emily_0192010

I can't offer you an advice, since I don't know the answer, but I wanted to say good luck and I'm sure everything will work out! I am also curious to hear some other answers since I am slightly worried that I may be in the same boat as you. I do remember this commercial that keeps playing about an iron supplement that supposedly doesn't have the unpleasant side effects, if it comes on again I'll research it and share if it is worth it!

Good luck! Just think, tomorrow at this time you will be solidly on the loser's bench! Congrats on the 10 lbs pre-op!

Good luck Lori!! It is most definitely normal to be scared and excited and anxious and happy and sad (yes, sad... you are giving up a big part of you, even if it is to gain something wonderful), etc etc. I believe all of us rollercoaster sometimes. I personally found the time between receiving my date and the surgery to be the hardest part (emotionally). I don't live near you, but you made a great choice getting on these boards. The people here are amazing and so non-judgmental and friendly. Stick around and you'll probably fall in love with them like I did These people were/are my support group (I couldn't get to one physically due to transportation/time) and I am so thankful for them! Again, congrats and it will be here before you know it!

Congratulations! At this point my surgeon told me to focus on my Water intake more than anything else. I had trouble getting in my Protein as well. So I spent the first week not worry about it. I would try it every day and I got in what I could but I didn't stress about it. I didn't start mushies until late week 3 (because I couldn't handle Protein shakes very well) and it helped. Just make sure you get that water in and you'll do great! Welcome to the Loser's Bench!

Don't worry about it! It happens, and you are only 13 days out... I was still on full liquids at that point. May I suggest something for the egg? For some reason with me, the scrambled egg was difficult to get down but a fried egg (I say fried... I used spray oil and basic seasoning so nothing bad was added) went down pretty well. It was good for me because I could focus on eating the egg whites (where all the Protein is) without the thickness of the yolk. So maybe make one of each... and only expect to be able to eat 1/4 to 1/2 at this point!!! It was shocking to me. You can do it

First, it is very, very common for them to find hiatal hernias. I had one but I didn't know about it until my follow-up visit 7 days later lol! My surgeon was showing me pictures of the procedure and he was like "and that was your hernia"... kinda felt bad because the first thing I blurted out was "did you fix it?" he looked kinda hurt and was like "of course I fixed it, I wasn't going to leave it there!" I was on pain meds for only a couple days after I got home (so maybe 4-5 days after the day of the surgery including in the hospital). I have heard many people say they didn't need any at all, so maybe because I had the hernia I had more pain? But either way, it wasn't anything horrible. Oh, and the other thing is that my surgery was a bit longer because of it... but I certainly didn't know the difference! Good luck and don't let it worry you!

There is a chance that you just aren't ready for it. Your doctor may have said "yes" but your sleeve is saying "no". Try a different Protein. chicken, even canned is one of the most difficult to handle. Try egg salad or something similar. Maybe wait another few days before you try meats. It is definitely a learning curve. If you do a search for "mushies" or "soft foods" you should be able to find many posts with various ideas. I kinda skipped this phase... I hated mushies so my surgeon said it was fine if I stuck to liquids an extra week, then I was able to eat very soft meat. My favorite (both taste and how well it went down) was slow cooked pork, especially dark meat, because it just fell apart and sat really well for me. Good luck and take it easy!

I have a hard time as well... I still have at least another 25 # before I am at goal (i never set a distinct number, I just wanted to be in the normal range and be happy where I level off, though my ticker is set halfway in the normal range). I have a really hard time seeing myself as not obese. I am actually wearing size 6/8 jeans and medium tops but I still "see" myself as the fat person. I am still in that mind-frame and I am trying to see myself as different. There are some days where I feel great and love how I look, but other days where I want my sweats and oversized (then tight lol) hoodies because I am disgusted. I think it could be the skin I have, since I don't look like what a person who is a size 6/8 without weight loss would be (i.e. flat tummy, toned, etc) and I know that i'll get there eventually. I hope I don't get to the point of worrying about being underweight, but I thank you for talking about it because it helps people like me be more aware of themselves and maybe I can prevent myself from getting to that point.

