caligul

I am almost two weeks out from my surgery and still on liquids. I have tried adjusting the speed at which I drink anything from Water to Protein Shakes to very slow sips and no matter what I get hiccups! I have even tried adjusting amounts and temperatures. Has anyone else had this problem? I get them so bad it brings me to tears!

I too only met with my surgeon 2x prior to surgery, but was very comfortable. I'm 12 days post op RNY w/ acid reflux (which hasn't been an issue since surgery, I do still take prilosec. )

I don't have a single regret. I don't even regret not doing it sooner, as I don't think I was in the right head space until recently. And trust me, this is a mental game at least as much as a physical one.
I am less than 5.5 months post-surgery, and have lost over 100 pounds. And I'm just three pounds from the mythical place I never thought I'd see again: ONEderland.
In the 5.5 months since surgery...
... I've discovered running. I completed couch-to-5k (thank you, "C25K Free" app!!) and then two 5k races, and have more scheduled every weekend for the next 6 weeks. Before surgery, I couldn't run half a block to catch a bus if my life depended on it. I definitely would've been the first one down in the zombie apocalypse.
... I've discovered bicycling. I rode 25 miles in a benefit event, including up a freeway ramp and across a big high bridge near Lake Michigan. And I did it without stopping. Before surgery, I hadn't been on a bike for 20+ years.
... I've discovered gardening. There was a large area of my property that used to be a garden and I always wanted to reclaim it. But the weeds were waist-high and the one time I tried to clear them out I could only manage a 2-foot square and that was even while sitting on a bucket. Now I'm growing 46 different crops and I have fresh strawberries every morning.
... I've vacationed like a fiend. I planned a big bucket-list vacation for my mom to Peru for 4 months post-surgery, and I conquered Machu Picchu like I was born to do it (see my icon). When I was in China a year ago, I could barley explore any of the Great Wall and mostly sat on a bench while watching others break out.
... I've kicked medical issues to the curb. I've beat diabetes (last A1C was 5.0 with no meds and no monitoring), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. My knees don't hurt. My back doesn't hurt. I don't get headaches anymore.
The past 5.5 months have felt miraculous and magical and transformative on every level. I catch myself getting excited about sneaking carrot sticks into the movie theater for a special treat during the show, and I hardly recognize myself.
So, no... no regrets.

I'd avoid if possible....I was taking phentermine on 3 different occasions in life....and recently had an SVT Ablation. ..due to the rapid heart beats..felt like a heart attack. ..it's not worth it...and I'm only 35.

All these threads about the scale, and what we are eating and I'm seeing the words 'good' and 'bad' throughout them. I'm as guilty as anyone else about this but I want to put it out there that eating is not bad. Weighing is not bad. WE are not bad. We might make poor decisions about our food, or we might see weight gain on the scale, but it's not good or bad. It just is.
Why is what we weigh and what we eat seen as good or bad. Why do we see ourselves as worthy or unworthy based on our physical appearance. Why am I worthy of the attentions of a man now that I'm thin and didn't feel worthy when I was heavy? Why did I punish myself by wearing horrible clothing and not caring how I looked? I know for me it was like putting lipstick on a pig...but why did I think of myself as a pig? Or a slob? Or a loser? Or lazy?
Everytime I think I may not need more therapy, I know I need lots more therapy. I hate how much I despised myself before and I'm scared of how much people admire what I've done in the last two and a half years. I am constantly looking to others to determine my own worth because I still cannot do it on my own.
I am moving forward in very unfamiliar territory. I have no fat to hide behind. I can't blame failure on my size anymore. I can't blame rejection on my size, I have to own my life and not look to anything negative to avoid what I do.
We have to stop with the good/bad thing. If I eat pizza, it's not good or bad. it just is and doesn't make me good or bad. I want to enjoy food without fearing it. I want to enjoy my life without fearing it. I want to be physically and mentally healthy. I'm working on it, but it's still ahead of me.

@@Spiceyfrog It went well actually, still a little pain but it's almost gone. I have had SO much air in me, which is causing a lot of the pain. I've already lost 15lbs actually it's crazy.

So I'm 6 days post op. ..and will pass on:
1. Gas pains, gas pains, gas pains.
2. Don't trust a fart. .shuffle to toilet
3. Walk around the hospital as much as you can. . It helps the gas they pump in you to pass
4. Bring pillow for the ride home (bumps on the road hurt)
5. Did I say walk. ..walk walk
Best of luck we'll see you on the other side. ..my prayers for s smooth surgery and recovery.

