Holly5.3

That sounds better! I'm thinking of the dead girl in the movie Beloved where she has water just running out if her mouth! this sounds manageable!

Cute! Water conesseur! It stinks so much to go from love, love, loving my water to being like "Ewe! This tastes weird!" I wonder what the physiological reason is for the tastebuds change. Interesting!

Yaaa Debs! Congratulations to you too! That is fantastic! I hope the scale is kind to you! I know these milestones have the power to re-energize or frustrate, depending on the mood of the scale! 

I am 8 days post-op and stopped the prescription pain meds, making me depressed, hyper and not helping with pain, and switched to Tylenol rapid release extra strength caplets. I even take one regular and one p.m. at night to help me sleep. No pill opening required. Just pur a usual sip of beverage in your mouth. Slip in the caplet, raise chin and swallow. Wait a minute or so to take second caplet. Tylenol is working wonders on my pain from haital hernia repair during my VSG. I take them during day and before bedtime. Good luck!

Another pro-sleeve is that the gherlin (spelling?) harmone that the stomach releases causes cravings for carbs and sugar. Together gherlin and cortisol create excess belly fat for some people when they are stressed (both good and bad stress can add to belly fat!). My stomach is huge! Throughout my life I never had a big stomach. Weight gain usually landed on hips and butt. After having 2 children, my stomach was huge (2nd daughter weighed 11'8" at birth! I was tremendous!) ever since my stomach kept getting bigger and bigger with every weight gain! I'm so excited not be a prisoner of my cravings and carb. addiction any more! Freedom!

Everyone I'm close to knows about my VSG last Thursday, 10/11/12. I'm a secretary in Principal's office in an elementary school so a lot of people, teachers, aids, parents and community members, see me regularly. What do I say to 'random' compliments about weight loss, when asked how I did it (of course this will happen in a public arena so God knows who else will hear my response!) When I last lost 70 pounds on Jenny Craig-I was open about it to everyone and anyone. (Thanks to my success, at least 7 women I knew went on JC-we all stopped and regained the loss-typical!) I feel like saying "diet and exercise" but I know that's a lie! Should I openly respond that I had surgery, and if I do, do I risk the chance of an extended Q and A session for all the world to hear (and keeping me from my work--my boss would not be thrilled!). Help! I go back on Monday - rumor has it that I had 'back' surgery...not Bariatric. (Gossips tend to distort story! They got the "b" right and the "k" at the end, but the middle ...WTH! The old "telephone game" played out right before my eyes!)

I was excited to weigh myself this morning, day 8 post-op (weighing every 3 days, since home a week ago). Day of surgery: 255.5. Today 10/19/12 242.5. (Start Pre-op on 8/15/12 278) I am beyond thrilled! Pinch me, I must be dreaming!

Awe, thank you! I think my hiatal hernia repair is causing more discomfort than sleeve, which is probably still pretty numb. Getting fluids snd protein in no problem. Moving walking a little more each day! Water tastes yucky and I did love it, and I really miss coffee. Other than that I feel wonderful! So happy I did this now snd didn't wait until I gained another 30 lbs. 

As I get more mature, I'm still amazed at the jealousies some women have toward one another, especially when it comes to weight loss! I think personal insecurities, etc. inhibit women from celebrating one another's successes. So petty! I have never been one to hold back a compliment-if I see you and you look great ir better than last time, I'll say it " you look so pretty today (sic.)!" The last time I lost a big chunk of weight I noticed the affect my increased confidence was having on the women around me. My true friends act like every pound I lose was theirs as well-so happy for me. The others would actually avoid or try to ignore me, so darn obvious! That's their problem. I didn't like myself, so I decided to change. I don't have the monopoly on self-reflection. Ok I'm done! 

Love it! When you find the pants let me know where I can find the tops that will shrink my big Bertha stomach! (Bye-bye big Bertha - you've over stayed your welcome!)

Decaf!!!! Why oh why??? I've been putting Folgers instant (friggen decaf!) in my vanilla morning shake so I feel like I'm having my coffee. I'm not fooling anyone but maybe my taste buds-lol!

