moan1955

CJ my journey was very similar to yours except for I am 61 and struggled for 25 years after having my 3 children. I suggest that you sign on to have the surgery. It takes 6 months of nutritional counseling before you can begin the process of testing and clearance for surgery. Take a notebook with you to the classes and keep detailed notes. I forgot everything I learned in class and struggled fir about a month post-op. All in all, this was the best decision of my life. I am 5 months out and I have lost 70 lbs. The health issues I had prior to weight loss are gone. I feel great and have a ton more energy. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My time table was a total of nine months before I could have my surgery. I am glad it took that long. It is a very serious decision that you are making. The surgery changes your life completely. It is overall a good change, but a huge life change. Take your time and make sure this is the best decision for you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

A Protein shake nota milk and ice cream shake. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was depressed too. First and foremost get every hour and walk around your house, yard, neighborhood for at least 10 minutes. It helps to break up the gas. Trapped gas is the worst feeling in the world!! Next, they don't want you to lift anything over 5 lbs for two weeks. Your dog jumping on you isn't the same thing. Give yourself a few more weeks. I am almost four weeks out and feeling much, much better every day. Things that you enjoyed before, you will enjoy again just not now and in much smaller quantities. It takes time to be able to digest things like bread, meat, Pasta. Don't eat them yet. It will make you feel horrible almost immediately. Stick to liquid and soft Protein for about 2 weeks. Then small amounts of chicken, tuna, salmon. Don't eat vegetables unless that are cooked to mush. Hard to digest. Remember slow and steady wins the race!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am 61 years old and I am almost 4 weeks out from my sleeve surgery. I have found that my age contributes to how fast I have been recovering. It is slow, but slow and steady wins the race. I have had wonderful family and friend support. This struggle for weight loss is a 25 year saga and I finally took a permanent step to a healthy life. I have to say that I was regretting my decision the first couple days home because of the pain and sickness. Then my friend convinced me to go back on my pain meds. What a relief. I stayed on them for 10 days and was able to recover comfortably and quicker. I am off the meds as of 10 days and each day gets better and better. I am back to work and enjoying my life. I started this process 2 years ago and then put it off. I tried weight watchers and a personal trainer and lost 20 lbs. in a year. Then my mother passed away and I stopped everything. I gained back the 20 lbs and 25 more. This February my brother died of a massive heart attack. I decided then not to turn back on the surgery. I am so glad I had it. I have lost 37 lbs so far. It is the most weight I have ever lost at one time and it is only the beginning. I have a new grandson and I plan to see him graduate from college and possibly one day see him get married. I hope to live a long, long time. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You will get wonderful compliments on how great you look. Some people won't know why you look so good so they may ask if you style your hair different, etc. just be honest. Tell people what you did for yourself. I have found that when you are honest, people don't know how to handle it and they end up admiring you for taking the steps to be healthy! And if you get negative comments-- Fuck them! You are on the road to recovery and the best is yet to come!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Stay focused on you and be strong. The best thing you can do for yourself and your husband is to lead by example. If and when he wants to get healthy and sober, he will have your example of what strength looks like. Good luck and my prayers are with you! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hang in there. It does get better. I am almost four weeks out and the pinching has finally stopped unless my stomach is completely empty. I was told to eat soft Protein as soon as I got home form the hospital. Yogurt and cottage cheese every four hours and Protein Drink in between. Only able to eat 3-4 oz. at a time. It took me 5 days to have a bowel movement. I actually went back on pain meds and that helped because I was in too much pain to bear down. The stool softener helped but you have to have some kind of solid food in your stomach when you take it. Also, if you are only on clear fluids what do you have in your intestinal tract to eliminate? Eating soft protein also helps to keep the pain level down. Good Luck! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My problem was that they at first wanted to give me morphine in the hospital and I said no. When I got home I, like you, figured that a certain amount of pain was normal. I mean a c-section 25 years ago! But the pain was keeping me from eliminating a bowel movement. I think once I took the Vicodin I could go! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am almost 3 weeks out and it gets better every day. I was very nauseous in the hospital and threw up a lot of old blood from the surgery. In fact I was nauseous the first day home. Then it evened out. I followed only soft Protein such as yogurt, cottage cheese and clear Soups for meals and sips of Water every five minutes. In between meals I drank about 1/3 of the premier Protein shakes. The only thing I think stopped my recovery was that I tried not to take the pain meds I was prescribed. I was miserable. So on the third day home I started taking one during the day and one about an hour before bed. Life was much easier after that. I also took Miralax daily to stay regular. I have been off the pain meds for four days now and it is getting better every day. I have lost 34 lbs altogether in one month. I feel like I made the best decision of my life! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had back surgery 3 years ago and after about 3 months I noticed that my hair had thinned in the top of my head. I actually didn't notice, my family and my hairdresser did. I began taking Biotin, and I found a hair loss shampoo and conditioner that I used during this time. It took about 6 months, but my hair returned to normal. I was told it was due to being under the anesthesia for awhile and having a breathing tube. I am hopeful that it won't happen again since my diet consists of mostly Protein right now but if it does I will be ready for it! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks. I am learning my way! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

In order for the stomach to work efficiently you need to let the stomach work on the food only. Fluids -I assume you mean water- will Water down the stomach acid and not allow it to break down your food correctly. One doctor told me he has never served drinks with his meals. He was slim and trim and said the stomach works effectively without added fluids. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am almost 3 weeks post op and I am in phase 2 where I eat some amounts of tuna fish and a couple crackers or chicken ( make sure it is very moist). I have only problems trying to eat vegetables that are not cooked for along time and almost mush. In phase one I could only eat soft Protein like yogurt and cottage cheese and Soups. I couldn't tolerate any noodles or Pasta. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I am 2 plus weeks since my surgery. Some friends and family (not immediate) tried to talk me out of surgery. I lost my brother to a heart attack this February and I didn't want to die too. I have struggled with my weight for at least 20 years. I know I was doing the right thing. It will be life saving. I will say at first I regretted my choice until I went back on my pain meds for about 10 days. I was able to manage the pain. Took the Miralax to stay regular. I messed a couple of times eating things I wasn't ready for that got me sick. If I follow the advise my nutritionist gives me, I am doing great! I am down 21 lbs. since surgery; 32 lbs total since the pre-op prep. I'm feeling very confident that I made the best decision of my life. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App