TStew

That made me laugh! lol Thanks I always thought I would be a huge baby but instead, I'm just a bitch! lol Not really if they are nice to me but I get irritable REALLY easy. Zero to bitch in .5 seconds!

Where do you get protein shots?

But do you think it will matter that it's a surgeon in MX that is not licensed in the States? I called yesterday and waited on hold for about 30 minutes and then the girls said she couldn't answer my question. She saidI would have to apply to find out but I can't apply until 9 days after the surgery! Makes a LOT of sense.

They're really not a big deal but I hope I don't have to have one!!! I had one before and it was a little gross having to empty it. I got over it quickly but others got pretty grossed out when they saw it. The worst part was when they pulled it out. It wasn't terrible but it did hurt a bit as it was yanked out. Once it was out the pain was pretty much gone. I was so just so damn happy to have it out I didn't care.

I'm a little more excited than scared at this point. I'm doing it alone and I'm very thankful that I've met two others that will be there at the same time (although I'm the only surgery scheduled for Saturday). I'm mostly scared about my oldest sister who is my only family in San Diego and what she will be saying about me while she's visiting family in MI for two weeks. She's leaving the day I'm scheduled to get home and I seem to be her favorite topic for gossip. I'm not even sure if I want people to know but if she knows, my whole family will know before the new year. Hopefully she won't pull in forces and have my whole family gang up on me and try to talk me out of it! Nothing like a lil' family support!! lol I'm so ready to get his over with and get on with my life! I wish Dr. Aceves could just put me to sleep wth a Protein filled IV until I'm ready for mushies! The liquid diet is going to be really tough for me. I'm used to drinking 'not so tasty' things like raw egg and greens smoothies BUT I drink with a straw and I down it in about two drinks so I don't have to smell it. I used to have my blender at work and make them there and my coworkers called it the 'Fear Factor Breakfast'. Anyway, I read that straws will likely cause gas and you have to sip sip sip. I'm sooooo not a sipper and I use a straw for EVERYTHING - even hot tea! I got into the habit so I wouldn't stain my teeth and now I hate liquid against my lips and teeth. I'm ready for the old me to fight her way out of this fat suit!!

Thanks Rtrem! Jennchap - GREAT POINT! I'm sure it will be much easier now!! LOL

I was just reading about this on another site. People suggested putting it in yogurt, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, and any cold liquid mixture. Someone also mentioned that if you put it in something cool you can heat it very slowly and it doesn't clump.

I had one several months ago and there was discomfort but not real pain. I was SHOCKED when the Gastroentologist told me I had an enlarged liver just be feeling it! My blood tests have always been normal so it was very depressing to find out that I have a fatty/enlarged liver. He is the one that put WLS in my head. At first I was insulted and pissed off that he had the nerve to say that to me but I started researching and I hope to get sleeved in December (hoping I don't chicken out). I panicked and did a ton of research after finding out about my liver and the good thing is that the liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself. The bad thing is that if it gets bad enough it turns to cirrhosis and that is permanent damage. One of the things that opened my mind to WLS. I have the liver of a heavy drinker and I don't drink at all.

I would think that you're also going through some detox in addition to food withdrawals. When you cut the sugar and carbs and all that other stuff it's not uncommon to feel like total crap and get headaches and other discomfort. I did a 21 day juice cleanse once and I remember that it was supposed to take ten days for most of the toxins to be cleaned out. It was tough. I don't know how I did it because I had a fiboid tumor removed in Aug and I had to do a bowel prep and one day on Clear liquids about killed me!! Just stay strong and from what I've read - after surgery it doesn't even matter because you're not hungry at all. It's much easier to do the liquids only after surgery. Have you ever heard of EFT? It stands for 'Emotional Freedom Technique" and it's a form of self acupressure. You make a statement and tap on different areas of your face, neck and chest and after a few cycles the craving or the anger or whatever negative emotion you are feeling is just GONE. In minutes.... It's amazing! It really does work. I know there will be someone ripping me for giving out information without scientific proof that it works but I don't give a crap. I have a holistic background and I'm open to anything that WORKS whether there is scientific proof or not. I was taught EFT by a therapist in a professional setting and it WORKS. Gary Craig has a ton of free informtion on the web and there are many videos on Youtube that show you how to do the tapping.

