McButterpants

You look great! Congrats on your success.

I'm 10 months out and doing things I never imagined I would go! I went on an alpine slide this summer and i had to ride up on a ski lift! 70 pounds ago, I wouldn't have done it. I work out a the gym and the other day someone asked me a health question. Seriously? I talk to people I don't know. A year ago I was almost a shut-in. I rarely left the house and rarely spoke to people. I now strike up conversations with people at the grocery store and I find that people talk to me more now as well. I go to a hot yoga class every day - if you would have told me a year ago I was even going to attempt hot yoga, I would have laughed. A whole new world has opened up for me - this surgery and the subsequent weight loss is helping me become that person I was supposed to be. I have gained confidence, I have a better relationship with my husband and son, I have reacquainted myself with friends that I shut out over the years, I'm trying new things. For me, this surgery was not only a life-changer, it was a life saver!

I had some pain, but not as much as I did with my c-section. I didn't need pain medication except for immediately after surgery, I took 2 pain pills because I wanted to sleep, not necessarily for the pain. I was up and walking the day of surgery - as soon as I was out of recovery, I started wandering the halls, it was more comfortable than sitting or laying down. I had my surgery on an out-patient basis - I was in at 6:00 am and out by noon. Complications - I had none. You can do some research on the web about complications and the incidence of such. I was worried about leaks, going under anesthesia, etc. You and your family have to weigh the risks. Do some research on your doctor as well - you may find he has lower than normal complications or you may find the opposite. It's important to spend time researching and information gathering. I did not tell my boss - it was pretty easy, I telecommute full time. I asked for time off and worked the week after surgery 1/2 days. No one knew and no one knows now that I had surgery. I had read that some will say they are going for gall bladder surgery or something like that. I can't shed much light on this for you. Sipping Water - here's a way to practice. Take a cough medicine dosage cup - the small ones that are on the top of the bottle. Fill it up about 3/4 of the way - that was a sip for me. At 10 month out, I cannot gulp, but I can take bigger sips than that. I have read some people can gulp after surgery, I cannot. I can take 3 drinks of water at one time, but need to stop there or it hurts. You will find, thru practice, what you can tolerate after surgery. Spend a lot of time here or reading blogs of people that share (a link to mine is below if you care to read it) - there's a lot of friendly people here that share a lot. People will ask questions that you never imagined, so you'll read those. Information is power - get as much as you can. Best of luck to you!

I could always lose 20 pounds...I've lost hundreds and hundreds of pounds doing that. Losing and gaining, losing and gaining. Wash, rinse, repeat. For me, sustaining that lifestyle was not possible. There was always something that happened that stopped me from continuing on the diet or exercise program. My husband hit it on the head when we were discussing this surgery - he said, "This will force your hand to change your lifestyle and maintain it." That is so true. If you think you can continue on doing what you're doing, that is great! Maybe you should give it another try on your own. For me, I knew one more time, wasn't going to work for me. This surgery was my solution. Best of luck to you!

I know I'm always going to have batwings...It's my tax for allowing my life to get out of control for for the past 25 years. With that said, here are some things I've been doing and my arms have reduced in size and the batwings are a little smaller...I started doing Hot Yoga, this is toning all of my body, but I've noticed it in my arms and thighs more than anything. Also, when I do the elliptical, I lift one leg up and pump my arms (think of skipping on one foot) - this forces you to move the machine mostly with your arms. You feel a burn after about 15 seconds. Then I switch to the other leg for 15 seconds. Then I "pedal" normally for 30 seconds. I repeat this for 5 minutes.

You can't control IF a complication is going to happen. Follow your plan provided by your doc. That's what you CAN control. You've made it thru the past week with no complications - consider that a success! Focus on your fluids and Protein intake and taking care of your body. Rest when you need to. Walk when you can. You're going to be fine - worrying about things is not going to get you anywhere.

I agree with the posters above - most likely it's thirst or acid that you're confusing with hunger. Many new sleevers confuse acid with hunger - I did as well. I didn't take a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), I dealt with it on my own. Now, 10 months out, if I feel that feeling, I pop a Tums and it usually go away. Also, if I start craving foods at weird times, it's almost always because I am low on fluids. Make sure you always have a Water bottle at the ready and sip throughout the day.

I admire you for sharing the photos - thank you! As a side note, you're beautiful and congrats on your loss.

