KS Fort Worth

Kudos to Baylor Trophy Club. I was a bit nauseated the morning after surgery, and had my nausea medicine within five minutes!

I'm still preop but I lost 100lbs a few years back and I lost my boobs and my butt and yes both were big to begin with. Whether you lose weight by cutting calories and exercising or deciding to have surgery as an aid the weight loss will still affect you the same.
I can tell you that everyone is different, I've read about a couple of people on here that didn't lose either. Worst case scenario I may have to have a boob lift and do a million crunches and get on the stair stepper to get my butt back but I rather do that then still be overweight.

Ok, so I'm a hairdresser. I work with the public and some of my clients have been with me for 10 years. Yet I have only told a select few. My coworkers know. At first I told a few people I was having "Lady surgery" but since I had a Hiatal Hernia, that worked even better. I just tell people that was why I was on a liquid only diet. But from there I tell people and my friends who don't know that the liquid diet jump started my weight loss and I wasn't going to let it go to waste. You just tell people that you are working hard to lose. One nice thing about the sleeve is that the weight loss is a little slower, you can totally pull it off as you are doing it with diet and exercise alone. Oh by the way, you are working hard and doing it with diet and exercise! This surgery doesn't do it for you. It's just a tool to help. Bypass surgery kinda does it for you at first, That's why people lose it so fast. But average weight loss with the sleeve is about 2 pounds a week. Uh, about the same as weight watchers. Again, this is a tool.
Feel free to use my story. It all makes so much sense. Even the scars can make sense. Hey thats just how your surgeon does things.

If you don't act ashamed of your choice then people won't really say much. You let then know that you are taking the steps you need to to become the person you want to be. It's worked pretty well for me. I've even turned a couple anti surgery guys into pro surgery after I explained all my pains and years of dieting and failure. I know not everyone is an open book like me but I think it helps people understand when you are more open about it. I can't wait for my surgery, just waiting to make my appointment with the surgeon. Good luck.

I work at a college and I was very open with my co-workers and bosses and they have all been super supportive. Some people had questions, but when I tell them the surgery is a tool to help because I haven't been able to keep the weight off on my own, they ultimately understand. I explained that it is about heath, not vanity (or at least not all about vanity ) and they get that too. But, I am a very straightforward person and I don't know any other approach, and I do understand that everyone is not comfotrable with that. Now when I come to work I have a ton of supporters, who are constantally cheering me on and encouraging me. Feels good.

After I take a shower and get out to dry off, I can't feel my fat/skin back jiggling as much when I rub back and forth with the towel!!! LOL pretty funny observation but I'm GLAD of IT!

It is so awesome you have a husband that obviously loves you enough to be concerned about your nutrition! As a former nurse I would highly recommend you stick with it as long as he is willing to buy the the fruits and veggies and prepare them for you. What a gift! This will positivley effect your longterm health more so than anything. Cut your cancer risk greatly! Wish I had that kind of support and the means to be able to do it daily. I am actually teaching all sciences at my child's Christian school, therefore I do not make nurse money anymore. Juicing can be quite expensive! If he is willing drink it baby! Make sure he drinks it with you to keep him healthy! You need to keep him around for many years to come!

I have been feeling like the weight isn't coming off as fast as others. But now that I actually sit down and look at the fact that its only been 5 months since my surgery and I'm down 92 lbs maybe it is! I think its because it feels like soooo long ago that I was sleeved. I feel like its been at least a year, but its only been 5 months. The weight loss is starting to slow down a bit. But the first almost 100 in 5 months is not too bad. Yay! I'm halfway done!

For the third time since I've been married (13 years) I had to put my wedding ring back around my neck hanging from the fat chain. BECAUSE IT'S TOO BIG!! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!
The other two times were because I was either pregnant or just too fat! NOT THIS TIME!! OH YEAHHHH!!!

How sweet. There is nothing more gratifying than a random compliment. You know there is no ulterior motive behind it.
I try to compliment people every chance I get. It costs nothing.

This is probably going to seem sooooooooo trivial to everyone else, but I had a great NSV last night.

John and I have never been cuddly when we sleep. #1 I would get so hot that I couldn't stand having him right up on me #2 He's a tummy sleeper with his elbows spread out over the bed, I sleep on my side with a body pillow.

