ViciousVixen

Easy. Don't tell. If they ask you how you're losing weight, tell them you are working with your doctor and suggest they work with theirs if they are interested in learning more.
If they continue to ask questions, tell them you're tired of talking about your weight but you'd be more than happy to talk about theirs.
Done.

Currently living in Laredo Texas. But I've lived in Northern Kentucky and Central Illinois.
Really missing Illinois!

I had my husband take progress pics of me today, since it's 5 months out from when I had my "before" pictures taken one week before my surgery. I'm only down 39 pounds since my surgery on September 1, but I'm happy with my progress so far. I just started strength training, so hopefully I will start toning up some. You can see all the pictures in my gallery, but here are a couple for comparison:

So I'm 5 weeks post op as of tomorrow, Monday January 26th. Everything has gone so smoothly and I've been on solid foods for about 5 days and all has been wonderful. The first few days were brutal and the 3 weeks on a liquid diet was tough but worth it. I'm down 24 pounds and seem to be a little stuck there but I'm hoping with my increase in activity it won't last long! I would recommend this surgery to anyone struggling! If anyone has any questions as they enter their own journey, I'd love to answer them to the extent that I know and based on my personal experience! Good luck to all!

Congratulations @Christi6972. My surgery was on January 20, 2015 so I'm just a day behind you big sister. Lol. I should try the Isopure I have been taking my Premier Protein shakes. What flavors are the best in your opinion? I will pray for us both that week 2 is easier.

Time really does fly. It seemed like it dragged on forever those first several weeks, when I was in pain and uncomfortable and worried I'd never feel "normal" again. But now I'm coming up on 5 months post-op! How did that happen? My weight loss has been slow... only 38 pounds post-op, but I really don't care. It's coming off. And all that urgency I felt leading up to my surgery and in the weeks that followed has completely disappeared. Now I'm just living my life and the weight just continues to drop off at it's own pace. It's nothing like in the past when I dieted and all I did was obsess about my weight and every bite of food I ingested and ever calorie I burned. I don't even wear my HRM when I exercise anymore! Who cares about exactly how many calories I burn on the treadmill? I do the exercise I need to keep me healthy and fit and happy. The numbers are completely meaningless to me now! Weight loss is no longer a constant math equation for me. It's so freeing!

I'm disgusted with how I look and feel...so I finally thought I'd look into Weight loss surgery. Just to see what is available and if If it would work for me. Looked up some local Surgeons and Hospitals on the net and some of the surgeons had free information seminars. So, I'm going to my first seminar tonight.....err.....
.I mean support group. (not really for support..I just like showing off the new bod and encouraging others) Confused....don't be
The point I'm trying to make is...... it surely seems like I just started the process....... When I thought about getting surgery, I figured I probably wouldn't qualify and the cost was probably more than I could afford....but what the heck, I'm fat and not losing my way, so what could it hurt. Probably won't do it and nutin's gonna change anyway.
So I went.... I kinda thought my interests was in the Lap Band. Ya know, the one I've already heard about. I get there and find out there is now three or even four different types of procedures and a whole lot of statistics. Great.....choices.....I didn't expect choices. I wanted sure fire easy. I had my notepad with a bunch of questions and after the surgeon spoke about each procedure, I fired away with several questions about the Band. He was very informative and heightened my interests. There was a few of his patients there that spoke about their processes and experiences and that, I felt was the most convincing. I gave the coordinator my insurance info and thought.....now we'll see what happens.
Guess what.....my insurance actually covered WLS. So I made an appointment with the surgeon for a consult. Just a consult...,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
.(I thought....I'm not sold yet) So I go to the consult and brief him on my history and goals and my interest in the Band....blah blah blah....and almost straight away he says......the band is not a good fit for you.....you'd be better off gettin the sleeve. Hmmmmm, that took the air outa my sails.....I really wanted the band. ---- OK, I'll think about it.
I did think about it....ALOT.....researched everything including the Surgeon, the Hospital, everything I could find about the Sleeve and you'll never guess.......he was right. It made better sense. It sounded radical....but after reading about so many successful outcomes, not really so bad. -( I found Bariatric Pal during this time as well which really helped me get informed the most)
I called and started the application for approval. ----- What.!!! six months, are you kidding me....talk about deflated....Oh well, I'll go along....( I probably will change my mind anyway and not get it) Zooooom.....fast forward six,,,seven...eight,,...nine months.
Even with a few insurance and tests gliches along the way....I can't believe it went that fast and I'm approved......

Ok,.....here's the big one.........I just got off the phone with the Doc's office and the surgery is scheduled..... in two weeks. Wait, wait, wait......I need MORE time. I'm gonna really do this.
Surgery day and I'm in my room recovering.....Damn....I'm still fat and now uncomfortable and haven't lost an ounce. This is gonna take forever.....Bariatric Pal is no help....all they keep sayin is "hang in there" or give it time....blah blah blah......Cmon, I had the surgery..... I should be losing tons already......I wanna see results........This is gonna take forever..... I don't want to think about a year from now.....I got on the scale today four times and it didn't change an ounce. Oh well....might as well sit back and just go with the flow.....and see what happens...... Zoooooooom (yeah, believe it.....I said zooooom. A whole year, just that quick)
A HUNDRED &TWENTY POUNDS gone forever and I look and feel fantastic. And I'm headed to the Seminar.....I mean the support group....see, I still get those confused cause I can't believe it went by that fast. Yes, I said FAST. I actually have a hard time remembering the phases along the way.....they kinda blur together. Who cares, I'm here, I'm skinny and you will be too. And you'll think the whole thing happened in a flash.
Long story.....short point.......Don't fret the wait.....Like most things in life, time flys.

