mcipanda

I had a similar experience in my mid-20’s and now, six weeks post op, I worry it might happen again. After my first baby, I lost 40lbs and started getting more of the attention you’re talking about. I didn’t realize how worthless people thought I was until the weight came off. It made me angry. I was angry at men for their stupid comments, unwanted stares and for thinking I would be even remotely interested in them. But it wasn’t just the men. It was cashiers, bank tellers, services I wanted to hire, flight attendants, etc. They looked me in the eyes when speaking to me. They stopped at my seat faster on the plane. I negotiated a better rate for a car repair when previously, they would tell me they don’t “offer discounts.” Oh, I see now… you DO offer discounts; just not to overweight people.
I let the insecurity get to me and started to sabotage my own progress. I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone. At least when I am heavy, I can see who you truly are because you don’t see me. Being heavy suddenly felt safe, and it wasn’t long before I was back over 200 again.
15 years later and I’m still worried about what will happen when the weight comes off, but I realize that my worth is not defined by other people. It can only be defined by me. We can be angry at these people, or we can pity them. I can feel scared to be seen or I can take control of my presence, own the space I occupy and refuse to let other people make me feel uncomfortable. Yes, easier said than done but I’m getting better at it.
I hope you’re able to come through this and own your own space, too. The insecurity stems from a deep rooted sense of low self worth (in my case), so I’m working to believe that I deserve to be here. Sending you the best of wishes. We are all here for you.

I had a similar experience in my mid-20’s and now, six weeks post op, I worry it might happen again. After my first baby, I lost 40lbs and started getting more of the attention you’re talking about. I didn’t realize how worthless people thought I was until the weight came off. It made me angry. I was angry at men for their stupid comments, unwanted stares and for thinking I would be even remotely interested in them. But it wasn’t just the men. It was cashiers, bank tellers, services I wanted to hire, flight attendants, etc. They looked me in the eyes when speaking to me. They stopped at my seat faster on the plane. I negotiated a better rate for a car repair when previously, they would tell me they don’t “offer discounts.” Oh, I see now… you DO offer discounts; just not to overweight people.
I let the insecurity get to me and started to sabotage my own progress. I felt like I couldn’t trust anyone. At least when I am heavy, I can see who you truly are because you don’t see me. Being heavy suddenly felt safe, and it wasn’t long before I was back over 200 again.
15 years later and I’m still worried about what will happen when the weight comes off, but I realize that my worth is not defined by other people. It can only be defined by me. We can be angry at these people, or we can pity them. I can feel scared to be seen or I can take control of my presence, own the space I occupy and refuse to let other people make me feel uncomfortable. Yes, easier said than done but I’m getting better at it.
I hope you’re able to come through this and own your own space, too. The insecurity stems from a deep rooted sense of low self worth (in my case), so I’m working to believe that I deserve to be here. Sending you the best of wishes. We are all here for you.

I chose a doctor who specializes in this - and only this - with an entire team in his practice dedicated to the same. I was assigned a coordinator who knew exactly what we needed and when. I finished my reqs in a week and insurance approved me in a single day. My biggest hold up was the doctor going on vacation for two weeks 😂 First consult Jan 30, final appointment 2/17, surgery on March 13th.
Note: based on your posts, I wouldn’t let that woman touch me with a ten foot pole unless there was no other option and even the Devil was booked solid. Good luck to you!

I went to the movies recently with my family and didn’t want to feel left out. I understand the habit of mindlessly consuming is what needs to change, but I also believe the grief we feel at no longer participating in these social activities can derail us. The ultimate goal is to realize that not participating does not mean being left out, but this comes with time for many of us. So how do we deal along the way?
I decided to get a bottle of Water while at the theater and took some sugar free cinnamon discs to suck on while watching. I felt like I was included, but still responsible. By the end of the movie, I only had two pieces. As we were walking out, I realized I am capable of changing the narrative of “going o the movies” while not cheapening the experience. I’m not promoting mindless eating. I’m promoting healing and learning how to kick old habits. If you’re one of those people who has to quit cold turkey, then this might not work for you.
Other ideas: sugar free suckers, bring packets of SF flavoring for your water, mini packs of peanuts or a pack of Protein Snacks like cheese cubes, ham, etc. Good luck! 🍀

