AvaFern

@@deedadumble and @CowgirlJane Thank-you ladies! Today was the first I had ever heard about the procedure. I had myself all mentally ready for just the lower body lift and thigh revision, so now that we've added in the augmentation I'm all stressed out about the procedure again, lol. During my first plastics, I added in the abdominoplasty, which I was SO glad I did and during my second set of procedures, I added the arm lift, which again I was super glad I went for. I'm hoping the augment goes along the same route, although this is the first time in my life I've ever debated getting a bigger, or at least rounder, butt, lol.

I got really sick a few days before surgery. They take your temperature, so if you have a fever they may move the surgery. Generally as long as your airway isn't compromised, you should be fine. After surgery you need to be able to breathe clearly without being conscious enough to wake yourself up and cough if you have flem in your throat. I've been sick for two surgeries and I just didn't tell them about it. I figured as long as I can breathe while unconscious, I was good to go. If, however, I had goop in my throat, I would have mentioned it to the surgeon. No point making it through surgery and then dying because you choked on your own flem. Hope you feel better!

I understand your concerns and most of them I had as well. The whole cutting out your stomach thing is very permanent sounding, and it freaked me out quite a bit. I was self-pay, so between the day I decided to go to the education session to the moment I was in the OR was about 3 weeks. I didn't have a lot of time to stress out about it. I was super sick the first few days after surgery, and my sleeve is one of the few that really has no tolerance for anything good- as in no sugar, no fried stuff, no breads, pretty much nothing yummy. This is ok though because I can have a bite or two of that stuff, and really it's all I need. I would still have surgery even knowing how many times I have barfed in the last 16 months, lol. I'm not sure what my turning point was. I had dieted my way up and down a span of about 90 pounds throughout my 20's and this last time I just could not lose the weight again. I was so unhappy and ashamed of myself. The sleeve has been wonderful for me- hopefully you will love it as well!

The 40 days of Lent has always been a great excuse for me to use a little religious guilt to give up some form of food for 40 days. My dad gives up beer, my mom gives up sweets, my sister gives up ice cream, and I inevitably give up something ridiculous like soda, sweets, or junk food in general. Last year was the first Lent I was sleeved and I didn’t give anything up because I didn’t feel like I needed to- I was eating healthy as it was and losing weight. This year I am very close to goal and having a really hard time hitting those last few pounds, so Lent seems like a great time to give something up to get on track to lose the last little bit. Anybody else making a 40 day sacrifice?

I was worried about this too when I started dating again, but I decided what I eat was none of their business and I would handle it as it happened. So far the most any date has said to me was just a comment that I barely ate, which I just laughed at and changed the subject. My mother's constant comments about how I don't eat anything were far worse than any date, lol.

Good for you! You and I both had the same lowest weight- I was 138 at one point and I thought I would never be able to get back there. I had a pair of size 6 goal pants that I could squeeeezzeee into at 138, so I kept those and a pair of size 4 pants that I never fit into. Both are now loose on me and I', 6-8 pounds under that original smallest size. So, I don't think you were being unrealistic at all- it's important to have goal clothing!

I wear the same size as you, though I now have fake boobs (before lift and augment I was a 36DD). I wear Victoria Secret bras- and I like the Very Sexy style the best. I've worn that brand and style for years because they have good push-up power and support. They also have the extended sizes available online. In that style of bra you can't see a difference between what my old, real boobs looked like, and what the new ones look like. Of course, without a bra, it's night and day, but to me that really proved what a great bra the VS very sexy version is.

I'm big on the idea of weighing everyday. I wake up, go the bathroom, get naked, and get on the scale, and I have for every single day since surgery (and most of my adult life). This way I know immediately if I am gaining and I can make changes right away, whereas if I only weighed once a week, it would be far more upsetting to see I gained 4 pounds instead of only gaining two one day and then making changes the next day to bring me back to where I was. I weighed myself after my plastics surgery, when I was like 10 pounds heavier from all of the fluids, and even on really bad days where I am dreading the scale, I hop on it, and write the number down. This way I can see trends quickly and fix my issues. As an example, yesterday I decided it was a good idea to eat too much Brie. Pretty much everything that tastes good makes me sick so the fact that cheese dipped fruit was something my stomach tolerated led to me being a bit of a pig. I woke up 1.2 pounds heavier, and today I tossed out the leftover Brie and got back to business. Tomorrow I will likely be where I was before the Brie binge. Had I not weighed myself, I would have found an excuse to eat it all weekend, and maybe part of next week and I can only imagine how much I would have gained and then had to work to lose if I didn't have the daily reality check of the cold, mean, scale. Good luck to you!

