MerMer30

I would like to join the July group. I just had my sleeve done on 7/3.

Yay. I'm the 9th too!!! This site really is amazing. Can't wait till we are on the losing side!!!

I am having my gastric sleeve surgery on july 9th. I am excited and nervous. Im glad I found this site

@@Bridget1103 Awesome another PA native....and I'm also KHPE insurance. Congrats!
@@MerMer30 ----- woo hoo it seems we are all scheduled for exactly 1 week away!

I am also scheduled for July 9th. Pre-op appt is tomorrow.
I'm so nervous!!

I was on a liquid diet for two weeks. I was sleeved yesterday, July 1st. The first 3 days of pre op was hard. After tHat, I was ok. I had moments I wanted to cheat but I didn't bc I kept thinking that if I cheat, I would be making it hard for myself during surgery.

Good luck to you, I'm scheduled July 3rd and just got my approval today! So excited

Good luck to all the July sleevers! I can hardly believe that tomorrow is my day and I'm a bundle of nerves. My nose has been stuffy the past couple of days & now I'm getting post nasal drip....this can't settle in my chest because my surgery will have to be rescheduled.
I managed to drop 10 pounds on the pre op diet and if I hadn't confused it with some of the information I received in my NUT class ....never mind, I'm not going there.
For those on the pre-op diet, hang in there! One of the best things I found that got me through a few days was exercising first thing in the morning. I went for a 1 mile walk and realized I didn't have a headache the rest of the day. You will get through it!

Louisiana here too! Got my insurance approval today for July 9th surgery. Lots of mixed emotions but excited for the most part.

July 9th here can't wait!

July 8th. Although I'm having DS surgery. Haven't found a similar thread in that forum. I'll be in a Dallas. Lucky enough to have insurance covering the cost.

Hello Everyone,
My name is Melissa and I am scheduled for surgery on July 9th. I am 50 years old and have been fighting the weight gain/loss battle for the past 20 years. I finally decided 1 1/2 years ago that I needed to finally take care of ME. In retrospect I feel like in the past I put everyone else before me. Now it is me time. Yeah!!!! So excited. Start my 2 week liquid diet next Saturday. Should be interesting.

I'm July 9 too!

My surgery is scheduled for july 9th if your scheduled for july please add me as a friend here and on fb and let me know your from bariatricpal my fb an is kellystallard please add me so we. Can support each other!

Hi! I'm new here, first post!! Nice to meet everyone! My surgery date is July 9! Excited & nervous!

I already added you mermer! Can't add friends thru the phone. You gotta log on the website. It's a big bunch of us in July!! It's so exciting!

Not sure how to add a friend but my surgery is also July 9th. Good luck to ya!

My aunt told me one time "Why don't you just lose 30 pounds!"
Like, DUH! Why didn't I think of that?!?

I would also like to join the Facebook group if it is private. I have told my children, husband, and a very few close friends. All of them have been very supportive. It is a personal decision for me and my family. After the stress of research and making this important decision, I do not want to hear negative remarks from other family or friends that are not educated or been involved in this long journey. I believe a positive attitude plays a tremendous role in your recovery and I don't want negativity thrown my way. Cheers to all of us and the journey we have ahead!

The Facebook group is working, thanks so much for setting it up.
That brings me to an issue I see a lot of us are having. I don't want to join unless it's a secret group because I don't want a million questions from people. (It's none of their business but you know how people are, lol) Isn't it sad that we have to be secretive and weird about something that will literally save our lives??
Sigh.

Hey ya'll!! (First post ever) I just got my insurance approval for the sleeve surgery. Many mixed emotions! Surgery date is scheduled for July 9th. I look forward to chatting with you all and sharing experiences.

I am 7 weeks post op today and like the other ladies I get so full on so little. I love that I can just share with my husband if we go somewhere. Before i would have to eat a lot to feel really full and then not only did i feel really full, but it was heavy on my stomach as well. I really love being able to feel full on little BUT without the heavy feeling. I would feel really full after half a pudding too at first, now I can at least get a whole pudding down, even a yogurt for Breakfast, even though it takes me a half hour, lol. But i love that just a yogurt will fill me up. It's been very much worth it! I had no complications, everything healed nicely and i am so glad i did it! I have lost 20 lbs so far. Good luck with your surgeries, hope all goes well

More posts like this please!! My surgery is in three weeks! And this is making me feel happy!

I am 6 months post op today and I feel fantastic! There isn't anything (so far) that I can't eat. I get the same "full" feeling as I use to but just with MUCH smaller quantity. Today I ate lunch at Chili's and ordered the same meal that I use to, the Triple Dipper appetizer. In the past, I could have eaten the whole thing at one sitting. Today I ate one half southwest egg roll, one boneless buffalo wing (basically the size of a chicken nugget) and half a chicken strip. I took the rest home & can make 2 more meals out of it.
I work out 4-5 times a week but I certainly don't feel handicapped by my sleeve. I ate half a cupcake for my niece's birthday, I go out & socialize with my friends, I've enjoyed an adult fruity beverage. I can't say, for me, life after the sleeve is much different....
Other than I've lost 123 pounds!!

WLS Do’s and Don’ts

DO remove the word ONLY from your vocabulary. Ex: I’ve ONLY lost 10 Lbs in 2 weeks… Now let’s look at this again without the word ONLY: I’ve lost 10 Lbs in 2 weeks!! See what I mean? Perception is reality folks!!

DON’T assume you’ll never eat all of your favorite foods again. This is just an excuse your brain has designed to allow you to indulge. You WILL eat all your favorites again someday, just much less but find it to me more enjoyable. Which leads directly into the next:

DON’T do the “last meal” syndrome. You will only sabotage your weight loss you might have pre-surgery or set you back further from your ultimate goal post-op. This surgery is very serious and is for the serious minded. Use this time wisely to get the feeling of how life might be like post op.

