BZButterfly79

I watched this earlier today and just loved it made me so excited for my sleeve, if you are on the fence or already jumped over the fence this video is awesome inspiration. http://www.youtube.com/user/AmySDMOM#p/u/0/cQVhiUDQ7QM

I was at the hair dresser today and a lady probably in her 50s walked in and was telling the owner about her 33 pound weight loss on Medi Weight, the conversation went no and on as I was getting my hair shampooed(I was just listening) and then I hear her telling the woman that her Jamaican friend had gastric bypass and that she has "that chalky look" and that it was creepy. I asked her what she meant by chalky look she said people who have weight loss surgery look chalky and grey for a long time until their weight stalls then they are able to normalize. She said this happened to all her clients except for the ones with the band. Have any of you experienced chalky skin? I am pre-op it's just nice to know what could be coming.

It's funny how people's insecurities come out at the worse time and makes them look like asses, I am sure they don't mean it the way it comes out, I would definitely wait until you are both calm and say something to him, as for your daughter have a heart to heart talk with her not with him there so she can get your side without interruptions from him. Sometimes I don't think man realize they are not necessities...they are bonuses!

Not that I was in need of more motivation for the sleeve, I have asked Santa over and over for that but today I decided that I needed a new top and some nice jeans. So I went to TJ Maxx specifically the 2x Woman's section, well the plus size rack was just that, a rack there was no "section", in the 2x category we had a whopping 12 tops and 3 pants!!!! The tops I wouldn't allow my grandma to wear and the pants...no comments. I glanced over towards the "normal" people section and had to look away as I began to feel tears coming on(ever been there?) another reason why I am so freaking tired of being fat! We are made to feel like aliens shoved to the back of the store, in the "normal" section you had an infinity of choices and cute tops. Isn't this the story of the overweight person's life? As I left the store I drove passed a McDonalds, normally I would stop there and get something this time I felt pure hate for the place sorry we are done Ronald, next time I feel like eating a freaking burger I will opt for one that won't kill me so fast, homemade boca burger which won't take me to the grave so fast. I couldn't wait to get home and get this off my chest now I am angry...and can't wait until my sleeve. The best gift I have ever been given the opportunity to have. Best Wishes to all of you!

Read my TJ Maxx post, all I can say right now being pre-op there is not a cake, a bread, a chocolate which tastes better than the thought of sitting here in this computer in a nice outfit feeling good, not like an elephant and knowing that my life has been extended, I am sorry for your experience and I hope that you can find support so that you don't return to the place where I am at right now. You know today I got home from my TJ Maxx trip and I had a conversation with the jelly bellies sitting in my pantry, the godiva white chocolate also sitting there, the vanilla double stuffed oreos, you know what I said to them...sort of like of what you say to someone you are in an unhealthy relationship with: "I am sorry but I can't do this anymore, I love you but I love me more, thanks for the good times but you no longer belong here." As Beyonce would say: "TO THE LEFT TO THE LEFT!!" That was me today it is ok to talk to the person or thing which has been killing you-that's what I did today. Good luck and though I am pre-op I am always here to share my opinion(they say everybody has one). Headed straight to Sleeve St.!!!!

I am humbly asking all of the post ops who before surgery had been diagnosed with PCOS, if you have you know all the symptoms which are too painful for me to list here, what I want to know from you is whether or not your symptoms lessened, went away, and do you feel better now in respect to the PCOS. I spent 3 years going to my OBGYN telling him something was wrong and he told me that PCOS was in woman's head that if I stopped being lazy and exercised I wouldn't have any problems(yes I switched doctors). Thank you for your reply and your honesty.

How do you guys who have been sleeved sit for breakfast lunch or dinner or even soon to arrive holiday extravaganza meals with relatives whom you have not disclosed your sleeve to? My mother has decided to visit me at what I suspect will be close to the date after the surgery and she is a cook and she is the type of cook who asks you with a crabby face why you are not eating more...I vowed to not tell, at the same time I realize there are vitamins and such I will be taking...don't want to have to hide those how do you manage? My basic thing is I don't feel I owe an explanation, justification and I know if I tell her she will give me an ear full. Any wisdom is appreciated.

I am still pre-op but I did listen to a video on youtube where this girl mentioned that she goes to support groups and there are people sitting there talking about how the slide milk shakes and twinkies etc and how they are upset at their gain, her take on that was that if we don't change our way of looking at food and our unhealthy relationships with it according to her 6-9 months post op her own words: "the honeymoon is over" and then you are stuck with old habits and no weight loss. I am really taking to heart everything that post-opers are saying because if I simply can't stop lying to myself and cheating on myself then I will not have the surgery bottom line, I'll just stay this way-unhappy.

