McButterpants

If you doc says it's OK, give it a try. I had no post-op restriction on coffee after 6 weeks, but I had to pinkie shake with the doc that I wouldn't go back to old habits - like 6 cups a day. At first, I didn't enjoy coffee - it didn't sit well on my tummy and drinking it was just not as enjoyable as before surgery. I'm nearing the two year mark and I totally enjoy my morning cup of joe. I have 2-4 cups a day and have no issues.

Hi there. Lots of people have gone to Mexico for their surgery. I traveled to Las Vegas for mine. There are lots of good surgeons out there. Do your research, look at their history, get references and talk to past patients. Can't answer the smoking question. Overeating issues - I downplayed my emotional eating issues prior to surgery. I had to address those issues while recovering from surgery and changing my lifestyle. I wish I had addressed my eating issues prior to surgery. There are times where I feel like eating more or want more - there's an underlying issue here. IF I do overeat, I'm in pain, serious pain. There are times where I wish I could pig out, but those are few and far between. food simply does not have the same hold on me it did prior to surgery. I can go to a buffet full of food and make smart decisions now - rather than pig out, I look things over and decide how I'm going to spend my few precious bites. Does benefit come more from the type of food that one eats or the amount of food that one eats? My answer is both. I can't eat an entire baguette of break slathered in butter any more. Can I have a piece? Yes, however, it doesn't make me feel good. Good quality food makes me feel good. Refined foods don't make me feel good. So, I don't eat a lot of bread or Pasta - those were staples of my diet before surgery. I will eat sweets on occasion, however, if I eat too much, my body doesn't like it. Drinking - I can't drink like I used to. I have a drink now and I feel buzzed. I haven't tried two drinks, but I assume that would be my limit. I do OK with wine, but again, it's one drink and I can feel the effects. Desire to eat was reduced for me. As I said before, food just isn't that important to me any more. My husband will ask me where I want to go out to eat and I really mean it when I say, "I really don't care where we go." I enjoy food, I think I just have a healthier relationship with it now. I really try to think of food as fuel and how it's going to make me feel after I eat it. I hope this helps!

The first day of the rest of your life. Hang on for a wild ride! Congrats and keep walking - it helps with the pain!

Yeah...the fat girl syndrome, right? For me, I catch myself having those old thoughts - like when I walk into a room, looking at the path I can take so I don't hit anyone with my arse as I walk by...That doesn't happen any more, why do I think that it will? Still feeling weird eating in front of people - not all the time, but some of that "old me" comes creeping back in. Goes to show this is a lifelong journey and we are all works in progress. Keep your chin up!

I agree - if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. At first I could not tolerate raw veggies or fruit. I craved a salad and every time I tried, I would be doubled over in pain. Cherries would taste so good, then 20 minutes later I would be cursing them! At about the 15 month mark I was finally able to tolerate a basic salad - romaine lettuce and some cherry tomato. I was in heaven. I also now know that I can have 3-5 cherries and I feel OK. Any more than that and I run into trouble. I know I can eat a little bit of raw veggie and be OK. Spinach is still on my no-no list, almost two years out.

I agree with @@Babbs above...you can always find something. I've become an "insides" eater...Tacos - eat the meat, cheese and veggies. Got a sandwich? I eat a couple of bites like a regular sammy, then move the inside where the meat, cheese and veggies are (too much bread makes me feel sick). I ordered a Philly Sandwich without the bun the other day and my co-worker looked at me oddly. I said, "I'm doing low carb" Good enough, he didn't say anything else. One thing I've realized in the past couple of years - people don't pay as much attention to me as I thought they did...it was all in my head and my own self-confidence issues. :-)

So early out - I don't blame you. I probably wouldn't have gone either. Don't worry, you will eventually be able to go. I can go to a Chinese buffet and enjoy the BBQ chicken, beef w/ broccoli, stuff like that. I just take really small portions - if anyone asks I say, "I'm not that hungry" or "I had a big breakfast" I can tell you, at nearly 2 years out...I still run into the same problem. Some co-workers and I went to an all you can eat southern food place - fried green tomatoes, red velvet cake, cornbread, fried okra, beef stew, fried chicken..OK - ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS FRIED!!!!!! Two years ago, I would have been in heaven. Now? Not so much. Luckily, this place has what they call a Blue Plate Special - you get one trip only and no dessert. It was like it was put on the menu just for me! I get a little bit of lots of things. My co-workers say "Is that all you're going to eat?" Yep, I only get one trip and I want to try a little bit of everything! No more discussion - they are too busy with their third trip to the buffet. It will get better, I promise! Short term pain for long term gain..

My surgeon was very progressive in introducing foods - immediately, I could have yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, soft foods. When I returned home (I traveled out of area because I was self pay), my local doc was not as progressive and I had to go back to liquids. It was a little weird and at time frustrating. Everyone's post op diet and food introduction is different. I always suggest, however, that no matter what, you always follow YOUR doctor's/nutritionist's plan.

