ColoradoTJS

Been a long time since I posted here. Some random thoughts... Down to 220 or so from 275 at start. Good place for me, although I wouldn't mind being closer to 210. Would be happiest grazing a little bit all day. Full meals are almost never great for me. I just don't like having a lot of food in front of me. I still crave crappy food. A donut will probably always look better to me than a pile of carrots. The saving grace is that I don't eat much of the crap, just small amounts. I still have a hard time seeing myself as smaller. I still see the fat guy in the mirror. Pictures still strike me as funny. I stress about the scale as much or more than I used to. I've been down as low as 217, and now at 222 I have terrible fear that I'm going to go back to the way I was. Anyone else feel this way? Like you're going to ruin everything and go back to being huge? Went on a cruise. Took my shirt off in public. Was a cool moment for me. Haven't done that in 30 years. Hope you're all well.

Starting this topic because I'm weighing two opposing courses of action... I have been a "self pay" patient, and paid more than $17,000 so far for my surgery to my bariatric surgeon's practice, plus the anesthesiologist, the blood work, etc etc etc. Have been happy with the results (48 pounds down and feeling great). But, they've started charging me for follow-up visits now. Got an $85 bill for a follow-up visit to a physician's assistant last week that held little to no value for me. I feel like they are just stringing me along at this point. I could be getting the same attention from my primary care physician at this point, and these visits could be more integrated into my overall health. I am thinking that I'm about done with my surgeon's office. They want me to go get a whole battery of blood tests done (that will probably cost me another $500+) and I'm just not going to do it. My PCP can direct me to do those, if necessary. What are your thoughts? At what point should we say HEY THANKS SO MUCH, but I'm done being a cash source for the surgeon's practice? Thanks.

Question for everyone... I was down with my nutritionist's instructions to avoid drinking with meals. Guess the idea is that if you fill up with liquids then you're not getting the nutrition. BUT... I swear to you... a little bit of liquid when I eat helps me cope with the general discomfort of eating. I'm talking a few sips here and there. Calms down the stomach entry point, I think. Is anyone else experiencing this?

Hey, there's nothing wrong with wanting to feel hotter and get more attention. I totally understand that one! You're being polite by putting it only in "the top eight." Top three for me! Haha. But, I will say that my body is advancing a bit faster than my sexual self confidence. I'm down 40, wearing pants three sizes smaller already, but still feel like a "fat guy" when the clothes are off. Haven't debuted the new and improved body for an audience yet. I'm told that just takes a while for the emotional self confidence to assert itself. Today I spent 45 minutes running on the treadmill (love this app called "Get Running" by the way) and saw my side profile in a mirror. Didn't hate it for the first time in 20 years. It's a process. Good luck with your surgery OKCPirate. Remember that the first couple of weeks are a bit sucky, but you'll get past it.

Hey Everyone, hope you're all doing well. I'm a 9/22 sleeve guy. Been doing really well. Down 35 pounds, three pant sizes. Loving that. I have been pretty awful at keeping within the prescribed limits on what you're supposed to eat. I'm not going far outside the bounds, but coloring outside the lines a little. Only trouble I've had is when I've tried to eat food with some spice in it. I really miss the spicy Snacks, Tabasco and spicy green chili. One day, I just gave in to a small number of "Salsa Verde" Doritos, and while I enjoyed them going in, my stomach decided they needed to be immediately "returned to sender." That calmed me down quite a bit. Not a fan of that. Struggling with restaurants... when I travel and just socially. I honestly have very little appetite. Thought I'd be starving, but I'd rather just have nibbles throughout the day. An actual meal is torture -- too much food, still stuff I'm afraid to eat, others scrutinizing my consumption. My partner (who loves to bake) decided not to make a cake for his birthday because, "No one's going to eat it anyway." Read between the lines on that. Anyway, things are good. I'm pleased with how I'm doing. Looking healthier, feeling healthier. Hope you are all coming along as well.

