Frmbandtosleeve

I am right there with you! Almost word for word!

OMGosh! Your dishes look so TASTEY! I have to learn how to work with Tofu. I tried in the past, before I went vegetarian just because I like tofu, but I didn't have much success. Those nachos are right up my alley because it's QUICK.

Absolutely!

I definitely came from a family of meat eaters. I grew up on t-bone and ribeye steaks, and prime rib. My brother and dad would place steak bets instead of money on football games. 😂 I love the quote by Maya Angelou, When you know better you do better." It's been somewhat of a mantra for me. I told my mom (my dad passed away several years ago) very nonchalantly last week that I wasn't eating meat anymore. She really didn't have a reaction one way or the other. A few days later, as my mom was preparing a menu for our annual family reunion picnic, she called me and said, "Well, I don't know what to bring to the picnic sense you can't eat anything." I just chuckled to myself as I wondered how did me going meatless turn into me not being able to eat ANYTHING? 😂😂😂

Thanks, everyone, for your inout, suggestions and support. I'm excited about my vegan journey. 😊🍆🍠🍓🍇

Thank you, Supernovae. This is helpful. 😊

Thanks Berry! 👍🏾

Thanks Wayward! It is such a MIND BEND losing all of that weight, keeping it off and then with one slip of the band gaining all/some/most of the weight back again. I feel like I'm living in someone else's body! I had forgotten all of the stuff you have to consider in the course of a day when you are obese. I had to RELEARN things I wanted to FORGET FOREVER! Ugh! Anyway, good luck with your pre-op procedures. And thanks for sharing your story. 😊

I recently changed my diet to vegan (about 3 weeks ago). Has getting enough protein in your diet daily been a challenge?

O. M. G. Geri Marie! You TOTALLY get it! Thanks for the encouragement - and I would love to be band-to-sleeve buddies!

Thanks for the encouragement, Berry78!

Thank you for your encouraging words and the liquid diet link. I truly appreciate it! I will give the liquid diet a try. I didn't have to do that with my lapband surgery so this is all new to me.

Hello everyone, I had a very successful labband surgery in 2007 and I lost 100 lbs. Then suddenly, without any warnings or complications, my band slipped in August 2015 and I decided to have it removed. I was insured by Kaiser at the time, and their policy was I had to wait at least 6 months to have the gastric sleeve procedure done. Unfortunately, I had complications after the lap band removal and I had to have a 2 surgery to repair a small bowel obstruction about 5 days after the lab band removal. I was in the hospital 8 days after surgery #2 and had a very slow healing process as my wound could not be stiched up and had to heal from the inside out. After this unforseen ordeal, I did not want to have another surgery ever again in my lifetime! Also, I was working as an intern one a 1-year internship at the time and I could not take time off again to have another surgery. Fast forward to now and I have completed all of the pre-op requirements for the gastric sleeve surgery because, despite my efforts, I gained pretty much all of my weight back. In June 2017, my doctor wanted me to lose 10% of my total weight before I met with him again. We met on Aug. 22 and not only did I not lose any weight, I GAINED an additional 9 lbs.! Consequently, my doctor did not clear me for surgery and wants me to try to lose the weight again. I feel very defeated and broken. I know all of the right things to do and was a "gym rat" prior to my small bowerl obstruction surgery. I feel like a failure. I know I can do it because I'VE DONE IT, but my brain will not "kick in" for some reason. Thanks for "listening."