mnmlst

So far we've gotten a bill for about $500. Not bad at all, and I knew our insurance didn't cover everything. Just wondering if we'll get more and more bills for other things rolling in...

I had surgery in late October, so I'm a relative novice, myself. I have the same problem as you do. I told my husband that I have three modes: hungry, eating, and in pain. Nothing else. What I've found works best is regulating the amount of food on my plate. I always eat out of ramekins for bowls and saucers for plates when I'm at home. Out, I order tapas, Soups, or small appetizers. If it's on my plate, I'll try to eat it, unless I'm actually in pain. It's challenging, but it's better than starting a new year 10 lbs up (or more) from where I was last year. Good luck!

I am so excited! 7 weeks out and 30 lbs down post op, 20 lbs down pre-op for a total of 50 lbs!! 199 lbs is now within reach. I thought I'd never see it again. WOOHOO!

Yyyyyessss! I'm still 7 lbs heavier than I was on my wedding day, but I got the dress on! So excited! Almost down 50 lbs now.

Hi @@Rogofulm , I recognize you from the Olney support group! Couldn't make it tonight (I'm sick) but hope it went well.

I have a 2 yo. who weighs 30 lbs. I had help for the first 2 weeks and didn't lift her at all. After 2 weeks, I had to lift her some, just like you said. It's basically pretty avoidable, but sometimes you just have to pick them up. Doctor said after 2 weeks was ok but to MINIMIZE it. (emphasis his) I did, I'm ok. After 3 weeks I was totally cleared for toddler lifting. Just keep it as minimal as possible and get help when you can. Hang in there, and check with your doctor to make sure (s)he's okay with it. Good luck.

What a great feeling! Congrats!

10 oz is a lot! That's more than a cup. I'm pretty sure our stomachs can only handle about a half cup of food at this point. Maybe a cup of liquid, but 10 oz is definitely a lot. I have my Protein shakes in half servings. I'm only 7 weeks out, but I can't imagine having a whole one in a sitting. I also have to be very careful about my food or I get horrible chest pain and sliming. I don't think it's super unusual? But if it's bothering you, definitely mention it to your doctor.

I'm in the same boat you're in. The way I see it, I'm still fat. At least, to most people. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy how far I've come. What works for me is trying on old clothes in smaller sizes and seeing how they fit. I can wear all my 16s now, and most of my 14s. Very inspiring! It'll probably take awhile for your head to catch up, but we are looking better! Be kind to yourself.

I am now 3 weeks post op, and I have had 3 family gatherings already. My un-laws don't know about the surgery and I really worried how I'd keep the secret. Turns out,I never had to say a word. No one noticed or cared about what or how much I was eating. I thought everyone would notice how little / how differently I was eating, and no one batted an eye. For the most part, I think you'll find that most people aren't paying attention to you and what you eat. So far, keeping the secret has been surprisingly easy. Don't feel pressured to tell before you need to! Good luck, secret keepers!

I bought this but haven't used it yet. Thanks for the heads up. Let us know how it .... uh ... goes?

Don't let nerves or panic about surgery change your mind. This is something you decided to do calmly and rationally, over a long period of time. Don't let the "oh, god! they're going to cut me!" panic make you change your mind. Also, they can give you calm down drugs if you *do* freak out. Don't bother bringing stuff to entertain yourself aside from maybe a laptop. You probably won't even need that. You think beforehand that you'll have all this recovery down time, but you really can't focus on anything other than trying to get your Water and your walking in. You can't concentrate on a book or even a movie. Or, at least, I couldn't. When you wake up, you will be in pain. The pain is pretty bad for the first 36-48 hours. You will feel better again. Don't worry. Good luck!

Haven't heard from you in a few days, @@nprcowboy . How are you doing?

So I am now officially one month post-op! I know the losses slow down now, and I'm wondering what I can expect from month 2, especially wanting to look good for the holidays, etc. I know everyone's experience is different, but I'm wondering how much you all lost in your second month? I'm hoping for 10 lbs. Thanks!

