samuelsmom

Before my surgery I could just barely get the airplane seatbelt on. I would sit is such a way that the belt would be buckled around my hips before I would slide the rest of the way down into the seat. Sometimes I would be in pain the entire flight, however, I just couldn't bring myself to ask for an extender. I would also raise the armrest next to me and sit in the aisle so I could sit at the very edge of the seat. When I traveled in June I remember thinking that the seatbelt would be ok. And I was so happy when I could EASILY buckle it, keep the armrest down and sit comfortably with a seat mate. It was a wonderful experience. Hope you have a great trip.

First off, take a deep breath. You can do this! I agree that there is a Water issue also. So, unless you have some type of medical condition where drinking a ton of fluids would be bad for you, I would suggest the following: 1) You can't change yesterday. Be glad you had a good time and move on. Recriminations will only set you back. 2) Drink a lot of water. Water is a natural diuretic. If you drink a lot it will help with the water retention. 3) I find that 24 hours of liquids beneficial- for example- nothing but Protein shakes and greek yogurt and water is great for a "reset" physically and mentally 4) Write down everything you eat to stay accountable. 5) If you went through childbirth and have to care for a toddler, you can definitely do this!

I had the same fear and I don't consider it a bad thing. I also did the research and found out that it happens to about 1-2% of patients. I also asked my surgeon about it. It was important to me to have that information, and bottom line, decide that it was worth the risk. For me, once the surgery was over and i continued to heal, the fear receded. And now that I am 10 months out, it is gone completely. Leaks are usually evident within 1-2 weeks after surgery. The farther out from surgery you are the less chance you have of one. So take heart, do your research, and make your decision! Good Luck

It is impossible to stretch the pouch with liquids as they pass through quickly. Some liquids you will find more filling than others and that is perfectly normal. I never measured liquids except to be sure that I was getting enough. In the early days I drank by the hour to be sure I did not get dehydrated. Once I was taking in enough fluids I stopped doing that. Glad to know things have improved!

Ok, so I started the challenge at 209 and was hoping to make it to onederland. However, I traveled to Wisconsin, Minnesota, upstate New York, and western Texas this summer, so eating right was a challenge! My final weight is 203 for a total loss of 6 pounds. While I did not make goal I am grateful. I have no doubt that I would have EASILY gained 5-10 pounds in the years before surgery. On to the next challenge and onederland!

I am so happy to have found this thread. I have been exercising since pre-op (over a year now). I remember people telling me that I will start to love doing it. And they were wrong! I still hate it. But it does make me feel better. So I carry on...

I can get that-- being so geared up for a certain day and then things falling apart when the surgery didn't happen. I would recommend putting the failure behind you. It happened and now it's over. You have 4 weeks until surgery so all is not lost. Monday is a great day to start back on track. Make sure you log your foods and keep the goal in mind. Good Luck!

My friend helped me out by pointing out that in ancient times my thin friends would have all died in famines because they require so many more calories than I do. Due to my efficient use of calories and ability to hold fat, I would have survived. Best friend ever! So, when you are feeling down, just think, "If we were in a famine I would be the last one standing!"

Traveling a lot this summer and weight is not moving but this is not a stall, this is me not eating as well as I should! Weight unchanged at 204. Thanks.

For the liquid phase I used pre-made shakes like GNC Lean and Muscle Milk Light. I also kept greek yogurt close by. Honestly, I had no interest in anything those first few weeks after surgery. I sipped my beverages and tasted a little pureed turkey on Thanksgiving and that was it. I never actually pureed anything. I made food that was soft and mashed it up really good. Vegetarian chili was one of my favorites and had a decent amount of Protein. I rarely ever use the pre-made shakes anymore. I do make my own with 8 oz milk, 5oz tub of cannon light and fit yogurt, and a handful of berries which makes a great shake. Good luck to all with their surgeries!

Weight 204 for this week. Very relieved as I was traveling for a week and a half and concerned about all the restaurant food!

One day here also.

Good luck! Surgery is always scary but it is worth it to get to the "losers bench!"

I am traveling so no scale access. Please keep my weight at the same (206) this week. Thanks.

I had my first surgeon visit on July 28, 2014 and the next week went to the office's monthly support group meeting. While there I decided that if I was going to do this I better get started and worked on improving my eating habits. I wasn't perfect but I did lose 22 pounds before surgery. Any loss before surgery helps to lower the operative risk. So, I would recommend doing your research and start working on good food choices right away.

Good luck with this! And there is a bright spot and that is you are more than 50 lbs lighter than you were a year ago.

Wow, I didn't have near as much. I had 3 months of supervised visits, a psych eval, a stress test, 1 support group visit, 2 nutrition classes, and routine blood work. It wasn't bad at all.

It really is scary, isn't it? I know I remind myself that the disease of obesity isn't going away, it is just being controlled. It helps me to always keep in mind that I am fighting a chronic disease that is incurable. I am down 93 pounds but know that I could easily start grazing and start gaining.

Congratulations and good luck!

Love all the comments. Don't slap me- but I do enjoy pizza, once in a great while. In fact, it is such a pleasure to have a small amount, feel satisfied, and not want anymore. I am one of those that was not a huge carb addict. Also, I gave up fast food a long time ago. My issue has always been portion control. I could easily eat 3-4 large slices along with a salad, and coke to go with it! I feel like a "normal" person-- eating part of a slice and saving the rest for the dog

I am also a fan of the Dannon Light and Fit Greek. I like to add the Toasted coconut vanilla into milk and add a handful of fresh berries for a delicious shake.

If you have a surgeon who has done a lot of these surgeries than chances are he or she will do their best to give you the surgery that was planned. That being said, I would much prefer my surgeon to make the safest choice at that point in time. Fortunately the sleeve also has good weight loss results so that won't be too bad if you end up with that. Since I was already having the sleeve, my consent also included the possibility of an open procedure. My surgeon assured me that he had never had to do an open sleeve but just in case there was something unforeseen the consent was in place. Fortunately all went well.

I had the same thing. It is common during the healing process. If the pain gets more severe, or you start feeling ill or develop a fever than a call to the doctor is in order.

I am so glad I found this post! I can relate. I have been overweight all my life and am a nurse also. I really didn't care what anyone else thought of me, however, I knew that good luck and a favorable gene pool will only get you so far. I was 50 years old and couldn't walk down the street. Every step was painful on my knees and I couldn't handle any physical activity. I actually felt my body giving up and knew that if I didn't do something that I wouldn't live to see grandchildren. I tried for a year on my own with no success and then started my pre-op visits on July 28th 2014, had my surgery on November 19th and am down 93 pounds. I am still overweight, still a little afraid that I won't succeed, but mostly grateful that I have been given this opportunity.

I still have them. It seems unreal to me that i weigh less than I have in almost 30 years. When I look around the room and I am not the biggest person in it. Right now I am almost into onederland and it seems unbelievable to me. I get what you're feeling and you are not alone. There is hope for us and we can be a more normal weight! Congratulations on your success thus far.