sprocket

Day 4 is in the bag! This has been much easier than I anticipated. Probably because I already have little appetite. One thing it has helped to point out is definitively identifying head hunger. One more day!

Monday was my Day 1 and it went great! It's easy to forget about food while busy at work. Got all my fluids in - felt like I might float away at some points. Today, Day 2, is going just fine so far, but I anticipate this afternoon may be a bit more of a challenge since I'm home all day having work done on my house. I get snack-y at home - the nuts and jerky call to my brain. I'm determined to persevere though and keep busy with wall painting projects. Also, I learned I need to stay off the scale - water weighs a lot and nothing pleasant comes of weighing after drinking 32 oz. of water.

I'm starting in the morning - liquids only during the work week is doable with all I have going on. And I really need to work on getting in all my water each day. I'm 20 lbs. from goal and so very impatient, so this will be a great way to help push to the end.

I think it's always a struggle to find balanced people regardless of whether its for dating, friendship, or whatever. Maybe life-long thin people are overly conscious of other thin people because obesity is so prevalent and on the rise? Not sure. We do have a pretty body obsessed culture. I can totally understand, though, wanting to find a partner who is health conscious and determined not to become obese. It's just when it tips into an obsession, as you say, that it becomes a problem - especially when it tips into the harshly negative and judgmental arena. I think you may be experiencing the other side of the discussions overweight people seem to constantly have. When I was obese, it seemed that friends consistently talked about losing weight, dieting, and so forth... thin people have many similar concerns only on the remaining thin side of things. Maybe it's just universal.

You can't really control where your body sheds its fat from. It's not a matter of doing something right or wrong. It just comes off where it wants to, which is rarely where you'd prefer.

Being realistic, yes, you will most likely have excess skin. Whether or not you will need or have the skin removed is up to you. Some people are bothered by it, others not so much.

How long ago was your procedure? Almost 11 months ago. What was your starting BMI and what is it now? Starting BMI was 45. Current BMI is 28.2. If you could magically go back in time and revisit your decision, would you still get the sleeve procedure? Absolutely. Seriously, it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. I've had no complications except for constipation. I can deal with that.

Constipation has been a problem for me post-op. To the point that the cramping when I finally would go, would make me vomit. Since May, taking three fiber pills and eating 3-4 prunes daily has helped a lot. It's not perfect, but I'm not puking or going a week between BMs. You kind of have to find what will work for you. Staying hydrated also really helps.

This whole topic is hugely informative and well worth the time to read. It will answer just about every question you can think of and then some, from planning to post op.

I'm still unable to update my current weight.

My primary goal for weight loss would probably be considered vanity. I'm tired of being fat. I also could see the writing on the wall health-wise. While I didn't have health issues yet, 5-10 years from now, I definitely would - maybe sooner. I've been overweight for 15 years, so my 135 goal weight is arbitrary. I chose it because it is in the normal BMI range and sounded nice. When I was thin in my 20s, I weighed about 154 and was a size 4. I carried a lot of muscle back then though. Now that I'm 40, I have no idea what weight I'll be best at, so until then, I'm sticking with 135 as a goal.

The only issue I've had post-op was with acid reflux once I was out of my antacid meds from OCC. Dr. So responded to my email asking what would be my best OTC option within an hour. No other issues.

As far as cash, I think we took about $300 US. We tipped the usual rates for drivers, restaurant service, hotel staff, etc. I brought enough to pay cash for my OCC meds, which I think were $180... if I'm remembering correctly. We came home with money, so $300 was more than enough.

I think WLS is much more common than we all realize because many people tend to not talk about it, especially once it's old news and they've lost most of their weight. After I had my surgery, I found out that several people I've worked with for several years had some sort of WLS in the past. Also, it seems to run heavily in different career fields - long hours, high stress, sedentary.

It's cathartic getting rid of the fat clothes. Last week I was down to 3 shirts and two pairs of pants, so I gave in and bought a few clothes to keep me for a little while. It was so much more fun buying smaller clothes than bigger clothes. Actually a pleasant experience rather than depressing.

Usually it's only a couple weeks to hear back from your insurance company regarding approval. The surgery date is dependent on your doctor's schedule... could be days, could be months.

I try to order off the small plates, appetizer, or light menus, if there's anything appropriate to eat on them. I also usually order with an eye toward leftovers - some things preserve better than others. However, there are times when you just need to order what sounds good regardless of how well it keeps, or just eat what you can and let the rest go. No one seems to notice or care about how or what I'm eating.

As of Nov 2014, the post-op plan was the same as what @@Kindle posted above.

Water has been my toughest thing. I drank lots of water before surgery, but struggle now. My body doesn't seem to like plain water anymore. It tolerates it better if I add a small squirt of a water flavor enhancer. You might want to try that.

My husband went with me and we didn't have to pay anything extra for his night alone at the hotel while I was at OCC. Going alone would not have been a problem. It was nice to have someone help with drying off after showering because my abdomen was sore and twisting was uncomfortable, but it wasn't anything I wouldn't have been able to do by myself (albeit much more slowly than usual). Going alone might even be somewhat nicer all said and done because you don't have to think about anyone else's needs.

My flight back home was at 3:30 pm. Building in time for border crossing is important - it's not always fast, at least in my experience it wasn't. OCC's scale read the same as mine did at home - 249.

Like the others, I paid my deposit with my credit card through PayPal. No fee. The remainder I paid with a cashier's check on the day of. If you want to pay the remainder with a credit card, that's when the fee would be charged. The meds they gave me were fine. Different branding than in US, but same ingredients and pharma companies. I did not use the Vitaleph products. They would like you to, but it is not required. I use vitamins from stores here at home and Premier Protein shakes.

Definitely keep in touch with Lucia. I think the primary thing they are looking for with the pre-op diet, besides increased safety, is that you have the dedication and willingness to stick to a program. They see it as an indicator as to how well you will do post-op. Do you have to lose all the weight they would like in order to have surgery? No. But if they don't see you making a true effort, there's no reason for them to assume you'll do any better post surgery.

It's called telogen effluvium. In most surgical cases, it's acute as opposed to chronic loss - meaning it will grow back. The rate of regrowth though is different for each person - some people grow hair fast, others not so much.

It's not like you'll lose all the weigh overnight. He'll have plenty of "losing weight together" time after your surgery.