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Wish you had known before?



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Everyone who is post op- are there things that you wish you had known before you got the surgery, or side effects, or any information that you didn’t know about beforehand that you would like to share with everyone pre-op so they have a leg up?

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Learning to make peace with my imperfections, keep my eyes on the long term prize & to rest when tired but not giveup are lessons that have helped me greatly.

Also Protein (candy) bars are generally evil 😓

Edited by GreenTealael

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Well I guess I could start out. I assumed when I started losing my fat, the skin would be loose and hanging, but mine isn't. Its like bands still there, almost like corduroy fabric. We shall see if it finally smooths out but I find it weird to look at. And if it weirds me out, I'm not showing it to a guy, so nolovers until I get closer to hoal!

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I would have liked to have known about the infamous Week 4 Stall, occasional other stall are normal and that I wouldn't be losing a continuous 1-2 pounds a week every single week.

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Honestly theres nothing that I haven't learned through basic trial and error.. of what works and what doesnt.. but I'm only a week past six months post-OP but ya I've made mistakes with food choices and I've had to deal with the consequences.. noones perfect.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

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I wish I would have known that when they say your tastes will change, they mean what was okay before surgery will make you nauseous and queasy after.

It is more than just not liking something... just the thought of certain foods/shakes makes me physically ill.

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Yeah I know what you mean, Tomkitten asked me the other evening " What would taste good to you, Mom?" Nothing, absolutely nothing, and a bad thing, I feel better if I don't try eating, I am indifferent towards food. Just taking enough to keep from malnourishment.

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I wish I would have known that when they say your tastes will change, they mean what was okay before surgery will make you nauseous and queasy after.
It is more than just not liking something... just the thought of certain foods/shakes makes me physically ill.


Hmm.. I guess I have a strong stomach in that sense because I haven't really had any issues like that. But maybe that will change in the future. I'm six months and a week post op.

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

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I think most Americans who go through the courses and education to get insurance are at a huge advantage in knowing what to expect. I’m in Australia, decided to have surgery I’m late June and had it in August. I was pretty unprepared. The main thing I did not know is that you get a honeymoon period in the beginning and weight just falls off (for most). Take advantage! Later you will deal with stalls and the restriction lightens and it becomes more work to lose weight.

Eventually you feel pretty “normal”, like after 18 months or 2 years, regular portions go down pretty easy. Also carbs go down easy. I can eat half a large pizza or a large bag of chips in one sitting, or like a massive box of popcorn. If you want this to work long time, you still have to avoid slider foods.

Also, the psychological aspect of WLS was pretty intense and unexpected to me. You can lose friends. My Mum is nicer to me now that I’m not super morbidly obese. Suddenly you are no longer invisible to the general public (or the opposite sex). It’s a lot to deal with. Plus you can’t blame all your problems on being “fat” anymore. There are huge highs and lows during the first year!

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I’ve learned to cope with the negative side of WLS. I had it in 2013. Sick feeling if I eat one bite too much, the runs, flatulent, taste changes and the rest. Bottom line, at least for me, I would not do it again. I would diet on my own and watch what I eat. Also, I have noticed others that have had surgery, and lost a good deal of weight, have put it back on if they are not careful. Just my feelings.


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I'm a month out from WLS. I wish someone had told me that will still like candy and salty/fatty things and not to cheat ever or it's all going to be for naught. I didn't spend $14K for a new life just to ruin it again.

You'll still need just as much discipline to break head hunger and breaking bad habits as you did before. I don't even want a snack sometimes, but I'm still standing in front of the refrigerator staring into the shelves looking for something that I don't need or want. It's very hard to get past that....VERY HARD...

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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💪
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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!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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