Hello everyone!

I'm new on here, so I thought I'd follow the trend and introduce myself in the hopes of making some buddies! I'm Rachael, I've just turned 29 and I had my surgery done privately by Dr Christopher Wong at The Glen (Bristol Spire Hospital) on January 19th. I'm nearly at my three week post-op mark and feeling pretty positive (though I'm definitely having ups and downs in terms of my emotions - mostly due to other people's insensitive natures). I'm going to try swimming tomorrow, so I'm excited for that - I've been feeling like I really need to stretch my torso out a bit. I don't know if this is normal or not, but walking doesn't seem to help much. I do a mad little stretch-hula-hoop thing every time I get up now, which looks crazy but works wonders. I don't have an appetite, and haven't really felt hungry at all yet, so I have alarms set on my phone to remind me to eat some Protein, and I mentally remind myself to go get drinks in between.

I only weigh myself on a Tuesday to mark the exact weekly anniversary of the surgery (I have an obsessive nature so I'm trying to pretend scales don't exist Wed-Mon), but last Tuesday I'd lost 21 lbs from the date of my pre-op appointment on the 6th Jan when I weighed 282 lbs.

I'm a pretty healthy person, aside from the weight issue, but my weight has impacted on my life in a variety of other ways - mostly through depression and not being able to do the things I'd really like to, some of them so simple it's depressing in itself (as I'm sure many of you know). I'm actually a super positive and cheery person, and I so can't wait to not feel so self-conscious. I don't have a fixed job or address (my mum likes to joke that we have Romany blood) - I do some freelance academic proofreading, but ultimately I'm an aspiring novelist, which means I'm already pretty temperamental I love travelling and have just sold my latest apartment in order to do more - this weight loss will be accomplished from all over the world (fingers crossed).

In terms of my journey to this point - my friend had the surgery in October 2014 and I've watched her as she lost nearly 11 stone. Essentially, she's partially responsible for my decision as she inspired me to give it a go! I've tried everything - different diets, fitness farms, gym work outs, personal trainers - nothing worked very well for me, and my depression just deepened. In November I decided I'd had enough, did some research and made a consult with Dr Wong. Initially I was going for the Gastric Band, but he pretty much filled my head with horror stories and sold me on the sleeve - and here I am two months later!

The most helpful thing I've found, motivation wise, was something my nutritionist asked me to do. He made me write a list of all the things my weight stops me from doing, no matter how simple, and whenever I'm struggling I can look at it and tick them off once they're no longer an issue!

Well, I'll stop rambling now, but if anyone wants to chat I'm always around! Good luck everyone!

I had my VSG on Feb 1st.

I'm so silly I still can't figure out how to use this board. I think I accidentally deleted a friend request. And even then I don't know yet how to use it, but I'll get it right eventually! lol

This might inspire you in a certain direction creatively. Who knows. I paint. I guess I am an artist? Yes, people have bought my work but I still don't think I'm that great yet so I'm curious to see where all these internal and external changes lead!

Congratulations! I hope everything goes smoothly for you!

Sounds like everything is going well for you. And you had your surgery 2 days before mine. I was sleeved on January 21. Thursday will be 3 weeks post op for me and I am down 20 pounds so far.

Keep up the hard work. I hope your attempt at swimming went well!

Hello everyone!

I'm new on here, so I thought I'd follow the trend and introduce myself in the hopes of making some buddies! I'm Rachael, I've just turned 29 and I had my surgery done privately by Dr Christopher Wong at The Glen (Bristol Spire Hospital) on January 19th. I'm nearly at my three week post-op mark and feeling pretty positive (though I'm definitely having ups and downs in terms of my emotions - mostly due to other people's insensitive natures). I'm going to try swimming tomorrow, so I'm excited for that - I've been feeling like I really need to stretch my torso out a bit. I don't know if this is normal or not, but walking doesn't seem to help much. I do a mad little stretch-hula-hoop thing every time I get up now, which looks crazy but works wonders. I don't have an appetite, and haven't really felt hungry at all yet, so I have alarms set on my phone to remind me to eat some Protein, and I mentally remind myself to go get drinks in between.

