Hi,

Hoping to connect with other Hampton Roads sleevers.

Victoria

Having surgery in Hampton VA in July...so excited!

I bet you are! Congratulations! Be looking forward to seeing you on the losers' bench very soon. Probably counting down the days.

I sure am! 78 I believe. Could've done it sooner but summer vacations are coming and just couldn't work it in.

Thanks!

I sure am! 78 I believe. Could've done it sooner but summer vacations are coming and just couldn't work it in. Thanks!

PRINCESSM

Congrats!!!! Welcome to a new life!!!! I had my surgery in March and I have lost 33lbs. My bones stop hurting, skin has cleared up, I look younger. I feel better!!! Look forward to same thing!!!! Just remember to be patient and love yourself!!!

Congrats on your success Jurnee :-) that's awesome! I hope to make some changes over the months before my surgery and lose a little weight. Discipline is so hard for me! Thanks you guys for being so friendly :-)

Congrats on your success Jurnee :-) that's awesome! I hope to make some changes over the months before my surgery and lose a little weight. Discipline is so hard for me! Thanks you guys for being so friendly :-)

PRINCESSM

If you ever need support or got questions please let me know. I'm still new to this but I'm loving the journey and want nothing but love and blessings to all on their journey!!!

PrincessM you can do it!!

Here's something - what about just making one change? Take something you do and change it. My sister, she has made several changes but has kept off over 30-35 pounds by making simple changes. She drinks diet soda instead of regular soda most all the time (maybe one day I'll get her cold turkey), she usually doesn't eat fries, eats more veggies and fruit, and more fish. She's walking a little bit now. Again, all things made over a year time frame.

The other is that she works with a coach once a month. She gets $$ from her workplace for that. Is that something you have at your work?

Hi everyone. Thanks for sharing some of your journey. I'm in the process and not sure of my date. Hopefully early September. I'd really like some support from all of you as I am also in the Hampton roads area. Any tips would be great. Feel free to inbox me.

Hi,

The basic question most of us have is what kind of support or help do you need? Most of us don't know where people are at in terms of diet, exercise, support, if they've asked questions of their surgeon, investigated them, or anything else. If you can give that, it helps us tailor and target our help to people.

Vic

Thanks Vic. I have 4 more months on my own for insurance purposes. I'm exercising about 2 to 3 times -walking- a week and my pcp has me on counting calories to better prepare. I'm at 1800-2000 a day. I'm 5"6 about 252 was 263 but have loss some. I have attended a wellness class to help prepare as well. Any beginning info would be great. How did you prepare and what tips can do you have.

How do you politely respond to close friends who mean well, who tell you that you could do it without the surgery?

Edited May 3, 201412 yr by PRINCESSM

Ask them how you could have improved over any of your other attempts to lose weight without surgery, how many people they know personally who have taken it off and kept it off and how they can refute medical studies showing that bariatric surgery is superior to other forms of weight loss in terms of the amount lost and keeping it off, especially over the years?

Ask them where their medical expertise is in that they can say, over your doctors' recommendations, that doing it without surgery is in your best interests. Ask them what their medical expertise is in that they know that this form of treatment is better than any other. Ask them flat out why they are against someone taking the best chance to succeed to get healthier.

Once you start challenging people on a logic situation, they'll get huffy. Trust me, been there, done that. Putting it in people's faces that biases have no basis in logic hurts.

I think you are doing an excellent job on your own. Congratulations!!!

Do not go overboard. In other words, don't try for 7 days at a week at 5 miles and go from there. This is about the slow route right now.

Cheat at least 1 or 2x a week.

Get rid of McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's. Go to Subway, get salads. Go to other restaurants like Jason's Deli and get the all you can buffet salad. Watch the dressing choices.

Start on getting rid of sodas, whether diet or not.

Drink more Water.

Drink more zero calorie beverages that have Vitamins or minerals in them.

Do you have access to a gym?

What about bike riding?

Do you have things that you can change once at a time? As in you paid the kid down the street to cut your grass, now you do it?

What did the wellness class give you in terms of a support system for after care? That's the biggest issue is your support system. Very few people are like me. I had my sister drop me off for surgery, all alone. I didn't tell any one anything outside of the one sister, neither at work or family or whatever, until more than 24 hours later. So how are your nerves in holding up?

What have you planned in terms of after surgery for exercise?

I'm in HR, too. Just started the process this week, but it's already moving quickly. Now I'm just trying to sort out insurance and short term disability issues for work. Is/has anyone seen Dr Clark? And are all his sleeves outpatient?

I'm in HR, too. Just started the process this week, but it's already moving quickly. Now I'm just trying to sort out insurance and short term disability issues for work. Is/has anyone seen Dr Clark? And are all his sleeves outpatient?

I'm seeing dr Clark for surgery in July. I have a friend who had the sleeve with him and loves it. He said most are outpatient (I am assuming unless there are complications).