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Ms Shell’s Posts

Ms Shell
on 12/13/11 11:44 am

Topic: RE: Low carb cookies recipes...

I've been making these protein balls the last week and I might be able to use your recipe along with the one I'd been using and tweek here and there.

Mine is basically
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (or Almond Butter)
1/2 Cup Oatmeal (of coruse carbs in that)
1/2 Cup Protein Powder
Some SF Syrup

This is going to be an interesting development if it works....thanks for the recipes!!

"WLS is only for people who are ready to move past the "diet" mentality" ~Alison Brown
"WLS is not a Do-Over (repeat same mistakes = get a similar outcome.) It is a Do-BETTER (make lifestyle changes you can continue forever.)" ~ Michele Vicara aka Eggface

Ms Shell
on 11/28/11 11:19 am

Topic: RE: Happy Surgiversary!! 4 years xpost

Thank you Valerie,

You inspire me to no end. So now to open a restaurant. Or maybe come work for you!!!

Ms Shell
on 11/28/11 11:14 am

Topic: RE: Happy Surgiversary!! 4 years xpost

Thanks Member Services!!!

Ms Shell
on 11/28/11 10:36 am

Topic: RE: Happy Surgiversary!! 4 years xpost

Hello my fellow WLS folks,

For those who don't know me...since I spend MOST my time on the VSG forum and they know my struggles etc. Anyway I'm a VSGer.

I am 4 years out (today or the 26) but I had my surgery the Monday after Thanksgiving so I count it as TODAY!! My original goal weight was 205, then I wanted 100lbs lost from surgery then I wanted 195 and then I wanted 180. In the midst of all that changing goal weights from October to January I went OFF program and gained from 195 to 216 which I am currently battling to get back off. The problem is I just don't FEEL like being as "strict" as I need to be in order to get it off. Feel free to read my profile if you'd like insight to me.

This year for my 4 year I'm going to open up the questions!! So ask away nothing is off limits or to personal to me!! Let's GO!!

MS Shell

Ms Shell
on 11/23/11 8:10 pm

Topic: RE: Weight Gain 3 yrs out...Is DS broken?

You can break ANY surgery if you are eating "NOTHING but CARBS." Cutting to the chase...go BACK to what you know and everything will level off and be fine. Don't and you'll undo ALL your hard work.

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 11/21/11 3:00 pm

Topic: RE: Protein ??? anyone recommend anything??

some people regurgitate the information instead of researching and letting your LABS dictate some information!!

I don't use the bullets anymore either but if MY body can use just 1/2 of the bullet that coincides with my OTHER protein sources it was a WIN for me.

MS Shell

Ms Shell
on 11/21/11 2:55 pm

Topic: RE: Something to think about...

Hey Mimi,

I'm late to the party but I just wanted YOU to know that while people are trying to knock you out from in front of the train (a little dramatic I know) we still still support you if you decide to stand there anyway. Ultimately it is YOUR life to do with it as you please.

We'll support you through the preop, the liquid, the this the that...just head the folks trying to knock you out from in front of the train and be blessed on your journey!!

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 11/16/11 9:54 am

Topic: RE: Vitamin question for the 2 yr or longer out vets

Also on a side note, make sure you are taking capsules instead of tablets

Ms Shell
on 11/9/11 11:26 am

Topic: RE: Anyone request a takedown?

If you are STILL dealing with this for longer then 6 months you need to seriously take YOUR health seriously and dump your surgeon and SEEK a 2nd opinion etc. He obviously is NOT hearing you and you are meekly going along with it. STOP!!!

I have seen a couple ladies in my years here that had RnY were having extreme weight loss, deficiencies etc, they have reversals and revisions to VSG.

Whatever you DO...please do SOMETHING and stop waiting on your DR to take your health seriously.

MS Shell

Ms Shell
on 11/9/11 10:35 am

Topic: RE: Very Low Carb Roll Ups...

Hmmm I think I might try this with some Turkey Pastrami...thanks!

Ms Shell
on 11/3/11 7:13 pm

Topic: RE: Falling back into old habits - very useful advice via a POM

Because not everybody sees everything and THIS is very important information =)

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 10/28/11 12:37 pm

Topic: RE: Hunger Hormones May Be Dieters' Worst Enemy

When I started researching WLS and heard about the gremlin (that's a more appropriate word because pre surgery when I was hungry I felt more like an out of control gremlin). Anyway one of the key factors was the total REMOVAL of that blasted gremlin maker my old stomach.

