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I am exactly one month away from my surgery date. I know having cold feet is normal, but I still have a number of nagging issues. First the basics, I'm 43 years old, 6' 1" and 288 pounds (37.5 BMI) and sleep apnea. Typical issues with weight loss. Here are the issues I'm wrestling with:



1) Image. I have always been a bigger person. Kind of become am image that defines. Here's the odd thing. For years I could barely look at myself in the mirror without thinking that I was way overweight and needed a major intervention. But since deciding on the surgery I cannot help looking in the mirror and thinking, "you're not that back!"



2) Vanity. Why do I think I am being vain to get the Sleeve with a BMI so high. I know that if my BMI was 40 I would not think that... and I am just a few points below that.



3) Complications. I am over the fears of mortality re the surgery-- no more than other surgeries I have had. But the rates of complications seem a bit high. I read many stories about smooth transitions after surgery, but the few that had complications such as leaking that led to another surgery concerns me.



My issue has always been over eating and being a foodie. I think I am comfortable with knowing that I can still be a foodie but in a very different way, especially quantity. But, this issues I have described as playing mind games with me.



Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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Just be confident that this could be what will help you. I had my sleeve last march, I have lost about 68 lbs. I have been a slow looser, but that's ok too, I didn't have any problems with the surgery at all, no complications, no vomiting nothing. I can eat most foods. I did have a little bit of a hard time getting salmon down when I could finally eat it. But now can eat it. I would do it again if I had too. I just keep telling myself I do not need to go crazy bc I have and am loosing the weight, meaning getting the big head. I am still same person, only smaller. I trust in. God and he is my encourager.

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Just be confident that this could be what will help you. I had my sleeve last march, I have lost about 68 lbs. I have been a slow looser, but that's ok too, I didn't have any problems with the surgery at all, no complications, no vomiting nothing. I can eat most foods. I did have a little bit of a hard time getting salmon down when I could finally eat it. But now can eat it. I would do it again if I had too. I just keep telling myself I do not need to go crazy bc I have and am loosing the weight, meaning getting the big head. I am still same person, only smaller. I trust in. God and he is my encourager.

Dinky thank you. I have had a similar experience. Losing slow due to taking 5 mgs of prednisone daily. As long as I dont gain. I exercise as much as I can AND I am encouraged.

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Dinky thank you. I have had a similar experience. Losing slow due to taking 5 mgs of prednisone daily. As long as I dont gain. I exercise as much as I can AND I am encouraged.

I was sleeved on Sept. 23rd and have lost only 24 lbs but I am wearing clothes I have not worn in two years. All my shoes are too big.

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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