aSleeveStory

Jesus... do people actually say that to you? How horribly disrespectful.

Everyone seems to have hit on all the things really... but my list for the sake of science... 1) Getting tired walking 20 feet. 2) Sweating! 3) The judgmental looks. Hate that people think they know so much about me based on one data point. 4) Bathroom "issues" ...and lastly... I'll still fly First Class (I'm a CEO, it's how I roll) but maybe I'll actually ENJOY it for a change!

Certainly glad I was able to help. I found this site last night after wiping away my fourth or fifth eyeful of tears. I started to wonder if it was normal to write such letters, and my Google search brought me here. I read a few others postings, and then thought I'd start my own. This place is a treasure trove of great people... so thankful to have found it. Even before I started letter writing, I had a few bouts of "oh crap, what if..." but as everyone seems to point out, its perfectly normal. The truth is, as much of a lifesaver and game-changer this surgery is... its still wholly unnatural to remove most of an organ that really has nothing wrong with it. It makes sense remove a gangrened finger tip... this is a bid radical to think about, and surely there's some part of our brain that questions it right up until it's all but done. I assume it'll be like my appendix... I don't miss it.

That's pretty much what I did too... male 6' 4" they say between 189 and 199... that's essentially my goal. I'll probably cry the first time I get under 300 lbs, and who knows the reaction when I'm under 200! I cannot honestly remember the last time I weighed anywhere near that. 2004 maybe?

Yes... I started pre-op liquids on the 27th of September, after ten days of a very restrictive no sugar, low carb, high Protein "normal" diet before that. I've lost about 40lbs total since the start of all that. I can have one Protein shake for Breakfast, one for lunch, and dinner with 4oz of either chicken, fish, or turkey It's been chicken all nights but one, where I did salmon. I also have a decent helping of veggies with each dinner... mostly steamed broccoli and carrots. We've done snap peas once or twice, and steamed green Beans also. I'm told I can have a third shake each day if I really need or want one, but they also said to avoid it if I can... so far I've not had a third ANY of the days, and I feel alright. It hasn't been that awful for me. I work late nights (3-4am) and usually wake up around Noon. When I'm first awake, I'm not that hungry. Past two days I've done a bottle of Isopure for breakfast instead of a shake... it's 100 calories less and fills me up just fine. Lunch I do a Lean Body shake pre-mixed in the box. Sometimes I make a shake with MRM Protein powder since we still have a big jug of it. It has less calories than the pre-made Lean Body, but does have some sugar... where Lead Body has NO sugar... so it's a weird trade-off. I figure since insulin resistance and sugar are my issues, I'm better off with the Lean Body ones (Isopure also has zero sugar). The only time I get REALLY hungry is at the very end of my day. If it starts to bother me, I'll just go to bed... and start the next day! Once or twice I've also had an after-dinner snack of 1 cup or so of the same veggies from dinner. I figure it can't hurt. I've lost, on average, 1.8 lbs daily during the liquid portion. Down 2.2 from yesterday's weigh.

Best of luck to you Monday folks. I'm watching eagerly to see how it goes.

What a fantastic group of responses to wake up to today. I'm eternally grateful for the kind words, great insights, and thoughtful suggestions. You're all okay in my book...

It's quite something the number of medical professionals in this country that don't really understand this stuff. I'd been to a number of primary care docs, mostly because I've moved a lot in the past decade, and really none of them understood what I was going through. A chance meeting with a leading Bariatric rock star from Idaho (Dr. Allen Rader) was what brought insulin resistance to my consciousness. Also quite fantastic the number of people who look at me and assume that I eat 12,000 calorie breakfasts, and drink two gallons of soda a day. All good though. I'm on a great path and really look forward to the future.

I've told very few people myself. Aside from a few very close friends and my most IMMEDIATE family, I've kept rather quiet about it. It's a personal choice, and unless the psych thought you were being sneaky for some reason ,he had no business making you feel bad. I'm sorry you had to deal with that.

Wow, thanks for such a heartfelt response. This forum is amazing. I'm touched, really. I started this journey sometime in early August. Funny because just a few days before heading in this surgical direction, I would have laughed heartily at the suggestion that a mere 60 days later I'd be under the knife. I just hated the idea. For me, it's not actually food addiction that got me here, but some bad genetics, and a severe case of Insulin Resistance that went undiagnosed until late 2012. My body has stored a bit of everything I've eaten for nearly 15 years. This process has been fast since I'm self-funding, and all of it had breezed by quite routinely until I saw the news about Joan Rivers. Apples to Oranges, I know, bit until that point I'd not really considered this to carry ANY risk, which was foolishly optimistic. Her death rammed home the worst case scenario, but also forced me to consider the reality of what May or could go wrong. I'm generally not scared or worried though. Just emotional some, and maybe a bit upset I hadn't come to this conclusion sooner. Thanks again. You're very kind.

I thinks it's okay to be nervous. It's probably natural, frankly. I know I am, but I keep thinking about how terrible being 425+ pounds has been for me in the past two years in particular. Seems like there was a magic number I crossed and from then on out so many routine things aren't routine anymore. Think about all the ways your life is about to get better. I wish you the very best. Monday is almost here!!

Thanks so much!

Some more info, ended previous post pre-maturely. Surgery is in Las Vegas, NV with Dr. Thomas Umbach. October 10th. Started my pre-op liquid diet 9/27. I've been doing one Lean Body Protein shake (pre-mixed in a box) for Breakfast. An MRM Protein Shake for lunch (powder) and a small 4oz portion of chicken mostly, but some salmon as well, plus veggies, for dinner. Today I tried something new... Bought a few bottles of Isopure. Figured if I could swap that for the Lean Body, it'd be better. Still zero sugar, but Isopure is 160 cals per bottle vs. 260 for Lean Body and both are 40 grams of protein. I'm losing on average two full pounds a day.

Thanks! I appreciate the kind words. I'm sure, too all will be well. My brother is flying in to help me out for a few days. I figure I'll seal them in an envelope and have him tuck it away. I read where one woman chose to give them to her loved ones afterwards anyway, just so everyone knows how she is/was feeling. Not sure if I'll do that or not...

Hello there! I'm new here... But my date is October 10th... This coming Friday. I'm nervous and thrilled all at once!