justhere4theshow

I am curious as to how you know how you will feel 6 years from now? You feel how you want to feel, and I am sorry that you feel that you must live your life without hope. You create the future that you want to create, but life is not absolute. No one "alwayses" or "nevers". I don't intend to discount your feelings or take anything away from your experience, but I was once a pessimistic person myself. I chose at some point to change my outlook to preserve my sanity. No one knows what the future holds, and your situation has just as much of a chance to improve as it does to not improve. I think you are doing yourself an extreme injustice by making up your mind that the rest of your life is going to be miserable because you don't want to admit that things can get better just as easily as they can get worse. You are sure to manifest what you believe to be your reality. This is just another opinion and is in no way meant to disrespect your feelings, but I am sad for you that you are making up your mind to be miserable permanently. I sincerely hope things get better for you, but if you don't want or believe it to be possible, I can guarantee it won't. I wish you the best, even if you don't wish that for yourself.

You didn't rattle my cage. I expressed yet another opinion. Your life is your own, and I certainly had no intent to label you. My words were based on yours, however incorrectly I interpreted your words. I still wish you the best, just as I did before.

I am curious as to how you know how you will feel 6 years from now? You feel how you want to feel, and I am sorry that you feel that you must live your life without hope. You create the future that you want to create, but life is not absolute. No one "alwayses" or "nevers". I don't intend to discount your feelings or take anything away from your experience, but I was once a pessimistic person myself. I chose at some point to change my outlook to preserve my sanity. No one knows what the future holds, and your situation has just as much of a chance to improve as it does to not improve. I think you are doing yourself an extreme injustice by making up your mind that the rest of your life is going to be miserable because you don't want to admit that things can get better just as easily as they can get worse. You are sure to manifest what you believe to be your reality. This is just another opinion and is in no way meant to disrespect your feelings, but I am sad for you that you are making up your mind to be miserable permanently. I sincerely hope things get better for you, but if you don't want or believe it to be possible, I can guarantee it won't. I wish you the best, even if you don't wish that for yourself.

P E P C I D!!!!!! I have taken ONE dose and I have NO burning, and no pain when my sleeve is empty anymore. Thank goodness!!!!

P E P C I D!!!!!! I have taken ONE dose and I have NO burning, and no pain when my sleeve is empty anymore. Thank goodness!!!!

I am curious as to how you know how you will feel 6 years from now? You feel how you want to feel, and I am sorry that you feel that you must live your life without hope. You create the future that you want to create, but life is not absolute. No one "alwayses" or "nevers". I don't intend to discount your feelings or take anything away from your experience, but I was once a pessimistic person myself. I chose at some point to change my outlook to preserve my sanity. No one knows what the future holds, and your situation has just as much of a chance to improve as it does to not improve. I think you are doing yourself an extreme injustice by making up your mind that the rest of your life is going to be miserable because you don't want to admit that things can get better just as easily as they can get worse. You are sure to manifest what you believe to be your reality. This is just another opinion and is in no way meant to disrespect your feelings, but I am sad for you that you are making up your mind to be miserable permanently. I sincerely hope things get better for you, but if you don't want or believe it to be possible, I can guarantee it won't. I wish you the best, even if you don't wish that for yourself.

I am curious as to how you know how you will feel 6 years from now? You feel how you want to feel, and I am sorry that you feel that you must live your life without hope. You create the future that you want to create, but life is not absolute. No one "alwayses" or "nevers". I don't intend to discount your feelings or take anything away from your experience, but I was once a pessimistic person myself. I chose at some point to change my outlook to preserve my sanity. No one knows what the future holds, and your situation has just as much of a chance to improve as it does to not improve. I think you are doing yourself an extreme injustice by making up your mind that the rest of your life is going to be miserable because you don't want to admit that things can get better just as easily as they can get worse. You are sure to manifest what you believe to be your reality. This is just another opinion and is in no way meant to disrespect your feelings, but I am sad for you that you are making up your mind to be miserable permanently. I sincerely hope things get better for you, but if you don't want or believe it to be possible, I can guarantee it won't. I wish you the best, even if you don't wish that for yourself.

