Valentina

What she ^^ said. Exactly.

If you are having issue severe enough to concern you, call your bariatric team. They should always be your first life-line. By all means, come here post to share your concerns and get "been there, done that" advice, but you should ALWAYS call your bariatric team first. Feel better, my friend. Make the call--please. Prayers going up for you.

Good job, Ladies. That's the way this site is supposed to work!

Do you have sleep apnea? If you don't have it, maybe you don't need a sleep study. I didn't have a sleep study, because I've never suffered from sleep apnea. ​"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Good luck.

I got a tattoo for my 60th birthday which was 2 years out. Everything went well and I love it! I had it put on the inside of my ankle, so I don't know it that makes a difference. I would think that trying to put a tattoo on a flabby ribcage, stomach or arms might be a different story. If you know your tattooist, give him/her a call and let us all know the answer.

OMG! I'm so sorry about your husbands decision to leave the planet. I'm glad you and your Chinese Crested Gucci have each other. Me too. Thank you. Gucci and I are quite a team. We are inseparable. He even loves to go surf fishing with me even though the fish I land are ten times bigger than he is. Seriously though, I honestly don't know if I could have found my way back from my grief without him. As my bumper sticker says: "Who rescued who?"

Kitchen? What kitchen?? Oh, are you talking about that room with all of the cobwebs? I think it's still there. It's been awhile...

Whoa, friend. Take a breath. You will overwhelm yourself. Please, take one task at a time. If the crystal lights are too sweet, Water them down, +/or add a bit of lemon juice to them. Try adding Nutritional yeast to your broth. It will not only add Protein, but will had a "crouton" taste. Try making some homemade bone broth---so much better for you and soooo much better tasting. sugar free ice pops will help with getting your liquids in and the cold wakes up your taste buds a bit. Unflavored Protein powder may help instead of or in addition to your Protein shakes might help break the over sweetness issue. There are a great many folks on this site who will be offering you many more suggestions. Take the time to not only read their posts, but try using the ones that fit into your life the best. Try to relax. Don't panic. You got this. With a little help from your friends (us, here on BP) you'll do great! Prayers going up for you, Friend.

Did you have a "MD supervised diet" regimen before surgery? That is the time when you were supposed to learn how to eat healthier. I suggest that you make an appointment with your team's Nut., and therapist. This journey you are just beginning on is long and winding. To start out without a "roadmap" is just asking to get "lost". I hope you make the appointments in the morning. Prayers going up for you, friend.

Everyone on my mother's side of the family were super obese. My father's side was tall, lanky and cranky. -------all deceased. All of my siblings know of my WLS. None of them are supportive. My S.O. (6' 6"/ 300#), John was adamantly against my WLS and committed suicide the morning of my sleeve surgery. However, my Chinese Crested, Gucci seems to be OK with my decision.

She's your mother... Many prayers going up.

Maybe you could ask your Bariatric team if there is a Protein shake available that is prescription covered. I know that a neighbor of mine gets Boost and Ensure monthly delivered after her MD wrote a script for it. Worth a call, right?

If your pain meds are making you ill, then call your bariatric team and get a RX for a different one. One pain pill does not fit all. Recovery is so much faster and "easier" if you aren't fighting the pain. Work with it. Feel better and don't forget to call. Prayers going up...

Is cost the reason for your wiliness to go outside the country? If the cost was the same, would you be going outside of the country for your TT and breast surgeries.??? Just wondering.

Thank you. That has to be the answer. Insurance approval is a "thorn" in most WLS folk's path who need skin surgery. I wish the program would go into the pre-approval hoops and jumps that are regularly required, but I guess the program can only cover just so much. I watch the program --even though I get so exasperated by the "spoiled brat" attitudes that come across. But, I guess that makes good TV. Fatness is not an excuse for some of the behaviors exhibited on the show.

What I'm missing is that no one seems to have to have their skin surgery approved by their insurance companies. Cosmetic or medically necessary, an insurance company still has to approve of it, don't they?? We have folks posting here that have lost hundreds of pounds and have documented skin problems and still can't get approved for skin surgery. What am I missing?

Go and get it "off", my friend! How exciting. --expecting a full disclosure. Prayers going up for a safe surgery and an easy recovery.

This skin surgery thing-- Am I missing something? Does Dr. Now make all the decisions about when skin surgery is/isn't approved? I don't remember ever seeing any one having to clear their skin surgery with an insurance company. How many of WLS would have skin surgery if we didn't have to it approved by insurance companies? Or self pay? I bet a great many of us would. Maybe I just missed that part of the production. Did I?

You are so very welcome, friend. I wrote it as I felt it.--still feel it. You (and myself)- need to remember- are not alone with this "rain storm" of feelings during our WLS journey. Together maybe we can avoid being swept away by a "tsunami" of negativity. I know "we" can. Let's not give up on ourselves or each other----OK? Never ending prayers going up.

----"And there's your sign!"

I get it. Some WLS folks will never understand what you are feeling right now. Their journey is truly one of "yellow brick roads". I envy them. I find that I still "mourn" the loss of memories never to be realized about the socialization of food. Is having WLS a wonderful thing for one's health and longevity? You bet. Will your bones and joints thank you for relieving their burden? Yep. Will you be able to shop for smaller and more fashionable clothes? Sure. Will looking forward to having a family traditional "feast" ever be the same? Nope. I find that whenever I go to a food based outing with family/friends I feel like I'm "separate", "alone", --like I'm outside the group looking in--not totally fitting in like before WLS. It's like I feel like I'd rather be somewhere else--doing something instead of just sitting and eating 6oz of Protein.--trying to remember that those 6oz were from Great Grandma's favorite recipe. I also know that we can't "undo" our sleeves. So, we have to find a way to adapt ourselves to start feeling comfortable within our family/friends groupings again. I'm just not there yet--now 5 years out. However, since this journey that we are on is a life changing journey, I'm thinking that the journey is never-ending and I am learning with each step. I don't know if I've helped you any, but I guess I just wanted you to know: --that I'm out here. --I'm listening --I care. and --I get it. Prayers going up for all of us.

the progress you have made is inspiring. I always look forward to seeing your posts. Thank you very much. I'm glad to be around to post...........'being around' wasn't a safe bet a year ago. Comorbitities were piling up and dragging me down. I'm grateful and trying to set things up so I can do a better job for the next half of my life. I told Chritinamo7 about my NSV on Mothers' Day, Dub, so I'll share it with you now. My daughter and I were going through my mothers hope chest in the attic on Sunday. In there were all of the baptismal gowns and my wedding gown. Talk about ancient!!! After much whining and pleading I tried it on. I don't know which was more wrinkled--the gown or my skin, but the NSV was ---IT WAS TOO LARGE!!! The last time I wore that gown was 44yrs ago this month. I only fit into it because I went on a "starvation" diet for weeks before my wedding. Wow! Wrinkled or not, it felt good. First time in a long time---I felt----really happy. Simple feeling shouldn't be soooo hard to accomplish. I had almost forgotten how good it feels just to be happy. I may try it more often.

If I would volunteer for any kind of plastic surgery, it would be for my "turkey waddle". I hate it! I swear, on a windy day, my neck skin slaps my ears!!!!

Relax, talk honestly, and easily and what will be will be. If there was a best time NOT to prepare for a conversation, it is before your psych. eval. Just be yourself. You'll be much better off if you just --be yourself. Prayers going up for you.

Call you MD. He/she knows you better than anyone. Maybe you just have a stomach virus. But any concerns that you have this soon, need to be addressed by your bariatric team. Please call them and them post and let us know how you are. We really care. Prayers going up for you. Feel better, friend.