juliarh

Hi Vicki -- you know I felt the EXACT same way -- I cried for days, thought I was soooo stupid because I was in so much pain and I couldn't eat, couldn't drink, etc. But! Tiff is right -- it lasts at most 2 weeks -- and each day it gets better. But I have never felt better, I've lost more weight than I thought was possible, I would do again (the 2 weeks of torture included) if I needed to. I am soo thrilled with the sleeve. Chin up -- we have all been there -- we will support you and be your shoulder to cry on -- ok?? It will get better, trust me.

That is awesome -- congratulations --

I'm so sorry this is happening to you -- I agree with Tiff -- it's usually people who are so insecure themselves that they have to put someone else down to make themselves feel better -- how screwed up is that?? I think it's really insightful of your husband to say don't tell Mom -- that is probably what was behind his negativity in the first place -- he's really between a rock and a hard spot -- wanting to be supportive to you and not make waves with his mom. I think that now that the air's been cleared, you probably can expect full support from your hubby. But be mindful of your poor SIL -- she's gonna get the full brunt of MIL when you're slim again Hugs!

Hooray for Sept. Sleevers! * Irene -- congrats on the 2.4lbs. -- and hooray for 84 lbs total lost wowowowow! * Fita -- 38 lbs is awesome! Doesn't it feel sooo good?? I can't believe how much more energy I have! *Cherice -- break forth the Hallelujahs!! Onederland!!! Congratulations!!

I too had pain (and the hernia) -- I was beside myself -- dry heaves, pain, nausea -- but after 10 days or so, it went away. I describe it a lot like giving birth -- the pain is intense, but after you recover you'd do it again Good luck and many hugs!

I too had dry heaves the first couple of days -- it was terrible and hurt so much -- but it will go away -- after the first couple of weeks, you'll start to feel normal again Hang in there

Congratulations! Glad you're feeling better --

I lost about 13 pounds pre op, but then gained it all during surgery and the hospital stay (fluids, I think), so coming home I weighed exactly what I weighed going in. (that was a real kill joy). So I like to say I've lost it all post op too

I made a list of foods I really wanted to eat and knew I probably wouldn't be able to eat again (I only had a 1 week pre-op diet- go figure) -- so I ate those. After which, I didn't indulge again because I wanted to get my body ready for the big change. I was really very okay with the whole surgery idea -- I wasn't nervous until I was wheeled into the OR -- I had done so much research, been on this forum, been watching YouTube videos that I really felt like I knew the ups and downs and insides and outsides of the whole surgery. I think by making my husband watch some of the YouTube videos (he wouldn't watch all) it also helped him with not being nervous. I really don't regret it at all -- I think the sleeve saved my life (and my husband does too) -- I'm really really thrilled with it Good luck with your pre-op diet and let us know how your surgery goes!

Hey Chantae -- I know how you feel -- I was sleeved just a day after you -- I have been struggling as of late and really started feeling down about myself and where I was and what I was doing. BUT! I watched some YouTube videos from veterans of WLS and really was inspired -- I realized that I didn't go do this surgery to be on a "diet" like I had in the past, I went into the surgery to change my life. And that included changing the process -- meaning, that if I did what I was supposed to do that day (at least in my book -- meaning: eat what I was supposed to eat, drink my 64 oz., exercise) then I was working the process of changing my life -- the weight loss WILL come if we work the process. It can't help but come. AND there will be days/weeks when we don't lose anything or God forbid, we gain. Ok, but if we're working the process to the best of our abililty, then good stuff will happen. I got so stuck on that stupid number on the scale I was beside myself -- I was thinking, there I go again, not losing weight after all I've been through. But you know what? The scale is a tool just like our sleeves are a tool -- we can't focus on the tool and make that the goal -- our goal should be the process. I really do sympathize -- I know EXACTLY how you're feeling -- but please don't allow yourself to be captive to a scale -- you know that you're changing your life and that sometimes big changes require little steps I hope that helps!! Take care and big hugs!

I am 8 weeks out -- I don't get hunger, but I do get stomach acid -- which makes me feel hungry -- and it usually happens when I am not drinking my water or my stomach is empty. I often forget to eat -- I'm not that interested in food and could very well not eat all day, but I do because I know it's good for me.

that's exactly it -- we should be looking at the process rather than the end result -- after all the process we were using before got us to our morbidly obese state didn't really work, did it? (overeating, not exercising, eating out of emotion, etc.) -- and what I mean by the new process is: 1) are you following your food guidelines (whatever they are) 2) are you moving your body? (endorphins are wonderful and released when we move!) and 3) are you drinking your Water -- Like Lizzy said, it's the journaling for her, it's noting whether she's dehydrated, it's the Protein intake, etc. The scale is only a tool -- it can make our weight better or worse -- just like our VSGs are a tool -- and if we don't use them correctly, we're not going to like the place we end up -- Thanks Lizzy!!

Hooray for the mushies! I absolutely loved eggs -- they still remain my go-to-food. For some reason, they (and tuna) do really well in my stomach and my taste buds like them a lot too. I was never a big tuna eater before, but now I am -- weird. So yay for the mushies -- I think eggs were easy to eat, but then again everyone's different.

