shamps4all

I was sleeved 12 days ago and the number on the scale hasn't moved in two days. I had an appointment on Thursday and I was assured that I was right on track and doing everything correctly. They did say that non-clear liquids must continue for 2 weeks, instead of the one that was in the paperwork they gave me pre-op. Exercise is going great, but I have had a little bit of insomnia the last few nights. I feel lighter and more energetic, but at the same time I feel that the protein shakes aren't satiating me. I bought some of the soups they said were okay for this phase but honestly I don't like eating them because they're so high in carbs and sodium. So its water, Powerade Zero, protein shakes, a cup of coffee here and there, and more water, protein shakes and Powerade Zero until 2/3/14. I don't feel hungry like ready to go binge on something crazy, but I have to say this limited menu is starting to feel a little bland and even after I eat I feel my stomach growling. I've wondered if its possible that I'm not eating enough and my body thinks I'm starving. I think I am going to stop weighing myself so often because its just making me mad. Despite the weight I have lost I'm still having to wear my pre-op clothes sizes...and that's irritating too. I knew that occasional stalls were part of this, but I didn't expect this so soon! If the scale didn't move and I could fit into at least one pant size smaller I think that would help to ease this frustration...but oh well. Nothing I can do but keep on keeping on, do what I'm supposed to do and hope for the best. Thanks for posting this topic!

From what I've read on this forum, everyone has these moments. I had one last night too. I told my husband I "only" lost 1 lb from the day before. Then I remembered that I read here (on a different thread) to remove the word ONLY from my vocabulary. 50lbs is success Memily, even if its not as fast as you'd like it to be. We didn't become overweight overnight, so naturally it isn't going to come off overnight. The last time I dieted and lost weight (before WLS) it took me 6 months to lose 76lbs and of course everyone is different! Keep your chin up girl!!

I don't know how much this will help, but I can tell you that my surgery was exactly 10 days ago and I feel great! I got off of the pain meds last weekend knowing that I would be back to work this week and although I still have a slight dull ache in my left side, Tylenol does just fine for me. I am truly amazed at how this process has changed my entire outlook on life. In the short span of 10 days I have HOPE in my life again! My entire outlook has changed and nothing seems impossible like it did just a handful of months ago. I'm the girl who hates exercise, and I am exercising! Me! I know I'm on a pink cloud right now, and there are up's and down's I have yet to encounter...but today I know I can cope with those issues without using food to numb my feelings and eat my way into a dark cesspool of negativity and remorse. It is such a relief! Try focusing on gathering the things you'll need for the hospital and getting packed. Make a list of everything you need to do before you go into surgery and go about the business of getting each one done. Make sure you have the items you'll need when you get home in stock. Get the house cleaned up, make up some sheets on the computer to track your liquids, medications and Vitamin intake (unless already provided by your doctor), clear off your nightstand so you'll have room for your spirometer, your liquids and your pain meds and tie up any loose ends with your family, kids or job. Make a plan as to how you will get your 30 minutes of walking in post-op (i.e. do you have a treadmill? will you walk around the house or go outside etc.?) Then simply sit back, close your eyes and visualize yourself going through the surgery and waking up in your recovery room with no complications. Know that you'll be uncomfortable, but only for a very short time. The nurses will be there to administer medication when you hurt, and once they do get out of bed, grab your IV pole, put on your slippers and walk the halls as soon as you can and as often as you can. Imagine yourself a week out feeling great and ready to begin your new life. Visualization techniques can be very powerful tools. You GOT this!!!

Allan Cameron - What you wrote: "Life is fun again, and eating is not a war zone between my head and my gut anymore" absolutely touched my soul today. I am only 10 days post-op and although I've had a few minor emotional up's and downs I am astonished at how much more ALIVE and positive I feel in just this short span of time. Thank you for your post!

"but there's no other woman on God's green earth who's ever been as special to me as she has always been, so no matter what size I am or ever will be, that's not going to happen!!! Definitely we're in it to win it!!! That is just beautiful! She sounds like an amazing lady! Best wishes to you on your upcoming surgery!!

