Fluffnomore

I also had a great recovery. I stayed overnight in the hospital and made sure I walked the halls as much as I could. Couldn't really tolerate the liquid pain medication they gave me for once I got home, so I took it once and then decided not to bother. No problems. I also work from home and ended up reviewing copy in my hospital bed the afternoon of surgery. Uh, wouldn't recommend that…but fortunately everything was fine! I was tired for a week or two. My pain was far worse when I had my gallbladder out, although in fairness I had been sick for quite a while with that and am sure my reserves were down.

Blocked? No. Postponed? Yes. Or maybe. And those people who aren't there don't know they maybe could have gotten in earlier, so I'm not sure it's worth being indignant on their behalf. Like others have said, there is no way to know what the reasons were…if the "no show" was doctor related or person related. I am maybe an outlier in this, but I was able to schedule my own surgery within about 10 days of approval. The only reason I didn't go the same week was that I didn't have enough time for the amount of pre-op diet they specify. My guess is that they probably expect this to happen with some regularity and schedule accordingly. As for the HIPAA stuff, agree that medical professionals need to be more circumspect. I heard things said about me and my diagnosis outside my hospital room (at an earlier surgery) that if I could hear, anyone could hear. It's not professional.

As a general rule I don't order or buy carbonated drinks for myself anymore. I used to drink multiple "big hurts" at a restaurant. Loved nothing more than ordering a fountain diet coke or diet Dr. Pepper. Fortunately, almost all restaurants serve unsweetened regular or herbal iced tea. Yes, I can pour sodas out over ice occasionally, and do sometimes when I just want that taste. But since surgery? Maybe 2 or 3, total. I did, however, bring beers and Kill Cliffs to my gym the other day to Celebrate my one-year anniversary at CrossFit, and drank half a beer with everyone else, straight from the bottle. I find that right after a workout my stomach can do things it doesn't normally do. Why? Who knows. It was a hard workout, and that made the beer DELICIOUS. But hey, I think everyone's a little different here. I also used to love margaritas and since the surgery they're just too acidic and back right up on me. I don't know why, and not having them for 9-10 months means I don't crave them anymore.

One of my friends who was sleeved 4 months before me said about 4 weeks after her surgery, "I HATE the feeling my feelings part. And there is nothing I can eat, no glass of wine to pour…I'm a raging bitch." It does get better, especially after you start exercising again.

Sounds like a good mantra. You're in my thoughts!

I'm 9 months out and went back to CrossFit at 6 weeks. Of course I was a hot mess for the first few weeks, but I did my best. Eventually, I started being able to really do the workouts again. I increased my calories a bit when I did that…went up to 1,000 from 800. Now I'm working out pretty intensely and will sometimes eat up to the amount burned, trying to keep my average at about 1100. I am not losing as quickly as some, and that is okay. If the goal is health, then this is working. I wear a heart rate monitor so that I have an accurate idea of calories burned. One of these days I am also going to go have my basal metabolic rate tested just to make sure I'm on track there too. In short, I don't think you'll exactly hurt yourself if you keep it at 700-800 for a while, but you may perform better if you increase it. My surgeon's office doesn't want me netting less than 800. Your surgeon may feel differently.

I decided long ago that I have to TRY not to pay much attention to the size. That is easier said than done. Most of the time I am in a slightly tight to perfectly fitting size 12 on the bottom. But I still have 14s that work. My top is all over the place as I have not lost significant boobage. But generally a L to XL. Dresses and skirts are all over the map too: I have a smaller waist, so it is all about cut. I have one pair of size 10 jeans that fit great. in general I think the jean sizes tend to go down first, followed by less forgiving fabrics. Try stuff on; I spend a lot of time purchasing in stores and then returning what I can't use (or, sometimes, sticking it on a shelf for later.) I feel like there is a part of me that will feel like I have figured this all out once I hit a size 10. Realistically, I'm guessing I'll start pining after a size 8.

Makes sense! Had lunch yesterday with a fellow sleever and I noticed immediately that we have the same eating style. (And are both successful.) Couldn't agree more that you just have to follow what your practice advises. Mine doesn't seem to be so stringent about the drinking/eating…as long as it is tolerated.

I do not have a physical issue with drinking small amounts before and during meals. I usually limit it to before I'm served, though. Most of the time I don't want to drink during or after. It doesn't seem to affect my hunger in any way. As to being "most likely to regain" I am not sure there would be any reliable way to measure that…but I'd be interested to see why. I was one of those people who would regularly down multiple diet cokes with a meal, so there's a huge volume difference!

When I had my surgery, someone who was supposed to be in the waiting "bay" next to me was a no-show. I asked the nurse how often it happens and she said, "At least once a week." I think it's more common than we know.

You're going to get a lot of different answers on the tracking. I know some vets who swear by it as a long-term tool. I had reflux before and have it now. I'm on Dexilant. I got the advice to try to cut back when I am comfortable. I already notice though that the symptoms start popping up a little when I'm late with my dosage. Not sure what to do about that yet...

