jessiquoi

I was sleeved on May 29th. The big thing I did pre-op was quit diet coke. It was hard but I knew I couldn't deal with the caffeine headaches and withdrawals along with all the other changes.
Once you have the surgery the consequences teach you. If you do not chew your food well enough it sits kind of stuck by your heart and doesn't feel good. You learn to take smaller bites and chew well. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it.

It really IS hard at t he beginning...the reason why you're told to do this now is so you won't be in such a shock post-op, when these changes will be a way of life...trust me, once you reach post-op, you'll appreciate the trouble you're going through now. Once you are post-op and have no choice but to adopt these new habits, you'll simply be practicing what you've learned. If you're like most of us, you WILL slip into your old habits every now and then, and then you'll see why you can't because you'll feel the results. Then after awhile when you start losing and seeing the 'fruits of your labor' so-to-speak, you'll see that everything you're doing and going through will all be worth it in the end!!!

i would reframe that. try telling yourself you are *practicing* this new habit. you are practicing becoming mindful about how you eat. it takes at least 6 weeks to form a new habit, so dont give up so soon. after my surgery i thought i would be impossible to not drink with meals. but its second nature now. if you could change on a dime, you wouldnt need this surgery.

I am with you on this one! It's hard.
I am supposed to be practicing drinking one ounce of Water over 15 minutes, abstaining from caffeine and any kind of carbonated beverage (diet soda is currently a vice of mine), exercising and of course, losing weight. The drinking the Water thing isn't too bad, but I could see how it would be hard if you had to do it 24-7. Practicing is far different from having to do it all day every day for days on end when your stomach is still sore and swollen from being cut and stapled.
Yeah, I drink a can or two of diet soda a day, have caffeine here and there (drinking a fat free, sugar free iced coffee as I type this) and I have yet to do any more exercise than riding my bike to work (about a mile) and doing work around our property. And I have gained one pound since my very first doctor's appointment about 1 month ago.
I had Taco Bell over the weekend and Jack in the Box and I are recent acquaintances, although I am glad to report we are not best friends.
I know what I need to do. I know I cannot continue on like this, especially after surgery. it is up to me to do the right thing. I guess I am trying to "get it all in" before I "can't" anymore. That mindset is the one I must rid myself of.
I want to be successful and I know success starts now, not after surgery. It's just hard getting there.

It is hard and it will take a toll on you. I am 2 weeks post op and I can't be more happy. I was sleeved 6-18-2014. I am still trying to break the bad habits. With the support of my husband and my family I am doing it. Already lost 20 lbs. pray to God and He will help you thru. Prayers being with you.. Hugs from Alabama...

That's a good idea to get a head start on those new habits. It's one of the best things we can do for ourselves now. Good luck and hope all goes well for everyone

It's been one week since I met with my surgeon and his team for my first appointment. I was given a list of habits to adopt pre-surgery to make it an easier transition post-surgery. This list is now hanging on my frig, and my plan is to check them off as I achieve them.
Well, I selected what I thought would be the easiest to start with, and I'm having a really tough time. I am trying to take small bites and chew my food completely, and to not drink while eating and take tiny sips when I do drink.
These two are proving to take a lot of concentration, and the truth is, I probably should have started with mindful eating. I eat two meals a day at my desk while working, and dinner in front of the tv. OK, I hear it. THIS HAS TO STOP. I can't really change the way I eat if I'm not paying attention to eating!
Sigh. I plan to succeed, so I guess I better get myself eating mindfully immediately. I've tried this in the past, and it actually makes me sad. I am so BORED just eating. But I have about 3 months before my surgery, and I will master this by then! If anyone has any tips that have helped them with this step, please share.
AAAGGGGHHHHH.
OK, I really needed to get that out. I feel better now. Nobody told me this was going to be easy... au contraire, all I've read on here is that it's NOT easy... time to face the music.