Congrats and keep up the good work!

I sit here in tears thinking about how far I have come... how my life has changed for the better... how I have struggled emotionally to adjust... how I have had to learn to love me (good, bad and ugly)... how hard I have worked and continue to work in the gym 5 days a week... how good I feel... how good I look... I saved my life and I am so glad for the second chance. I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and I smiled and cried.

Down 112 lbs. Feel 100 percent better. Working out & walking is helping. No complications. Another 112 to go to reach goal weight

We had surgery the same day!! Hope all is going well.

I say eat what ever you want while u can... I lived off the memories of my last meal...lol

Keep doing it! I sure did! And you really wont eat those things again for a long time so please eat everything you can and want because after surgery you will wish you did lol.

Nice!!! You took it back to the 80s! I miss the 80s...yep, I'm totally, like, OMG, aging myself. Like gag me with a spoon! ????

HI! Thanks for replying!! It looks like you have already had your surgery? Mine wont get scheduled until I complete my 3 months which I am nearly 3 weeks into. My surgery will be a U of Chicago. Elgin would be easier to get to, but still a trek for me. I think I spoke to someone at the Kane Center prior to getting set up in Chicago. I have no idea where Hoffman Estates is, but it can't be as bad to get to as downtown. If you go to one, let me know. If I can't find one closer, like you, maybe I will try there. Good luck and thanks!

To be honest. ..you're probably looking at a January or February surgery date. Due to your NUT sends the paperwork to insurance upon completion of the supervised diet. Following that you will have other appointments which have to be done with 30 days of surgery...after that you will still be waiting on approval from insurance. ..which could take a day to a few weeks. My approval was about a week after supervised diet.

Best of luck to you on your new journey.

Wow..congrats @@lovebugg2013!!!

im over 5 years post op... and at first when people would say that, it would hurt my feelings. Now it's a whole new ball game... When someone dares to say that WLS is the easy way out ... I turn to them and say Oh really, tell me what you think you know about WLS.... That normally catches them way off guard. I love watching them back stroke.... Then i say.. Well, im free tomorrow for you to follow me around and if it's so easy, you will have no trouble adhering to all the rules that i have to..... Such as... No drinking with meals.. EVER!! No straws... small plates, small utensils, chewing and chewing till your jaw hurts. Eating so slow that by the time your finished it's all cold. to just name a few. then at 5 you can come to the gym with me and exercise...
if that don't work i just tell them to "f" off and mind their own damn business.

My answer to something like this?
"Cool!" and walk away.
or if you really want to poke 'em...
"You know, as I consulted my doctor, my therapist, my NP, the surgeon, my nutritionist, something was nagging at me and I finally figured out what it was... YOUR opinion. That's exactly what I was waiting for. So thank you."

Or kick 'em in the junk.
Your choice.

I am exactly one month out of my surgery (RNY) and if this is what anyone calls "easy" then I must be crazy!
I needed to do this for health reasons (many of them) and NOT to fit in a bikini...
Both my daughters were adopted, and I heard comments like this about our choice to adopt. We had it easy....no labor, morning sickness, or stretch marks.... REALLY???
6 years of infertility, medical testing and procedures, mountains of paperwork and studies to be approved. 13 month wait to be united with our daughter... not to mention over $25,000 and a 2 week trip to China to pick her up.
Easy? HELL NO!
Worth every bit? HELL YES!
I feel the same way about this journey... it is what is right for ME, and that's all that matters!

Thanks everyone!
Patience is something I can use, too.
Sidelined lately due to some injuries made me feel like a kid being grounded as punishment.
Was beneficial though as if forced me to sit and think. Think for days on end. Took a pause from everything and just healed up and considered the possibility of actions I could take to get my life back from the current and future monster of obesity related injuries.
I'm coming out of that with focus and resolve to do this bypass and gain my life back.
Patience will be tested because once I make decisions......I want immediate results. Who doesn't, right?
December? Great.
January? Great, too.....more time to plan and adapt, although it'll just suck paying up all the deductible cost upfront. Heck, it's going to be spent next year, anyway.....just going to get it paid earlier than later.

30 min before eating and 30 min after eating.

@@caligul
Cool. THANKS!

Shopping in NON-plus sized clothing stores! Lane who?