Lyra

Wow, I'm sorry that you're having so many health problems. I don't know if this is applicable for you but I also dropped a lot of weight and found myself bruising insanely easily. I'm also at about my year point and it started at about 6 months but has slowly gone away. Hopefully that will happen with you! My body also ached like crazy and I started getting a couple of massages a month. I figured that maybe my body was having to relearn how to move without carrying an extra person's worth of weight and the massages give a chance for both my muscles and mind to relax. It has helped tremendously. As for tingling in the hands and feet....so when I was a kid I had that really, really badly. As in they sent me to a neurologist because they thought maybe my migraines were the cause or it was something more insidious. Turns out it was related to stress and depression (it was a hard time in my life.) As soon as the stress and worry went away so did the tingling. I don't know if that is what's going on with you....but there is hope. Give your body and mind time to get used to the crazy rollercoaster ride that they've been on and we'll all have our fingers crossed that you will start stabilizing and feeling better soon! Good luck!

No problem and glad that my long, rambling answer helped some. As for the pain, well, if my family had a personal philosophy it would most likely be "this too shall pass" and "there is no use worrying about something that hasn't happened yet". Keeping that in mind has helped me get through a lot of the ups and downs. As for kickboxing, I highly recommend it as it's both a great stress reliever (especially during stalls or angsty moments) and really helps with getting back muscle tone!

Wow, those are a lot of questions, lol! I will try and answer some of them for you about how my experience went (and how my life is 10 months later). Basically, your surgeon will schedule you once they know how they're going to get paid. So either through insurance approval coming through or you figuring out how to pay a lump sum. Then, at some point before surgery you will go on the pre-op liquid diet. I was really worried about this but it was actually amazingly easy. I really enjoyed the way my body felt on the liquid diet. Very light and bouncy! When you go to the hospital on surgery day you will be taken to pre-op and scrubbed and gowned and at some point they will give you an injection to help you relax. At this point you're not going to care whats going on around you! Then they wheel you into surgery and put a drug into your IV and before you can count to 3 you're out like a light and then waking up in post-op. Post-op anesthesia recovery is different for everyone but I get really cold, get the shakes, and a bit queasy. I've had surgery before and have had that reaction so I let them know before hand and they had lots of warm blanquets and medicine for me. I'm not going to lie, you had surgery so you will have some sort of discomfort but I personally didn't find it to be that bad. Plus I was hooked up to a pain pump for 2 days and found that it managed my discomfort easily. As for worrying about your husband and his meals, I would recommend just cooking a bunch of stuff for him and putting it in the freezer so he can just reheat it. I know that after I was back on solid food I really just kind of stuck to eggs, cheese and tuna fish for awhile because I wasn't interested in food. My stomach was also VERY picky about what it would tolerate and it was definitely a trial figuring it out. I still can't eat some foods that my doctor recommended (yogurt) and that I used to love. It's strange but my taste buds have definitely changed!

It is hard to get used to drinking because at first you really have to sip constantly throughout the day, even if you dont want to. I swear my water bottle was glued to my hand for the first few months. Now, 10 months later I can drink bigger amounts so it makes it easier. I still can't gulp water like I used to, but I can actually drink like a regular person.

My weight loss was very, very fast for the first six months and then it slowed down which, for me, was good both mentally and physically. I had, and have, a bit of loose skin that will show up when I drop weight quickly in a small amount of time (Ex: 10 lbs in one week during a nasty case of pneumonia) but it has tightened back up every time for me. I haven't had buyers remorse at all, nor have a grieved for what I've given up. Yeah, it was a huge change and sometimes it was hard to deal with mentally but I've always kept in mind that I've gained much more than I've lost (no pun intended). I now run, yoga, kickbox, climb, zipline, ride fair rides, date and do a variety of other 'normal' activities...which means more to me than being able to eat a cheeseburger and fries. I've also kept one pair of my old size 24 jeans and whenever I get down during a stall I just slip those bad boys on and laugh that I now can fit both legs into ONE of the jean legs. You just have to look on the bright side! Plus, and to be honest...once the surgery is done, it's done and there is really no going back. Regretting something that you can't change is a recipe for having a miserable life. I just made sure that all my mental ducks were in a row before I went under the knife and that I had a good support system in place for when I did get stressed out.

