Tammy310

My doc says that you aren't so much constipated as that you don't have any food with which to make stool. As to the dumping syndrome he assures me that sleevers shouldn't experience that as long as you stay away from high sugar items. It's more or less described as a hypoglycemic attack; which i have already. Hopefully if I continue to avoid sugar I'll be ok. You'll surely see a post if it's otherwise. LOL

I was told that the stages: clear liquid, full liquid, puree, soft, regular are all stages designed to help us adjust to our new stomachs. Additionally, as TraceyC stated, it helps us heal so that we don't accidentally cause any undue damage. It sounds as though your NUT has some preformed opinions and perhaps you should take that info back to the surgeon. Also, might I suggest switching to a different NUT...much like any counselor you should find someone that you can mesh well with. That way they can help you post-op too.

Good luck.

Was wondering who everyone is using as their doctor and what your experiences have been!

My Dr. is Attia in South Jersey. We also decided that lap band was not my best option. I had my last NUT visit this morning and only need my psych eval. I have an appt for it on 9/11 but I'm trying to get into somewhere else sooner. Hopefully I can. Cannot wait to get my date. Super excited to begin this leg of my journey. Look forward to sharing with you.

~Tammy

I still have a few pre-op conditions to satisfy. Hope to be done by Oct/Nov. Actually hoping for September but that seems unrealistic now. Congrats to TracyZ on the loss! and futureskinnypants, I'll be checking out your video blog from home.

Looking forward to losing with you all.

congratulations! Best wishes for a smooth procedure and speedy recovery!

I've been going through this for 2yrs now, ever since my Celiac diagnosis. I'm Italian; so bread, pizza and Pasta is what we do. I never knew how attached I was to that part of my life until they said NO MORE. I must admit that some days I choose the food over the pain and bloating it causes. However those times are fewer and fewer recently. So far I've weeded out carbonation entirely as well as use of a straw & gum chewing~ due to other gastro issues. Milk is all but gone because of the problems it causes since being gluten free. The only hurdle left is the bread.

It won't be long for you, just take it one meal at a time.

I have pain something like that since I had abdominal surgery (tubal & gallbladder) it may be adhesions (scar tissue) or nerve damage from your c-sections. Have you discussed this with your doc?? Mine, as it turned out, comes from scar tissue. I find that if I continue to stroke the area along the scar line it does loosen a bit and I find relief. Just a thought.

You know what they say: Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones that don't.

I can't say that I understand others need to be "catty" but I see it all the time myself. It amazes me that people cannot just be happy for each other.

I say CONGRATULATIONS to all of us because we found our "way out." Let us leave the nay-sayers to themselves and enjoy our new found freedom!!!

How do you explain it if you're a klutz like me and the balls fall out and you trip over them and break your neck while running on the treadmill. "I was...um...er...ah... just put the cast on." -not that I can't keep them in with the best of them......(oohoooh she went there!!!)

I was laughing at this entire thread but this post made me almost fall out of my chair! HAHAHAHAHA ~ You all are too much!

Ya HAH! Me too. I'm not a picky eater and don't have food issues other than I really, REALLY like it, the question that stopped me was: "How was your childhood? Relationship with your parents?"

I don't know how it was relevant, but my answer was: "GREAT! I had a pretty uneventful childhood." In actuality, it was a train wreck. I so didn't want to go there.

My answer to that question will be my childhood was a TRAIN WRECK but I'm in counseling for it. and I LOOOVEE food too. Especially all the ones I'm not supposed to eat. But I WILL down play that. hahahaha

Best of luck: easy surgery and speedy recovery. Can't wait to hear how you made out.

You look terrific and i love the tagline!

99lbs, Awesome! You look terrific!

When I got t to 489 lbs.

From looking at this picture I cannot believe you ever weighed that much! You look amazing! Congratulations!

My husband is a total gym rat and at 54yo he still has a 32" waist and his biceps are as large as my waist was when we met. lol. All I can say is cardio cardio cardio and lots of protien. He loads Protein before during and after each work out. I recently turned him onto Isopure Zero ready to drink. They're kind of like koolaid and have 40grams protien with zero carbs or sugar. Good luck! If you put your mind to it you'll be fine.

I haven't been sleeved yet but I am hoping by end of September. Here are my pre-op confessions:

1) I confess... I have been obsessing over this procedure since I started looking into it in April.

2) I confess... I have NOT followed my nutritionist's recommendations to the letter which makes me fear how I will handle life after surgery.

3) I confess... I am worried about the post-op emotional impact, I'm already such a wreck.

4) I confess... I am afraid that even surgery won't work for me.

5) I confess... I have only made it to the gym maybe 10 times in the last month which makes me worry about my post-op goals even more.

6) (extra bonus) I confess that, no matter what else I have posted, my asthma will keep me from getting the surgery and/or keep me from waking up after it.

Im not going to lie' date=' I thought we were going to be discussing sex too! haha! I was like I SURE HOPE SO!!! hehe>[/quote']

you're too funny! I hope things will get SPICIER in that department. Especially Once the extra 90 isn't between us anymore in the bed! LOL

Mine isn't about my max weight. I weigh 220. My max was 226. But I'm 5'5" and have sleep apnea, celiac disease, osteopenia, asthma, fibromyalgia, hypoglycemia, GERD, the list gets longer. I'm tired of being 41 but getting on worse than most 60 year olds. I've tried every diet and go to the gym. I went every day for 60 days and lost how much... Oh ZERO pounds!!! Zero and I was killing myself. My doc swears that no matter what meds I'm on I WILL lose weight. God I hope so. I'd love to be able to chase my grandchildren in the yard without passing out or having an asthma attack.

