Coykoi

1. I went with some friends to go horseback riding, only to have the woman almost refuse to let me ride a horse because of my weight. She ended up putting me on a giant horse. So my friends were on horses that looked like ponies next to mine and I was so mortified.
2. Having an ill-behaved man call me "fatty". I know that it was his problem but it still hurt, even in my 50's I havent learned that Sticks & Stones....
3. Losing my period and not knowing if it was menopause or the weight.
4. Having no idea who the person in the mirror is.
5. Not being able to tie my shoes without taking a break so I could breathe.
6. Stopping for road-trip Snacks only to have people shout out "dont do it".
7. Finding out that my friend who is 6'5" weighs less than me at 5'8".
8. Worried about my heart all of the time.
9. Not being able to do the things that my friends do.
10. Knowing that I'm not as old as I feel.

Hello from down south! I'm i n Long Beach, surgery on Dec 6 in Torrance.

Hello from down south! I'm i n Long Beach, surgery on Dec 6 in Torrance.

1. I went with some friends to go horseback riding, only to have the woman almost refuse to let me ride a horse because of my weight. She ended up putting me on a giant horse. So my friends were on horses that looked like ponies next to mine and I was so mortified.
2. Having an ill-behaved man call me "fatty". I know that it was his problem but it still hurt, even in my 50's I havent learned that Sticks & Stones....
3. Losing my period and not knowing if it was menopause or the weight.
4. Having no idea who the person in the mirror is.
5. Not being able to tie my shoes without taking a break so I could breathe.
6. Stopping for road-trip Snacks only to have people shout out "dont do it".
7. Finding out that my friend who is 6'5" weighs less than me at 5'8".
8. Worried about my heart all of the time.
9. Not being able to do the things that my friends do.
10. Knowing that I'm not as old as I feel.

1. I went with some friends to go horseback riding, only to have the woman almost refuse to let me ride a horse because of my weight. She ended up putting me on a giant horse. So my friends were on horses that looked like ponies next to mine and I was so mortified.
2. Having an ill-behaved man call me "fatty". I know that it was his problem but it still hurt, even in my 50's I havent learned that Sticks & Stones....
3. Losing my period and not knowing if it was menopause or the weight.
4. Having no idea who the person in the mirror is.
5. Not being able to tie my shoes without taking a break so I could breathe.
6. Stopping for road-trip Snacks only to have people shout out "dont do it".
7. Finding out that my friend who is 6'5" weighs less than me at 5'8".
8. Worried about my heart all of the time.
9. Not being able to do the things that my friends do.
10. Knowing that I'm not as old as I feel.

Hello from down south! I'm i n Long Beach, surgery on Dec 6 in Torrance.

Hello from down south! I'm i n Long Beach, surgery on Dec 6 in Torrance.

Thanks, I expect that those "new" clothes will also be in the Goodwill pile someday. I wonder what else is in the closet that got shoved to the back. I know that there's a size 8 leather miniskirt in there, but I doubt that this old lady will be modeling that any time soon

I'm 10 days post-op. I was going out on some errands and realized that my jeans were in the laundry basket. I looked around to find a stack of clothes that I was going to take to Goodwill because they were too small. For whatever reason I had forgotten to take them months ago. Well, I tried on a pair of jeans and they fit! I can see the numbers on the scale, but it's nice to see something tangible like this. Now that stack will be for clothes that are too big and I'll reclaim the "too small" stack (for now )

I told a few close friends before, the ones that were less close were told that the upcoming surgery was personal. One of my friends was very supportive and expressed interest (more curiosity than anything else). She needs to fit in so she has been telling me how she's been sick and cant eat anything and how much weight she's lost. OK, I get that she needs to join in, it's who she's always been. I asked her if she's ever been on My Fitness Pal as a way to track what she eats. She went off on how she hates those sites because they don't understand that people are different, she doesn't need Protein and resents any site telling her that she does. Whoa! That's what I run into, is people that know more than doctors and no one can convince them otherwise. I'll tell anyone that I trust, but I don't plan on being an evangelist. One person at work knows because she has a lap band. If she tells others I wont be mad but if people ask me how I did it, the answer will be diet and exercise, because in reality that's what is really doing it. The sleeve is a tool to keep us from eating too much, it's our determination to stick to the plan that takes off and keeps off the weight.