Thank you for sharing. It seems like he definite ideas and has no plans to change or even compromise. I'm happy that he gave you the financial support for your surgery, but it doesn't seem like you're getting the emotional part. I see that you have no plans to leave. Does that mean you are ready to settle and live in an unhappy marriage? It's just a question and not meant to be inflammatory. I do wish you and every couple with issues the best. No offense taken...but yes, I guess for right now I'm not ready to make any drastic changes. We have a daughter together so its not just a matter of my own happiness. I have to think of her too. I don't want to be the one who extracts her father from her life for my own selfish reasons. I've put a lot of thought into this, read tons of books...and the bottom line is that when I add up the positives versus the negatives there are a lot more on the positives side than negative. So for now, this is just how it has to be. My husband *is* open to counseling, so before I make any definite decisions I will first exhaust every option. I wouldn't say its necessarily an "unhappy" marriage...I would lean more towards a "sexless" marriage and we all know there's a lot more to a marriage than sex. It only becomes an issue when there is less or none at all. But I am a traditional-type person. If or when it becomes something we both want out of, then fine. But for now, with Gods help, I will continue to fight the good fight and hang in there. This surgery qualifies as a major lifestyle change (in my book), kind of like a job change or a move...so its best if I just stay put until I've got more time under my belt with this new change. Its only been exactly one week today since my surgery. Who knows, maybe as a result of my changes he'll make some of his own and things will change. Maybe not, but anything is possible. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I prefer to think of myself as an incurable optimist.

Unfortunately I am guessing this will be the case with me. A few years ago I was on a doctor supervised weight loss plan. I lost 76 lbs. While my husband "said" he was supportive, it wasn't long before he became critical of my body...saying I was "too skinny", my rear end was flat and that my breasts looked like pancakes. I didn't let it bother me because I felt great and was receiving compliments from everyone else. A few months ago, when I brought up the option of WLS (having gained all the weight back + interest) his exact words were "I'll do whatever I can to help you". For the most part, he has. He did pay for my surgery and handle everything with my daughter while I was in the hospital so I can't say that he hasn't been supportive at all, but he didn't stay with me at the hospital, he just dropped me off and picked me up. The day I was to be released he became irritated that my discharge was taking so long. He started complaining about how *he* was hungry. I went down to the nurses station and explained that he was pressuring me and fortunately they were understanding and put my chart on top so I could get out sooner. Since we've been home he has ordered Chinese food, pizza, and even asked me to prepare meals for him. This really irks me. It's not that I want the food, it just seems very inconsiderate. And then to mow the food down right in front of me. Last night I went into our spare room to workout. I wasn't in there five minutes before he came in asking me where something was. I saw red because in my mind I saw this as a deliberate sabotage attempt. I've decided to install a lock on the door so I won't be bothered. I probably shouldn't be sharing this, but he is 12 years my senior. He claims that as he has aged his testosterone levels have plummeted making him less interested in intimacy than ever before. This has been going on for a few years. He says it has nothing to do with me, or how I look or anything like that and that he loves me more now than ever, just that his desire is not there at all. I've asked him to seek medical help, which he has but he's got complaints about all of that too. He doesn't like the way the testosterone cream makes him feel, the Viagra speeds up his heart too much...and so on. There's always an excuse. I'm not blind and I'm not dead...I still have needs that aren't being met and I know from past experience that this is a slippery slope for marriages. It's unfortunate and I don't plan on leaving but I am very concerned that as the weight comes off attention from other men will become a problem. I'm more of an extrovert and will talk to anyone about anything - it's just who I am. I've decided that the only way to weather this storm is to try to be as reassuring and supportive towards him as I can be, and just try my best to respect his feelings without compromising who I am as a person. As far as the sabotage attempts I'm just going to chalk those up to his general lack of consideration and try not to take everything so personally. It is what it is. He has agreed to explore these issues in therapy, so that's good.

I am laughing so hard at this I'm afraid my staples might come out! And the "never trust a fart"...OMG this is the BEST laugh I've had in months!!! Love it!!

