Like any addict, I've always believed I could solve this on my own. I always said that my mind and my mouth got me into this, my mind and my mouth will get me out of it! I've yo-yo'd all my life and now tipping the scale over 350 pounds (after gaining back a lot of weight) it's now time for me to get serious about weight loss again.

I think (think possibly being the operative word) that I am an anomaly. I know I am heavy, but I am healthy. I am not diabetic, I don't have heart disease, high blood pressure / cholosterol, or sleep aptnea, etc. My bloodwork is near perfect and I can exercise with minimal joint pain. I don't have any psychological scars for why I over eat. I just LOVE being a foodie!

Since my insurance doesn't cover the sleeve, I decided to pay cash. My surgery date is scheduled for February 28th, 2011.

I'm freaking out!

My Surgeon (liquid has me mourning my friend, food already.

If I applied myself I know I can do this on my own (again) and I keep asking myself, do I really need to be cut up in order to lose the wieight?

I read on another post here that it takes MONTHS to shrink the liver and that Dr's just say that to get your head in the game. I'm not looking for an excuse, I'll do the liquid thing pre-op like a good little girl but did your doctor say to shrink the fat around your liver? (honestly, I can't remember if mine actually said anything about the liver or if it's just what I've heard before and it has stuck in my head).

Dr Kim is my surgeon too!! I was told during one of my insurance required classes that the 2 week pre-op liquid diet is to help shrink the fatty liver to make it easier to access the stomach.

I will do my best to stay on the liquid diet but 2 weeks is a long time without food and without the sleeve to help me! My surgery date is Feb 14. Good luck to you!

Yes, he said he wanted my liver to be as small as possible because he had to work around it. High protein, low carb diets tend to get rid of excess water and presumably, this includes the liver as well. So I tried. In the end, there are many different pre and post op diets depending on surgeon which is confusing and raises questions as we read these postings.

Dr Kim is my surgeon too!! I was told during one of my insurance required classes that the 2 week pre-op liquid diet is to help shrink the fatty liver to make it easier to access the stomach.

I will do my best to stay on the liquid diet but 2 weeks is a long time without food and without the sleeve to help me! My surgery date is Feb 14. Good luck to you!

Since I'm paying cash this is happening very fast. I only have 1 meeting two weeks prior to talk with the nutritionist so I'm getting most of my info on this forum. I'd like to add you as a friend so that I can follow your progress and stay in touch regarding your experience with Dr. Kim.

Kelly, this journey is an emotional rollercoaster. Early on I felt the same way. I know I can do this on my own BUT IF that is true why am I this over weight. It finally hit me that I NEED HELP!!!! I'm one week out today and very happy! When I started my PRE-DIET and lost so much weight, my husband said see you can do it on your own you don't need surgery. I said I ONLY lost it because I knew I HAD TO before surgery. I can't tell you the TIMES I wanted to CHEAT and EAT but I kept telling myself it will hinder my surgery if I eat that! If I wasn't having the surgery then I KNOW I would have ate THOSE pork rib!

So ask yourself this....Can I lose the weight myself? Can I KEEP it OFF or will I go back to my old habits? For me I've ALWAYS gone back to my old habits! I know this is TOOL to help us lose weight and it will still be up to us to keep it off but for me it is the TOOL that I needed!!!

GOOD LUCK and you will do JUST FINE!!!