kem91

I guess what I meant more was this feeling for much of my life that my body wasn't mine, and after surgery suddenly feeling like it was again. I was really surprised how much I had pushed away and tried to "disown" my own body.

My surgery was 8/29, and I said the same thing you did about rather I was posting correctly to get replies because I wasnt:0( but was still able to read up on other experience 's to get the just of it all. I have only lost 23lbs and I'm am now at my 6wk po-op , my start weight was 244lbs and did not loose pre-op.
I was only on the liquid diet for a week though. I have gotten sick when I was first able to eat solids because I was eating to big of bites and to fast.
So I started a game with my daughter who eats way to fast anyways, and we count to 20 to chew and use a toddler fork or spoon to eat with and don't get up from table untill 20-30 minutes of eating time. This has really helped me out personally. Contact me anytime if you want, looks like our surgery dates are only a,week apart.

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I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. It is really hard to be around other people who can eat "normal" food when you can't. I was one week post op when I started training for my new placement, and there were muffins, Cookies, fruit, and orange juice around, none of which I can have. And I went to a meeting where egg rolls and fried rice were served. There are times when it doesn't feel fair, but I keep reminding myself I'm making good progress towards my health goals, and those meetings and things will shrivel in comparison to the day I reach my goal weight. It can feel very lonely, especially since this is such a personal thing. I've been very lucky in having several people in my life who are understanding and supportive. Feel free to send me a message if I can be of help or support to you!

I struggle some with acid issues. One of the things that helped most is sleeping propped up. I went home through my first few days of surgery and slept on my parent's reclining sofa, which was a huge help since I could lay back some and use my legs and arms rather than abs to pull me up. I added tums to my routine (2000 mg 2x per day, the 2 of the 1000 mg tums of which you can take 7 in a day). Also I found the Zofran I was prescribed for nausea often helps with acid.
I'm now 6 weeks post op, and have found sleeping propped up with several pillows to help with sleep. Also, hydration helps too! I have found my acid is worse after introducing new foods, and has gotten better the further out from surgery I've gotten. I hope your recovery is going well and you're acid problems get better over time!

I'm so sorry I didn't see this! I hope your procedure went well! I'm now almost a full week post-op. I'm 10 poundsish down from my day of surgery weight. Thankfully having little to no pain, except when I sneeze. I can get up and down on my own now, usually without a support pillow, but sometimes that's needed. Taking zofran as needed along with gas-x to reduce pressure on my tummy. BTW post-op Constipation is no joke! Wish I had started trying to address it sooner. Staying hydrated and eating is kind of challenging, I'm getting really bored of Protein Shakes, plain greek yogurt, and Soup. Overall, I'd say all is well and I'm making progress in a good direction!

1 week post op as of today! Feeling pretty good overall and really not in any pain, except for sneezing and coughing. Incisions look like they're doing pretty good, I check them twice a day (morning and night). No signs of other complications so far. I personally have to do liquids for two weeks post op before going to puree. I am having some difficulty getting enough hydration and food, getting bored of what I can eat really easily. On the giant plus side: down 10 pounds from surgery and I've lost several inches from different parts of my body. Looking forward to next week when I can have things like pudding and cheese.
Hope everyone else is recovering well and has excellent success on the road ahead!

Thanks, Callisto, for your encouragement and totally have had similar thoughts. I think a lot of the denial came from being at a healthy weight in the past. At 16 I was able to lose weight and be at a happy healthy place because of it. As time went on and pounds stacked up, I kept saying to myself that I was the 180 pound me, not 250 and certainly not over 300. With my weight coming down I've been able to manage and identify this better and accept how all of these changes post op are contributing to me becoming me again. I'm trying to "enjoy the journey" and not get too excited about where I will be in X amount of months, because I know every experience is different. Ultimately, I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to be myself again (even if it is 10 years later).

