Graciesmom04

As my hubby told me repeatedly...you didn't gain all that weight over night...it's not all going to come off overnight. It's a marathon, not a race. You are doing great. Look at the big picture. When you are not losing pounds, a lot of time you are losing inches. It'll get there. Be patient.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Learn as you go and move on to what helps. Right after I had my surgery, I craved foods, not to feel full, cause I was never hungry...but for taste, flavor and texture! I went to McDonald's, bought a $1 cheeseburger, chewed it up, spit it out. Took another bite, chewed it up, spit it out. Best cheeseburger ever! It saved that need to have a normal food taste and texture over pureed and liquid foods at the time.

As far as Protein, I rarely got what I needed initially. I spoke to the Dr about it and he said those numbers are there as guidelines, not set in stone numbers you have to reach every day. I felt so much better about it after that. Even now, I strive to meet that goal, but know I don't come close. I still lose wt so I must be doing something right.

Hang in there. You'll get there!

I miss long thick hair. I miss eating a full mexican meal with a large margarita.

I do not miss not being in pictures, hiding, the self hate for how I looked and felt.

And as someone in the veterinary field I can tell you most people only listen to about half of the instructions we give them (if we're lucky) The vet will tell them something, I will repeat it, we will send them home with those same instructions in writing and they STILL don't follow directions. We get a phone call later asking the same questions we've already answered. Or a frustrating call two weeks later wondering why their pet isn't better only to find out they never filled the Rx we gave them or only did treatment for a couple days rather than the full two weeks. And then throw in the "but I read on the Internet....." and "my friend's vet said....." excuses and It makes me want to strangle them. It's incredibly frustrating and I feel like I'm wasting my breathe most of the time.

Client compliance is a major problem. We have whole continuing education conferences addressing the issue. I'm sure it's similar in human medicine with patient compliance. Yes, it's often a lot of info but you also need to take some responsibility for your own health and well being. READ what they send home. ASK QUESTIONS if you don't fully understand. Spend some time on the Internet. With the internet's access to almost unlimited information, there is no excuse for going into an ELECTIVE life changing surgery without knowing all the facts, including how varied different programs can be.

As an RN for the last 23yrs, who's worked in clinics for 11 of those, I can vouch for this. Half the patients are horrible and do what they want. Consequences or not.

I've lost 100 lbs and have dropped from a 40 or 42 DD to a 36 C. Unfortunately, they're mostly just skin with a little bit of fat left in them. There's probably plastics in my future once I hit maintenance!

I'm in the same boat. I've lost 115lbs since end of January. Went from a 42DD to a 36/38 C and D. Just bought several new bras and feel like i"m in HS all over again. LOL...however, they just hang. I'm fine with using a bra to lift them and saving that money for my arms that can't be hidden!

It's so easy, when you see the weight come off, to tell yourself "just one of these won't hurt".

Hang in there. You'll get there!

It's def tricky, cause I can't eat a lot of what is offered. Not that I'm not supposed to due to diet, but I can't tolerate it. I've found it's not worth the money! I usually order salmon, any place it's offered. I get grilled veggies with it...small amount of potatoes if offered. I ask for 1/2 the order size and plan ahead to take it home. After about 4 bites, I'm full. If I do mexican (which is great) I get the fajita mix of grilled veggies and grilled chicken. There's usually enough to take home and eat for about 4 days.

I understand completely! I just saw my primary Dr last week for a checkup. Haven't seen a Dr in probably 3 years. She was amazed by the transformation, and would love for me to be a spokesperson for anyone wishing to have surgery. As much as I would love to do that, I live in a very small town. Numerous people have asked what I've done and I've told them, small portions, lots of Protein and exercise. No carbs or junk food or processed foods. So now, how do you explain after 11 months that gee, I had surgery? I'm not interested. I don't want to be the center of gossip any more than I'm sure I already am. Leave it be.

Without knowing her....maybe...she's depressed. You should know, as well as most of us, that when you reach that certain wt, you don't want to do anything. You just eat your comfort foods that are easy. You don't move. Don't exercise. And, if someone points out that you aren't or are doing these things, it makes it worse and you do it all even more. My spouse has never uttered a word to me about my weight, even when I'm sure I was an embarrassment to him. I was one to myself, surely I was to him.

If she's seeing you losing weight, it's making it worse on her. You can talk til you're blue in the face. If she's depressed with self hate, it's just going to make it all worse. Not sure what the answer is, except for her to know that you love her and will love her no matter what. If she feels threatened by you changing and leaving her, then what's there for her to change? She will just give up completely. Talk to her and show her as much love as you can. Tell her you want her along on this journey with you, just like she's been with you in everything else.

