Madam Reverie

lol I don't know about you; but sleep deprivation and a bad back to me is like having a licence to kill!

All weapons permitted? Awesome. I shall sharpen my sarcasm - just in case.

The answers to this are all too simple - although I concede that dinner times with the family might be a struggle. 1) Only dish yourself up the tiniest amount of food. Like ridiculously small (2-3oz of soft-ish stuff). Prepare it before you sit down and do NOT add more to your plate. Try and gnaw on it almost. Gnaw. Wait. Gnaw. Wait. You want the smallest bit of food to last you 20 minutes whilst you're sat at the table. The longer you give yourself, the more like you're going to solve... Number 2) If you chew well and wait to feel the signals and don't shovel, you won't be sick. Fact. Maybe take a mouthful. Put your fork down. Talk to your family around the table. For every three mouthfuls they have perhaps, maybe you nibble on yours a bit. Frustrating. A total mind game. But enjoy this time of eating little - how ever infuriating. This is the time you're going to be shedding weight like nobodies business! Try to take pleasure in the other pleasures of eating round a table and stop making yourself sick. You're too soon out to be throwing up at every meal. Its dangerous. eggs are notoriously tough early out. Try something blander and less rich and in much smaller quantities. Don't worry about calories at this stage. You are not eating enough to max out your calorie intake (unless you're glugging down ice cream of course - which I hope you're not!) Have a good talk with your head, your eyes, your hands and your mouth! You got this!

What you're potentially experiencing is hunger, but it is grounded in a bit of head-hunger, a mucked up stomach and a lack of energy. This is probably due to the fact your stomach is still numb and still so cut up and raw. Making ungodly noises for you yet, is it?! I believe that all those nerves being severed and stitched does weird things to your hunger messages - whether physical or purely mental. Drink what you can. As far as food is concerned and for the first 6 weeks, I wasn't worrying too much about the calorie intake - just as long I was feeling satisfied and I was safe in what I was consuming (so a fair amount of Protein shakes). You'll soon know if you've gone too far.. You'll get the hiccups, runny nose, sneezes. Sadly, I didn't start feeling more human until I hit puree's.. Hang in there, give it a couple of weeks and you'll be feeling more like your old self. As it stands you're so fresh out, the body is just playing with your head. Try to ignore it, drink/eat what is safe and what you can and should physically consume, and all will be well shortly x

Nicely done! We'll all be seeing you on the losers bench shortly

Eek.. I might not have gone down the 'fight' route, Banderella! Might be seen as a bit 'Band-waggonish'

May I ask what BMI you were when your weightloss stopped and what BMI you are now, after the weight gain? I would be tempted to go back to basics. Total basics. Protein, Water, no carbs, lower fat, lower sugar.

You, are an incredibly strong person to have gone through all you have, to not attribute blame across the board and to then recount it on here so matter-of-factly. My thoughts are most sincerely with you. You absolutely deserve the most rapid and pain free of recoveries and soon. Your strength is astounding and I am in awe. Keep us updated x

I don't think I could give up tea. I really couldn't. WLS for giving up tea? HELL NO, I'll STAY FAT` AND UNHEALTHY, TYVM!

Tea. That is clearly my downfall....

I did indeed see what you did there! Clever! My reward is plastic surgery. I want that flat stomach goddamnnit. and Eek.. I won't tell you that I didn't give up smoking then! <tip toes away... ....to make a cup of tea and have a ciggie>

Oh, honey, I wish I could tell you 'yeah, you'll be great'.. Sadly, I can't. My periods have been ALL OVER THE BLOODY SHOW! Literally! There is no rhyme, no reason. They have lasted (3 of them in the last 6.5 months), over 17 days. I do suffer from PCOS and despite being on tablets that are supposed to stop my monthlies - they just keep on comin'! Apparently its to do with all the hormones flooding your system when you start shedding weight. (Hormones get trapped in fat cells) I would say if your monthlies are normal, prior to surgery, expect a little upset as your body adjusts. Prolly a couple of months or so. After that, you'll no doubt be groovy. What I would say though, just be a bit prepared for things to go a little haywire for a while. I, personally, feel I should buy some shares in lil-lets tampons. I've floated the bloody company single-handedly for the past 6 months

Crikey, I think we've found another me - judging by that first sentence! Ninan, welcome. Come and have a cup of tea with me any time you like, love. Be assured, however, I'm no junior WLS expert. I don't think i ever will be, either. I am, however, a condescending mo-fo when I want to be. But do not fear. I do not discriminate. Everyone gets it

