SpaceDust

Personally, I think the fruit is the better option. If you switch to honey, you want raw honey - processed honey isn't all that much better for you from a glycemic index perspective than refined cane sugar. You might also want to consider agave syrup.

Whoops. Double post! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using VST

Hopefully you're in now, or will be soon! Best of luck! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using VST

I may be visiting this one tonight. Wow!

Shawn, RTD = Ready To Drink, so she's basically creating her own higher protein shake

Good luck!

Sometimes a little venting is good for the mind, especially if there are purple around to remind you how it is and that it will get better. Hopefully sometime will be around to pick me up when I'm whiny in a few months! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using VST

Well, I would at least talk to your surgeon about it ASAP and see what he or she thinks about it. Remember, this was after a different surgery (an appendectomy actually), even though it was abdominal. The main concern is how tired you'll get at that point, I think - I managed to play okay, I would just get really tired easily, and I would lose my breath control because I was exhausted and initially I still had two incisions that would hurt. I use up a fair amount of energy for a gig, so I think it will be particularly rough to try and do this before I'm at least getting my Water and protien in reliably. Good luck! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using VST

Hmm, any changes in medication lately? Alternatively, I remember I had thrush after a surgery and everything seemed really salty to me.

I completely expect that you'll see a similar message from me in oh, late July or early August, saying "WTF did I do this time?" and wishing for a time machine to go back a week. You all have my full permission to giggle at me, as long as you also give me a virtual pat on the back and a virtual mug of tea and remind me that I KNOW this will pass, and it will be better.

I'd probably call my surgeon (or nutritionist, if you have one) and ask for suggestions - it may be that you're lactose intolerant or at least sensitive and the whey Protein is giving you problems. You'll definitely want to figure this out before the surgery, since you'll be somewhat dependent on the Protein shakes or whatever alternative you get for a while after the surgery, too, when it will be even MORE important. As far as Snacks, does your diet allow for them? If not, then what do you think? We can't give you permission to deviate from whatever your planned diet says, but if you're having a difficult time consult with the surgeon or NUT and they may have some ideas for you, like SF Jello or popsicles. Good luck - I know it's no fun!

As it stands right now, you can get back across with a drivers license and a birth certificate. You *might* end up in the non-compliance line, which takes longer to get through as they ask more questions, I hear. But my understanding is that the enforcement of the current border laws requiring passport, enhanced drivers license or one of the travel cards is nowhere near as stringent as it is at the Canadian border. Truly, though, I would consider getting a passport or at least a passport card if time still permits. It would ensure that if there's any trouble, you have appropriate proof of citizenship.

Now that you've had a chance to vent (and boy, do I understand that need, sometimes!) it's time to get to reality. I agree that it sounds like your mom is passive-aggressively expressing her worry about you having this surgery, and that's understandable - hey, all surgeries have risks and those risks are the FIRST and LAST things that moms think about - including my mom, and I'm more than 50 years old If you do have the surgery on May 2nd, did I understand correctly that your mom won't be out of town until the 7th? If so, it's all golden, and she'll have the chance to see that you're okay, AND you will have your ride home. By the way, that is pretty normal procedure - you'll be a matter of a day or so since having anesthesia, and you'll probably have had at least some pain meds. You won't be at your best cognitively because of it, and your ability to respond to things quickly will be reduced so they want to make sure you get home safely. However, you will likely be just fine on your own most of the time. As others have already said, you'll be doing very little but sipping and walking around the place for a few days. I get that your mom is making the schedule tough, but you have to remember that ultimately you're expecting a favor from her - family or not, she ALSO has a life and isn't at your beck and call, any more than your schedule should revolve around her. If you want her help, then it's right to accommodate where you can. If the schedule HAS to change because of insurance, move it out one additional week - I know you don't want to wait - heck, I'm not happy about waiting until late July, but the alternative is not good for my husband or me, so I'm sucking it up (and I've been planning this since last summer, too!). It's a compromise you can make that isn't a HUGE thing when you think about it logically. The alternative is talk to the hospital and arrange for late discharge, tell them you can't have an escort home until after 5 PM or whatever and ask what they can do. The likelihood is that there is something they can do if it's a question of a few hours. Then get a friend to come and get you after work. Hang in there, it will all work out. Just take a deep breath and don't panic. There ARE options, you just have to think it through. Best of luck!

