stamour1

Of course you know you're still healing. Each day can feel vastly different. Don't force yourself to do too much. Take naps as needed, drink your Water, and try and get Protein if you can.
Go slowly and you'll be okay.

I completely understand where you are coming from! I am there at just 2 weeks out. Sometimes I get so hungry but I'm afraid to damage my stomach and I can't handle most puréed. Granted I lost 17lbs in 5 days ( I didn't start losing till one week post-op) and I'm super happy about it but I'm like you I mourn food. But I also know like anything else in life it will get better and I will learn to adapt to my situation. I hope things get easier for you

I started having seriously less pain on the eighth day. I promise it gets better everyday. Hang in there!

omg me to cant wait good luck

my surgery is on july 24 I cant wait so excited and so over this liquid diet!!!!

Anything I want to eat, just small portions. Of course, I still focus on getting Protein first - and then I'm usually full!

I was sleeved on July 17. I have lost 28lbs!
And I am now on phase 2 of my post-op diet. I actually got to eat Tomato Soup! Going for an egg this evening! Taste so good after being on all Clear liquids for the last 21 days!

Im due for the 25th, im nervous but ready.

Sleeved yesterday!!! Doing pretty well today. Just had my leak test and all is well. Can't believe how much that wore me out!
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Congratulations Mandy! I know what you mean when you say "I've got my life back" also. At 9 months out I'm still 24 lbs. away from goal, but for the first time in 20 years I actually want to exercise, and feel good doing it. This surgery is nothing short of a miracle. Keep on rockin that sleeve, and enjoy the journey.

Mandy, thanks for being inspiring to someone like me who is sleeved tomorrow!

Hi Everyone! My name is Mandy I'm 29 & the Vertical Sleeve gave me back my life! I was 266lbs (size 22) 5 months ago & now 193lbs (size 14)! I'm off my C-pap machine (no more snoring either) I've had NO problems! This is the best thing I've ever done for Myself for health, emotionally & physically. I eat more healthy than I've ever done & I want to for once! When I'm at the grocery I look in my cart & I'm thinking "who's groceries are these"?! I'm so happy with my results this far now it's up to me to keep it up, this defiantly is not a quick fix, I can see why people gain weight back, this is a disease being this over weight( it's an eating disorder). I'm trying my best with eating healthy, walking & doing hand weights, trying to decide where I want to go from here & what I'm willing to do to get there. I haven't felt this good about myself in a long time! I'd recommend this to anyone who's thinking of having the V-Sleeve it's changed everything about me!

thats what this is here for dont feel bad there so many emotions ....

Hello Ashlee,
I am going through the exact same thing right now. I am one week post op an for the first time i feel like i made a huge mistake. I am sick of Protein shakes and drinking Water still hurts and i struggle to get the 64oz of Water a day. I made dinner for my Wife and Son tonight for the first time since the surgery and i cant believe that I can't eat with the. This is such a huge change in our lives and i hope soon i can look back and say wow that was the best decision i ever made. You are not alone in feeling what you feel. I hope it does get better soon for you and hope you find good things to puree.

I'm sorry to complain I know everyone else is so happy about getting sleeved and I am happy I'm just a Debbie downer today.

Yay for no chocolate tonight!
I do my best work at night too... I'm a sneak eater wait till everyone goes to bed kind a girl.
I know all the feelings you are going through.
I think a lot of women here can relate. As much as we hate being fat and unhealthy there is something "safe" about it.
All I can say is therapy, it really does help you find out the "whys".

I had a 21 day liquid diet before surgery, now the first week after is clear liquid then the 2nd and 3rd weeks are still liquid but can move up to cream Soups and I'll be able to drink my muscle milk again. So if your tired of a liquid diet of only a week or two you might need to step back and look at the big picture... Also cheating after the surgery is risky and could be life threatening!! This really isn't something to mess with. I will tell you it's very hard when your family is eating right in front of you and you can smell even just a turkey sandwich and wish to bite into it, but you have to eat your ice chips! This is not easy at all, and it's not ever going to be your old normal ever again. You must become someone new, everything must change forever! As I fixed my sons turkey sandwich I sniffed it with my eyes closed bc I am starving, but thank god I have self control that I really never thought I had before! You have to want this with your all, there can be no "one little bites" it just cannot happen if you want this to go the way it's supposed to go! I know one thing, if I ever hear another person say "you took the easy way out" I honestly think I will deck them!! No wait I know I will deck them!! This isn't easy!

