notime

Keep reminding yourself why you need this surgery.

It's definitely doable. Good luck.

It's not necessarily hard, at least it wasn't for me. Keep focused on the reasons you need the surgery and then it all becomes clear and easy.

You may want to get a second opinion on the sleeve. Also, if you decide to go ahead with bypass, consider not going to the same surgeon. He doesn't seem to have paid enough attention to your case as you went through the process.

Being gluten-free is perfect for the sleeve diet.

Congratulations! It definitely is exciting.

Why? There's nothing you can do about it.

I suggest not buying a lot of protein powder or drinks up front. You may get sick of them and will be able to get enough protein from regular food.

Yes, it's normal. Point it out to your doctor the next time you have an appointment.

search "stall"

It may well be the grazing. I had some experience with that. It defeats the purpose of the sleeve. As soon as I stopped it I began losing weight again.

Time is the answer.

According to my doctor, there is nothing, no lotion, no potion, no snake oil that will help in this regard. Elasticity is a function of age and genetics. Many companies, however, will be happy to tell you otherwise so as to improve their bottom line. It might be better to save the money you would have spent on those gimmicks in order to help pay for surgery if you decide to have it.

I hear you and it sounds as though your concern may be that you are on the slippery slope to bad eating habits again and wish your body would just reject the "bad" stuff.

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/28139-the-basics-boot-camp/ This link takes you to LilMissDiva's boot camp. It may help you reset your diet.

How long you need off depends. Obviously, if you have complications you need to be off as long as it takes to deal with them. My experience, without any complications, was that one week would have been enough to return to a desk job. I was tired, but not excessively so and after two days at work, I was good to go. I was off pain medication after my first day in the hospital. Apparently, there is no one standard that applies to being able to get back to work.

All will be well.

It depends.

Get the information directly from the best source. Call BCBS Federal and have the representative tell you exactly what is required for the surgery. Ask specifically which section of your benefits plan covers the sleeve. Open up your benefits document online. Print the applicable section and read it to make sure it is as the representative said.

When I had a panic attack, I reminded myself of my reasons for having the surgery and that there was no alternative. With that, my resolve was reaffirmed and I never again questioned my decision.

Even on the liquid diet, you can get protein and fluids from other foods. Check with your nutritionist for suggestions.

My nutritionist said that 25 grams of protein is all our bodies can process at any given time, therefore, adding more protein to the amount already in your shake doesn't count towards meeting the total requirement. My daily requirement is 60 grams. The shakes count towards both the protein and fluid requirements. I am not required to have any particular number of meals, just 60 grams of protein and 64 ounces of fluid.

You could try what I did with my mother. She is 89 and obsesses over her own weight problems, too. I know she meant well when she discussed my weight, but, as you know, it can still hurt. I told her talking about my weight was not allowed--not even positive comments as I lost weight.. I was firm and she has honored my rule. If she hadn't, I would have been even firmer the next time around. For her, the weight discussions are a habit, a bad one, but a habit. Dealing with the problem directly was the answer for me and is certainly better than cutting off someone who is a good person with a bad habit.

Try Smooth Move, a tea. Works great within a few hours and my doctor approved it.

My doctor cleared me at my one month checkup, however, I had a picture perfect surgery and recovery. I think it would depend on your personal circumstances.