pnw218

Hey Conseccorp, Congrats on your surgery and weight loss so far! The Cornell University diet guideline for vsg is my favorite, probably because it allowed me to move to soft mushy foods sooner : ) If you are craving sweets, then just choose something sugar free instead. Sugar free pudding, sugar free drinks, there is even sugar free candy and light ice cream. It is likely a phase that you will pass soon. I even bought a container of frozen Sara Lee Cheesecake Bites. They are smaller than 1"x1/2". I will eat a couple when I need something sweet or to get rid of a certain taste after dinner. They add almost nothing to your food count. There are also those 100 calorie packs of Cookies, etc. Not sure if they are in the grocery stores in London. I don't remember ever seeing them in Europe but wasn't specifically looking either. The mental has been much more difficult than the physical; you are not alone. After my first couple of weeks, I slowed down to about 2 pounds a week or so. Even with the slower loss, I am thrilled to be down over 30 pounds in two months. I certainly couldn't do it on my own. Don't be too hard on yourself. Make a few gradual changes. You will get back on track : )

I am only 2 months out and can honestly say that I am not over the food obsession yet. The mental has been much more difficult than the physical for me. I am not doing any counseling yet but my primary doctor has suggested it, more so for handling stress but I am sure I can bring up this issue as well. My advice would be: if you are craving something, have a couple of bites and move on. Your stomach will not allow you to eat a quantity that will do super damage. You may be over your calories or carbs for one day, but you get right back on it the next day. I have decided that I can have an ounce or two of lemoncello liquor on Friday/Saturday nights, but will not drink any other nights unless it is a special occasion. On the weekends, I am also having a treat if I want one. Yesterday it was a few bites of a brownie with cream cheese frosting. Today it was part of a mocha freeze from costco. I am so sick of chocolate right now, I doubt I will have any more for quite a while. As for the extra time, I really haven't had that much yet cause it takes so dang long to eat 2 ounces! I really wish I could spend 5 or 10 minutes eating and then move on to something more exciting. :smile1: You probably will need to find something fun or productive to do, instead of grazing in the kitchen like we used to. I am so glad to hear your sister is supportive! My sister has been great, altho I didn't tell her until the night before I left for San Diego. She was concerned for my safety and well being, but certainly did not try to talk me out of it. My 24 yr old daughter, on the other hand, still thinks I am crazy. But then, she knows it all :sad0:!! Good luck to you! It is a wonderful tool.