I have cats that I do worry about. Especially my oldest he's about 14yo and is the definition of a lap/chest cat. My best plan right now is to place a pillow over my tummy and hope for the best. ????
Good luck to you!

Woohoo still in hospital unfortunately but im feeling so much better than I have im getting released tomorrow hopefully and can't wait till that happens so I can go home and see too very excited little puppy dogs I have lost weight and am finally getting off the drip in 4 hours or so you beauty I have been drinking 30Ml a hour it's not alot but the nurses are happy with it as im also drinking Optifast with it I knew this was the right decesion and now I no why I did it im blessed that everything went well onky had some temperamental blood pressure but even that is good all aboard the positive train from now on im hoping I can kick depression in its ass hears to a new future only 4 days post op but damn what a difference

Sorry for not replying sooner! I just wanted to update y'all in case anyone else has a similar issue in the future. I had my pre-admissions appointment and my appointment for medical clearance the day before my surgery and both doctors said that it would be fine to do surgery even though I was sick. My primary care doctor said that I didn't have much congestion and that I sounded worse than I really was, so it would be fine. I had my surgery on the 10th of January and guess what? Despite all my worrying, it was fine! Surgery went great, I'm recovering very nicely, and I'm no longer sick. Thank goodness!

We support you HERE!!!!! *Hugs*

@@kathy0529
My surgery went earlier than scheduled. Initially I was scheduled for 1pm, but the hospital called me at 8:45am and asked me to get there as soon as I could. My husband drove me there and we arrived about 9:30am. They immediately called me in the back and started my vitals, hooking me up to the IV and they rolled me to the OR around 11am.
I woke up with a crazy feeling that the surgery didn't take place. For some reason I thought I would be in more pain, which keeps me thinking nothing happened!
It went so fast. I still feel like I'm dreaming. But we are now officially on the losers bench!

Congrats jenngf5, we made through the hardest part.
Please keep very close attention on your fever. Low grade is normal, but if it rises to 101F it could mean you have a leak and that's very dangerous but totally treatable if you treat it immediately.
I'm doing great except I just don't want to eat. Its tough, forcing myself to drink and eat.
My incisions are looking wonderful. Some bruising around the largest laparoscopic incision, the one the doc pulled the stomach through, but aside from that looks great.

I really feeling pretty good. A bit tired, my sleep was sporadic, and my stomach is sore, but thats it.
I'm actually amazed how well I feel. I was all ready to be miserable, but I'm not. Now I'm more sure than ever, this was the right decision for me.

Just remember, there are some people who would be happy to be where you are with a six month monitored diet. You have a plan and are moving in the right direction. Don't give up!

It really hasn't been bad. I was the first one for today and I've been up walking and sipping Water and juice. I did vomit twice after both times they gave me IV pain medicine. It was just toradol not even a narcotic I'm a really weenie with meds though. My throat is sore from tube but nothing bad and one incision is a little sore but still not bad. Oh and didn't have to have a grain. All is easy peasy so far!

You totally have this! I was in your spot a couple days ago. I'm so thrilled already with my decision, so proud of myself. You will be too. Getting to this point is the hardest part. Best of luck!

This girl did.

Just wanted to update yall that after speaking with my doctor he recommended that we not remove my Mirena birth control.

@@kaylekat
I totally get where you're coming from: a long time ago I realised my relationship to food was like living with an abusive partner. I knew it was bad for me but I just didn't seem able to get away from it.
But just as some people in abusive relationships need drastic intervention to get away, I needed the sleeve surgery to divorce myself from my addiction. Even after surgery once I was more lucid I started to obsess about having a full English Breakfast (sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes and toast) when I could barely swallow my meds!
The addiction is real and it goes very deep because the reasons why I started comfort eating as a child were due to deeply troubling circumstances. So before my surgery I started therapy so I could be ready both emotionally and mentally. I do not regret having either the surgery or the counselling: I needed both.
I'm not going to lie: it's a long road and 8 weeks post-op the journey is going to be life-long even when I reach my target weight. Every now and again my food addiction tries to gain access by making me put extra food on my plate - but the sleeve takes care of it because I am so limited in how much I can eat!
Thank Goodness!
So go through the door, Kaylekat: your life is about to be given back to you in ways that you may only ever have dreamed of!
Best of luck on your journey xx

I was JUST talking about this the other night. It's annoying and incredibly frustrating and a bunch of BS!!!

I was JUST talking about this the other night. It's annoying and incredibly frustrating and a bunch of BS!!!

I hope to have mine in March.

Six poops a day,
Fiiiiiiive Protein shakes!
Four longish naps,
Three bouts of nausea,
Two massive headaches, and
A promise of a new life sleeved!

On the first day of pre-op my diet gave to me...
A promise of a new life sleeved!
On the second day of pre-op my diet gave to me...
Two massive headaches, and
A promise of a new life sleeved!
On the third day of pre-op my diet gave to me...
Three bouts of nausea,
Two massive headaches, and
A promise of a new life sleeved!
...more to come as the diet continues. Still motivated, just wanted to let off a little steam. :-)
If you have any to add, feel free!