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I just have the ONE that I bought. It programmed easy and had no problems setting up the iPhone app for it. I'm considering adding the wristband model.....not sure which one, but only if they will play well with each other. iPhone ???? fingers crossed.........

News flash........Quest now has a few Protein powders on the market. My local GNC stores have it. I will acquire a canister or two and test drive it soon. http://www.questnutrition.com/protein-powders/cookies-and-cream-protein-powder-2lb-canister/ I'll update my opinion in this thread later on.

I've never tried a Quest bar that I didn't really enjoy. Excellent product.

Way to go !!!!!!!!!!

On the surface it may seem a Ford vs Chevy type debate. Dig in deeper with your surgeon and communicate with the folks here. I am very, very happy with my decision to go the sleeve route vs the bypass (which was my initial thought). I can continue taking NSAIDS as needed for my crappy knees. I drink coffee daily and enjoy it. I was worried that i'd not loose the same amount of weight because there was no dumping with the sleeve to keep me averse to future sweets. This has not been a problem whatsoever. I've lost my desire for such garbage and simply crave juicy cuts of meat, chicken and fish. When I say crave.....I mean seriously salivate and look forward to a fresh grilled chunk of salmon or chicken breast. Sleeve has been very easy to live with and is a tool I'll have for the rest of my life. No regrets.

Howdy there. Looks like you are doing really well ! Had my sleeve in mid-October 2015 and It's been awesome. I haven't yet begun weight training until my surgeon clears me (sleeve is up for it, but he also repaired an umbilical hernia-3rd repair, too---at the same time as the sleeve was done). Anticipating getting the green light later this month. I've also been using a ftibit One on my keychain. It's not always on my person on my days off....but work days it is. Also been getting in my 10K per day. My stats and progress pics are in the profile section. In summary, my starting weight when entering the bariatric program was 478 lbs at 6'4". By mid-October, I weighted in at 422 the morning of my surgery. I weight this morning on my two scales at the house....347 on one and 353 on the other. Herniated disc is obviously healing for me. No longer taking any pain meds or treatment for it. The other ailments melting away along with the fat. Some unwanted muscle loss that I'm concerned about and have started getting more strict on my Protein intake. I've ordered some Biotin products to begin taking asap in hopes of getting ahead of any hair loss. Clothes are always being replaced only to be replaced again. Funny the changes that occur. I have zero regrets other than waiting so long to do this. Should've sleeved much, much earlier. Life is good.

@@Amberbo , my short answer is to hang out and read through the various forums and take in the success stories and the way folks have shed the various pains and ailments as they shed the weight. Also gone from their lives are pain meds and such that were instrumental in the simply getting around. I was a broke down 47 year old guy who was freaking miserable and fast making those around me miserable, too. The final straw was a herniated disc in April 2015 that sidelined me and forced me to contemplate an aggressive source of relief. Spinal stenosis, severe advanced arthritis in my left knee, plantar fasciitis, right ankle that'd been repaired a few years prior and was always screaming at the end of the day and another umbilical hernia that had already been repaired with open surgery twice before ( you can see it really well in my "before" pics). Miserable, I tell ya.....but the back thing was what it took to get my big arse into a bariatric program as soon as I could.....seemed like it took forever to get to my surgery date in mid October 2015. It gave me the needed time to make the most important change.....GETTING MY MIND RIGHT AND SQUARELY EMBRACE THE CHANGES THAT HAD TO OCCUR. Most important !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Surgeon repaired the hernia at the same time as my sleeve. Recovery was smooth. Now, some 3 months away.....I can only say that my only regret is not doing this sooner. The pressure off my back has allowed tremendous healing to occur and I take no meds for it. No more spine injections, either. Everything else on my list of ailments is way, way better, too. The weight is coming off in a steady way and the sleeve is very, very, very, very, very easy to live with. There is nothing that I can't have or do with it. Also....what I can't stress enough is that the physical changes are probably only 1/2 the story.....if even that much. Please read that above statement again.....and again. 'Tis true. The real benefits....the stuff that truly makes me happier is the mental-emotional-motivation-optimism that has been showing up daily in greater amounts. I may have slept past only two sunrises since my sleeve and they were due to late nights of having F-U-N. I'm normally up well before dawn and ready for the day's tasks and challenges. I sleep righteously and do so with a smile on my face. Life is good. It is good because it will only get better. We fail to see how much pain can drag us down to become miserable. When it's removed and the source of that is something that you own and will continue living with...a tool that you control.......POWERFUL things will happen. Don't walk, but run your butt to the nearest bariatric center of excellence and take to them. Do it now and have a wonderful Summer.......but even better......live the Winter of your dreams next winter. Trust & believe !!!!!

