Gipsy Girl

I am 46 years old, 210 lbs, 5'7" and I shared my upcoming surgery with one friend who felt like she needed to talk me out of it because I have lost weight so many times before (and gained it all back and then some each time) and I'm "not that big" and she didn't think I should go through that kind of pain to loose weight. Now I am a little less excited about it, but more determined than ever to have this surgery - the date is set for December 27th. I just don't know how to explain the health benefits of this surgery to other people, and after that experience with my well meaning but overbearing friend (did I mention she is thin?), I have just stopped sharing with anyone other than the two people closest to me: my husband and mother support my decision. My pre op diet starts on the 13th and I am ready for this. My only small concern is follow up because I am having the surgery in Mexico - far away from my home in New Hampshire. I will follow the pre and post op diet completely. I am now cutting back on caffeine. Did I mention that I am ready for this? I am looking forward to the positive life changes in my future. :-)

I have found my heaven in soft foods! If you haven't, go to Pintrest and look for bariatric diet soft foods. I made the ricotta bake and loved it! It's like eating lasagna, albeit only the cheese layer. Warm, has flavour, texture! My only mistake was measuring out 3.5 oz, then sneaking one more bite. One more bite! I was in pain for hours. I've officially learned the exact capacity of my new stomach. Lol
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My surgery is scheduled for the 27th. I am going on the liquid pre-surgery diet this Saturday. Only four days away now! So nervous and excited to get this done. Keep taking good care of yourselves.

My surgery is scheduled for the 27th. I am going on the liquid pre-surgery diet this Saturday. Only four days away now! So nervous and excited to get this done. Keep taking good care of yourselves.

My belly button looks a lot better! Thank you for calming down my panic!
What is stage two for everyone and when do you go? My stage too are things like grits apple sauce and I have to wait two weeks but I see so many ppl on it prior to two weeks post op
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Hello ladies! First time logging in and I look forward to sharing our journey!
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Itching isn't necessarily a bad sign. Itching can mean healing. I don't think the healing wound looks that bad, but if you are worried, go get it checked. Photos don't always do justice for reality. I would worry if the wound were swollen and red and hot to the touch. Considering it is your naval, have a doctor check it out just to be on the safe side. Good luck!

I am getting my sleeve this coming Tuesday... the very next day as you! I just friended you. Good luck. It will go well! I am nervous and excited about it too.

i agree laughkc11-it is all mental. that has been the hardest challenge for me. im used to going to food for comfort during good times & bad & now i cant-this is a lifestyle change. not to mention-to do this during the holidays is extremely hard!!!
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My surgery is Monday. So nervous
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10 days from now when you finally poop and you go through your final round of second-guessing yourself, you will start getting excited. BTW, DON'T weigh yourself for a few weeks. You have gained a bunch of IV Water weight. And your body is not going to start letting go of it's fat cells for a little while longer.

