DaleCruse

I don't have all the answers. But something you wrote caught my attention: "Every month I get an epiphany that lasts a few days..." This is good. This tells me self awareness & clarity are bubbling to the surface. Every month when you have this epiphany, what do you do about it? Do you write it down somewhere & look at it repeatedly? Do you create to-dos? Do you put anything on a calendar to accomplish? A thought - no matter how insightful - without a plan goes nowhere. You are not alone. Good luck.

I'm going to approach this slightly different & give myself advice I wish I had: Don't start drinking alcohol again.

Don't hesitate to contact your surgical team. Good luck!

I wish I had post-op group meetings. The surgical center I worked with had pre-op group meetings & individual post-op meetings. I moved out of state less than six months after surgery so I'm certain I missed some valuable info. I'm glad to read you're getting value out of these sessions!

The best app for tracking everything you eat is the one you'll use. That said, I use MyFitnessPal.

I know some people swear by those Gas-X strips, but I never needed them. Not once. If you like your eyeglasses as clean as I do, throw a lens cloth in your bag. Good luck!

When I was sleeved more than three years ago, eggs were one of the hardest things for me to eat. If you can tolerate it this early, you're far ahead of me! Good luck!

Sushi is one of my favorites, so I understand your desire! Like reintroducing most foods, I suggest you have a bite or two. Wait five or 10 minutes. See how you feel. If you feel great, have another bite. Wait. Make sure you feel great before having any more. If at any point it hurts, stop. Remember that even among sashimi, you're going to have a wide variety of textures. Salmon will have a different texture than egg or octopus. You may find you tolerate certain textures much sooner than others. It took me a while to handle dense proteins like octopus. See what feels right to you & adjust. One nice thing about sashimi & chirashi is you get rice either on the side or under your fish. If your sashimi is too difficult to eat, enjoy some rice instead. Gluten-free, low-sodium soy (usually called Tamari) is a great alternative, WLS or not. I use it all the time. Enjoy!

What you're saying doesn't sound sad. It sounds human. Of course you feel the way you do. You just reached the end of a difficult journey, only to realize you've just started. What so many don't understand is that surgery isn't the end. It's the start of your new life. And it's emotional! It's 100% okay to cry sometimes. But rather than mourning what you've lost, focus instead on what you've gained! Good luck. You are not alone.

Congrats on stopping smoking. That's HUGE! It's no wonder you're struggling with the pre-op diet. You just massively changed your life & now you're trying to do it again immediately. Next, stop beating yourself up. Every one of us has screwed up & eaten something inappropriate at some point. You just had a massive victory in life! I know you're changing your life in big ways but having people around you who binge will make your efforts more difficult. Good luck. You are not alone.

First, good luck to you. Take it easy. Forgive yourself. If you need to go home early, do so. It's part of your healing process. I'm lucky & have a desk job. When I was sleeved, I was able to work from home for basically as long as I wanted. I don't know if that's an option for you. Good luck. You are not alone.

This. All of this.

Good luck! See you over on the post-op forum!

The answers to your second question will vary widely. The fact that your insurance company will cover your surgery puts you at an advantage. There are several reasons for the monthly weigh ins. They want to see you're serious about this effort. They want to see progress, no matter how minimal. They want you to mentally prepare for this surgery. You might think you're ready now but without training & preparation you really don't understand what life will be like post surgery, especially immediately after surgery. Stick around the forum. Ask questions but do your research first. You'll find that over the years we've covered a lot of ground here. Good luck to you. You are not alone.

First, I'm sorry this is happening to you. There's no need to be paranoid. That won't help you heal. What's happening is food/liquid is coming in contact with that part of your stomach that's been cut. Nerves are firing. It doesn't feel good. I've never met a WLS patient this didn't happen to. I hope you feel better soon. Good luck. You are not alone.

On this forum, whenever someone asks, "Am I the only one?" The answer is always no. You are not alone.

It's perfectly understandable you're getting hit with a bundle of emotions all at once. You just permanently altered your body. This IS emotional. And you know what? I don't know anybody who's had WLS who didn't suddenly feel overwhelmed post surgery. You're going to get through this. You are not alone. As @allwet said, there's no feed you can't enjoy again over time. Maybe you'll eat your favorites a little less or more infrequently. But rather than focus on what you've lost, focus on what you've gained. There may be new foods just waiting for you to discover & love! Good luck!

I bought all the tools, read everything I could, & thought I was prepared for everything. I wasn't. You know what surprised me? How difficult it would be to get in enough water. My advice? Put your credit card away. Turn from focusing on the external to focusing on the internal. Prepare yourself to work on getting in enough water after surgery. Good luck. You are not alone.

I agree with having an exit plan. Make sure everyone you go with knows your situation & will be understanding if you feel the need to leave early if you're uncomfortable. Don't be a hero: If you need to leave, leave! Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

Waiting sucks, doesn't it? Ah! Good luck!

Congratulations on being post-op! With that in mind, you might find more answers over on the post-op forum. Good luck!

2 1/2 what? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Good luck!

I have a touch of rheumatoid arthritis, mostly in my legs & feet. After weight loss surgery 3.5 years ago, my knees hurt a bit less. Other than that, no change in my RA. Your results may vary. Good luck!

I didn't buy one.

That probably refers to a three-month supervised weight loss program. Some insurance companies require six months. It *appears* your insurance only requires three months. Lucky you!