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I take generic Allegra 180 and use the generic Flonase year round. I like the Netti pot, I use it occasionally too, when I think of it.

Thank you, I'll try Whole Foods!

where did you find chewable?? Thanks!

You girls are such an inspiration.

I'm shooting for an 8 too and have even dreamed of a 6 when I read some of the success stories - I've NEVER been an 8 that I can remember. I joke that I went from a 6X to a 14 and it's gone up from there!! :tongue2: Surgery is two weeks from this Friday....it IS fun to think about a year from now!!

I buy the soy unflavored @ GNC - it is 13 grams of Protein per scoop. I put one scoop in a cup of skim milk (another 8 grams of protein) , add one individual thing of Crystal Lite lemonade, 2 tsp. of vanilla - blend well and then add 3 or 4 ice cubes. I also buy the grape bullets, 42 grams of whey protein. I pour about one third over ice and Water it down. I like it weak. I can get it all drank in one day and get a Protein shake done for Breakfast, so I'm good and neither gag me! :tongue2:

In the book I got at Dr. Davidson's seminar, it lists drugs that are ok and not ok after sleeve surgery and Flexeril is on the OK list. I noticed because I have a prescription for it and take it occasionally when my back bothers me or when I have a crick in my neck. Hope you feel better soon!

We've been eating "GRASS-FED" bison for the past year. My husband had a stent put in his heart and bison is comparable to boneless, skinless white meat chicken or fish, according to his dietician. It is NOT gamey, but to get the health benefits, it has to be grass-fed otherwise, you might as well eat regular beef. We get ours from http://www.northstarbison.com/ You want to CALL and order, for some reason, you get a little better price if you order by phone! It is like the best beef ever! It does cost more, I have started ordering the patties and using two when I make a casserole or spaghetti instead of a full lb! It has NO fat to drain. You will not want a steak 'well done' they recommend med to med rare - it is great meat and will definitely lower your cholesterol! :thumbup:

Chuey's, El Fenix, Abuelo's, On The Border and Ninfa's - I think I've covered the Lone Star State - I'm home sick!!!!

Hi Zepra - I'm going to Dr. Davidson too. When is your surgery? I'm scheduled for June 11th. I love Dr. Davidson, Trevor, Sandy, Linda and the whole crew! Dr. Nick was my second choice, but Friday surgery was more convenient, and Trevor spent so much time on the phone with me telling me ALL about the sleeve!! I initially thought I'd get banded, I knew nothing about the sleeve until I spoke to him! I knew I had the right group! Anyway...good luck to you!!

My doctor say it's a no-no and I ask myself, after going through all this, why would I want to risk something the doctor advises against. He also advises against aspirin, I'll skip those too! :cursing:

Ok - so we don't need to 'worry' about the broth 'washing' the food through too fast and eating too much or making us sick? I know there are a couple of reasons for not drinking and eating at the same time. I have read numerous people say, if there is nothing they feel they can eat, they can always rely on soup.....it just seems safe. I am counting on that too! When you say you drink the broth first, I am 'assuming' you don't wait the 30 minutes before eating the solids, am I correct? Thanks Tiff!

Cajun food, now you're talking. How is that after the sleeve? Is that something that you feel comfortable eating? Not too many fat grams, carbs etc? I love gumbo etc!!

Tiff - You seem to be THE ONE I go to every time I have a question....I thought of something this weekend. We aren't suppose to drink when we eat....what about Soup. There is the broth, does that not count as 'liquid' AKA drinking? Just curious. It came to me when I was eating a great chicken vegetable soup at a restaurant Saturday evening. It will be something 'good' after I get the sleeve and am on real food, but this just popped into my head!! What do you think or what do the professionals say? I'm less than three weeks out!!!! Yay!!! Won't be long now!

Total subject change!! What did you tell people when you started losing weight? I have a few close friends and family that KNOW, but then there are other friends that don't know, and I'm not telling them, but I don't know what I will tell them when I start losing weight. Some know I've lost about 17 now, know that I'm 'dieting' but I'm afraid that the change in eating and the drastic weight loss.....will I have to come up with something else? Any suggestions?

Congrats on getting your surgery date! You're not far behind me. Mine is June 11th....3 weeks from today in Dallas! Good luck!!!

You are three weeks from today, and I'm three weeks from tomorrow!!!!!!!!!! We're almost there!

