the summer. Treat yourself to new shoes when you've reached a milestone on your weight loss, or when your current shoes start to get too big.

I'm definitely proud. It's a very big and permanent life changing decision. It wasn't easy to make and it wasn't easy to succumb to the fact that diet and exercise just doesn't work for me like I want it too and I need some extra help. I'm just not in the mood for the judgment or ignorance that comes along with it. Weird questions or comments etc. Or the "shunning" (intentional or not) that can come along with major change. People are so uncomfortable with change. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that if someone is unhappy with me for changing for the better then they can kick rocks. It's crazy though; people are perfectly accepting if you starve yourself to goal or take dangerous supplements like Hydroxycut to lose weight, but if you go the medical or surgical route you get side eye. So annoying.

@@MisforMimi Yasss girl! Make sure you share your progress pics with us! We have a pool at my apt complex and since it's community I don't use it, I hope to make some use of it this summer as well!