james1

Its been a while since I posted. So I work in hospitality, surrounded by food, about 1 year post op, down about 60 pounds pretty effortlessly and not eating strictly, def less food by a LARGE margin, but the weight is drip drip dripping off. I was never really comfortable size to exercise and I am kind of in that zone now where exercise would be something that I want to consider more of. I was 'lucky' to have work insurance that covered a large portion of my sleeve. Still do daily bariatric Vitamins, fitbit tracking, myfitness pal app for Protein tracking. I normally get about 9K steps a day. So to my story. I was part of this project at work (about 8 people), and whenever you have projects at a hotel in a meeting room there is damn near always a buffet of 10x the normal about of food to eat (and 100x what we can eat). There are some fresh fruit options, oatmeal, and 50 things I can't eat. I found one of the hardest things to eat is any bread (wheat or otherwise as it instantly fills me). They actually had wheat creasants out and I can eat a little of that, they are not 'puffy' breads (muhahahaha...my splurge of the day right?). Wheat creasat in hand, fruit, and a yogurt I a heading to my seat 15min till project kick off. In strolls a mouthy HR analyst to mooch off buffet and looks at me and says "I thought you couldn't eat bread because of that thing you did?"....in front of about 6-8 coworkers. :o :o :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: !!! Mind you, up until this point I have told EXACTLY two people at work...my very supportive boss who I know will not talk and was genuinely concerned when I needed a surgery and kept passively asking what he could do, and the manager under me that I trust (in case I croaked...lol). It never dawned on me that this number also included ALL OF HR....as they have to see and process all of my paperwork I assume. So mind racing, composure kept, I say "yeah this will be ok thanks for the concern", and turned to my phone...where I hammer out an email to her that basically says....please shush as I a not 'out'...(God never thought I would say that). She sends a panic reply email apologizing, etc, etc..I look great btw, etc, etc..She has a cousin who did it too or some bullshit....but DAMMIT...now I am a little paranoid AND my cheat bread thrill was RUINED. Anyone have the same or similar thing happen at work? I am a Director department head, she is an HR Analyst with a few other Analyst and an HR Director. I am 'out' to my family and friends but not at work.

You do and eat ...EXACTLY...what the doctors tell you to do. You follow that eating and drinking plan EXACTLY like the doctor says and let the doctor / doctor office know of any complications right away. That part is not optional. Even something as small as popcorn to early will damage your surgery incision. For me, it was an odd sensation of not being hungry but being thirsty and trying my best to get fluids down. A single cup of Jello was hard to take in all at once....you are re-learning how to eat and live. If you eat things to early you will hurt yourself and or be sick. Trust me, I did it once where I ate to much and regretted it about 20 minutes later in the bathroom at work. I cleared an entire shelf in my fridge and that was MY shelf, of ONLY things I can eat at that time, at my eye level, and all else was out of sight. I did mine during the holidays too, and its hard as the family eats all around you, but I stuck to it and have good results. Good luck!

Yeah I have to say it probably was not intentional, and I don't know how far it got around the room. No one asked me about it later, not even in passing. If I had made anything of it at the time, I would have drawn attention to it (was my thinking at the time at least), so I do not think it did. If I wanted, this might be job ending for her considering the trust she has in HR. I don't really want that. If I have someone approach me asking about it my opinion might change... It would be one thing if I had confided in her, and then she made the comment...but its basically 'insider knowledge' and inappropriate to be made publicly. I had even considered letting HR know that if someone were about to go down this path and needed someone to talk to, I could be a resource (considering how effortless my experience has been), but now I am hesitant.

Three month check up today. 52 pounds down, labs all good. Feeling great! Very few problems to speak of. The real question...did anyone else turn into a clutz after losing weight? I mean stumble, drop stuff more often,...like I am learning to walk again lol.

