mountain_lover

I finally figured out how to put my ticker ruler on here. I am down to 232 pounds now. I hope I will lose some more the next 9 days on this pre-op diet of Protein milkshakes, Water and Protein Bars. I went to the flea market this weekend, and I was so happy that I found a plastic smoothie POPS@ container to freeze my milkshake into popsicles. They have 4 long ones on it and the plastic sticks with rubbery grips that you put on top before you freeze them. I don't know if they have them at Wal-mart or not but I am sure they might have something like them. I used them just a few minutes ago when I made my chocolate milkshake. When I poured it into them, I still had half of the mixture left (which I freeze in my plactic mug that has water inside it that freezes in the freezer, and it makes it like ice cream. Then later I can eat it when I need it, and it stays frozen until I get done eating it). I read on my pre-op diet, that you can freeze the protein milkshake, but you must eat it frozen, DO NOT LET IT THAW. MY QUESTION IS THIS: DOES IT DO SOMETHING TO THE PROTEIN OR SOMETHING ELSE? I HOPE SOMEONE HAS AN ANSWER. I really enjoy my shakes by experimenting like this and making them better. I have always liked ice cream so I am not having any problem right now. I do miss the food when I am around good smelling food, but it is only Head hunger. I am going to post something that I posted on another thread about milkshakes. Please read: Re: protein shakes-I'm going to starve! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote: Originally Posted by RubyTuesday Hi Lucy- I find the powders are much better. I put a scoop of vanilla Isopure brand in, add frozen fruits, ice, and skim milk or yogurt (depending on your desired thickness) and blend! and you can barely taste the powder. If the powder makes the consistancy add 1/2 scoop, and just add little scoops here and there to compensate. I love frozen blackberries, mango, raspberries. Makes the best shakes ever!! Also, I've been drinking Isopure brand Fruit drinks with 40 grams of protein and 160 cals per 20 oz. bottle. And I personally think they are very tasty. Let me know if you try that stuff and how it works out for you! You are doing just about the same thing that I have been doing. I have only tried banana and pineapple fruit in mine. I also have tried some walnuts and pecans. I wanted to let you know that when I received my pre-op diet from my surgeon's office, I read on there that the milkshake should have 20-35 grams of protein in each one. It warned about using those with high amounts of protein, because Mega-dose Protein Drinks in excess of 40 grams per serving may cause kidney damage. I don't know how true that is I have not read up on it, but I don't want to take any chances without knowing for sure. It also said that the whey protein is easier digested and absorbed than soy protein. So I am keeping this in mind when drinking the shakes. I got my protein from GNC and I really like the flavors. They are really expensive, but I found them on sale, so I paid about $25 each tub. The serving size is 3 scoops, which has 60 grams in each serving, so I use 1 1/2 scoops which gives me 30 grams. It is really important to check out that information on all the tubs, and adjust your serving scoop size accordingly. I am very glad the fellow at GNC pointed this out to me, he was a big help in my search. Have a great day.

You are doing just about the same thing that I have been doing. I have only tried banana and pineapple fruit in mine. I also have tried some walnuts and pecans. I wanted to let you know that when I received my pre-op diet from my surgeon's office, I read on there that the milkshake should have 20-35 grams of protein in each one. It warned about using those with high amounts of protein, because Mega-dose Protein Drinks in excess of 40 grams per serving may cause kidney damage. I don't know how true that is I have not read up on it, but I don't want to take any chances without knowing for sure. It also said that the Whey protein is easier digested and absorbed than soy protein. So I am keeping this in mind when drinking the shakes. I got my protein from GNC and I really like the flavors. They are really expensive, but I found them on sale, so I paid about $25 each tub. The serving size is 3 scoops, which has 60 grams in each serving, so I use 1 1/2 scoops which gives me 30 grams. It is really important to check out that information on all the tubs, and adjust your serving scoop size accordingly. I am very glad the fellow at GNC pointed this out to me, he was a big help in my search. Have a great day.

