mrsNilla

as one of the veterans in my support group constantly reminds us "it's stomach surgery, not brain surgery. you have to do the brain work yourself"

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.

I'm a relative noob (sleeved on 9/6) and it doesn't make any sense to me either. I was it utter disbelief when I read that someone had a pork chop 7 days post op. I was like SERIOUSLY??? Do you not understand what you just did to yourself???
I do appreciate the veterans that dole out good advice, even when it is ill-received!

@@LipstickLady @@WLSResources/ClothingExch
I honestly don't know how you stick around and deal with this ****! I'm very thankful that you do though!!! I think the people who are the worst are those that tell the OP not to worry that they just ate a fat filled, carb loaded meal two days before surgery because they did too and after all "there surgery went fine" or "you can't just stop eating what you want because the Dr said to". Not that I want anything bad to happen to these people but just once I'd like to see the surgeon cancel their surgeries! The "cheaters" are the first to b***h and moan when something goes wrong or they aren't skinny when they wake up from surgery! I really love the post-op people who "test" their surgery because they think there sleeve/pouch isn't small enough or they expected to dump and didn't so something must be wrong with the surgery. WTF people - do you not know what your insides look like after surgery and that you could die from complications. Okay - I'm done with my rant. I had road rage earlier - my BP was 142/92 at the Drs and now I'm getting BP rage! LOL

I'm not real good at looking away if you haven't noticed. Why? Because there are SO MANY LURKERS in this forum who are reading, reading, reading and if no one speaks up, they are absorbing bad advice and patronizing warm fuzzy validations.
Am I wasting my time? Absolutely. Am I ever going to win any popularity contests for having strong opinions and a big mouth? Probably not. (And I really don't care. I have real life friends who live outside my computer.) Did I get my fair share of finger shakes', eye rolls and kicks in the pants as I went through this process? YUP. Did I learn from those "meanies"? Without a doubt (and DANG I miss them!!) Was I always happy about it? NO FREAKING WAY. But I listened and ultimately, I earned back my health and a MUCH smaller number on the scale.
Giving myself permission to eat what I wanted against the advice of WWs and Jenny Craig and Atkins and South Beach and my doctor got me to 264 pounds. Clearly I **didn't** know my body best and caving to the head hunger and cravings did some permanent damage to my body that can never be undone.
So if even one person can be reached and jolted back into their new reality of WLS, FABULOUS. That's why I waste my time.

I get it. Sometimes I'm incredulous and other times I manage to look the other way. The latter is more productive for me. It's one thing to waste time on myself, quite another to waste it on a stranger. Yet I know I'll be sucked in again. A favorite are the ones hoping not to be required to lose weight pre-surgery, preferring to keep gorging until the OR. They get major huffy when I write that surgery is a grown-up proposition and losing weight prior announces that one is serious.
Hope you feel better for ranting.

You put in the time.
You put in the money.

You go to all the appointments and you jump through all the hoops.
You do the pre-op diet.

You have the surgery.

You cared enough about yourself to make the commitment to WLS and you physically and permanently alter your body...


And then you get mad because someone tells you not to eat the d@mn taco? Not to drink alcohol or soda 2.783 days after surgery? To put down the freaking pizza'? To stop eating bread/rice/pasta/bananas/hoagies/20oz steaks TEMPORARILY while your body heals and you get to your goal weight? To actually stick to YOUR doctor's plan?

Even better, you get mad when they only do so AFTER you ASKED????

SERIOUSLY PEOPLE?

Yes. I'd guess most of us have head hunger and cravings. I'd guess most of us had a nibble or sip of something off plan. I've no doubt that most of us were not 100% compliant 100% of the time. But I'd also guess that those of us who have done this, gotten to goal weight and stayed there have been compliant the majority of the time. I'd also guess that many of us who have been successful would appreciate a swift kick in the rear if/when we ask a question I bet we already know the answer to.

