circa

I'm so very anxious to get my sleeve so time is CRAWLING by. But of course, there's the nerves and the jitters, which makes time FLY by. Will I be ready? Is my liver shrinking enough? I mean, I haven't even gotten to my Dr's requirements - they haven't started yet, but I started on my own doing a very very low fat/low carb diet. I know know know I can do this - but it always crosses my mind - the typical fears and phobias. I do not like being put under. I'm a control freak and I'm not in control if I'm under anesthesia. (Yes, I know I'm not in control if I'm not under general too but the feeling is there!) I weighed myself this morning - 372.2. I can't wait till that first number is a 2, and then a 1. That will be lovely The feeling of better health that I will get when all is said and done almost seems unreal. To get back to feeling like myself. I have been obese for 4 years. Before that, I was the epitome of health - little did I know, I had something genetic lurking that would change all of that. I've attached 2 pictures of myself - the one titled 2006 was just before I got diagnosed. I was a size 8-10 depending on what brand of clothes I was wearing. I was running 5 miles a day, lifting weights 3-5 times a week. I was so healthy. It can change in an instant. The second picture was at my brother's wedding with my now husband. I was a 10-12 in that picture. But I looked good! More importantly, I felt good. This was right around when I started running. I want to get back there.

yeah no pregnancy experience here. I don't have any real head hunger issues - I've dealt with those years ago. As long as i can see food in the house, my head hunger issues are ok. I don't have to eat them... - just actual stomach hunger - can't stand to be hungry.

You're not in danger - you have excess stores that the zumba will burn - that's the plus size and the ultimate goal of the sleeve - to burn more calories than you take in. That's how we lose weight.

yay! congrats!

even in preparation for lowering our food intake, we buy too much. Its a cyclical problem. I made sure to buy one of each, chocolate and vanilla for Protein powders and some ready-made. Everything else is stuff I'd normally have in the house anyway - chicken broth/stock, ramen noodles (just using the seasoning packet, tossing the noodles - easily transported in the purse too!), SF Jello. I didn't go the babyfood route - I may at some point, but you can pick that up one jar at a time to see if it works for you. If you have too much, purge your products and share with someone who could use these - check with a local infusion clinic - see if someone there has stomach or esophageal cancer that could use your excess.

Medication dosages will need to be adjusted. Many times dosages are dictated by weight, so that could be having an effect. Also, as you lose weight, your body chemistry changes, this could also have an effect. Please go see your doctor, explain what's going on and have your meds adjusted.

typically its by going to your doctor and checking in monthly, being weighed in and discussing your weight loss and him/her having you on a "weight loss plan"

definitely going to have to ask the surgeon directly - could be an issue depending on how many hours before and after your surgery, not to mention whether or not you can take that type of medication right after surgery.

very excited! birthday in 8 days, surgery in 10 days- Happy Birthday to me! Stinks that I won't be able to go out and celebrate my birthday, but that's OK! Just ensuring that there are many more to have

"a calorie is a calorie" is a load of crap. Everyone's body handles each type of sustenance differently. Thyroids are HUGE factors. If your thyroid is not at its optimal performance level, you can eat 500 calories and you won't burn it off doing 500 calories worth of exercise. Again - there are other factors that need to be considered. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a "perfectly running body" like you apparently do. If you don't like the posts, don't read them. Simple enough - but have the CIVILITY and RESPECT for others that have concerns. Oh - and nice "Christian" attitude, judging others.

The biggest reason is that they don't meet the BMI/Comorbidities qualifications. Other people don't have the required weight loss attempt history, supervised diet, or its just simply not covered.

I don't know that I'd take a blanket - they'll have them at the hospital. How about something to do? A book to read or something???

exactly - you know that this IS an issue - there are some very delusional people that don't think there is a problem with it.

absolutely! We'll be the 1-2 loser crew!

oh my gosh, even at a healthy weight I gained - up to 20 lbs! (thyroid issues contribute to this too, btw) - I have noticed that living at a higher altitude, I don't gain as much. Which is good Womens bodies I think will always gain at that time of the month - its meant as a protective mechanism. Just don't sweat it - it goes away Its just water weight!

Wow 10 days to go - I've kinda got butterflies in my stomach. I was trying to remember back to how I felt with my last surgery - I had a very large tumor removed from my breast a little over a year ago - there was so much other crap going on tho, I didn't really have time to worry about the procedure - and I was awake for it. I also was in my hometown and went home 20 minutes after the procedure - (I sat up as they were wheeling me to recovery, enjoyed the ride and had some crackers and ginger ale literally on the ride from the OR to recovery. They monitored me for 10 minutes, I got dressed and left. I'm pretty good at the recovery stuff. I know it won't be that easy this time, but hopefully, it'll be on the easier side I'm wondering - for those that have had the sleeve - do you actually feel like...empty? Like you're missing something physically out of your body?

