2ndSpring

It seems everyone has interpreted the original post differently. My take on it was that she wasn't ranting about people asking questions about excess skin or researching the issue - she was talking about people who are contemplating losing weight and using excess skin as a reason to stay overweight and not take any action. I have seen a lot of those posts too and they make me sad because that person is not ready to make changes yet. I love that this community is so brutally honest. I am clearly a food addict and a dose of reality (or a swift kick in the pants) is oftentimes sorely needed. Those messages can be a bitter dose to swallow and hard to hear sometimes, but I really want to succeed this time and I want to be called out when I am rationalizing.

I know you are sick of eggs, but maybe in a new form? I've been making mini-quiches with an almond meal crust: 1 1/2 c almond flour, 1/2 c tapioca, 3T cold butter, 1 egg, 1t Water, salt. Cut the butter in to form a dough. Then I push the dough into a silicon mini cupcake tray and prebake until golden. then fill with your quiche mixture. I freeze them and then grab one on my way out the door to microwave at work. Some good bean dishes that aren't chili: Falafel Black Bean burgers "meatballs" made with lentils - google NY times veggie balls

Everything she said....plus get all your laundry done before - bending and lifting will be hard for a week or so. good luck! you must be so excited.

That first week was really rough. Everything hurts, your insides are still swollen and tender so you can't drink your liquids, it is hard to bend over or reach, and it hurts to sit up or roll over in bed. I promise that it gets better a little every day. Day 7 for me was a huge turning point where all of a sudden, I just felt better. Focus on your liquids for now and take your pain meds, they will let you walk around which helps the healing process. Good luck and I'm sure you'll be feeling better in a few days.

I almost didn't open this post because I thought, "oh no no no, I can't read another illogical post from someone who thinks it may be better to stay overweight rather than deal with excess skin" haha. glad I opened it and I agree with you. I hope that people who may be considering WLS read this and understand that when you weigh the pros and cons, excess skin is on the con side, but it is a tiny tiny factor when compared to better health, longer life, improved functionality, and increased social activity. On the other hand, commiserating about it down the road after weight loss, is something we can all share together. I'm not there yet, but I imagine it is hard to have constant reminders of an old life hanging around and plastic surgery would feel like a bit of closure. I plan on doing it when the time comes.

Happy Birthday! And congrats on your successful journey. You have so much to be proud of. going back to school - YAY!

Setting a date was near the end of the process for me. I had to get all my clearances in first and then had a second appt with the surgeon and we picked a date.

It depends on what you do for a living and how much you have to lift. You will have a lifting restriction for a few weeks while you heal. I work in an office and my doctor cleared me to return the following week. I took a week and a half off in total. I have the freedom to leave my desk when I want and there is a fridge and microwave, so it was no problem. I've also seen others post that even if they didn't need the extra time physically, it helped them get a solid start mentally. Good luck

everyone here cares about you and I suspect there are no replies because this is out of our realm and no one wants to give medical advice that could harm you. I'm glad you are going to call the doctor and I hope you are feeling better soon.

congrats!!! thanks for sharing for success with us.

some day I will tell everyone, maybe when I am in maintenance. but for now, I have only told parents, daughter & son-in-law, and 1 friend. no siblings or work or anyone else. I absolutely do not want to hear anyone's opinions on the topic of WLS, or have anyone watching what I'm eating or keep asking me how much weight I've lost so far. Even when they mean well.

chuckle. you painted a great visual picture. I needed a laugh today, thanks

You are in and out so fast - surgery in the morning, home by the next afternoon. I did a ton of research and brought a whole bag of stuff - comfy clothes, my kindle, all kinds of toiletries - and didn't use any of it. After surgery, you are groggy from anesthesia and then you will have an IV painkiller, so reading comprehension scores are close to zero. I pretty much was either sleeping or walking the whole time. I didn't even wear my slippers, which is shocking because I'm a bit of a germophobe. I just walked around in the hospital socks. When things hurt, you don't care! haha Chapstick was a lifesaver. I bought biotene for dry mouth but didnt use it, I used the little sponge the nurse gave me. You wont be thirsty because you are hydrated by the IV, but your mouth gets really dry.

