SassySenior

How about some flavored instant, decaf coffee ala International Coffee (Now Maxwell House). They have a lot of great flavors. My favorite is Cafe Vienna, but not sure they carry that anymore. I Drink FranchVanilla now. It's creamy. Maybe you can mix some unflavored protein powder with it

Is this group dead? I hope not. I am 65, and at high risk with a high BMI & co-morbidities. I have been studying wls for 10 years. I have Medicare now and can get the surgery. I'm going with the Lap Band. I'm on the pre-op diet, and have lost 25 pounds in 3 months. I live in Dallas and have chosen the best surgeon in the Southwest, but I am thinking of changing because his office is quite far away. So now I'm looking for the 2nd best surgeon. I'm a member of at least 5 groups to get a balanced view. They range from gastric bypass to lap-band to hard core fanatics who hate the surgeries and have had horrible experiences. I have a lot of links and information for anyone who wants it. I would love to hear from anyone who can relate to me.

Sooooo, how are you doing? I'm also in Dallas, but still a pre-op.

Recently, I had an unexpected and forced restriction placed on me and experienced for the first time what restriction was like. I received steroid shots in my knees and was told to watch my blood sugar carefully because steroids tend to make sugars rise. Sure enough, mine rose quickly, so I was forced to remove sugar and reduce anything that might have a lot of carbs or cause my blood sugar to rise. I have diabetes, and it has always been under perfect control, so I never worried much about what I ate. But when my sugar went to 313. it got my attention. I was able to.get it down and keep it lower by restricting what I ate. It was hard, but not terribly difficult to do. That plus what I did for my pre-op diet will hopefully help me to enter into this new way of eating. For the pre-op diet, my doctor told me I had to lose 20 lbs. in 3 months to qualify for surgery. Initially, I didn't think it was possible, but I went ahead and fashioned a weight loss diet for me. It wound up working really well, and I was losing 10 lbs a month., Basically, I logged all meals at MyFitnessPal.com. I became very conscious of what and how much I was eating. I reduced my portion size a tad, and I reduced my intake of fattening foods. I didn't really give up anything, but just became aware and accountable for what I ate. Up till then, I never wanted to know how many calories were in anything. Now I studied the labels. I couldn't believe it when I lost the weight. I stopped the diet once I met the requirement. I wish I had kept it up because it's been over a year, and I still don't have a date. Imagine how much weight I might have lost while waiting! I'm hopefully getting close to a date, just awaiting cardiac clearance. Paws and fingers crossed!

Wow. You like that? I guess that means you are ready! I fashioned a weight loss diet for me & I was losing 10 lbs a month., Basically, I logged all meals at MyFitnessPal.com I became very conscious of what and how much I was eating. I reduced my portion size a tad, and I reduced my intake of fattening foods. I didn't really give up anything, but just became aware and was accountable for what I ate. I couldn't believe when I lost the weight. I stopped because I had met the requirement. I wish I had kept it up because it's been over a year, and I still don't have a date. Imagine how much weight I might have lost! Recently, I had an unexpected and forced restriction placed on me and experienced for the first time what restriction was like. I received steroid shots in my knees and was told to watch my blood sugar carefully because steroids tend to make sugars rise. Sure enough, mine rose, so I was forced to remove sugar and reduce anything that might have a lot of carbs or caused my blood sugar to rise. I have diabetes, and it has always been under perfect control, so I never worried much about what I ate. But when my sugar went to 313. it got my attention. I was able to.get it down and keep it lower by restricting what I ate. It was hard, but not terribly difficult to do.

Coco - I love your attitude and appreciate your congratulating me on my meager loss. Water therapy sounds wonderful. Is that the same as water aerobics? Hey -- I need the skinny on your stats, i.e. Date of Surgery, specifically. Very happy to hear your surgery went ok. It is my only concern -- whether my heart will be ok. I don't yet have the final word on whether I need to do the nuclear stress test ... and that's "stressing" me out!

If your over 60, bop on over to our Baby Boomers group., It's still pretty new, so we don't have a lot of activity. But with more Bopping Boomers like you to liven it up, who knows what can happen!

