Laceyloveland

I'm pre op and cleaning out my kitchen and going thru same thing. Going to go to counseling to help find substitutes for food. U r definately not alone! Just keep reminding myself its for my health, my family, myself, my life. The choice of not doing the surgery is harder to live with, but neither are easy or perfect. Good luck!

You are so welcome! I'm a surgeon myself so it helps to be familiar w the pre op process. Basically the better informed u are, the less surprises and the less stress u will have. Lists r great!

To me it doesn't sound like u did that badly. And certainly you are taking this seriously enough to cut your trip short and write about it. That shows a lot of self control and determination on your part, and I think you will do great. I haven't had surgery yet, but I hope that when I get in your position I act that responsible. Don't be so hard on yourself! U are setting a good example that we should be aware of what triggers our eating and change our environment if necessary. I'm sure ur next business trip will be easier, and the next after that. It takes time to unlearn behavior.

I wish I could just wrap you in a hug. I know you're frustrated. Don't give up. You'll start losing soon enough, I'm sure of it. The surgery puts the body through a lot of trauma and that trauma causes some people to hang on to the weight for awhile longer than others. The body hangs on to Water weight as a way of protecting the organs during trauma. I'm sure that is all that's going on here. Once your body recovers a little more, it will start dropping the weight. In the meantime, start working on you. Learn to love yourself. There has to be something about yourself that you like. Find that thing and start with it. Focus on that and be gentle with yourself. Give yourself the love and care that you would give someone else you truly care for. I promise it will get better. hugs.

As a parent of a child with some chronic physical disabilities, I wanted to reach out. I have felt that scare. I am sorry.
For years, we have cared for our kids... And did what was needed, especially my wife.
I was left tired, discouraged and fat at 45. A walking dead man at times.
The hope of this surgery has been life giving!
If I could encourage you, it would be to... to take time for you, enjoy this journey, trust and connect.
Peace, Chad

I'm on my way to a master's degree in applied psychology. I would like to use this toward counseling people with food addictions/eating disorders. I'm thinking of this from a psychological aspect. I don't believe that setting yourself up for perfection is psychologically healthy, nor is encouraging anyone else to. In my experience the more you tell someone not to do something they will do it (Bobby, the stove is hot don't touch...what does bobby do? He touches the stove!)
I don't think a cheeto now and again is going to kill you, especially when you take in far nastier "crud" just by breathing in deeply. I didn't tell her to eat the stuff, I reassure her that her life is not going to change unless she wants to make that change. It is all up to us, what we want to do, how we want to manage. The first few months are the toughest, most challenging time both physiologically and psychologically, the worst thing to tell someone is that they can't do this or they can't do that and they should eat this or they shouldn't eat that. The most important aspect of this surgery is to have a healthy attitude toward food. I agree that taking in good things is very important from a healthy perspective; however you also have to allow room for being human, making mistakes, having a treat now and then and not beating the hell out of yourself for doing so. Food is not our enemy; it can be our friend if we allow it to be. So, instead of lecturing people on chemicals and garbage and what not it's better to encourage people with positivity (not empty positivity) but actual positivity to where they are able to be in a positive frame of mind, therefore when they become emotional food is no longer their go to, which is where the problem stems, not eating a few cheetos once a month. However, thanks for your feedback it was enlightening.

Hi Kala,
It sounds like you have clinical depression. Now I am not a qualified professional to make that diagnosis, but I really think you need to get some professional counseling and possibly some medication to help you because if you are catatonic..well that's not healthy either! Perhaps there were undying issues before your surgery that even you may not have known about or used food to cover up and now that is gone ..you wounds are exposed??? Again..I am not a professional..but I know if I felt this way and was 11 months out..I would be seeking professional physical and mental health services ASAP! Please let us know how you are doing if you decide to go to the doctor!

We eventually become happy because we find what works for us. It does take a lot of tweaking. If your Vitamins make you sick change them, I was not able to take the chewable chalky stuff either, I switched to gummies, now I have no problem taking them. Immediately post op I was not able to tolerate Protein Shakes, so I went to GNC and bought the blue Isopure drink in the clear bottle and put a bunch of ice in it. That god old fast too, so I went online (direct diet.com) and bought chicken broth Protein packs, cheese cake protein pudding, and protein chili. Now 3.5 months out I can tolerate eAs ready made shake. I only drink the shake so I can have room for veggies , but if I wanted I could totally eat my 60g of protein. It's all about switching things up and finding what works for you. Hope you start feeling better soon.

That's why i'm going to Dr Kelly. I'm borderline bmi and if I jump thru all their hoops I will be too low and they will deny. Going into debt for this but for once i'm putting me first ahead of visa, mastercard car payments, hubby hobbies etc. good luck

Minkywinks, I hope it is a breeze! And that u r pleasantly surprised. Good luck and let us know how it went!

Some doctors use a dye for the same purpose during the procedure and skip the leak test. Did Patterson have u do one?

