Jacqbult

Midwestgirl said it all very well. You wouldn't be the great mom that you are if you weren't thinking about your kids at a time like this. Prayers going up that God will keep his hand on you and your surgeon and you will come through fine and be the best mom you can be. Hugs.

Nothing is wrong with you hon. Promise. This is a big decision. It's major surgery and its something that you are deciding to do. Nothing wrong with questioning it and being scared.
I was TERRIFIED. even up to the moment when they had the IV in (but not in the OR yet) I thought about asking to leave. I'm exactly one week post op. I'm not saying it's been the best week ever, but it's been totally fine. A few days of discomfort for a lifetime of healthiness? Yes please.
As people told me, if you weren't scared, I would be worried about THAT. you'll do great!!

Getting sleeved today!!! So excited and a bit nervous, but so ready!!!

Good Luck My fellow Michigander! I am in 2 weeks...O-M-G!

I am having surgery the 24th also! Located in Mississippi!! Super excited, but getting nervous about the pre-op diet which starts on Monday!

I just got my date - December 22nd. So excited and nervous at the same time

I am November 24th, too! Giblets out for Thanksgiving. And, I am in Philly!
Just think, NEXT Thanksgiving we will all be healthy, good looking and dazzling!

I'm on the 24th as well! in Rochester, NY. Getting very nervous!

Just as an added note for all the upcoming sleeves... Do not panic or get disappointed if you actually gain weight in the hospital. My Dr loaded me up with I'v Fluid to prevent dehydration. I actually gained a few pounds. Not to worry because the first day I took in only a few cups of ice chips surgery day and find it is difficult to get in my 64 oz of fluid today. So I'm glad he loaded me up which will give me time to adjust and get my liquids in without risking dehydration. Good luck to those who are coming up! You can do it!

This time tomorrow I will be checking in for my surgery, I am so excited to start a new healthy life, i know this is the right decision for me and everyone on this site has made the right choice. So glad I found this site as it has been a wealth of information of what to expect and just knowing others are going through the same thing makes you feel normal too. Good luck to all the other sleevers this month and looking forward to hearing how everyone does.

Height: 5'11"
Two months pre surgery(5-19-2012): 360 lb, top: 3x, shorts: 2x, pants: 48
Surgery (7-2-2012): 335 lb
Today (3-11-2013): 176 lb, top: med, shorts: med, pants: 32-34
Love it! Weight will probably climb 5-10 lb as I get muscular. Just starting crossfit to help with that. Main cardio is running 5k-10k 3x a week.

I was 223 lbs at my highest.....I am 5'3"
3 years post op (as of October) and have been at my goal weight of 138 for 2 years
I am 61 years old, feel 35
Can hardly remember being fat. I feel, eat, think, live my life as a thin person.
But the two photos below (taken exactly a year apart) are a good reminder to keep me on track. It isn't so hard really. It has been a very fun, exciting adventure!

@@Flaxseed
different emotions (nerves, excitement, being terrified et al) are all common prerequisites to WLS
i would bring friend/family to Ontario for support
people all react to surgery differently
hopefully you will have an uneventful, successful surgery

some people return to work after a weekend
others take a week, two weeks, month, etc etc
i've heard people play hopscotch the next day!!
common, normal side effects PO - gas, very tired, little weak/lack of energy
you might read some "horror" stories here from people that had problems pre-op or post op
these stories might stick out in your mind
people remember the bad
remember the fact that 99% of people have no major problems
thats what you should be thinking about
as far as support..............who are we???
chopped liver!!
everyone is here for you
good luck with WLS
speedy recovery
kathy

I am one week and one day post op today and was talking with Gail my patient coordinator from the hospital, I love her. I was concerned with how much I was getting down a day. I am getting in all my Protein and my Water, grant it it will take me about an hour or so do finish a shake but I'm doing it. I guess I am feeling full since I am not feeling hungry? If that makes sense?
Gail says I am doing just great and to keep doing what I am doing. She also said like other that have posted when you start eating more dense foods you will feel fuller faster and not be able to get as much down,.
I have decided to be extremely happy with my progress and thank my lucky stars!!!

6 pounds lost is better than 6 pounds gained. Try and give the weight loss a new spin. Celebrate your accomplishments. Celebrate your courageous decision to get healthier.

@@YellowWallpaper I'm sorry you have to go through this right now while faced with all the other fears ect about surgery. I quit smoking 5 months ago before I even thought about this surgery. It's not easy as you know. I don't have any super advice since I quit cold turkey after 14 years with a pack a day habit. I still don't know exactly how I did it, it takes a lot of willpower and a complete mind change. I know one of the things I did which may sound silly is I found every horrible lung cancer case, picture, documentary I could find on YouTube and I watched every detail. Some of the dying people talking made my heart hurt and it's really sad to see the suffering and devastation the family left behind goes through. So I basically freaked myself out so bad when I thought about smoking those images came to mind and I flat out refused to light one. I know that may sound weird but every bit of it can and does happen daily. Now that it's over I am so proud of myself and I still remind my family all the time how long it's been since I quit! (Oh they just never get tired of hearing that lol) You will be amazed how much better you will feel once it's over! Good luck to you!

