mldavis1969

I tell people the total amount since I started my focus on weight loss. It all counts, don't short change yourself.

Well I will chime in here.... I am a bourbon and Water gal.. so my choice is pretty simple... I used to drink wine and beer but cannot stand the taste of either since surgery, besides beer being carbonated which I avoid.
My 2nd choice is a Bloody Mary, that way I can at least pretend there is some nutritional value in the drink
I would AVOID like the PLAGUE any and all fruity, frothy, frozen drinks with any kind of mixer... including, Margarita's, Daquaris and the like, as those mixers are loaded with SUGAR.
I shudder to think of dumping a shot into my sleeve! You would probably have to scrape me up with a spoon!
Martini's made with Gin and Vermouth or Vodka and Vermouth, Gin and Tonic and other similiar drinks have less sugary mixer in them . Although again Tonic Water does have 16 grams of sugar in 6 ounces. Again Avoid the fancy pink, girly, chocolate versions... sugar sugar sugar.
GOOGLE low calorie cocktails, experiment a bit and find one or two you like. Memorize or write down the recipie(s), when you first get to the bar ask the bartender to make your drink according to your recipie, tip him/her generously and you should be set for the evening. As long as you don't go ordering shots!

Last night the single most embarrassing thing to happen to me so far on this WLS roller coaster occurred, but I can't stop laughing about it. I hope you enjoy, commiserate, and can share your own stories of mixed embarrassment/hilarity for catharsis' sake.



I asked my wife to take weekly photos of me in only boxers on the day I started my pre-op diet, Jan 22 so I could have a consistent photo, with even time intervals, in the same spot with the same pose/clothes for the duration of weight loss. I'd like to be able to accurately point to where I was on each step of the journey 5 years from now, not to mention compile a stop-motion-style video clip that accurately shows how my body changed, at what rate, etc. You know, is it smooth, are there fits & starts and the like.



Last night was photo number 3. I'm still pre-op (Sx Feb 12, WAHOO), and it hasn't been that long, but I've lost 30 pounds so far (WOW! If only it was linear until my ideal weight, I could be there by July). Having lost so much weight (the equivalent of 1.5 of my son), I was eager to compare photos and see if I could tell a difference. In order to have photos side-by-side on her phone, she had to text them to herself. No big deal.



So I'm holding her phone last night, trying to look at the differences (if any) that I can spot when all of a sudden her phone buzzes and up pops the message: "Please stop sending me photos. I don't know who you are or what you want, but I'm not interested in sexting with you."



I was mortified. Somehow we had entered our own number wrong and sent 3 potentially scandalous photos of a very large, near-naked man to a stranger, or at least we hope it's a stranger. Certainly someone local with our area code.



Thankfully the person was incredibly gracious when we explained what had happened and apologized. So much so that they finished off with "Again, don't worry about it. These things happen. Not that I want you to have to have WLS, but I'm glad it wasn't anything worse for me. Congratulations by the way, you're making a fantastic decision and good luck! If you're willing, keep me posted. I don't know who you are, but I'd love to hear how you're doing in a few months."



I couldn't stop periodically bursting into laughter for several hours thereafter.



What about you? What hilarious stories do you have? Or do you hope/pray will grow funnier as time goes on. Please don't share anything you're not 100% comfortable posting online - I don't want anyone to regret a post, but wow, writing this all down has helped it be funnier for me and eliminated nearly all of the shame-piece.



Take care,

Smye07

I took 4 weeks off -- one week is not enough, you need to heal healthily and completely -- it IS major surgery after all. Good Luck.

This is the first time posting any pics. I am a couple days shy of 2 mos post op. Down 46lbs.

I had surgery almost 10 months ago. Hubby is just eatting better

I remember being pre-op and my favorite thing to do was look at progress photos and dream
I am 6 months, 10 days post op and I am down 128 pounds total. This isnt a very great pic since I have been sick, but i still took it because anything is better than my before!!

Hi Robin, I decided 7 months out from when I wanted the surgery and then everything I did after that was going to that goal. I quiet smoking at month one, and started every step my insurance needed me to do to get the surgery. I remember fondly, going out to different places to eat foods I expected to never to eat again. And I remember the last drink of alcohol I had at my parents house.
That said, if you're not ready for this procedure then don't, it's ok? Only you can decide that and no one here will look at you different. I think your 10% complications is a little high by even so for some of us it's a worthy risk. As for getting to skinny, it's rare but it does happen. It's not something to stress about.
Best of luck to you and please keep us in mind what ever you do.