I have been thinking like this all my life. I feel like me and think like me (if that makes any sense) but then I look into a mirror while passing by or trying on clothes or see myself in pictures and it's like a slap across the face because I don't see myself as that big. That's why I avoid pictures like the plague. Last night was my husband's birthday and I can honestly say I had a great time with family & friends. Everyone was also saying how great I looked which made me even happier. I thought do I really need this surgery? And then a family member who was taking pictures all night sent me the pictures this morning and I saw myself and felt absolutely mortified thinking who is this person? That can't be me!
Yeah, I need this surgery so I can find out what being me really feels like.

I posted a picture on fb of myself the other day and it was next to someone who plays college football, 6'5" 338 pounds, HUGE guy. Of course I felt so tiny next to him but the reality is that at 4'11" and 185 I looked like I was fixin' to do some linebacking myself! lol I did not want to post the picture because I don't want to believe that is ME but the truth is - THAT IS ME. I don't want it to be but it is. This is me. I don't know if i have disassociated with myself or not. It will be interesting to think about what you have said and see how I feel after surgery.
Oddly, when I am with my husband I don't feel like it is not me. I feel like this is me and he is okay with me. But what if I just think I think like that? LOL! Don't make me think too deeply.

Congrats on your surgery and your weight lost so far! This is you and you are becoming healthier every day.

I primarily got surgery to prevent weight related disorders prevalent in my family from manifesting in my life. Though it surprised me as part of all of this how much I had pushed myself away from who I am. I refused to believe I could really be the size I saw in pictures. There were times I wanted to ask if people would take pictures down because of how ashamed I was. I now realize how important those pictures were. I want to emphasize I didn't do this to look better, but to be healthier. I was surprised though how little I'd heard conversation about this topic in the community and thought it might be time to open up some conversations.

I primarily got surgery to prevent weight related disorders prevalent in my family from manifesting in my life. Though it surprised me as part of all of this how much I had pushed myself away from who I am. I refused to believe I could really be the size I saw in pictures. There were times I wanted to ask if people would take pictures down because of how ashamed I was. I now realize how important those pictures were. I want to emphasize I didn't do this to look better, but to be healthier. I was surprised though how little I'd heard conversation about this topic in the community and thought it might be time to open up some conversations.

Because I didn't really believe my size.. I actually didn't get surgery based on looks at all. I got it because my health was starting to be impacted by the weight. Living with a diabetic stroke patient, I realized when my blood sugars and blood pressure had risen, that I was seeing my own future in that patient.

Yeah.. that was me, too. I avoided mirrors and cameras, and when I did catch a glimpse, it was something to be embarrassed horrified about.. but even then, I didn't REALLY know how big I had become. I had to see myself on a video to really understand how my internal perception of myself was so much BETTER than my actual physical form.
What doesn't help are all the people that say.. "Wow! I never would have guessed you're 300lbs! You look really good!" Because I heard that enough, without anyone ACTUALLY being honest.. that I believed it.
Now that I've lose 83lbs, I hold up my pants that I wore the day of surgery, and I'm like, dumbfounded. They are so HUGE, and they just never looked that big when I wore them.
And I'm not small now.. sitting at 16/18, I'm still a big lady. I think I now look close to what I thought I looked before. But now when I see myself in a mirror, it's ok. I'm not horrified. I don't look THIN to myself (and at 222lbs, I'm not thin).. but I look OK.
I think of my situation like a solar eclipse. At first the moon (my perception) is far to the right, then it aligns with the sun (my actual physical form), and I am what I believe. I wonder what will happen as the weight loss continues, and I get close to goal. Will the moon then travel past the sun the other direction? Or will they continue traveling in tandem?
Time will tell...

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. It is really hard to be around other people who can eat "normal" food when you can't. I was one week post op when I started training for my new placement, and there were muffins, Cookies, fruit, and orange juice around, none of which I can have. And I went to a meeting where egg rolls and fried rice were served. There are times when it doesn't feel fair, but I keep reminding myself I'm making good progress towards my health goals, and those meetings and things will shrivel in comparison to the day I reach my goal weight. It can feel very lonely, especially since this is such a personal thing. I've been very lucky in having several people in my life who are understanding and supportive. Feel free to send me a message if I can be of help or support to you!

