1Day1Life4Now

The first four weeks after surgery is a little difficult but you can do 4 weeks standing on your head. It goes by so quickly. I had my WLS for Dummies book and referred to it all of the time, as well as the notes my doctor's office gave me. Just follow the rules and the weight will fall off. Yes, it gets boring and old but you will learn to spice it up. everyone's tastes are different so you have to learn what will work for you. Put yourself first....you will need it during this recovery time. Good luck to you.

All surgery comes with risks and you have to be willing to assume those risks. To me it was without question a necessary step in survival and one I am so happy I took. I still have some weight to lose but I feel so much better and apparently I look much better because I get a steady stream of compliments. I no longer run from the camera and am now willing to be upfront and center when the photographs are being made. It's like I'm a new person and my only regrets are that I wasted so many years of not feeling and looking my best. I'll never go back... I love the new me and the new life style.

It never ceases to amaze me how insensitive and bold people can be when making comments about other people's physical appearance. I hope your response registered with her and she spent some time thinking about what she said, otherwise she is going to open her mouth again and try to hurt someone who is not quite secure in their own skin. Great comeback by the way.

I have BCBS Federal and they won't pay for any skin removal. I did have a breast reduction that BCBS paid for, and the surgeon told me I could have a tummy tuck at the same time and just pay the difference out of pocket. It would be cheaper than having it done by itself but I chose not todo so. Somewhere down the line, I WILL have the tummy tuck and I will just have to pay for it out of pocket but that's okay I'm saving up for that. I'm just grateful that insurance paid for WL Surgery and the breast reduction. Oh and I recently had the eye lift surgery that BCBS paid for. I can't ask for much more than that. Good luck to y'all and If you can find a loop hole to get them to pay for it, post it here. So far I've been unsuccessful.

I've been on the 3 month pre surgery diet where I've given up sugar, carbonated drinks, and most everything they say we can't have. I've been pretty good and I'm losing the weight I was told to lose before surgery but... Even some of the healthy shakes do not agree with me and cause me to have bouts of diarrhea and then constipation. I went to a wedding yesterday and could not resist a small piece of wedding cake. Well, bad choice, big mistake. My daughter had to drive me to a service station and I was in the worst pain of my life. I thought I was going to die. I've not even had the surgery yet and my stomach is already rejecting foods. How will I ever survive after surgery? Has anybody else had this problem??

The doctors may be book smart but they have no common sense and their people skills are usually lacking too. RJ you are a HUGE SUCCESS. You have over come problems, complications and multiple surgeries and you have lost and maintained your weight. You have been an encourager, a teacher, a supporter and you have been kind and loving to all of us seeking answers and support. You and a few others have stood out for me over the last year and I don't know if I could have done it without you. You belong here and you are needed here. I wish we could give back to you half of what you have given. I hope this doctor can help you with your blood sugar problems but just remember that he can not relate to what you have gone through because he has no frame of reference. You know you are a success and you should continue to wear that badge proudly, even while going thruouh this doctor' treatment plan. ((((( HUGS))))))))

Congratulations and Happy Anniverary Granny. You have been great support to me over the last year and I am happy the sleeve is still working for you. Take care and keep rocking that sleeve.

I used to have the thick long hair too and people always commented about how thick and pretty it was. It was my crowning glory to be sure so when it started falling out I had a very difficult time. It is now very thin and fine...so not me. I added olive oil and red meat to my diet and the hair loss stopped but it hasn't made it any thicker yet. Of course it has slowed the weight loss but i'm okay with slow losing as long as I have hair. I use the product Fathead on my hair to make it appear thicker and it lasts for a couple of days so it isn't too terribly bad but I do miss my thick luscious locks. Ah well, at least now I can find clothes that fit.

I am 10 months out and still enjoy the Premier Shakes. I love the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry but now they have to be very cold to drink them. Not so much at the beginning. I put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes prior to drinking them. They are a good meal replacement. Not always filling but they are healthy

This entire process can be overwhelming and scary. All of us have been there so we understand. I can't tell you how many seminars I attended over the years trying to make the decision if this was right for me. There is a learning curve to all of it but its not anything you can't do... in fact your stomach takes over where the will-power fails. You can do this, I have no doubt. I had the surgery at 58 years old so if I can do it, I know you can. I just have to tell you that this is the best thing I've ever done for myself and would do it over again in a heart beat. I love my sleeve. Don't worry about failure...your stomach will take control and keep you honest. If you are tired of being tired, fat, and miserable...this is your way out. It is not the easy way out but it is the successful way out. If you want the weight to fall off, the new clothes to become smaller and people to notice you for who you are rather than your size, then this just might be the right path for you. I love it and I get compliments all of the time. It is worth every negative side effect I ever had....they were all temporary...and the weight loss is going to be permanent. Good luck to you.

I;m 59 and I know I've lost a lot slower than many people but the point is I've lost weight and I am still losing. Slow weight loss is better than no weight loss. Besides I really believe that the slower weight loss will help us keep it off.

How are you feeling? Can you tell a big difference. Take it easy as it will get much easier for you as time goes on. The first month is tough but it WILL GET EASIER, I promise.

