gryffindor

Am very active as a rule; especially Water sports. My whole life I've spent covered up in a full one-piece with board shorts and a long-sleeved rash guard before hitting the waves, but...
Part of the pre-op courses stress the importance of loving the body we are in now, or else we risk not loving the post-op body later. Decided to finally take on my personal leap of bravery challenge yesterday and hit the Water in a two-piece with the only coverup being sunscreen in my 335.0 pound body.
It was AWESOME.
I know plenty of people disagree with the sentiments here, but have to say—when I look back on this photo in a year, I will smile remembering the exact moment I embraced my life and stepped over the threshold.
Body love is caring enough to take responsibility for your health. Body positivity is loving yourself at all of the stages.
The BF took this amazing picture.
Don't care how much I weigh now, everything about this picture is "Me," and totally perfect.

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So, most of my family and friends are excited for me.... but then there are those few that are constantly reminding me what can go wrong. . How hard it will be.. oh you'll have flabby skin.. your boobs will be thin and hang to your waist.. it's okay to cheat a little on your liquid diet, what if you lose weight and you arent pretty anymore.. ect ect.
Yet, people at my work that know are sooo supportive! A few even offered to do a form of liquid diet during the day to support me at work. A bunch even offered to skip the ice cream social my work is having Monday... although I told them thank you but no.. it feels good to have their support.
It's so weird to me that those that know my struggles aren't more supportive. My close family and best friend are really supportive.. but the others... I just don't get it. I'm already nervous enough..
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This is a great topic, even if it's an old thread.
I've been at / below goal for 14 months now. And I definitely take notice of heavy strangers when I'm out and about -- probably more now than I used to. (BTW, I don't pay much attention to the size of people I already know, because I'm focused on what we're doing together or discussing.)
It would be hard for me, as a WLS patient who recently lost 100 pounds, not to notice others' sizes and wonder if they look as big as I used to be, or bigger, or how our sizes compared before I lost weight, or how our sizes compare now, etc. The thoughts and emotions I have about these heavy strangers are all over the place, depending on my mood, how they present themselves, and so many other things.
Do I feel superior to them? Honestly -- sometimes, I do. But that feeling is immediately coupled with immense gratitude to the fates / my surgeon / my PCP / my own efforts / whoever invented the sleeve / etc. that I'm no longer in their shoes. I'm also overwhelmed by how much change I've undergone in the last two years.
Often I project my old memories of obesity onto these heavy strangers. I think I know the pain in their joints and back. I think I know the mental exhaustion they go through just finding the energy to go to the grocery store and the resolution it takes to keep moving their carts toward the back of the store and finish their shopping lists. I think I know from their lack of eye contact how frustrated / embarrassed / mortified / angry they are about their situation, their appearance, their health concerns and how disadvantaged they feel at work and in their personal relationships because of their growing weight.
Sometimes these encounters are emotionally overwhelming. For me, being obese was brutal. It was an awful way to try to live. It's hard to see others in that situation.
On a related note, I recently started being a guest lecturer at my bariatric surgeon's all-day educational seminars for patients now prepping for their own WLS. When I'm standing in front of those folks I feel like I'm with my tribe.
I try to tell my own WLS story in a way that makes it easy for them to identify with the "skinny bitch" I now look like at 135 pounds and to imagine they could soon feel renewed health and social freedom. I show slides of myself over the years -- of unflattering weight fluctuations, aging, with obvious growing exhaustion and health challenges.
From their head nods and strong eye contact and smiles I know we're connecting. I wouldn't walk up to a stranger and offer them some version of "WLS could save you, too." But those pre-op patients are sitting where I sat three years ago. I know how badly they NEED TO FEEL that their hope is not irrational and that they really can escape the prison of obesity. I feel so honored to give back this way.

I don't have experience with Mexico Bariatric Services, but I'm also going to Mexico. I've chosen dr. Ponce de leon to do my surgery. Just waiting on the sale of our house to finalize so I can buy my plane ticket and schedule surgery!


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Well I just got out of my Drs office, guess he was more relaxed 2day. I've lost a total of 23 lbs in 23 days. Today was pretty productive u got to see what my stomach looked like before and after surgery and it's really small. I got to talk to my Dr and the nut and they advanced my diet yo full liquids and I'm happy about that cause I guess I'll be getting more consistency in my stomach. Overall I got to ask questions that were answered and I got some insite on some workouts that I can do at home or at the gym. I was having some rough days but today I woke up more relaxed and trying not to so annoyed with everything and everyone.
Once again I thank every1 that has something to say no matter what it may be and here's to another day on this journey
WLS 6/15/16 Miami,Fl
33yrs /5'6"
highest weight 300s in 2002-03
lowest weight 193 in 2014

Ok... so i was reading though some posts... and i noticed something.
I saw the Protein drink that your surgeon has got you on and i had a quick look at the ingredients....
Could it possibly be that is what is causing your dizziness and tiredness.... i noticed that it has L-Tryptophan in it... and i know for a fact that it makes you tired and sleepy.... also, it concerns me that it is not a Protein isolate... so you wouldn't be absorbing the complete 18g of protein in it...
How much of that stuff are you having for each meal?
Can i make a suggestion that you call your surgeon and ask if you can change to a normal low carb protein isolate.... if he says yes, i would go out and buy some... that protein might be the issue...

