Wow Tami it sounds like you are doing great. Yeah I kinda cheated too, I started on soft food about a week early and my tummy took it just fine. Chewy calcium huh? I just might try that next time. Can you tell me the name and grams they are so when I go to GNC I can look them up. I need to make a trip there anyway for some mor Isopure. I am 20 pounds down now so I am happy too. Today I done a no no....I was working steady all afternoon up to dark without having my water. I feel fine just need to catch up so I don't think I will get in my oz's today. Back on track tomorrow. Only got in 2 meals today and one protein shake. This doesn't happen often but I feel like I broke the law....LOL. I don't have to take b1. I take the B12 shot once a month. Yeah my hair seems drier too. Never really thought of it till you mentioned it. That is why I take that biotin but I may start taking 2 a day. Hair loss doesn't show up till approx 4-5 months out....yuck! Hope the biotin helps.

Tami, havent heard from you in a while. How are you doing? I am doing pretty good. I am on soft foods now and loving it so far. I have been out to eat 3 times now and not too bad. I ordered off the kids menu yesterday for the first time. Cracker Barrel lets anyone order of the kids menu. I have lost 20 lbs as of today. I had a stall for about 3 to 4 days right before soft foods but so far so good now. I still have trouble doing my water and taking all of my calcium pills (6) a day. Outside of that I am doing great. When I am at work I am so busy to think about those calcium pills and drink water all the time. By the time I eat in the morning (and they say don't drink 30 mins before/during/30 min after) and after I get to work well a few hours later it is lunch time and then right after lunch we see patients till 5 or 6. That time frame I do need to work on with my water and all.....LOL. Well I hope this fines you well. Wish I could hear from you more. April

Good luck today!

Received my letter of approval March 2nd Now just waiting on Dr. Diaz's office to open on Monday to get things moving for a surgery date. Before pics taken and measurements done.

I am in the pending mode as of last week,it would have been the first of February but my insurance company "lost" the 30 page fax that my Surgeons office sent them. If I wouldn't have been that squeaky wheel, I would have never known it. Needless to say now, they will hear from me twice a week for a progress update I can not wait till I get the final okay, scared to death that there is another hoop to jump through that I don't know about. I'm not giving up, just impatient to begin a new chapter in my life.

Good luck! You'll do great!!

Congrats on your surgery. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Please post a new thread and let us know how everything is going.

I have joined the gym so once I get the final ok from my insurance I want to start toning as soon as possible. First goal is to proudly watching my son graduate in May at least 30lbs down. Then this summer horseback riding without thinking about that poor horse underneath me. I was in a size 10 at 165. So my goal of 130 I would not have seen since my 8th grade year. I just can't imagine being that small but then again I can't believe my weight now. How tall are you ? I am 5'4 and carry my weight in my upper body. I look at clothes in my closet now and can't wait to start wearing them again. I have gained 30 lbs in the last 2 years so I have a wide range sizes in there. I want to be one size for more than 6 months. This up and down is hard on the ego.

Very true. I just have huge control issues and fear of the unknown. I'm so excited for the changes but fearful of the journry; or rather more fearful that I will fail yet again. I guess admitting that is the first step to change. I've been reading everything on the forums, especially the recipes and fitness forums. I've decided that my first mini goal is to lose 40 lbs before my birthday at the end of March, and my long term goal is to ride a roller coaster by the end of next summer. I've been too embarrassed of my size to even go to an amusement park since my son was born. I feel like I would stand in line for an hour just to have them push and push until they finally tell me I am too big for the safety harness. So a trip to six flags is definately in order. What are your goals?

I am having my surgery done at st. Francis by Dr Mandelbaum. You know I was very excited too. I even cried when I finally heard that I was approved by my insurance. But the closer I get to the date the more nervous I get, and the more reality sets in. How much is this going to hurt? What am I going to eat? I could DIE! It's overwhelming. Im confident that I won't really die, and losing this weight for good is incentive enough for me to go through with surgery regardless of my fears, but its strange how a set date has changed my thinking so much and so fast.