@@MissJDVSG made such a thoughtful post and she said it all very well. The only thing I would add is that there are a lot of other factors to consider besides appearance. Imagine your daily life and make a list of all the Pros and Cons that surgery would bring. Loose skin and surgery risks are definitely on the Con side, but there may be a whole list of happy things on the Pro side. For me, some of the Pros I am looking forward to are: riding a rollercoaster; going to the mall and being able to shop in any clothes store; fitting on airplane seats; and crossing my legs. Best wishes

Good luck! getting back to a normal routine is a big help

you look great - congrats!

I'm 8 weeks. I am allowed Protein, vegetables and fruit - no carbs until maintenance. My NUT said I could stop the shakes, but there is no way I can hit 60g of protein without the powder. A typical day: B: spinach omelette L: 3 oz of a protein with 1 oz of vegetable D: same as lunch Snack: coconut yogurt with a scoop of protein powder I'm averaging approx. 700 cals/day

I live in a NYC suburb so had a lot of choices. Internet research helped me narrow it down to 3 practices with good records, experienced surgeons, and programs at excellent hospitals. I checked out all 3 seminars and then final selection was based on comfort level. Was the support program robust or perfunctory? were the staff friendly and helpful? was the practice efficient and well run? The office staff at the practice I chose recommended which surgeon I should see based on the surgery I wanted. I had my first interview with him and he was informative and willing to spend time answering questions....no need to look any further.

Hi Violet, Bravo to you for having the courage to take this step. I'm only 8 weeks out (gastric sleeve) but so far it feels like the best decision I ever made. The period from when you are prepping for surgery through your weight loss phase is a great time for self reflection. Being open and honest with ourselves (but not critical) about our behaviors is the key to changing them. If Mom and Sis are saying these things with love, then perhaps there is a kernel of truth to parts of it. That doesn't mean they are right about WLS, just that you may want to dig through what they are saying and pick out the parts that you can work on to make your journey successful. Best of luck, and we are all here for you.

@@summerset thank you! I hadn't found this product in my searches and thought i was stuck between choosing lanolin based D3 or ineffective D2. I will check it out.

great point by @@Butterflywarrior - definitely go to a local support group if you have one available. they are a great source of info sharing.

I didn't have to decide until 2 weeks before surgery date. I'm sure it will be similar for you, and if not, you can change your mind at any time. It really does depend on your personal circumstances. I'll share with you what I decided and why. I am 5'7", 50 years old and was at 274 pre-surgery. I'm hoping to get to 150. I did a ton of online research (make sure you are reading source documents, not just people's opinions - like mine right now haha ) When I weighed the pros and cons of each surgery, I decided that the sleeve was the best option for me. It was the best balance of risk vs benefit for my situation. I liked the fact that the valves that connect the esophagus and small intestine are left intact. If I had weighed more I probably would have gone bypass though. Bottom line, don't feel pressure to decide now. It will all come together down the road. Best of luck.

my weight loss stalled in the first week, which was a bit of a shock. But I had lost a lot in the 2 weeks prior to surgery so it took my body a while to get adjusted. Stay off the scale for a while. It will make you crazy.

From what I've read here previously, there is a wide variety of experiences. Some people are in pain for weeks and for others its a breeze. My incisions hurt for a while, but by Day 3 I was able to sleep on my side and stop all meds. They were sore for like 2 weeks, but bearable after the first few days. Getting up from a reclining position was tough the first week but got better a little bit every day. I didn't have constant pain in my side like you described. Maybe you should call the doctor, especially given what happened during the scan. Feel better.

I LOVE this post. In addition to the faulty logic, i've been amazed at the level of rationalization that goes on. But, hey, no one's perfect and we all make mistakes, right? wink