2ndSpring

Just my opinion, but it is never selfish to put yourself, and your health above the wishes of others. Also, you should not feel like your decision to put yourself first and take control of your health is hurting other people. By having surgery, taking control of your life and health, you are putting yourself in a better position to take care of others. It is your sister and mother who are being incredibly selfish by making you doubt your decision. Please don't give them the power over your life. It is YOUR life. You are making, in my opinion, one of the best, most courageous decisions you can make to improve your life. I hope you go forward with your surgery, and I wish you luck with any decision you ultimately make.

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.

You know you're fabulous, right? Oh how I love these before and after pics. It's not just the weight loss, but the smile on your face, the haircut, the makeup...all of it. How wonderful to see in all of us, the blossoming that comes from being comfortable in our own skin. Congrats.

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.

I felt the same at the start I was like well ok this has not worked what an expensive waste of money dam!!
I'm 8 months out it seemed so slow in the start and then all of a sudden boom I was thinner and everyone was commenting and asking and I felt like wow you've only just noticed I've been on this journey ages but within 8 months I was 40kgs down I am almost at goal it honestly just happens don't stress or fight it just be patient and stick to the rules slow and steady wins the race.
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Weight loss is a funny thing. I have lost weight fairly slowly compared to many (apart from the first 2 weeks, it has been consistently 1lb per week average - now 6 months post op) however although the average is 1, it is almost never 1lb in a week. I have had stalls for up to 3 weeks and even a gain but overall it is coming off nice and steady. So try not to worry too much. If you are following the plan and not cheating it absolutely will come off.
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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.

Thank you for your response. I appreciate it. I don't take offense. I didn't say anything negative to anyone and welcome all feedback.
Not looking validity at all just getting a good convo going to what's an alternative to things that we know we can't/could eat. Sort of like what folks have been saying about guac...some said yes to it and others said no for X reasons. That's the type of convo I hope to get from folks. It doesn't always work that way but my question could be someone else who is afraid to ask. This is a community to help everyone in some sort of way so all comments are welcome.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Is 3 weeks post op the magic number? It is true anytime you ask about something obvious like chips, soda, crackers, alcohol, ANYTHING NOT Protein you will elicit a response. Period. I'm still kind of a newbie and @@iam_yamii there are people who will politely tell you hell to the no... there are others who have hit their wall post op newbies asking about such things. Don't take offense. Think of it as watchers of the sleeve protecting you from yourself. I don't think you need a forum to answer your question. You already knew the answer-- maybe you were seeking validation or admission from others who do partake in chips and dip.
My journey hasn't been without a flaw but I will say this-- after having to require surgical intervention to help me lose weight I honestly could have cared less if I ever saw another chip or cookie or anything that falls into the junk food category regardless whether it was paired with an avocado. This is an opportunity to start fresh-- a clean slate hopefully you follow the guidelines provided to you and try not to read into it. Your sole focus should be protein and Water. Nothing else. Nothing else matters right now. Maybe once you're on regular food you can expand your horizons to include fruit and veggies in various forms but chips, crackers, pretzels should be something you SLOWLY incorporate during maintenance. Your body will thank you. Carbs drive hunger. Protein =Satiety.

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

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

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

It's all good, bro. Thick reference tools seem to be in favor 'round here.

Dub, don't do that, have some class, there are ladies present.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waiting for approval was really hard for me mentally, so I know how you feel. Once you make a decision and are ready to move forward, it is frustrating to have to wait on someone else. Maybe think of it this way, you are already on the journey. Its just that the surgery may happen at a different point on the journey than you originally planned.
Good luck and I hope it all comes together soon.

Congrats .

The world has become so weight obsessed that when someone loses weight, people will either react with curiosity (because they want to duplicate what you did) or with negativity (because they are jealous). In either case, these are their issues to deal with, not yours. If they can console themselves by pretending you've lost too much weight, then they don't have to confront their own issues.
The tongue waggers in your office need a diversion. Haha, you could sleep with the office hottie and give them something new to talk about. LOL - just kidding, don't do that.