Sherrie Scharbrough

Hi I buy my GENEPRO online thru Amazon. It is kind of expensive but it only takes 1 tablespoon. Some will argue about the grams of protein, I have used this for quite awhile now and have not had anything abnormal on my blood work. It is the only one that is tasteless that I have found. Good Luck

I use the unflavored protein also. I add it to my ESPRESSO every day. For me it is a win win because I would drink my coffee any way. If you are using GEWNEPRO I just temper it in warm water then add to my coffee. Myoplex has a pretty good protein, it is called RICH DARK CHOCOLATE. ATKINS has a good protein drink. Very tasty. I really would hate to add up how much $$ I have spent on protein stuff I just couldn't do. I was lucky that my Nephew does protein just to be healthy. LOL One thing that I have heard from others myself included: Our taste changes after WLS. Be careful not to buy a lot of any protein drinks because you may not care for them afterwards. My taste and smell changed BIG TIME. Everything tasted like medal almost in everything I tried to eat or drink. My smell has always been great but after MAN O MIGHTY, I can smell cigarettes from outside of our Mobile Home all the time.We do have smokers all around us but...this is extreme!! Noone else smells anything but I do for sure!!

I still won't drink anything carbonated. I think it is a personal choice that each of us have to decide yes or no. I am almost 4 years out and have not had 1 drink that has carbonation. Yesterday we went to our get together with family. They had Barbqued hamburgers and all the fixings with chips and dip and of course ice cold beer!! Before muy RNY if I drank (very rarely) my choice was COORS LIGHT!! Nogt had anything but I did have some wine. That is a different story. So as I a eating my hot dog (without anything on it) and my little tablespoon of potato salad, I said that I was extremely thristy. My SIL said why aren't you drinking. Which I said because I still try to follow all of my guidelines from my surgery!! She couldn't beleive that I still follow what I was told to keep myself at my goal weight of 125#'s. I also know that it hurts my pouch if I drink to soon. For me I try to stay on the safe side when we are out because I don't want to get sick around everyone. But I can share a few things that I use for drinking. I love love Diet Peach Snapple tea, the little packages flavored water packs work great for me. If you are missing soda they carry ROOT BEER (SF of course) Orange grape to state a few of them. These taste just lie pop without the carbonation. Great stuff. I guess what I was trying to say is only you can make the decsion if you will drink pop or not. Good Luck

Welcome!!! WOW!! You have done GREAT with your weight loss. Thank you for sharing your journey with us all. Again welcome to a great site. ou will find that we all have different opinions on stuff but just take what you need and leave the rest.

I had my Panni in 2015. I was at my goal weight of 125#'s and I can defintly tell you my recovery was nothing. The drains are not bad at all. I had to have my daughter come and drain them and change my bandages for awhile. I could do the drains but for the life of me I couldn't do the bandages. I kid you not it was a super duper recovery. Now I took my pain pills for a little while because I was told that I didn't want to take them after I was already in pain. I didn't even have to wear a compression belt. I even had the nurse call my PS I just thought he had forgotten to get me one on order. He removed 10plus #'s. The only thing I wish is I would have went with the TT with Lipo on my upper stomach. My advise is to really make sure that your Suregon knows exactly what you want. My PS promised this and that and didn't follow thru with it. I am glad I had it done but just wish I would have known that now I DO need lipo on my upper stomach. He said he would give me a good deal for $6,000 he woud do Lipo and a breast lift. I feel like he was just setting up more business and I would have gladly paid the extra if I had known.

WOW!! You are a very strong peron. Your journey post was awesome. Thank you for sharing. I also needed this. I had tears in my eyes but then joy in my heart!! Thank you

All that was said above!! I was a BALS TO WALL OR NOTHING kind of person!! Who HATED exercise!! Guess what I have been very sucessful with my RNY. I had it done July 2, 2013, within 6 months my weight dropped to 117#'s, I felt hrrible and couldn't eat hardly anything. I had Strictures so I couldn't keepm anything down. All has been corrected and I am GREAT. I will share my stats: HW 249 SW 232 LW 117 CW 125. I now don't binge but I still have my sweet tooth. My surgery makes it haard to eat to much of it. I know that mos people say that they stay away from certain foods but my Suregon and Nutritionst both told me before my WLS that in time there are no forbidden foods just eat in MODERATION!! That is basically how I eatr like was said above if I want something I eat it but not the whole package. I started having 1 peice of good for you bread but I eat 1/2 a sandwich. For myself I didn't gain all of my weight from unhealthy foods alot of it was the amount that I ate!! Good luck and keep us posted on your journey!!

