Maddie

I think you hit the nail on the head. When you say you're ready to make a change. Obesity is like a runaway train and it makes us feel pretty helpless and hopeless. WLS let's us regain control and it's very liberating. At least I think it is. Yes, the liquid diet sucks, but what a small price to pay...right? I wish you the very best now and throughout your journey.

I was self pay with Dr Wade Barker in Dallas. The cost was $14,200. That included his visits, surgery, hospital, anesthesia and 1 yr follow up visits. But it did not cover the pre-op testing, such as the sleep study, EKG, stress test, etc.

Terrell (just East of Dallas)

You've taken a bold step to better your life, Bravo! It sounds like you are in the right frame of mind to make this work. Best of luck to you.

Here's my list, in no particular order (some are already done) 1-Prove to my closet that clothes really do come in other colors besides black 2-To weigh less than my husband 3-Destroy the Lane Bryant card 4-Get up off the floor without help 5-To be whistled at by a stranger that means it 6-Weigh what it says on my driver's license 7-Become as comfortable in front of the camera as I am behind it 8-NEVER, NEVER, EVER wear anything with an elasticized waistband again!!! 9-Feel my grankids arms reach all the way around me when we hug 10-Start getting clothes as gifts again 11-Feel sexy again 12-To use my birthday, falling star, coin in the fountain, etc 'wishes' for something other than "I want to be thin"

I am so sorry to hear about this. She is very fortunate to be surrounded by a good medical staff and people that love her. Thanks for the update, you'll both be in my prayers.

I didn't really struggle with the pre-op liquid diet, but it was a different story after surgery. But to be honest, I was too scared to push the limits. Jumping into foods that your stomach isn't ready for is like playing Russian Roulette. Please be careful. This phase will be over before you know it.

WOW, what a big difference. Keep on rockin that sleeve.

I can't tell you what your results will be. But, a gentleman friend of the family was in a similar situation and he and his wife were very pleased with the way things went after he has his sleeve surgery. I'm sure your doctor can give you realistic expectations based on you medical history.

I for one, had reflux so bad that it caused ulcers in my esophagus. Do I understand that I am at higher risk for bone fractures, yes. But I also understood my risk for esophageal cancer if I didn't take it. As with any other drug, each patient has to find a balance between the good and the bad and how it pertains to their own circumstance. In my opinion, the fact that we are all on this forum, sharing our questions, ideas and research, leads me to think that we aren't walking into any of this blindly.

http://www.jayrobb.com/protein/unflavored-whey-protein.asp

The whole holiday thing can get to you, but if you're only 10 days out, your body is still going through a lot. You have been pumped full of drugs, your body has been through the trauma of surgery. You will have down days and its perfectly normal. Hang in there it does get easier.

Glad it all went well. Take good care of yourself.

Well, you opened the door, I'm walking right on through. hehe Not only do I not go as often, until I lost weight, I thought I had bladder problems. I didn't. I thought, ok you're in your 50's, you've had a couple of kids, these things happen. I didn't full out wet myself, but if I coughed or sneezed, it was enough that I had to wear a panty liner for protection. After getting my sleeve, my next step was to get my bladder fixed...It's fixed, lol. I guess my huge tummy bearing down on my poor little bladder literally scared the pee out of it. All I know is, problem solved.

I'm not a nutritionist, but here is my 2 cents from what I've learned about it. whey Protein isolate is the most absorbable type of protein for bariatric patients. Then comes the concentrate and last the caseinate. When ingredients are listed on a package, the ones that are listed first have higher amount in the product. So what you would want to see would be something like this: Other ingredients Isolate Whey Protein Mix (whey protein isolate, milk protein concentrate, Calcium caseinate). I don't have your label to go by, but you get the gist of it. So, basically you are looking for something that has whey protein isolate being the primary ingredient of the mix. If it's not the primary, I'm not saying don't use it, but you may want a different one as your primary source. Hope that makes sense.

Listen, I KNOW that nobody can burst your bubble like your Mom. I also understand that when weight has been an issue in the household since childhood, that stuff is hard to break away from. But, I hope you read the post prior to mine. Don't look to anyone for approval with this. Numbers don't lie! Another thing, it is not uncommon for the last fat we lose to be in the tummy. I didn't think mine would ever go away. I had pants fitting so baggy everywhere but so tight on my tummy that I couldn't go down a size. It will come, I promise. On the flip side, my Mom who has been after me for my weight since I was 7 yrs old and put me on my 1st diet when I was 11, is now saying I look sick because I have lost so much. My response was, "well Mom you have been bitching at me over my weight for as long as I can remember, why stop now"! Seriously, you have made a life change that is going to make you healthier and happier for you and your son. If your mother can't share in that joy, it's her problem not yours. Hang in there, you're doing GREAT.

Jay Robb has a very high quality unflavored Protein powder. You can put it in drinks, sauces or whatever. Ask 25 people what is the best Vitamin and you will probably get 25 answers. One thing you should know, is that not all vits are created equal and vits made specifically for bariatric patients could be in your best interest. Bariatric Advantage and Celebrate Vitamins give free samples and most of theirs come in chewables. At first, I got everything I could in liquid form. Be aware though, some meds don't come in liquid form and some can't be crushed. What I did, was take a list of all my meds to the pharmacy. I asked them to tell me what came in liquid, what could be crushed and which ones I just had to deal with. They were very helpful and worked hand in hand with my PCP. Best of luck.

I'm so excited for you. That's a great accomplishment. Keep up the good work.

Everyone heals at different rates. I was much like you. You're doing the right thing, listening to your body. You don't want to force anything. It takes a while for the swelling on the inside to go away, so give it time. In the beginning, I worried too about not getting in enough Protein, so I used Protein Shots. Granted it's not the same quality protein as most shakes, but at least I could get 2.9 oz. down vs. a regular protein shake, and each one has 26g of protein. You may want to give those a try until you can take more in.

That is freakin cool!!!! So does this mean we can expect to see you at the next NFL cheerleader try outs? You could give those girls a run for their money.

WOW, you go girl! Amazing job, keep it up.

I have never heard of that happening. I think the only way I would be concerned with it was if your weight loss put you in the normal range for your height. Do you have a lot to lose and/or a high BMI?

In the beginning, I was using either a magic bullet or blender and those addes WAY to many bubbles, then I discovered the blender bottle, it really helps. If there's still too many bubbles for you, mix it then put it in the fridge for an hour so the bubbles dissipate. http://blenderbottle.com/

Being able to breath easier to me was one of the best NSV's. You will notice more and more how good it feels when you're not carrying around that excess weight. Gratz on the 20 lbs.

At just over a year out, I only get stomach hunger on very rare occasions. I have learned to recognize other ques from my body. Instead of hunger, I notice feeling empty and/or weak. I do still have to fight head hunger though. Writing what you eat and drink in a journal can be a lifesaver. When I want to eat just for the sake of eating, I have to ask myself, do I really want to have to write that down. Most times I say, nah forget it, and I walk away. You have to find what works for you. The further out I get, the more conscious i have to be. In the beginning I was more worried about what would hurt or make me sick. Now, I worry more about how what and how much I eat. You'd be surprised how often I get this little image of my surgeon in my head. At my 1st consultation, he said, "it's up to you to make this tool work. You will always be a big girl on the inside". When i think of him saying that, I ask myself this: At this moment in time, do you want to feed the big girl on the inside, or please the thin girl on the outside. My thin girl is learning that she can kick the big girls butt. LOL