Willow216

Very Happy for You! Enjoy that Vacation! Wow Hawaii!

I am almost 12 wks out and I can't eat the things I did before, I don't eat rice, potatoes, Pasta it bothers my stomach and I have no taste for it. I eat maybe one slice of weight watchers whole wheat with an egg in the morning but that is as far as my carbs go, the rest of the day is my Isopure shake and Fish, Shrimp, chicken Breast or turkey. Right now that is it.

I heard "you're not that big" from a lot of people, even nurses. I am tall and the death-dealing globules were spread out and hid under clothing as long as it was loose. Of course, I didn't have the time or inclination to school them on what price I was paying for my "not that big" body. You know the list: tiredness, heavy breathing (not related to romance ), knee pain, insomnia, apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. etc.
People watch TV shows where 660 pound people are laying in hospital rooms and think that is the definition of too big. We know what fat is. We know how to dump it for good.

I didn't hesitate to tell people, but when I first started talking about it most told me that I didn't need to do it. My BMI was 40, and people were telling me, "you're not that big."
I talked to an aunt who had had bypass surgery, and she said I didn't need weight loss surgery.
Others were surprised about my choice. Co-workers wanted to know about the liquid phase. One asked why I couldn't just do that and lose weight. My answer was that I'd never be able to maintain a liquid diet without the WLS. I'd cheat.
My mom absolutely thought I didn't need the surgery, but I knew she is delusional when it comes to weight issues. She isn't overweight herself, but my dad weighed over 400 pounds for most of my life until he died, and she was an enabler for his weight.
My husband was VERY nervous about it. He was really worried that something bad would happen. He was worried about losing me. I knew he was nervous, but it is only recently that he really told me how he felt 9 months ago when I was determined to do it. He was supportive. He told me he would love me no matter my size, but if I felt I needed to do the WLS, he'd support me. Now, I'm learning he wasn't as on board as I thought because of his own concerns and worry, but he bit his tongue to support me. (I am a very lucky wife.)
My kids didn't think I was obese, and they weren't sure why I was doing it.
Now, 9 months later, and 72 pounds less, everyone else finally sees that I needed this surgery. My kids have even had the experience of looking at pictures of me from a year ago and finally seeing that I was obese. They never saw me as obese until I was smaller. It was a really surprising moment for them to look back at those pictures of me and finally see how big I used to be.
I think the unsupportive family and friends comes from the blinders people have on as well as their own worries about losing you. My kids never would have called me obese and didn't think of me as fat until I lost weight. As a kid, I never thought of my dad as obese even though his waist was 60 inches. It was normal to me.
It may help to look at this a bit differently -- it isn't that your family and friends are unsupportive of your idea of having WLS. It is that they are supportive of you the way you are now, and they are worried about you being hurt by what they see as an unnecessary surgery.
My husband has noticed and commented that the biggest changes in me have been emotional not physical. I am happier because I don't have this negative dialogue in my head all the time telling me that I can't. I don't have the mortifying experiences in dressing rooms anymore. I don't have to worry about how I will look or if I can do something. I know I can. I am happier with myself, and it colors everything.

I'm Jealous! But very happy for you! I still have over 10lbs to go to get to Onederland! I'll see you around the bend. LOL

Beautiful!! Congratulations for your Success!

I went through the same thing the first couple of weeks after surgery, I was craving everything especially carbs, macaroni, potatoes etc, but after a couple weeks I started losing taste for the things I was craving, I haven't had any macaroni or bread since right before surgery, I would have a little mashed potatoe in the very beginning after surgery cause it was easy to eat but after a couple of times I don't eat that anymore, the only thing close to carbs I want now are mashed turnips or cauliflower (which I never ate prior to surgery). I really don't want any of the other stuff anymore. The only thing I still crave once in a while is chocolate which I will have a hershey kiss a couple times a week and I'm good. I don't even want to hear about soda anymore and I was a diet pepsi freak, all I want to drink is Water now. This surgery has changed me alot! So I wouldn't worry about the cravings I'm sure they will go away after awhile.

