TheCurvyJones

This thread is great... I have my surgery with Dr Alvarez in 20 days! \o/ I would be interested in hearing all the details!

I have been enjoying food, since it will be a few months before I can eat like anything resembling normal. I don't know how much I have gained... I'm scared to check. But my knees tell me I am at least back up over 250 if not close. At one point I was trying to lose about 10 lbs before I head down for surgery and it just wasn't budging so I gave up. This week I am ramping down on all the eating and prepping to start the liquid diet next Sunday. I'm sure those 10 and then some will come right off once you start your pre-op prep.

I've told a few people and haven't received a bad response. I know of at least one person who probably thinks I am a lazy fat thing taking the easy way out, but has thankfully seen fit to not say it to my face. I've stopped telling people though. My parents know, a few close friends, my boss knows. Other than that, mum's the word. I don't want people watching me and commenting on everything I eat or do. I don't plan to hide it or omit it if people ask, but I'm not making any more announcements about it. And if people want to think I'm a cheater then well... they had that opinion for some reason before they knew I was having surgery so nothing I say about my experience will change that.

I have stairs and I live alone. Pre surgery I'll have everything I need upstairs, including a microwave and hot pot for hot water, etc. I don't plan to go downstairs for a few days if I can help it.

If you have a shelter or a place like My SIsters Closet (a place that provides working wardrobe for women who are/have been homeless and are going back to work) or something please consider donating them. Most people don't donate nice larger sized clothing. For example, one location has a list on their website of their recent needs: Travel-sized toothpaste Travel-sized shampoo and conditioner Hair ties, hair brushes, and other tools Gently used make-up Dress slacks Dress jeans Office appropriate shirts and blouses Dress and work shoes (especially sizes 9 and up) Gently used bras and new underwear

I've seen it happen, but with people who are much much longer out. They are typically people who didn't change their eating habits and are now struggling to take off the weight they gained.

Oh heck no. Nope. Never.

Look up Dr. Alvarez on YouTube. He explains how they measure the sleeve, depending on the stomach. No two stomach organs are alike so if you have a large stomach, your sleeve will probably be large.... But still small in comparison to your previous stomach size.

I can't wait to not have to rush past a window or a reflective surface so I don't see myself and my thighs rubbing together. I can't wait to wear a skirt and not worry about it riding up in the back. I can't wait to not have to stop mid flight of stairs so I can give my knees a break.

The decision to get the band or the sleeve or RNY depends on what type of eater, exerciser and weight loser you are. If you are extremely overweight and need to get that weight off quickly OR ELSE, RNY is your best option. Consider it the "Rolls Royce" of weight loss surgeries. If you already work out and aren't much into slider foods (foods that will slide right thru the band like ice cream and Pasta sauces and chocolate) and feel like you just need that resistance to help you drop the weight, then the band might be a good option. Unfortunately most overweight people aren't like that, so they're seeing a high failure rate. After awhile, people figure out how to eat around the band. To me, the sleeve represents the most natural weight loss method with no malabsorption and (theoretically) no dumping and no foreign objects in the body. Once you're all healed, it's you doing the work. The sleeve is not a gastrointestinal workaround that stops you from absorbing not only calories but Vitamins and minerals. It's not a piece of silicone in your body that regulates how much you can eat. It's all you. The decision to eat well or not eat well starts in your brain and at your mouth. We all have dieted and exercised, right? And ultimately the battle was too great. We needed help. So NOW when we diet and exercise the weight will actually come off.

My Liquid diet is supposed to only be 10 days but I felt weird starting it on a Tuesday so I am starting it Sunday, Dec 9th. Sundays are such a chill day for me that it's easier for me to start on Sunday as opposed to Monday. I still need to stock up on stuff I can DRINK both before and after surgery. That's my goal between now and then. Another goal accomplished: My passport came today! WAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO! I bought some genie bras as recommended by some members here but theyyyyyyyy are not gonna wooooorrrrk. I am too busty for them and the band is really too stretchy. it doesn't hold anything in at all. I am going to look at some sports bras but... I dunno what to do about these Bosoms!

Some have a larger stomach so some have a larger sleeve. Get some anti acid, that may help. Talk with your surgeon and let him know you are experiencing hunger, tummy growls. And get lots of protein that will keep you full longer. Being able to eat a banana an hour after a protein shake at 3 weeks out would concern me.