I'm five weeks out, feeling great, and down three pant sizes already. About 35 pounds down from when I began the journey. No regrets, but I have had to come to terms with some lifestyle changes. I am really realizing how much going out to eat (with the partner, friends, family, coworkers, business contacts) was part of my routine. Going to restaurants just isn't fun anymore. Either nothing looks appetizing to me, or I know I'm going to eat very little of whatever I order. They tell you to order the appetizer portions, or something off the kids' or seniors' menu, but that's not practical when you're eating with people you don't want to tell your business to. So, I find myself deflecting lunch appointments and suggesting coffee more often. Also, when I look around at other people eating larger quantities, it makes me lose my appetite even more. I wouldn't call this a regret exactly... but I will say that it's requiring some thinking, and maybe a little bit of mourning. I don't miss eating larger portions. I guess I just don't find restaurants to be enjoyable as they used to be. I loved the smells, the courses, the wine. Now, I'm ordering Soup and an entree I probably won't eat. So, that's taking some getting used to. Wouldn't change a thing, but that's been the toughest adjustment for me. Psychologically, I think I was addicted to the dining out experience.

Funny thing today... On the road, traveling, which makes eating a bit more of a challenge. Protein shakes in the hotel room day after day just doesn't inspire me. Looked at the list of nearby places and settled on Jason's Deli. Figured they had lots of Soups and such. Ordered a small cup of veggie Soup and one scoop of tuna salad. Yay! Only $5.80! I'm saving a ton on restaurant bills. But the thing that blew my mind was after I sat down. I watched people filling their plates and bowls at the salad bar and simply could not believe the QUANTITY of food people were getting. After five or six weeks of this sleeve adventure, I can't believe that people (including me before) consume so much food. Heaping, overflowing bowls of food. Pounds of it! If nothing else, eating out is making me realize the crazy quantities of food Americans eat. I will probably always be shocked at food bars after this.

The danger of feeling overly confident. I had a long scheduled breakfast appointment this morning. Potential client, terrific financial benefit if it comes together. I'm 9 days post surgery. Been tolerating yogurts and soups beautifully the last few days, so felt ready. Ordered two scrambled eggs and a small cup of plain yogurt. Easy peasy, right? After the fourth fork of egg and second small spoon of yogurt, I knew I was in trouble. Haven't thrown up once since surgery, but knew that my stomach wasn't happy with the egg. Made it through the meeting (thank heavens), but lost it all next to my truck when I got out to the parking lot. None of it stayed down. Headed home, felt defeated, and opened another protein shake (which I've already grown to hate). Ah well, part of the journey. Thinking that I am going to change the norm of having meetings over meals to meetings over coffee. Tea stays down just fine!

Sorry this happened to you. Frontier is a crap airline, and they are so desperate for money. I honestly believe that they are penalized if they don't generate a certain number of dollars at the gate. The last time I flew them, they were walking around the gate area looking for any carry-on bag that might not fit in their "sizer" and then charging passengers $25 or more to carry on an "oversized bag." There's a little part of me that wonders if it was less about fat shaming and more about trying to make some gate revenue quota. That said, stop flying Frontier and its best friend Spirit. You're so much better flying Southwest Airlines with its open seating model, if you can. Pay a little extra and board early. I've found that no one wants to fly in the middle seat next to the "big guy," and that usually means more room for me (That's call turning their b.s. into my advantage!). YIPPEE! (If there's one disadvantage to losing a bunch of weight, it will be no more open middle seats next to me on Southwest - LOL!) I guess my point is that when you fly these nickel and dime airlines, you can't be surprised by much. Pay a little more and fly an airline that treats customers with some dignity. You ever notice that of all the animals on Frontier's planes, they've never had a hippo or elephant? It's a conspiracy, I tell ya!

What's up friends. Glad to find this forum. I have to say, I'm sort of rockin' this whole thing so far. Wounds healing great, down 10 pounds since surgery morning (28 since deciding to do it). My surgery was a week ago today, and I'm hitting the soups and yogurt, even though I'm still not quite hitting the protein goals. Coming close. Stopped all pain meds, walking at least a mile a day, and feeling pretty awesome. Missing food for sure, but it's mostly mental. Hard to see pizza commercials during football games and not want some! Definitely watching this forum and others for soft food ideas. I travel for work a lot, so I need to start recognizing food possibilities. Can't live on yogurt alone on the road, or I'll be miserable. Hoping the best for each of you.