There is a great article on ObesityHelp.com that covers all the surgeries and the pros and cons. I think I made a copy of it. Will try to find for you. It's called Choice of Bariatric Procedure: A Philosophy Obtained in 20 years of Bariatric Practice by Mitchell Roslin, MD, FACS. To locate on your own, Go to Obesity Help.com. Look under "Articles" on the top left navigation bar. When the list appears, go to bottom and click on "Older Posts." It appeared April 29, 2013. It is excellent and should provide you and your friend with the information she needs.,

Well, you're in the right place, now. The people here are fonts of knowledge, tons of experience, and many words of wisdom. I'm glad they operated on you and took care of your problem. I know it's hard, but that's a good thing to focus on - how lucky you are to have such a supportive doctor who was capable of focusing on what was important. Other doctors might have tried to do it all, but I wouldn't want to take that chance. I like a doctor to do the wise thing. My God, that's a lot of repairing you needed. It doesn't sound like a good idea to do all that and then proceed with removing a large portion of your stomach. It's really hard to have our expectations crushed. It's a painful lesson I learned, but it took me literally decades to get it. I am persistent, and I don't take no for an answer. I've been working on getting WLS surgery for 10 years. As I neared my goal to get the lap band, I learned about the sleeve, and had to wait another 1 1/2 years to have my insurance cover it. I had a ton of hoops I had to jump through. After every hoop, I would have the expectation of nearing surgery. It was never true. There was still more work to be done. Yeah, you''re gonna miss out on this summer ... but you will have a lifetime of great summers to come. Just dig in your heels, keep your expectations in check. You're gonna be OK. You're gonna love your sleeve, I just know it..

That's just not fair ... getting a UTI and being in pain. Then again, you may not even notice any post-surgery pain. It's kinda llike when I get cellulitis - I hardly even realize how bad my arthritis is. Anyway, wanted to send you warm wishes. Hope you're feeling better now ... or at least can see a light, no matter how faint, at the end of the tunnell. ((Hugs))

Healthier2day1227 - Glad you liked my sense of humor. I give funny answers all the time. I can be serious, but too often everyone is so darn serious about what others think, they fail to realize #1 It's probably none of their business, and 2) you can be lighthearted about it!

Gotcha. Thanks.

Sounds Yummy! What do you do with the bacon?

Thanks, Faye. We await further details AND I can't wait to hear your creative ideas for the pre-op diet, which I know you're gonna come up with! BTW Like your new pic! (((Hugs)))

Hey kiddos, Do you ever surprise yourself and write such a wise or witty post in some topic that you think others might enjoy? Well I do and I also find myself responding to posts others have made with things I want to know. So here are a coupla questions I've put in other topics AND one I wrote that I think is witty and maybe even wise. Whatcha think? Re: Sipping. How many ounces of Water is a sip? Re: Does anyone know how to add pictures or files? Also, as to what you say to others who don't know you've had surgery, how about ... If I tell you, I'd have to kill you. I'd tell you, but I'm afraid you'd lose all desire to eat. If you really want to know, I can give you the name of my drug dealer. (Eating out with a group) They're having a biggest loser contest at ... work ... church ... in my family ... in my neighborhood ... and I wanna win first place, which is a trip to Hawaii for 2. Maybe I'll bring one of you along. Thanks for noticing. I really appreciate that kind of support!

Hey - I appreciate it because I have no idea what that will be like. How many ounces of Water is a sip? On a completely different topic, does anyone know how to add pictures or files? Also, as to what you say to others. I'd say something like: 1) If I tell you, I'd have to kill you. 2) I'd tell you, but I'm afraid you'd lose all desire to eat. 3) If you really want to know, I can give you the name of my drug dealer. 4) They're having a biggest loser contest at ... work ... church ... in my family ... in my neighborhood ... and I wanna win first place, which is a trip to Hawaii for 2. Maybe I'll bring one of you along. 5) Thank you for noticing. I really appreciate that kind of support!