Man I wonder if there is something to that. It makes sense, the whole balance being off thing,

I had my 3 month post op today, all is good. I can tell you the food/drink you can't tolerate this week may be ok in a few weeks. My doctors have a gradual week by week diet of foods to add back, and it all seemed to be very gradual increases in texture and thickness. I didn't think I would like cottage cheese (name and texture thing) but its not bad and was way easy on my stomach. I actually ate it as a kid, but stopped until after my sleeve. Agree that trying different Protein shakes is key but don't write them off totally if you can't hold one down now. The premier shakes are huge protein boosts and worth sampling later, or breaking up through a day to get your protein. I was always ok with that brand so I haven't tried to many others

Need to move more would be my 1st guess. Also, your water intake needs to be right or your weight wont budge (at least thats what I think happens to me).

Good Morning, I just wanted to drop a quick line about my 30 days post op experiences with Gastric Sleeve Surgery on 12/23 with Doctor Michael Thomas in Louisiana: The numbers: I use a free App called 'My Fitness Pal' to track food and nutrition, a Fitbit HR to measure steps and heart rate, and I have the fitbit scale to measure weight and body fat %. I like this setup because it is EASY to use, very low maintenance (no big day to day shift in my habits), and it all just integrates together into the 'Myfitness Pal' app. As long as I use the ap, everything is in sync and I have one place to check on things. Step on the scale each morning, scale is wifi and updates my fitbit software and My Fitness Pal. Eat something, log it in diary of myfitness pal, walk and my steps automatically go into the app. Logging food intake is easy, my fitness pal can search out almost every food and has a barcode scanner to find and load specific items (and their nutrition levels). When its time to see nutritionist again, I can log in online and print my food diary and hand it to her. Its all in the phone I already carry around. To my weight...so day before surgery I was 296.3 with 40.2% body fat as measured at home and today I am 266.9 with 36.4% body fat now. So that's about -30 pounds and about -4% body fat, about 30 days out. About -38 pounds from my all time high #304neveragain The good: By all accounts, my surgery was damn near perfect. 45 minutes total surgery time....no nausea, no site infections, out of hospital after just one night, off prescription pain meds a few days after I got home...limited need for non-prescription pain meds...no drainage issues. I credit that to a Bariatric surgeon who has made this his career and his team that supported me all of the way, BUT I also did everything they asked me to do by the letter. Most of the good things you hear after surgery are TRUE. MAD weight loss so far...if you listen to what these professionals are telling you to the letter. I mean 30 pounds in about 30 days is incredible and ALREADY LIFECHANGING for me...yes I have already had people notice I am losing weight (people who don't know what I did). Those marginal clothes I have been clinging on to, all fit great now. The energy level (once pain and pain meds is done) is totally increased. I WANT to exercise right now, but have not been cleared to do so yet. Hopefully on my 1 month follow up. So I walk. The bad: Those clothes that fit great before, now all fit like crap....even just at 30 days out! I have already tossed blue jeans into the donate pile and dug out some 'I hope I fit in these again one day' jeans, that happen to do fit. Why is this bad? If you dress up for work, put a little money aside for clothes. Suites over the next year will probably get real expensive for me. Food Choices: My doctors have a very specific set of foods to eat, and each week more foods are added back. Its very Boring but WORTH following. I did roll forward and nibbled a few items that were a week ahead, and was ok....and I also found some items (even now) that my stomach is like 'nope, never again'. You learn those items quick, as they speed through your system, if you get my drift. The ugly: HOLY HEAD HUNGER BATMAN. Hit me a few days out. I just KNEW I could eat something and be ok...my brain was trying to do its best to convince me. I wanted to because I was soooooo hungry...1.5oz of Jello later and I feel like it was after Thanksgiving meal at moms. But I resisted...I ate the jello slow...half spoon full, wait....half spoonful, wait....wait....whats that feeling? (Full is a new sensation for me btw)...I had to let my stomach and brain re-wire to see what the signals meant. Very bizarre, and it took me time. Dehydration is a very real problem. I did find myself slipping on my Fluid intake as I got a few more food choices back, and woke up one morning feeling totally dehydrated. Took it upon myself to start sipping power aid zero for a few days to get feeling right again, but I can't rehydrate as fast as I once did. I need to watch that in the summer, glad I did this in the winter. That's about it for now, good luck everyone! -James

