candy1980

Shortness of breath from just turning yourself over in bed
Arms that are too short to clean yourself properly
Clothing sizes that begin with X
Shame when you hear the whispers and giggles behind your back
The appetite of three people

Something strange happened tonight. I sitting here reading and I have an itch on my chest. I go to scratch it and something feels weird. Like not quite what my hand was expecting. After a minute I figure it out.....my man boobs are gone. WTH??? My wife said she noticed several weeks ago. She says they've been replaced by something called pecs. They are firm and flat and right where my man boobs used to be. Any of you other guys have this.....side effect? My Dr. Didn't warn me about this.

Ever since I started thinking about a sleeve, my biggest worry was, "Will I be able to lead a normal life again?". I see that question asked a hundred different ways in this forum. Let me add my experience.
I should mention that "normal" for me looks different than "normal" for most Americans. I get to a lot of places, and eat a lot of different foods. I was terrified that I would not be able to function in that lifestyle.
Today is my 6 week anniversary, and life started getting back to my "normal"
I am writing from my hotel in Singapore.
On this trip I have survived 3 airline meals, and 3 formal hosted Chinese dinners with 5 to 7 courses. I managed to get through it without insulting my kind hosts, or throwing up, I actually had some wonderful little morsels. I hit all of my Protein targets with 3 conventional meals and one Protein Bar a day. I didn't have to make a bunch of dietary demands, pack a ton if supplies, or turn my hotel into a "shake factory".
Tonight I had a few treasured hours to myself, so I went to my favorite Hawker Center where I have spent many hours sitting with friends and locals surrounded by the smoke and clamor of a bunch of busy Satay stands.
I managed to eat a few of my favorite Satay and some of my favorite Sambal Stingray.
I just wanted to assure people that life post-sleeve does not have to be bleak or ordinary. These are actually "soft" foods. (OK the satay is marginal but I get promoted next week).
I really miss the cold Tiger Beer that goes with this meal, but I know I will back to that eventually. In the mean time I am down 53 lbs and feel great.
This has been a great life-altering decision for me, and I did not have to give up much at all.
I hope the attached photos make it through.
Sent from my iPad using VST

what is sex???

I have been having to wear a girdle, ever since my wife found one under the seat of my car - LOL
"No, it's mine, really...."

I'm not sure if by "down there" you're talking about your pannus or vagina, so I'm just going to call them what they are, since I would not say what I'm about to say interchangeably. If that makes you uncomfortable please feel free to insert euphamism of choice. Just use the right one for the right body part!
For the pannus - make sure you dry very well after a shower. And use an antibacterial soap while showering. Get as dry as you can, even if you have to use the blow dryer. Apply either a powder, or an antiperspirant/deodorant combo (I use the pomegranate Dove). Not both. I prefer antiperspirant because the powder can sort of paste up. If I ever use powder I use Mexsana, but I've been swiping a line of antiperspirant on my pannus (like chapstick on a smile) for years. You may still get moist, but you shouldn't get wet. You will not stink. And best of all - the deodorant sort of lubricates your skin, so you don't get the skin-skin breakdown/rash.
For your vagina - much the same. But I have a question. You say you're noticing an odor. Can you tell if it's from your exterior/outer skin (e.g. labia, or where your thighs meet your groin), or is it from your interioe (e.g. change in body chemistry and your normal discharge)? You can powder if you want to - I don't, but I don't have the same problems you're talking about. If I did, I would. But I would not use Mexsana. It can burn a bit, especially on sensitive skin areas. Make sure you do not get powder inside of your vagina/vaginal canal. Exterior use only. Use an antibacterial soap (not antibacterial like softsoap, but good antibacterial like safeguard) and use a rough washcloth. Everyone wants poufs and fluffy towels, which is great, but they don't do a thing for helping your body shed the dead skin cells, or scrub off the gunk. I buy the cheapest washcloths I can find at Walmart, the bulk pack of white ones for like $5 or $7. They're just about perfect. Anyway.
Wash well with antibacteria soap, then I'd probably wash a second time with a feminine wash. Dry yourself COMPLETELY - seriously even use a blowdryer if you need to. Or dry off, then wait a bit, then dry off again. Cotton panties as someone else mentioned, as little dye as possible. Sit with your legs open whenever you can. There's a reason we stick our hands between our thighs when we're freezing. It's WARM. But warm + moist is not a good combo, so you want to give yourself as much opportunity to cool down/dry out (from any sweat) as you can. Don't wear snug underwear, either. Go a size bigger if you need to. If the elastic banding can cut into you, that can make things worse. Don't wear undergarments or pants for any longer than necessary. I.e. instead of hanging out clothed at home, but on some loungewear or a mumu or something.
HTH, IME.