I can relate to the exhaustion after a days work for sure. Someone (can't remember who) told me a while back that if the exercise doesn't get done first thing in the morning...it simply will not get done. That really resonated with me because even though my job isn't high stress, just the effort of getting ready, putting in my hours and driving back and forth is mentally exhausting. By the time I get home all I want to do is strip everything off and lay down...exercise is the LAST thing I want to do after work so for me it must be done first thing in the morning before everything else...even if this means getting up early to do it. Something else that has helped me is to say to myself "Okay, I'm only doing ten minutes!" This is because I personally do not have a love affair with exercise and I never have, and there's a good chance I never will. But once I put in my ten minutes those endorphin's kick in and then I want to keep going. There are a lot of DVD's with routines that are only 10 minutes, so maybe start out with something small like that a few days a week. Once you start losing more you'll be motivated to keep going and either add more days, more time, or maybe even other types of exercise. For me its also important to have what I need to exercise at home. I've gone the gym membership route and then if I don't go I beat myself up internally for not going which only fuels negative feelings about myself and my ability to stick with something. For some people the act of paying for the membership is enough to motivate them to go. I'm ashamed to admit that for me the cost is never a motivator and I've paid for countless unused gym memberships in the past. Having the equipment at home leaves no room for excuses. I don't have fancy equipment but what I do have is good enough to accomplish what I need to do. I have an elliptical machine, a second-hand treadmill, lots of exercise DVD's as well as hand weights, ankle weights, resistance bands and giant inflatable ball. I also bought the shake Weight to do arm work. If you don't have anything, start asking around. I'm willing to bet that your family and friends would be more than happy to donate unused exercise equipment to you. It just seems to be one of things that 'everyone' has. If that isn't the case, you could stop by a few garage sales and probably find some decent equipment for dirt cheap prices. Especially at moving sales as people generally don't want to have to move that stuff when its not being used anyway. If all else fails just do a search on the web for exercises that don't require any equipment. Believe me, there are tons of exercises that can be done using nothing but your own body weight as resistance...like lunges (for example). Also, if you have cable there are many channels that have exercise shows/yoga etc. If you have a DVR you could record them and then play them and follow along when you feel up to it. Good luck!

Wow! You look awesome and are an inspiration! Thank you for sharing!!!

I dealt with this too. You're not alone and remember...everyone's body is different. Its easy to go through these threads and look at others' stats and make comparisons, but that's just not being fair to yourself. Plus, your surgery was very recent...give yourself some time to heal and follow doctor's instructions to a T. Measure and journal everything you're eating/drinking so if for some reason you don't see results sooner than later you'll have a record to show to your doctor. I struggle with patience myself. I had hoped to lose more on the pre-op liquid diet than I did, but I just didn't. I just had to get to acceptance and move on - no other choice. You'll get there.

I remember that feeling. It is very exciting! Congrats! For me it didn't seem "real" until I was laying on the gurney hooked up the IV, waiting to be rolled into the operating room. Then it all became very real. The only things I remember now were when a nurse came in and said "Are you ready?" Next thing I knew I was in my recovery room and the phone was ringing. I was still so out of it that I couldn't answer. I woke up again a few hours later though and asked for pain meds.

I don't know much about plastic surgery, but I have to say those Lifestyle Lift commercials on TV look pretty convincing!

Lots of good advice here...but I wanted to chime in on the aspect of telling co-workers and/or others. I chose to refrain from telling everyone in my life about my WLS, not because I am 'ashamed' that I got this bad and decided I didn't have any other choice...but simply because I feel that its a personal choice that is really nobody else's business but my own and to a smaller extent, my husband's because I needed to be able to count on his support before, during and after my surgery. A few years ago I lost 76lbs at a weight loss clinic. Everyone who knew me knew that I was attending this clinic and everyone was so supportive - almost too much. Suddenly all discussions and friendly visits became focused on the topic of dieting/eating/exercising etc. Now one would think that all of that positive reinforcement would be enough to force me to never go back to being overweight but it wasn't and what I found was that I felt even greater shame, humiliation and disappointment when I started putting the weight back on. Gaining weight isn't like other health issues...its a very "visible" problem. Before my surgery I read some of the threads on this forum that dealt with the nasty comments that members had received from co-workers, friends, relatives and in some cases even strangers. Having dealt with some of that with my past weight loss I decided this time around that it really isn't anyone else's business and that I will be much more selective about who I confide in this time. When I lost the 76lbs I did not have any loose skin and I'm not expecting to this time either but if it turns out that I do, I'll deal with it when it happens. Right now I'm more focused on following doctors orders and getting the weight off for my health. As for the hair loss, I've not experienced that at all but it may be because I was only sleeved last week. Only you can ultimately make this decision and I wish you the very best whatever decision you settle on.

