MissME

I am sorry that you were sick after surgery. I didn't have anything like that but I did have a rough first month because the liquid diet and pureed foods were not appetizing and I wasn't getting the Protein that I needed. Eventually things got better. As you heal the fatigue will wane. You will be able to eat more choices which helps to ease anxiety about eating.
From your post I see that you feel bad that you won't be able to overeat and drink with your friends. That may be true, so why don't you do something different with them? Go to a concert, dancing, rollerskating, miniature golfing.... You can be social. You don't have to overeat to be social. Also, try not to mourn the things that got you to this point in the first place. At 20 you have some unique opportunities that the rest of us didn't have, the biggest one is to nip your health problems in the bud before they could become unmanageable.
My advice to you is have faith in yourself. Your experience is not going to be that same as someone else's experience. You have to make the choice that once you are feeling better you will stick to the diet plan laid out for you in order for you to meet and maintain your goal. Don't worry about gaining weight back. Have confidence in yourself that you can and will keep the weight off.
I know you can do it!

I am sorry that you were sick after surgery. I didn't have anything like that but I did have a rough first month because the liquid diet and pureed foods were not appetizing and I wasn't getting the Protein that I needed. Eventually things got better. As you heal the fatigue will wane. You will be able to eat more choices which helps to ease anxiety about eating.
From your post I see that you feel bad that you won't be able to overeat and drink with your friends. That may be true, so why don't you do something different with them? Go to a concert, dancing, rollerskating, miniature golfing.... You can be social. You don't have to overeat to be social. Also, try not to mourn the things that got you to this point in the first place. At 20 you have some unique opportunities that the rest of us didn't have, the biggest one is to nip your health problems in the bud before they could become unmanageable.
My advice to you is have faith in yourself. Your experience is not going to be that same as someone else's experience. You have to make the choice that once you are feeling better you will stick to the diet plan laid out for you in order for you to meet and maintain your goal. Don't worry about gaining weight back. Have confidence in yourself that you can and will keep the weight off.
I know you can do it!

I'm about 60% of the way to my goal and even if I didn't make the goal, my life has improved SO much with even this much weight loss.
I just got back my bloodwork from my PCP and my cholesterol, sugars, and blood pressure are all now within normal range.
Getting to 100% of my excess weight loss would be great, but there are SO many non-scale victories along the way. Not to mention the years you're adding to your life!
Peace be with you!

It's an average. I asked the same question to my surgeon. That number counts everyone, including those who never take the surgery seriously and who lose virtual nothing.

If you put the effort into this you can lose 100%. I am 5 months post op and I am already down 60%. Just don't discourage yourself before you even begin. When I heard that I thought that is still an improvement over where I was and that I would never have gotten there on my own.

I am sorry that you were sick after surgery. I didn't have anything like that but I did have a rough first month because the liquid diet and pureed foods were not appetizing and I wasn't getting the Protein that I needed. Eventually things got better. As you heal the fatigue will wane. You will be able to eat more choices which helps to ease anxiety about eating.
From your post I see that you feel bad that you won't be able to overeat and drink with your friends. That may be true, so why don't you do something different with them? Go to a concert, dancing, rollerskating, miniature golfing.... You can be social. You don't have to overeat to be social. Also, try not to mourn the things that got you to this point in the first place. At 20 you have some unique opportunities that the rest of us didn't have, the biggest one is to nip your health problems in the bud before they could become unmanageable.
My advice to you is have faith in yourself. Your experience is not going to be that same as someone else's experience. You have to make the choice that once you are feeling better you will stick to the diet plan laid out for you in order for you to meet and maintain your goal. Don't worry about gaining weight back. Have confidence in yourself that you can and will keep the weight off.
I know you can do it!

