First let me say I feel fabulous! I've lost over 70 pounds in just over 5 months. I went from a 22 to a very comfy 12. The road has not been easy and for all you newbies...here is my list of amazing highs...and of not so sunshiny lows.

Disclaimer: This is my experience...it may not be yours.

1. It will be uncomfortable for a few days post op
   
2. I was not hungry for weeks after surgery
   
3. I was scared to eat or drink and I didn’t drink enough...thus constipation and weakness
   
4. I didn't feel normal for about 6 weeks. I needed naps and I took them
   
5. The weight literally falls off...seriously I was looking for pools of fat in bed when I woke up in the morning
   
6. I hit the 4 week stall and it lasted two weeks. Expect it and don't stress
   
7. On day three, I had a massive freak out…seriously threw a four year old fit…pissed off my stomach was gone.
   
8. No one noticed for months and that irritated me.
   
9. EVERYONE notices now and it's all they want to talk about.
   
10. Don’t tell anyone you are going to Mexico to have your stomach cut off unless you trust them completely.
    
11. I threw up alot...just slime mostly...while I was learning my new tummy. It will scare you and if you are like me…it will happen a lot when you transition to solid foods.
    
12. food addiction does not magically go away...if you have a problem before..you will still have it. I think about food all the time, but I finally have a way to resist it. I am a sugar addict. I never crave carbs, but I crave sugar like a mad woman.
    
13. Going out to dinner is awkward. I hate watching people eat
    
14. Put the lotion on the skin! My skin got really dry.
    
15. I’ve lost half my hair at 4.5 months post op. Mine came out in chunks. Freaked me out! Our Golden Retriever and I are in a competition for shedding. It will be ok. Take your Vitamins and buy Nioxin. It doesn’t help my hair loss, but I feel like I am at least doing something about it.
    
16. Don’t take a powerful laxative when you are constipated…especially before your child’s school performance. It may say “See results in 2-4 hours” but it means 30 mins and then you’re stuck on a mini toilet with both legs numb, crying to everything holy to save you.
    
17. Shopping is amazing! I still feel like people are looking at me like I don’t belong there…but that’s all in my head.
    
18. My shoes no longer fit. they are too wide now!
    
19. Your pre WLS Spanx will look huge in a couple months
    
20. Trust me…put some Granola bars in your glove box and a few packs of mixed nuts. Sometimes your hungry and there is nothing that you can eat.
    
21. Handy meals from the market or gas station when you didn’t plan ahead. Single string cheese, an apple, mixed nuts, readymade hard boiled eggs, The inside of California rolls- no rice, campbells Soup at hand or ready made soup in a coffee cup.
    
22. Handy items at fast food places that sit ok on my tummy include: Taco Bells refried Beans or the inside of a chicken taco. Wendys chili, McDonalds oatmeal, McDonalds yogurt parfait
    
23. I feel guilty in front of my heavier friends. I always try to wear a sweatshirt so I don’t rub the weight loss in their faces.
    
24. You get drunk really fast...like a half glass of wine. Be careful...it sneaks up on you...and before you know it, you’re waiting for your hubby to pick you up...from less than a glass. Its crazy. I don't really even try anymore to drink.
    
25. I crave raw fish, cooked fish, broiled fish, grilled fish...any fish really and it feels amazing on my tummy.
    
26. I cant eat steak
    
27. I love that I have collar bones
    
28. I update my Facebook pictures and secretly love the compliments
    
29. I own a woman's North Face now
    
30. I can buy bras at Victoria's secret
    
31. I pack all my food for work in snack bags and the little tupperware containers for salad dressing.
    
32. I can still have M&M's...its just like 9...instead of the king size bags
    
33. Take heartburn medicine everyday...don’t wait until you get heartburn.
    
34. Buy stock in Maalox
    
35. You can have a full meal at Costco- Samples + WLS = Cheap Date!
    
36. Food Portion jokes get really old
    
37. Fast food burgers makes me want to vomit.
    
38. At 5 months...salad is wonderful. I can eat about a cup of greens...which takes me a while and I feel a tiny bit normal.
    
