B.Annie

I'm 3 weeks out and was so excited that I hadn't experienced buyers remorse... yet. Everything was smooth and weight was coming off. THEN it hit. The traditional woman's "week before" cravings hit and so did the buyers remorse. I miss taking real bites of food and enjoying feeling full to my soul. Warm gooey food. This new full feeling is all wrong. It doesn't give leeway. One bite too much turns into horror. It's painful, burns, and just plain sucks. My head hunger this week has been worse than ever and it is mixing with my real hunger to make it hard to tell which is which. I've over done myself more yesterday and today and have thrown up 4 times by necessity. It's like all of a sudden I regressed mentally to forget everything. I've been wanting the enjoyment of food so badly that I tortured myself physically. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm excited about it. I know I will do better and I'm confident I'll get over this mental hiccup. I'm just mad. I WANT to enjoy food, but now it seems it's officially just for survival. HW: 328 (02/17/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 253

Thanks all for the responses. I've been much better since the post. I think, mentally, I had to go through those 2 days of agony (physically) to learn first hand what I've read about so much. Yesterday was amazing. I only ate very little but when I did eat, I took it slow and stopped when full. It didn't feel so bad to stop and I was happily content. This morning I heated up a bit of leftover hamburger meat and put an egg on top. The flavor was amazing and I had a hard time taking it slow, but I did stop when I felt restricted (tight and slightly uncomfortable) after only 3 small bites - less than an ounce. It's amazing how different foods fill you up quicker than others. Anyway, I had another bite ready to go on my fork that my old brain was fighting me about. "Finish the food on your plate." And "don't leave food on your fork". All those things I spent to long learning as a child. My new brain put my food out of sight and it helped. See, I've been addicted to "cleaning my plate" and having "eyes bigger than my stomach" when I fill my plate. Both things are just habits I'm working on breaking with this tool of wls.

This is me. I'm just grieving it right now and didn't prepare ENOUGH for this. I know it's just food and I never thought I would grieve it, but i am and have to go through the process. At first it was denial that I even had a problem. Then it was straight up anger. Today I'm feeling a transition to sadness. And yet I also feel like it is so stupid of me to be mourning something as ridiculous as food so I have shame and condemnation mixed in everywhere. Such an interesting process. HW: 328 (02/17/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 253

Have you had consecutive monthly weigh ins at all up until this point? Have you been a part of any weight loss groups? My wait was 3 months instead of 6 because I had already seen a doctor 3 months prior for unrelated things. It only took 2 1/2 months to submit my paperwork for approval and then 1 1/2 weeks until surgery. Trust me when I say, although every day was slow, the process was fast and because I had so many other appointments (hoops) to jump through, there was very little stagnant waiting. Also, because of the hoops, I found out I have severe asthma that I've been so used to from having it for so long that I could have died in surgery. I've been put on 2 inhalers daily and feel a ton better now. If I had gone to Mexico, I could have died under anesthesia especially since I had an attack while coming out of it and they were prepared for a breathing treatment due to my diagnosis. All just to say, Mexico might be quicker, but it's not better if you have insurance willing to help. HW: 328 (02/17/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 253

Not clergy, just involved deeply. Our sr pastor recently stepped down due to some underlying sin that our elders were trying to council through. When they informed the congregation, they claimed to want to be transparent however the explanation given lead to rumors. They came forward the next week and cleared up the details further without going into too much discussion on the topic nor sharing exact details. The outcome was better, but we lost a lot of our congregation (that happens when people follow a man and not God). I share because I feel there is a way to explain this without giving your life details over to a group of recovering humans. I have shared with everyone that I have undergone a needed (for me) surgery which will, in Gods calling, lead to better health. If my pastor went on a sabbatical to rest and heal in order to come back stronger for God, there would be only celebrations for that. It's my firm belief that just because you are a man of God, that does not mean that you have to share every detail of your life with other people. It just means that you walk in the faith, lead by example, and teach the truth. Do you share every time you have sex with your wife? No. Because there are intimate facts of our life that we hold dear just between ourselves and our God. So tell the congregation that your on a mission of health in order to minister more deeply with them, ridding yourself of the sin of addiction to food (if that's what you have), and you look forward to leading the church toward both spiritual health via teaching and physical health via example when you return. HW: 328 (02/17/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 253

6 month visits. Luckily they took months that I had seen my doc before the consultation with the surgeon and I had seen her for other things 3 consecutive months prior. So my process was only 2 1/2 months after my consultation.

