I am starting this so all of us who are beginning 2013 in a big way can share stories, advice and experiences.

My surgery date is 1/21/13 and this has been a year long journey for me. I began last December with a physical and my Dr. and I decided it was time. I had to go through 6 months of weigh-ins and visits with the nutritionist before I was even allowed to see the surgeon. I finally met him in July and then was given a whole new list of tests and appointments that needed to be done. My insurance finally approved me earlier this month, but only for surgery after January 1, so January 21st it is.

I am so excited to start this journey and thank you all in advance for sharing your experiences here!

Almost 3 weeks post op and 30lbs down. My diet is weird though. It says liquid diet but says I can have mashed potatoes, refried beans, things like that. I've cheated. I ate a oz of chicken salad. It was shredded, but I had to have something that I could chew. I'm craving food. I'm not hungry just craving. Feelings are up and down at times. But so happy I did it. Still sore at times

Almost 3 weeks post op and 30lbs down. My diet is weird though. It says liquid diet but says I can have mashed potatoes' date=' refried Beans, things like that. I've cheated. I ate a oz of chicken salad. It was shredded, but I had to have something that I could chew. I'm craving food. I'm not hungry just craving. Feelings are up and down at times. But so happy I did it. Still sore at times[/quote']

Have u tried gum?? 3 wk/30 lbs hats off to you Chica!!!

You are a day after me...how're you feeling? Any weight loss? My pain is all but gone 10 days out <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Yeah I weighed 221 before surgery and now I'm 212. It's really hard not to eat the things I was used to eating. This liquid diet is hard. I hope I get moved to puréed food the 29th when I meet with my dietician. How are you doing? Any weight loss for you?

Have u tried gum?? 3 wk/30 lbs hats off to you Chica!!!

No. I have a great elliptical. I love it. I do 2 15 min workouts a day. I will succeed

I have a confession y'all I ate pizza last night And i feel miserable about it since my surgery is Tuesday. I know it's a struggle everyday. I just want to succeed with this.

Don't worry about it. It happened so just let it go cuz each day is a new start. I had a cheeseburger 2 days before mine. That was my cheat on the liquid diet. As stated before we are all human.

Gen :-) 12/15/12

For anyone else like me who is new and has been concerned their pouch was not working because they have not yet felt too full with either the Fluid or the small amount they ate: I learned today that this wonderful tool is very much working and even a bite or two too much can be painful. May sound sadistic, but I needed this.

I wasn't trying, it was an accident-I had about four small bites of sf Jello and noticed my taste for it changed (already), so I stopped eating it and threw it away. I wanted something else, so I took a few small bites of a mashed baked yam (plain). I knew i was "full". Less than 5 minutes later I felt pain in the middle of my stomach, the heaviness and fullness was pressing inside me. Wow, ouch, yay! and ouch some more! The pressure lasted about 15 uncomfortable minutes.

It wasn't really a lot of food, but it was too much. I will certainly be more careful because I don't want that happening again-like ever! Once was enough for me-I knew the surgery was working because of weight loss, but this was a nice sign I wasn't immune to fullness.

Almost 3 weeks post op and 30lbs down. My diet is weird though. It says liquid diet but says I can have mashed potatoes' date=' refried Beans, things like that. I've cheated. I ate a oz of chicken salad. It was shredded, but I had to have something that I could chew. I'm craving food. I'm not hungry just craving. Feelings are up and down at times. But so happy I did it. Still sore at times[/quote']

That's awesome!!! Congrats. I am two full weeks out, am down 12 (from am of surgery-not counting gas weight gained from surgery) and am soo happy.

Just wanted to say my surgery went very well. I had my surgery on 1/22/13 and I was up walking and feeling good and went home the next day now I'm home still feeling good and feeling normal but I forget to drink my protein and I don't think that's good I don't drink cause I get full so fast but why didn't my doctor tell me to eat my vitamins? That you all for your prayers God bless

When are y'all goin back to wk??

When are y'all goin back to wk??

My surgery was the 16th, I'm going back to work the 30th.

When are y'all goin back to wk??

Monday! I had two weeks off. I'm a social worker, so not much movement, but high stress. Just a bit concerned I'll forget to take care of myself first while caring for my clients.

Monday! I had two weeks off. I'm a social worker' date=' so not much movement, but high stress. Just a bit concerned I'll forget to take care of myself first while caring for my clients.[/quote']

I feel the same way! Our field is crazy, good thing my caseload was cleared before I left!

No. I have a great elliptical. I love it. I do 2 15 min workouts a day. I will succeed

I read that wrong. Lol. Sorry..I read Gym

No no gum. It said in my papers not to

Ok I'm post op now!!! I had surgery yesterday at 7:30am. I had some trouble coming out of anesthesia. My hubby and the nurses said I was really goofy and loopy. I had a lot of the gas pains yesterday and this morning but I had my barium swallow at 7:30 today and now I am sipping on water so wonderful. I love water always have and I was glad that I can still tolerate it. Starting to fall asleep so gonna go back to bed. Thanks for all your support and prayers.

Ok I'm post op now!!! I had surgery yesterday at 7:30am. I had some trouble coming out of anesthesia. My hubby and the nurses said I was really goofy and loopy. I had a lot of the gas pains yesterday and this morning but I had my barium swallow at 7:30 today and now I am sipping on Water so wonderful. I love water always have and I was glad that I can still tolerate it. Starting to fall asleep so gonna go back to bed. Thanks for all your support and prayers.

I am glad that you did well and are feeling better. Way to go.