KimA-GA

eczema ? sometimes during body stress like rapid weight loss the immune system can trigger eczema or atypical dermatitis… i have used oatmeal powdered in a food processor and mixed with shaved ivory soap (reformed into bars with a little water) for relief before when i have gotten patches

great decision! Finding the right therapist is a journey. don’t be afraid to leave the wrong fit! journal and be really real with yourself in the journal!! it’s amazing how many things we hide from ourselves… also how many little behaviors have roots in really old traumas we try not to deal with… best of luck and health

had another weight drop this morning… must have been retaining some water because it was 385.4! checked a couple times to make sure it wasn’t a fluke reading. confession time… part of me wishes i had confidence that i could keep this up and loose weight I desire without the surgery. yes, i have already changed my lifestyle and worked super hard to overcome binge eating and emotional eating…even if something happens and i can’t have surgery i will loose some weight and be better off because of the changes to me…… but i know it would be difficult keep up this particular diet long term. I love love love beans and legumes and sushi too much to be this strict all the time… I also know how hard it would be to really reach my goals without a lot of medical help at my weight. fighting biology sucks i want to be under 235 (150 more lbs) but secretly want to be under 200 (185 more lbs… aim for the stars!!)… mostly i just want to be somewhat normal and not always be the fattest person in the room or worried about if i can sit someplace … and stop getting “those” looks that people give ultra fat people… terrified that without surgery it will be ultra easy to become that binging person again… or simply that it will be too hard to fight the biology of my metabolism to really achieve what i want in a reasonable amount of time….each day i am getting older ya know;) so enjoying the accomplishment for now… i had an arbitrary goal to be 378 before surgery and it now seems reasonable since i still have a month… time will tell!

so glad you can eat some food and are on the path to answers - hope the resolution is quick and as easy as possible

am starting my pre op eating habits early (no surgery date yet - late sept or early oct) and am trying to do less than 50 total carbs a day (keto) but not strict (been 75 carbs - 2 days and under 50 - 5 days this past week) … and it has worked well this last week! down 6 lbs in one week!! I am now down to 389.8 (8/23/2022)from my high weight last year of 452. (426 in April 2022) woo hoo yay me

i have two options - 50 total carbs a day or meal replacement shakes and one small meal a day. talk to your nutritional consultant to have a vegetarian preop diet to shrink your liver.

i don’t have the issue ( have an issue with positional hypotension tho) and am pre op… but doesn’t seem to be any info out there on that disorder and wls specifically- however orthodtatic insufficiency (dizzy spells) can be linked possibly due to dropping overall blood pressure.

hate you are going through that …. pancreatitis can cause bad fluid retention and takes a while to get back to homeostasis… don’t worry about the scale too much because your body is trying to heal… just keep on and follow your doctors advice and before you know it the water will shed…

i hope they can fix you up quick and you feel soo much better soon!!!

@SleeveDiva2022 what did the dr say?

looking great

love it!!!! congrats!!

no advice. just wanted to hope you feel better and ask you keep us updated with how you are doing.

i haven’t been back to Mass in over 15 years… I do miss the great quality healthcare throughout the state … you gotta be real cautious with trusting medical people here in rural Georgia

thank you for sharing your experiences! i have read time and time again about the change to your taste buds after surgery… i can already kinda relate even being preop because just after changing my diet and reducing sugar and carbs my palate is already so different and already don’t crave the same things and can’t eat the same things. glad you are being cautious with the soda… i have heard from people about how quickly it stretches your pouch even in small amounts … and the hair thinning has to be frustrating!!!! i am a bit reluctant to cut my waaaay too long hair right now because of the reports of it falling out post op… enjoy it pretty thick and down my back while i can

you had the sleeve surgery in the hospital where i was born i grew up one town from where you live (maynard)

i am going to be getting the sleeve in late sept or early october. i decided against bypass because of outcomes of people i know. 2 people i know had sleeves with no big complications (very minor issues like nausea directly after surgery) and two more that had the equivalent of a sleeve for ulcers with the same positive experiences … all four of them kept the weight off but i also know 3 people who got bypass (different places/surgeons) and all three have had complications that keep sending them back to the hospital and have developed major nutritional problems and health issues from those too and, honestly, all three of them ate their way back to 3/4 of their original weight… (they are all from different areas of the country too!) reading medical literature i know the sleeve is better for me because i feel it’s safer, less drastic and has less inherent problems… but only you know what is right for you! there are successes and “failures” on both sides… educate yourself and make the best decision for you

it was pressure in uncomfortable places!!! guess it was for a baseline *shrug*. i was there to do as i was told hehe was your leg issue something simple or a dvt?

update: the day after cardiac testing. It went well as far as I can tell. the first thing they did was do an ultrasound on both of my legs from the top of my thigh/groin area down to my ankles. the u/s tech scanned and put pressure down my legs. then she moved me on my side and placed a couple of electrodes on my chest and did an ultrasound of my heart. i could see some profusion scans but didn’t have a good angle of the screen most of the time. then i got dressed and went into a second room. the first thing i did there was a series of pulmonary profusion tests. i blew into a plastic tube in various ways with my nose blocked. after that i lifted my shirt (still fully dressed) and they put more electrodes on. then i very ungracefully got onto the exercise bike. i pedaled and pedaled for 10 minutes or so with my blood pressure being taken every minute or so. they needed my heart to get to 85% of max. after the bike i sat back in the chair and did another pulmonary profusion test. then i went home! legs felt very tired from the exertion- but i was glad i was able to do it.

building strength and stamina while working on overall health is my goal. heard it helps a little with loose skin after surgery so wanted to start. I like working with weights waaay more than any cardio..

my nerves are getting to me today! (8/17/2022) I have my cardiac clearance testing at my surgeons office today. Going to do an ultrasound on my heart and legs as well as a stress test on a bicycle. Very nervous about it. I had a couple of long bouts of atrial fibrillation before I got my bipap and know that I have seen occasional PVCs on my apple watch. My Dad has a complex cardiac history, so between that and my weight I think the worry is justified. will try to update for good or bad when I am done !

i do not have a surgery date yet, but have been trending down my carb count to prepare for my 3 week low carb/keto diet (50 total carbs a day). Figure it will help me loose more weight before surgery and be more psychologically comfortable and ready for the whole process. i have finally got myself mostly down under 50 carbs a day (6/7 of the last days under 51) and am starting to feel the “keto flu”. I have had a lot of dreaming at night, which is unusual.. headaches the last few days and today general body aches. no fever or cough etc. anyone else experienced this with cutting carbs?? how long did this last?? did the keto actually help loose more weight ? thank you for sharing!

that sounds perfect! thank you

little victory for me. made it to the gym to do 15 mins of strength training with dumbbells. going to try to go at least 2-3 times a week, hopefully increasing time and intensity. anyone have tips, tricks or routines for basic strength training?

Oh and I am getting a sleeve.. I know too many people with issues with bypass that sent them to the hospital over and over again It isn’t for me! (But everyone should do what’s good for them) my surgeon fixed hiatal hernia with sleeve which brings the gerd rate down to about 10% of patients .. I am a bit freaked about the endoscopy (and surgery!) but know it’s the right thing