anikka

Some minutes I'm ok and others I'm freaking out!

Hey all! I haven't posted since the very early days out...I was sleeved on 10/2/13 at 273 pounds. I reached goal in 9.5 months which was 159 pounds which would put me at a normal bmi. At about 8 months post op I started running. That was a game changer! I have since completed a triathlon, a 5k, 2 10ks, 4 half marathons, and on January 25th, 2015 I became a marathoner! I went on to lose and additional 20 pounds and I've been maintaining 20 pounds below goal ever since. From a size 22/24 to a size 2/4. I eat clean and train hard! I am really living my best life now!

Thanks you guys, I hope I never have to go through this again! I found this solitary chess set at a game store in the mall, where only one player can play, so it is ideal. All the pieces are contained in a drawer below the board, which is quite small, but it has all levels from beginner to advanced. This should keep me going for awhile! I also found a portable Tango's game, where the puzzle pieces are put together to form the image on the cards, of which there are probably 30 or more images. Very compact at about 6"x 3". Very challenging!
They figure the surgery will take 2 hours, and I have a neighbor coming to sit with me. She actually works in the surgeon's office, but has that day off! Her husband also has cancer, of a different type, so we are discovering we have a lot in common. We just moved to this neighborhood a year ago, so we still don't know too many people here. I am just so grateful to have all of you on BP, and my new friend-neighbor, who is taking her day off to sit with me! I am BLESSED, indeed!!!!

I really like the Premier Protein ones. They have 30g of Protein and only 1g of sugar. I buy mine online direct, but they can be found at costco. My fave is the strawberries and cream. My daughter in law likes chocolate and vanilla. (She is a band to sleeve revision and had her surgery on 5/13/15.)

Hi. Any idea why I can't see stats? Can I not see them if I am using the mobile version?

Yup. Totally. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
My husband had RNY almost 9 years ago. Back then, they didn't really give them many "rules" to follow. Or they did, and he just didn't follow them.
Although he got more active, he never exercised formally, ate whatever he wanted (yes, that includes sweets and carbs..he didn't really dump ever) and in almost a year, had lost 130lbs. He went from 300 pounds the day of surgery to 170 lbs in less than a year. He has maintained most of it aside from an initial 20lb gain (he looked healthier after that) and then another 30lb gain after quitting smoking. He has since lost the 30, but has learned now that it's a slippery slope, and he cannot eat whatever he wants anymore without gaining. His pouch has stretched considerably.
Fast forward 8 years. I decided to have WLS. But I had also decided to have the sleeve, not the bypass. I really thought I would be able to do the same things and lose the weight. Thanks to my NUT and this site, I learned that was absolutely false. And on top of it, Karma kicked me in the ass with slower than average weight loss.
I work my butt off. I adhere to my plan 98% of the time, and I have turned into a gym rat. Has it been frustrating at times? HELL YES. But I am happy I've learned to love exercise and have learned so much more about proper nutrition. If it had just fallen off of me with little effort like it had my husband, I would have never cemented the habits I have today. I feel I at least I have a fighting chance of maintenance when I finally hit my goal. And hubby has learned good habits from me

The folks here have provided you with solid support. I will add that you can try the Protein shakes now to see which ones you like best. There are many out there to try. Just make sure the ones you choose have 30+g of Protein and very low sugar.
My surgery is in a week and I'm nervous but mostly excited to get on to the path toward health.

Did you do measurements? For me, the only way for it to register in my head is inches gone. Clearly if you are down that many pant sizes, they you have lost.

Having this surgery was possibly the best decision I've ever made. I had all of the typical health problems beforehand and all are cured now.
Additionally, I'm physically fit and considered extremely healthy by my doctors. I didn't expect the transition to be as great as it's been.

I HAVE BEEN APPROVED!!!!!! My surgury is on June 22nd......I am so excited.

I don't think OP eating an egg is a big deal. Different doctors progress their patients to real food at different rates. I had my first egg at 3 weeks post op. because my doctors protocol was 2 weeks full liquids, 2 weeks purees, 2 weeks soft food, then everything as tolerated. My hope is that OP find a way to communicate with her medical team.

No one is the same- if you really drilled into everyone's diet and what they are able to eat or not eat--completely different. This is your ride, and don't let anyone make you feel like you should be on their ride!