I only weigh myself on a Tuesday to mark the exact weekly anniversary of the surgery (I have an obsessive nature so I'm trying to pretend scales don't exist Wed-Mon), but last Tuesday I'd lost 21 lbs from the date of my pre-op appointment on the 6th Jan when I weighed 282 lbs.

I'm a pretty healthy person, aside from the weight issue, but my weight has impacted on my life in a variety of other ways - mostly through depression and not being able to do the things I'd really like to, some of them so simple it's depressing in itself (as I'm sure many of you know). I'm actually a super positive and cheery person, and I so can't wait to not feel so self-conscious. I don't have a fixed job or address (my mum likes to joke that we have Romany blood) - I do some freelance academic proofreading, but ultimately I'm an aspiring novelist, which means I'm already pretty temperamental I love travelling and have just sold my latest apartment in order to do more - this weight loss will be accomplished from all over the world (fingers crossed).

In terms of my journey to this point - my friend had the surgery in October 2014 and I've watched her as she lost nearly 11 stone. Essentially, she's partially responsible for my decision as she inspired me to give it a go! I've tried everything - different diets, fitness farms, gym work outs, personal trainers - nothing worked very well for me, and my depression just deepened. In November I decided I'd had enough, did some research and made a consult with Dr Wong. Initially I was going for the Gastric Band, but he pretty much filled my head with horror stories and sold me on the sleeve - and here I am two months later!

The most helpful thing I've found, motivation wise, was something my nutritionist asked me to do. He made me write a list of all the things my weight stops me from doing, no matter how simple, and whenever I'm struggling I can look at it and tick them off once they're no longer an issue!

Well, I'll stop rambling now, but if anyone wants to chat I'm always around! Good luck everyone!

Hi there, in also a Jan 19 , sleeve ????God bless!

Sounds like everything is going well for you. And you had your surgery 2 days before mine. I was sleeved on January 21. Thursday will be 3 weeks post op for me and I am down 20 pounds so far.

Keep up the hard work. I hope your attempt at swimming went well!

Hey there. Fingers crossed it stays that way We're almost sleeve siblings! Well done on the 20 lbs by the way, that's fab.

You too - sounds like you're doing great. Swimming was fun thanks - I managed 14 lengths before my side started to hurt and my arms felt a little like jelly. I'm going to try every other day and see how I get on. It's very relaxing!

Hello everyone!

I'm new on here, so I thought I'd follow the trend and introduce myself in the hopes of making some buddies! I'm Rachael, I've just turned 29 and I had my surgery done privately by Dr Christopher Wong at The Glen (Bristol Spire Hospital) on January 19th. I'm nearly at my three week post-op mark and feeling pretty positive (though I'm definitely having ups and downs in terms of my emotions - mostly due to other people's insensitive natures). I'm going to try swimming tomorrow, so I'm excited for that - I've been feeling like I really need to stretch my torso out a bit. I don't know if this is normal or not, but walking doesn't seem to help much. I do a mad little stretch-hula-hoop thing every time I get up now, which looks crazy but works wonders. I don't have an appetite, and haven't really felt hungry at all yet, so I have alarms set on my phone to remind me to eat some Protein, and I mentally remind myself to go get drinks in between.

I only weigh myself on a Tuesday to mark the exact weekly anniversary of the surgery (I have an obsessive nature so I'm trying to pretend scales don't exist Wed-Mon), but last Tuesday I'd lost 21 lbs from the date of my pre-op appointment on the 6th Jan when I weighed 282 lbs.

