makemyownluck

Everything happens for a reason. You are blessed to have your child. My son is the reason I keep going.. like you, I want to be my best for him (not a mode, just MY best). Good luck!!!!

It's natural to be nervous. Let it keep you focused on the future. The changes are considerable, but honestly, post op life feels completely natural to me. I'm 3 months out and have lost 58lbs in 3 months. I'm exactly 100lbs down from my highest weight in November 2012. It took me 6 months to lose 42lbs pre op, which included a lot of suffering through depriving myself of food and pushing myself on exercise.Now post op, I've lost 58lbs in 3 months and I never feel deprived. I can eat what I want, just a LOT less. I have to REMIND myself to eat all the time, especially if I have a busy day. And when I'm lazy at home, I'm not grazing constantly. Food is THE LAST thing on my mind. In my experience, it's all felt very natural. And I love it. I love it when people ask "Oh, is that all you're eating?" YES. Yes it is. And I'll enjoy it and be happy with just these few bites... and as far as exercising post op - i do it, but not religiously. I feel more desire to be active now that I've lost weight - so I go walking with a friend a few times a week or I do crunches and leg lifts on the couch when I'm watching TV. None of it feels like effort to live this life... you're going to be so happy - just know the first few days after surgery are the worst and it ONLY gets BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER. Good luck!

LOVE premier - super jealous that you have the resealable kind because my local Costco just has the pull tops that aren't resealable.
That said, the chocolate is fantastic. I have some vanilla ones to mix with other things - but they are a little too sweet for my taste on their own. However, mixed with some fresh berries, or peanut butter, or SF Chai powder, they taste great. Same cal/protein content as the chocolate.
I've been using these since pre-op, my NUT gives them 2 thumbs up!

OH NO!!!! Ha, I woulda been doing the exact same thing trying to get out all the salt! :( That stinks, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day! ((HUG))

OH NO!!!! Ha, I woulda been doing the exact same thing trying to get out all the salt! :( That stinks, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day! ((HUG))

Today was better...sort of. Had my am shake blended with 1/2 banana. Lunch shake plain blended with Ice. Drank couple glasses of water and an ice tea. Then lean cuisine at dinner. Was still hungry so ate a cup of steamed broccoli. Then a couple bites of plain yogurt. I'm still hungry, but heading to bed.
It's hard to go from 2000-3500 calories a day to 900....

I'm a week post op today, and the pre-op diet was harder than anything I've experience post op!
But try to keep your eye on the prize... it will be worth it in the end, and by day 3 or 4 of my pre-op diet, my hunger was completely gone - and hasn't returned yet!
good luck, you will make it! DON'T CHEAT! I know you didn't say you did, but cheating, even a little, keeps you on the hunger train... The trick is to cut out your processed sugars and carbs so that you aren't feeding the beast and still feeling hungry all day. You can do this!!

I'm a week post op today, and the pre-op diet was harder than anything I've experience post op!
But try to keep your eye on the prize... it will be worth it in the end, and by day 3 or 4 of my pre-op diet, my hunger was completely gone - and hasn't returned yet!
good luck, you will make it! DON'T CHEAT! I know you didn't say you did, but cheating, even a little, keeps you on the hunger train... The trick is to cut out your processed sugars and carbs so that you aren't feeding the beast and still feeling hungry all day. You can do this!!

Are you scheduled for surgery? Congrats on getting everything done!! The preop testing and insurance game felt like torture to me!
I'm scheduled for May 2nd. I start my liquid diet tomorrow, tho I sort of started on Sunday already. It's been going well. I've lost 7lbs since Sunday! I was also menstruating on Sunday and that might be part of the loss, but I don't care HOW it happened, I'll take a 7lbs loss in 4 days!!
I'm anxious about the not being able to chug water. Also the chewing to a pulp will be a big change, too. Sometimes I catch myself eating like a teenage boy - taking huge bites and barely chewing. It's amazing I haven't had digestive issues in my life because of this!! I've definitely calmed that down, but it's still hard for me to "practice" these behaviors. I think that once we're post op and our stomachs literally can't handle all of that, we'll catch on.
Good luck to you!! I'm rooting for you to get back on track and lose, lose, lose!