I've been very compliant and honest through the process. I believe it's been a smooth process because I'm not dealing with sleep apnea and I don't smoke. If I was dealing with either of those issues, I would have needed to use a cpap, without removing the mask while sleeping for a minimum of two months and quit smoking. As it was I had to give up caffeine and sugar and change the way I eat and my portions. I didn't have too much trouble with that although I slipped once or twice with sugar and caffeine. Overall though, I've done pretty well.
My NUT said the only things she wants is for me to keep working on getting my liquids in.

Thanks avafern :-)
I have decided to go ahead WITHOUT the fobi ring. I figure the surgery on its own has been successful for so many, and if I use it correctly it will be for me too :-)

Well I did it! 100 lbs lost as of this morning!

Welcome to the forum. You will find support here as well as lively disagreement. Opinions and tact will vary. I am always glad to see a newbie snooping around, so chime in and ask all the questions you want. If you are looking for a particular topic, you can go to the search box, type in your topic in quotes if it is more than one word. Go to the little tiny almost invisible arrow, and click for a drop down menu. Click on FORUMS, and then the search magnifying glass.
Since you mentioned that you are working, I will assume that you have insurance.
My insurance, BCBS Federal Employee, required a 2 year history of doctor supervised weight management, two sessions with a psychologist (one pre-op and one at two years post-op, and a three month nutritionist supervised diet before approval. I lost 22 pounds on the supervised diet pre-op.
For tests, I had blood labs, EKG, EGD, and an ultasound for my liver. Since that revealed fatty liver disease, I had to have a liver shrinking diet ten days pre-op. For some folks it is two weeks. The liver lays over the stomach and the smaller it is, the easier it is for the doctor to see what he is doing and manipulate his laparascopic tools.
If you have never had a surgery where you are given anesthetic and knocked out, he is a simplified way to look at it: You have to have an IV put in, then they give you something to help you relax a bit. It's like you see and hear what is going on, but you don't really care. In the OR they give you something in your IV that gives you a nice nap while they are operating on you.
After a while, you wake up in recovery and the initiation into to your new life begins. You will be thirsty but not given anything more than chipped ice for a while. Make sure you take Chapstick. It is more important than underwear! You will be sore for a few days and nauseous, but you will be given meds for that. My sleeve was my twelfth surgery (including knee replacements and c-sections) and frankly, it was the easiest recovery of them all.
After my bariatric team submitted my packet of treatment and compliance documentation that I had finished the pre-op requirements, I was approved in two days. Different insurance plans have different requirements and response times. For some people it is an aggravating test of character to get their approval.
On the day of approval, my date was set. Post-op, my new tummy had to be re-introduced to foods, implemented in stages. My program was clear liquids at the hospital, full liquids at home (I was there two days, which is typical). Then at two weeks out I started pureed foods (runs off a spoon).
At three weeks, I started soft foods (holds on a spoon, but has no bits or solid pieces). At the end of one month (4 1/2 weeks) I was allowed to see what regular cooked foods I could tolerate. At three months I tried raw fruit and greens like lettuce and spinach.
Recovery is progressive and it's very important to follow the plan that was given to you. If you don't follow your doctor's orders and try to push your new tummy to process foods it's not ready for, then why have surgery at all? The head game is harder than your actual physical recovery. Bariatric surgery is a lifetime committment.
As for returning to work, I will let the working folks address that. I am 63 and retired, so all I can tell you is that I spent the first week just sleeping off the anesthetics and pain meds. Then, after that, I was able to putter around the house. It was two months before I had any noticeable energy.
I humbly bow to my bariatric brothers and sisters who had to return to work or take care of children too small to help out. You are my heroes.
Congratulations on making a decision that will drastically improve your quality of life. The pre-op and post-op regimines are inconvenient and uncomfortable, but once you lose that first thirty pounds, you will begin to notice changes in your body and how that body feels. I wish you good luck and good health.

I do not have sleep apnea either and on 5/22 it will have been 4 years since I quit smoking. I am mentally preparing to give up caffeine but I don't want to cross that bridge until I am given the official referral to the program. As it is now, I drink one, maybe two cups of coffee a day and while I enjoy them greatly, I will gladly give them up in order to have this surgery.
I completely understand that this surgery is not going to be like a magic wand is waved over me and it will be easy. I'm prepared to do the work needed, I'm just so anxious to get started.

For Calcium, I take the Bariatric Advantage chews. They are like having a piece of candy.

100# is alot to lose and more importantly keep off.