Here is my surgery review and is what I share with those who have sent me a private message, some are general requests, most are asking me specifically about using the clinic and doctor that I did. I have made small changes to the basic response based on what was asked of me. This is also the most recent version as I responded after I returned from surgery with TiffanyisMajor. I went with her at my own expense. Please respect that this is a recounting of my personal experience and my opinions, and don't write any negative posts in this thread. I appreciate that others may have different opinions or experiences. There are plenty of other places for those to be posted or you can start your own thread. Thank you for understanding. I totally understand about wanting to be healthy for your kids! We were blessed with our first grandchild last fall - a wonderful little girl. I have three children; a daughter 24 and a nursing student, a son 22 and a Black Hawk pilot, and a daughter 15, a high school student. I was also having depression, back and sleep apnea issues, and two of those drs had told me in the same week in January that I needed to lose at least 50 lbs. ugh. Like I hadn't already been trying to do that for years. There is alot of drama sometimes on the board about drs and clinics. I personally think you would be fine going to any dr mentioned on the board. I unknowingly picked the dr that several people don't like for one reason or another. But I had made that decision before I got to this site and there wasn't any drama on the board at that time. I am not sure why people dislike Almanza so much. It's like one person decided not to like him and then many jumped on the bus, even if they didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. And now, if anyone asks any questions publicly, they come out in groves. Many of the people who have used him now seem to be afraid to post anything positive for fear they will be attacked. Very strange. This is the basic review I have been sharing lately when people ask. If it doesn't answer all of your questions, please let me know. I loved being back there this week. I think it is a great place with a wonderful, caring staff. I truthfully did not see anything there that would scare me away. Since I decided to travel alone for my surgery at the last minute, my husband and I discussed my options. If I got there and was leary about anything, I could simply say that I changed my mind and go home. I have had alot of experience with surgeries and other procedures. I have had worse service in the states. And even at some US locations, not everyone spoke fluent English! LOL The driver picked us up at the San Diego airport. It is very hard to judge the travel time thru the border, so be patient. If you call to tell them that you are there at 7am, the driver will be there asap. They often have other patients they are bringing to the airport, so they really do want to be prompt : ) I think he was about 30 mins behind schedule, but I was with another gal from this site and another couple we met at the airport. The gal from this site and I even shared a hotel room the night before in San Diego. It was so great to have a "friend". When one of us needed cheering up, the other was right there. I will say that most of the patients at the clinic were very friendly. There were 2 other people that I bonded with and they also provided support. When planning your flight home, schedule it either late morning or early afternoon. There is often a shuttle to the airport around 6ish to pick up incoming patients at 7. There are a dozen or so rocking chairs in the ticketing/checkin area at the San Diego airport. To me, the entire travel/language part of the trip was just part of the experience. I have been to several countries tho where I did not speak the language and they spoke little English, so it isn't something that freaks me out. I would have brought my little Spanish phrase book with me, but had just moved and couldn't find it. So I printed common Spanish phrases, both general and medical, from the internet. I don't think I ever used it. I know a few words and can count to ten - I actually needed the word seven at one point so that was handy! lol The driver will take you to a little clinic for pre-op blood work. The dr there was very kind and skilled in the blood draw, and I don't like needles. We went to the surgery clinic next. I really had to laugh as we were driving thru Tijuana (I have been there a few times before). We kept getting deeper into the heart of the city and when we finally stopped, we were in a little shopping center and the clinic was next to an Office Depot! I thought it was pretty funny! Going to Mexico for surgery and ending up there. I used Melissa as my coordinator. Her website is jerusalem weightloss. I do refer people to her if they ask, however I do not accept any referral fees from her. The clinic is small but adequate. It was clean, the staff was kind and caring, and they had the system down efficiently. There was also another dr who came by the clinic to review your medical history and run an EKG. Again, this was my 9th surgery and I have had several other medical procedures. I believe I would have noticed if something was out of place. There was another gal from this site when I was there and she is a nurse. She brought a friend of hers who was also a nurse. He also spoke fluent Spanish. Have you ever had surgery before? I think that is one reason I was comfortable with this decision to travel. I had a very good idea how I would react after surgery, what to expect and what my recovery would be like. Probably the best advice I can give you is to stay positive. If you are stressed before surgery, tell one of the doctors, nurses or Juanito (he speaks very good English and is the clinic's patient liaison). They gave me a dose of valium in my iv and I felt much better. My stress was the normal nervousness you might feel before a surgery and frustration with myself for not being able to do this on my own. You will walk from your room to the surgery suite. When you get into surgery, they will put you out very quickly. They roll you to recovery - and you may not remember that. You will also walk back to your room. You very likely will feel crappy when you wake up after surgery. Often I wake up in tears and in discomfort. I wasn't moody after this surgery and the only part that hurt was my chest/lungs. They will put a tube down your throat to keep your airway open and will also inflate you when they do the surgery and check for leaks. You may also have some nausea and gas. The gasx strips are amazing, especially as a "treat" until you can have ice or liquids. Sign language works great if you have any issues : ) They know that you will have pain and nausea, and can often tell just by walking into the room that you need a dose in your iv. I also asked for an ice bag to place on my chest. At first they thought I meant ice chips - which you will not be allowed to have until the next day. You can buy a reusable, refillable ice bag at most drug stores. I travel with one due to back pain but didn't think to bring it with me on this trip. The next day, they will take you to the recovery house (condo/townhouse style) and assign you to a room. Some are upstairs, some are downstairs. Overall, there are 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Truly, I liked the ones upstairs better because people would often gather in the living area downstairs and it gets noisy. The rooms are very nicely furnished. There are extra pillows and blankets if you need them. We kept our ceiling fan on low most of the time just to keep the air circulating since we often had the door closed. We also turned the tv on to a music channel. We left it on most of the time and it was very relaxing. There is a dvd player if you bring movies with you. The nurse at the house will give you injections for pain and nausea however these are not as often as in the hospital. If he/she tells you no, it isn't time yet, she isn't being mean, she is just following dr's orders. If you think you might need more, you can talk to Juanito or Dr. Brenda ahead