I'm a pretty healthy person, aside from the weight issue, but my weight has impacted on my life in a variety of other ways - mostly through depression and not being able to do the things I'd really like to, some of them so simple it's depressing in itself (as I'm sure many of you know). I'm actually a super positive and cheery person, and I so can't wait to not feel so self-conscious. I don't have a fixed job or address (my mum likes to joke that we have Romany blood) - I do some freelance academic proofreading, but ultimately I'm an aspiring novelist, which means I'm already pretty temperamental I love travelling and have just sold my latest apartment in order to do more - this weight loss will be accomplished from all over the world (fingers crossed).

In terms of my journey to this point - my friend had the surgery in October 2014 and I've watched her as she lost nearly 11 stone. Essentially, she's partially responsible for my decision as she inspired me to give it a go! I've tried everything - different diets, fitness farms, gym work outs, personal trainers - nothing worked very well for me, and my depression just deepened. In November I decided I'd had enough, did some research and made a consult with Dr Wong. Initially I was going for the Gastric Band, but he pretty much filled my head with horror stories and sold me on the sleeve - and here I am two months later!

The most helpful thing I've found, motivation wise, was something my nutritionist asked me to do. He made me write a list of all the things my weight stops me from doing, no matter how simple, and whenever I'm struggling I can look at it and tick them off once they're no longer an issue!

Well, I'll stop rambling now, but if anyone wants to chat I'm always around! Good luck everyone!

Hi there, in also a Jan 19 , sleeve God bless!

Heyo! You're totally my sleeve sister How are you finding everything so far?

I had my surgery Jan 26th 15 days ago and I am down 16 pounds. I had a 6 month supervised diet program I had to follow. On that I lost 38 pounds so I guess that is why my progress after surgery is a bit slower. I haven't been cleared yet to exercise. Once I am I plan to train for a Bike Challenge that will be taking place in Feb 2017. Also if the sun comes back out down here in Florida I want to get into the pool and see what I can do. It has been about 4 years since I have been in the pool and I use to love it but my weight prevented me from getting down and up the steps to the pool..

It sounds like you are doing great with weight loss and exercise. Despite our age differences I hope you might be interested in being friends. If so, feel free to add me.

I had my surgery Jan 26th 15 days ago and I am down 16 pounds. I had a 6 month supervised diet program I had to follow. On that I lost 38 pounds so I guess that is why my progress after surgery is a bit slower. I haven't been cleared yet to exercise. Once I am I plan to train for a Bike Challenge that will be taking place in Feb 2017. Also if the sun comes back out down here in Florida I want to get into the pool and see what I can do. It has been about 4 years since I have been in the pool and I use to love it but my weight prevented me from getting down and up the steps to the pool..

It sounds like you are doing great with weight loss and exercise. Despite our age differences I hope you might be interested in being friends. If so, feel free to add me.

Hey there! 16 lbs is great - you've lost so much already, it's amazing You're doing so well. And wow, that's fantastic - good luck with the bike challenge, I'll be rooting for you! Swimming will feel so great once you get back in that pool.

Being friends would be lovely, there's definitely no age limit on friendship in my books.

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

Thank you! I'm so OCD sometimes that my brain is always keeping a track of how many laps I've done, even while my mind is completely somewhere else!

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

Thank you! I'm so OCD sometimes that my brain is always keeping a track of how many laps I've done, even while my mind is completely somewhere else!

Back in my previous life when I was swimming regularly (a mile a day) I kept up with my laps more easily because I would swim sets of different strokes.

Lately, I have been able to only do backstroke so I didn't even bother counting. I just went by the clock. It turns out that based on my Misfit Shine I was swimming over a mile of backstroke, just not every day.

This past weekend I swam my first crawl in a long time so I will be working toward mixing up my strokes.

I do water aerobics classes and water weights too so the water has been giving me a great workout.

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

I looked online at the Misfit Shine tracker you mentioned. It is on sale now for less than $50.00. This I could afford. How do you like the tracker? Was it hard to figure out how to set it up and keep track of what your doing? I have never had a good grip on technology. Heck I still have a trac phone. If I got one of these and can't figure it out would you help me please?

