SusinMichigan

Snohogal, so glad you are using it and feeling the benefits! It's so immediate, as you know and sleep well knowing that little box has your back!

After my first sleep study (2 days) back about 8 years ago, it was determined my oxygen level drops to 56 at night. Last month I had a split study (they already knew I had apnea) and as much as I have dropped about 60 pounds since the long ago study, thought they'd be able to lower the rate, wrong ... it's gone up and the technician gave me the impression I'd be using a machine for the rest of my life. The tech was about as big as my arm and she also uses one. This doesn't bother me, I've had it so long it's my security blanket and both hubby and I sleep better knowing it's doing it's job and it's a minor inconvenience to know I'm waking up the next day (Good Lord willing). To those needing them, USE IT! It could save your life!

I don't know that I'll even pursue trying to sleep without my CPAP. It's my security blanket. I vividly remember the days of gasping for air, or hubby staying up half the night to make sure he was there to waken me at one of those times. My oxygen drops to 56 at night without it. I just had another sleep study and it showed (although I dropped 60 pounds from the weight when I first got it 8 years ago) I needed an increase. I wouldn't think of even taking a nap without it. I know I'm waking up in the morning with it, not sure without.

Hi A New Start ... I have learned through time to prioritize my life, and this wls is a priority! I have a surgery date of July 1. Everything pre op is done and has been for about a month now. I'm just sitting and waiting for the 17 of June to start the pre op diet and in the meantime, have given up sugar, lost a little weight, working on doing a little fix on my knees (injections for now rather than knee replacement), trying to eat primarily low carb like my husband, but know I can still have something I really love short term with rare occasion. Good luck with your 4 pounds ... you can do that! It'll be exciting for you when you get your date. Good luck!

I have thought about this for a while now. About 20 years ago I had a perm on my hair at JC Penney's. The hairdresser burned my hair to a crisp, the perm rods were falling out with my hair still attached. She covered by teasing my hair, keeping me from looking in a mirror, etc. Told me not to was it for 4 days and when I did and realized the sheer volume of hair that was broken off went back to the store. There were some "emergency" treatments that were tried, etc ... long story made short, I am still missing probably 60% of the hair on top of my head (the back grew back, sides increased to about 50%). I was told it would come back with time, after about 5-6 years, went to a different dermatologist who told me it would never be back. Anyway, I know going in that much hair loss and I will be totally bald on the top of my head. I will be very careful in getting in what I need as far as Vitamins, Proteins, etc. and know the possibility exists that I will be buying a hairpiece or cut my hair really short and get some wigs. I am doing this surgery to give myself longer than 7 years of life expectancy I have left ... good luck in your decision. Oh, btw, I'm 58 years young.

Everyone grieves differently, I was in a state of shock when my father died, it got worse and much worse as time went on, before it got better. I would check with hubby and see what he'd like. But no you would not be the least bit selfish if you went ahead of it. Hubby will probably still support you going on with it.

Sounds like a good compromise, Denise! After smoking for over 35 years, and trying everything to quit, the best thing for me was to just put them down and walk away. Of course, I was under the threat of dying in a little over 7 years if I didn't quit. It was three hard days and then it was over. My husband watched in total disbelief and a month after I quit, he quit his oral tobacco habit (snuff). He did it the same way, just put it down and it took him two major eating days and that was it! YOU CAN DO IT!! It's easier than you think! You just have to be mentally ready for it and neither of us cut down. When we tried that it was torture because every cigarette was counted, the dread was constant, reminders every time I lit up. Good luck in reaching both goals! It's a new year!

Welcome TiredMoma ... you are so welcome to join us ... after all, it's only the difference of one day!

Amazing! What a wonderful job ... congratulations!

I am too ... July 1! Your pre and post op diet sounds like mine. Clear liquids for the pre op and first two weeks of post op then on to full liquids for the next two.

I am an incredible cook .... I cook for every one and every event we attend. The difference these days is I'm cooking healthy and they are still eating my food. There was a method to my madness though, I wanted to make sure there was food I'd eat at the last dinner and was glad I did, more Pasta and pasta salads than anything else, and my healthy foods!

By the way, you can use a mandolin with the julienne blade on the zucchini. As much as it won't be the round noodle, they'll still be passable. This way if you already have a mandolin you can use it. I like multi use tools better than one use items. Enjoy!

We eat a lot of spaghetti squash in our house (still pre-op). Make a light tomato sauce with turkey meatballs and put it over the spaghetti squash ... awesome! It looks just like spaghetti!

I have not had surgery yet so I can't say how I will feel after, but I would just suggest going back to think about how life was when you could just graze all day or eat whatever you wanted. There was a reason you wanted this help, go back to finding the reason for it and that should be part of your solution. Good luck! I'm sorry ... that sounds harsh, and I don't mean it to sound like that. But you wanted the surgery for a reason. If this was easy, everyone would just be sleeved and go on to do whatever they wanted and no one would have a weight problem. You know what your reasons are (mine is to live longer than 7 years). Hang in there and get your head back in the game ... you'll be fine just hang on.

