Trixie

I've had good luck finding tasty Protein powders from the BariatricEating.com website, but their stuff is darn pricey! But, their Inspire protein powders taste good to me (especially the caramel latte and Peanut Butter cookie), have 20 g of protein and only 1 g of carbs per serving, which makes them perfect for the pre-op low carb diet. Does anyone know of anyplace else to find the Inspire brand? They look like they may be "house" brands at BariatricEating.com, but if that is the case, I wonder if there is a comparable brand that has the same good stuff for a better price. Anyone have suggestions?

The only ones I like are the Inspire (from bariatriceating.com) and Click (from a Amazon.com). They are expensive, but they are twice as good as anything else I've tried.

Order an appetizer. My fav sushi place has sushi and sashimi appetizers that are perfect. I also suggest you give raw tuna a second try - it's very much like medium rare steak in texture, very high in protein and I have learned to love it!

I am really rethinking my relationship with food. The post-op liquid diet has forced me to acknowledge when I am "emotionally hungry" (e.g. when I want to eat but do not need to eat) versus real hunger. Since I'm only a couple of weeks post-op, I'm wondering how everyone else has dealt with this, especially once you are on "real" food after week 8. Thanks!

I thought I would post an update on my surgery. I'll be one week post-op tomorrow. Everything went fantastically well. I had the procedure on Monday and was released from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. I have had very little pain, even in the hospital, and didn't ask for pain meds after they removed my morphine pump on Tuesday morning. I was up and walking on Monday afternoon, and did my best to walk a few laps around the hallway every 2-3 hours as proscribed by my doctor. I swear, that makes all the difference in the world! I'm convinced that my surgeon, Dr. Wier, is the most compassionate, caring surgeon around. I would highly recommend him! We had a great, funny moment in the hospital when Dr. Wier came by on rounds on Wednesday and found me talking to @hirskborn, another of his patients, who was there visiting me. The look on his face was priceless. Thank you to everyone for your kind words when I last posted about my journey to having this surgery. Through VSTalk, I have made at least one RL friend in addition to a supportive online community. This forum is invaluable. Before she died, I promised my mom I would have this done by the end of the year, and I have.

Best of luck to you!

Good luck to you tomorrow! You are doing something great for yourself. :biggrin2:

My doctor was very candid with me about my choices when I made my decision. Here is what he told me: 1. All WLS is PERMANENT. Do not think of a lap band as a reversible procedure because it is not, not really. The only reason they ever remove the lap band is because of complications. It is designed to be a permanent implant. All WLS is surgery, and all WLS has a risk of complications. 2. The band is a good choice for people with a BMI of 40 or less since it produces relatively less weight loss than the other procedures. It requires a lot of dedication, as you will still feel hunger even though you will feel full on less food. You also need to be available for lots of follow-up with your surgeon to allow the band to be continually adjusted as you heal and There are complications with the band that range from adjustment issues (under or over-filling the band) to ulcers and perforations of the stomach wall. 3. The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is also a good choice for people with a BMI of 40 or less, but it produces consistently more weight loss than the band. It requires a commitment of at least three months of healing time, during which time you will gradually add foods back into your diet. But, with no adjustments to be made, you will have fewer follow-ups with your surgeon. Like the band, the result of the surgery is a reduced-size stomach pouch, but unlike the band, your surgeon actually removes the part of your stomach that produces ghrellin, the hormone responsible for sending hunger signals to your brain, so you won't feel hungry despite being on a reduced calorie diet. Complications are mostly related to the surgery itself (e.g. leaks in the initial stapling), and to failure to follow the post-op dietary instructions and rushing into eating solid foods too quickly. I chose the sleeve because I did not want a permanent foreign implant in my body, because eI don't have time for constant adjustments, and because I didn't want to feel hungry all the time. My doctor agreed with my choice, but at the end of the day, it was MY choice. Read all of the information on both procedures and figure out what is important to you. I wish you all kinds of luck in making your decision.

