Blue.ring.key

Had my surgery 11/28/2019. Changed my life for the better. The added bonus of being healthy? all the compliments 😋

I was 130kgs. I have lost approx 55kgs. I am currently 74kgs and still going strong! Struggling with the last 14kgs but I'm getting there! Here are my two before and two after!

On 1/20/2021 at 9:54 PM, kellym1220 said:

I remember your first post of the before pic! You look great! Sorry, you feel like crap, but eat what you can and stay hydrated! How about Jello or pudding (SF, of course!). Take care of yourself!!

I do feel much better! thank you for your comment! I'm glad you remember me! - out of isolation now and got my negative test! but man has it done a toll on my body!

On 1/21/2021 at 12:11 AM, ChubRub said:

I'm so sorry that you are sick!!! I absolutely love your positive, roll with it attitude though!! That spunk is going to help you heal, and also help you get a new job!!! Best of luck!!!!

Aww thanks! haha trying to keep my mental state in check! getting better everyday!

I crave sodas in general. What helps curb the cravings is carbonated Water - BUT BOY DO I BURP A STORM!

I tried to drink Diet Sprite or 7up. (not a black soda fan) and unfortunately, i couldn't. Tastes too sweet now.

So I stick to carbonated water and sometimes i add a tiny drop of some sort of Syrup to make it similar to a soda i guess.

However, I think like the rest of the replies ill be letting go of this soda habit as well *sad*. But hey that's why we all did these surgeries - to let go of bad habits that got us where we are today.

Where I live unfortunately insurance doesn't cover anything.

However, my doctor did say that bariatric surgery is eligible between 40 - 35 BMI especially if you have other problems ie. diabetes and or other problems.

But NovaLuna is right to keep checking with the insurance. But also I suggest if you've made up your mind about your surgery - just maintain the weight you have right now. Once the surgery date is fixed you will anyway go through an intensive program for about two weeks prior in which you will lose some weight. Better to keep your insurance intact - Bariatric Surgeries are certainly not cheap.

Good Luck ❤️

2 minutes ago, Nikki T 708 said:

Sorry you feeling so bad, hope you are able to recover quickly. Keep pushing the liquids. Remember, small sips but even if you are not able to eat, you need to take in as much Fluid as you can. BTW you look great, keep up the hard work and feel better soon!

Thank you so much! Motivation and Sips of liquids is whats keeping me alive ❤️ appreciate the positive remarks!

Oh jeez! 🙄 Life right now could have not been further off track for me. Here is the sum of all that's happened in a week!

1. I lost my 2-year Marketing Specialist job here in Dubai, United Arab Emirates - my role due to COVID is REDUNDANT and no longer required as APPRENTLY they don't have enough $$$ - but i know the whole story at the back end and who said what and all the politics.

2. I was on a weight-loss stall which FINALLY got over but then ^^^ that happened

3. I started feeling sick especially because i started vomiting up at least once a day

4. WHICH LED TO ME GETTING COVID 19 because HEY! us bariatric pals don't have a good immune system!

So post op almost 2 months and IM SUPER SICK! i have Asthma as well. I have alllll the covid symptoms you can think of and I'm isolated in my home.

Thankfully all my close contacts are fine but MAN O MAN does covid suck more when u CAN'T EAT ANYTHING! All I want is a big ass burger and a milkshake or SOME SORT OF SAVORY food item but i can't even keep down Protein let alone SOUP! It's been horrible - my nutritionist said i should just try to EAT or DRINK whatever i can at this moment. But
BUT! there is a brighter yet a little worrying side. Ive lost about 3kgs! in 3 days. (sorta happy in a selfish way) but i have such a strong feeling ill gain it back as soon as I'm covid free.

but hey! 1.5 months and I've lost nearly 20 kgs! WOOT WOOT! haha.. trying to not die between these 4 walls so I'm trying to look at the brighter side. However every inch of my body hurts as i cough up a storm.

Is anyone in a situation like me? I hope not but if u are - let's relate?

Btw i posted an image here pre-op in my first post ever id like to post it again next to a recent one -> could use the motivation to stay breathing

1. Me at 130kgs 2. Me at 116 kgs same dress

3. Me at 113kg

17 hours ago, fishey said:

I’m probably not walking enough because it hurts to walk. I was doing ok until about 3 days ago. I took gas x and am trying to get warm Water down. I gave in a took a pain pill which got me through the night but if I drink anything after taking it I get nausea. I don’t have a fever and not vomiting so that’s what’s keeping me from going to the ER. I’m afraid of dehydration/malnutrition.