of time or when they come by the house. The nurse and other staff cook, clean and try to make your stay comfortable. They don't come up to your room tho every hour to check on you in the house. In the states, some people go home within hours of surgery. Most people are up and around, and they want you to walk as much as possible. We slept alot. We did take turns going down for Water and popcicles tho. I went down a few times just to visit with other patients/guests and change my view : ) The food that is prepared smells amazing. I would have loved just a bite! However, you will be limited to Soup broth. There is also Jello and yogurt in the fridge. When Dr. Brenda or Juanito visits, they will come up to your room if you aren't downstairs. You do need to be up and around tho. There are two recovery houses across the driveway from each other. You can walk back and forth between the two if you want. Just depends on how social you want to be. I also brought a heating pad with me. My body temperature was all over the place so it was very nice to have it when I was cold. I did bring my laptop however really didn't feel like using it. There is one at the house you can use. There is a phone in your clinic room and one at the house that you can use for free. You can also give the number to family and friends so they can call you. I packed very light and only brought one carryon. I wore the same outfit home that I wore there. I brought one pair of pjs, extra underwear and socks. A pair of flip flops and a pair of slippers with rubber soles. You may not be comfortable wearing a bra after surgery. I didn't even bring one : ) I brought a sports bra and a couple of tank tops to wear under my shirts. Even the sports bra was too tight. One of your incisions will likely be right under your bustline. The driver will take you shopping if you are interested. Some people had never been to Mx, and couldn't wait to go shopping. It wasn't high on my list! lol I did ask for a quick stop at a pharmacy tho so I could stock up on a few medications. There are some that don't require an rx and/or cheaper than in the US. Probably the worst thing that happens after surgery is the other leak test : ( You will, as a group, go back to the clinic to drink some very yucky purple liquid. I have had to drink nasty liquid potassium because I was so low, and this was as bad or worse. I plugged my nose and sipped it as fast as I could. Then you go to the radiology clinic for an xray. Melissa went with us because there was room in the car. The clinic was quite busy - it was a Saturday. Once inside the xray room, you will stand at the camera and then drink a thick liquid. It was kind of minty and wasn't as horrible. I drank as much as I could in one or two gulps, but didn't drink all of it. The tech will quickly take your xray and you can watch the liquid going down your throat and into your stomach. It is kinda cool. They can also see if any of the purple liquid has leaked from your stomach into your abdomen. Everyone in our group was just fine. Fortunately for me, this was one of the last websites I came to and it was after I had already scheduled my surgery. The drama seems to have highs and lows, and it is currently at a high. Several people have gotten tired of those who slam doctors when they haven't experienced the clinic or hospital first hand. I searched back 6 months and a year ago, and it is the same bs recycled. There are lots of choices out there and just because one person picks Dr. X, doesn't mean it is the best or only choice. Again, I think you could use any doctor/clinic on this board and be happy. The following two incidents strengthen my opinion of the dr. On my first visit for my surgery, there was an obese older man who was scheduled for surgery on Saturday. Dr. Almanza actually refused to do his surgery until he had additional visits with other doctors. Turns out that he had some kind of cancer (don't remember) and Dr wanted to make sure that he was healthy enough for the vsg surgery. To me, that increased my respect for him. If he was just in it for the money, he wouldn't have postponed the surgery. Apparently either the guy or his coordinator had not disclosed the info on his original patient history. On the most recent trip with Tiffany, there was a gal and her husband there. Same thing. It was not disclosed to the dr ahead of time that she had a TIA (stroke) only 2 or 3 weeks before. She scheduled her surgery after the stroke and came down a week later. To me, she looked like death warmed over and could barely walk, and was using a walker. The dr flatly refused to do her surgery saying that in his opinion, she had a 100% chance of dying on the table. While they were disappointed and she wanted the dr to do the surgery even with the risk, her husband told me that he greatly respected the dr for his decision and honesty. The dr said they would revisit the possibility in six weeks or so. She said that her primary doc at home had approved, and even suggested the surgery, but she didn't have anything in writing. I have had everything from tonsils and gall bladder to hysterectomy and cosmetic surgery. I think I figured out that 8 of my 9 surgeries have been in a clinic or day surgery center and only one in a hospital. I did deliver all three of my 9+ lb babies in hospitals tho and have had other procedures in hospitals. I feel like I am a decent judge of medical service and was happy with what I received. Stuff does happen tho and it can anytime, anyplace to anyone. People get sedated at the dentist and sometimes die or have complications. Others go into well respected hospitals in the US and get the wrong procedure done or are misdiagnosed. We each have to weigh the pros and cons and the potential risks and make our own decision. When I was at the clinic again this week, it was great to see the process from the other side. I am still very confident in their service. Their leak rate is less than the average posted risk rates on many medical sites - meaning those that discuss the surgery but are not promoting a specific hospital or clinic. There is a major hospital 10 minutes away; the same distance or even closer than clinics where I have had procedures at home. As far as infections go, there is also always a risk of that or other complications. Tiffany's surgery was at the Vida Hospital - a location they were using while doing some remodeling to their main clinic. Both locations were very clean in my view. The hospital is much larger and fancier, but the clinic was just fine. I have paid good money for hotels in Europe and received a room so small I could hardly walk around the bed! LOL My opinions on infections are: 1) entire hospitals in the US can have an outbreak of staph. 2) if an infection is not seen until a person gets home, how do we know that the person didn't get the infection either on the way home, in their own home or from lack of personal care? 3) it seems that some people are more susceptible to infections that others. There is always a risk, no matter where you go. I believe the infection rate at this location is also under the posted risk rates on medical sites. My primary dr inspected my incisions and removed my stitches, and said everything looked great. I have also traveled to the Sahara Desert in Africa and lived in a mud hut for a week. In my group of 7 Americans, I was the only one not to get sick. I may have a greater resistance than others. I had very little pain overall and took no pain meds after my flight home which was three days after surgery. I went back to work the next day. I was tired and weak from having liquids only, but otherwise fine. I moved into soft mushy foods by the end of the first week, had no issues and it made me feel much better. The mental aspect of the surgery has been much harder than the physical for sure. Please feel free to ask me anything. Nothing embarrasses me : ) And again, read over several clinic websites, talk to the coordinators and then make your decision. All of these clinics want you to be healthy and happy with your surgery; it does them no good if they aren't doing their job. Good Luck with your research!