I AM lurking, but I'm not a "fake" - :thumbup1: My husband is supportive of me having surgery...well, he was a LITTLE hesitant at first, but absolutely would not be supportive of me going out of the country anywhere. He didn't really like it when I went to Mexico, to a resort on vacation with our daughter....so you get the picture. I am a self pay patient, surgery is three weeks from tomorrow. I made this decision last December and have researched it and lurked around these pages and asked questions for MONTHS!!! I am going to Texas, it is much less expensive in Texas than it is in other parts of the country...and I've googled EVERYWHERE!! I'm paying $12,500 for a 1 - 2 night hospital stay etc and includes many post-op visits. There are other doctors that are a little less expensive, maybe $1000 less.....you can find them in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and maybe even Austin. There is on doctor in Nacogdoches that will fly with you TO Mexico and do the surgery there for less. I know a couple of people who have used him, they didn't do that, but had their surgery state-side. He has a practice in Nac and Houston. Good luck to you, I understand what you are going through, I didn't even try and fight that battle, not after the vacation ordeal. LOL My husband is an IT Director, he trusts NOBODY!!

I went to the seminar and the following day I attended the two week pre-op since I am out of state; that was on April 7th. Surgery isn't until June 11th. I was told to lose 15 - 20 lbs. I've had plenty of time, I've dropped 14 so far, I'm drinking a protein shake in the morning, eating lean turkey or chicken deli lunchmeat and five or six pieces of melba toast for lunch and I am eating a reg. dinner. It's working for me. I've cut out afternoon snacks and the before bedtime snack, which I'm sure has made a difference. All bread is out of my diet unless we go out to eat...so I am making sacrafices....it's been pretty easy but I am definitely hungry by dinner time!! When I lose 20, I am baking a cake, home made white with dark choc. icing. We'll share it with our daughter and son-in-law but I was a couple of pieces! I have all month, should be no problem to drop six more lbs. I HOPE!!!!

Hi Pammi!! Welcome to our little corner of the world!! If you're like me, you'll find a ton of information, I found this forum last December (I think) - it's been so long now I can't remember! I started out thinking I'd get banded, but after realizing that traveling out of state for surgery and needing fills etc....and then after some research, like you, I decided the sleeve was the way to go. I want something permanent, I don't want 'a way out' - and there are many, many on here that have had revisions. Since I'm a self pay patient, I don't think I can do this twice! =) Good luck, I hope you get your date soon!!! I'm counting down the days now! Yay! Have a great week!

I've been trying out different protein combos for a while now, trying to find something that is 'ok' so I'll have something I can get down after surgery. I'm like you, I don't want to lose my hair and I also know it helps with healing...well, I have a friend who has not and is not having WLS but she drinks protein drinks! Her mom got this recipe years ago in some sort of weight loss program, and so far it's the best I've tried. I use 8 oz of skim milk (in a blender), my friend uses Water, but I use skim to get the extra protein, 1 scoop of soy unflavored protein from GNC, it has 13 grams, 2 tsps of vanilla and 1 'stick' of propel lemonade. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes and blend. It's pretty good believe it or not. My friend will also add different fruit occasionally, but in the very beginning we cannot do that, and although I have tried it, i really prefer it 'plain' without the fruit! You can use any of the unflavored Protein powder but I hate the whey and the soy is just what I have worked my way to at this point!!! :thumbup: Good luck and congrats!!!! I can't wait to get this over with!!!!

Good morning Lu!!! My starting BMI was 35.5 - then I went on vacation, gained 7 lbs, and it went up a little! =) I'm down 12, so it's dropped, but never-the-less, I'm right there with you!!! Congrats on just about being there with your surgery date, I'll be right behind you!! I can't wait, I'm counting down the days. I'm from Texas, and even though I'm living 'up north', I'm going 'home' to have it done. I went to Dallas last month for the seminar and they worked in the 'two week pre-op' while I was there, early of course, but there was no way I could make another trip back two weeks before surgery, so I got my 'diet' and all the instructions. I've lost the 7 lbs I gained on the trip, plus an additional 7! Yay!! He wants me to lose between 15 and 20 before surgery, so I'm well on the way. How are you doing? Are you nervous, anxious, excited? Good luck and keep in touch!!

How exciting, I won't be too far behind you!! My surgery is going to be at Forest Park also. I bet you'll have a nurse named Sandy....she works there, I thought she just worked for Dr. Davidson, but found out she works for the surgery center and for all the bariatric doctors I think! I cannot wait to get it over with, I'm having trouble sleeping at night, I wake up and my mind is racing! LOL Are you as ready as I am??!! Have a great week!