catwoman7

do you mean before we have it? yes - I'm sure that's pretty common when going into it. Or do you mean do we have second thoughts after we've already had it? The first couple of weeks post-op, yes. Buyer's remorse is pretty common. But after that, no. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. One of the best decisions I've ever made!

it can take up to a week. You don't have much in there.

some people don't comment because they're afraid you might have cancer or something. I once bumped into a former co-worker after I'd lost 200 lbs, and she didn't recognize me AT ALL. I had to introduce myself to her. She said - "oh sorry -- it's just that you look different. Maybe it's the new hairstyle". I almost burst out in laughter (although I managed to keep my composure...).

it's been a few years so I don't remember what exactly I was eating, other than I stuck to my clinic's plan pretty much 100% that first year. And yes - I hit stalls along the way. I just doubled down on eating according to plan and stayed off the scale for a few days when I hit them - and they always eventually broke. They did become more frequent and lasted longer the closer I got to goal, though.

happened to me as well. I think I'd lost about 70 lbs before everyone started noticing - and then it seemed like pretty much *everyone* was noticing. Day and night.

phone and charger for sure. Comfy, easy-to-put-on clothes for going home (I just wore the same clothes that I wore *to* the hospital). A lot of people like having some lip balm and/or Biotene spray since some people get dry lips and mouth from the anesthesia. Otherwise...?? I slept most of the time I was there, so I really didn't need anything other than that. I also brought toiletries, although I didn't need them since the hospital gave me a bag with a travel toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo in it.

most people have the opposite problem (constipation), but this isn't the first time I've heard about diarrhea. I wonder if you've developed an intolerance to something. It's not uncommon to become lactose intolerant after surgery - although for some it's temporary.

I thought that now I'm in my 60s, I'd be safe from unwanted male attention. Nope. Well, mostly - but not completely. This one situation might be unique, but some 24-year-old tried to make a pass at me last spring. I about died. I'm older than his mother!! (well, and I'm married, too....). Fortunately, most of the younger ones have no interest - but my contemporaries - yea, I do get some attention. But I'm older now and can usually handle it.

I lost 57 lbs before surgery (I think about 15 of that was on the two-week pre-op diet, though - so 42 lbs before the pre-op diet). you'll likely lose on the low side the first month after surgery, since for most people, a lot of that huge drop the first month is water weight, and your water weight is long gone. Mine was, too. I lost 16 lbs the first month. after the first month, I don't think it makes a difference if you lost weight pre-surgery or not. surgeons usually quote you the average weight loss (60-70% of your excess weight), because statistically, that's where most people end up. But a statistic is a statistic - there are always people who are going to lose more or less than that. If you really work at it, you can do better than that. I almost never went off my plan and lost 100% of my excess weight.

Aldi fan here as well. In fact, I'm headed over there this afternoon. I'll look for these!

many of us have "buyer's remorse" the first couple of weeks after surgery, but it soon fades. I regretted it the first couple of weeks, too - but it quickly passed and I soon released it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

1) pre-op diet 2) first month of surgery (about the same amount of weight on each)

that's weird. If it were me, I'd think the same as you - too little, too late. Is she still willing to prescribe the scripts? If not, I'd contact the surgeon - they'll probably be willing to do it (in fact, I'm pretty sure the bariatric clinic prescribed all my pre- and post-surgery scripts)

it's the infamous "three week stall" - happens to almost all of us (it's not always the third week - it happens within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery - but it's most often the third week, thus, the name). If you do a search of this site on the three week stall, you will find over 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding). Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days - and know that it'll break and you'll be on your way again. It usually lasts 1-2 weeks - but I've heard of it lasting up to three for some people. (oh - and you'll likely hit more of these stalls later on your journey - perfectly normal "feature" of weight loss...)

I don't think that's an insurance requirement - I think that's the surgeon's requirement. I had a nicotine test when I first entered my program, but I don't think they rechecked it right before surgery - although some surgeons do.

if that 12 lb gain was when you left the hospital, it's from the IV fluids. It's basically salt water, so it takes a few days to work its way out of your system. a cup of bouillon shouldn't be a problem - it has hardly any calories in it, and it's a liquid.

soft food phase for sure. I didn't eat chicken during the pureed phase. My guess is you'd have to puree it, but check with your clinic.

I would say that happens to most of us. Actually, after most major surgeries - not just WLS. My mother-in-law just had hernia surgery and a bowel resection two weeks ago, and she's still exhausted most of the day. Surgery is really tough on your body. that said, I felt like I'd turned the corner after about the third week. I was still tired a lot, but at least i could function (and go back to work). It probably took about two months before I felt totally back to normal, though.

if there's a leak, they usually discover those right away - like with a day or so after surgery. Plus I believe the side effects from that are things like extreme weakness, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat - so it doesn't sound like what you've been experiencing. What you're feeling is probably normal, but it's good to ask surgeon anyway - if nothing else, for peace of mind.

that was early on. At some point, I was told I could drink up until the point of eating, but I still had to wait at least 30 minutes after to drink.

nope. Six years out and can drink water like I could pre-surgery - and have been able to since I was a few months out.

I think almost everyone dreads the hair loss. I helped lead the pre-op classes at my clinic for three or four years (before COVID hit), and it never failed - at every class, people asked about hair loss! Honestly, most people don't lose enough for others to notice (some do, of course - but for most, no). I hardly lost any. I knew I was losing it because there was more hair strands in my comb for three or four months than was usual, but just looking at my hair - no - couldn't tell. Some people do report their hair getting thinner - but again, more often than not, they're the only ones who notice it. I think most of us who are a ways out from surgery will tell you that it was a small price to pay for losing all that weight, and it was really more of a minor annoyance than anything else. In retrospect, I shouldn't have wasted any brain cells on it since it really wasn't that big a deal.

no. Most of us take sublingual B12 tablets. I don't know very many people who do injections - but those will work fine as well.

yes - injections are once a month. As for sublinguals, I do a megadose once every two weeks - it cuts down on the cost.

fluids pretty much go right through you. Your pouch will tell you when you're pushing it too hard.