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Hi Ladies! Lee - Congrats!!! 20 more pounds to go for onederland for me! See you’re beating me! All is well in Virginia, two more weeks until I come home.

Feel the pain but just think how thin you will be!!!! Be careful. Try to skip th MP as well. Carbs are all our worst enemy. Protein, protein and protein. No snacks. Oh I just had one. Oops

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh do I miss Cali!!!!! 16 more days. Can I come home? Please, please. I hope you are all doing well!!!! Happy painting heather! Go Doc Who...

Hi Ali, I wouldn’t be disappointed 3-5 pounds a week is excellent. My Doc said 5 pounds loss a week is where he expected me but we are all different. I know you can’t be eating and you carry a bunch of water weight the first week post-op so it’s just a matter of time that you get closer to 5 pounds week. You now have an excellent tool to drop the weight. It will work for you big time, there’s no room down there anymore! This as I chow down a couple bits of my favorite (Chinese). I forgot how cheap it is to eat out here. $11 for enough Chinese to last 5-6 meals. Good day everyone!!!!

Hi Everyone! I’ve quickly caught up and it sounds like everyone is chugging along. Welcome to our new folks! I’ve been in Virginia for ten days, twenty to go… Spent the weekend down in the Outer Banks with an old friend who has a super nice waterfront house. Very busy with work and visiting all my friends in the area. Nice thing about coming out this way is the friends and old co-workers I can hang with. It’s been a big big challenge eating out. Difficult to measure and I find myself usually having soup. I’ve been snacking a little but overall I’m still not that hungry. Lee describes the Sleeve hunger I have very well. It’s nothing like before and such a small snack or meal satisfies it. I’m probably still losing weight but I’ve not been able to weigh myself. For the new folks interested in the Sleeve and Doc Who (Fisher) PM me if I can help answer any questions. Doc Who is great!!!! I hope you’re all doing well!!!!!!! Do I miss Cali!!!!!!!!!! See ya!

Hi Ladies, Very slow on here… I hope everyone is well! I’m doing great. My weight loss has slowed down a bit. No puking food up this last two weeks. I’ve had a couple episodes where saliva/stomach bile has come up but no food. I think it was because I ate too fast. I was really looking forward to Saturday but I just found out I need to spend a month in Virginia for work. Nikki is in Vegas for the day Saturday and I leave Sunday. I’m working from home which means I’m getting paid for doing nothing. Sounds great but if I don’t travel I would be out of a job all together. I’m hoping my position at Beale AFB comes back soon but in the meantime this kind of work will do. I'm nervous about eating out this next month and having to eat out with other people... I have a few friends in the area which will make for some fun weekends! I hope everyone is well! I’ll miss you all Saturday! Good luck Nicolie!!! Miss ya!!! Congrats Chrissy!!!!

Ashley – Wow. Lots to think about. I rarely had acid reflux. With the Sleeve, Gerd (acid reflux) is a possible side effect. We take Protonix to combat any reflux. I don’t think any of my vomits or spitting has been reflux. Only a couple times have I had reflux and it’s been so minor that it’s not a problem. I do remember my doctor talking about reflux being an issue before proceeding with the Sleeve but I didn’t have much history with it. Since Gerd is a real possible side effect I understand why they have concerns. I personally would lean towards getting Sleeved or Banded then if you have problems you can always get revised to bypass. I didn’t think Kaiser did DS, only RNY? I think whatever you and your doctor choose will give you great weight loss results. Is she leaving it up to you to make the decision?

Chrissy & Ashley - Congrats for dropping!!! haha Ashley - When do you get your surgery date? They seem to do things a little different at Fremont.

Chrissy – It is so normal to be constipated :thumbup: It was the next most difficult thing to dieting when I was getting to goal. I suggest MoM (Milk of Magnesia), get the cherry flavor as the original non-flavored is really gross. You’ll need MoM for surgery and beyond. Don’t worry about not losing weight for a few days, it’s a roller coaster ride. Like others have said change up your food and exercise as that seems to help the best. I'm about to have a couple shots of MoM, bottoms up!!!! Cheers! Good day everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pic attached! OK I wish......... One of the side effects of dieting and/or weight loss surgery is being constipated. Taking Benefiber or Metamucil helps you be regular. I was constipated on the 1200 calorie plan and now again on stage IV. Since Sleeved I will never be able to have heavy large meals and will more than likely have to take a fiber supplement for the rest of my life. More TMI but now I find myself only going to the bathroom (#2) about once a week. I try to weigh myself after that event to ensure some accuracy... The Richmond program recommends and regularly talks about Benefiber but I spoke to Doc Who and he said the Benefiber recommendation / requirement is only for RNY patients and that Band and Sleeve patients can take either.

Hey Candra!!!!!!!!! Glad to see you still around!!!!!!! Sounds like you are doing great!!!! Happy birthday Pat!!!!!!!! Not much on this end. Haven't barfed in days. Speaking of ends and barfing need to go take some metamucil, sorry TMI! I hope everyone is having a wonderful wet Monday night!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone! Nice pics Ashley! Cute kids!!!!!

Chrissy - Yes some get such low goals. I was told it depends on where you carry the weight. My first goal was 34 pounds and I lost it in five weeks. Second was 40 pounds and I lost it in seven weeks. It was hard but worth it in the end. You’re doing great! I still have that shirt, people say it is just long but not too baggy. I might just wear it again so the clothes cops can give me a hard time. :biggrin: Ash – Good job! Almost there!!!!!! Donna - Congrats!!! Have fun in Tahoe!!!!!! Off to go buy some plants...

