Jrob66

I am still pre op, but I have set ground rules for my loved ones. I told them not to ask how much I lost, If I want to tell them I will. I asked them to be patient with me on this journey and know it is an 18 month process and what I learn during those months will prepare me for going forward with my behaviors and how my journey continues.
If that fails... ask them how much they weigh and what they ate today.

I am still pre op, but I have set ground rules for my loved ones. I told them not to ask how much I lost, If I want to tell them I will. I asked them to be patient with me on this journey and know it is an 18 month process and what I learn during those months will prepare me for going forward with my behaviors and how my journey continues.
If that fails... ask them how much they weigh and what they ate today.

I am still pre op, but I have set ground rules for my loved ones. I told them not to ask how much I lost, If I want to tell them I will. I asked them to be patient with me on this journey and know it is an 18 month process and what I learn during those months will prepare me for going forward with my behaviors and how my journey continues.
If that fails... ask them how much they weigh and what they ate today.

I am still pre op, but I have set ground rules for my loved ones. I told them not to ask how much I lost, If I want to tell them I will. I asked them to be patient with me on this journey and know it is an 18 month process and what I learn during those months will prepare me for going forward with my behaviors and how my journey continues.
If that fails... ask them how much they weigh and what they ate today.

That’s unfortunate for you. My question is for people who had surgery. Thanks for the opinion [emoji4]

Thank You! It’s a joy talking to you! I of course like our Nebraska connection!

I have a lot of supportive friends and family and I am truly blessed to have them, but...
sometimes their questions about how I am doing make me feel like I will never progress fast enough for them. Getting lots of questions about how much have I lost, am I ready to buy a whole new wardrobe, what am I eating...etc. Sometimes I just want to get back to my routine and not have the focus on me.
I really think some of them expected me to be thin right after the surgery....it’s been 3 weeks! My Dr. Office and husband assure me I’m doing great, but when you start off at almost 400 pounds, 50 pounds down (since beginning journey) just doesn’t make a dent. I’ve got a long way to go.
Anyone else feeling this way?
Also, do you weigh yourself everyday? I haven’t been because I’m afraid to get hyper focused on progress or lack of progress.

I think you hit a chord there Kate B. I told two coworkers that are also overweight and they seem to not want to discuss it with me once they realized I had a scheduled surgery date and they wouldn't be able to change my mind. All three of us have been dieting the last three year with results and then gained it all back around the same time. I think they might feel like I will leave them behind once I have lost the weight and we won't have the big girl theme in common any more. I know I will always be the big girl in my head... hard to turn that switch off after being the tallest and biggest person in a room since kindergarten. There is so many psychological changes that go along with this journey that we are all on, that I have to remind myself daily it's going to be a life changing surgery.
We shouldn't feel ashamed of trying to be a healthier version of ourselves. If someone tells me I am taking the easy way, I would probably say.. actually the easy way would have been continuing my lifestyle and dying young.

When I first started this journey, I could not walk one block without needing to stop due to back pain and breathlessness. Today, I walked 2.7 miles. I was slow -- it took me an hour and 16 minutes -- but my back held up, and I felt really good and grateful the whole time.
Anyone else have any non-scale victories to share?

I made a decision at my first post-op follow-up appointment not to share numbers with people. I told my family that I wouldn't be sharing that information so they now know not to even ask that question.
They can see my progress and I am pretty open and frank about every thing else. The number on the scale is no one else's business, and really isn't even mine.

Great advice. Sometimes we want all the weight off so bad, that we don't acknowledge and appreciate the weight that has come off.
I am thankful to be down 74 pounds. And I am earning to change how I communicate that. Over the weekend my cousin asked how much I had lost? My response was I have lost about 70 pounds but I still have 100 more to lose!
I will stop discounting my sucess today. The next time someone asks my answer will be "I have lost over 70 pounds and I look and feel great!" Period. Because that is the truth.

I think you hit a chord there Kate B. I told two coworkers that are also overweight and they seem to not want to discuss it with me once they realized I had a scheduled surgery date and they wouldn't be able to change my mind. All three of us have been dieting the last three year with results and then gained it all back around the same time. I think they might feel like I will leave them behind once I have lost the weight and we won't have the big girl theme in common any more. I know I will always be the big girl in my head... hard to turn that switch off after being the tallest and biggest person in a room since kindergarten. There is so many psychological changes that go along with this journey that we are all on, that I have to remind myself daily it's going to be a life changing surgery.
We shouldn't feel ashamed of trying to be a healthier version of ourselves. If someone tells me I am taking the easy way, I would probably say.. actually the easy way would have been continuing my lifestyle and dying young.