It's not rocket science and this isn't Romper Room. Make good choices, stick to your doctor's orders or don't, but don't get mad if you fail to get the results you want when you refuse to do what you are supposed to do. And don't get mad when someone tells you that what you are putting in your mouth isn't the best idea in the world even though you want it right now.

Value yourself more than that. Seriously.

WOW!! That's awesome.
My surgery is Wednesday. I weighed 397 when I started my six-month nutrition/diet requirement. I weighed 301 yesterday before I left for New York for work. I am going to be 297 by next Wednesday before they wheel me into the OR if it's the last thing I do.
I hope I can mirror your post-op success. I got this first 100 off pre-op and I'm gunning to get the second 100 off post-op.
Congratulations and I wish you continued success!!

My surgery was 8-23-16.
Here are my stats
HW-350
pre-op diet-336
DOS-308
1 month post op-280.
Goal-210
70 total pounds lost
38 since date of surgery.
YOU CAN DO IT!
It's been a long ride from 350 to 280 I'm happy that I made this choice to change my life and extend it! If you are considering the surgery I highly recommend it! It's life changing! This is all about you and how bad you want to change! The first week was a little rough but worth it in the long run. My biggest tip would be don't cheat if you want results! Also Water Water water... unfortunately I ended up in the ER on my first day back at work! Granted I work on the railroad in Texas and I'm consuming double the recommended value.. you've got to know what your body is going to be doing and account for that! Other than that I haven't had anything bad happen!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm going to ahead and quote my original answer to this inquiry. You know, the second post in this thread -- my Initial answer the OP.
If it's hard to read, I'll sum it up: if it's allowed on your plan, have at it.
I could not care less if I'm "popular" here nor is there an "in crowd". Most vets have left because our input is consistently attacked. Sorry I'm not going to call everyone "friend", "send up prayers", or give bad behaviors the warm fuzzy thumbs up of approval. And no, I won't help you justify eating what landed you here in the first place.
I think your health (your being general/collective) is worth more than that. It's a shame that a few people choose to villianize some of us for that and and even bigger shame they choose to not to value their health as much as they should.
If that makes me a bad person, slap your label on me, hit the ignore button and move on. I won't be bullied or chastised into condoning poor dietary choices.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

The day of surgery I weighed 370 lbs. Diabetic, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, kidney not 100%, just am all around, typical obese individual with no drive, no energy, just a desire to eat, always planning my next meal. The attached picture was yesterday's walk. By no means am I ready for a marathon, and there are definately people doing better then me, but I'm not in competition with anyone. I just left the doctors office where I was taken off of ALL MY MEDICATIONS! I weigh 317 lbs as of this morning and I haven't felt this good in MA NY years! Have a great day and thanks for reading. ????
Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App

Give them your own suggested dates when you would be able to do it.
C
Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was sleeved on Wed. I'm pretty sore and exhausted, but managing okay.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Oh, sweet! Nice to know that I've helped someone! Yeah, if I could go back in time, I would have been more excited and waaaay less nervous. I was actually crying when they were all bustling around me putting in IVs, putting blankets on me, hair net, etc! Yeah, if I could go back, I would just be smiling from ear to ear! lol!

Oh, that is GREAT to know!! Thanks for your awesome post! Very encouraging!

Thank you for posting this! I'm getting my surgery soon & im really nervous so it's comforting to see feedback from someone who recently went through it. I hope you recover well
Sent from my iPod touch using the BariatricPal App

I had my surgery on Tuesday!! I'm glad you're doing well! I too hate all the food commercials....Don't think I ever noticed them before but I can't even look now!! You are NOT alone! Female
NC
HW:280
HT:5'9"
VSG:9/6/16

Congrats! Your surgery experience sounded very much like my own. The surgery went well, no complications, minimal pain. It's common too that you feel very emotional the first month or so. All of this will fade in time as you get stronger and the weight starts dropping.
The food commercials bothered me too initially. But honestly now at 14 months out, they kind of repulse me. The cravings are pretty much nonexistent now too. The longer out you get the better you will feel. Use this golden time of rapid weight to your benefit. The sooner you adopt a healthy food and exercise lifestyle the easier it will be. Rest and allow your body the time it needs. Stay as hydrated as you can too.
Congrats again on making it to the other side. You're gonna love it!

