ybnormal

This was the first thing I noticed after surgery, no need for a pantyliner anymore! I was so happy because my family always joked that I have a hamster bladder. I just couldn't hold it as long as other people, I had to go more often. Now, I'm like you, 3 or 4 times a day and I'm ok. At first I was like AHHHHH! so THIS is what it's like to be normal! lol

Sorry, I'm always the "better safe than sorry" and I might go have it checked out if it's feverish. The itching ..YES! I experienced that as do most people. Mine were never red or feverish though. Is it the incisions, or where the tape was? I had a reaction to the tape and that area was swollen and red and hot ...it sucked but it was an allergic reaction, not infection.

To ease your mind, you may want to have a doctor peek at it to see if it's infected.

Renee`

Have you ever made a list like this and shown it to your husband? I did. My husband had no clue WHY I had pulled back so much but the list explained it. Actually, he read my journal that ALL my thoughts and emotions went into and yeah, he read it. At first I was kinda pissed about it but then when I saw the results, I wasn't mad at him anymore, I just wondered why I hadn't left it laying around sooner lol

I feel for you because I'm a lot like you. I'm socially phobic on top of everything else but I'm taking baby steps to rectify that. I weighed in at 287 in Mexico the morning of my surgery and I thought omg...HOW did I let myself get so out of control?! Then I remembered I was there to do something about it. Instead of just being along for the ride of my life, I was being proactive. You are too and you should be so proud of yourself right now!

xoxo's, Renee`

Good luck Spivey and Welcome to Vegas!!! I know you'll do well and you're gonna love your sleeve :welldoneclap: <---see? Everyone is pulling for ya! :wink_smile:

I too have seen that story (who hasn't by now?) and feel bad for the girl it happened to but I'm not sure I would have posted it here. It IS scary and let's be honest, complications do happen but they are very very rare.

Spivey, it sounds like you have a good team put together. Surgeon, mom, cardiologist...I believe all these things lower the odds of complications occurring. At the end of the day you are doing what you feel is right. You're helping to ensure that you'll be around a long long time for your children and you'll be a heck of a lot healthier! Congrats on your decision and may the force be with you! lol

xoxo, Renee`

Meggie, maybe it was the high Fiber and high Water content that got to your tummy? I go through that a lot with salad and fresh fruits but I have IBS and those things definitely put the RUN! in runs.

Renee`

This is what I try to tell people but you have a way with words that I never will so thanks for the post Crosswind! The sleeve is all about what YOU make it. I don't low carb, I don't watch calories (I don't eat enough calories to be honest about it) this surgery was for me. Right now it's all about me and what I make it. I will make it, maybe not as fast as others but I'll get there and have no complaints. I eat what I want (but like Crosswind said, normally my body craves healthier things) and make sure I put something in my mouth every 2 hours. period. That's what I do and will continue to do.

I'm on Nexium twice a day (20 mg each) and for a while it was better. The last few days it's been hell. Even to the point of the acid reflux choking me and waking me up and when I inhaled it felt like my lungs were on fire. I can't wait for this stage to be over.

What I understand "slider" foods to be are foods that fit into the sleeve easily because they are soft and not porous and lack Fiber, so that would be anything with a lot of fat and little nutritional value -- like -- ice cream, pudding, Cookies, and last but not least cold pack processed cheese "food" in the container that I ate almost all over during a day the other day before I realized what was happening.

Slider foods go down fast and easy with very little complaint from the stomach but they contain way too many calories to be something you should really be eating.

These vary from person to person. For example an above poster mentioned popcorn -- not a problem for me, I couldn't eat popcorn without a tummy problem before I got sleeve, I haven't even bothered to try to get them in me now. However I've found lighter chips and Snacks to be a problem -- like pirates booty which I can eat a LOT of because there's just really not much to the stuff besides carbs and flavoring.

I wouldn't call pizza a slider food because that crust can get stuck, expand in your esophagus, and shut down the crazy pretty fast. But you might not have any such luck with a malted milkshake.

This is what I've read too. puddings, ice cream, cream cheese...things that "slide" down the throat. I've also heard of gravy and ranch being used to coat things to make them slide easier.

I wouldn't go below 500 calories, no way, that's just asking for trouble! I have so far lost 37 pounds and I can't see a difference at all. I have a lot to lose, so I'm not expecting myself or anyone else to notice it right away. As far as depression goes, that's very normal at this stage so try not to stress over it. Stress is horrible for your body and mind. Try to be patient, it won't happen overnight, but it will happen.

Renee`

I don't feel comfortable telling you what to do, only that I had a very bad situation arise with a close friend of mine and I almost cancelled my surgery to be with her. My family convinced me that for once I needed to be selfish and do this for myself so that I would be better able to take care of others down the road. I had my surgery without guilt and haven't looked back. This is the key phrase, if you can have your surgery WITHOUT GUILT! I think that any negative feelings may hinder healing and that's one thing you don't need.

My sincere condolences to you and your family,

Renee`

Thanks Leslie!

