stacechase

I'm so sorry I'm just now catching up on this thread! Everyone's suggestions are SO wonderful, can't thank you all enough! I don't know how to "sticky" a thread...if someone tells me how (if I need to be the one to do it) I'm happy to!

So, first off... YOU. LOOK. AMAZEBALLS!!!!! Seriously, so beautiful! Congrats on 3 years post-op! Also, I am so, so glad to see someone sharing their story about working on your own personal causes for overeating and emphasizing how important it is to deal with the psychological component of it. I realized recently that aside from my weight (or perhaps tangled up in it), I have many, many self-confidence and men issues that must be addressed if this surgery is going to be a true success. I have started therapy and am on my way to gaining understanding of myself while, come August 19th, losing the weight! Thanks again for sharing your story, your lovely photos, and for being so honest. <3

Welcome! I'm pretty new too, surgery is scheduled for August 19. You'll learn a lot of great info from this site!

Great question! I'm a stomach sleeper too (and I get no end of grief for it from all medical professionals, haha)! I had an ovary and ovarian cyst removed in March and it was about 3 weeks or so before it was even remotely comfortable for me to stomach sleep again. I feel like this will be similar.

OH MY GOSH That is AWFUL! People can be so horrible. I am reading a book given to me by my therapist that was written in 1982 called "Feeding the Hungry Heart." (In fact, I think it was also recommended to me on this site, but my therapist gave me a copy to read). This story reminds me of the essays in that book—how people can say such horrible, hurtful things. I'm so sorry you had to hear that, and I hope that woman gets smacked in the head with an errant tennis ball. <3

WHAT?! No more ALLERGIES!?!? OMG, I have the worst allergies ever!! I never thought that they could be helped by the surgery! I am so excited to see if mine diminish/go away after my surgery in August! Thanks so much for sharing, and congrats on your weight loss!

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that! I don't use Facebook (for many reasons, LOL) but I would imagine that making a general post like that would likely trigger some less-than-supportive responses, particularly if you have lots of acquaintances through FB who aren't sensitive to your feelings or just don't know your story. And, as we all know, EVERYONE is an expert on YOUR weight loss. I have told certain friends that I'm close to (usually the ones that I eat with quite a bit, because things will definitely change there!) as well as some coworkers and my boss. All but a few people have been incredibly supportive and are very excited for me. I had a similar experience as AudOne, where someone I thought would be really supportive surprised me by not being very supportive. She said that she had an aunt and a cousin who had the surgery and they developed other issues (which I later learned were replacing food with alcohol abuse, etc) so she said she was just "concerned," but it still hurt that she wasn't as supportive as I had expected. Hang in there and just think about how fierce you'll feel when you're healthy! They may just be jealous that you're taking charge and changing your life...I find that to be a fairly common issue of naysayers re: weight loss surgery. Good luck! We're always here to support you.

Thank you, Susan!

Thank you so much for the welcome, and for these great tips!! My big downfall is sugar, so I'm trying to stay away from all the sugary things I love so much...it's not easy, of course, but I'm definitely trying hard! I like the idea of smaller plates, that's fantastic. And I went and bought a (ridiculously expensive) pair of really nice new walking shoes with custom insoles the other day, so I'm doing more walking/moving, which is also a big deal for me! Thanks again for your tips and the warm welcome!

Congrats! I did my psych eval and NUT eval last month, and am going to have my surgery on August 19th -- approved by insurance (which is covering 90%!) and everything! I'm excited for you to be starting your journey too! Welcome to the site!

Aww, thanks! No apology necessary!

Welcome! I'm relatively new too, and only two people responded to my newbie post, LOL, so I wanted to make sure and say hello! I am approved for insurance-covered surgery on August 19 (can't come soon enough!) and right now am trying very hard (very, very hard) to eat better and do daily exercise so I'm in the best shape I can be before the surgery. Feel free to contact me directly if you ever want to talk or need support! Congrats on starting the process!

Thank you so much for the suggestion! I'm going to be busy with lots of homework now!

I'm having mine done on August 19th, and an incredibly excited! I'm trying to be better about my eating (a big step for me, as I love junk food) and today when I realized I needed groceries, I put on the brand new walking shoes I bought yesterday, threw on my backpack, and walked a mile to the store! Whatever I purchased, I carried home on my back or in a bag. In this crazy heat, the sweat ran like rain, my friend! LOL! Anyway, eating better and going to try to walk 45 min (at least) 5 days a week. I'm new to the site and would love some new friends to go through the process with too! Good luck!

Ohhhh, GURL, it will hit fast and without warning! Stay by the porcelain throne with some breaks inbetween to watch Breaking Amish or whatever ridiculous show is currently marathoning on TLC. I had to take this stuff when I had an ovary/ovarian cyst removed in March, and it will most definitely work! Good luck!

Thank you so much, Misty! I'll check it out!

Hi everyone! I'm pretty new to the site, and am scheduled for my surgery on August 19th in Mountain View, CA. I am already beginning to work with a therapist as well as a nutritionist to get myself prepared for the psychological issues that I know I'll need to deal with post-surgery (frankly, I should have dealt with them a while back, that's probably part of the reason I've gotten myself into being the "perfect candidate" for this surgery, LOL!) I'm curious if any of you who are post-surgery (or even pre-surgery!) can recommend any good books that provide strategies and information re: the emotional challenges of post-surgery patients—particularly how your self-image changes, how to deal with people treating you differently after you've lost weight, emotional eating and how to work through it, etc. I know my therapist will help me with these things, but I wanted to check and see if anyone had any suggestions! Thanks in advance!

I can completely understand your fear, and I am going to be sleeved on August 19. However, I choose to look at all of the AMAZING before-and-after photos that people post on this site, they are SO motivating and really inspirational! As with any major surgery, there is always the risk of complications. Even people that follow orders precisely can have difficulties. Try to read more of the success stories on the site—trust me, they're fantastic!—and remember that it was easy to get ourselves into this situation, and getting out of it won't be! But the results in the long run—being able to do things you aren't currently able to, keep up with friends and family, be healthy and live an even better life—are worth it. Good luck to you!

You look FANTASTIC! What a wonderful, encouraging thing to see...my surgery is scheduled for August 19. I am so excited and seeing how much this surgery has changed lives is a tremendous motivator. Keep up the amazing work! BTW, you say you want to be "softly ripped"...I love it! Today I watched a concert of Beyonce on TV and was like, "I think I wanna be Beyonce." LOL!

I am also approved and scheduled for August 19! So excited!

Hi there, and welcome! I'm new also, and have my surgery set for August 19 (just got approved by insurance last Friday, yay!) I don't know that I will be able to be much help at the moment, but I am always happy to meet someone new.