emily_0192010

Thanks for sharing!! You look awesome!

I met my Halloween goal yesterday!!!! I am in ONDERLAND! WOOT WOOT! I won't update my official long-term ticker until I weigh in at my surgeon's office, but unofficially i've lost 63 pounds overall now.

I'm in too! I have no idea what would be realistic, but if I could hit 162, which is a loss of 38 pounds I would be ecstatic! It would be my 100 pounds down mark, so I'm going to aim for it. If I don't hit it I'll still be happy. But since I am still a new sleever I'm thinking it might be possible. SW-200..........GW-162............CW-200.........lb's to goal- 38

One of the reasons why I got this surgery was so that I don't have to diet anymore. I always do protein first, and since I am only 5 weeks out that is generally all I can get in. But on my sister's b-day yesterday, guess what I shared a mini cupcake with her... it was great and I don't feel guilty over it at all. I got this surgery to be "normal", and normal people will eat a piece of cake without feeling guilty. The difference is that I don't eat the whole cake anymore. I don't eat the entire tub of ice cream. It is great and I feel amazing!

I'm glad I helped! I was not required to do clears before the diet, but I was required to do two days of clears before the surgery.

I am 5 weeks out today and I can take quite a big gulp... the only difference is that I can only take one and I can't down the entire bottle anymore. However, each day gets easier and easier to drink. At the beginning you have to sip sip sip, and eventually you get used to it. As long as you stay hydrated you won't necessarily feel the need to take huge gulps anymore.

I am a bit confused, it sounds to me that he wrote you a prescription to have blood work done. All surgeon's require this (at least as far as I know) and I've never heard of them doing it themselves or having it done in the office. I'm not sure where you are but I had mine done at the hospital (it was considered pre-op) and the other times I've had to have blood work done I've gone to an outside lab called Quest. I'm sure if you asked them they would suggest where to go to get it done. May I ask why you are upset with your doctor? If you feel uncomfortable with him/her that's different, but maybe it was just misunderstood?

Hey!! Congrats on taking the first step, you will be on the "loser's bench" before you know it! Our stats are very similar. I am 5'2 at started at 262 with a BMI of 47. It is totally worth it! As for your family, you might want to try making or finding a brochure of the facts about the sleeve versus RNY. Maybe even get your sister on board. They are very, very, very different and the sleeve is one of the least drastic things you could chose to have done. Our sleeves work exactly the same way as our old stomach's, just smaller! Anyways, you have come to the right place. This board is an amazing place for support and information. i don't know what I would've done without it!

It could be your body's way of saying it isn't ready for puree's yet. I was on liquids (Water and Protein shakes pretty much) for a full two weeks before I transitioned and I found that I pushed it a couple more days. Maybe do a day of liquids and see how you feel afterwards. Or make your puree's more liquidy than you normally would. I would also call your surgeon's office, just to make sure everything is okay. Good luck and it does get better!

I was told I can drive as long as I'm not on my pain meds. I do know they want someone else to drive you home (probably because you will be on pain meds). I drove the first time 3 days after I was released and I was fine. My doctor didn't get me any restrictions about driving.

Not everyone completely loses their hunger. Actually from what i've read it seems like most people still get hungry, they just get full a heck of a lot faster! I am only a month out and I am very lucky that I have NO hunger at all. I have to remind myself to eat. Also from what i've read it seems like most people who didn't have hunger start to get more of an appetite at the 6 month mark.

The liver really does shrink considerably with a low-carb diet in a short amount of time. My surgeon explained that when our body consumes carbs, it first goes to the liver. When the liver is "full" it is THEN converted into stored fats. The opposite is true as well. When our body needs carbs, it takes it from the liver storage first before it touches the stored. SO, if you aren't adding carbs into your diet your liver will shrink because your body will use up all the stored carbs in the liver. I actually did low-carb for four months before my surgery and my surgeon said that my liver was "tiny and perfect"... about the only thing that can be said was tiny about me lol! Shrinking the liver is important because it makes it easier for the surgeon to get to your stomach. In really big people the liver can completely cover the stomach. When it is easy for the surgeon there are less chances of complications. I know some surgeon's don't bother with the pre-op diet. I'm not sure if they are just exceedingly confident in their skills or they don't think it will help enough to make a difference, but I was very glad I went through with mine in the end.

