Elizabeth21

@@gowalking
You are SOOOOOO awesome, and thanks for the encouraging, INSPIRING words! Just needed that today!!!

@@gowalking What a wonderful post!! You are so right this is a lifelong experience and its so easy to get hung up on the scale and the numbers. Success is defined by more than that.
I haven't lost any weight in the last month and really wanted to lose 11 more so I can be at a normal BMI. It was bothering me up until this week when I decided to ditch the numbers game and focus on my successes too.
I am fit and strong now. I am more adventurous. My body is healthy and I feel great. So even if I never reach my number goal I consider myself a success.
You are an inspiration. Have a great day!!

I'm starting to see more posts from folks with stalls, or gaining some weight back, or I'm 'X' pounds away from goal and I want to kindly remind everyone that weight is a number. It's the way the medical community determines success/failure with weight loss surgery.
It should not be our way of determining success or failure. Stop getting on the scale. Focus on the non scale victories. We have them daily. You just have to be aware of them. Even with myself being in the maintenance stage, I still have NSVs. I just am not always aware of them and then when I am, it's as good as the first NSV.
I've been on this forum for more than two years. I provide my stats just so other morbidly obese folks can see that WLS works. No other reason. I don't weigh myself anymore. I know by what I've eaten, how I'm doing. I know by the fit of my clothes, how I'm doing. I know I'm successful because I can walk again when I was almost wheelchair bound. I know I'm successful because I am healthier than I've been in almost 20 years. I know I'm successful because I look people in the eye again. I know I'm successful because I care about how I look again. I know I'm successful because I am actually out there dating again. I know I'm successful because I can take trips with my family and not be a burden. I know I'm successful because I can put my leg up on the bench in the shower and shave my legs again. I know I'm successful because I can sit in a chair with arms.
Shall I go on? Do you get it now? As the weight drops...quickly or slowly or in a non-linear fashion, we experience all types of NSVs. Focus on those. Enjoy your lives, you are making choices to be better. Even if you falter, you can get back on track. You have the tools so know that every day is a new beginning and today is the day to pay attention to how much healthier/happier you are now than before.
Have a good day today and be kind to yourselves. I'm heading out in a couple of hours to see my new grandson born this past Thursday. I can get on the train with no problems, climb the stairs at the train station without worrying if I'll make it or not, not worry about how big the hospital is because I can walk without pain, and hold the baby in my arms and know that I will be the most active grandma this kid will ever know. Come look for me....I'll be the little lady in the park climbing the monkey bars with her grandson in a few years. That my friends, is success.

Victoria's Secret? Girlllllllll, I am impressed. I went to a matronly foundation shop. You have inspired me to be bolder.
Also, I am sorry to hear about your mom. It is so hard to stay strong with that kind of loss. More love and hugs from Miss Mac in Chicago.

Be nice to yourself and be your own advocate!! You are the customer!! If you are uncomfortable or in pain, insist on getting the appropriate medication/treatment. Once you are able, sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk. And then rest, rest, rest!! Let your body heal. You've got this.
Good luck!

@@AvaFern Indeed!! the BEST drugs EVER!! And they sent me home with two bottles of some awesome pain relief. I am being kept VERY comfortable and happy!! I just cant say enough good things about my experience.

@@erose321 Sounds like you are doing well! My surgery was April 7th. I'm doing well but still quite fatigued. Take your time with EVERYTHING. You will figure out what works and is best for you. :-)

I started taking my gas x strips today and that helped alot. I had my leak test and everything was great so I'm home now. I've got my liquid pain meds here and I'm gonna take a nap before my kiddies get home. Oh and I walked a good bit today, and I've been up and about the house so in hoping to move that gas but it's still in my belly not my shoulders [i know how to better deal with that pain]

I have never heard of this. The person likely had significant underlying health issues first. Technically removing your stomach has nothing to do with your lungs and you are generally only placed on 02 during surgery obviously and for a bit after surgery to make sure your O2 saturation levels stay in the 98-99 range. If for some reason someone is on oxygen for a much longer time after that, there is another problem that very likely has nothing to do with the sleeve.

So i thought i would share with you all how, much you can change in a short time thanks to WLS. especially those who are thinking about it or on the fence or just looking forward to it. this is me before surgery and 120 pounds down

I didn't go on a roller coaster until 7 months post-op, so I don't have much advice for you if you are only going to be a couple of months out other than to talk to your surgeon and make sure it's okay. As for my experience 7 months post-op, I didn't feel any more sick or dizzy from the coasters than I had in the past. The main difference was I was able to actually fit in the seats!

