KelseyBennett_vsg

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I was also allowed light yogurt, sugar free pudding and stained creamed Soups on my full liquids stage but I would ask your team to see if it's permitted on your plan.
Good luck and stay strong!
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@
I have been buying Halo Top for months. A pint lasts me, 6-8 weeks. I never finish one, I end up tossing them. I weigh my portion and I have 1/2 a portion about a time, so about 35-40 calories a pop.
I don't like ice cream so its not an issue to me. If I ever went nuts and ate a whole container, the whole thing is 240 calories, I struggle to get enough calories every day anyway so it wouldn't matter to me.
The macros and ingredients make sense to me, and I like it. I haven't had any in about 3 months because I kept wasting it but I think its a great option.
And the macros are better than most of the yogurts that people eat on here. Also with all the people that are eating pulled pork in BBQ Sauce and other things. And lets not forget the trash macros of PB2.
And @@Clementine Sky is right. The consistency, taste and a lot of other things about it make is basically impossible to just graze on or munch on or over eat. It takes a little work, it isn't like normal ice cream even though it tastes like normal ice cream.
If I liked ice cream or had an issue with ice cream I would probably skip it. But I like having it now and then with my Protein brownies just to soften them up and for a change of pace because IMO, the fastest way to get off track of boredom with your food.

I am 3.5 years out and have been in maintenance for over 2.5 years. I've heard of Halo ice cream but I've not tried it, nor do I really plan to. I was never a huge sweets person, but if I did indulge, ice cream was definitely my dessert of choice. Life is already filled with temptation at every turn, I see no need to purposefully bring another into my life.
In reading this thread, I have two "issues" for lack of better word. First and foremost, I am not sure why one would even consider buying ice cream of any sort at only two weeks out. I applaud your thought process of talking to your surgeon before eating it but just the fact that you brought it home gives you license to eat it regardless of that conversation when you hit a weak moment. Why have that little carton of yum whispering to you in the freezer when you should be concentrating on changing your habits? Along with that, you now have all this "validation" that it's OK for you when really, it is NOT AT ALL IDEAL at your stage in the game. You have people telling you how delicious it is and even one telling you that "most people cheat" so you can too. (Insert HUGE eyeroll here.) Later maybe, but not now.
My second "issue" is that fact that there is still the thought process that food is a "treat". That's a road directly back to Fatty Mcfatpants, a place I never want to revisit. A treat is a concert tickets and fitting comfortably through the crowd and in your seat. A treat is a new pair of skinny jeans in the single digit sizes. A treat is newly found collar bones and hip bones. A treat is fresh flowers on the kitchen table or a new trashy novel to enjoy on the next rainy day. A treat is a session on treadmill or a hike up a mountain without losing your breath immediately.
You aren't a dog. food is no longer a "treat" and what exactly is it "rewarding"?

My partner and I have always kept the thermostat on a 67 or 68 tundra setting, but these days, I freeze to death. He's lost 85 pounds himself, but he hasn't had a big internal temperature change. I just sit under an extra blanket all the time. It will be interesting to see what winter is like. (But we rarely get below 40 degrees in the winter in New Orleans.)

I have a theory on this and I could be way off base. My heart rate resting used to be 85-86 now it is 68-70. That is a difference of 18% less blood being moved throughout my body. My theory is that I'm cold due to less blood flow.

My foot warmer:

Heated mattress pad for the bed is awesome
Munky

I'm scheduled for November 8th!
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My VSG surgery is Nov 8th.
Good luck to everyone
Anyone out there are going that day?

Yes, that's all my surgeon requires Ready for a chance at really living! ❤️

I'm scheduled for Nov 8 and I understand exactly how you feel!

November 14th here!! I'm in Atlanta. Going to look for the FB group now! [emoji1]

The first surgeon that I met flat out told me that I would "never be normal." That kind of irritated me, but pushed me to think differently about my goals.
I know it sounds crazy, but over time my goal became less and less connected to how much weight I lost. Instead, my daily goal was to just stick with my exercise and food plan. Beyond that, my only other goal was to be able to be more active and to be able to buy clothes off of the rack. By just following that, the weight loss came on its own but I wasn't obsessed with my weekly weigh-ins or my total weight loss. That helped me avoid being frustrated if I lost too little weight in an individual week or avoid getting overconfident if I lost a lot of weight during a week. At 11 months out, I am happy that I am down 257 lbs, but more happy at how different I feel, move, and act.

I have used them, I am not picky about flavor. I mean it is a shot, just do it. They are called New Whey I believe. They are a mix of three types of Protein, collogen as mentioned, whey, and I cannot remember the third. You know that your body cannot take in more than 30grams of protein at once, so no matter how much protein is in the shots, you 't all of it. Good news is they make another one that is a 28 gram shot and cheaper. They are strangely thick if you refrigerate them, which might make some dislike them. Search the internet you can find a case of 12 of them for under $24 I believe vitashoppe of something like that, then search the sites name and coupon, most of the time you will find free shipping, or 10 percent off for most sites. My doctor says they are ok in a pinch but certainly there are better sources of protein. He. question how much you might be able to use of the protein in them, he said figure about 18grams for a shot. They have 180 calories. I make a gallon of Walmart apple drink (2 bucks for 6 packets, 2 to a gallon) then I add Nector apple protein, 4 scoops, fill 4 empty G2 bottles, place in frig. I sip all day on them, 2 is 64 ozs of Water, check, and 50 grams of protein. Have some greek yogurt, cottage cheese and you are there! I flavorless protein, add it to cottage cheese, or Decaf coffee iced

Congratulations!

