LisaZar

I'm sorry but when you're losing weight, your body is not hungry. You're losing weight because your body is using the energy and calories you take in and getting rid of what you don't need. Nine times out of ten, you are NOT actually hungry. It's head hunger. Weight loss surgery gives us all a chance to relearn our bodies and the difference between actual hunger and head hunger, between what our bodies need and what our brains crave. The truth is that our head does indeed play tricks on us, if we let it. We don't need 1000 calories to survive. It's not about calories, it's about energy, eating the food that actually fuels us, and knowing the difference.
Now some of us don't actually get hungry but we deal with head hunger, which has nothing to do with nourishing our bodies. It's to fill the chemical need of our brains. That's the truth. Get the necessary Protein. Get the fluids. Understand we need less "calories" than we think. Don't count calories. Count nutrients. Be victorious!!

I’m definitely sore, too. I had some trapped air so it’s been a bit of challenge to get comfortable, but overall I can’t complain. I can’t believe I did it, but I think it’ll be the best decision of my life. I’m happy with the choice I made, too.

Keep walking. It helps the healing process and with gas. Sounds like you're doing well.

Oh my! 3pm is late. I had to be at the hospital at7:30 am. After all the prep stuff, I went into surgery At about 10:15 am. So far all is good. The 5 laparoscopic holes don’t even have bandages. Feeling ok so far. Pain is mostly on the left side. Not much gas yet but I feel like liquids get stuck and it’s hard to feel them gong all the way down to my stomach. Ice chips and Jello in very small amounts are good. Been walking 1000 steps when I get up. Hope everyone else of doing ok.

I think you’ll get different answers here from different people, but for me three years out? No. I could not plough my way through my pantry anymore, not without a lot of pausing for digestion. You’ll have a much better internal brake, which will hopefully make you consider what’s happening instead of the headlong rush you used to be able to do.
For instance, if you cooked half a pound of Pasta and tried to eat it in one sitting, you probably wouldn’t be able to. You’d maybe manage half of it, feel uncomfortably full, and then have to either put it away or slow waaaaay down and eat the rest of it over the next hour or so. So you become very aware of binging tendencies (at least in my case).
This is where it becomes important to understand there will be a “WHY” you’re overeating, and to get ahead of that by lining up a therapist. For some people, the absence of hunger pangs is like flipping a switch - that hormone is gone, and now they’re good! For others there is a real need for a certain taste, like fast food fries or ice cream, and that craving is very difficult to snap because of the “just one taste” impulse. Some people are emotional eaters whose overeating is prompted by an emotional state change. And for others the act of overeating itself created an endorphin feedback loop, so overeating actually rewarded you by making you feel good, sort of the opposite of the emotional eater (I was this kind).
For me, the endorphin rush is gone now and so I’m not chemically rewarded for overeating, even a few years out. That chemical hit just isn’t possible anymore. My stomach is around the same capacity as it was 9 months out, I can only really eat a max of 1.5 cups of food in one 20-minute period. My pandemic problem has been grazing (2.5 cups of pasta, snacked on during a day around other meals, for instance) plus a weird stress reaction where I pack all of my tension into my jaw and mouth and guess what alleviates that ache? Chewing and swallowing actual food, not gum (dammit!).
I maintained for two years with little problem. The pandemic knocked me for a loop. Am relatively confident I can reset (if I can get this damn jaw thing under control) but I’ve come to think a LOT of success in WLS is getting to the root of WHY you eat. That will help you in deciding how to manage the rough spots, and will prevent you from getting blindsided as much.

I’m on my way to the hospital now. Excited and anxious but I slept like a rock. I think it was the nerves all day yesterday. Best of luck. Would
Love to compare notes.

Ahhhh. Congratulations!! You can so do it!! I didn’t sleep a wink the night before my surgery, and I had a 3.5 hour drive the next morning for my 7 o’clock sx! It’s so worth it!! I’m 2 weeks out and I feel AMAZING. Today I lifted a 20 lb bag of dog food instinctively, and ended up on the couch for the rest of the day (13 days out). But I got my fluids in and some liquid Tylenol end I feel so much better.
The best advice I can give you is to get up and walk the halls as soon as your nurses give you clearance. It helps disperse the gas in a major way. The gas pain is worse than the actual procedure!!! I wasn’t allowed out of bed for 48 hours; but as soon as I was able to get up it was almost an immediate difference!!!