For me, when I decided to finally have WLS, I waited to decide which procedure until I met the surgeon snd discussed my health snd weighed pros and cons of each. We decided the sleeve was a better option as I do have digestive issues from time to time which I thought was my stomach but was actually my intestines. He said it would be better to not even touch them since it would be difficult to determine what was wrong in the event of a problem post-op, something surgery related or my Pre-existing problems. I was fine with whatever he thought would have less complications and a swifter recovery. Yesterday was my 1 week sleeve-versery and I've lost 13 lbs. since 10/11/12 and a total loss of 35.5 lbs. since my 1st appt. w/surgeon on 8/15/12! I am feeling better every day! Be informed and follow your heart! 

Congrats! Keep up the good work, you look terrific!

Yaaa! Keep up the good work! You're doing terrific, girl!

I know for me, I'm petrified of the "slimes!" that enough is going to help me chew, chew, chew! I imagine this happening in public could be horrendous! (plus I keep thinking of my mortal enemy, garden slugs! Gasp, gag, gag!)

I miss coffee, especially iced! Maybe because caffein is an appetite suppressant that surgeons want us to obstain, maybe to make sure we still get rec. protein in each day. What do you put in your coffee, skim milk or Fat Fee creamer? (I'm drooling over the thought of an iced pumpkin spice coffee!) My diet plan says decaf. tea only snd still no green tea! I guess some plans are more restrictive/conservative than others, depending on your doctor! Happy coffee-break! 

My nut. told me the same thing-3 meals, no snacks in between, just liquids. I asked about the 'small meals every few hours' theory that every diet plan espouses and she said eating that often is not good for me. It's better that my body get used to eating 3 meals, as close to the same time each day as much as possible. She said that the small snack will sometimes make the body hungry for more food which can cause some people to consume too many calories as a snack. (Explains why one little 100 calorie snack usually turned to 2 or dare say, 3 - 100 calorie snack!) Its for the best.

Cute! You look adorable! It's nice to have non-food related treats in our lives as rewards for hard work!Rock that new "do"! 

My surgeon said ok to drive 24 hours after stopping pain meds. I had surgery last Thursday 10/11/12. Took Percocette until Monday. Switched to Tylenol - which worked better in taking away pain. My daughter missed her bus today so I drove her to school. The seatbelt kind of pressed on my sore spots so I put on a puffy vest to take away some pressure and I was fine! (Sure don't want to stop short, The seatbelt would really hurt!) other than that, it was great going out again!)

Yaaa! Congratulations! You must feel so proud! Do you feel like it was a fast loss (love that surprised feeling you get when weighing yourself and see a loss!) or normal or slow? I see posts where people are so disappointed only losing like 10 pounds in a week-that's crazy! I should be so lucky! Keep up the good work, girl!

Just noticed my eye lashes are growing and look thicker! My bottom lashes were so tiny I could hardly get mascara on them. Today, swipe the wand across and there are lashes again-not little short hairs! Does all this protein make hair grow? What about nails? My skin looks great too and I have psoriasis and excema on my hands-not a single crack, they look smooth, soft and beautiful. Anyway, anyone else growing lashes and nails?

I'm only one week post-op, and I really don't know what the heck I'm feeling inside! I also had a large hiatal hernia repaired (right side under breast still sore-coughing/sneezing is pure torture!) The gurgling and gas, hunger or head hunger...I'm not sure what's what! Today I made a nice chicken salad for the family and when it was all mixed- I had to keep saying to myself, 'you CAN'T taste it, Hol, becareful!' I was scared that old habits die hard and I would pop a spoonful in my mouth to taste for enough S&P, mayo, etc. Scary! I definitely was a picker, Pre-sleeve. This is an area I'm going to really have to work hard on-the mindless popping of food "to taste" it. Knowing I could hurt myself is a terrific motivator. I always used to find ways to justify my picking - now I have to be real, no more lying to myself!