LindafromFlorida

Hey there, I am 67 years old, spent one Monday night in dang hospital, took 1 dose of pain med when I got home, and went to the grocery store on Thursday. Yu can walk to the sink, the fridge, the bathroom and bed and do just fine! No caretaker needed. Sleep downstairs on the couch one night if you feel loopy, but go home where you are comfortable. You do not need any aggravation LOL!!!! I was shopping at the mall in 7 days for a few hours. Good luck!

My husband and I began WL seminars 10 years ago and not until the sleeve did we decide we felt comfortable with it. The weight is dragging off slowly since August, 2013 and I doubt I will ever look like a skeleton. My husband can eat anything and is still losing, being a big man, but he is still losing slowly. We feel better than we have in many years. We would do the sleeve again in a heartbeat. Keep reading and studying the posts here and it will lead you to an informed decision. I don't have to keep going to the doctor for anything, and I never have to have surgery to remove anything. We have not had a day of being sick since one night in the hospital, Nov. 18 and Dec. 2. God bless as you go forth for the best decision for you. Linda

In life, we have the same negatives in the workplace. Church. Checkout lines. This is no different. Those negative people are here also. The rude people I encountered here are outnumbered by what seems to be a million happy, sweet and caring people who have become our friends. There are so many awesome people here. We can only be bullied by the bullies we let bother us. Here's to treating each other with respect, and saying to someone, "In addition to the other posts, I recommend....."

So sorry you are feeling a bit down and out, but there is also lots of positives in your blog! Especially your children and looking forward to getting out this summer and making plans. I believe everything contributes to our being despondent, and number one I believe is the winter doldrums. Next, in my humble opinion, is despite our weight loss, we still have issues with our bodies, our hair, our age, our health, our life in general, the same as we had when we were overweight. I would like to say one thing to you that touches my heart. It seems like yesterday my children were small. I had 2 unhappy marriages, was basically self-supporting when I divorced. I had no choice but to put my job and paycheck first. Rejoice and play, plan summer picnics with your children in a park on a blanket. I cannot go back and undo my life, but I can tell you to count your sweet blessings and hope I inspire you. I have worn wigs and will again if need be. I still have my precious daughter, she is 48 and my darling friend of fun now. I kayak with her, I laugh and have fun with her. You get ready for summer fun and get back on course. A lot depends on it. Hugs, Linda

Awesome idea. I go to the post op classes at our local hospital. They are not very well run or organized. I feel in a different setting we could talk to each other one on one. The meetings could be in a restaurant, say during happy hour when people eat lighter, and socialize, and the next month in a home, or a park as the weather gets better. There are so many options. People could bring snacks for others to try, and I would be more than willing to participate in this adventure!

A year before I had the sleeve surgery I had the horrible burning pain in both feet. Doctor put me on Lyrica. Also on Metformin for diabetes even though he said not related (I disagree). Lyrica and a BP med caused my toes to swell and blister like they were burned. Hardly left the house for a month. Came off the meds, had the sleeve, and two weeks later no more pain and burning in my feet. I think we need to be proactive as possible and share these symptoms and problems. Maybe we can diagnose ourselves! Even when I got gout after the sleeve, I went through hell trying to figure out treatment and meds for a month. Very scary, and another month off my feet. Best wishes everyone.

I know that's right! Sounds just like me... trying to "balance" things out I would eat lean cuisines, healthy choice and weight watcher meals ( several times a week) thinking that I was "cutting" calories. When you look at the sodium content on the nutrition label...some of them have like over 500 mg of sodium..doesn't sound like a lot but when you eat 3 or 4 of those a week it can add up.. about 1,200 mg of sodium equals about 1/2 teaspoon. For someone like me with hypertension that is a serious no-no. In all of my years of dieting the only thing that truly worked for me is cutting carbs. When I force my body to use Protein for energy instead of carbs... I lose quickly. Combining the sleeve with a primarily low carb way of eating to me is a perfect combination for weight loss. Probably why I ended up on 2 blood pressure meds. I rejoined Weight Watcher's 2 years ago (for the 400th time), and they endorsed the ?2 points Healthy Choice Soup. I had that soup at least 6 times that week and lost no weight. The SODIUM in the soup...... You all are a lot younger than me and please pay attention to the sodium content which I never did in my life until now. Your health depends on it.

I ate lean cuisines for 10 years at lunch and kept gaining. Dinner was vegetables. Nevermore. No more pasta/rice/noodles. I am dead serious about this surgery and my results.

Keep going forward. You will have issues following surgery also, and you have to learn to make this surgery work or fail. Our NUT said we have one honeymoon period following the sleeve to lose the weight, and if we do not eat right, we won't lose the weight.......

Are these really "friends"??? At 218 lbs, are you ready to stop losing weight? My face is "falling" LOL, but so be it. I am not caring because I want my ideal weight to come. I want good health.

