Pookeyism

Sara - there was a question I wonder if you would answer - were you taking only what you are supposed to of the Alli? Have you developed any eating disorders? Dorrie had a wonderful answer for you. I would say a concern for you from me is def the cheating - because that will set you up to fail. Another serious issue. Crossover replacements for your foodstyle...they are known as addictions. Alcohol, smoking, weed, cutting, and replacement "feeling" (I forget that one - help me out Dorryie!). Going to a counselor is OK - but what then - do you actively work on what you have talked about? Do you read on your own? If you were not taking a diet aid, could you maintain your loss? The esophogeal stretch may be a way to get some of it covered by insurance, even if they will not approve the sleeve. Replace the mochas with a coffee, or warm up and froth a glass of hoodia soy milk in chocolate or a spash of coffee. Popscicles are good, Jello too! If you cantr get away from alcohol, make a jello shooters, freeze them, and blend them in a blender with some crystal light you have poured into ice cubes. Get onto My Fit Pal, get to know the site well, it will help you alot. If you find yourself off the band, still go to therapy, and prepare yourself to do this old-style until your esophagus and tummy can heal - get the original "eat this, not that" book, and feel free to stick around the forum. There is alot discussed here, not all VGS related, and you can build up a healthy bit of knowledge. Notice I did not say yay or nay about whether you should get the sleeve...I cant make that decision. Whatever you go, I hope you work through everything and are well. I talk like I am telling you what to do - it is just my nature, I only intend them as suggestions...

I got rid of my Hubby and was down 210 lbs like T-H-A-T and it didnt make my skin worse. JK! me and hubby are gewd <3

When it seems like I am not losing, or losing too slow. I know why, however, and I know now, understand now more than I ever did - why this surgery is so invaluable. I have issues with my metabolism that is quickly regulates to whatever calories I am putting in...and it gets very hard to trick it...My sis ter was the same but instead of the furnace banking itself, hers burned red-hot. At one point she ate 4800 callories a day and was still a size 0. We both caught a very bad flu once, I lost 15 lbs and was getting "you gos!", she lost 15 and was in the hospital. I need not trick it anymore - there is no feeling of being desperate to lose before I fail on my diet. I ma waiting out my metabolism, and winning. I finally decided on the surgery because I had lost just enough weight (from 1/2011 till 10/2011) that they could see the cause of my issues with my stomach – I had a tumor growing in/through/ and progressing out into my abdomen from my stomach. So since I was going to have to have so much removed anyway, and I HAD been looking into one WLS or another for a decade (lol), I decided it was time. Sleeved 1/2012 – will never go back to what I was, ever. The fat lady syndrome doesn’t help slow losing, I just have to remember to not let it get me. – I still am not “seeing” myself at the size I was (almost) not the size I am. That isn’t helpful at all! But I look at my NSV’s – and they are real. Squeezing into a size 12 recently made me dizzy and nauseous…not because I squeezed into the jeans, it occurred to me I could button size 12’s. I asked a lady I know (as politely as I could, but she is so nice I hope she understood) what size she was, because I was asked by a friend to “find” someone I thought I was the same size as myself, near my height. She is a size 20-22. I am a size 14, squeezing into a 12, and I see myself as a size 20-22. It's all good, however - I now have the equipment to play this game, and I win.

http://asmbs.org/ This is the web page for American society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. There is a bit of reading to do but you have an amazing amount of information in this site. Good luck,

I hurt alot but I was also given the wrong meds for pain at first, which knocked me out solid, but only for an hour or so, and I would spend hours in groggy pain trying to walk, etc. The grogginess made the pain worse...balance was off so I know I swayed on my feet a bit which was not good for the soreness, and prevented me from doing any type of self-regulating for the pain. I was finally put on liquid hydrocodone, and immediately improved. I sipped my dose, which allowed me to stop even before full dose. I dulled the pain and still was able to talk...sort of!

OK I did not read your list, or any replies yet - I want to see how many match - 1) I WANT TO MAINTAIN MY WEIGHT LOSS! Shout it!!!! lol. I can't have anything else if I don't have maintenance. 2) This one is compete: I am no longer diabetic. March of 2012 my doctor told me, with staff standing around me that had "been there" since I came into her office as a newly diagnosed diabetic, and told me no more- I cried, and I smiled, and I laughed...I won. 3) This one is bittersweet, but I feel like she has to know - I wanted my Mom to see it. My Mom passed away unexpectedly a week after my surgery. My Sister knows, and my Dad and my Hubby knows...My Mom knows, she knows... 4) stuff - just the general day to day stuff that took too much effort, was painful, tired me out too soon... 5) horseback riding - I know, I know, I could have got a horse to hold me - I have a friend that has a guy who loves to spend hours with his human and 100 lbs of gear on his back...but I just always felt so guilty! 6) Aside from the effort us sleevers have to make to stay hydrated, a summer in the Houston sun and not die...literally or figuratively. Me and heat were not friends. 7)HOT HOT HOT baths and showers...gawd I missed those! 8) long bike rides on hot days... (I see a heat related trend) 9) To just be left the hell alone...lol...not be the fat kid in the group... 10) My Hubby has started to go shopping for me, lol! It wasnt on a list or anything but it is awesome and he doesn't worry about it not fitting anymore, or me being upset if it didn't...Its just a waiting game for stuff to fit now! 11) All the stuff my hubby likes to do - there is a level of stuff my hubby likes to do that I can be very up for or very lukewarm - battle reinactments and concerts and stuff...it varies with mood and such but I often, increasingly so as the years went on, just didnt feel up to it...so I would anyway, and push on and on, often being out of comission the next day. He will never know how hard I pushed myself sometimes, how I walked paths and climbed the 20 flights of stairs, etc. in a fog...I can earnestly say I have a serious level of fortitude, just by how i have learned to adapt. It serves me well now that I can do more. I can still find that steel! 12) a regular bicycle seat. How sublime! Inflating my tires regularly, wearing gear bought in a bike shop!!!! Do you know how expensive it is to buy a real bicycle shirt in womens 3x...first find one! 13) BURNING MAN!!!! I AM SO GOING NEXT YEAR AGAIN!!! It has been almost 20 years since I went. By the time I was an adult and could afford to "go in style" I was also big enough to turn into a fair resemblance of bacon on the desert floor... There are so many more, but that is a start.