When you get that stuck feeling from eating too fast, drinking won't help. You simply no longer have the real estate to accommodate that much volume. You have to slow down. You might benefit from downloading the Eat Slower app. but waiting at least a full minute between bites and/or using a bay spoon may also help.

I am so sorry. I can imagine the sting of that comment. Maybe she is feeling threatened because soon you will be "100 and sexy". My advice--tell her how rude the comment was and how it bothered you. If she can't accept it and apologize, lose that 115 pound baggage. You don't need toxic people in your world.

I'm cracking up!!

@@tiffanymarie6997
You should have said "I am not pretty, I am Beautiful! and don't ever say something so ugly to me again in your life!"
(Then you do a hair flip and walk away like you own the place.)

"Wow! It's hard to imagine that you don't know how rude you are."
"I'd hate to think you thought that was a compliment."
"You really didn't think that comment through before you said it out loud, did you?"
Follow any of those up with a patronizing "bless your heart" smile snd walk away. Or tell her to suck your ass, your choice.

Response: "And people would think you're a lot smarter if you would keep your opinions to yourself" Be on the alert for back-handed compliments like that. Bariatric surgery will expose the dynamics of your relationships as people are threatened or rejoicing over your progress. That is not a bad thing. It is good to know who is really in your corner.

As my confidence goes up, I am more able to recognize and remove toxic people from my life. Nobody needs that kind of friend.

What the heck is wrong with people! I am so sorry she said that to you. Clearly she is ignorant.
I am not so sure she is a "real" friend.
You just keep moving forward, you know what needs to be done and leave those rude people in the dust.

My ex-roommate and "friend" says the following to me yesterday. "Don't get me wrong, you're pretty, but you'd be much prettier if you'd lose weight."
Out of NOWHERE!
0_o
The fact that she is about 4'11 and weighs 115 pounds made it sting even more! WHY do people feel the need to say hateful "compliments". I did not ask for her opinion. It was just straight out rude. Maybe I'm just sensitive, but I would never say something like that to someone. I understand being concerned for someone's health, even then it's rude to just bring it on yourself to speak on someone else's health, But for her to say that based strictly on how much better I would look really pissed me off.
RUDE.

Definitely going to the gym...the rewards are incredible.....and keep getting better!!!
I'm 63 years old, and there is nothing better than getting on the treadmill and start running, and keep up with and not stop till those around me who are 1/2 my age or younger, quit with exhaustion!
There was a time I could not carry groceries into the house with getting short of breath and exhausted.

You've got this. Remember to be nice to yourself!! Don't be a hero -- if you find yourself uncomfortable or in pain: tell them! Insist on proper care and meds. Keep in mind that walking around will help you feel better faster. Even just a few steps at first and working your way up to more is good!!
Most of all: REST!!
Good luck!

You've got this. Remember to be nice to yourself!! Don't be a hero -- if you find yourself uncomfortable or in pain: tell them! Insist on proper care and meds. Keep in mind that walking around will help you feel better faster. Even just a few steps at first and working your way up to more is good!!
Most of all: REST!!
Good luck!

In time. I am finally drinking normal now, only about 1/2 cup at a time, though. It took me about 3 months to get to feeling "normal" about drinking. But at least it doesn't feel like a ton of bricks hitting a wall anymore. I had a hiatal hernia repair, which really slowed down the drinking. My NUT suggested water-enhancer drops to help get fluids in, and also using tepid Water, especially first thing in the morning. She also suggested, when your on solid foods, to start by eating a couple of bites of very soft food, to "prime" the tummy, before eating anything hard or crunchy. It all helped, but I think time was the biggest healer. Good luck to you!

(Disclaimer: I’m not a sleeve patient). I understand your fear, but like the others have said, you just have to stick to your diet. If you eat right, you’ll lose weight. Maybe the sleeve will feel like it stretches as it calms down after surgery, and maybe it’ll stretch a little over time, but you can lose weight if you stick to the diet.
There may be some times when you’re hungry and it’s not time to eat yet. You just have to wait a little (or eat a little bit of your next meal now and save the rest for later). That’s normal, even if your sleeve hasn’t stretched.
You can definitely “outeat” your sleeve if you try. Maybe it’s because you stretch it, or maybe it’s because you eat around it. If you eat too often, choose high-calorie foods, drink drinks with calories, drink when you eat…break the rules of your diet, you’ll out-eat your sleeve. Maybe it’s because you’ve eaten around it, or maybe it’s because you’ve stretched it. Whatever it is, it’s because of going off the diet.
As for eating slowly…it takes practice. Think of it as a challenge, and as an opportunity. Taste your food. Feel free to play games with it. Good luck!