I had the exact same type of experience. My insurance was pre-authorized and told me AND the bariatric clinic that I had to have six months of pre-op appointments along with all of the other standard hoops to jump through in the meantime (nutrition classes, psych eval, upper endoscopy, classes about how to exercise properly, bloodwork, etc) At my third appointment with the bariatric nurse practitioner, I had completed everything. She told me that she thought BCBS was wrong about requiring me to have three more months of weigh-ins, and she made a phone call. I didn't even get excited about it, because I figured I would have to wait three more months after all, and I didn't want to get my hopes up. It was the end of the day, so I didn't wait around to hear if she got anywhere with BCBS; she said she would let me know. Two days later, an insurance rep at the hospital calls me and says "we need to collect your facility fee of $275 for your upcoming surgery". I said that's fine (still thinking it would be three months later)...But, when the rep gave me the confirmation of the payment, she then said "I'll contact your surgeon and let them know you're ready to go!" I asked exactly what that meant; "Ready to go when?"...and she said the magic words: "Your surgeon can schedule an OR for you as soon as you can do your pre-op diet." Still confused, I asked if she was talking about September/October...nope! I was in the OR two WEEKS later. Turns out my policy requires six months for bypass, but only three months for sleeve. So, it pays to have someone from your surgeon/program to help you with insurance requirements. If she hadn't double checked, I wouldn't even have had my surgery yet. So even though my recovery has been a comedy of errors (on my part), and I am losing slowly, I am glad she made that call to BCBS to get me ahead three months!

I am over this stupid stall. 10 days gone by since I hit Onederland, only to turn around and end up right back at 200 again. I am doing everything my surgeon said to do. I have fibroids and I am seeing my Gyn tomorrow about that. I cannot stand this! It's so frustrating...I don't mind the challenges; they are making me stronger. I do mind the fact that lately this seems like I made the wrong choice to deal with my weight. I never dreamed I'd be stuck at 200 lbs!

@@helenpgh Thank you!! I got out my WLS for Dummies book where I had written my weight and measurements. I had forgotten that I started at 238. I have lost inches from everywhere I had measured! I am feeling much better about things tonight. I also saw my doctor and they are going to work on my hormones and enlarged uterus. (I'm pretending it weighs 10 lbs just to make me feel better, LOL) Things will work out. I am making good choices and doing everything I can. The rest will be sorted out in time. Thank you for the support!

@justhere4theshow.
Hang in there. Just keep following your doctors plan and the stall will end. Maybe put away your scale for a few weeks and focus on NSVs. Measure yourself and see if you are losing inches. Congrats on getting to 200! Think what you would weigh now if you hadn't had the surgery.
When I start to question if I did the right thing I go back and read a diary entry that I wrote before my surgery about why I wanted to have it. That helps me.

Time to "Daddy up"? Afraid of looking foolish? Ha! Believe me, my friend, looking foolish to our children ranks right up there with the ability to embarrass them at the drop of a hat. Those ships sailed long time ago.
When I was raising my two daughters alone, I always found that actions speak "their" language, where as words are as effective as spitting into the wind. I remember one incident when my eldest absolutely refused to put her clean clothes into her dresser. She just lived out of her laundry basket. I had asked her again and again and again. I finally had "spoken" to her for the last time about putting her clothes away. The next day when the school bus pulled up in front of our house, there hanging in the two Locus trees in the front yard were All of her bras and panties! Ya know? I never had to ask her to put her clean clothes away again.
Why am I telling you this? --just to say that she knows. You don't have to point out the elephant in the room. You're actions will save the day.
How about a quiet dinner, or just meeting for a cup of tea or whatever? I'm sure she will ask you "how are you, Dad?". There's your opening, my friend. You can explain to her how your WLS decision has changed your life for the better, and how you consider having WLS a life saver, etc. You know---the truth.
Then:
Take her hand and say, "If there is EVER a time when YOU decide that you want to talk about having WLS, it would make me the happiest Dad in the world if you would include me in your conversations. I am here for you now, whenever and forever."
"A son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter for the rest of her life."
I would just let her know that you are here for her---when SHE is ready.
My opinion, my friend. I hope it helps you, Dear Ol' Dad.

Thank you!

So, I have had a bit of trouble with stomach acid over the last couple of weeks. My surgeon increased my pantoprazole to twice a day about a week ago. Twice since then, I have woken up with acid coming up and choking me. I cough and sputter, and it feels like it goes up into my nose and into my lungs. This concerns me greatly because it is painful and now I am afraid to lie down, and I cannot sleep in my recliner (I'm a lifelong side sleeper) I have been suffering with bad hunger pangs and I know acid causes that too. Has this happened to anyone else? I think it may be related to my eating half a banana, but that is the only thing I can think of that was different. I also gained back three pounds in just a week, so I am very upset and discouraged at this point. I feel like my body is fighting against me a bit and I am letting it get to me. I plan to call my surgeon tomorrow. I have an appointment 8/22. If I can't get this under control, I am going to be miserable! Now I wish I had gone with RNY.

