MrsKarenC2008

@@Elode I 2nd the motion about the arms ... I have hated mine since high school ... and since losing some weight ... they are worse than ever ... so have a feeling i'll definitely need skin surgery ... oh well .... And you look incredible in your picture ... You earned those stripes girl - YOU SHOW THEM OFF !!! High 5 !!

So here's my issue ... Since surgery ... we only take itty bitty bites and we chew it to disintegration ... But my brain sometimes wants to take that huge bite that I used to ... half chew it ... and swallow it pretty much whole ... Brain wants to take big huge gulps over and over and over till the drink is almost gone ... Brain and I aren't getting along too well right this minute ... I don't do what Brain wants ... because I'm scared of how it will affect me and my tummy ... I'm a rule follower by nature and find it very upsetting that I'm having to deal with Brain right now ... Brain can bite me ... Last night at dinner as I'm eating my baby bites and full after 5 ... Hubby is eating like normal and I studied him for a while ... not realizing that I'm feeling jealousy toward him for eating like a "normal" person ... To me that was normal anyway ... I started to cry .... missing the old days ... missing the pig out sessions ... missing the freedom to do what I always did ... Don't get me wrong ... I'm so blessed to have had the surgery ... for many reasons ... and I will stay the path ... I KNOW that about myself ... But I was having a moment and it upset me ... and I wanted to vent ... and see if anyone else feels like this sometimes too?

@@Niki15 @ @@TJBintheOC @@jane13 You guys make me wanna have a slumber party ! It's amazing how much we all are alike and feel the same way ... I'm so glad ! Well, I mean ... I'm glad that people understand ! You all are right ... there will be moments ... there will be wants ... I'm just too chicken to give into them right now .. but I'm sure later I will ... there will come a day ... Thank you all for listening and offering your own story of struggle and survival and hope! I appreciate you all !

@@kranky813 @@Niki15 @@jane13 Thanks girls ... knowing this is such a huge life change ... and that it not only affects our physical selves ... along with our mental selves ... some people just don't "get" it ... But I knew that I could count on my fellow sleevers to know exactly what I was talking about and what I was feeling ...

I was laughing hysterically !!!! "you can pee out of your butt!" ... WHAT A RIOT ! Needless to say ... I've never liked gummy bears anyway ... but now for sure I wont be eating them! Thanks for the laugh everyone !

@HuskerShel There is an advertisement at the top of this forum page every time I view it ... that says some insurance companies pay for your Protein shakes .. you may want to check out that option ! Best of luck to you !! :)

@MissRobin I feel your pain ... I have used Voltaren ( diclofenac ) for years ... and it truly is a wonder ... but of course .... had to stop taking it 2 week pre op ... and I'm now almost 8 weeks post op ... haven't taken it ... and I feel okay ... I use the gel too ... as mentioned above ... it truly works!!! I have about 4 tubes open at any given time around my house ... You should seriously try that !!! I know our situations aren't identical ... but I just wanted you to know you're not alone ... Prayers for you !

@Godsgirl39 I use Atkins pre-made chocolate ... I take half of that and mix in a scoop of Jay Robb whey Protein powder ... I call it my double shot! I like the Atkins because they are carb conscious ... and we all need to be after surgery! There are SO MANY different shakes out there ... you will find the right one Good Luck to you!

my surgeon told me to crush everything for 6 weeks! I just now was able to take a very tiny pill whole ... crushing is a pain in the butt!!! BUT ... at least there is an alternative for a little bit ... I'm 7 1/2 weeks now ... and I'm still crushing 1 pill .. only because it's a horse pill .. and I go back on Wednesday ... will make sure then if it's okay to take ... @jjyogalove - you really should ask your doctor ... as you see on here ... all of our doctors are different !

oh yes .. it's the famous 3 week stall .... if you do a search on this site for that ... you'll find tons of info on it ... pretty much we all go through it ... just the body's way of trying to understand the shock you just put it through ...

Oh the process of learning all over again ... when are we full? when are we hungry? Those are magic questions! You just have to "learn" your body all over again ... But it's a good learning curve ... Just takes time / patience / and practice! You will get there !!!

@@Faithful86 Hello! At my highest I was 382 ... I was 359 at surgery ... and currently 306 .... I had surgery on 7/8/15 ... My doctor gave ME the choice ... I wanted sleeve because it didn't look as "nasty" as bypass ... meaning ... I didn't want my innards re-routed ... and haven't heard too many success stories with lap - band .... mostly how S -L - O - W it is ... If YOU want sleeve ... that is what you do ... if this surgeon doesn't agree with what YOU want and pushes for something else ... go see another one ... There are plenty of them out there ! When you find the right one ... you won't have to push back or fight for what you want ... GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!

