Vinasu

I had to pay before. They called me up for a credit card number and it had to go through before I could go into surgery.

My Dr. sets goal weight as loss of 60% of excess weight. She says that's where most people end up. I met her goal at 4 months. My personal goal is 12 pounds below the upper limit of normal weight. I'll get there by summer.

I didn't start ursodiol until a month after surgery. You'll have to ask, but I suspect you're fine either way.

My kids love edamame too. I steam them in the microwave and sprinkle a little soy sauce on them. We eat them while watching movies. For a side dish, I take the shelled beans and steam them and toss with a little crumbled bacon and feta and just a little oil and vinegar. It's delicious.

I wear Spanx.

Look up Victoria's Secret model Karolina Kurkova. She has no belly button, and she rocks it.

I try to stay low-carb, but I'm definitely not that low carb. My carbs come from vegetables and very occasionally whole grains. I eat in a way that I can feel full and not like I'm missing out. Otherwise, it wouldn't be sustainable for me. I have reached normal BMI, but I'm still 10 pounds away from my personal goal. Truth be told, though, I wear a size 4 now...I could be satisfied if I stay here for life.

Hi from Happy Valley! Actually, I work in Hillsboro, Hawthorne Farm, so I'm there every day. [emoji4]

Don't rush it. He will be able to eat solid proteins, but some people take longer than others. Feed him what he can eat and try new things every once in a while. If they don't work, wait two weeks and try again. This isn't a race. I still can't eat roast beef or pork. But at four weeks I lived off fresh fish.

I was diagnosed with IBS three years ago. It is miserable, but I had/ have a fairly mild case. I haven't had a single flare-up since surgery. I do deal with constipation and gas, like most people after surgery, but it's nothing compared to IBS. That having been said, I have no idea if my lack of issues is because of the surgery, completely unrelated, or in spite of the surgery.

I take probiotics, and they really help. If it helps, the constipation will get better when you can eat more fiber. The first four month's were the worst. I have noticed that I lose faster when I'm pooping regularly. I wonder if my body has less time to absorb food then.

I've noticed the same thing. I'm treated much differently. It's ugly. It's unfair, but it is the way our society functions--obesity is a socially acceptable way to discriminate. We aren't going to change that, but I do find myself trying to be much more conscientious about making certain I don't discriminate. Thin privilege is real.

Trader Joe's creamy tomato soup Whipped goat cheese with smoked salmon and a sprig of tarragon or dill An electric blanket I use at my computer. I'm always cold. New tennis shoes. Now mine are all too wide, and I can't work out in them. A portable, battery-powered food scale. I got a small one off Amazon for about $12

I always gain a couple before I start my period. I don't lose for that week (or lose really slowly) and then when it's done, I'll lose the two I gained plus more. I have Mirena, so I spot and not bleed, but I know when it's coming by the scale. I suspect it happened the same way before surgery and I never noticed because I didn't weigh myself.

I don't have a answer for you, but I just wanted to congratulate you on your amazing loss! Well done!

I also hem pants myself. Even at 5'3", petites can be long. I'm not going to work in 3" heels, and I'm a corporate drone. That having been said, Walmart has a line of slacks that are definitely nice enough for work and fit well. I can feel the difference in the fabric between them and my more expensive slacks, but no one else has hands on my legs....in the office at least.

See a doctor. My sister was having a really heavy period...and we found her passed out on the bathroom floor. We rushed her to the hospital where they found she had a blood count of 3, needed a hysterectomy, and had a tumor. She nearly died. If the heavy periods is just the result of weight loss hormones (and this happens) look into getting birth control that stops periods until you're at goal.

Can you eat eggs? I love tofu. You can get some great recipes with lots of flavor. That having been said, fasting a few times will not adversely affect your overall health.

In 2006, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that obesity had to be the result of a "physiological condition" in order to be covered by the ADA. https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=6421022734689452408 So if you can prove that your obesity is caused by a medical condition, then you might have a chance. But, I wouldn't bet on it. Also, if you were to go to court over it, a) it would sure as hell take longer than summer and your employer would likely look for ways to legally get rid of you ASAP. I would, and I'm a nice person...of course, I'd likely approve the leave barring a compelling business reason against it.

"Medical and disability-related leave rules: The ADA does not specifically require employers to provide medical or disability-related leave." --from the US Dept. of Labor (https://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/employ.htm) Sorry. I'm rooting for you.

Yes, they can legally deny you (IANAL). You've used up the allotted time, and this isn't an ADA case. That being said, they'd be jerks if they did.

I like sf Werther's. I suck on one when I cook so I don't taste anything.

I was told never to donate again since we always walk the razor's edge with iron. Check with your doctor.

Then don't do it. You need to want to do this. If you aren't doing it for the right reasons, you'll set yourself up to fail. I'm not being snarky. I'm thrilled with my surgery and would do it again. But I think it's a mistake to do something this drastic when you're not sure.

I like Korean dried, shredded squid. It's delicious! I also really love Emerald cocoa almonds, 100 calorie snack packs. They feel like a forbidden dessert.