I started my journey toward my VSG over a year ago. One of my best friends, who happens to be an Ob/Gyn, pulled me aside to talk to me about my weight. She cautioned me that I was heading for diabetes, a heart attack or a stroke. She encouraged me to look into bariatric surgery "before it's too late." That was in June of 2010. At 240 pounds, I was at my heaviest ever. My job doesn't help. I run my own law firm,with all the long hours and high stress that entails. I didn't exercise much, and my husband (who thinks bacon is a lean meat) did most of the cooking. I had just turned 43, and I had packed on most of the excess weight since starting law school in 2003. But then I got news that my mom had lung cancer and that her oncologist recommended removing part of her lung. I dropped everything and went to be with my mom after her surgery. Meanwhile, my business partner and I started to have problems. By the end of the year, Mom was doing OK, but the business had fallen apart and I had to start over. By December I had relaunched my firm as a solo practice. And gained another four pounds. I finally made it to a bariatric weight loss seminar in January and learned about my options. I settled on a VSG because it has fewer complications than either the RNY bypass or the gastric band. I submitted my insurance info to the practice manager, and crossed my fingers! About a month later, I got word that my oldest sister had thrown a blood clot to her lungs (a saddle pulmonary embolus). Thank God she is a pediatrician! She knew what was happening when it started, took the right precautions, and the "widow maker" embolus didn't kill her. Once again I dropped everything, this time to help my sister when she came home from the hospital. Boy was THAT a wakeup call! My sister, who is only four years older than me, nearly died of something that is weight-related. A few weeks after I got back, I got word that my insurance would indeed cover a sleeve gastrectomy. I met with my surgeon shortly thereafter, and started the six-month long process of physician-supervised dieting, lab tests, barium swallows, pulmonary and cardiology stress testing... the works. Finally, in August 2011, I got a surgery date: September 26th. Along the way my mom's cancer had returned, metastasizing to her liver. It was terminal, I knew, but Mom made me swear that I would have my surgery on September 26th, no matter what. But on September 10, 2011, my mother passed way, just two days before I was to start my 2-week pre-op liquid diet. I called my surgeon's office and postponed the surgery indefinitely. I was heartened to learn that my slot was given to a good friend who I met through this BBS: Hirskborn. Karma can be a wonderful thing! My surgery has been rescheduled to November 28th. I am three days into my liquid diet (which sucks, by the way) and down 6 pounds. Hopefully I'll lose enough before my pre-op consult on Tuesday that my surgeon will give me the green-light for surgery. And that's my story. I've been around here a while, lurking and reading everyone else's stories, questions and advice. This is the first time I've really felt up to sharing what I've been through in the last year and a half.

Thanks for the support. Really, I'm not looking for sympathy - just wanted to introduce myself. I'm excited about my surgery and can't wait to move on to the next phase.

Thanks. I hope you are right. But I have learned that there is no such thing as "using up my negative karma." Apparently I have plenty stored up! Maybe it was the whole "selling my soul and becoming a lawyer" thing...

You know what? You are right! I had to cancel my surgery on the 26th so that you could have my slot! That makes me feel so much better about having to cancel last minute. :-)

I'm curious about this too. I'm two weeks pre-op and considering buying a compression tank top for post-op. I had a hysterectomy a decade ago, and I wore a compression garment (a high-waisted brief) for several weeks afterwards. It helped a lot. It supported my stomach muscles after they had been cut, and I felt MUCH more comfortable when I was wearing it, So I wonder if a compression tank top will help support the upper abdomen after surgery and make it more comfortable. Anyone have experience with this? THANKS!!

Hi all! I'm "Trixie." I'm 44 y.o., female, 5'6" and 250 lbs. I'm a business lawyer in Orlando, FL (no stress there!), on BP and cholesterol meds. I don't yet have a surgery date, but it should be in 1-2 months now that I have completed all my clearances. I am just finishing up the 6-months physician supervised diet whereby I was able to maintain my weight, but I didn't lose a pound. This is mostly due to an out-of-whack thyroid. I'm just hoping for better results from the surgery. Honestly, if I just lose enough to get off the medications I will be happy. Has anyone else out there got hypothyroidism? How did the surgery work for you? Did it help you get your thyroid levels in balance? Thanks in advance for your answers!

I just finished my last clearance too - small world! I've probably seen you in a waiting room somewhere in the last few months. I do know my insurance covers it, so that's a hurdle I don't have to cross. I'll be scheduling a date at my next visit with Dr. Wier. My big hold-up isn't work (I work for myself) but a sick mother. If chemo goes well, I'll be doing this in August or September. If not, it will be after Mom passes. (Not being morbid - it's just the way it is.)

I'm actually in Altamonte Springs, but nobody from outside the Orlando area knows where that is! :-) Who is your surgeon, if you don't mind me asking? Mine is Dr. Daryl Wier at ORMC.