Wow... I had surgery on 5/17 and I just realized today how important the NSV's are. I just gotta say I LOOOOVE the new mini me - even though it's a work in progress! I've always been short n(5'2") and always felt like I was "too big for me". Make sense? I have sooo enjoyed eating and drinking out of my 1oz medicine cups, but I've gone on a shopping spree. I'm a lil over those cups - they remind me of working at the hospital.
So I've bought several different baby spoons, baby bowls, baby forks, baby everything! I LOVE it! Ha! My purchase today: mini waters (8oz size - the bigger ones are just too overwhelming anymore!), but my favorite are 3oz disposable cups. My dr's office gave me one in my little care bag, and I used it already. I found them at WM by the other paper cups/plates. They are perfect. I've also bought several mini storage bowls. My boyfriend has officially banned me from buying one more dish or he's calling Hoarders.
Silly lil NSV (the mini dishes, cups, etc.) but I love it... and think they're all so super cute! So... *cheers* to 3oz disposable cups!
Shell

I am 9.5 months out and I eat something like this:
Breakfast:
8 oz of OJ with one scoop unflavored Protein OR a Muscle Milk banana Creme flavor--NOT BOTH
10 oclock snack
two cracker cut cheddar cheese slices with two whole wheat ritz OR 1 tbls Peanut Butter and five mini nilla wafers --NOT BOTH
Lunch:
Lean pocket (13 g of protein) OR leftover chicken fajita, beef or fish I had the night before- tuna salad---some type of meat at any rate.
3 oclock snack-
8 oz of 2% or skim milk and Peanut Butter nilla wafers as above. (not together) i space them apart about 30 minutes.
Dinner:
Talapia, grilled fajita chicken, roast, (some type of meat) and a few bites of veggies. Sometimes my hubby will make hamburger helper and i will eat a few bites of it but I usually have my meat separate from them.
Snack:
I usually have another glass of milk and one cookie at night.
Some days I eat a few bbq Pork rinds if I want something salty or beef Jerky for snack. I also eat out some and I share with my husband or order a Soup. I just try to pick something with Protein that reheats well. I can make a dish last about 4 meals.

One of the reasons I've refused to believe in good food/bad food on my whole journey is because of the thinking you're going through right now. It's okay to miss foods that you loved before; it's even normal to miss those foods. But don't get hung up on thinking you can never have it again. That's a surefire way to end up with bigger mental issues over food.< /p>
Once you're back on solids, and you're very close, most of that thought process will go away. Or, sleevie will make it go away. Some things I loved pre-op don't sit well now. I don't drink milk or eat cottage cheese. My sleeve also doesn't like very spicy foods. It is what it is. As I've progressed, most of my cravings have gone away. I don't eat bread, Pasta, or potatoes, except for a bite of mashed here and there. For me, those foods fill me up too quickly and make it hard for me to drink even after 30 minutes, so I avoid them.
Good luck! The cravings will lessen as you get farther out from surgery.

I am 10 weeks post op, and what I've come to realize is that change is hard, even "good" change.
Someone on this board has said more than once that they operate on our stomachs, not our brains. This is an excellent perspective. We didn't get to the point of needing WLS without some kind of "stinking thinking" and the sleeve is merely one of the tools in our tool box.
Doubts are normal. And I think mine were strongest right about 2-3 weeks. Keep working on your brain; take this opportunity to grow and change in a positive way. Have you looked at the blog The World According to Eggface? She seems to enjoy food in a healthy way. This blog has given me some insight and a few new food ideas.
Best wishes!

Took me a while to obtain any kind of energy level. You got to give it a bit of time. The one thing you need with this kind of surgery is patience. I learned the hard way..LOL

I have seen this posted on another forum and thought it was interesting.
One of my nickname's has been Pookey - like garfield's Teddy Bear, since I was a kid, and 'ism' means the 'art of' or 'state of', etc...Pookeyism: The art of being me!

In 2008, I was struggling with infertility. Wannabb08.
Very happy to say I now have two beautiful sons!

I love the rain. And I feel pretty dazed sometimes!

My daughter is a competitive tumbler...so I'm a tumblersmom

You've gotten a lot of good advice here. But I just feel like adding my 2-cents. For the most part I was off meds within about a week, but I did a lot of walking and getting around as much as possible. If I overdid it, then I would take a pill (and usually a nap). Like so many have, take um when you need um!

Not gonna do it. There IS a chance it CAN stretch the sleeve over a long period of time. Why would I go through all of this just to dabble in things that got me where I am today? New life new habits. Leave the wretched things behind you. Move on to new things that satisfy. My two cents.