Losing a hundred pounds is making all the difference for me. At 100 pounds overweight, I have already had a stroke and my spine was collapsing under the excess weight. I have 17 herniated discs and several neuropathies (including sciatica) because of it.

You have not filled in a profile yet, so I will guess that you are probably in your thirties and have not suffered painful or life-shortening consequences yet. Believe me, it will catch up with you sooner than later.

By the time I lost the first thirty pounds, I was already feeling the difference. I can't imagine now that I could tape eighty pounds of potatoes around my waist and go through my day like I used to. By the time I reach goal and lose the entire 100 pounds, I will have lost the equivalent of wearing a newborn colt for belt.

If you are on the fence and still want to try something else before committing to surgery, go to
http://www.marksdailyapple.com. It is a website that embraces much of what we are doing with our bariatric programs, but without the surgery. Here is what we have in common with Mark's Daily Apple and his program of primal low carb / high Protein eating and exercise that makes sense:

Drink Water until your eyeballs float.

Track your carbs, Protein, fluids, and calories for at least a month. Be honest with yourself, so that you can effectively get a true picture of what you are consuming. Count everything, including the sample from the deli or bakery at the supermarket to licking the spoon after cooking something.

Try to find a nutritional balance between 80-100 ounces of non-caloric fluids, 60-100 grams of quality protein (baked chicken breast is better than Slim Jim's Jerky sticks). Many of us in our pre-op nutritionist - supervised three to six month diet have a limit of around 1200 calories. It is do-able if you eat your protein first, and then non-starchy veggies, and limited fruit (I was allowed one serving a day).
Dessert is an apple, not Grandma's apple pie with two scoops of Bryer's ice cream.
Keep in mind that starches and sugars make you hungry for more starches and sugars, and you will never fill up. It's like when I could eat a whole big bag of potato chips by myself, but when it comes to boiled eggs, I can eat two and I'm done.

Do not eat anything made in a factory. That is where a lot of the damaging sugar, starches, oils, and salts come from that derail our best efforts. Shop the perimeter of the market where the produce, meat, and dairy is.
Don't become part of the sofa. One thing that Mark encourages is finding exercise that is fun and does not feel like exercise. I was surprised to find that I like boxing. Go figure! Nobody better try to kidnap me. I'll punch them in the throat and be glad to do it.
When I am doing housework, I turn the TV to the Classic Rock Work-out station and crank up the volume. When I do that, I have a lot more pep in my step and burn a lot of extra calories.
Whatever you decide to do, losing weight permanently will take committment on your part. Trying to keep with our pre-op regimine will give you an idea of how badly you want to succeed. I wish you good luck and good health.

For Calcium, I take the Bariatric Advantage chews. They are like having a piece of candy.

@Smye I discovered your blog yesterday in another thread and have been pouring over it. Making my shopping list and must try list. Thank you so much for sharing your personal story as well as helping support others.

Actually, you're probably not past the Week-3 Stall yet. It can last 2-3 weeks, so you may be right in the middle or towards the end of it. If you haven't already, read this and check out the link. It may make you feel better.
Congratulations! You have reached The Dreaded Week-3 Stall. It's perfectly normal, and just about all of us have suffered through it. You're not crazy, and your doctor didn't screw up. In fact, you might not lose any weight for two weeks or even longer. But don't worry – after that, the pounds will start falling off if you stick to your program. And, the inches will continue to come off even while the scale isn't budging. Here's a good article that explains why it happens and why we all have to go through it. Hang in there. Pretty soon it'll be in the rear-view mirror and you'll be dropping weight again!
(Apologies to BP regulars who have seen this repeatedly, but it's a big deal to those who are going through it!)

@@Courtneyxo17 calm down and breathe! My surgery was last Thursday. I can tell you what my experience was day of surgery...I woke up, got my shower with their shower soap, got to the hospital when they told me to, they bumped me up to an earlier time. I got to the room to change into a gown, they got an IV in me...I thought I'd be waiting around an hour or so.....but nope...they said, we bumped you up again. No time for nerves. right after they said that, next thing I know I am in recovery. Easy Peasy. While it is major surgery, it was the easiest surgery experience ever. They provide the very best pain meds ever, too. You can do this. just walk into that hospital with confidence, and optimism and you will do just fine. The only pain I had was where the drain was. Once that was removed, it was all uphill! (I walked within an hour of being moved to my room, too!) Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery!