Paola

It is normal to be scared and nervous, I spent so many months worrying about other things like insurance and surgery dates that it wasn't until the last week before surgery that I started getting scared about the surgery itself. If you have considered the complications, and are still going to to with the surgery, then stop thinking about what could go wrong, and envision what your future will look like with your sleeve in place. I found this quote in Believe to Achieve: " If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed "- David Viscott I will pray for your surgery and that you may have some peace of mind. Paola

The pre-op diet does get better, I did mine from Oct 24, 2011- January 10, 2012. From Oct-Jan 5 it was supposed to be 3 shakes and 1 meal with lean meat and veggies, but I could only stomach 1 shake, 2 when I was being good. From Jan 5-Jan 10 it was supposed to be 4 shakes, I only did 2 shakes. The shakes had to be 0 carbs. I did the mistake of buying 10 lbs of an unflavored Protein that I used to love, I ended up hating it. The key to my Protein Shakes now is milk, I couldn't have milk before the surgery because of the carbs, but I can have them now. I love Calorie Countdown. The good news is that I was super ready for the 1 month liquid diet I was on after surgery, and I lost alot of weight.

I felt like I had food all the way to my throat. I really felt like I wanted to vomit, but I don't believe in sticking your fingers down your throat, if its gonna come out, its coming out on its own. It also felt like someone was squeezing my tummy. That is the best way I can describe it. In short, it was awful. I woke up feeling like food was not gonna agree with my tummy, so I actually did some broth for me to drink today.

It wasn't bread, it was the Mission carb balance tortillas. I don't actually know if they expand, but I did eat the other half for lunch, just really slowly and nothing hurt, or overfilled me.

Last night 2 hours after I ate dinner I so wanted a sandwich. So I grabbed half a mission carb balance tortilla and fixed it with some tomatoes, pickels, turkey, and cheese; I not only ate it, but ate it fast and oh my! I was in misery for half an hour. I am sure I could have made myself expel it, but I hate to vomit. I had never done something so stupid like eating out of time, or fast, overfilling my tummy and I am never again doing it! And the sad part is that I wasn't even hungry >.< Lesson learned!

my surgeon told me a month,my incisions never scabbed so I couldn't go by the falling out scab.

I don't remember being anemic ever, but now that I think about it I do have the sickle cell trait (I tend to forget). I used to take folic acid but it has been a while. I think I am going to ask my doctor Monday how much iron to take because I don't want to over do it.

I know we are not supposed to take iron and calcium together; so should I take my multivitamin that has 18 mg of iron first, and then 2 hours later the calcium citrate? Another thing is it that the iron does not let the calcium get absorbed right, or the other way around? And how much iron is too much iron? My multivitamin has 18 mg and I take it twice, so that's 36 mg of Ferrous Fumarate , and I have a liquid one too that has 4.84 g (thats g not mg) of ammonium iron citrate, so should I take the liquid one too or not? I am so confused!

The eggs tasted sweet and moist, I asked my family if the yogurt was sweet to them and they said no, so I have no clue why the eggs tasted sweet to me. And the tuna was really good, I didn't like tuna much before surgery but now I love it this way and I am getting more protein in.

My family has given me a weird look or two when they see what I am eating. For example I love to have a scrambled egg and pour 1 or 2 tbsp of natural yogurt on it. Another one is some tuna with mayo and a hint of honey, I know mayo and honey wouldn't usually be considered diet food, but I only eat 2oz of the whole can. Do you find that you crave weird combinations?

This one doesn't have any caffeine.

Does your machine take into account how much you weigh when it tells you 350 calories?

They are regular size tablets. I don't have any problem swallowing them.

Between 2007-2008 I lost 105 lbs, I went from 350lbs to 245lbs. Fast forward to July 2011 and I was 380 lbs. The doctor wanted me to go down 30 lbs before he would do surgery. From July 2011- January 2012 I managed to go down 80 lbs; and it never crossed my mind to cancel the surgery, because I know my history, I know I can lose the weigh, but I can never keep it off. The 2007-2008 episode was not the first incident were I lose and gain it, and every time it happens I gain more and more than what I started with.

I got a new multivitamin this week, its called One-A-Day women's Complete multivitamin plus healthy skin support. Has anyone here tried it? The plus healthy skin support called out to me.

Awesome! You are looking great!

You are looking awesome!

Thank you all for your kind words!

That was awesome! I totally understand the hairdresser chairs and the stool, especially the tall stools. A few moths before surgery I went for a haircut and it was torture, the arms were digging into my sides so bad! but two weeks ago I had my hair trimmed again and it was bliss, I was so happy I fit in the chair and it wasn't hurting me that I almost cried.

Finally after being in Dominican Republic since July 27, 2011 I am in my own bed, back in the states with a few great improvements! I am sleeved, and I went from 368 to 270 lbs! Awesome things have happened since my last day in the airport; 1- My jeans went from not fitting at all (wouldn't go past my hips), to falling off when I walked. My grandmother had to take them in because they were falling! 2- All my shorts look like skirts from the back because they are so big on me, I went from 28-30 to 22-24; and my tops went from 4x to 1x. 3- I can weigh myself on a regular bathroom scale. 4- I don't have to walk sideways in the airplane aisle. 5- For the first time in years I didn't need a seat belt extension in the airplane. 6- The food tray went all the way down, my belly was not in the way. 7- I have never seen my mom smile so much after one of my arrivals ( I usually came back bigger not smaller). So many victories and so many more to come! I love this sleeve, it is one of the best things to ever happen to me. THANK YOU JESUS FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE!

When I was told to start drinking water I couldn't, I would take a few tiny sips and then it would come back up; my doctor put a patch behind my ear to help with that and it did. Even though I wasn't nauseated or vomiting anymore the first week was hard because I felt so full with just a few sips. The good news was that that only happened the first week, on the 8th day I could drink and drink (don't gulp it hurts) and I wouldn't be full.

I couldn't drink until my 3rd week post up, and all I could have then were mushies; I was told by my team that the first weeks drinking was more important. Drinking juice, gatorade, soup broth, and water. Plus it gives your tummy time to heal better, and avoid leaks.

I gained 13 lbs during my stay in the hospital from the IV. I was too tired to get upset by it, I think it took me about 1 week and a half to drop it all.

I use myfitnesspal.com to track my protein, carbs and fat.

The first week post op I could only sip, and I would be so full. It would take me almost 1 hour to drink 4 oz of broth. This all changed after the first week, I can now drink and drink, and I can take bigger sips; I can't gulp though, it hurts.