Someone mentioned the Smooth Move herbal tea on this forum before I was sleeved, so I made sure I picked some up before I was admitted in case I needed it when I got home. I made a cup with two bags last night before bed and had success this morning. I bought mine at the Vitamin Shoppe. Good luck!

BamaBoo64,Thank you. Yes...I know you're right and thanks for the reminder. I'm really trying to *not* worry like that this time. Like others...I've tried a handful of different diets in the past and have had success with a few at first, only to gain it all back with interest later. In those instances, getting on the scale was a big part of my life. Frankly, its been a few years since I've even used my scale. I haven't wanted to know how much I've weighed because I knew it was too much and I didn't want to make myself feel worse. I just need to get to acceptance on this and "let go" of these old/habitual emotions creeping in. It's a new day!

I too have been relying on my scale up to this point. I did slip on a pair of jeans yesterday afternoon to run some errands and frankly was pretty disappointed. I thought that a nearly 25lb loss would make my jeans fit a little better, but they were still very snug which bummed me out a little. But then again, I am still pretty bloated from the surgery last Monday and my abdomen is still somewhat distended so I'm not going to freak out just yet. I got on the scale this morning and was only down .6 (yes, that's POINT six) so not even a pound. Since arriving home from the hospital I've realized a loss every morning on the scale but now I wonder if I might be at my first "stall" that I've read about from others here. This may be TMI but I ended up steeping TWO bags of Smooth Move tea in water last night before bed because it dawned on me that I hadn't been to the bathroom in a week or so. Of course all I've had are liquids since 12/30, but with the pre-op shakes I was still "regular" in that department. Since my surgery I hadn't gone, until this morning following last night's tea. I am wondering if that could be part of my stall so I'm anxious for tomorrow to come so I can weigh again and see if 'going' made any difference. I'm really trying hard to tell myself to NOT freak out and worship at the altar of the almighty scale but I have to say - that's easier said than done. I really don't want to get on that emotional roller coaster...wondering why my body is betraying me when I'm trying so hard to do everything right. Those feelings are so reminiscent of past failures with dieting...I'm sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about here.

Dear Feeling hopeful, I can relate! At first I thought it was just head hunger...but in having to prepare meals for my family and shop for groceries etc. it seems that I am having a difficult time (still) determining whether I have head hunger or if I am actually hungry. I know I don't feel "full" because I am able to sip liquids pretty much all day and all the way until bedtime. Of course with all of this liquid going through me I am in the bathroom constantly, which is not that big a deal for me because I've always had a tendency to drink a lot of fluids...but as I said - preparing food that I can't eat is a little challenging. Last night I made a bag of rigatoni & sausage in marinara sauce with garlic toast for my husband & daughter. Cooking it and smelling it was tough especially since, according to my paperwork, things like Pasta, bread and sausage are pretty much "off the menu" for me for the rest of my life unless I want to be in pain or feel sick. And really I am okay with that, but I've been on liquids for nearly a whole month now and going through that grocery store...seeing a lot of my old favorites - not an easy task. I also think that the pain medication lowers my defenses and makes me crave sweets. I know this is so because in the past I've had spine injuries and was in pain management. I can remember times when I would wake up in the middle of the night just craving chocolate or candy. I can't wait until the pain subsides and I can get off of this stuff so those feelings will go away. I am excited this week that I'll be able to drink the Protein shakes again. I'll just have to be sure that I go really, really slow and definitely not make more than I can take in.

Giselle - I think what you're experiencing is completely normal. I'd be willing to bet that everyone who has been sleeved felt the same way in varying degrees at some point in their journey. Look at this as a positive...your mind is forcing you to explore both sides rather than allowing you to be blindfolded and lead to the slaughter (bad analogy I know) based on benefits alone. My husband actually got laid off a few days before my surgery date. He came to me and said he felt it was a sign that something was going to go wrong with my surgery (thanks Honey). Talk about freaked out. I started worrying too, until I found out that his company laid off hundreds of people the same day! The worst part was that my daughter heard him say it to me, so she was scared too (I'm still miffed about that - I wish she didn't have to hear his comment!) Suffice it to say that even post op I had a fleeting worry, wondering if I had made a mistake...but today I know for sure it was the right thing. I feel great even with six sets of staples and a bloated abdomen. Obviously this is something only you can decide, but I think McButterpants' suggestion of a pro's & con's list was a great one. If you we're involved in an accident and needed surgery to save your life you wouldn't worry about going under anesthesia...right? You would just do it because you would have to in order to live. These medical practitioners do this all the time with a high rate of success. Of course there are exceptions, but you could argue all day that there are exceptions to just about everything in life. Have you journaled what your goals for the surgery are? I went back and reviewed mine several times and it was a good reminder.

