Tiffykins

Judy, I'm really glad you updated. Everyone stumbles on this journey regardless of their willpower or lack thereof. I know it's long, tough road to tow, but you will find a rhythm, you will figure all this out. Just stick with your program, and know that you have something working inside you to help you along the journey. No one is perfect. No one will endure the same obstacles, and no one can determine your success, but yourself. Keep posting, keep up the Protein, keep up the walking, and remember every day is going to be a new adventure.

I think being nervous is completely normal and somewhat expected. You will be in fabulous hands, and even though I am not a patient of Dr. Aceves, if I had to choose a Mexico surgeon, he would be my only choice. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts, and when you are sitting on the loser's bench with all of us, you'll look back and wonder why you were scared.

I have absolutely zero regrets. I honestly believe even with all my complications, and little hurdles I had to overcome, I would do it all again. Any of the negative things I've encountered have been exstinguished by all the positives. I'm a firm believer that a positive and focused mentality is the sure-fire way to overcome any obstacles. I won't deny frustrations here and there, but the overall results, and outcome has been fabulous for me. My mantra for this lifestyle change is "No one said it would be easy, but they promised me it would all be worth it." I live by that every day, with every hurdle or obstacle I encounter in my every day life, but I think it's especially fitting for this surgery.

YAY Anna, I am so excited for you. Please keep us posted, and know that I'm thinking of you. I hope the sniffles/runny nose subsides and you feel better tomorrow.

Biotin comes in a capsule usually so you can open it up and dissolve it in applesauce/juice. My surgeon approved pills/caplets the size of an regular M&M immediately after surgery. I can not handle crushed up pills in Water, or anything laced with meds. I was on hoards of meds when I was a child, and my mother hid them, crushed up in Peanut Butter, jelly, applesauce, and other mushy stuff. I would caution you post-op trying to get in extra supplements as you should not be restricted for too long. I noticed that my gag reflex became much more sensitive post-op. Even brushing my teeth would cause me to gag sometimes, so if it's gritty and icky now, you may not be able to tolerate crushed up pills the first few days. For me the first 14-21 days post-op, on the Clear liquids, I burped after every sip, and can't imagine burping up pill tasting stuff. Here's a link for biotin lozenges http://www.mothernature.com/shop/detail.cfm?sku=87672&rfr=FRG&zmam=1000941&zmas=18&zmac=110&zmap=87672 You can also check out www.vitacost.com They have a huge assortment of Vitamins and supplements. I order the liquid Calcium citrate with has magnesium and Vitamin D in it.

That is so awesome Ash ! ! !

Congrats on getting through all the pre-op. Good luck on the pre-op diet, and keep us posted on your progress.

I've got you in my thoughts today. Best wishes for an uneventful surgery and recovery ! ! !

Chancie - You are not alone. There are days when I get in 2 meals per day, and that's it. No snacking, no grazing, nothing. I find that I have "cravings" for food, but once I eat it, it's not really satisfying. I'm not sure what is going on in my head. I'm still never hungry, yet I know I need to eat. I've quit eating breakfast again (bad bad habit), and I really need to get back to basics. For me, I think it's because I know I need to maintain this weight for a bit, and what I've been doing is working and I don't want to start dropping weight fast again. I'm scared if I keep up the program, I'm going to lose too much, tooo fast, and not be able to maintain. I've been craving Thai food for the last 2 weeks, and tomorrow I'm going out to lunch with a girlfriend. Heaven forbid it not taste good tomorrow. I don't even know if it's really a matter of the food not tasting good or is it that I just don't know what I really want to eat. The psychological stuff that comes along with this surgery isn't an easy trip some days. I'm still trying to get my head to catch up with my body. I still miss some of my favorites, but it is getting to be more manageable. I hope that makes sense.

8oz per hour is normal. When I was first on Clear liquids, I was supposed to sip 2oz every 15 minutes. You're doing good, just keep sipping. The more fluids you can get in the better. Some can handle more every 15 minutes, I struggled to get in 4oz every hour for the first week. Keep up the good work.

CLK, You and I share many of the same viewpoints on this "behind closed doors deals that will secure any scumbag reps vote", oh I mean healthcare reform. I am adamantly against the government getting involved anymore than they already are with healthcare. I was so excited to see the public option out, and I hope it stays out. I understand that there needs to be changes made to the current system, but at what cost. How many generations are going to be taxed, and how many small to medium business will be completely out of business with the passing of this healthcare reform? I am not complaining on our current health insurance that's afforded to us due to my husband's military service. I have had zero issues or wait times. I have referrals approved within hours, and have an amazing PCM that manages all of it for me so maybe that's the difference. The way this healthcare bill is getting passed is absolutely scary. All the back office deals that are going down, the bill itself has been butchered, and chopped down to nothing that will actually bring a true resolution to the plight of the uninsured of America. I know there could be a solution, but it isn't going to happen overnight, and for anyone to think that this is going to solve our nation's issue of the uninsured, I hope those people wake up and realize this will leave our country in worse shape than we were before.

