Long2BFree

Sneezing hurts too!

Yep, your body craves water the more you drink it. I stopped drinking Diet Coke about a month ago and haven't really missed it. I tasted DH's the other night just to see what I was missing and I realized it really wasn't much at all. I'm saving money by not drinking it too.

Hunee, I can't wait to hear how you are doing and hope you are resting comfortably tonight. I'll be saying a prayer for those of you who are having surgery this week.

My friend has bypass surgery with Dr. Felix last June and had nothing but good things to say about him. I had an appointment to see him in February by my stepdad passed away so I cancelled. In the meantime I found a doctor closer to home and have decided to go with him. If for some reason my doctor can't do my surgery I will be seeing Dr. Felix. I've also heard others in the area speak highly of him.

Thought it made a little bit squimish I found it very interesting. Thanks for posting.

Some of the Unjury flavors (Chocolate and Vanilla) are mixed with milk. Many people mix the Strawberry Shorbert with Crystal Light Lemonade and really like it. I haven't tried it yet so I haven't formed an opinion. Personally I like Medifast shakes best followed by Low Carb Slim Fast (out of the low carb protein drinks) though I find after a week of drinking most of the others I've learned to like them and don't feel like they taste too bad.

Congrats on getting approved for a loan! Ah, we weightthe same cause my surgeon wants me to lose the same amount as you.

Wow, your stats are amazing for having the band for less than a year and not having a fill. I'm curious to know what size band you have?

I have an appointment on Monday and am afraid to go because I will probably start crying if questioned about certain things. I'm afraid that the psycologist will say that I need several appointment before he will refer me for surgery. Yep, I'm one of those people that hold things inside of me and eat for comfort. I'm trying to take steps to learn to deal with stress and feel losing weight will give me the confidence to get out of circumstances that make me unhappy. I know it won't cause my problems go away but if I could just gain the confidence to move on life would be so much better. Has anyone told the psyc one thing and then after surgery decide to go for counseling?

I've also seen an ad on this website that has some very nice looking bracelets which lists the same information. They had them with pretty bands and some were also watches that were nice.

I had my psych eval yesterday. I spent an hour with the doctor asking me a list of questions. He then asked questions that weren't on the list that the surgeon provided such as my medical problems and asked about exercise. I explained to him that my podiatrist will not allow me to do weight bearing exercise and that I recently got a recumbent bike. He asked how long I ride it and I told him 5 minutes 5 to 6 times a day until I get my endurance up. He then said I should be riding it 20-25 minutes straight. I told him I get tired and winded and he tried to argue with me in a way. Duh! Overweight, out of shape person here... has to build up endurance. Then he asked why my cheeks were so red. I told him I have good coloring but in fact I turn red when I feel cornered. Oh, I forgot to mention that he talked down my podiatrist and PCP giving me cortisone shots for heel spurs and bursitis in my knees. I then spent 2 hours answering 586 T/F questions. It didn't help that the lighting was poor and I felt uneasy with some of the other people who were walking into the waiting room. I was a very weird set-up in the way that 5 psychs work in the office and when you walk in, there is a switch on the wall with the doctor's names. You flip the switch to let the doctor know you are there. They then come in thru a locked door and they take you to their office. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. They do this to maintain people's annonymity so they aren't being called by name. BTW, this is in Santa Barbara were there are some famous and wealthy (and weird) so I guess that is why they do it this way. The doc never did mention if he was referring me or not.

I work half the time at a desk and the other part out in the field so I'm planning on taking at least a week off and possibly working 1/2 days the following week. I get up at 4 am and work 4-10 hour days so I know I will be tired.

