Izuri

That's some good advice. You are doing awesome =) And those weeks of liquid and pureed will go faster than you know it, even if it seems like forever while you're doing it.

Looks beautiful! I wish I could do makeup like that. I have tried tutorials and stuff and I'm not sure if it's my eye shape or what, but it never comes out all that great =p

Yay!!!!! It sounds like a long process, but it finally paid off in the end. Proof that persevering is worth it.

You look great! Keep it up and you will be hitting that 100lb mark in no time! =D

I didn't get a referral from my PCP because I didn't need one, so the clinic just faxed her information regarding my procedure and has continued to send her my follow-up appointment notes. I haven't been seeing my PCP that often though. I still haven't seen her since, because we never seem to have the same schedule of availability. Other doctors in her office have been supportive though, so I don't think she will have an issue with it. If I did need a referral I think I would bring some of the information I've gathered and just let them know that I have looked into other options and had little success. Then I would just list the reasons I want the surgery - mainly, my health, what they are there to be monitoring/helping with. If they turn you down, there is no reason you cannot switch PCPs, you want one that will support you throughout this journey. I hope things go well!

It took me over a week at home to get completely off my pain meds. I was definitely not one of those people 2 days out with no pain. Walking helps because you get rid of some of the built up gas and maybe try some Gas-X strips? You will feel better soon, hang in there!

I struggled with this too. I was not a big fan of the pureed food stage. The whole idea of pureed food sounds kinda icky to me anyway. The only thing I had that I really enjoyed a lot was chili with ground turkey. I made a chicken salad that wasn't too bad too. I stuck with a lot of cottage cheese and yogurt with flavored protein powder. My tastes seem to have come back a little now that I'm on soft foods, but there's still a lot that seems unappealing.

I have been stuck recently too, and am trying my best not to be frustrated. This is the dreaded 3-4 week stall! It happens to most people and if you just be persistent your weight loss will eventually start up again. It just takes time. Do you measure? Maybe you are still losing inches.

I had to do this the first few nights home too. Sometimes it felt like I'd never feel better. But I do! Hang in there - it will get better soon =)

Most people lose a lot initially because they are losing fluids. During/after surgery they pump a whole lot of fluids into your body and it takes a while to lose them. You also have some swelling going on that will lose Fluid over time. Good job though - I'm sure it feels great to see 12 pounds down =) I switched up the types of liquids I was having, different flavors of strained Soup, added a little food coloring to my Protein shakes so at least it looked different, mixed stuff in yogurt, made smoothies. It was still a little boring, but it goes pretty quick.

So far: Favorite - Being able to fit into a smaller size of pants without having lay on the bed to do it. No matter how many times I've worn them it never gets old Least favorite - Having to eat every 2 hours when I'm not hungry/not interested in food. I agree completely with Tracey, food is feeling like a chore lately. But it's still worlds better than eating everything in sight like I did pre-surgery!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

I was scared about anasthesia awareness too. Thankfully, I didn't have it and it felt like no time at all and I was awake in the recovery room. It's a scary thing, but I'm sure you will have everything go fine. Good job on eating only 25%! It's so difficult when you're around people who are eating more. Maybe you will feel more comfortable at a gym when you've lost a bit =)

It will get better! I just recently started feeling comfortable enough with my body (this was pre-op) to get some capris. I have kinda adopted the mindset that I can only do so much and I'm not gonna suffocate myself in pants and a long shirt when it's 90 degrees out. I sometimes still have embarrassment when wearing them but I remind myself that if they don't like it they can look somewhere else. Soon enough you will be flaunting a pretty bathing suit =)

Good job being persistent even through struggles. You can get back on your exercise routine, it's just tough. And a pound could be water weight, clothes, etc. I'm sure next week you'll have dropped it right back off and maybe it will take a few more with it. Have fun with the mojo ; ) Just starting to get mine back and seriously - watch out!

You are kicking butt! And sooo close to onederland - I bet you will reach it next week, maybe even be below just hitting it. You should check Groupon, I know that the power house gym in my area is having a good sale on there for a few months of gym time. Maybe there are some in your area too? Congrats on the NSV! Sounds like a lot of people are noticing.

Congratulations on your surgery date ! September is just around the corner. Maybe your guilt is in part that you don't feel like you deserve this? You do though! If you're like me, you've tried the diets, the medical stuff, the shakes and the meals and the so on. And it hasn't worked. If we want to be healthy people, we need to make a change, and being fat is much more risky than having one surgery. Think of the % chance that you'd get diabetes being 100lbs overweight for 20 years. It's probably worlds higher than the 1% risk of leak, etc. Good luck on the pre-op diet!

I am looking forward to people treating me better. I am tired of having my weight be the first thing people notice about me. It is sad though that people are affected so much by it, and I will try and remember this when I'm thinner. I don't wanna turn into the same person that has been ignoring me for years because of my weight =p

Edamame! I cannot wait until I can eat this again!!! Sounds like a great meal day =)

I was allowed to drive after 2 weeks. I did just fine, no pain.

I think we all have the worry about not losing weight. By and far the results on this forum are pretty clear - You will lose weight. Whether or not you maintain or reach your goal - now that's up to you and the hard work/dedication you put into your health. You can do this =)

I thought it was kinda interesting, kinda gross. I couldn't watch the whole thing though because my attention span sucks. It still hasn't registered really that they actually did that to me. It kinda felt like I woke up with a few cuts and a new stomach and had no surgery =p (Even though I know that's not the truth at all! ) All I remember is getting on the surgical table and then waking up in the recovery room - it's rather nice!

I would not go overboard and starve yourself. Follow your doctor's instructions to a T and you will be just fine =) Many of us have even had slips pre-op and still been alright. There's not much you can do other than follow directions, so try not to get yourself too worked up.

Congratulations! October is not very far away =) And you will be totally prepared when it gets here.

When I was younger and trying to do a 5k my trainer would tell me to do breathe in 1....2...3... breathe out 1....2....3... so like 3 seconds in 3 out (or a little less if you can't do quite that much). It helped me a lot and if you are taking in deeper breaths it seems to decrease chance of side cramps, cause I always used to struggle with those. I have to breathe through my mouth too, I can't do the breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. I had to modify the couch to 5k program last time I did it because I was not up to moving up as quickly as the program does. I'd shave 5 sec off running here or there or add extra walking minutes and it would help me get through it. I would do extra weeks of the same thing instead of moving up because I wasn't ready. I don't think I ever ended up finishing it, but I did make quite a bit of progress. I'm looking forward to eventually trying it again.