Champ715

I told people at work I was having surgery to remove an abdominal mass. I've lost 36 lbs in 2 1/2 months but it's not so drastic that anyone has noticed or said anything. Unless you're starting at a really high weight, I doubt you'll drop weight so fast that people notice quickly. I'm 5'0 and started at 205 lbs so my starting statistics are similar to yours.

I have BCBS AL and they required a 3 year medical history. I didn't have this from my primary doctor so I called to ask if it was a mandatory requirement. They said it was mandatory and I would not be approved without it. I ended up having to track down my OBGYN in a different city to get records from 2012. I don't know if BCBS Anthem is the same way but usually it's spelled out pretty clearly in your policy. If it's listed as a requirement, they most likely will not waive it.

Why didn't you ask the doctor this when he/she told you that you should be on birth control. You aren't going to get solid medical advice from a forum. What is everyone suggested a certain type of birth control and it turns out that you're allergic to it? Please see an obgyn about this.

Also, I should say that my fiance was very nervous and apprehensive of me getting surgery. My dad was also apprehensive. I basically told them that I had spent 6 months doing research and had already made up my mind. At that point, I was not interested in hearing from any naysayers. I could tell they were still apprehensive but they respected my decision enough to support me. Now that I'm post op and have lost 34 pounds in 73 days, they are both very happy that I did it.

My fiance has been extremely supportive but I myself had feelings of "I'm never going to eat that again". One of our bonding rituals has always been cooking and eating together so I was worried that we would lose that. It was difficult until I got to solid foods but now we are able to cook and eat together like we used to. He's actually been eating healthier as a result. If he wants something that I'm not allowed (like a cheeseburger) then he cooks that while I cook my own food. Maybe just remind your husband that there will be changes at first but eventually you'll find your "new normal". I would also remind him that, as your partner, it's important that you have his support. As for the regret part, I was an emotional basketcase the first two weeks or so. I had deep feelings of anger, frustration, and regret. All that leveled out and now the only regret I have is not doing this sooner.

Hang in there! I also have a history of anxiety and I was on an emotional rollercoaster for the first 3-4 weeks post op. I was like you and felt like I could cry at any minute. I had several bouts of crying sessions over the most random things so I finally went to see a counselor. I have no doubt that I'd still be an emotional basket case if I hadn't gone to see someone. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or if there is anything you need to talk about! It does get better, it just takes time. Keep your head up!

Are you on hydrocodone or any type of codein? I noticed I got really itchy all over, but especially my hands, when I took my hydrocodone dose. I called my doctor and he said this is a normal reaction.

I'm 28 and was sleeved on 9/30. I'm 5'0 and started at 204 lbs. I'm down to 169 as of this morning so I haven't lost enough to have any loose skin. My journey was a complete emotional rollercoaster for the first 2-3 weeks after surgery. Feel free to message me if you have any questions or need to talk about anything! Good luck!

I was told I couldn't have any pills until 8 weeks out. The first one I tried was a Tylenol (which I used to take all the time before surgery) but I could not get it down. I kept gagging and thinking it was going to make me choke or throwup. I know this was all in my head but it was like this for a few weeks. One day it finally went down without problem and now I can swallow pills without issue.

I know I still felt like crap 4 days post op. Even if you feel pretty good, you will probably still be tired (or lethargic like the person above said) and you won't be able to eat anything. I was still on liquids on day 4. However, if you want to go, I say go for it. If anyone asks you why you aren't eating, you can always say that you've got a stomach ache, don't feel well, already ate, etc. I was sleeved on 9/30 and ate very little at Thanksgiving. Only two people noticed and I told them I was trying to diet and eat less.

I told people at work that I had stomach surgery to remove an abdominal mass. Granted, they can't see my scars but I had to explain the absence from work and the weight loss. I'm 2 1/2 month out and have lost 35 pounds but nobody has really noticed yet (or at least nobody has said anything).

This may sound weird but I went to Sonic and bought a bag of their pellet ice. I would eat a bowl of ice whenever I felt hungry. I think the act of actually chewing made me feel like I was eating. Popsicles were also good during that time.

Does she exercise? I just bought myself a fit belt and I love it! I walk outside rather than at the gym so it's perfect for carrying my phone, headphones, keys, etc. while keeping my hands free. http://www.amazon.com/FitBelt-Premium-Running-Fitness-workout/dp/B013TQFP0Q

I'm 28 and my doctor actually steered me away from the lap band BECAUSE of my age. He said that he does more corrective lap band surgeries now because of all the complications that can arise from the band. He said that I would have a lifetime of adjustments to look forward to, not to mention possible complications. Of course complications can arise from the sleeve as well but it's not as likely. Ultimately I chose the sleeve because of a few things: 1) higher success rate/more percentage of weight lost than with the band 2) not having to revisit all the time for tightening/loosening of the band 3) not having to introduce a foreign item into my body 4) irreversible (I know 4 people personally who had the band then ended up having it removed due to complications. every single one of them has gained all their weight back).