I agree on the Quest bars. I also use Healthwise bars - Peanut Butter and Caramel Crunch are my favorites (www.mybariatricpantry.com) I would caution you - all Protein bars I've come across are very "carby" I use them once in a while, I don't have them every day. For me, it's a bad habit to rely on them - if I eat a lot of carbs, my body craves more carbs. That's a slippery slope for me.

You're giving too much power to the scale...I had to stop weighing every day. My husband took the scale from me and brought it out once per week and it saved my sanity. Your body is trying to figure out what's going on...you've been living on liquids for a while, cut back your calories by probably 70% and removed part of a major organ. It's saying, "What else are you going to throw at me!?!?" So, settle down...if you're consuming less than 1000 calories a day, you'll lose weight. Let your body heal. Let it catch up to all the changes. Also, instead of the scale, use pictures and measurements as a way to gauge your progress....I guarantee you will see those numbers and images change, even if your scale gives you a different impression. Be good to yourself.

My reply would have been something along the lines of..."He's kind of struggling now, he is a chubby chaser!" In all seriousness, where do people come up with this stuff? "Your husband must love it!" Like you were unloveable, unattractive, unworthy of attention...Ugh!

I'm almost 10 months post op...here's my perspective. I have more energy now than I have had in 15 years or so. I used to have to take a nap, sometimes two to get thru the day. Now, if I take a nap it is to relax and recharge - it's not a necessity, it's a nice break to recharge my mind. I have enough energy to wake up at 4:30 am, go to a hot yoga class, get thru my day at work, maybe get a gym workout in and still get dinner on the table for my husband and son. I was prone to depression prior to surgery - do I have my down days now? Sure, but it's a day every once in a while. No where near the problems I used to have. For food, there are very few things that I cannot eat. It's a double edged sword. I can eat just about anything. Raw fruits and veggies are hard to tolerate sometimes, I just listen to my body. I can eat out at a restaurant with no problems, I can have meals with friends and there aren't any weird looks about what I eat. Some of my favorite foods before surgery don't appeal to me any more...pasta and bread used to be staples in my diet. Now, I eat a couple of bites and I'm done with them. My tummy much prefers chicken, beef, cheese or cooked veggies. I can tolerate sweets just fine - I just choose not to have a lot. I had a small soft serve ice cream cone the other day - I couldn't finish it, but I did enjoy it. Moderation is the key - I would also suggest not introducing sweets until about month 6. I had to address my addiction to food and my emotional attachment to eating (not an easy task).

Some newly sleeved patients will confuse acid with hunger...I did. Some docs will put their patients on a proton pump inhibitor. If I feel that feeling now, I pop a Tums and it goes away. It may be worth discussing with your surgeon or NUT.

My starting weight was 256 pounds. My doc said "You'll probably settle in around 180." I said, "OK, what is that based on?" He said, "Averages." My response was, "I am not putting forth an average type of effort forth." Right now, I'm sitting at that 180 mark! Ugh. There are a lot of things that factor into this - male/female, your metabolism, current health conditions, age, etc. This will be your individual journey. I am happier today than I have been in over 25 years - if I don't lose another pound not only will my doctor consider me a success, but so will I. I want to lose more and I'm working hard to lose more. I have my life back, I have a better relationship with my family, I'm healthier, more active, etc. If I "only" lose 73 pounds I'll be OK. :-)

This is your choice - no one has to live with your body and your head. If you want the surgery and are ready for it...do it. Everyone has their opinions and that's fine - you can reply, "I appreciate your opinion and I'll take it into consideration, but the final decision is mine and I hope you'll support me in that decision." Be strong and have confidence in your decision. Do this for you, no one else. Nothing drives me as crazy as "the easy way out" argument...Yeah, living on shakes for months, having surgery to remove most of a major organ, working thru emotional issues, etc. Yeah, it's been easy! I'm sorry you don't have a great support system - come here, there are plenty of people that will support you. Also, see if your doctor or hospital has a support group, most do. You will need people to talk to - either in person or on line. It's in valuable to network with people that are going thru the same thing.

At 3 weeks, I was about where you are...slow and steady is perfectly OK. First, try not to compare your journey with any one else's...It's not healthy. I know it's not easy, but this is your journey and they are all like snowflakes - they are all different. We all got to our high weights differently, we're all going to lose differently. Second, my suggestion is to stop weighing every day (or multiple times daily). Your body is still recovering from major surgery! Your body is trying to figure out what you just did to it...you've restricted your calorie intake about 1/2 or a 1/3 and you altered a major organ. Weight once per week or once every two weeks (I had my husband hide the scale from me and he brought it out on weigh-in days). You didn't gain your weight overnight, please don't expect to lose it overnight. If you are following your doctor/NUT plan, you will lose weight. Just be patient.

