Ijam75

Wow, you look amazing!! I really think a daily upload of you and the red dress would be very motivational to us all!! Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

Did somebody say Mmmmmmmmandy May? Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

We hosted a pool party/bbq yesterday. I snuck a sip of beer... it didn't hurt.. it didn't burn... it tasted wonderful lol. I can't do that anymore though. Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

I was told no carbonation as well. I could care less about soda, but there have been times that I thought my head was going to explode from not being able to drink a beer in the hot weather. Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

You are having the same fears most of us do. I actually tried to cancel the surgery about 2 mins before they wheeled me into the OR. My wife's eyes told me to lay down and shut up, the next thing I remember I was being wheeled from recovery to post-op. If you want to help build confidence before your surgery, follow every single preop diet and exercise routine to T!!! Walk into that hospital 10' tall and bullet proof, knowing that you did EVERYTHING exactly as you were supposed to. Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

My wife is an RN and ER director, so yeah, we were prepared for the worst as well. Being that she only sees sick people, we really never imagined my recovery. I have not taken any pain meds since being discharged, was walking right after surgery and have never gotten sick. The only discomfort I had was quickly cured by gasX strips the first week. Congrats and good luck. Sent from my mobile productivity killer.

Keep up the good work. As the others said, it really does get better. As the pounds start to shed and your food choices increase, you will become yourself, if not better, again. Isopure is nasty, but I forced that down too. While I never ever felt hungry until about week 4, my mind grew very sick of the broths and Soups. To fight this I must have hit 5 different stores looking for ideas. Tip- hit the soup and organic sections of the stores for ideas, then run like heck to the checkout. Wandering around the grocery store is like planting a mental ninja in ur brain.

I agree with many of the posts above. I have always been a chicken addict (boneless skinless breast) and chicken is still a staple item in our house. Canned chicken- once you get over the fact that its not tuna, it really is great. The Kroger brand is VERY moist and tasty. Pre made chicken- the already cooked frozen chicken breast that is sold frozen and pre sliced has been good and moist too. Along with the canned chicken it is still fast and less dishes to clean after. I simply place my tiny/sad portion in a pan and simmer in Water to thaw and heat up. Parboil. For on the bone chicken, I like to cook it in a pot of boiling water until 90% done and then simply toss on the grill for a few minutes to give it that grilled flavor. Peel the skin off before eating of course To end my novel... if I am cooking in the oven I dump a can of chicken broth or some other "heart healthy" Soup in the baking dish and cover with foil. Good luck

Yes. I am only 6 weeks out, but each time I stepped up to the next food phase I not only stalled, but put on a pound or two. I think this has more to do with my new "slower moving" system than anything else. As is typical for me, last Sunday I started soft foods and gained 2lbs in the first half of the week, second half I slowly dropped back down to my previous low, this morning I'm down 2lbs to a new low. I know some say not to watch the scale, but I have to. I do not get upset at a small gain because I realize and accept the reasons my body does this. Watching each day is keeping my mind updated on how my body is reacting. This is a cool part of the journey for me.

Sorry to hear you are having troubles. What shakes are you using? What do you despise about them? There are so many different flavors, tastes, consistencies, etc that I bet you could find one that doesn't gross you out.

Dr Marsden is extremely well regarded in the lap band world. On top of that, he is one of the nicest, brutally honest, want to invite him over for dinner and a beer kind of guy. I met with him after speaking with several health care professionals in the bariatric surgery field. Every one of them told me Dr. Marsden for the LB. During my visit with him he mentioned that he had done only 12 sleeve's, but had been trough all of the training and then some. With that said... About a week before my LB surgery was to happen, I found out that none of the follow-ups were with him or his staff, but rather true results. This put me off a bit and was enough for me to put surgery on hold and rethink everything. He was honestly such an awesome guy, that I had made my decision on the LB just because I liked him so much. In the end my family and I felt the sleeve was a better decision and I chose Dr. Kim based on more experience in that surgery. I don't say any of the above to steer anyone away, I would feel very confident in Dr. Marsden's work. His staff is exceptional as well.

wow wow wow.. That is freaking amazing!!

Edit- oops double tap

I can't speak to your specific situation, but Dr Kim, his staff and the entire crew at Baylor TC are amazing. Read and understand your materials, ask questions when you don't. The ladies at TC will have you up and walking very soon after surgery. Be mentally prepared for this as it is key to a faster recovery. Good luck.

I've been telling myself that the darker color is associated with the amount of fat and toxins my body is burning and excreting?

I ate a ton of pureed turkey chili (no beans), cottage cheese (with a small scoup of polander sugar free blackberry spread - good fiber), shake or two a day, egg beaters with some fresh shredded parm cheese while cooking. I wanted tuna and chicken salad, by my doc insisted it was like "apple sauce" and would fall thru the spoon, I just wasnt able to get it to that consistancy and then still have the stomach to eat it.

No, any woman that doesn't feel supported should obviously start flirting at work and take up sexting with an old fling. In re. to WLS leading to a higher divorce rate.. you all think it's because the partner who didn't have surgery changing and not liking a healthier spouse? Hmmm me thinks maybe a lot of the partners who have to WLS suddenly feel like they can do better and/or want a little taste of the grass on the other side. If you are in an unhealthy marriage, get out. If you are in an unhealthy marriage and have an attitude that once you lose a bunch of weight you will then leave... well...

Anyone found one yet? Now that I can have my daily decaf in the AM, I was hoping to find a decent powder to toss in and help get the protein in. Anyone have a favorite they can share?

Yes, a week before my surgery I backed out and changed doc's. The only delay I had was getting the one doc to transfer all the info the the other and then doing new doc's 3 week diet again. You're surgery is a LIFETIME decision, whats a few weeks.

So minus a little pulling on my left side when getting out of bed, I've been virtually pain free since coming home. However, yesterday I was sitting on the couch for a few minutes and when I stood up I got a SHARP pain in my gut what felt like it was about 1/2" to the left of my belly button (feels just barely under the skin). Ever since then, I get the pain every time I go to stand up and then again once I go from slightly hunched to fully upright. It is a super sharp pain that goes away real quick and ends with a slight burning sensation. I'm thinking muscle, but why now 11+ days out? BTW, that is also the only area that is still numb since the surgery. Anyone have any idea's? Ever had something similar?

Six weeks?! Yes, I plan to call them in the AM but I knew some people here would have a similar experience they could share. Thanks.

At this stage, I would say get a fresh note pad that you can keep info strictly related to your surgery. Keep a running list of questions for your doc and dont be afraid to write down the answers right as he/she is giving them. Start bookmarking recipes, keep good track of all of your pre-op appt's. Good luck!

Per the US National Library of Medicine.... Causes, incidence, and risk factors There are many causes of proctitis, but they can be grouped in the following categories: Autoimmune disease Harmful substances Non-sexually transmitted infection Sexually transmitted disease (STD) Proctitis caused by STD is common among those who engage in anal intercourse. STDs that can cause proctitis include gonorrhea, herpes, chlamydia, and lymphogranuloma venereum. Non-sexually transmitted infections causing proctitis are seen less often than STD proctitis. The classical example of non-sexually transmitted infection occurs in children and is caused by the same bacteria that cause strep throat. Autoimmune proctitis is associated with diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Proctitis may also be caused by certain medications, radiotherapy, and inserting harmful substances into the rectum. Risk factors include: Autoimmune disorders High-risk sexual practices such as anal sex

Great job, I will be extremely happy if I can pull off the same results.