KristyM

Welcome! Welcome! This will be THE BEST thing you will ever do for yourself. Yes, you will have negative folks, but in reality, their negativity is rooted in concern for you: afraid of what might happen to you, in the worst case scenario. But, WLS has come so far since the early days, and I think the Sleeve is the best option, at least for me: it is less invasive, you are able to eat, you won't have the malabsorption issues that other WLS results in, etc. Both of my sisters and a close freind had Bypass, and it just wasn't for me. They are happy with their choice and I am happy for them. It is smart to do research and watch videos, but try to limit those--they scared me and I almost backed out of the surgery after watching some hair loss and excess skin videos.

Being healthy is the most important motivation for you, I am sure. Yes, it will be a challenge, but you will be so wonderfully surprised how easily you will meet those challenges. You sound prepared, which is one of the most important things to help you during your journey. If you are a woman of faith, being Spiritualy prepared is important, too. If not, finding a group of like minded friends, and this forum, will be an invaluable resource of encouragement to help you prepare. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and do question everything!

You will not regret this, and you will be so glad you made this decision to change your life!!

Best wishes!

This happened to me, too. My periods were out of whack for about 5 months. And, not that this will happen to you, and I hope it doesn't, but I want to give you fair warning: some women, myself included, experienced yeast infections for about the first 3-5 months, too, in addition to the wacky periods. Not sure why the crazy periods and other female issues happen, but I think it is because our bodies go through a drastic change, and our hormones and such can't keep up. But, once you balance out around month 5 or 6, this should all stop and you will be back to normal. I would give it another month or two of periods to see if it evens out, but if it doesn't, don't hesitate to contact your gyno, just to be on the safe side. As if you aren't dealing with enough, Aunt Flow has to show up and ruin everything!!! I really hate her!!

I sure hope it is normal, because I get hungry about every 2-3 hours. I eat something small, enough to safisty me, but not a meal every 2-3 hours. Yep, I get that rumble (almost a kind of hurt) hunger pang, and when Matilda (the name I have for my new stomach) gets hungry, boy does she let me know!! I have noticed that my hunger pangs are much more pronounced now that my stomach is smaller. The first hunger pang I had after surgery scared me to death---it hurt and I thought something was wrong with me. I eat a tablespoon or so of Peanut Butter on a saltines, an ounce or 2 of cheese, half a Protein Bar, etc. whenever I get the hungries every 2-3 hours. I really hope this is normal, because I have been doing this since my surgery. I have found it helps me to snack on small stuff about 5-6 times a day instead of having 3 meals a day.

Yes, it happens, but I can assure you, you are not finished losing weight. I went through the same thing--staying at the same weight for about 2 weeks, then bam, you will lose about 5 pounds in a week or so. Just keep eating smart, making good food choices, and keep exercising and moving. It will start dropping off again, I promise.

You rock, Sista!!!

I have collar bones, collar bones, I tell you!!! Who would have ever thunk i?. I can wrap my hands around my wrists and my fingers meet. I no longer have cankles. I don't sweat all the time---I can actually walk around a store and shop for more than 5 minutes without sweating!! I can shop in the misses and junior sections. I can run and jog without it registering as a 5.9 on the richter scale. I have a gap between my thighs and can now wear corduroy pants without starting a fire from the friction. My bony butt hurts when I sit on hard surfaces. My double chin is gone. I have hip bones and ribs. I can breathe so much better---I no longer sound like Darth Vader. I actually look forward to shopping for clothes, instead of having to take a Xanax just to face the mirror in the dressing room (just kidding about the Xanax). The word big is no longer used in a sentence by others when describing me. My nickname has changed from, well we won't talk about my old nickname, but my new nickname is Skinny Minnie.