Everyone is different but I wouldn't trade the life that I live now for anything, and would go through it all again if I had to. Hopefully this helped some, and good luck with your journey!

Awesome! Congrats!

Yeah I had that problem too. SInce I love to read on my work break I started taking a bite and then not taking the next one until I had read two pages. It helped me to learn how to space it out. I also figured out that when I allow myself to get hungry, and THEN eat, is when I gulp my food. I now eat on a schedule so that I'm really not that interested in eating when I do eat and thus am more apt to take my time. I also figured out that a lot of times when I was 'hungry' I was actually behind on my water intake. By keeping up with the fluids I not only felt more full, but was again less likely to gulp down my food. Hope this helped and good luck!

Congrats! I'm worried about the hair loss too. I'm 12 days post-op and can't seem to eat anythng with nutritional value except one shake a day (and not the best one out there). I even had to stop taking chewables. I'm going to give my stomach a rest for a day or two (liquids only) and try again.

Keep up the good work.

Yeah I had problems eating, drinking, and taking my vitamins after surgery too. In fact it was a good month before I started being able to really eat as my stomach is a moody bastard. I still can't take my chewable so instead I take other vitamins and get a couple of shots a month of b12 and whatnot. As it took forever for me to get enough protein in I was expecting my hair to fall out....although it's still somewhat shocking when it comes out in clumps.

So you're 12 days post op....are you doing okay other than the nutritional problems? I remember my first couple of weeks were awesome because I would lose pounds overnight. Very cool!

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

I was just thinking of you this morning and am so happy to know that your world is just getting better and better! Yay YOU!

Thank you! I still can't believe how much time has gone by since I last updated. Part of the problem is my computer, and the other part is life just being crazy busy!! I think I just need to make sure to schedule blog time on my phone calendar!

Lyrahi there. i periodically "lurk" through the blogs. Your title about shopping intrigued me. Glad i read it.I'm down from 235 to 160 - thats totally amazing for me. I want to lose another 20 lbs. to be at my "proper" weight for my 5'3 height.I also don't know what clothes size, pants, blouses etc. that i should wear. Just too "shy" to look around the stores, not knowing where to shop. Hey, I live in Syracuse, NY - want to go shopping w/me next weekend . My clothes are so big on me now, need new ones, no nerve yet, but i'll get there.take carekathy

Heya Kathy!

I would totally go shopping with you if I lived in NY! I actually did live in Hyde Park, NY about 5 years ago and I have family in Syracuse. It is amazingly intimidating to go shopping after you start losing weight! Can you take a friend with you? It makes it so much better. What I basically did was just grabbed a bunch of pants in different sizes until I narrowed it down to what I now was. I wish that every brand had the same idea on what constitutes a size 18 but with some companies doing 'vanity' sizing it can be interesting! Good luck and let me know how your shopping trip goes.

Also, congrats on your weight loss!

I get where you're coming from, as time both seemed to fly by yet also crawl on broken arms and legs when it was my turn. It's hard, knowing your date, yet having to wait and it brings forth a lot of emotions. This is trite, but the days will slip by much more quickly than you would think. Take this time to prep yourself for your new life. Go on walks, spend time with friends, practice always drinking water in small sips. Be kind to yourself and know that if you do need to vent you can definitely come here. It'll be okay, and before you know it it'll be your surgery day.

Yeah, The Sheriff went from "We're all good, bring on more food" to "Def Con 1" in about 2 seconds. That was my first experience with sliming. Fun stuff.

Thanks for all ya'lls help, guys! I'm going to try your suggestions and see what happens. Wish me luck.

~Lyra

Like they said above, a therapist will help, but have you also thought about volunteering? I like to volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter because it not only lets me meet new people, but also feel good about giving something back. Also, cuddling with lots of animals will make anyone feel better! Also you could try Meetup.com and find local groups that may enjoy the same things you like. There's all sorts of groups; climbing, kayaking, arts/crafts, movie groups, etc. It's really cool and it's been a lifeline to me when I've moved to a new place. Do you like art? Most areas have art centers where you can learn to work with a variety of mediums. Maybe finding new fun things to do will help you find new friends, and perhaps lift your spirits. Good luck and keep us posted!

