lylasmom

This is what I hope I can train myself to do!

Hi! So glad to read a positive newly post op story!
How long after you woke up were you able to eat ice or sip Water? LOL, very concerned about this.

I'm scheduled for 5/23. And I DO get nervous and then I get excited. I started a journal on the day of my first appointment and wrote down ALL the reasons I had for wanting to do WLS. When I get nervous I re-read that list. Good luck to you!

I was able to suck on ice right away. And I started to sip water about one hour afterward. Very small sips. Please be sure you suck the Ice, if you do crunch, pace how much you swallow at a time.

For me it did not burn or feel uncomfortable. It was a nice cool feeling, and I could feel restriction but it wasn't painful, just slightly odd, maybe uncomfortable, though not to me - to me was more of a gentle reminder to go slower. Burning, I think that's not normal (?) if it does burn, take a look at the pace and volume in which you are taking it in.

I wish you the best, you can do it! [emoji1303]

Meatloaf

I'm currently on day 9 of my liquid diet and would kill for 2 wings. Just sayin'.

Yesterday was 5 days post op for me and my first day out. I was on my feet for 5 hours shopping, then I came home and did some meal prep, thrn i met girlfriends for dinner (I had a $6 bowl of chickey Soup broth. Lame. Lol) Last night at bed time & today I felt worse than day 2 post op. I totally overdid it. I can't take pain meds and was in agony all night trying to find a good position for sleep.
Take it slow. It's not worth it.

I could barely get up out of a chair with out help. I didn't exercise until I was 3 almost 4 weeks. I did walk around the house and the yard but I wasn't one of those ones that walked 5 miles 2 days later. I could barely make I through the store and actually didn't on one trip. I pushed clothes to a corner of a display table and sat down on it and dared someone to say something to me. Lol. Start slow. It's better to start slow then go all out and set your recovery back.

You are four days out right now. At four days out I was not exercising.
At this point I recommend leisurely walking to prevent clots and complications, but nothing more intense. The next couple of months are for healing and getting acclimated with your new sleeve.
I didn't resume formal exercise until three months out. I started with a walk/jog routine. Now I run an average of 30 miles a week, either outdoors or on a gym treadmill. When I want a break from running, I use the stationary bike, stairmill machine, or elliptical trainer at the gym.
Exercise is beneficial for cardiovascular health and weight control. However, it is not a main driver of weight loss as we've all been led to believe over the years. Fat loss occurs with good dietary choices. Cardiovascular health and body recomposition occur with exercise.
https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/exercise-is-not-total-energy-expenditure/
http://drspencer.com/exercise-for-health-not-weight-loss/
https://criticalmas.com/2012/04/fat-loss-and-the-case-for-less-exercise/

@AdecadeLater I just found this post. Thank you for your confirmation that this procedure really does work long term. I will have my surgery around October, and I will think of all your success while I go through my journey. I too am a little freaked out about the not drinking during and after food.

Not sure if anybody still checks in here but really, what a rare treat to read the 10 year out perspective. So no regrets? I seem to be going through a "let me look at all the people who regret their decision" phase in an effort to cover all basis but I'm happy to report that I've not really found anything to report so far.

Dealing with what triggers emotional eating - a good therapist can help. So can books on mindful eating - I like eating the moment and what I have read by Geneen Roth. It can be a hard process. But seriously for me identifying what/why about my emotional state and then thinking about what I can do to address that, that isn't eating.

Nature abhors a vacuum. Finding something to replace it is key. Meditation and exercise work well for me. I actually love to work out now. I find that it helps me cope with depression and anxiety. When I work out first thing in the morning, I generally make much better food choices throughout the day.

I also keep things on hand that are portion controlled and better choices. Because I know I am not perfect and this is a process. sugar free popsicles, individual servings of Peanut Butter, small packs of multigrain crackers, etc.

I'm excited to hear about others strategies! All the best!

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At first I did walking, it wasn't even emotional eating, just boredom. Its a non issue now.
Before I had surgery I removed all the high stress people and situation from life since since it has been

I have replace emotional eating with emotional walking. Whenever I start getting stressed out and look for something to eat I stop and go for a walk. The length of the walk depends on the length of the urge to eat. I am almost 7 months post op RNY and so far it has worked.

I have heard this as well. I got pregnant 5 months after surgery. I gave birth completely naturally without any complications or drugs at a birthing center. I didn't even get Tylenol! I got up and walked out with my baby girl 4 hours after giving birth and felt great. Labored in a tub got out and delivered on a bed. They did consider me high risk because I had a very healthy pregnancy. No issues and in range for all test while pregnant. YOU will have to educate THEM. They know nothing about bariatrics. I went prepared with papers and research on what I needed to do and what MY plan was to have a healthy pregnancy. Boost your healthy Snacks and do your homework and you can do it. Don't let anyone tell you you can't have the birth you want because you simply can't eat as much at once. Best of luck to you and congrats!!!!

Hi! Thankfully that horrible feeling went away. Previous posters are correct when they say to eat slower and take small bites...it really helps. My Dr told me I was still healing....even with small bites it still occured but it got much better. I hope any of you suffering from this gets better too!