logic that "this too shall pass" doesn't always prevail when you're so emotionally and physically married to a situation. We all have times and situations that we freak out about. I know that after i have my adrenal tumors removed, I'll see great progress. I know before that, I probably won't. I have come to terms with that - but for someone who doesn't have an issue like that, and they're doing EVERYTHING right - there's no logic to not losing weight. We are emotional beings. We all do choose how we react to situations, but some are more tenuous and stressful than others for some people. Yes, I get a little flustered when I see that someone is losing their mind over the scale not moving for a day, but when it becomes weeks or months, it gets concerning....is there another medical problem? That's what I'm faced with - I have another medical problem that has led me to GET the sleeve - so it will always be in the back of my mind that there could be another factor. And let's face it - you're a guy. You're blessed with a larger muscle mass and testosterone base - you'll lose weight faster. Women have estrogen and other hormone issues that inhibit weight loss. Not losing weight and gaining weight are symptoms of other medical issues that women get that men cannot possibly fathom. PCOS, Ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine fibroids, and while men can get breast cancer, its exponentially less of a risk for men than women - all of which a symptom is weight gain or unexplained lack of weight loss when it should occur. We also have to worry about menopause, we're more at risk for thyroid and pituitary issues. We wonder about these things every day - there's no cure for most of this stuff - but there sure as hell has been hundreds of millions of dollars put into research to fix erectile disfunction. Yeah - we might get a little testy, but guess what? we have every reason to. I'm not diminishing your success and the medical issues that you have, but you need to recognize that not everyone can just pop out part of their stomach and be all set. It doesn't necessarily work that way for women.

How awesome is that?! I have never been a size A. Even in my prime, my legs are always too long or too thick for a size A - Would be neat to be an A for once!

Its so very hard when you're in high school - kids talk and kids can be cruel. You don't necessarily want to say you're having an organ removed because, what happens when you're in Chemistry and your appendix ruptures? Well, it can't if you've had it removed! The best is to tell them that you've got other family plans. If you're worried about the whole surgery thing, then yeah - a laparoscopy would be the way to go - either for endometriosis or an ovarian cyst. Its not a good idea to lie, because lies create more lies and that's just not a good situation - but i understand that people are inquizitive and you want your privacy. So if you can't be 'out of town for a wedding or family thing', then I guess something girly-part related would be a better idea. Just do some research so you can explain things - that way people won't be thinking you're doing something else girly related that can spread rumors....

I'm so very glad you told your husband how it made you feel - its extremely possible that he didn't realize it. Some people are ignorant to the fact that words can hurt a person, especially if that person has never been treated that way themselves. I'm a firm believer that we teach people how to treat us, and by not standing up for ourselves, we're telling someone its okay and acceptable to perhaps say words that may hurt, even if they think its a joke. To us it may not be, but unless we say something, we ARE condoning it. I hope that he does accept what you said and take it to heart - same with your kids. Command the respect you deserve. It sounds like you took a big first step. However, if he refuses to change his behaviour, find your security in yourself - not in him, or in a rule that some old white men made up years ago - God never said you couldn't take care of yourself emotionally. Some guy did. God never meant for a woman to be abused in any manner in her marriage - an abuser breaks the marriage vows. I know it can be hard to come to terms with, but I think God would want a woman to protect herself and her children.

You would be amazed at how many people don't know about the surgery and how absolutely necessary a psych consult can be. My aunt was turned down for the surgery because of her psych consult. She could not grasp the reality that she wouldn't be able to chow down on chinese food after the surgery. Yes, there are those people out there. Just like with the NUT. I have been through several programs and in group nutrition meetings, people keep asking "yes, but when can I have pizza/cheesecake/ice cream/cake/etc after surgery?" It amazes me at how little people actually know about nutrition. They don't know how to read food labels, they don't know how to measure a portion or even add up calories. I was beating my head against the table halfway through these meetings. While we may be a large amount of educated people on this subject (some of us could probably perform the surgery, given a scalpel! lol) there are twice as many out there that have ZERO clue what they're getting into.

do what you can! zicam, airborne, whatever! Hope it doesn't delay you!

When I lived in Dallas, this is where I was going to go - I did a lot of research there and met Dr. Kim - was my #1 choice in DFW.

I can relate to this. But remember, its not you without food - its you with LESS food. You won't be drinking only protein shakes and chicken broth for the rest of your life. Its you in control of that food, not the food controlling you - all while you wear those pretty clothes! There's a light at the end of the tunnel, and its not a train full of cheesecakes plotting your demise. Its the daylight of a new dawn - you in control and you doing everything you want in life and not having to be a slave to food. It will get better - keep your eye on the future Hang in there!

definitely attend the seminars! This is where you will get the medical information on each procedure and what limitations, side effects - both good and bad, from. Its important to base your decision on what YOU wish to receive out of the procedure - all will help you lose weight. None are magic. You still have to do the work. But its the difference between building a house using your bare hands, or having a hammer to pound in those nails. Here are some of the major points: Lap Band - removable, adjustable, foreign body, can errode, less overall weight loss, no large pills. Gastric Bypass - reversable (although not easily) fast immediate weight loss, chance of dumping syndrome, rerouting of internal organs, malabsorption, extra vitamins needed for life, no NSAIDS, not suggested for those with acid reflux. Sleeve - not reversable, steady weight loss (between band and bypass), removal of 85% of your stomach (including part of stomach that produces hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin) , anatomy stays in same order you were given, no foreign bodies, can be used as phase 1 of a duodenal switch - which adds malabsorption to the procedure, few pharmaceutical restrictions, can help end acid reflux. These are what I received from one fo the seminars I went to - what's funny is, for me, the Sleeve was the most appealing, even though they were actually pressuring for people to have the bypass. I know people that have had each of the surgeries. Of these, I know people that have succeeded and people that have failed - with each and every one - and its not because of the surgery, it was because they didn't address their own personal issues. If you absolutely cannot stay away from sugary foods, maybe the bypass will be right for you - at least there's a consequence with that one. If you're just an overeater, sleeve may be beneficial to you, especially if you have other issues, like CONSTANTLY feeling hungry. If you've got less than 100 lbs, to lose and you're just looking for some portion control, maybe its the band. You have to decide for you.