samuelsmom

Great advice on this thread. I think the important point is that this is a marathon, not a sprint. The pre-op period really helps you prepare for the surgery and post-op period. Also the lower your BMI is pre-op the safer the procedure and research indicates you will be more successful with weight loss post-op. So for all of those with long waiting periods, hang in there and use the time well!

I understand that she is frightened for you because she has had problems. Every surgery has risks, however, there is no reason to think that because she has had a complication you will also! That makes no sense. Good Luck!

Glad you're getting an endoscopy. Once the doctor has a look it may shed some light on this. Hope you have a quick resolution and feel better soon!

@@kbitty If you had diabetes would you feel like a failure for taking insulin? Obesity is a disease. WLS is one treatment option for those who are morbidly obese and/or have other health issues related to obesity. I also think it has nothing to do with anything. Who cares?! Will you really not be happy when you feel better and achieve your goals? You have a disease that obviously needs treatment or you wouldn't be on this site. I would recommend that you start attending weight loss seminars and really investigate this option. Good Luck!

Loose and comfortable is the way to go.

Maybe I'm crazy here, but when people stop and tell me how wonderful I look, it makes me feel warm and happy. When someone tells me I look great they are not saying that I looked awful before. It just means I look better now Unless this is a person who is mean spirited or trying to make you feel bad (we all know they are out there), I would suggest taking the compliment in the spirit with which it was intended and enjoying the moment.

Unless you have some type of medical issue, there are pluses and minuses to each surgery. While lapband is the simplest surgery there is a significant number of persons who have the band slip or have major issues with it which requires another surgery to remove the band. The bypass reroutes digestion, however, is effective for resolving diabetes. The VSG leaves digestion intact and reduces the size of the stomach. VSG has fewer complications overall compared to the bypass. For me, the sleeve was an obvious choice as I ate very healthy foods, however, portion control was my biggest issue. I also am not open to the idea of another surgery. Once is enough! In short, depending on your current health, any of the 3 surgeries could be appropriate. I would suggest you go to some different weight loss seminars and determine what you are comfortable with. Good luck.

Weight today- 232 Goal- 222

This is the one thing I am really concerned about. None yet and I am 3 months out. I do wash my hair less and I give myself a warm coconut oil treatment once a week (wet hair, pour on melted coconut oil, wait 20 minutes, and then shower and wash hair). I'm hoping I get lucky on this one!

I was never given a calorie goal either, my practice focuses on Protein and Water goals. I also do calorie spot checks and find that I eat about 200 calories per meal. That plus Snacks puts me in at about 800-100 calories per day.

I am 3 months out from surgery and so far, no regrets. While neither of us are chefs, my husband is a great cook and now that the kids are in college, we enjoy eating out more. After the surgery I had no appetite for about 3 weeks. By the 4th week it was back. What I have appreciated about this surgery is the ability to eat normally. My husband and I go out regularly and I know I can order something i will enjoy and have plenty left to take home for another meal! Also, nothing makes me sick. Chef Graham Elliott from MasterChef had the surgery in 2013 and has lost 150 pounds. There are quite a few articles about it online. Being a chef, they might be of interest to you. Good luck.

@@Rogofulm Thanks for the kind words. I am happy to say that the surgeon's group I went with has an in house fitness center staffed by exercise physiologists. I have been working with them since August and can now "bike ride" for 5 1/2 miles and even do some strength training! If you didn't know I have severe knee arthritis you couldn't tell as I am pain free most of the time. The other day my next cubicle over co-worker heard me coming in and asked who was there because she was used to the sound of my gait and I was moving so much faster she thought it was someone else. That is a a great feeling!

I don't like to measure because it makes me feel like I'm on a diet, and we all know how that worked out in the past! I did go to the Salvation Army and got several very pretty small plates which I use exclusively now. More than 3 oz fish and a little bit of vegetable are all that will fit so it is more of an indirect measurement!

