CassieWNY

Thanks for the inspiration!!!

I agree with everyone - Listen to what your doctor says. I also had a bit of a fatty liver going in to surgery. The Liver Reduction Diet does help that and long term, so does losing weight.

I anticipate that you will not have any issues with the liver and that it will be solved following your post-surgical weight loss.

Best of luck to you on your journey.

Be strong. Ignore them. You know what is right for you and in consultation with your doctor, this journey will be your success.

My pre-op was two weeks of two shakes daily and I could have a few ounces of lean meats/protein and raw greens. I lost 20 lbs between day one of my diet and 5 days post surgery. There is some question about how much you gain in the hospital - IV and gas - but it does leave you....eventually. I have a mentor who followed the diet and gained a pound or two. She thinks it was because she didn't use skim milk. Best of luck!

Sleeved on the 27th... Really sounds like you're dehydrating. I was initially having issues and I started having a bottle of Water by my bed and drank a bit through the night when I got up. Somehow it seemed to make it easier for me when I woke up.... like I wasn't shocking my stomach. Just a thought. Feel better.

I agree with everyone above. You are going to do fine. I managed quite well without a morphine pump. Must have had something else.

Work on meditating and trying your best to not focus on the process. Instead, keep your mind (and I know its hard) on what brought you here and where you're headed.

12 days sleeved...and bragging about it. Join the club...you're going to love it!

Go for it! Sky's the limit!

Chefrod2 -

I think it depends on the person. Last week, I was sleeved on Thursday early am. My husband was with me and my initial feelings were that I did not want anyone around. At about 6 pm, I was feeling bad that my husband had been there so long and thought he needed a break. My best friend dropped by (she is a supportive, open minded person) and spent an hour just chatting with me about everything BUT the surgery.

At times this surgery and the pre-op process can be isolating. I found it helpful, dare I say therapeutic, to have some people over and visit this week that just want to talk about normal things. Get me out of what my mother often refers to in others as "Patient Mode".

If you do choose to have visitors, I would suggest erring on the side of less people, shorter visits, and selecting people who understand that the visits need to be on your schedule.

I am wishing you the best for your surgery. Follow the rules, ask questions, stay positive. I am certain you will do well.

tc

Hey Vegas - Just read your post. I am a week post-sleeve. I believe that pre-surgery, you and I had a great deal in common relative to our relationship (good or bad) with food.

I can tell you that I was not required to do any diet whatsoever prior to the liver reduction diet. So, I was concerned that I would be hitting a concrete wall with that part. Frankly, I did a great deal of prep work ahead of time to teach myself how to divert my thinking from what I call "the absence of food".

What ended up being the most successful strategy was allowing myself to... put ME first. NOT something easy for me. Sometimes, I admit, I was a bit cranky. Other times I just had to walk away.

The nerves for the surgery did take over some of my thoughts about food that is for sure. No matter how many times people told me not to worry or "let it go", it did not resonate.

What worked was saying "I HAVE to put myself first." "I NEED this done." "This WILL work" The negative self-talk which I call self trash talk has to stop. If left to my own devices I would beat up on myself.

There are other little pleasures in life that I worked on enjoying during that time. I know, not food. But it worked. A warm shower, hot bath, buying some wild flowers, calling a friend I had not talked to in a great deal of time or looking at other sleeved patient's before and after photos.

So what has happened to date?? On the liver reduction diet, I was fine. I did what I was told. They said "Skim", I didn't say "but I like 2 percent"...I just did it. I suspect you will too.

Surgery is serious, they need your liver reduced, you will do it. You come out of surgery. You are committed to treating yourself right. You will do it.

I stopped worrying about how I would feel "if" something happened and just went back to thinking about WHY I needed this and how I got here. You'll do fine. I promise.

thinnerdaysahead - Many heartfelt thanks for your lovely sentiments. I hope you are healthy and happy and getting everything you deserve from life. I needed your sentiments today. Thank you.