Please don't try to speak for "evry1" because you definitely aren't speaking for me.

So here's the thing. We all have struggled with our weight. That's why we're here.
Some of us have different predispositions that lead to obesity, but we all turned to WLS as a tool to get better.
Everyone here is about to have surgery, or has gotten surgery. We've all failed and succeeded. And we've had to talk ourselves away from eating something we shouldn't. Many of us have spent the afternoon above a toilet because we ate something we shouldn't and threw it up, or heard/experienced a leak or WLS failure.
We ALL have problems with self control, some more than others. Otherwise why would we need surgery to help us eat less?
Before surgery, how many of us looked at the reflection in the mirror and told ourselves terrible terrible things? How many of us felt shame after eating a slice of cake or a serving or two of fries?
For many of us, tough love is the thing that helped get us to WLS and where we are today. In a way, WLS IS tough love, because it's an extremely difficult process that we did TO OURSELVES because we love our life and want to make it better.
The fact is, you chose to eat bacon very soon after WLS, when you could have eaten something else much healthier (which still would have been VERY wrong btw). A piece of chicken or turkey? But bacon is greasy, fatty, and has very little nutritional value. So not only did you choose to eat when you shouldn't have been, you chose to eat something very bad for you.
Sometimes people will respond to you harshly on here. Sometimes they'll post a repetitive post that has nothing to do with what you asked.
The best thing to do is to ignore or respond with grace. What you think of me, or they think of you, or you think of them, none of that actually makes a difference in our lives.
The thing that makes a difference for you is what you put in your body, and as we are all struggling with the same choices we want to see you succeed, and everyone responds to different kinds of statements.
What I am seeing is you getting upset at the harsh statements, and defending yourself. Don't defend yourself, you made a mistake. Accept it, move on, and don't repeat the mistake

I've lost 100 pounds. I've been below my goal weight for 14 months. I weigh 135 pounds. I am 70 years old.
I got to this point in the last two years -- by which I mean I have accomplished my WLS goals -- by being compliant with my surgeon's instructions. Period.
You can have your big fat hissy fit if you want to. And you can keep eating bacon if you want to. Or eat any damn thing you want to when "life gets too tough." See how far that gets you.
Nobody has it easy after WLS. Not you. Not me. Not anyone. It's tough.
So get tough. And you'll win, too.

This site is here to help people through this really tough transition. It is frustrating when posters get upset because people give them the straight skinny on the things that can happen.
The reality is we all need to be kicked in the butt when we don't follow the plan or when we simply disregard what our nuts or doctors tell us to do.
Honestly there may a reason why her doctor and nut both have her on a month long liquid diet following this surgery. If anything she should get a second opinion but no one should be telling her to disregard her surgeons instructions without having an MD and her complete medical history.
So much can go wrong when you have part of your stomach removed or rerouted and without understanding her MDs reason for putting her on a liquid diet, no one has any business telling her to do anything else besides to follow up and challenge her doctor or look for a 2nd opinion.
Incidentally if I were her doctor I would have told her the same thing. Maybe there is a history of her not following instructions that caused problems to begin with. WE DONT KNOW!
There are many experienced people on this board that are frustrated with the fact that people come on here and expect To get permission for something they themselves know is bad.
I am NOT scolding @sisi829, my words are pointed directly at those that give her permission to go off plan without understanding the other side of the story.
WE ARE NOT MD's and for the new folks just beginning this journey, many of us have experienced bad stuff that can happen.
What's worse is WLS is already looked upon negatively and every single person who has it and doesn't follow the rules may likely be unsuccessful down the road adding to that negativity.
For me, Losing 1/2 my body weight literally gave me my life back! Got rid of life threatening illnesses and literally saved me! That being said, I am a rule follower and believe that you will be more successful if you do what you are told.
To have WLS seen as a negative because people choose to ignore the important instructions that help them to be successful is absolutely MORONIC!
I am prepared and just in the mood for the backlash my post brings.....bring it on!

