Shemy-away

Whew! Ok that sounds so much better!

I've always said, I will not listen to anyone giving me advice who hasn't been through the same journey. I hope that my story will add some credibility to my posts and inspire someone considered WLS. I'm on a quest to find the woman I lost years ago. She's somewhere in this body, I know that, I just haven't seen here in almost a decade. I'm almost 300 pounds on a 5 foot 7 frame. My family medical history is like Wal-Mart, you name it someone has it. I want to break the cycle of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. . I can't get back the years I've already lost, but I can make the years I have left that much better. I have a carb addiction, disillusion about the amount of food I should be eating, and an emotional eating habit. I was taught as a child to clean my plate, I remember at 8 years old looking forward to going to my grandma's because she always had pound cake made, and dinner consisted of meat, a few veggies, heaping mounds of carbs (rice/potatos) and rolls. 20 Years I've been addicted to carbs. My mom and I could go to a restaurant and finish an entire basket of rolls before our food came and still eat everything on our plate, plus another basket of rolls. Needless to say, I've never had a good example when it came to eating. Fast forward through middle school, when at 5"7 and 130 lbs I was the tallest girl in my entire school. Talk about a complex. At 9 I thought I was fat. Junior high, I'm still tall and muscular but everyone else is catching up. Rumors start that I'm taking steroids. Hence another complex about being "thick" and muscular. High School, the Revolution Years. I rebelled against EVERYTHING! Stress at home= emotional eating. I remember coming home from school and eating half a loaf of bread, toasted with butter and jelly because it made me feel better. Nutrition? What's that? It wasn't taught at our school. Lunch for 4 years, FOUR YEARS, consisted of chili cheese fries with extra cheese and sweet and sour dipping sauce, juice or soda, and some other high carb or fried food. FOUR. YEARS. I do remember a salad but it was far and few in-between. I think back on this and I cringe. What the heck are we doing to our kids??? My saving grace was band. The amount of practice we did counteracted some of the weight gain. I stayed around 180-200 lbs. College, the fittest years of my life. I decided to major in Nutrition, the one thing I had no knowledge of. Freedom to come and go as I pleased means more time in the gym. HBCU band practice consisted of intense PT at 5 am and intense practice from 3-7. I was at my fittest ever. I wouldn't believe it myself if I didn't have pics to prove it. Grad school I continued my good gym habits, but even a nutrition degree can't combat the psychological condition of emotional eating. I started gaining weight. Then I got pregnant. My weight shot up to 230 with the first pregnancy and miscarriage and I gained 20 more from the stress. Pregnant again at 260 with the help of pills. I went up to 285. Lost 20 and have been stuck at 270 for 3 years. This brings us to today. 10 days from VSG surgery and positive about where my life is heading. I'm not one for sharing a lot of personal information, but I will try to keep this "blog" updated as I progress through. I need to learn how to let people in and break down this brick wall that I've built.

Gorgeous! The change in your pictures is beyond awesome!! Keep up the good work!

That sounds really hardcore! How long is your pre-op diet? No food at all? Not even Clear liquids?

Carlos and Mickeymouse I WISH I had your pre op diet

Wow this is a lot of great information!!! You are awesum!!!!!

I started my 2 week diet Tuesday and I'm DYING! LOL I thought it was supposed to get easier??! I was bad and had some kale but I swear I won't do it again. It has too many carbs! But mentally I'm better. I think I just needed to chew something. Good luck to everyone!!

My husband has always been supportive in everything I do and our relationship is strong (13 years together, 6 married) but he has said he is worried about me leaving him for someone else when I get smaller. I'm aware that he has his own demons with weight and eating and maybe he thinks I will evolve without him. I try to make him understand that he can benefit from my surgery as well by mimicking my eating habits and going into ketosis. I make sure to remind him daily that I'm not going anywhere

Omygoodness I'm crying! That was beautiful!! Congratulations to you for your success and for raising such a wonderful human being!

