Babalou

Hello all! I have been on the age-specific (sixties) support group blog, and just got around to reading all the entries in this 200+ site yesterday. A great source of encouragement. I started at 344# in Nov. 2014, had surgery Feb. 3rd, this year. Going in for my second post op visit today, and am down 70# total. At 5'8", I have at least another 100# to go, and after reading your posts, I know it is possible. Any suggestions for fighting the urge to "graze" while around the house? Not doing it yet, but the urge is surfacing. I have tried the old Weight Watchers trick of brushing my teeth when hungry, but over the years of trying to loose weight, I have brushed nearly all the enamel off. Is this just a phase I will get through?

Donna--How did it go? Doing OK--or floating away from drinking all the liquids?

Happy Senior: So good to hear that you are doing well. Amazing isn't it--like a new chance at life--well, almost. Today marks six weeks since my surgery, and I am down 25 pounds, for a total of 69 since November. And I can move again! Trimmed all my shrubs yesterday and didn't have to take a break every five minutes. I still eat too fast once in a while, and have learned to stand up straight when I am swallowing those Jurassic Park size vitamins, and they go down easier. Keep us posted.

Happy Senior, are you doing OK? Hope it all went well, and that you are home and comfortable.

Also, I was told to take the vitamins just before a meal. Having something on your stomach cuts the after taste caused by the vitamins. Even taking them with a protein shake helps.

You might try adding another 8 oz of water to the shakes to make them thinner and less sweet. It will add to your total fluid intake for the day, also, which is good. It may take an whole hour to drink one, though. After about a week, I started drinking cold fluids, and the shakes were better that way--just added a couple of big ice cubes.

K9nana--hope you are feeling better. I am five weeks out, and still drink too much water once in a while. Hard to swallow those giant bariatric vitamins without taking a big gulp. Let us know how you are doing.

I had never had anesthesia before, either, and was worried. Yes, they do take it out before you wake up. My throat was a little scratchy for about 48 hours, but not bad. I used Chloraseptic Max throat spray to sooth it, with doctor's permission. By day three, it was back to normal. I had my surgery Feb. 3rd, and am doing fine. Down twenty two pounds since that date, for a total of sixty -five pounds since starting the diet last November. One hundred twenty pounds to go. Just sip, sip, sip water all the time. And be sure to get the nursing staff to show you how to get in and out of bed without putting strain on your incisions. Best of luck to you.

Donna--did you get your date yet? Cardiologist on board? You may have to wait until the spring thaw up there to get it done. We are having a lovely ice storm this morning. I am still doing great. Two more days of liquid diet: a bowl of cottage cheese never looked so tempting. Incisions are nearly healed, just itching. Life pretty much back to normal, but no restaurants yet. My husband had been very supportive. I have a two week follow-up tomorrow afternoon--ice permitting. Keep us posted. Charlene

Diane63--Hope everything went well for you, and that your recovery is smooth.

Cococat: I like your attitude. I will be happy just not to be the BIGGEST grandma in the room. I will probably have my knees done before plastic surgery--but I would like to be able to see them first. I am just excited about the loss of weight, and am thinking ahead. I think I am going to be shaped like a bowling pin--tiny head, flat boobs, and a large base. Oh, well, I already know my family does't love me for my looks or money. And like you said, no one to blame but myself. Keep in touch. Charlene

Cococat: Thanks for the encouragement. Unfortunately, our circumstances are different. I have always been "knock-kneed"--it shows in old photographs in the '60's. The orthopedic surgeon told me that at my age, my knees would be shot anyway, regardless of my weight. Explains why my normal sized grandparents all walked with canes. I thought it was a fashion statement--instead it was just bad genetics. But loosing the weight will certainly make the surgery go easier, then maybe I can get up and go. And I do have a nice collection of old walking sticks! Since you are farther along this road than me, may I ask if you are considering plastic surgery on you stomach--or maybe you won't even need it?

Cococat: It encourages me that you wrote that your knees are better. I just had surgery two weeks ago, and have to stay off anti-inflammatory meds for another month. My knees are hurting much more than the surgery did. One of the main reasons I had the sleeve surgery was I need to have my knees replaced, and it would be too risky with my obesity and related problems. I am having to use a walker now, until I can get back on the meds. Thank you for your post. I'm sure you will get past the stall you are in and will reach your goal.