Hi first let me say LIFE will go on!! As was said by Joann you will get to do the things you are missing just for awhile. Rhen you will have another purpose to lose the weight get healthy and then when you reach your goal or close to it you can start adding things back in. I am almos 4 years out and I do eat out once and awhile I have drank wine a few times. But I didn't do these things until I got to my goal weight. She is also so right that our minds change and we don't desire to eat the old way. Thank goodness we have this tool to help us. The good stuff way out wins over the other stuff for sure. BTW I agree that preop was harder than Postop. Something happens to you and you don't want the same foods or drinks. You aren't physically hungrey at all. Now the mind hunger sucks big time. You can do this!!

I didn't have the DS But if you are getting all of your protein and fluids you will become stronger. Hang in there. I think everyone feels weak and tired for awhile with any major surgery. Your has been thru a life changing ordeal!! Have you talked to your DR.? KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE and KEEP ONM KEEPING ON!!!

WOW!!mYou look awesome!! So pretty too.

Congratulations!!! Yay May I ask you something? I don't remember if I have talked to you before but with your band did you have problems that lead you to the revision?

Hon, you don't have to much of abelly. I on the other hand is pretty bad. I had a Panni done Sept of 2016 and my PS removed 10plus#'s. But I now need LIPO on my upper stomach. I hate it and wasn't pleased from the beginning. My PS kept saying it was swelling. Finally at my last visit he told me that I needed LIPO done. And then told me he would give me a good deal. If I wanted to have the Lipo and a breast lift he would only charge me $6,000. He made so many promises before my surgery I felt ike he was drumming up further work. But I can say this, I have heard so many people plus a Surgeon all said that the skin will not shrink with the exercise. It has to be removed. You can proablly get some muscle built under the skin but once the skin is stretched it will not go back. Some have more than others. I would research before having any skin removal. You see if you are going tomhave any procedure be sure you have a Tummy Tuck and muscle repair. I only wish I would have known how much I had left because my insureance paid 100% for my skin removal and I wish I would have had a tummy tuck with muscle repair and paid the difference. Sorry for the long post. BTW you look awesome!!

When my gallbladder went bad, I never felt anything like that but I would be sure and tell my DR about it. It is a pain beyond pain when it tries to pass the stones. What happens to most is the stone gets caugt and can't pass. I had my gallbladder removed in 1980 and had my RNY July 2, 2013. My hubby had a failed revision but they took out his gallbladder at the same time. I think more Dr's are just taking them out before they get inflamed. Be sure and mention it at your next appointment. If you get in pain go in before that. Good Luck BTW your weight loss is awesome!!

I have been just not weighing at all. Because my emotional well being needs the break. I obsess over my weight so much. The sad thing is I have actually canceled my Dr appointments (before WLS) because I knew I had to step on those hated scales. While I was in the weight loss mode I looked forward to weighing, Not so much now!! I will weigh but not everyday!! BTW did you know that you can refuse to weigh a the DR's office. When I go to my Bariatric Dr of course I weigh. But not at my PCP. I don't feel like my PCP needs me to weigh unless I need med's that go by weight. Any how we all GOTTA do WHAT it takes ro be ok with ourselves. Good Luck

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction for sure!! Any positive change will help you on this Journey!! Good Luck

It is very hard for sure. Can you suck on a sugar free popcicle? When are you going to have your scope done?

I know exactly what you are going thru. I had Stricters and had 5Endoscopes with 4 Dialations. Which started around my 4 th week. I had probelems in Nov 2013, Dec 2013, Jan 2014 July 2114 with my last one on Jan 2015. I was exactly like you I couldn't hold even water down. I took my sleeping pill and I was up all night throwing up. That morning I threw up that pill and it had never gone down at all. I also lost from 249 to 117#'s within 6 months!! The good thing is it is a easy fix. You take a sweet little nap and wake up it will be done. My Dr told me not to make any major decisions or sign anything for the 1st 24hours. LOL I did gain back 8#'s after I could eat and drink. But I still weigh 125#'s and have maintained that weight for 3 and 1/2 years. Take care of you!! Good Luck on your journey. Keep us posted.

WOW!! That is a lot to handle!!! So sorry. I know that isn't much but I truly am sorry. You are a young person to have to face this. I hope you have someone to help you and even just be there for you. HUGS I wish I had more to offer but at least know I care about you.

As was mentioned above some of us replace the food issue to other obsessions!! There is statsistics that show that cross addictions are real. When we can't use food to self medicate we sometimes turn to other unhealthy stuff. On a lighter note when I went to my class hubby went also. When we got to the part about cross addictions, he told me that he sure hopes I get obsessed with SEX!! MMM NOPE not that. LOL But..I love to shop! Way to much. I never was able to buy clothes for myself due to always struggling finaclly. Well now I have some lead way and I LOVE IT!! I never was someone that loved shoes, I love them now!! I had to buy a she tree so I could at least keep them out of the way. I never liked Boots whelp I do now!! Just be aware of how easy it is to go all out on things. It can get us a little at a time or rush into us!! Good Luck and keep us posted on your journey.

