Griselda

Oh yes, you should share your story!! I am getting sleeved on Monday and have the whole metabolic syndrome thing going with high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low hdl, diabetes, fatty liver, etc. etc. I'd really love to hear how all this has wored out for all of you!

YES!! One week from today I will be having my surgery. I wish I could just go to sleep until it is time to leave. However, I do have a lot of things to do, maybe take your time cleaning house (you won't feel like it later), preparing some broths or making lists of some stuff to have handy, go to the movies, (no popcorn!! just take your own clear juice in your purse), get some before pics and measurements (if you haven't already). get some books checked out from the library to read when you return home (or pick out some to take with you). Go through your clothes and find some that you know won't be fitting you anytime soon and donate them or take pics of them to sell on ebay, give to friends, consign, etc, or just bury them in your backyard! Have some comfy outfits ready for your return, ones that won't be tight around the waist, get a pedicure, get a haircut, fish out your old rings that don't fit anymore, clean them up and get ready to wear them again soon! Medidate, tell yourself that you are giving yourself a great gift, and that you will be successful. Go visit some friends/family you don't see often, that way when you do see them again, they will notice a big change.

give me an idea of the types of foods you used to eat and like prior to surgery? (not just ingredients, but actual meals or recipes?) that might give us an idea or two.

Your starting BMI and total weight to lose is a the low-end, so you probably won't have that much of a struggle to get all your weight off, even with some cheating. That said, you do still need to stick to the program not for the reason of losing faster or better, but due to safety issues. Your sister was concerned and she had a right to be. Talk to your doctor, try to find some other varieties of foods you can eat for now that are within you plan and do not risk your sleeve!!

I'm still pre-op, but I think part of it might be that you already lost a very nice amount prior to your surgery, so you got the 'easier' weight off first and now you are losing, but it is not as fast as someone who maybe only dropped 10 pounds preop and then went into the restricted diet. I am guessing to have dropped so much preop you probably had to restrict your intake quite a bit so your body was more used to a smaller amount of food for a period of time. It seems, (just from reading people's tickers) that it works out that way. But you ARE losing and 15 pounds in less than a month is really good!

Will be thinking of you both!!!

Do you have a blood sugar monitor (or have a friend who does that could check it?) It could be that, or low blood pressure. In any case, try to get it checked out!!

I am doing liquids for 14 days because I have fatty liver and I want to get it as shrunk as I can before my surgery on May 16th. Day one was a killer, but not as bad as two and three. Four didn't get any better. Five was manageable, but today I finally feel like I am going to make it. I made Soup with lean beef, onions, cabbage, carrots, butternut squash, parlsey, potato and cooked it for a a few hours and then blended it in blender (vitamix, Yeah!!). It is really hitting the spot. It's my favorite soup non liquid diet, and it tastes just as good liquified. I also made gazpacho (cold, uncooked tomato soup), it was really good too, no fat at all on that one. I don't think the other has much fat, just what comes from the meat, but I know that the veggies are carborific. I know these won't count as clears for the last few days and probably won't be allowed until full liquids, or maybe not even then? I know tomato can play havoc with heartburn. I had one Protein shake this morning and then also liquefied some mangoes and oranges and had those. I bought a watermelon and will make me some 'watermelon water' if I feel like I need anything else, but at this point, I am struggling to finish my bowl of soup. I haven't taken my diabetic meds, and am having 150 bg in the mornings (after not eating all night) and about 85 during the day when I am eating, crazy mixed up body!! I am going to have to make lots of Jello for those last three days. Anyhow, to those who are still on their first few days of liquid pre-op, it really does get better!!! I actually managed to go shopping wtih my 7 year old and got him all sorts of Snacks, cakes, chocs, etc., and I don't feel deprived. (He's super skinny, I have been trying to get him 'on the charts' for weight since he was born, I wish I could trade metabolism with him for a little while!)

I love cauliflower, so I do want to try this out!

DAMN!!! That is amazingly quick, what a ride!! You know, 13 is the last size I remember being, seems like I went from 13 to 18 to 24, without any stops in between. I might have to borrow those pants if I can get there just so I can dance in them too!

Truly if it were not for the tattoos, I would have thought it was a different person!! Way TO GO!!!

That is great!!! My father had a quadruple bypass and after he had it, he felt so much better, he had gotten used to not feeling good and tiring so easily. Now that you had that and have taken off quite a bit of weight, I can hear the Rocky tune playing!!

You look great, just an 'average' weight, and you look healthy!

Your toothpicks start collecting dust. The only thing in your dishwasher is spoons, bowls and cups You think slimfast tastes like manna from heaven You pay $4.50 for a bottle of 'Protein water' and think you've treated yourself You think boullioun cubes are worth their weight in gold. You don't think putting pizza in a blender would be that bad Your blender gives out from exhaustion Your jaws start to atrophy from lack of use You start to use fuzzy logic, if Jello is okay, then spam can't be far behind... You are on day four and everyone says first three days were the worst and you can't tell the difference You are afraid to watch television in case you see commercials about food You are afraid to go grocery shopping You start getting envious of the cat or dog crunching their pet food You don't ever want to hear the word smoothie again!!! What else???

