So I thought I'd run it all down. I might add some pictures tomorrow when I take them for my records.

10 days before Surgery two months ago I weighed 346 lbs. Everything made me out of breath. I wasn't exercising nor dieting. In fact had probably spent the last few months leading up to this going to as many restaurants/fast food places as I could, getting my favorites for one last time.

Started the full liquid 10 days before surgery lost about 12lbs and on July 24th, 2017 I was SLEEVED. *insert "Law and Order" chung-chung sound here*

It took a week after that to feel only a mild pain from the incisions, probably 2 weeks after for the pain to be gone entirely.

I was on clear liquids for the whole first week after surgery. Walking helped, shuffling around the house in my slippers. I didn't have any gas pains and I'd say my best friend, or the best thing I bought after surgery (at the advice of some angel on the forum) was a stomach support stretchy velcro thingy. It kept me feeling like my guts weren't falling out...gave me stomach support when it was weak.

Noticed the pounds coming off at a steady, very steady, 2lbs per day. That is, until the three week stall which is REAL y'all.

Went through the entire month of August on Full Liquid diet. Consisted on two protein shakes and a bowl of soup and of course lots of water.

Didn't really do a whole lot of exercising all that much, but that has changed since my last Surgeon's appointment when he said I could go to pureed for a week, then solid foods. I've been walking about 2 miles a day and increasing daily and it's making the pounds move. I have 6 - 8 months to maximize this loss and I am going to do it. I'm already addicted to walking everyday and loving it immensely. I don't get out of breath easily at all anymore and I'm pushing myself gently to the point that I actually feel like JOGGING!!!

Cut to today. I am at 290. That is a loss of 56 lbs and I definitely can feel it. This is only two months in.

Problems:

• After Surgery and a little recovery I had a hard time figuring out what to do with my life in my leisure time. Everything had always revolved around food and eating and or drinking with friends. Checking out new Restaurants, going to favorite restaurants, drinking at local watering hole - these all had to be requestioned and rethought. I had to figure out what to do to occupy my time better. i think i have since worked it out. I still go to my neighborhood watering hole, but I have that - water and I pay for some of my friends drinks that way I am contributing to the financial necessities of the establishment and not just taking up space. I have bought a pop up camper from 1970 and I am in love with it and spend at least one pretty day a week tinkering with it and getting ready for a big camping trip at the end of the month.
• Eating in general has slowly become a Non-Pleasure. I use solid food as medicine now. if I am hungry it takes soooooo verrrrrrrrryyyyy littttttlllllee before I just have to stop. it's just a necessity and definitely not a desire. My pleasure sensors or joy sensations when it comes to food have all but burned and fizzled out. Is that really a PROBLEM? I don't know.
  It CERTAINLY is confusing. I NEVER know what will work or not in my stomach right now. It's a virtual guessing game. Almost. I say almost because I know there are "guides" and recommendations, but the reality of having to look everything up before you attempt to have a meal is ridiculous.
• The mood swings, the toxins stored in your fat releasing itself into your system as the fat dissipates causing the mood swings and the bursts of hormones/testosterone are a roller coaster ride and not always a fun one. Sometimes they are not fun at all.
• The loss of the feeling of "completion" with eating. The loss of the "full and content" feeling has been weird to me...it's just, you're done and your stomach might feel queasy or your stomach might just feel fine, but you're just done and that's it. I don't know, again, if that's a real problem but it's just...different.
• The way my torso, specifically my stomach and man boobs are going to take the longest to lose fat certainly can make the rest of your body look weird in the mean time.
  

Good Stuff:

• Inches and Pounds, Inches and Pounds! Dropping from a 3xl shirt to now just a 2xl shirt is a wonderful feeling. I have only bought one new pair of pants because I went out of town on an overnight trip and forgot my friggin' clothes so I had to buy some. The jeans I bought were 6 inches below what I had been buying. 6 inches is a lot in jeans. They start looking like regular jeans instead of flared bell bottoms because your goddamned waist is so huge that it continues down the pant leg. I've been tracking the inches lost and that will be measured for the second time post surgery tomorrow.
• Noticing the fast changes in my body mass. Other people noticing the changes. Looking down when I'm sitting and seeing my lap instead of my stomach?
• more energy better sleep already
• 56lbs off your frame makes Sex a wee bit easier and more fun.
• Skin looks great with so much water and non toxic food going through your system. Dry skin gone. Greasy skin and spots gone.
• Having a neck with tendons in it and clavicle bones look cool.
• Putting on a t-shirt and before you get it past your arms, you already know it's gonna fit perfectly. I know you know what I'm talking about.

Everyday is a new and interesting day. I am certainly taking it one day at a time and each day I wake up excited about the possibility of walking and getting lesser and lesser.
I'm really confused and still adjusting to what eating has become.
I still enjoy an occasional dance with Mary Jane if I need to get out of my head, but was never a fan of alcohol that much anyway.
I can't imagine what is beyond this....I haven't ever been "normal weight" since I was a child. I am willing to get there though.

I guess overall I am happy that I chose to do this really , really weird thing to my body.

And there you are....

Thank you for this post. I'm getting my band out in 3 weeks and getting the sleeve and I have been trying to see what the recovery difficulties are. I got the band in 2003 and the mood swings didn't happen as well as some other symptoms so I'm preparing myself:)

congratulations on your new successful journey:)

So I thought I'd run it all down. I might add some pictures tomorrow when I take them for my records.