It took me three days ...good luck!
Tonae

Waiting for first visit w Dr. Emma Patterson in Portland! Just had apt. W pcp, who was totally supportive! Can't wait to find out the protocols and get a date set!!

I had Dr. Patterson too and loved her. Had my one month follow up this week. Surgery went great and I had no surgery complication. Probably the easiest surgery I've had.

If you go to the top of this forum and look to the right, you can enter Dr. Patterson name and search for others. I have found two people already - Furby036 and also wolf3749
Good luck!

OK,so I have been doing it wrong. It is 6 packets a day (what I picked up was for 1 week--not 2 and they forgot the instructions). I can have sugar free Jello (which makes a lot of difference), low sodium bullion, sugar free Popsicle, etc. I had an upper GI today and talked to the surgeon about struggling with the pre-op diet. He said that I was doing ok and I am actually down 5 pounds in 36 hours, so I guess I didn't blow it too badly. I made one of the shake mixes into a pudding and let it get really cold.....had some broth and then some Jello and finished up with the pudding--I feel so much better. I think losing so much Water weight all at once made me too weak to think straight. The sodium in that broth really helped. I am refocused and determined to lose the pound a day the doctor wants me to lose. He said that the grilled chicken breast without skin and veggie was actually just fine if I needed to use that to get through the first couple of days while I adjust. Here is to a successful pre-op diet.
Oh--and for those of you that flooded this topic with criticism, thanks for nothing. I was asking for help/suggestions not judgement. I was already upset with myself and your judgement didn't help. To those that posted encouragement--thank you thank you thank you. Just a positive "it is ok--get back on the horse" really goes a long way.

500 Calories? Holy cow that's not many calories at all. Your "cheating" doesn't mean you aren't ready, I think your body is in shock and you did what you thought you needed to do. Especially at tht time of the month. Ugh... I hope tomorrow goes better.

laceylove it is a combination of feelings. Congrats on decision. this forum has helped me tremendously. keep telling yoursrlf why it is necessary to invest in you. the hardest challenge for me was to stop putting everyone before me. learn to say no. n dont feel guilty, about choosing YOU. this time

I was exactly like you and if your anything like me, even though everyone says it'll be okay, it still doesn't help and you still be nervous. I was sooooooo extremely nervous but I just prayed and prayed and everything came out amazing. All that worrying and stressing myself out for nothing. There is no reason to get yourself that upset really! I am doing so good right now and im 1 week post op-I've been doing good the whole time-my biggest pain is something thats not even surgery related. Everything is going to be okay! you may be in a little pain and you have meds for that and everything will get better every day

this is so real, so close. i am 5'3" 283.9 lbs. bmi 51. i dont know how i got to this point. but im here. 2008 i had a stroke due to Migraines. been on steroids and other meds everyday since then. not a big eater but addicted to Pepsi. I keep telling myself it is time for change. i have 3kids n very supportive husband n family. now the reason for this post. surgery july 24 and i have a hundred fears. i hear its normal. how do we cope with it all. well this is my journey here n dallas tx i will post daily. i pray that i can help the new sleevers one day at a time. b blessed

Thank you for sharing, I just spoke to my surgeon today, first meeting. I've been thinking about having this done for many years. I can't believe I'm finally taking the necessary steps to go forward. I'll be looking forward to your posts and praying for you too.

I cannot thank all of you for your ideas. I was just eating the yogurt plain and trying to convince myself it tasted good ( wasn't working). I am going to experiment tonight. I am a pre-sleever and compiling a cookbook for the "after".

My PCP suggested the surgery for me. She is so anti-diet pills and I told her how much of a failure I have been on diets. I was sleeved within 2 months! Good Luck!

My PCP is very supportive!! She tells me how successful I will be with the sleeve. She helps my husband feel safe with the decision. She is our family doctor and is very supportive. She also helps find any resources I need and has talked a lot of stuff over with me as I go on with this process. L
Everytime I see her she says DO NOT go to Mexico. My insurance covers wls so I won't being going to Mexico.

I've been with my PCP for 17 years. He is always ready to give free samples and only charges $35 per visit (we had no insurance). Tried various methods for weight loss surgery. However, when I was having problems with my feet and ended up doing laser surgery I hadn't seen him until afterwards. I could see the disappointment in his face like I had wasted my money and should have seen him first (BTW up until i started wearing heels again it was the best medical decision I made).
I am a low BMI. I've made this decision after doing a lot of research and talking with a friend who has been through WLS (not sleeve). I fail at every diet I've ever done. I know once I do this I can't go back. I know the complications. Bottom line, I'm not asking. Not him, not my husband, not the 4 nurses in my family.
I will see PCP before going just to update him incase of emergency and get prescriptions filled, etc. before leaving. I do not think he would be supportive. But he has also seen me baloon 60 lbs in 17 years, so maybe he would be supportive. Not taking the chance.