This is a first! I'm replying to my own post. Hmm. Maybe I just like to talk ad nauseum. Happy Sunday everyone. SEARCHING - Great to hear from you again. I completely understand where you're at. I was there for 2 years, trying to figure out what to do. While I have reservations about getting through surgery, I have no reservations about having the surgery. I simply can't live like I am any longer. I will be getting a surgery date soon, and I'm both excited and scared at the same time. Let us know if you have any questions. I've done extensive research, like many others here, and we probably know the answer. kckitty - Ha! Dec. 47. Who asked? And suggesting that you're the oldest ... well I never. I am not ready to spill all the Beans, but as Billy Joel said, "You may be right, I may be crazy." Or I still might be the oldest. Sssh. Don't spread that rumor. Lets just say many people think I'm in my 40s, a few guess in the 50s, and no one talks about the 60s. Oh, pshaw, I just can't handle talking about age. Yech. But very happy to hear from y'all, as we say in Texas. My favorite is all y'alls.

FAYE -`I'm glad they approved you without a hitch. How exciting ... just a little more than a month away. What's the pre-op diet? Cheryl - Now, now. Stop beating yourself up! You're human. We all make misteps. It's a learning process. One of the many things we need to change is replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Your brain will program itself with the tools you give itl. If you think of a good side to a seemingly bad story, your brain will remember that. Ultimately, you'll live in positivity, and occasionally will start to lapse into negative thinking, but you'll catch yourself and stop it before it continues. This is something I have to do all the time. It's just me and my doggie. Altho my friends think highly of me and rarely say anything negative, I'm alone with only Shiki for company. I have to be the one to keep my brain on the right track. I get negative thoughts and I immediately stop it and think of something good instead. It works, try it. Give youself credit for what you've done so far, My God ... it took a lot of courage to even have this surgery! And you've lost some 30 lbs. Congratulations.

Hi WeeWers, I saw your post in Sophia Bubbles group, so I thot I'd check this out as well. There is another group doing what you want to do here. Ah, but I see now that you are just posting to it. The group was centered around some kind of program or books or whatever. Clearly no one got into it. You might wanna funnel your efforts into my group Baby Boomers, which I started a few months ago. We're staying alive but it will be nice when it picks up a bit more steam. Either way, good luck to you.

When I was a teen, I had a fabulous life. I was very active: In high school, I played basketball, folleyball, badmitten, swam in competition, was a member of the Saddle Club, and was a "modern dancer." After I graduated, I went dancing 3 times a week, joined a Ski Club, spent summer at Lake Michigan and Wisconsin, danced often in sock hops at roller rinks, went almost weekly to the world's largest amusement park, and had at least 2 boyfriends at a time. Interestingly, I weighed 116 lbs. at 16, 120 lbs. at 20, 130 lbs. at 30, etc., etc. For the most part, I was pretty slim, never really had a problem with weight or eating. Then a series of medical events led me on a downward path where I began to gain weight. Took steroids while receiving chemo, and began putting on weight like mad. Like others who didn't gain weight until a major life event occured (having babies, etc.) once I started to put weight on, it was like a train rolling downhill. The more time passed, the faster the train went, picking up a lot of extra weight as it rolled along. By 2011, I weighed over 400 lbs. It is now 2 years since I began my Quest for surgery. I went from being totally rejected by the first doctor, to rejecting the second doctor (we actually got into a confrontation) to wasting my time with more doctors, who wouldn’t take me for various reasons, mostly because they wouldn’t take Medicare. Finally, I went back to my first choice, Dr. David Provost, some 40 miles away. One of my challenges was finding a way to get there. I’m too big to drive my car. I no longer use a walker and need someone to push my wheelchair. Once I solved the travel issue, I was ready to surge ahead. But I had to jump through a bunch of hoops first. I’m on my last hurdle, cardiac clearance. My cardiology appt. is next month, so I hope surgery will follow soon afterwards Getting everything arranged for the surgery is hard enough, but since I live alone and have to take care of everything myself, it’s even harder. My size at nearly 400 lbs. creates a lot of problems. Couple that with arthritis for which I take Vicodin and Ibuprophen, and things get complicated. Some say they wouldn’t have my persistence. As I see it, however, it’s my life I’m dealing with. Between being in pain and not able to do much, the future would be unbearable if I didn’t have slimming surgery to look forward to. It has been a very long road. It’s hard to imagine a time when it will be over. But that goal keeps me trudging forward, one step at a time. I stay positive most of the time because opening the pity door is a dead end to nowhere.

