What is that one thing you wish someone had told you, or are so glad someone did, about WLS or the process pre and post op??

Wish I'd known...

• How much it was going to hurt when I woke up from surgery. And then, how quickly it would get better over the next few days.
• That during the first two weeks, fluids (and Miralax) are even more important than Protein to prevent constipation. That was my only hellish moment on this journey.
• About the Dreaded Week-3 Stall. Consider yourself warned, and read this... http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.php.
• That I wouldn't miss my fat-guy foods as much as I thought.
• As others have said, we get cold... alot.
• As others have said, our bony butts hurt... alot.
• As others have said, we go through clothes like poop through a goose.
• That non-green carbs, starches, and sugar are the enemy (at least for me).
• That calories and fat don't really matter as long as we're not also eating carbs.
• That walking is so darned much fun.
• That beef and turkey Jerky are secret weapons against hunger, especially on the road.
• That planning is the most important thing we can do to ensure success.
• And that if we follow all the rules, the pounds will fall off and we can make it to goal weight.

The potential shoulder pain. I experienced excruciating shoulder pain and think it wouldn't have been so scary if I knew just how bad it could be.

@@Rogofulm - Great list! I concur with many of those (at least those that I have experienced only 15 days post-op)!

Agreed with the 3 week stall...found out about that here and yes everyone has it to some extent.

The one thing I missed somehow was that in my paperwork the NUT said she wanted us getting 48 ounces of Fluid in the first week after surgery. My panic moment came when I couldn't even get 8 ounces the first day. I really thought something was wrong. Then she said work your way UP TO 48 ounces.

I had researched like crazy also but forgot about the temperature of what you drink. I couldn't drink cold for the first week then it was fine.

OMG yeah your underwear is so quick to sag. Your clothes will follow. Goodwill, Old Navy and Walmart will be your best friend until you get to goal weight.

Reward yourself with things NOT food for hitting benchmarks. Take your weight loss in bite size pieces and Celebrate not just when you get to goal.

Absolutely follow your plan, it works. It keeps you on the straight and narrow. It helps you keep yourself accountable and keeps you from sliding back into old habits.

Good luck!!!

@@UnbeSleevEable85 mine still does going on 3 months just not as bad now, my whole process wasn't as bad as some, some people lose handfuls, mine was just annoying! Nothing worse than wet hair clinging to you in the shower! Yuck!

@@CanyonBaby Thanks love! Now where is your picture?!

Someone told me that the first six months is a window of great opportunity to lose most of your weight. Your restriction is at its best during this time period and its best to make the most of it by trying your hardest and sticking to the guidelines no matter what.

I didn't allow myself to eat sugar and hardly any carbs the first six months. After that, I got close enough to my goal weight to increase my calories and loosen up a little.

I am so grateful to my friend who told me about the surgery. He had been obese, and he started looking great. He told me about the lap-band, and the rest is history!

I wish I had known a little more about basic nutrition, both before and after surgery. I knew, of course, that pizzas and fried chicken are bad, but I didn’t know how to put together healthy meals that were sustainable – the times when I was eating healthy, I was eating things like shakes – healthy ingredients like fruits and vegetables, but not something you can eat for years on end the way you can eat balanced meals like chicken, fish, or eggs, plus a fruit or vegetable. Learning how to eat took me a long time, and is still a work in progress.

I wish I would have been told that post-op is super expensive if you are private pay and don't have decent insurance. I'm not talking about the surgery itself. Vitamins and supplements run me about $60/mnth, and my blood tests cost a little under $900 on average. That's a lot to factor into costs that I didn't take into consideration before the surgery.

I wish I would have been told that post-op is super expensive if you are private pay and don't have decent insurance. I'm not talking about the surgery itself. Vitamins and supplements run me about $60/mnth, and my blood tests cost a little under $900 on average. That's a lot to factor into costs that I didn't take into consideration before the surgery.

Why are your vitamins that much each month?

1. I wish that someone had told me about WLS period !! I didnt really know about lapband until a relative had it done Spring 2011, so I started investigating and was banded December 2011. I wish the information was brought up more or "advertised" more as a possible solution to obesity ! 2. I wish I hadnt put the idea off when a co worker with a lapband told me I would never be able to have rice or pasta again ! ( not completely true, 3 bites, I'm done ) for some stupid reason that threw me and I lost interest in lapband ! (Temporary insanity...........I know, I know............sigh......) I wish someone had told me how great I would feel as the weight fell off ! It was like watching a butterfly emerge from a cocoon ! Healthy , strong, happy !! Clothes falling off every few months, shoes too big, shopping again ? Nice looks from people ? Compliments ? Hubby very happy ? Yes to all of the above !

@@Hisbrowneyedgirl Because I take special Bariatric vitamins, biotin, Amino Complex(which is about $30 a month on its own), and calcium. It all adds up.

@@Hisbrowneyedgirl Because I take special Bariatric vitamins, biotin, Amino Complex(which is about $30 a month on its own), and calcium. It all adds up.

Sounds about right

I wish I had known:

1. That depression is pretty common for the first few weeks after surgery: mourning food, feeling uncomfortable, looking at a seemingly insurmountable goal. GOOD NEWS>>>>depression lifts, pain/nausea resolves, goal gets closer and closer every day!

2. To NEVER compare your weight loss with others.....we all lose at our own pace (for a variety of reasons). GOOD NEWS>>>>>if you work the plan, the weight WILL come off, and my slower loss gives me more time to practice the plan and good habits that hopefully will be easier to maintain once at goal (as they will be sooooo ingrained).

3. To focus on non-scale victories (ie. clothes fitting looser, fitting in seats better, less joint pain, etc). GOOD NEWS>>>>>these NSVs are the reason why we do this....we did it to feel better!

4. That you will stop missing the foods that you thought you couldn't live without. GOOD NEWS>>>>healthy stuff starts tasting better than it did before! A couple of fresh strawberries for dessert really IS a treat (vs a ton of M&Ms). Seemingly unbelievable, yet somehow true.

@@Hisbrowneyedgirl Because I take special Bariatric vitamins, biotin, Amino Complex(which is about $30 a month on its own), and calcium. It all adds up.

My Dr gave me a choice of the bariatric advantage vitamins, or just taking a multi, iron, and calcium. I also take biotin, qo-q10. My monthly total is $17 vs this special vitamin.

@@Hisbrowneyedgirl

My surgeon told me horror stories about people taking the wrong OTC Vitamins.

Someone else on here said they were taking Flinstone's Children's Chewables with Iron. I love those, so I'm going to ask my surgeon tomorrow if I can start taking those instead. I'm sure he'll say no, but it never hurts to try.

I'm taking Bariatric Advantage right now. The chewables quickly became unbearably nasty to me, and the capsules are like taking horse pills. Definitely not something I would ever want to voluntarily take, but man if you heard some of those horror stories. lol