Hey there! I am having surgery on June 6th, and I too am scared ****less! Actually, the more I read and prepare myself, the more comfortable I feel with the whole thing. It also helps me to keep busy and try and stay healthy - walk, sleep, work, spend time with friends - these things are the "constants" that won't change, even though I will, once I have the surgery. I keep this in mind every day.  I also remember the times I have lost and gained large amounts of weight, and boy am I over that and ready to beat this for good.

Cheers - keep in touch! 6-6-13 (My dad teases me that it is D-Day - fitting, on some twisted level I suppose..) :)

can that happen to your arms I get mussle pains in my arm all the time an sometimes leg pain

My surgeon said no alcohol for the first year with a preference of never. Once you are in maintenance and or a year has passed you can have one. That said be very careful because after the sleeve you can drunk very quickly. The rapid high is why a lot of people after WLS develop drinking problems. Carbonation and the sleeve don't get along all that well makes me belch and feel uncomfoirtable.

You can get about time online at www.tryabouttime.com. Enter "lifestyle" as a code and get 20% off. They are on FB and are always having specials.

For me the hiccups signalled when my sleeve was full early on. I knew if I hiccupped only one or two times I'd be okay any more then I knew I over ate and foamies were not far behind. They are caused by eating too much or too fast. I still get foamies but they are a rare thing they lessened around month 3 same with the hiccups but I still get them when I eat too fast.

You know i've heard so many times how being fat makes you look older, but i never really SAW that until now. Look how much YOUNGER you look in the pic with your daughter!! you look fantabulous. Good job!!

I am one year post op on May 31st.  I have drank one protein shake every morning since about 2 weeks post op.  I plan on doing that for the rest of my life.  I really like them, especially now that I am in maintenance.  According to my surgeon and his staff (I say staff as three of them had VSG surgery from him) most people do indeed continue to have one protein shake every day forever.

Whichever protein shakes you use the guidelines per my nutritionist that have worked well for me are

1) 100% Whey Protein Isolate (Whey Protein blends and concentrates are not digested as quickly and therefore some of the protein doesn't actually get processed and absorbed)

2) Less than 5 grams of carbs per 8 oz serving

3) Less than 5 grams of fat per 8 oz serving

4) About 24 grams of protein per 8 oz serving  (Any more than about 30 grams actually also doesn't get absorbed by our bodies and therefore is also wasted.)

With sugar free syrups, Hershey's Special Dark Unsweetened Cocoa (adding Splenda or Stevia to sweeten), and other ways to add flavor to your shakes anything you get is going to work out.  You can add flavors to make anything taste better.

That being said I love About Time as it is 100% all natural with only four ingredients.  

1) Whey Protein Isolate

2) Natural Flavor

3) Stevia

4) Xanthan Gum (a natural thickener)

There are many flavors but the flavors in any whey protein isolate tend to be somewhat subtle.

I get mine from GNC as they run about $45 online and give you about 28 servings.  Right now if you have a purchase of more than $10 at gnc.com or your local GNC you get a free one year membership that gives you up to 50% off every day ($15 value)

http://www.gnc.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=about%20time &origkw=About+Time&f=Taxonomy/GNC/13200328&sr=1&f=PAD%2FBran ds%2FSDC+Nutrition&fbc=1&lmdn=Brand&fbn=Brands%7CSDC+Nutriti on

Wow! What an awesome transformation. You look great.