Someone posting a confession is either looking for someone to tell them that they'll be OK (absolution) or looking to be given some tough love. Its impossible for strangers to tell, nor should it be their responsibility, to know what the confessor needs, on a public forum. People wanting absolution should go to friends, family, their priest, etc. Asking a bunch of people that don't know you if they were wrong to eat that french fry or whole pizza need to realize that this is a bunch of people that have worked very hard to learn some difficult new skills and realizing that they can never eat certain trigger or slider foods again. It's threatening to them to think about eating those foods, so why wouldn't they react badly to hear someone else doing the same. I'm not defending bad behavior, and we should all be courteous to one another, but the person that remarked about "blood on his hands" makes the point of how imperative it is to most here to follow the plan. I hope to give the newer people help some day, I'm still new myself since I've just been sleeved Dec 6, but I'm not anyone's mom. I don't love them like she could, and if I say something harsh, its because it's the best way that I know how.

Someone posting a confession is either looking for someone to tell them that they'll be OK (absolution) or looking to be given some tough love. Its impossible for strangers to tell, nor should it be their responsibility, to know what the confessor needs, on a public forum. People wanting absolution should go to friends, family, their priest, etc. Asking a bunch of people that don't know you if they were wrong to eat that french fry or whole pizza need to realize that this is a bunch of people that have worked very hard to learn some difficult new skills and realizing that they can never eat certain trigger or slider foods again. It's threatening to them to think about eating those foods, so why wouldn't they react badly to hear someone else doing the same. I'm not defending bad behavior, and we should all be courteous to one another, but the person that remarked about "blood on his hands" makes the point of how imperative it is to most here to follow the plan. I hope to give the newer people help some day, I'm still new myself since I've just been sleeved Dec 6, but I'm not anyone's mom. I don't love them like she could, and if I say something harsh, its because it's the best way that I know how.

I told a few close friends before, the ones that were less close were told that the upcoming surgery was personal. One of my friends was very supportive and expressed interest (more curiosity than anything else). She needs to fit in so she has been telling me how she's been sick and cant eat anything and how much weight she's lost. OK, I get that she needs to join in, it's who she's always been. I asked her if she's ever been on My Fitness Pal as a way to track what she eats. She went off on how she hates those sites because they don't understand that people are different, she doesn't need Protein and resents any site telling her that she does. Whoa! That's what I run into, is people that know more than doctors and no one can convince them otherwise. I'll tell anyone that I trust, but I don't plan on being an evangelist. One person at work knows because she has a lap band. If she tells others I wont be mad but if people ask me how I did it, the answer will be diet and exercise, because in reality that's what is really doing it. The sleeve is a tool to keep us from eating too much, it's our determination to stick to the plan that takes off and keeps off the weight.

Someone posting a confession is either looking for someone to tell them that they'll be OK (absolution) or looking to be given some tough love. Its impossible for strangers to tell, nor should it be their responsibility, to know what the confessor needs, on a public forum. People wanting absolution should go to friends, family, their priest, etc. Asking a bunch of people that don't know you if they were wrong to eat that french fry or whole pizza need to realize that this is a bunch of people that have worked very hard to learn some difficult new skills and realizing that they can never eat certain trigger or slider foods again. It's threatening to them to think about eating those foods, so why wouldn't they react badly to hear someone else doing the same. I'm not defending bad behavior, and we should all be courteous to one another, but the person that remarked about "blood on his hands" makes the point of how imperative it is to most here to follow the plan. I hope to give the newer people help some day, I'm still new myself since I've just been sleeved Dec 6, but I'm not anyone's mom. I don't love them like she could, and if I say something harsh, its because it's the best way that I know how.

Someone posting a confession is either looking for someone to tell them that they'll be OK (absolution) or looking to be given some tough love. Its impossible for strangers to tell, nor should it be their responsibility, to know what the confessor needs, on a public forum. People wanting absolution should go to friends, family, their priest, etc. Asking a bunch of people that don't know you if they were wrong to eat that french fry or whole pizza need to realize that this is a bunch of people that have worked very hard to learn some difficult new skills and realizing that they can never eat certain trigger or slider foods again. It's threatening to them to think about eating those foods, so why wouldn't they react badly to hear someone else doing the same. I'm not defending bad behavior, and we should all be courteous to one another, but the person that remarked about "blood on his hands" makes the point of how imperative it is to most here to follow the plan. I hope to give the newer people help some day, I'm still new myself since I've just been sleeved Dec 6, but I'm not anyone's mom. I don't love them like she could, and if I say something harsh, its because it's the best way that I know how.

