uwishtoo

I started at 224 in January 2012. Weight on surgery date 199, weight this morning 188. I started with a BMI of 40.3. I have lost most of my weight because I began eating like I would need to after surgery in February. Feels GREAT to almost be able to cross my legs and bend to dry my toes without having to bend around my belly.

Good thing I went back read your surgery date lol I thought you were saying since JANUARY you only lost 11 pounds - I would be pissed if that's the case. I am really hoping i have such a good loss at a quick rate.

I switched to drinking Water out of a toddler cup with a straw. I know there are conflicting views on straws, but for me it was the only way I could get the water in so I took the risk and haven't looked back. It still feels like a full time job getting enough water in, but it has gotten easier.

I fell asleep with the electric blanket on the other night and woke up terribly dehydrated, worse than a hangover, it was a real reminder of the importance of getting the water in there!

Of course, water also helps with constipation.......

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Electric blanket??? YIKES! lol It hit 105 here a few weeks ago and will stay there or higher til probably September - I can't wait for the days of Electric Blankets again.

I read all of these posts about not being able to drink enough water and I guess until I actually get sleeved i just can't imagine it being difficult but I guess I will soon find out.

I did exact what you are doing. And I'm glad I did. As far as seeing food as the enemy, no, I see it as more of a burden for now. My body needs its nourishment, but I could easily go without eating otherwise. I see ppl eating things I loved a few weeks ago and think " you are killing yourself". I still get cravings but they are so much easier to overcome. All I do is look at th price and think, "no way I'm paying $8 for a dish that's 1/2 rice or potato" not to mention portion sizes seem so huge to me now, I'd be eating 1 restaurant meal for 1.5 days & that's if I ate nothing else. YUCK!!! Can you imagine eating the same thing over & over.

I am hoping people don't start looking at me weird when I order off the kids menu I am out and about alot and often have dinners or Snacks at bike nites so .... besides not being able to drink soda anymore I will not eat out much either.

Wish, If you can find some SF of those ones that are "to freeze", please let me know! I loved those things before surgery and want some SO bad for this summer, but I'm not willing to do the sugared version of them!

I found the site that has them and then there is a store locator - http://www.jelsert.com/Products/Freezer-Bars/Fla-Vor-Ice.aspxand the

store locator shows this but it didn't let me choose just the sugar free ones spcifically - only that product in general http://www.jelsert.com/Store-Locator/

you can buy them on this site (which is where the jelsert site leads you to https://mybrands.com/ but you have to buy in bulk and the shipping is like 28 dollars for 14 dollars of the product.

also on Amazon - not sure how this price compares to the regular store ones I can buy at Dollar General http://www.amazon.com/Fla-vor-ice-Light-Sugar-Freezer-Count/dp/B005QDCNLA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_gro_1

Tex, It's a no no after surgery, but I do drink some diet Decaf soda. I have a case that I opened around the end of May. I keep it out of the fridge, but sometimes yes, I do drink one over ice. It's NOT a trigger or slider food for me now. If it caused me to want other sweets, etc. then I wouldn't have it. I did wait until I was 4 months out before I had one, though.

LOL All I gotta say is if it's diet and decaf then what's the point? I used to drink Diet Decaf Pepsi and liked it - for some reason I started back in on Dr Pepper and Pepsi and now just love it so right now I made a lemonade crystal light and gotta get used to that

In the freezer section. Walmart has a tropical Popsicle brand that are awesome. Also some budgetsaver brand...

THANKS! I guess I was focused on the "to freeze" ones that I spaced on the fact that they actually have ones already frozen duh. Geez lol

I am still eating what I want since I don't have to do the liquid pre-op til three days prior but I do keep having the thoughts when I do eat something that "damn I won't have this anymore" lol I know I can eventually but still...

I called my surgical center prior to my first appoinment and checked with my insurance as to the requirements before starting my journey. I met with my surgeon on 4/9/12 and had my sleeve 6/7/12. I did most of the requirements before ever meeting the surgeon so that I could streamline my process. I have lost 34 lbs since I began my journey and 9 of those in the last week. Don't be afraid to call your insurance company and ask tons of questions. They should have a standard for the surgery to be approved. Read it and inform your surgeon. I completed all my tests and made sure they got to the surgeons office. I did not allow time to pass I was done being too big for my britches!

I keep seeing the large amounts of weight being lost with such a short time and just wondering where you started at? Kind of wondering if it's different for people that are smaller and have less to lose?

(Alright how did I get two tickers? lol)

sugar free popscicles also count at part of your liquid intake.I always flavored my Water usually with crystal light,Now I like to drink vitaminwater zero. Good luck to you

I cannot for the life of me find the sugar free popsicles. Are they the freezer pops or do I need to look for something else like in the freezer section?

