Nick'sMom

When I went for my psych evaluation, the Dr. suggested 2 books: Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with food and The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person. They also have this on CD and there's a workbook you can buy that goes with it. He said they are both good since they don't focus on a specific diet but on changing the way you think about food and yourself. I have both but have only started reading the first one yesterday. I also have The Sleeved Life and that was a good book, depending on how much research you have already done. If you are far into the process, you may not learn too much but it's still a good read. I also ordered recipes for Life After Weight-Loss Surgery, Revised and Updated: Delicious Dishes for Nourishing the New You and the Latest Information on Lower-BMI Gastric Banding Procedures. I reviewed it and have begun to mark recipes that I'm going to test. The best part of this book is that it associates each meal with which phase you are in. So it has liquid, puree, soft, mechanically soft and regular meals. It also gives you eating tips for the type of bariatric surgery you are getting. This is one of the few that specifically discussed The Sleeve. Hope this helps.

Great information. I have been worrying about lose skin also but had never heard of brushing your skin. So I'm wondering if I should do lotion at night and then brushing in the morning or do the brushing before applying lotion? I am looking forward to hearing about people's results. I'm going to do more research and if I find anything helpful, I'll post it.

Good Luck on Thursday. I took 2 pages of questions with me when I went for my consult and Dr. Rantis took the time to answer each one. Really put me at ease so I would guess Dr. Wallace will be just as great!

So awesome! Thanks for sharing. I'm still preop but I'm slowly going from scared/anxious to excited/anxious

Hi LawDiva312 ....I'm also starting out with the same Dr. group....I'm had my consult with Dr. Rantis at his Hoffman Estates office - really like him - he's partners with Dr. Wallace. My friend had her surgery last year by Dr. Guske and she is doing great...down over 100 lbs and she looks and feels awesome. No complications at all. I'll be having my surgery at St. Alexis hopefully in September. So far, everyone in their office is great. I've gone through the psych evaluation with Dr. Crane and I go for my preop dietary meeting on the 8th. I also have BCBS and those two items are required before they can submit the paperwork for approval. I've started scheduling some of the after approval appointments because there's a wait time...you have to meet with a pulminologist, do a post op dietary meeting and you have to attend one of their support groups that they hold on Sat mornings. Oh ya, I had an upper GI and a gallbladder/liver ultrasound because I was having issues - so far all is ok I guess. Do you know when you might be having your surgery?

That's great to see. I'm still preop but I'm a cereal person and was actually mourning the thought of not having it again. I'm just going to work on embracing the 'honeymoon' period and changing my habits before things get back to my new normal. I's encouraging to see that we don't have to give up anything (but soda) and truly eat in moderation.

This was a really great thread! I don't have a surgery date....yet...but when I read posts like this, it can't happen fast enough. It really takes away some of the anxiety to see how well you have done. I started on this board just a couple of weeks before Gene1970 went in for his surgery. It's great to follow people through their journey. Thanks!

Hi there, I'm new to this site...at least officially....I've been lurking & reading posts from time to time and a few really great blogs...but feel I need to really get involved and find good support. So, a little about me. I'm 44, married with a 5 year old son. I've been overweight since my 20's and I have recently made the decision to get the sleeve. I'm pretty nervous about it but also excited. My insurance covers it 100% - as I've already hit my deductable this year. I've met with my surgeon, had the upper gi endoscopy and also had an ultrasound on my gallbladder. No stones in the gallbladder but I do have a mild case of GERD and gastritis. They did biopsys and I do not have any infections or other issues - just an inflamed tummy which should be healed in the next couple of weeks. I just got a call from my Dr's office and I’m set up for the Psych evaluation and test. What can I expect from that? I also have to schedule my Dietary class. Yikes…but a good Yikes…It’s so real now. I bought a few books that have really helped me to understand this whole thing. I mean, I understand the surgery, but the after part is a little scary. I found what looks like a good cookbook for after and another that’s the mental side of things. I just want to make sure I’m really ready for it…I mean, I want this and feel like I’m ready but gosh, it’s scary and permanent….but everything I’ve read on the boards and heard from my friend and my dr. is that most people don’t regret it….especially when you are losing weight. That’s actually what the dr. told me....He said it can become a good vicious cycle in that you lose weight, then you want to exercise more, then you lose more weight and exercise more, etc.. I really think it will be great next summer to be smaller and healthier to keep up with my son. Well, that's where my head is at today. As I've read, it's a Journey and this is just the beginning. Thanks for listening!