Tiffany Talbert Corbet

Have you tried the Protein bullets? You can get them an Wal-Greens, CVS, online (only a few at WalMart). Here's a link to some. http://www.walgreens.com/search/results.jsp?N=359447+2000013047&Ntt=protein&y=0&x=0 several different flavors, and you get 40+ grams of protein in about 3 oz! I'm going to try to find a few of the singles at WalGreens this weekend just to see how they are, and then I'll think about ordering the larger quantities that are only available online. My dietician suggested them so I did a little hunting yesterday.

Well, steps 2 and 3 are successfully complete. Last month I completed the psychology review. I'm guessing since the men with white coats haven't been chasing me (or caught me), that I must have been deemed normal (or at least less than a bubble off normal). Today my husband and I met with the surgeon, dietician and physical therapist. The surgeon was very positive and answered every question my husband and I had and explained things until we "got it". My husband went in with some trepidation, but walked out confident in the decision I have made. I'm a good candidate for the sleeve procedure, and with no co-morbidities, the surgery should go smoothly. I've never had surgery, and never been under anesthesia, so everything will be a new experience for me. The dietician didn't really tell us anything we don't already know. We aren't "health nuts", but we aren't gluttons either. We know how to eat healthy, we just need to eliminate those little "cheats" that tend to pile up as the nights progress and boredom sets in. The physical therapist was helpful, in a way. We both walk 4 1/2 miles/night together. The hard part is I have a 1 hr commute to work and then home at the end of the day, so squeezing in an hour and a half to walk, get dinner ready, and find time to unwind from the day (and those CRAZY drivers I deal with on the road), we run out of time for anything else and I'm exhausted! He had us walk down a hall way (about 100 ft.) down and back for 6 minutes. He then placed a device on my finger to measure something (I'm guessing this was to see what my oxygen level is when I work out and how quickly I recover from working ou.) Overall, it wasn't really anything I have not heard all my life as I've endeavored to try and lose weight. I've always been overweight, and I think it's gotten to the point that my brain and body work so effeciently together, that no matter what I try to do, they're always going to get their way. So having the sleeve procedure will throw a MAJOR curve ball at them both and make them do things my way. Now we're in "wait" mode. The paperwork is being submitted to the insurance company and we are just waiting for the approval. (I called them twice before this appointment and was told all that was required was a BMI of 35+ with no co-morbidities, and a 40 without) an 5 days notice of the procedure. Once the approval is received, the nurse practitioner will call to start the pre-op required testing and that's when I'll get my surgery date as well. According to the surgeon, they are currently scheduling mid-August. FINGERS CROSSED they make that decision quickly! Last night I was a bit nervous and apprehensive about whether this was what I really wanted to do. After meeting these people and discussing everything, I think it's not only something I want to do, but it's the RIGHT thing to do.

Thanks! Nope, hubby isn't having a procedure of his own, just going through mine connected at my hip. He's behind me 100% if this is what I want and will support me. I thought it would be easier for him to buy into the whole process if he saw it from every side. That way, he knows what I'm telling him is the truth and not being made up just to get him to do something the way I want it. Your posts to your blog crack me up. The information is GREAT and have been a big help with learning expectations of what's to come. Plus, some of the emotional and psychological things you describe from growing up are dead-on to what I went through too. I was serious when I said reading your posts is sometimes like reading a recap of my life. Thanks for the note! I would wish you luck too, but it looks like luck is definitely in your corner and "working it" with you!

Congrats! I'm one of the lucky ones who has been overweight since pre-school. I did manage to lose 80 lbs back in 2007 and actually was wearing size 14 pants and could get into size 12 jeans! OMG what a feeling! Well, then I met my hubby and needless to say became WAY too happy and have managed to get myself within 12 lbs of my highest since then. SO....this is the jumping off point. I still have those size 12 jeans and size 14 pants and I WILL get back in them because I remember how good it felt! Aparently my body and brain have become so efficient working together that they refuse to work with ME when I want to lose, so I'm going to have to put them in a position where they have no alternative. I'm proud of you (and I don't even know you but through your postings. I feel like you're writing my life sometimes.). You're doing so well, and I'm SO excited to hear your successes! Onederland is going to sneek up on you and surprise you and when it does you will undoubtably have QUITE a post for us. Keep up the good work!! (PS....I'd go with the black lace panties and bra for the hubby first. That way he'll forget everything when he sees the credit card bill.)

