minaleigh

It'll pass. I ended up taking a LOT of naps the first two weeks. The first month I barely had energy to take a shower! I asked my doctor, "how is it possible that at my highest weight ever, I didn't get out of breath taking a shower, and now I do?!" You went through major surgery and it takes its toll out on the body. Once you're able to introduce more substantial food, you'll regain your energy.

Maybe chew on some ice? My guess is that since you're less than a month out, that you're not on solids yet. Maybe a popsicle? Happens to pretty much everyone!

How far out are you? Do you feel like you need to spit a lot? If yes and you're not that far out, this happens to some people post-op. For the first three weeks after surgery, I had excessive saliva that I had to constantly spit out. Does this sound like what's occurring?

I hope I have legs like yours when I get closer to goal! Good job!

I'm not trying to sway anyone either. As of now, I don't have regrets. I know whenever someone asks about my experience at a support group meeting, I can just see the person leading it (usually the program's nutritionist or who I think is the program's liaison) just cringe. Apparently they only want to talk about how the surgery is nothing but rainbows and butterflies. Even though I had a terrible beginning post-op, I'm so much happier after surgery.

I had complications. My stomach twisted after surgery and it prevented me from keeping anything down. The second day in the hospital they put a stent in. It helped a bit but then got worse. I threw up constantly for the first two weeks. I couldn't get any sleep because I would wake up from a dead sleep to throw up. After a trip to the ER in week 2 for dehydration because I couldn't keep anything down including Water, I was readmitted the following day and they took the stent out. Did a complete 180 and was 100% better. I've had fluctuations with my weight, bouncing back within the same 3 pounds, but no significant weight gain.

It might also be a little too heavy of food for you right now. I had pizza too early and threw that up because it was so dense in my stomach. It helps to slow down while eating so your brain and stomach are on the same page and you know when to stop. I'm surprised you're allowed to eat something like that already. I couldn't have "normal" food until 3 months out and was on stuff like Soups, pureed, mash potatoes, etc until then. Work your way slowly into real food. Take it one step at a time. Your stomach will thank you for it.

I'm kind of wondering this as well. My health insurance sucks (don't they all?) and barely approved my surgery after originally jerking me around and denying it when they obviously should have been reading their own policy. They always charged me a whole lot more per month because of my weight. In order to have it for less, I need to be under 230 (which I am now) and stay there for a year before they even consider lowering my price. Now that I'm at a more reasonable weight, I'm just thinking about switching companies all together since my deductible sucks and they never file my claims correctly. I'm wondering how insurance companies approach covering people after they've had weight loss surgery.

I think you're fine. When starting out, it's not best to have super cold drinks on a healing stomach, but you're far enough out it should be fine. I LOVE cold cold cold drinks, and have been able to drink them fine for a few months now. Never could stand drinking warm Water. Freezing a Protein drink is a good idea if it helps you get them down easier. I've heard many people, including ones in my local support group at the hospital, say this is what they do. I think you're pretty normal.

The only time of the day I seem to feel actual hunger "pains" is late at night. Then again, I used to snack right before bed. Now when I'm lying in bed, I start thinking about what I want to eat tomorrow or buy at the grocery store next shopping trip. It's not that bad, but it's annoying.

Are you sure your BMI is 30? I'm 5'7" as well and one of my goals is to be 170, and that'd put my BMI around 26.5. Your body will know when to stop, in most cases. I don't think it'd go as far as kill you if you got too small. Other people on here had lower BMIs on surgery day and they've leveled off. If anything, all you'd have to do is eat more, which doesn't sound too bad. As long as you're eating well, you shouldn't die of starvation.

Congrats on your success! My mom has a friend who sounds like some of your family and is literally obsessed with food. She's about 350 pounds (she claims 250, but there's no way in heck I weighed more than her at my highest weight when she's twice my size). She eats four plates at a buffet, plus two Desserts and she's diabetic! She has no interest in losing weight and even goes so far as trying to find doctors that basically coddle her. If a doctor tells her she needs to lose weight or that her co-morbidities are because of her weight (she has to take 30+ pills a day for them), she'll find a new doctor who will say what she wants to hear. It's sickening. I wish I was balanced enough to wear heels. I'm scared to wear anything higher than one or two inches. Part of the reason before was because my weight. I mean, how embarrassing would it be to walk in heels and one of them break off? Now, while I'm still heavier, it's mainly because I'm so uncoordinated and graceless, I'd break my ankle or fall flat on my face, lol. Maybe once you get closer to goal, you're family will be more open-minded about surgery or at least be willing to listen to what it's about. They'll be jealous of your success.