Take heart. At least for me, pre-op was the WORST part! Depending on a million others for their recommendations, insurance approval, etc., all while extremely stressed out and trying to change your lifestyle. Made me feel very... out of control. So what can you do? Establish healthy routines. Exercise. Log your intake and burn in an app like MFP. Find a face to face support group in your city. Know that this "hardest part" is temporary and it won't be long until you are on the other side, fighting (at least in the beginning) to get enough Water and nutrition in to recover from surgery. Keep your eye on your goal and you'll be on the other side before you know it!
The changes I made pre-op:
Established a walking schedule
Gave up caffeine and diet soda (this was huge for me)
Added 1 Protein supplement per day to my diet in the beginning
The month prior to surgery 2 Protein supplements per day for Breakfast and lunch, healthy Snacks when I needed them, plus a high protein dinner to shrink my liver pre-op
I could not master the not drinking with meals ahead of surgery but found that post op, it just makes me uncomfortable so the transition was easy.

I started several months before as well
My start was building up to the no drinkin up to 30 minutes later.
The next biggee my one coke a day had to go. I really miss seltzer Water so desperately. The coke not so much at all.
Then I got rid of bread, Pasta etc
Then last was the chewing believe it or not. That was the hardest. Doesn't seem so but made me feel like a cow chomping on grass all day.

I am very curious about what others might say to you. I'm in a similar situation. I've started by drinking 64 oz of water/crystal light every day--a totally new habit for me. I've also cut my 3 cup of coffee habit back to one, with a goal for being caffeine-free by mid-August (my surgery is 8/26).
I've started to think more about chewing, and you're right--it is really difficult. I find that my jaw gets tired and (tmi) I get more food stuck in my teeth. I guess the upside is that I'm flossing after every meal! I haven't started avoiding fluids with food yet, but that is another goal.
The boredom while eating is something very familiar to me, too! I don't know why--food is such a pleasure, and yet I wolf it down while reading or on the computer all the time! I don't understand the habit, and yet I know it's a large part of my weight problems in the first place. Why do I do it?
Best wishes to you moving forward!

I cant believe that i am 10lbs from my DR Goal (which he wants me to hit by 9mos) My personal goal is to be at 143.... I am in complete shock that just 6 1/2 months ago i was 90lbs heavier - WHAT??? I always thought of myself as a happy person... I had no idea how unhappy i was... This has completely CHANGED MY LIFE!!! Dont anyone PINCH ME IF I AM DREAMING... I canNOT believe the scale said 163!!!!

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So.....After my little rant yesterday, I get a call from my Bariatric Advocate who proceeds to tell me that I'm approved!
I'm shocked and excited. I don't even care whose fault the mix-ups were now. She said hospital billing will call me next week to see what I need to pay upfront, then I will get my surgery date. Yay!

Congratulations! It's great to hear such a motivational success story!

I am day 11 into a 28 day pre-op diet and I can honestly say that this is the hardest thing I have ever done.
Physically, I feel great except I fatigue easily with any exertion. Granted I am a rather large man so other people may find it less difficult. I don't know how I could work out feeling the way I do!
The hard part is all mental for me. I have spent the past 20 years justifying the way I eat in my head. I have a huge battle going on in my head. I just want one more big meal or one more meal at McDonald's. I am finding that I need visual imagery and positive self-talk to keep on track. I haven't cheated and I won't...but this isn't easy.