My hubby has never been one to give compliments, ever. Never tells me I look nice, I'm pretty, etc. So it has been no surprise really that nothing has changed. LOL. I get numerous compliments from people who say, boy, I bet your hubby tells you all the time how good you look or I bet your hubby is getting jealous of all this attention. Nope. But, we started dating 30 years ago when I was 16 and a size 4. He's seen me in all my changes. I guess since he's stuck by me, even at my heaviest, it's love.

I only took an actual 3 days off work. I did it with a weekend in there to give more time and had a snow day thrown in. So I was off Wed, Thurs and Friday. I didn't feel bad at all. LOL. However, imo here, a decent job will tell you that your health and your family should always come first. Everyone needs and deserves a vacation. You earn it and the company needs to realize that. As far as this, this is totally separate than your vacation, so don't even count the 2 together. Take the time you have and deserve. I knew I didn't have time, so didn't take a lot of time. Plus I'm in a position where I don't have someone to cover my position and as a school nurse, it's one that can't go without. That was my only reason for taking such a short time off.

As far as doing now vs after the holidays, I could have waited and done it when I was off for a week over spring break in March...however, it's a new year starting. I wanted to start the new year off right. New goals, new diet, new me. And I'm so glad I did!!!

Right after I had surgery, I ate at different times and in diff areas of the house then the rest of the family. My family realized it was hard for me to cook for them when I couldn't eat it. They started making a lot of their meals on their own, which helped all of us. I don't have to sit and make something I can't eat, they're not stuck eating what I eat if they don't like it and no one gets upset.

I do make foods for all of us and there's a lot of times the kids won't eat it. I tell them that's fine. There's stuff in there you make for yourself. But yes, my hubby always says "make yours for you and we'll eat it too"...along with their chips and Cookies, etc. Lol.

Yes, my BP in HS was always 90's/50's. They'd ask if I felt okay, all the way up to my 30's it was this way. Guess what...I'm back in that saddle. And it does make huge difference! I can tell when my BS drops, which it's gotten into the 40's since surgery, and my BP is low. You feel weak, shaky, just lethargic almost. Both things to keep an eye on!

Just don't over do it. I'm 10 mo's out and still have periods of just complete and utter exhaustion that seem to come out of nowhere. Sounds like you've got it all covered though! Good luck!

I can't do a lot of meats. I can do fish and chicken if eaten really slowly in very small bites. Pulled pork or pulled beef has made me run to the bathroom twice now, on diff occasions and made me very ill. I just can't do beef in general. I don't do breads of any kind cause they just sit like a rock.

This all sounds about right. Funny part is, I was always, always hot before. Even in dead of winter, house temp was at 60 degrees and I had fans going in my work office. Now I'm freezing nonstop and maybe - just maybe temp in the 80's isn't so bad. I'm with you. It's all a great trade off. I know what I can't eat, what I can and what I can tolerate. Just being able to wear something a friend does is a great feeling.

Everyone who lies and doesn't tell the truth is part of the problem and not the solution. There's no shame in surgery but there is shame in people who lie about it.

Every time I have someone ask me if I've lost a lot of weight I always tell them I had weight loss surgery.

I disagree with this completely. So I'm lying if I don't tell them I had surgery? I tell them my portion sizes are 2-4 oz, that I increased my exercising and that I eat primarily Protein. I don't do processed foods, no junk food, no bread, Pasta or pizza, etc. How is that a lie? That is exactly what I'm doing. Is there shame in my surgery? No....I'm an extremely private person. I didn't tell everyone when I had a hysterectomy, or when I had a pinched disc in my back and was on bed rest a month, or when I had C Diff and landed in the hospital for 2 days. It's a personal choice, but calling people who don't tell liars is pretty strong statement....not accurate.

I wondered about that. THanks! That gives me an idea.

Without going in to the article right now, time factor, how long did you wait after wt loss before surgery? I'm 9 mo's out and 15 lbs from goal. Wondering if I should find Dr now or if they'll tell me to wait.

I'm 9 mo's out and still can't eat beef or pork. I can do fish/mainly Salmon and chicken. I can't do breads, pizza or pastas. They call come back up so don't even try.

No place like home for recovery!!

@@Graciesmom04 - That's a great tip, I'll add that to the arsenal (is this only for hernia, or did it help after your WLS?)

It helped tremendously after I had a c-section and then again after I had my hysterectomy. I didn't have too much trouble getting up after my wls....but would certainly help after hernia. I actually got a small throw pillow and carried it with me to the bathroom to use getting up off the toilet after the previous 2 surgeries as well.

place a pillow against your abdomen and push when standing, for support. Makes a huge difference.

Glad to hear it's all going well!

walking, walking, walking....that was the only thing that helped get rid of my abdominal/gas pain. Yes, you feel weak, depleted...that will feel that way for about 3 weeks or so. And the Protein at this point, although, good...make sure you are just drinking. Part of that weakness is dehydration. I was so dehydrated I had leg cramps when I'd walk. It wasn't pretty. Fluids are your biggest friend right now and the protein, etc will fall into place when you can.