Gosh, this makes me feel lucky that my husband is "dieting" along with me. If I make a shake, he has some too. If I heat up some Soup, I hand him a mug. I just put Protein in everything that's mine and pretty much leave it out of his (because its so expensive and he doesn't like the taste.)

I made him dinner tonight because he had a long day, running around town, taking his elderly mother to doctors appointments. I made him a salad and some fish and chips--the salad had me drooling and I REALLY wish I could have had a taste!

I can't wait until I can have salads again

I can honestly say that salad will never make me drool. lol Probably if i had eaten salads I wouldn't be fat.

go to travel.state.gov and look into the passport expidited process.. you can also check online to see where it is in the process. Im going to Seattle to the actual office, I can get it possibly same day or it may take up to 5 business days. You can look on the website for local offices in your area.. you may want to consider that.. its costs more but your garunteed to be let back in the states! Do not go without.. you may never get back!!

I posted the same link right above you a few days ago. But I agree no way would I trust traveling without it. I have had people say they did it but my luck I would never make it lol

If you are going to the local office be sure you have your proof of travel with you (round trip airline) and be within 2 weeks of travel or they won't talk to you - at least that's what it said on their recording. I kept checking mine and all week it kept saying IN PROCESS so I was going to call a few Fridays ago when I checked the sight again and it said it had been sent out and I would have it within a week. I had it that afternoon. They don't update that site too well

I'm so sorry that you are not getting all of the support that you deserve, especially when you are doing something so great for yourself and making sure that you are around for your family for a long time. I wish everyone had a great husband like mine, I have been on the pre-op liquid since June 1st and have not cooked one meal! He won't even eat in the house because he's afraid that I will smell it! All I can say is Thank God!

And people wonder why I am still single? lol

Seriously I like knowing that someone else mushes up spaghetti and tacos - I was wondering about that. I am just having a hard time really imagining only being able to eat a few tablespoons. I stocked up on all my Vitamins and kind of wonder if those are going to go down easy too? I got two of them sublingual (sp?) then someone told me to buy a prenatal one plus I also made darn sure I got one for nails and hair. I have inch long natural nails and I don't care if I lose some hair but my nails better not go anywhere. People can pick me out from pictures just if my nails are in them. (Seriously I was on TV once in Phoenix arguing with an Illegal Immigrant activist and she asked me for MY papers so I whipped out my social security card and that's all one station tuned in on - my nails - and a few friends saw it and said that's SUE) lol Getting antsy now - 2 weeks and counting.

Isn't the will of the entrepreneur astounding? Seems we will do almost anything to get back to work faster.

You bet! Took me 2 years to build my practice up - two of my clients know what I am having surgery so they won't freak if I don't go in. I have the luxury of working from home just like I am sitting right in their office at their computers

Ditto. I work as a consultant and i can't see taking off more than a week. That's too much money to lose. LOL!

Yep no work = no pay. Sigh I long for the days of sick leave and vacation days lol (Um not really)

MY doctor recommends 3 weeks off, plus two nights in the hospital. And that's for those of us with desk jobs!

I have a desk job (well I own my own accounting firm) and there is NO way in hades I will take 3 weeks off. If I took any more than a few days off I wouldn't have a business left. Heck I wasn't even off 3 weeks with back surgery (major) and a mastectomy (also considered major). And I am 54 years old. If I am sore or not up to par I will deal with it. Since I am only in each clients office for up to 5 hours max than no biggie. The hour long drives to and from clients might take its toll but again.... I'll deal since I can't NOT work for more than a few days. I'd go insane

wow. so when you lose the weight than what. still flip flops or those SEXY hills

I like the way you think!

uwish i feel you on the dressing when i was smaller i would dress up wear make up and lived. now barely. i want to feel that good again

Even before I gained all the weight back I still changed my lifestyle when I moved here. The first week I was here I was all dressed up and went to the apartment managers office at the place I rented for the first year and she told me within a year I would be dressed like her (flip flops and capris) and I thought NAH! she told me I now lived in the Land of the Frump lol I have 400 pairs of high heels I haven't touched in years. The life as a biker is totally different than my old country club life. Most of the time I LOVE it but I still want the option. Though when I do dress up and don't have a bandana on some of my friends can seriously walk right past me til I say HEY it's me lol Happened a ton of times.

lol My best friend was whining the other nite that he won't be able to cook for me soon (we usually have dinner and a movie nite once a week) and I told him he could always cook Jello. Then I thought about it and said oh no wait, never mind. (Because he actually screwed up Jello a few weeks ago) lol I have been clearing my cupboards out and eating what I have in there which is alot and haven't bought any things to fill up my freezer either so.... it's just me. But I know the late nite Mac attacks and Taco Bell runs will kill me