I ate a great deal of salad in the pre-op weeks leading up to surgery. Enjoyed them quite a bit. 3+ months post-op, I've ordered them and just ate the toppings and have yet to enjoy lettuces. I prefer to keep things very, very predictable if I'm dining out. I've yet to buy any type of salad for the house, either. There is just such limited space in the new sleeve that I prefer to stick to high Protein eats.

Yes. I could have a hyuoooge problem with it. It goes down well......never a problem. I love most cheeses and enjoy them. Great Protein....yes......but also very caloric and sometimes really high in sodium. I simply have to watch how I consume it.....never as a snack, but as an addition to a meat or as a vegetable topper.

Great list ! Depending on how crowded.....or loud it is, I've found that most bartenders with work with you and try to dial in something you like. The low carb crowd's voice has been heard and even reached their ears, it would seem. I haven't gone out all that much since my sleeve, but have found a way to enjoy things and not have much hassle. The only real obstacle was when I wasn't in direct communication with the bartender at a local hot spot, French Market Grille, and the waiter wasn't savvy to the cause. Turns out they serve a Cajun martini.....arrived like a standard martini....but then they added a huge filled Mason jar for your refill desires. Oh Lawd............ Damn near got hamma'd from that one drink and it's evil Mason jar accomplice.......

Seriously looking forward to the days where the airline seatbelt extender isn't needed !!!!

Getting more weight off to ease the constant knee pain in my left knee. Continued better health.....feeling great already.....want to keep feeling this way. Normal sized tall clothes. Airplane-friendly body (legroom is always going to suck, though) because I want to be able to hop on flights for spur of the moment fun trips.

Completely feel that way, too. Outside of this forum I do not like to discus the numbers with anyone. Some folks I bump into just can't stand not to dig and dig on the numbers. I think they are simply enthusiastically supporting me in their own way....I just don't think I'll ever be comfortable with it. I took a pic the day before the surgery and used it as my "before" pic. I simply can not believe how far I'd allowed myself to fall off. That pic was taken after losing 55 lbs pre-op, too. It is a great reminder of where I was and how poorly I physically felt. Friends that are non-obese are the ones I'm most guarded around with the details of my weight loss. When they "diet" it is to lose 10-15 pounds.....not hundreds of pounds like me. They are encouraging and nonjudgmental in their questions....it's just that I feel my responses would be in terms they can't grasp. There may come a day a year or two down the line where I'll be comfortable discussing actual weights with them......but today is not that day.

I'm now 2 days away from my surgery and I am so nervous . I can't stop thinking about it! Very understandable. I can only say that my sleeve surgery was non-event. Almost no discomfort and everything went really, really well. Followed my instructions like a good boy and everything went smoothly. You will feel so relieved in just a few days. Try to relax.....take a deep breath and let it all out....the fear, the anxiety......the build up.......deep breaths in and out......let the stress go. Everything is going to go really well and you will live normally....with ease with your new sleeve. The days leading up to my surgery found me posting a lot and looking at everyone's before & after pics. Seeing their progress calmed me down really well. Success. That is exactly where you are headed. We have a spot on the Loser's Bench saved for you. There is always room on it because everyone is getting leaner and more healthy. You'll join this group. We tend to smile a lot and laugh our butts off. Relax and look forward to claiming your seat. It's a fun process. Be thinking about the clothes you want to wear soon......the fun hobbies you want to engage in.......get ready to enjoy yourself a great deal.

Thanks @@LadyWarren I'm really looking forward to getting back to ENC before too long.......gotta get some proper BBQ !!!!!

You are doing great and off to a super start. It gets much easier to live with the sleeve as you go.

Innersurfergirl is spot on as always. Go slow.....very slow. like 1/2 teaspoon at a time with a minute in between to chew and wait...slow. My go to Protein in the early days was soft flakey baked-broiled-grilled fish. I had a nice piece today for lunch, too. Goes down easy.

