Lissa

Christen, I freely admit that I couldn't have done this on my own. Does that make me a failure? NO. It makes me a woman who was smart enough to see that I was dying and brave enough to take a chance. My reward is that I rolled double sixes and I now have a new life that I get to make as wonderful as I'll let myself make it. I'm happy and content and that shows to other people in ways I'd have never imagined before surgery. I did this for me, but it wasn't easy. I double dog dare anyone to tell me I took the easy way out. And then I'm going to wake that person up at six am every morning to go to the gym with me, make them track their food and water intake daily, make them weigh every morning, lift weights while they drive down the highway, do yoga stretches for flexibility, and, in general, try to keep up with ME!

Thanks, Puja, but have you looked in the mirror lately? If I remember correctly, you're the girl who did a liquid diet for MONTHS pre-op! I'm totally impressed by that.

Take smaller bites and chew every bite at least 30 times. Especially when you're eating meat. I also try to eat slower when I'm eating dense meat like chicken or steak because the full feeling will sneak up on me when I'm in the middle of chewing a bite and then my choices are to spit the bite of food out or risk sliming. Good luck!

My joints hurt for a long time, especially when my weight loss was rapid early out. I also had balance issues and kept running into walls. Your body takes time to adjust to your weight loss and it sometimes seems like it's getting worse rather than better. I actually was kind of ticked when I started having knee pain really bad, but that pain is now gone and my legs are very muscular nowadays. I sometimes still catch myself walking like I did when I was heavier, with short, mincing steps. If I readjust my stride and take longer steps, my knees don't hurt.

Salmon is one of my favorites these days. The poor fish guy at Publix always gives me a funny look when I order 1/4 pound of salmon, but that's more than I can eat at one sitting and it's just me eating here. I like the frozen patties, but they are hard to break up when they are still frozen.

Heck yeah!! A good pedi is one of my favorite treats! Bonus for me, it helps improve my circulation in my legs and I count it as a medical expense because I had such horrible swelling and discoloration in my legs pre-sleeve from the edema caused by my DVTs.

Haven't read the whole thread yet, but I'd say no to the frozen yogurt right now, even sugar/fat free versions. I became (and still am) lactose intolerant after my sleeve. I can't eat any dairy except cheese without having horrible diarrhea and cramping. I cannot imagine having that happen this soon post-op. You may be luckier than me and not have those issues, but I'd be very cautious simply because many people apparently have lactose intolerance for some period of time after the sleeve. I was hoping mine might be related to my gallbladder, but nothing has changed since it was removed a month ago.

laura-ven, In some ways, I'm probably more of a foodie now than ever before. I refuse to eat food if I don't find it both nutritious and delicious, at least if I'm going out to eat. I'll admit that my morning protein bars aren't yummy; they're fuel, but if I'm paying for a meal, I want something really good. When eating at a restaurant, I will leave if nothing on a menu appeals to me. That's not to say that sometimes the strangest things really catch my eye. I once ordered tilapia in a greasy spoon diner and the waitress looked at me like I was nuts, but that was what sounded (and tasted) good at the time. Last night I ordered scrambled eggs for dinner...just scrambled eggs. It's what I wanted, so that's what I ordered....in a Mexican restaurant. LOL I'm not all into gourmet tastes, etc, but I want tasty, nutritious food when I'm paying for a meal.

JMS, I couldn't stand anything sweet, especially right after surgery. I drank lots of broth because the sweet protein shakes made me gag like crazy. Smells were horrible too. We lived behind a Mcdonald's and it just about made me puke to drive by there. Once I started the acid reducer those both got better, but it took me awhile to realize what I needed to control the issues. Your pain meds will help with nausea too because your body won't already be fighting the pain and can use some energy to control the acid.

Puja and Aussiegirl, Those feelings are exactly why my weight loss journey is an open book. I offer up a copy of my "fat pictures" anytime someone asks me about my weight loss and I'm always happy to send someone here to read. I'm a walking testimonial to WLS, especially the sleeve! I've seen quite a few people who have started their own diet and exercise/WLS journey since I have had such amazing results and it humbles me to think that I might have had a small part in that. Two of my girlfriends are having surgery this month, one with the same group of doctors I used and the other in Mexico. I've received a few private messages on facebook from people who tell me that I inspired them to start their own weight loss journey, or to get back into the gym. Those messages outweigh the sister in law who won't speak to me because my posts about my workouts, weight loss, or food goals offend her. BTW, one of the gals going for WLS was one who was mad at me for awhile because she said I had attitude. She's now picking my brain for info about the surgery. I'm glad to have her back in my life and thrilled that she's being proactive for her health.

