The Candidate

You'll be flying on that high for awhile. Congrats! Just take it one day, one step at a time and you'll be fine. It's worth everything you have to go through, I promise!

What a wonderful feeling! Congrats! Soon, the waiting will be over! Best of luck.

Definitely! Along with having to buy a new set of clothes, I purchased a floor heater for work. I've worked here for over 25 years and always had a fan because I'd break into sweat at the drop of a hat. Never had a need for a heater. Now the fan is rusting unused and the floor heater is being worked to death. Like night and day.

It was about the 6 weeks, two month mark for me. One day you'll just suddenly wake up and feel more energetic. And after a year... it'll seem like you're aging in reverse. It's incredible how fit and healthy I feel now. At least 20 years younger. Hang in there. The best is yet to be!

Congrats! You'll be amazed at how quickly the time flies.

Congrats on your success! You look fantastic!

I went to a couple of support groups as a pre op. I liked it and I especially liked the people. The only downside was that I was the only pre op. Everyone else was a year or more out so it was a bit hard to relate. I considered going back after surgery but I felt pretty confident with what I'd already learned, and I never had any major issues or complications as a post op. I was very lucky. I'll never forget though there was this elderly gentleman there who had the surgery when he was about 74 and he was 76 then. He was so distinguished and well spoken and he proudly showed his before photo around. He was a real inspiration and I'll never forget him.

Absolutely agree! These are very sturdy, practically leak proof and I run them through the dishwasher all the time.

I had issues with constipation for maybe the first three months. I take a stool softener 2 or 3 time a week (I include it with my vitamins), and I haven't had any problems since.

My last meal was a pizza Hut smorgasbord. Pepperoni pizza, bread sticks, giant cookie and Coke Zero. Haven't had any of it since and I don't even miss it. ???? Congrats and best of luck to you!

I hope the surgery helps you find a path to better health. You've been through a lot and deserve a chance for a new life. Best wishes!

Congrats on everyone's upcoming surgery! Even though I'm nearly 14 months out, I can easily remember the sweet anticipation of surgery like it was yesterday. I was so calm and serene going in I think I reached the master level of zen. Hold onto that faith and it will do you well. I have zero regrets and would do it all over again without hesitation. I'm confident that you'll feel the same. You're going to love your new lives! Best of luck!

Today someone told me I look like a 12 year old. Just when I thought I'd heard it all. ????

Congrats! You look amazing!

I love Premier as well. I couldn't stand the powders and I tried them all. Only Premier held up both as a pre op and as a post op.

I would recommend taking as much time as you can. I was extremely lucky to be able to take a full six weeks. I was fortunate that I had no complications too, and my recovery was pretty much text book perfect. If pressed, physically, I probably could have gone back after one or two weeks. The hardest part was the exhaustion that stayed for about the first six weeks. It helped too having the extra time to get used to everything. It was very much like having a brand new gadget without the user manual to go with it. I still feel that way sometimes. ???? Unfortunately no one can predict how their recovery will go, but barring a major complication, you should be alright. Good luck!

You're going to have a lot these ups and downs along the way, and long stretches where you lose nothing at all. It's perfectly normal. As long as you're doing your part don't sweat it. If it becomes too much of a metal block try weighing yourself less often. Good luck!

I am close to 14 months post op RNY. I initially went into this dead set on the sleeve. I had just heard about it and had done a lot of research. I liked that my intestines wouldn't be rerouted and the unused portion of the stomach would be removed. The approval process for my insurance was lengthy, and during that prolonged period though, I began to have second thoughts. I was offered the choice of either procedure so the end decision would be entirely my own. Some of the reasons I had for the change of heart was that I was 54 at the time. I'd lost and gained weight my entire life. I really believed that this was my last chance to "get it right." My metabolism was already slower than someone younger. I'd learned (although it's not true in every case) that with the sleeve you might lose weight slower than with RNY. I wanted the weight off as fast as possible. I wanted to take as much advantage of the coveted "golden period" of rapid weight loss as I could. Now I know there are many sleevers who lost their weight just as fast or faster, but in my personal case the RNY seemed a better fit. I was coming across a lot of posts from people who had gotten the sleeve, but were later revised to the RNY due to GERD issues. That really scared me. If there was the slightest chance of needing a revision after the sleeve, I just wasn't willing to risk it. Again, there are a lot of sleevers who never encountered this issue. I liked the idea of the "possibility" of dumping as a fail safe to help keep me on the straight and narrow. I had a wicked sweet tooth. Of course there are many people who have never dumped after RNY, myself included, but I still use the possibility of it happening as an extra incentive. It works very well for me. I didn't know anyone who'd had the sleeve, but I knew two who'd had the RNY. One gained her weight back and the other didn't. Both had theirs years before me and it afforded me an up close and personal example of how much I would be personally responsible for my eventual success or failure. As much as it's "said" that WLS is only a tool, it's still hard to imagine yourself as a post op when you're a pre op. Watching them gave me that personal access. One kept to a healthy lifestyle and exercised. The other went back, almost immediately, to her bad habits. The former kept her weight off and the latter didn't. Which brings me to my final tilt from sleeve to RNY. Initially the idea of being able to eat anything I wanted only in smaller portions, was a big draw. But in the end I knew myself too well. I was a junk food addict, and even in smaller portions, a bad thing is still a bad thing. I chose to make a complete break from those bad choices, and felt that the RNY was the only way I could achieve it. There just wasn't enough research on the sleeve yet to satisfy me either. And let me stress again, that this decision was made for me only, my circumstances and my lifestyle. It is not meant to sully the sleeve in any way. Regrets - not a single one! I'm nearly 14 months out, and reached my goal of 130 back in April. I've never been happier or fitter in my life, and have been maintaining easily. I still track my weight and exercise daily, forever reminding myself that I could easily gain it back if I start to slack. It's a powerful motivator. I did completely rid myself of bad habits. Since surgery I no longer drink soda, or eat fast food. Aside from the occasional Protein drink, I only drink Water. I don't eat bread, rice, Pasta, and red meat. I don't add salt to anything. My cravings are pretty much non existent. I'm 55 and feel like I'm in my 20's! I would do this again in a New York minute! Best decision I ever made! Best of luck to you on your journey, wherever it takes you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Wow! It's so incredible to hear from someone so far out from their surgery. Congrats on your amazing success. You are an inspiration to us all!

When I was going through the process I made a point of seeking out both positive and negative WLS experiences. I knew going in that the end result could turn out to be the biggest mistake of my life. Or the best decision I ever made. Either way, I made my bed and I was prepared mentally and emotionally for either outcome. I'm glad that there are people out there who are brave enough to share their negative experiences. Nothing is certain with this surgery, much like any other procedure, and it is imperative that you research both sides of the coin before you take the plunge. Purposely avoiding the possibility of complications and closing your mind to "bad news" will only hurt you more in the end. The more informed you are, the better prepared you will be. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Congrats! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Congrats on your surgery day! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Best of luck to you! I went through Kaiser and I remember the process like it was yesterday. I thought my surgery date would never arrive. And then finally it was here, and all the agony of waiting was gone... like it never happened. I'm a year out now and couldn't be happier. I would do it all over again in a second! You're going to love your new life! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Best of luck and best wishes! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I totally agree. It's very important to never forget your past, and how easily the past can be repeated. I refuse to utter the words "such and such pounds lost forever!" No forever is ever guaranteed. I see myself in every 600+ patient. It doesn't matter that my highest weight was 248. I am them and they are me. We all required surgical intervention in the end. Complacency is the fast track to failure. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App