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According to the title of the post, she was sleeved on 06/22/17. She's doing great!

Delighted to hear this! Congrats, and you go!

I'm not really worried about the surgery--I have knee pain and I'd do almost anything to make that better. I know there are many, many other benefits probable or possible, but that's the most important to me in terms of making this decision and pursing it. I'm a lot more concerned about handling the pre-op diet than starving afterwards--given that the hunger hormone will be greatly decreased by this surgery. If a quarter of a cup of food is going to fill me up . . . no, not worried about being hungry. You know this is the right thing for you to do. Take a deep breath . . . and for inspiration, look at some of the threads of before/after pictures! Very inspirational.

Hi, everyone, I'm in upstate NY and I've received a tentative date of August 28th. Didn't expect it to be that soon! but I still have a lot of steps to go through--psych, cardiac, and pulmonary clearances, an upper endoscopy, another group meeting . . . it's going to be a busy July. Best of luck to everyone!

As soon as you said she was bipolar I figured you should absolutely disregard whatever she says--she's probably not the same person she was before the disease manifested itself. You know that you did the right thing for yourself. You don't need anyone's permission or approval . . . but definitely focus on the people who support you. You'll feel better.

Do some research on the long-term success of weight loss that's not through surgery. The statistics are so dismal it makes me crazy that people beat themselves up about this problem. Virtually all of us know we can lose weight--after all, we/ve done it numerous times by different methods. Keeping it off? not so much. Good luck on your process, and I hope you find support whatever you decide to do.

I don't know what it's like, and I honestly don't know if it will be helpful, but have you tried some ginger tea for the upset stomach?

I think this will be my seventh surgery, not counting things like colonoscopies that I was given the stuff that's supposed to make you feel woozy but basically means you don't remember the experience at all! But I've been put under for everything from a tonsillectomy to having my gall bladder removed. My basic take on this is that I sure don't want to be awake for any of this, so I'm perfectly happy that there's a relatively easy method to avoid that. To be perfectly honest, my only concern with the whole process is that it's hard to find my veins for the initial IV. Once that's done, I'm good to go. It's basically like being asleep. Minor aftereffects like being a bit bloated (which you may also be from the surgery itself) are not a big issue.

I haven't had the surgery yet, though I'm slated to have the sleeve on August 28 (tentatively). I'd suggest reading widely on this site--there's a ton of information available if you look around. For example, there are threads in which people put their menus, so you know exactly what people are eating after the surgery. One thing is clear--there's a wide variety of approaches down the line. Some people eventually add back in carbs, some continue to avoid them. I started on this site by looking at the before/after pictures that people have posted--very inspirational! The one thing I've read over and over again is this: "It's the best decision I ever made. I wish I'd done it sooner." It's pretty hard to discount that kind of statement from thousands of people!

If you avoid taking them because it's difficult to swallow, maybe try the vitamin patches? I've been thinking seriously about that for the first couple of months, anyway. If you stick with the pills--chewable or otherwise--I second the suggestion of using the pillbox. I have one for a week that has 14 sections, a morning and an evening for each day. It removes the "did I or didn't I?" factor--pulling out the container is just part of my routine. Best of luck!

I'd suggest finding a bariatric doctor, if possible, and a nutritionist, and seek the professional assistance you didn't get before. You initially lost 200 pounds, so you know what to do to go back to losing--go back to basics if that helps. Good luck! You can do this.

If you think you're not losing fast enough, talk to your doctor. My reaction to these questions is always a bit of amazement: without the WLS, can you imagine any possible way you would have lost so much in that time period? I think you're doing FANTASTIC!!

You've had a while to prepare for this--if you've made it this far, you know you are doing the right thing for yourself. Be excited for the chance to change your life for the better!! You've got this . . . good luck!

Best of luck to you both! Can't wait until I'm where you are . . . still two months to go for me!

For what it's worth, I had a hernia taken care of in conjunction with a hysterectomy two years ago. That was a fairly major operation--not laparascopic--but the hernia part was almost unnoticeable in terms of how I felt afterwards--other than being glad it didn't stick out any more! Your mileage may vary, of course, but I wouldn't stress about it at all.

I'd strongly suggest going back to your doctor and maybe the nutritionist, too. The sleeve is a tool to help you along the way, but this is a lifelong change in eating and exercise patterns. Don't beat yourself up about what's happened in the past--that does no good. Figure out how you can make the changes you want going forward and . . . go forward! Best of luck.

