Blazzrr

I would love to join. Figure out what time and I'll be there.

Hi, I had a breast reduction and tummy tuck about 10 years before my sleeve. I had my sleeve almost 2 years ago and they are both still very helpful. I lost 95 pounds and they have both held up well. If I hadn't already had them done I imagine I would have to consider it now. I'm happy to answer any further questions.

Hi Everyone! I live and work in Manhattan. I had the Gastric Sleeve done last July 29th which is almost 11 months ago. I used Dr. Mitchell Roslin at Lenox Hill because of his level of experience and the recommendations I received from other Doctors. Everything went extremely well and I love my sleeve. He did an excellent job as everything (thank God!) has been easy since day one. I am down 87 pounds and it’s just amazing! I am always looking for support and to talk to others who have gone through this to ask questions and compare notes. If anyone has any questions or wants to talk more just let me know.

Make sure you are truly drinking enough Water. A quick internet search says the following: "When you become dehydrated your brain tissue loses water causing your brain to shrink and pull away from the skull. This triggers the pain receptors surrounding the brain, giving you a headache."

You must know that you have tried everything and that nothing is going to work for you. Diets would never have done for me what this has, but to get through the tough parts you must come to this belief yourself and really know it. You must feel willing to dig deep and do whatever it will take to make this wonderful change to your life work. I was told this choice is a last resort, something to do once you really, truly believe that losing it and keeping it off on your own will not work. If you decide to do it, then choose the most experienced doctor you can find and your worries about stomach issues should be a non-issue.

Wow, so today is 6 months since my sleeve surgery, unbelievable! It went really fast, I am down 65 pounds and 4 sizes smaller. My question is: what happens now??? What happens next??? How do I continue to "just be" day in and day out? Year in and year out? I am still really struggling with how to use my time now that I am not turning to food all day. I guess I use to just graze the days away and do nothing else. (I didn't realize this) Now I really don't know what to do with myself in the hours between my meals and Snacks. It's emotionally uncomfortable a lot of the time. Sometimes I just sit. I also didn't anticipated this, but I feel that I'm at a disadvantage emotionally and physically having the surgery at my age. I am in my early 50’s so my body isn’t doing what I know it would have done in my 20’s or 30’s, etc. I haven't been able to achieve that excited athletic feeling I used to love. (Will I be able to??) My life is also settled at this point: My career is established and I’m in a 9 year relationship. I don’t have all those "future" goals to aim towards. All those youthful hopes, dreams and wishes. Life gets tough for me when there isn’t a feeling of striving for the future, aiming to achieve something, working towards a goal. My life is very routine when I am wanting to be free and adventurous. It feels like such a waste to finally have the body and the look but no freedom to enjoy it. I just have to keep dragging my new beautiful self into the same boring office everyday. I'm struggling with this concept. Weight loss surgery should come with a one year sabbatical!! Even so, I am on this amazing Journey that still feels so completely surreal. I cannot believe I did this and that this is my life and that I have actually been able to lose weight that I've had on me since I was 17. Life is grand!

Today is 6 months for me and I am down exactly 65 pounds as well!!!! (Surgery was July 29th). I am living such a different life now, it's just amazing. Today feels like such a special day, I don't know what to do with myself to Celebrate the 6 month mark!!! At a minimum I am going to cherish the day, smile a lot - and be proud and grateful. A little present might be in order too. Maybe I will leave work early. I love shopping now! I recently bought very colorful, stylish gloves and hats - my entire life I had only bought very cheap black ones at any pharmacy or convenience store. I had no idea how much fun the rest of the world has been having!

Wishing you all the best!! You will be thrilled!!