DO learn all of the rules pre-op that you will endure post-op. Such as, no drinking with meals, using smaller utensils and plates, engaging in some type of workout routine, limiting your sugar and sodium intake, joining as many WLS support groups as you can.

DO Celebrate every single pound lost! Imagine one pound of butter. Yeah… that’s gone from your body forever. It is noteworthy and worth every bit of a pat on the back as any others that may go along with it.

DON’T compare your successes and losses to others. Chances are very high that you will only come out on the short end and only find yourself disappointed. Everyone’s journeys are their own…

DO keep track of your losses in many different ways than just the scale! Examples:

DO keep one set of your largest clothes you’ve ever worn. Make it a point to try them on, especially when you’re having a down moment. You will find this will really pick up your spirits! This is a real rollercoaster of a ride, and anything that will keep you positive is what you should do!

DON'T keep any other fat clothes around. Get rid of them ASAP. You're never going to fit them again, right? So... off to donations they go.

DO take photos of yourself just before your surgery. Keep them close. Again, having a bad day? Look at them and compare them. As a matter of fact, take photos of yourself often. You will also find that the more you lose, the more you will want to take pictures. Nothing wrong with that!!! That goes with celebrating your losses.

DO take measurements of yourself often. Keeping track of all your inches lost will really keep you on the right track when your scale is being stubborn!!

DO reward yourself every time you hit a mini goal. Make some more worthy than others. I like to go shopping when I hit a goal, it is my favorite thing to do now.

DON’T let the scale define you. Great majority of us will endure many fluctuations and stalls in this journey. It is what it is… patience is the key here. Meditate and envision yourself months down the road at your goal. Smile, then move on!!

DO find out about measuring body fat! It’s more than just weight loss, FAT LOSS is the real goal here. Keep in mind that the BMI scale is greatly inaccurate and most Health Studies do prove this. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE) our body fat % ranges should be average: 25-31% for Women and 18-24% for men. Any higher is considered obese. However it does go more in depth, according to ages and more. Everyone has different genetic make ups, frame sizes and fitness levels... even a different ethnicity can post differences.

DO have many goals in sight. Having only one, especially a simple weight goal you will find can be difficult. Have many MINI goals along your journey, and more than just ones that involve the scale. Such as, clothing size goals, body fat% goals, fitness or workout goals, dietary goals, etc…

DO challenge yourself always!! Whether it’s a global challenge with others, or personal challenges... It will keep you motivated and always willing to go further than you ever thought you could!

DO have a mentor! Find someone that you can trust and confide in, and that you know has “been there”. Preferably someone you know in person. You will find many folks in your life who have been there, for obesity is worldwide now and there are so many who have been able to defeat this demon. It’s not easy! It quite literally is the toughest feat I’ve ever had to endure. I can say this too, my job will never be done. This is for life!
DON'T believe the myth that your tool has an expiration date. Yes, it's true you will lose the most weight in the first year and it's also true that the further out you are and the closer you are to goal, the harder it is to lose. However, as long as you keep up with your healthy eating and fitness routines you will continue to lose weight and / or keep it off in the many years post op. It all boils down to calories in vs. calories out.
DON'T believe the myth that having WLS will keep the weight off forever. That is our individual responsibility.

And finally…

DON’T ever beat yourself up! We all make mistakes, and dare I say not one person on this Earth is perfect. I try hard to be, no doubt! I always admit that I’m a perfectionist – but I’m far from perfect. I just try to be… The only thing you can do is pick yourself up, give yourself a pep talk, perhaps contact your mentor for reassurance and move on!!! Again, this is for life. Every day you wake up is a second chance.

DO look for solutions to your problems. Otherwise they will just become excuses.


DON’T EVER GIVE UP! I don’t think any explanation is necessary here.

DON'T expect the scale to post a loss every single day. As a matter of fact, don't expect it to move that much even weekly! Just keep doing all the right things and the scale will move in the right direction when it needs to.

DO expect to see fluctuations on the scale, both down AND up. DON'T lose your head over it either. This isn't a miracle cure and the weight isn't going to magically disappear in a few weeks. You have to keep pushing with healthy eating, some type of workout and getting plenty of Fluid.

DON'T let the scale define your journey when there are so many pieces to that puzzle!!!



Good luck to all of you. This journey is a tough one, but if you are here, then you believed in yourself enough to give yourself the life you’ve always dreamed of. YOU WILL BE successful. Always keep that in mind.

Add-ons by other experienced sleevers:

DO keep a list of NSV (Non scale victories) to reflect on when times are getting hard. Can you walk up 2 extra flights of stairs before getting winded? Cross your legs?" and

"DO NOT be afraid to change things if they aren't working. Stalls happen even gains happen. If you are on a long stall look at your eating and decided if changes need to be made. Utilize your tool!" -- Southern Sleever

DO: Keep a food diary of what you eat and drink. This is a great learning tool as to which foods have what amounts of fat, Protein and carbs that add up to your daily intake goals. There are many ways to diary your food - from old fashioned pen and notebook to many options via smartphone apps. Keeping one is the important thing - however is right for you. I use mine now to look back for meal ideas when I hit a blank as to what to prepare for a day or a week.

DO: Realize this is not a diet to be followed for a while then set aside. This is a permanent lifestyle change. Yes, the amount of food you eat will increase as time passes, but your relationship with food will be forever altered. How you Celebrate your joys, successes and holidays will be different. How you mourn your sorrows will be different. Some people need outside help to get through the sometimes overwhelming mental changes this process brings. If you need help with this part of the deal- reach out and get it. -- SKCUNNINGHAM

DO roll with the punches!! -- fern