EsoKev

Not to troll, but how is the sleeve responsible for this? What do you regret about the surgery itself?

Direct her to the NIH guidelines and to talk her it is medically necessary. You're not asking for her permission, but rather her support. Is she obese too? This might be more about her issues and insecurities. Sent from my SM-G920V using BariatricPal mobile app

Kind o a silly question, but what quantity would you say is a sip. My doctor has me practicing my fluids by drinking 1 ounce every 15 minutes. An ounce feels a lot more than what I would assume a sip is. I just don't want to end up taking 1 one ounce and feeling like I'm in pain.

Usually takes about a week for pathology results (give or take a few days).

Another midwesterner here (Wisconsin)! I get what you are saying Harleymama11. I'm scared as he** too, but then I ask myself what my alternative is. I've played this game before (drop some weight, gain it back and more) and I always lose. I can push it off and let my health deteriorate more (and it will... that's why they call obesity a chronic disease) or I can do this now and be on the road to recovery and better things. You're doing this for you, to be healthy. You CAN do it :-)

Yes, I get nervous as well. Sometimes I think it won't work, because I have to take medicine for longstanding depression/anxiety (these are known to cause weight gain in some people). At the end of the day though even if I don't lose as much as someone else, I will still be way better off healthwise than before the surgery.

I think I will casually bring it up when I meet with my team in a few weeks. Ther partnership with this hospital/clinic system is fairly new, so I feel like they would want to know that. I don't believe it was said with any sort of malicious intent, but it was just an ill-informed comment. I wish I would have said, "Actually, I'm a great candidate for this surgery. There's some excellent information on the NIH and ASMBS website. I can give you the link..." Maybe use it as more of a teachable moment than something punitive. She was very nice, but obviously not using a filter and not fully informed about why I would be having the surgery.

Make some protein shake popsicles of your own. This was suggested by my surgeon as they found that some people have dramatically different tolerances to taste, texture, etc. after surgery. Get creative! You can do this. You may need to try some things to get all the fluids/protein in. I think what you are experiencing regarding the scale is normal, but I also STRONGLY urge you to connect with a mental health provider. Don't let it slide.

I'm glad you didn't, and if she would have asked it likely would have been an HR violation.

Hi Irishgal and welcome to the boards, There are great resources about the different procedures available here. Your surgeon should also be knowledgeable about what surgery would work best for your circumstances and why. Unfortunately, you will find a lot of the information here is focused primarily on those of us that live in the United States in terms of cost, information criteria, and other matters like that. If I remember correctly, Ireland has medical care provided by the government, yes? Or do you have a private policy? Each is likely to have their own criteria that you will need to meet. I would recommend thinking about gathering medical records if possible, even if you can't get them in time for your consult with the surgeon. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the journey now (and it's definitely a journey!) and I'm still not sure what surgery I will be having. EsoKev PS: I'm a wannabe Irishman. I've been to Dublin, Galway and Limerick three times. Need to make to Cork though!

They may ask that you consider bypass instead of the sleeve (if your desired surgery is sleeve). I keep going back and forth on sleeve vs. bypass. I have my EGD in about 2 weeks and that will probably dictate which surgery I go with.

I went in for another one of my appointments today, this time with the nurse coordinator. She seemed surprised that I had been able to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks and said "most people struggle to lose the excess weight." I'm a dieting pro. I've lost the same frigging 80-100 lbs for two darn decades. They've got me on a low carb diet of no more than 60 net grams (essentially protein and veggies). I'm drinking more than 64 ounces of water per day and walking. I'm following every last rule they laid out for me. Losing has never been my issue, maintaining has. That, of course, set off a cascade of guilt about this choice. If I can lose so easily, do I even need this? Yadda yadda yadda. Anyone else feel like this? I realize my BMI is only 39-40ish, but golly... I don't know why, but the comment just sorta hit me the wrong way.

This is EXACTLY the way I feel... Like I shouldn't be there. But it's not a matter of if, but when. Sure, I can wait and just continue to have more health issues (I now have GERD, high BP, prediabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea) and get bigger (which will happen) or take control of my health now.

This is going to seem stupid, but I'm going to ask it anyway. How do you poop when you're on a liquid diet? I'm VERY regular and quite satisfied when it comes to my BM habits (sorry if TMI, but I've got it down to an art after years of dealing with IBS) and the idea of having to go to work all plugged up or with raging runs doesn't exactly appeal to me. Do things normalize after surgery and get nice and regular again?

Don't have a good answer as to how to navigate the anxiety about this (mine is on the 22nd and I'm scared s***less) but we are who we are (intricate human beings). I would say I'm just going to focus on progress and be transparent about my depression and anxiety (very well managed by meds and previous therapy/cbt skills)

Hi all, Any suggestions for ready to drink protein shakes made with Stevia instead of Splenda. I don't do well with Splenda (headaches, etc.) Thanks!

Newbie here and into the process. Just wondering if some of you who have been through surgery can weigh in on what the recovery was like. I've had several of my consults already and just have the psych eval, 2 more nutritionist appointments, EGD, and final surgeon consult to go. We're aiming for a late June surgery. Right now I'm leaning more towards the bypass than sleeve, because I've got bad GERD. My surgeon says we can make the final decision after the EGD. I'm practicing my eating now (70+ grams of protein and low carb) and increased water intake. But there's so much to take in... 20-30 chews for each bit of food, and how on earth do you get in your water if you sip all day? Remembering not to drink at all between meals. Crushing pills. I'm not worried about desire or willpower, but more so about how exhausting the recovery and new lifestyle is going to be and my ability to keep track of it all. Does it ever become the "new" normal? Right now it feels miles away and its very anxiety provoking. How did you learn everything?

I just downloaded the app last night, and I think it's going to be VERY helpful! Whar brand of Smartwatch do you use? I don't get if I can get myself to spend $250 on the Apple Watch :-)

Thanks! What I actually meant was drinking lots of water BETWEEN meals!!! Trying to get all your water in without drinking at meals was making me nervous!