Try your best to get Water in - even if not taking ur Vitamins at least water prior to taking a pain pill. Try Malox or other acid reflux/gas related syrups. You might have to stay off solid foods till the pain goes away and u can take down water and other liquids. If water isn't working for you - you can always have flavored water or even go back to square 1 - Apple or berry juices.

But again - if really the pain is there today as well suggest instead of ER perhaps seeing your doctor with an appointment

16 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

as long as you stick to your eating plan, the stall WILL break. I'd lost about 10 lbs when I hit my first stall, which lasted for two weeks. I went on to lose over 200 lbs.

Wow! that's amazing! hopefully it'll break soon for me too! yeah I'm following my eating plan but unfortunately, past two days haven't been able to keep down my lunch. dinner and Breakfast is fine but strangely lunch although something I've eaten before. just won't stay down!

On 1/5/2021 at 8:02 PM, kelclrk said:

I've been a long time lurker on this site, but it's my first time posting. I know everyone is going to say that everyone experiences a stall, but I'm frustrated and need to share my experience with a community of people who, hopefully, understand what I'm going through.

I'm 4.5 weeks post op VSG and haven't lost any weight in 12 days and I'm really struggling with that mentally. I've been tracking consistently and for the last two weeks I've been at 600-800 calories a day and have been getting at least 60+ gr of Protein a day. I'm struggling a bit with Water, but always get at least 40oz and I'd say I hit 60 oz 4/7 days/week.

My recovery has gone really well, I've tolerated every food I've tried and am doing well with recognizing my full point. I've been back at work (remotely) since 6 days post op. I really have had no issues with pain, gas or anything else since week 1. Mentally, I understand the weight will eventually start going down again, but I can't wrap my brain around the logic of why my weight wouldn't be going down with such a deficit. I have no medical conditions, it's not related to hormones or PMS or stress. I'm feeling a bit down and need a little encouragement and insight.

So I am sadly in the same boat as you now...

SW-130kg CW - 115.6KG - 1 month and 10 days post-op, struggling as I've reached the mysterious halt in weight loss everyone goes through haven't seen a change on the scale for a week or so. MOTIVATION NEEDED - the first month was SOOO good. Scared I won't lose so much in the 2nd month

reading through the posts did help but - just want to be sure I WILL OVERCOME THIS RIGHT? *Freaking out a little*

10 hours ago, fishey said:

I have had constant soreness/pain right below my sternum (where the pouch should be) and it hurts when I move, sit, stand, walk - anything. It feels like someone kicked the crap out of me in that spot. I can get liquids down but I stopped foods (doctor cleared me for soft foods) because it hurts. I called the on call doctor and all he told me was to go to the ER if it worsens. If I do that I’ll probably be there all weekend and I’d like to avoid the covid stuff is possible. Is this normal? Will it go away? Has anyone experienced this? Please help me out!

Are you walking around enough? - Could be gas as well. You should surely go to the ER if it's unbarebale but i had constant pain first 2 weeks of my surgery. (29, November 2020) 1 month in - if i eat something now that doesn't settle with me as fast as lets say liquids does, same place ur indicating starts hurting but with a little walk right after eating.- the pain subsides. My doctor said that's normal as my body is adjusting to solids.

14 hours ago, RhondaHigdon said:

Thanks so much for your support. I will for sure take your advice. It just seems they(the Dr's) want to act like the surgery patients just want to take pain medication for the heck of it? I will let them know, I mean it makes recovery so much easier if you aren't in so much pain. We will/would be able to walk more to work the soreness out. Thanks again. You are so kind.

Also, Shout out to your Father for making sure they helped you.

Always! I feel like i can relate to this community so much more now that I've gone through the process and still going through it! this forum definitely helps when i get stuck with a question! all the answers are here! Thank you for taking the time to reply and absolutely! do keep me in the loop! always here to listen to the struggles but hopefully it'll go smoothly for you! again good luck!

Right here with you! - Some foods go down easier than others. I have to constantly remind myself even if I'm extremely busy to CHEW and to SLOW down between bites and to enjoy - we gastric surgery people in the first few months can only eat a few bites during a sitting - might as well chew those bites and enjoy right?