All insurance is different, but I hope you are pleasantly surprised with a fast approval. It's a very exciting journey, isn't it? Take the pre-op preparation time to make some changes if you haven't yet. Drink lots of Water and practice eating more slowly and chewing a lot. The time will pass pretty fast. Soak it all in; you are on your way to a new life!

My doctor prescribed 40 milligrams a day of famotidine and that works for me
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

I am finally free...I finally said goodbye to the use of food for coping. I had so much head hunger while I was on liquids. That was hard. I never cheated on any of my diet phases, I just felt a lot grief over the loss of the coping mechanism. I was slow to feel confident in my ability to change my relationship with food for the rest of my life. I was a sugar/carb addict. But, slowly I developed a healthier approach to food. I need fuel, not entertainment or comfort. I slowly but surely found the will to disconnect my entire life from food. I made peace with it. I now eat to survive and enjoy other things. I am no longer obsessed with what I can eat next. I just think about efficient ways to get my nutrition now. I can go grocery shopping without anxiety. I had full-on panic attacks at first; I just couldn't imagine my life without most of what is in that store. Now I am able to go in for what I need, and I ignore the other stuff. It's a good feeling. I am so glad I had the surgery. It has truly saved me. I now love myself more than I love food.

I hope so too! I know it can be brutal!

Try sleeping with a wedge. Place a wadge and your pillow on top. You could still sleep on the side but you will be a little elevated. Maybe that will help with the reflex.

This is one of my biggest fears! I am glad to know that Nexium may be an option.
Question for both of you, @ and @justthere4theshow - did either of you have reflux before the sleeve? Or a hernia? I have occasional heartburn now, but I have a hiatal hernia that the doc is fixing at the same time as my sleeve.

@@justhere4theshow Waking up like that is horrible! I would ask for a different med to see if that helps. Sometimes the combination of meds are needed. In terms of the weight gain - don't panic - you are probably retaining Water or constipated. Be sure to hydrate! Take care!

I am finally free...I finally said goodbye to the use of food for coping. I had so much head hunger while I was on liquids. That was hard. I never cheated on any of my diet phases, I just felt a lot grief over the loss of the coping mechanism. I was slow to feel confident in my ability to change my relationship with food for the rest of my life. I was a sugar/carb addict. But, slowly I developed a healthier approach to food. I need fuel, not entertainment or comfort. I slowly but surely found the will to disconnect my entire life from food. I made peace with it. I now eat to survive and enjoy other things. I am no longer obsessed with what I can eat next. I just think about efficient ways to get my nutrition now. I can go grocery shopping without anxiety. I had full-on panic attacks at first; I just couldn't imagine my life without most of what is in that store. Now I am able to go in for what I need, and I ignore the other stuff. It's a good feeling. I am so glad I had the surgery. It has truly saved me. I now love myself more than I love food.

Welcome! Hope you feel better soon.
I am now trying to slowly wean myself of Nexium, 4 months of taking it and being helped by it.
I used to think that I will have reflux issues for life, and now I am good.
Reflux can be so bad with nasty complications later, so it needs to be taken care of.
Please let us know how you go with your appointment and what script you get.
No more burning "foamies" !

Thank you!

Yes, this happened to me earlier on, and each episode was very painful and scary.
Waking up at 3 am, coughing up and choking on acid. I was scared that if I inhale it, I would end up with aspiration pneumonia. It was very painful too, the awful burn.
I elevated my pillows, and both pantoprazole and rabeprazole did not work for me, even when I switched to taking them at night.
I was told by other Aussie sleevers that Nexium/Esomeprazole worked for them and the other ones didn't work.
So I asked my surgeon for Nexium 40mg script, which he wrote with a repeat.
And this med worked wonders for me. I never had the horrible early morning/night episodes again, and I was good during the day also.
Nexium apparently is longer lasting, and I guess it is not prescribed early post op, as the size of a tablet is quite large.
Because I was a month post op then, I had no issues with swallowing large tablets.
So for me, Nexium was a life saver, as I was quite miserable with reflux before taking it.
Good luck, hope you get a new script and a new med that works for you.