Thank you Lissa! I do want to be healthy ((Hugs))

Try baby foods and pedyalite.... It won't help with trying to eat different foods, but at least you will be getting the nutrition you need....
Also, try tuna.... Or canned chicken... It's perfectly cooked and never makes me slime or dump. I have the lapband but I'm getting the sleeve.... I plan to start with the canned stuff and work my way up to cooking it myself (it's cheaper to start with canned food.... Because if you can't eat it, it's not that expensive so you aren't wasting money or too much food!)
Good luck!

Candy 1980 I feel so bad for you. But I am glad and proud of you that you are seeking help. Hopefully you'll get past this . Maybe try things that you really liked before the sleeve in little amounts, just so you experience different foods. Than if this is successful maybe you can return to only real healthy foods. Just a thought, best of luck and keep us posted:)

Thank you Lissa! I do want to be healthy ((Hugs))

Im an Alabama sleever Dr Andrew Dewitt @Princeton Baptist Medical Center did my surgery. He and his team are great!

I think I may be gay...
At least my boyfriend keeps saying I might be.

I have a lot and y'all know I'm long-winded so grab your favorite cup of "whatever" and enjoy. . .

1) I am the only person responsible for what I put in my mouth

2) I am the only one that will endure the consequence or victory from what I choose to put in my mouth

3) This constantly cold thing that everyone experiences isn't forever. My body temperature has regulated, and if it's 30 degrees outside, it's perfectly acceptable to be cold.

4) Skinny bitches eat Cookies too. I'm gonna have a cookie occasionally.

5) hair grows back. Not always the same texture, but it grows back. So freaking out over it, isn't going to do anything, but make you freak out. Embrace it and honestly I gave up back fat for a little temporary hair loss, I think I'll deal with hair loss.

6) Follow the guidelines set forth by your medical professionals. It works. If something isn't working, tweak it to make it work. Your body is individual to you. Your needs might be different than mine. Respect your body because we didn't for years. Now, we've altered it, so treat it right, and it'll return the favor.

5) Weight loss surgery does NOT have to be a cookie cutter world.

6) Everyone has a bad day here and there. You have 2 choices: 1) wallow in the guilt/self-pity 2) Suck it up and move forward

7) Being skinny is not the only perk to losing weight, but sure makes life a hell of a lot easier.

8) Cherish every early out victory because once you're in maintenance, those little NSVs and SVs are non-existent and it's easy to take the little things for granted

9) Immediately after surgery, your weight is going to fluctuate, you are losing Water weight, if it's difficult to get in fluids, you will retain fluids, they pumped you full of iv fluids so don't freak out. It's not physically possible, nor is it logical to gain 5lbs of fat overnight. All you're doing is setting yourself up for disappointment and heartbreak, fears of failure are going to set in and you'll just sabotage your efforts.

10) LET YOUR BODY HEAL. . . Cheating is one thing, being irresponsible and reckless can result in complications. You can live on liquids for a couple of weeks. It sucks, NO DOUBT, but you will not wither away and die because you don't eat something crunchy for a couple of weeks.

11) Stop comparing yourself to every other sleeve patient. Refer to #6

12) You will hear many opinions throughout this journey. Remember opinions are like assholes and are pretty shitty. Stop allowing other people to dictate how you feel. No one can make you feel a certain way unless you allow it.

13) Pull up your big girl/boy panties/undies and stop making excuses as to why you can't take a high quality, adult Vitamin. Yes, some taste horrible, they are a pain in the ass to swallow, they might not be your favorite thing in the world, but your body needs them. Vitamin deficiencies suck. You can prevent it, you can make the choice.

14) Get your labs done regularly. Adjust your intake, vitamin/supplement regimen based on how your body is doing.

