Vixynne

I'm being sleeved by Dr. Kruger, just like you, Starr!

We'll say "Hello Ladies...and Aviator"!

YBTIMV: "Your Bariatric Team's Instructions May Vary" SAFTPAS: "Step Away From The Popcorn And Soda" KCASO: "Keep Calm And Sleeve On!"

Hiya Jade--I'm going in July 1st. Congratulations on getting your date, isn't it exciting?!

Most surgeons--and if there's one thing you'll find out quickly here in the forums, it's that every surgeon is different, so there isn't always a clear "right answer"--MOST surgeons will strongly discourage smoking. (That includes both tobacco and marijuana, btw.) My surgeon's policy is to test his patients' blood nicotine levels as part of pre-op lab work. On the day of my surgery, if my bloodwork shows any nicotine, surgery will be cancelled. Period. I'm a nonsmoker, so this isn't a problem for me--but if I smoked, I'd have to quit before my surgeon would proceed. Check with your doctor to find out his/her policies; although there may be some variance, I think you'll find that most surgeon's consider smoking a no-no.

Your doubts just mean you're taking this seriously; that's totally normal, and a good thing! Good luck, I'll be joining you on the loser's bench in just over a week. You're going to do great!

TES, we should make that an official VST acronym!!

Hi, Lifer! I hope your surgery went well and that you're on the road to recovery. My surgery is being done by Dr. Kruger on July 1st--who was your surgeon? I'd love to hear any info from your experience that you'd like to share.

That's what made me choose the sleeve. Yeah, it's not reversible. That wigged me out a little at first, then I stopped and thought about it. What I've been doing all these years has NOT WORKED. The dieting, the crazy grazing on everything in sight, hating myself for overeating, going back on diets, and always, ALWAYS gaining back the weight I lost, plus more. Yes, the sleeve is permanent. And that is exactly what I need to finally be successful. This problem is bigger than me (and that's saying a LOT), and if I have the ability to reverse it, I know I'd be right back at morbid obesity. Why would I ever want to reverse that?? It's a permanent change, but so is puberty--and I never want to go backwards on that one either!

Let us know what they tell you! Good luck!

Welcome to the boards! I also considered the band a few years ago when a colleague of mine lost a great deal of weight with a lapband. Since then, I've done a good amount of research and self-education. For me, having a piece of hardware installled just freaked me out. I can barely remember to get my car's oil and filters changed on time, and there are so many people whose bands slip, cause scarring, or flat-out fail that I sort of shied away from that idea. On top of which, my colleague gained back a lot of the weight she lost, so I had a real-life reference for bands not doing the job very well. When I went to my first informational seminar, the lead surgeon at my local Bariatric Center of Excellence was very up-front about lapbands. He told the audience that he discourages people from getting them, due to the issues that often come up. He did say that he would install one if his patient insisted, but he was pretty clear that his practice is trying to get away from them. One of his nurses told me that she expects the sleeve to become the new "gold standard" for weight loss surgery in the next few years. I'm really happy with my choice--and my surgery is just over a week away. I hope you find the choice that is best for you! Good luck on your weight loss journey, and welcome to the forums. (We're a wacky bunch, but it's never dull!)

My surgery's next week, so I haven't been there, done that yet. That being said, I did a quick internet search, and the only fruits I saw as no-no's were dried fruit, stringy fruits (like mango), raw, crunchy fruits (like apples), and any cooked fruits that have seeds (like raspberries). The seeds on the outside of a strawberry are tiny, but they are there..strawberries weren't on any of the "yes" lists that I saw, but they weren't on any of the "Avoid These" lists, either. If they are very soft and either mashed or chewed really, REALLY well, you might do okay with them. If you're nervous about it, put in a call to your surgeon (you'll probably get the answering service today, but the surgeon on call will call you right back)--then you'll have a definite answer and no worries.

If you go WAY over your Protein needs, the excess protein can be stored as fat. Here's what livestrong.com has to say about it: In the Unites States, protein intake generally exceeds requirement. After protein completes its functions, the extra protein becomes a source of energy. This is fine as long as there is energy balance and the intake of energy does not exceed energy expenditure. When carbohydrate and fat intakes meet energy requirement, then the energy from protein is not necessary. Since protein cannot be stored as such, the body converts the extra protein into fat deposits. In this indirect manner, extra protein contributes to weight gain. Read more: http://www.livestron.../#ixzz2X4g3L6az It sounds like what they're saying is that we need to balance protein intake with exercise, to make sure any excess isn't stored in our bodies as fat. Also, our bodies can't absorb more than about 15-20 grams of protein per hour--so doubling up on protein might not give us any real benefit. More about protein absorption: http://www.livestrong.com/article/480054-how-much-protein-can-we-absorb-per-meal/

Every doctor/nut is so different! My list has egg beaters/soft scrambled eggs on the purée stage. Oh, wait--are you having the egg beaters as a liquid? Like, adding them to a shake and blending it up for extra protein? That would be full liquid, since you can't see through it. But if they're cooked like a scrambled eggt, then they're definitely a soft solid, right?

New whey = no way!

As much as I am nervous/scared about having this life-changing surgery, I'm MORE scared to NOT have it. I know that if I just keep doing what I'm doing, I'm headed down a road of medical problems and shorter lifespan. Remembering what I'll be reclaiming after this surgery (my health, better quality of life in the short term and the long term) really helps turn those fears into peace and strength.

Congratulations! It's a fantastic feeling, isn't it?!

Are those the ones you get in the stomach? As far as I know, I'll get one in pre-surgery prep, right before the procedure. I'm really not looking forward to it--and I think ONE will be plenty!

Here's one thread of July 1st sleevers, and here's another! There's quite a few of us July 1st'ers--good to meet you!

Hiya kjordan--my blog link is http://sleevahdiva.blogspot.com. Blogging is a great outlet, I really enjoy writing and hearing from people who are on the WLS road or thinking about starting out!

I got a 20%-off coupon from Bed, Bath & Beyond, so I splurged on the Ninja. :ph34r: It's an amazing gadget, and more than worth the price. I've made smoothies, shaved ice with Torani syrup (like a Sno-Cone) and if you put peanuts (or almonds and cashews, like I did), you can make your own natural nut-butter in under 5 minutes. I'm a Ninja lover for sure. :wub:

It definitely varies! My surgeon doesn't do a pre-op liquid diet of any kind. When I questioned my NUT about it, she said "their outlook in this Center of Excellence is that the post-op liquid diet is challenging enough; we simply expect you to have liquids-only after dinnertime the night before surgery, and nothing at all to eat or drink past midnight." That's about as different as can be from a one or two-week pre-op liquid diet!

I had my second-to-last appointment on Friday, for the "nurse education family seminar". It was uneventful, but then as we were getting ready to wrap things up, the nurse informed us she needed to do a weigh-in. Normally, I cringe at the mention of a scale, but this time I opted to go first (and get it over with). For the first time in YEARS, I actually liked what the dang thing had to say. I lost 6 pounds since my last weigh in a couple of weeks ago! I'm now down -16 pounds from my initial consult; and MAY THEY NEVER RETURN!

Congrats! We'll only be a day apart--good luck!