What a fabulous holiday season for you and your fiance ! ! ! Congrats on not only your surgery date, but also your engagement.

Since a lot of people, pre-op and post-op, ask about alcohol consumption, I thought I'd throw out my experience. Last night, we attended John's squadron Christmas party. I wanted to try a glass of wine. They had a decent assortment, and I chose a Kendall Jackson Reisling. I drank about 1/2 the glass before our meal while socializing, zero issues, no burning, pain, or discomfort. Then, ate, 3 bites of prime rib, 3 bites of the stuffed chicken, about 4oz of mashed potatoes with gravy, and 3 or 4 broccoli florets. After dinner, I had a few sips of coffee, then finished the glass of wine. I also took 3 small bites of cheesecake, and John ate the rest. Everything tasted very good, and around 9:30, I decided to have another glass of wine. Again, no ill effects, no burning, no pain, and I never caught a "buzz". Just a normal little relaxed feeling that I got pre-op from wine. I was really hesitant to try anything alcoholic, but am happy to report that I was able to enjoy a couple glasses of wine without issues.

This is going to sound crazy to most everyone, but for those that have followed my story, I have been wishing for a stall for a long time. I found the secret, and finally this last week, I lost absolutely zero pounds and I'm pretty ecstatic about it. I've been incorporating more carbs and salads into my diet. I had to slow down my weight loss. Since Sept 15th, I've dropped 42lbs which is twice as much as I was "supposed" to drop in that time frame. I am trying my best to maintain at this point since we want to conceive sometime in the late Spring 2010. I have 6 pounds to goal, and I really need to maintian a weight of 145-150 pounds. Right now, I'm sitting pretty at 156. If I can't maintain that weight, we can't TTC (try to conceive). So, it's imperative that I maintain even if that means that I eat a few more grams of carbs than I am technically supposed to be consuming at this time.

Thought I would hop into chat for a bit tonight if anyone is interested ! ! !

I agree with everything DeeDee stated. The first couple of months is a big adjustment. I would say around the 3 month mark, I got a good rhythm down and started really feeling better, and more energetic.

Last night was our annual squadron Christmas party, and I had a great time. We enjoyed good laughs, good food, and I enjoyed not 1, but 2 glasses of Kendall Jackson Reisling. I had half before dinner, then ate about 3 bites of prime rib, 3 bites of this stuffed chicken (the chicken was too dry), I had about 4oz of mashed potatoes with gravy, and 3 broccoli florets. I felt fabulous after eating, and no ill effects from the wine. I sipped coffee at the meal, and then finished off the first glass of wine. Not even a buzz feeling, so around 9:30 I decided to have another glass. I didn't ever have any burning, or weird sensations. I felt relaxed, and enjoyed our evening out. Many of the ladies complimented me on my dress, and I felt so great. One of the guys asked " are you K*****'s wife?" I replied " yes", he said " you look a lot different than you did last year." I giggled and said "yeah, that's what 100lbs gone will do for a girl." He said "well you look great, and I know you had a tough recovery with him gone, but you're a trooper." I felt really fabulous all night. Confident, and outgoing, I didn't feel like I had to hide behind John, or sit at the table all night. I went and mingled with a few of the other spouses, and some of the guys I've met. Overall, we had a great time.