I am 5'3" and I will be sleeved on December 21. I rarely wear jeans because they never fit right. The only thing small about me is my waist, so if I get them big enough to fit over my hips, thighs and belly, they swim around my waist. Small enough to fit my waist and I can't get them up over my thighs Or to close around my belly. On the occasion that I can find a jean that doesn't swim around my waist, they're too long and I walk on the ends. I actually really like being short. I don't like being short and fat!

I've had more than a few friends that have had weight-loss surgery--some have been successful, some have not. I'm more worried about not losing weight or not losing enough weight. Or losing the weight, then losing my mind and gaining weight back. I have two friends in mind that are still struggling with weight issues post weight-loss surgery.

I use myfitness pal. I don't track any food on MFP, I'm too lazy for that, but I weigh every week and when i tracked my inches I put them in there. I don't think it stores pictures though. Maybe SparkPeople does?

I am still pre op but I blog on tumblr and follow some vsg and other WLS bloggers. I am mybodytoobootylicous at tumblr. I also have a blog here at VSTalk but a bit of the same info in both places.

I am 38 and my sleeve is in 29 days.

....Unless your doc says to stay on liquids for 7 days post op.

My surgeon's paperwork doesn't say anything about driving.He just says some people with office jobs feel good enough to return to work within a week or so. My friend had abdominal lap surgery(not WLS, cyst removal) and she was told two weeks. Of course she thought it was odd that our surgeons want us up and walking within days after surgery, but I couldn't seem to convince her that it will be a completely different experience. It seems like most people are up and around within the week post surgery. Just wondering when it was comfortable for you to drive? My surgery is Dec 21. I return home Dec 23rd. I will have a ride home from the airport. Past that, I plan to plant my rear for at least a week but I am SURE I will be going crazy after that! I'm also concerned about returning to work post op. My commute is 45 minutes but I'll be JUST under two weeks out when I go back to work. I'm an executive assistant so I sit all day, with bouts of walking to and from the printer or the break room. So how soon post op were you able to drive?

Ive started prepping for pre and post op, especially the liquid phases. it's been fun trying to determine what I need to start out with. I know I'll need more on the food side of the table but I figure ill get that together before I leave. Surgery is one month from today in Mexico!

Oh I am already there. I start every vsg comment with [ boring conversation ],Thankfully my bestie wants to talk about it ALL THE TIME and my mother had RNY a long while ago so I have two experts in my life, as well as a separate community of people who've had the surgery. My friends who have no idea about anything WLS related are fascinated! I heard the protein bullets were really sweet so I decided to try ONE post surgery and see if I could stand it. I don't like super sweet things NOW so heaven knows how I'll feel after the surgery. I also couldn't bring myself to buy small bows and spoons. We'll see if i think it would help after surgery. Bestie has a cabinet full of stuff she didn't like post surgery so I don't want to go through that. I'll keep it simple and see what I feel like being adventurous about once Jelly (I've named my sleeve) makes her appearance.

I read here that a binder was a great thing to have, as well as a heating pad. Nice support for your abs, especially with sitting up and laying down. I want to get some of those big heating pads people buy for back or neck pain. The heating pad, I hear, is great to keep your muscles from tightening up? I thought I got one but I haven't seen it show up yet so.. ? Lol.

Yes scales. I have two. One is to double check the other in case it's off. :ph34r: So, I have been stalking the post op forums and there is so much angst over ONLY having lost an awesome number of pounds in a very short time. I know myself and I am sure I could get very obsessed about the numbers, especially if they aren't going to drop like I want them to. My body does not like to subscribe to my goals. I'll get close to a goal by a certain point and then gain 3 lbs. I feel like what I want to focus on after surgery is being able to fit into clothes I can't wear right now. Feeling good, being healthy, being able to exercise without pain. I don't want to focus on the numbers because I know I will obsess. Maybe I will just take them downstairs........... 27 days from today. WOW.

The pitcher is an electric kettle (like a hotpot) the Mr coffee thing are those coffee cup warmers. I am quite sure I won't feel like running up and down the stairs after surgery so I'll have things upstairs to make life easy. I have a microwave up here and with the electric kettle I'll be able to make hot Water for unjury or tea or whatever. My bestie is 9 months out and gave me a good tip to get the Mr Coffee cup warmers because it will take so long to drink a cup of Soup that it will get cold and Unjury does not reheat well... it clumps. As well, I hate cold food and don't want to run back and forth to warm up anything so I figure the cup warmer will come in handy. I got one for home and one for work.