NewJeffrey

I took communion 4 weeks after my surgery. It wasn't until after I took it that I thought about the implications it could have. I immediately was scared. However I thought, my faith is what has carried me so far. I have taken this communion out of my gratitude for what Jesus Christ my Lord has done in my life. This surgery is one of the many things that I thank the Lord for. I've been taken communion since then and I have had no issues. Praise the Lord!!!!

I will be praying for you and I am thankful that things are working out for you :-).

Hey November buddies!! I had my surgery on November 4th. My HW was on February 21, 2014 and it was 469lbs. I was totally disgusted with myself. My SW was 414lbs. I weigh myself every Sunday, and yesterday I was 321lbs. My GW is 220lbs. I feel great. I hit stalls of no weight loss for a couple of weeks and then BOOM a 5lb weight loss. Now I'm concerned about getting complacent and eating wrong. Its good to catch up and I need to hit this site daily. Have a great day!! :-) :-) NewJeffrey

Oh yeah no Super Bowl predictions. If the NY GIANTS are not in it, then I just root for the NFC representative, whoever that is.

Hey thanks for the update. I've been plugging along also. I got back in the gym on December 3rd.. I've been working out 3 days a week. I do 30 minutes of cardio and 30-45 minutes of circuit weight training. I only did one day last week because I had a cold, but plan to get back at it this week. I'm losing 4lbs a week, but I'm losing a lot of inches. I feel great!! :-) I have no answers to your situation. I have not experienced it and this is the first time I've heard of it. Have you contacted your surgeon's office? That's what I would do. Thanks again for the update. How is everybody else doing??

Hi. No saliva issues for me.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my November buddies. I got the gift of hope for a healthier lifestyle on November 4th. I'm so grateful for the Gastric Bypass surgery and my November buddies :-) :-)

@@carriekos I agree with Ready2b. We fall down and then we get back up. One advantage you have over me is that after surgery you realize your vulnerability. I am still under the illusion that after surgery I am pretty invincible. So your slip up will now be a big help to you moving forward. @Ready2b. I haven't stalled yet, but I'm noticing that I have to work harder in the gyn to lose than a few weeks ago, and my body is getting to sore to maintain this workout pace. I only do it because I don't won't to stall, but soon I'll need to slow down. I'm trying to prepare myself mentally for the stall. Stalls will occur, but we must adhere to our plan and see this through to a healthier lifestyle!!! :-) :-) @@Jessica its got to be very tough for you right now. I'll be praying for you. Our trials make us stronger and prepare us for the trials in the future.

My screen name is jeffharl52

@Ready2b. Thanks!! Your comments were awesome. Its funny because today at the mission this one Chaplain is asking me all of these personal questions, after complimenting me, and I had to tell him that we are not close enough for you to ask me. I also love the moniker, "Everyday Jeffrey". Thank you for the encouragement :-) :-)

Hey Ready2b I'm not having similar emotional issues, but struggling with some behavioral, emotional issues. I went back to Church today. I'm an Assistant Pastor and I've been away for 4 weeks. I didn't tell anyone about my surgery (I don't know why because we are a small, country, intimate church), but people kind of know, but they are polite enough not to inquire. Here's my issue. All day people kept telling me how great I looked. I should keep doing whatever it is I am doing because I look younger, healthier, etc.. I don't know how to take these types of compliments. I haven't heard them for over 35 years. I'm better at insults and criticism for my weight than compliments. In fact, I responded negatively. I said things like, "You know me, just wait until our Christmas dinner. I'm going to eat it all back, ha ha, ha." AM I NUTS!!! Internally I thought, "You still have 175lbs to lose this is nothing!!" I didn't realize that the emotional aspect of this journey was going to be this tough. I really underestimated it. Now tomorrow I go back to work (I am a Chaplain at a Homeless Shelter) and I am kind of scared, which is really hard for me to admit. Thank you Ready2b for opening up because it allowed me to vent and put out somethings I'm dealing with today. Jeffrey (New Jeffrey)

I was constipated my 2nd week post operation. I developed internal hemorrhoids. I used Miralax 2x a day and it loosened my stools and the hemorrhoids healed up.

Welcome to the losers bench :-) :-)

Tricia thank you for sharing your journey, and for being so open and honest. I'm 4 weeks out and I started using the My Fitness Diet Tracker to lose weight pre operation. However I've been contemplating not using it anymore since I can't eat as much. But you post tells me to keep using it. Thank you Tricia!!!

