Used2b575lbs

Congratulations easily one of the best decisions I have ever made...

Everyone questioned me and still does... They say you lost 200 lbs on your own why didn't you just continue? Why did you have the surgery? You could've lost all the weight on your own... etc. etc. etc. Well you know what they aren't me... I knew I could easily put 200 or more lbs back on and be in worse shape.... Fortunately my immediate family knew the struggles and had gone through and were very supportive.... Many people just think they know what's best for you, and everyone has an opinion. It's taken a long time but i've pretty much blocked them all out. The one person that I am having trouble with is my wife. I'm at 259 now down from the 575 and she's afraid that i'll get too skinny but I know I still have a way to go, so I am trying to fight that battle still as she doesn't want me to lose much more.

Congratulations on your decision, and good luck on your journey!

I lost 200 lbs on my preop diet but that's because I had to go through so many insurance hoops, and got a new job that wouldn't let me have surgery for the first 90 days, so instead of 3 months that I was expecting my pre-op last a full year.

Believe it or not I was too heavy for surgery, I was 575 lbs, I got approved for Gastric Bypass 10/19/10... One week before my doctor told me they couldn't do the surgery as I was 498 lbs and the CAT scan at the hospital would only handle 400 lbs... I then went to another office and they started the sleeve process, I had 3 appeals with Cigna and finally got approved... Problem was I started working a new job and was on a strict 90 day probation period. In short I think all of this made me stronger and better after the surgery, I have been chasing WLS since 2003 and never could get insurance approval. I started losing weight July '09 when this run at surgery started by the time I could get the surgery I was 375 and down 200 lbs. It made the recovery easier and the fact that I had already changed my lifestyle a great deal made the diet my nutritionist and surgeon prescribed a lot easier to handle. Don't get me wrong I did have a last hurrah dinner, and I still do indulge from time to time since surgery but losing weight upfront beforehand made this whole process more effective. I did have a lot to lose though so it was a different situation everyones journey is different good luck on the weight loss and think of the 30 lbs as a great jump start to the new you!!!

Walking was also great to pass the time, I got up and walked as much as possible, I do have a high pain threshold though I wasted the whole morphine drip didn't press that button once. I did take pain killers to fall asleep the first week but that was it. What I had was more of a discomfort from gas but walking definitely helped ease that feeling.

Exercise is huge... Protein, Water, Exercise... To me it's the 3 pillars of the sleeve, I'm only 8 months out so maybe I don't know all there is to know yet but those are the three biggest things to me. I mean yes there's plenty of other important stuff like Vitamins, support, and for me monitoring carb intake but if you stick with protein first, 64+ ounces of water and regular exercise you will most likely be successful. I was going to the gym four times a week but i'm stepping it up as the weather is getting nice out and I have gone every day this week. Start slow though and find some form of exercise you enjoy... I used to like water aerobics and swimming but my taste has changed and now it's walking, the elliptical, and weight training...

Congratulations WTG!!!

Have you reintroduced carbs? If so maybe you're eating too many that happened to me and many others. Do you track what you eat? How many carbs are you having? Also calorie cycling as described above having one or two days a week where you eat a bit more say 1200 calories and keep the others at 600-800

Walk as much as possible to get rid of the gas pains, in the hospital I did several laps at a time a few times a day and the same when I got home. I think they helped clear me out of all that gas. As for the hunger it probably is acid, are you taking a PPI like prilosec or nexium? Many on here were prescribed them, I myself was just given pepcid but I guess it was somewhat for the same thing. It will get better with or without walking and the medication but may get better quicker with both in place.

congratulations on the approval!!! I have been on BP meds for years now my BP actually dropped for a while then my doctor took me off my medicine once this happened it went back up so it appears it is hereditary, oh well for me... Has your BP been high in the past does it run high in your family? If so I would recommend getting a machine for home and testing it regularly to make sure it goes down or stays down. I'm only 33 and I check mine once a day just to make sure.

Congratulations on your pending surgery... For the first two weeks I had 2 things Protein shakes and Water... Being that the sleeve was still swollen I didn't feel like eating or drinking and had to work very hard to get in the required 60 g of protein and 64 ounces of water required by my program. Will you be bored yes but that's something you kind of have to get used too... It's one of the toughest challenges to this whole surgery... We are no longer living to eat but eating to live... At 8 months out everyone around me eats a lot of junk especially when we go out and I sit there with my 3-4 ounces of protien, a few bites of fruits/veggies and an occasional spoon or two of carbs here and there but I wouldn't change it for the world. It feels good! Good luck!

That was my doctors recommendation not to fly... I believe it was related to the pressure changes, however obviously many get operations in Mexico and fly home so it is not a problem for all. The ulcers may not have been directly related to flying... the point was that they were in NY and their PCP and surgeon were in NC and they had to spend time in the hospital in NY with doctors that were not familiar with their circumstances. It was a somewhat traumatizing situation and they really didn't get their problem resolved fully until returning to NC and meeting with their surgeon. At least if you go to Mexico for surgery in most cases you're flying home to recover so you will have some kind of medical support there.