If you are ready, in your heart of hearts, to make this change because you know you have tried everything else and you know nothing is going to work for you, then you should go ahead and have it done tomorrow. I was told this choice is a last resort, something to do once you really, truly believe that losing it and keeping it off on your own will not work. My 3 Nephews insisted that I NOT have it. They said it would be a terrible shame. That I needed to focus and do it the natural way, that I should just diet and exercise like they do. (They really thought they were helping!) Thank goodness Nephews don't have the pull a son does, because now, almost 6 months post-op I am down 64 lbs. from a weight of 274 to 210. My Nephews give me a huge smile and smirk when they see me and each tells me how totally amazing I look, how great I look, that they cannot believe how thin and healthy I am looking. They seem very proud that I am their aunt. It is amazing to walk around with them now. What a feel to walk around and look totally normal!! I feel so good, no longer projecting that they are embarrassed to be seen with this huge, fat aunt of theirs. Your son will have a healthier mother. Good luck with your decision. Let us know how it goes.

I was warned about habits like this prior to my surgery - so before I had it, I tried to think of all the things I longed to have time for but never let myself do... I came up with 3 things. I always wished I could just sit and do a crossword puzzle, wished I could just watch a tv series on my ipad without yelling at myself that I should be using the big tv screen and clear up and delete my thousands of old emails. Now, 4 1/2 months post-op, I save and do the NY Times crossword puzzle every Monday (it's the easiest day) and bought an app with all puzzles for like the past 15+ yrs. I watched all 5 SEASONS of Breaking Bad already and am currently on the second season of House of Cards. Clearing my emails is coming along. I make a very definite effort to switch from eating to one of the above. It's not always easy, but I am determined to make it a forced habit so that it gets as routine as possible for the future when food may get tougher to walk away from. I work full time and have a very demanding life, but I fit in the above activities in small increments during the time I guess I used to spend eating and eating!

It's 3 1/2 months since my surgery and I had the same dilemma - it really troubled me a lot deciding what to do in the final weeks. I received so much conflicting advice. Well, I chose to eat whatever I wanted. While I did, I really focused on and understood the depth of my addiction and insanity of it all. The endless obsession and drive to find and eat food, food and more food. I know it's impossible to believe, but while doing it, I kept very aware that I was going into surgery soon and that I wanted to change my life forever. I knew, as I ate and overate each bite, that I would do whatever it took to make the surgery succeed. The last few weeks before the surgery were truly a horror show of what my life was and looked like, it was clear as day that I had no life, just food, food and feeling stuffed and sick and miserable. That's what worked for me. I am as committed as possible to this new life of mine. It's not easy, but I could not be more ready to continue to change my life completely. What I had before was not living. I am down 51 pounds in 16 weeks.

What begins to happen as one moves out of the honeymoon phase? What are the signs that the honeymoon phase is ending? I am wondering if it's an overwhelming urge to eat that comes one day and is really hard to stop or if it's a more subtle breakdown toward more and more bad habits from our past? I'm wondering if it's a drive to eat stronger than anything we have ever had before the surgery? What have people found helps the most to deal with it? Thank you for any thoughts or insight.

My partner totally panicked right after my surgery when I really could not go out to eat. I am here to tell you that it took only about 4 weeks until I was able to go again. I enjoy having some easy to eat things at a restaurant rather than at home. (Even soup is better out) I get full quickly so other food around doesn't bother me. Tell your partner to just give it a little time. The hardest thing in the first few weeks is that we AND OUR PARTNERS cannot see that things aren't going to be that hard for very long. I think mine feels bad for panicking so early on and not realizing that we could go out again soon.

Good luck to everyone! I am 5 weeks post-op so I remember well what you are going through. I know now that there is no way I would have ever lost this weight without the surgery. It is definitely a commitment - but worth it to finally be on a path of solid weight loss. Enjoy the journey.

It is such an exciting time! Enjoy every minute, it doesn't get better than this! I'm 5 weeks out tomorrow and have been getting happier and happier everyday.

I found plain water hard the first few days. I had to have vitamin water zero or even water with a little grape juice in it. Anything that wasn't plain water. I send my best for a quick recovery!

I had a sore and scratchy throat for a few days after surgery and attributed it to the breathing tube they put down our throats during surgery. I found halls cough drops very helpful.