I'm supposed to be on a diet to lose 14 lbs before surgery and had be doing well before I went out to dinner with DH Wednesday night. When we got to the restaurant I looked at the menu and there wasn't anything that I should've really ate and asked to go some place else but DH really wanted to eat there. I did okay with my choice but didn't feel good about eating it because I knew it would throw me off. It's 100% on or else I have a hard time with getting back on once I deviate. For lunch on Friday and Saturday, I had Subway and would've been okay except I ordered the footlong subs because they were having a special. I told myself I would only eat half and save the rest for lunch the following day. Both days I did neither. Last night I was so hungry (mainly cause my sub sandwich was only veggies at lunch) and I started having major anxiety. I guess my blood sugar level got too low and I totally lost it and had a major pig out even eating the ice cream my family brought into the house after everyone went to bed. I don't know why I did this to myself. Right now I'm kicking myself because I just put myself that much further away from my surgery date until I get the 14 lbs off. Oh, and DH looked at me in the restaurant on Wednesday and it dawned on him that once I have the surgery that I will no longer be able to eat like I have been. Duh, why does he think I'm so fat? Because I have no control.

Can you have protein drinks yet? That might help.

Marisa - I wish it was Cracker Barrel I was talking about. Unfortunately we don't have them in CA. The restaurant is a local steak house that opened up within the past year called Cool Hand Luke's.

Like Mstrina has stated, it's none of their business. I would get a note from your doctor beforehand stating you are having surgery and the length of time you will be out and give it to your boss. Your doctor will back you up and the boss can't do anything about it.

You definately sound ready. How long is your hospital stay going to be? Please post when you get home to let us know how you are doing!

Thank you so much for all of the support! I appreciate the input more than anyone can ever know. Restaurants are going to be off limits for me for awhile unless I am 100% sure they have something I can eat. The one we went to the other night offered foods with gravies, sauces, fatty meats and fried. I did order a salad with dressing on the side but the meat was very fatty so I only ate a couple of bits and had tons of blue cheese on it. In fact, I didn't use any dressing on it because of the amount of cheese. I wanted soup but they only had cheesy potato soup that night. DH is not worried that I will leave him when I lose weight nor does he sabatoge my efforts on purpose. He mindlessly brings stuff into the house even though I've asked him not to; sometimes because he's ignorant but sometimes because he just 'wants it'. Though he will agree that certain foods aren't good for our bodies, he still insists on bringing them into the house. His thought is if he dies from clogging his arteries then at least he will be happy. I've told myself that today I'm doing my 5 Protein shakes and 1 meal and nothing is going to stop me from doing it. I've already announced to everyone this morning that we will be having salmon for dinner so they better no complain.

I always plug my nose when I have to drink something nasty and it helps minimize the taste. I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about nasty tasing stuff. Yuck!

I feel your frustration as I wanted my surgery done like yesterday too. I guess the doctor needs to make sure all bases are covered.

Protein helps keep you full longer but are also important for maintaining muscles during weightloss. If you are filling up on carbs and not getting enough protein then your body is pretty much eating itself (muscle) to get what it needs.

I know I've posted this elsewhere but this is the info I was given about alcohol. In addition to meeting with my nutritionist for an hour appointment, I had to attend a 2 hour class which discussed nutrition post surgery. We were told to avoid alcohol at all costs for the first year of losing weight. Not only does it lower your tolerance to alcohol but also puts your liver at increased risks for liver toxicity, cancer and other liver diseases. It can also contribute to hypoglycemia. ulcers and malnutrition. It was explained that your liver is not only working overtime burning fat from your body but if it has to process alcohol then it's giving it a double wammy for having to work that it's defenses are at higher risks for getting sick.

I've had reoccuring foot and leg cramps for a couple of years. My doctor thought I was over exaggerating when I told him how excruciating the cramps were. I have them at night and sometimes they keep me up most of the night. Last night was a really bad night and if my husband had been home I would've had him take me to the ER. I went to another doctor today because my DR wasn't available. He said I have busitis in both legs and gave me a cortisone shot in both legs. He also did an ultrasound and the arteries in my legs are partially blocked. He's also running more tests and said I may even have blood clot/s. I'm really scared at this point and even more upset that it may keep me from getting banded. My LB surgeon told me the reason people die from surgery is because they get blood clots in their legs. Has anyone successfully had surgery with this condition?

Thank you for your kind words.

I'm so sorry for your loss and what you are going through emotionally and physically. (((HUG)))