Welcome Before you do decide, it might be a real good idea to check to see what procedures your insurance will approve if you are not self pay. Some insurance companies do not approve the sleeve. You might find this article interesting, I hope it will help: Please read: HomeLocal NewsNational NewsYour ExpertsFamily Health Watch: Local News Weight loss surgery curbs appetites, has advantages over gastric bypass from KY3 News Story Updated: Nov 2, 2009 If you're looking into surgery to lose weight, doctors have one more option up their sleeve. The procedure is faster and less complicated than gastric bypass. Ophelia Brown had weight loss surgery two months ago and, so far, she's lost 35 pounds. "I don't breathe as hard. I don't get tired as easy," said Brown. The procedure is a new approach in bariatric surgery called sleeve gastrectomy. "We remove three-quarters of the stomach, so the new stomach has a new shape, looks like a sleeve or a banana," said bariatric surgeon Dr. Alex Gandsas. Unlike gastric bypass, surgeons don't have to reroute the bowel. Other than downsizing the stomach, the anatomy stays intact so there are fewer complications. “The sleeve actually does offer an appealing alternative for those patients who are intimidated by having a major operation such as the gastric bypass," said Gandsas. The sleeve not only forces patients to eat less but they also don't crave food as much because a big part of their stomachs are gone. "This part of the stomach is in charge of producing a hormone called ghrelin, which is responsible for our appetite," said Gandsas. "By removing that, the patient not only will be able to eat less, but will feel less hungry." Gandsas is pioneering the procedure at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore because, he says, the benefits are lifesaving. "Health issues such as diabetes type 2 have been resolved in approximately 65 percent. The hypertension's been resolved in 50 percent, sleep apnea in more than 75 percent," he said. "Already I'm off the diabetes medicine; the blood pressure I just take now and then," said Brown. Now, as Brown's weight goes down, her appetite for better health soars. The sleeve procedure is performed through small incisions. Patients can lose about 60 percent of their excess weight compared to gastric bypass's 70 percent. The sleeve procedure is not yet covered by many insurance companies.

Please read this if you are interested in HeftyNefty, she could sure use are thoughts, prayers and comments: #1 (permalink) 11-18-2009, 02:09 AM heftynetty Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 23 Gender: Female City: Dayton State: Nevada Member's Picture Albums Heftynetty checking in after difficult surgery -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well I have been home since October 6th. I am on TPN and have a stent that will not come out for about 6 more months. I still have a drain, but the hole in my stomach is getting smaller and I am hoping that in another month or two it will be completely closed and then I at least get the drain out and can slowly start eating. I have not had a bite of food since before surgery in August!! I just got off of my atibiotics on Sunday and I am finally feeling like myself. I hate being hooked up to this drain and my central line, but I am home with my kids and starting to feel better! I appreciate everyone's thoughts and concerns. I have such a negative attitude about doing this, I regret this everyday of my life, I wish that I would of just taken the band out and called it a day. The GI doctor said my stomach was too weak to perform a sleeve surgery and it should not have been done, but apparently my surgeon felt okay with it and now here I am!! I am finally coming out of my depression mode, but I will always regret doing this! LapBandTalk Click to visit the largest Lap-Band community online! __________________ Janette banded 1/16/06 Dr. Sasse-Reno 4cc band, completely unfilled 297/240/180 I really hope that she keeps us posted on a regular basis. I hope she gets to feeling better, and becomes really happy that she did have the sleeve after all the problems that she had before with the band. She is at 180 pounds on 11/18/09 when she posted, so I hope that later after she recovers, the pounds start coming off and her happiness will return in her life. May God bless her with good health!!

Hello Joann, I hope the past few day for you have only been better than the first 30 hours. I am glad that you are still posting on here. I will be glad to see some photos of you as you lose weight.

Keep smiling and moving foward. This pre-op diet will be over soon for us and then we will be going through the post-op diet. If we have a hard time I am sure that everyone will be here to support us through it and help us to get back on the right path. Have a happy day!!( Well My stomach is making noises, I think I will go fix me another milk shake before I go to sleep. It is 2:14 AM in the morning, but I know that I will feel better and be more ready to go asleep afterwards. I have only been able to get 3 milkshakes in during the day, but around 2-3 in the morning I am ready for another one. )

I am so glad that you are feeling better. Just remember you are never alone now. You can always come on here and talk to us. EVEN AT 1:OO OR 2:00 IN THE MORNING. ( I see that there are at least 8 viewers on this pre-op topic ) I have a hard time going to sleep, I always have but it is even more difficult now since I am feeling like I am on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I am really glad that I found this forum to help me through this journey. I really feel sorry for all the people that have to go through this without any support. I wish you all the best on the 29th.