Other than that, I haven't changed one bit. :)

Yes, go ahead and start your Vitamins now, for 2 reasons: getting used to taking them and to hopefully help with the Hair loss. I started taking a Multi-Vitamin about 2 months before my surgery (GNC hair, Nails, and Skins brand is good; about $20.00 for a month supply). Yes, I have had some hair loss, but not as bad as I thought it would be, and I like to think it has been because I got a jump start on the vitamins. As you know, Vitamin imbalances can cause weight gain, weight loss, fatigue, aches, etc. So, the better in balance your body is, hopefully it will help you heal quicker, maintain muscle, and lose weight steadily. Taking vitamins responsibly is always a good thing. I am 9 months out from my surgery and I faithfully take an Iron pill and 5000 mg Biotin once a day, and a hair/skin/nail Multivitamin 2 times a day. I have had labs done twice, and my numbers are perfect---no vitamin, iron, or any other deficiancies of any kind. Of course, for at least a month after your surgery, you won't be able to swallow a pill, so prepare to buy liquid vitamins or be prepared to crush up (nasty) and swallow your pills. But, you will have to do this, so just prepare yourself. If you go the crushed up pill route, mix it with a spoonful of applesauce and it will go down lots easier. Best wishes!!!

No, I don't recommend trying that just yet. Your new stomach can't digest a whole pill right now. It could sit on your staple line undigested and cause major problems. As yucky as it may taste, crushing up your pills is the way to go for now. If you can get your Vitamins and regular meds in liquid form, do so. Taking the crushed up meds with a spoonful of apple sauce helped me. Good luck!

Welcome!

That is totally normal. You will have pangs and such occassionally for quite a while as your body adjusts and grows back together. Just don't lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for 6 weeks, and don't do any core or abdominal exercises until your surgeon says you can, and you will be just fine. Best wishes to you!

I work in Accounting and sit at a disk all day long, too. I had my surgery the day after Christmas, 12/26/12, and I returned to work the next week, on 1/2/13. I asked for help moving anything that was more than 10 pounds. The sooner you are up, moving, walking, and getting back to a normal routine, the quicker you will heal. Every person deals with pain and getting over surgery differently, so definitely take as much time as you need. But, sitting at my desk was not any worse than sitting at home on the couch. I could not afford to stay out any longer than I did----I only had 3 sick days, so I didn't have a choice; I had to get back to work. In the worst case scenario, for a desk job, I recommend going back to work in less than 2 weeks. Again, it all depends on how quickly you recover. Take care of yourself first and foremost. Best wishes to you!!

Have at it, Sista!! I don't recommend that he lays on top of you with his full weight---there are other ways, as you know......... Have fun, and try not to pop your stitches!!!

powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury is a good brand. Matrix Protein mix is great, too---Cookies and cream and fuzzy navel flavors are my favorites. Now, some tips on mixing Protein powders and drinks---they clump up, especially when you add them to heated liquids, like Soups. To avoid this, add small amounts of protein at a time, then heat for a few seconds and stir. Repeat, but don't heat the liquid to as hot a temperture as normal---Proteins just can't take the heat. Also, when you mix the Proteins with cold things, like apple sauce, pudding, and yogurts, the protein makes these types of things frothy. You will have to experiement and see which consistency works for you. It is a bit of a learnimg curve, but you will adapt quickly and will learn what works best for you.

Best wishes!!

All doctors are different, but I am so glad my doctor required a pre-op diet--it helps you get into the groove of what it is like eating right after surgery, and it is safer for your body because your liver shrinks and Proteins help your body heal better after surgery. I was on the New Direction Protein diet 2 weeks before surgery. I had to eat or drink 4 New Direction Protein supplements a day and one meal with lean meat protein and any and as many green vegetables you want. I lost over 5 pounds that first week. Look online for New Direction supplements--they have things like Soups, puddings, hot chocolate, choclate Fiber drink, Protein Bars, etc. You have to eat or drink 4 of these a day, any comination, and again the one meal a day. The supplements are pretty good and I didn't feel like I was starved or hungry. The bars and drinks are very filling. Cut out all breads and all soft drinks during this time, too. You can't have them anyway after the surgery, so you might as well stop them now to prepare yourself. Below is a link to New Direction's website. Click on Bariatrics on the left hand side of the webpage, and it will lead you to Products to buy.

http://www.robard.com/Programs/New-Direction/

Best wishes to you!!!

