CanyonBaby

I am SOOOOO proud of you!!! Great job and a great story, one a lot of us can share in. Thank you for sharing....

Everyone has to do what works for them, and I am, and I am so thankful for my dietician who keeps me on track. It's like she KNOWS what will work for each of her patients! Wow, I suppose that makes her a true professional! So thankful, indeed!

Oh, and I don't count calories or weigh my food, for the most part (except nuts...they can get out of "hand" in a hurry!!!). I just make sure it doesn't have a lot of fat, keep the carbs as low as possible, and focus on protein.

@@Debbieduck4 Eat within 2 hours of waking up in the morning. Eat every 3 hours. Eat within 2 hours of going to bed at night. A lot of eating, but very small portions and all protein-based. I lose the weight slowly, but steadily (although I am in a bit of a stall right now). And my dietician said it is more likely the weight will stay off this way. I guess slow and easy is the way to go - for me, anyway! That's why snack bags work great for me. Then I don't fart around in the cupboard looking for something to eat! And I stay out of trouble this way!!!

@@BLERDgirl Maybe you can do both by selling at a consignment shop? I have a lot of emotional ties with some of my old clothing...holding a loved one while they pass on, a major life-event.....it CAN be terribly overwhelming......

@@AussieSam That's where scheduling and self-control come in! I have to have at least 2 Snacks a day to make it through, especially as I am on the 2-3-2 plan. Eat within 2 hours of waking, eat every 3 hours, eat within 2 hours of going to bed. Works great for me, and I never get to the "starving" mode in between meals! "Snacks Rule" at my house!!!!

@@KateP I guess I AM from the last century!!!!! Wow, age gets the better of ALL of us, if we're lucky enough!!!

@@Swampdoggie I'm the only one home when I watch these shows, so I get it all to myself!!! BTW - I love wedding cake, also, so I stay FARRR away from it! Or ANY cake, for that matter! Luckily I'm the only one here who likes cake, so I never make it anymore! But once in a GREAT while, I will get a piece at a restaurant, ad it will last me many desserts!!!!!

@@Swampdoggie I love those channels, too, but they made me so hungry! So I decided I can watch them ONLY when A. I am full. or B. while I am eating. That way I can still learn from them, but not be TEMPTED by them!

I know a lot of folks in the UK eat kippers, and so do I - love them. Also sardines and other "fishy" things...just love the fish. Tilapia lightly dusted with seasoned salt and flour, then grilled. Yum! Great thread!!! Giving me all kinds of ideas!

I've been in the basement all week going through old clothes to see what will fit and what won't. Then if the clothes that are too big are cotton, and I LOVE them, I try to shrink them to fit! I figure "what do I have to lose?" So I throw them in the washer on hot water, then dry them on high heat. You may want to periodically check to see that they don't shrink TOO much! This has worked for several t-shirts and sweaters. Pants, not so much. But hey! I am saving money AND am able to still enjoy some favorite things!!!

Do you want someone who hasn't had the surgery yet, or already has had it? I have had it in December. But I can help you, if you'd like. Just let me know. You do know, I'm assuming, that the surgery will NOT keep that cookie from your mouth? Or jumping onto your plate. You will still have to say no, and work very hard to lose weight, and to keep it off. All the surgery will do is create a stricture, and reduce some of your hunger. But if you have been reading the posts, you will find we all have to fight REALLY hard to win this battle. You will find that people regain the weight if they don't follow their plan. This is a very difficult life we lead, but most of us use this tool (and surgery is only a tool) to help us fight the fight. We have to constantly watch what we eat, how much, and how often. Just like a regular diet. We have to exercise and always plan for the future meals. The best thing for you to do is read the posts that have been written, using the search feature at the top right-hand corner of the page, to help you find subjects relating to this. This is a tough road, and we who are on it battle to stay on track, but it is difficult. I wish you all the best!

Benefiber for regularity, as opposed to Metamucil. Metamucil, according to my dietician, will fill you up too much. Benefiber (I use Shopko brand-lots cheaper) is clear, tasteless, and really works well. Add it to any liquid. As far as gas, Gas-X strips is what was recommended, but I don't think it works well, and is expensive for what it does. I don't know of any other option. My dietician said it would just always be this way. Some foods are worse for it than others, so maybe figure out who the "culprit" is, and either eliminate it (pardon the pun!), or eat it when you don't have to worry about it later! Good luck to you!

I am SOOOOO glad this is working for you! Keep the soap nearby for when you have the "crawly legs"! Get some that is really nice-smelling, too! Rest well, all!

