Hello all fellow sleevers....I had my surgery on September 25, 2012. To date I have lost a total of 64 pounds including 17 pounds on my 2 week Optifast Diet. I also quit smoking the day before my surgery. Three days before my surgery my primary doctor said that chest XRay showed a small nodular on my right lung and I had to have a CT Scan before he cleared me for surgery. Luckily my best friend works at the hospital I was having the surgery at so she got me in that day to have the scan. Results were sent to my doctor the same day and it was nothing....he cleared me for surgery....YAY!!!!! The morning of my surgery I was nervous and wanted so bad to smoke....of course I didn't. When I woke up from surgery the nurse in recovery asked me if I needed something for pain....I thought to myself...did they do the surgery????? I have NO pain. I mean I literally had no pain. I did have a drain in for a week which was fine....again no pain at all. I was brought to my room at 12:30PM and was up walking at 12:45pm. I did laps around the nurses station for the next 2 days. Walking was my best friend. Even the doctor was shocked when he came up to my room a few hours after my surgery and I wasn't there....I was doing laps. I never had any pain, nausea, vomiting....nothing at all. I was one of the lucky ones....the poor guy who had surgery right after me was in so much pain and couldn't get up....My doctor said he can't explain it...some people have no pain at all, some minor and some have a great deal of pain. I joined the gym and trying to get in all my protein and water. The water and protein is a challenge but I work on it every day. I take my vitamins and even thought my doctor doesn't really want me to take protein shakes or protein bars (he says it will slow down my weight loss) I do sometimes grab one just to get in the protein. I find that if I eat solid protein I can only eat 5 or 6 bites but if I try to eat crackers, chips, pretzels, anything flat and dry I can eat a bunch of that. Protein Protein Protein....I would do this again tomorrow,,,,,Best decision I ever made. I am still a non smoker....One Day at a Time.....

Congrats!!! I commend you for having the sleeve AND quitting smoking!!! AMAZING!

Quick question.... why would Protein drinks & bars slow down weight loss??? i thought they were important to weight loss?

Thanks so much NewMe....I have no idea about the shakes and protein bars...every doctor is different and mine wants all protein to come from food. I do however grab one here and there if I know I'm not gonna get my protein in which is often. I'm only 2 months out and it's so hard to eat enough. The doctor is the one who told me I would lose more weight not having them.

did they do the surgery????? I have NO pain. - Walking , best friend. lost 64 pounds - quit smoking the day before my surgery.

ttgalasea

IMO it is necessary/adviceable - to stop smoking forever, "I believe", this must be very hard to do, but it shows your determination/strength you have

one hard step you made towards improving your health

sleeve right there to continue your health and happiness changes

Proving that you can stand tall and do this (stop smoking) is showing how determined you are about your WL, and changes must be made - KUDOS

surprised that your dr had no problem with you quitting day before WLS ?? thought it would have been earlier - but, like we all say, docs are all different

so nice to read a "just saying hi i'm doing great post WLS

we are supposed to come here for support, help, questions, reassurance, all that good stuff the board supplies - people even talk about "not" hearing the "good stuff"

thanx for starting the day off for me with a smile

so happy for you -congrats

take care

Thanks so much....My doctor told me I had to quit before he would do the surgery. I promised him I would so I did....I never break a promise. Besides that, when they found the nodular on my lung it scared the begeezies out of me...I want to see my kids marry and have families of their own. I smoked for 33 years and decided I wanted to live same for having the surgery and losing weight. I quit cold turkey but never had any withdrawal after I stopped. I don't know if it had something to do with the surgery or not....weird.

This is Amazing. What Joy to hear and encouraging.

Congrats

Happy Sleeve journey!

You are a sleeve rock star! What a brave and strong person you are...and a darn good example to your kids. Kudos!

Hi, you've done great! I'm almost a month out and I hit my 30 lb mark today. I lost 10 prior to surgery. I had a hard time with nausea, and still do at times, but it's getting better. Also chicken seems to sit like a rock when I eat it. Does this happen to anyone else? I found small protein bars as well but I just throw it in my bag if i'm. going out, so I have something with me. They have 15 grams of protein in them & only a few grams of sugar. I can finish it but its something I am returning all the protein powder and vitimins I bought because they make me sick to even smell. I do better with real food. Good luck everyone !