I can tolerate it, somewhat. But in 9 months the only thing that made me feel like I was going to throw it up was a couple of bites of risotto (rice). Mostly it's not worth it, and I don't even really crave it. I do like rice in sushi rolls, in small amounts.

I don't think we can stretch our sleeves quite as much as we believe we can. But carbonation is fairly uncomfortable for me too. I've tried a few sips of a diet soda or beer. Not worth it.

I don't find that to be the case at all. I can have the equivalent of half a sandwich. Basically, take any meal I used to have and I can eat 1/3 to 1/2 of it now. (Not that I do; mostly I focus on protein. I'm just trying to give you an idea of volume.) I'd say it's closer to 3/4 cup to a cup for me. In fact now I am focusing on stopping even before that to be sure I am still hungry. I'm 9 months out.

I joked recently that of my 65 pounds, most of it seems to have left my face.

Bookworm, thanks. Actually, physically I am doing great. I do CrossFit and just recently added running back into the picture. 3 miles is pretty easy; I'm looking to get to 5-6 on my weekend runs and I should have that covered within a month or so. I actually have to hold myself back from going too much too soon on that…I'm making myself only do every other day on purpose. But I do think the more I lose the more my knees will like me. :-) Thanks, Jane.

Jane raises an interesting question: what would be better if I got to goal? For me there are two or three things. I'm in the overweight category now, so my health gains from having the surgery and getting out of morbidly obese are pretty much established. I'm wearing normal sizes, generally a 12-14, depending on about 50 variables. So those things are basically where they should be. My ego would like to be a size 8, but that is kind of neither here nor there. I think many of us have an underlying belief that if we get to a certain point we will no longer feel fat. Intellectually I know this cannot be true; if I feel mostly the same way about my body now as I did 65 pounds ago, I clearly still have some serious mental work to do. But I waffle between thinking I'm huge, and thinking I'm thinner than I am (and then I see a picture.) So, no…further weight loss probably won't fix that. But my brain likes to trick me into thinking that I would feel better. Comparison and jealousy: I also would like to think that getting to goal would fix this. I do think it would, honestly. I am having a hard time right now with reading about those who are more successful, in a quicker time, and especially the ones who say, "I followed all the rules, and if you're not having my kind of success then you need to be more honest." And you know what's worse? "I just eat whatever I want, small amounts. I don't really work out. I'm doing great." And the ticker says that is true. Mmmm, I don't know. I know this behavior is poisonous to all of us, but I am having trouble making myself not care. I am trying to believe that if I follow all the rules, success will follow, but like so many things in life that is really only part of the equation. One final thing: I would like to improve my running and my running time. I believe that being lighter would help this. And that it must help my knees and hips, who are a little less forgiving than they were 10-20 years ago when I ran more regularly. And that might be the only reasonable reason to strive for goal weight. To be better at my physical endeavors.

The funny thing (to me) is that I think everyone, particularly the surgeon's office, TRIED to tell me everything. There was a lot I didn't absorb, some I ignored so as to save my own sanity, and some that I simply couldn't comprehend. My approval to surgery time was very quick, and that prevented me from really dwelling on the possible complications. I don't think anyone is really prepared for the first stall. Or the second. Or third. I know people who had complications were not prepared, really, for those. Overall though I would say that the best thing I did was have a couple of WLS buddies in real life. I know it's not easy to always find those people; I was lucky enough to have a friend go through it 4 months before me. It completely helped with the little questions and the immediate post-recovery period.

Thanks. I'm having a hard time with this right now.

It's an excellent question and a struggle for me, too. I was just having this conversation elsewhere. I don't think I'm done, but what if my body does? I have a good friend who had the surgery last June and simply everything has been much slower for her than for me. Seeing everyone's information here is a good thing and a bad thing, because it allows us to compare some things that maybe are not really comparable... I'm going to keep trucking along and see how I do. I am so proud of my health now and what I can do. I am hoping to get my last 20-25 off permanently though.

Almost 9 months out and when I was tested about 3 months ago, my levels were perfect. Haven't had to change my dosage at all, yet. I think it's like anything else; you just have to stay on top of it. Strangely, having the surgery and needing to supplement has forced me to be diligent about how I take meds, which I think has helped all of my numbers overall. Consistency is finally mine (I used to forget to take my meds about 2-3 times a week.) I wish the surgery had solved the thyroid problem, but stable is good too.

I am not positive about this, but I think the straight arm plank is the "modified" exercise, i.e. a little easier than the bent arm one. But I'd try both and see what is easier on your shoulders. Be sure to keep your butt down. (That's my problem!)

I followed the pre-op diet too.

I did. I'm not sure why this is even a question, but it comes up from time to time. This isn't a joke. I wouldn't give a newborn anything other than breast milk or formula; I viewed my stomach as a newborn and only gave it what it was "allowed" to have.

Another option might be looking into a grocery delivery service, like Peapod.