Congratulations on getting your surgery date. It is a very positive and life changing procedure and you will love it. You just have to decide what is most important in your life, getting to a healthy weight or smoking and drinking sugar laden drinks. The very strict restrictions are actually temporary so don't think you will never have another pepsi...it just isn't so. It might take a year but you will at some point in time be able to drink them. My question is why would you want to once you have kicked the habit... Anyway, good luck to you and hope all goes well.

I too have sleep apnea and RA. I too was impatient but had to do the 3 month preliminary process to qualify for my insurance. It's no big deal since it takes that long to jump through all the required hoops. They want you to do a diet to see how well you follow a diet plan and to help your liver shrink to make for a safer surgery. Just do what they ask and it will make your life easier. Get yourself a little notebook and write down questions and concerns you have so you can refer to those when you get a chance to talk to the doctor one on one. Otherwise you will never remember what you wanted to ask. Write down what the doctor, nurses, nutritionists tell you so you can refer to it. There is a lot of information thrown at you in a very short period of time and you can't remember it all so best that it be written down. The doctor will have you start some of the preliminary testings etc.. It's a long process so don't be too impatient. Just start organizing your life to get ready for this awesome process. Are you getting the sleeve? I love mine and I wish you lots of luck.

Yep, it's all part of the healing process. Nothing tastes good for the first couple of months but it does get better and as time goes by you will develop a taste for some things. The surgery changes a lot of things and foods you once liked will no longer be appealing and foods you used to not like will now be your favorites. It's all about the textures now. As with all things in life though, it is all temporary. Give yourself some time to develop a new normal and it will all work out. Once you can eat a little more and you are more easily able to eat solids you will have a taste for savory foods again. Good luck to you.

At least you'll be rocking that look in the new sweaters, socks and sweats.

whoaaa, you should get 64 ounces of water daily not protein shakes, but it takes awhile to work up to that. None of us could do it the first week. Review your paperwork for your diet and make sure you are following what they gave you. You should be drinking your water a little bit at a time all day long. Your "meals" such as they are, should be 3 times a day with as much protein as you can take in. You are still on the liquid diet so drink your protein shakes and add as much protein powder as you can to get it all in. I used the over the counter shakes as they had the best taste to me. The first two weeks is difficult and you will have trouble getting the fluids down. Just do the best you can and each day will get a tad easier. Good luck and let me know how it's going.

@@coriek, it's never to late to make positive changes in your life. Take it one day at a time and face those battles one by one. You can do this but you will have to keep your head in the game. You know all too well how easy it is to cheat and not follow the plan so don't do down that slippery slope this time. Write down your goal and write what objectives you want to use to obtain that goal. It has been proven that writing your goals down on paper will help you attain them because they appear more real if they are written down. Good luck to you and remember that there is great support here if you choose to use it. We are here for you.

This is a great topic. Before surgery when I looked in the mirror, I still saw the old me, I didn't see the severely overweight person that I had become. But then when I looked at photographs of myself.... that was another story....I was shocked and embarrassed at what I had done to myself. Now when I look in the mirror, I see someone I don't recognize and when I look at photographs of myself I see myself but yet, I see the new me and someone still larger than what I see in the mirror. Does that make any sense? I feel so much better but there are days still feel really big because my weight loss is slow and I still retain a lot of weight around my waist line. I'm happy with my weight loss but still having body issues.

Hi Evie, good to hear you had an uneventful surgery and recovery. This is truly an amazing journey to health. I had my surgery in February and each month proves more promising in reaching my goal to good health. I feel so much better and I know you will feel all these good changes very soon. Stick with the plan and don't get discouraged, it's a process and you have to go through each stage until you find a new sense of normalcy. I'll be looking forward to seeing some of your posts.

Quest.... a lot of this weight loss is mind over matter. Your head has to be in the game to make the surgery work. You may want to see a behaviorist or Psychiatrist to work on the sugar addiction. Either surgery will work for you and you can "cheat" on either one.... people can and have gained their weight back after both of these surgeries. The failure was not in the operation but in the mental approach these people took with WLS. You're going to have to limit or omit sugar from your diet to be successful... planning on using dumping isn't going to work. It's not a healthy or fun way to live. These surgeries are only tools to help... they can't solve all of the problems. It sounds to me like you're shopping for the best way to cheat while you continue to consume your drug food of choice. I am worried about you.... This is Not a healthy way to start.

Hi there. I am up in Jackson, not on the coast but I had the sleeve in February. It is so awesome and I just love the control it gives me. If you want to communicate, let me know. Good luck and hope you have a good experience through all of this.

So happy for you. You are in for a great healthy life style...but hand on girl because you will have so many changes in your life. You will be dropping weight and clothes sizes and people will be complementing you like crazy. Someone asked me the other day if I ever got tired of people telling me how good I looked now.... I thought for a mil-i-second and said no...I love it and it only reinforces my commitment to this life style. You are going to sooo love your pretty new self. Good luck to you.

Being anxious and nervous is okay, we've all been there. The surgery will certainly change your life but trust me...the changes are for the better and you will do well. Don't get frustrated, the first few weeks are difficult but they pass quickly and then it gets pretty darn easy. I love my sleeve and I know you will too. good luck and welcome to a wonderfully healthy life style.

Ha Ha, We all have those moments when we invariably sound like we're mentally demenished for a few moments. It doesn't matter, you looked awesome when you said it .... and that's all that matters. You go girl.