Lissa

I loved this post! Especially the line about food not loving us back. That resonated with me. Welcome to VST and good luck on your journey!

I was researching this today and just added the ICE to my phone, with a note there to look under "Notes" for Medical Information. My medical info has the date updated, then a list of everything I take daily, including Vitamins and Rx meds. I also took a picture of my WLS card given by my surgeon, which includes his name and phone number and used that as the picture for the ICE listing on my phone. Thanks for the great suggestions!

I posted before and after pics last night, then woke up this morning to my second day at 298.4. I guess I can officially claim it now!

Yeah, Niki! There is no ONLY about 30 pounds lost. That's terrific at six weeks! I'm glad to see that everyone is having so much success!!!

longer-life, I'm so happy that you've finally got a date! Disney, food Network doesn't seem to have as many food commercials as the other channels. I also watch a lot of HGTV when I'm on a TV kick. I usually skip anything Guy Fieri hosts on FN, mostly because he's showing all the foods that made me fat: ribs, fried everything, and his show features lots of bread products, something I'm trying to avoid for the most part.

Belly, If you need pain meds, take them. I have a VERY high pain tolerance, but many people do not. That's nothing to be upset about, whether it's high or low. I think it's great that you are posting how you really feel. It's instructive for others who are thinking about taking this journey. The best part is that the pain you are experiencing now is temporary and you will be amazed at how great you feel once you're through the initial surgery pain and losing weight. If you remain this honest, your story will definitely show how much this surgery changes our lives!

lika, I think that it's necessary to progress through the stages to get your tummy ready for solid foods. I've read that the stomach is a muscle, so it makes sense that the muscle needs to be worked out before going to the next step. First you give it liquids, then mushies, then soft regular food, then other foods. I waited nearly 8 weeks before giving mine tougher foods like raw veggies and I'm still finding that some things bother my tummy. Rex (my tummy) still doesn't do well with raw broccoli, no matter how well I chew it. Also, very spicy things bother Rex and anything with vinegar in it makes me wish I'd skipped the pickle, olive or cole slaw. I'm sure this will improve as things heal more, but it does take time and effort for the tummy to be ready for the next step, IME.

Okay, I'm in. This will be my first challenge, too. I don't know if I'm picking a good number or not but: SN - Lissa CW - 298.4 GW - 280, L2G - 18.4

bayarea, Sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk. What I initially thought was gas pains turned out to be pain from my over-filling my sleeve with liquids. I was walking like crazy to try to pass the gas pain and drinking a bottle of Water at the same time when it dawned on my what it was. Drink slowly, small sips and give yourself some time in between the sips. Do NOT guzzle...that causes pain. Walk more than you think you need to because it helps with the pain. If following those instructions don't help, then call your doc's office, but I bet you'll be fine. You may also want to consider some kind of gas reducer like tums, prilosec, etc, if your doctor allows it or will tell you it's okay. Tums helped me once I was a couple of weeks out from surgery.

Stefanie, I don't know how to convince you not to have a "food funeral", because it seems that most of us do it. Just remember that you WILL be able to eat on the other side, just not as much. And, there will be some time where you will not be able to eat solids, but it will pass way more quickly than you think. I did nearly 8 weeks (including pre-op) of Clear liquids, then full liquids, then mushies. It's worth it in the long run. Try not to gain between now and when your pre-op diet starts. That's my only advice. Good luck on your journey and welcome to VST.

Welcome to the loser's bench, Shug!! It sounds like you are doing great so far. You will be amazed at how quickly you feel better and better. Good luck on your journey!

Juzme, I think you've hit a stall. I drink decaf tea with splenda daily and I've had no problems with it. I did have the dreaded 3 week stall. It lasted 2 weeks, then I had a big drop, so I don't think Splenda affects me. Try changing things up and see if something jump starts the weight loss. Losing splenda is as good a thing to mix up as anything else.

Yay is right! You're doing great and keep up the good work!

Disney, I have watched more episodes of Chopped since being sleeved than I can count!

So, I decided to finally post a picture of me and took a face pic. Then I compared it to my before surgery picture. OMG, even I can see the difference. So, here goes my attempt to put both pictures in a post!

Well, I wish I had found this forum sooner! I'm 45 and married/separated but working on it. I have two kids from a previous relationship, boys who are 25 and 21. I've spent most of my adult life fat and gaining. I was sleeved two weeks before my 45th birthday, so I consider my sleeve my gift to me! I have to comment on the wedding dress picture... it looks like it's too big for you! Looking forward to being slim for the rest of my adult life!

I tell everyone, and did before surgery too. I've had ONE negative comment and that was on a non-WLS message board. Since I know that poster is obese herself, I let it roll off my back as jealousy on her part. I just posted pics of myself to that board (and here) to let people see the results I'm getting. I'm totally thrilled so far and very happy with my sleeve. I haven't had any negative comments to my face. If someone is talking about me behind my back, I don't care. At least they are leaving someone else alone.