Ok, this is my limited knowledge about loose skin:
1) genetics plays a role in your skin health (can't control that)
2) Age may affect the elasticity and hydration of you skin (can't control that either)
Things you can control...
3) hydration- keeping your body hydrated helps your skin cells stay hydrated
4) moisturizing- I like to use a firming lotion
5) exfoliation- using a scrub to exfoliate your skin increases blood flow to the area, increasing cell turnover.
6) exercise- both cardio and strength training
7) good nutrition- essential for healthy cells
8) I've heard of using compression garments- the idea behind this is the compression helps to adhere the skin to underlying tissue (in my opinion, the damage has already been done, not sure on the validity of this)
Nothing will prevent someone from having sagging skin. I'm hoping these things help though. I'll just have to wait and see!

So I have to do the 6 month supervised diet. And my next appointment is until the 8 of August. Once a month after that. For those of you who have gone through the six months (or longer) are you still as excited by the time surgery comes around?

I'm two weeks away from surgery, but I wanted to offer some advice regarding alcohol post-surgery. I know this is the type of thing you've probably heard about before, but wanted to share an experience.
My ex-wife had bariatric surgery in 2004. At that point, we had been married for 14 years. She was never a drinker before that. I can remember a whole year going by without her even drinking a glass of wine.
For the first couple of years after surgery, everything was fine. She lost nearly all of her excess weight. Then, she got a job at a restaurant where the staff would drink a glass of wine together at the end of the night. Within a year, she was an alcoholic. It became apparent to me that she had replaced the feeling of comfort that food gave her with alcohol.
By early 2010, our marriage came to an end because of it. 20 years of marriage with 2 kids. We tried to help and and get her into treatment but nothing worked. Today, she is a shell of her old self. She has liver disease and I doubt she will be here a year from now.
If you are addicted to food, I would suggest that you stay away from alcohol as long as you can after surgery and try to find something non-destructive to comfort you. I love drinking and collecting red wines. I take regular trips to Napa Valley. But I've had to make a commitment that I won't drink wine again until I'm comfortable that I've resolved any addictive behavior in myself.
Thanks for reading

I woke up one morning and realized my life wasn't going anyway. My boyfriend/ child's father started cheating and had no interest in me anymore. Co workers suggesting better eating habits for me as if they were my mate. I've learned to avoid shopping with friends and family because I hate what I look like in dressing room mirrors. I'm ready to live and stop living in a shell like a turtle.

I took my then 10 year old daughter to a Water park that had a lake that you could kayak or canoe. She was insistant that we each get a kayak. I told her I wasn't gonna fit in one but she persisted. I wedged by butt in one and it immediately sunk in the sand and got stuck. The kid working the area had to push me out and as soon as he did it tipped over. I then got in a canoe and rowed away. There were a lot of people in line watching and it was mortifying. I am 5'7" and was about 250 at the time. I knew that day I had to do something. There were also a couple of water slides with weight limits that I was slightly over. I can't wait to go back and do it all this time.

Starting weight 245
Surgery weight 217
Today's weight 183
***Goal weight 135
Have been same weight for 6 weeks. Getting frustrated. Out for birthday dinner. I'll upload pics in my "medium" dress later.

July 3 or 10. Anyone struggling with pre op liquid diet

Weighed in this morning and my bmi is 29.something- I have turned the obese corner forever! Loving my sleeve and loving my life! Have gone from a size 20W to a size 14, a size xxl to med or large in 4.5 months! Best thing I have EVER done!!!! So happy:)