hopeliveshere

For people to stop asking me when my baby is due. I'm NOT pregnant people, I'm just fat!!!
No more plus size stores.
Sexy panties.
To NOT always be the fattest chick in the room.
To get up from my chair at a restaurant and go to the ladies room without having to plot out my path before I start walking.
To sit comfortably in ANY chair.
To be able to say I've lost 100 pounds!

Same here. the gastroenterologist told me that they would repair the hiatial hernia during the surgery.

I have been overweight my whole life but at 250lbs it really started to sink in. There is constant pain in my body whether im standing or sitting. I can only go up about 5 steps before im winded. I can only tolerate 30mins at the park with my children (5 and 2). I want to be able to run around with them. Every 2 hours like clockwork i have to go to the bathroom... as an above poster said, i am tired of being tired!

I have been overweight my whole life but at 250lbs it really started to sink in. There is constant pain in my body whether im standing or sitting. I can only go up about 5 steps before im winded. I can only tolerate 30mins at the park with my children (5 and 2). I want to be able to run around with them. Every 2 hours like clockwork i have to go to the bathroom... as an above poster said, i am tired of being tired!

Not one single moment. I just got tired of being tired. Tired of not having the energy to play with my neices and nephews. Tired of being in pain at the end of the day and when I woke the next morning. Tired of making excuses why I didn't join in some activities. Tired of always thinking ahead, concerned how my size was going to effect what I was doing. Would i fit comfortably in the seat, would the seatbelt fit... just everything.
Single best decision I have ever made. Yes, it was scary, but no scarier than wondering what phyical weight-related ailment was waiting for me around the corner.

I was in a bit of a stall after going on a few mini vacations. After working in the yard yesterday in the Texas heat the stall was broken. I managed to lose 7 pounds in 24 hours even with drinking what felt like 4 gallons of water!
Surgery was on 4/3/13 My Starting weight was 362 and today I am at 260. So 102 pounds and 30 to go until my for now goal.

For me, it's not being a size 2 or 4... I would be happy to be an 8. BUT - I want BOOTS, tall boots that zip up and fit my calf, boots that I can tuck my jeans into. The day that happens I will be jumping up and down in the shoe store!

I have been going to a WLS surgery support group and every meeting someone says something along the lines of, "well it is not like I am trying to be a size 6 or anything, I just want to be healthier." So am I alone in that I DO wanna be a size 6--or 4--or 2? I want to be the one that is expected to sit in the middle of the backseat because I am so small. I want to wear tiny little jeans and have the option of dressing trashy and still looking hot. I have been big my whole life and I want to be the little one. Don't get me wrong, any move towards health and any weight loss is a good thing. I know better than to measure success vs. failure by getting into a size that seems almost unreal to me now. However, is it OK if I WANT it? Like really,really want it? I know me well enough to know that I will Celebrate every pound lost and every step I make towards a healthier me. However, if the truth were told, at the top of the list of reasons that I am willing to allow someone to cut one of my internal organs into pieces and yank part of it out of my body through a slit in my stomach, go through the risks of surgery, and have my eating habits forever changed is because I am SICK OF BEING FAT and I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to slip into a pair of jeans whose size is one single, solitary number. In this group everyone is like, "oh, I just want to reach a healthier me, looking better is just a little extra." Can I call BS on that? I mean like big heaping, steaming bull $#!%.... I know this post may make me seem shallow, but I have never seen anyone jump up and down over seeing their cholesterol go down 10 points. However, be in the vicinity when a former fatty slips on a size small top and size 6 jeans for the first time and you will see some celebrating going on. They will be taking pictures and calling their friends to share the news. You might see a little dance or hear an "oh HELL YEAH". Ever see anyone act like that over that hospital lab report? I am not trying to minimize the awesome health benefits of losing what is basically another person made up of fat that I am carrying around. I know my friend of fat will eventually kill me if I don't leave her behind. I am looking forward to improved health, mobility, and energy levels--sure...but do I really have to pretend that I wouldn't have the surgery if I knew that my overall health wouldn't really improve and all I had to look forward to is being smaller?

