Lee

Thank you! Good energy is always appreciated!

Thanks Cajun! There's mighty fine company on that bench. I'm looking forward to it!

I too got the same message. I hope it's working tonight! I would love to chat on the eve of my surgery.

Good Morning everyone! February 17th is finally finally almost here! Tomorrow's my day to become a Sleeve Sister! All of you have helped me figure out this journey and decided on the Sleeve. How lucky I am to have found VST. I knew I didn't want RNY and thought I wanted the Band until I came here and started reading. I feel so fortunate. So to each of you, thank you for helping me along the way. I'm so excited. I'm visualizing the best possible outcome for my surgery and immediate recovery period. I'm visualizing no gas, no nausea, no incision pain. I figure I might as well start from the most positive aspect to create a positive experience. My mantra leading up to surgery is "everything always works out for me, everything always works out for me, everything always works out for me!" Maybe I'll get it together and write "my story" this afternoon. Again, thanks friends!!

Clock, I'm thinking of you and hoping that you'll find that everything is OK when you see your surgeon.

Trader Joe's has it. My costco sells it in a quart size for $6.99.

Hi Team! Tamra, I was told definitely no Benefiber until two weeks out. I got a big canister at Costco and have been putting it into my crystal light. Works like a charm! I found some single packet ones at the Dollar Store in Willow Pass shopping center close to Mimi's. Two more sleeps! I had a great day at work. Tomorrow just early morning in the office then my date with MoM. I'm excited but just want it to be Saturday already. I'll be happy to be three days out. Sweet dreams everyone.

Oh goodie! I'm so glad you like the Fage. It's like eating sour cream except it's loaded with a ton of protein and is still low carb. I feel like it's the perfect food. I hope my taste buds still love it post-op!

Hannah, It feels like you're here to sell us your protein powder. I think you'll be more effective here if you introduce yourself and tell us something about your VSG story.

Hi Hannah (are you really a male?), you kind of left us hanging there with no conclusions as to how to determine what the best protein sources are.

Good Morning everyone! It just took me a long time to read through the posts. Happy Belated V-Day to everyone. Congratulations to everyone on your huge successes of the day. Keep on truckin to anyone having mini struggles. Heather, you rock on how you handled the gym situation. Ashley, keep us posted on the baby situations. Loved reading how all of you celebrated V-Day. This year single and not looking as I think surgery will keep me busy for a little while with recovery and learning how to live. Maybe next year I'll have a steamy tale to tell. I found four big boxes of smaller clothes on the top shelf of my closet. I got them all unpacked to find all the clothes I'll need until I'm down to a size 14. They're never going back up in the closet again. I can't believe how many pants, shirts and sweaters I had up there. I'm glad I didn't throw them out as I found my all time favorite two pairs of jeans. Look out spring, I'll be back in them for sure. I had my "last meals" yesterday so that I can eat very light today and tomorrow. I had forgotten it was V-day so didn't make reservations anywhere which was probably better. My last lunch was a small order of fries from McDonalds. I haven't had them in decades, literally decades but have been craving fries for awhile. Won't need to do those again. It took me so long to even figure out where there was a McD's! For dinner I had one dish of Thai Eggplant/Seafood with brown rice and 1 dessert. I know, not very fancy or anything but it's what I wanted. A friend came over to watch Survivor last night and we had dinner together. I have an audit all day today and tomorrow up until when I need to leave to work from home so that I can take the dreaded MoM. I'll find out tomorrow what time surgery is. I wonder if I get to go before John! To all with the day off today, have a fun day and please do some walking for me!

PNW, I'm luckily having surger 18 miles from home. I hit the teary part yesterday watching the opening ceremony of the olympics. I was tearful for our anthem, their anthem, the young man from Georgia. Anything was a reason to be tearful. I had to clear my desk at work quickly because I had to work from home this week with only 1 day in office. I had a sore throat/cough and the CEO sent me home after an hour on Monday. I'm working tomorrow and Tuesday but have an audit that will keep me from my desk. Tuesday I have to work from home in the afternoon to take my Milk of Magnesia. YUCK! Yes to last foods but being sick has kept me out of eating. Today I did go to McDonalds and get an order of fries. I haven't done that in decades but it was so on my mind. I think tonight is a seafood/eggplant Thai dish, then I'm done. I have to be at or below goal on Wednesday morning or they cancel my surgery. Great incentive to stay out of the food trough. Do you fly through SF on your way home? How many days are you in the hospital. for me it's either one or two nights. My son is flying home from NY on Friday to hang out with me for the weekend so I'm looking forward to that. When do you leave for Mexico?