Yeah, that painful feeling is automatic portion control! Congrats on being sleeved and on your weight loss so far!

Congrats!! I bet you already feel amazing and the best is yet to come!!!

If Chaz Bono had WLS, I don't want his/her surgeon. I remember seeing somewhere that Chaz was saving/working toward gender reassignment surgery. Poor Carnie Wilson. I think someone has missed the boat with her. She truly needs someone to help her deal with the mental aspects of her weight loss journey, IMO.

Follow your doctor's recommendations, of course, but most of us are out of the woods for leaks by six months. Other complications can still happen, but they are definitely uncommon. I've heard of people's stomach twisting, abcesses, etc. But those complications are even more rare than incidents of leaks.

There are no prizes for not taking your pain meds, you know? Take them. You're not going out anywhere and you're definitely not going to work, so take the pain meds to take the edge off. You won't become addicted in just a few days. Congrats on being sleeved!

I think we all have our food issues. Mine is now Cheetos, although that is easing up some. I allow myself one single serving bag a month, but I have a ritual of sorts when it comes to eating that one bag. I haven't been able to break that habit completely, but I'm learning to manage that habit now. I can walk by almost anything without wanting it...and I shocked myself last night. My boyfriend ordered this big, yummy looking cupcake with tons of frosting and chunks of chocolate and nuts in it for dessert. He was moaning while eating it and saying how good it was, then offered me a bite. I declined without even thinking about it. I liked watching him enjoy the cupcake (he has no weight problem), but I had no desire for even a bite of it. To me, that is huge progress, because I might have wrestled him for that cupcake pre-op!

Congrats! Welcome to the loser's bench!!

Let's see. I'm 18 months+ post op, down over 120 pounds, feeling and looking fantastic. Do I feel like I've accomplished any less because I had surgery rather than doing it the "traditional" way? Nope. I've still had to watch my food intake, drink water, get in my 70g of protein daily, exercise and do the head work required to accept myself as I am rather than some idealized version of myself. In other words, I've worked just as hard with surgery as I'd have worked without surgery, possibly harder because I couldn't use food to cope with the mental aspect of weight loss, so I had to actually work through my issues. The big advantage is that I had a tool to jump start my loss and I have a tool to help me maintain my weight loss. Would I do this surgery again? HELL yes. For me, that's all there is to it. Good luck on your journey.

I take Tylenol gelcaps when I need headache relief.

Sleevedreamer, It is finally out (Feb 5) and I feel amazing! I didn't even realize how much pain I was in until the pain was gone! I'm slowly working my way back into my gym routine, but I'm about to go take myself for a solitary walk on the beach. Temps are in the 50s here in S. Florida today, so I know I'll have it all to myself!

You need the calories from food to continue to lose weight and be able to function long-term. You're starting now to fuel your body rather than just eat to eat. You need to provide your body with good fuel so that it will run efficiently without breaking down internally. You need the protein and calories to protect your important muscles while your body lets go of the fat. Don't worry about gaining weight. That's almost impossible with the amount of food you'll be able to consume. Concentrate on being healthy and developing healthy habits and you're going to do fine!

I did self-pay, $12,500. I wanted the surgeon that I got and was willing to pay for it since my health insurance has a total exclusion for bariatric surgery. For me, going to Mexico never crossed my mind because Dr Domkowski came SO highly recommended. My best friend is an ER nurse and had worked with him previously. Between her endorsement of him and his amazing success rate, I was sold completely. I still feel it was the best decision I ever made and worth every single penny!

I have to give you kudos for your pre-op weight loss. If the doc makes any comment, explain to him/her what happened. No one is perfect, not even my friend up there, Proudgrammy. If you don't stumble, how will you appreciate your victories later? Good luck! You will do great with the sleeve!!

Not to be flippant, but the only suggestion I can give you for the pre-op liquid diet is "Just Do It". That is the absolute toughest part of this journey for most of us. I ate a lot of sugar free popsicles (the only "solid" I was allowed) and drank a ton of Water and crystal light. By day 3, you should be having an easier time of things. I had to do three weeks and I made it through by sheer grit and determination because I didn't want my surgeon to refuse to do my surgery. Good luck on your journey!!

I buy MIO drops without the added caffeine. My personal favorite is the strawberry watermelon, although the orange tangerine is a close second. I've also discovered that some brands of coconut flavored water are good now. I couldn't stand coconut presurgery. I will also kill a gallon of decaf tea in a day if I make it. If I'm out and must get a drink from a restaurant, I order unsweet tea and add my own splenda.