Congrats Carol!! You are doing amazing! And you are much more strict than me! LOL Good for you. I have taken a much softer approach - the mental has definitely been harder for me than the physical. If I cut back anymore, I would likely be looney. ok, loonier : ) I average 500 calories, less than 40 carbs, 60 or so Protein. I am lousy in the Water department, but was before surgery also. I feel fine so my body must be used to it. LOL If I count the one or two shakes I have every day, then I am close to 64 oz tho. Alcohol definitely hit me hard at first. I have had a couple of ounces of homemade lemoncello the past two nights, and it hasn't made me very loopy. It does have alot of sugar in it tho so will need to be a weekend treat : ) My first hard boiled egg was an experience as well! Even tho I took an hour to eat it! I have had some since tho as well as scrambled eggs and they have gone down just fine. Everytime I eat something new tho my stomach gurgles like crazy! Its actually pretty funny. Does it really keep track of post op foods??? Great post! Should be very useful to people considering surgery or recovering!

I wish I would have remembered to do pre-op measurements. There have definitely been weeks that I have lost very little weight but the jeans still fit looser. I am going to try to guesstimate my prior measurements using the clothes I know fit tightly. I had just bought my first pair of 16 jeans in December and am now shrinking out of my smallest 12's. At the volleyball tourney yesterday, a couple of the moms were teasing me because they said my drawers were looking sloppy. LOL What better compliment can you receive???? :thumbup:

Congrats on your recovery so far! I went to a recovery house so still had a nursing staff there to give injections for the next two days, but after I flew home 3 days after surgery, I never took another pain med. If you are doing fine now, you may be pleasantly surprised to see there really isn't much pain. Thank goodness! : ) If your final leak test is like mine, the nasty purple liquid will be more nauseating than the tea and jello! LOL A necessary evil tho. I did take my full size laptop when I had surgery, altho I didn't use it. I had email on my phone and was able to post here a few times from my phone. I mostly slept. I took it again this last trip (I went with TiffanyisMajor). It came in handy because I can remotely access my work pc, check up on real estate clients and the best part, I have a sling box on my home tv, so could continue to watch tv from home. Loved it! I wasn't on drugs this trip tho so needed more entertainment : )

I also prefer chocolate shakes. I have used Atkins Lo-Carb shakes for a few years. (Amway) Quixtar Nutrilite Chocolate is good too. The best for protein that I have found (without spending a fortune) is the Premier Chocolate Shakes at costco. They are 11 oz, 30 grams of Protein, 160 calories, 3 fat, 5 carbs (3 Fiber, 1 sugar). They have also been a comfort food for me. I have one almost every morning - takes about 2 hours to drink it, and sometimes another one later in the day if I won't be home for dinner.

