dhrguru

So, years ago I had therapy to deal with my weight issues. One of the best things I learned was how to love myself even being obese. I threw out all my frumpy clothes. I put a full length mirror in my room so I could see how I was presenting myself to the world. I shopped for styles that made me feel good about me, regardless of cost. I got into make upand am pretty Dam good at applying it! I've kept my look together for years now, so I'll just keep up what I've been doing, having fun with more options in clothes to buy!

As far as hair goes, embracing my (semi) baldness leaves my able to try tons of styles of wigs, or go with none at all.

Maybe I missed something-- what is the condition?? I saw you list symptoms and procedures done-- but not a specific diagnosis

HR Manager

YES! I'm on my third Mirena IUD , it was placed n November 2014.My RNY was 4/2015. I had been period free (or had some *light* spotting here and there). Just like you, on surgery day I spotted, more than usual though and it was brown- not red. The month following I had an actual full blown period. I'm now nearly 4 months post op and see that its getting less and less-- so hopefully they will disappear once again!

Was she given that breathing thingy (I forget what its called) to use to help expand/exercise her lungs? And is she using it a few times a day? Your lung capacity is 'normal' right after surgery-- its important that you use that to help get your lungs back to peak functioning.

So what is C25K? I see a few of you are really into it. Also, I know this is off topic but, are any of you still using the Protein shakes as meals? I'm about 5 months out and am struggling with carbs, considering going back to square one again. Maybe doing our liver shrink thing for a bit until I get under control again you know?

Couch to 5k, a phone app that

Progresses you through walking to walking/jogging to straight running/jogging. Never in my life did I think I could run any where, and I'm doing 2 miles now!

I don't use shakes anymore, just can't bring myself to. I'd rather eat than drink my calories. I try to keep my carbs under 50-60g/day, but have gone as high as 100. My focus is still Protein first though.

I started running via C25K. Love it!! I'm at the stage where its all jogging-- so I work at trying to improve my pace/distance/minutes per mile. I do that 4 days a week and i do circuit training at planet fitness 1X/week. I'd like to add a second day of circuit training but can't find time to add it right now.

This seems pretty in line with what My surgeon requires:

2 multivitamin-- with the same stipulations as above. taken 1 in the am, 1 in the pm.

1500mg Calcium (though I had been taking oyster shell b/c they are easier to swallow...guess I won't anymore), spaced out from MV since they compete for absorption...something to do with the iron). My calcium had D3 in it-- so the D3 is covered. Spaced out since the body only absorbs 500mg at a time.

I also take prescription D since my level is super low. (50,000IU/weekly)

B12- 3X wek sublingual-- my B12 mg is high so i don't need it daily.

There list has no B12-- I take that too.

I was never told about a nasal spray or that I needed extra Iron.

Hello & Welcome!

I've been so impatient, and so excited, and suddenly it's time to go. I wouldn't say I'm nervous, but I am feeling so overwhelmed, with so many different emotions. Ahhhhhhh!

Wish me luck everyone!

I mostly keep my goals to myself. Only my sister who had had WLS knows what all my mini goals are. Only my doctor/nutritionist (and bariatric pal peeps) know my ultimate weight goal.

The reasoning is because this... When I successfully did Weight watchers in the past I told everyone and anyone. I got to a point I was very happy with where I was, still obese, but felt and looked so much better. I started working in maintenance just to see if I could maintain. But people would make comments like, keep at it, just a little more to go etc. It totally messed with my head-- left me feeling like I shouldn't be enjoying what I had accomplished. They meant well, but my head interpreted differently.

So I keep my goals to myself and relish in them privately, or on these boards. That way, others views on my being 'finished' (or not) with this journey won't mess with my emotions again.

Welcome! If you want opinions of those your age, you may want to check out the 20's board.

See my ticker for my stats. Having had children, I always wonder how younger folks who have children after surgery manage in the long run.

I don't see harm in starting your liquid diet early, I've not heard of the Protein you are trying though.