I have the same issue. I had my surgery 3/13, five weeks post op and my abdominal incision on the right side is still giving me a hard time. If I twist, reach or turn a certain way it can go from burning to stabbing. My team said it’s not unusual for this to happen, can take six months to completely heal. I’m 41 so I thought it would go faster… nope! Guess he got me in “just” the right spot 😂
I bought an abdominal binder and that really helped! Take it easy and let others give you a hand if you can. 🤗

So, today It's been officially one year since my surgery. Yay!
I am very happy about how much I lost. I started at 264 and am now at 154 and still want to lose a little bit more so my doctor can refer me to plastics. It's slow going but it's going.
I wasn't sure what I was going to write but decided to just go with how I was feeling. One of things I love is I'm much smaller and have more energy but I am also a bit resentful. Bigger people aren't taken seriously sometimes by doctors. I complained of chest pain before the weight loss and was told your blood pressure is too high. Now that I am smaller I was told well that shouldn't be happening and got a CT scan done on Thursday. I had to take prednisone and Benadryl because I'm allergic to the dye contrast. Well they did find two blockages in my arteries one at 70% so tomorrow I have to go in and get a stent put in and I'm a bit pissed off that this could have been taken care of earlier if they had taken my concerns seriously. I haven't done any exercise in a month cause I'm too scared I'll keel over with a heart attack. The moral of this story is to pay attention to your body and if you have concerns speak with your doctor and be insistent if you need them to listen.

I went off caffeine the second week of my 14-day pre-op diet. I also have one cup a day (and have for many years). If you’re going to quit, just do it the day before surgery and let the anesthesia and pain meds take care of that headache for you lol
seriously, though, your body probably doesn’t need the physical withdrawals in addition to the surgery. That’s why I quit beforehand.
I started back on Decaf (one cup a day as usual) as soon as I was confident I could get all 64oz of Water in to help with the diuretic effect of coffee. the diuretic was my doctor’s biggest concern since dehydration is a nightmare for gastric patients after surgery. Use care. Good luck!

I am not trying to mindlessly eat. My mother and I occasionally have movie days where we will see 2-3 movies back to back. I eventually get hungry and also have some medicine I have to take with food. I have been muddling through with a hotdog no bun and still only eat half. Also I typically stick to ice Water so I can crunch ice. I was looking at potentially making like salami chips or roasted chickpeas or something of that nature.

I was simply looking for a suggestion of something I could take in my purse with me that didn't need a refrigerator or to be heated to enjoy when I do get hungry.

Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

I went to the movies recently with my family and didn’t want to feel left out. I understand the habit of mindlessly consuming is what needs to change, but I also believe the grief we feel at no longer participating in these social activities can derail us. The ultimate goal is to realize that not participating does not mean being left out, but this comes with time for many of us. So how do we deal along the way?
I decided to get a bottle of Water while at the theater and took some sugar free cinnamon discs to suck on while watching. I felt like I was included, but still responsible. By the end of the movie, I only had two pieces. As we were walking out, I realized I am capable of changing the narrative of “going o the movies” while not cheapening the experience. I’m not promoting mindless eating. I’m promoting healing and learning how to kick old habits. If you’re one of those people who has to quit cold turkey, then this might not work for you.
Other ideas: sugar free suckers, bring packets of SF flavoring for your water, mini packs of peanuts or a pack of Protein Snacks like cheese cubes, ham, etc. Good luck! 🍀

I went to the movies recently with my family and didn’t want to feel left out. I understand the habit of mindlessly consuming is what needs to change, but I also believe the grief we feel at no longer participating in these social activities can derail us. The ultimate goal is to realize that not participating does not mean being left out, but this comes with time for many of us. So how do we deal along the way?
I decided to get a bottle of Water while at the theater and took some sugar free cinnamon discs to suck on while watching. I felt like I was included, but still responsible. By the end of the movie, I only had two pieces. As we were walking out, I realized I am capable of changing the narrative of “going o the movies” while not cheapening the experience. I’m not promoting mindless eating. I’m promoting healing and learning how to kick old habits. If you’re one of those people who has to quit cold turkey, then this might not work for you.
Other ideas: sugar free suckers, bring packets of SF flavoring for your water, mini packs of peanuts or a pack of Protein Snacks like cheese cubes, ham, etc. Good luck! 🍀

Hi OP, I also had a VSG on Monday. Lots of gas in my new tummy, so gurgling and hiccups are frequent. I found warm liquids worked best to reduce the crampy feeling - chicken Soup broth, Pho broth, etc. I strained first and use medicine cups (1oz each) to track intake and remember my small sips. I started mixing in a scoop of Protein Powder yesterday. Between these, I drink Gatorade Zero at room temp for electrolytes and Vitamin waters from costco. I’m not dealing with runny stool, it’s the other way around for me so I can’t help much in that department. Good luck and I hope you feel better.