Does anyone constantly say to themselves "Oh I've only lost ... " I just caught myself saying that in my head and then feeling like I've not done enough to loose more ... I'm only 7 weeks out tomorrow ... Do I expect it to fall off overnight? It sure didn't jump on me overnight ... I am following the rules ... actually find it kinda easy right now ... not wanting things I cannot have ... not even wanting to be "bad" ... so those things are good ... Yes, I could exercise more ... but I'm wiped out at the end of the work day ... my body isn't light enough yet to wanna do anything more ... or even have the brain energy to think about doing more .... I know I will get there ... I KNOW IT ... Just have to keep reminding myself ... this is a journey ... Not an overnight trip!

@@VSGmary You realize how much you truly have accomplished!? WHOA!! There are people that are the same amount of time out as you that haven't lost as much...don't get me wrong...I know we're all different...but I'm in awe of your success! I know every day is a struggle...good days and bad...but we have LOST WE I GOT ... and that is what we are trying to do... AND ITS WORKING!! I'm not gonna stop....and you keep going too!

@@majorsmama ... YES I compare myself too ... Why do we do that?! We KNOW that everyone is different ... everyone's journey will be different too ... But sometimes ... you just want more more more and you want it NOW ... It's a whole mind game our bodies play with us .... Just to make SURE we're listenting @bbsbk221 I understand completely! I just told someone today the exact same thing "Oh I've only lost 53 lbs." ... They are over the moon and tell me how exciting that is and stick with it and you're changing in your face, etc etc ... I'd like to borrow their eyes for just a minute to see what they see ...

I tried sugar free gum ... but thought it was soooo sweet ... yuck ! So my old faithful friend "Icebreakers Mints - Wintergreen" are my go-to's ! Might just be an old habit ... but I "gotta have something" in my mouth ... crazy, I know!

For me ... the 2 week pre-op diet / change was hard ... I was a 2 per day grape NOS girl ... and diet Mtn Dew ... I was on caffeine overload ... sometimes even have a 5 HR Energy too! BUT ... when I hit the 2 week pre-op ... I quit all of it cold turkey ... I did have terrible headaches for a few days and wanted to kill everyone I came in contact with ... but I got through ... Now after is another story ... I feel so much better for having had to quit the bad stuff ... that I know what it does to me ... so I don't want it anymore ... which is a good thing ... Hubby can even have Diet Mtn Dew in the fridge and I don't want it .... doesn't even smell good anymore ... I would think that an occasional sip here and there of whatever your vice is wouldn't hurt too bad ... but limit your indulgences ... remember ... that is part of how we got here in the first place ... and yes, being on here has taught me that every doctor is different ... each one of us is different too ... so success is tailored to each individual person ... not the group as a whole ... because after all ... what works for you ... may not work for me ... I wish us all continued success !!!

I am an Office Manager at a trucking company ... Busy busy busy all day long! That's okay .... these boys keep me on my toes!

Ya know .... I wondered that too ... But m doctors office answered for me ... They are on the 2nd floor ... and there is no ELEVATOR!!!!! UGH !!!! I said to the receptionist .... " you know everyone who comes here tends to be a larger person, right? So why on earth do you NOT have an elevator?! Especially when you make us come back 2 days after surgery!" Her reply ... "it's good for you." Tell that to my knees. I just shook my head.

@tssiemer NSAIDS has been an issue for me too post op ... and 2 weeks pre op ... I have bone on bone arthritis in both knees and was taking Diclofenac for the inflammation ... it really really helped ... but since I cannot have NSAIDS anymore ... I'm pretty much TRYING to tough it out with another drug given to me to take it's place ... it "helps" for a couple of hours ... but dang! I understand why ... I've been told the risks, etc. ... But I agree with @@Inner Surfer Girl ... your team of doctors should be able to work something out for you ... there is NO REASON that you should be put through more pain because you are trying to change your life and make smarter/healthier choices by having the surgery ... Kudos to you for making the decision and hats off to you for wanting a healthier better life! Who knows ... maybe in 6 months you wont need any medicine at all ... or at least less of it ... That is what I'm aiming for!

I agree with the others ... you have to take in protein! you've put your body through something major ... and it needs that fuel to keep it going ... because you're not taking in other types of fuel right now ... Don't let this one thing sabotage your success ! Keep plugging along ... you will get there!!!

And what is up with the almost constant "lump in my throat" ? It's not an actual LUMP ... More like the feeling.... I wonder ... is that the new feeling of hunger? It's not a burp ... Hard to explain to anyone in my life who isn't going through what I am ... So I'm asking the experts!

@@lachellove Verrry common....it's the gas pain... you need to walk walk walk...give it a chance to work it's way out... Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do other than that as far as I know...nothing else worked for me ... not heating pad not ice pack ... it's just something you have to work through... and you will!!! Hang in there!!!

I'm 6 weeks ... and what you said makes complete sense! Thank you so much!

Hey everyone! I have a really odd question ... Has anyone gotten more pimples in odd places since your surgery? I've been getting them on my arms! Isn't that strange ?! And they last a while too ... Just unsure why now? Any info ? Any advice ? Thanks Guys!