I'm a singer, too. Funny that I worry that I won't be able to sing as powerfully without my weight backing me up. I've read about opera singers who can't perform the same way after losing weight... and I was classically trained in opera, so even singing popular music, I use the same techniques! I'm hoping for more confidence to get out there and share my gifts with others as well! I wanna re-do all my youtube vids and actually SHARE them with people!

I'm a singer, too. Funny that I worry that I won't be able to sing as powerfully without my weight backing me up. I've read about opera singers who can't perform the same way after losing weight... and I was classically trained in opera, so even singing popular music, I use the same techniques! I'm hoping for more confidence to get out there and share my gifts with others as well! I wanna re-do all my youtube vids and actually SHARE them with people!

Welcome! I'm pre-op, having surgery on Thursday. I've been in "the process" of getting this surgery approved since July of last year, so I've also had a lot of time to think about what it will be like on the other side...
The best I can tell you is that when you choose the sleeve, you're choosing an "as normal as possible" life post-op. Yes, you'll be tender and have a hard time bending over for a few weeks, and the stages of diet post-op are probably going to be a challenge, but ultimately, we will be able to eat the things we want, just much, much less of it. Some people do develop food sensitivities after surgery, but it's not as common as it is with gastric bypass.
I've been dieting since July and honestly, my tastes have already changed. I went through major carb withdrawal, but now a giant bowl of pasta doesn't even sound good to me - and I used to eat pasta nearly everyday! But even if my taste for pasta was still there, post-op I simply wouldn't not be capable of eating as much, so even if I do "indulge" in it, it won't be in the amount I was doing before! I'm looking forward to being able to have a small portion of anything and being satisfied. I've lived too long as the person who can EAT THE WHOLE THING (whatever 'thing' that may be).
The combo of being excited and scared is interesting, isn't it?? From what I've seen around this forum, it's totally natural!
Welcome to the board, I hope you get a response from Medicaid soon so you can schedule your surgery!!! Good luck!

You ARE obsessed with this topic. But you explain it so hilariously, I don't mind.
MOM is my friend as well. I'm glad it helped clear you out like you've been wanting!

I relate also, my surgery is May 6th. I am excited but scared all at the same time.

I'm asking the same questions you are. I start my 2 week pre-op liquid diet next Tuesday, April 30, 2013. My surgery is on May 14. I wonder most about the pain. Keep me posted. Blessings.
Deb

That's awesome! I can totally relate to all of the feeling because I had all of those feelings pre-op. Day of surgery will feel surreal. Day after is a little rough but totally do-able. And then every day after gets a little (some days a lot) better. Walk, walk, walk! The more you walk the faster you start to feel "normal". Well that's my two cents lol Good luck to you:)

Thanks for the rational thinking, everyone. It's really hard to put things in perspective when you're in the midst of an argument, so I do appreciate you all for both seeing where I'm coming from and offering practical advice for the situation. Now that I've slept on it, I realize we are both super anxious about what is happening. I'll do what I have to do to make sure my mom can be there for the surgery and hope that insurance doesn't force me to push it back. I've never been a patient person - I'm impatient to a FAULT most times, and this is a prime example. Does putting it back a week or two make a big difference? No, not really. I'm just, as usual, eager to do it as quickly as possible. I mean, if I've been going through these steps since July, a few more weeks isn't that big of a deal... (that's me rationalizing this to MYSELF, lol)
I'm going to call my insurance and make sure they have they got my request from the surgeon. So at least I can have some peace of mind that we're moving forward in some way. Then I'll call my mom and apologize for being a monster and hope she can do the same (I wasn't the only one yelling, after all).
I also realized that my surgery is on a Thursday and my surgeon said I'd probably be in for 2 nights. So that means I'll get discharged on a Saturday. So, if for some reason I can't get a ride from my parents, finding a friend who can pick me up shouldn't be as difficult as I was imagining.
It's also good to know that I won't really need the help once I'm discharged. I'd really rather be at home anyway, so maybe I can reassure my mom that I won't be totally helpless if she has other things to do. I do understand that she has a life of her own and she needs to go on these trips in May so she'll know how to do her job. I don't fault her for that. And I don't want her to think she's failing me because she can't be at my bedside 24/7, especially when I don't really NEED her to be there. While it's convenient to have help, I will be able to do it on my own.
Thanks so much for the feedback, guys. I appreciate it!

