Amanda131

Oh, good. I was really worried. 13.1 is still a big jump from 8 miles while healing, though. Just be sure to listen to your body out there. Okay, I'll shush now.

Mr. J- I feel for you. My Husband is your same height and weight. He is in a field where looking intimidating is to his advantage though. I often have new friends think he is mean because he is so big... my favorite is when someone assumed he tends towards physical violence due to his size. He is constantly having to work to make others realize he is friendly. It's a difficult place to be.

Yes. More so, I get annoyed when other's obesity effects me even though I used to BE that person. For example, I was in NYC with overweight colleagues who wanted to take a cab everywhere even if the walk was a few blocks. I'm annoyed when those same colleagues insist the office thermostat be set at 65 because they're too hot. I was annoyed when they snored ALL NIGHT LONG in our hotel... It was a suite and I still couldn't sleep. Then, they'd gave me a hard time because I woke up early to run. It was VERY odd to be on the other side and seeing obesity from this perspective.

I agree. Unfortunately, I find it so difficult to read that I do often skip these posts unless really interested.

Lau- I think the most important question is not if you're too young but have you tried to lose weight? Have you been successful to only gain it back? Has this happened multiple times? Have you tried multiple approaches? It's my opinion that a person should easily be able to answer YES to all of these questions before considering surgical options regardless of age. Best of luck to you. Amanda

Hi Arj1016- This depends on a few factors mainly how quickly you heal, your current fitness level and your goal. If you're okay with a leisurely walk and unconcerned with the finish time then you should be fine. If you're hoping to mainly run and you're not currently a runner that could be problematic. Most surgeons don't clear patients for running until six weeks out which means you'd only have two weeks to train. That just isn't enough time. I was extremely tired and low on energy until about my sixth week. I couldn't have seriously exercised to save my life... It took all of my energy to get through my day. That quickly picked up in the weeks that followed. I think you have a much greater chance of actually running a 5k closer to five months out. I hope this helps!

Vsg021412- I'm a little worried about you run/walking 13.1 miles just four weeks out from major surgery. That distance is intense for those in the best of health. If you haven't already, please check with your physician and be very careful. I'm not sure your stomach is healed enough to take in the needed fluids and nutrition for this distance.

I've run a half and training for a full. It is an amazing experience! I suggest joining a local run club. They give a lot of great advice and general camaraderie. I agree that getting professionally fitted for running shoes is a must. Like Massindex mentioned above we have a few challenges when it comes to hydration, carb loading, and in-run nutrition but all are easily overcome. I'm happy to answer any questions I can. I will be doing 10 miler in Sept and a half in Oct to prep for my marathon.

Continuing to attend therapy is such a good idea. It's a major time of transition and it's really nice to have a unbiased individual to help you work through. Kudos for you!

Even at a year out, the "little thing" of being able to sit with my legs tightly crossed makes my day!

You look fabulous and I NEED those shoes.

Possibly. This topic interested me so I've been doing a little online searching. It appears that NSAIDS are a problem for bypass patients in that the exacerbate the issue of marginal ulcers where the pouch connects to the intestines. NSAIDs can also cause erosion in band patients. A sleeve patient has no rerouting or band to cause concern for either the marginal ulcers or erosion. Simply googling "NSAIDs and sleeve Gastrectomy" pulled up a wealth of topics and sites all stating sleeve patients can take NSAIDs once healed. There are also some old threads from this forum that popped up with Tiffykins giving her usual, thorough thoughts. Everyone should do what they feel is best for his/her body, but I believe the evidence suggests that NSAIDs are not any more detrimental to a sleeve patient than a person with a fully formed stomach.

I was also told NSAIDS are fine once healed. It is my understanding that many choose the Sleeve over Bypass due to the ability to take NSAIDS once healed. I was even prescribed Mopic a few months after surgery to take daily for a foot injury. I called my surgeron's office and made sure it was okay. I also have a good friend with degenerative osteoarthritis at 35. My friend is a month away from getting sleeved and the ability to continue taking NSAIDS weighed heavily in their decision to move forward. This may sound inflammatory but I believe some surgeons get lazy and tell all their patients that NSAIDS are not okay when in reality sleeve patients may take them once healed. It's Bypass patients who cannot.

I am on Mircette and was not required to stop. My doctor actually encouraged me to make sure I take them exactly as directed post-op as it's easier to become prego as the weight drops and so dangerous in the first year post-op.

I second Dorrie, particularly on breaking out the tape measure. Try hard to embrace this journey and however long it takes... It's on this path that you're going to find the real you. And, try to be the "healthy" girl rather than the "skinny" girl. I know this is mere semantics but I believe in framing and it is rather freeing to focus on healthy rather than skinny. Best of luck! Amanda

Out for a pedicure with a good book in hand. Heaven!

