SuperDave

That looks exactly like an umbilical hernia I had. I would be very surprised if it was something else. On the bright side, losing weight makes a hernia repair easier to do and less likely to fail over time.

Order iced tea, order Water, order whatever you want. Who cares if you are drinking alcohol or not? That is absolutely nobody's business but your own.

That is great information. Thank you. I actually remember reading your post a year ago when I had just had surgery. It's funny now that 1 year out my experience has been almost exactly the same. Now I know where I'll be in a year!

As Elode said, all having a friend does is show their status updates in your notifications. They don't have special access to anything. There are a few people here who have given me great advise or have otherwise inspired me in some way, so i add them as friends to see what they are up to occasionally. It is no big deal.

You will be a tight fit and will have to ask for a seatbelt extender. But, since you are travelling with someone, you should be able to raise the armrest between you and give yourself a little more room. I flew a few times when I was around your size and was never asked to buy an extra seat, however I knew it was something that could happen and was prepared to do it if necessary. I also always flew with my much smaller wife, so I used her seat for my spillover. Good luck with your surgery. You will soon realize how nice it is to not have to worry about things like this anymore!

@@Elode - Your surgery was a week or so before mine, and I have read about your struggles and seen your success. I know that luck had nothing to do with it! Your achievements have been amazing. You have been an inspiration to me and a lot of other people here. Keep up the awesome work!

Of course everyone is different, but sugar alcohol normally won't cause dumping. They can cause diarrhea though, just be careful how much you consume.

Thank you everyone for the replies. It's funny, to me neither of those pictures look like how I see myself. I was never that fat, or at least I never knew I was. I convinced myself that I didn't let my weight stop me from doing whatever I wanted to do, and so I wasn't fat. I was just on the bigger end of normal. And the picture now, I don't even recognize that guy. Where in the hell did cheek bones come from? Plus, I look like I've aged 10 years in the past 3. Oh well, still the whole thing has been 100% worth it. I only wish I had done it all a lot earlier in life.

260 pounds gone. It is hard work, but you can do it. It is completely worth the effort!

It's been about 3 1/2 years since I decided I had to make changes in my life. I hit 450 pounds and realized I was no longer in control. I dieted on my own for the first 2 years, and did okay. I lost about 120 pounds by simply eating less and walking. Eventually that was no longer enough and I stopped losing, so I started a bariatric program. I had 6 months of supervised weight loss, and having the accountability made me work harder. I lost another 30 pounds in those 6 months. My goal was to be under 300 by my surgery date, November 10, 2014. When I weighed in at the hospital that morning, I was 299.9. Just barely there, but I did it! This week is my 1 year surgery anniversary. When I weighed this morning I was 189.9. Another 110 pounds gone. So to Celebrate, I'm posting a before and after picture. The first one is from 2011. I'm not quite at my highest weight there, but as I'm sure many of you can understand, there aren't a lot of pictures of me to choose from. I always avoided having them taken. The second one was taken this morning. Not a great picture, but you get the idea! And 260 pounds later:

Two days post op? The only things you need to be worried about are liquid and protein. I didn't feel like eating for a week after surgery.

My go-to for a homemade Protein shake: 2 ounces plain Kefir (liquid yogurt) 2 spoonfuls Peanut Butter powder 1 scoop unflavored protein powder 4 ounces unsweetened almond milk Ice I blend this and let it sit for a couple minutes before drinking to let the foam settle a bit. I make the same for my wife with some Splenda or sugar-free vanilla syrup added, because she likes it sweeter. The Kefir and peanut butter powder both add protein and help cover the Protein Powder flavor. For me, this is better than any premade shake I have tried. The recipe could be tweaked a bit to your liking!

I transitioned between stages very slowly. You have nothing to worry about. Make sure you are getting your Protein and take your time finding foods that agree with you. Keep up the good work!

I don't see why it would be a problem. Just watch the carb count. I regularly put Kefir (liquid yogurt) in my Protein shakes to help with the taste. Plus it adds more protein and keeps me regular.

Best of luck to you today! Being nervous is perfectly normal. I would be more worried about someone who wasn't nervous at all. I woke up after surgery wondering what in the h--- I had gotten myself into, but I can truly say a year later that it was all worth it. I am so much better off now than I was before. Keep up the great work! You have got this!

This is perfectly normal at 12 days post-op. Your new stomach is going to react in a variety of weird ways, (diarrhea, gas, constipation, pain) even to things that haven't bothered you before. This is a MAJOR change to your digestive system. It will take time for your body to adjust. I am nearly a year out and I am still occasionally surprised at how some things affect me. It gets better. Just stay hydrated and keep doing what you are supposed to do. You have got this!

You may get more replies to a question like this in the religious section of the forum. On the main page just scroll down until you see Special Interest Gastric Sleeve Surgery Support Groups. There are different sections in there, one of which is Religious Sleevers. Good luck finding the answers you are seeking!

No need to be nervous! The fact that you have studied AT ALL for life after surgery probably puts you ahead of 90% of the people who have this procedure done. You will be fine. As for the pain, I won't lie, it hurt! I was in more pain post-op than I thought I would be. I guess I even had a few choice words for some nurses about how I felt when I woke up, though I don't remember that, (they told me about it later, and fortunately thought it was funny!). However, that all passed quickly. It's all just a distant memory as I come up on one year post-op, and all completely worth it! As for the kids, they will be fine! Your MIL managed to raise your husband, and I assume he turned out okay. Besides, staying with grandma is all about staying up too late, eating the wrong things at the wrong times and just generally not doing what you are supposed to when you are supposed to do it, otherwise no kids would agree to it! Besides, kids are resilient. They will recover from this ordeal quicker than you. No worries! Really, just concentrate on following your doctor's advice. Everything else will fall into place. You have got this! Best of luck!

My guess would be that the reps are confusing the 6 month medically supervised weight loss with a 6 month waiting period. I haven't read about anyone else having a wait like that. Once I finished everything I had to do and got approval surgery was scheduled 3 weeks out.

I was pretty boring, but my main food sources during this stage were scrambled eggs, tuna salad and chili. I bought 2 ounce condiment cups with lids and would divide the can of chili or batch of tuna salad up so I could easily pull them out of the fridge and eat without too much work. Don't worry, you will eventually get the variety of foods back in your diet. Keep up the great work!

I take a stool softener daily with my Vitamins. It seems to help a lot without causing the opposite problems.

Awesome! It is amazing to watch the process work. Keep up the great work! It is all worth it in the end!

I am nearing my 1 year anniversary, and met my goal weight 2 months ago. I had a lot of stalls along the way, all of which I thought were the end of the world. But every time my weight loss started again. Every time! You have nothing to worry about, except of course following your diet. Keep up the good work, you have got this!

The gas is completely normal. Chewable Gas-X was my best friend for at least the first 3 months post op. It will get better!