RJ'S/beginning

There are some great Tofu substitutes out there. i had a tofu and bean chili the other day that rocked. Nuts are a good choice as well. I have had some new experiences with tofu that are quite satisfying. Try that for now. Not only will your weight loss slow down but you will also start losing your hair quickly and more then you thought possible. Nails will be effected and skin as well. Maybe some fish will help as well. Just keep trying Protein and don't give up okay! You got this!

I chose to keep it to myself because of all the things I suffered at the hands of well meaning (NOT) friends and family. I wanted this to be my journey with the help of loved ones and family. I did tell a couple of friends ( former friends ) who had nothing to do with me after I had the surgery. Another friend was so angry she only spoke to me once after, to tell me to stop losing and that she took a poll on Facebook about it and everyone said I was stupid to do this. It took time for me to push forward to NOT CARE anymore. I still find myself choosing who I tell straight out. Sometimes it feels like it is a gift I am sharing. No one knows my past. No one knows how much I have in the bank. No one knows what I have gone through totally as it is my life. I will share my experience with people who need or want to hear it the rest well. We have not come far enough to let ourselves stay open to the wind of chance. We are still a small minority and still have pain over our past abuses.They did not share in my choice to have the surgery. They do not get to share in my decision to have WLS. When I am ready and when I chose to tell the world will be when I am ready to face whatever anyone has to throw at me. That does not me me a liar. It makes me cautious. I have had to be to survive this world so far! Saying that you were not raised to lie is a blank statement and basically name calling. Please remember the rules of Rants and Raves. NO NAME CALLING! Oh! Did you tell your kids there is no Santa or tooth fairy or Easter bunny! Just asking.

Saw this quote and it made me think of all of us; Through kindness we help one another it makes the difficult things easier to digest. Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone. Kindness in another's trouble, Courage in your own. Adam Lindsay Gordon

Hi; Yes doing a little better. Must look straight ahead and handle the bull as well as can be done. Today is a new day tomorrow another. right! Thanks ladies!

Awesome...It is good to remember where you came from so you can see how far you have come! That is a quote from someone. But doesn't it ring true! You inspire me @@CowgirlJane you always have!

In the beginning of my journey I was so frightened that I would fail that I thought it would be a good idea to see if I had the stuff to succeed. I was also in a place where it would have been hard because I was always the heaviest and people liked that. So I said I had some work done on scar tissue from former ulcers. Then all hell broke loose as you know and it was difficult to keep the lie going. Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am an open book. I feel a great need to put myself out there in a positive light to fight obesity and help others who suffered like I did and do. So if it comes up now...Well look out.. Do you have a hour or several..lol I had my demons and my own pain and fears to deal with at first. I am farther in the journey now and the skies the limit as far as my plans to be more vocal about it..Watch out world. I plan on kicking some ass about the benefits of wLS even though I have been through the wringer. I am so glad I did this!! I really am!

The day I talked to people who were considering WLS. The day I came home from the appointment where I was excepted for WLS

Started at 381. Now I fluctuate between 170 ans 180. I can handle that. LOL It is a journey well worth taking! I confess I like the new clothes and always dress the 9's. A perk I deserve....really! hehehehehe

Seems to me that you have a great attitude. I am so happy for you that you want so much to do this. I too was biting at the bit for this new life and worked hard to get here. It is not an easy road for anyone. There is a lot to deal with and things to fix. But the reward is wonderful. I love the new me most of the time. There are times when the old me rears its ugly head. It will always be there. It will always be a fight to keep going. But well worth the fight. Attitude is 1/2 the battle. The work the other half. I am addicted to food. When you can say that it will bring a relief that you can now fix it or at least keep it at bay. Good for you to want this so bad. Means you are serious and will go forward....

I am almost 2 years out. I have been through it all and then some. One thing I have learned is it is going to happen. you will get there. But it will be a journey of ups and downs. You must keep plugging along each day as if it were new and special. Not today, not tomorrow but it is on the horizon! Stay on point and note each non scale victory. You will look back and see how far you have come. Also work on the reasons you did this and fix the reasons why food was so important to you. Find new ways to enjoy life and go for it. You deserve the good stuff. You deserve to be happy and healthy and enjoy the rest of your days!

Almost 2 years out and still have a rocky relationship with some beef and pork. Tuna and some other foods. I try them and don't give up. You should try them now and then to see if your sleeve has changed and you can now tolerate it. K

All the emotions are normal. if you did not feel them all rumbling around then I would think you are not ready for this life changer. I felt sore and lousy. Took sips of Water and pain killers. I walked a lot as well. Clear liquids. You will be okay with that as you won't want to eat anything as your stomach will be tender. Just follow your surgeons guidelines and you will do great! I lost 27 lbs before surgery. I was on a 2 week liquid diet twice as my first surgery was cancelled due to an emergency. It was okay after the fourth day. Until then I found it hard to get my head around it! It is also there to shrink your liver to make the surgery easier. All good!