My hubby had a failed attempt of Lap Band to RNY. He did haave his gallbladder and the Lap Band removed at the same time. But..he didn't fair so well due to Abcesses and Infection. Which by no means is the normal situation. I think removal of the gallbladder at the same time is pretty normal. Some Surgeon's remove the gallbladder as a precaution. Some people that lose their weight fast seems that gallbladder trouble happens to the. I don't know which catagory you fall in but that darn gallbladder pain is one of the worst pains. Good Luck and keep us posted on your journey.

Well, my story goes this way!! I lost my weight and had many skin issues. I went to my PS and his office was in my Surgeon's office. Because of ongoing skin infections I reported to my PCP, PS and my Dermatologist. I also took pictures of my infections. I didn't need them at all. The PS office personal know exactly what the insureance co needs. My surgery for my skin removal was coved 100%. I had a severe reaction to the muscle relaxant that they used. I was paralyzed and couldn't move anything for 8hours. I came to unable to move and the nurse was shocking my temple I couldn't tell them I was awake at all. All and all my skin surgery ended up costing wait for it....$38,000. All of it was paid by my insureance. Thank goodness Personally I would not go to Mexico or any where else for surgery. When you have to see a DR for whatever reason it might be hard to get someone else to see you. Not sure but I did fire my WL Surgeon and had not one problem going to another Bariatric Group.

I am so sorry!!! But...now you can get it taken care of and then start making changes to your diet add exercise (if you can). Life sucks sometimes, KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE and KEEP ON KEEPING ON!! You are so much better off that it happened (if it had to happen) that it happened now instead of later after WLS. Use this time to get healthy and well. Good Luck

This is a great post. So many of us struggle with the expectations of others. It sure gets easier as you become a whole person who cares about themselves and push the idea away that we aren't good enough. As we mature and become a person that accepts themselves as they are we will continue on the CRASH COURSE!!! Thank you for your post!! It really does put our lives where we are and can fight the negative memories. Also, in my case they ones that teased me ( mind you I weighedn 135 to 140#'s) in Jr and high school. But I was teased unmercifully the ones that did the most teasing aere now bald, and have gained so much weight. I often wonder if they think about how they treated others.

I know people have kind of come at you but I want to tell you a little about my family. I thought I was fat at a early age just because I felt big next to some of my classmates but the truth was I weighed 135 to 140#'s in JR and High School. I fought with my weight every since I am now 60 will be 61 in a few days. Fast forward to mebgetting asnhigh as 285#'s and I am 5.3 so YES I WAS FAT!! Along comes my kids my son has never had a weight problem. But my sweet daughter who is now 37YO has been overweight for most of her life. Me thinking I was being a good mom, DIDN'T want to make her sick in her mind as I was. You see I have tried almost every diet known to mankind. I purged and threw up before ANOREXIA and BULIMIA before they became public. So anyway I didn't want her to feel defeated or have the self-hate like I did. She only knew me as always on a diet, when she was like 8YO she used to suck her tummy in and say, "Look mom I'm skinnying down". Broke my heart. I just kept saying I will let her deal with her body and weight when she was grown. To this day she has no idea how to diet. She weighs 275#'s now. Life happened she had 4 kids and added weight with everyone of them. Because I never helped her when she was young she has no idea how to lose weight and yes she lack stick em to the diet also. I had my weight loss surgery when I was 57YO. I have maintained my 125#'s for 3 and 1/2 years. Would I encourage my daughter to have weight loss surgery I can say this with everything in me YES YES a MILLON times YES!!! Please support her inmher choice. She will be ok. At first she will lose her weight in the Honeymoon phase which is the first 6 to 12 months. She will lose her hungry and be able to make changes to her lifestyle and exercise. Most people don't have much hunger for awhile. I am 4 years out and I still have no physical hunger. Mind hunger yes. That is something counseling will help her with. Just be there for her. You don't want to push her away, she needs her Mom!! Let her get her life back!!

If all else fails have your Dr give you a precription. Which will work inn your favor when you want Skin Removal later on. I had skin issues BAD!! After I lost my weight. I documented everything with my Suregon. PCP and my Dermatolist. I had my RNY on July 2, 2013. In Sept of 2015 I had my Panni done. It was covered 100% by my insureance. I have Medicare and Champ VA. Such a blessing. Insureance usually will cover skin removal if you have skin issues. When you get close to having it done let your Suregon's office get the info to your Insureance. They do this all the time and know exactly what they require. BTW I also took pictures of my issue on my phone just inm case. I don't know how you carry your weight but I had most of my weight around my stomach. The thing I would recommend is go for the Tummy Tuck with muscle repair if at all possible. Good Luck