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LOL Fab! anything else cause gas for you?? : ) You have lost a few more pounds, haven't you?? like about 6?? yea!

It seems to me that someone would really have to go crazy with what they were eating to gain back alot of weight. I am curious to see how I will do on a cruise next month. I will be 5 months out. I don't think I will be able to eat too much - but do plan to eat dessert with every meal! However, I will also be taking the stairs instead of the elevator : ) My issue now ... is wanting a healthy treat in the afternoons. I was going to go back to the Atkins lo carb bars but they have so many calories! Any ideas what is worse: calories or carbs??

I can do a little soda! Settles better if it is a little flat but it is nummy! It does make me burp tho : ( LOL

I haven't had any gas at all since immediately post op. The only discomfort I have had (other than eating too much or too fast sometimes! LOL) is if I am due or overdue to poop. sheesh! where else can we talk about poop so easily??? I have had a few fries and bites of burgers. Might sit heavy in my stomach but hasn't caused any real pain or gas. Good luck! I hope you get it figured out soon!

Amazing job Jim!!!! You should be very proud of yourself!! It is great to hear how many people are able to decrease their meds and medical issues by losing weight. That alone should encourage insurance companies to pay for the surgery. So stupid that many don't. Even for me, with a lower starting BMI, my insurance company has spent well over $50,000 in the last year alone for related issues with my back, sleep apnea, etc. Even my non-related digestion issues have disappeared post-op! Congrats again on your weight loss and exercise! You are a huge encouragement to others!

me too! LOL It must just be part of the deal : ) for me, it is mainly after I eat. Some people have said before that they thought it was a signal that they were full. It is mostly annoying if I am out to eat or with other people. It does disappear after the meal settles. I am hoping it eventually goes away tho!

that is so cool! I miss my gma so much! We were so much alike! Six months before she died, we took an Alaskan cruise - another one of those things she wanted to cross off her bucket list. She wasn't real healthy at the time and had just gotten out of the hospital ... but she still got up at dinner to dance with the waiters during their songs!! LOL I was with her when she took her final breath. It was so very peaceful. I am glad to hear you have such a great grandma and she will be with you! This surgery is an amazing tool!!

So glad so many changed from lapband to sleeve! Even if it was at the last minute! LOL I changed about a week after I scheduled my surgery .... so glad that I did! I knew nothing about the sleeve surgery. Started reading about band issues and those who did sleeve instead on another website - thank goodness! cg ~ are you flying thru Charlotte on the 10th?? I will be there briefly on the 8th and 10th, but probably too late in the day to run into you at the airport. cg and rebel: Hope your surgeries go smoothly! I am getting very close to a shopping trip in San Diego! Juanito's bf works at the Michael Kors store there .... he promised to dress me when I was done losing weight! Juanito is the English speaking sweet guy who will review your paperwork and interpret for Dr. A. He is truly a sweetheart! If you need anything or have any questions, he is great about getting answers and making sure you are taken care of : ) If you tell him that you are really nervous before surgery, he will also tell the dr so you can have valium in your iv!

congrats 4Me! sounds like you are off to a great start! I will agree - I was starving for the first couple of days after surgery! Once I was able to have something tho, it helped alot. hope your recovery continues to go smoothly! Mommaof4 ~ you are doing very good! congrats on the loss! texaschick ~ it does get very scary as it gets closer! typical no matter what kind of surgery it is : ) ask for a little valium in your iv, it really does wonders to relax you before surgery!

wishing both of you uneventful surgeries and smooth recoveries! it is amazing "on the other side"!!

Congrats to you! I am glad that you are putting yourself first for a little while . And I am sure your husband would totally support your decision, if he is not able to now. You could easily have 20 or more years left in this world and definitely deserve to enjoy it to the fullest! Three out of my four grandparents lived into their mid to late 80's ... so I am hoping for the best for myself! BJean ~ my 2cents. We all kinda grab a goal weight when we go into this surgery. I did try to use some average weight charts for someone of my height and a medium build, and a healthy BMI to pick 128. Will I get there? I have no idea. My goal before I ever considered surgery was just to get back into single digit jeans. I bought 8's yesterday and currently weigh 153. I would love to get into the 130's or 140's. I picked 128 because it sounded exciting. LOL However, I also look at friends who have either lost weight to get that small or have always been that small - and many of them don't look very healthy and/or have lots of wrinkles. I don't want that and will stay a little heavier to avoid it. My point. Maybe losing 64 pounds is where your body is healthy and happy. I also have Snacks when I want them. I think that is mentally healthy : ) 60+ pounds is great! :wink1:

very good advice! I remember doing that!

more awesome news Carrie!! congrats!

Hi Lee! haven't talked to you forever!! and you are kicking my butt with weight loss!! LOL and with your amount of exercise, you are probably in lots better shape! : ) good for you! :001_tt2:

Can you confirm "folds it in on itself"?? Do you mean he tucks the extra inside the stomach?? If so, interesting. And the flap that would then be inside the stomach doesn't cause any issues?? Will try to find it on youtube.