I had a hard time with this too. What helped was getting it to a texture I could manage like @summerseeker mentioned. I added taco meat made with turkey (very finely minced while cooking) to refried Beans with some cheese. If it was too thick or dry, I added a little sour cream.
The other winner was pot roast and veggies. I ran it through the food processor with the carrots, onions, celery and broth. The meat was fine enough to add texture but not so fine as to be paste. I made sure there was more meat per serving than veggies, but the veggies and broth helped keep it soft enough to be easy on my tummy. Since each of these made me a few days of meals, I was out of the purée stage before I knew it.
I had yogurts and cottage cheese as Snacks. Some people like hummus. I just couldn’t eat hummus by the spoonful. I need pretzels or something lol
Hang in there! 😊🤞

Hi Ashley and welcome! 👋 congrats on meeting your surgery goal weight! The psych eval was very straightforward for me. I was open and honest about why I wanted the surgery, my history of weight gain, loss and regain. Yo-yo dieting and all the self esteem issues that go along with a weight-focused society. You’ll have a pre-op diet before surgery, so it’s easiest to start making small changes now. I started swapping a Protein Shake for a meal once per day about a month before my pre-op diet started. I also weaned myself off of caffeine. It really helped!
I also have a therapist, which I highly recommend if you can. She has helped me realize so many pitfalls of my unhealthy relationship with food. If I didn’t have her to lean on, I’m not sure I would be as successful as I am today. These are my best pieces of advice. Good luck!! Let us know when you get a surgery date set! 😊

Hi Ashley and welcome! 👋 congrats on meeting your surgery goal weight! The psych eval was very straightforward for me. I was open and honest about why I wanted the surgery, my history of weight gain, loss and regain. Yo-yo dieting and all the self esteem issues that go along with a weight-focused society. You’ll have a pre-op diet before surgery, so it’s easiest to start making small changes now. I started swapping a Protein Shake for a meal once per day about a month before my pre-op diet started. I also weaned myself off of caffeine. It really helped!
I also have a therapist, which I highly recommend if you can. She has helped me realize so many pitfalls of my unhealthy relationship with food. If I didn’t have her to lean on, I’m not sure I would be as successful as I am today. These are my best pieces of advice. Good luck!! Let us know when you get a surgery date set! 😊

I went to the movies recently with my family and didn’t want to feel left out. I understand the habit of mindlessly consuming is what needs to change, but I also believe the grief we feel at no longer participating in these social activities can derail us. The ultimate goal is to realize that not participating does not mean being left out, but this comes with time for many of us. So how do we deal along the way?
I decided to get a bottle of Water while at the theater and took some sugar free cinnamon discs to suck on while watching. I felt like I was included, but still responsible. By the end of the movie, I only had two pieces. As we were walking out, I realized I am capable of changing the narrative of “going o the movies” while not cheapening the experience. I’m not promoting mindless eating. I’m promoting healing and learning how to kick old habits. If you’re one of those people who has to quit cold turkey, then this might not work for you.
Other ideas: sugar free suckers, bring packets of SF flavoring for your water, mini packs of peanuts or a pack of Protein Snacks like cheese cubes, ham, etc. Good luck! 🍀

I’m 4 weeks post op VSG (3/13/23). Have lost 20lbs, just dropped into the 180’s for the first time in 7 years. My abdominal wall healing has taken longer than expected, so I haven’t been able to move as much as I’d like. Goal is to reach 170 by the time I visit my parents in late June.
I’m learning just how finicky my body really is. Makes me feel less crazy about all the years of trying to lose and keep weight off….Not enough Protein? STALL. Not enough Fluid? STALL. Injured? STALL. Drink stuff with fake sweetener? You guess it…STALL! Lol 😂
ah well, I love this body anyway. Keeps things interesting if not downright insane and who wants to be normal anyway? 😛

