LorenaVaca

1. Your neck.
2. Your collar and cheek bones.
3. Your vagina (or penis) and not in the mirror!
4. A towel wrapped all the way around you.
5. People checking you out.
6. A lower grocery bill.
Add your new visions.

Sigh I know how you feel I his all summer long at my house, just relaxing with the kids poolside..saw a bunch of moms the other day from school not one said anything....I lost 90 pounds ! people suck lol

I have had a mostly Positve experience telling most people. I found that telling my coworkers actually took a lot of pressure off of me... And when they see me eating strange... They know why and don't question me. Perhaps I just work with a lot of good people (social workers). They would occasionally joke with me and ask me what I was having for lunch... A Water sandwich? But that was funny to me.
Don't get me wrong... I have experiences some annoying things... Like a few select people are always asking me how much I have lost and what can I eat now... Asking me several times a week
But most people are very supportive and positive

Yes they took mine out on my one week follow up and covered my incisions with sterie strips and it took close to three weeks for them to fall off

I was so excited to meet my surgeon today who comes from Vanderbilt - I was telling her about this forum and although supportive of the support, she warned me only to be careful about the advice on food etc. I was telling her about some posts that concern me at times with people eating various things at various stages that just doesn't sound right. Of course- listen to your own doctor but- the thing I took home was this:
"the reality is- if you follow what I say you will be fine. The other reality is techincally- you can survive on the liquid phase post op forever if you 1) get your Protein 2) multi Vitamin and 3) Water. Those are the most important things and those are my goals in terms of intake and quantity. So- the message to me was not to rush anything- focus on this and follow what she says and there will be no problems with my eating causing problems. Makes perfect sense to me

Many of your issues mirror my own.
1) I miss Pasta terribly....I have dreams about it. Truely. And bread. Neither of which I have any tolerance for.
2) My breasts look TERRIBLE. I'm back to turning off the lights for "adult time" because I'm so embarrassed!
3) My hair continues to fall out in huge, noticible clumps. Patients at work comment that I must be "shedding", because no matter how dilligent I am, I always have stray hairs all over my scrubs, my back, etc.
4) I REALLY despise when people ask how many lbs I have lost....if I tell them an actual number, I can see the mental calculations taking place. I've had a coworker comment that I was lying about the amount. If I tell people "some amount", they keep pressing. I admit, I've become a bit bitter and have inelegantly snapped back, "You never told me - are you a nazi or a communist these days? Because that's about how offensive your question was to me".
5)It has reduced my already miniscule social life - I never get invited out now, because "we know you can't drink, and it wouldn't be fun for you"....BS.
6) I sag everywhere....like a candle left out in the summer sun. I knew that there would be some loose skin, but I wasn't prepared for this.
And last...
7)I hate the running commentary from those who know about my surgery, and feel the need to contribute their opinion as to the morality of an operation that has already taken place. "It goes against God's design!".....well, guess what, buster! Surgery already happened. So unless you have a time machine, feel free to put a sock in it. Or two.
/endrant
That being said, I would never have reached this weight alone. And for that, I am greatful.

So happy I can do that. Sipping water All DAY long can be annoying esspecially with my toddler always trying to sip it to and then spilling it all over

The Emotional First + Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery, Second Edition [Paperback]
Cynthia L. Alexander (Author)
Try this book. It is very positive and has good ideas.
Sent from my iPad using VST

Man, just think about how awesome it's going to fit into those pants every time you start feeling down. That makes me wish I'll stumble across something awesome like that to keep my hopes up!
Keep truckin' - you'll get there!

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It's from the rapid release of estrogen from stored fat. Ask your dermatologist what you can use to help. Hang in there! It will be worth it!

It gets better!
I broke out my skin was dry it was crappy for a couple of weeks, now my skin is much better and hardly any break outs infact my face has been pretty clear and nice skin looking for a couple of weeks now!

it could also be toxins being released from your body. fat stores chemicals & the food that you eat has pesticides and stuff in it and on it.. your body could be releasing those chemicals through your skin & that be part of why you're breaking out.

Girl I don't know! I hate Tylenol, I consider it worthless. Lol. I'm also restricted to Tylenol, except for Excedrin Tension headache. Check with your Dr about it. It doesn't have anything we are not allowed in it.

I ate cold cereal with no problem during mushies and Rice Krispies were one of the better ones because they got very mushy very quickly- Although I didnt/couldnt eat a lot it was very filling. I would ask your dietician if that is acceptable on your particular doctor's plan.
"You can't drink while you eat, so that's why they say no" having said this and using that logic- one would NEVER be able to eat any stew or Soup... The reference to this is drink WHILE eating... as in take a bite wash it down with liquid. NOT liquidy foods that have to be chewed..... That's like saying I'm going to mush a bananna into a Protein shake but that's a nono because I cant chew the bananna and drink the shake...

I loved sugar free jello with a little sugar free cool whip. Come to find out, I don't think I should have had the SF cool whip until full liquid stage, but it didn't hurt me and made it seem like i was practically having something naughty. Jello had no nutritional value, but it counted as liquid, a little of it anyway. Lime was my favorite!

Kids are in school and the surgery is 300 miles away. A quick non-stop 1 hr flight from my home. I would like my husband to stay home with the kids, my surgery is Sept 17 at Forest Park in Dallas and I will be released on Wed. the 19th. Can I do it alone?
Thanks for the help!

In my opinion u really need someone there with you. Not only for the support but also be you are still in pain quite a bit when you leave. I had my surgery at Forest Park also...good luck!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What I mean is, you don't HAVE to tell him anything.

I'm not responding to the shakes everyone I've had today has sent me running to the restroom... Ugh will this get better? Not the best first day on full liquids and puree

Thank u so much everyone. I actually noticed I wrote 4 months before and after. It's actually 3 and a half

Awesome! I have decided that I am going to claim my liscense lost so that I can get a new picture taken....one without the double chin rolls!

Gorgeous!! Congrats!