Gibear

I'm Day 9 post-op and still trying to manage the pain in my right side. I've only been taking liquid Tylenol for the pain since the percocet was just too bitter to take crushed up. But man, if I wait too long, the wind gets knocked out of me. Hoping to get thru this hump before the 2 week mark. Didn't think I would take this long to bounce back.

I'm Day 9 post-op and still trying to manage the pain in my right side. I've only been taking liquid Tylenol for the pain since the percocet was just too bitter to take crushed up. But man, if I wait too long, the wind gets knocked out of me. Hoping to get thru this hump before the 2 week mark. Didn't think I would take this long to bounce back.

That's great! My husband is scheduled for December. How'd everything go for you and your wife? Smooth recovery, hopefully? I'm starting to get anxious now that it's 1 week away. I just want it over with, I'm growing impatient on this liquid diet. The shakes are tolerable at best. Oh well, only 6 more days

Wishing you the best. It's not easy but we can do this! You're in my thoughts

My surgery is Nov.5th with Dr. Ing at Bryn Mawr hospital. He's awesome and the entire bariatric staff has been amazing. I'm so excited, I cannot wait to get my sleeve.

My surgery is Nov.5th with Dr. Ing at Bryn Mawr hospital. He's awesome and the entire bariatric staff has been amazing. I'm so excited, I cannot wait to get my sleeve.

liquid diet is going. It's hard, I'm really hungry. I can only have the 4 shakes a day that I bought from the doctor's office and supplement with chicken broth and SF Jello. This is by far the hardest thing I've ever done. But, I'm determined to do this. 8 days to go! -

liquid diet is going. It's hard, I'm really hungry. I can only have the 4 shakes a day that I bought from the doctor's office and supplement with chicken broth and SF Jello. This is by far the hardest thing I've ever done. But, I'm determined to do this. 8 days to go! -

Hi Danielle,
Making the WLS decision is among one of the biggest decisions you will make in your lifetime--right up there with decisions about your career, your education, marriage, childen, buying a home, etc etc etc. THIS DECISION IS FOR LIFE. Those who succeed with weight loss surgery for the long-term (meaning the rest of your life) go into this knowing that the operation is just 10% of the process; the other 90% is your READINESS to truly change. That means being totally honest with yourself that you are READY to change your old, unhealthy habits and lifestyle FOREVER. This is SO not about just losing the weight. You must change your relationship with food, your attitude about ditching junk food and replacing it with REAL food (not processed and fast food) to give your body the fuel it needs. Committing to an overall healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise is what spells lifelong success. All of this does not happen overnight. It is a long and gradual process, but the rewards are hard to put into words on how it changes lives. It is NOT the easy way out to losing your weight. It is hard to let go of those old habits. You will get frustrated. That is when you remember -- It's not that you CAN'T have the old, unhealthy junk -- it's that you are CHOOSING not to eat it. Because telling yourself you CAN'T have something makes you want it all the more. When you tell yourself you are CHOOSING not to eat it, YOU ARE PUTTING YOURSELF IN CONTROL--ONLY YOU!
When I think of myself 3-1/2 years ago, right where you are today, I could not imagine I was capable of making such drastic eating and lifestyle changes. Junk food was my very best friend. I ate fast food Breakfast, lunch, & dinner. The house was full of ice cream, cakes, pies, Cookies, chips, candy ALWAYS. I even mourned its loss; I felt so alone without it at first. After surgery, though, when I started feeding my body what it was designed to have put in it, neither my body nor my brain cared much anymore about the junk. It craved the healthy food, not the junk. Now I love looking at all the junk I have CHOSEN to eliminate from my life and just say to myself "I don't eat that anymore." None of that stuff lives in my house anymore, but I run across it constantly out in my world (it's everywhere, right???). I am so glad it does not have power over me any more. You asked what it is like living with the sleeve--it is freedom--especially when I think about all the time I wasted in my life over so many issues about food. I wish that same kind of freedom for you and anyone else just beginning to think about WLS.
There are some people who have the surgery who WERE NOT REALLY READY to quit eating their junk and they go back to eating all the unhealthy stuff, and start regaining it all back a year or two or five years out. It does not have to happen that way! This works for life if you make the commitment. The sleeve helps you, but does not do the work for you. Sometimes you'll hear people say that their SLEEVE DIDN'T WORK. The sleeve surgeries work--it's just the OWNER of the sleeve that is responsible for MAKING IT WORK!
Good luck with your decision!

I just got approved by Aetna yesterday. I'm super stoked! My surgery is scheduled for November 5th. Starting my liquid diet in three days.

I just got approved by Aetna yesterday. I'm super stoked! My surgery is scheduled for November 5th. Starting my liquid diet in three days.