deirdredove

I guess being older and having comorbidities made it easier for us. We had a long time primary doctor, and cardiologist, who were so supportive, and are still are our biggest fans of our weight loss. They had no more solutions to my husbands problems, as he was off the chart with his blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes, cellulitis, and general health. He is a tall, lean, tanned and beautiful man today, with a big smile. Thank God for supportive doctors.

September 21 was my 6 month anniversary. All blood work levels are normal. Cholesterol, thyroid, Vitamin D, Iron, sugar and high blood pressure is normal. Dropped 112 pounds. Eating 80-90 grams of Protein a day. Walk about 2 miles a day. In the words of James Brown. I FEEL GOOD!
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I sucked on a pickle...didn't chew it....but sucked the juice out of it.
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I took ya'll's advice and put a drink timer on my phone, cause I was getting all my Protein in but lacking in Fluid intake. Now I'm getting in at least 68oz a day, with a 15 minute timer and anywhere from 60 to 80g of protein..and walking.
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You won't be hungry. My nut told us this, but I didn't believe it. I have a 300 page manual - I was prepared. So prepared, we have enough Jello until 2020. I thought I'd be starving and need it all.
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My best piece of advice is to make as many changes as you can as soon as you can, and work to get new habits and thought processes into place right away. Do NOT wait until your surgery to be 'reborn'.
As I've seen stated over and over in these forums, it's stomach surgery, not brain surgery. Changing your brain takes time, and the time to do it is NOT immediately post-op when you're fragile and healing. If head hunger and long formed habits are going to lead you to make poor choices (as they very often do...it happens), you want to learn to navigate them pre-op when you can afford to make mistakes, not post-op when you can really do some damage.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY
TODAY is one month since my pre op and 2 weeks since my operation.
below is a list of why I'm VERY happy today...
>TODAY I STILL HAVE NO REGRETS
>TODAY IN TOTAL I HAVE LOST 38LBS
>TODY I HAVE HAD MY FIRST STAGE TWO MEAL
>TODAY I'VE BAGGED THE FOLLOWING FOR CHARITY
- 9 SUITS
- 20 SHIRTS
- 4 JACKETS, ALL FAR TO BIG
>TODAY IVE JUST WALKED 2 MILES
>TODAY MY EMOTIONALLY CHARGED 14 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER SAID SHE WAS PROUD OF ME (AND HER HUG WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND)
There is along way to go but I am super motivated!
TOMORROW...... I WILL STILL HAVE A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE

That's great. I can't wait to get off my sleep apnea machine. I hate it.
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Well said @@LipstickLady
Well freakin' said.
Too bad the surgeons can't remove our stupid when they are taking our most of our stomachs, lol.

Well hello! I'm 1 year and 9 months out. Start weight 228, surgery weight 200, goal weight 135. New journey started in August of 2014. I was determined to make all requirements. I had got off sweet. No juice, no soda. Then I started walking around the block and lost weight. I had no idea how long I've been so big. Until I lost most my weight and saw the pictures, even my husband didn't realized how big I'd gotten until he saw the pics. "He said see love is blind." I have an awesome Husband and he told me how beautiful I was but in reality I wasn't happy with myself.
Before surgery I quit smoking cold turkey. Do you know how hard quiting ciggs are? Thee worst addiction I ever had next to food. But like I said I was determined. So everything went as planned. Post-op was terrible the gas was painful. And I haven't heard of anyone feeling hunger pain. They say u won't have any desire to eat at first well not me. I did!
But now to the point: it's 1 year 9 months out and I made it down to 131 but then I started eating sugar and that was my downfall. So I'm up and down. I'm scared to gain the weight back. And I started smoking again.
I'm grateful for everything that has changed in my life. I need to take hold of that fire and desire to change my life. I have energy. I'm more personable. I just want to have fun. I laugh more but still struggle with my mental state. I love life and I love myself. 

I'm listening to the Audible version. Loving it!