15) Loose, wrinkly, excess skin is fairly inevitable. Suck it up. I punished my skin for years being morbidly obese. Why should I expect miracles in the skin bouncing back department? ? ? Do I like that about me? Noper, not for one minute, but I'll take my wrinkly inner thighs, saggy skin bags I have boobs over being fat and miserable for the rest of my life.

16) If you do not change your relationship with food, don't think surgery will fix you. They operate on our stomachs, not our brains. You can still cheat, eat around the sleeve. I do it, and I know why I bounce around on the scale. Either I accept it, or I choose to follow the basic rules that proved to be so successful for me during my losing stage. I choose to live a life of moderation, and I wanted normalcy without hardcore dieting for the rest of my life. The trade-off I make is that I bounce on the scale up or down 5-7 pounds. I have a good relationship with food/drinks, and I reap the benefits of this life.

17) Every clothing store is different. Learn to love trying on clothes. For jeans, I wear size from 0's to 5's, for shirts I wear from a size XS to a Medium. Even being this size, I have to try everything on. The only thing that is guaranteed is leggings, and tights. Even panties are hit and miss because every cut is different.

18) Being skinny does not completely fix self-esteem or self-worth issues. If you don't think you are worthy of the best at a size 22, being a size 2 isn't going to change the way people treat you. I demanded to be treated with respect, and common courtesy at a size 22/24W, my core personality is the same.

19) If your marriage/relationship is rocky, or not solid, and you've allowed your spouse to treat you like crap for the last XX years, guess what? ? ? Being skinny is not going to magically make them treat you better. If anything, you'll realize that douchebaggy behavior is not acceptable anymore and you begin to resent them and start demanding better/more from them. However, their behavior isn't going to change just because you decide you deserve better. Again, it's a choice. You choose how people treat you. At the end of the day, you deserve nothing less than everything from your partner. If you aren't getting it at 250+lbs, being 125lbs isn't going to change it.

20) Therapy is a fabulous tool. If you have food demons/issues, recognize, address and conquer them. If you can not do it on your own, seek help. There is zero shame in asking for help.

21) Choose the path you want to take. If you fall off that path, pick yourself up, dust off, and move forward. I cut my own path, and while I have fallen off, I've never fallen far enough off that I couldn't find my way back. If you want to follow a similar path, do it, but don't expect to have the same identical results as anyone else. What worked for me, might not work for you.

22) Habits are just behaviors that we have established, and continue with over time. To rid myself of a bad habit, I had to replace it with a good (or better) habit. These habits are not permanent and engraved in stone. My habits, food triggers, and issues are just mine. We might share the common thread of surgery, and how I conquer my issues is what works for me. I can share what I did/do, but it might not work for you. Don't be disappointed, just find what works for you.

23) Exercise does NOT make me feel fabulous. It's a chore just like scrubbing a toilet. I wish this was different, but I hate it. I loved it early out, but now, I absolutely hate it. If you hate it too, find something you do like. I know that I need formal exercise of some sort. I choose to dance (Zumba, Hip Hop Abs, Just Dance2 for the Wii). I enjoy it, but still am not super excited to do it. I just know my heart, bone and lung health need it.

Finally! ! !

24) I will always be a fat girl on the inside. I still have cravings, and love food. I still never experience true hunger, but I still want food. There are good days, and not so great days. I take it one day, one meal at a time.

Unfortunately that's not a quick answer. Some Midol products contain NSAIDs, some do not.
Midol Complete - acetaminophen, caffeins, pyrilamine maleate <- no NSAIDS
Midol Extended Relief - naproxen sodium <- NSAID
Midol Teen - acetaminophen, pamabrom <-no NSAIDs
Midol liquid Gels - ibuprofen <- NSAID
Midol PM - acetaminophen, diphenhydramine citrate <- no NSAIDs
With that being said, I never received anything specific to NSAIDs and have been taking them (I had a sinus infection last week, maxillary sinuses - so it was causing tooth pain too... NSAIDs are routinely the only thing that helps with that pain... I was cleared for 800mg 4 - 6 hours).
With some WLS there's a "real" reason why you can't have them, e.g. when you have a stoma. I didn't take them at all when I had my band. But when we don't have stomas, and we have normal digestion function, the only reason I can think of why we wouldn' be allowed NSAIDs is because if it did cause ulcertaion, our stomachs are so small that any injury or scar tissue might cause some problems. So it would be purely "just in case" rather than "because of this and this." But that's just my rationale. I'm not a surgeon, and I don't even play one on TV - so if you have a no NSAIDs rule, then I'd just say clear it with your doctor first.
(I'm pretty sure VSG is the recommended weightloss for people who have to take NSAIDs, like arthritis sufferers, because we don't have the pouch/stoma/etc. issues)

