kimmysmash

I drink Coke Zero. Through a straw.

I guess I don't understand "falling off the wagon"... your sleeve is designed to restrict what you eat, meaning that whatever you eat you will eat less of. Just eat till your sleeve tells you that you're full and you're going to lose weight. I've seen plenty of people who just listen to their sleeves and eat what they want and lose plenty of weight. Obviously this is going to be an unpopular answer but everyone is different.

I like the last one! I hate when I see people with less than 50 pounds to lose talking about having 85% of their stomachs removed!

I smoked heavily for over 40 years, between 2-3 packs per day. I have had 5 major surgeries in my lifetime. With each and every one I have had postoperative pheumonia, extended hospital stay and slow healing.
When I was researching the sleeve I learned quickly that quitting was a requirement with most surgeons. I resented it for a while and actually almost didn't procede with the process over it because I thought I couldn't quit and didn't particularly want to try. I had tried/failed many many times. Truth be told I didn't want to quit. I enjoyed it and it had become a part of who I was. Maybe strange but true.
Then one day I thought about it on a deeper level. I looked at my pack of cigarettes and realized that it is what is standing between me and the opportunity to have a life changing-saving surgery. I thought " little rectangular box filled with chopped dried leaves has had more power over my health than I have and I have given it that power. I'm taking that power back today."
After long hard consideration I decided to give it another try with one difference this time. I would not give myself permission to fail. I wanted the surgery and this habit was the object in my way. I decided to try vapor cigs.
I purchased a kit with 4 vials of vapor liquid. I had the largest bottle made up with 25% less nicotine than full flavored. The 3 remaining bottles were made with 50% less, 75% less and 0% nicotine respectively. I puffed them in order reducing my nicotine intake until I was getting none. I puffed the 0% one for 2 weeks with the puffing spread out over longer periods of time. That was to break the hand to mouth habit we (smokers) all seem to have. That can be as hard to get past as the nicotine and can lead to weight gain because we replace food with the cigarette in the hand to mouth motion. It worked. I can say that not only do I not smoke, I don't even think about it. My husband still smokes and I am not bothered by it at all. I am not one of those x-smokers that spend my free time on a soapbox preaching the sermons of Hellfire and damnation to all of those that continue. I get that we are all adults and the choice belongs to each of us. I am one of those that knows very well how hard it can be to quit. I offer the method that worked for me to those of you that want to try it. If it doesn't work for you I encourage you to see your PCP for help with other methods. Its worth it.
The end result was that my surgery was 8 days ago. From the moment of surgery on my oxygen readings were consistenly 100%. There was no pneumonia to add to my recovery plan for the first time in my life. I can focus on my weighloss. I can take the walks I need to take without getting winded. I get a certain satisfaction from knowing that while my body begins to look better outwardly it is healing inwardly as my lungs work to return to their normal state. I have a sense of self-pride in completing a challenge that has eluded me thus far. The money I save in cigarettes will now be stashed away in my personal new wardrobe stash. My children's memory of me from this point on will be of healthy living practices that will hopefully be incorporated into their lives as well. I have no doubt there will be more benefits to come.

She is wrong; flat-out, pig-headed wrong, to say the changes in you are the reason she strayed.
You made positive changes for your health, your energy level, your confidence, your appearance, with her in mind. You sacrificed and risked so much in a major surgery and fought your way to a lower weight day in and day out; and you did all of this with her in mind.
Her infidelity didn't happen because YOU changed. It's because of flaws in HER, not in you. For whatever reason, she couldn't accept the new version of you, even though on the inside--the part of you that should connect with a soulmate--that inside never changed a bit.
I know you're hurting right now, and words can't fix that. Only time can. But trust that the flaws in her that led her to stray from your relationship would have come out for one reason or another, whether you were sleeved or not. If you hadn't had the surgery, she might have cheated because one of you aren't on the "right" career track, or over financial strains, from a mid-life crisis, or simply because she just got bored!
It hurts to invest so much time in someone who isn't giving you anything back. However, ten years is better than 30, or 40. As Maya Angelou says, "when someone shows you who they are--believe them." What your gf showed you isn't who you thought she was, who you saw her as, who you dreamed of being with--but it's who she is, and THAT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.
You will find that person who is the perfect fit for you, who will Celebrate everything about you at ANY weight. Meanwhile, give yourself the time you need to heal your heart and learn to trust enough again to find Ms. Better Than This One by A Country Mile--she's out there!
(P.S. When you find her, send Ms. Doesn't Deserve You a lovely thank-you card for getting out of the way and letting your find your true happiness!)