I made a video response on Youtube for you. I'm so sleepy right now that I figured if I tried to type it all out it would just come out all jumbled and mixed up ...which it may have anyway LOL

Your video is called "In response to a question I was asked" because I know you don't want to search through all of them looking for THAT particular one lol

xoxo, Renee`

you will! You're in the rough part of it right now but it will get easier and better everyday and then *Presto chango!* you're losing weight! lol

**mkay I'm not a magician but those are the magic words, right? lol

Renee`

mine always runs a little high as well. At first when I have a new dr they always freak out a bit but they get used to it.

Thanks Nancy, I can't wait for you to join me here on the losers bench!!!

xoxo!

That was weird! I posted a reply but it didn't reply...blond moment, I must have hit the wrong button lol

You're more than welcome, I'm always willing to be a goof or make a fool out of myself, after all laughter is the best medicine! LOL

xoxo, Renee`

I've lost 37 pounds now...I can't wait to hit 40 pound loss...WOOT!

updated my Youtube as well, not sure how many actually watch or subscribe but thank you to everyone that does.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SkinnyRenee?ob=5

xoxo, Renee`

Tomorrow starts the countdown to my goals of a longer and healthier life. This forum is a blessing.

First, know that you are never alone. Second, all these emotions are totally normal. I went from Moaning Myrtle and crying a lot to Evil Renee / stark raving mad biatch in the blink of an eye. I was scared, nervous, terrified and second guessing myself thinking "omg this is STUPID! I can do this on my own! I'm strong enough, right?! Wrong. I've had many chances and I wasn't strong enough...I wanted it bad enough, I just couldn't do it. I just made a video on Youtube about this actually, the many emotions I went through before it all. Because one of the hardest parts for me was admitting that I needed help. I don't know why but that was very hard for me to admit.

I went into surgery thinking 'omg I could die!' and then thinking 'i'm dying anyway...the weight is killing me' and once I got my head wrapped around that, I knew that I had to have the surgery and that I had to give myself another chance at really living. I'm now down 37 pounds and feel so much better. I have a long way to go still but I know now that I'll get there. I have hope and that's something that I haven't had in a very long time.

I know you can do this! You owe it to yourself and your family to give yourself another shot at really living!

Renee`

p.s. I used to live on Galveston Island...loved Texas!

Everyone handles things differently. Sarsar was next door to me and had the same surgery and she was up running around helping others because she came through it all like nothing had happened. I was sick as hell from the anesthesia and had dry heaves. The pain itself, even right after surgery was like I had been doing a lot of situps. NOTHING major at all. I wouldn't have known someone had cut on me if I hadn't been aware that I'd just had surgery.

Odd that you mention this, I just blogged about this and did a youtube video on it a few days ago lol

Really, nothing to be afraid of, you'll see. It's like you've just done 100 situps or crunches and you'll move a little slow but that's it!

Renee`

My husband works in construction and while he's the boss, he's still out in the field all day sweating and losing electrolytes like crazy. I'll tell you that in the construction field, the guys out here in the desert swear by Gatorade and bananas for lunch to stop the cramps. Drink a gatorade and have a banana a day and I'll bet you anything the cramps stop. If not, see your doctor because it can be a sign of blood clots. In your case I don't think that's it, I think it's just the potassium and electrolytes you're missing.

Renee`

Unless you can calibrate yours to say the same things as your doctors office, keep your sanity and listen to yours until your next appointment and then you'll see the difference between the two and are able to do the math. scales rarely say the same thing, even two identical models side by side. Just know that you're losing, pay attention to the one at home and like myori said....only weigh in the mornings. Sensitive scales will show a difference after you've eaten a meal or drank your 64 ounces of Fluid and show a weight gain.

I hope this makes sense, I just woke up and am still kinda ditzy / foggy right now (not that this isn't normal even after I've been up all day LOL)

xoxo, Renee`

our relationship has been strained for years and so I won't miss her at all. I've totally written her out of my life and I sleep well at night. I'm not stressing over it, she's just not worth it to me anymore. I fooled myself for a few years and forgave a LOT of crap she did to me, including almost destroying my family. Not even exaggerating here, she literally almost destroyed my family. I forgave but never forgot and now that she's pulled this crap I decided it was time to stop taking it on the chin and letting her walk all over me and just end our relationship.

So yeah, it's hard but honestly, who needs negativity in their lives? I certainly don't. I want positive people around me and people that support me. Anything else is a waste of my time and energy...energy that I'd rather spend helping others.

Renee`

I know that Dr. Aceves does that revision. Might want to contact him

I've only lost 35lbs so far but everyone has been really supportive. People that want to lose weight will ask me all kinds of quesitons about my surgery but I haven't had a single backhanded comment yet.

I just can't understand how people can be so mean.

I had one of these today and from all places, my sister. Her comment was "oh great now you're going to get skinny, just another reason for me to hate you." and then "you're so pretty, when the hell are you going to get old and ugly?!" urgh. We're no longer speaking. Sometimes the toxicity comes from within your own family.

Renee`

Whoa! You're not failing, don't be so hard on yourself! Calm down and take a deep breath and then like they said above, go over your food log / diary and see if there really is a problem that you can fix or if you're right on track. My guess is you're right on track because you're so worried about failing, I can't see you throwing it all away on a box of twinkies lol

Remember, stress plays a huge role in things so take a hot bath, read a book, breathe! Don't stress and it'll happen, k?

*hugs!*

Renee`