Long2BFree

Thought it made a little bit squimish I found it very interesting. Thanks for posting.

Some of the Unjury flavors (Chocolate and Vanilla) are mixed with milk. Many people mix the Strawberry Shorbert with Crystal Light Lemonade and really like it. I haven't tried it yet so I haven't formed an opinion. Personally I like Medifast shakes best followed by Low Carb Slim Fast (out of the low carb protein drinks) though I find after a week of drinking most of the others I've learned to like them and don't feel like they taste too bad.

Congrats on getting approved for a loan! Ah, we weightthe same cause my surgeon wants me to lose the same amount as you.

Wow, your stats are amazing for having the band for less than a year and not having a fill. I'm curious to know what size band you have?

I've also seen an ad on this website that has some very nice looking bracelets which lists the same information. They had them with pretty bands and some were also watches that were nice.

I had my psych eval yesterday. I spent an hour with the doctor asking me a list of questions. He then asked questions that weren't on the list that the surgeon provided such as my medical problems and asked about exercise. I explained to him that my podiatrist will not allow me to do weight bearing exercise and that I recently got a recumbent bike. He asked how long I ride it and I told him 5 minutes 5 to 6 times a day until I get my endurance up. He then said I should be riding it 20-25 minutes straight. I told him I get tired and winded and he tried to argue with me in a way. Duh! Overweight, out of shape person here... has to build up endurance. Then he asked why my cheeks were so red. I told him I have good coloring but in fact I turn red when I feel cornered. Oh, I forgot to mention that he talked down my podiatrist and PCP giving me cortisone shots for heel spurs and bursitis in my knees. I then spent 2 hours answering 586 T/F questions. It didn't help that the lighting was poor and I felt uneasy with some of the other people who were walking into the waiting room. I was a very weird set-up in the way that 5 psychs work in the office and when you walk in, there is a switch on the wall with the doctor's names. You flip the switch to let the doctor know you are there. They then come in thru a locked door and they take you to their office. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. They do this to maintain people's annonymity so they aren't being called by name. BTW, this is in Santa Barbara were there are some famous and wealthy (and weird) so I guess that is why they do it this way. The doc never did mention if he was referring me or not.

I work half the time at a desk and the other part out in the field so I'm planning on taking at least a week off and possibly working 1/2 days the following week. I get up at 4 am and work 4-10 hour days so I know I will be tired.

Can you have protein drinks yet? That might help.

Marisa - I wish it was Cracker Barrel I was talking about. Unfortunately we don't have them in CA. The restaurant is a local steak house that opened up within the past year called Cool Hand Luke's.

Like Mstrina has stated, it's none of their business. I would get a note from your doctor beforehand stating you are having surgery and the length of time you will be out and give it to your boss. Your doctor will back you up and the boss can't do anything about it.

You definately sound ready. How long is your hospital stay going to be? Please post when you get home to let us know how you are doing!

Thank you so much for all of the support! I appreciate the input more than anyone can ever know. Restaurants are going to be off limits for me for awhile unless I am 100% sure they have something I can eat. The one we went to the other night offered foods with gravies, sauces, fatty meats and fried. I did order a salad with dressing on the side but the meat was very fatty so I only ate a couple of bits and had tons of blue cheese on it. In fact, I didn't use any dressing on it because of the amount of cheese. I wanted soup but they only had cheesy potato soup that night. DH is not worried that I will leave him when I lose weight nor does he sabatoge my efforts on purpose. He mindlessly brings stuff into the house even though I've asked him not to; sometimes because he's ignorant but sometimes because he just 'wants it'. Though he will agree that certain foods aren't good for our bodies, he still insists on bringing them into the house. His thought is if he dies from clogging his arteries then at least he will be happy. I've told myself that today I'm doing my 5 Protein shakes and 1 meal and nothing is going to stop me from doing it. I've already announced to everyone this morning that we will be having salmon for dinner so they better no complain.

I'm supposed to be on a diet to lose 14 lbs before surgery and had be doing well before I went out to dinner with DH Wednesday night. When we got to the restaurant I looked at the menu and there wasn't anything that I should've really ate and asked to go some place else but DH really wanted to eat there. I did okay with my choice but didn't feel good about eating it because I knew it would throw me off. It's 100% on or else I have a hard time with getting back on once I deviate. For lunch on Friday and Saturday, I had Subway and would've been okay except I ordered the footlong subs because they were having a special. I told myself I would only eat half and save the rest for lunch the following day. Both days I did neither. Last night I was so hungry (mainly cause my sub sandwich was only veggies at lunch) and I started having major anxiety. I guess my blood sugar level got too low and I totally lost it and had a major pig out even eating the ice cream my family brought into the house after everyone went to bed. I don't know why I did this to myself. Right now I'm kicking myself because I just put myself that much further away from my surgery date until I get the 14 lbs off. Oh, and DH looked at me in the restaurant on Wednesday and it dawned on him that once I have the surgery that I will no longer be able to eat like I have been. Duh, why does he think I'm so fat? Because I have no control.

I always plug my nose when I have to drink something nasty and it helps minimize the taste. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about nasty tasing stuff. Yuck!

I feel your frustration as I wanted my surgery done like yesterday too. I guess the doctor needs to make sure all bases are covered.

Protein helps keep you full longer but are also important for maintaining muscles during weightloss. If you are filling up on carbs and not getting enough protein then your body is pretty much eating itself (muscle) to get what it needs.

I know I've posted this elsewhere but this is the info I was given about alcohol. In addition to meeting with my nutritionist for an hour appointment, I had to attend a 2 hour class which discussed nutrition post surgery. We were told to avoid alcohol at all costs for the first year of losing weight. Not only does it lower your tolerance to alcohol but also puts your liver at increased risks for liver toxicity, cancer and other liver diseases. It can also contribute to hypoglycemia. ulcers and malnutrition. It was explained that your liver is not only working overtime burning fat from your body but if it has to process alcohol then it's giving it a double wammy for having to work that it's defenses are at higher risks for getting sick.

Thank you for your kind words.

I'm so sorry for your loss and what you are going through emotionally and physically. (((HUG)))

You really shouldn't take anything unless it has been cleared through your surgeon as it might cause complications with the surgery. Perhaps you can gargle with salt water if you are getting a sore throat, get plenty of rest and drink lots of water.

I don't have a surgery date but I just found out today that my white blood cells are elevated. My PCP kept asking me if I felt well and if I'd been sick. I told him 'no' but he's going to retest me. I know it's going to still be high because it was the last time my other doctor checked it. He said it could be due to stress to which I told him I have a huge amount of stress in my life. I've read several posts on the boards were others are dealing with the same thing, so it sounds very common.

I'm sorry that you are having to go through this. Does your doctor know what is causing your port to flip? For it to flip twice sounds so unusual. I hope you get things resolved quickly.

He did mention that my potassium and Calcium levels came back normal. I can't take potassium supplements because of one of the meds I take but I do drink oj, soy milk and eat bananas because of their potassium content.

I had an appointment with the doctor today to go over the results to find out if I have blood clots in my legs. He said everything came back normal and I don't have clots. The cramping could be from my thyroid problems or Bursitis, for which I was recently diagnosed with. The only thing he saw was that my white blood cell count is elevated, which it also was back in December. Now I have one more thing to worry about get to go for more blood work.

I would highly recommend calling the surgeon to see what you can take. I normally take Zicam, Vitamin C and zinc when I get a cold which really knock out the cold quickly but you need to be sure they won't interfer with your surgery so call the surgeon.