Yes, it is a small tube, probably less than 1/4" in diameter that allows Fluid to drain from in around the surgical site. Not only does it prevent excess Fluid, it also can show a leak. My doctor advised me to drink odd colored fluids (no oranges or reds) for the first several days because if there was an internal leak, it would show in the "hand grenade".
Ad for pain, I would say no, it is not painful unless it gets pulled on because, in my case, they used a single stitch in my side to attach the tube to the skin so it couldnt be pulled out. It is a little gross because you need to empty abd measure the fluid that is being drained into the pouch. It stinks a little, is a mixture of blood and clear/yellow fluid, and is just overall not pleasant to see or have hanging out of your body. Was it miserable, no, it was fine, but it is what it is.....
When it was removed (1 week post op appointment) my Nurse Practitioner just told me to take a quick deep breath in on the count of three and when I did that, she yanked the tube out. Was it painful, not really, was it the weirdest sensation I have ever felt, no doubt! It is a very flexible tube coming out of your body the way you would suck in a wet noodle so try to think how that would feel...very strange.
I didn't like it but I am glad I had it for the peace of mind that I could see if I had internal bleeding (more than I should) or a leak. And, to some extent I would think it helped relieve some pressure as well which may or may not have helped with my comfort.

If the sleeve doesn't help you lose wieght then I don't know what would.... You have to follow the sleeve life style though and eat protien first, then veggies. You won't have room for anything else after that and lose!

Hello everyone. I am on here frequently.. Reading posts.. And I have to say there are three complaints/attitudes that I can't stand hearing about on here. Sorry for the rant but sometimes you have to tell it straight.
1. The "oh I just got sleeved a few weeks ago and I've stopped loosing weight.. What's wrong with me??!" Well first off obviously you did not read the hundreds of other posts from people complaining about the exact same thing! Stalls are normal and they will pass. If you think the weight is just going to fall off overnight you are sadly mistaken.
2. The "when can I eat pizza/drink pop or other *insert obviously unhealthy meal item here*??" Really you must have missed the part about this being a lifestyle change! If you continue your same eating habits you are going to get your exact same results. Just because you have WLS doesn't mean all those empty calories you choose to consume are just going to disappear. Your setting yourself up for failure.
3. The "I've stopped loosing weight.. Oh by the way I DON'T excercise" ok now this one seriously bugs me. I am pretty sure EVERYONE was given the same information about adopting some form of physical activity after getting sleeved. It's required to help you loose weight, tone that saggy skin and maintain your weightloss when you get to goal.. If your telling yourself "I just don't love exercising" then you are FOOLING YOURSELF. No one loves excercising! It will get easier after a while and more enjoyable sure. "But my bad knee/shoulder" oh boo hoo everyone can do some form of excercise even if its just walking or even chair excersises. If a 30 year old man born with NO ARMS AND NO LEGS can find it in him to play golf, swim, and play soccer then I'm pretty sure you can do some form of excercise! (See attached inspirational video)
So to sum up my rant.. NOTHING WORTH DOING COMES EASY! It takes work and the right attitude to be successful!
http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/How-Nick-Vujicic-Triumphed-Against-All-Odds-Video

What helped me make my decision was on old fashion pro and cons. My cons list was much longer.
I had some complication with the surgery but I'm back on track and lost about 70% of the excess weight.
Don't let fear be a factor. Make the decision based on the facts on your pro and con list. Your running a higher risk not doing anything about it.
Good luck with the decision - that was the hardest part for me.

I love mootopia!

Cory your timeline sounds right on par with what I went through. Had seminar and first consult with surgeon on 02/27 and sleeved on 04/30. Have BCBS...no 6 month waiting period and I had a few co-morbidities. Congratulations on the surgery date and don't let that coworker get you down. You will soon learn who to share your journey with and the rest can all go sit on it.

I hit 105 down this past Saturday, 4 months post op. I still have another 100 to go and was feeling down so I made some progress pics and thought I'd share!
Surgery done on 1/5/13 with Dr. aceves.
SW - 375
CW - 269
GW - 170
The leopard print pic is the oldest and the coral picture is the most recent from this past Saturday.
My myfitnesspal username is sarabsleeved, feel free to add!

I had a slurpee the other day. I loved slurpee pre-op and now that they have sugar free ones, I thought I was in the clear. WELL, I'm not. I only had a few sips and then my stomach starting hurting. Apparently, slurpees have carbonation in it.
SO... for all of you slurpee lovers watch out for this one.