Seems to me you are right where you should be or like most patients are. It will get better and you will stop the gurgles and then new and more annoying things will start to happen like sneezing or a runny nose when you are full. Stuff like that. Do me a favor and enjoy each day of your journey. It will be fantastic.

When I lost all my weight I was foolish enough to think that I would finally be happy. I would be small and look like everyone else. My road has been torturous and painful and as I sit here and write this I am upset. I cannot do anything I wanted to do. I cannot go on long drives, or ride a horse. I got a bike and can't ride it either. My bed sore on my tailbone won't allow me to do anything like that. I feel so cheated right now. My ass is always burning and sore and the plastic surgeon is only going to fix part of it for now. He thinks there is more sponge in there that has to be removed. I have cried so many tears over this surgery and what has become of me it is unreal. Plastics are another issue that has just sent me into a blue zone I can't seem to kick. I did this to make my life better and on Nov. 6th it will be two years of hell. What were you foolish enough to think about WLS expectations? I had so many and now I have none.

This is not a numbers game. This is about fighting a disease that is rampant and just now coming out into public view and that is food addiction and the mental, emotional and physically affects of it on a person if left unchecked and untreated. This is your body and your life and he needs to understand that you are doing this for the entire well being of the family. There are a lot of reasons why a spouse may not support us but we have to push past it and do it for ourselves. And keep the reasons close to our hearts. It could be fear of so many things. some of which he does not even know at this time. It might be a good idea to take him to your surgeons meetings with you so he can see the reality of it all. For now you have our support and hopefully your hubby will come around! Wishing you all the best in your future!

It will happen and then the real work will begin! Be patient and take this time to learn all you can about WLS and what you will need to do to be successful okay!

Thank you everyone! Tomorrow is another day! Hoping things will be better.

I have gel pads that I use in every sitting area. I also use this ointment. Thank you for your suggestions. Doing it all... They are not sure they can fix it because of where it is. I need it repaired. But I am looking at a much later date or maybe never. That is what I can't deal with. It is like someone set fire to my arse every single day all day long! It is just really starting to suck. I love to travel by car. And that has been taken away from me for now or possibly forever. It is just so maddening to deal with yet another thing when in my head...I could see the light at the end of the tunnel for the complications. But for now..There is no light and it sucks! Really sucks!

Thank you for your comments. I needed them today!

Any drug store sells Gravol for nausea.

I know it is momentary. But each time I sit down or move or do anything I get this burning sensation in my butt. It hurts more then you know. And relief is somewhere in the distance. It has been one struggle after another with me hoping and depending on the facts that eventually it would get better with the help of specialized surgeons. My hopes for that have been smashed to pieces. I will keep going but it has been an extra long journey for me that has not been easy. One thing after another. I am not saying I would not take the surgery again because I would. It is that I hoped by now it would be easier! You know so I could enjoy the things thin healthy people do!

Each person is different. I am sure that your team told you that it will take time to heal and feel better. It is your stomach that has been altered. And it is your stomach that causes the nausea. I had periods of nausea for over a year. I don't think that will happen to you. Take some Gravol when it is really bad. Be good to yourself while you are healing and know that it will get better, okay.

Take your scale out back and smash it with a sledge hammer. You are sabotaging yourself. Seriously I never weighed myself throughout my losing process. I never had a stall or a gain. Always happy with the progress because I only got weighed at my doctors office. As long as you are following your doctors plan you will make it. You also have to remember you are still healing. Your body is under attack and it is trying to adjust. You are still flushing out the meds they gave you and your body is also starting to flush out the toxins you stored up. That does not happen over night. That will happen a long the way as well. But you are not in a place right now to worry about a stall or weight gain. As long as you are looking straight ahead and doing what you are suppose to do. You will be who you want to be. Okay hun!

If your eating almost nothing that could be the problem. Up your intake of Protein and veggies to 1000 calories. your body will protect itself from starvation and if you are only eating a little it will respond that way. If you find it difficult to eat that much eat smaller meals. Trust me you do not want to get hypoglycemia which is common for WLS patients. The other thing: stay away from the scale. It is not about numbers. It is about health and well being. The scale is for weighing fish...okay! You will jump start your losing if you up your caloric intake and staying on the program!