I've heard the same thing... 6 weeks for the initial but up to 6 months to get to your "norm". I actually just hit my 6 month mark and noticed that I can eat a bit more. At first I was worried but then everyone on here reminded me of the whole 6 month thing.

I will say that I have consistently lost about 2 pounds per week... right from the beginning. It could be that your body is still transitioning from the surgery and the drastic change. At that point for me I had my mom hide the scale (lol, seriously... she had to bring it to work with her) and each day I focused on my Water and my Protein and nothing else. After two weeks I got on the scale and it was awesome!! After that I was more on track. Also, your body could be changing. I go through stages where i'll lose for awhile and then i'll stall, but if i stall then I'm dropping sizes. At my highest it took a good 60 pounds before I started dropping sizes quickly, but still, it helped to see the difference. Keep you head high! Ask your surgeon questions to make sure you aren't doing anything wrong. Once you get his/her confirmation then try to stop worry about it! You are doing great focusing on your water and protein and calories and that is what is important at this stage.

At GNC. I also bought their brand of an unflavored Protein that I mix into my yogurt. One of the reasons I like GNC is their 30 day money back guarantee. As long as you have the receipt they will take the product back... even if you opened it! Which is great because if you just want to try a new flavor, you can! If it ends up being gross you just bring it back. I can't remember if it is money back or in store exchange... I've only ever wanted to exchange. But anyways, that is where I get my protein from.

I also agree that that "weird feeling in your chest" is your stomach! Right now it is swollen and uncomfortable, but try to remember where you are feeling it, because it will help you learn your new stomach later on congrats on being sleeved and welcome to the loser's bench by the way! I promise it gets easier and easier from this point on. Many people can only sleep on their back, but have you tried the side opposite of the sore stitch? And since it is sore, just make sure you watch for any signs of infection. In the meantime, relax and enjoy the beginning of this amazing journey!

Isopure the pre-made liquid was horrible for me, but I recently tried the powder and it is completely different!

Hello Well first I want to say congrats on being sleeved! I am also slightly envious as at 3 weeks I couldn't eat the way you do! (Not that you eat badly, I simply had no room and could barely get Water down). I am now 6 months out and I do not count anything other than Protein... and even though I only count the obvious. So for example I count my Protein shake or my yogurt (I add in protein) or the cheese stick I eat... but I don't weigh my meat so I can do an exact count. Typically for me I hit either on or over my protein min with the things that are easy to count, so I know that any meat I eat is just contributing to going over my protein min and I don't count it. I will say that I am careful to a point about my carbs. If it interferes with my protein I stay away from them. So I'll have the "stuff" in a sandwich without the bread (bread hurts me anyways). But if we go out for ice cream as a group, I'll get a kids size and stop when i'm full. As long as you meet your protein mins and don't go crazy (like a milkshake every day) you should be fine. Oh, and (this may have been said in previous posts, but i didn't have time to read them all) they make many, many lactose free Protein shakes. You should be able to find one easily. Good luck!

Thanks lol. The whole "loose my sense of self" thing... for me the opposite happened. It was so much easier for me to be myself. I would never have pegged myself as not being confident, but as I lost weight and I stuck to the program I gained confidence in so many ways. I felt like I was accomplishing something that so many people struggle with. It was not always easy and many days I still look in the mirror and i'm like "ugghhhh" but then I remind myself of how far I've come and how much effort and work I've put into myself and it makes me feel better. I believe that as long as you are comfortable with who you are in the inside, this surgery will not change that. Also, as long as you are doing this for the right reasons. Be honest with YOURSELF. There is no sense in lying. If you are doing this ONLY because you want to look pretty and wear size 2 jeans and be miss-beauty-pageant-2012... its not going to happen. I may wear a size 8 right now, but my body doesn't look like a size 8 person's does who was never skinny. If you are doing this to avoid health issues (or fix them if you have them), to improve your day to day life (like being able to walk up a flight of stairs without losing your breath) and to stop the yo-yo diet then you probably are ready. Also, this surgery actually ended up teaching me so much about myself. It wasn't just the surgery itself either, but the entire process. I learned what was important to me, how to read my body, that I am strong... so many little things that I just didn't acknowledge before. If it is something that is really worrying you, spend lots of time on these boards and any other boards that you are comfortable on. Just read what people are going through. Read the good AND the bad. Pretend to be in their shoes. I don't know you, so I don't know your past but think about all of the emotional (good and bad) things that you have done. Deaths in the family, new job(s), graduation, birth of a sibling, moving, accidents, bad grades, good grades, etc... how did you deal with them? Did you get through them? Do you have at least one person who will support you unconditionally (like my mom did for me) that you can fall back on for help (all kinds of help, not just physical). That was how I decided I was ready.

