Disney

Well done! Thanks for sharing the pics with us!

Some Drs say when incisions heal, others say 3-4 months, and I think the difference is because swimming uses LOTS of muscles, especially in the abdomen. Probably would depend if you were just gonna play around in a pool or do some serious laps.

I would say follow your own Dr's advice.

It is very hard, but I totally agree with what Meggie said, things are amplified right now and you always (at least I do) consider the worst possible scenario when something major is about to happen. Like this surgery. It is completely normal and the only thing I can add to what others have said is, just try and keep yourself busy and focus on as many other things as you can. Watch a movie on your laptop, listen to some music on your ipod, just keep busy. I will tell you this, I noticed you are going to Dr. Aceves, well you will be at ease as soon as you meet him and Dr. Campos. I felt so comfortable during/after the "talk" he gives right before surgery. As soon as he was done, all my worries just went away and the next thing I knew, I was waking up and I was on the glorious other side of my life. My new life. One that will be better, not only for me, but for my little girl and DH, too.

I won't event tell you to relax. That's just a word, but keep busy till you get there and then just listen to Dr. A and everything will fall into place. Just look at all of us who have been in the very room you will probably stay in at the hospital. Accidents can and do happen, but hey, look at the Good Dr.'s track record, it speaks for itself.

Hang in there.

BTW, go ahead and write the letters, it might help you feel more comfortable about going ahead with the surgery. When you get back home, just tear them up. Done.

You have done an amazing job! Congrats on the new 'style', too!

. Hey I had a minicupcake today with real frosting.

Here's the thing: I have the opportunity to eat normal, so I'm gonna. I've been reading people here eating serious lowcarb diets -- I'm not gonna unless I'm in a megastall. . I remember being on LC for two years and trying to get back to the "sweet spot" for another five, until the thought of subsisting on ground beef and pepperoni sticks sent me catatonic.

Part of my weight loss recovery is going to be to develop non-psychotic eating habits, which means if I want a minicupcake and I can afford the calories, I'm going to eat it. Rest of todays food was a chobani greek, lc Pasta with cottage cheese, Protein bar, and I tried this chocolate chip Protein cookie. 65 grams of protein, 800 calories...etc. I'm done obsessing.

I didn't really do a pre-op diet so I think that's why I lost so much so fast -- so far. I ate lowcarb for a week beforehand and maybe lost five pounds. It's slowing down a lot -- six pounds in the last two weeks. If you see someone with a really high initial loss, check to see if they did any dieting preop.

I read that wrong, Crosswind. I thought you ate a 65 gram protein cookie. I was about to order me a lifetime supply

How precious! You look so happy with her. Glad things worked out for you

I have the unjury unlflavored, also and like Kelly said, Yuck. But I also did not like the chicken Soup flavored one either. They both had such a strong, strong typical Protein powder smell and taste that I could not do it.

I will be interested in the responses here, as I would love to find one that is truly tasteless. I don't have high hopes, though

Yes, go to the hospital. I hope you are already there. Vomiting blood is never ok.

This reminds me of that trick about putting all the ingredients for an omelette into a plastic zip lock bag and boiling it. It comes out just right!

The microwave idea seems much easier and less messy

The pup wants tastes of my Protein drinks and he can' have them. It's killing him! SO I make sure I rinse my mouth carefully so the kisses are not lethal!

Oh my son- I don't know if you could see well enough in the video how long his eye lashes are- it is freaking unfair! Big long thick lashes around big brown eyes. I have that to a degree but women are always telling him how unfair that is! He really has a great heart too.

Haha....those Proteins drinks actually WOULD kill him!! YUCK! Don't leave one sitting around the house

Ok..I will use the logical part of my brain and chill out! Thanks for the support, it does help. I still hate my stinking scale. I don't enjoy this , but it's not my whole life. I will be good.

Put that scale in a cabinet or in your garage or somewhere that you won't step on it every day. It will make you crazy. Once a week is plenty. Longer than that is even better. I can't go more than a week though. Sometimes I don't even make it that long, but checking your weight every day is such a roller coaster. Keep up the good work and you WILL certainly lose, there is no doubt.

I am sure you will meet other people while you are there. I was there at the end of April. There were two other people there while I was there. One from TN and one from FL. They were great people and very helpful. I still keep in touch with them now! Best of luck.

Same with me, I was there with one from this board, and there was another lady I met there from Canada and we keep in touch, still.

You will find there is plenty of time for "visiting" while you are recovering. Have fun and good luck to you

i also had my surgery on monday. is it normal to gain weight at first because i have gained a few pounds myself...i dont see how because ive not barley put anything in my stomach.

The weight gain after surgery is usually just from your IV fluids. This will correct itself.

