nmck

I know exactly how you're feeling. I met my husband 10 years ago after I had lost 115 pounds on the Atkins Diet. (I gained about 75% back slowly over 10 years, b/c that diet is very difficult to keep on forever!) But I was extremely nervous about my droopy chest at the age of 26 and loose skin, etc. He did not care one bit. He was very, very sweet and encouraging to me about it and reassured me that I was very attractive. If your new guy gets scared off, it's not meant to be.

Just search July Sleevers on FB and the group will pop up. Request admission! I'm leary to join a facebook group that's visible b/c hardly anyone knows about my surgery yet. I will tell later, I'm sure, but I am just not ready to share it generally yet.

I certainly wish I didn't have to do a pre-op diet, but I am certinaly glad I went through those three awful days of withdrawal and am finished feeling like total crap with that BEFORE dealing with the pain of surgery. I'm on day 7, and can definitely see how I may never drink carnation shakes again once I can eat regular food!

I'm on the 19thtoo, Mandy! I felt nervous last week, but on day 5 of my liquid diet here and I feel OK. I feel a lot better today than previously. So, I am really, really glad I went through that kind of withdrawal from whatever it was before the surgery!

Will say a prayer for you!! Good luck!

I think this is normal in weight loss. I lost over a 100 pounds about 10 years ago (and thankfully never gained it all back!) but in the first months when my weight loss was more rapid, I had some weird stuff with my period, like getting it every 2 weeks, then skipping a month, etc. Once I leveled out in loss, it was back to its regular schedule. Fat cells hold estrogen and losing weight affects hormone balance!

Hey! I suffered the first couple of days on the pre-op diet but turned a corner on day 4. Today is day 5 and I feel fine...not even hungry. So don't worry!!

I've been a 5th grade teacher in PA for 12 years, but am voluntarily making the switch to 4th grade this year! I'm getting sleeved this coming Friday July 19, so I will be having a lot of changes in the coming months. I told a couple of colleagues and my principal as I was going through my pre-op program, and all were supportive. They were close friends after the time I've worked there! I haven't mentioned to anyone else but I likely will eventually. My co-workers are also a very health conscious bunch, but since we're a small staff, they're all very aware of how hard I've worked on my weight in the past10-11 years. I only kept it to myself ahead of time to avoid the morbid horror stories that are likely to come!

I find your post VERY encouraging, so thank you for sharing your struggles! As for the last 10-15 pounds of baby weight, I think you are doing a GREAT job being so close to your goal when she is only 4 months old. remember quality sleep is a factor in your ability to lose weight and the chances are you're not sleeping as well as you did before. You're really doing great.

I made a deal with my husband today. I don't want to obsess over the scale post-op, sohe is going to keep it among his junk in the basement andretrieve it one day a week for a weigh in!

I'm having a hiatal hernia repair as well. Thank you for the warning!! Hope the rest goes smoothly for you!

blash67, great to hear you're recovering well!! My surgery is Friday the 19th, and I am on my 5th day of the pre-op liquid diet. Today was the best day so far. I think I turned a corner on day 4. I really felt fine today, really not hungry and deprived. I still have 1 shake left for the day too.

I asked my surgeon if I could use an abdominal binder, which is like an elastic girlde to support your midesction. I was ordered on after my 2nd c-section and it was great for that support! He said yes and wrote it down in his notes to order one for me.

I guess that is where everyone is different b/c I can't stand the Atkins shakes! Clear liquid for me is definedas anything I can see through. Jello, popsicles, apple juice, sprite, broth. I am allowed to have items with caloriesduring my clear liquid day.

How encouraging! You look great!!

Thank you for posting this! My surgery is Friday and it's good to know what yourroad bumps felt like. I hope you continue to improve smoothly from here!

My pre-op liquid is 9 days long, so you should be OK. I wouldn't drink the magnesium citrate or anything like that b/c you'll only bemessing with yourself more. I think you will probably feel crappy when that stuff hits your blood stream after a week of protein shakes! This is the last diet you will have to do without your helpful new tool!

I don't remember which one, but one of the WLS memoir books I read during the past few months, the author said she knew when to stop eating b/c her nose would start running!

My pregnancies were pre-sleeve, but just wanted to reassure you about your vertical incision. I also had a "Classical" c-section with my first b/c it was am emergency. My second pregnancy was twins, and the docs never worried about my vertical incision being a problem and it wasn't. Don't worry about that!

I had my upper GI today and I couldn't eat or drink before it. Since I had anotheer appointment after it, I packed a vanilla carnation. After that nasty, nasty barium I couldn't face the protein drink and had to eat something solid. Since I am allowed 6 Carnations a day, I counted my solid food as 2 and will finish the day with 4. I have been tasting that Barium all day and feel like it is stuck in my esophagus!

You look good!!

Liquid diet sucks!! But nothing changes if you're comfortable, right?

Amanda, thanks for the update! Great to hear you're feeling reasonably OK the day of. Hope it's a breeze from there!

Me too for July 19! Started my liquid diet today!

Started my pre-op liquid diet today for surgery next Friday the 19th. I also have a cold kicking my butt so it hasn't been pleasant for today! I am going to print a blank calendar and sketch out my clinic's meal plan for afterward. The information is swimming in my head and I need to see it clearly mapped out for me!