Hi Chrissy – That is good to hear. That’s what my doc said too. It’s just when you’re bent over hacking up saliva and sometimes food you think should it be happening this often… Good luck on your one month challenge! Some people only have to lose about 10 pounds so don’t kill yourself trying to beat it. Some of us could lose that in one sitting. Ok TMI.

Pam – They said it’s normal but how much I’m not sure. I’m going to bring it up again when Doc Who gets back next week to make sure… So far I’m not complaining it only happens every couple days and I’m losing about 5 pounds a week. At this rate this summer I will be where I should be weight wise. Chrissy – Congrats!!!!!!!!!!! Sleeve sister!

Ali – Yes they should have talked about the barium swallow in class. Info overload :smile2: Normally you do it after surgery. Band patients have it done while in recovery before discharge. Sleeve patients do it the next day before leaving the hospital. The one I did for my first band surgery was totally disgusting but the one I did for the Sleeve was much better. Not sure why it was better… They wheel you downstairs to the X-Ray department and you stand in front of a machine. You then swallow some crap that enables a doctor to watch the liquid go down your esophagus and into your stomach. They make sure things flow…

Rachelle – The Sleeve is a new procedure Richmond is performing and has been offering it in orientation since Oct/Nov. They remove about 80% percent of the stomach. It would be a one step Sleeve as opposed to a two step where bypass is performed at a later date. I had two attempts at LAP-BAND®, one in June and the other in August. Both were unsuccessful in placing the band. First failure was due to the liver being too large and the other I had too many adhesions to properly fit the band. In recovery during the second failure I was offered the Sleeve and took some time off to make a decision. In February I was successfully Sleeved. I would speak with your doc about the Sleeve as I highly recommend considering it.

Ali – No more hurdles before surgery! Glad the class went well. Too bad you weren’t able to give Liz a big hug for me. Liz does a good job with her class. I just didn’t need it since I had surgery twice and have a great understanding of what surgery day is like… Sorry about the weigh-in. They will weigh you in on surgery day and they have turned people away for being over goal. They do weigh you at most appointments. Heather – A big thumbs up for going to see Doc Who again!!! Sooooon!!!! Nicolie – Most of the Bariatric Advantage Calcium chews I find are nasty. Tamara - Way to go on the 4 pounds! Well I’m still having stomach mucus and some food come back up. I had three not so spicy hot wings and some came back up. I like spicy food but I wonder if my stomach will ever like spice again since these were not that spicy. I don’t usually talk exercise as getting dressed and going to work is plenty. JK Well I'm not working now so I shoveled a large pile of rocks in a wheelbarrow and made at least two dozen trips to the backyard. Almost like prison labor.

Ali – Lucky you getting to do those in Vacaville. As the lucky winner of having to attend those meetings twice in seven months I would say they are very useful the first time around but a complete waste of time the second time. I’ve not heard of them doing these in Vacaville but if they are like the ones in Richmond the first hour or so will be Liz talking about surgery and the days after. Robin gives the nutrition class and talks about post-op meal plans and vitamins. In Richmond its in a group setting (12-20 people). Have fun! Tell Liz I said hi and I would like to attend another pre-op class but I’m a little busy working my Sleeve.

Hi Lee! Congrats on the 18's!!! :thumbup: Glad you are keeping food down. Wish I could say the same but its not too bad.

Good day everyone! Monique – Not sure the Doc would want me in Iraq or Afghanistan this early post-op. I would have to be medevac to Germany if I had any Sleeve complications. I’m going to speak with him next week as he is out until then. Not sure I want to go to the desert either… Hope you feel better! Ash – You can do it!!! Almost there! Laurel – Congrats on the weight loss! Hope your husband is doing better! Tamara – You will make your goal!!! Welcome back Pam!

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Welcome Rachelle! Kaiser Richmond doctors have limited office hours in Vacaville. Surgeries are all done in Richmond or S. SF / Freemont if you are in their programs. Most appointments in the Richmond program are done in Richmond. Congrats on only having 8 pounds left. Just a few more weeks! Looks like you got the ticker thing down. Welcome to the group!

Hi Everyone! Pat – Sorry to hear that you are not doing so well!!! It will all work itself out, don’t get too stressed. Back on track and before you know it another ten pounds will come off. Ali – Congrats!!!!!!! Sleeve sister! I hope everyone is doing well. The board has been slow but I have some pages to catch up on. I’m doing well with the weight loss. I’m now almost seven weeks post-op and down 35 pounds. I still have a throw up episode every few days but I feel great and not too hungry. Funding for my military job dried up overnight without notice and I’m home doing nothing but getting full pay. My company is trying to get the three positions back they lost so home I sit for a few weeks while they try to figure it out. I may have to travel for some work but I’m not sure Doc Who will let me go to the desert which is where a lot of open work is… Oh well something will work itself out. Talking of working itself out…went camping this past weekend and I think every other meal came back up. Camping was lots of fun! Pam how was your trip we haven’t heard from you since PHX? Happy Tuesday!!!!

Hi Ladies!!! Ali & Laurel sorry we didn’t get to meet! I guess you left early and someone wanted to speak with me about the Sleeve at the end of the meeting. This weekend I did my bi-annual trip to the mall. Great for walking! I found a cheap way to eat, just visit the free samples! I always wonder how it will be eating out as I can’t eat much but the free samples are enough to fill me up! Next weekend its Sam’s club for lunch! Haha Laurel – 8.4+ pounds in a week awesome! Monique – Get well soon!!!!!!