Anyways, last night, he pulls me in super close to his chest, my back is touching his chest, and he wraps his arms around me, like completely around me (that's never happened before), and he nuzzled his head next to my neck and was asleep in a matter of minutes. I laid there just smiling like a goofy kid at a candy store, and I could feel his heart beating on my back. I laid there and actually felt his heart rate slow down as he began to drift off into a deep sleep. It felt so amazing to be that close, and not be hot and feel gross about myself. He had one arm under my head, wrap it up over me and the other arm wrapped around me the other side. I don't think I've ever realized how many "little" things we didn't do because of my weight.

He then started snoring (which he never did before), and I had to move a little because he was right next to my ear. But for the first time in 3.5 years, I literally fell asleep in my love's arms.

I can relate, OP. Like Kenny Rogers said, "you got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em'..." I just could not do diet insanity and bounce all over the scale again. It's not good for the body nor my state of mind. Just don't tell anyone you don't feel comfortable telling.

Hi everyone, my surgery is next Tuesday. I have struggled with the decision for almost two years and I also avoid telling people about my surgery because most of my friends just don't get it. They tell me to go on a diet or start running lol. That's pretty much what I have been trying to do since I was 18 (and I'm 33 now). So, actually, I don't think I'm ashamed of my decision but I also don't feel the need to have this talk over and over again and try to convince people of something I have decided for myself. My husband and my parents support me, my therapist is ok with it and I hope everything will be just fine. See you all on the other side. xoxo

My surgery is on Monday (July 30). When I first decided to have surgery, I thought to myself that this was an unnatural thing and that I was a fool (and a failure) for going this route until I told myself that being 400+ pounds was also not natural or normal. I am ready! I am getting impatient for the new me!

I absolutely feel your pain. My surgery was 6 days ago and I couldn't tell any of my co-workers yet. I felt like I was weak and a failure, that they would see me as fat and lazy. I was able to talk to all of my family members and friends and surprisingly received a lot of positive support.
I can tell you that one week later I know this was the best decision of my life!!! I have lost 15 pounds in the first week and I would have dieted for months to achieve that 15 pounds before surgery. I really believe this is the tool I need to keep myself healthy for the rest of my life.
Tell only who you feel comfortable telling. Also, I saw a psychologist who specializing in eating disorders for a year before my surgery. I have alot of issues regarding my emotional overeating and while I am still a work in progress I didn't want to take the step of surgery only to sabatoge myself later!
Best of luck on your journey, this process isn't for the weak!!! You can do it!

Someone asked me for these pic it is 2 years and 2 months apart I hope I can inspire any of ya'll 238 is where I started and now 118 and yes I am 51 years. Old. And feel great and would do it all again

bfastaaa.tiff

I had my surgery performed by Dr. Kim on June 25th at Baylor Trophy Club. As far as pre op diets go, he does want you to choose from 2 different Protein drinks: either Opti Fast or Bari Essentials. I chose the latter because it contained less sugar and quite honestly, it was delicious. I asked why we were limied to just these choices and he told me that these 2 Proteins were the most efficient at shrinking the liver pre surgery, which is a very important issue. Prior to requiring this, he had patients coming into surgery with various stages of liver shrinkage which caused some issues, so this is a way of "standardizing" the results. I am 4 weeks out and I can honestly say I have not yet had any difficulties whatsoever. Surgery was a breeze, I was discharged the next day and I was able to walk a mile and a half a day after that.
No pain meds needed at home, I can drink the necessary amounts of Water (64-80oz) with no trouble and I have no issues with reflux, taste changes or getting the required amount of protein. Long story short, it feels like I never had an operation.
I highly recommend Dr. Kim from my own personal experience, and if you have any questions at all, please feel free to message me.
Good luck!
PS- I have lost a total of 37 pounds in 4 weeks...11 from the pre op diet and 26 post op.

30-40 pounds in one month is not exactly healthy. I suggest you push your surgery out one more month in order to give yourself time to learn to eat more correctly. Less of a shock to the system that way. 30-40 in TWO months is still tough, but much safer IMO. To get there, you MUST 1) make sure you get enough Protein every day, every meal if possible, (it really helps with the hunger), 2) limit quantities at EVERY meal (you want to shrink your stomach some) and 3) REALLY cut back on the carbs, ESPECIALLY sweets and any beverages with sugar or alcohol. You CAN do it, but this whole process is as much a mental thing as physical. Good luck!