Hi Jeweliddo,
I will keep you in my prayers for a successful sleeve experience! I'm sure your going to feel wonderful like I do, its a very "free-ing" Experience.
Do you have a date yet? Let me know.
Best Wishes and Blessings for you and your Journey!

Hey Guys!!!
First, let me thanks you all for the kind and loving messages, emails, profile posts, etc... Ya'll know how to make a girl feel loved!!! ... Today, I'm a little tired and achy... I coughed a bunch last night, trying to catch a little cold... but, I'm not in any significant pain and all my drinking yesterday is causing that gas to rise and want out!! LOL... I'm not complaining!! I've had 2 popsicles, 24 oz of Water and I've been upstairs to spend time w/ my niece and nephew..
So, on surgery day, Monday the 19th, I arrived at the hospital and we couldn't find a close spot, so we parked in the middle of this huge lot... I held a conversation w/ my best friend all the way there... not winded at all, no sweating... in fact is was a BEAUTIFUL, sunny day in Chicago!! My best friend told me she was gonna have to get some saran wrap for my pants... I was like what??
Anyway, I'm so used to going to see my wonderful pulmonologist, after we checked in at the front desk, we sashayed to the elevators, up to the 3rd floor... walked down the long, winding hallway, only to realize.... we were supposed to be on the 1st floor at one day surgery check in!!! LOL...
So, I get there and see my gyn, she grabs me into a big hug and says how proud she is that I'm taking this step... I get to my little cubby and immediately get a "way too big gown".. that felt good!! And they started IVs and stuff.. that was 10:35 am... By 1pm I'd talked to all the nurses on the floor, my anesthesiologist, pulmonologist and my gen prac.. but I haven't seen my surgeon!! He's totally backed up in the ER, as Monday was the last day for them to do any surgeries for this year...
After waiting for another 3 hours, I was taken to holding and has some awesome nurses there too.. answering my questions.. Finally my surgeon appears and is very apologetic for keeping me waiting... He told my friend he would start with in the hour and take about 75-80 minutes... I remember being wheeled into the OR (my bed has this little mattress on it that inflated and stuff to help w/ circulation).... the nurses put the warm blankets on the table and had me scoot over... Dr. Gabriel (anesthesiologist) told me he was putting something in my IV to relax me... and I was OUT!!!
I remember waking up in PACU covered in warm blankets w/ the work nausea I've EVER had!!!! Nurses were great... Helped me w/ it... then the pain hit... I didn't have to say a word.. They were right there... at about 9pm or so, I was taken to my room.. (Rm 255) ... I was out of it!! My nurse and patient care prac. were awesome... At 2 am, they came and got me out of bed to sit in a chair for a few hours (she gave me pain meds before I moved)... I remember saying to myself.. Oh God, girl.. why didn't you just get a hair cut!! LOL.. then, I was I like.. I wanted this, I need this, I'm going to do THIS!!!!.
From that moment, I was determined to do everything I was asked, even when I just wanted to cry!!! The pain the first night was OMG!!!!! I was helped out of bed several times, as I had a catheter and drain.. but I sat up and rolled, etc. on command! LOL..
Later that day, my doctors visited, each asking of I was in pain.. I wasn't in really significant pain and the morphine made me so sick, I wanted to jump out of the window!!!... So, i took just one more shot of it..
My nurses spoiled me!! They said I was their best bariatric patient ever!!! YEAH!!!
Had my barium test, (little bumpy ride down stairs, but I didn't complain, because I'm doing this!!)...it went great.. Barium made me nauseous... so in the room, got some zofran... Later that afternoon, the catheter and drain were removed, oh and my 2nd IV was taken out too.. FREEDOM!!!!
I felt like a new woman!!! I immediately started getting up and using the bathroom unassisted w/ that darn IV pole!! UGH!!!... My room was right across from the nurses station, so I couldn't move w/o someone running in to see if I was ok....
I had several severe bouts of nausea throughout the day and night, but I never threw up.. My nurse, Miss Lori, told me.. girl, i want to see the hem of this gown, flying in the wind.... starting in a hour!!! I said yes ma'am...
I got up an hour later and walked two of the LONGEST laps of my life!!!.. But, it got easier each time!! I had some pain after wards, so I had a dose of liquid pain med.. no more since...
I sat in a chair, had a few visitors and calls... my 6 sisters sent me the biggest, most beautiful vase of red roses!! The card said, "We'll see you when you're skinny-er"!!!! I was so happy... (my family lives in the south FL, TX, TN, VA, and MS).. I didn't want them to come up to Chicago right now... I am fine...
Anyway, I slept A LOT!!! I walked, slept, walked slept....Wednesday morning, my doctors came by and told me how proud they were of me and I'm going to be one of their greatest success stories (no pressure doc... huh!?!! LOL) My pulmonologist told me that he was prescribing some HBP meds for the next month... because my BP would not come down after I left recovery... IDKY... so, I have 2 meds to take daily...
Before I was discharged, one of the nurse came into my room and said... You know what darling, you're gonna make it!! You will be very successful... And if you EVER need to hear that, when you're feeling low, call my number on the bottom of your discharge papers!!! You are going to make it!!!!
The ride home was surreal, because my life is totally different ALREADY... My decision to go through w/ WLS has impacted so many people around me...more on that later... But, thanks guys!! SO much... Your encouragement, love, excitement and knowledge helped me make it through 6 months!!! and now..... I'm sleeved and excited!!!!!