Yay!! Congrats on your progress. You must be so proud of yourself. I hope you continue the trend and reach both of your near term goals!🤞

Pictures speak for themselves ❤️

If I did the math right, you went into surgery weighing 190. I’m not sure what your expectations are regarding the speed of weight loss after surgery, but it’s safe to say they might be a bit unrealistic. Your anatomy was just rearranged, your body is in shock trying to heal and all of this is happening while taking in very few calories. The hospital will pump you full of fluids that can take a days to release, plus you’re inflamed and probably haven’t had a decent bowel movement yet if it’s only been three days. Take a step back, breathe and remember that surgery isn’t a switch that turns on fat release. It’s much more complicated than that. This entire process is life altering, so take it one day at a time and read up on the posts provided by @GreenTealael. It’s gonna be okay! You WILL lose the weight because it sounds like you’re following the program. Just give your mind and body more time. 🧬

I’m 4 weeks post op VSG (3/13/23). Have lost 20lbs, just dropped into the 180’s for the first time in 7 years. My abdominal wall healing has taken longer than expected, so I haven’t been able to move as much as I’d like. Goal is to reach 170 by the time I visit my parents in late June.
I’m learning just how finicky my body really is. Makes me feel less crazy about all the years of trying to lose and keep weight off….Not enough Protein? STALL. Not enough Fluid? STALL. Injured? STALL. Drink stuff with fake sweetener? You guess it…STALL! Lol 😂
ah well, I love this body anyway. Keeps things interesting if not downright insane and who wants to be normal anyway? 😛

Get back to basics! Prioritize Protein and make sure you hit your protein goal daily. Weigh and track all your food for a while so you can see how much you're eating and get back into the habit of hitting that protein! Get your Water in. Move your body. It takes time but usually, putting those things first and getting back into good routines will help.

I think your body is really confused. You had major surgery and probably didn’t eat much the first couple weeks, then started eating heavier than you should and sugar as well. The body probably latched into the sugar and carbs to replenish stores and turned the rest to fat (explains the gain). Then you go back on track and your body needs to adjust again, but after losing some pounds you’re eating less often (so your metabolism machine is slower) and still having sugar even if it’s a small amount. Your body is really smart. After going through trauma, it’s going to try to stabilize.
Here’s what I do know… you still have time to get yourself back on the right path. You will need all your fluids (sugar free), the Protein prescribed by your plan, very low carbs and all of your Vitamins. If you don’t at least do these things, you’ll probably remain frustrated and stuck. It’ll take a jolt and consistency to recover.
I believe you can do it because you already got this far. Dealing with our emotions and food is not easy, but it is possible. I’m pretty sure everyone here would pat you on the back and tell you to get back in the ring, don’t be so hard on yourself and stay focused. You’ve still got time to turn it around! You can do this. Sending you all kinds of encouragement! 🌈😊

I had done the stress test to get cleared to have gastric sleeve but I was wondering if anyone also had to do a stress test 1 year post op.

Just got a call to schedule one but I never heard my doc say I’d needed to do it.

I still have follow up visits and bloodwork etc. Just wasn’t sure if the stress test was required or an optional thing.

Surgery went great. Was done Feb 17th 2022 and I’ve lost 222 pounds to date.

Lol at your daughter catching you .... My husband and i always talk about how hard it is to make friends as adults. And working from home doesn't help! I even tried an app called MeetUp which is like a tinder but for friends. You put the activities or hobbies your into and it tells you who else in your area is into that and they have any hang outs planned

Hi there, welcome 🤗 I know how you feel. My youngest daughter caught me on Google searching for “woman in her 40’s with no friends.” I have acquaintances, but the friends in our lives are more my husband’s than mine. So I get it. That’s why I started coming here. I feel like this is a forum where you can vent, ask questions and commiserate with people who understand you and this decision. Not everyone agrees with WLS. Everyone here is on your side.
Feel free to jump in, ask questions and make new friends. Especially if there are folks having the procedure around the same time as you. I love chatting with my March 13th buddies Hope you’ll stick around and support us so we can support you!