@@Kindle .... I have been reading and posting here for months, and I never ever thought of you as cold hearted. Never.
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I've spent this morning walking around weird and wonderful shops. I even managed to get lost in a 4 storey shopping mall with only golf shops! It's hard to find your way out when every store front is only displaying golf balls, golf clubs, tees and golfing outfits - kind of being like in a mirror maze.
On the way back to my hotel I had a pedicure and a neck and shoulder massage. We could barely converse but amazingly enough they understood 'doctor', 'big' and 'skinny' - they even accompanied them with hand gestures.
So now, in half an hour I'm due at my clinic where we will finalize all the paperwork and then they drive me to my hospital. My surgeon has already contacted me on a group app that they asked me to install and wished me a good morning and told me he's looking forward to meeting me. Now there's something you definitely don't get from an Australian surgeon!
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So I'm tucked up in bed in the hospital. My surgeon just called me to tell me to relax, sleep well and that he'll be here in the morning to answer any questions I may have.
My cannula is in, my tests are all finished and I have a lovely Thai companion called Joop sleeping in my room with me. I thought she was about 17 when we meet this afternoon but it turns out she has 3 children and her oldest is 9yo! She is a tiny little thing and very keen to help me. She speaks very little English but as I speak no Thai she is streets ahead of me.
I've played spider solitaire on my tablet, tried sketching a cats face and now I'm going to take my surgeons advice and get some rest. Only 1 sleep to go...
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I have just hit 103 lbs down and am about 10 1/2 months out. I feel like I have been a slow loser compared to a lot of folks but mainly because I had a 2 1/2 month stall around the 7 month mark and just started losing again. I was hoping to further down with being this close to being a year out, but I am still incredibly proud of my progress so far and beyond thankful for the opportunity to receive this tool.
Here was a face to face transformation at the 90 lb down mark:

And here is a side by side from the morning of my surgery to my 100 lb down mark wearing the same exact shirt. It's amazing how much longer the shirt looks when it isn't stretched over that tummy!

I'm a very curious person who sees life as a nuanced, complex experience.
But sometimes I think it just boils down to "People be crazy!"
Also, I've never had much luck trying to convince others that they're wrong. Humans seem pretty committed to being right.

Why go against what your doctor told you this early out? Not to sound rude, but there are rules in place for reasons. No, it may not have bothered you, but you knew going into this that things would be off limits... some of them for months, some forever. The taste of cake, or a chip or two, or a piece of garlic bread may not bother you either, but if you start 'breaking the rules' only a few days out of surgery, you are setting yourself up for failure down the road.
The first year is the easy part... following the rules are to set you up for success after the honeymoon phase is over.
It's not a game to see what your new pouch can handle.

There's a hard truth here no one seems to be addressing: We cannot make someone love us or be attracted to us who simply doesn't / isn't.
You can patch it together, fake it, make the other person feel guilty for being "superficial," stay together for financial or familial or ideological reasons, or even spend the rest of your life trying to look or behave in specific ways that you hope will make you worthy enough for the other person's love or respect.
But it's a hard way to live. And eventually it won't sustain itself.
Finally, the concept of offering your troubled marriage up to the congregation's inspection and discipline invites a world of weirdness into your situation. If you think you're misunderstood by your husband, get ready to be misunderstood by random people who will want to wallow in the drama and to school you about just how wrong you are. Do you really want go there?

My other comment didn't post as a reply. Who knows what I did. Anyway, here's a link to the video. It made all kinds of light bulbs go on for me! http://positively-healthy.com/bariatric-patients-why-you-shouldnt-drink-while-eating/

I have spent the last week taking donations and loading an 18 wheeler for flood victims in WVa. We've worked from 9a-8p each day in 90+ degree heat. I NEVER would have been able to pull even one day before WLS.

I have been interviewed with two news stations (ABC and CBS) and I have been in an assload of media pictures. In an attempt to garner more attention, I have live streamed throughout each day encouraging people to come out and help. Before WLS, I hated being in front of a camera and would have NEVER done even a moment of that.

Over the week, I happily visited various businesses and asked for donations, even while sweaty and sort of a wreck. Before WLS, I didn't go anywhere with a hair out of place.

I was always a fit, confident person, but I was also always very self aware and self conscious of my appearance. Losing this weight has given me the freedom to just DO without thinking about how I look doing it.

Freedom. It's a beautiful thing.

One truck filled to the brim, two more weeks of hard work ahead!