Diane63--hope all goes well for you tomorrow. Be sure to have them show you how to get in and out of bed without straining your incisions--that was really the only pain I had. Good luck. C

Had mine done this past Tuesday, one night in hospital. Doing so much better than I expected. Very mild nausea controlled by a low dose of Phenergan twice a day. I am taking a half dose of the pain medicine--liquid Hydrocodone--before bed. May even skip that tonight. A couple of doses of liquid Tylenol twice a day does the trick. Only really hurts (and it passes quickly) when I get in and out of bed because it stretches the area where the largest incision is. I went shopping at Walmart on the way home from the hospital while they filled my prescriptions, and went back today and had no trouble or pain at all walking around for about 15 minutes. No problem at all meeting the liquid requirements. Hope yours goes as smoothly.

Donna--got your long message. Trying to figure out how to respond to a friend request on this iPad. Have to have a friend show me in the next couple of days. Did you get a CanAm or a trike? I highly recommend old Route 66. Never done it on a motorcycle, but have been on it many times from OK to NV. A cross country trip would be a great reward for both of you. I went for my pre-op with the surgeon last Thursday, and I was so proud that I had lost 40#, six more than he had required. The bad news is, I cannot gain ANY weight before surgery next Tuesday. We are driving to San Antonio this weekend, and I had planned to taste as many bites of BBQ as I could. Not over eat--just one last "Hurrah". If I had known I had to maintain the pre-op weight, I would have put 6#s of rocks in my pockets! Guess I will just be trying my new life style a week earlier than planned. So what are you most concerned about? I think I will have a hard time rearranging my social life so it does not center around eating. That is what my husband and I do for fun--meet friends at a favorite restaurant, and I have four close friends and I meet at least one of them at least once a week. Over a meal, of course. Can't afford to go shopping all the time, same for the casinos. We may have to learn to play old lady card games. All of them are supportive, and all could stand to loose some pounds, though they are not in my league. I live in a retirement community, too, but all we have available is walking. I can get to a pool for exercise, but cannot face myself in a swimsuit. My knees are "bone on bone", so walking is just about out. I can ride a stationary bike, and am considering an adult tricycle. More later when I figure out how. C

The RNY sounds reasonable for you. I wouldn't want another risk of problems with anesthesia or the recovery pain. I discussed this with my doctor and he said the only reason I would need to go to the RNY at time of gastric sleeve surgery would be if he found a very large hiatal hernia that could not be safely repaired. I gave him permission to perform the RNY without waking me up to discuss it. I have no symptoms of a hernia, so don't expect to go this route. The problems you had with the lap band have shown up in so many other blog responses that I didn't want to go that route. Glad you wrote about it. Hope you get the results that you--and all of us--want. C

Donna--we will be going through this experience at about the same time. I am scheduled for surgery Feb. 3rd, and I will turn 61 on February 8th. I started going to seminars and support groups in November. I am down to 303 pounds from 344 just on the high protein low carb diet. I always thought I was 5'10" tall--turns out I have shrunk in the last few years--down to just under 5'8". I am tired of the yo-yo dieting, too. I have lost probably 300 pounds all total on Weight Watchers over the last 20 years--then gained them all back. I figure it is now or never. I want to travel to Australia when I am 65, and Iceland to see the Northern Lights when I am 70. Might have to rob a bank in between. Like you, I have the support of my husband, and step kids, and all my close friends. The only person I haven't told is my 85 year old mother. Will tell her after the surgery. I live in Oklahoma, and the only thing I am really worried about is that there may be an ice storm the morning my surgery is set and I would have to reschedule. Ready to get this show on the road. I wish the best for you. Keep in touch. Charlene

Getting sleeved on Feb. 3rd. Upbeat stories like yours confirm I am making the right decision. Congrats!

I have told my close friends, and my husband's family, but not my mother, aunts, or siblings. I am the only "plus size" person among my blood relations, and they just don't get it.

I am scheduled for Feb. 3rd in OKC. Getting excited!