Oh Cryss, I love this! That gives me something to think about and start action on during these two months leading up to my surgery date! Thanks for the good thoughts.

Sabrine, thanks so much for the kind words. I think I could have easily gained 100 pounds, except my knees wouldn't have held me at that point and I would have really been a mess then! There are so many people I see on here that have so little control, to meet someone who has so much is really refreshing! You are working so hard, it'll be a much easier transition for you than most when it comes to control! All my tests are done, I have about one more session of therapy and I think I got it part finished, there is nothing undone. I have had the sleep study, stress test, echocardiograms, blood work (although there will be more at the two week before timeline), psych eval (with some therapy following). Everything was done before they would give me a date. So now I have six and a half weeks to hold my own, continue to striving to exceed the 64 oz. of Water I drink per day right now, wean myself off caffeine, do smaller meals, and hopefully the knee shots that start tomorrow will work and get some exercise in before surgery. Then the two week pre-op diet and onward. What are your plans for the next 10 weeks?

Sabrine, I almost forgot Congratulations on your weight loss ... that's incredible!!!!

My name is Susan and I live Michigan. I'm 58 years old and have been married for 28 years. I have battled my weight since ... my first diet was in 6th grade at 11 years old. I keep my weight at a steady 225 until I met and married my husband. He shared my love for food and we both gained about 100 pounds the first couple years of marriage. My highest weight was 405 and I don't even know how I moved at that weight. I lost about 80 pounds after using a CPAP and kept that off for about 7 or 8 years. Then I quit smoking November 2013 and quickly gained 30 pounds, I have dropped 15 in January-February and haven't been able to get rid of another one since. WLS has been on my mind for the last 10 years, when I had some heart issues last year and the cardiologist said if I didn't quit smoking, walk at least 90 minutes (preferable 3 hours) a day and lost a significant amount of weight, I would live about 8 years. That was last March! I wasted one of those 8 years and am now moving on this! The cardiologist did add that he had NEVER had a patient do what he recommended and succeed at it. We went away for a long week end in February and between the severe osteoarthritis in my knees and my weight, we couldn't do any of the things I had planned before we left. I came back and called the bariatric surgeon and made my appointment for the next week. I have been approved for surgery by the new cardiologist and am now scheduled for July 1!

I just had my second sleep study last week. The first time was about 8 years ago and I fell asleep just fine, but sleeping with the mask ... well, I came home and told my husband that hell would freeze over before I could sleep with that mask on. After 8 years of using my CPAP, even for a short nap, I had a heck of a time trying to sleep during the first portion of the test and the minute I got a mask on my face, slept like a baby. You'll be fine and if you need a CPAP, use it, it becomes a security blanket and you can rest assured you are going to be waking up in the morning! Sleep well!

Glad to have you as a "sleeve sister"! Everything happens for a reason. Must be you weren't quite ready, now you know you have no doubt and will work hard to get what you want! I was really irate initially, I thought it was something that would happen quickly after I had done all the prep work and to find out it was going to be another 2+ months just had me in tears. But then again everything seems to have me in tears these days. So after some thought, I decided I'd use this time to my advantage and get the knee replacement I need done instead and then it would be easier to walk and get some well needed exercise. HA, the knee surgeon wants me to lose weight before they do the replacement of my knees! Of course ... and the bariatric surgeon would like the knees done so I can exercise. Both want the best results for their surgeries. On the upside, the orthopedic surgeon is starting injections this week (for 3 weeks in a row) and with any luck, in 8 weeks my knees will be feeling much better in time to be working on my pre op diet!

I would be most anxious to hear the answer to this one. I quit smoking Nov. 3 and promptly gained 30 pounds in the following 3 months. I have tried to take it off and only 15 has come back off. I have been craving a cigarette in the worse way lately and have wondered if I had enough time to start and stop again before surgery (scheduled for July 1). I know that's playing with danger, but don't really care right now. Okay, maybe I do care, it just scares me and I know my doctor won't do surgery if I smoke.

I would hardly call that slowly ... this is utterly amazing! I just hope I can do nearly as well as you have after I have surgery! Congratulations, I know you have worked very hard to earn that kind of weight loss.

It won't be hard to get up at all, just think of what's waiting for you ... I'm sure when it's my turn, I won't be able to sleep all night!

I have not had surgery yet, but am finishing up the last of all the pre op requirements. I expect a date will be set any day for surgery. I am doing this because 13 months ago I was told by a cardiologist that if I didn't quit smoking and lose weight, I have a life expectancy of 8 years. It took 7 months before it sunk in enough to quit smoking and a 30 pound weight gain following the smoking cessation. Three months later, I made my first appointment to see the surgeon. I am doing this to live! I have already wasted one year, I refuse to waste more.

This is probably one of the things I have been most worried ... I CANNOT sleep any other way than flat on my stomach.