I think you hit a chord there Kate B. I told two coworkers that are also overweight and they seem to not want to discuss it with me once they realized I had a scheduled surgery date and they wouldn't be able to change my mind. All three of us have been dieting the last three year with results and then gained it all back around the same time. I think they might feel like I will leave them behind once I have lost the weight and we won't have the big girl theme in common any more. I know I will always be the big girl in my head... hard to turn that switch off after being the tallest and biggest person in a room since kindergarten. There is so many psychological changes that go along with this journey that we are all on, that I have to remind myself daily it's going to be a life changing surgery.
We shouldn't feel ashamed of trying to be a healthier version of ourselves. If someone tells me I am taking the easy way, I would probably say.. actually the easy way would have been continuing my lifestyle and dying young.

My haircut photos (as requested)

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I am still doing some pre-op clearance work and hope to be sleeved in April. I can totally appreciate those who choose to keep this a secret. Life is hard enough with out other people judging you and we have all already had enough judgement for being fat.
But I think I am going to go the other way on this one. . . . I am planning on telling EVERYONE. So far the reactions have been mixed, but the stigma of weight loss surgery will not go away if we all stay in the dark.
Me and my sleeve are out of the closet!

Thank you everyone for your thoughts on this topic. I have the opportunity to work half days after being able to take two weeks of vacation and personal time. I have to use my vaca before June 30th so it is an easier decision to take a week vaca and a week personal. I have to talk to my supervisor in a few weeks, and I might go on the side of caution and take 3 weeks and if I feel better in two, I will go half days. I have a job where it is 90% mental and 10% physical, so I get that the pain issue can drain the brain more than the driving to work and sitting in my office.
I am also anticipating a life changing experience and relationship with my food from pleasure to nutritional needs.
That I think for me is going to be the piece to the puzzle that was always missing in the past.
I am thankful for all of you to be part of my journey.

Like other folks have said everyone is different. I was back at my desk working the Monday after my surgery (4 days), but a lot of this will have to do with how well you are tolerating the pain. If you are experiencing pain its going to sap your energy and make it very hard for you to go back to work.

I work from home, so I technically took no time off. But I had an easy surgery and could have been back at a desk job after a week, or even sooner.

A buddy of mine had the sleeve surgery last year. He is a desk rider also, and he said he returned after a week at home... but for half days only, as he expended a bunch of energy and became week quickly, even for a desk job.

My doctor told me a week and a half should be good enough for light duty work.

As you will hear continually through this forum here....everyone is different. You will need to listen to your own body and your own healing.
But to answer your question......I was sleeved on a Thursday and was back to work the following Wednesday. So less than a week. I have a desk job also.
Good luck to you in this journey!!

I was sleeved on 12/28. I was off work for 2 weeks and I needed every minute! I had a good amount of pain from drinking anything (finally went away after 2 months) and ended up in the ER after a few days home. Take the time that that you need and don't push yourself. A trip to the ER can really set you back physically and mentally.
My husband was sleeved on 12/4 and had pretty much no pain after the first day home and breezed through recovery with almost no issues (a few incisions ot infected but that's it).

Including day of surgery, I only missed 5 days of work. I have a sit down and stand up job, it wasnt bad at all.

I’m a code enforcement officer so I do a combination of field work and desk work not to mention driving to different sites. My doctor recommended 3 weeks off and that’s exactly what I took. It also helped that I was on puréed foods by the time I returned to work don’t think I would have be able to accomplish much while on liquids.< br>

The Road 2 A Better Me

I’m taking 4 weeks and would take more if I could. It’s not the pain for me it’s the learning to feed myself again. I’m using this time to make sure I’m not rushing my meals and not drinking and all that good stuff. I still don’t have a good grasp on how much I should eat and I’m currently in the mushy stage. I had earlier problems getting Protein in because the Protein Drinks started to make me feel sick.

I have a desk job but it is mentally demanding. I took time to focus on me for a change in hopes to get on track to be successful with this new tool. If you can take the time, I would take as much as possible.

Also eating less than 500 calories right now had me wanting to take naps. I have more energy now I think in part to the Vitamins and being able to eat a little food. So I’m slowly moving away from my daily nap.

Had surgery Wednesday, was back at work the following Monday. I have a desk job too. I was totally fine except I was tired and just had to power through the waves of sleepiness. The first two weeks back my energy was up and down. It was unpredictable. I'd have good days and bad days. Third week I really started feeling normal and fourth week I was tip top!