Congrats on the ~60pounds of weight loss! As someone who is 30 days post op, I might not be the best but so far keeping track of EVERYTHING I eat and all exercise I am doing makes the most sense for me. I can stop and go nope, no room for that today try tomorrow. I use a Fitbit HR and a Fitbit scale to track movement, weight, and BMI. I use 'My Fitness Pal' app, and log my food. Best part is the Fitbit gear will all integrate with the app, so all the measures are right there. I had a one week stent where I was eating ~500 calories a day and not losing weight. It was very unnerving. BUT, my body fat percentage was creeping down steadily so that kept me sane. Then one day, boom two pounds off and plateau was over. Go back to basics.

Its worth every day of that wait. Use the time to get right in the head and do the surgery. Read every post and watch youtube videos of others to get little tips here and there and listen to your doctors and nurses. At best, I think my stomach holds about 3-4 oz. So try to eat on an empty stomach (resist drinking as your only gonna get 3-4 oz of whatever you put down) and eat the Protein 1st, then everything else. You need to be able to sip all day to keep well hydrated. As I got more food choices I kind of got excited about new tastes and textures and boom, almost went down because I forgot to drink...and had to over hydrate to get back. Also went back a week in food to more pudding/jello/mush texture type stuff to get more liquid. Not really full from drinking, just more satisfied. Its more of a chore now. I have to mix it up with unsweet tea, or whatever else can have flavor and not be a soda. For me, the desire to eat and drink is nearly gone so its almost like I have to add it to my outlook calendar to not forget. I have yet to have a day of eating over 500 calories since the surgery, and if I tried that before the surgery I would be a raging food beast.

After 6 months of hurry up and wait, thanks to my insurance company, I guess they agree I am fat and need some help! ...tough to argue since they are paying. My doctor confirmed my suspicion, its pretty much a stall tactic because they know a certain percentage will chicken out. Decemer 23rd...two days before Christmas. I am nervous that I might have to stay an extra day and miss Christmas morning with my kids....but I remember they are who I am really doing this for anyway. Any other late December sleevers? #304neveragain

My surgery went well, Dr. Michael Thomas and staff are excellent. My surgery was 45 min. I'm getting about an ounce of fluid down in a sitting now. No nausea yet. My cuts

On my way to the hospital. @@Finally_Lost_It how you doing?

So my pre-op Wednesday went well. Hospital is about an hour and a half from my home so took the day off with my wife and we made our way there. Lots of paperwork and some more blood work. I am a little nervous that my stay would roll over into Christmas day, so I am trying to do everything they tell me by the book. Using the little breathing device they gave me every night to practice, as the nurses described it as 'my ticket out of the hospital', lol. On another front, I have made the decision to tell a few select people about my surgery (brother, mom, dad, and a few close friends...6 in total). I have to say it was pretty liberating and I have had great support from most everyone I told. They only detractor was my mom, who doesn't like any surgery whatsoever, but after she said it she never really spoke up about it again...or forbid me....or even really caused drama. She teared up a little, and I think that's the mom in her not wanting her baby hurt. I then disclosed I had hit 304 pounds when I started down the surgery path (now about 290), and she got quite (knowing that's not healthy either). My work only knows that I am going out for surgery and my HR is making me do an FMLA packet, but I have a ton of sick time built up and I am using it. The HR people have made a few sly comments to me about my surgery, never asking directly what its for, but trying to fish it out of me in a round about way (two times so far). My answers so far have all been truthful, "the surgery is a procedure that will take about an hour and is laparoscopic and I should recover quickly, and I am going to be ok when its done. Its just a little maintenance 'under the hood' . " T Minus 6 days!

Good luck!