You should not compare yourself to any others here, everyone loses at a different rate and there are so many factors. You will lose a significant amount of weight over 6 months if you follow the advice of your doctor and nutritionist. If you set a number to it you are only setting yourself up for failure... With that being said it is good to have goals but they should be realistic... One of the things I asked my doctor was how much should I expect to lose... I was told 10-15 lbs a months for the first several months. I was fortunate to lose 100 lbs in the first 6 months and have lost 12 lbs over the past two months. My doctor also told me he could see me being 270 after all was said and done... I've already seen 257 lbs although I gained a bit recently... I do plan on getting to a lighter weight. You should know at one month out how realistic 100 lbs over 6 months is for you on your journey good luck!!!

Misery loves company that's what I think... Some can't stand to see others happy or making positive changes because they have their own problems. People also use statements and belittlement to make themselves feel better. Congratulations on your weightloss focus on that and the way you feel... Soak in all the positive comments and leave the negative one's out... You're well on your way to the new you!

How would you be getting to your vacation? My doctor told me not to fly for 3 months... I also know someone who went from NC to NY a week or two after surgery and ended up having to go in the hospital due to ulcers. A vacation that soon after surgery probably isn't a good idea on many levels it took me 7-10 days to adjust between the hospital and at home and I wasn't able to walk comfortably in the heat due to not getting in enough fluids... Dehydration may also be a risk. It's up to you but to me it's not worth the risk of all the possible complications... and I am usually all for letting loose and having fun!

Congratulations WTG!!!

congratulations on all your accomplishments, very inspirational!!!

At 8 months out I still have some energy issues, i'm just now starting to feel more energetic. There are many reasons Vitamin b is important, you're in a constant caloric deficeincy and your body is revolting and finally for some there's a bit of depression that stems from being separated from food. I also have sleep apnea and they want me at 240 before they do a new sleep study so I have that going for me too. I do get B12 shots and have a great PCP who takes my readings and really cares to get me into the appropriate levels for all Vitamins. I have run on coffee and naps for most of the past 8 months, i'm waiting to feel great because with all the weight i've lost I should feel energetic. It's coming around slowly but surely at times I feel such a burst now but i'm dealing with peaks and valleys... At least i'm getting peaks now as for the first 6 months that wasn't the case. Hang in there it will get better!!!

For the first three to four months I followed doctors/nutritionists orders to a T Protein protein and more protein eggs, turkey, chicken, fish, cottage cheese, Beans, soft cheeses. Basically all protein for the fist 3-4 months and I lost a lot and felt great. Then I got bored went into the carbs and the losing slowed down but i'm still far better then I would've been without my sleeve.

congratulations what an accomplishment you must be so happy!!!

I was fortunate to know someone who had a bypass three months before me so I got a lot of hand me downs along the way but I supplemented them with the salvation army, and sales/clearance racks (burlington coat factory was a good one for me) I've come down from size 66 pants to size 40 so I had to buy clothes in all those sizes I would have a huge credit card bill. I wore things lose for as long as possible and bought stuff in smaller sizes knowing I would eventually get there.

I am 8 months out and I got sick yesterday but you know why I got sick because I ate too much at one time... The information above is great and everyone's experience will be different complications do happen and yes there are some problems with my energy level sometimes and I am still working out the emotions of my love affair with food and the naussea that comes from eating the right things. I often order too much food, I have eaten most everything I ate before surgery just in much less quantitiy the only thing I know I will never have again is carbonation and that is tough because I used to consume quite a bit of beer and soda but my doctor said this is a big no-no following surgery. If you follow the doctor and nutritionists advise this will work great for you, if you are going to try to find ways around the tool you won't be as successful... I'm living proof first 6 months I lost 100+ lbs the last 2 months i've lost 12 lbs because I stopped doing the right things.

Focus on three things protein, exercise, water if you get those three in you should be good. I'd also say if you're having a problem with eating all day go back to 3 meals or maybe 6 small meals but it's important to keep them small if you're going to go that route.

I am 8 months out I do eat chicken wings often but it's only 3 or 4 and them i'm done. I try to bake them but have had them out. I've had burgers too but you're talking jr. size or half of a restaurant burger with half the bun. Pizza yes i've had that and can't finish a slice depend on where I go to get it I can eat 2/3 to 3/4's of a slice. I normally get the white pizza because ricotta will add Protein. I have not tried a hot dog but I have had some sausage. Now to clarify for the first four months the only thing I had from the above list was wings baked, and a turkey burger or two and I really didn't eat much of this food till after 6 months out. I realized pizza as kind of a problem due to it's high carb count so I haven't had that in over a month, I still enjoy wings but it's 3-5 not 20 or 30 and I'll do the occasional burger but will never eat the whole bun. Hope this helps