Hi everyone! I remember looking all throughout these threads prior to my surgery. I kept searching and searching the threads trying to convince myself I was doing the right thing. I read all the wonderful success stories and the horror stories, in the hopes that I would be able to gear myself up for what was to come. I was sleeved on 9/13/16. Now I want to share my three month update and experience with you. First, here are my stats:
Starting Weight: 296
Day of surgery Weight: 280
CW:215
This has been the best decision I have ever made for myself! I have tons of energy, and am truly enjoying this new lifestyle change that I have embraced. I will say that after surgery your body completely changes. For example, 7 years ago I was 200 lbs and a size 14. The minute I hit 210 I became a size 16. Now, after surgery, I am 215 and wear a size 14 again. It's crazy. My husband swears I am thinner than I ever have been since he's known me, even though the scale doesn't match his assertion. Maybe it's the muscle I've built and the excess skin that has added to the scale( yes, I have excess skin). I don't know. But I do know that I feel fabulous. Prior to surgery, I took a "worst case scenario" approach regarding what to expect after surgery. Luckily, I wound up with the best case scenario! I haven't lost any hair, I never regretted my surgery and I only suffered from bad cravings for the first two weeks. I credit a lot of this to my nutritionist from Dr. Tom Umbach's office in LV. She has an unconventional approach. I was allowed to eat after two weeks. I was instructed to count carbs and Protein, not calories. She also insisted that I don't bother measuring my food. This advice was life saving for me, as I experienced physical hunger after two weeks and I could eat more than most of the posters on here (about 1/2 cup). I was afraid that something was wrong with my sleeve, but my nutritionist assured me not to worry. I kept doing what she advised and the weight keeps falling off. I also noticed that, for some reason, as the months went by, I developed more restriction that what I originally had after surgery. Some days I have more restriction, some days less. Although I eat less food, I actually eat more times in the day than I ever have before (about 6 times). The difference is that eat much healthier foods. I actually crave them. Every now and then I get a naughty craving. I'm a CA girl and I love Mexican food. I don't always deny myself the craving. Sometimes I indulge and get 1 rico taco and take off the extra corn tortilla. I have gotten cravings for Chinese, but considering that is all carbs and sugar I usually have a pickle to curb those cravings. I've found sour foods do the trick when it comes to craving starch. Don't get me wrong, there have been a time or two that I've had a few spoonfuls of rice or noodles from Panda Express, but they're never as good as I imagine and I don't want to risk temptation with going to better Chinese restaurants to try theirs.
Bottom line, this surgery worked for me because I eventually came to accept that some foods (starchy carbs) are not every day foods. And other carbs, while good and sometimes necessary, should be limited and always accompanied by protein. Every day I am faced with the choice of eating foods to promote health or foods to promote obesity. I understand that these are choices I must make make everyday, at every meal for the rest of my life in order to prevent the weight returning. This surgery allowed me to come to a place where I actually am capable of making the right choices and am confident that I can continue to do so. I must remember that even though I couldn't have done this without the surgery, the surgery will do no good if I don't continue to keep my head in line with healthy eating habits.
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It's all worth it in the end. I'm only two days post op and I am a sissy when it comes to pain but you've got to push through the pain. Me and 2 others had the surgery on Tuesday by the same doctor. I got to go home yesterday because I was up and walking and do things for myself. The other ladies did not want to get up so they had to stay another day. I'm not going to lie it is painful but not unbearable! We can all do this people!
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Good luck, Gipsy! Please share your experiences with us.
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I agree. I went through similar struggle. I decided to opt out of surgery in the USA and went to Mexico.
Best decision ever! Sleeve only 4k
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Walking helps keep my emotions in perspective. I walk my dog everyday, snow or no snow:-) I highly suggest it, see if that helps boost some of your natural endorphins. Maybe you will feel a little better, I wish you the best.

It is common to experience emotional problems after surgery. Some of this is due to the fact that fat cells contain chemicals and hormones that are dumped into your system as they dissolve away. This can flood your system with hormones and you can experience a hormonal dump. These hormones are flushed through your system, your kidney and eventually expelled in your urine. It take fluids to make this process work properly. Therefore remember to meet your daily Fluid requirements.

If you aren't exercising, start. If you are getting some exercise in, do more if you can. Getting those endorphins going with exercise can help combat the other rush of hormones, and help stabilize mood.
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I'm fully aware of this phenomenon as well. My awareness is what is keeping one of my employees alive at this point in time...

Everyone is different. Keep that in mind. I too have the cold issue. Sometimes I just want to hurry up and get out of the grocery and back to my car because to me it seems freezing cold. And this in the summer time. I keep a heating pad at my desk at work that I use on my lap to keep warm. Otherwise I am wearing 3 layers. Crazy stuff. But I'll take it any day over where I was. Also, I had gerd before surgery and don't now. I say I don't now, but really I have nausea at night sometimes that wakes me up. I roll over and go back to sleep or take a tums and I'm good and it's fine in the morning, so if it is gerd it presents itself differently now, and still a major improvement. My plantar fasciitis is all but gone. Can walk much farther with less effort. Had a blast on my last vacation. Clothes shopping is sooooo much fun now. And while I would agree that I could still loose quite a bit, there is a vast improvement in my life since surgery. I just feel like I fit in the world much more comfortably now. The best to you on your journey.

Try taking an Iron suppliment if you don't already Sent from my VS987 using the BariatricPal App

That I would feel so damn good all the time.
"When all is said and done, usually more has been said than done. "

Lol. Please keep me posted. I'd love to know how this works out. Good luck

My pcp is working with me. I also have set up appointments with local weight management doctors, nutritionists, and exercise specialists. They don't know I am getting the surgery in a week, but they do have my blood work and physical. After surgery and meeting them, I will let them know. This should be interesting.

Hmmm. Good question
First, I was in no pain. People worry about that a lot and I don't think it's an issue. I was so nervous, too, but I realized I really didn't need to be once I got to the hospital and stuff.
To more directly answer your question, I did feel different. Maybe it was because I knew I was actually physically altered, but I really felt in my head that a change was made (mentally, you know?). I was not hungry at all. The first time in as long as I could remember that I was no hungry at all! I lived my life before surgery day constantly thinking of food and wanting food - hungry or not. That day I wasn't wanting food - and not because I was recovering, so much - but because my stomach was small and I just did not need food.
Really, for me, I just felt like it was a new beginning... I can't really explain it. Food ruled my life until the moment I woke up in recovery. It will be a year on Dec 30th (a couple weeks away), and I am still not hungry or not when I "shouldn't" be
You are going to do great