As you may imagine this was not an easy decision. I had been trying to change my lifestyle and eating habits for the last 5 years and always had success before the inevitable fall and regain. In July 2013 I started having injections in both knees due to arthritis. The shots worked wonders. So I joined a swim class and had to quit because I got shin splints so severe I couldn't continue. I tried to walk more and got terrible foot pain so that each step hurt. I tried to go to a gym and the trainer told me to just do stretches in the Water because I couldn't handle anything else. I tried to follow various plans (I know them all) and in one year saw that I had gained and loss 15 pounds 3 times. I was one pound lighter at the one year mark. There comes a point that you realize that good luck and great genes will only get you so far. I felt like crap and realized that at that moment I had no co-morbidities (with the exception of borderline hypertension) and that like the bank's "grace period" mine would soon be over. Also, being past 50, I knew that even if a new wonder drug came out it would be years before FDA approval and I probably would not live to see it, or be disabled. I did a lot of research and my first appointment was July 28th 2014 and my surgery was November 19th. What would I like younger WLS candidates to learn from my lesson? 1) This is not a surgery to go into without a lot of soul searching 2) Seriously work on your weight issues before even thinking about surgery 3) Consider the possible side effects and decide if you are willing to go ahead. While they are rare, they do happen. Thanks for asking!

Please don't hate me but I was one of those people. From my perspective, having surgery that is not absolutely necessary is a foolish risk. It always seemed to me like weight loss was a battle that needed to be fought but not with surgery. The idea of a potential infection, leak, malnutrition, blood clot, etc. seemed like a great risk for a surgery that might not be successful. It probably didn't help that the first person I knew with gastric bypass had 8 infections the first year after surgery and was not well for years! Surgery really is an extreme option. For those younger folks (around 20-30) I still cringe a little bit as I wonder how this will affect them in 20 years, or if there will be a more effective non-operative method available if they had just waited a little bit longer. Just my thoughts....

I don't know of anybody who is not afraid before surgery. Don't let last minute jitters get you down!

I think we have to be patient with our spouses. I don't know about any of you, but I was considering this for quite a while and researching before sharing it with my husband. And early on he was very concerned because he was afraid it would change the dynamics of our marriage and he was afraid our relationship would suffer. He didn't put it in those words-- what he said was "Well I like to go out to eat"! I remember feeling upset at first and wondering how he could be concerned about going out to eat when I realized that he didn't live in my body and he didn't know what I was going through. At that point I took a much gentler approach. I also was honest and told him how I felt like I was slowly dying and didn't know how to stop it and was desperate. It helped us reach a new level of understanding and he has been right by my side the entire time. I firmly believe that anyone can do this on their own, however, I also believe that support is important too. Good luck to everyone whether you have good support or are traveling this road alone.

Here you go http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/332542-easters-challenge/

I'm assuming it's my peasant ancestors fault, but I can eat ANYTHING without a problem. I am 3 months out today. As you may imagine, this is a blessing and a curse

I am 3 months post-op today and I eat whatever I want and have for at least a month. That being said, I do eat a healthy diet. I have salads almost every day and Proteins such as chicken, cheese, salmon, etc. I also have a small piece of dark chocolate every day without problems also. Are you having a hard time with these foods?

I think that makes good sense and your boss will hopefully appreciate it!

If I had to count and time stuff I would have gone nuts too! The best advice I can give is to sip slowly throughout the day. Try not to stress and enjoy your success and recovery!

When I went for my pre-op clearance, the psychologist gave me one piece of advice that has really helped. She said that when you are hungry but have already eaten, to stop yourself and realize that this can't be real hunger. At that point try to anayze why you are feeling that way and address it without food. The next time I felt hungry and wanted something not good for me, I did that. By making it almost an academic exercise it was much easier for me not to make a bad choice. Now, do I make good choices 100% of the time? No, but this has helped me! Good Luck.

@dar81 Do you have a recliner? My surgery was on 11/19 and I could not sleep in a bed at all, even in the hospital. When I talked to the office nurse, she told me it was common for belly or side sleepers to not be able to get comfortable. Although I had an easy recovery, I just could not handle the bed for quite a few weeks. Hopefully a recliner might help you rest. Are any of your incisions red, warm to touch (warmer than normal), or draining? Do you have a fever? If any of these apply to you than call your doctor as you need to be seen right away. A small lump under the incision is normal. Try to get up and move as much as you can as this will speed the healing process. Good Luck and I hope you are feeling better soon!

This is a personal choice and you will find lots of opinions about it. For me, I told 1 of my 4 siblings, my husband and kids, my supervisor, and a few other people. For anyone who is not sure what to share, I would recommend looking at your friends and family to see who you think will be the most supportive and confidential. In my opinion, everyone should have someone as their support person and cheerleader. Quality of support is much more important than quantity!