Mz_Elle

I feel in love with the Atkins shakes, and I just add a scoop or two of the Bariactic Advantage protein powders to increase the protein. Also a good option is to buy the chocolate or vanilla soy milks and add your protein powder to them directly. If you're going for pre-packaged shakes, that may be the issue. You can do a lot just mixing on your own and they have much better flavor.

Put a couple of capsules of Golden Seal powder in your mouthwash or just separately with water and gargle with it for a few days. It should clear it up.

For me, it was week 2. I was still getting the blood thinner shots in my belly, and trying to get all the fluids in. It was very challenging cause the meds were gone, I needed to walk every day and I was trying to gauge my stomach and what I could put in. It was very frustrating.

It' will be close to a year in a few weeks. I've not had the weight loss results as most have reported here. I'm seeing >100 lbs being reported by a lot of my peers. I' not even close to 100 lbs, but on the healthcare front I've remained off my insulin, no longer sleep with my CPAP and have managed to stay relatively free of bing eating. I'm very disappointed in that I've not maintained an excercise regimen that would be considered a "Life Style Change." I did have some good starts and stops and right now I'm decidedly at STOP. I just don't have the motivation stay on an exercise regimen. I always end up hurting myself in some way, then that give me clearance to give up. In Oct 2012 I was in the hospital with stroke like symptoms, literally paralyzed on my left side. They r/o a stroke and after 2 days of tests, released me to neurologist for f/up care with dx of hemiplegic migraine. Code word for I don't know WTH is wrong, but she has had migraines in the past, so let's roll with it. I was on restrictions for about 2 month while they tried to figure out what's wrong. All my feeling returned before discharge, but I had total numbness in the last 3 fingers on my left hand. After testing for everything from carpal tunnel syndrome to pinched nerves in my arm and shoulder, the prize-winner neurologist came back with I can give you some cream that may work, I can send you to therapy with sometimes helps, or it may just fix itself on it's on........BUT I see you've not had a sleep study in a while and your plan will bay for it, so let me set you up for a new one. OK. Dr. Neuro's office begins calling me weekly to setup this darn sleep study....I finally told them to NEVER call me again. I still have trouble typeing and my left hand it still giving me problem. I'm hoping I'm not a stroke risk, but the PCP says get going with the excecise again. In February I start back walking. Doing good. Sporadic, but I'm getting it in at least 2-3 times a week. Weight going down, have to finally buy some new clothes because my black leggings are falling off an my colorful fat girl "pop of color" tops are looking like flour sacks on me 'cause they're too big. I have a chronic pain in my left foot and ask for an x-ray, my PCP says there's nothing remarkable but I may have small bone spurs that will just be a chronic issue for me. SUX. I start feeling a little soreness in my left leg, it evolves into a limp, but I'm thinking it's just me getting back on the track and I ben-gay it up and bear down. I'm down to 1-2 times a week, but I'm keeping it moving. Garage sale Saturday, I'm digging for treasures and a radiating pain hits my left leg. I can't walk. I yell. The ppl help me to my car and my mom starts freaking me out telling me it's probably a blood clot and I'm going to die if I don't get to an ER soon (She has a flare for the dramatic). I go to the ER and they r/o a blood clot, discharge to my PCP for follow-up the next day. PCP rotates my leg and refers me to an Ortho Surgeon the next day stating he thinks I'm going to need surgery. Now I"m on crutches. Ortho assesses and no surgery. Just 1 week of total bed rest. I have a grade 2 calf muscle strain! I'm off my feet for a week and come back, it's healing, but still not out of the weeds for abt 6 weeks so take it easy but do what you can.....To me that translates into DO NOTHING, and I've been faithful to that regimen for about 2 months now. WTH? Really Elle? You going to cop out like that? Why YES I AM. Disappointed in myself, but yes. I did that. Now I'm at the year mark and reflecting. I want to hit the century mark. I'm wanting a 1XX versus a 2XX at my weigh in. I hope to reach the 100s in about 6-8 months. Kick-off date is July 1,2013. Please pray for me that I can keep this new goal in sight. I do have concerns that I may have a hernia or something because I feel I am able to eat more than I should in one sitting. As long as I don't drink anything while eating I'm fine. I've drank alcohol sparingly w/o any trouble. I don't do well with chicken or ground beef. Bread and butter is my weakness, but I can only eat a little bit of it at a setting. I have been bad and do drink from straws on occasion. My new guilty pleasure is McCafe Hazlenut Lattes and Caramel Frappes. I also enjoy the egg white delight breakfast combo. I can eat the hashbrown and mcmuffin in one sitting (I just throw away one of egg mcmuffin slices). I can honestly say the term "use VSG as a tool" not a solution is a great message. You will not drop an insane amount of weight just from having this procedure. You have to work at it and change. My health is better and I will praise this procedure to the mountain tops, but you must be willing to put in the work to get the pounds off. My mother recently had the procedure and is doing well. She was not nearly as obese as me, so I'm excited to see if a little competiton will help boost me on the walking track. Her start weight is my current weight! So we're even in getting out of the gate. My mom had a lot more stuff broken in her health wise so I"m elated that she finally did the procedure. My marriage is struggling at the moment. Not heading for divorce or anything, just facing some challenges with a blended family. We're working through it, but I'm feeling my old urges and our lack of intimacy isn't helping things at all. I hate being mad all the time. Work is sucking as well. I don't know if I should move on or stay with them. My company has great benefits but I'm working 16-20 hour days and not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. It's shockingly overwhelming. Any way in closing. 1 year has been faced with several set-backs, but I'm optimistic that I can refocus and get back on track. Besides my husband and kids, the VSG decision remains one of the best decisions I've made in life. I think I bought myself more years on this earth by just choosing to not die of morbid obesity complications. This board has been most helpful in letting me know I'm not alone and others are in the struggle with me and offering support. Thank you all

I bought a couple of cute, short wigs in preparation of my hair shedding. I wanted to be pro-active and you know how sistas love the hair! I wasn't really ready to actually cut it all off. Fortunately I haven't had any shedding though....I'm still sporting the sassy bob wigs though...