I told a few close friends before, the ones that were less close were told that the upcoming surgery was personal. One of my friends was very supportive and expressed interest (more curiosity than anything else). She needs to fit in so she has been telling me how she's been sick and cant eat anything and how much weight she's lost. OK, I get that she needs to join in, it's who she's always been. I asked her if she's ever been on My Fitness Pal as a way to track what she eats. She went off on how she hates those sites because they don't understand that people are different, she doesn't need Protein and resents any site telling her that she does. Whoa! That's what I run into, is people that know more than doctors and no one can convince them otherwise. I'll tell anyone that I trust, but I don't plan on being an evangelist. One person at work knows because she has a lap band. If she tells others I wont be mad but if people ask me how I did it, the answer will be diet and exercise, because in reality that's what is really doing it. The sleeve is a tool to keep us from eating too much, it's our determination to stick to the plan that takes off and keeps off the weight.

My story starts many years ago. I originally wanted the lap band. I went to a well known doctor in Southern California (who I won't name). After months of visits, money paid, labs done, more money paid, and a surgery date set. I got a call from the doctor's office that there was a problem with my heart test and the surgery would be cancelled. This particular doctor's office was very proud to report that they have had no fatalities. After that, I got a call from my insurance company that I was not approved, even though the doctor's office said that I had been. The doctor's office wanted nothing to do with my case, since I could have damaged their record. It took a lot of argument to get my money refunded, as I had been told that my surgery was approved, but was untrue.What was even worse was that my heart condition was never disclosed. I went away upset and angry that this doctor's office could not care less about me unless it would help their reputation.
Now, eight years later, I've spent many years researching and waiting to be employed again with insurance. The gastric sleeve has now been approved in the U.S. and I began my research again. I looked at my insurance requirements, noted that the surgery needed to be performed in a Center of Surgical Excellence. I found out which hospitals in my area that have that designation and decided that Torrance Memorial was the best for me. Besides the required designation, I liked the education available through the hospital.
Once I selected the hospital, now I looked for the doctors associated with the hospital. I found the Association of South Bay Surgeons. The head of the practice is Dr. Aileen Takahashi. I liked that she was the head and that she was a woman. Once I met her, I was sure that she was the right fit. She's compassionate, but always talks to me like an intelligent person.
Now, testing, education, labs, and more education began, and continued for approximately six months. I never had to come out of pocket for anything but co-pays and the fees to the nutritionist and the psychiatrist. There was no big program fee to be paid to the doctor or the hospital. When it came to my heart condition, the doctor said that it was slightly unusual but nothing to worry about. In further explanation, I have right ventricular diastolic syndrome. It's an "enlarging" of the right ventricle, the chamber of the heart that pumps the blood to the lungs to re-oxygenate it. Because the walls of the ventricle is thickened, it doesn't relax fully between "pumps". Less blood is sent to the lungs, the person afflicted gets tired easier, and has trouble tolerating exercise. Main causes that apply to me are high blood pressure and obesity and lack of aerobic exercise. Since I tired so easily, exercise became so difficult.
So for eight years, I had continued to be fat, continued to have out of control blood pressure, and knew nothing about it. It's a condition that is difficult to discover, except with a cardiac ultrasound. Any EKG that was done during doctor's visits found nothing except minor electrical changes. I never pressed to find it, because I frankly did not believe that the original doctor was telling the truth. Maybe I was hiding my head in the sand, but the original doctor also did nothing to inform me of the nature of the condition.
Now I'm on the way back to health. My surgery was on Dec 6, 2012. It's unknown if my heart will repair itself as the blood pressure and weight reduces. I certainly understand my exercise limitations now, and I know that best for me is small, frequent bouts of exercise are better than long exercise periods. I feel that I'm in good medical hands now, and important to me is my own knowledge.