This is about the crap that gets ADDED TO OUR food to make it taste better and make us crave more and eat more and choose one product over another. It is a conspiracy and it's not a theory. Junk manufactures want us addicted and they will do whatever it takes to make us buy and eat their products. It's all about money and it is up to us to educate ourselves and make informed decisions (or not). Maybe you should consider the long term effects of eating small amounts. This is my last reply on this post. I'm not into all this drama.

I've been reading as much as I can here and I appreciate the sharing of information so much! I'm scared and I want to educate myself as much as possible before having this surgery. I keep reading about the WLS diet consisting of broth and Ramen noodles and such. This seems to be a staple of the post surgery diet and most of these things contain MSG. Not all, you can find products that are free of additives. Trust me, there ARE healthier products out there. It may take some work to find them but they're out there. The less ingredients, the better! I'm not trying to preach or ruin your day by telling you that things you love are bad but I'm sure many people don't realize exactly what it is and what it does (like me a year ago) and I think some people would want to know so that they can make changes to avoid it. If you don't, please don't pay any attention to this post and please keep your negative comments to yourself. I'm just sharing.... I keep reading about Ramen noodles and trust me - I LOVE RAMEN NOODLES. However, these days I get extremely sick when I eat them. I learned why about a year ago. MSG. Be careful with MSG. There is a very good chance that it's the reason we are all overweight and we're all here. Everyone reacts to things differently but there is plenty of scientific evidence proving this stuff is dangerous. Scientists cannot find naturally obese rats so they inject MSG into rats at birth to make them obese. Crazy, huh? There is more about that in the link below. MSG is in so many Soups and spice packets and powders. It's an excitotoxin. When you consume it, it does things to your brain that makes you want more more more and overeat. It's scientifically proven to cause obesity by messing with the pancreas and insulin and it's as addictive as nicotine so you overeat often and you crave the products that you've eaten that have MSG. Any chip with powder or cheese on it, most soups, etc. I'm very sensitive to it and get a terrible headache and nausea when I eat it on accident (which is unbelievably easy to do). food preparers are often unaware that they're even using MSG. Labels can be misleading. A label that says "No MSG added" doesn't necessarily mean that the food is free of MSG, it simply means that the manufacturer didn't put in additional MSG. MSG goes under many aliases, one of the most common being "hydrolyzed vegetable Protein," an additive used to increase the protein content of a wide variety of foods. Manufacturers also hide MSG as part of "natural flavorings," because it is a natural product. But being natural is not the same as being harmless. Below is a partial list of the most common names for disguised MSG. Remember also that the powerful excitotoxins aspartate and L-cysteine are frequently added to foods and, according to FDA rules, require no labeling at all. Additives that always contain MSG Monosodium Glutamate Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Hydrolyzed Protein Hydrolyzed Plant Protein Plant Protein Extract Sodium Caseinate Calcium Caseinate Yeast Extract Textured Protein Autolyzed Yeast Hydrolyzed Oat Flour Terms that frequently indicate hidden MSG additives Malt extract Bouillon Broth Stock Flavoring Natural Flavoring Natural Beef or chicken Flavoring Seasoning Spices Additives that may contain MSG or excitotoxins Carrageenan Enzymes Soy Protein Concentrate Soy Protein Isolate whey Protein Concentrate Protease enzymes of various sources can release excitotoxin amino acids from food Proteins. Reference For more information, see: Blaylock, Russell L., M.D. Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills, Health Press, Santa Fe, NM 87504, 1994. Schwartz, George R., M.D. and Schwartz, Kathleen A. In Bad Taste: The MSG Symptom Complex, Health Press, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

