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Hello all from the Northen Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! I'm in the beginning process of this wls journey. I had my initial consult w/ my surgeon and have all my appointments scheduled out. The last of them is set for mid Jan. I imagine, if ins approves, surgery would be sometime after that. Initially I was thinking about RNY but I'm feeling more confident about having the DS now that I've researched it. My surgeon also thinks it's a great option for me. What are somethings I could start doing now that would make this new lifestyle a bit easier post op?

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Eat as healthy as you can. Low carb, higher Protein, chemical free foods. Good luck

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I would invest in a few good books on weight loss surgery with sections on recipes and meal preparation for post surgery. Get a Nutri Bullet or good blender for your shakes and food. This is the most important part of the weight loss journey because you are having to change your eating and cooking habits. If you don't your weight loss will be limited and ultimately unsuccessful. Start walking or exercising... it will make the surgery much easier on you. Good luck, i hope you do well.

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Wooooohooooo and welcome'

!!!!!!

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Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

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Welcome. The time leading up to the surgery comes up so fast. I'm having gastric sleeve surgery on the 21st October. I'm in Sydney, Australia. I can't wait to start my pre-op diet in 4 days time.

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Good luck to you all. I remember that excitement. One thing for sure, the hospital stay, surgery, and recovery was 10 times easier than expected. I was bored, driving and shopping four days after the sleeve.

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Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

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Since you are at the beginning of this process, I would recommend three things.


1. Take a good before photograph of yourself, so that you have something to compare to after surgery. Many times we are blind to our obesity. We do not see ourselves. Therefore when the weight begins to drop off rather dramatically, we question if this is really happening. Photographs are a good visualization of our success. Many people carry a before and after photo with them, just to remind themselves of their success.

2. Walk 30 minutes each day, every day until surgery (or equivalent exercise). Walking helps the recovery process go smoothly and minimized the pain levels from surgery.

3. Wean yourself from caffeine and carbonated beverages now. After I gave up my 6 diet coke a day habit, I suffered from a week of severe withdrawal syndrome consisting of severe headaches and body aches. I was miserable. You don't want to combine the effects of caffeine withdrawal with the effects of surgery.

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Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

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I am in Manassas. I will update once I've got more information from my doctors - but I think they don't even discuss dates until all the tests are done.

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Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

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I am in Manassas. I will update more about my surgery when I have more info. I don't think my doctor will discuss dates until the tests are done and insurance has approved. I guess this makes sense but right now I just want to be done with all of this and feel like I'm moving forward!

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Sorry for the double post - it is way too early for me!

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Welcome :) I'm also pre-op and in Northern Virginia. You have a better idea when your surgery is than I do! Hopefully mine will be somewhere between mid-December and mid-January. As goofy as it sounds I like the idea of having it right around the new year - you know, new year new me. I'm working my way through all of the appointments and tests at this point. I'm also working on cutting out processed foods and reducing carbs as cbonet suggested.

Good luck!

Yes! Keep us posted about your surgery date. Loving all the suggestions from everyone. I'm in Winchester. Where are you?

Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

I am in Manassas. I will update more about my surgery when I have more info. I don't think my doctor will discuss dates until the tests are done and insurance has approved. I guess this makes sense but right now I just want to be done with all of this and feel like I'm moving forward!

Sounds good. Yes, I was just guessing that my surgery would be sometime after my last apt in Jan but there really is no way for me to know for sure at this point. I feel you therr! After each appointment I remind myself that I'm one step closer to finding out if this going to happen.

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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.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • 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
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • bellaamey

      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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