I am having surgery on the 28th and flying back to Phoenix on the 30th - actually planning on (hoping to anyway) go right from the airport to a surprise Bday party that nite - who knows? I don't drink but I might not feel up to it just depends. But I will be back working remotely (as I do most days anyway since I own my business) the next day (Yes I work 7 days a week - 5 - 15 hours a day depending on my clients needs) then I will be back in house with a client on Monday and Tuesday then able to stay home on Wedensday which is the 4th anyway. Even when I had gall bladder removal or breast reconstruction I was back up and moving around and driving within a day or two.

Pretty much the same as above, Fought my weight all my life, was thin for maybe 15 years then right back up and down and up and now that I have hit menopause I am just up and up and up. Plus in the last few years I started my own business and work such funky hours that I know I eat at bad times and I also eat bad things but without this I have no more self control. Most days I work from home and I sit in my jammies - no motivation to get dessed and put maekup on. Before I moved to Arizona 6 years ago I dressed to the 9's every single day, heels and a designer dress of some kind. Now anyone that sees me on my bike in my profile sees how I am usually dressed. I want to look good one last time during my old age lol Unlike what I have seen others talk about I have told people and if someone doesn't like it then OH WELL, not my problem and not their body to worry about. June 28th can't come fast enough

Oh and I am taking all of my ID with me anyway - my Passport, license and social security card. I carry the last two with me at all times anyway

I have applied for my passport card but have no idea if it will come in time. I was told by a few people if I have my drivers license and original birth certificate, I will be allowed back into us...anyone else know if that is true? And if I get my card in time do I still need the additional id?

I would never risk it but .... I would be calling and finding out where the heck it is. I applied for my full passport on April 27th and nearly a month later I got a letter asking for more documentation which I immediately sent - I sent it Fed Ex and the Tucson facility signed for it on the 29th of May (I rememeber since it was Memorial Day weekend. I had my passport in the mailbox on that following Friday the 1st. To me at least Mexico is unknown territory and while I am sure it's going to be ok down there I would never travel without a passport or the card. I know if you go to http://travel.state.gov/passport/status/status_2567.html you can check on the status of a regular passport and if not you can find the location of your loal place to make an appt to go in there in person but oyu have to have your confirmed travel date and proof of airline tickets round trip 2 weeks prior.

WELL ME BEING A GUY, I DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OF RIDING ON BACK, SO I HAVE TO KEEP MY BABY. (LMBO) I DO PLAN ON GETTING ME ANOTHER CRUISER NEXT SUMMER, HOPEFULLY A YAMAHA BAGGER, AND MAKE IT TO STURGIS IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS.

SMITTY

Oh c'mon now Smitty - where's your sense of adventure? Of COURSE you can always ride bit** lol I would never dream of selling my bike, no way in hades. Took me 2 months to save for the surgery but as of last week I got it all paid for plus the airfare. June 27th I fly out of Sky Harbor and the 28th I have my surgery first one in the early AM (first one in before the day group even comes in from San Diego since I am going into Tijuana the nite of the 27th and then fly back to Sky Harbor on the 30th.

As far as the Yamaha goes - I LOVE mine - now that I have the surgery paid for I am going to start with the "bagger" accessories. Custom made tour pack (egg shaped not the huge thing) and then a Quadzilla fairing and of course VH pipes or Cobra. Since one of my clients (and good friends) is a bike repair shiop and he does custom builds I am going to leave it with him for a month to get it all ready for the riding season in the fall. Too hot here to ride now anyway other than in the evening, I am hoping I can tolerate the heat a little better once I lose the weight.

I read on a few other places that people rode within a few weeks - I won't but just cause it's hot and when I do I will wait for the stitches to come out anyway.

Thank you for answers. Im worried about not having a passport but have been assured it will be ok. I feel confident in dr. Kelly, just usual fears that are compounded by my 9 yr old afraid I wont make it back to him.

You are traveling to Mexico without a passport? How is that possible?

Gas x strips r awesome!!

Just reporting that I am 17 days out down 19 pounds- was pretty miserable- questioned myself and my reasons , cried and was horribly sad- 2 days ago snapped right out of that :-) it shows a little bit, new foods going well!! Positive thinking!!

Beautiful day , back into jeans- gonna get pretty for my man and go riding for the day!!

Have a great day my friend sleevers and it's only up from here :-)

That's AMAZING! I think right after the surgery everyone feels that way (or I can imagine) but knowing what others have gone through and what to expect along with the progress reports helps alot. 25 days and counting !