Elode

Ok so I read somewhere that drinking "smooth move" tea would help keep you regular. Well I've been lucky enough to be regular but I thought oh I LOVE tea so why not (for good measure) so I drank a nice cup earlier and then I decided to look up the reviews on it and now I'm horrified that I'm in for a night of torture! I read reviews like "it caused me to have the worst cramps I've ever had!", "the cramps are worse than childbirth" "I crapped for hours" "I almost shat myself Inside out" (ok maybe not the last one but that's my fear right now, that and having to sit in a quit room taking finals tomorrow!) So has anyone actually drank this stuff? How did it "go". If I don't get any replies I will just go ahead and assume my "hell tea" is true. I seriously considered throwing it up! I don't have time for this nonsense! Tea is suppose to be soothing not a stinking torture device! For FOX Sake!

Ok, my surgeon said some people complain of left shoulder pain after surgery, he told me why but I can't remember the exact reason for it. He says gas x-strips won't help for that. I'm just curious to see how many people experienced that pain? Now I'm more worried about that than the incisions. I do have a heating pad packed just in case but if you had it what helped it go away?

Hello everyone! I know I've been MIA for awhile but I haven't really had any updating to do. I'm still managing the same weight. I'm trying not to lose at this point since my PS said not to. What I have been doing is obsessing over my cosmetic surgeries coming up. I'm having a tummy tuck with muscle repair and some breast stuff. Its consumed my entire life for the last month and now it's almost here. I'm not going to lie I'm terrified and just now starting to get a slight bit excited. Most people seem to be ecstatic about it. I hate the thought of the pain and whole long recovery period. The results are going to be worth it right? I've paid, I'm going. I woke up on the "losers side" last time and now I'm waking up on the "flat" side. If anyone has any before and after TT pictures they would like to share I would appreciate it! The hardest part of all of the research I've done is finding pictures of weight loss patients before and afters. I'm trying to find a belly that looks similar to mine. Ugh! Wish me luck! I need it.

Thank you everyone! It's been one heck of a journey. I don't regret any part of any of it. I guess if I had to chose one word it would be "Thankful". I hope you all get everything you're after. It takes time yet it goes by in a flash so enjoy it.

I got unwired early!! Thursday. I was 3 weeks and a day. He surprised me. One of the best days of my life. I can open my mouth (that far) which is really good! I can eat soft foods! I'm so happy wiht the progress. Now I just have to wear these two bands for awhile. I can take them off to eat and brush. Everyone kept asking me what I was going to eat first. Eat?! My top priority was to brush my teeth!!! Ewww! I couldn't brush behind my teeth for 3 weeks. My poor tounge was just gross. Everything's cleaned up now though. Next step, getting back to the ortho and fine tuning everything. One happy girl here!!

Thank you! I know it's my own face but my surgeons abilities just amaze me. I'm hanging in there......

Tell me about it! I did the two week liquid diet before my sleeeve and though it wasn't easy I managed to make it with ZERO cheating. This however, seems to be harder. I'm making it. I start back to work on Friday so that should help the days go by faster. Sitting at home not doing anything physical is boring and gives you nothing but time to think about what all you can't eat.

I have to have them for 4 weeks. Wednesday will be 2 weeks. It's the worst part of the whole process! I want to eat!

Thank you! Yes I am extremely happy to have it all over with and even more thankful that it has gone so smoothly! I've read so may story's from other people and they just sounded so miserable. I'm post op day 9 today and I feel like I'm back to normal only with a new face. The only thing I really can't stand now is my mouth being wired shut. There's only so many liquid dinners you can have. Mainly all blended up Soup. There aren't many options for strict liquids. I can't even cheat! It's literally impossible. Little less than 3 weeks left (hopefully). My swelling is coming down tremendously. I just took this picture and it's a difference between 6 days! I can't wait to open my big mouth again!

Thank you so much!!

It's all done! I'm in recovery! Day 6 right now. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It wasn't fun and the swelling is insane but I'm on the good end now. All I have left to do is get this swelling gone. They said my changes would be subtle. Ummm No. My whole face has changed. My whole face! I don't look anything like I did. The more the swelling goes down the more excited I am. I already love it! My long face is gone. My open bite and underbite are gone. I still look a bit chipmunk and my mouth is wired but you can see an amazing difference. I'm in awe. This is the second best thing I've done. Oh and I have zero numbness in my face which is unheard of. My surgeon is even shocked. That means he avoided any damage to my nerves . He's just incredible. I'm attaching some before and afters. All are within a week. Don't mind the yellow that's just bruising and no makeup.

@@Heather I Feb 8th is dooms day. I'm sure it's going to be trying and hellacious but at this point I NEED my mouth wired shut it's defiantly possible to gain weight. It's almost scary. I know I'm going to take it all back off but scary non the less. Congrats on the weight loss thus far! My husband actually told me today I look much better at 152 than 142 but he's also the same one that said I looked beautiful at 267 soooo...he doesn't get a say. I made him watch YouTube videos today of my jaw surgeries. I thought he was going to puke. It's pretty brutal looking and I'm more terrified of this than any surgery I've had because it's my face. You only get one face and if they screw it up I'm screwed. I'm keeping faith that it's all going to be for the best. That's all I can do.

@@Heather I Ha! Sorry I'm rarely on here anymore. I will try to get one tomorrow BUT just know I am having double jaw surgery in 8 days and will be having my mouth wired shut for at least 4 weeks. I was advised to gain weight since I will likely lose a bunch. I was 142, I'm 152 right now. 10 lbs feels like 50! I'm also 5'8 with the average weight drop being 20 lbs after this surgery I couldn't chance being 120's and this tall. So eating has been my goal and I've out done myself lol!!! All for a good purpose. I have to keep reminding myself....