Hi Forum!
I have just been sleeved 12 days ago, My first day was Horrible, the pain Meds they had attached to my I.V. made me super nautious and heaving on an empty sleeved stomach certainly was not fun plus Aunt Flow showed "un-invited and 5 days early" the night before surgery so I was cramping up a storm too, (sorry fella's if this is too much Info), but after I passed the leak test they gave me some *Percocet* and I was good to go! (Me and *Percy* got along just fine for a few days)...LOL Prior to the surgery I read so many stories from the forum on how they had a hard time in the beginning with gas, burping, bathroom issues and swelling, but I really didn't get any of that (Thank God), In fact I felt I should have returned to work after about 6 days, I felt that good, It just makes me wonder if my surgeon did everything right cause I was expecting so much of these after effects but so far so good, I guess?..
After two days being home I really didn't need to do that "mushie food stage" I was able to chew the little food I did eat really well and not have any issues, sometimes a lil something will come back up but nothing to complain about, which again I was suprised, though after about 4 bites, using a baby spoon, I felt like I was filling up so I guess the surgery was a success. I do have to admit though that on the 5th day I found myself hungry every 3 hrs and I would eat a bit here and a bit there which was depressing me because it wasn't healthy stuff I was picking at and I did not want all this to go to waste, so the next few days I just kept vigil and now I am feeling better and I have not done that again. I was a bit lazy though the first week and half, I didn't really walk or anything I just found myself exhausted and just didn't feel like moving, but today I returned to work and on my lunch time I walked a mile and a half in a half an hour and I had to actually remind myself to eat something. My menu right now is 1/2 cup farina in the morning, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and 3 peach slices in the afternoon, and 3oz of meat and 1/4 cup of broccoli for dinner, which I have to say all meal items takes me more than an hour to an hour and half to eat and most of the time I don't finish it. *Yay*
All in all I am happy so far with the surgery and feel that I am no longer a "Slave" to food like I was before and I feel that maybe finally I can beat that "Over-Eating Devil" that takes over me.
If anybody else had a similar experience that I did when they were first sleeved I would Love to hear it, but of course I would Love to hear anybody's story on the forum, they are all very inspiring and I learn something new with every testimony.
Lotsa Love and Blessings to All Of You on your Journey to a New Life!!
Your New Sleeved Sister...LOL
PS: I don't know how to do that ticker thing so I just wrote out my stats, I tried a dozen times to get
the ticker on my board but it just didn't work for me.
Starting Weight: 250lbs Height 5'4"
After 2 day liquid diet: 247lbs
VSG Surgery 3/14/12
3/25/12 Weigh In: 236lbs 17 lbs lost so far
Goal: 135

I won't have my sleeve til tomorrow, but I think I will call her "My Lil Bellie" to give her inspiration on being a "Lil Bellie" LOL

Okay, mine is weird... I call my sleeve "my calamari" because it feels like a small, slick tube with not much flexibility LOL When I use to make stuffed calamari you could get just the right amount of stuffing in the little "tube" and you're done! It just would not budge. Tha'ts how "my calamari" feels! :-)