It is finally officiall!! I am down 40 pounds exactly since surgery day! The last week or so the scale has been teasing me for sure! Has been bouncing between 153.6 and 154's. After having two really good BM's yesterday (LMAO), I just "knew" that today would be the day! The scale didn't disappoint me and I was so happy to see 153.0 this morning! I am flying to Alabama on Monday night; will go to my son's family day at the airfield on Tuesday afternoon; and then to his flight school graduation on Wednesday morning. He had better notice or else! LOL On Wednesday night, I am having dinner with Samantha! Will give her a last minute pep talk, it will be ok, don't be nervous chat. :wink1: sleep thru the first two days ... then all will be good. LOL I have been eating green salad now for about a week. I am so very happy! I have missed salad so much! It will make lunch so much easier! And also going out to eat. I can get a side salad and then just sneak bites from everyone else! Clothes ~ Size 8 !!!! Went shopping yesterday for clothes for the trip. I must say tho that I am not excited about 100 degrees!! Only bought one pair of capris. Can dress them up or down for the 2 events. I also bought several nicer tshirts in mediums and larges. I have been going to Curves. So far so good! My upper MRI came back with minimal issues. Dr is hoping that strengthening of the upper back/shoulder muscles will help. The lower back is doing great! Altho, history shows it only takes one bad move and it is out. I am being careful tho, squatting and not bending, not twisting, and not lifting anything heavy. So, life is good! :001_tt2: I will be spending most of July in a swimsuit so hoping for a little more firming in the hip area but other than that, all is well!

Sorry Bryan, I have not been online very often lately! I think it is Mini-Me who goes to a support group up in Everett?? I will do a quick search next and then send you a pm. I actually live south of Seattle.

More good ideas! thanks! I had to buy something yesterday to wear to my son's graduation on Wednesday. I ended up at Walmart ... bought a size 8 pair of capris ($7) and several nicer tshirts ($3.5-$7). The shirts were all Med or Larges. Darn bust line is not getting smaller at all!!! LOL I also got a new pair of danskin workout capris and a matching tank top. Anything that was looser, I got in a medium. The tighter shirts I got large. My teen daughter is very adamant that I will need a reduction. LOL Funny, as tight as these young girls want to wear their shirts and show off cleavage!! Not ok for mom tho! haha! Stephanie ~ good idea about the slits! I am thinking that would be cute for summer!

Hard question - one reason is even if ABC Insurance has covered it for one person, another person might get turned down even if they have the same insurance because their specific policy is different. When I was choosing insurance coverage for our employees, I had the selection of many different programs offering 100 (almost literally) options. It was a huge headache. You might try finding people locally to you who have had surgery covered by their insurance, and then find out where they work : ) Alot of local surgery providers might have websites with success stories. That might be somewhere to start?? Good luck! Be creative and it will happen!

I am not strictly monitoring my food at this point. I have done lo carb for so long that it pretty much comes naturally. LOL I eat decent 95% of the time, very little bread, potatoes, rice. Happily getting back into salad now! yea! I do have a treat when I want it. Hasn't affected my weight loss that I have seen. I stick around 500-700 calories, 60+ Protein, under 40 carbs and <30 fat. However, after starting to exercise last week .... I have only lost .4!! ugh!! and who said exercise was good????? LOL Probably just a coincidence, I hope!

At two weeks, I was definitely sticking to 2 ounces at a time, not going over at all. Eating alot of mashed potatoes with shredded cheese on top (nummy), cottage cheese, potato Soup. Warmed up peach crystal lite or decaf tea. Premier chocolate shakes (Costco). They are 11 ounces and took me 2 hours to drink. Fish was good; also did deviled ham and chicken - altho they are a little spicy. I think that's about the time I started hard boiled eggs - deviled egg style. I love the fake crab with a little cocktail sauce. Also found some seafood dip at costco that is only about 60 calories for an ounce, a few Protein and not many carbs. It was in the speciality meat/dip/fish fresh area, near the artichoke dip?? oh! sugar free pudding and Jello. good for those times when you just want something in your stomach : ) I still eat about every 2-3 hours - even if it is just a few bites.

congrats on your date! it seems far away but will go by quicky : ) and think positively, you have plenty of time to enjoy all of your favorite foods one more time before then! LOL

wow! you are really shrinking!!!! you look great!! I think trying on clothes is almost as good, and sometimes better, than getting on the scale! I spent almost an hour tonite trying on old clothes - you know, the kind that still have tags on them cause I was gonna loose weight and then they would fit?? LOL Tonite most of them did! Couldn't zip up a few but got close. I don't need them until the end of July so there is still time! : ) You will look fabulous for the wedding! How exciting!!

good idea too! I went thru the first few sizes quickly and now have been in 10's for a few weeks. They are kinda loose but not quite ready for 8's yet.

I think my paperwork said 10-12 days. Too early - your incisions might re-open; wait too long and the skin might grow around them making it more uncomfortable to remove them. I have had that issue with staples and stitches before. My primary doctor removed mine at about 12 days and placed steri strips over the incisions. I was to leave those on until the fell off, trimming the ends as they pulled away. She did say that my stitches/incisions looked great! They are fading quite a bit. The scars from a prior lap surgery in 2004 are hardly even visible.