@@KristenVSG2014 How did it all go?? I haven't been on here forever. I hope you recovered nicely!

This morning was a weigh in day and as I sat and marveled at the fact that I'm only 6 lbs away from hitting that elusive 100 lb mark I thought about just how much my life has changed in 8 short months. 8 months ago I was starting a new semester In college and it had got to the point to where I could no longer fit into any of my clothes (like, none of them!) I HATED clothes shopping, I hated the whole process of it from the horrific full length mirrors to the equally horrific lighting stores insist on using. So I decided instead of putting myself through the trauma of clothes shopping (I flat out refused to go up anymore in size) I would just buy myself two sets of black 2x scrubs to wear to school. Now, normally that wouldn't seem like such a big deal seeing as how I do wear scrubs for my occupation (nursing) but at the time I wasn't even working. I quit doing contract nursing to go back to school full time. I know nobody ever though anything of it, people just though I had been at work. I never lied or said I had been working it just never came up but I knew. I felt pretty defeated at that point. I knew I had to make a change. I got to the point I really didn't even want to leave the house but I had to go to school. When I think about that and then compare it to the fact that I just went out and bought myself some new scrubs In size MEDIUM ( I really am working again now) after only 8 months it seems like a real life miracle. I'm not sure why I'm really even sharing this but maybe it will give some newbies that are feeling the way I did some hope that it can and will all change. There is a light! I guess I'm just feeling extremely blessed and humbled this morning. So if anyone else would like to share their "fat confessions" I'd love to hear that I'm not the only one that did wacky things Life is good!

@@kblanc Yes it varies greatly, I had a tummy tuck and a full breatlift and it was $14,500 if your just looking for a number. That was for my Dr and the surgery center (everything included). It's not cheap (not to me anyway). I had to pay for everything up front. I was planning to have implants in November but I still love my "girls" small and perky so I'm not so sure yet.

I've decide that I'm going to give this "meal prep" idea a go. I've been slacking on eating healthy. I have yet to gain weight but at the rate I'm going it's bound to happen. I order the stuff listed below from Amazon last night in preparation for my return to work next week. I end up drinking only a protein shake at work and then come home at night and want to eat the house. I still don't eat and drink together so when I get my 30 min break its either eat or drink. I think this will be an excellent way to keep full and focused so that I'm not eating junk when I get home. Do you meal prep for the week? What kind of foods do you make? I've found some really good YouTube videos with recipes ect...but I'm wanting to hear from the WLS community. We could even make this a "thing" if anyone else is interested in doing this together. We can take pictures and share ideas. I'm all for it! ☺️

@@kblanc I wouldn't count on it. It's almost impossible to get insurance approval for anything considered "cosmetic". You better have some serious "under fat roll" infections for them to even considerate it and even at that it would only be skin removal. Not a tummy tuck.

@@Daisee68 I hope you start feeling good soon! It can only get better! I'm having double jaw surgery soon. I'm scared to death to have all that work don't and my mouth wired shut for 2-6 weeks. I'm to sure how I'm going to manage it all. I just know it always gets better as the days pass. Im not going to freak out of weeks about it like I did my plastics, they weren't even bad. I'll just go into dumb lol!! It is nice to be on your own once you're able. I like to whiny and be a baby alone! I don't need any wintnesses!

@@Daisee68 Oh wow congratulations!! So not bad but does it hurt? When do we get pictures? How long did it all take to do? So exciting!! @@bayougirlmrsc I'm working too much!!!

Coffee. I drink coffee and water.....but mainly coffee. That's something I need to work on.

@linseeka. Obgratualtions! It's a wonderful feeling isn't it. We're both 5'8! Being tall has its advantages!

@@glitter eyes That's wonderful! I don't think my mom will ever do it. She's 66 but I don't think she wants to go through all of it. Her knees are always hurting her and it's getting worse. I'm not sure why she wouldn't want to. I should talk to her about it more.

It's been a minute since I've hopped on here. I haven't had a whole lot of updating to do so I ran out of things to talk about. I'm almost at the 2 year post op mark, 6 months plastics. Both are still the greatest decisions of my life thus far. As some of you know I have adult braces. I was just recently approved to have jaw surgery!! Two separate surgeries. One to widen my upper arch even more (SARPE) and the other a double jaw surgery to move my lower jaw back and tilt my upper teeth to close a open bite and have a "less gummy" smile. My surgeon took molds on Monday and I may get lucky and not have to have the SARPE surgery? Just like with my WLS and plastics I've had people voice their opinions on this as well. I get the "why? There's nothing wrong with your teeth". Then I open my mouth and point out all the reasons. I just want a normal bite. That's all. It will change my looks a bit. Most insurance companies don't approve it because they consider it "cosmetic" and it's not cheap. My insurance company actual found it medically necessary. Now I know it's a long shot but I'm curious to know if anyone has had either of these procedures. Being a WLS patient I'm wondering how this is all going to work out? I will have my mouth banded shut for 2-6 weeks so nothing but liquids. I'm only 142 lbs now so I'm a bit concerned about the weigh loss that comes with this. Average loss is 15-20lbs. I'm 5'8. I guess we will cross that bridge when we come to it. That's my update. On to a new life change....I hope everyone is doing great and making beautiful progress!

@@BestDayEver Well thank you! I don't think people understand how monumental this journey can be. I wouldn't change it for anything. I feel like a whole new person. Inside and out. I'm glad to hear you are maintaining and doing well.