Can't believe how this thread turned into a lecture, sorry I even asked about smoking! I thought this was an informative and supporting site, but clearly it's not.
Thank you to all those who answered my question regarding smoking, as this was initially directed to smokers only. As to those (non-smokers) who enjoy lecturing other smokers, find another thread to lecture on.
Have a nice day:)

Mine is coffee. So far I have hidden the extent of my depravity from loved ones. I see different baristas so none of them are the wiser. I even brew at home... who really notices if it is one cup or three?
I make light of this but I find it curious how much I want coffee ! I used to take it black, now I need cream and sweetener. I used to have a few cups in the morning now I have to tell myself NO even in the afternoons or else I would drink it all day long! I have heard of addiction transference ...
Also, I suddenly stopped listening to NPR and now only listen to country or rock music.
I might be going over the edge!

Dear Community,
This is a brief account of my surgery experience and first weeks after. I am 54, need to lose about 100 pounds, and researched this procedure thoroughly beforehand. My surgery date was 5/9.
I just want to say that overall, it was (surprisingly!) much easier than I expected. I did NOT have a great deal of pain or discomfort, nor am I finding the post-sleeve eating and other routines to be that difficult. I'm so happy to have done this.
As with most people, having bariatric surgery certainly WAS NOT my first choice! In fact, I was a bit shocked and insulted when my PCP suggested it to me 4 years ago. But since then (2009), having lost about 50 pounds and regained it TWICE -- and having developed some serious health issues -- I realized this had to happen. It did take a while to get my family on board. Since I've already told my "pre" story, I won't go in to all that -- you can read my earlier post. But suffice to say, I went in to this with "eyes wide open." I prepared an advance directive and a living will, too. It was difficult for me to know how to respond when the nurse, nutritionist, or someone else would say, "Are you excited about your surgery?" Well, no. I'm actually pretty scared. This is a desperation move, not something I'm doing for "fun."
The pre-op "liver shrinking diet" was difficult for me, but I followed it pretty closely and worked at being in the best possible shape. My heaviest weight was about 255. I lost around 12 pounds in the 3 months it took to get prepared and "approved" for the procedure -- about 4 of that the last week. By the time May 9 rolled around, I was very happy the wait was over. Here are a few things I'd like to share about my experience:
1 - The doctor fixed a hiatal hernia I didn't know I had, which made the surgery a bit longer. That was something nobody had prepared me for ahead of time. Luckily for me, I didn't have much pain or trouble as a result of that secondary (necessary) procedure. A little chest ache was all.
2 - I was DYING of thirst every moment from the time I woke up until about 9 days after the surgery. Sipping ice Water was no problem for me, whatsoever. I asked for Water in the recovery room -- they gave me ice chips. I had no problem swallowing water the night of the surgery, and icy cold water felt best.
3 - The only really "bad" moment was when I first woke up from surgery. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Also, I was discombobulated -- the clock said 3:30! My surgery had been scheduled for 10 a.m. but started late. Still, it seemed really late when I woke up.
4 - I felt stupid having my own pajamas and all these toiletries in the hospital. I used NONE of it. I was in a gown, and they wouldn't let me change out of it. My bathrobe did come in handy though, for covering my hind quarters as I walked around the floor. They brought me to my room around 4:30 p.m. They got me up to walk at 3 a.m., and I was discharged at 3:30 p.m. the next day. I had an upper GI exam that morning and also needed to be able to urinate and drink before I could leave. No problem. Was VERY glad to get that JP drain pulled and IVs out.
5 - When I got home, I didn't know what to do with myself. I was pretty spaced out. I wandered around the house a bit. My stomach was very swollen. I looked like a pregnant woman who had been in a knife fight. Spent a lot of time the first couple days drinking water and taking short walks and napping. By the third day, I was able to take a 15-minute walk outside with my dog.
6 - Someone told me it's best not to weigh yourself for the first couple days. That's good advice. I couldn't resist and felt very glum when I noticed up was UP six pounds three days after the surgery. I said to my husband, "Do you think I'll really lose weight with this? Or will I just stay fat or even get fatter?" He said, "Well, if you get fatter, they'll be marketing you to third world countries, because that's just not logical." (I had taken in a total of about 500 calories in the first 3 days!)
7 - At my two-week checkup, I had lost 17 pounds. I think about 15 of it was post-surgical. I lost about a pound a day for the first 2 weeks. The third week (last week), I had lost another 4 pounds. My policy is, I weigh myself on Thursdays.
8 - I was incredibly happy to get off the "liquid diet" phase. Those Meal Replacement shakes were starting to make me ill. They get OLD. The best thing I had during the liquid phase was cream of chicken Soup jazzed with non-flavored Protein powder and mixed with some homemade chicken broth. I'm REALLY glad I made homemade chicken broth and froze it in 8-oz containers prior to the surgery. It came in really handy.
9 - My husband has been so supportive. He says I already look a lot better, and I think that's true, too. I'm even moving better (already!) -- more lively and energetic. I know I'm lucky to have time to adjust to this. I am a college teacher and don't teach during the summers.
10 - I didn't know I would have to inject myself with blood thinners for 14 days. That was unpleasant. I did get used to doing it, though. I found it easiest to do when I first woke up, and I would just lie on my bed and give myself the shot in my stomach. They also prescribed anti-nausea medicine and hydrocodone for pain. It was difficult to turn over or sleep on my side for the first 4 nights or so; but the pain wasn't bad. After about a week, I didn't feel like I needed any pain meds. (I stopped taking them during the day after about 3 days.)
11 - I bought a mortar and pestle yesterday to grind up the Calcium citrate tablets. It just seems ridiculous, to me, to spend up to 20 cents per pill for chewable Calcium, when you have to take so much of it -- it was costing about $1.20 a day just for calcium chews. Now, I pulverize the hard tablets and put them in applesauce.
12 - I've eaten a couple things that made me instantly sick -- things with too much "texture." It's taught me that it's really best to follow the doctor's guidelines. Not fun throwing up.
13 - I drink about 6 oz. of coffee in the morning. My doctor's office says it's OK, and it makes my life happier!
14 - My next BIG GOAL is for the first digit of my weight to be a "1," which is something that happened briefly in 2008, during my "diet pill" attempt. I have about 20 pounds to go before that happens.
15 - This is weird and different for me. The thing I like best is not being very hungry, and also feeling full after eating about 3/4 cup of food. But it's a big adjustment, because prior to this, I was a bulk eater and a snacker. I know the new reality will have its challenges.
16 - My fear is that I'll eat small amounts too often and stretch my stomach or just take in too many calories. I have to be very vigilant in avoiding Snacks. Since this surgery cost me a LOT of money, I'm just going to think of that bill every time I'm tempted to snack.< /p>
18 - I am finding it difficult to get 60 grams of Protein a day in and for now am simply doing the best I can. (40-50) I know I could add a Protein shake at around 4 p.m., but quite honestly, I'm so turned off now by the thought of those shakes (after almost 4 weeks of drinking Boost, Glucerna, and Ensure!) that it makes me nauseous even thinking about it. I do have powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury powder when I need it -- chocolate and unflavored.
19 - I've been going to bed kind of early and also napping/reading some in the afternoons. Maybe I'm lazy, but I feel like I need time to heal, and I tire a bit more easily than before.
20 - Overall, I'm THRILLED with the progress so far. It's hard to be patient sometimes -- you want everything to happen at once! But I had a lot of fears of the unknown, and my experience was really not bad at all. Most of my recovery and first weeks have been smooth sailing.
Thanks for listening. I just wanted to share that it's been really good so far for me.

