missheidi47

I told everyone, but I work in healthcare. I think that most of my colleagues know the health risks of obesity. I actually work in a rehab hospital, and kept seeing patients and thinking that would be me down the road. Not that skinny people don't have car accidents and strokes, but recovery is easier when you are not morbidly obese. I have been blessed with incredible amounts of support, but occasionally the comments are a little weird. One of my good friends (who has lost a significant amount of weight herself) said that it would be so nice for me to have normal friends to hang out with. Not sure what she meant by that, since I hang out with her and a number of people who are not overweight. I choose to believe that she meant that it was exciting that my life is changing in a positive way.

I'm almost 3 weeks out and I fantasize about eating a piece of chocolate. I can't because there's none here, but I still fantasize and make half-hearted plans. Last night I dreamed I was eating some kind of bacon triple cheeseburger. I love a good burger but would never have eaten something like that before my sleeve, so I have no idea where that dream came from. I was only able to finish a little in my dream, so I'm glad that my sleeve worked even in my subconscious.

I am almost 3 weeks out and we had a Happy Hour after work to send off a coworker who is moving last week. It was my first week back so I was pretty tired. I reviewed the menu online before I went. I ended up not staying long enough to eat while I was there (had been sipping water because we sat outside) but I ordered the grilled fish sandwich with broccoli on the side to go. Ate fish and a little broccoli 3x before I decided it had been hanging around long enough and tossed it. Didn't eat the bread, they just didn't have a fish dinner.

You are doing the right thing. Your daughter is lucky to have you to advocate for her. Praying that things get better.

@@kimpossible67 I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my mom to cancer a couple of years ago, and it is so hard. I still miss her every day, but it does get easier and much less painful. Be kind to yourself. You are in my prayers.

I slept on my side in the hospital with no problem. A little discomfort with moving around, but really not bad. I had some gas pain too, but walking and moving around in general like getting up from the bed helped a lot with that.

I'm only 2 weeks out, but I have followed my surgeon's instructions to the letter. Some of it is because that's just me - I follow the rules. Some of it is because I also work in healthcare, and I know that there is a good reason for the rules. I know that some people do everything right post op and still have issues/complications. But why would I not want to give myself the best chance of healing well and being successful? Of course, I also loathe throwing up, so I am going to make sure that I don't overeat, eat too fast, drink while eating, etc, if that will help me avoid it. So far it's working, so I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. At the end of the day, I think it's a choice. Like walking after surgery. You can choose not to walk, but you risk a blood clot. Not worth the risk to me.

242.2 Yay!

I read somewhere that foundation is really worth spending more on because the higher-end lines have more options for colors than the drugstore lines. I'm no expert, and do not wear make up every day because I do direct patient care and usually end up sweating it off, but I like to wear make up on the weekends or special occasions. I spend a little more on foundation, lipstick, and eye shadow and then top it off with my maybelline mascara.

SW and NUT emphasized not weighing every day, but when I was successful on Weight Watchers in the past, I weighed every morning as well. I have weighed every morning since I started pre-op diet. I'm not quite 2 weeks post op, but I'm planning to continue. I know that sometimes the scale will not reflect my hard work, and I'm okay with that. But I think I need the daily feedback to keep me in line.

I live alone too. I spent the night in the hospital because that's how my surgeon does it. I had filled my prescription for pain meds ahead of time. I had a friend bring me home and I was fine. I walked around my complex, and then once I was off pain meds for 24 hours I drove to mall to walk because the weather had gotten rainy. I had lots of people I could call if I needed help, but I didn't really need any. I'm going back to work on Monday, 2 weeks post op. Good luck!

I really don't know, but for anyone (WLS or not) it's important to get up and move about once an hour and hydrate to prevent blood clots. Don't know if your risk would higher or lower 4 weeks post op.

