gamergirl

We live in Texas as well and went to dr. Alvarez in Piedras Negras which is close to San Antonio. Great, great surgeon very skilled. Cost was about $9,800 each plus $500 if your BMI is above 50.

Recipe with pictures of ingredients and final product at: http://sleevers.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/easy-smoked-tomatillo-salsa/ It’s been three months since our surgery. We’re slowly adding back in vegetables, which we have sorely missed. Here’s a fairly mild salsa, since I know many sleevers can’t tolerate that much spice right away, but a little tang and tart and zip just livens up your food. You could serve this with roast meats, or put on your refried beans or taco pie. Ingredients 4 small green tomatillos quartered (green tomatoes with husks on them) 4 cloves garlic peeled i jalapeno pepper, seeded, membranes removed, cut in half 1 tbsp chopped cilantro 2 tbs chopped onions Salt to taste Method Turn oven to broil and place the oven rack six inches away from the broiler. Cover a small baking sheet with foil. Place tomatillos, garlic and seeded pepper on the foil Broil for 10-15 minutes until the garlic is well charred and the tomatillos and peppers have brown blisters on them Put into bowl of food processor and process until smooth. Alternatively, smash smooth with a mortar and pestle. Add salt to taste. Just before serving, add onions and cilantro and mix well

How much longer before you can have some? I'm almost at 3 months and just last week, I started adding a few veggies to each meal. Haven't dared raw lettuce yet. But have done fine with a little raw cucumber and raw jicama. All else has been cooked.

You are much further along than me, but I too find that my intake varies a lot. I plotted my net calories on myfitnesspal and I see a cyclical pattern where several days of lower calories are followed by a few days of higher calories. Is that what's happening to you? If so, I wonder if that isn't normal?

Awwww you're so sweet. I needed to hear that tonight. I'm having an RA flare up which has me a bit down. You made me feel all warm and fuzzy thank you! And if you meet my husband, you'll know I'm the lucky one. The man rocks.

Obviously I don't know anything about PS but if you're possibly dehydrated, it may be a good time to hit the G2 or poweraid zero to get in some electrolytes? Just a though.

Dang flare up. I only got 1.2 miles today and YES I am claiming the .2 part too! 54.2. Worried I won't be able to make my stretch goal of 60 with this stupid sh-- RA!

You've had two posts. Both are trying to negatively impact doctors. Really,we're not that stupid. We know a troll when we see one.

Wow! You don't even look like the same person! Amazing results.

I have an underactive thyroid and after much experimentation, I know that the ONLY thing that keeps me from losing my hair is EPO. It's going to be bad enough with the VSG, I want to at least minimize my thyroid-related hair loss. Only problem? My EPO pills are like horse pills. HHUUUUGGGEE! I used to worry about swallowing them pre-surgery, there's no way they're going down now! Does anyone take these and if so, what brand have you found that makes them small it effective?

Really?? Like, just arnica oil? I would love to try that.

All times are listed based on the city they will be in. So your ARRIVAL time is San Diego time.

For me, the MAJOR help was it helps me stop losing hair. I've tried life with and without it. Sometimes I forget I haven't taken EPO until I get in the shower, and then it's very apparent that I've stopped because my hair falls out much more. Fish oil capsules haven't helped me with hair loss. Now, I know we lose hair with the surgery and I expect I will anyway, but you can already see my scalp in places and I don't need to lose more, so I'm swallowing my EPO daily. It's supposed to also help with the dry skin that comes with thyroid, but maybe you need higher doses? It doesn't alleviate that for me. That's what lotion is for, IMO and I lurrve lotions anyway. People say it helps with PMS as well, I dunno that I see a change.

You know I haven't. I hate, hate hate fish oil. Isn't that terrible? I really do. I got the coromega supplements that were supposed to be not-so-nasty and I can still taste the fish oil. I should do more coconut oil. I could easily cook with it. Actually what it REALLY tastes good with? Is popcorn. OMG. SO good! But I agree with you, we really should supplement with more omegas. We have got to be deficient. I've altered my diet to include about 40% Protein, 40% fat, and 20% carbs this week. Usually I use ghee to cook with, but I might try moving to coconut oil, of which I have plenty. I used to make a very yummy desert with just melting bittersweet, no sugar added chocolate and coconut oil together, and then mixing sliced almonds in it. Freeze it and leave it in the freezer. Take little squares out when you want. So freaking good. It's not sweet at all, but I'm wondering if it's not too many calories for our limited intakes now. I may have to calculate it and see.

I'd never thought of it, but it wasn't until I lost some weight that I started to wear them a while ago. I don't know, it's not like I let myself go when I'm putting on weight, but I....despair perhaps. I think nothing will help, I'm just going to look like crap. Isn't that such a defeatist attitude??

How much do you take and like, how? You just eat it off a spoon?

I'm so glad you posted! I was thinking about you yesterday, wondering how you were getting on. Not drinking the Water in a different country is a good thing. I grew up in India, but after 27 years away, I get violently ill after I drink the water. It's not that it's "unclean", it's that we don't have immunities against whatever it has. Hope you're enjoying the trip.