Good Morning Every one,
Right now it is 4:20 am. I am getting ready to leave for the hospital. I have to report there by 6am. My surgery starts at 7:30.
Woohoo, yahoo, yippee for me. Happy dance, Happy Dance, Happy Dance,
My highest weight was 289. My weight as of this morning 251, Total pounds lost during the 2 week pre-op liquid diet, 13lbs.
My chance to become a loser has been a long journey but yet has only just begun. See ya'll on the sleeved side.
Wish me luck.

Hello everyone! I joined a few days ago and lurked. (Sorry, just wanted to know what I was getting myself into!) I'm ready to be smaller (I personally hate the words "thin" and "skinny") and healthier so I can get on with my life the way I should have been for years.
This is my third time pursuing bariatric surgery. The first time was interrupted by a family challenge, the second by insurance (they are putzes!) and now, I have made friends with everyone I can who determines my insurance approval fate and I'm sure some are ready to tell me to quit calling and asking the same question over and over again to make sure I am doing everything right!
My tale, like many of yours, is of being "chunky", "heavy", and "thick" all my life. I never minded being the "big" girl since I was tall and carried my weight evenly. I have PCOS that was not diagnosed until I was in my late 30's. I have four four-legged children but God did not bless my husband and me with any of the two-legged variety.
So, let's make this interesting ...
Please reply with your favorite "you would be so ________ if you would just lose weight" story.
My favorite is: I did a great deal of theatre in college and loved being on the stage,doing both standard plays and musicals. One day, during a break in rehearsals, a young man came up to me and said "you have such a beautiful face, you could be a great actress if you would just lose weight!"
My reply: I just smiled and said "You have a great face, too. And if you would lose the a**hole attitude, you could get a date with a woman who has more going for her than a great face and a tiny waistline!"
Hope is always with us ... make it your friend!
Jen

My doctor told me 2-3 weeks... I am comtemplating using the whole 3 weeks. I also hope to have surgery in October. I have sick time saved, so I might as well use it. THanks for asking this question - it's good to get other's perspectives.

My surgeon has already cleared with me to be off one week. ( I don't have a date yet either) He said that as long as there are no complications, that I am healing well and I can tolerate any pain without being a zombie on drugs I can go back to work. ( I am in accounting) I do plan to have someone help me with my daughter and my dogs for a little while, but sitting on my butt I can do either at a desk or at home! LOL

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!!

I know this question has been asked by so many others in the past, but now i am going to ask it.
(i do not have a surgery date yet, im hoping for october) but how long should i take off work? I am a book keeper so i am sitting most of the time but i do some lifting (such as boxes of rolled coins)
Originally i thought of taking 4 to 6 weeks off b/c i am entitled to 60% of my pay during this time. but im wondering if i really need that much time and honestly i am not sure that i can afford to give up 40% of my pay for that long. is it safe just to maybe take 2 weeks vacation time and then come back and perhaps just ask for help for the lifting portions?
Any input is appreciated! thanks all!

I'm here check In at 5:00am surgery at 7:00am my nerves done took over .but I'm ready and God has.my back So good luck to all the sleeve brother and Sister

Starting to get a bit nervous. Also a bit nauseated from lack of food and nerves. What did y'all do for "clear liquids" the day before surgery? I was told I can have Jello, as long as it's not red. chicken broth?? Got a lot going on today, so praying it goes by quickly. It'll be tomorrow morning before I know it
Good luck to other 8/20 sleevers!

Honestly, I'd just get a new PCP. For me, my WLS is such a major aspect of my healthcare right now, I need a doctor who understands the procedure and is supportive.

