Machalo

The only reason I know I'm menopausal is for the personal Summers I have every once in a while. Yes, all of a sudden I'm sweating, and it can be freezing cold, But the back of my neck emits tons of heat in waves. Thankfully, I only get them every once in a while. My mom used to get them frequently. I now understand though about wanting to walk into your freezer when you're having them. When I worked at a big box store, I used to go into the dairy cooler and stock milk while the flash happened.

Extra Vitamin C too will help stave off anything more. Best of luck!

Welcome! Welcome! I look forward to getting to know you. Come check out the threads, there's all kinds of topics here and tons of people who will support you on this lifelong journey.

Welcome! Welcome! I'm glad you stopped in. Check out the threads here to find all kinds of interesting, intriguing, and inspirational folks who, like you, wanted and needed to change their lives for the better. We may all be at different stages of our journeys, but we still have the journey in common. I look forward to getting to know you on the threads.

Hi @Nomorepasta! You raised an issue that I also have had with my husband. He was very concerned 1) that I could do it on my own; 2) that the surgery wasn't safe, and 3) I was too old to have it safely. So, I pussyfooted around him for a while, quietly sticking to my shakes and my plan and did some research. There is research out there that shows that people over 50 are now viable surgical candidates for WLS and that we do very well with it. The complications that my husband was concerned about don't happen much anymore. When confronted with facts, and my determination, his tune has changed. I had to change my mindset though first. The surgery is for me, so that I can be healthy. I don't want to die of a comorbidity in the next 10 years; I'd like to see my grandchildren grow up. Most importantly, I really, truly wanted his support, but I was having the surgery anyway, regardless. That mindset was quite hard to put in place, mainly because I'm a pleaser and I go with pretty much everything he wants most of the time. I don't put my foot down very often, but I had to this time. Finally, I had to be selfish in my healthcare. I look after his health the best I can (he is disabled), but have ignored my own healthcare for a lot of years and it shows. Now is my time. I'm happy to report that he has finally come around and is supporting my decision, even though he still has some reservations. All the best to you. Keep on reading the threads here, they were very encouraging when my spouse was not. ((Hugs))

Welcome! Welcome! Congratulations! Hope you get your date soon!

That is so exciting, @ChubRub! I hope you don't have to wait long once you get your date.

Dude! That is so fabulous! Way to go!

Loved seeing all the before and after photos. You all are amazing! This is a great motivation and inspiration tool for when the journey seems tough. Mikeyy, keep up the great work, mate, you're looking incredible!

@Chardonnay40 you are doing so well! And you have such a great attitude. I hope when it's my turn to do the pre-op diet I will be as strong and good-humored about it all as you! Keep up the great work.

I love that you are coming out on the threads of BariatricPal, @unicornqueen822! This is a great forum for gaining knowledge and support. I've learned so much from everyone here, it's a great supplement to the things I've been learning on my own via research and talking with my surgical team. For me, the best thing about the initial appointment with my provider was to find out what my insurance needed. And then I called to confirm that there wasn't anything else. Insurance is the toughest piece and takes the longest usually. Feel free to dive right into the threads. We look forward to getting to know you and supporting you throughout your journey. Welcome! Welcome!

I've also been modifying my food intake since I started this journey. Each month I'm eliminating something from thje diet that I shouldn't have - like candy, cookies, chips, and fast foods. Next month I will not only add another food item in there (limiting soda), but I'll also start portion controlling. All of this so that when I do finally get to the point of surgery, I can focus on the recovery and not on insane cravings. Plus, I know that they don't have to be forever deletions, just a majority of the time deletion. As long as I can tell my brain "not now, maybe later" that seems to satisfy the craving most of the time.

Starting out the week the same as last week - 322. My own fault. I had a cold and used it as an excuse to eat more than I should and things that I shouldn't. I had protein shakes for breakfast, a small sandwich (1 piece of cheese, 2 pieces of bread, mustard), and then pasta bake and caramel nut bread for dinner. I was worried I would have gained more and am grateful that it's only what it is. This week, I'm feeling a bit better, though I'm running a low-grade fever still, and the dreaded "cough" is starting. That's where I cough my lungs out for a month or two before it goes away. I'm sipping through my water pretty quickly this morning, and eliminating water almost as fast. But that's the water pill kicking in. I'm planning the Thanksgiving menu, thanks to @FluffyChix who turned me on to turkey tenderloins, mashed roasted cauliflower, roasted brocolli and brussels sprouts, and sugar-free pumpkin cheesecake mousse. This coming weekend is payday so I'll be doing my shopping for that week then, as well as for the almost 2 weeks before it. Oh hey! I just realized I get paid on Black Friday. What do you know? Not that I plan to go mad purchasing stuff, it's just me and hubby and we're getting new gaming computers for Christmas. We love to play on-line games together, it's relaxing and something we can enjoy while we're both so big it's impossible to get out and around a lot. That will change with my WLS in spring 2020. He's not decided whether he wants to do WLS in 2020 as well; I think a lot will depend on what our out of pocket turns out to be for mine. Regardless of whether he's intentional about losing weight, as I cook better for us foods and take him off of his beloved pizza 3-4 times a week, he should drop pounds and inches too.

Happy Thursday! Or "Little Friday" as my office coworkers put it. I hope you are starting with a marvelous morning. Mine started with a blooming cold and now I feel horrid. UGH. What to do for a cold I wonder when going through this journey? I mean, I can still take some NyQuil and go to sleep since I've not had my surgery yet, but what do you do after surgery for getting something like a cold or the flu or something? I can't imagine that they just go away altogether after surgery, and some of the antibiotics given are simply horse pills they are so large. I may not be out too much today. Have lots of things to do for work, and then I may head home to bed. I hate feeling sick like this.