^ ill be reminding myself this each and every time. If I go to fast *like i did today without realizing* it all comes back out as fast as it went in. When that happens I barely reach 400 calories for that day because it just ruins my appetite for the whole day. So eating slowly bite by bite and chewing is certainly the way to go!

4 minutes ago, RhondaHigdon said:

Absolutely no reason for apologies at all. I am glad to hear that you are doing betther. I am going for my bypass on Jan !2, and I am worried myself that they will not give strong enough pain medication, if needed. I don't understand that at all. That is what the medicine is made for? I just don't get it, but glad to hear from you. Sounds like you are doing great.

Oh please do NOt go through the horrible pain i went through as soon as i woke up from the surgery! do let your doctor know ur tolerance level and don't hesitate to ask him for stronger pain killers! SCREAM if need be to let the nurses hear you! My father had to force the doctor to put me on stronger pain killers because i was in TREMENDOUS pain. Also, tip, it helps to walk the same day after the surgery even if your scared. don't be! walking will help the gas release that they use during the surgery!

I wish you all the luck in the world!! I respect the people now who go through these surgeries it is NOT easy and i hate those who think we took a EASY way out. Definitly NOT easy way out. It's a hard decision to take and I'm rooting for you!

21 hours ago, RTL1234 said:

May be the dumbest question ever...but what does (your) full feels like after surgery?

Before surgery I never felt like I knew what full felt like. It was just hungry (then eat/binge) to sick. Since surgery (a little over 2 weeks post op), I don’t really know what full feels like. I stop after 2 oz because I feel heavy, or I feel like waves of nausea coming on. So that brings me to my question... since being post op, what does your full feel like?

Still relatively new to my surgery - started solid foods abt a week or so ago. Feeling full was hard on liquids... but on semi solids - for me my breathing becomes heavier, harder to swallow the bite.. and then i know if i take one more ill either hurl or have to get up and start walking to help my digestive system work faster. Tightness in the chest definitely a thing for me too like the others who have replied here.

Also - sometimes the thing I'm already use to eating - will make me full faster. for example if i eat an egg, i might be able to eat the whole egg 1 day and the next day only half. So i guess it alllll depends on how I've slept that day, what I've done etc.

Definitly the feeling full takes time to grasp or even mentally clue in.

Congrats!

Newbie here - post op 1 month + 1 week.

Had my surgery on November 29th 2020.

Starting weight: 130kg

Current: 115.6

Steady for now - hoping January 2021 ends with some more kgs down the drain!

On 12/3/2020 at 6:22 PM, RhondaHigdon said:

I hope your surgery went well and you were able to go ahead with it. Do update me here on how it went and how it's like for you now? i guess the first month we all struggle to get adjusted. Since i went for the sleeve and yourself the bypass do let me know how it's going. I think the journey is similar but perhaps the cons might be different. The sleeve worked out for me the best. I hope this year of keeping a diet will change my lifestyle for the best to not gain weight back.

Im done being fat 😛 !

Hi everyone! Thank you for your kind replies! ❤️ means so much to me!

So here is the update.

I had my gastric sleeve

surgery on November 29th 2020. I am now 1 month and approx 1 week - The first week post op was HORRIBLE! my doctor and nurses didn't give me strong enough pain killers. There was more pain of the Gas they insert + the anesthesia rather than the actual surgery! 3rd day when i got back home i had a fever for about 3 - 4 days so the doctor kept me on antibiotics for a full week. Thankfully everything was fine - was just my body adjusting.

After the fever ended i had trouble sleeping. First week and half I slept sitting on the couch - my neck, head and everything just hurt all the time. Was a complete struggle! Onceeeeee i was able to sleep things started to get better. I got annoyed of the liquid diet into the 3rd week and when i was allowed to have purreed i was a little happier.

Finally now i am on soft/all foods - Nutrionist has told me to go slowly see what my stomach handles what it doesn't. I've managed to stay away from GERD and ACID reflux i am very happy about that! But yes - i have had dizzy spells, have puked. I've managed to loose approx 13kgs till now. January has been slower every since i started solid foods. So a little disappointed but too early i guess to be disappointed. People already see a huge change. I started work again so that does make me quite happy. Still a very longgggg way to go.

question - doctor has kept me on 800 calorie diet for the remainder of the year with low card low/no sugar and lots of Protein. out of your experience is that the right path?