I'm also 11 days post op and feel the same way. I'm going to follow the once per week weigh-in plan for a while. It was exciting to see the scale change daily, but now that it doesn't (and sometimes goes backward), it's time to get away from that evil toy.

I'm 10 days post-op. I was going out on some errands and realized that my jeans were in the laundry basket. I looked around to find a stack of clothes that I was going to take to Goodwill because they were too small. For whatever reason I had forgotten to take them months ago. Well, I tried on a pair of jeans and they fit! I can see the numbers on the scale, but it's nice to see something tangible like this. Now that stack will be for clothes that are too big and I'll reclaim the "too small" stack (for now )

I'm 10 days post-op. I was going out on some errands and realized that my jeans were in the laundry basket. I looked around to find a stack of clothes that I was going to take to Goodwill because they were too small. For whatever reason I had forgotten to take them months ago. Well, I tried on a pair of jeans and they fit! I can see the numbers on the scale, but it's nice to see something tangible like this. Now that stack will be for clothes that are too big and I'll reclaim the "too small" stack (for now )

I'm 10 days post-op. I was going out on some errands and realized that my jeans were in the laundry basket. I looked around to find a stack of clothes that I was going to take to Goodwill because they were too small. For whatever reason I had forgotten to take them months ago. Well, I tried on a pair of jeans and they fit! I can see the numbers on the scale, but it's nice to see something tangible like this. Now that stack will be for clothes that are too big and I'll reclaim the "too small" stack (for now )

I'm 10 days post-op. I was going out on some errands and realized that my jeans were in the laundry basket. I looked around to find a stack of clothes that I was going to take to Goodwill because they were too small. For whatever reason I had forgotten to take them months ago. Well, I tried on a pair of jeans and they fit! I can see the numbers on the scale, but it's nice to see something tangible like this. Now that stack will be for clothes that are too big and I'll reclaim the "too small" stack (for now )

One thing that I think a lot of us forget is not everyone has the same amount of information (knowledge). I was in a very good surgical program that explained every step of the process, but the fact that freshly cut flesh swells was never discussed, nor that a few days later the swelling would subside. So a freshly sleeved stomach goes from being almost swollen shut to starting to relax within a week or so. I learned this on this site. I was also amazed in a group meeting which was one of the steps before submitting to surgery, that many in this "good program" did not know as much about what to expect as my coach, who's only knowledge about the surgery is the book that I was required to read and take a test on. People have different learning styles and reading a book wasn't for some of them.
Before my surgery I scoured this website, mostly as a lurker, to gain information. I like to be as prepared as possible and for me, part of that is knowledge. Not everyone is inclined, or has the time, or found this site, or (fill in the blank). I suggest that anyone joining ANY forum, lurk for a while before posting, but for some folks are worried enough to post right away. That's OK too, but it might be that the same question was just asked and answered.
We need to keep in mind that there are going to be questions that make us think, "why didn't they know that?" and posts that are asked so frequently that it's obvious that the medical community does not do a good job of covering that topic. People come on here worried or scared, but anyone posting should understand that we're not trained councilors, we're your peers. We may not have the "professional" way of saying things, we are going to say it like it is. We should, on the other hand, remember that we were all newbies too, and at one time we did not know what a gastric sleeve was, let alone all the challenges that we would face once sleeved.

I'm 10 days post-op. I was going out on some errands and realized that my jeans were in the laundry basket. I looked around to find a stack of clothes that I was going to take to Goodwill because they were too small. For whatever reason I had forgotten to take them months ago. Well, I tried on a pair of jeans and they fit! I can see the numbers on the scale, but it's nice to see something tangible like this. Now that stack will be for clothes that are too big and I'll reclaim the "too small" stack (for now )

1. I would have to buy all new clothes including underwear and shoes - twice. Had to get a loan to buy the winter items.
2. People would not recognize me; they sometimes think I am ill.
3. People expecially men would treat me differently - I never knew how to react to an actual flirt.
4. I now care about what I wear each day - I wonder if Lane Bryant and the Avenue miss me?
5. The small things like moving the car seat closer to the steering wheel, crossing my legs with ease, walking up and down stairs without panicing, cutting my hair very very short because I now have a jawline and cheek bones, keeping up with my friends when walking, feeling my hip bones when I lay down, and smiling all the time because I feel so good.
What are your surprise issues?