You might (not everyone is, but I just wanted to share with you just incase cause I wish someone would have told me) be swollen after surgery and it maybe hard to get fluids down the first couple days! Don’t get discouraged! Experiment with temperatures, different types of liquids and SF flavor additives (preferably with electrolytes) until you find something that sits well with you. At the beginning take BABY sips. By Monday (day 9) I was able to drink 2-3 sips at a time til restriction hit, without feeling like I was drowning and that’s when I knew the swelling had gone down!!! I will say a prayer (I really hope that’s okay and not insulting, if not I’ll just send you very good thoughts) that you don’t swell up too much and you’re able to tolerate your fluids super soon!!
If you need anything from a 2 week out surgery buddy (I’m 2 weeks out, but bc of being in the hospital so long I’m really on week 1), please contact me! I may not know about the months post op stuff, but I’m right here with you in the immediate aftermath!!
Also, vets such as @catwoman7 @Jaelzion @JMJames92 @ms.sss @Arabesqueeven though not all have had the same surgeries have been a wealth of knowledge to me, I would highly highly suggest reading their posts, advice, tips, and tricks even on older threads. They’ve been a godsend, encouragement, and a stranger support system from afar that I never knew I would need and benefit so much from.
Goodluck, stay positive, and please reach out if you need anything!! Please update on how you’re doing in a few days!!!

This! Only my husband knows (I’m pre-op still going through ins reqs) and this is why I won’t tell anyone else. I am a very private person and prefer to keep information about my body private for the most part. I don’t think it’s anyone’s business and don’t want to be the ongoing topic of conversation for my very nosy and gossipy family - we live in a very small town to boot. They all share EVERYTHiNG and my preference for privacy has been a point of contention before, so it might be tough because this is a physical change but worth it.

Same. I had my surgery in October. I told 4 people close to me because I didn't want to be known to the rest of the world as the girl that had the weight loss surgery. A friend that had the surgery said that she felt that way and wished she hadn't shared it with others. I'm a pretty private person, so her comments stuck with me. As I've been losing weight and people ask what I'm doing, I just tell them I'm doing Keto. The bariatric diet is high in Protein and low in carbs, so the diet they see me eating reflects that. Also, I don't feel like I'm lying because I am basically doing keto. Everyone has their own path- just do what's best for you!

It'a amazing how often I agree with Catwoman.
My story is similar. I also told only immediate family and close friends. (One family member and one close friend were extremely critical when I told them of my surgery plans.) I took annual leave for the surgery. When the weight loss started becoming obvious, I said that I was doing a medically-supervised weight loss program through a local hospital, which was technically true. However, when seriously obese people asked me about it, I confided in them about the surgery in hopes they might be inspired to look into it themselves. In one case, a woman did subsequently get the surgery and has done very well, so I'm glad I told her about it.
At this point (two years out), I've been at a normal weight for quite a while, so nobody asks about it any longer (or in many cases didn't know me when I was obese).

I’m getting a sleeve and haven’t had surgery yet but when I put in for leave at work I told my boss and coworkers that I was having part of my stomach removed due to ulcers (not entirely a lie, I do need it for that reason as well). I joked about how “at least I’ll lose weight as a side effect” and everyone was supportive and called me “lucky” to be losing weight as a side effect of a “legitimate medical procedure”. And then they all trash talked getting a bariatric procedure solely for weight loss 🙄. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing with anyone you certainly don’t have to, but if you want to maybe stretching the truth a bit will help it be easier to swallow for others. It’s so sad that weight loss procedures are shamed. We’re looked down on for being fat and then looked down on for doing the things we have to do to lose weight. It’s not fair

