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Good luck! I didn't tell anyone about my surgery other than medical professionals, so I did it all alone and I was fine. My recovery was surprisingly easy and I only took a week off of work (I just said it was a vacation). I do suggest having a backup plan for someone you can call if you need help because it is possible that you could have complications, but weight loss surgery is statistically very safe and has a low rate of complications. See you on the loser's bench!

My issues are different but food issues just the same. My life revolved around food. Big family dinners and lots of food always available. Holidays filled with tons of food and desserts and cookies and pies. Seeking out the best restaurants referring to myself as a “foodie”. Not caring about how much I consumed or how many calories. Working so many hours then coming home and taking care of family with no time to take care of myself. No exercise, no control, no boundaries. I watched my husband die from diabetes and cancer and that shook me. I decided it was now MY time. To take care of ME. I need to take my life back. I have support but not from anyone that truly understands. Everyone says oh thats great but they dont really get it.

Wow... this hit me in the feels today. I've been overweight since I was 10 when my parents divorced, and we moved in my grandmother. The only thing that was ever said about food was about leaving any behind. I - like many on here - was a card-carrying member of the "Clean Plate Club." It is still hard for me. I have to consciously think about it to leave food behind. That being said, what struck me about this post deals with how I parent my own girls. Parenting is hard, and kids should come with instruction manuals. I NEVER wanted to give my kids a food complex. I've never made them clean their plate. When they're done, they're done. Both of my girls are on ADHD meds, so they don't like to eat during the day, but they're hungry at night. Usually, they come back for a second dinner sometime before bed. Neither one had a weight concern until last year. My oldest became a cave dweller during the lockdown, and it wasn't until she went back to school in January that she walked further than from her bedroom to the kitchen. I tried to get her to go out for a walk -anything - but she's 14 going on 25 and knows everything. All that to say, she gained about 50lbs in less than a year. It's not healthy for her, and she's not happy with it. I can tell that she's now self-conscious about it. Like many of us, it snuck up on her. It's all good when you're wearing PJs every day, but when you try to wear real clothes and they don't fit, it's a shocker. She brought it to me first. I told her I was concerned because it wasn't healthy to gain that much, that fast. She said - you think I'm fat! (Remember she's a teenager.) I told her I absolutely didn't think she was fat, BUT it's not healthy and she's not happy. She's really lost her stamina and endurance. My husband, who is 6'7" so 300 lbs for him is way different than 300lbs for me, was an athlete and is of the mindset that we tell her she needs to lose weight - and no... I stopped that cold - but he has that athlete mentality that if a coach said he was bad at free-throws, he would have practiced them until he was better. <eyeroll> I told him that she's not an athlete and she's a girl so telling she's overweight is NOT the route we're going. If we tell her she's fat then this will be her mental talk - Well, I'm fat so I better just go along with what my friend wants because I'm fat and no one will like me. Well, I don't want to have sex, but I better because he's showing an interest, and I'm fat so this is my only chance for love. Well, he's abusive, but I'm fat so I don't have any other options. - He looked at me like I was nuts, but I told him this is how many girls think. I'm trying to talk to her about it without being a nag or a dictator. When she's asked for help, I've made some suggestions like slowing down when she eats, taking smaller bites, cutting back on some of the sweets. I told her that I would help with things that I'm learning through this process, but that she has to WANT the help. It's hard because I can see that right now she's going down the path to end up where I've spent the last 3 decades, but I'm also trying to not make her worth about her weight. I could become the crazy food police, but that's not how I want our relationship to become. Weight can be lost, but if I make her not even want to be around me or her family, then I've completely lost her in other ways. I'm sorry your family made you feel like that, but I hope you don't "cut off your nose to spite your face" as my GiGi would have said. If you're to a point where you need it, this surgery is for YOU. In the end, if your health deteriorates or you don't get to enjoy things, you are going to pay that price. If they gloat or whatever, they'll gloat. I can't relate exactly because I didn't get that growing up so I don't mean to sound flippant and if you don't already have a therapist, I'd recommend you try one. My mom married someone just to get away from her mother and her nagging. I moved out at 15 and she spent 8 yrs in an abusive marriage because she didn't want to be "wrong" and have my grandmother "tell her so." Don't let them and their pettiness drive your decisions any longer. You do you.