Amazing thread. Great success stories made or in the making !!!!

Congrats on your strategy and incorporating weight training into things. It can be fun and you'll love the results. You're surgeon will have specific instructions for you. Mine was fairly laid back with his sleeve patients. He said he'd send us home from the hospital with very few restrictions....just to walk, move and get back to regular living as soon as possible. He did say something about waiting until our various follow up visits to lift anything substantial. I think he even referenced lifting a bag of groceries was fine.....just not several at once.

I'm 3+ months now. I have the occasional gurgling and noises for no known reason but it's not load enough for others to hear. Drinking is not a problem as I've learned not to take gulps like I used to. It is certainly noticeable when I'm eating. I have to go very slow and stop well before there is any type of getting full feeling. If I wait until the full sensation hits then it means I"m going to be very uncomfortable for a while. Today for instance.....had the New Orleans Seafood plate with broccoli & roasted brussels at Ruby Tuesday. Destroyed the 5-6 tiny shrimp.....had three of the brussels (halved) and then slowly began on the baked fish and ate roughly half of it. Never touched my Water, broccoli or the bread they bring out. I was stuffed and didn't like the feeling for an hour later. Normal meals at home are from a fairly routine "menu" and I know the portion size to consume and stop at. Restaurant dining is a different story. I've grown accustomed to never finishing any meal, but making a dent in it. Friday afternoon I had an order of wings from a local spot we like. I stopped with 4 wing sections.....not the 5 that come with a small order. That 5th would have made the difference between a good meal and being overstuffed and uncomfortable. Other than when eating.....I've never had much notice of my sleeve.

I would think so.

I'm early into this deal but have found that I do best when I avoid breads, Pasta, pizza and certainly sugar. I've not had any fruit since being sleeved, either. Steamed or grilled vegetables, Beans and avocados are carbs that I do enjoy every few days. I love freshly made guacamole. I do best when I stick to this. No carb cravings or anything like that.

You should cut & paste all of that into a special holiday card to send to them. Gotta love unsolicited advice and opinions.......your analogy for them is spot on. Sriracha sauce is the ticket, too. Love that stuff.

That is really awesome. One year !!!! That is amazing progress.

I can't really add much here that already hasn't been said about the pre-op hurdles. I grew really frustrated with them ultimately gave up on my insurance and self-funded the surgery. This cut through all the BS and I only had to wait a couple more weeks. I was in a hurry to get the weight off to take stress off a herniated disc and for other health reasons. Looking back....my only regret was not doing all this sooner. Inquire about your bariatric center's self pay options. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you find out. I approached the whole experience with one thought in mind....my goal was to lose weight....not just lay around and wait for the surgery to do it for me. I was able to get 55 lbs off before surgery. I should have tried harder. I got hung up with having "food funerals" savoring things for the "last time". I initially thought I was going to have a gastric bypass and the thought of the dumping syndrome fueled my desire to enjoy sugary junk food too much when I should have been losing more than that first 55 lbs. Ironically, I went on to have a sleeve....not a bypass. I could still have all that sugary junk food right now without any dumping so all those food funerals were simply stupid wasted opportunities to lose.....lose.....lose. I have no desire to eat that crap though and am very pleased with the sleeve. All the scary issues I had brewing have been resolved and the minor stuff is slowly easing off. I can't stress how much better I feel every single minute of every single day. I congratulate you on making the weight loss surgery decision. It took me over a decade to get behind it. Once I did....I fully embraced it and my life is better for doing so. The surgery requires you to change your way of thinking. This is key to your success. The first thing you have to do is change your relationship with food. Sounds like a bunch of hokey bs, right ?.......it's 100% true, though. No surgery can benefit you if you don't fix your head first. Get your thinking straightened out and everything else will unfold with ease as you march toward your surgery date and life beyond. You have to eat in order to fuel your body. You don't have to eat for any other reason. Use the time ahead of you to get your mind wrapped around that concept. If you stick with insurance funding the surgery then I highly encourage you to have frequent check ins with your insurance companies bariatric admins. Make them tell you what you need to do and make sure they receive all the documentation required. You may also be able to get credit for some of the 6 month if you can get your doctor to document you were counseled on you weight at various office visits over the past 2 years. Ask the admin and see. It sure can't hurt. Good luck and push yourself hard.