My psych eval was weird and I posted about it, I remember the psychologist's eyes turning red and her voice changing and asking me: "You are hard on yourself aren't you?!!!" To which I replied with a scared face: "Welllllll if I am not then who will?" LOL I don't know these people go to school to learn how to get people to talk about their most intimate, shameful, sad, and whatever behaviors and sometimes it's just strange, I am not opposed to therapy but I would love a therapist that wouldn't change eye colors on me.

Through my research I came across this youtuber who has been a great inspiration to me, I can relate on so many levels and have subscribed. She hits on some real raw situations and possibilities. I hope this engages you and helps you if like me you are headed towards surgery. What I got today: "The emotional part is key!" I also wanna watch the movie "Killer at Large" http://www.youtube.com/user/Kellawanda

OMG!!!!!!!! unbelievable! Congratulations, I am assuming you are just following all the post op guidelines?

I as driving back from a trip to Walmart this morning and this question popped up, it might be best fitted for post-opers sleeve veterans, but remember how before the sleeve whatever emotion you could run to food, be it a bag of carrots or a bag of chips. I hope I am not the only one who deals with things by eating on this forum but more than ever I have watched and paid close attention to my behaviors, I "always" eat when I am upset or anxious and this post was born from my thought of the first time you eat or even thereafter surgery ***what*** has happened to you when now what you used to do can cost you your life. Certainly the wanting to be healthy and skinny is bigger but these unhealthy behaviors that led us here do they subside does it take a long time for the brain to switch and say "we are not going there we can't"? I have read that some of the physiological changes help to keep us from going there(lack of appetite, N&V, pain) and then there are some sleevers who say it is still a mental struggle. Share your insight and your experience in this subject. After surgery anything ever made you cry or feel sad and think for 2 seconds of eating chocolate?

I have come to the conclusion that failure is always there it is an unchanging unmoving possibility, what changes failure is when we ***succeed***, there are people here who have succeeded but there are those who could not overcome the power of food. I want to be a success story but I know that the surgery alone is not "it" I need to find something other than eating to express my emotions. I am hoping that as I lose weight the lighter I become the easier it is to exercise as I love to dance. I don't watch Rachel usually because her voice really annoys me she also is not a very relaxed person (she only has 30min to cook) so when I watch TV I want to relax. When I called to schedule my appointment with the psych lady she told me that if people don't continue with therapy after surgery they get fat again(?her exact words). I have decided that is I am going to risk my life on the OR table I am not going to waste it by slipping milk shakes and twinkies, the abuse HAS TO STOP. If I couldn't commit then I would not have the surgery. I can only imagine the depression that comes with having regained all the weight it must be too hard to bare. Support is important I think finding people locally who want to meet and maybe once in awhile hang out and have fun might be a good thing too.

Forget the people telling you to eat a burger you've just inspired someone who has yet to have the procedure so that's one person I think matters more, as for the drugs....insurance doesn't cover(LOL). Keep up the god work you are on your way to the top thanks for the pics I love to see people who are proud and brave!!!

Anyone have a mom like mine in that she comes to visit us and cooks for us and if we don't eat...and eat second she acts offended and says she won't cook again(I know LOL). She will be here next year after I have had my procedure which she is not aware of so girls how do I get out of that situation when it arises...should I put the food in a plastic bag under the table? Or serve a huge plate and eat like a turtle then suddenly say I am full after so many bites? Someone in here has had to deal with this maybe even in social situation with friends who did not know about the procedure. How about the vitamins do you guys keep it a plain view? Kitchen? Bathroom? Shine the light!

I have't had the surgery yet, can you drink a glass of water without problems? So that means we don't have to sip sip? Does water go down fast or slow?

"All I want for xmas is VSG!!!" I do not have a date yet but the bariatric nurse said that if I didn't mind doing it during the holidays...I thought WHY WOULD I I've been eating that holiday food my entire life and too much of it so I figured this would be a gift to me, I'll still cook though for the family. Halloween candy was a problem for me this year for sure, I was nibbling on that stuff throughout the day the past years I threw the candy away the next day out of sight out of mind. We are not having family here this year so in a way it works out because I am able to peacefully recover without being bombarded with: "How come you're not eating!!!!!?"

I wanted to share with anyone who is preop this site I just came across where it is everything surgery gallore, if you click on bariatric link you will find lots of goodies like scar creams along with ratings form people who have used it. I am looking at the before and after pics on the site. I also added the site to my favorites in case I want or need anything later. http://www.makemeheal.com/pictures/gastric-bypass-bariatric