summerseeker

I had awful nausea, some diarrhoea and no pain. It was tough getting in and out of bed as my bed is high so I used a step. I needed to be sat up in bed because my reflux was not under control. I seriously wished for a lazy boy chair. I didn't manage my meds and Vitamins, never made my liquid goals and my Protein goals were non existent.
After a month and nausea meds and some serious advice from the lovely people on here, I began to improve. I worried my family a lot and at this point they noticed me getting on with things. My stomach staple line was very swollen and until the swelling dissipated I struggled.

Don't compare your weight loss to anyone else's. That way is only misery. Trust your team and the process. Stick to their regime. It works. The weight you have lost is fantastic and above average. I lost 15lbs. Mahoosive round of applause coming your way. This time next year you will be amazed how much you have lost.

He seemed really knowledgeable and understanding and compassionate and really willing to do whatever he and his team can to help me get my life back with this surgery which gives me hope.

I just had my first appointment with the surgeon. It went really well, and I’m glad I took the first step. We are leaning toward Gastric Bypass as the procedure for me. It’s a 3 month process to surgery with his office, 3 visits with him, 3 visits with dietician, plus clearance by Cardiology, Pulmonology and sleep medicine.
My next visit with him and the dietician will be in about a month and he’s sending out the referrals to the offices for the clearances and working on prior authorization with insurance.

Don't compare your weight loss to anyone else's. That way is only misery. Trust your team and the process. Stick to their regime. It works. The weight you have lost is fantastic and above average. I lost 15lbs. Mahoosive round of applause coming your way. This time next year you will be amazed how much you have lost.

I agree 100% thank you to everyone for their help & thoughts. I will try more eggs, chicken & definitely need to drink more Water. 3 of my medications cause weight gain :-( im also asthmatic so excersise can be tricky. Along with being a fussy eater. X

The concern I would have (though I am not a dietician) is that slim fast bars and Protein Shakes are more "food-like substances" than actual food. Processed foods, even "diet" ones, can cause metabolism issues, and this feels almost punishing. Maybe you could try to find more satisfying, healthier options? You might try scrambling 2 eggs blended with some cottage cheese and a big handful of frozen chopped spinach for Breakfast with a small serving of fruit, and a big salad of mixed veg topped with rotisserie chicken, black Beans, and fresh salsa for lunch. Make sure the meat or chicken is being served with plenty of non-starchy veg, too.
And don't ignore a good night's sleep and plenty of hydration. If you take prescription meds, check if any of them have weight gain as a side effect.
I do agree that surgery is most likely going to be needed as soon as you can get it sorted because losing and maintaining that amount of weight is almost impossible without the metabolic changes that come with surgery.

I’m sorry you have encountered an obstacle. Hopefully that will get sorted out soon. Are you very active? I ask because 1400 calories may not be low enough to lose if you are not. I really would suggest speaking with a dietician to see if you need to decrease calories or increase your activity.

I just read that climbing stairs helps develop the muscles that help with bad knees and thought of this post. May be something to look into?? I know I have seen some people at the high schools climbing the stairs to the bleachers if you don’t have any. I think I would probably run this by your dr first. This wasn’t an official source. Just thought it’s be worth asking some questions about.

Being kind to myself. All the physical things like fitting in seats, standing, clothes... All FANTASTIC! It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to do all the things that were challenging before. But being kind to myself. Remembering all my body has been through when I was at my heaviest, how I got there, my decision to change my like, and the journey to where I am now. What a story!
I look in the mirror now and see a woman who got her life back and I owe it to her be kind. Does she like the saggy skin and no boobs? No, but they tell a story of overcoming and personal redemption. I'm kind to her on bad days when all she wants is chips and brownies. I'm kind to her when she gains a couple pounds. And I Celebrate with her when she loses those couple pounds and gets back on track. My weirdest non scale victory is to love the woman staring back at me despite everything else.

I attended a concert last week that was basically standing room only. In the past, I would have been DYING standing for 4 hours, but now apparently I can do it! My feet were a little grumpy with me, and I was a little sore the next day (over 40 here, lol!) but this is leaps and bounds better than it was in the past. Looking forward to seeing how I handle a 3-day music festival coming up this summer!

Hello Everyone:
I am getting my gastric band removed on May 17 and going with the gastric sleeve as per my surgeon's suggestion. He feels I will do well with it. I managed to lose 150lbs with the band ( surgeon told me it was not a typical result). I started having trouble getting food to go down. I guess I created a pouch and have a lot of scar tissue. Had to have all the Fluid taken out of the band while I was in Nevada. The surgeon performing this (not easy to find anyone in Las Vegas who would even look at removing the fluid) advised what was going on. There are only 5% of surgeons still installing the band in the entire country. Many, many complications with it. I was fine until a year ago. Had fluid put in (the doctor back home put too much in), then the chest and back pains started. Food would go down sometimes and sometimes not. I managed to regain 15lbs. Struggling every day. I hope the revision to the sleeve will be a success.

I am waiting for my first appointment with the surgeon as I am typing this out. Scared out of my mind but I know I have to do this to live. No more putting this off. It has to happen. I’ll update after the appointment.