I should also mention that my last "child" was a set of twins almost 21yrs ago and the day I came home from having them I weighed 128 lbs. (my max pregnancy weight was 152!) It gets more depressing every time someone tells me, "well, your a little overweight but you've had 4 children. That does a lot to your body."

I am new here. I have been approved for the sleeve surgery and will be having it done pretty quick. My original surgery date was July 3^rd at the hospital. The called last Friday with a cancellation and the surgery date has been moved up to May 22^nd !! I am both excited and scared at the same time! My employer is quite okay with the change and my coworkers are quite supportive.

Here is brief history about me. I have only been heavy since I was 25/26. I have a history of brittle asthma. I was exposed to field burning smoke after harvest while at school. I was constantly on prednisone and gained a lot of weight. as a result. I came home from school and lost a little weight.

However' date=' I was living in an apartment while sustained a crack in the ceiling and subsequent Water leak (winter 2003). I started having increased asthma trouble shortly afterwards. I suspected trouble with the apartment and a pulse oximeter confirmed them. January 2003 - A lab tested and confirmed that I was being exposed to toxic mold (Stachybotris chartrum). The improperly repaired apartment after major Water damage (which I found out after I moved out – March 2005). I have gained over 100 pounds with the prednisone weight gain. Has anyone else experienced this?

Anyways, my efforts to lose weight have been futile. I would lose the weight just to gain it all back and more. I tried diets, mild exercise, Portion Control, diabetes diets, Byetta. None of them had any long lasting positive results. I decided I have had enough dealing with the weight and pursue weight loss surgery Dec 2011. I originally pursued getting the lapband. However after further consultations and research I decided to go with the sleeve.

I am doing okay right now despite the pain and the asthma has stabilized. I still have to be on prednisone bursts sometimes but have been off of them for several months. I am looking forward to changing my life for the better. I deal with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, chronic back/neck/shoulder pain(car accidents), hip pain, foot pain, bad knee, and asthma. I have hope that this will improve the weight loss. I have lost a little weight already from the pre-op diet. 3 out of my 4 meals are Protein shakes and I have one sensible meal a day the dr was okay with this). I work different hours (3am-11am) hence I need the 4[sup']th[/sup] meal. I am quite used to the shift. I work as a telecomm tech that has the responsibility fixing and maintaining 3 room-sized dial tone computers so I have to work these hours. They are quite demanding but I do love my job.

Sorry about the long introduction. I just wanted you to know where I was coming from and tell you my unique story. I am looking forward to taking my life back from morbid obesity and the adverse effects. I hope that everyone is doing well. Have a nice day.

Our history is about the same... Tell me, did you have any issues with medical clearance due to the asthma??? How are you doing with it now? My biggest fear is having my pulmonologist say I can't have it done.

These stories really made me think. And they were hard to read because I spend so much energy burying my feelings. I have some to add: first, I was not always big. I didn't even break 100lbs until freshman year...needless to say whenever I see people from school I hide.

I work for a hospital and was working in the ER when an older patient said to me, "honey when are you due?" so smiling as best I could I replied "about the same time you are, I'm not pregnant I'm just overweight" don't you know his reply was "oh, you can't lie to me, I know a pregnant woman when I see one.". I just walked away.

One year I had my entire family and my husband's family over for thanksgiving dinner. One aunt who I hadn't seen in years comes walking in and in front of everyone yells "oh my, you sure have put on some weight!". Not even hi, thanks for having me....

I think the worse thing I face is myself... In my head I'm still the thin girl thAt had trouble gaining weight. When I think about me, that's what I see. That in mind, every time I glimpse myself in a mirror in a mall or a store window... Its a shock. It's like each time I have to realize how big I am. Pictures ... Forget it.

I can't wait to get my sleeve. I'll never go back to this.

prayers and well wishes for a flawless procedure and a quick and easy recovery.

I'm curious to see some responses to this Susie as I am sure I will have the same issues from the same doctor.

Do you think maybe you should try to supplement 4-5 smaller meals instead of trying to push 3 until we get to where we can get whats needed in a meal?

Let me know what you figure out, I am going to need all the tips possible.

From what my surgeon tells me, you should be eating 1-2ounces every two hours or so. One of the girls here started out eating like that and lost weight quickly. When she finally went back to 3 times a day she stalled. Now she's back to every 2-3hrs and she's losing again.

I'm going straight for the every 2 hours as soon as I can eat.

GERD might go away it isn't also something you may not have forever as the bacteria in your stomach can change and also just by the foods you eat too. If you have been away from your spices for awhile it will might take time to build you heat tolerance back up. I like spicy since my March 2012 surgery.

unfortunately I've been stuck with it since I lost my gallbladder 10yrs ago. I'm one of those people that takes extra Nexium to be able to eat the foods I love. LOL I'm hoping that it goes away. But I'm more looking forward to less asthma exacerbation. I'd trade breathing for spice. But... if I can't have the breathing... POUR ON THE SPICE!

I started hitting everything with tabasco just days after surgery. It was the only way I could eat some of those nasty Protein Soups. Don't assume GERD will be with you forever. Things change very suddenly the day after the surgery. You may be eating pickled jalapenos before you know it.

according to my surgeon I won't be eating "real food" for at least 5 weeks after surgery. Not so big on tabasco but I LOVE my habanero sauce. Thanks for the encouragement.

I had rotisseri chicken last night with Franks hotsauce and ranch dressing. I eat jalapeno and any hot spice. I am 7 weeks out today. I would be very sad if I didn't get my spices in. I am a garlicaholic! I do get heartburn but it is usually from drinking tea!

55lbs in 7 weeks!!????!??! that's amazing!

All of these posts are super inspiring. Thanks for yours.