At 4 days out I wouldn't worry so much about protein. Focus on getting in your liquids. Aim for a min of 64 ounces. If you happen to be able to get some protein in then awesome, but right now just stay hydrated. I didn't start worrying about protein until I was a week out. My surgeon wanted me to get in a min of 65 but told me to just do my best. I am not 5 weeks out and am just now able to get it in (I couldn't handle the protein drinks for some reason). Congrats on being on the loser's bench!!

I had a really hard time with certain drinks. I could not do any type of electrolyte drink at the beginning. Also, the sugar from the apple juice probably isn't helping. Try drinking something warm like broth and see if you can get that down. Focus more on the liquids than on the Protein for a little while and see if that helps. I had spasms as well and anything cool or cold definitely made it worse. Good luck!

My surgeon gave me a prescription for an antacid similar to the one you have, it is very important! It could be the acid making your stomach so upset. My surgeon also gave me a prescription for anti-nausea medicine. Maybe you can ask for some so that you can get it down. Good luck, and I promise it gets better.

WOW!!!!!!! Thank you so much for posting! It is always awesome to hear from people who are past the year mark like you are, it really helps us newbie sleevers be confident that we made the right decision!

I was actually told by my surgeon that advil is fine with the sleeve as long as you take it with food. If you can't take it with food than you can take it with a teaspoon of pepto. There are a lot more restrictions with the by-pass than the sleeve, which is why I chose the sleeve. Some surgeon's say "never this or that" but the majority of things are allowed.

That I would drop in shoe sizes as well!!! I was trying on some old clothes and I am firmly in a 16 and wearing a couple 14's (from a 24!!) and I am totally thrilled. But it is shocking me that my shoes are literally slipping off my feet. I already had pretty small feet (size 7) so I wasn't expecting this at all. I can do used pants and tops... but new shoes are going to cost me a fortune! Thank goodness for flip flops and year long decent weather!

I dropped close to 40 before surgery, and I am close to 20 afterwards. .It's just in this last week that the inches have caught up!

I was not given one or required too and I don't think I would've needed it. My pain, which was a tidge-bit higher because I also had a hernia repair, was minimal after a couple of days. It was just a general soreness. I think you'd be fine to take it off, or if you are that concerned maybe only wear it when you know you are going to be on your feet, but not when you are just having a lazy day or evening around home.

It definitely varies by doctor! My surgeon said he uses it because it helps prevent infections. He also joked that it made sure I came back to see him afterwards. I had it in for a week. It didn't hurt but it did get annoying. I kept it tucked into my bra to keep it out of the way. I was a bit nervous at first but it really isn't anything that should prevent you from getting this surgery. Coming out it is weird because you can feel it moving way up by your stomach, but it doesn't hurt and the small hole closes on it's own. Good luck at your consult.

I am so glad that you are doing better! I am amazed at your positive attitude, keep it up! You are doing amazing!

Good luck and congrats! It will be here before you know it!

Congrats!!!!! You are an inspiration Keep up the hard work!

I am glad to hear you are doing better! It is nice to keep in touch with people who were sleeved around the same time. There is actually a thread that kept track of all the people who were sleeved in september. I just got off of the soft/mushies and I am sooo glad! For the most part I'm doing great. I have this weird pain beneath my one incision and my surgeon doesn't really know what it is. If I am still dealing with it in a couple weeks he is going to order a ct scan so we'll see how that goes. I also can't get much in at all. It took me about 40 minutes to get down two ounces of chicken. I know we are supposed to stop eating after about 20 mins, but I have a really difficult time with the Protein shakes so i have to get my protein in somehow. I would like to keep in touch as well!