BitterSweet*

The previous poster who said oil, is correct.

Get up, pee (wash your hands. Lol!), strip down, and weigh....once per week.

It depends on your ethnicity!

What @@Kindle said. More calories, more water, no scale, and move (exercise) more.

@@AvaFern, you always give such well-informed, accurate and thoughtful responses to posts. If no one has ever told you, thanks so much. You are appreciated. =)

@@bobbyswife is correct. Just don't get any sewn in weaves while shedding is taking place; it'll cause severe matting. #beentheredonethat

@@piaffe, thank you so much. I should've clarified that I'll be flying into San Diego. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to me. =) I wanted to just use my birth certificate and DL, but I'm a bit of a chicken and my understanding is that requirements for boarder crossing have changed recently (in the last 7 -8 weeks). So, until I have my passport card, I'll be stateside.

I've finally decided on a surgeon (Dr. Ariel Ortiz at OCC) and now that I've chosen him, I'm ready to go. I've been researching for over 6 months and listening to everyone's tips and advice. So thanks to all of you. I know a passport is recommended, but I've read many times that it is not required for travel. I'd prefer to have it of course, but if it takes too long to get here, will my documentation be adequate? Meaning birth certificate and driver's license?

Yay!

Yep. This same phenomenon is experienced every August and December where I work. We do upwards of 110 surgeries in one day trying to fit ineveryone who needs to have surgery before year's end.

=)

From the pic (this is of course speculation on my part!), but the majority of your weight is in your upper body. Your legs are not huge, and unless you have on 2 pairs of full length Spanx under your leggings, I think you're golden on the lower half. You may end up with loose skin on the arms if you fail to exercise post-op (once cleared by your MD of course) and do lots of weight training / bands etc. for your arms. Since you've had 3 c-sections, the retraction of your belly will be different from others who have not been cut with a transverse 'bikini' cut like you have; that causes a loss of muscle strength which is worsened by weight gain and the fact that it's been done 3 times. Also, there's likely a seperation of your upper abdominal muscles that can only be repaired with a tummy tuck. If you do decide to have an abdominoplasty after your weight loss, they can create magic for you, and you'll end up with a really nice, flat tummy. I think you'll do great! Youth is on your side!

@@Kindle, that's a fantastic idea!

Are you taking a PPI for acid reflux?

Your question is quite valid. Btw, fat doesn't make you fat, carbs make you fat. Healthy fats are a necessary part of proper nutrition, and when something is fat free or reduced fat, it's typically (not always, but typically) loaded with carbs to enhance the flavor.

Thanks y'all. I ordered a passport card and delayed my surgery date. Since passports are valid for 10 years, I'd rather get a new one with a thin, cute face instead of my current fluffy face. =)

I think you're doing fantastic!

Yay! So happy for you!

Can't add more than what's already been said. Excellent responses.

Glad to hear that you're feeling better.

Hurt dogs will holler. I'm not easily perplexed nor do I need to "keep up", but thanks anyway. People are intelligent enough to filter information on their own without needing a disclaimer. You have no idea what experience or expertise someone reading this thread may have that could benefit the poster. The members on this forum come from a variety of professional backgrounds and even those that don't may have information that the poster finds useful. It really is ok to just state your opinion without the legal disclaimer.

I'm always perplexed by members telling someone not to listen to advice from other members, and then give advice themselves. Truly perplexing. To the OP, thank you for sharing your story. You do sound very well informed about your situation, both before and after surgery, and I'm sorry you've had less than ideal results; especially having the secondary gallbladder surgery. That does suck. Good luck to you and please keep us posted on your progress.

Oh my goodness. What a terrible ordeal. How are you doing now?

All you need to do is tell your pre-op nurse and the anesthesiologist that you get extremely nauseous after surgery. It's called "post-op nausea and vomiting" or PONV. They'll put the scopalamine patch behind your ear, and give you a cocktail of drugs before surgery. Even if you don't get nauseous, lie.

@@Elode, google "silent reflux".