Alex Brecher

In my own experience, I didn’t have that many stressful delays or barriers compared to some WLS patients. Maybe it was because this was over 10 years ago, or maybe it was because I was too young to get anxious or discouraged (I was in my mid-20s), or maybe it was because I got lucky. It was probably because I was lucky; nobody and nothing really stood in my way. The way I remember it, I decided to get weight loss surgery after I found out that a formerly obese friend had gotten the lap-band and it worked for him. I made up my mind, found a great surgeon, and got my band. I didn’t have any real setbacks, so I guess as soon as I decided to get the band, that was my “Yep, I’m getting WLS!” moment. It sure felt good to know I may not need to spend the rest of my life fighting food.

@@LipstickLady, What a good post! Your examples are hilarious, of course, but they ring so true. What percent of the whole truth do we typically tell? Probably as much as we can without getting into trouble, which isn’t much. It’s amazing to me that people think not sharing about weight loss surgery is a lie. Those must be people who are either concerned about their own weight, jealous of your success, uninformed about what WLS is and how it works (and how YOU work to make it work!), or some combination of the above. @@Christinamo7 is right that it’s probably not worth the effort to try to explain your position to people who think you’re a liar because you didn’t feel like sharing about your WLS. Unfortunately, knowing that these people aren’t worth your time doesn’t make it much easier when they look down on you. @@Proud2BMe, I agree that there’s a difference between not telling and actively lying, but I’m not sure the difference is that important in some cases. For example, are we obligated to tell the truth to avoid actively lying when someone asks us directly if we had WLS, even if we didn’t bring it up and don’t care to talk about it? That seems like they’re asking for a lie because it’s a personal question that they don’t really have the right to have an answer to. But I do have a very hard time actively lying...and also I love telling about my surgery if someone's interested! So maybe my answer would be different if I wanted not to talk about it.

Thanks for your recipes! @KristinLe, thanks for sharing the link. Let us know ow it is! @@Valentina, sounds great! How do you prepare your tuna?

Wow, thanks for sharing! Your experiences can really help out other members! All of these mistakes are so easy to make, and it can be so useful to others to learn from your hard lessons. @@Kindle, I am so glad you are okay. Hindsight is always 20-20, isn’t it? I mean, looking back, the risk factors were there…but I know I wouldn’t have thought to disobey doctor’s orders in a situation like. @@sharonintx, I hear you on the counseling issue! Thinking about it, it seems like WLS should be something we can handle mentally, especially since ideally we lose weight and improve the quality of life. But the WLS journey can get really long and it’s hard to deal with delays and setbacks, not to mention the unbelievable physical and emotional changes. @@Christinamo7, good call on being patient! You have your entire life to get fit and develop the exercise habit. The only things you can do by rushing it are depriving your body of nutrients, getting injured, and burning out. It’s great to start with a manageable amount! Yep, @@Nurse_Lenora, too many WLS patients don’t take their Protein and Water seriously. It’s a magic combo for weight loss! @@Gaylene Davison, uh-oh! Too funny – at least, looking back. I’m sure it wasn’t so funny at the time. I bet more of us than we care to admit have had similar unfortunate experiences eating in public too soon. Thanks, everyone, for sharing your mistakes. At least making mistakes is a good way to learn.

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Okay, it happens to all of us. We let ourselves take “just a bite,” and it turns into half a pan of brownies. Or we sleep in for one day, and all of a sudden a month goes by without going to the gym. Or there’s a little party a week before surgery, during the liquid pre-op diet, and we sneak in some solid foods. There are all kinds of ways to get off track. Sometimes it lasts only for a few days. Other times it can last for longer, and lead to a serious stall or even regain. I know it has happened to me: I have seen the scale climb up and realized that it’s not an accident – it’s because I wasn’t eating as strictly as before. So, when have you gotten off track? How long did it last, what caused it, and how did you get back on? Your stories can help us all be more watchful so we can stay on track!

Hearing feedback like yours makes me really happy. Thank you for your detailed review!

I know six months feels like forever. The only advice I have for you is to try to turn the waiting time into something positive. Is there something you can do to make surgery easier? For example, you could try to start an exercise program if you’re not doing one already so that you’re in shape and surgery is easier and safer. Or you could practice your healthy eating and new recipes. I know it feels like too long, but try to see the positive. And definitely keep us posted!

@@taramarie523, You’ve gotten some good advice here! I’d add in a hand blender or food processor so your pureed foods diet is easier. Also, I’d suggest not loading up on TOO much flavored Protein powder/shakes, although you do want some, since your tastes can change after surgery. Let’s see, you might also want some unflavored powder and bouillon so you can have a change from the sweet taste of chocolate and vanilla Protein shakes. You might want some Water flavoring drops or flavored water, too, just to give yourself a break from plain water while you’re trying to get in your fluids. Good luck!