I think you are being smart with your shopping. I was very surprised how my tastes changed afterwards. I actually didn't shop before hand - and stopped at a grocery store on the way home from the airport. Apple juice went down very well, cranberry or any other stronger flavors did not. I also had yogurt, premade Protein shakes, farina Cereal, potato Soup, mashed potatoes and cottage cheese later in the first week. Really made me feel better. Popcicles were amazing! On the days when I could not satisfy my thirst with big drinks, the popcicles really helped! Good Luck with your surgery and a speedy recovery!

Great attitude and advice for those having surgery after you or struggling with any of those issues now! Congrats on your progress!

Hey Tiffany! Have you stood on the scale yet??? Just curious if the IV fluids got to you or if you lost a few right after surgery : ) I have to say that hot dogs are not on my craving list. Tonite it was chocolate cake and brownies tho. LOL And a little glass of homemade lemoncello. I was surprised that it didn't hurt my tummy at all and was very relaxing! : ) Glad you are feeling so well !!

Krystal, I am glad you have another shot! And sleep apnea isn't so bad : ) I was diagnosed in January and got my cpap machine after my surgery in February. Seems the sleep apnea goes away for many people with weight loss. That is definitely what I am hoping for. I have adjusted to the machine fairly well, and I think I might be feeling a little better. If you do get one, see if they will let you have two masks. I started with the nostril pillows and about 2 weeks later also got a small mask. I rotate back and forth between the two; just depends on how I feel. good luck! I am hoping you will need the cpap just enough to qualify for surgery - then you can ditch it later! : )

I had surgery on a Thursday, flew home on Sunday and went into the office on Monday - and worked all week, usually 4-6 hours per day. Other than being tired and weak, I was fine and didn't have any pain. I think it depends alot upon your job and how physical it is as to when you can go back. I have had 9 surgeries and have always recovered quickly, going back to work in less than a week and on vacation 3 weeks after my hysterectomy. Stay positive : ) Don't over do it but also don't be afraid to move around. Good Luck!

I haven't had a c-section but did have a tummy tuck. Somewhat similar I think? I was opened from hip to hip, muscles cut and stretched, skin pulled snug. To me, the tummy tuck was much much worse than the lap sleeve surgery, altho the tt was day surgery and I was at home within an hour of the surgery. After the sleeve, I had chest pain from being inflated during surgery and some nausea. Within 24 hours, both were mostly gone. I flew home three days after surgery and never took another pain pill. I had no problems walking thru the airport or during the flight. I did splurge for the flight home and booked a first class, non stop 3 hour flight. The extra large comfy seat was wonderful - however not being able to take advantage of the free drinks and food was lousy! LOL My nerves were definitely on edge the day of surgery altho mainly I was mad at myself for not being able to lose the weight on my own. If you got thru a c-section, I think this will be lots easier for you! Good luck and a speedy recovery!

Congrats on your date! You will be so happy with your sleeve! It is an amazing tool : ) I wish I would have known about it sooner .... but truly, I needed the kick in the butt to get it done. It was very hard for me to admit "failure" and ask for help. However, after being told by two doctors in one week that I had to lose 50 lbs or more, I knew it had to be done. My advice to you would be to stay positive. You will feel yucky for a couple of days after surgery. Adjusting to a new eating style can be more of a mental than physical challenge. Look at the averages for weight loss and use it for general info, but do not get frustrated if your loss is at a different rate than someone else. When you get home, take a shower, put on clean clothes - and not pj's, go for a short walk or just around your house. You will feel better if you don't lay around in pj's all day. Good luck with your surgery! This will definitely change and improve your life!

I am sorry it has been a difficult few days for you. It really will get better every day. It is hard to get liquids in but it will you to heal. Congrats on your weight loss so far! You are off to a good start!

I didn't have bruising with any of my abdominal or lap surgeries. Worst I have ever had was when they tried to start iv's in my hands years ago. Never again! I looked like I had been in a fight and lost. And they finally had to start the iv in my wrist. Was awful!

thanks everyone : ) I have been smiling all day! I splurged and had two nutter butter Cookies. LOL Peanut Butter is good for you, right?? Goodlife ~ you will be a lightweight very soon! Fab ~ Tijuana was great! I thought about asking the driver to pull over so I could get a fish taco from a corner stand (I love those!) but was afraid it might be too greasy. Next time I will : )

Did you have to mention the S word?? Soda?? :crying: Good point there. We aren't buying any pop at home right now. My husband went on a health kick in January and my daughter did in the fall. Between a living skills class at school and high school sports, she doesn't eat much junk food at all. I totally agree about the dining out meal lasting for days. Even a cheap lean cuisine lasts a few nights : ) Congrats on being halfway to your goal!! That is awesome!