Hello everyone,
I read so many stories about the 2 week pre-op liquid diet and I was so scared and nervous and didn't think I'd make it. I kept thinking, how in the hell these NUTs and surgeons expect us to eat basically nothing for 2 whole weeks.
To the members who've yet to experience this well talked about "2 week liquid Protein diet", let me tell you my experience and hopefully it will ease your mind and give you hope. So I started my Protein diet on Monday 6/16 here it is Friday and I'm fine. I must say, it's not as bad as you all think it's going to be. I don't know if it's the types of protein I'm taking but I really really haven't been hungry. Not even head hunger. Mind you I have a 14 year old son I have to either cook or heat up food for every day.
I'm allowed 4-8oz Protein shakes a day, sugar free Jello & pudding, 1 -8oz of low carb yogurt, 1-8oz of skim milk, sugar free popsicles and unlimited amounts of non-sugary, non-carbonated, non-caffeinated beverages and broth.
I've been having 2-3 shakes and one serving of yogurt at night as dinner and twice I've had a cup of broth and twice I've had a cup of sf Jello. I haven't had any headaches/migraines or anything. I have not cheated at all, not a bite, a crumb or a lick of anything. Based on the stories I've read, I've come to the conclusion that it must be the type of Protein Shakes that are satisfying me and not allowing me to feel hungry. Actually, I have to force myself to have the third shake sometimes.
Just like everyone else, the anticipation and the unknown had me failing at the protein diet before I even began. I have to tell you though, the two times I felt weak was when I over did it at the gym and yesterday when I went too long (about 9 hours) without a shake. Other than those two times I was/am good. I just bought my son some McDonalds and I didn't even take a french fry. I used to always have at least two of his fries. I'm working at home today and you couldn't tell me I wasn't going to be home all day and not eat something I wasn't supposed to. Nope not at all. I had one Protein Shake and two sf popsicles.
So I'm saying all this to say, please don't stress over this 2 week protein diet. It may or may not be as bad as you think. I wanted to post this because I wish I read something like this before I started because I might not have stressed it as much as I did. Good luck to those of you who will be on the diet soon. I am so sorry this is so long but I needed to post my experience in its entirety.
Denise73

I got my music degree in Vocal Performance, unfortunately that time was really hard for me as gaining weight affected my singing in a bad way. Couldn't stand as long, sweating on stage, less control over my voice. Although I haven't had the surgery yet, being a performer most of my life I found at that at my fittest I could sing the best. A lot of it has to do with your diaphragm. Learning to sing using that controls the balloons ( lungs) expand and contract. My recommendation since I have had my tonsils, adnodes, removed from me. Don't start to sing right away. Once you get out of surgery work on your breathing excersizes. The better breathing the more control you will have over your voice. If your throat hurts don't sing, and talk lightly and quiet...don't strain. As your throat starts feeling better you can sing more and more.
But utimately I think sleeve, and losing weight period is good for singing.

I am a singer. You sing with your diaphragm not your stomach. From the outside it feels the same and some teachers will have you hold a hand to your "stomach" to feel what's going on, but it's truly not your stomach. You inhale air into your LUNGS, air doesn't go into your stomach.
You will be sore and it will take a while to heal, but long term there will be no effect on you singing.

The stomach is not what you sing with, singing is air passing through vocal chords. That air comes from the lungs. Singing with abdomen muscles is no doubt what you are referring to. After your operation heals your abdomen muscles will be as good as ever. The smaller stomach will have no bearing upon it.
However, your wind will improve. Your control of air will increase because with the excess fat gone you will breath easier and not be fighting just to live. I used to breath hard even when I wasn't doing anything. That all went away.
Your energy will improve, your general mood will improve, you will sing like a happy bird at dawn!

"Oh my gawd! Why didn't I think of that?!"