Robin: Only you can know if it is time. But Im going to tell you my own story. In January, 2014 I was in a really good place. I was eating well, too much, but well. I was happy and excited about the surgery. I was passing all the tests. I was headed for a May surgery date. Then, at age 60, I started bleeding. I had uterine cancer and I had to have a hysterectomy and resolve the cancer before I could resume my journey toward my RNY. Then my bariatric surgeon said I had to have a colonoscopy before he'd operate. I had a long wait for that test, so I went to Cape Cod for what I now call my "Farewell to food (month long) Tour. I gained 20 pounds on that vacation. When I got back, I had the colonoscopy and returned to my surgeon. Immediately, they put me on a Protein shake diet and scheduled my surgery for five weeks later. At that point, I really had to decide. I have Type 2 Diabetes, sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, etc. Before I went to the surgeon in the beginning, I had decided I wanted to stay alive. At the assignment of the liquid diet for rapid weight loss, I decided I would rather live than die. Those were my choices. Yes or no. I chose yes, started drinking Protein shakes, and several weeks later, I had my surgery. That was October 28. Twelve weeks ago today. I've lost 62 pounds, I'm about half way to my goal. With the exception of about 5 minutes in the beginning when I realized in a big way that I could not eat a real meal, I have not looked backwards, As soon as I lost the first 20 pounds I got it. Pick up a 20-pound bag of groceries. Go to the gym and pick up a 40- or 60 pound weight. Think about how heavy that is. It is such a relief to leave that behind. If I don't lose one more pound (which I will), I will wake up happy that I am 62 pounds lighter. All of my co-morbidities are either gone or better. My A1C is 4.2! I don't have to lean on my grocery cart to make it around the store. I'm pretty sure food was the best friend of most or all of the people reading these forums. Everybody has a story. My story today is that I have diabetic retinopathy, and I have to have surgery or go blind. I had to make a choice - yes or no. It doesn't work being an artist who can't see. So, once again, I choose yes.
At the beginning of my journey, I read an article in the New York Times that said only half of the people who go to an introductory seminar about weight loss surgery actually make it to the OR. Right then I decided I wanted a life. You are no better or worse off than anyone here. Just like the rest of us, it is yes or no. With MORBID obesity, that translates to LIVE or DIE. You still have a choice. I hope you chose YES. GOOD LUCK to you. And God Bless.

Hi! To be honest, it sounds more like you don't want to have the surgery than like you are having doubts. I would recommend you stop perusing the surgery option until you are at a point in your life where it will work for you. Good luck and thank you for your honesty!

After my clearance appt. it was 1 week. the office called and made an appt with the dr. peters. Then once the ins was approved i was called to sch surgery. My ins was approved right before christmas on the 23rd.

Good luck all & GOD bless!! My surgery is scheduled for the 12th of this month. We are blessed to have this opportunity and the mindset to want to make a change. I wish all of you success before, during, and after surgery.

Mine is the 12the as well. My Dr advised me a pre-op diet was not necessary but I'm going to start one tomorrow just to be on the safe side. Like you, I am super excited and super nervous as well. Good luck to you. Message me if you need support!

Jan. 12 so excited and nervous. I have been trying for 2 yrs. Finally it is all working out.

I'm on day 4. First day was horrible. I am also working through it. We have all come to far to mess up. My surgery is Jan 12/

Jan. 12 so excited and nervous. I have been trying for 2 yrs. Finally it is all working out.

Jan. 12 so excited and nervous. I have been trying for 2 yrs. Finally it is all working out.

Down 75 lbs!! Today I bought my first pair of jeans not purchased in the plus size stores and a size MEDIUM top at banana republic! I'm ecstatic!
SW: 262, size 22/24 pants, XL tops
CW: 187, size 14 pants, M/L tops

I am on the Journey. I also have Dr. Peters. I have 2nd of 6 diet classes tonight. I hope to get surgery date around Halloween.

Jan. 12 so excited and nervous. I have been trying for 2 yrs. Finally it is all working out.

Jan. 12 so excited and nervous. I have been trying for 2 yrs. Finally it is all working out.

I'm on day 4. First day was horrible. I am also working through it. We have all come to far to mess up. My surgery is Jan 12/

Mldavis1969, you're in Delaware too? Are you going through Chrias?

My name is Justin Wiseman. I would love to share my story with you. I have been bigger than everyone around me for as long as I can remember. I have my report card from kindergarten and there in black ink under my weight is 100 lbs. Wow, 100 lbs at 5? All the doctors my mom took me to said I would grow out of it, but the only thing I grew out of was my pants. Well actually jogging pants because that was the only thing my mother could find to fit me. food was my world, it was my everything. It made me happy and took all the pain away. By the time I was in middle school I was over 250 pounds, and when I graduated high school I was over 400 pounds. After high school I pretty much stayed home. I hated leaving my house. After everything that I had been through I never wanted to feel humiliated again. By 25 I topped the scale at a massive 600 pounds, and at the age of 26 I was given only months to live. I was suffering from severe complications of cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. As I began planning my own funeral I had the ultimate “aha” moment and finally realized exactly what I was doing to myself. Desperate for one day of complete freedom before I died I began looking for options to shed the pounds. Being too big to be operated on I was left fighting the battle on my own until I was healthy enough to be cleared for surgery. Over six months I lost 130 pounds, and was actually healthy enough to be taken off several medications. I then had gastric sleeve surgery and over the course of two years I lost a total of 420 pounds. In the midst of the battle I made what I call my “Live IT List” kind of like a bucket list but my focus was on what I wanted to live for, not do before I died. With that my “Live IT List” was born and my desire to live was unstoppable. I got my one day of freedom plus a whole lifetime more. My focus has now shifted to helping others in similar situations along with doing my best to help eradicate childhood obesity. I was a child in the 80’s and the epidemic keeps growing. My story was extreme, but there are so many out there facing an even worse fate….death. I am the perfect example of what childhood obesity actually turns in to, and I have made it my mission to put a face on the cause. We hear a lot of statistics but people tend to overlook them, but if people asctually see what it turns into the impact is so much more. I feel like everything I went through was for a reason and if I can help save someone's life it was so worth it. I spend my days helping as many people as I can find their freedom and I really hope I one day get a chance to share my story with the world and throughout the schools. If you want to hear more of my story my blog is theliveitlist.tumblr.com my public page www.facebook.com/theliveitlist my personal page is www.facebook.com/justinwiseman13 and follow me at twitter.com/theliveitlist

My surgeon requires 2 week of Optifast before my surgery. And advice of the flavors (chocolate, vanilla or strawberry) I should get or any I should avoid.