Here is what worked for me. I ordered a marine collagen powder that I added to my Water everyday. I also started drinking bamboo tea which is really high in silica. Silica is great for skin, hair and nails. I would drink at least one cup a day sometimes two. This combination cut my Hair loss by at least 3/4 and it became shiny and soft again.

I was a huge Water gulper' and ironically that was my biggest concern!
I'm on Day 19 and starting to drink more!

I'm 3 weeks out today and I guzzled three big drinks of ice cold water this morning. Soon you'll put your sipping days behind you.

I'm in the same boat. I love super cold ice Water. I was drinking over 100 oz per day before surgury. Water tastes so different now it sucks! Ice water just makes me sick and I found out I don't enjoy cool water at all.
A few days ago I started to do detox water instead (fruit/veggie infused). The taste of the water now has really helped me. I hate the sugar free water additives.. they have such a nasty aftertaste to me.

Latest favorite is:
mango
pinneapple
cherry
ginger
thai basil
mint

Maybe try some this and see if it helps you?

Megan

Yeah, I felt that way too during the first couple weeks. At 3 months I have 0 problem with ice Water.

I was an almost 20 year smoker. I got really sick 5 years ago at Christmas. By New Years I was down for the count. I didn't recover until 2nd week in January. I went outside and lit-up a smoke. And in that fraction of a second my mind had an entire conversation with me. My brain, and I'm not kidding - it kind of talked to me as if it wasn't a part of me. lol!, my brain said "you are a f**king idiot! You just detoxed from Nicotine and are now free of the chemical addiction!" In that fraction of a second that my brain b***h-slapped me I never even inhaled the smoke, I pushed it out of my mouth with my tongue and the air in my lungs, crushed the cigarette and was done.
But I wasn't planning on quitting, in fact, I quite liked smoking still. But let me tell you all the ways life is better now!!
Money, money, money!! Saved thousands in my first year alone. 1 pack of smokes is almost 10 bucks over here lungs - I stopped using any "asthma" meds...fyi, it's not asthma Less sickness!! I stopped being sick so much during the year. And that annual winter cold?? Haven't seen it since Time - I have SOO much more time to do things I love Friends - my friends no longer have to sacrifice their time so I can go have a smoke break. Don't have to constantly stop on road trips, my friends no longer have to pay the time-price of my addiction Smell and Taste - OMG the things you can smell and taste again!! Cigarettes overwhelm the senses so food and fragrances are fantastic post smoking Cleaner - my life is SOOO much cleaner. I don't have ashes to clean up, overflowing ashtrays, my clothes don't smell...and all I have to do is spend 15 minutes in a casino and I realize just how smelly I must of have been I loved smoking, I loved the calm, the peace, the me time, the control, the freedom it gives you to leave something you don't enjoy, there are so many self-soothing things about smoking that are probably very difficult to give up right now, but if you can I hope you do. I hope you give yourself this one last gift.

My suggestion? Find something new to "like". I'm not in any position to comment on the strength of addiction to cigarettes because I've never been there, but your reason for risking serious ulcers is... kind of lacking in urgency LOL.
I "liked" drinking six cans of Pepsi a day and eating out five times a week, but those likes no longer fit into my new lifestyle and making the most of my surgery and my health. Now I like going swing dancing and I like doing laps in the pool and following them up with a soak in the hot tub, and I like watching hockey with my family and I like going to see vintage movies at our historical movie theatre in town. Give yourself permission to change! One day those things you "like" won't seem nearly so important anymore. I couldn't even imagine my life without my beloved Pepsi and now I barely give a crap.
And if it's less "I like it" and more "I'm addicted to it still but don't want to use that word", then people in this thread have some great suggestions on how to kick the habit. No shame in asking for help!
But if you're looking for permission to start smoking again, AGAINST your surgeon (who is the medical expert)'s advice... I don't know that you're gonna get it from anyone else but fellow smokers in denial!

I had no nerves until I got to the liquid pre op diet. I am so happy with my surgeon and there were so many other steps that i didn't get to focus on the potential problems. Now that I'm so close and enduring the liquid diet I have found myself very emotional. I have these thoughts that creep in and I have to fight them back. What if something goes wrong. What if I have complications and horrible GERD afterward. And worst...what if I don't lose weight. I have to keep talking myself through them. What ifs can really mess u up.

I wish I could magically say something to take away your fears but I don't believe there is such a thing.

Just knowing you are not alone, that so many of us are going through this too, will hopefully be enough to help you stop that thinking when it starts to creep in. Find yourself a mantra or particular goal that you can repeat to yourself when you find the fear and negativity come in.

For me...I'm repeating to myself better liver better surgery to get through this liquid diet. For the surgery...I think about going up stairs without the feeling that my lungs will jump out my chest and the dream of no longer needing a seat belt extender on an airplane. Those things make me smile and bring me back to a good place.

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I hope I get as excited as you! I am not as afraid anymore, maybe as it gets closer I will be, but right now I am ok. I am so ready to get working on the new me!

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