OK, so I'm pretty chill with all the major life changes the surgery will bring. I'm struggling a little, emotionally, with all the pre-op medical testing and so forth (for some reason, in my mind this has begun to feel like I am being punished for something, rather than a choice I am making of my own free will), but the Big Scary Thing for me is that I have to quit smoking. Like, yesterday.
I haven't made a serious attempt at quitting smoking in 20 years. In the last two weeks, I've tried and failed twice. This coming Monday is my "Hail Mary" day; the day I HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO quit if I want this surgery and don't want to go into it a liar and put myself at risk.
I feel like I have so many issues surrounding smoking being a big part of my identity, being my main stress-reliever, the way I count time ("once I finish this project I can have a cigarette," "one more cigarette and I'll start a load of laundry,") my reward system, my motivation, my relaxation, etc. etc.
I started smoking when I was like eleven years old. How the hell am I going to do this?
I would LOVE to hear from anyone who was or is in the same boat - having to quit smoking to do this surgery. Being committed to quitting but simultaneously terrified of it.
Two more days to smoke....

I was thinking the same way and then i think about living healthier and feeling better and being able to shop for new clothes. My knees and back are killing me.

I had my sleeve done by Dr. Katz 11/21/2013. Everything went great and he is very caring. My 1 year anniversary is coming up very soon. I have lost 100 lbs and only have 3 more to go until goal. Good luck, you won't regret it!

Hi everyone!
I am in Howell Mi, Dr. is KATZ I am having the sleeve on Nov 24th and scared to death but excited too. Anyone else have KATZ?? Surgery is at St. John Macomb-Oakland in Madison Heights.

Hi,
I am new too. I have gone through all but the Psy. exam which will be the 30th of this month. I am 5'9 and 265 with a bmi of 39. I am afraid I won't get approved but I do have sleep apnea and high Cholesterol so I hope that goes in my favor. People have also told me I carry my weight well which is nice I guess but I don't feel that way. I look like Buddha and my knees and Hips kill me. I have NO energy at all and I can't keep up with my kids. It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I have given up on my own ability to lose the fat on my own. I now feel there is a light at the end of this very long, self hating tunnel and I can barely wait. I won't deny I am TERRIFIED that I will be the one who dies on the table leaving my kids and giving my husband the final "I told you so". I just want my life back and be a better Mom and wife with more energy and confidence and looking cute in jeans can't hurt either...

I just read a post about how long it takes to see what others see and I thought this was a good topic to bring up on the forum.
Most of the time, we ask this question in terms of seeing the newer, smaller versions of ourselves but this is really about what we see or don't see whether we're bigger or smaller.
For me..I never really saw how large I was when I looked in the mirror. Then I would be shocked and mortified when I'd see a picture of myself because there was no doubt I was a very fat woman. What is it about folks like us who cannot see what is obvious? I don't know that answer, but it's an interesting question.
So...what happens when we lose the weight? For me, and many others, I had a terrible moment a few weeks after hip replacement surgery, and about ten months out of band surgery. I was about 170 lbs. at that time and down about 90 lbs. from my heaviest. My hair was thin and looked terrible...my face was saggy and I saw an old woman staring back at me when I looked in the mirror.
It was so bad that I found myself in therapy shortly thereafter. I needed to get help to recognize myself. Thank goodness I was seeing a professional because once I went back to work after being on disability for two months, no one recognized me in the office...because I looked so much thinner and was not on the cane much anymore. If not for my therapist, I might have gone crackers during this time.
So while she has helped me, I am even nearly a year later, still struggling with what I see versus what everyone else sees. I am surely getting used to the way I look now and my head tells me I am thin...pictures bear this out, and I do find that I can recognize myself when I look at my reflection.
What I still struggle with is that I feel like I'm still a fat girl who has managed to figure out a way to fake it. Because I look thin, people think I've always been this way and have no idea what it's like to be thinking about staying in control all the time when it comes to food.< /p>
Just yesterday, I was in an all day training going out of my mind. I found myself nibbling much of the day. A little bit here, a little bit there. I even had two Cookies after lunch and I never do that. What I was thinking though was that if I was still fat, I'd be embarrased to go for those cookies knowing that everyone would be wondering why I was eating them considering how big I was. But because I'm not big anymore, no one paid attention. The problem was....those cookies were as deadly for me yesterday as they would have been 145 lbs. ago.
I have my therapist tonight and I'm going to talk about this. I want to do everything I can to not put weight back on and that includes high calorie crap that gets past the band with ease. I may have lost all this weight, but I am still very much a work in progress and still need this site for the help and support you all give me.
Sorry for the length of this post...but would welcome your thoughts and comments.

I am on day five of my pre op diet. 3 Protein Shakes a day, Water and chicken broth. I've lost 10 pounds since Saturday. Surgery at 730 tomorrow morning!

Hiiii!!
I'm from Halifx, Nova Scotia ????
I'm JUST starting this whole process oh getting sleeved here in Halifax.
Would love to chat with other locals about you and your experiences!
Let me know - looking forward to chatting, and maybe meeting, you!!
Sonya ????

@mauigirl555. I told almost no one, even though I went through that 5 years of ambivalence!
I'm 6 weeks post op and am telling close friends if I feel the inclination the time. As time is passing and I see my success I find myself opening up more and more.
This is a personal journey and everyone handles their WLS differently. No rules , only the ones you make for yourself????????