The Protein shakes should have an appetite suppressant so a lot of the hunger will be head hunger. The best advice I can give is to just stick to it. You need to shrink your liver for a more successful surgery but you also need to start weaning yourself off foods that you won't be able to eat after surgery anyway. WLS is not an easy journey and it starts with the pre-op diet. However, if you stick to it this will be life changing. Whenever you feel hungry make a conscious decision to remind yourself why you are doing the liquid diet in the first place and that should keep you on track.
Best of luck to you!
Maryerin

Thank you all! Sleeveless in seattle, I did research to learn that it's a GOOD thing if my Dr is able to offer the BLIS. So like you've said, only those with a good track record can even offer it. I've decided to go with the 90 day. May hurt my pockets a little now but it's definately better than a lot later!

I was becoming a hermit. Seriously, my weight was a prison in so many ways. I didn't have all the typical co-morbidities just Pre-diabetes but I had zero self confidence. I hated how I looked and how I felt. The only place I would go with my family was out to eat. If my mom took my niece miniature golfing or to the pool I would stay home. I was not really living. I looked at my life as a failure thinking about the things that I would never do, the relationships I would never have. Since I have lost so many people recently, I spent a lot of time worrying that one day I too would die or be left all alone.
Since surgery I have been to the pool and miniature golf too many times to count. My self confidence is soaring. I feel so much better physically. I would never have gotten here without WLS. I have been blessed to have no complications as of yet. I still have a long way to go but I when I put on my bathing suit to go swimming I am not self conscious, to hell with what other people may think, I know how far I have come.

I was becoming a hermit. Seriously, my weight was a prison in so many ways. I didn't have all the typical co-morbidities just Pre-diabetes but I had zero self confidence. I hated how I looked and how I felt. The only place I would go with my family was out to eat. If my mom took my niece miniature golfing or to the pool I would stay home. I was not really living. I looked at my life as a failure thinking about the things that I would never do, the relationships I would never have. Since I have lost so many people recently, I spent a lot of time worrying that one day I too would die or be left all alone.
Since surgery I have been to the pool and miniature golf too many times to count. My self confidence is soaring. I feel so much better physically. I would never have gotten here without WLS. I have been blessed to have no complications as of yet. I still have a long way to go but I when I put on my bathing suit to go swimming I am not self conscious, to hell with what other people may think, I know how far I have come.

Bliss was included in my self pay package price by my surgeon. I would recommend it. There is the possibility for a leak and better to have the coverage if, God forbid, that happens to you.

I was becoming a hermit. Seriously, my weight was a prison in so many ways. I didn't have all the typical co-morbidities just Pre-diabetes but I had zero self confidence. I hated how I looked and how I felt. The only place I would go with my family was out to eat. If my mom took my niece miniature golfing or to the pool I would stay home. I was not really living. I looked at my life as a failure thinking about the things that I would never do, the relationships I would never have. Since I have lost so many people recently, I spent a lot of time worrying that one day I too would die or be left all alone.
Since surgery I have been to the pool and miniature golf too many times to count. My self confidence is soaring. I feel so much better physically. I would never have gotten here without WLS. I have been blessed to have no complications as of yet. I still have a long way to go but I when I put on my bathing suit to go swimming I am not self conscious, to hell with what other people may think, I know how far I have come.

I was becoming a hermit. Seriously, my weight was a prison in so many ways. I didn't have all the typical co-morbidities just Pre-diabetes but I had zero self confidence. I hated how I looked and how I felt. The only place I would go with my family was out to eat. If my mom took my niece miniature golfing or to the pool I would stay home. I was not really living. I looked at my life as a failure thinking about the things that I would never do, the relationships I would never have. Since I have lost so many people recently, I spent a lot of time worrying that one day I too would die or be left all alone.
Since surgery I have been to the pool and miniature golf too many times to count. My self confidence is soaring. I feel so much better physically. I would never have gotten here without WLS. I have been blessed to have no complications as of yet. I still have a long way to go but I when I put on my bathing suit to go swimming I am not self conscious, to hell with what other people may think, I know how far I have come.