Congrats on the speedy weight loss!! I love the darker shirt on you. For some reason, it really highlights your figure!! You're where I want to be and your pics inspire me!!

Maybe it's cheeky, but I wish I had done this sooner! Before my health issues started. Also, I took too much "stuff" to the hospital and then had to pack it all back home. I didn't use my laptop, just my iPhone and I didn't read any of the book I took to the hospital. I also never put on "my" nightgown or any makeup. Since I only spent one night, I left the hospital too quickly to really use any of that stuff. I DO wish I had taken my body pillow (would have made laying on my side more comfortable because of the support) and I was very happy that I took my cape, which doubled as a blanket and a cover-up for when I was walking. I wish I had looked at my liquid pain meds and known what the metric to english conversion was for it. Because I didn't, I had to spend the night I came home from the hospital in pain. I still haven't opened the bottle. I also bought too much Protein powder and I didn't need the baby food that I bought "just in case". The Protein Powder is being slowly used up, but I really didn't care for the taste just after I came home. Lastly, GO TO THE SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS if your doctor/hospital/center offers them. They have been invaluable for the support of the other sleevers, even though I'm not super fond of the psychiatrist who runs ours. I've learned almost as much from those folks as I have learned here.

LOL that you've been putting manna in your Protein shakes! I have a book that my doc puts out, about 50 pages or so, with sample menus and lists of foods that are allowed at certain points. On "clears" I was allowed SF pudding, SF popsicles, SF Jello, broth, etc. I fondly remember the bowl of egg drop Soup that I drank, avoiding the solids, not long after surgery. For some reason, that bowl of soup was so delicious...and I could only drink about 2 oz of the liquid. You will find things that work for you after surgery. My tastes changed very quickly afterwards. I haven't had cow's milk since day 2 post-op and green tea still tastes like plastic, IMO. But, I've found other substitutes that work well. You will as well.

Have you applied for Care Credit? If I understand correctly, their terms are a little looser and the loan is specifically for medical/dental work. It's a great thing for sleevers and others who need medical care and can't get conventional financing.

Like courtines, when I woke up I still thought I could back out. I was thinking about backing out when they put me under for the surgery. Boy am I glad I didn't back out. I agree with the others, talk to your doctor...make sure you trust him or her to do your surgery. I actually cried when talking to my doc before surgery (and after, too, but that's another story). Only you can decide whether this is for you or not, but don't back out because you think you "ought" to lose the weight on your own. You WILL lose the weight on your own. VSG is not a magic bullet. It's just a tool. You still have to make the right choices about eating and exercising. What VSG has done for me is to make it possible for me to say NO to too much food, to say YES to walking and eating right. I'm not constantly walking around hungry, or rather, laying around and being hungry. The improvement in my body and health is seconded only by the improvement in my attitude toward life and everything that entails. I can walk and move so much easier now. I feel so much better knowing that I am losing weight and that I can continue to lose weight without worrying about being hungry 24/7. I'm saving my own life by making the right choices. There is a lot of head work involved in the process of getting sleeved. Only you can do that work and decide if this is right for you. I'm betting, though, that you are almost ready, just because you've done the research to get so close to having this surgery. Give yourself a few days, then decide which way you want to go. Good luck. I can't wait to see you on the loser's bench.

I agree with Sitting Pretty. I'm losing weight in funny places, too. My upper arms are skinnier, although I've done nothing for them yet. My butt is shrinking fast, and boy did I have a bodacious booty before. One of the inmates at the prison I worked at got in trouble for saying "That white girl has sure got a Ghetto Onion!"... and he was right. I also now have definition in my chest area below my bust. I think I'm proudest of that because I now have separation between boobs and belly. LOL I LOVE that dent! As for clothes size, at 50 pounds down, I've had to move one size smaller on undies and sports bras, two sizes down on jeans/pants, and one size down on shirts. Of course, I'm hoping to get out of the 300 pounds in a few days, so I was definitely bigger. I'm expecting that I'll drop sizes faster once I'm closer to Onederland.

Allformy4, I had two c-sections and I don't think the pain from VSG was anywhere near as bad as either C-section. Now, my legs hurt just like they did when I was trying not to use my tummy muscles after the C-sections, but that's the only real comparison for me. My best advice for pain is to make absolutely certain you know what your dose of liquid pain meds is for after surgery. I really wanted a dose of that Loritab the night I came home from the hospital, but I was hurting too badly to figure out the conversion from ml's to tablespoons, so I went to bed without it. I still have a full unopened bottle of Loritab liquid. I'll be donating that to the police department's drug drive early next year. If you look to the left, I finally have a face! Oh, and Get In My Belly, I'm glad that it seems your pain level is getting better. I think you should probably call your doc about the pushing urine out thing. That sounds like a UTI symptom to me, as well.

You won't feel hungry after surgery and the clears that seem so inadequate now will seem like manna from heaven afterwards. You may have "head hunger", but your sleeve will quickly help you avoid overeating. Good luck!!!