Yup. Totally normal. These things take time. Read all the posts about this, they go on for YEARS!!!! If you are concerned, as always, call your surgical team.

It's called FREEDOM and you have FOUND it!!!! Awesome!

CHEW CHEW CHEW!!!!! They say it for a reason...it breaks down the food to a more manageable size for your new tummy, it forces you to slow down your eating, allowing the tummy to take what it can in, at it's own pace. Remember NOT to drink, my dietician says for 30 minutes BEFORE and for another 30 minutes AFTER eating. NO LIQUIDS! Slow and easy, that's the ticket!

@@smoothazz Maybe try taking the Top off the muffin, next time, I do that with a lot of sandwiches. What you really need is the Protein, anyway. So, go "topless" from now on.....!

@@samuelsmom And I WILL adopt these sayings! Your mama was a wise woman, and I bet an awesome mother. And I can see why you miss her. You are yet another day closer to being with her again! Your words mean more than you can ever know....thank you!

Every surgeon, it seems, has a different plan for their patients, so it's hard to say. Some surgeons say all the fruit and veggies you want. Mine says no more than 20 carbs/day. It also will depend on YOU. What works for someone else (using your surgeon) may not be right for you, so you will need to talk with your surgeon and dietician. Good luck to you!

Well, I HOPE not, but you never know! Be prepared, and smell really good!!!! Seriously, you probably will have an exam, I did. But mine was given by the nurse. The surgeon DID look at my abdomen, and felt around it (I've had so many abdominal surgeries, he had to see if he could even do the surgery), so don't be surprised if the surgeon examines you, they have to know what they are getting into (no pun intended!!!). I wish I could go with you, but I will be there in spirit!

Yeah, you might not have any numbness or tingling, each nerve has it's own "special" way of feeling. I get lots of jabs from nerves, sometimes they just "go off"! It usually doesn't last long, but sometimes it goes on for a couple of days. You know when you get a nerve that kinda goes "off", like me - I get one on my eyelids that will just Jiggle all day, and drive me crazy! Nerves are funny things, but are important. The ones in my abdominal area that are dead, pose a problem for me, as I cannot feel even something burning hot there. This is dangerous because I can have serious injury but not even know it. Like diabetics with neuropathy. We don't necessarily know when we have a blister on our affected foot, and it gets out of hand, even to the point of amputation. Let us know how it all turns out. Have a good evening!

Just keep sipping. Doing so should alleviate the thirst. Tepid water tends to be absorbed faster than cold, and may be easier to swallow. Add some lemonade flavor enhancer drops, as lemon can quite thirst-quenching. Good luck to you!

This is the time to make your list of all the questions you may have. Any and all of them. You will probably see the surgeon, who will evaluate whether or not you qualify for the surgery. Now is the time to ask them ANYTHING. Then they will probably go over with you what type of surgery would be best. They will go over all the complications that can arise, and, depending on if you are to also see a dietician and nurse, they will set up a schedule for appointments, and the plan you will need to follow. You might have a long session with the nurse in regards to your health, and they may ask you millions of questions regarding your health. They may do bloodwork. They will weigh you. Just a whole bunch of stuff. They may set up a psychological exam for you. They may go over financing with you. Or talk with you about insurance. Bring anything and everything you think might pertain to the surgery. Bring a friend for support, if you wish, although they may not be allowed anywhere but the reception area. So LOTS of stuff, but then again, it may just be a preliminary meeting, to see just if you qualify. All surgeons have different ways of doing things, so just be sure you ASK ASK ASK!!!!! Good luck to you on Monday! I'll be thinking about you!

I'm guessing a little bit of an unhappy nerve reconnecting. I've had lots of surgeries, and had many, many nerves cut. Nerves can take up to a year (or even longer sometimes) to heal/reconnect. And sometimes they can be VERY painful in the process. Some nerves don't reconnect, and you end up with a numb area, or no sensation at all (like my WHOLE abdomen!). Other nerves reconnect in a very strange manner, or even to a nerve it wasn't even originally part of (I have several that, when I have an itch, I have to scratch a totally different part of my body that shouldn't even have anything to do with where the itch is!). So with all that being said, your nerves are probably in the reconnection phase, and are unhappy, thus setting off some painful jabs. It SHOULD heal and be done, but it's hard to say. And you may get the jabs in areas you think shouldn't be related to the surgery, but nerves go throughout several areas, and it may be part of your back nervous system. I know all this sounds so strange, but nerves are funky things! Since the pain in your breast area is gone, I am guessing all of this is a nerve issue. IF you are concerned, call your surgical team. Don't take chances where your health is concerned. That's why they get paid the BIG BUCKS!!!! Good luck to you!