You probably could really benefit from some psychological support Wires, about your body image and worth prior to surgery and following surgery. Before I had the surgery, my husband kept me feeling good about myself and now, even better. Your husband obviously loves you, and when is the last time you really sat down and told him how you feel, and had a real conversation about it.? If you are not ready for that, begin your search for someone professional to talk to. Losing weight will not take those issues away, seek help. Best wishes, Linda

Add frozen or fresh fruit, or Torani flavored SF syrups, Crystal Light powder, SF pudding powder. I hated that brand, the BA, and love the Premier Protein shakes bought in bulk (24) at Sam's Club. I also liked the EAS whey powder from Walmart better than BA. The BA, without a lot of ice and additives, seemed slimy and too sweet. Good luck. 3 months post op and still like the Premier Protein chocolate!

Agree, diss the scale, keep moving, and follow your food plan rather then focusing on "stalls". When you start focusing on exercising, following your meal plans, and stop looking for 10 lbs. a day to magically fall off, you will progressively see weight loss. This surgery works, just relax and keep living! Happiness ahead, but start living it today!!!!

When was your surgery? There is a lot of what people call "head hunger" here. My husband and I do not feel hunger, and our doctor told us to not eat 3 meals a day, to only eat when we feel like it. Apparently you are still on the liquids stage so keep it up! Good luck!

We got rid of the addiction to Diet Coke a total of 5 months now and will never go back to them, Do not miss them one bit!!! I do not want my new flat stomach to feel bloated with fat or carbonation again so it motivates me. Plus the drill we got about it not being good for the sleeve. I had been reading for years how awful diet sodas were terrible for us. So glad I do not even want one anymore.

Less than 24 hours in the hospital left us not needing much and showering at home.

We were instructed not to eat late evening like this, my husband and I. Probably need to plan your day a little better. I bought Unjury unflavored protein powder on Amazon. You can add the unflavored powder to soups, pudding, cream of wheat, oatmeal, etc. Best of luck!

81 degrees North Florida today, and all week. I am finally warming up. I swear you all should retire to Florida.

Liss, hope this is resolved very soon and glad you saw the doctor. We are all on different meal plans with different surgeons, so please follow your specific meal plan. I believe I was supposed to start mushy pureed food at 3 weeks but I had a choking episode on a piece of soft chicken, so I went back to liquids until 5 weeks (soups, broth, protein shakes).

BKLYN YOU REALLY SAID IT BEST. My one thought was a lot of people here stray from what they are supposed to eat, and get really sick. A 13 year old would not be able to know the horrible consequences some foods could cause. A lot of people moan I cannot live without my french fries, my mac and cheese, and when can I eat won tons again. They are so serious. How can you tell a 13 year old you can never eat a french fry or a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets again? I feel pain for your precious child and for you, wonderful slcmommy, but .....This would be a hard decision.

Worth looking into. Shared with me on FB by a yoga instructor friend.

In 3 months I have watched the scale stay the same for 2-3 weeks at a time. Relax! You are causing yourself unnecessary grief and turmoil by focusing on the scale. When my scale was not moving, I could fit in a pair of pants I previously could not wear and I quit worrying about the scale. Walk. Go to the mall. Do something. Get busy. I did, and the scale shows me 50 lbs. lighter. Right now the scale has not moved in 3 weeks. It is OKAY. Good luck!!!!!!

Heartbreaking story. God Bless. I have seen my 66 y/o husband of 22 years' FAT baby pictures, and a picture of him fat at 12 years old. He had 2 thin parents, no siblings. I have heard his stories, 3 times in his life spent a year on Optifast, only to lose 100 lbs and regain. I have seen him eat nothing but vegetables and gain weight. Literally starving himself to death. The diabetes, the HBP and 3 BP meds, the heart blockage, the heart caths, the toe amputation that would not heal, the cellulitis from his swollen and weeping legs. But what stands out is that picture of him as a fat kid in the 1950s that shaped his life of torment because of food and whatever caused him to be that way. I saw the fear in his face at 66 when I finally said we are being sleeved, after 10 years of WLS seminars. He is sleeved and down 50 lbs. since 12/2/13. He will not regain this weight and I hope to have my love healthy with me for years to come. Okay, I am just going to pray for you and to make wise decisions in regard to your daughter, and also will pray for her to have a beautiful, healthy life. Linda

Katie Jo you would never regret it. Just move within 50 miles of the ocean somewhere LOL. This thread, thanks to Gman, has fit right in with our health, happiness and new lifestyle. Life is short, keep finding humor and fun in whatever you do, and thank God for so many blessings.

Macman, Today I met with my surgeon's nurse and NUT - They both acted like they had no idea if I should continue the Prilosec. Thanks for your post, I will make sure I get a refill until I see my surgeon in March. Better safe than sorry. Linda