MisforMimi

Mark your calendars!!! I wanted to let you all know about our upcoming meeting next Sunday 2/8 at 3 pm at the Lyons Den Cafe at 10415 Beardslee Blvd in Bothell. Please spread the word with friends that would be interested in joining us. There is a several year old thread about people wanting a meeting in this area and it's finally happening along with some groups in different locations!! Exciting times.A I'm taking the liberty to create a theme for the meeting: Protein, protein, protein!! Bring in a couple 1-serving portions of your favorite protein powders in a labeled plastic baggie. We can swap and try products we've not tried before. If you prefer ready-go-to drinks or bars bring a chilled sample and we'll have a few cups on hand. We will have a room reserved and everyone should be prepared to make a purchase from the cafe. Let Kay or myself know if you have questions or concerns. Thanks and see you all there! Michelle aka M is for Mimi

Washington State Weight Loss Surgery Support Group Support groups are very important to weight loss surgery success. They can help you flourish on your journey to complete wellness. This group is welcome to pre- and post-surgical patients of all surgery types. This an opportunity to meet others who are on the same path, educate and support each other through sharing ideas and tips, social & fitness activities and educational speakers. Together we have a wealth of information and using support groups as a tool along with your surgery you can increase your success in achieving maintenance and overall well-being. Join us and get inspired! WHERE: Lyons Den Café WHEN: Sunday, November 16, 2014 10415 Beardslee Blvd, Bothell, WA 98011 (425) 892-8954 TIME: 3:00 PM Finally, it is happening for the Seattle and the outlying areas! Please pass this information to anyone you think would be interested in attending this initial meeting. For questions, contact hosts Kay Feather at kayfeather304@gmail.com or Michelle L. at lotus_mimi@yahoo.com If you are unable to make this meeting but are interested in staying in touch about future meetings, please contact us.

Well first, I'll say congratulations on your decision to take care of yourself in this way. This is not an easy decision. I think sometimes the 'intrinsic value' that society and 'our' culture puts on the diet and exercise mentality is easy to internalize. It's easy to feel like 'well I 'should' be able to this on my own.' The truth is for most of us, if that were possible it would have been done already. Staying in that place can be depressing. But the bottom line this is a life changing decision. It's empowering. This is an opportunity to rebuild, create an even more authentic identity for yourself. Is there a counselor/therapist that specializes in bariatric patients? You can do this!

What are these coconut flavored water enhancements you speak of?

Well welcome. I have to say your tenacity is impressive. I originally thought the sleeve would be my procedure but my surgeon gave me pretty convincing reasons to choose the bypass. Glad I did never looked back...

I was gonna send out an APB!! Lol :-)

Soooo, is anyone planning to do anything special for surgery? * haircut/color? *pedicure (no manicures) *hair removal *spa services Or are we going in busted to make those after pics look more stunning? LOL... I'll be doing a pedicure for sure and getting my hair done...

My surgeon has not murmured a peep about a goal weight for me. She's only given her practice averages based on each surgery. If your surgeon gave a goal weight, who's was more motivating theirs or yours? How many pounds were they different? Reading all this stuff about bounce weight and stretch goals etc.....

I find adding a nonfat Greek yogurt to the unjury and unsweetened cocoa powder..adds a nice bitterness so they are not too sweet..add a touch of sugar free syrup for smoothies....delicious! I'm feeling very lucky because nothing has turned my stomach yet, but, I'm chewing everything to a swishing, watery pulp. I chew everything including yogurt, pudding and liquids. With the bypass we are lucky that we still have the residual stomach that secrets digestive enzymes which are activated in large part by the mechanics of chewing. And the saliva from the mouth....That helps the food get down and stay down as far as I'm concerned...chew, chew and chew some more. :-)

Ross, friends, clearance of jcpenney, Google Gwyneth Bee, I think pay a subscription then you can rent women's apparel. Old navy clearance rack.

I read once and I'm sorry I don't have the article. I believe that there are genetic markers that can predict success of the bypass surgery

Can you post some pics?

No-one is consuming a 'normal' amount of calories if you're newly post-op. Is there a setting you can change on my fitness pal so that it will stop telling me I'm not eating right? TIA

Of course we're all ignoring it for months/yrs now, I just wondered if there was a setting within the app to make it stop. I think they could have a bariatric or other health status setting that ignores kcals or other nutrients and such. I've changed my macronutrient percentages to reflect my protein goals. I'm not crying over here, believe me. I just wanted to know if ppl had thoughts or ideas.....the calorie bump could work for publishing, but you don't get that "if you continued at this rate, you'd be blank pounds in blank amount of time" ....I know that's thrown out the water with surgery because there is no way for it to capture those metrics on the 'average bariatric patient' I just thought it was cute and quite the motivator during the pre-op phase....lol :-) Again, not crying. Not taking it seriously.....