I'm going to tell you something, do not dispute this, you are scared. You're smart, articulate, and well liked, and you're terrified like the all of us. The dr. Was pleased at my 6 month and yours will be, too. Expectations vs. reality. Our heads tell us it should be more loss, but reality is we are right on track. Do not doubt it! My weight went up and down and sideways with no forward progress for OVER A MONTH. Talk about scared! But, it started to budge a little. When I asked the dr. If it's almost over, he laughed...and assured me that it is not!, Hold my hand, we will move forward. And if we fail, just remember this..... "You can ALWAYS get skinny, but ya can't get pretty..." Lucky us. lol Oh, of course I'm scared! (in a kid caught with her hand in the cookie-jar kinda way). I don't want to have to face the consequences of my shoveling down a truck load of toffee encased chocolate and the likelihood that he'll tell me to lower my calories! Huzzah! Terrified? No. As with most things, it's all relative. Loneliness is the only thing on the planet that terrifies me. Truly. I can man-up and take on my responsibilities better than most. If i have to swallow shed loads of Protein shakes to get there, I will. <URGHHH!> I know we're alright. I mean, how can we not be? We're bloody fabulous! x

food of the gods...

All at the same time? Ugh. I like spinach, onions, feta, green olives and artichokes on mine with an olive oil base, not tomato sauce. Second runner up is bacon, onion, and hot peppers. I like all of those ingredients.. But the first line (feta et al), I'd rather have them all in a fresh spinach salad with red onions, roasted capsicums and balsamic vinaigrette.. The second one.. Yeah, that'd work for me on a pizza.. <slurp>

Corn?!? It has its place from time to time.. Not all the time...

Yes. Pineapple, tomatoes, and green olives. And its encouraging to think that someday I will eat 'normal' food again! Im on pre op liquids right now so it seems very far away! Never fear. Give it a few months post op and very little (generally personal taste/physical response is the only specifier), is off the menu. Thats what makes making 'better choices' a pain in the bum!

Oh yes, pineapple most certainly belongs on a pizza.. As do very hot chillies, peppers (capsicums), mushrooms, corn and onions...

You are most welcome! Good luck with the scar-healing. All will be fine

Good Lord, lady. If you tell me these things, then I WANT these things. The weight loss is terribly slow! I had the 6 month check up yesterday and his scale weighed me MORE than mine at home! I was hoping mine was wrong, but to my benefit...ya know? I live in NY. The weather is turning now, maybe I should be out there walking...or something?! I think we're brothas from anotha mutha.. 'cause I'm the same. I haven't had my six month check up. I'm scared of it. I have this feeling he's going to say 'lower your calories to half a glass of fresh air per day'... He won't like it if he knew I'm just about to eat some pork, because I'm starving - at 1am. I didn't eat enough Protein today which is why I ate the sweets. That and my unwarranted time of the month. I'm supposed to not have 'times of the month', but tablets or not, they still turn up! ARRRGH! I need to try harder. I really must, or this thing is gonna be a bust

I'da been stuffing down a ham and cheese too! Well done to you and your new poooooooo!

lol so it appears! I am privy to what your refer. Generally yawn-worthy! How's the weight loss going? I have lost and gained the same two pounds about 5 times this month. The fact I ate 8 chocolate eclair sweets on Tuesday evening and followed it up with 10 chocolate eclair sweets tonight. I am bad. I feel ashamed. Bloody period!

Carol, I understand your fascination and concern, but I'm going to say, (and apply a good thick Irish accent to this) exactly what my mother told me if ever I was filly-faddling around with something I shouldn't be. LEAVE IT ALONE! It is the exit wound. I had the same. It will do its thing and in time, will be pushed out of the body and fall off. Around it, as it heals and is being expelled, the hole you think is there will close up. It will leave a slightly 'bigger' scar than the others, but it will be indistinguishable in 7 months. Trust me. Try to keep your picking and intrigue to a minimum. I would suggest you get yourself some 'second skin' waterproof dressings. They will completely cover your wounds, you can wear them in the shower and you can completely remove the intrigue you are currently experiencing! It will all be fine - I promise!

I eat pizza. Thin crust. meat and veg and my beloved pineapple. UK pizza's are admittedly much smaller than US ones, but in an average medium pizza in the UK (thin crust), I can eat two slices. No problem! However and what I will say, is that I get hungry pretty quickly afterwards. So to me, its kinda empty calories. Tasty, but empty. Sadly it is only hardcore Protein that fills this beast up