auntlucy

Hi Mandi! You must be so proud of yourself! I'm in McKinney. While I have a ways to go still, it's been a great journey so far.

Thursday is probably better

Mandi, I'm sorry those days won't work for you

Let's try to start Sept 16th...I don't think it would hurt to get it going...even if there are just a few. I'll look on this site and see about setting up something just for our group. Thursday nights would probably be best for me. Maybe 7 pm?

I would think 1 or 2 days a month would be good. 7:00 would be a good time b/c it would give people who work outside of McKinney time to get there.

Dr. Stephen Hamn is my doctor, and I have been very pleased with him. He is very forthright and doesn't believe surgery is for everyone. I also like the fact that his office is just made up of he and his partner (Dr. Cribbins), who also does WLS. In my research, I found that he is one of the best in the area. It has been a great experience, and his staff has been there to answer any and every question along the way. He also does the fills himself, so he is very hands on. His website is: Obesity Surgery In Texas - Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth TX I'm not sure how much it is for self-pay, but I believe it says in the FAQs on his website. Let me know if you have any questions.

Send me a PM with the location of your church. That might be a good option...especially if it is a central location.

Good for you! I remember how agonizing that was for me too. It sounds like you made a great choice. That was also what I had for my 1st business lunch (which fell on my 1st day on solids!).

Congrats mergatroy! You are close to your goal! You should be really proud of yourself.

Thanks everyone. I'll follow up with my doctor. He wants me to re-test in 1 month.

I really like the baby romaine. If you haven't tried it, I recommend it! Although, it may not be quite as crisp as regular romaine.

I asked my doctor to do some bloodwork to check everything out. I've had my band for almost 6 months, and I just wanted to make sure everything was ok. I've had quite a bit of hair loss (yes, I'm getting enough protein), and I wanted to make sure my body is getting what it needs. I just received the test results in the mail, so I haven't spoken to my doctor yet. But, I was a little concerned about a couple of the results and wanted to see if anyone had any insight. My triglycerides were really high. The goal is for them to be under 150, and mine were 246. When I looked it up online, it said it's caused from a high fat diet. I haven't eaten a high fat diet for years, and especially not in the last 6 months. My HDL and LDL was also in the normal range (maybe slightly high, but not much). It said it could also be caused from hypothyroidism, but my thyroid levels tested in the normal range. The results also said my folic acid was borderline. Any insights on triglycerides or folic acid are greatly appreciated!

My doctor encouraged me during the mushy/soup phase to crumble a few crackers up in my soup after a few days. I am still able to eat crackers, but of course, I eat them in moderation to make sure I can get all of my other nutrients in.

I eat salad almost daily. I even eat the raw veggies. Everyone has different things that they can and can not tolerate. You just have to be careful when you try them. Good luck!

I didn't have a pre-op diet. My surgeon is one of the best in Dallas, and I completely trust his judgment on that.

gritar, We all need to vent sometimes. This is a great outlet to do it. We all have our down moments...this is a very emotional journey.

way to go mominlv13! That is awesome! And Tess, I see you have lost 60! That is fantastic! I guess your fill was just what you needed to break that plateau!

I ordered mine from www.supplements.net. See link below: New whey liquid Protein 42g - 12 Vials by IDS Sports, supplements.Net Other stores may carry them. I think The Vitamin Shoppe does. But, I found the best price at supplements.net. I hope this helps!

First, I applaud you for making the decision to take care of yourself and get healthy! You needed to make the decision that was right for you (and not your friends), and it sounds like you have done that. I didn't tell anyone until I had already made up my mind to do it. I actually told very few people. I tend to be very private. The few people I did tell, I was very clear with them why I was telling them and what I needed from them (and didn't need from them) to be successful. I told people one on one (not in groups) because it let me tailor the conversation to each person. As you start losing weight, you will definitely go through some changes mentally and emotionally. Your friends likely will too. But, this is about your journey...not theirs! You ultimately need to decide if you will tell them or not. My best advice is to just keep doing what is best for you and don't make decisions based on what's best for others.

You definitely need the protein supplements. I doubt you can get enough at this stage from yogurt. Have you tried the Protein Bullets? If not, you might want to try them. They are not like the thick powdery protein supplements. They are the consistency of jell-o before it sets and they come in fruity flavors. 1 bullet has 42 g of protein. I divide them into 2 and mix 1/2 with a glass of crystal light. The fruit punch flavored crystal light with the fruit punch bullet is really good.

Mine is along the top of my left rib cage. The placement seems to be fine to me. Good luck with your surgery tomorrow!

Welcome jenz! I'm in TX too! It sounds like you are on your way to bandland! It is such an exciting time. It's so easy to get a little out of control before surgery...treating every meal like your last. I didn't have a pre-op diet, so I really did get out of hand for a few days. If you can, try to shift your thinking before surgery. Also, if you drink a lot of caffeine, try to taper off before surgery. Otherwise, the withdrawal headaches can be miserable. Good luck!

Welcome! I'm in the DFW area too. Let me know if you have any questions. I'll be happy to help when I can.

I wish I were there to give you a hug...you seem like you could really use one right now! Please know that this post comes from a place of genuine concern for you. I really encourage you to find a good counselor that you feel comfortable with. You need to learn to love yourself...I've definitely had to do this too. I have had two different times in my life when I sought help from a counselor. I don't think there is anything wrong with it...I'm actually very proud that I've done that, because it was doing something for me! I went to one of those counselors for my pre-op psych eval, and she was perfect b/c she has actually had GB. She gets it! It's been 5+ months since surgery for me, and I decided to make an appointment with her again. It was last week, and it was really good to talk through some of my band struggles and how that impacts ME as a person. I'm concerned about you having the band before you are ready for it because it is so easy to self sabotage. If you go through all of the pain of surgery, you want to be ready for it. That includes being ready mentally, emotionally, and physically. I wish you the best as you go down this journey! It is more than just about the weight loss for some of us!

The pain post op was more than I expected, and the liquid diet phase was a bear. But, I would do it all again over and over if I had to. It's the best thing I've done for myself possibly EVER! It still takes a lot of hard work, but it is so worth it! I don't think the fills hurt that much. It stings a little. I was so nervous for my first one and I think I tensed up quite a bit. That first one hurt a little more than the second when I was a lot more relaxed.