I haven't been sleeved yet, but I'm on my pre op diet and I've been doing ISOPURE Protein drinks as monalisa1010 said and at 40 gram s of protein per serving, its a great save. Also sodium free broth by Herb-ox. Those have helped me. Good luck!

Great job! keep moving forward!

CynthiaK, have you already been sleeved? I'll update you on my pre op visit. I weighed in at 270 thanks to my upcoming period and he said if I didn't come in at or under my preop weight of 266 he would cancel the surgery! So I was obsessing over this diet and going crazy. I hit 266 today but I'm not slacking off. I want a good cushion of at least 10 pounds! Other than that my preop diet has me sooooooo tired. It was a chore to get out of bed today. I'm working on addressing my head hunger because I could KILL for a huge rack of ribs. I told my husband it would be ok as long as its no sauce because its so much Protein LOL But I'm resisting! I hope our tiredness goes away as our bodies adjust. Good job getting in your apple and water!!

Congratulations!! Where did you start (pant size?)

Thanks luv!! I'm so nervous!!

Well said and this statement will be my motto from now on. I understand we fight our demons forever. Wishing you the best of luck.

Ms diva, should I exercise while on my pre op? I already feel a little weak and I expected that but if it helps shrink the liver I'll do it. Thanks!

No problem! 1. Your PCM doesnt have to write much on the referral. If your PCM and you agree to it, the bariatric team usually welcomes you with open arms. As long as you meet the required BMI or BMI with comorbidities, you shouldn't have any trouble. 2. This depends on the facility and you. My process took a while because I had to get all of the tests done while attending nursing school, then Bethesda and WR were going through the BRAC nonsense so that took even longer, which is why I ended up down in Portsmouth. You may have better luck at Bethesda since they've finished moving. If you start now, you have a good chance of getting a summer date DEPENDING on their waiting list. 3. The facility is very nice. I've always been impressed with it. I've never been an inpatient there, but I will tell you about my experience after the 6th. I'm with Dr. Mann and I believe Dr. Linn is the surgeon at Bethesda.

That is amazing! Congratulations on all your success!!

Hope all is well!! Speedy recovery for you!

Thank you so much for your support. Your words really are powerful like everyone has said. I felt really calm once I read them. I will be reaching out ot you as well through my journey. Allie, CONGRATS!! I'm right behind you!

Missmarbe, I'm in an accelerated program too! Dom1985, how are things?

Tiffykins is the Tricare Guru, but I will try to answer as much as I can. I am Tricare standard as well and I'm in DC at Bethesda. I'm having my surgery in Portsmouth because Bethesda couldn't seem to get their act together. 1. You have to have a PCM. They required it at Bethesda and Portsmouth so I'm assuming its standard across the board. Your PCM will coordinate everything and is the one who has to refer you for VSG. 2.I'm not sure about them doing a revision, but if you've been having so many complications with the band, I don't see why they wouldn't. That is something you would have to discuss with the surgeon. 3. I'm not sure about this one. I don't remember ever seeing a list of MTF's that perform Bariatrics. I already knew that WR/Bethesda had a program and I heard about Portsmouth from a friend. The most important thing is making sure you will be allowed to travel to an MTF if the one closest to you does not have a program. It took me being really assertive (thanks to a push from TIffykins) and calling Portsmouth myself and asking. I hope it works out, and you can PM me if you want to vent or talk!

I'm scared of complications keeping me from graduating. I'm having this done during my spring break. I'm in my final semester of nursing school and it should have been done last year, but I was having a lot of issues with my previous surgeon that I had to switch. So that is my biggest fear, not the surgery itself. I'm looking forward to it actually :wub: just not the unknown, as Suzannesh stated.

Hi Everyone!! I'm getting sleeved 3/6. What I am doing this week: 1. Doing all of the studying/projects/research I can get out of the way for school 2. Making travel plans. I am being sleeved in Portsmouth VA, and we live in DC. 3. Making sure I have everything I will need for surgery (heating pad, comfy clothes, etc.) 4. FREAKING OUT, then calming down, the FREAKING out. Seems to be pattern lately

good luck! I can't wait to see your progress!