39. Post-op, If you can swing it, buy a Vita-Mix blender and make your own soup. Canned soup was nasty right after surgery. Freeze them in 4oz canning jars. It will be two servings.
    
40. Quit Smoking before surgery. I waited and it slowed my healing. It also gave me terrible heartburn. I am 5 weeks smoke free
    
41. You don't have to "confess" you had WLS. It's ok to say thank you for the compliment and not feel guilty. I'm just now starting to accept that I had a little something to do with this insane loss. I tell people when they ask now how I lost the weight, that i exercise and use portion control.
    
42. People will treat you different. Salesladies ask if I need assistance, men hold open doors and the skinny girls at work talk to me now. It's shallow and pisses me off, but it's nice to not be invisible anymore.
    
43. WLS is very difficult. For me, it’s not physical, but the mental. Sometimes I just want a cheesecake like before. It goes away very quickly, but it still comes and goes. Sometimes I get angry at my sleeve because I can’t eat something I see others eating. Most of the time I have to hide my expression when I see people shovel food in the way I used to. It’s shocking to see when you’re on the other side of WLS. I used to inhale my food like a tiny food thief was going to come in and take it away from me.
    
44. You will have to say no to your family when they all want to go to a Chinese buffet. I’m still not ready to walk in and be near a buffet.
    
45. It feels awesome to give your clothes away, however, do not offer them to your heavier friends. It’s insensitive and they won’t return your calls for a week.
    
46. Last one...I played laser tag this past weekend with a bunch of 9 year old boys. It was soooo Much fun!!!
    

Please feel free to add any other thoughts or tips...

Fantastic! Thank you for sharing.

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Wonderful~!

Thanks for sharing !

Really appreciate it

Wow thanks for sharing

Nice post. very inspiring

Great post

Thanks for the list, it is motivating! I am 2 months post op and just came out of a big stall, dropped 3 lbs overnight! Total gone now is 40 and people are starting to notice! Love my sleeve!

You had a rocky start, so I'm thrilled to see you posting and sounding so upbeat and positive!! I love the list, too! I can so relate to all of it!

You're rocking that sleeve!!!

Thanks for sharing! You are right that it is different for all of us... makes me think of my own new "truths" in my life.

Thanks so much for sharing.

You look amazing. I am digging the new hair color. Congratulations!

Congratulations! I agree with many of your points!

Awesome. I am 5 weeks out and can relate to some of them already. I am currently in my stale so I have just stayed away from the scale this week. I am still trying to learn how to eat, and get all my protein in. Another thing I will add is, at 5 weeks I finally feel comfortable to sleep on my side ( my prefrence) without thinking I will damage my healing tummy.

Thank you so much for sharing! You look Great...

Love it!

You and I have had very different experiences.

#1 Uncomfortable? I was in hell for the first two weeks. But it went away pretty quickly after that.

#5 Absolutely! I was not prepared for how fast the weight falls off. Still trying to wrap my brain around it

#11 Haven't thrown up yet (knock on wood)

#15 I'm at 3 months and I'm losing my hair now. Thank god I have so much that it's not that noticeable...yet

#20 Had this problem last weekend. Water park with a bunch of kids. Horrible food at the snack shack. Didn't eat anything until 7 that night. Must pack Snacks in the car. Great advice!

#25 Yes! I've never been a big fish eater but for some reason it's all I seem to want anymore

#38 Haven't tried a salad yet. I've been too scared. Is it time?

#46 I have two boys so I've played laser tag at my highest weight. Not fun. I need to play it now that I've lost weight. Maybe I can win this time!

Ok, so maybe we have had some similar experiences. This is a great list!

Great things many I wish I would have known before hand. Also Chick Fil A has grilled nuggets. They are for the kids meal but you can buy them for like $1.60. They are really tender and with a little honey mustard a great fast food meal.