Congratulations on the beginning of your journey! We are all here to support you! I am 3 &1/2 weeks post op and remember how it felt to be where you are now and how much the support on here helped me through! It is still helping me!

Just want to check because you say you can't drink your water - if you are really drinking plain water you might want to try vitamin zero or something else. A lot of people say they have trouble in the beginning with plain water. I did, I am 3 weeks out today and can finally sip a little bit of plain water without feeling uncomfortable. Congratulations on your sleeve!!

I'm 5 Days Post-Op!!!I I can't believe it's done - It's been such a whirlwind. I had so many doubts up to the very last minute - I have no regrets now. It seems like it was all a little easier than I expected. (Thank G-d!) For the months leading up to my surgery I read everything I could possibly find on the internet and on this site for hours everyday. It really helped me to know what to expect at every turn. I also can't believe how much everything I did and was told to do before the surgery really mattered. Every Protein powder I tested, every baby utensil I bought, the chap stick I brought to the hospital - each and every thing mattered and helped me come home to this new life. The only thing that was hard to prepare for is the dramatic change in my life that I felt as soon as I was home from the hospital. It's daunting, but I'm digging deep to handle what this week, and the six 6 weeks in total, and everything thereafter will require. I can't believe I have a sleeve!!!!!!

How is everyone doing? I had my sleeve done on 7/29 and I'm home from the hospital today. Do people feel different about being back home? I feel like it is very, very quiet with endless free time. Is everyone sipping away?

Is anyone else working OA with their WLS? I am looking to see if there are people working OA (Overeater’s Anonymous) and the 12 step program of OA with their WLS. I have always found OA to be incredibly supportive and helpful in learning to deal with my food issues, my emotions and my overall addiction to food. I really want to incorporate OA in my WLS journey but can’t seem to find combined OA and WLS support. Any information would be very much appreciated. Does anyone go to meetings that are supportive of their WLS? Any phone or online meetings that have been supportive? Does anyone actually have an OA sponsor they work with post WLS?

Hi, Just checking on all us July 29thers. I guess today makes 10 days to go. Is that the count everyone else has? (Wow, I have to ask? - my denial must really run deep There are so many very intense emotions going through me and they vary so much every hour. The euphoric one are totally amazing - the panic stricken, "what the F** am I doing to myself - you must have lost your F**n mind" ones,,, not so much fun. Is there anyone whose doctor only requires 24 hours or 72 hours of liquids? I want to hear how everyone is doing. Does it ever feel surreal? Have a great day!!!

Does anyone ever feel some burn out in the pre-op stage? My surgery is in 3 1/2 weeks and today I feel like I'm just not in the mood to deal with this anymore. Today, just as I need to go into high gear to get my life and my work ready, I'm feeling tired of it all, scared and shocked by the reality of the surgery - am I really going to do this to myself???? (I am, but sometimes I can't handle thinking about it too much). It's going to take so much very, very hard work to get from today to 4 months from now - I am going to have to dig really deep in myself to make each day happen and happen successfully. It seems so hard - how do I make sure I have what it takes and can do what it takes. The people scheduled near my surgery date are all so excited - they can't wait, some wish it were tomorrow - is that the right and better way to be feeling? From everything I've read, this surgery is not magic and it's going to take a heck of a lot of total commitment from me to get through this - I see it more as a long road and hard commitment. I am working on coming to terms with and accepting this overwhelming challenge to make sure I'm ready for it. Anyone ever feel this way? Any thoughts? I am giddy and happy here and there, but the huge commitment to this change and the growing acceptance of a life without dependence on food is much more of my focus. (No really harsh responses to my post please)

Hi everyone! My sleeve surgery is on Tuesday JULY 29th too!!!! I can't believe tomorrow will be two weeks until the day. I have been experiencing such a wide range of emotions, I'm glad to be in an excited place tonight! excited to hear how everyone is doing.