KZol

Are you allowed non-caloric fiber supplements during the diet? I did a week long juice fast a while ago, and psyllium tablets totally saved my life! I would take four or five with my juice and be filled right up!

I think confidence is key, and that can be really hard when you've got the shadow of your bigger self hanging over your shoulder. Remember, YOU were never about your weight! I did the online dating thing but found that the guys I connected with online I had no chemistry with in person. When you see a guy looking at you, try this: SMILE. Just smile. Men are scared of rejection and the hotter you are the more scared they are. (Note: I get hit on by strangers at any size, but men I know have always been intimidated. My sweet, gorgeous size 2 sister NEVER gets hit on, but guys she knows are like moths to a flame.) So I guess the trick is to be confident but approachable, and when I figure out how to do that I'll let you know....

A breast reduction has the same scar lines as a lift, and my scars are pretty major BUT I had a lot of tissue removed (like a chunk the size of a pound of butter off each...TMI?). There was a girl in the recovery house in CR with me who was just moving down a size in implants so her surgery was just like a lift, and her incision lines were almost gone after two weeks. It depends on how you scar.

Hmmmm....ouroborous--let me know how that goes. I might need a LOT of tattoos! I have giant nasty stretch marks on my upper arms from my latest weight gain, UGH! I realize for a guy this probably doesn't scan but I am stuck in sleeves to the elbow for life! AND I live in Southern Arizona! Did I mention UGH!!!!

I told the lady who manages my psych meds yesterday (that's right, I'm a psycho) because I knew there would be a roller coaster of emotions after the surgery. She'd never heard of the sleeve (surprise) but has had several patients with lap bands and said they didn't go through major depression. Now, it may be that this woman sees MAJOR depression daily and it's all relative, but is it less with the lap band because you don't physically lose a part of yourself?

I'm worried about this, too. I live in the desert and already drink all day long, and not in little sips! What am I going to do when every mean means 1 1/2 to 2 hours of no drinking? AUGH! I get dehydrated overnight, and I only sleep three hours at a time a drink in between! **breathe, Kaitey breathe**

Literally laughing out loud here over the "new wife" thing. None of my husbands co-workers have actually seen me in two years--I did get dressed up for the first New Years party two years ago when I still qualified for "hot wife" status but he worked late and was too tired to go....when we were dating, he got major props from his coworkers because I was a catch. I know it's twisted, but in a mostly male profession, the hot wife makes the guys think he must have a little something special about him, you know? I could be all feminist and huffy about it but that wouldn't change the way it works...

I live in a very small town and our stores don't carry, well.....much beyond the basics. I'm close enough to the Phoenix area that I can make periodic shopping runs, but I don't want to go every week. Has anybody tried to freeze their Greek yogurt, and if not, what's the shelf life?

Wheeee! The sleeve is gonna be GREAT. I hadn't had a single bit of candy since.....Chritmas?....when I had maybe two pieces, and went on a little sugar binge recently. It made me evil and I gained 7 lbs! THAT made me MORE evil. My poor husband. I guess all this gets him ready for the roller coaster ride after the sleeve.

Thanks Tiffy! I continue to be amazed at how devoted you are to all of us on this board. Checking last month's grocery receipts? You ROCK. Has anybody tried to thaw the Greek yogurt after freezing it? Some dairy products handle this fine, and some go to bits....I would really like to buy a month or two's supply at a time...

Oh, big congrats on your wonderful progress! I hope you make your goal for graduation!

Awww...that's kind of sweet. I can see where it's frustrating, but still, it's great that he's so proud of you. I guess I'm lucky that my own husband is a very private person and doesn't really say anything about anything EVER unless you drag it out of him...huh.

Congrats on getting a date set! I can't wait to join you!

Tonight, FINALLY got the hubbie to talk to me seriously about it and he is 100% on board with the surgery. I was teetering between Almanza and Aceves and he liked the idea of Mexicali MUCH better so finally, we've got a PLAN! Now, we wait for the money to arrive....I have a settlement coming and it's earmarked for my health and my future! It will probably be at least a couple of months yet but I am SO relieved to have the decision making process out of the way and have his full approval....it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Especially because the 7 lbs I lost over the last 3 months piled back on in 2 weeks when I wasn't....uh...paying attention....:blushing:I was sick over it but now I feel like the end is in sight. I'm babbling, I know, sorry everybody. I just feel so relieved!:thumbup:

Tiffy, this may sound a little out there but on any music download site you can do a search for "relax" or "hypnosis" and find subliminal relaxation tracks or self-hypnosis tracks for relaxation. It's a little goofy, but they really have worked for me. I have a hard time relaxing and it messes with my GI system, plus having your muscles constantly tensed burns calories. It's cheaper than valium!

Oooooooh my, Nikki I know exactly what you mean! My mother can't sit on a secret to save her soul. I don't intend to tell her when I have my surgery, and I frankly regret ever having told her I was even thinking about it. She is completely food obsessed and if you're at her house and you don't eat, that means you don't love her. At the same time she's always been very critical of my weight and keeps an eagle eye on my plate and my pants size....ERGH. There was a point in my life about five years ago, where I sent my parents a very carefully worded email, asking them to please attempt to treat me with some respect if they wanted me in their lives. I made it clear that my children would always be available to them, but if they couldn't at least fake some respect for me I would have to take myself out of the equation. They were horrified and angry but they did make an effort, and it has been better since then. I'm sure it's hard for many parents to stop "parenting" their adult children and to treat them as equals....sometimes you have to ASK them to do it, you know?

Huh. My memory is awful, but I have fibromyalgia and have been blaming it on the dreaded "fibro-fog". Interestingly enough, fibro patients also tend to be overweight due to the meds we take, pain with exercise, and the disease itself. Maybe it's just "fat fog".

My morbidly obese grandfather spent 20 years dying (and torturing his loved ones),with multiple open heart surgeries, severe diabetes, blood pressure through the roof, multiple cancers.....easy way, hard way, WHATEVER. I'll take ANY way out of THAT that I can get!

Spydersong, thanks for posting this, and for your video. It's so comforting to "see" somebody else going through this first.

I'm also pre-op, also hypothyroid, and never have any luck losing weight on my own. I am very excited to be sleeved and starting a new life!

"my band and I never really bonded" --that's a great quote, I love it! Congrats on your success!

The "cocktail" made me smile, when I had my BR they brought me a pill before I walked into the surgical suite (they don't wheel you in there) and said "Here, take this happy pill"....I hadn't had anything to eat for 24hrs so I was VEEEERY happy.

Hmmmm....I looked around and couldn't find the bottle, but I'm pretty sure I got it at Whole Foods. Sorry I can't be more specific...

Wow, you look amazing! I can't even imagine looking like that at this point! You are an inspiration and a blessing!

Quick note: they also make colloidal silver nasal spray. I tried it and it really dried things out for me.