I did, I interviewed 3 surgeons, had some GI issues, went back to discuss the Gallbladder removal with sleeve and hernia repair. I took all my records. The only extra had to do was lab work as it had been several months but even then, the labs were minimal. For me it was where I felt the most comfortable. Surgery is Monday! Sent from my SM-G920V using the BariatricPal App

Modern medication be is freaking awesome.
Sure I'm sore like a mule kicked me in the chest a few weeks ago, but the magic Pain-Go-Buhbye is a dear friend of mine!
All the anxiety I had was kind of laughable looking back on it.
A couple of observations so far:
1) Grape popsicles taste salty now. Weird.
2) Bring lip balm
3) Ask about throat lozenges. My throat is killinge but lozenges weren't on my paper work so I'm Sol
4) Nurses laugh when they realize you're kidding when they walk in your room after surgery and you're holding the phone pretending to order Domino's.
5) Get off your arse and walk walk walk around the ward.
6) Don't slack on that spirometer.
Now tondo this gi test and blow this popsicle stand!

- Apple slices with either Peanut Butter or almond butter
- Cottage cheese with 2 slices of deli meat like chicken or ham
- Steamed peel and eat shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce (I like it hot now)
- baked buffalo chicken wings (I tend to tear the skin off unless it is really crispy
- Cold BBQ chicken breast (YUM)!
- Fresh Mozerrella cheese with sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, fresh basil, good balsamic vinegar and a very light sprinkle of good olive oil
- Baked Meatballs with mozerrella cheese and yes......red gravy (I am Italian too and make a killer marinara)
- pizza crack! - Bake off an egg roll or won ton wrappers brushed with olive oil until golden brown. Once brown and crispy top with your favorite pizza topping: Sauce, fresh mozerrella cheese, pepperoni and a sprinkle of basil. Bake until bubbly and golden brown. I make extra and put in fridge for a quick meal. I can usually eat 2 pieces made from won tons or one piece made from an egg roll wrapper. You can put whatever toppings you like on it. The wrappers give it a nutty flavor. I made this once every couple of weeks.

Oh, and I have also used won ton wrappers to make lasagna muffins. I use just two wrappers and load it up with delicious ground beef meat sauce and a ricotta mixture: Ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, an egg and some fresh or dried parsley.
These are great to make a small batch and pull one out for lunch or dinner with a few bites of green Beans or a tiny salad with balsamic dressing.

So tomorrow 19:00hrs 9/13 is sleeve day.
Pre-op diet went well...lost around 20lbs in the two weeks. I'm motivated, I have had a word with myself and we agreed we are ready and excited about the future. No second thoughts.
However crapping myself with the magnitude of the next 24 hrs.
So this time tomorrow I will be post op and on my way to a better, healthier wardrobe... I mean life .
Thanks for the support from contributors here on the forum. Long may it continue. I look forward to sharing my before and afters at some stage ...!
See you on the other side.

I feel that the Portion Control is really what I need. When I tell my family "I'm not sure I want to do this" their response is "Well what are you going to do then because you can't keep going the way you are." When I tell them I'll eat better of course they say, "but will you really do that?" The truth to that is I don't know.
I have chose this option (surgery) because I feel I need that extra tool and push. I'm just starting to get scared about life after surgery and what that looks like.
Thanks for all the encouragement guys. It really helps knowing other people do have the same thoughts.
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I had my surgery on August 15th, The last couple of days before my surgery, I was really having some doubts. Got really nervous. My main goal was to get better control over my diabetes and the pre-op diet did that for me. So I had just about talked myself into just skipping surgery and low carbing it forever. Then I thought about all of the effort I had put into getting approved and ready for surgery. I thought about how my doctors and my insurance company thought that this is something that would benefit my health and potentially prolong my life. I realized that I may not get another opportunity like this- so I went through with it,
I can tell you without a doubt, that having the surgery was definitely the best decision for me. I am not even quite 2 weeks post op and I am already thrilled with my results. I weigh 25 lbs less than I did 1 month ago (lost 10 lb pre-op & rest after surgery), I don't take any diabetes medication any more (I used to take 5 shots of insulin per day & oral medication). I found recovery to be much easier than I expected. My pain was never more than a 4 out of 10.I feel like I have a new lease on life. I am so happy that I didn't talk myself out of the surgery.