I am almost 6 weeks out. My NUT said 60-80 and I usually get less than 70 per day. I usually have half of a shake to one shake per day (depends on the day) and then just eat as much Protein as I possibly can for the rest of the day. Usually it works out to 60 or close.

Is your skin bouncing back? Is it loose and saggy? How old are you? How much have you lost? I'm 35 and down 40 lbs and starting to look saggy and deflated.

Bought my dress for Christmas parties this year, and looked great in a size 14!!! A normal, not plus size ! I am beyond thrilled, especially when I think how 2 months ago I would have needed a 20. Woooooohooooo!

I am so sorry you have to go through this. Well wishes for a speedy recovery for you and your wife. Keep us posted.

coffee allowances seem very plan-specific. I'm not supposed to have any, but I still have a few sips of my husband's coffee every day (regular). It seems like some plans allow you to have regular coffee as long as you can tolerate the acid. When I go to my doctor's appointment on the 12th, I'm going to ask him about regular coffee. I really want to get an official ok on this and not just feel like a big cheaty cheaterson every time I have a sip.

I'm a month post-op and still struggle with this. When I eat too fast, I'm in pain. Most days I do fine, but sometimes I just forget. It's hard to break years and years of habit. It's a learning process. But even on the days that I do really well, I never feel like I spend all day eating slowly. 20-40 minutes per meal, 3x per day. No big deal.

We just went to TGIFriday's for lunch and I got the Ahi Tuna "shareable" (tapas) dish for $6. I didn't eat the tortilla chips it came on, but the tuna was great. I find (so far) that I can eat anywhere, as long as I focus on Soups or starters. Tapas are great b/c they're small. Good luck!

Thanks for all the advice! It turned out to be my best Thanksgiving ever as an adult! I didn't overeat (not even by one bite!), no one noticed how much I was eating or not eating, and I ended up eating about 350 calories for the Thanksgiving dinner. Just an estimate based on MFP, and *way* more than I usually eat for a meal now, but I feel great about it! WOOHOO! Major success!

We are hosting Thanksgiving this year, since my mother-in-law's water heater exploded and ruined most of her kitchen. I am cooking a ton of food today, and we're having 6 people over who don't know I've had surgery. I am almost 4 weeks post-op and very nervous. I'm worried I'll accidentally eat too much or too fast, and I'm worried my mother-in-law will try to push a bunch of food on me that I don't want to / can't eat. Anybody else in the same boat? What's your plan? Any tips on how to handle in-laws who try to push food down your throat? (PS - I already told her that my husband and I are dieting, and trying to stick to it even today, and her response was that she was bringing two desserts and, "Come ON, it's THANKSGIVING!")

I'm almost 4 weeks out and still no period. Still waiting. I've been unintentionally acting kind of cranky, tho, so I suspect it's on the horizon.

@ I actually ran out of my first scheduled surgery date. I was set for October 10, and I got to the hospital, got all naked, the IV was in, and I changed my mind and left because I was panicking. It was a terrible decision and I regretted it immediately after leaving the hospital. It took another 3 weeks to reschedule, which meant more pre-op diet, more money and more hassle. I made the decision to get the sleeve calmly and rationally, and I let day-of panic make the decision to leave. I should have trusted my calm, rational self. I am 35 and was 260 lbs, and I didn't want to be 40 and staring down 300 lbs, or more. Do you want to choose not to have the surgery and deal with this weight for the rest of your life? I didn't. Only you know what's right for you, but having the surgery was the right decision for me. And the anesthesiologist can give you something to calm your nerves on the day-of to help you get through it. I am now 3.5 weeks post op, and transitioning to sleeved life hasn't been super easy, but I'm already down a significant amount of weight, and I know I just need some time to adjust to this way of life. Good luck to you!