The weeks before surgery I focused on getting my house prepped. Deep cleaning, meal prep for the family and myself. I set nerves aside to make sure coming home was stress free.

I've had the similar experience of bending over and realizing that something about it seemed easier, more natural.

Keep up the great work!

So today i took the kids school shopping. We were in old navy, when they were done I decided to venture over to the ladies section to check sizes out, to see If I would fit anything. I've NEVER been able to buy from the store, only online. I tried on a top in the biggest size I saw, XXL. It was too big! I bought an XL top, and a pencil skirt to go with it. I'm still elated over this experience!!

I've noticed that some surgeons require sleep studies and stuff and was wondering what all exactly did your surgeon require before surgery? Does everyone have to get the upper GI thing and stomach biopsies or is that based on medical problems they suspect? I'd love to get as much of this stuff done as I can while I'm still finishing up my 90 days if I can, so I don't have to wait longer than I'd like to between being approved and the actual date picking, but I don't want to go finding problems I don't know about already prior to surgery if I don't have to either. Like as far as I know at this moment I do not have diabetes so if a diabetes test is not required, I don't want to go out of my way to have one and get stuck on a meter and a diabetic diet plan on top of all of this too should it turn up I did have diabetes. Does that make sense? What if anything do you all recommend that I should do now that is like a 99% guarantee that I'll have to get done prior to surgery that I could be knocking out of the way right now?

the one I'd try to get out the way is the sleep study. Getting an appointment could take a while, and then if you need a c-pap it could take a bit to get it and have it adjusted properly. My surgeon required your cpap be taken to the hospital on surgery day so it's important.

My pulmonologist didn't order a sleep study, but from reading boards, that sounds like the longest step.

All the other tests I had could be scheduled with in a week of me calling,. (Upper gi, ultrasound, labs etc)

I believe its because Gummy Vitamins don't have Iron.

I like the twinlab bariartic chewable- citrus flavor.(@@Vitamin shoppe) They kind of reminds me of a sweet tart. I mostly swallow Calcium now-- but keep a bottle of chewables around just in case, (I still have a little trouble with swallowing big pills from time to time)

What's your Protein goal? My surgery was 4/28 and I ave no issue meeting my 60g a day though food. I generally end up with 70g/day. I have Protein Powder left too-- but prefer to eat my protein.

Dhrguru...How are your sisters doing with the VSG,lap band etc.?Why did you opt for the Bypass.I am torn between revision to The sleeve or Bypass.

My sister who had VSG has never made it to goal. her starting weight was over 300#, lowest she made it to was about 250ish. She works out hard core, but IMO wasn't eating well and drinks too much alcohol. She is now @ 260 and doesn't like the fact I'm approaching where she is. She is working at eating better.

My neice who had lap band lost almost all her excess weight, from over 300 down to 178ish. She has gained back to about 230. She's young and in love for the first time in her life-- love will make you gain every time :-) Though-- her BF just had VSG-- so i think she's determined to not let him get lower than her.

My cousin has a band complication now and had to be unfilled-- and she has started to gain. Her insurance won't cover revisions- so she's stuck.

I chose RNY because I saw my sister with VSG was still able to eat a lot of crap after her surgery. I knew the malabsorption feature would help *if* I chose to eat crap. And we both loved sweets...I also wanted the 'safeguard' of dumping to keep me away-- but it looks like I tolerate sugars so far. My sister gets heartburn and throws up more than I care for-- I didn't want to live like that. (and for the record-- I thrown up a handful of times in my life-- mostly pregnancy related-- anything beyond that is abnormal in my head.)

I never wanted band-- too many complications and too much risk of not maximizing my weight loss considering my high starting BMI.

For me...it's an obese sibling. I'm very close to my sister and we were the fat girls for a long time. Now I'm not fat and she still is. I don't care what she looks like but I worry about her health as does my brother. He got into running a few years ago and is in the best shape of his life. I am much healthier now...even my children no longer worry about me as they once did.