I changed up my diet and it seemed to work. Also, changing up any exercise your doing may help as well. I did wonder at the time if it was just a coincidence that I didn't lose anything for a couple of weeks, then I would drop 3-5 pounds very quickly. At least I felt like I was doing something to try to move things along.

I told 5 people about my surgery - my husband, son, parents and best friend. Since surgery, I've told two people - my hairdresser and financial planner. Weird, I know. (The hairdresser because my hair was falling out and I'm not really sure why the financial planner - he used to be a minister, maybe I felt compelled to tell him!). This is such a personal choice - the right choice is different for all of us. I live in a small community where everyone gossips. I did not want to give anyone any fat to chew...I knew if I told my brother, he would tell his wife, who would take great enjoyment out of picking up the phone and calling everyone we knew - by the end of the day, word would have gotten back to me that I had weight loss surgery, got a new job and had sex with a goat. It was not worth involving them. If you keep it a secret, you do have comments about your rapid weight loss. I'm sure that some people suspect I had WLS and that's fine - suspect away. When people asked, I just said, "I got some things straightened out with my doctor and totally changed my lifestyle." That's a good enough explanation for me. Do what's right for you - that's the right answer!

Absolutely saving money - Eating out - I usually don't order anything for myself unless my husband is ordering something I don't want. We have gotten in the habit of splitting an entree. He realizes that portion sizes are way out of control when you eat out. The appetizer menu is also my friend. At home - even though I'm buying higher quality ingredients (I figure I'm going to eat good food if I'm eating less than a cup of food), I'm saving money. I buy good quality meats, but again, not eating much. I've trained my family in what a portion of Protein is - they might eat more than a portion size, but they are eating less than they used to.

I weighed every day - it drove me absolutely bat$hit crazy. My husband hid the scale from me and brought it out once per week - that saved my sanity. I also took my measurements - neck, biceps, chest, waist, hips, thighs and calves. I also did a photo journal. Those helped me so much during stalls. Your body is recovering from major surgery. You've limited calories to virtually nothing. It's trying to figure out what you just did to it. Be kind to your body - it will catch up, I promise.

Shortly after surgery I limited mine to 20-25 and I didn't feel good; I was tired and didn't have any energy. Getting thru a workout was torture! It was trial and error for me and I settled in at 35. I was also working out a lot. I couldn't tolerate refined carbs like bread or Pasta - I ate a lot of Beans.

Start taking your measurements (neck, bust, chest, waist, hips, thigh, calves, biceps). Also start making a photo journal. This was especially helpful to me during the times the scale was saying I wasn't losing. Please also remember - you just had major surgery, you've cut your calories. Your body is saying "What the heck are you doing now?" Just relax - you will lose. Keep following your doc/nut plan. Everyone's body loses at their own pace - sometimes that's not fast enough for our brains. You got this!

I decided to have surgery in August and had my surgery in November - at times that 4 months seems like an eternity...at others It was like time was screaming by! Here's are my suggestions for the upcoming months... Learn to eat like a weight loss surgery patient - take small bites, put your fork down between bites, eat at the table, not in front of the TV. Take 20 minutes to eat a meal (you will be surprised at how little food will fill you up) Ween yourself off caffeine - I had to be caffeine free before surgery and it took me weeks to get completely off it (this was not fun). Get in the best physical shape possible. The better shape you're in, the easier the recovery is going to be. Research the procedure and continue on forums like this - be informed. Six months does seem like a long time, but trust the process.

Have you been taking your measurements? I dropped about 10 inches, but didn't lose any weight at one point in my first year. I found it was better for me to make a photo journal and keep my measurements rather than continue to weigh myself - there are so many things that can make your weight fluctuate daily. From what you write, you're doing lots of things right!

I'm an every other day sort of person - I have difficulty when I don't eat veggies, but it's a fine line...my tummy doesn't like a lot of veggies.

My stats...44 at time of surgery, 5'3" and 256 pounds...I've lost 75 pounds and am nearing 2 years post op. I have some sagging in my thighs, I have batwings under my arms and I have sagging at my tummy. It is not as bad as I expected. I have exercised since my surgery, I do weight training, yoga and cardio. I put on lotions - I don't know if they helped, but I figured it wouldn't hurt. I"m not interested in contouring right now - I'm not saying I'll never do it, but right now it's not for me. I'm living my life - I'm happy, saggy skin and all.

Agree - I don't know if it's a gluten intolerance, but I know that I don't feel good when I eat bread or pasta.

