Sharon's last chance

If you would have asked that question when I was about 5 days post-op I would have said NO!! But now that I'm almost 7 weeks out I would definitely do it again!! The first week was the hardest for me but day by day & week by week it gets so much better!! My sleeve can tolerate anything. I can eat anything I want just not much at all & that's exactly what I wanted!! I've lost 35 lbs in 7 weeks, I've never been able to do that before!!

I'm almost 7 weeks out from surgery now. I'm just now getting to a place mentally where I'm ok with the decision I made. Its not the easy way out for sure, but I think that at least for me personally, the benefits, in the end, will far away the things that frustrate me.
I've lost almost 50 pounds. I'm already off my blood pressure medication, and I have PCOS (and it seems that my symptoms are lessening). I feel more energetic and can move better now that I'm exercising. When I wake up, I don't feel achey or hurt when I walk my dog in the AM.
The things that frustrate me, really are the or were the mental challenges for the 6-7 weeks you don't really eat food. It gets old, and I was a little slow at healing because I pulled an internal stictch.
I think in another month, I'm going to sound like all the rest of the people on this forum who say its the best thing they ever did. Only, I want to also be one of the people, who say its not magic, and you will have hard times, and you might struggle with things, but sometimes, when we face our fears and fight through the hard parts, good things await us.
I didn't think I would mourn food, but I sorta did. I mourned the ease of going into the kitchen to cook dinner for me and my bf, instead he would have dinner (trying to hide it from for guilt of eating around me) and I'd have a Protein shake. After weeks of this, I did feel frustrated. Once I was on mushies, and now back on real food... this feeling is deminishing and I'm the happiest I've been in a long time.
Its a big decison, and I encourage you to take all the time in the world to make your decision. If you have any questions about anything that I can answer, totally willing to give you an honest none glittery answer.

I understand. I heard about those places that are like a spa. I saw something about a woman who had some form of cancer who went to Pakistan or somewhere like that, and the place was like a vacation....unlike the treatment I got after my procedure. One of the rounds doctors tried to send me home the next day. I refused, and ended up there for four nights, and should have been there longer...or they were going to put me in a nursing home. Even if that was to be the case...I would never want to risk problems in another country no matter how spa-like it is. You're braver than me!...but wouldn't super nice treatment after surgery in this country be sweet!

I should follow up my post with saying that I still get my Protein in, minimum of 65-75 grams per day, so after that is when I may fit in that special something that I just have a craving for but can't really eat much of. Getting in your Protein will prevent you from wanting the junk food. Just dont substitute that pan of brownies in instead of that chicken breast! That is not what my point was and dont think neilsleeve was getting at that either. Point is eat right but dont be afraid to treat yourself in moderation if you can tolerate it.
One of my favorite junk foods is ice cream but over the past 2 weeks, I discovered I can't tolerate it and was sick for a few hours the 2 times I tried it. Tried it once and felt bad, tried it again just to verify it was the ice cream and not something else...sure enough, same results even in moderation. I guess I will hang up the ice cream indulgence for now. Boooooooooooo!

In all honesty, if I had been lucky enough to have a super metabolism and could eat anything I wanted, and gain nothing, I'd still be eating just like them. I LOVE the taste of food...and Dr. Pepper (had to throw that in there). It's funny how we look at those that are thin, and can put down a lot of food, and we just laugh it off. Why aren't we disgusted when we see THEM with 10 slices of pizza on their plate? I don't regret not being to able to eat large amounts anymore, I'm just resigned to the fact that I can't eat like that and not be sick. I ran with the best of them, though.

I am saying I am down 18 lbs from my last dr visit. It is the visit before my classes, and before I started the liquid diet. As of today, I am down 18 lbs since 8/14. I was sleeved 9/4.
Robyn

I always reference starting weight and day of surgery weight.

So happy to hear your doing better :-)

Just curious..aren't we supposed to eat every 2-3 hours regardless if we are sleeved or not? I really think all the diet pros recommend that, don't they? Or am I dreaming? Which wouldn't be the first time when it comes to food!! Lol.

Congratulations! You look great.

I am going through the same thing as you. I too have 3 children and my husband will have to take care of them while i am in the hospital. I am praying that i dont have any complications because i need to be home with my babies. My sister is going to stay with me the 1st night that i am in the hospital. My husband will stay home. I figure i should be good the 2nd night as i wont be on the meds so heavily. I hope!!

I think its nice to wake up and see your husband or mom or a friend there. IMO.

I also thing this sounds gallbladdery. That was the most excruciating and indescribable pain I've experienced. My whole torso was in agony, I couldn't tell if it was my back or an organ in my abdomin. The the pain would be gone as fast as it came on.

Sleeved May 17, 2012. Lost 54 pounds since surgery, 54 pounds pre surgery for a total of 108. Have dropped 4 -5pants sizes, depending on brand. So excited for the journey ahead.

Thanks again for all tips. I raided the Feminine Hygiene section of Walmart yesterday and picked up the Summers Eve wash, wipes, and powder and some washcloths. Hopefully this will do the trick.

Call your dermatologist. They will prescribe an antibiotic cream, baby powder or cornstarch, and take care of any wounds that need to be lanced. Make sure you're wearing cotton undies and pants as much as possible so that the air can reach your skin.

DId you just sign up for it? In Texas you can cancel anything in writing within 3 days. Maybe better to pay as you go. Fight it.
I do stuff like that and I get so mad afterwards.

So, your finally starting to live! Congrats! I've missed you on here. Thanks for sharing, this is really important! You have a fabulous transformation!

I'm 1 week out on phase 2 of my post op diet and this is my new normal today. Hang in there

I have a question can you eat seafood like Crab Legs. I am 3 weeks post op.

Sweet stuff makes me sweat. So it makes me think eating candy, etc.

yeah.. when you change your eating habits, your taste buds change, too.. everything changes. wouldn't matter if you're doing high protein/low carb or if you became a vegan.. your taste buds would change somehow & your body would change somehow, too.. ie, maybe you'd become more sensitive to salt & sugar, maybe your bowel movements would flow more easily, etc. lots of folks on diets like the Atkins diet or south beach diet have some issues with Constipation & the bad breath & stuff. guess there's pro's & con's to everything.
kinda cool how our bodies are capable of changing and adapting, just by what we eat, though.. isn't it?

Are doing something else in place of the shakes? I already don't like anything too sweet so I'm guessing this will affect me too.

Never trust a fart is one of the biggest things no one talked about.

I was on here right after the first consult. I tend to research things to death so I read this board every day and also read three blogs from surgery day to present.
I was pretty well informed by the time I had my surgery. I was even equipped with grocery lists and recipes.
One thing I did learn from this board and real time support groups is that some people get surgery without knowing the first thing about it and some surgeons let their patients out into the world with virtually no guidance.
Read everything you can get your hands on.