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

Thank you! I'm so OCD sometimes that my brain is always keeping a track of how many laps I've done, even while my mind is completely somewhere else!

Back in my previous life when I was swimming regularly (a mile a day) I kept up with my laps more easily because I would swim sets of different strokes.

Lately, I have been able to only do backstroke so I didn't even bother counting. I just went by the clock. It turns out that based on my Misfit Shine I was swimming over a mile of backstroke, just not every day.

This past weekend I swam my first crawl in a long time so I will be working toward mixing up my strokes.

I do water aerobics classes and water weights too so the water has been giving me a great workout.

The water aerobics and water weights you do is this in a group class setting, or individual at your own pool. I have a community pool and I am not too sure even what water aerobics and water weights are all about. Any suggestions or perhaps an idea of what you do would be appreciated.

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

Thank you! I'm so OCD sometimes that my brain is always keeping a track of how many laps I've done, even while my mind is completely somewhere else!

Back in my previous life when I was swimming regularly (a mile a day) I kept up with my laps more easily because I would swim sets of different strokes.

Lately, I have been able to only do backstroke so I didn't even bother counting. I just went by the clock. It turns out that based on my Misfit Shine I was swimming over a mile of backstroke, just not every day.

This past weekend I swam my first crawl in a long time so I will be working toward mixing up my strokes.

I do water aerobics classes and water weights too so the water has been giving me a great workout.

Wow - a mile a day is loads! I'm not sure I'd ever get to that stage, I just keep adding a few lengths each time to build myself up 14 the first day, 18 the second. Tomorrow I'll try for 20.

I can't do backstroke without somehow going diagonally across the pool - I'm hopeless. I do breast stroke, and every now and then I'll go backwards just with my legs to give them a work out, but I have to stick next to a rope or else everyone's in danger!

I see the water aerobics classes, but I'm a little nervous of them - not sure they're my thing, but they look like a good work out.

Welcome, Rachael! It sounds like you are doing great.

Getting back into the pool was a huge milestone for me, too. I couldn't wait for my incisions to heal so I could get back in the Water.

I swim pretty regularly now and got a Misfit Shine activity tracker for Christmas so I can keep up with my laps.

Thank you! I'm so OCD sometimes that my brain is always keeping a track of how many laps I've done, even while my mind is completely somewhere else!

Back in my previous life when I was swimming regularly (a mile a day) I kept up with my laps more easily because I would swim sets of different strokes.

Lately, I have been able to only do backstroke so I didn't even bother counting. I just went by the clock. It turns out that based on my Misfit Shine I was swimming over a mile of backstroke, just not every day.

This past weekend I swam my first crawl in a long time so I will be working toward mixing up my strokes.

I do water aerobics classes and water weights too so the water has been giving me a great workout.

The water aerobics and water weights you do is this in a group class setting, or individual at your own pool. I have a community pool and I am not too sure even what water aerobics and water weights are all about. Any suggestions or perhaps an idea of what you do would be appreciated.

Both. I have been taking classes for years, so if there isn't a class going on I can do it on my own.

If you have never taken a class, I encourage you to see if you can find one. You can teach yourself (from youtube, books, etc.) but it helps to have an instructor to make sure you aren't doing something that will cause injury.

I have some water weights, a kickboard, etc. at home that I use in the summer. I swim at a Wellness Center, so they have a lot more variety to use.

Somethings I do:

I use the weights for a variety of curls, etc.

I use the noodle for crunches, ab work, and also balance.

I had my surgery 1/19/16. Down 39lbs since starting preop diet 1/5/16. I having trouble with my stomach and eating. I'm still on puréed food my doc wants me to go back to fluids. I'll eat my meal then an hour or so later my stomach feels empty and feels like it's churning. At times it makes me feel a little queasy. I'm not sure why this is happening. Sometimes I can't take my vitamins or drink my protein.