I woke up in recovery feeling like I'd been hit by a bus and I wasn't allowed to drink anything just suck on a wet face cloth and my mouth was so dry! They gave me anti-nausea meds which actually made me throw up, so that was a bit scary right after waking up and it took me 3 goes taking them to realise what was making me sick.
In hospital I really only used my pjs and sports bra, chap stick, pillow, a good book and my iPad. I had 2 morphine injections into the actual stomach when in hospital and was then on oral meds for a week, which were easy to swallow as it was only max 2 at a time.
It took me 2 weeks to be pain free and the hardest part about the first 2 weeks was adjusting to what I could eat and still sitting down with my family when they ate. You don't realise how much of a social activity eating is, until you're at a table and everyone else is eating and you're not. I also couldn't watch TV, too many food adds lol. The incision they used to remove my stomach remnant hurt the most and and I was really aware of it when I twisted, turned and bent over.
During the first 2.5 weeks, I had a 1.5-2 hour nap everyday, it's normal to feel crappy in the first 3 weeks, you're body is recovering from major surgery and then adjusting to your new stomach.
However all that aside, I'm now almost 3 months out, down 70lbs and everything was definitely worth it and then some! Would do it again in a heartbeat At 3 months out I can eat anything I want just in much smaller quantities, which is good. This surgery has completely and drastically transformed my relationship with food for the better.
I know it's scary but just try to take your recovery 1 day at a time, each day it gets a little easier

A very good book, informative and easy to read . I am using this guide through my journey. Forever grateful!

Just got sleeved on Monday. Dr. Gandsas was my surgeon. I like the program at AAMC and felt prepared (as much as possible) going into the surgery.
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Just thought I'd post a little update. June 5, I was at my heaviest 410 pounds. I felt like DEATH...literally. I had SEVERE sciatica which caused me to go onto disability after working for YEARS...I couldn't walk. I couldn't stand. I couldn't sit. All I could do is LAY THERE and cry because of the nerve pain down my left leg and lower back. It was either back surgery or weight loss surgery. Since I also HAD high blood pressure and PCOS plus VERY obese and the severe sciatica...I thought weight loss surgery would be my best bet. Plus, healing would be 2837739354928 times harder if I were to under go back surgery at my weight. Dr's told me over and over again that losing weight may or may not help my bulging disc which was in turn causing the sciatica but I went for it and just hoped for the best. Day of surgery 9/2, I was 367 pounds (I went on a damn strict diet) and today...I am 314!!! I am also BACK AT WORK with no more sciatica pain what-so-ever!!! I'm off all meds for high blood pressure and I'm feeling fanDAMNtastic!!!!! I love the way o feel and more so, I LOVE ME. I've never been one to post pics....but here we go. Not ready for the whole "body shot" because this girl is under construction but here goes nothin!!! Top picture is day before surgery...the collage pic on left is last month and on the right is yesterday! I drink 64oz+ Water each day...and always try to get 90g of protein...even if I finish my day with a premier protein!! Alot of you girls and guys on here don't know how many of us look forward and look up to your updates and advice...@Babbs...@Elode...@InnerSurferGirl...all 3 of u girls I look up to and I cannot wait to keep on keeping on. Thank You from the bottom of my heart!!! -Vanessa

Hey all, One year ago today was the day I decided to make the decision for a healthier lifestyle. Although my sleeve surgery wasn't until October I decided that it made more sense to start getting used to watching what I ate rather than making a mad dash until the last minute. So fast forward one year and I feel compelled to share with you my progress thus far.....197 pounds lost...before pic 393 pounds and currently 196 
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I have Fmla For the intermediate dr visits, they can't do anything as long as you have it. When my date is scheduled I will get the papers for the continus for surgery. Which is sent to my insurance now.
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