Apparently my boss decided to have a meeting with my director about my surgery. I was then pulled into his office and told if I insisted on having my surgery on July 25th then he would have to cancel some of my coworkers requests for time off. He was basically trying to coworker quilt me into delaying my surgery. He told me about the long conversation he had with my boss and how it just wasn't the right time for my surgery. He asked me to move it to 8/15. I told him that 8/15 would have been perfectly acceptable when I was trying so hard to work with my boss but that now it was too late. My surgery has been scheduled and my FMLA paperwork had been filed. He had no idea that I had asked my boss for appropriate dates and that I had tried to do what was best for the department. I showed him the emails and he got red faced and was very upset. I guess his long meeting wasn't as informative as he thought.....
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I have a iwatch and I love it, it even reminds you to stand if you've been sitting too long and you can add all kind of apps on it to basically do anything you like I just love it

I'm not a Vet yet but I would like a Vet only forum, just because a lot of the newbie posts to me are like really loud background noise. I am having a hard time filtering them out for the information that is helpful to me, and at this point it makes the forum less useful for me, and I am less likely to read and post here.
I don't want to leave the forum, because there is a wealth of information here, and I do like helping new people by offering my experiences.
I always wondered why people stopped participating on forums soon after surgery and now I totally understand why.
@@VSGAnn2014 Summed it up perfectly.

I hate to be a Debbie Downer but you really need to search his name on Google. He has a horrible reputation as of late. Including deaths.

These accounts helped me when I was pre-op so wanted to lay this out there for folks whose big day is coming:
9am - checked into hospital (NYU Medical Center)
9.30- 10.30 - changed into my gown and had some more pre-op testing like urine analysis, weigh-in, blood pressure check.
10.30 - 11am - met with my surgeon again and met with the anesthesiologist. Was encouraged to ask any questions I didn't ask before in the process.
11am - got taken in wheelchair to the OPERATING THEATER. This I wasn't expecting - I thought they'd sedate me in another room and trolley me to the OR when I was out but I got to meet the entire surgical team who were prepping for the operation. I couldn't help make jokes that it felt like I was abducted by aliens with all the huge lights point towards me from the ceiling and folks in blue scrubs and masks all around me.
The last thing I remember is an oxygen mask put over my nose and mouth - and then, black.
1pm - I came to in the post-op recovery room with wonderful nurses taking care of me. I ended up staying in recovery overnight as they didn't have any beds available. My husband wasn't able to stay overnight with me for this reason.
1pm - 7pm - I was very groggy all day as I kept pushing the button that released a v potent painkiller. My family came to visit on and off as well but I was pretty dozy and nauseous.
7pm - 6am - I was in and out of sleep. I must admit it was a very uncomfortable night as I couldn't get comfy in the bed, they had attached a blood pressure cuff that inflated every hour and woke me up. I also had the gas pain in my chest and back and pain at incision sites. But I can't say enough nice things about the nurses who never left me for extended periods of time. I also dreamed of food the whole night
6am -9am - The team wanted me to pee and I went 3 times which they seemed pleased with. I texted my husband to come over to be with me - poor guy had to wait downstairs as the recovery room was filling up with other patients.
9am-12 - I was desperate to go home but my doc told me that the only way I could be discharged was if they got positive labs from my bloodwork (they couldn't find veins so they poked me 6-7 times which was a bit traumatic as I hate needles). She also wanted me to finish approx 400 cc of Water and Propel so that she knew I could tolerate it and keep hydrated at home. It took me 3 hours to do this.
12.30 - I had a final conversation with my team at which point they discharged me with a bunch of pain, nausea, spasm and antacid med.
1pm - I got home and went to bed for a proper sleep. I've only just woken up and feel ok to look at my phone. Was too nauseous to read
Other Notes:
I have 4 incisions - the one at the belly button is most uncomfortable and 'pulls' if I move incorrectly.
I seem to need my husband's help to get in and out of bed but I'm sure this only temporary.
Per one of my previous posts, I did cheat quite a bit during my pre-op diet (bad bini120!) but I guess my liver was small enough to do the surgery.
While I may have dreamed about foods, I'm not hungry at all. I'm sipping my clear fluids very slowly today as I don't want to overdo it, but no issues getting the liquids down. Tomorrow I can start with the Protein shakes.
Thank you everyone for answering all my questions pre-op. Looking forward to where this journey takes me next.
Any questions, I'd be delighted to answer them.
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@@charmia, that's my take on it, too. I think that since smoking marijuana lowers inhibitions, you could end up making bad food choices and/or overeating. I'm not a smoker but if I was, I would avoid it post surgery.
Just my $.02: Lets be careful how we use the term addiction. If it's applied indiscriminately to every behavior we don't approve of, it loses its meaning.

I weigh myself daily, as I stated earlier in this post but I still don't think that is right for everyone.
And really you're gonna call someone out on this site for their BMI?
Stop telling everyone your way is the right way. It's not for everyone
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