10 days before Surgery two months ago I weighed 346 lbs. Everything made me out of breath. I wasn't exercising nor dieting. In fact had probably spent the last few months leading up to this going to as many restaurants/fast food places as I could, getting my favorites for one last time.

Started the full liquid 10 days before surgery lost about 12lbs and on July 24th, 2017 I was SLEEVED. *insert "Law and Order" chung-chung sound here*
It took a week after that to feel only a mild pain from the incisions, probably 2 weeks after for the pain to be gone entirely.

I was on clear liquids for the whole first week after surgery. Walking helped, shuffling around the house in my slippers. I didn't have any gas pains and I'd say my best friend, or the best thing I bought after surgery (at the advice of some angel on the forum) was a stomach support stretchy velcro thingy. It kept me feeling like my guts weren't falling out...gave me stomach support when it was weak.

Noticed the pounds coming off at a steady, very steady, 2lbs per day. That is, until the three week stall which is REAL y'all.

Went through the entire month of August on Full Liquid diet. Consisted on two protein shakes and a bowl of soup and of course lots of water.

Didn't really do a whole lot of exercising all that much, but that has changed since my last Surgeon's appointment when he said I could go to pureed for a week, then solid foods. I've been walking about 2 miles a day and increasing daily and it's making the pounds move. I have 6 - 8 months to maximize this loss and I am going to do it. I'm already addicted to walking everyday and loving it immensely. I don't get out of breath easily at all anymore and I'm pushing myself gently to the point that I actually feel like JOGGING!!!

Cut to today. I am at 290. That is a loss of 56 lbs and I definitely can feel it. This is only two months in.
Problems:

• After Surgery and a little recovery I had a hard time figuring out what to do with my life in my leisure time. Everything had always revolved around food and eating and or drinking with friends. Checking out new Restaurants, going to favorite restaurants, drinking at local watering hole - these all had to be requestioned and rethought. I had to figure out what to do to occupy my time better. i think i have since worked it out. I still go to my neighborhood watering hole, but I have that - water and I pay for some of my friends drinks that way I am contributing to the financial necessities of the establishment and not just taking up space. I have bought a pop up camper from 1970 and I am in love with it and spend at least one pretty day a week tinkering with it and getting ready for a big camping trip at the end of the month.
• Eating in general has slowly become a Non-Pleasure. I use solid food as medicine now. if I am hungry it takes soooooo verrrrrrrrryyyyy littttttlllllee before I just have to stop. it's just a necessity and definitely not a desire. My pleasure sensors or joy sensations when it comes to food have all but burned and fizzled out. Is that really a PROBLEM? I don't know.
  It CERTAINLY is confusing. I NEVER know what will work or not in my stomach right now. It's a virtual guessing game. Almost. I say almost because I know there are "guides" and recommendations, but the reality of having to look everything up before you attempt to have a meal is ridiculous.
• The mood swings, the toxins stored in your fat releasing itself into your system as the fat dissipates causing the mood swings and the bursts of hormones/testosterone are a roller coaster ride and not always a fun one. Sometimes they are not fun at all.
• The loss of the feeling of "completion" with eating. The loss of the "full and content" feeling has been weird to me...it's just, you're done and your stomach might feel queasy or your stomach might just feel fine, but you're just done and that's it. I don't know, again, if that's a real problem but it's just...different.
• The way my torso, specifically my stomach and man boobs are going to take the longest to lose fat certainly can make the rest of your body look weird in the mean time.
  

Good Stuff:

• Inches and Pounds, Inches and Pounds! Dropping from a 3xl shirt to now just a 2xl shirt is a wonderful feeling. I have only bought one new pair of pants because I went out of town on an overnight trip and forgot my friggin' clothes so I had to buy some. The jeans I bought were 6 inches below what I had been buying. 6 inches is a lot in jeans. They start looking like regular jeans instead of flared bell bottoms because your goddamned waist is so huge that it continues down the pant leg. I've been tracking the inches lost and that will be measured for the second time post surgery tomorrow.
• Noticing the fast changes in my body mass. Other people noticing the changes. Looking down when I'm sitting and seeing my lap instead of my stomach?
• more energy better sleep already
• 56lbs off your frame makes Sex a wee bit easier and more fun.
• Skin looks great with so much water and non toxic food going through your system. Dry skin gone. Greasy skin and spots gone.
• Having a neck with tendons in it and clavicle bones look cool.
• Putting on a t-shirt and before you get it past your arms, you already know it's gonna fit perfectly. I know you know what I'm talking about.

Everyday is a new and interesting day. I am certainly taking it one day at a time and each day I wake up excited about the possibility of walking and getting lesser and lesser.
I'm really confused and still adjusting to what eating has become.
I still enjoy an occasional dance with Mary Jane if I need to get out of my head, but was never a fan of alcohol that much anyway.
I can't imagine what is beyond this....I haven't ever been "normal weight" since I was a child. I am willing to get there though.

I guess overall I am happy that I chose to do this really , really weird thing to my body.
And there you are....

Thanks for this post! It gave me some things to think about, especially the release of hormones. That was something that I didn't consider or discuss with my surgeon. My vsg is on 9/19. I'm excited and nervous at the same time.