It may not quite go away, to be honest. But it will get tolerateable. For now focus on the positive things you can do while waiting. Eating better, reading the recommended books, figuring out how to deal with the people who will be less than supportive... Anything you do will feel like something...adn keep a list, keep a list!!!! That way you can look back at your progress...and you make progress just by preparing. Good luck, may your date be as soon as it can be!

If you will go into the forum "fitness & excersise" there is a pinned thread for My Fitness Pal, and one for Fitbit...

Very good for you. Start your reading now - especially since summer break is a down time for you...

Use your breathing toy! Did you get one? Ask for one - I guarantee you were charged for it...if not let me know. Also concentrate on breathing from under your rib cage...the area just below where your ribs end. extend your tummy out as you breath in...do what you can. When doing focus breathing it can be very helpful to exhale about one second more than inhailing... Good luck.

Yes! I get it when I have had too many carbs - oddly enough there isn;t a way to gauge this, so I stick to "protien first". Also I think combo foods can trigger it too - I am lessl ikely to have it if I have a smooth Soup, or a protien/fat combo or veggies...but have, say buffalo and parmesian cheese and edamame...nope! not allowed, lol. The one less bite cannot be more highly stressed...it is also another reason to avoind drinking wiht meals...when yo uonly have 2,3,4,5 oz. of tummy, it can be easy for that last moderate bite to be too much...

Yup! get out too - Raleigh? You are in the middle of some most awesome things! Take a day trip up to the hot springs or go to a museum... You know, it's OK to freak out right now. Give yourself permission to feel your feelings, but also give yourself permission to let them go...

Adele, I got your PM. I will respond I promise but this will take more time than I can offer at work. I will PM you by tomorrow evening. Lissa responded too - good for you! She's very knowledgeable. But Lissa, off the top, I can tell you I will not tell you to get the surgery. I will never TELL someome to do this...it seems to me you have made a list, and found alot of reasons to find a reason not to do it...so you know need to answer if you feel you are ready - it took me 10 years, and I think it needed to. I do not think god is dropping you hints by a doctor being incompetent...or a hospital being close ro far away - If you needed a new automobile and the first dealer turned out to be a bit "used-car" ish, and such, you wouldn't take that as a sign you were meant to walk everywhere, or atay at home for the rest of your life... Also there are probably more doctors in your area...But again I will respond more later. I do understand you are worried, and what you are doing it very normal...I have seen people do it over breast cancer, type 1 diabetic diagnosis in a child, glaucoma in a spouse. God gave you your tools. He may guide us, but He does not toy with us.

I am thinking abotu getting a quarterly or seasonal group together - for all of the surrounding areas...If you would like to do that let me know...message me. I am from Cypress (NW Houston) I would try to attend, depending on when it was...

We went over his "basic" stuff, and answered my questions...and then we would have to do it again because hubby had been out of the country unexpectedly the first time. It is OK, however ti gave me time to think of things I would have asked the first time, but did not because I didn;t think of them till I had my first set of answers. One thing I did have was a good Bariatric Coordinator, and email, and she would answer my questions over and over again sometimes...

You need to get your latest performance review pre surgery tucked away somewhere...and get a lawyer...your lawyer needs to "do his thing" and start getting this resolved...emails only with everyone from now on, including your interoffice HR. Contact your state medical board, with a timline, names, etc (get and keep full medical records, that include doctors notes taken at time of treatments). You also need to see if you were treated differently than his regular clients. What doctor did you use?

Hope all goes well! Good luck and keep us posted!

It o\is pinned to the top of "Pre op vst questions"..."the official what to take"... Something like that! lol.

Wow....trying hard to visualize myself as a 10...ugh! can't do it... Congradulations! That is a crazy kewl NSV, Aussiegal!

Mom - how would i go about finding that topic? I would like to read it too!

Prayers for you, mommy! You are taking your life back and giving it to your children. What a wonderful thing! Bless you and all the best in your new vessel!

I would say nay on tomatoe...carbs in soup can really tear into your tummy!

The Power of Habit - READ THIS! by Charles Duhigg You recognize you went otuside what you have to keep doing, what you have to maintain. thing is, we may lose the weight, but we will never be that other person, not in terms with our relationship with food - and we cannot go back to being the self-destructive ball of habits we were... best to you! Strong green energy headed your way.

try and sip one small sip and walk...

Don't let it freak you out search "stalls" and read just how common this is. It isn't as simple as calories in/fat off...we can hold onto materials inside our body as we burn the calories. Go get a tight tshirt, and take a pic, save it on your phone, do it abotu every 10 days! you WILL see the difference.