@@phuckyourtruth Sorry to hear you’re having regrets! You’re very welcome to express your frustration and anger and regret here, since that’s what we’re here for. But I’d also remind you that it’s done, so the best thing you can do for yourself now – whether or not surgery was a mistake – is to be as healthy as you can. On a positive note, the period you’re going through now is often the worst for many sleeve patients. Once you get through it and you’re losing weight and feeling stronger and not in pain, you may feel better about it. I hope so! But by all means keep feeling free to express whatever’s on your mind here!

Good question! Yes, I have the knowledge that I don’t NEED the band, at least in theory. I’m the one deciding what to put in my mouth. I even have spent much of the past several years with my band completely unfilled. But I knew surgery was right for me because I had always struggled and was sick of it. I was pretty young when I got surgery, and I didn’t want to spend my adult struggling with my weight just like I had spent my younger years doing so. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.

I am sorry, @@rydersmama! Plantar fasciitis is one of the most painful injuries! The good news is that usually it’s not a “serious” one that destroys your body permanently. The others have good advice. Use the frozen Water bottle, stretch your foot, toes, calves, and hamstrings, and wear good shoes. Yes, some people struggle with it for a LONG time, but you can do yourself a favor by doing your therapy – stretch and ice – a TON. Do it several times a day, as many times as you have time for, and you will almost certainly see results. The people who don’t see results are often the ones who only try it for a few days and aren’t serious about it. It takes a long time, but you can ice and roll your foot whenever you’re sitting – even eating dinner or in the bathroom, and stretch whenever you’re watching TV or reading. Good luck! I know it’s super painful.

@@Elode, thanks for the update! I am excited for you! You have been wanting this for a long time, and you deserve to get exactly what you want because of your hard work and commitment. Good luck, and I bet the recovery period won’t be as bad as you think.

Good topic! I think I fall most closely into the third category. I definitely follow portion control as in the second category, but probably pay too much attention to my diet to say I’m a non-dieter. I don’t forbid myself specific foods, as in the first category, but I do often think that certain high-calorie, unhealthy foods are a waste of space, so it’s better to choose healthier ones to fill up my pouch. I do try to go for healthy foods first. If I am not hungry enough to eat something healthy, like a salad, I don’t let my head tell me I’m starving and need that ice cream. But, if I’ve wanted ice cream for a while and the desire doesn’t pass, I’ll plan for it and have it – in moderation, and with a lot of attention so I get full pleasure!

@@crazygoose, I am sorry it’s been so hectic for you. You’re best off in you’re in your best mental and physical state possible before surgery, so I hope you can somehow block the negativity. It sounds like it’s not even reasonably about you and/or the surgery. If your mom’s flaked out on you before, she’s probably flaking out on you now not because of the surgery, but because that’s just what she does. As for your grandpa, he’s right to be concerned, but there’s also a good chance, like you said, that neither you nor he knows the full story behind his friend’s death. If you’re already dead set on surgery and they won’t support you as you want, you can only block them out and look for support where you can. Good luck!

I think a lot of weight loss surgery patients have their goal weight higher than the BMI chart’s definition of “normal” or “overweight,” especially at the beginning of their journey. The reason may be because it seems more “doable,” so patients may choose that goal themselves or their surgeons may suggest it as a goal weight. Like @@her1981 mentioned, it’s possible that your goal weight can drop as you get closer to it. When you’re losing weight and feeling better each day, why stop at an “obese” weight if your body is looking towards a “normal” weight? But for some patients, they may find they just can’t break into “overweight” or “normal” BMI ranges. It seems that some people just aren’t meant to be a lower weight. That’s fine, as long as you’re happy and healthy where you are. A fit post-op BMI of 30 is way better than an unhealthy pre-op BMI of, say 40!

@@carolina07, I definitely hear you about not wanting to count calories. It can be boring, time-consuming, and kind of anxiety provoking. If you follow your post-op diet instructions to the letter, you should be fine. If you stick to the recommended serving sizes, which are quite small, and stick to the foods that you’re allowed – that is, mainly low-calorie foods – then your calories will work themselves out just fine without tracking them. There are a couple of warnings, though. One is that you really should measure your food so you know for sure that you’re sticking to the proper serving size. The other is that maybe it would be worth logging a couple of times so you can be absolutely sure you’re not accidentally sneaking in more foods than you think. I also think it may be worthwhile to log calories every so often, even if it’s just once a week. That way, you can be sure you’re on the right track. It’s also good for when you have a plateau and you need to see if you’re still eating properly or if there’s something you need to fix. As for a high-Protein diet, I think there would be similar issues. You’d have to make sure to choose lean Proteins and stick to the right serving sizes, and logging every so often can help you make sure you’re on track. Then there is the long-term consideration. Can you keep up with a high-protein, low-carb diet for the rest of your life? Or would it be better to establish a healthy carb pattern now, while your surgery is recent, so you can keep it up forever? You’ve gotten a lot of good advice and ideas here – including do what works for YOU! Good luck!

Thanks for sharing these stories! I think it is really important to take an honest look at what went wrong and how to fix it to be able to prevent it or at least handle it sooner in the future. @@VSGAnn2014, I love it! That is definitely a skill we could all use! @@shriner37, yes, back to basics is often what it comes down to!