Inner Surfer Girl

Dehydration is one possibility. So is blood pressure. Did you have high blood pressure pre-op? Are you taking blood pressure meds? You might want to talk to your PCP to see if you need to adjust your meds.

That is why you are thirsty. One of the challenges immediately post-op is staying ahead of dehydration. If you are thirsty you are dehydrated. Keep aggressively sipping. You need to be getting more Water.

Awesome!

I started at a higher weight than you and was dealing with being immobile, too. Once I started the process for surgery I experienced some delays because of some financing issues. In the end, it took longer than I had hoped but everything worked out well. The first thing I would recommend is that you let go of the day expectation of losing a certain amount of weight on your timeline. Try to focus on the next step in front of you. That doesn't mean you can't make a list or journal about what you envision your life to be like in the future. Dream big! A few things that helped me prepare for surgery: Find some exercise you can do and work up to at least an hour a day. I got an exercise peddler and peddled it with my hands. I started at small five or ten minute increments while watching tv and worked up to over an hour a day. There are YouTube videos for chair exercises and walking exercises (like Leslie Sansone). My favorite exercise is water exercise. If you have access to a pool, it is a great way to get in exercise and is easier on your joints. Start tracking your food. Pre-op, I was using the Weight Watchers app so my NUT encouraged me to continue with that. Post-op, I switched to MyFitnessPal because 1) it's free and 2) it is better for tracking my Protein. Does your surgeon or NUT have you on a pre-op food plan? I also weaned myself off of carbonation and caffeine pre-op which I found to be really helpful. You can also learn as much as you can about yourself, the disease of obesity, weight loss surgery, your relationship with food, etc., by reading, journaling, participating in support groups, and this website. You may find that time will fly by. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

This is awesome. I am still self conscious but it isn't as bad. I got a new drivers license picture yesterday and it wasn't half bad.

I was able to shower right away. I probably could have taken one in the hospital. I was told just not to rub my incisions. I was't allowed to submerge in water (bathe, swim) until after my incisions had healed. About four weeks.

This is great to know. And, yes, unfortunately, you can find Walmart just about everywhere.

I love my Misfit Shine. My sister gave me one for Christmas and I love that I can swim with it and it counts laps.

None of us lose at a constant or steady rate. We all experience periodic stalls and almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. Just follow your program. Focus on getting in all of your Protein and fluids, and stay off the scale. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

My surgeon said that if he went in and the liver was too large he would just close me up and not do the surgery. That was plenty of incentive to follow directions for me.

I don't have his specific diet and would love to see it, too. Just from watching random shoes it sounds like he focuses on calories but requires a high Protein, no starches, very low calorie diet. I haven't looked online to see if there is any more info. Also, keep in mind that the first people on the show had surgery 10 years ago, so his program has hopefully changed over time. He still seems sort of old school.

Without knowing what you are doing it is hard to know what you are doing "wrong", if anything. Are you required to lose a certain amount pre-op? Are you supposed to be following a particular plan? Are you tracking your food?

As to actual surgery risks I am going to have to disagree with the above poster. According to my surgeon, the biggest risks are pneumonia and blood clots: both of which occur post surgery. If you do everything you are asked to do, from your pre-op diet, to using your spirometer as directed, walking, you should be fine. A good surgeon's primary goal is getting you through surgery healthy and successfully. Listen to your surgical team.

I didn't have complications but know from these boards that it has happened. The best thing to do is choose a skilled surgeon and do everything you are asked to do to prepare for surgery. The good thing, according to my surgeon, is that if something like that were to happen while you are in surgery you have a surgeon right there who can fix it.

Ditto!

If money is an issue you might also want to consider no sugar added carnation Breakfast essentials.

One of the reason's I felt really comfortable with my surgeon was that he was old enough to have a lot of really great experience/track record and young enough to be current.

I just put some cauliflower with olive oil and an herb seasoning in my toaster oven to roast. This is the first time I am roasting cauliflower. What are you favorite, easy ways to cook or eat cauliflower?

Happy one year Surgiversary to all the April 2015 Sleevers! Today is my one year Surgiversary. This year has absolutely flown by and my life has changed so much for the better. This next year is going to be awesome!

I just got a new drivers license and the difference in pictures was quite marked.

Are you stuck: knowing you need to change but allowing anxiety and fear to paralyze you? Here is an excellent article about how to move through fear and anxiety to action. http://tinybuddha.com/blog/something-has-to-change-push-yourself-take-action/

Are you struggling in adjusting to new, healthy habits? Here are 10 Daily Tips for Making Healthy Changes: http://www.fitwoman.com/blog/2016/04/19/10-daily-tips-healthy-changes/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=10+Daily+Tips+Healthy+Changes These are excellent tips. I like the idea of breaking up your routine and leaving your house in the evening. I also agree with focusing on the process goals rather than the outcome goals. That has been critical for me. What has helped you make healthy changes?

I find things to elevate beyond the scale almost every day. So far today it was being able to stop at two stores on the way to a appointment, run in quickly to get something I needed and still get to my appointment on time.

Congratulations on your weight loss. You look great! Some thoughts: You have taken the first step in recognizing that you aren't satisfied with where you are now. In addition, it sounds like you are being honest with yourself about what you are doing which is extremely valuable if you want to make changes. One thing occurred to me when you mentioned that you have a very physical job is that you probably need to figure out what your body fat percentage is. Your goal weight MIGHT be unrealistic if you have a lot of muscle. Why not see if you can get a thorough assessment. Do you lift weights at a gym? It would be worth it to see if they can do a fitness assessment for you. They can also help you fashion a program to help you reach your goals. Also, go back to basics and follow your post-op food program. Track your food, You know what you are doing "wrong" but it also sounds like you don't know what you are doing right. How much Protein are you getting in? How much Water? Etc. The best advice I can give you is to go back to basics and make an appointment with your NUT to talk about your goals and challenges. An appointment with a counselor or therapist to talk about the same thing would be really beneficial, too. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

That is a great question for your insurance. Look for a free seminar in your area about weight loss surgery, preferably with a surgeon who is at a Bariatric Center of Excellence. They can help you get answer to questions like this, too since they generally work with a variety of insurance companies.