choosehope

I had blood thinner shots daily when I was in the hospital for an extended period of time. Really no big deal! And, let's face it, I had plenty of padding.

Uh oh! The Mickey Mouse fanatic in me was just enticed! I had looked at some regular ones like the first in this thread but hadn't thought of Disney!! You're getting me in trouble! ????

Hang in there Shelly! Saying a prayer for you! Yikes- I mean Shelley! Sorry

I see a lot of people saying they had to get an endoscopy and a pulmonary function test prior to surgery. My doc doesn't require that - just psych, cardiac & barium study. Why do your docs ask for the other two? Want to cover all my basis so surgery will be as safe as possible. Trying to figure out if I should ask my GP to do these. Thanks.

I would love to find a couple of blogs where I could follow some bypass stories from the beginning through a year or two. Any ideas?

That's awesome. I'd love to try to samples what do you have and what do u plan to charge? I'd particularly like to try unflavored, chicken soup, unjury and syntrax if you have any of those!

This is why I love Bariatric Pal! I hoped I could express my honest feelings here and find others who could understand but also help me see to the other side. And, here you all are! My favorite thread has been "what I won't miss about being fat" or something to that effect. I was making my own list and got lazy. Need to keep focusing on that. Can't imagine the freedom to go and do what I want without fear. Of being able to walk and move freely without my knees hurting all the time! Of Not living in fear of getting diabetes, heart disease. It's so easy for me to dwell in the land of "what ifs" and to think of the negative possibilities instead of all the exciting possibilities! A trip to Disneyworld unencumbered. A hiking and camping trip with friends! Swimming! White water rafting! Walking up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial! A donkey ride in the Grand Canyon! I can create a whole new bucket list. Like you have all said, I need to take it one day at a time. I've lived with disability and daily pain for the last seven years. If I had known it was coming, I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to deal with it, but I have. So whatever comes, I'll deal with it as it comes. Not saying I won't still have to come back here for cheerleading and support, but thank you for helping me to start making mental shifts. Hugs to all!

@"gowalking" Needed to read exactly what you wrote! Thanks!

I've been looking into WLS seriously for months now. Have gone through the whole process with a lot of hope and resolve. Just had my last "clearance" appointment and should be setting a date for bypass next week. We've been planning late August. A few days ago, I went absolutely bonkers with the food. I'm eating everything in sight even when it makes me sick. (Certainly not new to me, but I was doing so well with eating reasonably before that.) The worry bug has gotten ahold of me. I'm not worrying about the surgery as much as the life after the surgery. Will I live with lifelong complications? Am I trading one form of being sick for another? Do I have what it takes to make such a drastic change and commitment in the way I eat? I embarrassed to say that I even wonder how I will manage without food to comfort me. (I do seek a psych weekly and have been in treatment for food addiction for a number of years. ) I am at a horrible point Where I know that I know that dieting isn't what I need. I've tried for the last 40+ years and been successful, losing over a hundred pounds twice for about a minute. But I'm also afraid that the cost (not financial) of bypass may be more than I can give. Hope is right here at my fingertips but I'm afraid it's false hope and that I'll regret it. But I hate my life now so much!! I want to choose hope, but I'm afraid. I guess I just needed to say this and to ask for prayers and encouragement.

Was this the first time you've had them out? If you don't ask for them to be cooked without butter or oil, they are generally drenched in them. It's why they taste so much better than the ones we make at home!! (Not to mention that the griddle on which the eggs are cooked has also been well seasoned with bacon grease!)

Aspartame also triggers bad migraines for me. I figured I was just going to have to deal with it for a couple of months. I assumed the protein drinks are sweetened with aspartame. Does anyone know what the most popular ones are sweetened with?

I'm in! Choosehope@comcast.net. Will be getting bypass end of August sometime.

Godspeed to you all!! Hope you are soon doing the happy dance on the loser's bench!!

Love this thread! As a pre-op, it would really be helpful if people would put what phase of the diet they are in! Thanks for the great ideas!

Congrats thus far!! I'm pre-surgery. Having bypass sometime late August - not sure of exact date.

That excess skin is a battle scar. It means you've fought the fight and are on the LOSING side which makes you the winner!! Sorry you ran across someone so judgmental! But hold close to your heart what a monumental thing you are doing!!!

Dub- ???????? love what you wrote.

I have done 2 things that have been helpful to me: 1. Write a dear John letter to food telling it all the reasons you are giving it up. 2. Writing about about my funeral as a result of eating myself to death. (Not to say I haven't had food funerals. I'm just trying to keep a detailed record of why this is so important to me. I'm also writing a log about all the ways weight has hurt my life - unbelievably long list that I keep adding to. Never want to forget these feelings. I've lost 100 pounds in the past and forgot and went back to my abusive lover - food!) Now 150 pounds later, I hope and pray I can get my head in the place it needs to be to be successful long term with this. Choosing Hope!

You are all such inspiration!! Great jobs!!

So interesting to hear your perspectives. My home was just the opposite. My mom was obsessed with healthy food. Vegetables with every meal and always steamed. Oil and vinegar on salad. Never any fried food or take outs. Never knew sugary cereal existed until I spent the night out. Special treats for us were a dill pickle, a naval orange or an occasional piece of health food store fruit leather. Once I could drive and go to the convenience store on my own, I went crazy! I've always wondered what my eating would have been like if things were more moderate in my home.

My doc has recommended bypass, and I'm 90% sure that's what I'm going to do. Yet when I get on Bariatric Pals, it seems the majority of the people talk about the sleeve. My doc says bypass is gold standard, better stats and better long term weight loss and maintenance, but that the choice is up to me. So I'm wondering why the sleevers chose the sleeve over bypass? Was there something in particular about bypass that made you decide that it wasn't right for you? Thanks in advance!

Good idea about posting in sleeve forum. Will do. Thanks!

My doc has recommended bypass, and I'm 90% sure that's what I'm going to do. Yet when I get on Bariatric Pals, it seems the majority of the people talk about the sleeve. They say it has fewer complications, doesn't cause nutritional probs or hair loss, is a more up to date procedure and that the weight loss is comparable. Yet, my doc says bypass is gold standard, better stats and better long term weight loss and maintenance. So those of you who have had bypass, what's your real life experience? What's the good, bad, miserable about bypass? Is there anything you wish you had known or wish you could change? Don't worry about "scaring" me. Knowledge is power for me. If I know exactly what to expect, even if it's hard, I tend to do better. Thanks in advance.

Anaxilia- where did you have your surgery?

@"Babbs" (don't think I'm doing that right), downloaded it a couple of days - looking forward to reading it!