I am a rule breaker! Lol, as I was reading everyone's rules, I realize I follow pretty much none of them. I think part of the reason for this is that I was self-pay, so the extent to which anyone told me the rules was to give me a packet of papers that I was supposed to read, which I eventually got around to, but never really listened to much after the first few weeks post-op. My "rule-breaks" are: I use straws because it was the only way I could get in enough Fluid and my surgeon told me to go for it. I drink diet coke..like a fiend. And coffee...And Red Bull. I always drink when I eat. I graze, because otherwise I can't eat enough without throwing up. Sometimes I eat bread, though not very often- not because it's a rule, but because it invariably makes me sick. I eat while I work and while I watch tv- mindful eating, what's that! Sometimes I hit my Protein goal, sometimes I don't. I don't take Vitamins everday (except B12 and Iron because being anemic was not very fun. The things that I do do though are: I do keep track of most everything I eat in MyFitnessPal I workout almost everyday. I weigh myself everyday- which has been good for me. I avoid sweets most of the year- they tend to make me sick, and when they don't I will just eat them way to much. I try to eat small meals frequently throughout the day. No gum- mostly because I never liked it, not really because I intentionally don't chew it. I do get 64oz of fluid a day- probably almost twice that- it's just usually not Water. I think everyone has a system that works for them. I am fortunate in that everything with fat or sugar makes me barf, as do most Proteins, and bread- so while I break a lot of rules, half the rules I follow just because I'm tired of puking. So, clearly my stomach knew I was not a rule follower and decided to help me out with the process!

I was never a fan of Protein powder, so I'm no help there. The cucumber is off-limits initially because much as you might chew it up those seeds are not completely squished and the fibrous composition of the veggie might be problematic. I was eating cucumber at a month out though and nothing happened to me. It's probably just for precautionary purposes, but I like hummus so much I can eat it off a spoon, lol. I'm 16 months out and dry Proteins make me barf. They don't taste bad, but something about dry chicken or steak, especially if I eat literally more than one or two bites, makes me sick. Good luck with your sleeve!

I had that problem as well. I was dry heaving horribly for 12-24 hours my second day after surgery. I was maxed out on Zofran, Phenergan, and the TransdermScop you stick behind your ear. Finally I asked them to stop giving me the IV narcotics, and within a few hours I was completely better. I requested a minimal use of the IV pain killers after my plastics surgeries and I had no more issues with nausea. The tiny little bit of pain I felt after the sleeve was infinitely preferred over the endless nausea. If you're still in the hospital, have them either switch the narcotic they are using or give you liquid Advil instead. If you're not in the hospital, stop taking the pain med they gave you. Ideally that helps. Hope you feel better!

All of the foods on your list make me barf, lol. My sleeve hates sugars and fats, and is largely intolerant of more than maybe a bite or two. That being said...the vast majority of people do not have any issues with eating those foods a few months after surgery. I think the trick is to just eat small amounts and eat slowly and you should be fine.

@MisforMimi Not to hijack Jamie's reply, but I also have sillicone and am very happy with them. The only weird thing is that they do move around under your pectoral muscle, so it feels a little funny (literally haha funny, not painful or anything) at times if you shift them. Also, like Jamie's mine are covered for 10 years for replacement if there is anything wrong with them- I believe most sillicone manufacturer's have that kind of warranty, so that's nice to know as well. As for fake boobies, I am now of the opinion that, why would anyone want real ones? Lol. My implants are semi-new, I got them in August, but I definitely still admire them in the mirror. They are so perky and cute now!

So to clarify, do you mean the thigh lift with the groin incision or the thigh lift where the incision runs down the inside of your leg to your knee? I had the groin incision version done- eh, I wasn't a fan so far. My doctor is going to do a revision at my next surgery. It seems like you get the best result with the version that has the scar to your knee, but then of course you have the trade-off with the scar. Either way- plastics are the bees' knees, so if you can afford it, totally go get a consultation. I am a HUGE fan of my doctor, and an even bigger fan of the results from my other plastics procedures.

@@amyecpa How late did you eat dinner? Generally what you're describing sounds a lot like the version of dumping syndrome I have, although it's generally fairly quickly after eating- not hours later. My whole body gets red and hot, I sweat, my heart rate gets high- not 200bpm high, but around 120-150, and the nausea is fairly bad. Once or twice I have also had diahrea with it, but usually I get to skip that part. I would follow-up with your surgeon, not your PCP, first in case you just experienced dumping. He would know a lot better than the PCP who doesn't advocate for surgery. Had this happened shortly after you ate, I would be so sure that's what happened to you. You could always eat what you ate last time and see if it happens again. If it does, you know it was dumping, in which case you just have to wait it out. If your HR goes that high again, take an extra beta blocker and that will drop it down. Otherwise you aren't dying, which is what it feels like, you just need to avoid something in the dinner you ate. Looking at your dinner, the bread in the meatloaf, the butter (if there was any) and the mashed potatoes would have made me have a similar response- my stomach doesn't like carbs, or butter, or oil, or sugar, or sweets, or some meats, or half the time food at all. Also, I have had my own share of little meltdowns about why I had to have my stomach cut out when everyone else just gets to have a regular stomach and be normal sized. At 15 months out, I'm mostly at peace with it, but there are days where I end up puking up half of what I ate, and I want to sob for my old friend food. In the end, I would still have had the surgery, even if sometimes it is a little love-hate. It will be worth it in the end. Good luck and hope you feel better!