What does your program recommend? My regimen was: 2 weeks clears (I did 17 days) 2 weeks of full liquids (my surgeon let me just do one week) 2 weeks of mushies 2 weeks of soft solids then slowly progress to regular solid food I followed a few different variations of surgeon's post-op diet. This one is from Dr. Aceves, and it gave me some ideas to break up the monotony of the "regular" stuff on the full liquid and mushy stage. POST-OP DIET: Here are a few ideas concerning the post op diet Day 1 thru 5 ( Clear Liquids Only ) fruit juice ( apple, grape, cranberry ) Propel broth Jello-O Water Tea Protein Water by Kellogg’s Water popsicles Clear Protein drinks only ( example Isopure, unjury ) Day 6-10 ( thin liquids ) All of the above and: Natural Vegetable Juices ( example Carrot, V-8 juice ) Protein drinks mixed with water ( example Matrix ) whey nectar Protein Mix Day 11 thru 20 ( full liquids ) Cream Soups Yogurt Jello-O Boiled pureed fruit ( example apple, pear) applesauce Watermelon, papaya or melon in small pieces Low fat milk 1 or 2% Water, Propel, tea Soy beverages sugar free pudding Protein shakes and protein powders mixed with milk Day 21 thru 30 ( soft food ) Soft food should be the consistency of a thick liquid ( no chunks or solid material ) and it should be chewed very well before swallowing until it is a liquid consistency ) Tofu Low fat cottage cheese Cereal oatmeal Precooked pureed rice Low fat Yogurt Yogurt mixed with fruit very well blended Cream soups eggs Boiled pureed fruit ( example pear, apple ) Watermelon, papaya or melon in small pieces Boiled pureed vegetables Beans Day 31st and beyond ( solid food ) Fish, Chiken meat Turkey Vegetables Fruit A diet consisting of 800 calories and 70 grams of protein should be your goal. There is a book called " Weight loss Surgery for Dummies" Authors: Kurian, Thompson and Davidson You might find it helpful. I contains several recipes and ideas on what to eat after surgery Grilled Marinated Tuna with Lime Herbed Beef Patties Turkey Meatballs Seafood salad chicken Salad A diet consisting of 600-800 calories and about 70 grams of protein should be the goal Protein will not only help you heal and build muscle mass but acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Concerning protein supplements here are a few ideas: Isopure protein drinks - 40 grams of protein per bottle. Isopure you mix with water - 50 grams of protein. You can find them at GNC. "Protein Water" by Kellogg’s - 5 grams of protein per drink. You can find it at WallMart Unjuryclear protein drinks - UNJURY Medical Quality Whey Protein Isolate. Great Tasting Whey Protein Supplements for Everyday Health! High Protein and High Quality. Not so good tasting. New Whey Nectar Protein mixis very good but it is kind of expensive. It is said to be one of the best tasting protein products in the market today. You can get itat GNC or on line www.google.com/products?client=safari&rls=en&q=whey+nectar+protei n&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title Some patients enjoymaking popsicles and Jell-O Jigglers out ofproteinliquid. Others enjoy Swanson Clearbroth that comes in a can . But most enjoydelicious homemade broth using chayote squash for flavor ( they strain the broth to make it clear) CHICKEN AND FRESH VEGETABLE BROTH 2-3 pieces of chicken for every 2 bowls of broth1 celery stalk 1chayote (hispanic grocery stores)1 carrot 2zucchini2 small tomatoes 2small onionscilantro (optional) salt to taste - BOIL chicken pieces for approx. 20 minutes - ADD celery, chayote, and carrot - SIMMER 30 minutes - ADD zucchini,m tomatoes and onions - SIMMER15 more minutes (cilantro is optional) - STRAIN and serve. You can also buy powder chicken broth that contains 10 grams protein per serving. You can find it on Amazon.com, it is called ProCel When you start on full liquids try Matrix 5.0 protein drinks. Protein shakes and mixes are very good tasking.You will need to wait until they are allowed in you food stage. Advocare high protein drinks called “Meal Replacement shakes “have Vitamins added to them andare a great optiontoo FOLLOWING THE POST OP DIET IS VERY IMPORTANT REMEMBERWE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THE STAPLE LINE THE SCAR TISSUE IS STILL FORMING AROUND IT DO NOT OVERFILL YOUR STOMACH AND DO NOT JUMP ANY FOOD STAGES

Donna - I was cleared for wine late August, so I was about 3.5 months to 4 months post-op. My surgeon advised me to steer clear of red wines. I didn't ask why, but I'm sure he has his thought process. I like very few red wines, and prefer a nice Reisling or Pinot. I would just use caution to see how your body reacts. I had read where others experienced pain/burning, I did not, others said they got drunk quick, I did not, others said they got drunk then sobered up quickly, I never got a true buzz feeling. I used to be a big weekend drinker, and I drank to get drunk. After meeting my husband in 2006, my drinking/partying subsided. I was strictly a social drinker, and only enjoyed a few rum and cokes. When I had my band, I enjoyed wine frequently, and an occasional mojito. I'm not sure about that article about alcohol consumption from OH. I could see a RNY patient having those type of issues, but since our stomachs are full-functioning, with no re-routing or malabsorption, I can't see alcohol effecting us that heavily. Again, that's just my experience. I'm definitely not a drinker as this was my first attempt since my revision in June. But, knowing now that I can handle a glass of wine is very comforting, and quite enjoyable.

YAY YAY I've been patiently checking my email and phone to make sure I wasn't missing anything from you. Keep sipping and walking ! ! !

Alright, all of us crazy Texans have discussed getting together when we come to Texas for Christmas vacation. We'll arrive in Texas on the 28th of December, and will be there until Sunday. We won't be in until late evening on the 28th, and will be leaving mid-morning on Sunday. I am pretty open to dates to get together with the exception of New Year's eve. I was hoping to get together during the day maybe for lunch or an early dinner. How does the mid-cities area sound to everyone, like Bedford, Colleyville, or Grapevine? Of course, anyone from Texas is welcome to join us if you are able to. The more the merrier in my opinion. I know this is a little early to make definite plans, but I wanted to get a thread going so by the time we get there, we'll have some solid ideas on when, where, and how many we can expect to show up. I'm super excited to see everyone, and bring your cameras ! ! !

The head games can definitely get ya down. It's going to work, and I hated when people say this but it's so true "we didn't get fat overnight, it isn't going to go away overnight." Stay strong, and know the scale will move. Have you measured yourself? Measure today, then measure again in 2 weeks, I guarantee you'll see results.

What's the difference between Tiger Woods and Santa? Santa stops after 3 ho's ! ! !

Well, I won't be able to make it to Texas this year for the holidays. I'm pretty stinkin' heartbroken as is John and Caysen. It's just best we stay home right now. We are trying to get a few things in order here, and hope to be able to head back during Caysen's spring break holiday.