There are some programs that allow you to use your own body weight as resistance - I do Turbulence Training. There are others, do a web search and you should be able to find something you like. (You will do planks, squats, push-ups, step-ups, sit ups, crunches, etc.) You can pick up some dumbbells at a reasonable price at Target, Walmart, etc. You don't need a lot to get you started. If you have a Play It Again Sports or used equipment dealer in your town, you may be able to find a good deal as well. The important thing is to start...

I telecommute full time....I had surgery on Thursday and was back to work the following Monday 1/2 days. I worked a full day on Tuesday. I think if I had to get up every day and get dressed and go into an office I would have taken 2 weeks off. I needed to rest often and take naps and walking made the recovery easier. Best of luck to you!

I say "I got some things straightened out with my doctor that I've been working on. That helped me feel better and I could start working out. I've reduced my portion sizes and started eating less processed foods. I've worked really hard at diet and exercise." That usually does it.

My initial appointment was just a visit with the surgeon that lasted about 30 minutes - he asked medical history weight history questions and we discussed options. I asked his opinion on which surgery to have. I had already gone thru the orientation meeting, so he answered a lot of my initial questions. If you have lots of questions, right them down so you don't get derailed with all the information he/she may throw at you. Bring a pen, too, so you can make notes. Once I was done with the consultation, we discussed the next steps - setting up an appointments with the rest of the team (psych eval and NUT). Then they did a review and decided if I was a good candidate for surgery.

This is your first test - be strong. You got this. I know you want to chew something and you can't...It's normal. I drank copious amounts of decaf green tea during my pre-op diet. It did help with the hunger. Hang in there, sweetie. You're going to be fine.

I weighed on Day 4. Here's my suggestion...do not relinquish power to the scale during this journey. The scale is not your friend, especially early on. So many WLS patients get hung up on the number on the scale - I did and, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't weigh every day. You will have daily fluctuations in your weight - you can lose or gain 3-5 pounds in Water weight alone. Stalls - they will happen - will seem like an eternity. I went so far as to have my husband hide the scale from me and he brought it out once per week. If you're following your doctor's and NUT's plan, you will lose weight. So many of us love the days when we lose 1-2 pounds overnight (you didn't lose 1-2 pounds of fat), then we go into a depression when that 1-2 pounds come back (you didn't gain 1-2 pounds of fat). For me, this journey has become so much more than the number on he scale. I have gained self confidence, a renewed relationship with my husband and son, and hours of my life back every day I don't have to take a nap to get thru the day. I am now an active participant in my own life. I can wear my original wedding ring again. I no longer have health issues associated with my weight. All of those things have nothing to do with the number on the scale. They are rewards for the hard work I've done - the hours at the gym, the focus on my diet and sacrifices I have made. I can only control what I put in my mouth and how I move my body - if my body decides to release the weight and the scale reflects that, great. The scale no longer defines me, no longer has power over me and does not value me as a person!

Best of luck to you! Relax today...it will be here before you know it! After a 2 week pre-op diet, my surgeon gave me the OK to have a real meal the night before. We couldn't believe it. The only restrictions were to not overdue on red meat and no all you can eat buffets (we were in Las Vegas). We thought he was joking! It was a great meal, but not because of the food...it was awesome because we just enjoyed being together. We didn't know what was going to happen the next day, we didn't know if there going to be complications, we didn't know what to expect. You're going to do great - say "goodbye" to your old lifestyle and hello to a new you tomorrow!

Congrats to you, Dude! I commend you for taking action at such an early age - I had my surgery at 43 years old....I wasted too much time being overweight, unhappy and unhealthy. Best of luck to you!

So half of a cookie won't derail your weight loss... Here's my concern, you need to make sure you follow your doctor or NUT orders with regard to diet. At 2 weeks post-op your stomach is still healing - eating things off plan can hurt you and damage your sleeve. You need to take your post-op diet instructions seriously. I did not address my emotional attachment to food prior to surgery - I wish I had. I had to address why I ate things like sweets or ate when I wasn't hungry while recovery from surgery. Why did you "have to have" that 1/2 of a cookie. Why couldn't you stop yourself? That is an issue you're going to have to address and correct. Don't beat yourself up over the cookie - figure out why you couldn't pass it up in the first place. Sending much love and encouragement your way!