August Sleevers?! Where Ya's At?

[minniemouse67 32]

has anyone found a non milk type shake that filling

I like the EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control chocolate flavor. I get them premade and they have them at BJs and probably Sams for 26.99 (or close to it) for a case of 24. I ordered samples of Unjury too but only tried the unflavored so far in Crystal lite. It was pretty good.

[minniemouse67 32]

So today was my first full unofficial day of liquids. I say unofficial cause I am not scheduled to started liquids til the 23rd but I personally chose to start sooner. I am worried. You hear people here say how difficult their liquid diet is/was and yet they have/had an easy going surgery. Here I am having an easy liquid diet thus far, so am I going to have a rough surgery? A nerves me alil.

Heres a run down of my diet today.

Breakfast

HEB opti-meal strawberry shake 170 cal. This shake was awesome but high in carbs I thought.

lunch

1 cup strawberry/banana SF Jello 20 cals

Atkins Milk choc. Delight shake 160 cals

snack

Premier Protein choc. shake 160 cals

And heres where I think I went wrong,

dinner

2 bananas blended in skim milk. 402 cals.

I never knew bananas were so high in carbs until I added them into myfitnesspal.

So far has managed about 7 cups of Water along with the other fluids from the shakes.< /p>

as far as exercise for the day I was lazy, but I did manage to get in 35 minutes of push mowing when we did the yard work. Once inputted thats about 400 cals burned.

Total cals for the day. 912 exercise 397 net 515 remaining 285

I was trying to limit my daily cals to 800 but am allowed up to 1000. Am I doing this right? Any suggestions? I have not even touched any of the 98% fat free Soups that I bought as the shakes are keeping me well full.

I know everyone's doctor is different. I agree with everyone though. I would stay away from the bananas.

The diet the nut put me on so far is 1 Protein Shake for breakfast, lunch 3oz Protein + veges, dinner 3oz protein + veges and a salad, I can have 1 fruit a day + non fat plain greek yogurt or low fat string cheese. I got a list of the Protein Shakes I can have and they're all low carb, low fat, high protein. I see the nut

again today and I'm afraid she's going to change my diet to 2 shakes a day and dinner. I'm losing my carb cravings though so at least that is good.

[Mom_24 72]

So happy for you.

Thanks, Audrey.

[Mom_24 72]

Guess what happens two (2) short weeks from today???

I get my surgery! YEAH!!! Excited? NOOoooooo.

Very exciting Joyce!!!

[Mom_24 72]

Keep thinking for all us going to Dr Alvarez, we need a little secret something, like we can leave, or right or something of code or I was here, for the next person to add to at the hospital

That's a great idea!

[Mom_24 72]

Didn't mean to leave ya out there Mczoo. I really need to keep better track of all us going to Alvarez

Yes, and me on the 13th. I wish we were all going to be able to meet. I hope the non-Texans will make it to one of the reunions Dr. A holds.

[Mom_24 72]

H everyone!

I got my results back from my ekg and while every other test has had GREAT results...... The nurse called and told me that i have a bundle blockage in my heart. I have never had any heart problems or high BP. She told me that it could be nothing but i cant be put on anesthesia until they knew for sure.

Anyway Im freaking out!! Im scheduled for Aug10th and i was mentally preparing for change. No food funrals just lowering my carbs and walking

Charmichelle,

I am so sorry that you are experiencing this. I had to have a skin biopsy last week and was on pins and needles wondering if I had cancer, and then delay of surgery, and even worse... Fortunately, it came back benign, but I understand the fear and disappointment you must feel. I will be praying for you that everything will be resolved quickly and that your health will be restored.

Blessings,

[Mom_24 72]

So she was considering mexico.....heres where you guys come in....a lot of you are going to mexico....the one doctor she checked with ...after the financing would have been about 8700 cash then the financing 10% and a plane ticket to get to the west coast. I saw a lot of the sleeve prices at 4400 and such, what are the prices? does your doctor do financing? How much is your TOTAL cost??? AND, non mexico sleevers......are you insurance or self pay?

I was going to have the Lap-Band with Gastric Plication at first, here in Houston. I would have used CareCredit, but after wondering what in the heck happens with the stomach that is folded in, and with all of the discussion of band complications and then band-to-sleeve revisions, I decided to skip everything else and go straight to the sleeve, but the sleeve surgery here was going to be about $5K more plus all pre-op testing costs, etc., and I just couldn't justify financing that much. So, I decided to see if there were other options and kept seeing posts by people going to Mexico. I really didn't want to have to fly, so I looked for a doctor across the TX border, and I found Dr. Alvarez. At that point I researched him as thoroughly as possible, and found that even if I could do it here in the states for the same price, I believe that he is the doctor for me. Susan, his patient coordinator, is excellent and a wonderful resource. Fortunately, I have family that is able to do a short term loan so that I can have it done there without all of the VERY EXPENSIVE out-of-country financing, which I would not have done.