I was wondering the same thing and then someone mentioned the Pure Protein shakes you can find at Wal-Mart (in the Pharmacy vitamin aisle) and Sams. 110 cal, 1 g sugar, 23 g Protein. I grabbed a 4-pack from Wal-Mart and amazingly, they were pretty good! This morning, I took one of the vanilla shakes, added a tablespoon of sugar-free chocolate fudge jell-o pudding and a little crushed ice, mixed it up with my stick blender and had a full 32 oz. chocolate shake. YUM! Maybe these will work for you too. Good luck! I have my surgeon consult on Tuesday afternoon, so we'll see what he and the insurance company say.

Special K makes a protein pink lemonade water mix. It only has 5 g of protein to a serving and is only 30 calories (5 g of Fiber and 0 Sugar), but at least it's something. Maybe you could replace some water with it to help get your protein in? I haven't been sleeved yet (meet with the surgeon next Tues), but I've been experimenting with how to get protein in different forms to make sure I'm on the right track post-surgery (fingers crossed). Hope that's a helpful idea.

What brand of protein powder to you prefer?

Too funny...so far I've told 2 of my bosses and one co-worker of my plans. In a way I kind of hope the same situation presents itself for me around here. TOTALLY would not surprise me....but it would make for a GREAT laugh on my part. Congrats and ENJOY!! (I'm sure the jealousy of others will set in soon....enjoy that too.)

Good luck! I meet with the surgeon next Tuesday. Did the psych eval last month. Ins. already good to go with no pre-op diet (unless the doctor wants it) and only 5 days advance notice prior to the procedure. I'm like you, anxious, but I don't even have a surgery date yet! I'm pretty sure he'll ok me, no co-morbidities and my BMI is at 39.9 (I prefer to round up.) Hoping his calendar isn't too full once I see him and can get a date within the next month or so!

Does anyone happen to know the deferment time for blood/platelet donors? I'm a regular platelet doner every other Saturday and am curious when I will be able to get back to donating post surgery. Thanks!

8 weeks, 16 weeks, I can live with. Never Now that would just suck. Even cancer patients can donate blood once they are 5 years cancer free.

The adventure has started. My husband, mother-in-law and I attended a seminar last night. The doctor was GREAT! Very engaging and informative. Lots of questions answered without even having to ask them. Now, decision making. I still think I want the sleeve procedure, but like my husband the only hesitation I have is the long-term results available. Since the sleeve has only been being performed for the past 5 years, it's hard to know what the opinion of the medical community will be in 10 - 15 years. Will doctors stop performing this procedure like they are starting to stop performing the lapband? Will they decide that there is a better option and that those with the sleeve are in a dangerous place because of the choice they made? With it being non-reversable, this is a bit freaky. I've read so many posts that talk about their success so far, that it's hard to think that in 10 - 15 years they won't be continuing on the same path. I'm looking forward to calling the doctor's office to make an appointment for the next step to go through the meetings with the psychologist, surgeon, dietician, etc. to see where things go from here. I'm lucky, I don't have any of the co-morbity issues that go along with it, I would just like to get my head around my best option to get the 90 - 100 lbs gone. It's been a life long struggle that I'm ready to finally tackle and take the steps necessary to understand why I haven't been successful so far, or that are needed to be successful this time.

Good luck with your surgery! I exercise every night with my husband. We currently walk 4 1/2 miles in about 1 hr 15 min. So it's not the exercise I'm worried about, and I'm not really that big of an eater when it comes to meals. My main issue is the constant feeling (ie thoughts) that I'm hungry (and acting on it by grazing!). That's what's got me interested mostly in the sleeve. I've read that it will help reduce the "hunger" hormone significantly, and I really like the idea that you still have a functioning stomach, it's just significantly (85%) smaller than it currently is. I'm really not quite sure what situation would warrant needing your stomach reconnected post-op after so long a period of time anyway. I'm sure I'm just paranoid, and meeting with the "team" will help make the decision much easier. Thanks for the info and for taking the time to post.