Hello, and welcome! You've definitely come to a place with lots of information, and a lot of us will be happy to answer questions! I haven't yet been sleeved, but I've been hanging around VST for about a year now, first researching and now waiting for all the ducks to finish lining up so I can have my surgery this summer. I can definitely talk about things from the pre-surgery side, and about the various theories and "how it works" sorts of things - I'm a bit of a research geek that way First, do you already have a bariatric surgeon picked out? If not, you might see about attending whatever seminars the local bariatric specialists in your area may have and start getting answers. Additionally, look into having a 1:1 consultation with reputable surgeons after you do that research. Ideally, find a surgeon who will take time with you to make sure your questions are answered! If you've already picked a surgeon, you've made a great start. There's no question that you should think about this carefully and weigh your options. No surgery is without risk, and this one certainly has risks for complications or even death. There are people on these forums who will tell you that they very much regret having the surgery because of the complications they've had to live through and are still dealing with, and that's a fair assessment from their perspective. There are many more who will tell you this isn't easy, but it is the best choice they could have made and they are very happy with the results. Make sure you understand the risks as well as what success really looks like. It sounds to me like you have a lot of motivating factors, but it's a seriously big decision. Third, don't have unrealistic expectations. This isn't a magic bullet - you'll still have to work and diet and exercise. What it is, is a tool. If you do what your surgeon and/or nutritionist tell you to do, you will lose the weight. It won't be instant, but it will likely be pretty quick in the overall scheme of things. Realistically, they will tell you that most sleeve patients lose 60-70% of their excess weight and if you do that, you've been successful. Honestly, though, if you're truly focused and determined you can lose it all, it just gets slower as your overall weight gets lower - there are plenty of folks around here who are near or at their goal weight, and others who are still moving down the scale. Finally, don't get hung up on comparing your decisions and your diet and your progress with everyone else. We all respond differently to this surgery, to the diet, and so on. Remember it's your personal journey, and if you're moving in the right direction, then you're probably doing just fine. We're all here to support each other. That doesn't mean we'll always agree with each other, but don't let that bug you too much. Mostly, the disagreements are because we passionately care that we all succeed. Good luck in moving forward!

Here's a high level list of what I talked about with Dr. Michaelson: How long have you been doing the procedure? How many have you done? What is your success rate? Rate of complications, and what sorts of complications? What can I expect from you throughout this process (availability to answer questions, meetings, etc)? What will be expected from me? Are there current or former patients I can speak with? What can I expect it to be like post surgery (time in facility, recovery time at home, diet, etc) assuming nothing unusual about my surgery? He told me to not hesitate to call if more questions came to me, and either he or his staff would do their best to address my concerns.

Hi, pattylo - looks like this was your first post! I just wanted to welcome you, and tell you that you're not being ignored, it's probably just the case that no one has had Emblem Health. I know in my case, I have Premera. Good luck!

There are no party-crashers here - it's open house for NWWLS folks, new and old, I think! Itsme!: Based on what I'm seeing from most people, unless you have a pretty physical job, you'll probably be able to work after 10 days, but you'll be tired. I know I'm only planning for a week to 10 days for me - I know how I typically recover from surgery by this point, and I think I should be reasonably functional by then, barring complications. As far as what to tell your boss, you really aren't required to tell her anything more than it's a medical procedure, and she's not really supposed to ask. However, if you have a typically more personal relationship with her, I'd probably tell her the truth.

No doubt But you can keep your buzz and sashay on in next time with her precious 8% more and if she won't applaud, WE will!

Seriously, call and talk to the doctor's office and express your displeasure. This can't be fixed if you don't make it known. And if they won't handle it the way it should be, then you should take your business elsewhere. That's not acceptable. You are ultimately a paying customer, and deserve to be treated with respect. This internist was disrespectful to the nth degree and should not be seeing patients with sensitive issues if she cannot handle things with a reasonable amount of decorum and tact.

Now, about the next bit. 22% in 6 weeks means you lost an average of 3.67% a week, more or less. You're being asked to lose another 8% in the next four weeks: about 2% a week. You've got this!

Congratulations on getting to 22%!

Congratulations! You're right - you'll want to be able to chase that grandbaby around and be the grandma that does all sorts of fun stuff!