iwanttofitin

I am a die-hard stomach sleeper, and never sleep on my back or side. I know that it will probably be impossible to stomach sleep for a while after surgery, but I'm just wondering what others' experience has been? I bought a wedge pillow to try and making sleeping on my back a bit more comfortable than laying totally flat. But, I'm really hopeful that I won't need it for long, and I will be able to return to my favorite sleep position asap. This is actually one of the things I'm most worried about regarding my upcoming surgery. Thank you for any input!

Woohoo....I can see a huge difference! But I agree with Sleeved 36...let’s see a smile! You have lots to smile about! 😁

Oh man, Cheez-its are dangerous for me too...one of my favorite binge foods, along with ice cream. I just have no portion control at all with those items. I have seen some recipes for low carb Cheez-its, but I’m sure I would still eat way too many of them.

August 15th for me! 😬

I am scheduled for August 15th!

Way to go, and GO HAWKS!!! I’m going through Swedish too. Hoping for a June surgery date.

So, this won't apply to every relationship, but here's my take on the matter: My husband is an insecure guy...he just is. He always dated heavy women. I do believe he finds heavier women more attractive than most men do, but I wouldn't say he's a "chubby chaser". I think in his case, it's much easier on the ego to have a woman that isn't constantly getting hit on by other men. He would find that threatening. So, I'm a little worried about how all of this will play out after I have my surgery. As of right now, he is being super supportive about the whole process. He hasn't tried to talk me out of it at all. He even goes to my monthly support group with me, which I really appreciate. I keep telling him that the weight loss is to help US enjoy life more...as I will probably be much more willing to go out and do fun things when I'm am not so heavy. I think the key is to keep the lines of communication open, and maybe make an effort to stroke his ego quite a bit once the weight loss really gets going. I hope and pray that this surgery will not ruin my marriage, or turn him into a jealous crazy person. I really do just want to feel better and be healthier. If I get cuter in the process, that's just a bonus...for me AND him.

Cool! Exciting news!

I feel the same way you do. I've lost over 100 pounds three times, but have always gained it back in the long run. I'm beating myself up over wanting surgery, because part of me feels like I should be able to succeed on my own. My surgeon told me that we are the best kind of WLS candidates, because our bodies have demonstrated the ability to lose weight. He said that the WLS gives us the long term success that we've failed to have so far. If you lose weight by dieting, there is only a 5% chance that you'll keep it off...with surgery it is greater than a 50% chance. Yes, you can regain eventually, but the hope is that you will pick up much better eating habits while the restriction is at its best. Unfortunately, there is no fool-proof method...it will always take some work on our part. The surgery is just a very powerful tool to help you succeed.

Good luck...I'll be anxious to watch your progress!

This is off the topic of caffeine, but I wanted to offer a suggestion for your RLS. My husband suffers from this, and we heard about a simple trick that has worked wonders for him. Place a bar of unwrapped deodorant soap (don't use Dove or Ivory...it needs to be more scented) underneath the fitted sheet on your bed, right near his legs. Something about the deodorant in the soap really helps calm the legs at night. I heard about this from a friend, and of course I had to Google it to make sure she wasn't joking. She wasn't...there are all kinds of people who swear by this. My husband now swears by it, and even brings a bar of soap with us when we travel...he can't sleep without it now. It's the weirdest thing, but it seems to help.

This is an interesting topic, and one that I've been thinking about in my own situation. I am still in the very pre-op stage, so probably 4 or 5 months out from having the surgery. I haven't said a word about this to my overweight best friend of 30 years. She has been very jealous of any weight loss success I have had from dieting in the past. I am usually the heavier one of the two of us, but I have gotten smaller than her a few times, and she certainly does NOT like it. She is a competitive person by nature, so I think she just can't stand me being the smaller one. Of course, my weight has always come back, and it's surprising how much nicer to me she is when I fail. Come to think of it, my own mother is like this too. I guess misery loves company...it's hard to see people succeed where we cannot. I love this friend like a sister, but I'm scared to tell her about my potential surgery, because it will probably send her through the roof with jealousy. Of course, she is free to go have surgery herself, but has said many times that she isn't willing to go that route. So, I'm really debating whether to tell her or not. She doesn't live in the same state as me, and we only see each other every few years. Do I go ahead with the surgery and then really knock her socks off the next time we see each other? Or, do I tell her, so she doesn't feel like I did something so major without sharing it with her? I don't want to lose our long friendship over this, but I feel like my weight loss will really change the dynamics of our friendship anyway. We've always been able commiserate over "fat girl problems"...it will be really different if one of us is no longer heavy. Does anyone have any similar experiences they'd like to share?