I was becoming a hermit. Seriously, my weight was a prison in so many ways. I didn't have all the typical co-morbidities just Pre-diabetes but I had zero self confidence. I hated how I looked and how I felt. The only place I would go with my family was out to eat. If my mom took my niece miniature golfing or to the pool I would stay home. I was not really living. I looked at my life as a failure thinking about the things that I would never do, the relationships I would never have. Since I have lost so many people recently, I spent a lot of time worrying that one day I too would die or be left all alone.
Since surgery I have been to the pool and miniature golf too many times to count. My self confidence is soaring. I feel so much better physically. I would never have gotten here without WLS. I have been blessed to have no complications as of yet. I still have a long way to go but I when I put on my bathing suit to go swimming I am not self conscious, to hell with what other people may think, I know how far I have come.

I was becoming a hermit. Seriously, my weight was a prison in so many ways. I didn't have all the typical co-morbidities just Pre-diabetes but I had zero self confidence. I hated how I looked and how I felt. The only place I would go with my family was out to eat. If my mom took my niece miniature golfing or to the pool I would stay home. I was not really living. I looked at my life as a failure thinking about the things that I would never do, the relationships I would never have. Since I have lost so many people recently, I spent a lot of time worrying that one day I too would die or be left all alone.
Since surgery I have been to the pool and miniature golf too many times to count. My self confidence is soaring. I feel so much better physically. I would never have gotten here without WLS. I have been blessed to have no complications as of yet. I still have a long way to go but I when I put on my bathing suit to go swimming I am not self conscious, to hell with what other people may think, I know how far I have come.

Oh man, I cannot Believe LilMissDiva Irene isnt 25 years old! What? I always just assumed you were unusually wise for your young age! You are still very wise and clever, I just understand now that there is more experience behind the wisdom;)
My answer: fat, unhappy, hypertensive and in pain, especially my back. I just went running this morning for the first time in 20+ years. What a bloody power trip THAT was!

If I hadn't had the surgery, I would probably have gotten bigger and bigger. My pre-diabetes would probably have developed into full-blown diabetes within 3 years. My sleep apnea would have gotten worse. My liver would still be showing the elevated enzymes of fatty liver disease. My cholesterol would still be extremely high, and my blood pressure would be nearing stroke levels. I would probably need knee replacement surgery within a few years.
Now that I've lost nearly 50 pounds, my A1C levels (diabetes) are 5.2 (normal). I rarely use my CPap machine for my sleep apnea. My blood pressure, cholesterol and liver enzymes are now normal. I went to Six Flags and fit in all the rides, and my knees didn't give out from all the walking. People seem to be nicer to me for some reason....more respectful. I no longer have to struggle to paint my toenails, tie my shoes, or (TMI alert) wipe my backside.
I tried to pick up a 50 pound bag of dog food at the grocery store last week. I couldn't do it. Amazing, isn't it?

For anyone who has followed me knows that I've surely had many ups, downs, complications, BUT I also had the blessing of celebrating many victories along the way. I would NEVER trade any of those victories to give back any of my complications. I believe with all my heart that if I did not have WLS(s) I would be one of those folks showcased on My 600Lb Life. I would be very super obese, and living a miserable, unhappy and worse, unhealthy existence. I was already well into the 300's by the time I was in my 20's. I was headed for disaster! The most sad fact is, I probably wouldn't even be here right now typing all of this out. I might have been stroked out by now, as I was diagnosed with HBP at 31 years old, and I had an uncle who died from complications of that disease when he was only 44. I'm turned 40 in December. I would probably not even be alive... as scary a thought as that is.
I am forever thankful to myself that I loved me enough to do whatever it took to save me.
How about you? How do you think your life would have played out if you didn't have your WLS?