I was worried at my parents reaction to me telling them I was going to have WLS. I just came out and said it "I'm going to have a surgery that will cut out 75% of my stomach." My mom looked at me and started to cry - she understands what I went thru and my struggles. My dad asked several questions, "Are you going to be able to live without the foods you love?" type questions. He was very skeptical. Now, almost two years later he calls this a "necessary medical procedure" - that makes me smile. I have not told my brothers - I just felt it was the right thing for me to do. This is your decision - you need to do what you feel in your heart is the right thing to do. Don't worry about "guilt" because they can't have the surgery - you shouldn't slowly kill yourself with knife and fork.

I am nearing 2 years post op...I remember the night before surgery well. I remember being in the car with my husband driving down the road scared out of my mind. I was thinking things like "Have I really tried hard enough?" "Is this the right thing to do?" "What if I have complications?" Endless thinking and worrying. The morning of surgery was worse. I was the first patient of the day - I had to be at the hospital at 6:00 am. I remember sitting in admitting thinking "I can walk out of here right now and only be out $500." I glanced over at my husband - he was scared, too. We really didn't make eye contact, but I remember thinking "I HAVE to do this, this is my opportunity." I then chose to walk down the hallway and start the process - yes, I was scared and nervous, who wouldn't be? Here's what I know, almost two years later - this was the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I am leading the life I was meant to lead. I am happy. I am content. This is hard - the surgery and recovery from it was the easy part. I'm not going to sugar coat it - the next few months will be hard. You will have good days and you'll have crappy days. You'll be happy one day and crying the next. It's the process. Here are a few things I've done this summer - these would have been unthinkable two short years ago... Zip lining Whitewater rafting Hiking - miles and miles of hiking Hot yoga 4-5 times a week Taking a Segway tour of Chicago Biking - miles and miles of biking (I even got a new bike!) I got a promotion at work - I don't think because I lost weight, I think I got it because now I have confidence to talk to people and look them in the eye. The most important accomplishment after I had the surgery - my relationship with my husband and son are so much better. I'm not angry all the time - I'm more patient. I have a stronger bond with both of them. About a year after the surgery my son and I jogged for a little bit and I said, "Wow, I couldn't have done that a year ago!" My son looked at me and said, "I'm glad you had the surgery, Mom. You seem happier." What an amazing moment and one I'll cherish. In summary, I'm so happy I didn't let fear win back then. There have been so many amazing moments since then. best of luck to you!

Feeling nervous is perfectly normal - this is a huge decision and one you shouldn't take lightly. I think I changed my mind 100 times before surgery and almost backed out on the morning of the surgery. I'm now 18 months out and here's my honest advice - do not let fear win. If you do your research and you make the decision to go thru with the surgery, commit to it, read everything you can about it, change your habits and go thru with it. It was the best decision of my life and the only regret I have it not doing it sooner. Since my surgery, I have regained my life back. I have a closer relationship with my husband and son. I'm a better wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt and employee. I was moved to tears the day my son and I jogged together and he said, "I'm glad you had the surgery so we can do stuff like this". We zip lined, went whitewater rafting and I hiked down the side of a 5000 foot mountain for 8 miles - that was all in the past two weeks. I wouldn't have dreamed of doing that two years ago. I got a promotion at work - I don't think directly because I lost weight, but because I have gained confidence in myself and I carry myself differently. I am not embarrassed for my husband or son to introduce me. I look people in the eye when I speak to them and I really speak to people now - something I wouldn't do at 256 pounds. Was it all sunshine and lollipops - NO. This is hard work and you will have good days and crappy days. You will be upset when the scale doesn't move as quickly as you want it to. There will be bumps in the road. But you will persevere if you are committed. Best of luck to you!

I was afraid to tell my doctor as I feared she wouldn't be supportive - I don't know why I thought this, but I was scared for some reason. So at the beginning of the appointment, I just kind of blurted out, "I'm going to have weight loss surgery." and I waited for her response. She got the biggest smile on her face and said, "I think that's a fantastic idea!" She has been so supportive over the past 18 months. She happily announced that she is removing some of the medical issues in my medical file - "with a 75 pound weight loss, we can remove the top 3 things we were treating you for" That was a great day!

There are a lot of factors in the skin discussion - genetics, age, amount lost, etc. I do have loose skin - I have it on my belly, I have bat wings and some around my knees. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, however. Also, I consider that my tax for allowing my weight to get out of control - I wear my sagging skin like a badge of honor...I earned it. And I will tell you - I'll take my loose skin over 75 pounds of fat any day of the week! Here's what I did to try to avoid it... I worked out a lot - I worked on toning and I do hot yoga. I think this helped my arms and legs. I did apply Skin Firming lotion daily - honestly, I don't know if this helped, but it made me feel better. I made sure I got my Water in every day.

I am 18 months out and have had moments of "what did I do to myself"...There are still some days that I wish I could sit down to a huge meal and go to town like the good old days, but we all know that's how I got myself to 256 pounds. Those moments are few and far between now, however. Early on they were more frequent, but that was because I was working thru my food issues and emotional attachment to food.