Thanks guys~

I'm almost at my 6 month mark. Since the surgery I have had about 40 lbs down (maybe more), definitely lots of inches. I don't feel the "restrictions" that some of you have posted to a significant degree. Yes, if I overeat, but I'm not 2 ouncing it and getting sick like some are posting. I feel like either 3 things exist: 1. I got a good handle on my limitations with my new stomach so I'm inherently just able to deal. 2. The doc didn't take out the 80% or better and my stomach is a little bigger than it should be. 3. My stomach is just stretched out significantly (but I just don't see that being the case). I do feel that I'm able to tolerate more food than I should in one sitting though. The biggest issue I have is drinking with my meals. That....I've learned is a BIG no-no for my body. I will get sick. As long as I don't indulge in fried foods and eat slowly, I'm good for almost anything. I still don't feel the pounds are coming off as fast as I'd like to, but I do confess that I've not been working out consistently for the past 2 months. I've had a couple of health scares with migraines and a neurological condition which I'm still getting dx tests to see what's going on. I just used the hospitalizations to justify my lack of working out. BTW the reason I'm quoting 40 lbs (maybe more) is because I have held true to my resolution to not be a slave to the scale ("My Precious"). I have done well with that part! Other good things...I've still not felt a true hunger pain since the surgery. I am battling mind hunger daily and those old tendencies to eat what I see just to feel better. I do give in to my sweet tooth for at least 1 week out of the month, but I now splurge on sugar free Russel Stover's Dark Choc Pecan Delights and sugar free caramels. I know they're still not calorie free, but it's still progress! My last A1C wad 6.7, which is down from 11.3 (yep. I typed it right!) just prior to my surgery. I was on Metformin too when I clocked 11.3. Since July 14th, I've been off all diabetes meds and I'm sitting pretty at 6.7. That in and of itself was worth the surgery! I'm no longer on hypertension meds. I have not been using my CPAP machine (sleep apnea) and I've been sleeping well, refreshed, no snoring! Also my lymphedema in my left leg is all but gone. So even if my weight loss seems slow, healthy wise, I'm still a winner. I will get back on the work out horse and hopefully be in the century club by the time my 1 year post-op comes round. I am considering visiting a therapist though to address my stress issues and my mind hunger issues. I still feel I have a lot of emotional issues that I need to address with food. I don't quite have my Sexxy Back, but I'm getting there. Professionally I'm still struggling with the backstabbing Boss but I'm holding strong for now.....

My Precious got a victory today....At least 4 ppl within the past week commented on now good I'm looking. 1-My neighbor (a few houses down) who I have had maybe 4 conversations with since they moved into the neighborhood about 3 yrs ago, pulled up on side of me while I was at my mail box and said how good I was looking. She congratulated me on my walking and just wanted me to know she noticed. (She does not know I got anything done either). 2-My co worker pulled me aside and said I needed to buy some new shirts because my current ones were just looking to big. 3-My boss told me I needed to buy new pants becuase my current ones were looking like baggy pajamas and they probably were going to fall off. 4-My employee, told me she needed to quit procrastinating and get on the walking trail with me cause I am looking good..... Ok with 4 compliments I got curious as to how much I lost and gave in to Precious just to see.....I'm officially leading off with a 2XX LBs category. I was very happy, but then regretted getting on the scale. I'm going to try to deter from getting on Precious for the full 4 weeks as I planned. I'm going to try to focus on the exercise and diet. Hopefully I can do it.....but it was nice to see the scale move and to have ppl notice. I finally saw myself on a recent picture from my GYRLS NITE OUT and for the very 1st time I could see the change. I AM LOOKING GOOD!

I got the Simply Bar "Caramel Peanut Protein Bar." 16 g protein, 150 cals, 3 g sugar, 4 g fiber. Tastes worst that card board. I do not recommend, even with the protein fix. I'm still traumatized by the taste. I'm so glad I did not get a whole bunch. DEFINITELY A THUMBS DOWN..... I'm rolling with Atkins. They are my protein bar winners for now.....

LOL Gmanbat. I needed that one. It's been almost a week and I have not given in to My Precious. I also has NSV today in that I am COMFORTABLY in a 2X shirt. (Previously I rolled in the 4Xes. 3Xes if it was stretchy). My 2X black peasant blouse is doing me well.

I'm over it. I don't want to look at the scale anymore! I feel like freaking Frodo with that thing. "My Precious" keeps calling me. I have to resist. I don't want my success being tied to a number. My clothes feel loose. I'm getting more energy. I'm sucking it up with my work.... (actually...I started looking for another job last week!). I'm getting things done. I feel healthier. PPL say I'm looking good. Getting compliments. What's the obsession with the number? I'm going to try to go a whole month w/o getting on that darn thing! Wish me luck!

Dude. I was told to stay away from alcohol for a full year and I'm a girl who loves a nice sweet red wine to relax at the end of the day. I've not had anything alcoholic since my surgery and plan on staying away from it from here on out.

Yes. I'd agree with Lissa. Check out Patrick's posts. He's been doing great.