So I often chat with Mr. about the goings-on on this forum. Especially since i'm on here like ALL. THE. TIME. (yep, I'm a BP addict), and given Pandemic In The Wintertime, it is one of my main sources of non-family contact/socialization these days!
Anyhoo, I brought this particular thread up with him last night/this morning and asked if he had any concerns or objections to my current wardrobe. He is a very easy-going and chill kind of guy so this never occurred to me that it would even be an issue, nor did he ever bring it up or show any indication of it being so.
And he was all, "why would it bother me?" He pointed out that since the weight loss, I've been dressing more like I was when we first started dating almost 25 years ago, with the confidence to match. And that it was a good thing (I ❤️ my Mr.). He also said that during the years I was "unhealthy" (aside: he never says "fat" or "obese" or "big" to me), I was dressing more like my mother, which was not as good a thing, LOLOLOLOLzzzz, and that I would often say I hate my clothes, I have nothing to wear, avoid being in pictures, and be generally annoyed. So yeah, why would it bother him?
So long story short, having a happy/confident/at-peace spouse is a win all around, and if it takes a stripper outfit to do it, then so be it.
P.S. at the same time, the non-stripper spouse my feel threatened/scared/insecure but this is a relationship issue, not a weight loss/choice of dress issue.
P.P.S. Of course, it doesn't have to be a stripper outfit! LOL, a head-to-toe wrap, or a suit of armour is just as good, so long as the FEELS are there. ❤️

Hello!
I'm 4 weeks post op and thought I would come back here to share what I have learned over the last 4 weeks.
My experience since surgery has been nothing short of incredible. I'm not speaking in terms of massive weight loss, but my energy, focus, well-being, mental clarity, and state of mind. The weight loss is a bonus.
Looking back on my 8 month journey to the OR, I realized that the most crucial piece of advice I received came from the most unlikely of individuals on my path, the psychologist who did my psyche evaluation.
She told me that the single best thing I could do for my recovery in the time before my surgery was to practice hitting my program Protein and fluid goals before surgery and to practice liquid Meal Replacement.
I had more time than expected between this appointment and surgery (5 months versus 8 weeks due to multiple delays and reschedules), but I kept on doing this. I started by replacing Breakfast with my Protein Shake and monitoring my Water intake. I eventually worked up to hitting 70-90 grams of Protein daily and my minimum 90 ounces of Water. I still ate, but only after I was at my minimum protein goal.
It wasn't an doctors order, it wasn't required, but I took her advice to heart and it has paid off in droves.
Within days of my VSG, I was well on my way to hitting my goals again, with little head hunger or emotional discomfort with a liquid diet. I wasn't stressed or had any 'buyers remorse'.
This is one small thing you can do for yourself on the way to make the lifestyle change a smooth transition. Best of luck!
Sent from my Pixel 3a using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery is on Feb 9th have tobe there at 6am. I also am not doing pre-op diet. As I am barely over the bmi requirement. with other health issues I had to be over 30BMI and I am literally at 30.14 so they told me not to do the pre-op. I am 5'6" and weight 218

Hey everybody, I had my surgery on Tuesday the 9th and I’m doing pretty well. Only had two small bouts of nausea but never threw up. I’m doing fine with warm liquids like chicken broth. That doesn’t seem to cause any esophageal spasming I was having in the hospital with cold liquids. So I’m sticking to warmer or room temp liquids. I’ve been up walking a lot and haven’t had much of the problem with the gas. Feeling pretty good but just tired. Hope everyone is doing well!💕

Hi 😊 Got my date yesterday, Feb 23. No preop diet (was totally shocked—doc said he’s found they aren’t necessary and feels they’re a bit barbaric 😳) just nothing to eat after midnight before surgery. One overnight in the hospital. Then, it’s full liquids after for 10 days.

Just to add, as a fellow "lightweight" I was expecting slowish weightloss but was one of those who dropped big numbers very quickly. This gave me my own anxiety but this board & the advice of veterans put my mind at rest. Your body will do what it wants to
Good luck. I'm just over 3 months out now & it's the best thing I've done for myself in forever.

DIET
Breakfast 250 calories
lunch 375 calories
snack 125 calories
Dinner70,450 calories (OOPS!)

Weight loss is made in the kitchen. So why exercise? This ^^^^^

Asking for a friend . . .