angry

let me preface this with the fact that i am presleeve, but i think if you are thinking about cheating you should go and read some posts on the complications board. i am terrified of eating anything too early based on those stories. They have strictures and leaks and bloodclots (oh my) and the last thing i want to do is make a surgery that should have me out of work for 1-2 weeks turn into a surgery that makes me jobless, aint nobody got time for that. Im sure many of us have failed at diets in the past but its two weeks, you can do anything for two weeks.

i think it is probably a combo for most people. i have high bp and have been on meds but i can usually get off of them with minor weight loss that i am able to do by myself. i dont have other weight related issues but feel that i would get them with time and that i am more tired and pained than i should be at 32. a very large motivator for me is wanting to like how my body looks for the first time in my life. that is a huge reason for me to get the surgery, that is why i dont have it scheduled yet and already am spending time on looking into my next surgery(s) and where this mommy makeover will occur. i am honestly much more excited about the idea of liking what i see when i look in the mirror than getting off of blood pressure meds.

Janice I got Jillian at walmart for $10 I have been able to find it on youtube as well, all you need is that and some 3 or 5 lb weights. It is a series of 3 exercises, you are supposed to do each level for 10 days (I have never made it past level 2) I am a bit bigger than you so maybe that is why Jillian makes me feel like I am going to die/puke when I do it, but after my surgery it is going to be my go to work out (when i can lift more than 10 lbs) because she made everything start to tighten up and I could see the difference after 10 days max. If you did insanity it might be an easier version that you can handle while you have less energy. Also she has you squatting through most of the video so it will give you some help with that booty.

I havent had any surgery but am planning on getting the sleeve. I was interested in the band at first but really had a lot of issues with the port. I found a lot of people whose ports were visible through their clothes after they lost weight. Some surgeons attached the port to muscle to avoid this issue but then have to probe deep into your stomach to fill or empty the band and that didnt sound like fun to me. A client of mines has to give herself dialysis and she has a port, in fact she has had several because they get infected all the time and need to be moved and I didnt like the thought of that either. I also found a lot of info about erosion or the band slipping and that made sense to me, you are placing a foreign object inside your body I would assume it will either try to absorb or reject it, thats pretty much what the body does. I am not a big sweets eater but liked the fact that the band didnt come with dumping (though i have seen for some people it does) and also does not come with the malabsorption that may leave you nutrient deficient. I also like that you are left with the less stretchy part of the stomach. My cousin had bypass and although she has not regained all of her weight she can out eat me any day. This is clearly the fat girl in me, but I am being honest one of my considerations is the option that allows me the most variety in what i am able to eat afterwards. I know that changes from person to person, but my goal is to still be able to eat all food, but in moderation, something i have been unable to do with a whole stomach. From what I have read the sleeve seems to meet that goal as well.

Janice, Im sorry that you are having a crappy time esp since this is something you cant undo. Im also sorry that some of the people on here have been so unnecessarily rude to you about your feelings. I can understand what you are saying. I am pre- op but I have no desire to be skinny either, I want to be a healthy weight that I will feel comfortable at. I am 5"7' and my goal weight is 180. That is not based on my bmi, or my drs goals, that is just what i personally would like to achieve. Perhaps after I am sleeved and I get there I will reevaluate, but right now, at 292 that is a more than big enough goal. I havent looked at any of your pictures but I appreciate the value of curves, under all of these rolls I have accumulated I have an hour glass shape and although I am hoping the sleeve will help me be healthier, I cant pretend that I am not excited to take a look at it. I have lost 40 lbs so far on medifast preparing for my surgery date, and I have no idea why but a lot of that weight is coming from my butt and boobs. The weight loss has not resulted in me feeling better about my body, but worse. What used to be full and filled out is getting saggy and stretchy. I just tell myself that I have such a long way to go that I can work on tightening it up, and if not theres always mexico. I have nursed two kids for a year a piece so I know somebodies going to have to help me pull these boobs out of a coma when its all said and done, if this is only the first step in liking my body more than at least for once im walking in the right direction. I am also my own worst critic, try not to be too hard on yourself, it has taken me over two months to lose this 40 lbs and you have done it in 3 weeks. Just keep exercising and Im sure it will get better. If you are looking for something to do, I highly recommend Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. It is intense and it will make 5 lbs feel like the biggest heaviest thing you have ever held in your life, I also think it really helps with tightening up. Try to give yourself some time to see if this is really something you regret, or just something that is really sucking right now, sometimes when your in the middle of it they both look the same.

I was using mf and i am pre surgery, I am quickly falling off the wagon as i am getting close to getting surgery and cant imagine not having a fat girl party to give a farewell to my favorite foods i know i may never be able to eat before. i did lose a lot of weight on mf, it was not a requirement of my surgeon, it was just another of many attempts to handle this weight situation on my own. i have had 2 days off of mf and was on for 2 mths. do you have any specific questions?