The little things are sometimes the best NSV. Just going into regular shops will never get old to me. Congratulations on your weight loss and the NSV.

First summer in an awful lot of years that my heals did not crack and bleed. They were so painful and ugly. To me this is a reason never to regain.

Having my total hysterectomy on May 7th. They can't go in laparoscopically, so it'll be an abdominal hysterectomy. Taking out everything: uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, cervix. I have 3 VERY large uterine fibroids that have made my uterus (and stomach now) the size of someone who is 5 or 5 1/2 months pregnant. I may, in the next couple of years, get skin surgery but I'm still thinking about it. Let's see if I have any cardiac issues with this surgery (like I did with the hernia repair surgery) before I make anymore decisions about elective surgeries. I can't wait for this to be done and over with and I can finally just live my dang life!!!
From my initial sleeve surgery in May 2022 to the hysterotomy in May 2024, I will have had 10 surgeries in 2 years (thanks to all the complications from the sleeve surgery). The uterine fibroids were actually discovered while doing tests for the other issues caused by the sleeve, so it still counts as the reason for the surgery being caused by the sleeve lol Anyway, so happy to finally be at the last chapter of this book!!!

I had surgery on 4/24 and keep having very bad lower back pain. Concerned that it might be Constipation, I did an enema the laxatives weren't helping) and I seemed to get some relief, but the back pain is happening again today. I have only had liquids since 4/23, so I'm honestly not sure if I would even be producing any poop to become constipated. Anyone have any insight on this?
Thanks,
LA

Actually, I found I can tolerate it better lol I never liked the taste of it, but I dealt with it. Now it doesn't bother me at all. Not gonna say it's yummy, but there's no aversion to it. And as for my stomach, no issues with it here. Maybe you just have a bad tummy week? Idk. I hope it gets better....otherwise just have a spit rag with you when you do the dirty 😂

Girl, you can totally laugh! I just really needed to know lol I’ve been having a bad stomach week and I was like nothing I have been doing has changed…except 😂 But thank you for being honest and a woman in solidarity! Haha

Sorry , laughing, Sorry
I had some aversions after this surgery, cauliflower, salmon but ejaculate no. The acid in your stomach will deal with any nasties ?

The little things are sometimes the best NSV. Just going into regular shops will never get old to me. Congratulations on your weight loss and the NSV.

Sorry , laughing, Sorry
I had some aversions after this surgery, cauliflower, salmon but ejaculate no. The acid in your stomach will deal with any nasties ?

I'm so excited! I'm coming up on one year in June. I've lost 111-ish pounds to date. A little worried about my 2 months off that are coming up, but I'm proud of my accomplishments so far.

Even though I was cleared of any eating disorders by the psychiatrist prior to my sleeve surgery I am fairly confident that I meet the criteria for NES. According to my research the treatments are antidepressants which I am already on and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
I asked my therapist who uses a different therapy approach what that means and she said CBT is about changing behaviors and she suggested that when I wake up wanting to eat that I crochet instead (replacing an undesired behavior with a healthier one). Well the other day I had to fast for blood work and I usually put a towel or something through the handles on the fridge to remind me not to eat or drink anything other than Water and I thought to myself if this works for fasting why couldn’t I just do it every night.
So I made sure to eat a high Protein yogurt before bed so I know it’s not actual hunger then combined the visual reminder with the alternate behavior and I made it through the last two nights without eating any Snacks but it wasn’t easy. I woke up and walked to the fridge several times and had a number of arguments with myself and even tried to rationalize that it was okay to just have one snack because it’s still less than normal. My husband said the good voice triumphed over evil for now. 😂
Anyways, I am curious to know if it’s that “simple” of a fix for lack of better word. Has anyone else had experience with NES? I am curious to know if this substitute behavior thing really works and if so how long it will take until the alternate behavior becomes my new habit. (How many more late night arguments am I going to have with myself)?

I want to address those who might be struggling with the big decision on if they should go through with bariatric surgery, let me say this;
1. I have lost 33% of my weight so far. Even like you, I struggled with it having tried every diet known to human kind - I'd lose and gain..you know the routine.
2. I have officially been taken off all my meds; pre-diabetes and hypertension meds, this alone should convince you that having the surgery is a healthy choice and will help extend your life and reduce the drag on your wallets having to purchase meds for the rest of your life with the possibility of more being added.
3. You've probably tried everything else, what do you have to lose other than your weight? Its one of the most successful safe surgeries out there.
4. You'll have so much to look forward too in your life, I'm sure you have a mental image of how you'd like to see yourself if you were healthy and thinner. Having the surgery IF recommended by your bariatric surgeon will bring about that change. Let you be the thinner person you know is in there deep..waiting for you to bring the healthier you out!
5. Lastly, you will find the welcoming, understanding and empathy on these forums to help you when and if you reach out. There are years of experience here by people who at one time have been standing in your shoes and can help you, who want to help.
I bring all this up because I know the doubts you're facing, but you'll never know the great outcomes available to you, unless you take the leap of faith that this life altering surgery will give you. I had a friend who self doubted and unfortunately she is no longer with us because she listened to those doubts and "taking the easy way out" nay sayers. Please take the leap and live the life you want to live before its to late.
- End preach 🤗