This is actually my SECOND first surgeon visit lol. Last summer, I started the journey towards banding. I attended the info session at the hospital, but after my first surgeon's visit, I backed out. I thought, if I can follow the 3 month required pre-op weight loss regimen, I should be able to finish it myself. (Um, I was wrong.) Also, the doctor made me a little uncomfortable, because he was insisting that I would be able to stop using insulin after the surgery, and I'm a Type 1 diabetic, and require insulin to live.
I spent the last year trying intermittently to lose weight, and couldn't keep it up on my own. Meanwhile, my knees and hips and back started to complain loudly about carrying around the extra weight. I am in a great relationship with a great guy who is very active, and I am so frustrated at not being able to keep up with him. I'm an ex-athlete and I can't believe I am where I am right now.
My PCP and my Endocrinologist have both mentioned that having WLS is something I should seriously think about, and so, I am starting again. However, after reading more and more on this site, I've switched my surgery preference from band to sleeve.
I'm very excited about the upcoming surgery, and I spend a lot of time visualizing me in one year, kayaking with John, walking everywhere instead of having to be dropped off in front of the building, getting rid of high blood pressure meds (4/day), cholesterol meds, perhaps the CPAP I sleep with...
I've been lurking on the forums for about 2 months now, and did the same a year ago. I thank everyone for your informative posts, from the veterans who are so inspirational, to the newbies whose steps I will be following hopefully soon. Your stories have been so helpful I am impelled to share my own to give back.
I hope I get a better impression of the surgeon this time (really, the only thing that bothered me was his lack of knowledge about my diabetes, but my Endocrinologist told me not to worry about that, she will be on top of that for me). If I don't feel comfortable, I will find another. Wish me luck on Wednesday!

Congratulations! It is going to be difficult but you will be a stronger person by going through this journey. I havent had surgery yet nor have I even set a date (I am hoping for November) but I am already learning that I am stronger then I ever gave myself credit for.
Good luck! You can do this

Based on the scale this morning: (im 5ft6)
Starting:242 pounds
Current: 176.5
Let me see how you guys are doing?!

I am 8 months post op.
My post op recovery was difficult and not the norm. I had a double stricture right out of surgery. Shots of steriods were given and an oral ppi was prescribed. My first 3 months was basically liquids only. shakes, broths, some yogurts. That was it. Every time I'd try solids, I would be sick in the bathroom...even after chewing the daylights out of it. That said...I did have the option of more intervention had I wished. But I didn't and that's just me. I wanted to just allow my body to do what it does, as long as everything else was still good. And it was.
Then, at 3 months they were afraid my sleeve was beginning to twist on itself....that's the point I knew I needed to do something to resolve once and for all. So I did what they suggested and it worked.
But that's when the hard part came. I needed to still make the healthy choices with each bite. I needed to work on hitting Protein and Fluid goals each day...in the same day.
My point is simple...if your honest during your psch eval, without telling them what you know they want to hear...and you pass...you'll be ready to hamdle whatever the outcome is.
This journey isnt for the weak hearted or timid.
It can be tough, it can be amazing, it can be stressful, it can be fun...but most of all...you need to be able to hang in there and follow the rules, take time to listen to your body and what its telling you.
To date, I've lost something around 110 pounds. I've hit my surgeons goal...will hit my own goal in 17 pounds.
Would I do it again??
Heck yeah I would..and I'd still deal with what I did..because it all taught me something very important.....that I was strong enough to pull threw anything life handed me along the way. The struggle has given me the self confidence..not the results that the scale give me.
Sorry if this is long winded...but I hope everyone that goes into ANY of the wls makes an informed HONEST choice.
Trust your instincts and what it tells you to do.

You can unlock and adjust your Cpap yourself. I do it all the time to keep my events low. Google unblock Cpap with the name of your machine and you will find instructions. There are also message boards like this one for sleep apnea where you can get the info. It's not a big deal at all. Once you know how to get to the clinical side of your machine you can see all your results nightly and know how to adjust. For example, I checked my results and I was having 3.2 events an hour. Clinically this okay but I've been having those dreaded morning headaches. I upped my IPAP and EPAP by .5 and this am my AHI was back down to around 1.0. Don't know why I am having more events since my weight is stable. It's great to adjust your machine yourself and once I read up on it I was able to fine tune my Cpap (actually a VPAP) and I get much better results. I hate having sleep apnea and I hope it goes away after my vsg, in the meantime, it's a literal life saver. My AHI without it is severe...75 events an hour! Good luck. If you get stuck PM me and I'll see if I can help.