Find a hobby! Seriously... Something to keep your mind focused. For me, it was reading and work. I was an AMAZING employee through the liquid phase. Best wishes! Amanda P.S. For what it's worth, I also found hot liquids seemed to trick my head hunger.

Big Don- You're losing a pound a day right now. I don't think you can ask for better results than that! You're doing fantastic. Some don't feel true restriction until they are eating solid foods... Don't stress. Continue to closely follow your diet and measure your foods. Your stomach is still healing and doesn't need the trauma of being overly full. If you are suddenly feeling hunger it could be from an over production of acid. Are you on an acid reducer? Really try not to worry about your restriction. I felt the same as you but later learned that my swelling just went down really fast so I was able to eat and drink more than others. When I got to true solids I totally felt the restriction.

I absolutely LOVE their light flavor Cafe Latte. It is coffee flavored. Cafe Latte is the only one though that has caffeine so it isn't a good choice for recovery. But, once you're healed (if you choose to ingest caffeine) it becomes breakfast with a kick.

I was there on Tuesday for a date night with Hubs to watch Alabama open the Rodeo. Such fun! Even more fun was rocking my blingy belt with my blingy jeans and feeling completely confident and self-assured. Life is so much more fun these days!

I am exactly one year ahead of you guys... I feel like your sleeve big sister! I am wishing you all the best in the wonderful new life you're about to discover. Congratulations! Amanda

K8SGR8- While a swollen tummy is par for the course post-op, I agree that it is concerning that you've had significantly increased swelling in the last two days. Definitely give your surgeon a call. Best wishes! Amanda

Jwelk- I have nothing to add except to share that your post title had me laughing out loud! Chin up. This is the worst part. The stress of the shock your change in food is doing to your body plus the fears that come with such a life altering decision probably have you feeling a little under the weather. Be strong- this will be distant memory before you know it! Amanda

I experienced the exact same feelings. I hate to say that it only gets worse. I really struggled when I put on my old "skinny" pants and they literally fell off. I struggled because I looked in the mirror and saw someone who still needed to lose weight... That made me pause and wonder about how big I must've been before without ever realizing it. It's an adjustment. Like you, I was very proportionate but 316 lbs is still 316 lbs (in my case). Instead of focusing on what you may have looked like before, bask in the compliments and be thankful you made the changes necessary to be healthy. Congrats on some fantastic results! Amanda

Friends- Today, I Celebrate one of my biggest moments of bravery. I celebrate agreeing to be wheeled into surgery despite a healthy dose of fear of both complications and the unknown. I had no idea how I'd cope in life without the crutch of food and failure. I wasn't excited about surgery and possibilities. I was simply scared and resolved. Now, I live a life I truly wasn't sure I'd ever get to enjoy. Life is good. So good. I have been incredibly blessed on this journey. My approval process was relatively painless. It only involved four months of supervised diet. I didn't even have to do a liquid diet leading up to surgery. My only real complication was a very minor infection on one of my incisions. A round of antibiotics and I was fine. My biggest memories of life following surgery were trying to figure out how to live without food as a focus and exhaustion. I wasn't hungry but still felt a need to eat but couldn't. I worked hard in therapy to be ready for this yet I wasn't. On top of that, I remember being absolutely exhausted until week 5. My other biggest memory is when I lost about 50 lbs. and realized that I no longer hurt. I had been overweight so long that I simply accepted pain as a part of life. To wake up one day and comprehend than general life no longer hurt left me giddy. Since surgery, I have dropped 112 pounds, 12 inches (literally a foot!) off my waist, and 6 dress sizes (from 24/26 to 12/14). I have found a passion for running that culminated in running a half-marathon in January. I found the confidence to apply for a dream job that came with a crazy raise and got the job! I've found pride in myself and my appearance. I've become more than what I eat and how I look. I haven't been the most well-behaved sleever. I feel I should share that in the interest of honesty. When I got the crazy, awesome promotion I started making some poor choices. I have yet to gain weight but I am in the world's longest stall due to poor food choices and a lack of focus on diet. I haven't lost a pound since December. I recognize that I haven't lost the last thirty pounds because of my less than ideal food choices but I am okay with this for now. I know that I will soon be ready to lose the last thirty and I will focus and finish what I started. My goal is to be at or under 175 by 18 months. I feel this is very doable. However, I recognize that this is my journey and I will finish it when it is right for me. Right now, I am enjoying the ride and life in general. I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for your constant support, opinions and advice. I've found this forum and the people it consists of a lifeline on more than one occasion. Bless you all! Of course, a surgiversary post isn't complete without photos! PS- I swear I am not a big drinker... it just happens that pics normally occur when I'm drinking.