Touched a sore spot did I? I think Shakespeare had something to say about that - something about protesting too much.

You are still missing the underlying concepts here.

The health insurance plan suggested means that you (and it really is all about you, isn't it) will be paying less and having access to more.

At the same time, those more vulnerable in the country (damn them anyway because they are just lazy greedy people) will have a basic level of health care available.

By the way, I will probably be retiring well before you, so am counting on people like you to pay for me, you know. In fact, I am eligible or retirement now. I just like what I am doing too much.

Right now, I do not resent the more than $50,000 I pay in income tax each year. I consider it my investment in my country and the people in it.

SherryB

ETA: just because I wanted to.

And what are you? The word police?

For Gawd's sake man. Quit trying to interrupt debate about issues such as health care with trying to censor language. It's a diversion tactic that depicts cowardice - along the lines of blocking someone and then talking about them. If you don't like it - don't read it.

Go away and read your own version of Emily Post or Robert's Rules.

SherryB

Hi Lisa,
I start every day with a protein drink, either a "latte" or a smoothie.

Latte: In double mug (e.g., traveler) mix 1 scoop of protein powder and approx 1/4 cup milk. Stir until well mixed. Add boiling water and stir. Have your kettle cool a tiny bit off of full boil. Add 2 heaping tsp of instant coffee. I use flavored coffee. In addition, I will use chocolate flavored powder, or mint/chocolate for variety. (I add a heaping tsp of Benefibre to keep my pipes regular)

Smoothy: I use a variety of frozen fruits as the basis for the smoothly. Put approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of frozen fruit in a blender. Add 1 cup of milk and blend until smooth. You can add either ice or more milk and blend to make it the consistency you like. Add 1 tsp of Splenda if you like it sweeter. Add 1 scoop of protein powder. Blend and drink. Mix up any combination of fruits you like. My favorite is strawberry (with peanut butter sometimes). I also like mango and orange juice. Raspberries are tasty if you don't mind picking seeds out of your teeth for the rest of the day. Once again, add some Benefibre.

Drink as much as you can in 1 setting. My latte usually takes me an hour - long enough to read the paper and do the puzzle in the morning. My smoothy doesn't take so long. It's more like dessert.

You're just starting out. My advise would be to put about 1/2 cup into a separate mug, and drink that. Keep the rest in the fridge. When you are finished your 1/2 cup, go back and add another 1/2 cup. It won't feel so over whelming.

SherryB

No. No. No. No. No.

You are way too soon after surgery to even consider alcohol. Your liver is working overtime as it is, with the medications from surgery and the toxins associated with rapid weight loss.

Every doctor is different, but you need to ask this question of yours.

Most suggest somewhere between 6 months and a year. You need at least a couple sets of blood work (especially liver enzymes) before you can determine if your body can cope.

SherryB

I have urinary urge incontinence (not stress incontinence). Stress incontinence is when you pee when you sneeze, cough, etc. Urge incontinence is when you have to go NOW. I have no warning. When I got to go, I got to go immediately. I'm handling it by voiding every couple of hours so my bladder never gets too full. 

Occasionally I will get skid marks. My cure  wear black panties LOL. They usually happen when I have a juicy fart.

Fun stuff.
SherryB

There are no foods that disagree with me. I can eat everything and anything that I want. Just like pre-op, if I over-indulge, there may be a price to pay. For example, I love clementine oranges. I can eat up to 3 in one sitting with no problem; 4 or more may give me loose poos. I eat as few SF foods as possible; sugar alcohols are deadly for irritating my guts. Cookies, ice cream are a daily part of my diet.

SherryB

Favorite protein: Prime Rib Roast.

Favorite I can eat: Prime Rib Roast.

Love my DS

SherryB

Hi Kim,
It's called a diastasis recti. I have it too. A TT should take care of it. It is not typically associated with hernias. It's considered harmless, I guess by eveyrone who doesn't have it. LOL.
SherryB

Hi smanfan,
Good for you for researching your options. If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to check out all possibilities: Lapband, RNY, DS and VSG. Basically, all 4 differ in the amount of restriction and malabsorption.
SherryB

As the mother of a 26 year old daughter (I don't know why that has any relevance, but to the OP it seems important), I'm appalled that someone would presume to tell me how to behave on this forum. I have my own values about what constitutes appropriate behavior, and don't need a finger-wagging lecture about how to respond to others. I will act according to my beliefs.

The poster who the OP sees as needing rescuing, was downright rude and vulgar. She was hostile and confrontational. She gets no sympathy from me.

Should she choose to ask a respectful question, she would in all likelihood get a respectful response.
SherryB

Hi and welcome. I am sorry you felt worried about being judged. I would hope that no one here would do that. We have all been judged at some point in time because of our obesity. Most remember how horrible an experience that was.

You have a BMI of 35 and significant comorbidities. That qualifies you for WLS. People tend to associate WLS with the super obese, but those of us who are/were "just" obese can benefit as well. My BMI was 39 when I was approved and 42 when I had surgery. I had the DS, and my weight has been stable for the past year. When I worried (unnecessarily) about losing too much, I just ate more, which the DS allows you to do.

You basically have 4 surgeries to chose from, each with its strengths and limitations: DS, RNY, VSG, and lapband. DS and RNY involve restriction and malabsorption. The VSG and Lapband use retriction alone.  If you want to know the ins and outs, visit the surgery specific forums.  Each person you talk to will likely try to convince you that there's is best. If you're interested, I'll tell you why the DS is best, even for light weights. As a previous poster noted, there is also a forum for ight weights. You might get support from them.

Good luck with your journey. Maybe I'll see you on the DS forum.
SherryB

Nope, he's wrong. There is no scientific proof that we are restricted in the amount of protein we absorb at one time. 
 

Quoting from “ Bariatric Nutrition: Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient”  by Allied Health Sciences Section Ad Hoc Nutrition Committee: Linda Aills, R.D. (Chair) Jeanne Blankenship, M.S., R.D, Cynthia Buffington, Ph.D. Margaret Furtado, M.S., R.D.,&  Julie Parrott, M.S., R.D.   “One popular myth is that only 30 g/hr of protein can be absorbed. Although this is commonly found in both lay and some professional reports, there is no scientific basis for this claim”.

This is from an article that Andrea from the R&R (and other) forum posted that has lots of good information about vitamin requirements.

SherryB

There must be something in the air, or maybe my body knows that winter is coming and is trying to add some insulation. Whatever the reason, I couldn't get enough to eat today.

B - 1/2 cup yogurt with 1/2 cup muesli (s?); 1 cup orange juice
S - protein bar, large coffee with cream
L - 12 whole wheat crakers, 4 oz tuna, 2 TBS mayo, pickles, 2 yogurt, 2 nectarines
S - fruit muffin, large coffee with cream
D - 6 oz BBQ steak, tomato salad, Twix bar
S - buttered toasted cheese bagel, nectarine
S - 1 cup orange juice.

Thank goodness the DS has been forgiving so far. I wonder if things will change once my weight loss window closes.