I had surgery 4/25 and was cleared for soft/moist 5/3 and everything was fine until I tried my new multivitamin which caused me to throw up. Ever since then it's hard for me to get any food or liquid down without extreme pain/throwing up. D*#@n it, I don't want to have to go back to the doctor! I'm supposed to go back to work in four days!

Honestly, it barely bothered me. I think I took maybe 2 GasX the entire time.

you should go to a running store so they can analyze your walking pattern and pair you with the correct shoes. I swear they make a huge difference! I'm jealous that you're able to walk so much! I've had problems with dehydration and having pulled my stitches and was told to take it easy for a few days. No walks for me until Sunday. Major bummer.

What about if you just pour water into a regular 2C measuring cup? That way you know the ounces in your glass without using 1oz cups. Other than that, your blog is hilarious, and I love reading it!

Wow, that doctor was a jerk. There are definitely better ways to ask those questions, and apparently he is to old to take some classes on bedside manner! Next time you should tell him about the different diets/exercises you have tried, and that you were there for help in changing your life, not because you desired his lovely personality and witty repartee! As for getting the money, can you refinance your house or use your car as equity?

You can also ask your doctor if you can take the Opurity Bariatric Vitamins (the ones for the bypass). They're chewable, you take 1/day, and they only cost $40 for 100 days supply. They also supply your Vitamin D and I think your Vitamin B. It's cheaper than the ones you can get from Walgreens.

It sounds like you've had a tough few days. Feel better, good luck, and keep us all posted!

Good luck to you! I'm glad that you found a surgeon that you feel comfortable with, as it's really important! The moment that I met my surgeon I knew that he was on his 'A game'. I felt absolutely no hesitation in letting him do the surgery. The time will pass quickly and before you know it you'll be on the Loser's Bench with all of us!

Yeah, I know what you mean about being over the liquid diet. If I don't get something to chew soon then I'm going to turn into a raving you-know-what!! Luckily I see the doctor tomorrow and hopefully I'll be 'advanced' to the next stage! *grin*. As for over-eating, you'll know. I made the mistake once and, to me, it felt like my stomach had a stretchy feeling before it went all "DEF-CON ONE" on me! Ouch!

Which greek yogurt is it? I'm like you, not a big fan of the stuff, but I do like keeping the options open. Also, runaway camel = epic blogishness. Except when you feel like you were run over by one. Not epic.

Yeah, runaway camels would be epic! The yogurt is Total 0%. It has something like 23g protein and 8g sugar per serving. It's easy on the stomach, as its about the only thing I can stand to eat right now!

Wow this was the first post on here that made me not so scared, I am going from lapband to sleeve due to complications with RA and frankly reading some things on here are scary,

I'm glad that I could help! The first days after surgery are hard because we've spent a lifetime gaining eating habits that you now have to monitor on a minute-by-minute basis. Things that were tasty one day are now not so great, but everyday is better and better.

Also, you should look at the blogs/topics from people who are 6 months, 1 year, and more out of surgery. All of them seem happy with their choice and are living healthier and more full lives. I basically look at the couple of weeks after surgery as 'payment' for having years of fun and adventure ahead of me.

Also, on the plus side I've lost 18 pounds in the past 12 days (that's including my pre-op diet). You just gotta keep your mind on the goal and take what life throws you.

Good luck and feel free to message me if you ever want to talk!

Hey ! Glad to see you're up and about and doing well. It does take a week or so to get used to the new stomach and then every new stage of food progression brings its own set of revelations. I'm 2.5 months post-op and I'm enjoying any and all foods, just in small amounts (which is exactly what I hoped the sleeve would do for me).

Thank you! The last few days have been a bit rough, but I have hope, and a good amount of stubborn bullheadedness, that things will turn out well!

Happy Birthday! I hope that you feel better soon, and I'm sorry that you had a lousy food day. Hopefully at least the rest of your day rocked!

Nope, it's 20g protein. The liquid diet actually hasn't been that bad. Except for the absentmindedness....wait, what was I talking about? :oP