Miss Mac

Halfway through my journey. I am not obsessing about beauty supplies yet, but I have stepped up my game a bit. I am using drug-store make-up, and I actually bought some summer dresses last week. I have not worn a dress in almost 20 years. As for kicking and screaming against old age, I do use a moisturizer on my face, and I exfoliate with every other shower, after which I soothe my skin with sweet almond oil. Other than that, I hide in the shade, use sunscreen, and am Verrrrrry protective about my sleep time.

jhood2005..........you will be amazed at how much better you will feel, even with the first thirty pounds down. You will have emotional ups and downs, but we all volunteered for this ride, didn't we? Just a comment on the dressing room experience in general........why are most of them painted a yellowy-beige or a puke green, and look like they have not been painted for years, and no hooks to hang stuff on? No wonder we don't like them. Anyway, I hope that you have a textbook recovery from your surgery. I wish you good luck and good health.

Without my sleeve, I would have been dead soon, or in a nursing home wishing I was. I had alrady had both knees replaced, many spinal issues, and a stroke that forced me into early retirement. All of my numbers were bad, and my weight was skyrocketing exponentially in spite of my best efforts. I was developing all of the co-morbidities that caused the early death of many of my relatives. I had asked my primary about a lap-band, and when I went to the bariatric clinic, the staff introduced me to the possibility of a sleeve. I had never heard of that procedure. The sleeve (Miss Tummy) saved my life. I am battling my way to goal, but I don't mind, because I am still alive to even face the battle.

I had diverticulities for about five years pre-op, and one scary long hospital stay ( a month prior to my sleeve) with ischemic colitis, which almost cost me part of my bowel. Thankfully in my six months post-op, those issues have not reappeared.

I am one of those people who weighs everyday, thinking that it helps me to stay responsible. At six months out, I still log every little bit, knowing that if I don't track, I lose track. One thing I did have to get over was EXERCISE BULIMIA. We all know that bulimia is a condition when whatever you eat, you bring it back up. Exercise bulimia is when after you eat, you feel like you have to go exercise those calories off right away. I am more relaxed about that now, but I still have issues with plateaus and constantly experimenting with should I eat this? cut back on that? drink more shakes? drink fewer shakes? eat cheese ? dairy? more carbs? less carbs? exercise first thing in the morning? eat more Protein? can I eat too much protein? am I done losing only halfway to goal?..............................geeze Louize, the mental torment seems like a normal, but undiscussed part of the process, and keep on with all of the good habits I have learned on this journey. Just my humble observation of my personal (and very individual) experience.

Great job! That helps me to be inspired with a large family cookout coming up in a few weeks.

Tracking is a huge benefit. When I don't track, I lose track.

I never stopped taking pills. The ones I do take go down easier with a mouthful of shake or chewed up food. Never have been able to swallow the fish oil pearls post op. Miss Tummy rejects them and gives them back right away. I am not about to start cod liver oil. I will just eat fish more often.

I never did go to any of my high school reunions. I never did like those people the first time around anyway. Ironic....I was painfully and unhealthy thin back then and they made fun of my skininess. Oh well. Hopefully you can go and enjoy some good memories while keeping your new little secret close to the vest.

Well, you are in the right place if you want to talk with people who have down that road, as well as those who are with you and right behind you. Guaranteed, about a week before surgery, you will be telling us how nervous you are because surgery is ONLY a week away!!!!!! I can't believe that in two days I will be six months out, and it seems like my surgery was yesterday. The time will fly.

Every day I am on here snooping around, looking to hear how others are doing. I agree with the others that since discovering this site pre-op I have had to filter what I read, but I have gained so much support from coming here. Even though my recovery as gone fairly well, my heart goes out for those who haven't. Still, I want to hear from them too from time to time to see if they are all right. Newbies do need to be aware that opinions and mileage may vary, but it is the different opinions that make this site interesting.

I have a Pilates DVD "Pilates For Wimps" that really kicks my a**.

The Protein shakes four times a day caused it for me. Now that I am down to 3-4 a week, it is not a problem....plus I take two magnesium tablets a day, and stool softeners as needed.....and I drink two ounces of prune juice at bedtime. Also, I try to get in a few bites of veggies with every meal. Yeah, I thought I was passing a watermelon.