I've been stalking the forum for a few months and I am on insurance 6 month wait for my sleeve. This is my 1st topic post. The 6 month wait, while initially frustrating, has given me opportunity to read, soul search, and really observe things in regards to my weight and how people treat me. I weigh about 303 pounds and my 6 month wait is up next month. I have a close family member that had the sleeve, and lost a lot of weight, and had commented that people treat her better. Strangers, co-workers, other family. I believe it because I have seen it (old friends that see her slim and gush over her change), job opportunity opened up for her, and her confidence is certainly up. Ironically, in the 6 month wait, I think I have detected a pattern of people treating me worse over my weight (my speculation/insecurity)? Comments here and there. Ideas shot down or dismissed. A job interview a year ago where I noticed literally EVERYONE in the office was thin and fit, and feeling the whole interview was 'going through the motions' from 1st handshake, and not realizing the connection until recently. I am a pretty well educated person, director level job at a large company, etc. I recently was passed over for a great promotion to a national role, and the person who got the role had less relevant education, less experience, but....withen the last year had lost a ton of weight and was doing 1/2 Iron man triatholons (again my speculation / insecurity?). The VP literally told me he felt it was a coin toss between us. So, people who have crossed the 'finish line', how do people treat you now that you have dropped the weight? I was wondering if you could elaborate on if its work, family, strangers, coworkers, boss, and if the people know how you lost it.

@@Babbs I totally understand the two sentiments that its really a reflection of myself. And it made me pause and reflect (all of your comments have actually, thank you). I honestly had not even really considered anyone was treating me different or I was losing opportunities until I started down this journey to weight loss surgery. I have tried to lose weight for over 15 years now and was just starting to have health ramifications of being heavy, but other than that I have had a successful college run, good career progression (not amazing but good), a loving family that supports me no matter what, but I always felt I really had to scrounge to make stuff happen. I am a jolly guy, and get along with just about everyone. I totally get the comments about being comfortable in your own skin, because I am not now. I hope to get that. I crossed a threshold where shopping in regular size stores is very difficult for me and it sucks. I am hoping to get to about 175 on my 5'11" frame. That's about the trimmest I have ever been at my present height (Jr. in high school). My 6 months is up Thanksgiving week, so hopefully I can start a thread about a surgery date soon! James

I test drove a Nissian 370z (6 speed nismo) and loved it. Was shocked that it fit well even though I am still "fluffy". When I was done I thought that will be even more fun after I slim down. I currently have a Honda Ridgeline, and love it, but I am dreaming of a smaller ride that might fit a smaller me...

You see, I have had this experience as well. I do tech work, and several rounds of phone interviews went well, until I went onsite and got a tour of the offices and a face to face for a PM job. I noticed that every single person in the place was a tooth pick or super fit. Every single one. Like 120 people. Thats when it clicked, as I was leaving, I don't think I have a chance...something is off here. That was when I 1st became aware this was even a potential career limiting problem (my weight).

HA! I hope you get better, but this made me laugh. The fat in my body has an alliance with cold/flu bugs. Whenever I try to lose weight, I always get sick (fat cells calling for reinforcements?). Doesn't matter the time of year either. Best of luck!

I am very active at work (work IT in hotels), I am glad I found this. I was wondering how many days to take. I was thinking two weeks would be a good number but I am now wondering.

1. I actually got hurt on a ride at Disney (strained my back) and I know it was because I got tossed around hard and strained my back. Spent two days on my back in the hotel while the wife and kids enjoyed Disney without me. No permanent damage, but a picture of what's to come. 2. High blood pressure, on meds now, and boarderline CHL and other stats getting close to the red needle. 3. I am hungry all the time. I have tried tons of diets / weight loss schemes. It wasn't until I bought a fitbit and started really tracking my movements, I realized I get 8-12K steps a day (work IT for hotels), but I still creep up 5-10 pounds a year. 4. Finally saw 300 on a scale. 5. Tired of that "up/down" snap judgement look. I think everyone knows the one.