Yep: I once told my physician that I was upset/depressed about something (don't even remember what now), and she suggested anti-depressants. I responded, no, it's normal to be upset about this, but I'll get over it. And I did.

I'm pre-op also, with a tentative date of August 28, but still a lot of hoops to jump through. Do you have a date yet? Where are you located? I don't live near my closest friends and I'm home about 99 percent of the time, so feel free to reach out on here. I've been reading stuff on this site kind of obsessively.

I'm sorry you're going through this. I haven't been there yet, but I have read a number of warnings about emotional mood swings, tears, remorse, and so on being natural stages of dealing with the major changes you've made and are making. It's tough now, but it will get better. Hang on in there!

My understanding was that more than 30 grams of protein per serving is kind of wasted, as you can't absorb it. However, especially early on in the process, protein shakes seem to be the most popular way to keep the protein up, with protein foods when you get to that stage . . . Greek yogurt is a good choice as long as the sugar/carbs aren't high (e.g., see this site for a breakdown of the protein and carbs/sugars in various yogurts: http://www.eatthis.com/best-yogurts-for-weight-loss) Good luck!

I know I've seen discussions of that on this site . . . you definitely will need to give up carbonated beverages for a while, at least. I think some people go back to diet sodas, but there can be issues. Some people say the carbonation can stretch out your sleeve/stomach, but others claim that's not true at all. Everybody has to figure what works for them, but i'd suggest trying things like sugar-free iced tea or lemonade to see if you can satisfy that urge without the carbonation. Good luck!

There are a lot of variables, so no stock answer. For example, some insurance providers require a six-month diet/wait period; some require different numbers of visits to a nutritionist. The pre-op testing can also vary--I've been told my lung clearance doctor *may* require a sleep study. On the other hand . . . however long it takes, what would be happening if you weren't going through the process? I've seen some people get scheduled within a month or two and others who report waits of nearly a year. I had my first appointment with the surgeon on May 10th and have a tentative surgery date of August 28th, but a LOT of clearances to get before then.

I've been single a long time and like to cook, but almost any "normal" recipe makes enough for many servings, so I portion the food into plastic containers and stick it in the freezer. I'll probably do the same thing post-surgically, except that the portions will be much smaller! But I'm already thinking in terms of buying breasts of chicken and cutting them into 3- or 4-ounce portions before freezing them; ditto ground turkey, etc. Good luck!

I've read through every single post on all 147 pages: it's been inspiring and heartbreaking. Thank you, everyone. I realize that I'm unusual in many ways. I haven't been bothered by shame and embarrassment--I just figure this is the way I am, take it or leave it. Yes, there are good reasons why I should be smaller, but I haven't stressed out about it. Here's a list of the things that HAVE NOT made me make this decision: --High blood pressure; I've been on medication for probably 20 years; --High cholesterol; on meds for maybe 10 years; --GERD and Barrett's (acid-reflux issues); on meds for that; ---Diabetes; on lots of insulin and two other drugs for that; --Airplane seats; I ask for the seat-belt extension and put it on, and the last time I flew, I *just* booked (and paid for) two seats in an attempt to be comfortable; --Amusement parks, even though I realized there was no point in my going to the Harry Potter World when it opened, not at my weight; --Not being comfortable in various theater and movie seats; --Always asking for a table, not a booth; --Not buying clothes other than online or through a catalog for the past couple of decades. Y'all get the idea--I've just adjusted to the issues associated with my weight. Until now . . . because the one thing that is just not acceptable is KNEE PAIN. For the past six months or so, I've been in agony nearly every time I stand up or walk at all. The meds for this don't remove the pain; they sometimes make it bearable, but they also make me sleepy. Shots don't last at all and certainly won't fix the problem. Nearly constant application of ice helps. I'm at the point where I either figure out a way to help in a major way (weight loss) or I'm headed for a wheelchair. And as a single person, I'm definitely not willing to give up my independence to that extent. The ortho doctor referred me to the bariatric surgeon. I've done a ton of reading on this site and the most common thing nearly everyone says is this: "It's the best decision I ever made, and I wish I'd done it sooner." I want to be able to say that, too. Being able to possibly get rid of diabetes and some or all of the other ailments/meds, being able to fly comfortably, and being able to buy regular-sized clothes are all benefits I'm excited about--but the knee pain is still the major motivator!

Congrats! You look fantastic!