I like the grapefruit mixed with water and a little Crystal light lemonade. Not a fan of the Crystal Sky, apple, or tea flavors. Cookies and Cream mixed with soy milk was yummy. I don't remember the name, but there was one flavor that was coconut and pineapple and it was really good too.

Look for a "gentle" class to start with and let the instructor know about any issues. A good instructor can show you how to modify any moves that you can't/shouldn't do. It may actually help some of those issues. Anything that doesn't feel right, don't do.

The nurse who did my pre op visit at the hospital had it in August. A nurse I work with (and did not know had WLS) + 2 more nurses who I knew had it before I decided to. For me putting it on Facebook and pretty much telling everyone was the right choice, and an acquaintance contacted me to say she had VSG in October. Another acquaintance contacted me to ask some questions because she is scheduled for next month. I guess it is so much more common than it used to be. Glad you are doing well.

My throat was really dry and I was thirsty too. When I brushed my teeth, I "gargled" with some water and that helped a little bit. Biotene mouth spray helped too, but I had to spit it out. For some reason if I swallowed that little bit (nurse said it was okay as well as ice chips) I was a little nauseated. For me, the dry feeling and thirst got better on the 3rd day.

Anybody have a hydration tracker app they like? Most of the ones I've found you have to put it in by glass or bottle, and I really want to keep track of each ounce since I'm only post op day 3. I want to make sure I'm getting at least 48 oz over the course of the day. Thanks!

Starting weight: 246.4, goal weight: 235

I start pureed tomorrow, and I'm so excited to have something other than a clear liquid. Looking forward to my scrambled egg.

Are you allowed plain yogurt? It's considered a full liquid typically. I mixed plain Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder to have as dessert after my broth at dinner time. It was really filling (40g protein) and yummy. Helped get me though pre-op.

I pretty much told the world. I announced it on Facebook and told all my friends and family. I decided to do it that way because in the past when I've been trying to lose weight I've kept it to myself like nobody has noticed that I carry about 100 extra pounds. I've not been successful that way, so I decided to just put it out there. I know a number of people who have been successful with some form of WLS, and i knew they would be a source of support. I work in healthcare, so my colleagues have also been really supportive. Mostly I did it because I tend to try to do everything on my own and have a hard time asking people for help. If I'm going to be successful I need help. Being open gives me a lot of options for help and support. I know that everyone's situation and comfort level is different. I will probably be a little uncomfortable with some of the attention when my weight loss starts to be obvious, but that would have happened anyway.

I had my surgery Monday (3 days ago) and I was a little nervous because the last time I had surgery I was 6 and they took out my tonsils. I had never been intubated before and I just wasn't sure what to expect. I just kept reminding myself that I'm pretty healthy other than the obesity. I complied with all the surgeon's recommendations and everything went really well. I'm feeling pretty good overall. The pain was completely manageable. I took some of the prescription pain meds yesterday at noon, and a couple of doses of Children's Tylenol since then. Honestly for me the most annoying part was that my mouth was really dry and my throat was sore. Both are fine now. I'm sure you have done your research leading up to such a big decision and you will be fine. Everything I read said that the risks of the procedure are less than the risks of obesity long-term. Good luck!

Check out GwynnieBee.com. It's like netflix for clothes. You pay a monthly fee and get 1 - 5 items at a time depending on your level. I think 10 is the smallest size so it would only be a short term solution. You can keep items as long as you would like, and when you return it (in the postage paid envelop) they send you something else. I wear scrubs for work, and as long as the pants stay up I can wear them for a while. I'm planning on using Gwynniebee to help with some cute outfits for social stuff on my way down.

Thanks! I will check those out. So far I'm doing well with getting my fluid in, but it may be more challenging when I return to work. Want to plan ahead.

Thank you for the info. I have cruised a couple of times in the past, but am scheduled for a dream Alaskan cruise in August. I will be almost 5 months out by then, but I was wondering about the challenge of the food. I'm planning to bring along some protein powder and bars just in case, and my water bottle.