I don't need a scientific study to prove that garlic makes me fart. I'm smart enough to realize that I'm reactive to certain substances or foods. MSG gives me headaches and I'm sure there are millions of other sensitive people that react to it as well. I’m not about to put that stuff in my body after all of the articles I’ve read. Scientific studies can be very tricky. First of all, who do you think funds the millions of dollars for these studies?!? People interested in making money. Bottom line. I don't know if there are any reputable studies proving it's dangerous or not but if there isn't, it's because there isn’t anybody who will make any money from proving it's unhealthy. I'm sure there are plenty of studies that show it's not dangerous and I wonder who paid for THOSE studies... Hmmmmmm.... The companies who put it in their food maybe? Follow the money trail... If I cared about your opinion I might take the time to find out about scientific studies but I don’t so I won’t…. I trust my doctor, I trust my nutritionist / naturopath, I trust my chiropractor and yes, I trust the millions of articles that try to get through to people about how dangerous it is and what it will do to your health in the long term. To those of you that agree with the rude and condescending post above, read the article again before you jump on the denial bandwagon... Maybe a little slower this time? It doesn't say that MSG MADE you fat. It states that MSG contributes to obesity. BIG DIFFERENCE. If you choose to eat it, that's your choice. If you choose to remain ignorant of the dangers, it's another personal choice you are free to make. After all, ignorance really is bliss in most cases. I'm just sharing information that I believe in and consider valuable. The smart ones will do their own research and trust their own instincts. Whether you agree or not is totally up to you but I'm not about to be intimidated and/or discouraged from sharing information. If you don't like it or don't like me, please click on the next post. I'm here for support, not drama.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">

I have a pdf version saved if anyone wants it. Just send me an email address and I'll be happy to share.

I would just use the serving size of Protein powder and a little bit less liquid than it called for and I would use water because the egg would thicken it up a bit. Never tried it with a shaker -always a blender. It does sound gross but I use to look forward to that Breakfast because it was the only time of the day I felt good! Because its raw it needs little digestion and you feel great almost immediately. It's not gross at all though - it just makes it creamier! Once in a while I would taste a little yolk because I only blended for a few seconds but I love yolk so it didn't gross me out or anything. Please buy organic / free range eggs though. I don't know how much a difference it makes but these eggs are coming from much healthier chickens and I just feel much safer!

Hello, I just commented on a post about what kinds of things you can do in the hospital during recovery. I mentioned the Health Journeys CDs because that's what I did when I had my last surgery (uterine fibroid) and it helped me relax and pass the time in a constructive way. I did not have the surgery CD at the time, I was listening to general wellness and pain CDs (more for the deep breathing and relaxation - I've grown very fond of Bellaruth's voice). It did help me and I've already ordered the CD for surgery (they have one for everything). Check it out at http://www.healthjourneys.com/Product_Detail.aspx?on=1&id=29&mcid=10&catid=, great reviews and there are some audio samples as well. No, I don't sell these and have nothing to do with the website. To be honest, I didn't like her voice or the weird things she says on the CDs when I first heard them but it was part of the pain mgmt program I was lucky enough to be a part of I did it along with everyone else. It didn't take long to realize that there was no denying how relaxed and good I felt later that night (after doing a tape) and even the next day. I had to buy some of my own. Unfortunately, they're just collecting dust at the moment. I'm going to do the surgery one every day (scheduling with Dr. Aceves mid December) and hope for the best. I feel better already as I've been quite anxious lately and worried about my decisions.

lol - I love that!!

A woman wrote about this but I'm not familiar enough with the site to be able to go find her post.... She also had her surgery with Dr. Aceves and she said the first day she slept a lot and little interest in anything else. However, after day one it was a different story and she was quite bored. She said that they have wireless internet so if you have a laptop - bring it! She also mentioned that the TV only has Spanish stations so that did not hold her attention. I'm thinking of buying a portable DVD player and my sister has a little Nintendo game player and I'll try to borrow that and her iPod as well (since I don't have a laptop). She said that magazines are way better than a book because it's hard to concentrate when you're being given pain meds. Someone also mentioned crafts (knitting, etc.) to pass the time. I just had a uterine fibroid removed and was in the hospital for two days. I felt like crap and on the second day I tried doing deep breathing exercises and healing mediations (visualization) and I brought a portable DVD player with some guided imagery CDs that I bought from www.healthjourneys.com It's a good way to pass the time and help your body get in the healing mode. Health Journeys has CD's for EVERYTHING. The ones I have are for Fibromyalgia pain and general well being and stress but they have one specifically for surgery and I ordered it the other day ($20+shipping). Before anyone jumps to conclusions, NO, I'm not selling it and I don't work for Health Journeys. I learned about Bellaruth Naprosek when I took pain mgmt classes at the hospital. They had us listen to these and at first I thought it was a joke but I felt so relaxed afterward that I bought some for myself. Here is the surgery tape: http://www.healthjou...9&mcid=10= (great reviews!!) Good luck! I'm thinking about 12/17 but still haven't scheduled.