Hello Delitedesigns, I am sure that we will have some good days and some bad days ahead of us, but the important thing is to do just what you are doing now----STAY POSITIVE AND IF YOU FALL DOWN GET RIGHT BACK UP AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD. I was able to go to the store to buy my sugar free hazelnut flavored syrup for my shakes, and I even bought some groceries for my family, but I did not buy me anything. I came back home and when they wanted to eat, I did not cook the food because I thought it would be so tempting right now. I looked over at their plate, but I did not dwell on it, I got busy on here and I made it through that moment of head hunger for some good tasting food. I am so determined that I will make it through this pre-op diet and post-op diet. I am so looking forward to the day when once again I can eat more of the foods that I was eating before this pre-op diet. I was eating those weight watcher Entrees, lean cuisene, healthy choice meals, and I was eating a dinner plate full of slices of tomatos, cucumbers and green peppers. I know that after surgery I will not be able to eat that same amount, but I still want to eat the same healthier meals. I lost 30 pounds before the pre-op diet just by changing my eating by doing it like that. Oh yes I did have my bad days and messed up quite a bit, but I would just try harder after that. I have a friend that is still losing weight after having Gastric Bypass, and she told me that when her and her husband go out to eat, she orders what items she wants to eat and when she is done, he eats the rest. Of course she can't eat very much, so he has quite a bit left over to eat. He jokes about being her garbage disposal. I hope that we can look back on these days and laugh at ourselves too. I wish you all the best.

Hello cajun, You are right, it will be here before I know it. It is already Nov.22. Time sure is going by fast. Thank you for your comments about my pics. Yes that was my daughters wedding. She got married last year in june. I weighed less than I do now in those pictures. I gained alot after those pictures. My mother passed away a week before my daughter got married. Also I had surgery in April of last year on my knee, a total knee replacement and it was hard for me to exercize. I wasn't very active after the surgery on my knee. It has healed up quite a bit now, so I am trying to exercize more. I hope I can continue to lose after surgery and not have to go through that up and down weight ever again. I want for this to be successful, I am really ready for a change. I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired of being obese. I wish you all the best.

Hello lucygoose, I am 5' 4 1/2" tall. My goal is 145. My goal up until I decided to have the sleeve was 155-166 pounds, because that is the weight I was at for at least 8+ years before 1978. That was the year that I was hospitalized when I had a so called "nervous breakdown" and they put me on tranqualizers for awhile and I started gaining weight. I gained up to about 300 pounds in 2 years being on medication. I have pictures of me before gaining all that weight, and all these years I have wanted to get back down to that weight. But now since I have decided to have the sleeve I do believe that I should have my goal at 145 pounds, which will be a more ideal weight for my height and my large body frame. I know that I will be happy with anything below 165, but I am hoping to be at 145 give or take a little. I want to be more healthy, happier and to live much longer. Also I would like to have better self-esteem from having a more ideal weight than what I have had all these years from being so obese. I wish you all the best on your surgery on Dec. 8.

Thank you so much, I have been trying to figure out ways to have 4-5 shakes and a protein bar each day without alot of calories. I have to try to stay between 700-1000 calories each day. Maybe I can start doing that tomorrow. I also found at Wal-mart a bottle of some syrup Hazelnut sugar-free, it is sweetened with splenda. I will find out the name of it and post it later. It is only $4.00 and it is a good sized bottle. I will go get some to use, that way I won't have to have the calories from the walnuts and pecans that I have been using in my shakes. I finally figured out how to put my ticker ruler on here. I am grateful for your information, have a great day!!

I hope you have a fast recovery. I am glad to hear that you are still glad that you had it done. I really want to be able to have my hope and dreams after I wake up from surgery on Dec.2. I am wondering about the outcome. I told my daughter that I have learned so much and I know that I need to know all the worst things that can happen, but I am still hoping and praying for the best. I wish you the best. Your comments have been an encouragement for me. Thank you!!

Best of wishes for you. You are doing so great.

wow I am so happy for you. A nice Christmas present for you!!! I wish the best for you.

I thought I had better let you know that I finally got back in better control. I went on my pre-op diet Wednesday and I am doing ok. I only was able to get down 3 milkshakes and 1 protein bar day 1 and day 2. I could not go to sleep last night and so at 3:00 am I was drinking a milkshake then I was able to fall asleep. Today I have had 3 milkshakes and a protein bar since waking up. I am going to try to get one more in before I go to sleep. I am suppose to have 4-5 each day. I really like the milkshakes and they seem to be really filling right now, I hope that it stays that way for all of my 2 week pre-op diet. I hope all goes well with your surgery.

I am happy for you. Your date is the day before my date. I will have you in my thoughts and prayers. Please post how you do after surgery.

I wish you all the best. You are very right, this forum is very informative. I am glad that you have support. Keep in touch and please post some pictures if you would like. I enjoy seeing everyone's progress along their journey. It is very inspirational for alot of people including myself.

I found some vials of liquid protein, fruit punch flavor, at Wal-Mart here in Somerset Ky. for $1.97 each. I ask about other flavors and they told me that is the only flavor they have. Maybe other stores have it in other citys. ( The vials were in the section where the protein bars were located.)