Is anyone deciding against surgery while in the pre-op stage? I'm going through the process of getting approved for surgery, but I'm still feeling very hesitant about it. There are so many things about the surgery and life afterward that worry me. If I can't control what I'm eating now, how will I control it when the honeymoon period is over? If I could eat low carb all the time, I wouldn't need the surgery to lose the weight. I don't know...I know I need to do something, but I'm just so scared of failing down the road. Am I alone, or does anyone else feel this way?

@Ravi... Ha! I just posted almost the same thing you did...I'm about to chicken out too. But, I think it's better to be hesitant and truly sure about wanting surgery, than rushing into it hoping for a quick fix. I know a lot of people who did the latter and have failed miserably after surgery. They were not prepared for the changes, and fell back into old habits. It's a lifetime commitment if you want long term success, so we need to be fully prepared for a different life. It's certainly not the "easy way out" that people seem to think it is...it's a lot of hard of hard work and sacrifice. I have nothing but respect for people who have chosen this path!

I have low-carbed in the past and always lost a lot of weight...the last time I lost 140 pounds! I just have a hard time doing it for the long haul (for life), because that is the only way to keep the weight off. I keep thinking that if I have to eat low-carb after surgery, if I can just get my mind switched over to low-carb now, I could just avoid the surgery all together. I know I'm just kidding myself, because if I were that strong, I wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Is anyone else scared about the restrictions after surgery? No more gulping liquids, just small sips. No drinking while (or around) eating. Taking tiny bites that you have to chew 20-30 times. Etc. I know these are all pretty minor things, but when you combine everything, it's somewhat overwhelming. So many changes...forever. I don't know anyone personally who has been sleeved, but I know several who have had gastric bypass...and every single one of them lost a ton of weight at first, but they've all gained their weight back. I'm worried I won't be any different. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, I'm just having all of these thoughts. I'm lucky enough to have insurance that will cover the surgery at 100 percent if I'm approved, so I don't want to miss this wonderful opportunity. I know this surgery could greatly improve and extend my life, but I'm still so conflicted. I do plan on attending the support group this month at the hospital, and I'm sure I will get some wonderful feedback there. I really appreciate this site, because it is so helpful to hear everyone's experiences. This is the place where you can hear all of the stuff the books don't tell you. Thank you all for sharing!!

You certainly don't have to have the surgery if it scares you...its your life, you make the decisions. Surgery is not for everyone...don't let yourself get pressured into it. You may not be ready...it's a big life change. Educate yourself as much as you can and make the decision that is best for you. I'm coming to this forum just for that reason...I want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly before I make my decision.

Thanks so much! This is a great list you've compiled!

Hello neighbors! I live in North Bend (near Snoqualmie Pass) and am in the very beginning stages of looking into the GSV. I just had my Matrix appointment with Swedish Hospital in Issaquah, and will be starting my (insurance required) 3 months of medically supervised weight loss. My surgery date will not be until late April or early May, at the earliest. So, I'm anxious to learn from everyone, and maybe make a couple of nearby friends that I can get together with from time to time. Anyone that's not too far from me, feel free to send me a message. Looking forward to getting to know people through this forum! Nice to see so many from WA on here!

I'm so thrilled for you! I totally understand the big, men's football t-shirts...I hope I can get some of the cute womens stuff someday, too! I hate having to go online to look for my 4x men's Seahawks shirts! I just want more choices, dang it! I'm just beginning to look into surgery, so it will be a while for me, but stories like yours are what get me excited about the possibilities! Thank you for sharing, and can't wait to watch your progress.

Thank you for the update, Lelly! I will keep my appointment, just so I can get an individual assessment of my situation. I'm so glad you found some answers and have decided to move forward with the bypass!

Lelly...thank you for posting this. I have my consultation scheduled for this Friday (Nov. 7), and I too am feeling the jitters. I have been tempted to call and cancel, but I know it's in my best interest to give WLS a chance (even though it scares the bejesus out of me!). Please post again after you appointment and let us know your thoughts. I will look forward to hearing about it.