McButterpants

You are to be admired for what you do. My sister-in-law is a special needs teacher and she shares her experiences with me. You need recognition for what you do and I wager to guess you need a raise! On top of it you made this incredible decision to change your life and to do it during the school year. You should be proud of yourself! I'm a pre-opper, so I have no special words of wisdom for you other than, "hang in there". Thank you for what you do.

Turn that chicken**** into chicken salad!

Gemgirl, you are not alone. I'm reasonably sure that everyone that replies to this post will say the same thing: I know how you feel and I have felt the same way. I have not had surgery yet - I'm scheduled two weeks from tomorrow. Am I scared? Hell yes, I'm scared. This is a big decision. Have I had doubts and wanted to back out? Of course. But the one thing that keeps bringing me back is this - I really don't like my life right now. I have a great family, don't get me wrong. But I want to participate in this life, not do what I'm doing today. I'm not only doing this for me, but I'm doing it for my husband and son. Think thru your decision - you're the one that has to go thru this. It will be hard, but what I keep thinking about are the benefits I'm going to see in a few short months. Eye on the prize, so to speak. Good luck!

Thanks so much for posting this! I officially start my 2 week pre-op diet tomorrow - I've been working on drinking more shakes and eating less food this week. I gave up bread and starches a couple of weeks ago. The past few days have been hard. Really hard for me. These posts give me hope and encouragement that things will get better. I can't wait to share my own stories! Thanks again, guys!!!

Wowsa! Congrats! Thanks for sharing.

You look fantastic! Congrats! Thanks for sharing your pics.

I'm $11K with Dr. Umbach in Las Vegas just for the surgery and one follow up visit. Lodging and travel to and from not included, obviously. Also, one thing to think about is the post-op appointments you will have with your local team. My visits to my local bariatric doctor will not be covered - those are $185 each. At 2 weeks, one month, monthly up to 6 months, that gets to be pretty spendy. Good luck!

What an accomplishment! Congrats to you!

This is such a personal decision and everyone has their reasons for telling the people or not telling people. I have told 5 people - my husband, my mom and dad, my son and my best friend. Right now, I don't plan on telling anyone else. I have a very close inner circle and am a private person by nature. I plan on going to a local support group tomorrow, so the cat may be out of the bag eventually. There are some that tell everyone including the mailman and that's great if that works for them. I'm just not wired that way. If you do tell, be prepared for people to have an opinion - right, wrong or indifferent - and they may share it with you. Best of luck to you. You will know what the right decision is for you.

Great story! Rock those jeans!

Welcome! I wish you great success in your journey. This is a great group of folks that will support you! Keep us posted on your progress.

Nice! Thanks for posting!!

Wow! What a transformation! Congrats. Thanks for sharing.

Awesome! Good for you.

Mad Men House of Cards Orange is The New Black U.S. of Tara

Looks like you've been successful following your doctor's orders. That's great. I view this site as a place to network to discuss concerns, share successes, and support one another on a journey. We share our ideas and our doctor's orders. A lot of posts end with: make sure you check with your doctor or NUT. I say if you want to drink thru a straw, drink thru a straw. If you want a hershey kiss, have one, or take two, they are small. We all use this site for different purposes. Get what you need from it, leave what you don't want or don't believe. It's all up to the individual.

Good for you! I start my pre-op diet on Thursday and am worried a little. Good luck on Wednesday! Let us know how you're doing!

I just realized that since making my decision to have the sleeve, I have stopped watching the Food Network entirely! (I love Barefoot Contessa and Giada at Home.)

Sending prayers your way. Best of luck and keep us posted!

Best of luck - let us know how everything goes.

Sending prayers and positive vibes your way! Let know how things go tomorrow.

I can tell you what I've done to prepare - I'm scheduled for 11/14. I purchased appetizer forks and spoons - this forces you to take smaller bites than your currently used to. Once I take that tiny bite in my mouth, I chew, chew and chew some more. I chew 20-25 times if possible. It takes work and you need to pay attention. I eat at least one meal a day at the table, with no TV or radio - it's completely calm. This makes me pay attention to the chewing and my feeling of fullness. I sampled many Protein shakes and found a couple that I can live with at least pre-op. I didn't purchase a lot since I understand that tastes may change post-op. I incorporate at least one shake a day into my diet daily. I'm trying different recipes (using Torani sugar free syrups helps a lot) I'm exercising - I try to do something daily, even if it's a little walk. Move your body more today than you did yesterday. I cut out caffeine totally - I weaned myself off rather than going cold turkey. I cut out all bread and refined sugars. I've been researching a lot - looking for blogs and of course, visiting VST, as much as possible. Networking with people helps out with the anxiety. I'm opening up to my husband more about my food issues and the way I view myself. This has been a big help - I don't have that bad self-talk as much. Most of the above was started at about 5-6 weeks before the surgery date. Best of luck to you!

I remember when I locked in my date (11/14). I was tentative up until a couple of weeks ago and I was OK when it was tentative. As soon as I put down the deposit and secured the date, that's when it became very real. I became very emotional and started second guessing my decision. If you are on this board for any length of time, you will see that it's pretty normal to have feelings of self-doubt and anxiety. This is a big decision and a big step - you should be thinking about it a lot. But, at the end of the day, I can say, for me, this is the decision I needed to make at this juncture in my life. It's my time. You will know what the right decision is - it will feel right to you. Trust your instincts, whatever they may be. Best of luck to you in your journey.

I think the sleeve is a tool and not a method... In order for me to lose weight, I have to restrict A LOT and exercise A LOT. It's not that I'm not willing to put in the work, the amount of work I have to do is not sustainable over a very long period of time - the amount of time I would need to lose the excess weight. This tool is going to help me restrict without feeling deprived as with past diets. This tool is going to give me that jump start that I need to recognize success, be more positive and confident, and begin living a healthier lifestyle. Since your surgery is 6 months out, you have lots of time to prepare and think. Practice eating smaller meals. Practice chewing, chewing and chewing some more. Work on upping your Protein and cutting back on carbs. Start exercising - even a walk around the block is a good start. I had about 3 months from decision to get the sleeve to the surgery date (2.5 weeks from now) - I can see and feel a difference in myself. Not from the weight loss perspective (I have lost 10 pounds), but my body feels different. I've cut out bread and refined sugars from my diet entirely, I have cut out caffeine, and I have started to exercise daily. My attitude has changed as well - I am happier, more at peace...I haven't had that in about 20 years. I feel better physically. I don't feel as fatigued. That is all prior to me getting the surgery - I am excited to see how good I feel post-op. I wish you luck in your journey! You will know when you have made the decision that is best for you.

Great information! Thanks.