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 10/12/11 7:50 am

Topic: RE: There is no Privacy Online. Deal With It.

I say find ME...I got something waiting for you...

I have NO clue HOW folks think the WORLD WIDE WEB is private...hello WORLD WIDE...hello!!!

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 9/6/11 2:42 pm

Topic: RE: Did You Hormone Dump?

MY hormonal change was in part to my mother dying the year before my WLS and my WLS. I'm always cheerful outgoing and just overall the LIFE of the party. But I became more introspective, LOVE my sofa and was just loving being ME...in my case going out meant eating out and drinking which just wasn't what I needed to do at the time anyway, so I'm not sure if I dumped or NOT.

In all my research I was ready to face just about anything so if/when I became to much UNLIKE myself I had my research to fall back on. I'm very analitical so knowing it was coming and going through it was a breeze compared to some.

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 7/3/11 6:36 pm

Topic: RE: 200 Pounds Lost: Pictures of my Journey this Year

You have done an amazing job over thime. Keep up the awesome job!!

Ms Shell
on 6/28/11 12:30 pm

Topic: RE: Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappuccino Blended Beverage SWAP

Yes all the lite or "skinny" are made with SF Syrup, Skim Milk and they skip the whipped cream.

Ms Shell
on 6/28/11 12:27 pm, edited 6/28/11 12:27 pm

Topic: RE: Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappuccino Blended Beverage SWAP

Ok Imma just
2 scoops Click
3/4 cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Milk
Some SF Torani Coconut Syrup
Ice
Blend
Enjoy

Ooops forgot to add the toasted coconut and whipped cream...

Ms Shell
on 6/24/11 11:25 am

Topic: RE: Gastric Sleeve ?'s

As many of my cohorts have pointed out there is a very active Sleeve forum here on OH and here's the link http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg

Ms Shell
on 5/25/11 9:55 am

Topic: RE: Band vs Sleeve

I responded to a lady who is considering the band (just like I did oh so many years ago). I thought it was SO good it was worth posting on my profile, lol. I think so highly of myself =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

While I never got the band I will tell you about my story. I was always fat upwards to 345 in my 20's, 325 when I started researching WLS in 2006 when my mom died. I actually saw a LapBand commercial (the greatest ad campaign I have EVER seen). I was never ever going to get the RnY because of the fact they have a hole at the bottom of your stomach (stoma) that basically just dumps the food you eat into your intestine (where the term dumping comes from). I have seen COUNTLESS people in my personal life and read who CAN have complication etc. Please note that I say CAN because it's not guaranteed that anyone WILL have complication x, y or z, but they can. Ok so I'm researching the all mighty LapBand (and that's how I felt) I needed a surgery that would HELP me the most, and I believe that I needed a surgery that would keep my stomach as a normal stomach. Where the stomach acid helps digest and mix up my food, where my pyloric valve once the stomach was done doing it's job would open and let my food continue on the digestion road. I wanted a surgery that would REDUCE the amount of food I could at at any one given time.

So research I did. Now I saw the website where there is a (and I think back then in 2006 there was like a 50-60%) complication rate and you MIGHT not lose ALL your we ight but I also believe that given the right mental aspect of this surgery coupled with the restriction you can do almost anything so I kept on researching. I came to OH thanks to a friend and well what I saw here made me nervous. Instead of some arbitrary number on a website about complications I was seeing ACTUAL living breathing people with the LapBand who WERE having complications, some minor others not. So I in total research mode started a pros/cons list. I had page after page of "possible" complications with the Band and of course RIGHT next to it I had the "words/advice" of those who loved the band saying oh if you do this or do that you will NEVER suffer from these complications. In my research I am ALREADY forcasting that I WAS going to be the PERFECT bandster. Like someone already said I was aiming to be ONE of the LUCKY ones. The more I researched the MORE I found people who were banded in like 05/06 with these complications and they were CLAIMING to have been "perfect" bandsters. But STILL I did not want the RnY because of the false stomach, nor the DS because I just do not consume that much fat and I had NO medical issues. THEN boom bam thank you Jesus a young lady on the LapBand forum asked Dr. Curry about the VSG and that her insurance (just happened to be MY insurance) suggested she get that instead of the Band.