I was just wondering how often everyone weighs. I am telling myself (I am pre-op) that I will only weigh myself once every two weeks or so, but I can see how the urge to weigh myself daily would be hard to resist.

Awwww, I was going to get some today. Thanks for warning

Fabulous!!!!

WOW, you are an inspiration, you look great. I always love the smiles in the after photos, they are so genuine!!

Not certain, but guessing that most doctors tend to go with whatever they initially learned, unless they found that it was problematic. Maybe they started with 90% and then someone said, "whoaa, that's too much" so they all started doing 70%, but others started saying I am doing 80% because that is right in the middle. There should be some difference in success based on having less stomach, but 90% seems like a lot, maybe they found that some people's stomachs were too small or subject to strictures so they decided to leave more stomach. Not sure which came first, but most 'info' on VSG seems to say 85%, but that could be an average. It seems that most surgeons list using a particular bougie size which might also result in the difference. If my stomach is smallish (although I am sure it is not) then using the same measure on me and on someone with a large stomach might leave me at 90% gone and them at 70% gone. I don't know that they particularly tailor it to BMI.

Where do you get the won ton soup? I remember my father used to get it in a can but I haven't seen it in ages.

I think unless your family members have also had some form of weight loss surgery, in general, they tend to not support it. I know that my husband was dead set against it and kept saying just go on a diet, we will do it together, let's start walking, etc. We shared a family doctor and when the family doctor actually suggested I have some form of WLS because of all my comorbidities, he was still saying he didn't think it was necessary. Then even when I went to see four different specialists (related to comorbidities) and all of them suggested WLS, he still didn't think it was a good idea. Well, we are now divorcing (not because of that, but other issues) and so now he really doesn't get to 'have a say' in it. He still thinks it is a bad idea and the rest of my family also think it is too dangerous. However, they do not live in my body and even though I weigh less than 300 lbs, I have every problem in the book that is related to weight. If one of them were in my situation, I would try to find out what was best for them. I think it is hard for people who haven't been there, or people who are there, but are not wiling to have surgery themselves. Only YOU can decide what YOU need to do. It is surgery, there are risks, there are risks to not having surgery, there are risks to flying, driving, falling in love, choosing one career path over the other, etc. Only we can decide what are acceptable risks for ourselves. I am less than 2 weeks away from having surgery and I was POSITIVE I would have no fears or second thoughts or cold feet, however, as it gets close, I find that I am very worried. and wondering if my family aren't right and wouldn't my son rather have a fat, unhealthy mom who might not die until he is in his 40's or one who might die in a few weeks. I picture friends/family crying and saying "We didn't care she was fat, at least she was alive" But, realistically, the chances of me dying from the procedure are not very high. Keep reading, keep asking and keep looking for the answer, you will know it when you find it!! quote name='fatBgone' timestamp='1304447101' post='145603'] I would really suggest that you read, read, read! All the different posts under all the different topics. It will let you see some of the different success stories, problems that people encounter, suggestions, etc. there are so many different topics and posts and just about everyone at one time has posted his/her story. When I first found this board, I just spent so much time reading what everyone posted and I really learned so much. You get to read about it as it happened and sometimes that is the best way to really try to understand what was happening with the person at that time and was that pre-op or how many weeks post-op, etc. Good luck!

Okay, I tried to think of all the food I was going to miss and have all my favorites before the big liquid diet, but that is putting a lot of pressure on yourself. The only thing I didn't really get to do was go to my favorite Indian buffet, I really want some of those little dough balls swimming in sweet syrupy goodness, but, alas, I didn't get the chance. I know that eventually, I will be able to eat Indian food again, but I think it will be a long time before I can have one of those. To top it off, my vitamix still hasn't arrived!! It's not really a crisis, I do have a blender, but I was really looking forward to whipping myself some green smoothies. I had my birthday cake (lots of it), I had gnocchi, I had pizza, fajitas, burgers, fries, coke, ice cream, chocolate bars, a small box of chocolates, etc, etc. (During the last month, not all tonight, ha ha). So here's to tomorrow, I will need lots of support, so will be checking this site often. I think the first three days will be the worst, followed by the last three days. I CAN DO IT!!! Ummm, will I have stomach issues the first few days of liquids? Our bathroom situation at work is not ideal!

I wish it were six days, it is two weeks total. So far, I am starving!!!! We don't have a costco where I live. quote name='mb20mom' timestamp='1304309199' post='144898'] Just try to remembert that those six days of "discomfort" while on the liquid diet is leading you to a new life, and ensuring that your surgery will be successful. Try the Premier chocolate Protein shakes from Costco, they're quite tasty and filling. Good luck to you!!

I didn't see the deleted stuff and I feel I am missing out somehow!

Is there anyone who likes plain yogurt that can compare it to the plain greek yogurt? Do they taste the same? I like plain yogurt and can eat it ok, so I wonder if there is a taste difference between it and plain. Cottage cheese, I can tolerate, but it's a texture thing.