Let's get to know each other before our surgery...I'll go first.

My name is Amy (37 years old). I live in central FL with my husband and two kids, 3 yo DS and 4.5 yo DD. I work in IT doing technical writing and operational readiness. I love photography and have a small side business, and when I'm thinner, I really enjoy running and spinning.

I was banded in Nov 2009 at 374 lbs. From my banding until Dec 2011 (2 years), I lost 198 lbs. I was thrilled! Despite the occasional vomit and inability to eat certain foods, I was still 99.9% happy with my band. Right after Christmas this year, however, I got a terrible upper respiratory infection. I coughed and coughed and coughed. I coughed until I puked, which caused a slip.

I got a complete unfill in early January. Once the slip was fixed, I started getting fills. But then my band developed a leak and slipped once again. Since the surgeon I was seeing was less than helpful, I found a new surgeon, Dr. Domkowski, who finally treated me without acting like I was crazy, as my last surgeon did. Based on his recommendations and test results, we decided to do the removal and sleeve in two separate surgeries.

Dr. D removed my band on August 3, 2012. Because of the extent of damage done by the band, including scarring and pulling the fundus through the diaphragm, I am waiting around four months to be sleeved. I'd love to be banded on November 25, which would have been the three year anniversary of my band.

I've gained about 70 lbs since December. Sigh. The good news is my surgeon is not at all concerned about my weight gain. He is 100% convinced that I'll lose it all once I'm sleeved, since I was so successful with the band. I'm a bit of a goody two-shoes, and I followed the rules to a "T", and I intend to do the same with the sleeve.

I hope the next four months fly by!

What kind of protein powder are you using? I use nectar protein (choc and vanilla) which are pretty good.... And I've been using the torani sugar free syrups to flavor them here and there so i don't get sick of them! Using sf vanilla torani in the oatmeal might help the wallpaper paste issue too!

It is medifast. That is what the surgeon puts all of his patients on for two weeks. I'll try the syrup. Thanks!

Surgery postponed until next week. My primary physician failed to complete a form so my insurance company was unable to okay next (rhatshmittmudderflucker!!!)

It's almost 6 pm and I am so ready for bed so I can wake up and head for the hospital . So excited to get to know my new body. I will not be a failure I don't want to let my family down but most importantly myself. See y'all in a few days to report in. Goodnight

finally found a flavor i can tolerate out of my samples..nectar chocolate truffle with skim milk, it tastes just like chocolate milk and I'm not having any trouble with it as it goes down.

Will be praying for all the Nov. 20 sleevers. Good luck to all.....let us know how it Goes. We'll be looking forward to seeing you on the loser's bench!

That's awesome, we are losing at the same pace! I am in the great state of Ohio! I don't know about you but I think I already feel different , even better already!

Or maybe I'm crazy, lol! I am also allowed to at normal food. Right now I'm on mashies but the only thing that really sits well is refried beans! Who knew I would love refried beans so much?

I was told no carbs period for at least 6 months. Then the only carbs I am allowed are from fruits and veggies. No starches. The thing is, we can try to negotiate or cajole with ourselves all we want. At the end of the day we know what is the right thing. We just have to look at the sleeve as a do-over and make the right choices from there on out. Trying to justify our bad choices post sleeve is no different than what we did to get ourselves to the sizes and lifestyles we had become accustomed to.

Lets do it the right way...so that we have the best results we can. That's my two cents.

God Bless You, Tallysfunny. I am sure you didn't mean to imply that Jessielynn had made a bad choice with her refried beans. She cetainly is doing it the right way just as you suggested she should. She and I have the same surgeon and NUT. After 10 days they add soft foods, one being fat free refried beans. Their stated goal is to help us maintain optimal nutritional health/balance. The NUT particularly likes adding refried beans because of it's high protein and fat free refried beans are, well, fat free. Can't beat that! My day ten will be 11/22 and I'll be hitting the cottage cheese! Yum!!

Each surgeon has his own post op diet plan. Your doctor's plan is different than ours and each person on here will have a variation of the basic "healing your sleeve" plan. Because your doc doesn't allow a food that another does, doesn't make either plan wrong. Just different.

Just attended my nutrition class and got my pre-op diet food. Surgery is next Monday, so only one week pre-op. Doc has me on post op plan of 1week clear liquids, 3 weeks purée and 8 weeks soft. I'm excited to get this journey started!

Thanks so much to everyone for all the great tips!

A lil nervous....... I was sleeved on 11/12/12. Everyhing seemed fine everything was goin ok. I was able to eat things that wasn't on the diet & now I'm having some pain I called my doctor & he told me it doesn't sound like a leak but idk I'm having pain that comes & goes I have been doing a lot walkin around & shopping & lifting bags so idk what 2 think I need so help from u vets again.

Good luck to all who get sleeved tomorrow. My surgery is at 2 and I'm a bit nervous, but its the first day of the rest of our lives. Be proud, be strong and be happy :-)

finally found a flavor i can tolerate out of my samples..nectar chocolate truffle with skim milk' date=' it tastes just like chocolate milk and I'm not having any trouble with it as it goes down.[/quote']

That's what I use too! The vanilla bean torte is pretty good too.... I use sugar free syrups to flavor it..... Also do a vanilla shake warmed up a bit with caramel sf syrup and a half packet of Starbucks decaf instant coffee. Tastes similar to a caramel macchiato

Getting ready to go the the hospital!! Nervous....nervous....nervous!

Just attended my nutrition class and got my pre-op diet food. Surgery is next Monday' date=' so only one week pre-op. Doc has me on post op plan of 1week clear liquids, 3 weeks purée and 8 weeks soft. I'm excited to get this journey started![/quote']

I know the feeling. I have an appointment today to get the specifics of my preop diet. I start tomorrow.

Worried that something will go wrong like having a leak or something. Excited and scared.

Good morning I know that for myself as we'll as a few others today is OUR DAY! In 15 minutes they start the Iv and soon afterwards I'm taken back. November 2012 best month ever!!

Good morning I know that for myself as we'll as a few others today is OUR DAY! In 15 minutes they start the Iv and soon afterwards I'm taken back. November 2012 best month ever!!

Yes it is Nov will always be special! Nov 14 here good luck sweetie see u on the mm losers bench!