Hang in there, dear. You are experiencing normal things, and each day will get better than the day before. I know that is not very helpful, especially when you are going through it, but I promise you are not alone. I also promise, like pinky swear promise, that you WILL NOT REGRET this decision in any way. Once those pounds start dropping off, you are walking and doing light exercises, you begin to gain energy, etc., you will know that you have done the exact best thing you could possibly do for yourself.

Of course you are tired---you have just had major surgery, and the anesthesia always catches up to you around this point of your journey. You are experiencing absolutely normal things. Once you can begin eating soft foods, you will begin to feel so much better, I promise. Just hang in there, do your best to walk, sip, walk, sip, walk, sip, and take each day as it comes. You can't speed up this process, so each day is a new experience, albeit a slow one. But, once you drop that first 20 pounds, that will motivate you to keep going.

I am glad to hear the soreness is easing up a bit. I didn't have the hiccup thing, but walking and moving as much as you can will help move all the gas out of your stomach area.

You've got this, Sista!!!!

Take care.......

Nooooo! I do not recommend the Bypass---too many absorption issues and you are not guaranteed not to have reflux with the Bypass either. I had horrible reflux before my Sleeve and I am fine now. As long as I avoid the triggers like tomatoes and such, I have no probems with it. Both my Sisters had Bypass and they lost a lot of weight fast, but so have I witht the Sleeve. They both have to have Iron infusions because they cannot absorb nutrients and Vitamins naturally. Comparing their Surgery experience with mine, SLEEVE IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO GO! Do not ever let a Doctor talk you into doing ANYTHING you don't want to do. Just look at the thousands of happy folks on this site, and it should help you make that decision. A 15% chance of anything should not be enough to make you choose the Bypass----anybody has a 15% chance of getting reflux if they over eat, each chocolate, or eat tomatoes. Also, you could save 15% or more on car insurance............................ Best wishes!!!!!

Definitely do the diet as planned, and keep your fingers crossed about the approval. If you have done everything the insurance company has asked you to do pre-op, and it sounds like you have, then you should have no problems getting approved. And, you definitely want to have the diet started when you get the approval notice. Otherwise, if you don't do the diet now and you get approved, you will have to reschedule your surgery for later. The worst that can happen if you don't get approved---you do the diet and lose a few pounds on the diet. Stay positive and best, best wishes to you!!

^{Although Insurance paid for my Sleeve, my doctor's private pay was $14,000.00 in Alabama. This covered anasthesia, all doctor's visits, the surgery, and the hospital stay. Best wishes!!}

Yes, I have BCBS of AL and they paid 100% for my surgery!! I followed their pre-op 6 month plan to the letter, as they asked (Weight Watchers once a week, Doctor's appt once a month for seven visits, provided 3-5 years worth of weights from previous year's doctor's visits), and I was approved on the same day my doctor's office submitted my paperwork. Of course, my BMI was over 40, and BCBS of AL will pay for the surgery without co-morbid conditions if your BMI is over 40. If your BMI is 35-40, you must have 2 co-morbid conditions (diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc). If you have done exactly what they have asked and you meet the BMI and co-morbid conditions, then you should be approved. Please let me know when you get approved and BEST WISHES!!! This will be the absolute best thing you will ever do for yourself!!! Don't give up and if for some odd reason they don't approve you, keep trying and resubmit with an appeal letter.

Best wishes to you!! It is natural to be scared, but YOU WILL HAVE NO REGRETS!! When the weight starts melting off, you will know you did the right thing. And you will be healthy!!

Take care!

The only baby food I liked was a jar of chicken weenies (they look like vienna sausages). They are soft and easy to chew and taste decent. I was able to start eating these during week 2 after surgery. I did not like any of the baby food that looks like pureed meats in a jar---they were awful. I didn't try the fruits and veggies baby food, but you might be able to tolerate those at this stage, as long as they are the consistency of a runny pudding--add some skim milk to the baby food fruits and it shoud help you get it down better. Check the labels for the carb and sugar content to make sure you are staying within the less than 5 grams of Sugar and low carb. I was able to tolerate sugar free apple sauce about mid week during week one---this was my go to thing to eat, as I tolerated it well and it did not make me sick. Grits and my Protein Drink were the other 2 things I was able to eat during week one/liquid week. A mashed up banana is good during week 2, as well. Hope this helps!! Best wishes!