I tell everyone I can. My husband does not want me to tell anyone but when I reach my goal I plan on upgrading anyway so I do not care what he thinks.

There is nothing wrong with lurking in the powder room and as long as you are not having any discussions that are inappropriate it is fine.

no U fine girl lol

There is nothing wrong with lurking in the powder room and as long as you are not having any discussions that are inappropriate it is fine.

A woman's weight can fluctuate 9 lbs through a day just due to Water retention. That's for an average size woman.
Stay the hell off the scale. Do what you are supposed to be doing and stop living by what a machine with a 2 dollar battery in it says.
Sent from my iPhone using VST

I used to love eggs too but now they make me dump. I used to like seasoned foods but now my taste buds are ultra sensitive and I love plain foods like plain oatmeal. On another note my sense of smell is heightened

I miss my butt

I had my his and with me- and I SWEAR it got rid of my gas in a matter of a couple of days because every time I felt it - he would burp me- even today if I eat too fast or have a bubble- of I lean forward and he runs or pats my back - it comes up- I have never been more thankful of anything in my life like I was for him there by my side in Mexico- burping me like a crazy baby

First tip, quit soda now, quit caffeine now. Imagine having to quit while doing the pre-op shake diet? That will suck.
Second tip. If you are going to have your "last dinner", don't do it the DAY BEFORE you start your shake. It will make you even hungrier if you do carb overload the day before you start the shake diet.
Do it a few days before. A few days before, drink a slim fast or whatever "100% whey Protein shake" you decide to do after surgery for Breakfast. Lower your carbs as much as you can in advance.
The day before you start your shake diet, do a sensible dinner with protein, and do low carbs. The people that do carb overload the day before they start the pre-op shake seem to have the hardest part sticking to the pre-op shake diet.
Tell yourself you can do it and believe it before you start. Mental state, state of mind, and the will to make your sleeve work will make this much easier. If you think that it's going to suck so bad, it will. If you think, I'm doing this because I'm worth it and it may not be easy, but I'm strong enough to get through this, then you will.
Keep busy, walk, drink Water and go ahead and exercise. Clean your closets, clean your drawers, find all your biggest clothes and decide if they should be packed yet. Start looking around to see if you have smaller sizes, because it's going to happen.
Find as many nightgowns as you can and make sure they are freshly laundered (especially if you are going to have a drain).
Make sure you have your Clear liquids, make sure you buy your Gas-X, do your hair, straighten out your bills for the time in the hospital, make a check list of the reasons WHY you are having this surgery and read it every time you think you can't do the 2 week pre-op shake.
I did the 2 week pre-op shake and didn't cheat and I'm over 3 weeks out and still am on liquids. I have a 5 week liquid before I move to purees, unless you are going through my surgeon, your doctor may not be as strict.
Be careful at first because liquid in liquid out, and I have only had this issue once.....once...NEVER TRUST A fart. I was in bed, I was fine, I exercised, I was doing great and I got a little gas bubble and I decided to get up luckily I got out of bed just in time....those pj bottoms were too big anyhow and ended up trashed, and I ended up with a shower again...right before bed. It only takes once.
Day 3 & 4 are usually the hardest. You don't become lethargic, you aren't going to "starve to death", realize you are probably getting better nutrition than you did over the last 6 months You can do it, keep up the mantra.
Walk, drink water, and realize the sleeve is only a tool and it's up to you to work the tool, you can do it.

How is it a,week ago today when I had surgery I weighed in at a plump 310 now 7 days out I weigh 276???? I am not complaining. I have not even started walking yet

Wow! That is great! I would not worry about that! Keep in losing!