I know, I'm pretty lazy too (especially in the morning). I haven't done the brushing in a while but I'm starting (tomorrow - hahaha) because of this surgery. I'm going to hang the brush right outside my shower so I always see it before getting in. I always think about the brushing after I'm already in the shower and it's too late at that point.

Thanks for your helpful comments! I think I'm going to use the patch and ask for something more just to be sure!

I had laproscopic surgery in August (fibroid tumor) and the surgeon gave me something that would stop me from getting nauseous after surgery. Believe it or not, I forgot to use it (you have to put it on the night before) but luckily I didn't have any problems. It's a patch that you put behind your ear the night before surgery and just leave it there. The information from the box: TRANSDERM SCOP PATCH SCOPOLAMINE HYDROBROMADE 1.5 mg Each patch is programmed to deliver in vivo approximately 1.0 mg over 3 days. This is a medication for motion sickness / traveling but my surgeon said that it works well for surgery patients. After reading about the nausea issues I'm definitely going to email Nina and ask if I can use it because the throught of throwing up after that kind of stomach surgery scares the crap out of me!

Toxins are stored in fat cells. Hopefully it will eventually clear up.... I'm sure I will have the same problem

What about seeing another surgeon to get a second oppinion?

* Stevia - Very healthy! Can also be used for baking. Comes in a powder or a liquid (I like the liquid better but it's easy to put too much). It's an herb so the taste (and aftertaste take a little getting used to). A company called Stevia Leaf (I think) makes liquid flavored Stevia sweeteners in all sorts of flavors. * Lo Han or Liu Han (inulin) Feeds good bacteria in intestines (very expensive!) * Yacon – Peruvian Tuber (FOS) Syrup - Amazing therapeutic properties. The body is not able to break it down as sugar and it passes through and then promotes the good bacteria in the intestines. Tastes like a cross between honey and molasses – a good, inexpensive brand is Amazon Therapeutic (brown glass jar and red label) sells for $16 for 16 oz jar. I use this in my oatmeal and I LOVE IT! * Xylitol – Has antibacterial properties. You should always carry mints (look for Spry mints) or gum sweetened with this if you can’t brush after a meal. It’s being used more and more in foods and toothpastes and such! Very healthy and affordable! * Arithratol (sp) is also antibacterial.

I'm not uncomfortable with the culture but I don't speak a lick of Spanish or even Spanglish. I've lived here for less than 10 yrs. I so wish I could move the date and have someone there because I'm going to do it alone! However, I have an office party to plan and my office is closed between Christmas and New Years and I'm forced to use vacation time that week. Otherwise, I would change the date in a second.

Hi Rob, Same boat.... I was considering the band and went to a required seminar and found out two things that I didn't know. 1. You had to keep it for life. 2. You had some pretty serious follow up to contend with. After I got online and started researching, I quickly realized that I'm not willing to deal with that nightmare. I'm in San Diego and I also have Blue Cross PPO (Anthem) and after pulling teeth to finally talk to somene who could confirm that the sleeve was indeed covered, I found out that Blue Cross considers it 'investigational' and does not cover at all. They will cover the bypass or the band but not the sleeve. Also, I would have to have any bariatric surgery at a COE for it to be covered and that severely limits your choice in doctors unless you're willing to travel far and wide. I was very disappointed and I went to the appt with my surgeon and talked to him about it. He explained that this surgery was a life changing decision and I should not even consider going with something or someone I'm not comfortable with and he ensured me that they would probably cover the sleeve in the next few years. He also told me that the cash price here would be in the tens of thousands (hospital alone would be nearly $20k). I started reading about Mexico surgeons and kept coming across Dr. Aceves name. I know that people are hired to get his name out there and say good things to bring in pateints but I find so much and so many people who claim he was their surgeon and he is awesome. I think it's a sign that he is only 2 hrs away from me and will actually pick me up at home (I live near airport) and bring me back home. I'm considering mid December but I haven't made my final decision about it yet. I can't afford it but I'm so ready and if I need to go further into debt to get it so be it....