Hopeliveshere- I can tell you that I leaked all the time. Had to wear poise pads for many years. A month after surgery I no longer wear them. I just wear panties. Why? I don't understand. Was my stomach so big that it was pressing on my bladder? Anyone out there know this answer? Surgery will change many things in your life. Good luck to both of you.

I am just now starting my 6 month Weight Mgt. program with my nutritionist, which is Insurance required for surgery. So, I am looking at January for a date. I was dissappointed to have to wait that long. But, I have been told it does prepare you and goes by fast. ( I hope)
I was told that they do want a fair amount of weight lost prior to surgery for a better liver size; mostly at pre op.
Primarily, the Weight Mgt. program is mostly for preparing me for surgery and post op eating habits and food preparation. Losing or gaining weight during the 6 months is not that big of an issue. Mostly just completing the 6 month with a plan in place afterwards.
Good Luck!

Juat got the call I'm done all testing and required steps.Now waiting on approval and date.

Vixey-- here is a post about my endoscopy that i posted 7/29 it detailed about my experience hope it helps
Posted July 29, 2013 - 7:48 AM
So i finally had my egd this past friday. i wanted to post about it with details for anyone who is so scared to have this done as i was. It really was a peice of cake!

It took about 15mins. I went in and they gave me an i.v. then they asked me to turn on my side. They put something in my mouth to bite down on gently (i guess so they could insert the scope).
I remember looking at my dr he was holding the tubing and the camera and i was thinking im not gonna be able to do this. Then the other dr said we are going to make you sleepy now. Thats the last thing i remember. I dont remember getting drowsy or anything. All of a sudden i was dreaming about taking my daughters to school. I dreamed that i was drinking something and that it had trickled down the side of my cheek. The next thing i knew they were waking me up telling me it was done. The trickle i felt was actually a little drool lol....So it really was so easy i had all that worry for nothing.

I was pretty loopy afterward for a while. I also made the mistake of eating a regular dinner right afterward. Be careful with that b/c i ate so heavily that i was uncomfortable for the rest of the night. i could just feel it sitting in my stomach.

That being said, the doctor said I have gastritis and a haitial hernia. He also scheduled me for a colonsocopy for sept 6.

i guess every surgeon is different. My surgeon wanted it done, however my neice was sleeved in march by a diff dr and she did not have to get one. My surgeon said that he wanted to make sure that i didnt have any ulcers which i assume they want healed before the surgery. luckily i didnt

So glad everything went OK for you! It really is easier than you think.

So, I went to the Surgeon today for my pre-surgery teaching, a meeting with my surgeon, and that's basically it... Well, my in-laws, wife, and kids came with for the ride (I live about 20 min from the hospital I'm having the surgery done).
Well, my wife agreed to let them come, but said we wouldn't go out to eat because I'm on a clear liquid diet. Well, they started discussing logistics, because she wanted to eat out too, but then I just said that's fine, eat out, I'll come with, I need to get used to it anyway... (In other words, it was my idea).
We went to Panda Express, and their website said they had hot and sour Soup, and I was going to get some broth... Well, it turns out they didn't, so I just downed a Protein shot, and drank Water. Then they got cupcakes from a cupcake bakery in town... (I gave my wife the coupon, so also my idea).
I survived.
I was a 'bit hungry before my protein shot, but I didn't drool on anyone's food I didn't grump, I engaged in conversation... It was hard, though, but I did it.
I've been on Clear liquids since Saturday, and all I have to do is make it to August 6th.

i would just ignore them or dont talk to people that are not going to be supportive. I am in the same boat as you almost i am 5'3 and 254lbs. my best friend is not supprotive so i dont discuss it with her anymore i dont have to justify my decision to anyone. I know how hard i have tried to lose weight. As ive heard sometimes ppl are unsupportive b/c they are jealous or just the fear that you are going to change into a different person.
Remember, its a whole lot harder to shine, than undermine.
After my surgery is finally MY time to shine.
Good luck