Hi I am Cassie. I am a 44 year old senior corporate executive who lives in New York. I am the proud mother of a very delightful, and somewhat petulant, 8 year old girl. I am married to my husband of over 12 years. He has been very supportive as have the close friends that I chose to tell. I also have a fantastic golden retriever who is always concerned about me.

My journey to my sleeve operation last Thursday was a long one. For me - no matter how many degrees one has or how much common sense they have, it can still take time to get your head around the fact that there is something that you can just not conquer - weightloss. Dealing with thoughts of failure, laziness, etc. was at times, overwhelming. It was also embarrassing.

Then comes the process of telling some people. Even telling the man who loves me was an incredibly tough and a somewhat humiliating process. He would tell you it was not an issue at all.

So many of you are positive and able to share your news. I applaud you. In fact, I envy you.

For me, I had to accept my weight before I could get to weightloss. A somewhat isolating process for me but it didn't have to be. I am here now. I have been sleeved and I plan to knock the ball out of the park. I wish you all the best in your journey.

Big CONGRATS to KIMMY for her August date!!!!!!

I am certainly sensitive to this woman and her story. It is a story that many of us live with every day. The link I read from yahoo made the article sound like it was shocking that a man of average weight would be with a woman that was overweight. Hardly... Of course to the media, women are to be judged almost entirely by their weight.

I got the Ninja for about $100. It was top rated on Consumer Reports. Working really well for me.

I was thinking "It MUST be a slow news day".

Loving the Dannon Light GREEK..... Doesn't taste like the normal greeks and I like the consistency.

Add me in - June 27th!

Good Luck to everyone! June 27th here. Started liver reduction diet and feel like hell. Nonetheless I am on track. Thinking positive thoughts. We are all brave. ALL of us!

June 27!

LOVED the ablation! My OB/GYN said she has a 95% patient satisfaction rating with it. It was about as invasive and involved as an endoscopy. I was back to work the next day but would recommend having it on a Thursday and going back to work on Monday. One drawback is that you can no longer sustain a pregnancy. When I researched it previously, the studies stated that women who had the ablation had a significant percentage reduction in having a subsequent hysterectomy. Your health situation is likely different than others here so it is always best to discuss your options with your physician. Feel free to reach out to me. I am happy to go into further detail. Best of luck!

Originally I was told July 17th but then was moved to June 27th.... Liver reduction starts next Thursday. Anyone else going in around the same time???

Hey there...Just confirmed June 27th! Could not be more excited.

Welcome to all the new additions to our small but mighty group. Just wondering how many of us have confirmed July. I see Christine has the 5th. I am hoping to know by April 23rd. Anyone else confirmed for July?

Staying positive.... *crosses fingers*

So many of these postings hit home for me. In the end, I am tired of thinking about my weight. I am consumed by it daily - from assessing whether I am the "fattest" person in the room to figuring out if someone is treating me differently because of my weight. Stereotyping of larger people makes it very difficult for me in my job as many assume I am heavy merely because I am not a hard worker, or lazy, or I cannot get away from the fridge. It would sometimes make me sad. Often it would make me angry. I want energy back... I am going to channel myself to accomplish this goal for me. I cannot wait until I am able to shake loose all the negativity from weight gain, all the self-hatred, the denial, and the guilt. Losing the weight will not do that on its own, it will take a complete overhaul of my mindset. I am ready...finally. I do not want to be embarrassed anymore, or angry, or humiliated, or sad... or miss out on anything I want to do because I am heavier. Tired of blurring the edges, hiding from mirrors, hiding from cameras, films, being posted on FB, the waterslide, the planes, that darn waiting room chair made for someone size 8.... I might have reached my lowest point when I asked myself if my friends felt sorry for me because they hung out with me. (Not being worthy on my personality alone). I know I am not alone but I have felt that way for over a decade.

Many thanks for sharing your progress. Congratulations on your Anniversary! A very inspiring journey for those of us on the verge of our surgeries. Thank you!