Good morning Sizzling September Sleevers! Just reporting in on my Wed. weigh in -- lost 2 lbs. very happy since I've been struggling to lose in the past couple of weeks -- I looked back at the past month, and I've lost 10 pounds this past month, which is fantastic and I am just .2 lbs shy of having lost 50 lbs. So all in all a very good week Have a great day SSSs

bummer, can't access the powerpoint, but I take your word for it Lisa Thanks!

So glad it worked out well

It could also be the ketosis -- burning the fat -- my mouth is perpetually yucky and my husband will often say it smells (even though I brush, I promise!) -- so I've taken to sucking on sugar-free mints -- just to take away the yuckiness factor in my mouth. ugh!

good luck Dennis! We'll be waiting to hear updates on how your surgery went when you're up to it

good luck! let us know how you're doing as soon as you're up to it

Hooray for Labrys and Cherice -- good to see those pounds gone for good I will post on Wed. (my official weigh in day) and hopefully I'll see something gone too Yay for the Sizzling September Sleevers!

Hi Momma Barb -- I don't know about surgeons in Ohio, but I can tell you what it's like having the sleeve. I weighed 303 lbs. when I got the sleeve almost 8 weeks ago. I have been obese most of my adult life -- I had gotten to a point where I was accepting the fact that I would be morbidly obese all of my life -- and that pushed me to the point that I considered weight loss surgery. I can tell you right now, I have very little hunger. I occasionally get hungry when I haven't eaten for hours, but even then I don't have an overwhelming urge to eat. It's like that part of my brain was switched off somehow -- and I love it!! Now, I was never a big alcohol drinker to begin with (chocoholic is my problem) -- but I do know that he won't be able to drink for quite a while and then after that, when/if he does drink, it will affect him much faster than it used to. Frankly, if I'm not missing chocolate, he might not miss his beer! Many people do the sleeve on an outpatient basis - many people have very little to no pain following the surgery. I was not one of them, but then again I am 46 years old and I think that contributed to it. I can tell you this -- and I think it's true pretty universally for most sleeve patients -- I have NEVER regretted getting the sleeve -- I truly believe it is saving my life, making my family's lives that much better, making me a happier, more healthy person. I hope I have answered most of your questions - others will probably want to chime in as well -- I think it's wonderful that you are being so supportive of your son -- a lot of people on this board do not get their parents' support and it really hurts them. Take care!

Hooray! So glad to hear that you're feeling better and that you made it the entire weekend being gone! That's terrific! Hope you continue feeling great

Congratulations on being home -- I was one of those with lots of pain and vomiting, but after a week or so, it subsided and now I'm feeling more than normal Glad your hospital stay was so positive as well. I'm looking forward to hearing how you'll progress in the coming weeks

I know exactly how you feel I have a very very hard time understanding how big I was or how big I am now. A lot of people say it's body dysmorphia (but that is defined as being obsessed with one or more features of your body -- which is definitely NOT me ) -- In any case, I'm the EXACT same way -- people are now commenting on my weight loss -- but I look in the mirror and say, "yeah, I'm losing, but not that MUCH!" -- but logically I know I have -- almost 50 pounds is a lot of weight. I think that not being aware of your body is a psychological coping mechanism -- we have been obese so long that it's easier to think that one is not that fat than to recognize how fat we were. It would be really depressing all the time I think if we were to recognize just how fat we were/are. The only real time I see how fat I am is when someone takes a photo of me in which I have not tried to "hide" my fat. That's always a shocker. But, I do truly understand what you mean -- I'm hoping by the time we get close to our goal weight, we'll have a more realistic viewpoint.

Just really quick (as a former spokesperson for a major organization) -- I really liked how Al Roker handled his WLS -- there were murmurings about it, and then he came out and did several segments about it -- the thing about the sleeve is that it's not as if you're not going to be modifying how you eat and it's not as if you're not going to exercise. As others have said, I think a website that you keep private for now, but when questions arise, you can make public. If you are affiliated with any of the baseball teams, you are probably already on their website -- maybe after you go public you can have the website link to your site. The worst thing to do would be to lie. I think that since you are a semi-public figure, you need to be honest because that will go to your public image. But you don't have to be honest until the question arises. But be prepared for the questions. So, you will need to know all about the surgery, some of the stats, etc. If you do appear in newspapers as a representative of the team, you will be quoted. So your knowledge about VSG will be taken as the "truth." So it's important not only to you, but to us (yep!) that you know what you're talking about. And if you don't know how to put together a blog or a website, you might want to hire a firm to do it (with a clause for confidentiality) -- Remember how you handle this will ultimately decide public opinion on whether this is a "good" thing or a "bad" thing -- I know that that's pretty heavy to hear, but it's really important how you handle the media -- and the media pretty much blasts people who lie. If you lie, then they think there's something "wrong" with it. If you're truthful and knowledgeable, then they'll most likely print positive things (course that depends on the person writing . . . ). If you have any further questions, I'd be happy to answer -- I used to do PR and was a spokesperson on Capitol Hill in Washington DC for years and kinda know the ins and outs of handling the media . . . Hope that helps!