Well, we do all talk about being cheap dates and cheap drunks now : ) I did some quick math and think I could easily feed myself on $50 a week and probably less. I have a husband, teenage daughter and any number of her friends over in a week so I don't think our actual grocery bill has changed too much. Mainly I see a difference if we go out to dinner. And we are going out to eat less each week so that is probably where we are saving the most money. However, I have every intention of spending any "saved" money on new clothes : )

Celebrate your success! Do some walking and stick with the program. It will work! : ) Could you have lost this much without surgery?? I know that I couldn't do it. Congrats!!

It is so sad that you are receiving that kind of reaction. I was scared as hell to tell my primary, but she was very supportive. She even prints my weight chart for me during my followups because she is so proud of me! However, just like all patients have different opinions, so do doctors. My primary said that everything looked great when she took out my stitches. Another gal who used the same surgeon was told by her doctor that it was a terrible stitching job. go figure. My primary is a younger woman; what age group is your doctor in? Maybe it is an issue of teaching old dogs new tricks?? I am just guessing tho. I have been seeing several medical staff due to my bulging disks, sleep apnea and physical therapy. Not a single person has critized my surgery. In fact, several had never heard of the sleeve and were anxious to hear more about it so they could tell a fat friend! Now my 24 yr old daughter still thinks I am crazy, but that is par for the course for her. I rarely do anything right in her eyes. lol I hope that you will still go thru with your surgery! It is an awesome tool!!

LMAO at Santa Claus! That is a great story! : ) I always get headaches and feel yucky for the first couple of days doing lo carb. I don't know the difference between blood sugar and sugar, but it seems to be related to the withdrawals of not having sugar. It goes away after a few days.

When I had my first cosmetic surgery in 1999, the surgeon did suggest a cream that I was to use after a few weeks. I don't remember the details, sorry. However, when I had my tummy tuck in 2007, they did not suggest anything. My scars have slowly faded on their own - the ones from my lap gall bladder surgery in 2004 are hardly even visible. I do have bigger marks from the tummy tuck in a couple of places (where the drain was) and have wondered about having a little surgery to make those smaller - if that is possible. However, even a bikini bottom would cover them so its not really a big deal. Hope you are able to find something to help! :thumbup:

I DID IT!!! I have lost over the 30 lb mark!!!! Ok. The last couple of weeks, the scale has moved so slowly. I tried eating more, I did shakes twice a day instead of meals .... nothing seemed to work. I guess traveling was the answer! LOL I am a travel freak so that is truly just an excuse to travel more :thumbup:. I hadn't weighed myself since Monday morning - I didn't want to use the scales in Tijuana since all scales are different it seems. So, I "patiently" waited until this morning. I felt like I had lost tho because my jeans were looser. And sure enough! 161.6!! I can hardly beleive that I will be back in the 150's soon! It has been at least 5 years and probably longer since I weighed that much. I may have to hit a thrift store this weekend for jeans, unless I can dig up an old pair .... The sleeve is a wonderful tool. I am so glad that I stumbled across it when I was sure I was going to do the lapband. If anyone is considering it and isn't sure if it will work for them, I would highly suggest it - even if you have to pay out of pocket. I was addicted to food as much as probably anyone else. Starting out at what is usually referred to as a "lightweight", I was hoping to reach near my goal in about 6 months or so, but really didn't now if that was realistic. It certainly seems that I will get close now! I know the weight loss slows down, but slow and steady progress is fine. The main down fall at this time ... the new anniversary ring my husband recently bought me is almost falling off my finger : ( It will have to be sized soon :001_tongue:. "bummer" lol yahoo!!!!

I didn't do the liquid stage very well either. I was into soft mushy foods by the end of the first week. Mainly yogurt, cottage cheese, potato Soup, mixed fruit cups, mashed potatoes, sugar free pudding and Protein shakes - Atkins, Quixtar (Amway) brands and Premier that I found at costco. It has 30 protein in 11 oz. I needed the substance to feel better and not so weak and tired. Hang in there! It will get easier : )