Coco, I am also in a wheelchair, so I understand exercise limitations. Unfortunately, I am a sensitive child who gets chilled easily. As a result, most of the pools are too cold for me. When I get chilled, sometimes I get sick afterwords ... with either the flu or cellulitis and I wind up in the hospital. I even wear clothes in the pool to try and stay warmer. It's quite a site with my purple print bathing suite, my black leggings, and my gray & white strp[ed long sleeved knit top underneath the suit. Hmm ... maybe that's why they are so glad when I leave -- I probaby scare the traffic away! LOL There is only 1 pool in my area that is warm enough for me. It costs like $90/month after a yearly fee of $150 - $300, depending on specials. I wanted to swim there soooo badly, but they refused to let my attendant in unless I paid for a separate membership for her (even tho she wasn't getting in the pool). It's called the Tom Landry Center, named after the long-time coach of the Dallas Cowboys. I guess he wanted it only for the elite who have money to burn. If your doctor gets mad at you, tell him if he can be either part of the solution or part of them problem. If he can't be supportive, you can see a different doctor for your aftercare. Last thing you need is some blowhard breathing down your neck, blaming you.. Stalls are a part of being sleeved, and if he doesn't know that and can reassure you, screw him! Of course, you're gonna lost more weight. I know of no one on the Sleeve that hasn't. I know it feels like that now, but "this, too, shall pass." Hang in Cheryl and Coco ... and any anonymous Boomers who aren't posting. You're gonna be just fine. I'm sure.

Hi girls, I'm glad you guys are talking to each other. I've been buried with work, which was supposed to end May 9, but is still going on. I'm pretty sure I'll be free very soon and will have some time to talk at all y'all. With regard to stalls, have any of you read anything about them. I have copied a large amount of info on many aspects of the sleeve, but nothing about stalls. I guess that's cause I haven't yet had the surgery. But I do a lot of reading at this site and a couple others. So I have read a lot of info about stalls. I would suggest that you do a search for stalls, and see what you turn up. As I recall, they usually occur at the 2nd month and periodically after that. It's part of the "Sleeve Experience." Seems there are a couple of things you can do to move a stall along. Hydration plays a big role, as does Protein. But one of the reasons I've seen is that stalls can occur if you're not eating enough. I don't know the exact numbers, but it is something like eating a minimum of 800 calories a day. What have you heard or done to stop stalls in their tracks?

Welcome to the Boomers, kckitty. Liking a post I made makes sp instant best friends! :wub: We get so little acknowledge or reactions, I gotta jump on your click as significant that I might have said something worthwhile! Yay - sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a wall. It's hard to imagine that my brilliant tidbits would not arouse anyone's interest. LOL p.s. Humility doesn't run in my family.

GOOD TOPIC. I have bad osteoarthritis, knees and hip hurt the worst, although hands are bad also. Right now I'm taking 500 mg. Hydrocodone (Lortab) 2/day and 800 mg. Ibuprofen. What can I take after surgery? Help, please! I can barely take a step now,even with all the meds I take. COKE ZERO? NO, NO. No carbonation. It stretchers your stomach. Of all the things I have to give up, this is the worst. I'm a Diet Coke addict. I'm not sleeved yet, but I've cut down to 1 a day vs. 4. I use Cherry Pomegranate from Crystal Light.

You are my newest rock star. I love the post you just did. I am still pre-op, was hoping for a May date, but only a miracle can make than happen now. Anyway, you gave such a complete, no holds barred account of your experience, I am sure it will help many people. It certainly helped me! You have just done at least 1 month (maybe more) of community service, so in case you get arrested for being too excited about your success, you can say you've already done the time! I love your description of passing gas (tooting and burping). I'm a big tooter because I have IBS. I can only imagine (with dread) how noticeable it will be after surgery. Then I'll have a whole 'nother different reason for hiding in my apartment. LOL