I think this is probably the best thread for people considering the surgery. This is an elective procedure and it is scary. While it is important to know the possible negative consequences, I dont think anyone believes they will suffer from them, esp when the percentages of people that do are so low. After stalking these boards, I have decided that I am going to have the surgery, I know that a possible side effect is death, but I will be unhappy (if possible) if I die, I think people with regrets feel the same way. They knew the changes they would face, but dont like facing them, Im all about not liking to deal with the consequences of my actions, and being a defense attorney I know this is not at all uncommon, most people dont. Thanks to everybody that posted their opinions, good, bad, or indifferent, and even came back to modify opinions when they were a little farther out. This is a huge decision and I dont think anyone can have too much information.

Im sure this is going to probably incite some judgment but I am very curious about foods that have to be given up forever because of the sleeve. Im not talking about 2 weeks post surgery wanting a double cheeseburger. Im also not talking about consuming entire troughs of food in one sitting. Im talking about completely healed, chugging liquid (does that ever happen again?), in moderation, human sized portions. Not eating like a fat ass every day but on some days when you really want to what cant you eat? I am just trying to make an informed decision. I mostly want to know: Can you: eat and drink (nothing major just water)? drink alcohol? (beer, wine, margaritas, tequila shots, cranberry and vodka, long islands, all alcohol) and if so what is the effect? eat and drink alcohol together? eat fried foods? go out to eat? Spicy foods? Pasta? Rice? smoke? weed? cigarettes? cigars? if yes to anything what has the result been? Btw if you puke, i take that as a no you cant and you just havent come to grips with it yet (no judgment over here)

you look amazing i am pre op too and on a diet currently, i have been having a hard time sticking with it lately so i have been keeping my eyes on the prize, the body i will have when this is over (and trust it will require lots of plastic surgery). how did you research your surgeon? a friend of mines just had two family members go to dr for work, and i am open to going outside of the us but i am a little worried as well. i figure since i have plenty of time to research i will take advantage of it.

arent you guys super thirsty while you are eating?

I was completely wrong no lectures at all. I was talking to my sister and I said to her, I know i am a super fat ass because even while i am dieting and losing weight im like i cant wait until this **** is over so i can get some gnocchi, and i am worried about the surgery because some people say they never can eat Pasta again. we can have some time apart, but i dont know about us never seeing each other again. i dont smoke now but i have before and cant say that i never will again, it is something i like to do on occasion, and if the mood strikes me in a tropical island where there is usually ripe picking id hate for my indulgence to result in bleeding ulcers. i am really stressed about the eating and drinking thing just because im a very thirsty girl and i put down Water like a camel. sometimes i will stop eating until i get some water because im too thirsty to continue, but i guess maybe that doesnt happen when you can only eat so much. i am so curious about the alcohol thing, some people say they get tore down immediately (which i think may just be because your used to drinking for a plus size person and now your not) but i have seen a lot of, it wears off very quickly and i cant really understand why since i cant see how a reduced stomach effects alcohol absorbing into your blood. haragl thanks for the advice, i have not even gotten a surgery date but my nutrition is loving me becaue im losing so much weight pre-op and i expect to get it after our next meeting on 6/25. im trying to make sure i am making the right decision, and though it is a little embarrassing, as you can see food is really important to me. since your a nurse any idea about the alcohol thing? dreambig and serendipity i cant believe you guys can eat all that stuff at 3 months out! and 8 oz of water is super impressive (i have been worried about thirst a lot) other than alcohol water is my drink of choice, but i have not ever managed to have a meal without some and that is still a worry. I love the fact that you guys answered, and differentiated between personal choices and abilities. I hope I get some more answers.

lookin good Rodney. Ladies dont you hate how men can make 280 look like an acceptable weight?

I am getting closer, and feeling the need to talk to everyone possible and ask them everything before d day. Anybody use Dr. OMalley in Rochester?

kalimom, i have seen this statement a few times but i have no idea what it means, does "sits heavy" mean "im going to puke"? i mostly see it with respect to pasta and rice and think is the sleeve a severe low carb diet for the rest of your life? at 7 mths out eating whatever you want is pretty impressive. i am thinking i will be terrified to eat for a bit. i had brain surgery a few years ago and eating made me throw up. i lost tons of weight because i was scared to eat, i think it was like 3 mths before i tried something other than canned fruit.

Hey everybody I am new to this site and so happy to have stumbled upon this thread. I am Black and Puerto Rican. I dont have a surgery date yet but am scheduled for my last nutritionist appointment on 6/25. She told me after that I will see the surgeon within 2 weeks, then I will be scheduled for surgery, she said they are scheduling within the month. I am super excited, and a little terrified. I am scared of some of the horror stories I have seen on here where people are throwing up forever and unable to eat. Posting regrets all over the place and hating their lives! Anybody feel like that? I cant imagine that I will be unhappy to get out of this body that I hate, but I am not a fan of throwing up at all so I kinda understand. I love all the comments on the hair falling out because I have been a little worried about that. My hair is pretty large but I am going to make sure not to perm it anymore based on what I have read here (sometimes perms help with all my frizz). I can tell you guys I have started lathering my hair and skin with coconut oil(and i love it and highly recommend) because I do not want my belly and boobs hanging low and am trying to do all the preventative maintenance I can, while saving up for a quick trip to mexico just in case. Anybody have any advice they can add on the hanging skin issue? That is something I feel may be less of an issue for us but I dont want to make assumptions. My other large concern (sorry in advance for sounding like a fat ass) is that I wont ever be able to eat again. I have read so much about protein shakes that I am concerned. I am obviously willing to do what I have to do (right not I have been doing mf for 2 mths trying to lose weight on my own) but the prospect of NEVER having fried chicken or beans and rice makes me a little sad inside, only having a little, fine whatever, like I said I dont like to throw up, but none ever is a lot. For those of you a year+ out can you eat? whatever (not however much) you want? I know I am bombarding you guys with questions so Im going to end this now but I cant wait to talk to all of you. Oh btw Im from NY anybody in my neck of the woods?