Well... I am in your position... except I'm already sleeved! I am 21 now but I was sleeved last year (6 months ago exactly today actually!). For me, this was the absolute best decision that I could have made. I had the time, the family support, the financing and the knowledge to do this 100%. I had been thinking about surgery for years. Literally years! For myself I have always been very mature for my age. Ever since I was little I've had to deal with things (mainly medical issues between my grandfather and my mother) that forced me to grow up quickly, so I knew I could handle the surgery mentally, emotionally as well as physically. Some of the questions I asked myself were - am I ready to have a surgery - am I willing to permanently alter a part of my body - am I willing to not be like everyone else my age who can eat/drink without serious consequences - have I stuck to rules/etc in the past - am I mentally ready? - am I emotionally ready? - am I mature enough for this? - am I able to be patient enough to wait for the insurance loops and the surgeon's protocol? - can I stick to the surgeon's pre and post op diet - am I willing to try one more diet - can I wait until i'm older - what are my health issues (i had a diabetes scare) - can i afford this I also spent hours and hours and hours pouring over information sites and the pros and cons of all the available surgeries. In the end my decision was easy. Everything worked out for me to have this surgery. I had the time and my mom fully supported my decision. I was also covered under my insurance because of my BMI (which I believe you should be as well), but I also had pre-diabetes. I honestly did not want to wait until I was in my 30's or my 40's. I want to be healthy enough to have a family in the future and to stop missing out on things because of my weight. Mostly I wanted to be healthy. I knew that in time it would be completely safe to support a pregnancy. I knew that in time I would be able to eat out again and drink (I am definitely a cheap date now lol... one drink is like three drinks for me). At six months out I am soooo glad I did this. At this point I think you just need to sit down and seriously talk it out. With yourself, with your mom, with your primary care doctor, with whoever. Make sure that you are truly ready for this. That doesn't mean not being scared or anxious, because those are normal, but make sure that you are capable of making such a life altering decision. I should also mention that I am 5'2" and I started out at 265, so our BMI's are/were pretty much exactly the same. Also, check out the 20's page. We don't chat on their very often but there are a lot of others out there too. Ack, two more things lol. 1st- go to an information session. They are free and you don't have to commit to anything but they are a great chance to talk to a surgeon or someone from their office... just feel them out. One of the most important things is finding a surgeon (and their team!!!) that you are comfortable with. Second, find some support groups and sit in on a meeting or two. There may be other people in their 20's or they may be older, but they could give you some face to face advice that may help you make your decision. Good luck!! Please feel free to pm me if you have any extra questions or want to chat

Thanks for your input everyone I think I am going to go lower carbs again. I have certainly not gone "high" but I have definitely been higher than I was in the beginning. It is difficult right now because I just moved to Brooklyn and my family has taken it upon themselves to bring me to all of the "must sees"... which are normally restaurants lol. For the most part it's easy to stick with Proteins but here and there I will try a treat (like a few bites of the famous Juniors cheesecake). So maybe if I go back to strict low carb and add in some more exercise I'll boost myself back into some weight loss. I had contemplated joining a gym, but honestly it is just too expensive here. But, I recently found this park that has a 5k loop around a lake... now that my cousin (i'm a nanny for her 3 month old son) is going back to work I'm planning on making that a daily routine (weather permitting) so that will be plenty of walking, potentially jogging (depends on if his stroller can handle the jogging). I have always been pretty flexible, and I have found with the weight loss that I am extra bendy lol, so I found this yoga program on tv that I may try a couple times a week. I'm trying not to worry about the eating more, I kinda forgot that they say it can take up to 6 months to fully heal and I did have a LOT of restriction (even yogurt I couldn't eat more than a couple ounces). So I suppose what I am eating now is more like my normal. Thanks again!

