2goldengirl

This issue has been resolved. Your surgeon should be added in a few days at most. @@Alex Brecher My surgeon still hasn't been added. Fifteen days. I'm losing patience over this.

The only way you are going to get approved for surgery by any health insurer I'm aware of is by having a BMI > 40, or between 35 and 40 with one or more significant comorbidities. I know that's hard to hear, but it's the truth. Forget the diet pills and teas. They don't work, and some of them can be dangerous. If you read through enough posts on these boards, you learn one thing if nothing else: The people who are successful make long-term, permanent changes in both the way they eat and commit to exercising most days. Learn as much about your body as you can, and how to fuel it with respect and love. Good luck.

Yes, sugar is a dealbreaker. Here's why: the way your liver "shrinks" is largely by using the glycogen stored in the liver. To do that you need to severly restrict carbs. That means you could likely have your one cup of coffee with the real thing in the morning (counting on one tsp or less of sugar), but you're relly going to have to kiss the fruit goodbye for a while. You will be able to enjoy fruit again, but in much smaller amounts than you're used do, just like everything else. As far as your Vitamin deficiencies go, you will have to rely on supplements, at least during the weight loss phase, you can't eat enough to get all your nutrients from food alone.

We made a run to Target today. In anticipation, I hauled out my scarves and ironed them all - getting all smushed up in the drawer organizer thingy I had for them wasn't good for them. I knew I needed another scarf hanger, and Target has the ones that are non-slip. And....I bought another scarf. I had to. It's a lovely dreamy aqua. That makes 16, not counting the um, 8 or 10 knitted scarves and shawlettes. I just might have a scarf problem.

I can't wait for some of my necklaces to hang lower. Boobs, not so much. I sure hope my rings don't get too big, Heck, I only wear a 5!

I thought of that, but my one foot has been broken three times and has hardware in it. It won't get any shorter than it is. I've worn this same shoe size, fat or thin, for all my adult life. I actually did have a thin period in my 20's.

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch "Beautiful" by Estee Lauder. I tried a couple others, but after having them on for a while, meh. It's light enough it doesn't walk into the room before I do. Annnd I just ordered another pair of shoes. I found them in my size for 25% off online, and they're a style I've been looking for for YEARS.

OK, you are tiny. Most definitely tiny. And you have totally earned that "Bariatric Legend" title they done slapped on you here!

This whole preop period is getting expensive I've determined to break out of my style rut. And I seem to have been rather too successful. I went shopping yesterday with a pal, because I had decided I wanted to start wearing perfume again. I'd been in work and activity settings with people who were allergic and I just got out of the habit. I needed to try "my" scent to see whether it still worked for me. As I was getting ready to go shopping, I realized I had a drawerful of scarves that I'd always enjoyed that I'd just neglected for years. So I slapped one on before I left. And I got my perfume. And two pair of shoes. And a new lipstick. And a dress for a wedding over Memorial Day weekend. I guessed at the size, but it was perfect for the occasion, and 25% off. Fortunately I have a great seamstress who can take it in if need be.

The therapist who did my psych eval has worked with bariatric surgery patients for 14 years, and talking about transfer addiction is something she talks about in every eval she does - more as a caveat to preop candidates that the need to learn to cope without food is serious business. I think another factor for many is that being seriously overweight leads to social isolation for many. Once the weight is lost, those who may have felt socially isolated may enjoy becoming more socially active, but a feeling of awkwardness can remain. Alcohol can numb the awkwardness, but given the way many postops have a lower tolerance for alcohol, it can be a problem.

Forget about that 60-70%. It's a statistic that includes people who don't follow the program and regain and those who are lost to followup after a period of time. You can lose as much as you're willing to work for. The initial loss is easier than the last, but that doesn't mean there is some door that slams shut on your ability to lose.

What a lovely and beautifully crafted post! FWIW, I'm guessing that the autoimmune diseases were brewing long before you had your surgery, they just manifested during your weighloss period. How much easier to move a body that hurts when it's so much lighter and healther now!

The American Cancer Society has long understood the relationship between looking good and feeling good. They have a program called "Look Good, Feel Better" that partners with Cosmetologists and provides spa days and other services for women with cancer. I know I definitely feel much better about myself when I take the time to do my hair and makeup and accessorize on weekends and days I work from home. It's a challenge during weight loss, but I'm determined to wear clothes that fit now. I've been lost in shapeless knits and elastic waistbands for too long, and I'm ready to look as good on the outside as I know I'm going to feel on the inside.

I love this! The project I've begun is sorting through clothing that I had grown out of in the past couple years, culling the "nope!" items and sorting the others by size so I've got some backups when I start shrinking postop. Today I'm assembling a covered closet rack up in our attic where I can hang it all so it will be easy to try on when the time comes. I'm really enjoying this, some of these items are old friends that I will enjoy being able to wear again for a while postop. I'm also going through shoes and accessories and thinking of new combinations for things. I'm really enjoying the process. There is something very satisfying about taking better care of how I dress, even preop.

@@prettyCali916, Congratulations on your surgery! I see you're in the Bay Area, if you're in the East Bay, the support group at JMMC in Concord is next Saturday (13th) at 10AM. It's a super group, we'd love to have you join us!

Some people do report headaches from artificial sweeteners. If you did not withdraw yourself gradually from caffeine, it could also be lack of caffeine (I'm not sure how recent your surgery was, that usually occurs within 24 hours postop). Try the massager again, do you use a shoulder heating wrap to loosen the muscles?

Your stages look very like the ones I have from my surgeon.

This issue has been resolved. Your surgeon should be added in a few days at most. No, it hasn't. I still can't add my surgeon. This is my third request. 12 days and counting.

I'm curious - just what is a "mild alcoholic"? True alcoholism is an emotional and physical dependence on alcohol and there isn't anything "mild" about it.

I've always had vertical ridges in my nails.

I wonder if the "ban on carbonation" issue has to do with GBP mechanics. An awful lot of the diet guidelines for sleevers are adopted directly from guidelines for GBP. It's possible that gas/bloating are more an issue for GBP patients.

This is not a race and you simply can't compare your situation to anyone else's. In the initial four to six weeks after surgery, your body has one goal: to heal. You had major abdominal surgery. Your body isn't about to let go of what it needs to repair and heal from surgery. Most people do have an initial loss of 10-15 lbs. and then stall for a week or so. It's just your body trying to catch it's breath. Don't fret. Put the scale away. Follow the postop diet instructions you were given. Drink your Water, Hit your Protein goals. Move your body. Rest when you need it. Everything starts with this. Good luck!

It varies. Some people can eat anything they did before surgery, though in drastically reduced amounts. Others find that their tastes change and that foods they once loved no longer interest them. And still others find that some foods that caused them no trouble pre-op are harder to digest post-op. Those who are successful long-term identify those foods that trigger old eating habits, and either avoid them entirely, or find other ways to manage when and how they eat them so that they limit their exposure to them. You really won't know going in which way it will be for you.

Wait, you were sleeved in January and you think you're going to eat a taco? Your sleeve may be very, very unhappy with this idea. Try the pintos and cheese and see how they do. Leave the others. You did not have surgery to keep the same eating habits. Hang in there!

I'd have a long hard look at the crackers - typically they don't have much nutritional value. With small capacity, every bite needs to be nutritionally sound. It may also be that you aren't eating enough. Have a look at more nutritionally dense foods that stick with you longer - Greek yogurt for breakfast is a great place to start.