PNW, we are both so close to surgery!

Theresa, you've had fantastic results from working your sleeve. Are you dancing around the house? Congratulations!!!

Tennessee, I had major dental work a few years ago. They put me on oxycodone. I took 1 pill the first day, 2 pills the second day. On the third day I didn't take one and felt like I wanted to die. My skin was crawling, I was crying and was really rattled. A friend of mine recognized the signals of withdrawal and brought me a Valium to counteract it. I remember that it was a hot summer day so she took me to a movie matinee to be in the air-conditioning. It took me most of the day to come down from the oxy withdrawal. I'm telling you this in case you experience withdrawal because it's very frightening. It's not a drug that you can just stop. Ask your doctor for help coming off it and please be careful. You may not feel like yourself for a day or two afterwards. I know that I'm very sensitive to drugs, but I couldn't believe how potent that drug was.

Just to add another perspective.... I had my GB out in November 2009. My surgeon told me that unless I stuck to low fat it was possible that I would create a lifetime of food in/food out. During the first month, I found that to be completely true, eating anything but low fat content sent me scampering. I started my 1200 calorie diet for WLS a month after the GB removal, so I haven't had any issues. I feel like everything healed just fine. I knew I wanted to adhere to low fat because the thought of creating a lifelong problem for myself just wasn't where I wanted to go. I wish I'd know I'd be having VSG so soon. I thought it wouldn't be until next summer or later because of the Kaiser requirements. If I'd known, I probably would have tried to combine the surgeries. Tiffy, I'm so glad you're not having any problems!!

If you want protein pudding, look up BodyTech Dutch Chocolate Pudding at Vitamin Shoppe online or in your neighborhood. It comes in individual packages, add 5-6 oz of water. I use part soymilk (3 carbs per cup) to help cut the sweetness of it.

Ditto, exactly what Tiffy said. Tried them all and Myfitnesspal. com is the easiest with the most foods and protein that I eat.

Congratulations on taking care of your Sleeve!

Anna... Onederland!!! Yay! This is so cool for you. I'm so happy that your stall has broken! Are you dancing around the house?

Tamra, my son was a vegetarian for several years after he was born. We ate diary but no meat. If your daughter doesn't get fries and chicken nuggets, she'll be healthier for it. Look at the childhood obesity statistics these days. I'm delighted that my son never followed in my eating food steps and at 36 wears a 29 or 30 inch jeans. I think you're very aware and are doing a really good job trying to keep yourself on a good path. I bet that BF being on the 1200 cal will really help you. He'll get it how difficult this is for you and won't try to tempt you. Big kudos on the exercise you've been doing!! Hey, how does that couch look? Do you love it? :smile:

Tamra, I bet if you stick to the food rules and exercise, you'll see a big drop one morning! I see that you did lots of exercise yesterday. Attagirl! Now get rid of anything that's not on your plan. Didn't you say BF is dieting? Babygirl doesn't need any junk or sugar foods. You want her to follow in your healthy lifestyle habits that you create and it will be so much easier for you.

Candra, Thanks about the Binder! I'm so sorry you're feeling poorly. Stay down and rest rest rest fluids fluids fluids... that's what my PCP told me. I've had it since a week ago Friday. My cough is just about gone and I'm having energy again. Sunshine is good for everything. Hang in there. Your scale will move. I've been eating very very low carb the last week and dropped 4 pounds. Now I'm not scared about surgery morning anymore. Home scale is 226.8 this morning so I'm good. Bev is not leading the meeting on Wednesday night because she's on vacation. That said, I don't know who's leading it.

Ditto, what MO said! Do we take our Binder to surgery? John, 4 more sleeps!

Tennessee, look for the BodyTech Protein pudding at Vitamin Shoppe. That's what I'm planning to use post-op. The Ductch chocolate flavor is sweet, so I make it with 3 oz Water and 3 oz unsweeted soymilk which cuts the sweet just fine. What about putting your protein powder into Fage zero greek yogurt. Only 8 carbs per cup an you're only eating 1/4 to 1/2 cup at a time. 20 grams of protein per cup as well so the combo of yogurt and protein powder would be a big hit of protein. I've also made SF Jello using Isopure for the two cups of liquid. The entire body is 160 calories, 40 protein so four cups of jello would each be 50 calories and 10 protein. As you can see, I'm testing things pre-op to see what might work post-op. But heck, everyone says taste-buds change so who knows what the reality will be. Good luck, you're doing great and everyone is giving you great ideas for getting in your protein early out without too many carbs.