RestlessMonkey

Welcome and good luck! Some companies approve really fast (mine was one) so I hope it happens as quickly or slowly as you want! :thumbup:

See when your doc clears you for alcohol; it's (like everything else, it seems!) different for all of us! Now that I'm a year out my doc gave me the go ahead for beer (my personal preference for general everyday drinking LOL) but I generally avoided it until he told me "ok now". I don't like wine, but I did have vodka and orange juice, and some cocoanut rum and crystal light lemonade (odd but strangely tasty)

If you want something specific then I agree with Jachut...go for it (or at least some of it) but if it's a vague generalized "now I want sweet" then substituting can work. There are many posts on here about altered taste buds, changes in perceptions and preferences etc. In the past if I wanted sweet a diet green tea w/citrus would've just gotten in my way on my path to "real sweet stuff" like cake, pie, candy, Cookies, whatever. Now it exactly fills the bill. SO if you want an oreo, HAVE one. If you want "a sweet", nose around, find something lower cal (even fruit?) that fills the bill.

May I paraphrase what my doc told us during the seminar? He said Almost ALL patients, whether bypass or band, male or female, will start to lose hair at around 3 months out and it will continue until about 6 months out. According to studies we've done, taking supplements like Biotin, extra Protein, extra Vitamins, doesn't help. I've only had ONE patient in over 1500 need a hair piece and she owned a wig shop. No kidding. It grows back. So be ready for it, don't freak out, and just be patient. It's apparently related to the trauma of surgery and is a natural reaction. It happened to me exactly as he said. I was really worried because I had TWO surgeries just under 3 weeks apart but I never went bald and in fact my long time hairdresser never could even tell the difference. It's all back to normal now and quit falling out at about 5 months post op. SO take supplements if you want, and of course take them if you have a proven deficiency, but otherwise just hang in there. It'll grow back.

Just keep the faith. You can go from wide open (or seeming to be) to tight tight TIGHT in just a few 10ths of a cc. Really. So don't despair!

Hmmm I'm 5'5" and female, but I did weigh 373 on surgery day. I think they just use whatever they feel is appropriate.

It's great you are doing so well! :thumbup:

I like an occasional sweet and have found Lipton Diet Green Tea Citrus flavor to do the trick for me. I've also heard that an occasional small piece of dark chocolate can kill the craving without doing much damage.

I realized that after I posted! LOL that'll teach me to speed read! Anyway the help should be fairly quick. Good luck; let me know!

I am SO GLAD!! What's wrong with your ticker? It looks fine.. but back to the hydration thing. I appreciate you telling me you tried it and it helped; that means a great deal to me! It's such an odd thing to tell people who are (usually) in agony but those it helps, it helps a lot! :thumbup: And...if the hydration doesn't help, and you know you are chewing well, small bites, then you are too tight. So it's nice to have something to try before an unfill. If you ARE too tight, often a minute (like .2 - .4 cc) unfill will make a miraculous difference. Good luck! The band wasn't meant to be a torture machine.

unfortunately most insurance policies will NOT pay for the platform shoes. However if you're self pay, you can negotiate! :thumbup:

they're all a little different and the big key is DO NOT LIE! Mine asked odd questions many different ways. Like: Do you want to murder your family? and then 5 pages later Agree or disagree: Killing my family could be fun then 7 pages later True or false Shooting the family is something all people dream of. Exaggerated of course but you get the drift. Just answer honestly. OH and if you say yes you want to shoot your family, have a good reason ready cuz the therapist SHOULD ask! :thumbup: It's really no big deal as long as you're truthful. Apparently Unforgettable and I took the same long weird test!

Since you have PCOS you're safest to run this by your gynecologist. There is a link between fat and estrogen, but I can't find a good source so can't really tell you for sure what it is. However losing weight DOES impact estrogen levels and while you don't have a ticker, if you've lost 30-40 pounds or so (guessing) odds are that's the culprit, estrogen. Call your doc on Monday and get it checked out

Please don't feel badly, Patty. It wasn't your post that caused this, not at all. And bottom line as long as you check with your surgeon and he clears you, that's all that matters! And summer, I got through my Clear liquids by drinking nothing but vodka. :thumbup: Mudslides will need to wait for "full liquids".

I THINK they're teasing me because while straightforward and even "tough lovish" I'm usually fairly nice and rarely snarky snippy or petulant. But tonight I did get a little ticked off. Or not. LOL

Ok NOW you made me giggle. :thumbup:

Nah. I've always had a temper. And...I've been likened to Julia Sugarbaker on the old Designing Women sitcom... and offered jobs at car dealerships after making the deal on my cars. So I'm angry and mouthy. However generally I'm live and let live. And honest to goodness I think if Formerfatchick had the guts to say it was Beth who'd upset her so, I'd have kept my trap shut. Beth can take care of herself (one reason I love her). But the blanket whining just finally....did me in.

I think, honest to God, that it is WAY more unkind to tell a person they are fine, when they may not be, than it is to call someone out. And Beth's delivery shouldn't detract from her message. Futher it should NOT "make anyone" act like a teenager. If you want to keep it private, take it to PM (that's what the P stands for, private) or email each other. But facts are facts. And I have been on here FOREVER and usually don't lose my temper but today I just finally had enough, I guess. If Formerfat had let it die, it would've. But I'll back out now and remember if I see certain people headed off the cliff to just smile and wave! :thumbup: NBD I can do that!

I have poo and I'm not afraid to fling it.

What? I know I've been around here for over a year, Beth that long too. How you choose to react to any given situation is in each individual's control. No one "makes" a person revert to his/her teen years. I know we all should get along and there's a nice way and a mean way to say things but honestly that is just BS. If you don't like it, don't read it. You're a grown up. Act like one. And it's berate not berade. Sorry to be petty but the person screaming on here the most seems to be you. We all try to "discuss the idea" and not the person. Facts are if you cheat post op it can hurt you. Sugar coating things isn't on most of our diet plans. If you don't like my posts, don't read them. We all have that right, fortunately! There are posters I avoid; but I don't attack them either. I find your behavior as bad, or worse, than hers actually.

I LIVE in San Antonio and can tell you that no hospital worth it's salt will allow a person on pain meds to leave alone. You can't even sign the form with your post op instructions. Unless you're "lucky" and get a crappy nurse, you are going to be in trouble. You'd best clear with your doc about that part of it...(Maybe he can have someone on hand to assist you) As to flying, by 2 days after you should be ok but you'd be WAY better off to have someone to help you. Remember if it's a long flight you don't want clots (that's an issue on any flight for anyone, moreso for we larger people post op) so you'll need to get up and move around some. Again your doc or his nurse can give you their specific preferences. good luck!

Great! :thumbup: Walk, take pain meds as needed, breathe deeply as often as you can....you'll be marvelous!

A high BMI doesn't mean you need bypass. And I'm not being petulant either. Personality types and medical issues play into it more than starting weight. If you love sweets and can't give 'em up, for example, the dumping syndrome effect of bypass may be better for you, even if you "only" need to lose 80 pounds. So research is good and asking your surgeon why is good. Higher BMI is NOT a good reason though. I'm glad you both are going to ask, and think it over, and pick the right surgery for you. It isn't easy, but then so many worthwhile things AREN'T easy, are they?

JAYTEE562 I know I don't really BELONG here and I'll skedaddle soon but I had to tell you I just read the little "descriptive line" under your avatar and I almost spit my Protein shake all over my keyboard! It amazes me how many people on here ARE banned I always wonder WHO is banning them, and from what.

Hey if you can sing like Frank you can call me a broad (or a dame for that matter) ANY time.