Lissa

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!!!

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!

I think two miles of walking is pretty good at only one month out! Average isn't a fair number for anyone. I've lost nearly 50 pounds in two months, but I weighed WAY more than either of you to start. You can only compare yourself to you. It will make you frustrated and angry with yourself to compare yourself to others. If you feel able to do more exercise, go for it. If you're not able to do more exercise, that's fine, too. The goal is to end up healthy when you're done losing weight. I have pretty severe restrictions on exercise because of health complications and walking is about all I'm allowed to do right now. However, walking has helped me drop weight, regulate my bathroom habits, and made me more comfortable with other types of activity. Walking IS working to tone my legs and butt.

GetInMyBelly, I drink with my chewable vitamins to wash down the last bits of the pills. My Nut said to wait 5 minutes between pills/chewables before taking another one, but I take my meds all in just a few minutes with about 4 oz of water. Then, I brush my teeth and get ready for the day. That usually gives me about half an hour between the pills and breakfast so that I'm not pushing the vitamins through before they get a chance to work.

Free2B, Before surgery, I had a blood clot in my leg that shot two smaller clots into my lungs. Those smaller clots are considered pulmonary embolisms. I took Lovenox injections before and after the first two surgeries I had (filter installed before, then VSG, then filter removed afterwards). The first shot or two is intimidating to take, but it gets easier after that. Did your doc warn you that Lovenox will cause bruising at the injection sites? I had horrible looking bruises, although they did not hurt. Also, usually Coumadin is normally given for three months, then you should be taken off the Coumadin for a few days in order for the doc to do a "D Dimer" blood test. If not clot signs are found in that blood test, then you'll be off the Coumadin, or should be off it. If you smoke, NOW is the time to quit. It aggravates the clotting condition. I'm back on Coumadin, after being off for a few weeks, because I had clot signs in my blood during my last blood test. The doctor tells me I should be off the Coumadin in January (3 months) and I'm hopeful that I will be able to forget taking that medicine very soon. I carry an index card in my wallet that lists my meds (Coumadin and asthma meds) and it resides just behind my WLS card. That way, EMS and an ER doctor would know immediately that they need to give me Vitamin K to increase my clotting factor in case of an accident. Good luck! Oh, and make sure your doc adjusts the amount of Lovenox you are taking to account for your weight loss. Dropping 50 pounds has changed the amount of Lovenox I need to take if I have another procedure done.

I don't order appetizers much because they are often fried or overly spicy for Rex (my tummy). Even mildly spicy seems to upset him, so I avoid peppers and chili-based items. I will order a kids meal or a full meal and take the leftovers home. Many places have a choice of hot dogs, fried chicken fingers or mac n cheese as their kids meal, which aren't too hot for me. I HAVE a card, but no one has ever asked for it. Dennys has been great about allowing me to order senior portions of meals. I love their grilled fish. As for drinks, I usually order an unsweet tea or Water and ask for a to go cup. That way my drink stays cold while I'm waiting to be able to drink after I eat. In "nicer" restaurants, I just order water and drink a few sips before the meal comes to the table. Usually, I order something grilled or broiled, rather than fried, but I admit there are times when a fried chicken leg is just the thing. I know better than to have one every week, but if I'm craving something, I will eat what I'm craving. It often turns out to not be as good as my head told me it would be, especially when I can only eat two or three bites of it. I am avoiding breads, Pasta and other simple carbs like rice and mashed taters, but that's my personal choice. IMO, they take up too much room in my sleeve that I could devote to a good Protein source.

It's true that you will by physically incapable of having a huge pig out on anything after surgery. BUT, your "name" says it all. You are sick and tired of being fat, heavy, obese, whatever term you want to use. You are having or developing health problems and difficulty with walking, exercise, and you're scared that you won't live to see your kids (or grandkids) grow up. You have to decide which you want more: the ability to pig out and get fatter, or the ability to enjoy a smaller amount of your favorite foods while enjoying a longer life. If you choose to go through with the surgery, you'll have a much longer time to enjoy the good life, while still feeling like LIVING it, instead of watching it pass you by. I had health problems that made my final decision easy. I hope you don't have health problems, but you will eventually develop them if you continue to gain weight. You've probably tried every diet out there like most of us, and haven't succeeded with the diet plans. THIS is a wonderful tool to help extend your life expectancy. Good luck, whatever path you choose!

Good luck with everything. Just keep slugging and hopefully, it will all work out so you can have the surgery this year!!!

Try adding more walking to your routine. I found that the more I walked, the easier everything else became. Take 1 sip at a time, let it dribble down your throat, then wait a few minutes before trying again. If you're really worried, call your doctor's office, but I'm betting they'll give you that same advice...drink slower, walk more. I had horrible pain every time I drank for a couple of days, but walking and drinking slower worked for me.

Congrats!!! She is gorgeous!!!! The picture of her sitting up is amazing!!! I'm glad everything went okay and that your family has increased!

I did Phen-Fen way back then, too. I haven't been told about any heart problems, so I guess I lucked out. Of course, I was only on it for 2 months...then my boss, my mother, my brother and the boss' dad sat me down and told me I HAD to quit taking Phen-Fen because I was acting like a lunatic. I didn't even notice at the time, but apparently I was pretty whacked out in my behavior. I've had none of those symptoms with the sleeve!

Your co-worker's mother is probably a lot older than you are...and probably has a whole lot more co-morbidities than you have. As the other ladies have said, there is a horror story for every surgery. I had a friend's dad die from gall bladder surgery, 25 years ago. Methods and knowledge change over the years and the medical professionals get better all the time. If you are comfortable with your surgeon and his/her practice, talk over your fears with them. I didn't like the first surgeon/practice I visited and went looking for another doc immediately. My surgeon is awesome and I met his staff on the first visit...wonderful people! Once you are comfy with the surgeon and practice, it's a lot easier to move forward with surgery if you trust the doc and practice. Have you had the psyche and nutrition appointments yet? Those will help you make your final decision with all the information in place. There is DEFINITELY a head aspect to this surgery and you need to make sure you're mentally and emotionally ready before you do this. Good luck on your journey!!

I think 135 and 5'7" is going to be too skinny. If you look at pics of some of the other sleevers, especially LilMissDiva, they are very thin at much higher weights than you might think. I believe she's 150 to 160 now. (Sorry if I'm overestimating your weight!) Since you're 18, you do have a much better chance of not having lots of loose skin. It also helps that you don't have things like c-section scars to deal with for the long run. I think it's great that you are dealing with the weight issue now! Good luck on your journey!