Awesome!! You've got this!

Yes, you will feel cold! Yippeeee!! I have sweated and overheated all my life, and I could not understand seeing normal sized people in sweaters in restaurants and all bundled up on cold days. They were in a scarf and sweater, and I was sweating with a short sleeved t-shirt on. But, I had my surgery on 12/26/12 and I haven't gotten warmed up yet. I do sweat when I exercise, but I can acutally walk around the mall and not stop to wipe sweat and not have to stop and sit down to cool off. If I do sweat occassionally now, it is a very small amount and not nearly as noticeable as before (my hair would literally be wringing wet and sweat rolling off my face just walking around a store). I know some folks wouldn't understand, but not sweating and being cold is one of the things I looked forward to happening to me after the weight came off. I am down 77 pounds and have 28 more to go, and the sweating has drastically decreased. So, look forward to a sweat free life, and be prepared to buy some sweaters and sweat shirts, Sista, because you are going to need them!! Best wishes!

Absolutely, 100% no!! The sleeve is not the easy way out. For folks like you, me, and every other human that struggles with morbid obesity, we CANNOT lose weight and keep it off without the sleeve/bypass/band. It is almost impossible to do. So, first you have to accept that as a fact. Trust me, sleeving is not easy, but it is a great tool that will help you succeed. If you have failed at every diet you have ever tried, are obese now, and cannot see a future that does not include you being overweight, then you really have no choice but to have this done. Considering your family history and the fact that you weigh 347 pounds, what are you waiting for? Take that step, have it done, and begin a BRAND NEW LIFE. I know it is scary, and I faced the same things and had the same questions and voices in my head, too. But, you know what scared me more: realizing I was headed for open heart surgery, stroke, or a diebet coma sometime in my future if the weight did not come off. The thought of having a heart attack and waking up with a ventilator down my throat scared me enough to finally make the decision to take my health seriously. The thought of all the horrible things that can happen to us that struggle with weight is way more scarier than a 30 minute sleeve surgery. What do you have to lose?? The weight, of course. You CAN DO THIS!!! Those voices of doubt you are hearing are the same voices that, if you listen to them and let them rule over you, will laugh at you when you DO have a heart attack---and as you stated in your blog, you are already being treated like you have had a heart attack. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't wait any longer. Get to your doctor now and get this process started. You cannot afford to wait. Please don't wait too much longer---the longer you wait, the more damage your obesity will do to your body. I urge you to confront your fears, find a support system/group, and get started on your new life. There is no way any doctor, considering your history, would not be on board with you losing weight and getting healthy---if they are not, then find another doctor. Best wishes to you!!!

Yes, it is realistic to not tell anyone. I told the same thing about the hernia, which was absolutely true---the hernia was planned to be fixed during my sleeve. You will get a lot of questions when the weight starts coming off. But, you will be able to walk during that 6 weeks, so you will truthfully be exercising. I just posted a blog about this same thing a few minutes ago. I get asked, almost on a daily basis, how I am losing the weight. My standard answer is HARD WORK! Everyone wants to know what "kind of diet" I am on. I tell them I am on a high Protein, low carb, and exercise program. And that is the absolute truth. I have not had anyone right out ask me if I had WLS. I have decided, if they do, to say "How rude. Why would you ask something so personal as that?" and walk away immediately. It is your body, your business, and you don't owe anyone an explanation about your body. Yes, they will be curious and yes you will get questions (ALL THE TIME), stares, and nosey folks all up in your business. But, you absolutely do not have to divulge anything that you do not want to. Just state that you made a life changing decision to be healthy and that you are sticking with it this time! Best wishes to you! If you have any questions, feel free to message me. I will be happy to share!