Oh Dear!!! You concentrate on yourself and your son - that's all that matters! Men can be more trouble than they are worth. You are young and about to start a new life - forget men for a few years and get yourself together. When you are at peace with yourself this time in your life will seem trivial. Hang in there!!!

No my final appt with surgeon is may 1st then off to insurance company goes everything and I sit back and patiently wait. I recently got out of a relationship in dec. It killed me, self sabatoge ??? I put on about 25lbs since then. But im still so hurt over it. Dont hide yourself after you are done with your surgery and you are comfortable, you get out there and show the world who you are. You said your a leo, so your not supposed to be a backround person, you should be front and center!! I too someday soon want to be confident again. He just took so much out of me its still so hard , but I have mourned him enough. UGHH ssssssso ooooooo hard to get back on your feet. But I have to believe we can do this.

I am by far no expert on anything , but you bring up alot of legit questions , and your not alone. But one thing I have learned in my life is if you dont or cant love yourself , how do you expect someome else too? Example a decent man. Your scheduled for surgery so thats a major plus , you will be given a chance to improve yourself in many ways , take the opportunity and run with it!!! Dont waste it with thoughts of self sabatoge, you are worth this and you can do this!! Take it from a self sabbatoger im trying my hardest to get out of it , I am my own worst enemy. I am going to try to change my whole being with this surgery my thoughts my eating habbits , everything. For once I want to be a winner. If you ever need to talk I m around feel free.

I'm almost 4 months post-op and have used my weight as the blame for a lot of things. I'm a singer and so it's easy for me to blame rejection (not getting a role/part/solo) on being fat. People don't take you seriously, or think you're smart, or find it easy to bully/dislike you because of the weight you carry around. Well now that it is going away (the weight I mean), here's the test!! Now it's all up to my talent...can't blame fat butt any more.

I am pre-op, too. Day 10 of the liquid protein 14-day diet. As an older woman (60's) and married, I just want to tell you that you are the only one in your life who can make you happy. Concentrate on taking care of yourself. Get to know yourself. Find a therapist/counselor that you can relate with, and talk your head off. For depression, medication is sometimes needed.
I don't know that surgery itself will solve any problems. But the weight loss will allow you to more easily indulge in any activities that you enjoyed when you were thinner. What did you enjoy doing then? What made you happy as a child?
Try to take care of yourself in all ways: physically, socially, spiritually, intellectually. Indulge yourself in a massage, or taking a class, learning something new. These take you out of yourself and open you to the opportunities out there.

I'm POSITIVE that I bought more than I'll actually need! In fact, I'm really HOPING I don't need half this stuff! However, I live alone. I'll be staying with my parents for a night or two after I'm discharged, but I definitely prefer to be in my own home so I'll be on my own within 3-4 days post op. I'll have to be prepared for anything and everything because I don't have anyone who lives with me that's available to run out and pick something up for me when I need it. I have my parents and plenty of friends to help, but I don't wanna be having diarrhea and trying to call someone to bring me imodium, ya know?
I just figured best to be safe than sorry!

Hi! Hang in there! I feel like a kindred spirit to you, and it helps to hear what you're going through. I'm getting ready to start pre-op diet Wednesday. I'm starting it a week early because I have a "fatty liver" and am very worried it might interfere with my surgery. Spent 1/2 hour in Costco yesterday staring at all the vitamins, looking for ones that meet the requirements. The ONLY thing that was right was the B-12. None of the chewable calcium seemed to be the right formula, and I couldn't find any chewable multivitamins except gummies. They told us in the pre-op class not to buy gummies. Today I'm headed to Wal-Mart for meal replacement shakes, more vitamin shopping, and other odds and ends. It does feel weird to be buying all this "stuff" -- a lot of it pretty unappealing -- that one never imagined needing. But like you, I want to be prepared. I don't want to come home from the hospital and be thrashing around trying to get something and not know where to get it.
I'll look forward to hearing how it goes for you! Like you, I believe it's going to get lots better. A summer of good change is ahead for both of us.

Girl, when them pounds start coming off and you start to feel sooo much better physically and mentally, it will have all been worth it. being nervous is perfectly normal. I said a prayer before they did the surgery and woke up dedicated to a new me.