I'm about 2 weeks out and I have some burping and heartburn, even when eating non-acidic food. I think it may be that some air gets in there anyways and has to get burped up? Not sure, but so far no one has said anything to me about it so I mostly don't worry. Don't hesitate to check in with your surgeon or their team if you have concerns though, better to not have to worry than stress in not knowing (for me anyway).

My surgeon told me it can be irregular for at least 3 months post op. If you're really worried, it's always a good idea to call your surgeon's office or your obgyn's office. Even if someone tells me everything is fine, I'd rather have an answer than be worried.

You don't need to do any type of cleanse. If you take down the sugar. And go back to dense Protein you will really feel the restriction. Your tummy won't feel bigger if you say had some steak. But would with slider food. Just go back to basics and continue on. I'm on holiday so I am worrying Bout not losing as can't weigh food. Just eating Proteins and tiny amount of veg doesn't allow for.me to over eat. You got this. What is your Daily eating like

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I had to get back about 5 days after surgery for a mandatory orientation training. Originally I was going to fly, but my parents were able to drive me. The surgeon really just wanted me up and walking or tapping my toes to keep the blood flowing and prevent a clot, especially since I take birth control. Having a pillow to support my incisions and still healing tummy was very helpful, as well as getting out and walking frequently.

I had to get back about 5 days after surgery for a mandatory orientation training. Originally I was going to fly, but my parents were able to drive me. The surgeon really just wanted me up and walking or tapping my toes to keep the blood flowing and prevent a clot, especially since I take birth control. Having a pillow to support my incisions and still healing tummy was very helpful, as well as getting out and walking frequently.

1 week post op as of today! Feeling pretty good overall and really not in any pain, except for sneezing and coughing. Incisions look like they're doing pretty good, I check them twice a day (morning and night). No signs of other complications so far. I personally have to do liquids for two weeks post op before going to puree. I am having some difficulty getting enough hydration and food, getting bored of what I can eat really easily. On the giant plus side: down 10 pounds from surgery and I've lost several inches from different parts of my body. Looking forward to next week when I can have things like pudding and cheese.
Hope everyone else is recovering well and has excellent success on the road ahead!

Best of luck with your recovery, can't wait to hear all the good things coming your way!

I'm so sorry I didn't see this! I hope your procedure went well! I'm now almost a full week post-op. I'm 10 poundsish down from my day of surgery weight. Thankfully having little to no pain, except when I sneeze. I can get up and down on my own now, usually without a support pillow, but sometimes that's needed. Taking zofran as needed along with gas-x to reduce pressure on my tummy. BTW post-op Constipation is no joke! Wish I had started trying to address it sooner. Staying hydrated and eating is kind of challenging, I'm getting really bored of Protein Shakes, plain greek yogurt, and Soup. Overall, I'd say all is well and I'm making progress in a good direction!

I'm so sorry I didn't see this! I hope your procedure went well! I'm now almost a full week post-op. I'm 10 poundsish down from my day of surgery weight. Thankfully having little to no pain, except when I sneeze. I can get up and down on my own now, usually without a support pillow, but sometimes that's needed. Taking zofran as needed along with gas-x to reduce pressure on my tummy. BTW post-op Constipation is no joke! Wish I had started trying to address it sooner. Staying hydrated and eating is kind of challenging, I'm getting really bored of Protein Shakes, plain greek yogurt, and Soup. Overall, I'd say all is well and I'm making progress in a good direction!

Congrats on your date! I'm 2 days post op right now. Biggest thing for me is walking and taking pain meds on time. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions, I'd rather have an answer than not know. Having a pillow to hold over stitches is so helpful for support (been using my pillow pet personally). You'll do great!

Hi! 25 on the west coast and 4 days post op. Feel free to send me a message or post questions, but it sounds like you're on the right track! Good luck on your journey!