Hello.... Well, here we are. I know how I got here, there's no question as to that. And I know how hard I've tried to not be here. I've been overweight all my life. I have pictures going back to pre-school that show I'm overweight compared to classmates. Even my cutest pictures give it away. Putting my hands together, you can see the dimples in my hands where my knuckles should be. I'm not saying I wasn't a cute little girl, I was, but it only grew into a bigger problem as I got older (we all know, all pun was intended). I've read other posts, and so many others have gone through similar situations...grandmother who would say "you would be SO pretty if you would only lose weight", the subtle hints of cut out weight loss articles left in strategic places where they know you would find them, name calling in school by class mates, being conveniently forgotten when invites are "spur of the moment" for lunch in the office. All add up to internal turmoil and incessent self-punishment and then finding condolence with chololate or other sugar-laced/carbo-loaded delacacies. Then the evil cycle begins. Each Sunday conjuring up self-esteem and faith in myself to find the strength to get a new habit to form to eat right and exercise, to only have some family drama, or office stress point derail the progress. In 2007 I started the 3-hour diet by Gorge Cruise. Success! -80 lbs. I was SO proud, slipped into size 12 jeans and was pumped! Then I met my husband and everything that was accomplished was undone with all the fun and spoiling that came along with falling in love. I know he only wants what's best for me, and he's constantly reinforcing me that he doesn't care about my weight, he fell in love with me, not my body. I've tried to explain to him that falling in love with me, means he has to fall in love with a me that is in love with myself, and if I can't stand myself, I can't buy in to the fact that there is someone out there that can love me more than I do. My most recent physical was a week ago last Friday. All tests were normal. N-O-R-M-A-L. I don't have high blood pressure....my thyroid is fine....I don't have high sugar or diabetes....my cholesterol is fine....I don't have hypertension, aches of any kind, or pains that cause issues. So if I'm so "nomal"....why am I overweight!!?? The doctor has suggested with everything as good as it is now, and the fact that I've been overweight since pre-school, maybe the sleeve procedure is a good bet to help get things where they need to be. I have signed up for the 5/24 information session, and my husband is 100% behind me and wants to attend as well. (Even my mother-in-law wants to go....and she's 88 with her own health issues!) I'm more comfortable telling my inlaws, than I am telling my own family! I told my sister, and she's perfectly cool with it if it's what I think is best for me. I have a friend in the office who had the lap-band procedure and I watched her lose weight rapidly. She went from a size 22 (230 lbs) to a size 4 (140 lbs) in about 8 months. That was 2 or 3 years ago. She is slowly slipping back up the scale because she gets so busy at work with all the travel required, she doesn't return to her doctor to get a "fill" to keep things in check. I understand this completely, but if that's the result of the lapband, and that you can cheat it that easily, I don't want it. I want something that will help me learn (force me to learn) what portion control HAS to be. Not what is should be, but what it HAS to be because my stomach isn't able to handle what "should" be. (ie. eliminate the possiblity of my subconscious sabotaging me) Growing up, my parents divorced when I was 10. Six months later, my dad remarried. My stepmom isn't the most understanding when it comes to being overweight. She's been thin most of her life, so doesn't "get" what it means to have a weight issue. Then when I was 16 my mom died in a car accident, followed by my best friend since before pre-school 9 years later. Needless to say, a bit of stress. Moved to college, and was given the news from my dad that no matter what "she is my wife, right or wrong, and I will always back her"....that helped the self-esteem. I have only been his daughter longer than she's been his wife, but "whatever". So in a way, I've been on my own since college, with my sister as my primary cheerleader. I'm not saying I have a bad family, they're as loving as they know to be and they do what they think is right and I love each and everyone of them. I'm in a place right now, that after talking with my doctor, I belive this procedure is the best avenue for me to re-invent myself. Like I said, my husband is 100% onboard and ok with my choice. I've already called my insurance company, and as long as it's "in network" (which it is), the procedure is covered 100%. My only requirement is to call the patient care line (or the doctor will) 5 days prior to the procedure. So....next step....May 24, attend information session with the doctor who performs the procedure, and take all the questions I've been able to get from those who have experienced it to ask while I'm there. Any suggestions as to what a "newbie" should ask when they go to the information session? Thanks, everyone. I look forward to hearing your suggestions. Tif

Hi Liz! Good luck Tuesday! I'm sure all will go well. Please keep in touch and let me know how you're doing. I've read so many posts on here so far that I'm with you, I swear they were sitting in my head writing my life's story for me. It's unbelievable how many of us have been going through the same things (just different locations and subtly different situations). My husband is like yours and has been reminding me how much he loves me and my weight isn't one of the things he even gives a second thought. Everytime he does this, I choke up trying to respond even with just a thank you. We are lucky we have them. Thanks for responding....Good luck!!! I can't wait to see all the good things that happen for you on the other side. Tif