Thank you!!! :-) :-)

@@Gingerisgreat Those first couple of weeks can be tough. I'm 30 days post operation and today was my best day! I've got tons of energy. No pain. So hang in there!!!! It will get better :-) :-).

Hey from one Big Dude to another we got to be there for one another. I'm 4 weeks out and at times, your right, it doesn't seem real. But I am glad that I did this, and that we can lean on each other. I went to the gym after my follow up appointment today. It felt great just knowing in the back of my mind that this time I will be successful because I got a new tool that I didn't have before!!! A brand new digestive system that won't let me have one of those, "What did I just do moment's????" This time failure is not an option, and that is encouraging!! :-) :-)

@ I know I'm not getting in enough calories. I use MyFitness Pal app and I'm averaging between 600-650 calories a day, and that's a 16 hour day. I've been walking around 2 miles a day the last several days, but still can't eat more with the time constraints before eating, drinking, etc... so I've stalled to (I am 4 weeks post surgery) but I'm trying to focus on protein, water, and vitamins. The weight will come.

I bought some chicken breasts. I seasoned them overnight and then grilled them. I put one in a food processor and puree it. I can get a good 4-5 ounces. It tastes great!! You get about 23 grams of protein. I add small curd cottage cheese (14 grams of protein) on the side and its a nice meal for a simple guy like me :-)

Hey Dabliss and the rest of the gang. Today is my 4 week anniversary. I'm doing great! I've been walking 2 miles a day. My incisions are healing real fine. I don't have any pain, I am still sensitive in my belly button area, but that's it for pain. I go tomorrow for my follow up and I decided before surgery to have all my weigh ins at Doctor appointments and at the monthly support meetings. This way I focus on fluids, Protein, and exercise, as well as the behavioral health changes. I'm excited about the future health wise, which quite frankly is not something I'm used to. How's everybody else doing? Jeffrey

Well I've been looking at this surgery for several years. I wasn't always overweight. In fact, I was an athlete in high school and college. I also spent several years in the military. I started gaining weight in 1998. I would diet and exercise. Take the weight off for awhile and then gain it back, plus more. My Mother died from Diabetes in 2005, and she always warned me to watch my weight. I didn't listen. I got up to 400 lbs in 2008 and I was so depressed, disturbed, angry, and ashamed. I tried Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, Herbalife, South Beach Diet. Nothing worked. My blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1C were raising to dangerous levels and I had no way to stop it. So in 2010 I began going to seminars searching for a surgeon. It was hard for me to accept going this route. I felt like I was a " loser" because I couldn't discipline myself and control my appetite. It was hard to ask for help. But! I was an alcoholic and I went to detox and rehabilitation in 1993. I haven't had a drink or drug in 21 years. I believe that food can be a dangerous addiction and I needed help. So after having my insurance denied in 2012, I switched insurances in 2013. I had a surgical consult on April 22, 2014 and my weight was 466 lbs. My highest weight was 477 lbs in January 2013. I did the tests and followed my nutritional plan because my goal was to be under 400lbs by my surgery date. I had my surgery on November 4th, and on November 3rd I weighed 399 lbs. My last weigh in was last Wednesday and I was 378 lbs. I feel great!! I am so glad that I made this decision to change my lifestyle. I apologize for the length of this, but thank you for asking me because this was therapeutic for me to recall :-) :-). What's your story? Jeffrey (New Jeffrey).

Yeah the left side. My Docs said that the left side is where they do most of the work, including inserting their stapler gun inside of us to stitch up our intestines and the abdominal muscle wall. So its "counterintuitive" but the more you walk (in spite of discomfort) the better you'll get. BUT remember to get your rest to because we just had major surgery.

Meplus it gets better everyday. As someone else said get up and active (Even if its walking in the house). When it was my first few days home every two hours I walked, indoors, 300 - 500 steps. I did that until I had done 2500 steps for the day. Then I started into my Protein requirements (80 -100 grams a day), and my Water (64 ounces a day). If you do that you will feel better on a daily basis! :-) :-) Stay in touch. New Jeffrey

I am so glad that I read this post. I am 4 weeks out, and I learned several great things. Thank you all for your responses.

I had the same pain in that area. I called my Doctor, and he said the same thing that hermine louise said, but added that walking would help. They have to stitch up a lot of muscle in that area because they do most of their work on that side, so now your muscles must stretch back out, while still being stapled. Hence, the discomfort. I've been walking about 7,000 steps a day, and the pain gets better everyday.