Wait!! There's an app?? Is it only for apple/iphone/etc or do you have one for droids?? Where can I find it? I tried searching VST and nothing came up. I would LOVE to get this as I am always on my phone or on the go. I haven't been able to keep up as much since my computer is on the fritz and I would love an alternate way to keep track of everything going on in here

Well I am one of those people who has always had large boobs... as a child I actually went straight into a B cup at my first bra fitting... I eventually grew into a DDD cup. I have lost some, but I still fill out a DD. My current bra (after 100 lbs) is a 36 DD (though my band size is getting loose, I know I need to go down to a 34). However, I have lost lift Which kinda sucks. I have a feeling that down the road I'll want a lift, but I don't think i'll ever need implants. I think it truly depends on the person. I will say though, that it is soooo worth it! I would much rather have flabby boobs and a more normal body then be overweight with big boobs.

Well first off good luck and congrats on getting started! I think it's good that you know what you want and why and I think your surgeon will respond positively to that. It is completely normal to be nervous/scared/excited/etc. I think we all feel/felt that way! About a year ago I went to my info session and now I am sleeved and down 100 lbs... it goes quickly! Keep us updated, you definitely came to the right place for advice and strong shoulders!

My surgeon's rule of thumb for everything was "if it hurts don't do it"... and of course not to drive if I was taking my medication (which I only did for a couple of days). I found that the first time I tried to drive it was uncomfortable, so I asked my mom to take over... BUT I drive a standard car, so I had to use both legs and both arms and it wasn't just brake and gas etc. Since I am short I also have to actually extend my foot to properly reach the clutch and that pulled on my lower abs, which pulled on my incisions. Around day 10 though I had no issues at all pain wise. At that point my drain was also removed which made everything easier lol. I truly think it is individual. If you feel comfortable and you aren't taking any narcotics then go for it. Since our surgery is laproscopic we heal much faster so we can go back to our normal lives much quicker.

Hmmm, i'm going to have to look into some of this as well. I'm nervous about adding in Iron as I've had issues with it before (digestive issues... not fun). My mom visited me a few weeks ago and she noticed right away. I hadn't. I have always lost a lot, saying while i'm brushing my hair or showering etc, but I guess it isn't growing back like it used to. I was worried at first because my Protein wasn't very high... I was barely meeting my minimums. I switched my Protein shake though to one that is higher protein (but tastes nasty lol) and been more careful. It hasn't been very long so I don't know if it has helped or not. How expensive is that shampoo and do you have to use it every time or could you use say ever other time you washed your hair?

I'm sorry to hear that they are making you jump through hoops! Mine was very easy and straightforward so I don't have any experience to reflect back to you, but I will say to just keep pushing through and before you know it it will be over and done with. I truly think the pre-surgery wait is the hardest part of the entire journey and you are almost done! Good luck and let us know how everything turns out

Congratulations Hitting onderland is huge!! And it just gets better from there too! I'm sorry to hear about the struggles you had at the beginning but I'm glad to hear that everything seems to be back on track and that you are doing well. Keep us updated!!

Sounds delicious Did you use a flavored Protein or an unflavored one? I just bought an unflavored Protein Powder and i'm looking forward to adding it things so I don't have to have a Protein shake every day. I also wish that I would be allowed to have shakes like these... unfortunately my surgeon's plan so no carbs and I promised myself I would be mostly good until the year mark lol. Though I have had treats every now and then. Thanks for sharing!