Thank Gawd you weren't on the table!

I'm 5 weeks post op and I just had a very small drink of lemon lime soda. I made sure I let it sit in the glass for about an hour to let some of the carbonation go flat. I would say I had 2 oz and I felt fine. I was someone who drank soda often but when I decided I wanted to get sleeved I cut back drastically. While I understand that I need to stay away from my bad eating habits, I'm human and I don't believe in denying myself my rare guilty pleasures. And if I could go the rest of my life without certain foods or drinks that were not healthy, I would never have got sleeved. That being said, pour yourself a very small glass of soda, enjoy it, then go on with your day.

Take Prilosec OTC since one week post op with no problems. Pill Is fairly small and tastes fruity.

Because this procedure was initially started for FAAAT people like myself! Not just heavy people who have a hard time dieting. Saying someone who "has eaten them self to a bmi over 50" gets the "reward" sooner is EXTREMLY RUDE.

I work at staying away from processed foods, except my Protein Shakes and Protein bars.... The less ingredients the better!

I don't use any products that tout themselves as "light", "low fat" etc. If they aren't naturally low fat or low in calories, I usually just don't bother with them. If you are unable to do that, it is better in the long run, from a nutritional standpoint, to eat the regular item, not one that has been overly processed and contains way to many chemicals to be healthy.

I wasn't quite 400lbs but close. I was over 380 at my biggest but I think I was closer to 400 then I thought. I was too big for my scale. I have got down to 359 for surgery. I'm 2 and a half months out and down to 305. All together 74lbs lost so far.
As a heavy weight is is a longer journey but it is completely doable. I wasn't sure I would be successful with the sleeve at first at my weight but I'm convinced I can now. There is a BMI over 50 board on OH and some of the people there started over 400 and have lost a LOT. It's very inspiring.