Mattymatt

I'm getting enough fluid and have very dry and cracked lips. Think I might need chap stick too. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

Today I was faced with all kinds of tempting foods. The smells were great but the thought of dumping syndrome was enough to make me keep on walking. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

It takes me a while to fall asleep despite my antidepressant making me sleepy. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

I found Premiere Protein be quite good without that smack taste that you speak of. That much said they still get old PDQ. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

I can relate! Protein shakes get old fast. They're a little easier once you get to post-op because at least you have a good chance of not being hungry. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you, @FluffyChix. It feels good to get rid of those. But as you said, this is surgical remission. We'll have to see what happens 6 months to a year down the road. I was only a diabetic for a short period of time (a little over a year.) I hope that this might be in time to reverse damage that may have been caused.

Well, my psychologist says that it is part of the mourning process of letting an old and familiar self go. He also says that it some of it might be the realization that I will be unable to use food as medicine in the future. I've done this all of my life so it's going to be difficult to gradually find and discover better coping skills. I agree with him. Food kept me from experiencing the pain of my past. It's also that the body has undergone a huge change. In my case, my blood sugar averages went from probably around 150-60 to 98 and I am sure I've had some biochemical changes. Our bodies are meant to maintain tight blood sugar control tolerances. Furthermore, I got off of all 5 of the medicines I was using to control blood sugar and who knows how these effect biochemical process related to mood. Don't read too much into my experience, @optimisk. Your experience will be different as each person's is. Each person's biochemistry is so different and it is effected by their life's events and experiences. The one thing I can tell you is that this is major, serious surgery and is not to be taken lightly. It will be life changing in ways that will be unique to you.

You're beautiful, @AshAsh1. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

LOL! Let's hope I can maintain the focus. I am really scared of failing for the 3rd time.

@Krista27 I'll keep my eyes peeled for your post that onederland has arrived!!

As soon as the doctor tells me I am all good next week, I am pulling the trigger and joining my local LA Fitness. It will feel good to put both feet back in the game of life.

As a stickler for grammar and spelling, I resemble those remarks! :-D

This is going to be an on-going challenge for me. Eating was my primary go to medicine to quash anxiety, pain, depression, etc. I have been and will continue to undergo therapy. This will be a time of discovery, learning, and adapting. The only piece of advice I have is the one that I am swallowing: be open to new ideas of living that don't include food.

@HopefullXOXOXO Honestly, I think you're worrying too much and blowing this way out of proportion. Statistically, it is more dangerous to cross the street in the heart of the city than undergo this operation. You will be under good care and the most critical parts will be done by the surgeon or under his or her direct supervision. At some point, new doctors and surgeons need training as well and it should be a point of pride that you're giving them that opportunity. The supervising surgeon will be present in the operating room and involved in your care at all times. You know that the risks of not undergoing this surgery at all are much higher than post-surgical complications. I know that you don't want a heart attack, stroke, or early death. My advice to you is to put your faith in the training and competence of the surgeon and to focus on what you need to do to prepared. This is simply what I did. Before surgery, I was at the penultimate low point in my life. I actually wished for death at several points during my journey to the day of surgery. So for me, there were only positive outcomes post-surgery. My clinical depression is beginning to ease and I am off 6 out of the 7 meds I was taking just to live. I don't mind taking the antidepressant but it took 5 medicines to control my blood sugar and 1 medicine for hypertension. I was a walking profit model for Big Pharma.

I was very picky when it came to vitamins. I found the chewables by OptiSource to be really easy to chew and swallow. They're not too chalky and have a nice orange flavor. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm not real sure on that one. You could try a few licks and see how you feel. If you think it's making things worse, there is no harm in tossing it. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

I never had any issues with drinking hot or cold liquids. I'm even okay with my popsicles. That much said, I'm freezing my butt off despite 150 some pounds of insulation. The last thing I'm gonna reach for is a popsicle. I'm thinking that this coming summer is going to be so much easier to weather without all that added weight. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

I am careful to always use the RD term out of respect for the dietitian profession. I have two friends that are RDs and have gone through considerable post-secondary schooling, testing, and licensing. A nutritionist, in many states, is an unlicensed, unregulated profession. It's okay if you choose to use the NUT acronym as I know what you mean. However, a Registered Dietitian might feel slighted. Sent from my Z981 using BariatricPal mobile app

Indeed it is! 7PM is going to be my hard cut off time for eating once I start food next week.

Do you use a CPAP? I found that before using a CPAP, I would get sick very easily and once I got sick, I tended to stay stick for quite a while. The CPAP seemed to change that. I went through all of last year with only one minor cold. The only thing I can think of is that with a better quality rest, my body was better equipped to fight off those nasty bugs.

@Creekimp13 It is probably good that you did the surgery now instead of 20 years ago because the surgical techniques have gotten vastly better. Nowadays, robots do much of the work. The net benefit is a much shorter recovery time and much cleaner, more precise surgical work.

March 12th

Scroll down a little further in the notifications screen. There should be three columns. The center column is the email notification. Turn that off.

LOL! There is no easy way out of this one. I tried to weasel my way out of shoving those nasty OptiFast drinks down my gullet. Yeah, that did not work out so well.

You're smart to use the liquid OptiFast. I did the powder one and mixed with water. Stuff was foul!