I am 10 weeks out and still get itchy!

I suppose every surgeon will give you a different answer so I can only speak from my experience. My surgeon told me I was all healed at 6 weeks.

My surgeon said his goal for me was to "lose as much weight as fast as I can". My NUT gave me a more realistic goal of 1-2 lbs per week until my BMI is 24 or below. I'm only 5'0 so that makes my goal weight 127 and below.

I'm in Alabama and had surgery on 9/30/15. Feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to about post-op stuff. Good luck!

I had surgery on a Wednesday and was released around noon the next day. They woke me up at 5 am Thursday to walk, start drinking my Water, and get my discharge instructions. I was so completely tired and out of it that I would have loved another day in the hospital. I did okay being at home but it would have been nice if they let me relax a bit instead of rushing me out. I think they did this because my insurance covered 90% of an "outpatient" procedure (which is less than 24 hour stay) and only 70% of an "inpatient" procedure which is more than a 24 hour stay. So, in hindsight I'm glad I didn't have to pay extra.

What kind of nausea medicine are you taking, if you don't mind me asking. I was prescribed a suppository for nausea but that just simply wasn't going to happen so I got them to give me a script for Zofran. It helped with my nausea within 10 minutes each time I took it. I never vomited but I did have a few spells where I came close. Also, what food stage are you on? I was told to digress back to the previous stage if I was vomiting. I got bad nausea when I moved to purees so I went back to full liquids for two days then tried purees again with no issue.

I recently had the very same problem. My size 16 jeans were so loose and baggy so I went down to a 14. The first two weeks the 14s were so tight on my waist. I even unbuttoned them at work and in the car when I was sitting down lol! Now they are comfortable and even starting to feel loose. I think it's just because they stretch as you wear them. I know my 16s were stretched out so they were looser on me than a brand new pair would have been.

I was pretty freaked out about gas pain after everything I read. I didn't have any gas pain in the hospital or at home.

Hi everyone. I was sleeved on 9/30/15 at a weight of 205. I'm down to 173.8 as of this morning. Overall, I am pleased with the pace of my weight loss. I did encounter the dreaded three week stall (that lasted for nearly three weeks) but I'm out of it now. The first month after surgery was really easy to lose weight. The way of eating was new to me so it was different and easy to stick to. Over the past few weeks, I have grown tired of the same old things and have found myself trying things like bread, Pasta, and even Cheetos. I've not had any trouble from eating these foods. I think the only reason I'm continuing to lose weight is because of how little I am taking in. Even though my sleeve can tolerate bad foods, it can only tolerate a tiny amount of them. The problem is I don't want to continue like this. I want to be someone who eats lean meat and veggies but I can't picture that in my head. My mom let me eat badly from a very young age (she would go get me Mcdonalds if I didn't like what she made for dinner) so I feel like I am conditioned to only like the bad, processed, foods. I have tried many different types of vegetables and asparagus literally made me gag. I'm not trying to be dramatic but my taste buds just don't like the healthy stuff. The healthy things I DO like are few and far between. I need to find ways to eat healthy and actually like the taste of what I'm eating. I've heard many people say that you won't crave carbs once you're off them but that's not been the case for me. I'm still craving things that I haven't had for months. I'm hoping you all can give me some tips on how to get back on track. I need to "reset" my way of eating. I know that if I don't get a grip on this now, I will just gain all the weight back. I take my Vitamins religiously but I don't always get my 64 oz Water or 80 grams Protein in. Any tips for increasing this? My plan requires no Fluid 30 minutes before a meal or 30 minutes after a meal. Each meal is supposed to take 30 minutes so that's 90 minutes that I can't have water anytime I eat, whether it be a meal or a snack. I'm eating three meals per day and two Snacks so that's 5 times per day that I can't have any water for an hour and a half. I've found it incredible challenging to get all my water in with this type of restriction. Any tips are greatly appreciated.

I take small bites too. I don't have any issues with overeating; I'm just not making the best choices regarding WHAT I eat. Even if I eat bread, I can only take a few bites but I shouldn't be eating bread in the first place. While it may not be a huge issue now, I'm afraid it will lead to weight gain in the future when I am able to take more than a few bites.

Does the milk powder and non-fat milk not have a nutritional label?