This is only my opinion, but if you can avoid synthetic hormones I definitely would! I used Seasonique for 3-4 years. I took them back to back and never had periods which my OB said was fine since I wasn't planning on any more children but let me tell you...getting off of those things and getting back to normal was absolute hell. It took months and the emotional turmoil I experienced greatly overshadowed any discomfort or annoyance with the actual menstrual bleeding. I originally got on the pill to prevent pregnancy but also because I was diagnosed with PMDD. Amazingly now that I am off of those pills and my body has regulated itself I don't have the extreme PMDD symptoms. Of course I get a little fatigued and a little moody (or maybe a lot if my husband we're allowed to chime in) but today's fatigue and moodiness don't even compare to the levels I was at when diagnosed with PMDD. In retrospect, I think a lot of it was probably due to poor diet and bad habits. I know I'm rambling on now...but again...if you can find a natural solution, or one that doesn't involve synthetic hormones I think that'd be the way to go.

This is kind of a random thought but what a RELIEF it is to not constantly feel hungry! I look back now and see just how dependent my entire days used to be based on consumption of food. I used appetite suppressants with previous diets but honestly, once I got used to them after a couple of days the hunger just came back. I may not have eaten as much as I did without the AS's but the hunger every few hours was still there. My mind feels more open and free to explore so many other possibilities outsides the confines of 'what's for lunch?' and 'what's for dinner?' and for me that's a huge milestone! The foods I was eating were turning my mind and body into sludge anyway and I felt so hindered by fatigue. New ideas and possibilities seemed out of my reach because my thinking was so clouded and literally 'weighed down' by food! Maybe I am on a "pink cloud" like the 12 steppers say...but that's just fine with me because it feels great!

My initial consultation was the second week of Nov or so. I self-paid so I was basically at the mercy of the scheduling desk. I had an endoscopy 12-13 or so, and then was instructed to begin the liquid diet on 12/30 for a surgery date of 1/13/14. So from start to finish, only a couple of months. I explored the insurance route, but they required either 6 months or a year of counseling and classes and stuff. I didn't want to wait that long and it wasn't very expensive anyway so I just jumped right in I guess you could say.

I remember being prepped for surgery, and waiting a while and then they rolled out of the bay I was in and I have absolutely no recollection of anything except when they rolled me into my recovery room. Everything went so fast, I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone and wondered if I had done something I might regret later. I hope not, which is why I am determined to follow all of the instructions. My abdomen still looks and feels like a balloon. Now that I'm on clear liquids it feels strange going down, I can hear where the liquid is inside after I swallow. I wonder if this will go away? I've taken all of the supplements, Gas X, Prevacid, blood thinning injections...all of it but I can't tell if my stomach is growling for food or if I'm having the head hunger I've read about on these boards. It's nice to be home, but I haven't been sleeping the whole night through and this makes it difficult to navigate around in the dark so as to not wake everyone else up. Weight loss stats are not even worth typing. Hopefully this will change with time and increased activity. Any suggestions for those of us just sleeved this week are appreciated. Thank!!!

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'm definitely better today. Sleep has improved and I made myself a checklist in Excel to keep track of all of the medications, vitamins, activity that are required daily. I am working from home but only for half a day. I'm expected to be back in the office on Monday. Its a desk job so it shouldn't be too strenuous. Pounds are coming off and generally speaking everything is just fine. Still feeling a little bloated and my abdomen seems a little distended, but I'm hoping a nice walk will help some of that.

My surgery was the same day and I'm having the exact same feeling. I've found that if I breathe out through my nose while I take in tiny (and I mean tiny) sips it goes down easier. I was even hearing whatever I drank go down as it went which I found strange. Also, I've found that standing or being in a totally upright position for drinking helps me. I am only allowed clear liquids now so I haven't had any shakes. Hunger pangs versus gas are difficult for me to determine right now.