Im keeping up with all my Vitamins, thankfully I'm easily able to swallow pills - so I'm very happy abt that. Will start working out properly soon - have already started walking and even riding a bike =D

On 12/3/2020 at 6:22 PM, RhondaHigdon said:

Thank you for the insight. Apologies for the delayed update - the surgery took a whole month out of my life :P! but I'm here now! I've written my update above

On 12/3/2020 at 6:58 PM, GradyCat said:

Hello there and welcome to the forums. I had the sleeve two years ago. No complications, no problems. It restricts my ability to eat much quantity and does its job. I highly recommend it.

Yay! good to know i made the right call!

On 12/3/2020 at 8:35 PM, LaoDaBeirut said:

I just wanted to say I'm happy to see another Dubai person here. I did my surgery in Beirut and relocated here during covid because my boyfriend is here, but my job is in the UAE and I've been there many years.

Hello fellow Dubai-ite! glad to see you here! I'm glad this forum has people from around the word helps us see everyone's experiences - it surely has helped me this past few months looking for answers.

32 minutes ago, keudaeyeo said:

We are about the same size, so good luck! I was given the sleeve simply because it was covered completely by my insurance, and the doctor didn't want me to be back in hospital a year later as it's the less invasive.

I'm on day 6, and I'm having a rough go - they don't tell you depression and general don't mix! - but let's support each other! Cheering you on ❤️

Thank you!! - I'm sorry you're having a rough time! Ah, I'm so scared about my surgery! I wouldn't say I have depression but i do have a jumbled - 10000s of thoughts sort of mind!! so I really hope we both can overcome any mental challenges in the future! Good luck and definitely cheering you on as well! do keep me updated here on how your recovering is going!

And remember - the way you look, and feel will all be worth the trouble at the end.

Thank you ms.sss, catwoman7, and JacquelineC.

I appreciate all your comments and taking the time to read through my post and reply back.

I have finally decided on a date and which procedure I will go ahead with! GASTRIC SLEEVE, hopefully on November 29th, 2020! I'm super nervous and excited.

also @ms.sss - I don't have severe GERD - the usual eating too spicy or oily food can cause some discomfort which goes away through herbal remedies. The doctor did recommend i go for a GI Tract endoscopy this week to rule out any GERD issues. If that goes well then ill be on my way to preparing for my surgery!

Hopefully, everything goes well and I can do this. Lately, however, I've been constantly worrying about how ill feel with HEAD HUNGER! To be honest I DO love food. but I WANT to make healthier choices. I just hope Head Hunger doesn't make me TOOO much of an angry irritated person!

How did you all deal with head hunger?

Hello, all the way from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. My name is Yumna and I'm Canadian/Pakistani. Living in UAE since 2008. I've been obese my entire life. Thank you, mama and Papa genes! I have the same story as all of you in my position. Did 100000s of diets, activities, prepared food subscription, spent thousands of dollars on things that just DIDNT WORK! I also suffer from PCOS and it's not been easy!

I'm honestly so tired of trying and now that I am married (since 2019 January) I want to start a family. My PCOS is the number 1 reason why I've resulted in looking into gastric surgery, I knew the option was always there but to be honest I never felt uneasy in my skin. Growing up chubby made me comfortable with who I am. But now that I had a miscarriage and want to start a family. All i am seeing at the end of this dark tunnel is another thousands of dollars, needles, and suffering for years to try to grow a family. JUST BECAUSE OF PCOS AND OBESITY!

Ahh, my frustration now is beyond I've ever been with my weight and PCOS. So here I am looking through this forum and trying my best to get all the information i can for

1. Gastric mini bypass

2. Gastric sleeve

These two are what I'm stuck between, I've visited a very qualified surgeon here in UAE - he has recommended the mini gastric. however, the idea that not only will my stomach be sliced but also my intestine is scaring me. So i ask you gastric sleeve and bypass recoveries to tell me which option is best and why. When you were deciding why did you choose what you did and how has it helped you and failed you throughout the years post-surgery, I want to know the good the bad, and the ugly!

I would like to make a decision in the coming 2 weeks and set my mind up. Till then ill continue to go through the millions of threads here!

If you've read this far, THANK YOU! 😍