I get sleeved in the morning by Dr. Kim, but at Baylor Trophy Club. That one is on Aetna's network. I also chose the BariEssentials, and it's been OK for the most part. I am glad it's only 14 days, as my brain was a little foggy yesterday and today. I did find that adding flavors helps break the monotony. I've used orange and coconut extracts in the vanilla, and use a spoon of instant Decaf coffee in the chocolate. Tonight I added almond extract to the chocolate/coffee and it was tasty! I always added a few ice cubes to all of them, It makes them colder and a little thinner, and usually frothy as I used a Bullet to mix them. The occasional cup of broth satisfies the want for something savory instead of sweet. I chose Swanson low-sodium chicken broth, and to me it tastes just about like Campbell's chicken Noodle Soup, but with no noodles or actual chicken.
As for not seeing Dr. Kim every time I went in, I have no problem with that. I realize that his services are in great demand, but I feel confident he will be there if need arise. He has deliberately surrounded himself with a highly trained staff. Every interaction I've had with all of them has been very professional.

Good to know... I never associated my eating problems as 'emotional' because I never ate when I was. Reading the forums for a few weeks now, I started to realize maybe everyone does have a problem with food in some way. So again I hope over the next few weeks and month I find out more about myself and have the strength to realize and change it . I already feel a small change that food isn't as important just being on this pre-op diet.

WAS a Dr Pepper addict, broke that 3 years ago, thank God. I did not like what I read about how HFCS spikes blood sugar even quicker that table sugar, and the "real" Dr Pepper is too expensive. I gave up sweet tea early this year in preparation for surgery. I weighed my priorities and decided I just cannot afford to get so many calories (especially empty ones) from sugary liquids. The price is too high.

I hate to break it to you, but those ARE emotional issues. I was never a binge eater either, but if I enjoyed the taste of something I had no problem going back for seconds. I also learned to use food as a reward in childhood, and continued that into adulthood. There are times when food can be a PART of a celebration, but I do not NEED a tasty snack after every small victory, or at the end of every week. I do think genetics plays *A* role, but it is not all. This is why the sleeve can only HELP, it cannot CURE.

Yes. I say this all the time. I am astounded at the number of people that really seem to believe that genetics and overeating are the only reasons they are fat. I say that because I was one of those people totally in denial about my food issues.
People that approach the sleeve like a diet are the ones that have trouble later. I cannot say this enough times: THIS IS NOT A DIET. This is FOREVER. We cannot live on Atkins forever. We cannot tell ourselves that there is only one proper way to eat and be healthy. We cannot tell ourselves that this is *the* diet that will work and if we just deny ourselves for a few months we'll be thin and healthy for life.
It simply does not work that way.
This tool helps us take the time to learn about ourselves and why we're fat. It gives us a help getting past emotional eating or overeating addictions. It helps us lose the weight but if we do not work on our heads while we're losing, we get to goal as unhappy and still unhealthy people, albeit skinnier ones.
This is not a magic button. You are not going to wake up the day after surgery loving exercise and hating ice cream. It takes WORK. Yes, the sleeve makes the journey a million times easier, but you still have to work at it.
If you don't, you could be one of those people that hits goal and backslides into being overweight again. Because the sleeve will get you to goal, sure, but YOU have to keep yourself there. And if all you learned along the journey was to cut your carbs and not eat more than 500 calories a day you're going to be in a sad, sorry position to help yourself.
Best of luck to everyone. There is one major theme to every regain post I've seen (and I've honestly only seen a few in the three years I've been here) and that is that people just stop being diligent and fall into denial about their habits.
~Cheri

I, for one, am glad that Aetna requires a 90-day supervised weight loss period before they will grant approval. It gave me time to fix the bad habits, and the carrot-on-a-stick (surgery) to make sure I didn't cheat. I think that anybody who is still gaining weight and wants the surgery RIGHT NOW needs to ask themselves some very hard questions. ALL of us here know how to lose weight; the sleeve will be just a tool to help KEEP it off. I originally considered bypass precisely because of the malabsorptive potential, but decided the sleeve PLUS getting my head straight was a MUCH better path.

I've been dieting since February anyway, and since the liquid diet my hair is falling out. I have long hair, but I'm going to have several inches cut tomorrow so the ones that do fall out won't be quite as noticeable. It also seems to tangle easier when it's full of loose hairs, so this should help. I've had it fall out before when I lost weight, but it DOES grow back.
as for bald heads, I think they can be quite striking and beautiful on a woman. You DO have a pretty face, I'm sure you're gorgeous now!