But my sister is not on the same page as me...and I don't know if she will ever be. We always planned to retire and live near each other in Florida and now I'm not so sure she will grow old with me. I love her dearly but know that I cannot come on strong about this. She will succeed only if she makes the decision herself to lose the weight...but I hope she does.

When we walked the Brooklyn Bridge a couple of weeks ago, we had to stop about 1/3 of the way because sis and I were walking and talking and I forgot how hard it is to do that when you can't catch your breath. I had to wait for her to rest. The fact that I didn't need to, and she did, did not make me feel good at all. It only served to make me more concerned about her health.

I don't know what, if anything, I can do...so I love her and hope that she takes control of her situation and we become two skinny minnies together.

My sister had VSG about 2 years before my RNY. My niece, her daughter, had lap bad, and my cousin also had lap band & a TT. We were the the four 'fatties in the family. It absolutely crossed my mind (a lot) that I was the lone fatty left. They never once prodded, shamed or otherwise coaxed me into dieting, exercise. I did feel a 'distance' since our common 'thing' was no longer food, and that hurt a bit. My sister seemingly got closer with the "skinny" sister in the family. It all good now-- though I don't think the nature of our relationship will ever be what it used be-- and that may not be a totally bad thing.

Now all of us have inspired my brother to work at losing weight.

Well you should be able to have sex before 6 weeks, but won't he notice the scars? What kind of relationship do you have if you can't tell him truth?

Did you have an open surgery? I can't imagine any reason why you would need to wait six weeks. a week and a half was good enough for me.

I echo what everyone else says about not telling him about the surgery...

Though not weight related-- hubby and I have had counseling out to wazoo. Not something I'm willing to pursue at the moment - I'm a bit drained of it.

He went to the gym last night-- I was so happy he chose to. I hope he keeps it up.

I want to suggest that you consider counseling.

Now, I hate counseling...haha... so i make this recommendation because what i hear is genuine love and concern for your husband. What I fear is that over time... say, the next 2 years, this turns into a whole lot of other emotions.

HI! My Surgery is set for the 26th, but I forgot to ask about driving. If all goes well, and it is just the 2 day in the hospital stay....does anyone know if you can drive right away?

Thank you!

I want comfortable driving for at least a week.

It's a good idea to let the idea be theirs not be pressured or shamed into it if they see success it may plant a seed I know the awful feeling of constant shaming pressure and discussion I was threatened with being fired if I didn't have this surgery and it wasn't because I couldn't do my job it's because my employer is a skinny fat shaker who makes it her business to humiliate everyone that doesn't look like her and if you want to laugh she is a size 2 literally and eats Cookies brownies chocolates ice cream mms all day makes me sick she even fat shames her daughter who isn't fat at all the girl is size 8 at 5'9 that's not fat she is just pathetic and nasty

Ugg-- that's awful! I hope you can find a new employer-- working under that senseless pressure has to be stressful!

1. True/False: My doctor says my taste buds may change after surgery and foods I love now I may not like.

True-- at least i was for me

2. Will my appetite REALLY go away? Will the feeling of being hungry all the time disappear?

Again it did for me, and 4 months out it hasn't really come back yet.... but I know it will.

3. I'm totally addicted to food. While I have been able to mostly control it over the past 3 months, there are times when I have NO WILLPOWER and stop at Culver's on the way home from work for a big, greasy double cheeseburger and a soda! Will I be able to break this after the surgery?

I doubt it-- it will make you incredibly sick though. I think you need to try and break that habit now. I've been soda free for 6 months, and now I eat a cheeseburger-- just differently...with a knife and fork, starting with the meat, then eating tomatotoes and pickles in liue of a bun and fries.

I'm so worried about this. I'm already having a hard time with the liquid diet. I'm on my 2nd day now and I feel HORRIBLE!

y day 4 it get more bearable-- stick with it!!