WHAT you say girl. There is a surgery out there called the Sleeve...what is this...tell me more. Well you guessed it I started researching the Sleeve and OMG it "appeared" to have EVERYTHING that I wanted....normal stomach, food restriction and to boot there was a CHANCE that I would wake up from surgery and NOT be hungry because it removed over 1/2 your stomach and the hormone called Ghrelin. Well tell me more all mighty Sleeve. I then simultaneously was researching the Sleeve but not taking my foot all the way out the band camp. I wanted to know EVERYTHING I could about the sleeve. After all I was willing to say GOODBYE ADIOS to over 1/2 my stomach (NOT that my stomach ever did anything for me, I still am VERY fond of ALL my body parts). I took my research AWAY from the WLS forums and researched Full/Partial Gastrectomies as done on people who have stomach cancers and ulcers which has been done for over 30 years or more. I read about peoples LIVES after having a partial gastrectomy, What LONG term vitamins "may" be needed. How they just eat way smaller portions then before. How yes they would lose weight. How yes they weren't really hungry. How yes you could even live a full and productive LIFE even without ANY stomach. How a family who had a history of stomach cancer voluntarily had their stomachs REMOVED as a preventative measure. How people were LIVING life YEARS after their gastrectomies with virtually the same restriction and the "bonus" of weight loss.

Now the whole time I still had my pro/con list. The Band one was LONG and extensive on the "possible" complications, slips, erosions, esophagal dialation, adhesions for IF the band had to be removed all the risks involved in removal. The VSG after researching had a few questions/comments. What size bougie would the surgeon be using? How does the surgeon check for leaks? After surgery I did research to KNOW if I did have a leak what SHOULD I be looking for in those weeks after surgery? How long does it take the stomach to fully heal over the sutures/staples? That was IT.

I was fortunate that my insurance DID cover the sleeve back in 2007. Blessed if you will because back then Insurance companies weren't. I don't know what I would have done in 2007 once I KNEW about the VSG, if my insurance would only cover the RnY or the Band. To be honest I don't like the GAMBLE of either of those surgeries to NOT be one of the "lucky" ones. For the VSG I took a gamble that I might still be hungry. I did take a gamble that hey you could have a leak but as of yet I have not seen a VSGer die purely from a leak.

My reality after my VSG. I woke up from surgery with INSTANT restriction. I have been blessed with NO physical hunger. I am almost 3 years out, still not hungry and still with restriction. I have lost over 100lbs. I COULD have gone lower then my current 192 and I'm working out it, but at 1 1/2 years out, I decided a little carbs here and there won't hurt, well they do and depending on YOUR body...well **** I'll say CARBS are the DEVIL. I am referring to PROCESSED carbs, not fruit but yes fruit for some can be "danger Will Robinson danger."

I wish you well on your decision.

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 5/19/11 4:08 pm

Topic: RE: WLS Means NOTHING.

Beth I love you, as do many others. First off I'm so sorry about what you must be going through today as you memorialize your grandmother. When my mother died over 4 years ago everything STOPPED for me. All the petty bickering, all the truly insignificant things that were going on my life meant so much LESS in the grand scheme of LIFE and MY ability to live it with as much ZEST as I can.

I'm on the outside looking at to what is "going" on in the community but one thing for sure it's not YOU who needs to reach out but THEM. If they are unwilling to change nothing in your well intentioned arsenal is going to make them. You can't really stop a bully from bullying BUT you can PUSH back and stop letting them HIDE behind "personal email" attacks behind the cloak of no one can see it so Beth's just crazy. Show them for who they are. I push WITH you for peace but while I love Martin Luther King Jr and what he did for Civil Rights...sometimes you need the Malcolm X approach which is just as necessary.

Ms Shell

Ms Shell
on 5/10/11 7:44 am

Topic: RE: XP-Unexpected Bonus Came with PB2 Samples

I was just looking for my PB2 only to THINK I had tossed it (maybe) because I had it for so long. I love that they now have the single size servings...THANKS

Ms Shell
on 4/27/11 9:08 am

Topic: RE: The cycle ends right now. You can't lead me down that road.

While I have experienced it I believe that was WHY I got fat...eating them b*tches and b*stards alive...

I LOVE YOU and EVERYTHING you are and represent!! F*CK everybody else...

Ms Shell
on 4/21/11 4:15 pm

Topic: RE: my friend got a punching bag

Of course

Ms Shell
on 4/21/11 2:54 pm

Topic: RE: my friend got a punching bag

bouncing up & down recreationally I just like how that sounds...

Ms Shell
on 4/19/11 9:13 am

Topic: RE: how can I get fruit to ripen?

Girl are those kyrptonite bananas. I have NEVER known them to STAY green that long. I know the paper bag in a dark cabinet/drawer works on avocados (almost forgot them once, lol)