You like incessant and unsuccessful dieting lol go get'm!!

Do it! You'll regret it if you don't. I'm a week and a half out. I could go back, but I'm resting up.....depending on your age and previous stamina, you could definitely make it work after 3 weeks...

Yay! zedqueen, glad to have you back among us!! :-)

Y'all, gonna be fine. Although, the nerves and fear are real....Althrough out the process I kept thinking when would I back out...when we left the house?, when I was checking in?, when the nurse sent me down the hall to pee?, as I walked down the hall my mind was like, you could just keep going! Lol But once I walked myself back down the hall and decided I'm just gonna be honest. I started telling everyone hey I'm nervous. And everyone started being extra nice...I told the nurses, the doctors, the anesthesiologists, they give you something for nerves in the IV. Versed, maybe? I even asked- who's gonna hold my hand????!!! The resident was holding my hand for the 10 seconds it took to fall asleep. The next thing I know, I woke up in recovery. I had a dilaudid pain and could barely stay awake to press it! But it was nice....the first couple of nights are hard, stay in the hospital if you can. Suspend judgment about whether or not it was a good idea until like day 10 and even postpone to the 6 month mark, if you can...lol you are all gone do great!! :-) :-) :-) :-)

@@MBM1Forever, Hey Girl. Me too. So glad it's over and done with. The surgery part that is. No throwing up. Minimal nausea like twice. I added soft eggs in egg drop soup because I was having trouble sucking down all those shakes but wanted to get protein. Ugh. I was down 7.5 and that is like miraculous! Sometimes, I can't believe I did it and that the surgery itself worked....I kept thinking mine was gonna be the botched procedure! Or that I would jump off the table as they were wheeling me back!! I was happy with my surgeon, the care I received and the hospital experience in general. I'm so tired I could cry. I've got another week or so off work. I've been making like an infant!! :-) :-) :-)

Eli Alexander, dude, I am proud of you. Your resolve is remarkable and your success is inevitable! My doctor had me in the hospital for 3 nights. I don't know that I could have made it at home. I am grateful and truly impressed with your strength! Good on ya! :-) :-) :-)

Welcome! My rny was the 15th. My belly is feeling better. Not a lot of pain anymore, but I'm not losing at that rate. There is an RNY thread on here where we post questions to each other share successes. I can't paste link with my phone....

Begin Again, I was on IV fluids for 4 days- 1/15, 16, 17 and 18 (discharge day) It is really to help against dehydration those first days when intake is such a challenge. Someone warned against getting on the scale when you get home on this site. It all came out in the wash when I weighed on my week out 'surgiversary' and I was down 7.5 pounds. It will come off soon. Hang in!

OK. So I've seen people use these threads as a mini blog situation so I decided to do the same to keep my stuff in one place. I decided to put my stories among the successes because that where I want to be as well! I just arrived home from the hospital having had the laparoscopic gastric bypass with Dr. Lily Chang at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. PS. That shower I just took are among the top 3 of my entire life!! I started this process in October of 2013 and then my nerves for the best of me and quit. I restarted in February 2014 with physician supervised weight loss program to meet insurance requirements. My weight loss was not stellar but I did what was required of me. I had my consult in October with the surgeon, my nutrition and psych consults in November. I was on the OR table on 1/15/15. They changed my date to the 22nd and then back to the 15th. I had started my pre-op on the 1st because I wanted old habits left in 2014. So I was ready for the surgery either way while they were acting the fool. My experience was thankfully uneventful. She said my surgery was textbook. I am tired and little sore. I've passed a lot a good gas and I feel ultimately like I made the right decision for me even I kept thinking I would back out. I had a great staff at Virginia Mason and had the good fortune of being cared for by women who had been in nursing 40 plus years. Yay Chita!! The drain coming out was the weirdest part. My surgeon keeps all her patients (sleeve or bypass) in the hospital 3 days after this surgery. And I was so thankful for the time to get my head on straight. I'm hoping I can learn from veterans on this site. I'm hoping I can be compliant and stay the course. I'm gonna take it easy. Go for a walk after the game and stay off the scale...lol Good Luck to anyone coming up with dates. You can do it!!! :-)

You could not tell me I was not going to continue to love chocolate and vanilla after this surgery. No way....my fantasies involve chocolate falling from the sky! I didn't go too crazy and I loved my pre-op chocolate shakes and I made sure I had plenty on hand. But fast forward to today, 5 days post-op and I cannot even stand to look at them. Luckily, I had been on this site long enough to go get some Syntrax nectar Fuzzy Navel. Yum. I would never drink fruity stuff before. I hope my tastes change back soon...or I'll be selling Premier Protein and unjury on Craigslist!

I could stand my chocolate flavors after surgery. I'm a week out. It's getting better. I tried the fuzzy navel with nonfat milk and ice and found it refreshing. People typically like them around here...