Texarkolina

I am a little over 3 weeks (sleeved July 30) and I can relate. It is harder than I thought to get solids down, and I miss being able to gulp water. I feel a little better each day and am learning to go very slow with eating. I am also in a stall, which makes it easier to regret. No answers for you...just wanted to tell you that you are not alone.

I have a super-skinny friend who smokes. She is confused as to how people get really big--but not judgmental. As a former smoker, I was able to draw a comparison--the craving she felt when she needed a cigarette is very similar to the craving I felt for food. However, one cigarette would cure her craving, it took a large meal--like a restaurant meal plus--to make my craving go away. The light came on for her then......she said, "I guess the brain of a big person is wired differently because I never want to eat unless my stomach is growling." Of course, this lady WANTED to understand. She feels compassion for people who struggle with obesity and sees it as something she is very glad she doesn't have to deal with. So, realize that there are people out there that have a good attitude and will be supportive.

Your coworker, sounds like a mean, judgmental person who basically needs to F&$@ off. You were nice. I would have said something very rude like, "funny, I don't recall giving a crap what you think" or something equally childish. It amazes me that some people feel free to vomit their opinions about your personal life all over you like that.

Stay strong!

OK--so we are "cheaters" and we "take the easy way out." Fine with me. Why is that a bad thing? I have a hard time believing that ANYONE would opt for the "hard way out" when there is and "easy way out."

"Excuse me, ma'am....the building is on fire. You have 2 options. You can walk through this door here and go outside where it is safe or you can go up those 5 flights of stairs right there that are thick with smoke, climb on the rooftop, and jump to the next building." How many are going upstairs--Not me.

I firmly believe that most people will take and easier path if it is available to them. Many chose not to have weight loss surgery for a variety of reasons--mainly money, fear, or ignorance--or it may just not be right for them. However, If I invented a pill that you take one time and you will wake up the next morning at your ideal weight--with no health risks--and it was free..........do you know anyone that is morbidly obese that wouldn't take it?

I am OK with having taken the "easy way out" if that is how someone sees it..

Yeah--process sucks. Try not to get sucked in too much. I got to where it was all I could think about--not healthy. Go to your appointment and then, if it were me, I would go and have that fantastic birthday dinner with my family and friends and enjoy every bite without guilt. Even after you are sleeved you will indulge from time to time (although it will be with much smaller quantities).

I desperately needed someone there--my sister stayed and I don't think I would have survived without her. Granted, my surgery was done in the afternoon, so it was the early post-op period for me. Second night I was fine on my own.

My surgery is also on July 23 and I have found that the pre-op diet---well---sucks. We are being asked to do an extreme diet for 2 weeks without the tool that we will have after surgery. Plus, add to the mix the anxiety of an impending surgery, getting things wrapped up at work for your time out, getting family settled and prepared for your hospital stay, reviewing the risks vs benefits of surgery to make sure we are ready to go through with it...the list goes on and on. If you are at all an emotional eater.....and I don't know how in the world I would have reached 300 pounds without being one--some nice comfort food would really help. The first few days I was whiny, overly sensitive, had a headache, shaky, irritable and just basically unpleasant to be around and miserable. Then I made a mistake of posting something on here and got a dose of "tough love" and comments like "if you can't do the pre-op maybe you shouldn't have surgery." It was not helpful at all.

Look at all you have done thus far. You have already broken several bad habits....that is great. Some people try to quit smoking for years without success. Pop was very hard for me to let go of. I of course will encourage you to stick to the diet, but I would also encourage you to not be so hard on yourself. After surgery you will have a tool to help.

Also, consider going and seeing a movie. I have found it is the perfect thing to do for a distraction. I sneak in a bottle of crystal lite and take only enough money for the ticket. Then I can relax and get engrossed in the movie and all the diet issues take a back seat for a while.

We can do this! Surgery day is just around the corner!

Congratulations!

Use your STD! Most employers will even allow you to supplement it with vacation time to make a full paycheck if you need to.