Yikes. Sorry that your family of all people are not being supportive. I got lucky in that category. I have only have one person say to me "Well why did you get surgery?" I told her because I was never going to do it on my own. That is the truth. People may say that is laziness but there is really so much more to it than that.
Very few people look at Obesity like they would look at Anorexia, as an eating disorder. Luckily my surgeon and their office do look at it that way. And WLS is a tool to help you to relearn healthy behaviors. Seeing the results that come with it and having the support of your doctor's office, friends, and people who are going through the same things you are like the people here on Bariatric Pal will really help you out along the way.
In the end, this is about your life - prolonging it through better health AND improving the quality of life immensely!!

I believe in body acceptance rather than fat acceptance. I believe any one big or small deserves to be happy in the skin they are in. I had this surgery to become healthy not to get approval from society on how I look. This topic is interesting to me, because it took years for me to fully accept this is me heavy or not. I was bullied all through school, and partially into my adult life. I can't look at a stranger and think they should loose weight, that's not fair at all. What I actually do is look at food that I used to order or make and think "wow, I can't believe I made those choices. I believe fat acceptance to begin with just something to get people who are overweight and obese to love themselves no matter what. Which everybody needs to do regardless if you are obese. Bullying needs to stop, that so called "kids will be kids" I have deep emotional scars from those kids and adults making my life pure hell.I love myself before having this surgery, and in love with myself even more now because I am becoming healthy.

I used to harp on about fat acceptance, fat shaming and loving your body no matter what. Then when I couldn't run, was constantly hungry while constantly eating and nodding off at work because of sleep apnea I would wonder if maybe I was telling myself that to justify some bad, BAD choices.
Then I got sleeved and everything changed.
If you genuinely love yourself and you're morbidly obese, good for you.
If you want to change, good for you.
If you've ALREADY changed, good for you.

The only thing I can't tolerate now is that idea that fat people are somehow weak or feeble. Couldn't be further from the truth because most of us are carrying so much more than we need to (physically and emotionally), so we're anything BUT weak.

My Sister Died at the age of 63.....she suffered for years from every possible horrendous medical condition you can think of all due to obesity....
She had a few open heart surgeries, for by-passs, and valve replacement.
She had venous transplants, by-passes to improve circulation surgeries to do poor circulation in her legs, and also her carotid arteries in her neck....
She had skin infections all the time.
Many times she went into comas due to severe septicemia, each time not certain if she would survive...
For years, she would be in the hospital more days than she was at home....in and out, in and out...
Amputations....first it was her right big toe, then her right foot, then her right leg below the knee, then her right leg above the knee.....
After her right leg, the same process started in her left leg....
Eventually, her kidneys shut down and she had to go to Dialysis 3 times a week, by ambulance.
She lived her last 2-3 years in a nursing home, when she was not in the hospital.....her room smelled like Death...
In the end, she could not take the pain and suffering anymore, and knew things would continue to get worse...so she decided to end it by stopping Dialysis...3 days later she was gone...
She had absolutely NO Quality of life, she lost everything she owned and went on Medicaid/Welfare to keep up with the medical Bills....she put her 3 daughters, my nieces, through Hell.....
Not to mention the strain she put on the healthcare system....YOU supported her medical bills and lifestyle....
I can on and on...it was the most hideous thing one can ever watch....
Did I Love her? Of course I did...can I accept what she went through because of her obesity? NEVER!
If you have a Son or daughter who is obese, are you going to pat them on the head and tell them everything is going to be Ok? Fat Acceptance?
Sorry, no way...I cannot wish that on anybody...does not mean I don't love them, but I cannot condone their lifestyle either...
Twenty Years ago it might have been a different story in some ways, but today...Bariatric Surgery is becoming more and more routine, and there is proof everywhere that it does work. There are alternatives to being Obese....
I'm sorry, but when I see a Obese person on a McDonalds on their 4th cheeseburger, fries, apple pies and anything else they can get into their mouths, then watch them struggle to walk to their handicapped parking spot, it makes me feel disgusted....
Granted, she is probably someone's sister, daughter, mother....but I cannot condone her obesity....
BTW, My brother was also Obese...and he died at the age of 60....so I lost both my siblings due to obesity...
Fat Acceptance? Even though I was one, and can have compassion and sympathy, I did do something about it...everytime I don't want to go to the gym, but rather stay in bed, I think about them....
I can't stand Whiners...people who complain about the little sacrifices here and there...what no pizza? You mean there are foods I will have to give up???
Well, it's YOUR Choice...read posts here everyday how people are tying to rationalize and continue with the things that got them fat in the first place...they ask questions looking for acceptance....
Ge with it....This is life and Death!!! Not a game, not a silly diet...but Surgery to correct a very real problem!
Fat acceptance? The very term makes me disgusted...sorry...but this website is for people who WANT to make a change...