I forgot to mention that my cost for surgery will be $8700. I had my regular doctor do a full blood-panel work up which was covered by insurance, but that is not required. I also had an EKG a few months ago when i had bronchitis, because I was having some chest pains, but the results were fine. I think Dr. A does a chest Xray prior to surgery, and probably some other pre-op labs.

[Mom_24 72]

I suddenly realized today that I have moved past scared out of my wits one minute and super exicted the next to being completely at peace with my decision to have surgery. This feels amazing!!!

That is awesome. I can't wait to get there! I'm concerned that as long as it is 3+ weeks away, that I will get scared once it is here, and I will not have peace again. I have total peace about having the surgery, I am just afraid of complications (which are rare), because of my little ones at home. I also am not a fan of general anesthesia. It is all phobic though, not based in statistical reality - hence my fear of flying as well. I am glad to know that maybe I will come to that same complete sense of peace too. Thanks for sharing.

[Mom_24 72]

Let me clarify bananas are not on my list. They were just sitting there and I didn't want them to go bad. Thats why I used them. I was thinking hmm fruit, I figured it couldn't hurt that was until I entered the values into myfitnesspal. I was like WHAT??? I deleted and re-entered thinking I made a mistake. NOPE it was correct. I will say there will be no bananas in my future diet. Thankful its not my official diet yet. lol

I so cannot wait for post op. I am ready to get this show on the road. But all in due time.

A great reason to start early, because I think there is a learning curve for just about everyone. I plan to start early as well. I have already started replacing two meals a day with Protein Drinks, but I haven't made great choices with the meals yet. I have cut out all extra sugars and caffeine at this point though (except one deliberate choice yesterday, and an accidental slip the day before). I am using this time as an adjustment period and for the learning curve for what changes to make and how to make them work for me. I am required to have a 10 day liquid, but I am going to start 3 weeks out, which is this coming Monday, just in case I have some mess ups along the way - and I figure it can only help my liver, and Dr. A.

[Mom_24 72]

has anyone found a non milk type shake that filling

The Muscle Milk Lite says it has no dairy, if that helps. Also, I was at a Vitamin store the other day, and they had a couple that were being marked down that supposedly mix up like juice. I didn't notice whether or not they contained any dairy though. I wish I could remember the name, but you could probably google it.

[Mom_24 72]

Hey all....yes I screwed up and added fruit at first too.......it didn't effect me too bad I have lost fifteen pounds so far.....5more to go to reach goal for pre op.....mine is 9200. I chose Alveraz because a client went to him....self pay....I am getting a little freaked though because I see stuff like EKG, haven't had one........I hope my blood work and liver wil be ok..........starting to get nervous......the 4 weeks is killer....sorry sweetie but it is...I am on day 15 and getting pissy.....I do not think it is helping that everyone wants too party for my birthday...the acid reflux is getting it of hand....there has got to be a better way to shrink the liver........protein shakes get rude after two weeks...worse than that we have liquids after too....yep I a, pretty frustrated today.........sorry guys

Icandothis,

I'm sorry you are struggling. It will be worth it. Have you tried varying the Protein drinks so that you can have different tastes? I know that when I go full liquid, I am going to get tired of the sweetness from all of the shakes, but I do plan to vary it with some unflavored mixed with the less sweet options, or option, like broth. Have you tried that yet?

[ATLSara 4]

" I saw a lot of the sleeve prices at 4400 and such, what are the prices? does your doctor do financing? How much is your TOTAL cost??? AND, non Mexico sleevers......are you insurance or self pay?

I am self-pay so am having my surgery with Dr. Kelly in Tijuana on August 31st. My total cost is $5500.

Dr. Kelly does not do financing but sends links to financing options. I am going to be financing it myself with my HELOC. I've run that by my financial adviser! Because I am freaking out about how a complication could affect our family so much I am also spending $720 on a supplemental insurance plan. I would with any doctor, so it's not just Mexico, it's the fact that my insurance covers no complications from elective surgery.

My flight is "free" using frequent flyer miles. So my total cost with freak-out factor is $6220!

BTW, yesterday I met a woman who's sister had the surgery in Mexico SIX years ago! She promptly showed me tons of photos on Facebook and the woman looks awesome! That made me feel so good!

[Mom_24 72]

Hello I'm scheduled for surgery on August 1st at Kaiser West los Angeles with dr. Casillas . I got lucky and took a cancelation. The Dr asked me to lose 15 pounds on 7/2 I'm down 11 pounds, my preop appointment is Monday and I'm working hard to lose the next 4 pounds, 3 hours at the gym twice a day, since Tuesday. I'm so ready for this.

Welcome Nina.

Also, my apologies for filling a whole page with posts! I keep up with everyone though emails on my phone, but haven't had time to sit down and respond until now (haven't gotten the hang of the app yet). Thanks for your patience.

[atelux17 135]

Scheduled with Dr. Kim in TX on Aug 14th. Scared. Hopefully good results.