I was one of those who originally was going for the lapband, mainly because I am younger and didn't want something permanently done to my insides. After researching thoroughly about all the complications, weight gain, etc that comes with a lot of lapband patients, I switched to the sleeve. My reasons for not even considering gastric bypass?: Didn't want my system rerouted. A lot higher chance of dumping syndrome. Malabsorption issues, which can lead to malnutrition. The weight loss is just about the same as the sleeve. Obstruction seems to happen more often, like with the lapband. Going to support group meetings, I notice that people who had the bypass looked more sickly than ones who had the sleeve. Not everyone did, but just a trend I noticed. Right now, I only get acid reflux when I have something with bad butter (like the buttery topping on popcorn), margarine is fine though. I don't have to take a daily pill for it, I just pop a couple of Tums when I have it and it goes away pretty quickly.

I know I have. I just want to tell them that they can be so much happier and freer (looks like a weird word...) if they got the surgery. But then I think, "when I was at my heaviest, would I really want some stranger to come up to me and tell me to get weight loss surgery?" The answer is no, I wouldn't want them to. I would just fall into a depression and probably eat myself through it if I looked so fat, that even strangers would comment on it. I think they need to come upon the decision on their own, it's what I did.

No idea where the other 62 pounds are going to come from! You're looking great, girl.

Hold your nose while you drink? Lol, I don't know. If my protein drinks have a bad smell to them, I've never noticed... Which ones do you use?

At least once a week! I'll get out a plate and start putting on sleeve-sized portions, but then it morphs into me looking at the plate thinking I didn't put enough. I keep piling on the food still thinking that it's not enough, but when I go to eat it... Then I completely regret doing that, telling myself "why did you think you could eat that much?!" Ah, silliness.

That's amazing! I'm thrilled to see how well you're doing. Congrats on being in onederland. And weight is just a number. If you look and feel good and comfortable in your own body, it shouldn't matter if you're not "where you're supposed to be" bmi-wise. Keep going at it, girl!

You seem to be doing awesome! You're 3 months ahead of me, but there's no way I'd be able to lose 121 pounds in 8 months at the rate I'm going! I'll be lucky to lose 75 pounds in 8 months. You're doing great.

My plan recommends a minimum of 60 grams a day. Some plans vary, but most seem to have a minimum of 50-70 grams for a woman. You're still really early out, so it'll be tough getting it in the first few weeks. Concentrate on water for now, then when you can eat more, it'll be easier to consume more protein.

I am officially in the 2-teens! Goodbye 220s! I won't miss you. I haven't been below 220 since junior high, or at least freshman in high school. I can't be too sure though because I never weighed myself. I'm basically going off of clothes that I've saved and how they fit, even though I've grown several inches since then so naturally my BMI is going to change. I tried on clothes I've been saving since before my rapid weight gain, and some fit and some were too big! I don't need to shop for bottoms now because I've dug out 3 pairs of shorts, 4 pairs of capris, and 2 pairs of pants. All I need now are shirts that don't look like tents on me, lol. Even at my heaviest, I had pretty good blood pressure. It averaged about 110-115 over 70-75. In an earlier post of mine, I was worried that my bp seemed to be higher than it used to be, even though I've lost 70 pounds since my highest weight. Donated blood today and my bp read 100 over 70! I used to have dimples on my lower back, one on either side of my spine, and they have returned! Before, my fat "filled them up" and now they're back. I can now see a slight indentation above my collarbone. If I shrug my shoulders, I can see my collarbone clearly! I work in a movie theater and one of my jobs requires me to go up and down stairs all day. I don't get out of breath anymore. My ticker starts the day of surgery, but from my highest I am halfway to goal! 70 pounds down, 70 to go!

You never would have guessed you were ever heavy at one point! Looking good, chica.