Congrats!

Congratulations! So excited for you! I was almost numb when I got the approval news because I almost expect to be defeated. Now my whole world feels full of so much promise and possibility. Enjoy!

Congrats
Best to you in your journey
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Just want to let everyone know that I FINALLY got my surgery approval! It's been a rough road to get here, but it happens November 8th! I could not be more excited! Got everything sent off to the right people Thursday and they got back with me about 3:30 yesterday afternoon while I was in Walmart of all places! I've never had such a wonderful trip to Walmart, lemme tell you. After all of the things that have gone wrong, papers that couldn't be read, requirements I had to repeat and my denial in November, I never thought this day would come!
Thank you all so much for all of your support! Yesterday everything finally seemed real. It's the craziest feeling knowing that in 50 some odd days, 7 weeks, I will be joining the Loser's Bench! Scootch your skinny booties over for me!! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Ready for a chance at really living! ❤️

I was a nervous going in...I had followed my pre-op diet pretty well, limiting my carbs to almost nothing and lost 11 pounds.
After my surgery, my surgeon told my husband she was sending a biopsy of my liver for screening because it was enlarged. She could tell I followed the diet, but my liver had not retracted enough. Results of the biopsy will come in about a week.
After recovery and reaching my room, I was in pain. I was hooked up to a drip which provided pain medication and I pushed that button faithfully. I can remember thinking, "What did I just do?" My mouth was so dry and I couldn't even have ice chips - not until tomorrow.
First day after surgery was the worst. I could not move without pain, I could not stand up without pain and I was full of gas - which caused even more pain. I was very, very tired, but at least I could wet my mouth. I was told by the nurse to drink 1 oz. of Water per hour for 4 hours, then increase to 2 oz. of Water per hour for 4 hours, then 3oz. for the same 4 hours and then 4 oz. Another doctor came in and said I would be discharged as soon as I was able to take 3 oz of water per hour. I told him I would be there forever if I had to wait 4 hours before moving up to the next ounce. He said I could move up as I felt comfortable. By 5pm, I was taking 3 oz of water per hour and my discharge papers were being signed.
First night home, I was still so tired. I went to bed immediately and stayed in bed most of the next day. I did weigh myself when I got home, but my weight had not changed from the surgery weight so I then decided I would do a weekly weigh in, on the anniversary of my surgery, if possible.
I will have an in home nurse visit me twice per week. My nurse had the by-pass surgery 10 years ago and gave me valuable information. He said when I move to pureed foods, to try canned chili - it has a lot of Protein and isn't as nasty as pureed chicken.
I can tell you that a lot of things were going on inside my body and I really wondered what I was thinking, but as the days go on, it does get easier. I am only on day 3 from my operation and I can feel a difference. I still have some pain and some gas, but it is improving. The first 2 days were the absolute worst, but the end result is so promising.
I will post my weekly weight loss (hopefully) amounts. Hopefully this will help a newbie or help someone decide (or not to decide) to have this operation.

It was a long shot from the beginning and 2 comorbidities barely, I got approved today!! I am beyond excited. Pre-op dietitian meeting on Sept 12th and surgery should be scheduled for October!!
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I've done the psych evaluation, the support group, the sleep study, the 6 months were all documented properly. The blood work I already had done, but it had been a year, so they wanted that done again before they would send off again. I completed everything in November of last year and got denied due to needing the weight loss study. My surgeons office assumed I didn't need it instead of actually verifying.
My insurance company will not send requirements and guidelines to patients, I tried to get them last year when I first started my journey. They said that they only send them to doctors "because they are very technical and most people wouldn't understand them anyway". So I'm just kind of in limbo on that. I don't know what my insurance exactly requires and have just had to take my Pcp's advice on what he has had other patients do to get approved. My surgeons office is actually less than helpful, but they are the best in my state, so I'm trusting them to get me through this.
Ready for a chance at really living! ❤️

I was approved!

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted, so here's my update. I finally got all of my weight loss study paperwork sent to my surgeon and they told me to go have my blood work re-done before they would submit to insurance, just to be safe. I went and had that done yesterday (they got it on the first stick!), they said it would just be a couple of days then they will fax to surgeon! I'm so nervous about insurance approval now it's ridiculous. I'm terrified they will deny me again bc I only maintained on the study, the weight just wouldn't come off. I would weigh in the morning and have lost 7 lbs, then by my afternoon appt it would all be back even if I didn't eat ???????? I'm so close now, I just can't give up! Anyone else have crazy nerves about insurance approval? I think this is the worst part for me.
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