I didn't have that, but it's not uncommon after surgeries or certain medications. It'll go away...

While you're on clear liquids, Syntrax Nectar is good and has a variety of flavors. IdealFit also has some good clear protein that you can buy in single-serving packets. Once you're on full liquids, protein hot cocoa! I found that warm drinks went down more easily than cold (especially in the beginning), so if you have trouble drinking cold protein shakes (or just get tired of them), try protein hot cocoa. The BariatricPal brand is really good, but you can also get protein hot cocoa on Amazon (I like ProtiDiet brand). You can boost the protein even more by making it with Fairlife milk instead of water.

For the most part I was on my own as well. I got my sleeve back in Sept when covid numbers were going down and they started doing elective surgeries again. I wasn't able to have my wife there with me both because of covid and because she had to watch our 3 boys. It was a little unnerving right before the surgery, but honestly the hospital staff and nurses were all great. They also let me keep my phone until right before and I got it back right after so I was able to keep myself occupied that way.

Once you get close to or into maintenance you’ll start working out what of your old favourites you can eat or want to eat again. There may be foods or drinks you say never again too, others that you may have occasionally. You might find more nutritious alternatives for some (like vegetable pastas or rice) or you’ll restrict your portion size of a particular food. I say I follow a reduce, restrict or avoid plan. I haven’t really missed anything I avoid or anything I restrict. It hasn’t stopped me going out to dine or socialising with friends & family. The foods I avoid, restrict or have reduced are ones that lead me down the path to my weight struggles so I’ve been happy to bid them farewell or to visit with only occasionally. I cut as much sugar (real, artificial & alternatives) out of my diet as I can but I still had some cake at a friend’s wedding on the weekend - just had two teaspoon. I probably won’t have any other cake, biscuits, desserts, etc. until Christmas. Processed carbs & starchy foods tend to sit heavily in my tummy too (even the vegetable pasta) so I avoid them. I drink full fat milk, cheese & yogurt. I do buy low fat milk at times but it’s usually because it has a longer use by date - LOL! I’ve never been great with carbonation so no real change there for me. If I want something bubbly like sparkling, soda or tonic water I stir it, sip it slowly & let it sit for a while so a lot of the gas escapes. I have alcohol about once a month but usually one glass over a long time. I don’t enjoy it as much. I had champagne at the wedding it just took me almost two hours to drink it. I eat about 60g of protein, 4 serves of fruit & vegetables, 2or 3 serves of dairy, 2 serves of multi/whole grain carbs every day. I haven’t taken any vitamins since 8 months post surgery (early maintenance). I have bloods taken every 3 months & all my levels come back great. But that’s my story & it’s been working for me so far. What you discover works for you will be very personal to you & how you want to live & enjoy your life. Many people continue to meet with their therapist post surgery be it to continue to work through issues or for maintenance. If you think it will help you, do it. Good luck with your surgery.

cravings are mental rather than physical - so surgery really doesn't help with that. Most people do lose their physical hunger for quite awhile though (not all people - but most). Often what feels like hunger is actually thirst or acid. So stay well-hydrated - and also, if you're not on some kind of antacid, you could ask your surgeon about that. Many surgeons put their WLS patients on PPI's for the first few months after surgery (3-6 months is common - but I've seen anywhere from one month to a year)

You may try warm pads, that works quite well with my bruises on one of my scar. And I agree with the previous post - no ibuprofen.

I'm a whiskey guy. I started to drink occasionally at 6 weeks, even though my plan called for one year of no alcohol. This is not advice. I'm just posting what I did. For me, I needed as much normal as I could have, without jeopardizing my progress. I have been very successful so far.