My surgeon said something that helped me. If you complete ALL of your requirements, there is no way ahcccs will deny you. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

I have ahcccs university family care and was approved within 24 hours of the surgeon submitting my paperwork. Surgery date was scheduled for less than 2 weeks after approval and all went wonderfully. Not a single issue or concern! HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

Each plan is different. My surgeon confirmed with me yesterday that he does NOT want me eating more than 3x a day - breakfast lunch and dinner. I am meant to have 50g protein using protein powder or clear premier protein to supplement the rest. He said that as long as I eat the right things, the right way, and stop when full, I will build good habits (snacking all day is not a good habit according to him) and lose weight. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

Not too well. I heard the scale crying and then I realized it was a kitten who had walked in the closet as I was putting away the scale and got shut in. Kitten is free, scale is still in confinement HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

You've got my support and complete empathy. Although my husband knows, no one else does. It is a huge secret for me too and I would be devastated if it ever got out. Today is the hardest for me. I'm 2 weeks post op and 4 days post pneumonia diagnosis. With all the meds and supplements, my stomach is pure acid. My husband has been sleeping on the couch since my return home (we have kittens we are trying to rehome and they're currently playful at night), I've tried to initiate sexy times on 5 occasions since surgery and have been denied all but once. I have 5 kids who I have to care for and a husband whose working long hours in this season. I'm mentally and physically exhausted. Which leads to every other emotion and feeling being exaggerated. Today is hard. Tomorrow will be easier. I don't have support groups in my area and the only place I can go is here. Welcome and know that you are understood. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

Do Not over pack. One bag should be fine - carry on size preferred so you don't have to fuss with baggage claim or walking around larger airports with a bunch of stuff. Call the airline beforehand to ask how wide their seats are (usually 17-19 inches wide) and how long their belts are. You might need to buy a 2nd seat or request a belt extension. Bring chewing gum (at minimum for on the way there) to help pop your ears when you're reaching altitude. Bring a soft pillow to hold in your lap on the plane. Turbulence won't feel good after surgery. Don't wear pants if you can help it. Just a dress. You don't need the band digging in. Bring earphones and music or earplugs. If you don't hear the noises as it's preparing for takeoff, it will help your nerves. Ask your surgeon for an extra dose of nausea meds for the trip home. Use your incentive spirometer on the plane during the process. It will help focus your breathing and calm your nerves. Smile and be nice. When you're a doll, they'll all usually be much more accommodating for anything you might need. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

Everything I eat or drink either tastes sugary, salty, or fake (chemically). I have a constant sweet taste on my tongue to where even water tastes like it has sugar in it. It's horrible. I've finally reached the soft protein stage where I can have tuna and beans. I've learned to mix something that tastes overly sweet with something that's overly salty. Tomato soup with a side of cottage cheese for example. I'll take a bite of one then the other and keep that route so it never gets overwhelming. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW: 262

I'm 12 days postop and down 10 pounds from my surgery weight. If you count all of the surgery weight I had to lose, I technically lost 30. I gained 20 from surgery and it took me a week to lose it. In the last 5 days I've lost 10.

Yesterday morning I stated having pretty sharp pain in my left ribs after grocery shopping. It felt like a muscle pull in the back with pain shooting in the front. It was sore to breathe deep like a muscle pull and I spent the night doing stretches and the morning with hot/ice packs and Google. Nothing worked and as it got worse, everything I googled or searched on this forum said it was "normal" after WLS. I took pain meds and took a nap to wake up in excruciating pain. Went to the ER and after a few hours, was informed I had pneumonia. I've never had pneumonia without being sick first so the ER dr explained it can happen from being intubated during WLS. I'm 9 days out of surgery Note to all - don't wait and assume google knows all. my pain was almost exactly like what everyone was sharing was normal and absolutely nothing like the pneumonias I've experienced before. Heal well! HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

I rocked the incentive spirometer! I was getting it to my preop line within a few hours. The spirometer doesn't stop the bacteria from spreading once it's introduced to your lungs though. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

Nope, no gargle HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

No fever and no coughing. It was an odd experience HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

Congratulations! Only a week left

Also, dr sprunger worked directly under the surgeon who invented the bypass. He was trained by him. HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

I had mine May 24th with dr sprunger in Phoenix as well! He has a very type A personality which means he likes things to be perfect. And who wouldn't want that in a surgeon?? HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

Awesome! Yes he's been wonderful. I love how Type A personality is because that means he likes perfection. Who wouldn't want that in a surgeon?? Lol HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

I never knew if I should believe it or not but 1/2 cup of "full liquids" is too much! This is only my second lunch being on full liquids- after surgery I was on clear liquids for the first week. I got myself a 1/4 cup of fat-free cottage cheese and 1/4 cup of tomato soup. I was eating slowly and at one point looked down at my bowl and for the first time in my life thought I had too much food left! Then I noticed I was very full (tight feeling in chest) when I was only half way done. I'm still getting used to the practice of leaving food on my plate because it feels wrong but I'm so glad that this tool is helping me literally not be able to finish. I was never sure if I should believe that or not either lol.

In my state, by law they're required to make a decision within 15 days. My surgery was approved by insurance within 24 hours HW: 328 (02/21/17) SW: 271 (05/24/17) CW:

Yes!!! I feel better now that you explained your post surgery weight with bloating. I too was so physically bloated and heavy. I finally weighed myself 4 days post op when I felt the bloat dissipating and was 18 pounds higher still than pre surgery! I'm ending my 8th day post op and still need to lose 4 pounds to get back to preop weight. It's frustrating. Thank you for sharing.