Sorry to hear about your denial. I had to wait along time to find out if they would approve my sleeve, and finally I got an approval and will be having surgery Dec.2. I know that you must be really disappointed. I wish you all the best with whatever you decide to do. When I first started a year ago, the sleeve was not approved by Medicaid here in Ky. but now here in November it is an approved procedure. It is so strange that they don't want to approve the sleeve, but yet the Duodenal Switch is approved by so many insurance companies, and the sleeve is the first part of the DS without all the cutting of the intestine and rearranging it all. It would be nice if they could understand that the sleeve is less evasive surgery, less risky, less complications, less expensive, and faster recovery time. Maybe one of these days it will be approved nation and world wide. But until then so many people have to go through what you are going through, because of some people not understanding and not wanting to change current policies. My prayers are with you.

I am so happy that you let us know how you are doing. I appreciater your honesty. I also hope your journey improves day by day and your depression eases up. I have you in my prayers for a much more speedy recovery. I hope you heal up and are able to eat soon. Maybe when things are getting better, you can say you feel different about the decision your surgeon made to do the sleeve. I noticed that your starting weight was 297 and now you are at 180, I hope I am right. You look so pretty in your profile picture, I have not seen any other pictures of you, so I don't know what you looked like before your surgery in 2006. It must be really difficult to be going through what you have explained, and I hope that you will never have to go through it again. Maybe now that you are healing up you will be on your way to a new beginning and you will love the new you. I have not went through what you have went through and I have had several surgeries, which last year I had a total knee replacement and I always hope and pray that everything will turn out ok. I have had my difficult moments, but nothing to the extent that you have. I can only imagine what you are going through. The thing that was the most difficult for me to go through in my life, was the loss of my daughter in 1997, she was 25 years old with two children and she died from injuries she suffered in a car accident. I have raised one of her sons, he is 12 now and he has an autism spectrum disorder, but he does well with academics. It took me at least 3 years to get to the point where I could go on with life. I felt like life had ended for me when she died. Now her son is doing better and I have made alot of changes in my life, especially my decision to have the sleeve to help me lose weight. At times I look back and get real depressed, but I try to stay positive and not give up on life. I am just now enjoying my life and my family after all these years. I wish it had not taken so long to get to the point where I am now, but I feel that there is a reason why everything happens at a certain time in our lives. I wish you all the best. May God bless you!!!!

I am going to post what I posted to you on your other thread again, just in case you didn't read it. I am now sitting here at 2:34 in the morning and I have a chocolate shake with 1/2 banana in it. I forgot to put my 2 paks of splenda in it and guess what, IT TASTES SO SO GOOD. I am having to eat it with a spoon just like ice cream. I hope you can get out and buy some of the freezer mugs that I mention in the copied reply to you. Here goes: good luck experimenting!!!!!!--------------->>>>>>>> Re: 3rd day pre op failing and may cancel op -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't give up, hang in there. I don't know if this will help or not, but I can tell you what I am doing to help me through those difficult moments. I went to Hardee's fast food yesterday, and I just ordered a cup of Ice Water which was free. and that way I filled up on water while visiting with my family. My daughter forgot that I started my shakes and she brought me some banana nut bread. I told her thank you very much, but I gave it to another family member. I just try to think how important this is and that after surgery I will be able to eat some of those things with family in smaller amounts. Also, when I make my strawberry milkshakes I try to make them taste better by adding a half of a banana, 6 oz. skim milk, 2 paks of splenda and 1 tablespoon of pecans or walnuts. Another thing I use is about 1/4 cup of crushed pineapple(in its own juice-no sugar added). I also use chocolate milkshakes with banana, nuts and splenda. I use two plastic mugs that has water inside of them, I put them in the freezer. When I make the milkshakes I take one mug out and put three Ice cubes in the mug and pour the shake over the ice. The mug has frozen water in the sides, so the shake freezes from that and the ice cubes in the mug. The shake gets so thick that I have to use a spoon, it was almost like eating ice cream. It tasted so so so good. I also stay out in the car whenever family goes into the store, so that I won't be tempted by all the foods. If I need to get something from the store I will go hurry in and out and not browse like usual. Also another thing that has helped me, When I purchased my Centrum Vitamins I also needed Citrate Calcium with Vitamin D, I purchased some chewable wafers and also I purchased two bags of SUGAR FREE-CHOCOLATE CITRATE CALCIUM WITH Vitamin D CHEWS. I can only have one a day, but it is like eating a piece of candy each day. The chocolate chews are almost like eating a toosie roll- without sugar. Just experiment and you will find out that you will find ways to make them tasty. I wish you all the best.

I wish you all the best. I will be having surgery Dec.2 and yes I am so excited and all the other emotions too. It is coming up so fast. My prayers are with you.