I guess I should now be over on the POST gb forum, but I wanted to post this here so that people about to get the surgery know what it might be like.
I was sooo nervous and sooo emotional! I had no IDEA how much of a hold, food has over me! Since I use it to cope, I've been crying a lot lately. I really need to get some psychiatric help so that I can find a healthy outlet for my emotions instead of using food.< br />Other than that, my surgery went amazing! I was in there for 3 and a half hours. It was done laparoscopically and it took so long because I have a LOT of scar tissue in that area from previous surgeries.
I woke up in hardly any pain and never really HAD any pain at all, except for the gas. The gas is what hurt the most. So on the second day, I was up and walking the halls, doing about 4 trips around the two nursing stations and other rooms in the center in an hour.
I was released yesterday and love being home! Things are just like they used to be, except I can't pick up and hold my cat, he's too heavy. I can't vacuum and do most of the chores I used to do but I can wash the dishes and keep the kitchen looking nice. Also, I have to be up and walking every hour too! I only walk for about 5 minutes because I'm not used to exercise and it hurts my legs and back really bad. But I will build that up to 10 minutes in no time.
So all in all, it went great! Hardly any pain and no more hunger! Oh, although! When I see some commercials (and I cannot BELIEVE how many commercials there are for food!) it makes me REALLY desire them! Even though I'm not hungry, I STILL want them. And that's what scares me and what I need counseling for.
I'm still on the clear liquid diet for another 4 days and then go to full liquids which I can't wait for! Too much sweet stuff (drinks, popsicles and jello) on the clear liquid diet. lol
So I hope this has helped and was good to read for some of you! Good luck!

On point! LOL!!!!!

Have you ever watched Survivor? I could be on that damn island for a year without food and probably still be considered an overweight BMI! ????. You can live without food - but not Water.

I had 112 pounds worth of back up. Believe me, I could have survived longer than most small towns in Georgia with all the extra weight I was carrying.

I'm joining this awesome site from a far away land... haha just Australia but I like to be dramatic.
I made my surgery date with my Dr for the 8th of October. When he first suggested this date I was so excited but now I've had a few hours to think about it the nerves are starting to come out.
Im currently 165kg/363 pounds (I diffenatly like looking at my weight in kg, it seems less lol). I'm 30yr old and have CPTSD. I've used food as a coping strategy for dealing with abuse as a child, but through intensive therapy I finally feel I am at a place to tackle my weight problem. Slowly changing my habbits and attitudes towards food has helped but I feel the sleeve surgery will be an extra tool in my belt.
Im a mother to 3 little ones, I'm actually weaning my 5.5 month old from breast feeding to reduce the stress my body will be under after surgery and I'm also tired of either being pregnant or breastfeeding for the past 7yrs.
So far this site has been great to read through! I'm looking forward to reading more abd hopefully replying to some threads.
Hopefully I'll get to know you all soon xx

I have not had my TT and Breast lift done yet but I did have my Brachioplasty 8 weeks ago so take this for what it is worth.
Ice packs! Ice packs and more ice packs. LOL.
I think the biggest thing I learned was how badly your body reacts to plastics. With swelling you get burning pain. Your lymphatic system is definitely effected and even though I had my arms done, my feet, hands and even stomach was swelling. The major swelling went down after about 5 days but even now my arms swell every day.
In talking with my surgeon who was phenomenal she told me I can expect my tummy to swell as well.
But let me tell you, it is all worth it and I cannot wait for my TT and Breast Lift. The difference for me was unbelievable. I am including some pics.
Before

After

I should also say that my after pic is only 3 weeks post op and still shows swelling but you see what a crazy great result I got. For the first 3 weeks I had my arms buried in ice packs. LOL.