Happy Mid-Week. Nothing much happening today. I'm fighting a sore throat with post-nasal drip and drinking all my water. My husband still has colitis and is now suffering with an upper respiratory infection of some kind. It's dark when I leave for work every morning and now it's dark when I get home in the evening. Good-bye sunshine for another 4-5 months. I have an office with no windows except in the physician's offices and most of them keep their doors closed, so no sunlight. I was looking at some of the sample kits from Unjury and Celebrate. The Unjury ones look pretty neat and I'll probably try that one when it comes time. Several months from now. Sigh. I just want to get on with things, you know? Impatience, thy name is Mac. These six months are going to slay me! And yet, they will probably go by so fast that I won't really remember them come April, when my surgery gets scheduled. And at least I'm on the journey there and am actively getting all my boxes checked so insurance will accept the proposed surgery when the time comes for that. I wonder ... where will Dr. Halapin (the psychiatrist I saw Monday) send his letter? I didn't give him an address to send to. Hmm. I'll have to check in with my team next week to see if they've received it, and if not, where I should have it sent. Every other test so far has been within my university setting and those results can be seen by all in the system once they are ready. Anyway, I'm starting to drag. And I still have 90 minutes to go before I can go get my husband's computer and head on home. The afternoons are starting to get that way, which is why I like to take a late lunch. I couldn't help it today though when lunch came in early. Well, I'm outta here. Have a spectacular evening friends and I'll catch you next time.

Way to go! You'll be done your 14 days before you know it!

Those look like excellent little containers. I need to bookmark them so I remember them when it's my turn to purchase these items.

Oh! Congratulations JediMom! That is exciting news!

((HUGS)) I'm sorry for your pain @Cherylmilla

The video you linked was interesting; I'm not sure there's anyone I know who's life I would trade mine for. Every one of them has issues going on with them. Their lives aren't perfect. They are hard, just like mine. Difference is that I know my challenges and I don't know theirs. I see his point about surrounding yourself with people you admire, they can bring you up to their level. That being said, I don't have a lot of friends that I hang with. My time is limited and I usually devote it to my husband. There's not really room for other close relationships right now. I have plenty of acquaintance friends, but not close to my heart friends. I work 14-hour days and need 8 hours of sleep, which only leaves me 2 hours, of which I get to spend one with my husband and the other getting ready for work. All of that aside, it is a beautiful day! Happy Tuesday! The psychiatrist I went to yesterday for my surgery clearance was pretty cool. He asked me a lot of questions and I basically told him my life's history in about 20 minutes. I think he was surprised that I'm as well adjusted as I am considering my background. I put it down to being blessed with a positive attitude, and an incredible amount of resilience. I do have a food addiction problem that I need to work on and plan for when my WLS happens in April. It may take me that long to get a good program in place so I won't mentally freak out when I don't have to think 24/7 about food and the next "thing" I eat. Well, I guess I will still have to worry about what I'm eating, and when I'm eating it for a while, as I recover from surgery, but it won't be the same. It will be planning for getting in enough water and enough protein for a while. It won't be about the next sweet thing I'll eat, or the next bag of chips, or whatever. So, anyway, that's me for today. I'm in a good place emotionally and mentally. I'm looking forward to surgery even with its downsides and challenges, and I know I'm going to get where I need to be with this tool in hand. Everyone have a great day. Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave me a message, I love additions and advice. See you tomorrow. Same bat-time, same bat-channel. Blessings.

Lots of great advice on this thread, Let me add my two cents as well. I saw the Psych clearance people yesterday and was told that I had a food addiction, which I already was aware of. I turned to food when I quit smoking twenty-some years ago. So, because of my food addiction, I really need to focus before surgery to how I'm going to deal with the addiction. Otherwise, it will transfer to something else since I won't be able to eat. He was worried I'd start drinking and have that become my new addiction, but I don't drink so that won't happen. In thinking about it, I'm thinking I will try to make my workouts be my new addiction, if that is even possible. I don't know. It will be trial and error for me. Oh, and while I was very addicted to cigarettes back in the day, the cravings for them did stop. Now even the smell of them discourages me from ever wanting to go back. Same with coffee, which I gave up in 2012. I used to love the smell of a good roasted coffee percolating. Now the smell turns me off. A lot will depend on your attitude. If you go into it saying "I'll never have (insert food item here) again," then you're subconsciously telling your brain to make that statement not true and your cravings will skyrocket. If you say to yourself, "I don't want it right now, but it will still be there later if I REALLY have to have it," puts you in control and not the addiction. It doesn't take that food/cigarette/coffee/caffeine off your table, you just put yourself as the control for having it, and you just keep saying "Not now, maybe later." Sorry, I rambled on a bit. You can beat your addiction when you allow yourself to be the control over the addiction and not the victim of the addiction, if that makes any sense. Wishing you all the very best on your journey. Keep coming back to the threads - they are full of motivation and support. Blessings!

Thanks for the referral, I'll have to take a look at it.

Congrats Mikeyy on getting below that 250 mark! High Five! You're doing so well, I'm so proud of you!

I'm not sure I can avoid telling my immediate supervisor, though I'm a bit worried about that because he's also really good friends with his work wife and work mistress and the receptionist. All three of whom run their mouths continually about anyone and anything. This is my journey and I'd rather it be private. I already hate the fact that I'm going to have to tell my sister-in-law something to ask if she'll come help with my disabled husband the first day or so I'm out of the hospital. She's the worst one of the family for keeping secrets but I love her to pieces. Maybe if I do enough ahead of time to take care of him, he'll be able to do the rest? Hmm. I'll have to think about that.

Oh congratulations, @Kelly Sanchez. I'm glad to hear everything went well for you and that you are up and about. Keep up the great walking.