As indicated Ive got a lot of questions. While I was debating the whole surgery thing I found out about a program called medifast. I have been doing it since 4/11 I have lost 36 lbs and think I may be able to lose my excess weight if I were to continue. My concern is that eventually I will enter what they refer to as transition, when you are once again able to eat real food, and Im not sure that I will be able to do so in moderate quantities. Another concern is that I have read in some places that when people eat real food again they are very quick to regain the weight. In looking around this forum it seems that most people eat around 800 calories a day which is about what I am eating now on mf, which makes me think the weight loss will be the same. Do any of you have any experience with the medifast program?

So, I have been lurking around on these boards for a bit, but was forced out of hiding yesterday when for some reason out the blue I decided to call my insurance company to discuss coverage. I have excellusbcbs and they directed me to their online policy which can be found herehttps://www.excellus...57-09ef8ac1a985 (if you care that much). When I asked about the obvious contradictions ( I meet the initial criteria and may or may not have a co-morbidity as my blood pressure problem tends to disappear when I lose weight and I think it is resolved but havent been to the dr to verify) I was told to contact my surgeon. I dont have a surgery date yet, and my surgeon doesnt contact insurance until it is scheduled, and I dont want to wait that long because it is worrying me. I would like to have the vertical sleeve procedure. After lots of research it just seems to be the best fit to me, but I think it saying I can only have that surgery if I am super obese (bmi in excess of 50) No offense to anyone I have been super obese and I have no desire to be there again. I started at 331, but I am now down to 295 and I would prefer to have that downward trend continue. I am wondering if I have excluded myself from that procedure through this diligence at diet and exercise modification, cause that would really suck. I know that my surgeon to be prefers (or at least I have read he does) to do the gastric bypass and I am still a candidate for that surgery, but I dont want to have that one. Anyone else with experience in this area? Feedback is greatly appreciated.

chinamama thanks so much for looking! Is that what they mean by staged procedure, that it is the initial surgery to be followed up by another later? I wasnt sure what that meant. So then I am interested in standalone sleeve gastrectomy (without any other later surgery) and that falls under the regular criteria of bmi over 40 and or 35 with comorbidities so I should be fine right? I hope that I am right about my interpretation of your response, because I am ecstatic! I super believe in signs and I was on the fence about the surgery, because I am scared of complications, I had been praying about it a lot and I decided that if I couldnt get the sleeve that was Gods way of telling me not to do it and if I could that was the green light. Thanks again.

What you guys are talking about is exactly what I am concerned about. I have successfully lost weight before, its just that eventually I fall off of the plan, whatever the plan is at the time, and I fall off hard. My weight has been an issue for me since I was young, realistically I have worked to lose it for the last 14 years, but have tried really hard on and off for about 5 years. I have noticed that I am able to lose weight (never all of it) and then I quit and gain it all and then some. Thats why Ive continued with the process for wls. I just thought maybe if I lost it all that wouldnt happen? Like I would be so happy with my new body I would forget how much I like food. Plus having lurked on this board and read some of the stories I am currently petrified of the surgery.The bad part is I dont think I have it in me to go through another gain and try again, its just too emotionally exhausting. I think I might be looking for people that have done mf and ended up taking this route anyway because I feel thats where Im headed.

So, I have been lurking around on these boards for a bit, but was forced out of hiding yesterday when for some reason out the blue I decided to call my insurance company to discuss coverage. I have excellusbcbs and they directed me to their online policy which can be found here https://www.excellusbcbs.com/wps/wcm/connect/7626cc31-589a-449c-8757-09ef8ac1a985/mp+surg_obes+tac+12.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=7626cc31-589a-449c-8757-09ef8ac1a985 (if you care that much). When I asked about the obvious contradictions ( I meet the initial criteria and may or may not have a co-morbidity) I was told to contact my surgeon. I would like to have the vertical sleeve procedure. After lots of research it just seems to be the best fit to me, but I think it saying I can only have that surgery if I am super obese (bmi in excess of 50) No offense to anyone I have been super obese I started at 331, but I am now down to 295 and I would prefer to have that downward trend continue. I am wondering if I have excluded myself from that procedure through this diligence at diet and exercise modification, cause that would really suck. I know that my surgeon to be prefers (or at least I have read he does) to do the gastric bypass and I am still a candidate for that surgery, but I dont want to have that one. Anyone else with experience in this area? Feedback is greatly appreciated.