My dietitian would ask "why would you want to sabotage yourself?" You know the answer or you wouldn't be on here asking us. Your in the honeymoon stage....your chance for the biggest weight loss in the least amount of time is in the first 12 months. I didn't 'cheat' at all during the losing stage. I treated this as the most important diet of my life. Nothing sweet passed my lips. Stivia is my friend, I love it, it's been a life saver. (GNC has the best) I don't care for the blue, pink or yellow either. Now I'm learning to live as a thin person, which is the difficult part.

Life changes should have been made before surgery. This is why people are on message boards and forums whining about regaining or not losing quickly enough........I'm just sayin'

Stevia might be your friend but that does not mean everyone likes it or can even tolerate it. Preparing for surgery ahead of time has nothing to do with it. I have never been able to eat or drink artificial sweeteners or the new "natural" sweeteners like stevia (which has the exact same disgusting aftertaste) in my life, so researching and/or "life changes" weren't going to change that fact. Everyone is different. This is not a one size fits all lifestyle.

WOW! That is exciting! I can't wait to hear how everything goes and I know Dr. A and Dr. Campos are going to be happy to see you, too! Be sure to tell them how much their patients love them

Good luck to you and update when you feel like it

I haven't posted in a while and just saw this and thought I would drop in. I am currently 3 months out from being sleeved and down 55 pounds so far. Well here are some photos.

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The day of my surgery. Chub Rock ,lol!

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This week at 233! Finally able to fit in suits without major alterations and Papi Chulo is on the comeback trail.

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Way to go, Papi! Looking like the cover of GQ....

I voted Vicki! I hope you win. I love your video.

Its like crack, stay away if you can...

I need to quit it yet again. If your in the first 6 months don't even think about it for sure.

I should add this is only my opinion, unfortunately it has no effect on me different that it did pre-sleeve except I burp a bit more. I picked up the habit after 6 months out again and wish I had not. It has not done anything to hurt me as far as the sleeve goes, it just has no nutritional value and I am very very addicted to it.

AMEN, it is crack. Except my drug of choice was regular coke. Been drinking it since I was a toddler and had to stop cold turkey for this surgery and haven't had one since. I have never like coffee, I used coke to wake me up for the day. Never drank anything else. Sadly, no Water or anything. I don't want to get back on it EVER and hope I never take a sip and can tolerate it.

That is great! Keep up the good work. You are flyin' now!

I still have a hard time with sweetners. I try to find things with sugar and then just dilute them. I know that it slows my weight gain, but I am happy to loose only a couple of pounds a week. Slower is better because it will be more permanent and I won't have all that loose skin hanging on my body!

As long as you are conscious about it, I think you will be fine. I am about 11 weeks post-op and I have lost a total of 48 lbs. I am pretty happy with the weight loss so far and I am even happier that I can finally get in the total amount of fluids. Just this last week, i started being able to drink enough liquid!

Good luck! Happy that you are now on our side:)!...the loser's bench always has room for more!!

Melissa, what are you finding that you can drink? Are you able to drink Water again? Just looking for some ideas. I have been diluting my lemonade so it won't be sooo sweet. But that gets boring after a while.

Well, I can only speak from my own experience so here goes:

I have eaten/drunk full sugar products from day one. I'm not saying it's the best way to go, who knows? But it's the only way I could go. I cannot tolerate any artificial sweeteners whatsoever. I have tried. Just can't do it.

So, I have found myself also looking for things to drink even at 9 weeks out. I don't WANT to drink all that sugar (in my gatorade, lemonade, tea, what have you) but I can't drink plain Water yet. It turns my tummy

While my weight loss might not be as super fast as others, I have lost 33 pounds since sugery and 43 pounds since pre-op diet, which I don't think is too shabby It actually could be much more if I would get my fluids in like I should, oh and if I would get all my Protein in (I really try, but I can't drink the shakes so it has to come from food). Oh yeah, and if I would just exercise.

I'm gonna get right on all those shortcomings very soon. I am just now getting some energy back. Just want to add that eating/drinking the sugar has not given me cravings one time. I have heard that it can ( but so can artificial ones) so just be aware of that!

Good luck with your diet. I know you will do great

That's fantastic!! Now you just have to go out and find yourself some NEW goal pants

iegal and Diva

OP is 6 weeks out, do y'all think that is too early for chicken salad? Or did you think she was talking about an actual lettuce-type salad with chicken on it? I thought 6 weeks was plenty of time for mushy/soft foods like chicken/tuna/ham salad.

I am scared to try a lettuce salad. Just heard too many horror stories

Way to go! You have done very well and I love the Big Wheel, too!!!

Congrats! Glad you are doing so well