I had plastics at 11 months post-op, although my surgeon would have been fine doing it at 9 months. If you are 20 pounds from goal, you should be fine for a tummy tuck. The general rule is to wait for plastics until you are within 15% of your goal weight. I was 153 when I had my first plastics surgery (abdominoplasty and breast lift/augment) and I am now 130...I see no negative effects from having lost 23 pounds since the date of the surgery. As an extra note, you will LOVE your tummy tuck results. I have never had a flat stomach- I was chunky when I was a kid, so I always had a bit of an extra pooch. It is so awesome to never be worried about wearing things because you're stomach might look big. In fact, I routinely like to check out my stomach and my brand-new stitched together abs in whatever mirror I happen to be walking past at the time, lol.

Haha, the straw was my trick too! I couldn't drink anywhere near enough until I accidentally drank juice with a straw my second week out from surgery. I'm now 16 months out and I always use a straw otherwise drinking is very uncomfortable. @Garifab_VSG They tell you not to use a straw because for some people it causes gas pain. For others, like myself, it is the only way that we can drink enough Fluid without pain, especially immediately after surgery. I'm probably fine to drink regularly now, but the straw is just part of my routine at this point.

I hear you on the stall. I am down 107 pounds and just cannot get any lower. I've been up and down 2-3 pounds for the last 6 weeks. SO frustrating!

Don't worry, you haven't stretched your sleeve. If you're like me, your new stomach just doesn't like sugar that much and that in conjunction with the apple (apples make me feel bloated) has made you feel sick. For me, if I don't barf, I just lay down for about 30 minutes and the hot flashes go away, I stop sweating, and I feel less like death in under an hour. Hope you feel better quickly!

This time tomorrow, it will all be over and you will be on your way to the new you. Best of luck!

If it makes you feel better at all, it does get better. I remember having a little meltdown when I was down about 70 pounds because while I fit into a size 8/10, I looked bad. I had a poochy stomach and fat knees and my arms didn't look good. Granted, I was 170 pounds at the time, which on a girl as short as I am just isn't hot, but I thought I had worked SO hard and lost SO much and I was still a big fatty. So, I used that sadness and I worked even harder. Now most days I look in the mirror at least when I'm wearing clothing and I think...hey girl, you're lookin good! Of course, then I look in the mirror naked and I am not happy at all, but hey, you take what you can get. Moral of my story, you're only a month out- give it some time. As long as things don't stay the same and you don't gain weight, you're only going to look better. Time passes no matter what you do, at least now you know you are spending that time working toward being the size you want to be.

I told no one about surgery beforehand, and I told my three best friends afterward. I am 16 months out and those three are the only ones that know. I think it's a personal decision and something that you have the right to keep to yourself. Congrats on your success!

Your post comes on a great day. I hate greek yogurt- it is so sour and gross tasting to me. Even the Fage version with the honey wasn't something I enjoyed. I did however start eating the Yoplait whips literally today, which have 9g of Protein and 100 calories, and they are SO good! I haven't had Greek yogurt since I very first decided I didn't like it about a year ago, and today I decided that since there were so many new flavor options available, I would try the Yoplait whipped kind. I not only really like the very light, fluffy texture, but I mixed a tablespoon of granola into it, and it was like eating a desert. The downside is that it has 12g of sugar, which I was concerned might make my very sugar-sensitive sleeve sick, but I've been fine. I have traditionally had a hard time getting enough protein, so for 100 calories and 9g of protein, I am very happy with this new find!

I felt less miserable at about 2-3 weeks after surgery. The first week I thought I had ruined my life and I remember feeling very sorry for myself, lol. The second week I accepted that if I had ruined my life, I was now stuck with it, so it was time to buck up and be a big girl. I also was back at work the second week so I had no time for pity parties. By the third week I was eating soft foods, which really helped a lot, and by the 4th week, I wouldn't say I felt normal, but that mental fog you talk about was mostly gone. I think anesthesia also majorly contributes to that feeling, because after plastics I also felt pretty crummy for a few days- like I had suddenly become ditzy and didn't remember things as much. I am 16 months out now, and some days I don't feel normal. Sometimes I barf, sometimes I get annoyed that I can't eat as much as I want to, and some days I just feel oddly fatigued (which has mostly stopped happening since I started taking the B12, I didn't take for awhile). But, this is my new normal now, and hopefully you will find, like I did, that it's something you're ok with.

I didn't have one, although at the time I really wished I did because they fill you with Fluid, so you literally need to go the bathroom every other hour or so the entire time you're in the hospital. On the flip side though, the surgery is short and risk of infection is high with catheters. I had one during a plastics procedure and I ended up with a UTI that took two different rounds of antibiotics to clear up. So, if you end up with one, it could be good, but if you don't, it could also be good.