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I struggle with a slight slump after carrying 290 pounds on a five foot frame for years - SO I gave myself some grace here - as I hope you will, too. Several exercises that have helped - standing erect and doing front and back swimming breast stroke in the air. It feels great. Also stretch every morning with your hands as high as they can go. Rolling of the shoulders forward and back. I learned all these and more in a great water aerobics class. Walking daily in good athletic shoes conscious of your posture position not to lean forward helps your body to realign. Walking is the best!

As someone who started traveling less than 3 weeks post surgery, my biggest advice is to make sure you load up on what you need before the day starts (proteins that you can "safely" eat) - Just keeping enough snacks/food that you know you can tolerate easily during the flight rather than relying on whatever they provide you. For me, an aisle seat was key on long hauls also just so that I could get up and walk if needed. Extra water for the flight was also very helpful. Mostly, enjoy the extra room! That was seriously a game changer for me. Before surgery, I'd panic if I had to fly coach wondering if I'd get a seatbelt that fit or have someone beside me that was just disgusted at my presence.

The surgery went great, I woke up feeling sick to my stomach and hurting, They gave me an anti-nausea shot with Toradol. I slept from the time they woke me up, around 1pm until about 4pm. I was finally able to hold my eyes open for more than a few seconds, I got up and used the restroom, and then they took me for a walk around the nurse station, which went well. Then the nurse sat me up for a little bit in the recliner in the room. Then I started dosing again for another two hours until my sister came back to sit overnight with me. Then they got me up to use the restroom again, we did another walk around the nurse's station, and then they put me back in bed. I worked on sipping as much water as I could. The next morning the PA & Surgeon came in early to check on me, and because I did really well they discharged me very early. So here I am sitting at home in bed, trying to get comfy. Prior to the surgery, before they put me out, they gave me a nerve block on both sides of my spine. which was a whole new experience in itself, hurt like hell. But I was literally out before I knew it, at first the only way I could describe the discomfort I felt was like I had done a billion tummy crunches and overworked myself. But now that the nerve block is wearing off, its more uncomfortable, and the gas situation is next level. LOL 🤣 But not to worry, I'm feeling a little better every day, just have to watch what I do with my mid section. It burns and hurts if I move the wrong direction, especially trying to get comfy on my bed. And getting my 10-year-old stubborn furbaby to understand he can't be in my arms right now is been hard. He won't leave my side, which is so sweet. Big thank you to everyone for the encouragement and support sent my way, it means a great deal and helped with my anxiety over the surgery. 💗💜

So both my boyfriend and my mum have commented on my posture recently - completely valid - but I just didn't realise how bad my posture is! I don't know about anyone else, but when I was at my heaviest I just always walked around with a slump - sometimes without realising it. Maybe just to make myself smaller. But now I have lost a significant amount, I feel more confident, but I am still slouching when I walk and it is definitely noticeable! Any tips on how to hold myself better? 😂

As you say, I definitely need to give myself some grace! We started at a very similar weight, and I am 5ft 5" so I completely get it! I'll start trying those stretches in the morning - thank you

I would say bring some compression socks, drink lots of water and luckily they do sell protein drinks in the airport so that's helpful, if you need something. I flew home from surgery 3 days after; it was only a 2-3 hour flight, but it wasn't terrible. Bring a refillable bottle with you because there are usually water fountains/water bottle fill up stations all over. I would think you are in the soft foods phase of eating by now, so I would assume you could eat a few things at Thanksgiving like mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. You might even be able to tolerate turkey if you chew it well; just remember small portions.

You have a point here about tracking what I eat. Since my doctor didn’t bring up the GLP-1 I never mentioned it, but I thought of it. I didn’t do any research about it and from seeing some of the stories from YouTube scared me. I do know a few people who are taking it and they are ok with it and have good result in weight lose. I also heard they can have the weight bounce back after they stop. Again I didn’t do any research and not knowledgeable about it. I don’t think it’s something I want to try as of yet, but it’s good to know I have options. The plastic surgery part I know it’s something I will get eventually because of the excess skin. If at 195lbs, it’s already bothering me, it will bother me even more at 175. My goal weight is 160lbs, if I can get to 175 on my own, plastic surgery will get me to 160. I’m going to try the hardest on my own and get to 175 for now. My first goal was to be under 200lbs, then I can rethink my goal, which is where I am now. From 200 to 199lbs it took me months because I would drop to 199 and bounce back to 201. And from there on , my weight is bouncing around. Luckily I am stable at 195. Finger crossed that it doesn’t go back up.

how are you feeling?

Yrs, some people do. Sad to say but a lot of this is head hunger. Your brain is really powerful and can twist you up badly. You’re going through a stressful time (physically, emotionally & mentally). If you were someone who used to comfort or sooth yourself with food your head will be telling you to eat (hungry) because of the stress but of course you can’t which will make you want to eat more. Plus your head tries to convince you that you are not eating enough food to survive (you are) so it says you feel hungry. Hunger pangs can also be from excess stomach acid. At the moment your body is still producing enough acid for your old larger tummy and for the volume of food you used to eat so too much for what you need now. Have you been prescribed a PPI? They reduce the acid in your tummy which reduces/stops the hunger pangs.

two hours post op!