I agree with Sleeveless in Seattle. You don't have to lie, but you don't have to tell everything you know. My experience with working in hospitals is that even though the culture respects the patients' right to privacy, co-workers do not get the same respect. Everybody wants to know everything about your business, and if you land in a hopsital bed, the whole place knows in about an hour - even in spite of that fact that you have become a patient. Go figure! Just be careful that if you tell HR that it is for a certain condition, you should stick to your story so that it does not come back to bite you in the butt later and cost you benefits or your job. Even if you have to provide a doctor's note, it only has to say that you are under that doctor's care and may return to work on a specific date. You can simply explain your weight loss by saying that you switched to a high Protein diet.

For three years prior to my sleeve in December 2013, I was taking Zoloft for post-stoke anxiety and depression. With the surgery, I had an unexpected increase in symptoms and was switched to Wellbutrin. When my Wellbutrin was doubled about three months ago, my improvement increased. I am O K with that.

Mine are Centrum Flavor Burst Adult Chews. They look like small gumballs, but the dosage is 4 per day. I would rather take these than some horse pill. I get them at Walgreens. They have Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, Folic Acid, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, Iodine and Zinc.

In three days I will be six months out. I still drink one a day on most days. I only eat a Protein bar or protein chips if I am on the road for a distant appointment during a meal time.

Haddocks Eyes.......when I went to the bariatric clinic for the first time, last August, I had a list of fourteen questions, just like the ones you have listed here. The staff was very patient to answer them all and put my mind at ease about weight loss surgery. You are right on about informed consent, and I am proud of you for speaking up. You are your own best advocate.

The bigger I got, the less likely I was to wear a dress, until I just gave them up entirely. I was sleeved about six months ago, and got brave enough to buy a few summer dresses at a discount. Yesterday, for a doctor's appointment was the first time in NINETEEN years that I have worn a dress! It made me feel really feminine and put a smile on my face. Wow. What a difference a piece of fabric makes. I had no idea that it would feel like such a big deal, and my legs are looking good. It is these occasional NSVs that keep me going.

I have not yet had this issue post op, but I was an anorexic / anemic teeneager. The cause was that I simply did not eat enough food to sustain proper nutrition. I was terrified of getting obese like the 95% of the rest of my extended family. Needless to say, I am concerned about this rearing its ugly head again since my food volume, though quite healthy, is not much. In my teen years, the cure was to have B12 shots once a month, and I had to eat liver twice a week. My mom only knew how to fry shoe leather liver, so a Mexican neighbor had mercy on me and put minced liver in tostadas or tacos for me twice a week. That made the liver unnoticeable and quite palatable. Well, if it happens again, I will know what to do. Also, I am making sure this time around that I am getting Vitamin C by putting lemon in my Water, eating tomatoes (and an occasional grapefruit), and I take a Vitamin C supplement to help with absorption. Also, I am eating my fair share of steak and eggs.....just hoping for the best with it all. I hope that you are able to find an answer to you problem without too much difficulty or aggavation.

I chose the sleeve because I did not want a port.

Which only goes to show you how each of us have such a different experience even though we are going through the same journey. Tuna and eggs are two things I do digest well, and I even put boiled egg in my tuna salad for extra Protein. But fish filets.....I can't......unless they are really really moist.

Ellen Degenerous would love to hear about the panty mishap! She uses stuff like that on her show. As for the bari-boxes, I got one and haven't used it once in six months......or the measured smaller plate, or the place mat. I have used the shaker bottle almost evert day, and I used the small baby spoons for a long time, just to eat smaller bites. One thing I did use at the hospital was my Bari-Buddy Teddy Bear. Some hospitals provide them. Mine did not, so I ordered one. It was not cheap, but well worth the money. It is a good size and has a hard and flat back. It makes a good splint for when you cough or laugh. I also used it for an arm rest and a phone rest. I suppose any good size teddy bear or stuffed animal would do in a pinch. I ordered most of my bariatric kitchen and pantry stuff from BariatricChoice.com and bariatricpantry.com. I ordered way too much stuff. I will be eating and drinking it for a couple of years.

For me it was cauliflower.....never again. But I can keep broccoli and cabbage down. Go figure!

I had mine out back in 1973 when they still split you half in two. I was in the hospital eleven days. Now they do the laparascpoic surgery and you are practically in and out like the drive-through at McDonalds. The before pain can be far worse than the recovery. I hope the doctor can find some relief for you.