I have always considered my obesity to be a self imposed prison... so how can you EVER accept that?
I used to hate it when people would talk about 'eating your feelings.' Probably because the truth hurts. I ate my feelings a lot. Having so many people torment me about my weight throughout my life made that even worse. Eating was soothing, people were judgmental, so I will just eat all I want and stay as far away from people as possible.
I realized after my father died of a massive heart attack at age 63 that I had to change my life or that would be me, if I even made it that far! Even though I knew I had to change it took almost two years before I took action to change and miraculously I was able to self fund my surgery and begin this incredible journey to reclaim my life.
I have no problem with people having confidence at any size, but I personally had no confidence at 378 lbs. I do think that people of all shapes and sizes can be beautiful, but I did not feel beautiful at 378 lbs. I accepted what I needed to do to feel confident, beautiful and healthy.
The irony of the Fat Acceptance Movement is that it is not very accepting of obese people who decide to take steps to lose weight. It seems to me that they bully people who chose to lose weight in the same way they have been bullied for being obese. What is the sense in that?

the fat acceptance movement seems to have changed a lot in the 15 years since i first read stuff about it.
i am appalled, disgusted and revolted by the way people think they can treat obese people. i have worked with obese people who have PTSD from the way they have been treated. its horrendous. i dont understand where the venom and rage comes from. why some people feel that being fat makes one not human anymore. it not only confuses me, it makes me really really sad. i hate it and feel that its part of a larger problem of an non-compassionate and angry culture we live in.
but what i see now is not people talking about people treating obese people with common respect, compassion and kindness, but people who seem to believe that its better to be fat than healthy. because "thats who i am." and losing weight equals fat phobia. this seems a bizarre projection to me. not loving or caring for myself is how i got fat. loving myself was WHY i got this surgery... i dont care for myself now BECAUSE i lost 85 pounds. i lost weight because i cared enough to do something drastic to get healthy. i love my children, i love being their mommy. i dont want to drop dead when my kids are teens like my dad did.
a lot of what i see people posting on blogs and FB seem to be excuses for not getting healthy and taking care of themselves. i have an obese friend who posts all kinds of stuff on FB, and she doesnt seem to have a clue how she is coming across... bitter, blaming and a huge victim. that is NOT what the original fat acceptance movement was all about. now it just seems like fat people encouraging each other to stay fat, sick and unhealthy. its the flip side of those sites where people encourage each other in exercise addiction/bulimia/anorexia. really disturbing. imagine places online where people encouraged each other to shoot dope or drink addictively or gamble compulsively. somehow if its food, its different. (no, its not)

I am sorry but if we accepted being fat then we wouldnt be on here, having surgeries to change it. I am all about self-confidence and I know that I will never ever in my life be what society considers "thin" but I am not going to accept my fate of being fat. I'm going to try like hell to change it. It's okay to accept people of every body type and shape, as we should but I, personally, am not accepting the fat. That goes for me about myself. I am currently seeing someone who weighs 320 lbs and I find every bit of him to be sexy but if he wants to change it, that's his prerogative not mine!