boringtessa

I'm a big fan of Unjury Protein Powder - they have a couple savory ones, which make a nice change from the sweet. I like their chocolate Splendor, and their Unflavored is very useful. For the savory ones, I like to use the Southwest Chili flavored one in some beef broth for a nice savory (and a little spicy) hot drink - just make sure not to heat the Protein powder over 140 degrees F (it changes the texture).

36, single (and loving it!), nerdy, PC gamer, board game collector, former musician, Christian... I traveled to Germany last year, and now I've got a mean case of the Wanderlust, too (@greentealael)!

HEALTH

LOOKS/ROMANCE - I've never had a serious relationship or any interest from "compatible" men... I'm a content-by-necessity single in my late 30s, so it is about dang time that I go out, turn heads, have a little fun, and make a few (safe) mistakes.

MOBILITY

LONGEVITY - Not something I usually worry about.

FAMILY - I'm single with no kids, so this wasn't one of my reasons.

I chose by BMI - my goal is the weight right at the border of "Healthy" and "Overweight". Also, 150 is a nice, round number, and it is almost exactly half of my starting (and highest) weight.

The thing I found the most useful was an extension cord - made it easy to put my phone and charger right where I needed them. Also, underwear.

I also brought my headphones and loaded an audiobook onto my mp3 player - so useful, I could keep entertained without having to keep my eyes open!

The hospital was great, they provided me with socks as well as a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and chapstick - boy, it felt so good to brush my teeth after hours of dozing in a hospital bed.

I personally didn't need anything else I brought.

Wow, that seems like a long time to have a drain, bleh. I'm sorry you had to live with it for so long.

I just wanted to say how weird it feels when they take it out - so bizarre, like a snake moving around in there. And it was comically long, the doctor looked like a clown pulling a big line of handkerchiefs out. 😂

Alright, after surgery on the 3rd, I'm finally home from the hospital, safe and doing well! A little out of it, but feeling good, feeling like I've done the right thing!

1 hour ago, magpie26 said:

When I was a kid I used to rollerblade. I don't think I've roller skated in forever but a HUGE goal of mine is to join a roller derby league! There's one up here and the outfits and everything about it seems awesome.

Roller derby is so awesome - the league closest to me offered a "Skate Camp" where they taught complete beginners how to skate. I've never met such a group of kind, inclusive, supportive people, and if I lived closer (I'm an hour away), I would have joined the league. If you have a league close by, I encourage you to give it a try!!

Does anyone else here enjoy roller skating?

I was just wondering how long you waited to skate after surgery?

Also, as you lost weight, what changed about skating? I'd imagine that maybe you'd need to get stickier wheels at some point or even smaller skates... was there anything that changed about your skating when you got lighter?

I have to say, I love love love roller skating... it has been a great low-impact form of exercise (as long as I don't fall, haha), and it makes me feel so free, gliding around instead of feeling like the slow and heavy person I am. And it burns so many calories and engages your "core". I'm so excited to get lighter on my skates as I lose weight and I look forward to being more agile.

Another October 3rd here!

I can't wait! I'm slowly buying all the stuff I need - I even bought a Squatty Potty after reading on this forum about Constipation and how much the SP helped. Trying to make sure I have enough Protein Shakes, stocking up on interesting spices to punch up bland food. I've got a food scale as well as a fancy new body scale that measures all sorts of things. I meet my surgeon again on September 11 and will find out if I go on a liver shrink diet or not and get all the last-minute instructions!

I'm a little sad about the surgery because I love to bake, and I will probably have to give that up for a while (which I know will be worth it, I won't regret it), so for my birthday in a few days my mom and I are going to bake a bunch of things we've always wanted to try to make... one last fun experiment since I've been very good with my pre-op diet.

Anyways, good luck everyone!

3 hours ago, NYJenn said:

Hidrate spark “smart” Water bottle.

That looks like a fun gadget!

I recently bought the RENPHO Bluetooth Body Fat scale and am enjoying it - seems to be accurate and has all those fun other body composition measurements. And it is quite affordable at less than $25 on Amazon. The only thing is that the app that goes with it isn't that great, but it isn't so bad that I regret getting the scale.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N1UX8RW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Hey, all you post-ops out there! What are your favorite items - things you cannot/couldn't do without since the surgery - and why?

Do you have a particular water bottle you love? What kind is it?

Are you way into your FitBit or other fitness device?

Are there any item recommendations you would make to pre-ops or recent post-ops that you wish you knew about?

I like your list! I have had a tough time finding non-food rewards, but, though my interests are quite different, your list has helped me expand my scope.

I'm looking forward to seeing other lists!

Meeeee! I have never been a normal weight since childhood, so the surgery will be giving me a brand new experience! I can't even imagine what it must be like to NOT be the fattest person in the room, nor what it's like to walk around without the weight of two full-grown humans putting stress on my hips, lower back, legs, and feet. I'm looking forward to the new normal-weight me, I can't wait!

I started on a CPAP within the last 3 years (never needed it until I ballooned up to my highest weight), and it has been such a burden! I went on a trip to Germany for 3 weeks, and it was a nightmare to carry around with me everywhere. And whenever I overnight somewhere, it has to come with me. A pain in my @$$, but air in my lungs. I can't wait to lose enough weight that I don't need it anymore.

That being said, it really has made a positive difference in how I sleep and my wakefulness throughout the day - I hope you can get used to it quickly, and that it will help you.

Hello! Newbie here!

I've already received the go-ahead and referral from my GP, so I'm impatiently waiting for the first meeting with my prospective surgeon (June 2nd seems very far away!), and they sent me a packet of papers to fill out; there are two questions right next to each other: "Do you binge eat?" and "Are you an emotional eater?" I am afraid that answering those two questions honestly would be cause for immediate denial. Not only that, I have Bipolar II Disorder (though I have been stable for at least 5 years thanks to the right cocktail of medications).

But there is nowhere to write an explanation about any of these things.

I mean, yes, I have been known to binge eat and to eat emotionally, and though I haven't been ready to make the commitment to weight loss in the past, I am certainly ready now - I am willing to do whatever it takes, including seeing a therapist or doing group therapy.

Perhaps I am being silly, and no matter what I put they will meet with me and talk it out, but... I dunno. I will definitely answer honestly, but I am a bit hesitant about it.

Did all you post-ops out there answer these questions honestly?

If you guys have the same conditions (binge eating, emotional eating, Bipolar II), how difficult was it to "convince" your surgeon to do the surgery? And has it been successful in spite of these conditions?