pokeyvenus

I can't believe it's only been 2 months since I nervously rolled into the OR for my sleeve surgery. I felt pretty certain this would be great for me. I had my doubts and fears but in my heart I knew this would my best chance to end the up and down battle. I've been really lucky not to be dealing with any rotten side effects or post-op medical issues. I've had a couple occasions where I hit my full limit and couldn't wait for things to move around. I've had a stall and slight regain that really stressed me out. But I put my trust in this process and stuck to the plan. I tried not to focus too much on where I want to be vs. where I am. My weight loss picked up again, I'm feeling great, my energy is improving, and I feel normal- like a normal person who doesn't think about food constantly. I'm down 36 lbs and I've dropped 2 sizes. Today I went to a regular size clothing store and fit into things- some XLs were even too big on me! God, that felt GOOD! Thank goodness for this opportunity. 2016 is going to be an amazing year. Best wishes to all of you contemplating, starting, or working your journey.

Hi Kate! Congrats to you on making it happen, even without insurance! I can't believe you're having to go to Prague for the procedure. Best of luck to you. Will you do a follow up program locally? I haven't shared with many people that I had the procedure. Those who I did tell, parents and siblings, and a handful of friends, were initially worried that I was doing something drastic and dangerous. If I were leaving the country to do it I'm sure they would have flipped out. They began to relax while I was waiting for a surgery date. During that time they did their own homework and they started to see that this was a very good option for me. Now that it's a couple months later I think it's hardly anything they think about. While 36 lbs in 8 weeks is a lot to lose, I'm only started to have a very noticeable loss now. Colleagues have started commenting (positively) and my husband sees changes. If i get really small they may start to worry again. I hope the people in your life are supportive. Enjoy the holiday and best of luck with surgery.

Hooray!! Congratulations and thank you for the inspiration!

I can't believe I'm 6 weeks post-op. I have mostly felt good. Had a couple weeks with some real fatigue and a 3 week stall with no loss. Things are moving along again and I'm feeling pretty great and I made it to onederland - barely - but it counts. 199.7. I'll take it! 30lbs gone. I am so happy I did this. And I can have faith that I'll survive future stalls. It helped to stay off the scale for a couple weeks. Aren't we lucky we have this chance?!

That is AWESOME! Congrats to you. Keep up the great work.

@@jane13 No BP meds for me. I wound up getting a rotten cold this week so that's making the fatigue a bit worse. I probably should have mentioned that I have 2 babies to chase down daily. I would be dragging toward the end of the day before surgery but now it's brutal. Looking forward to the 4-6 mark when I'll hopefully get some energy back. I honestly feel like a bear preparing for hibernation. Makes sense with my body figuring out the new low-calorie normal. Weather's been crappy and sleep is good. Thanks for the suggestion.

I think I understand why people take more than 2 weeks off from work. I'm getting all my water, between 60-80 grams of protein, and I'm taking my vitamins. I'm beat though, really, really tired. Have others experienced this? When can I expect to get some energy back?

Congrats! It's so great to feel hopeful.

Scale hasn't budged in 5 days. I know I probably sound ridiculous complaining about it. I expected I'd have stalls at various points in my journey but already?! Please tell me this is typical.

Babbs- that is incredibly helpful info! Thank you!

Thanks for all the comments. It helps to know that this is familiar. Just got to power through.

I'm just a bit freaked out since I felt fantastic last week. Fortunately eating stage 4 soft foods is going well and I'm not sore. Trying to focus on the positives.

I'm with you. I definitely didn't need 2 weeks. When I saw my surgeon at my 2 week follow up I told her I was worried that it might not work because my recovery has been so great. Seriously- I have worried about this. We both laughed and she reassured me that I have a sleeve now vs. a big stomach. At this point I'd say the things that are a little hard are figuring out the best time to take my Vitamins and what to have in my stomach when I take them. And I feel a little fatigued. Eating more calories throughout the day would probably help to keep my energy up.

Have things been getting any better? I find myself feeling more "normal" every passing day. Normal for someone who no longer has food on her mind constantly. That's a crazy change.

I'm 2 weeks post op today and I got on the scale and I nearly fainted when I saw the number. I'm down 20.5 pounds since my pre-op appointment on 10/12. I cannot believe it! I know I won't lose at this pace for long but I can't help being so excited about what the year ahead will be like. I get weepy thinking about all the LIVING I'll be doing. No more spectator business- I'll be part of the action and in the photos rather than avoiding them. Gosh I am grateful to be able to have this surgery.

I do! I honestly cannot handle it. I'm feeling great too. I snacked on "normal" food when I was out over the weekend. I'm cooking again for my family and I'm enjoying meals with them. I'm back at work and figuring out that dynamic well. It's like I'm normal. I just feel so incredibly optimistic. It's hard for people to understand unless they've been in our shoes. But I feel like the luckiest woman in the world right now. And it's already having an impact on how I'm living. I'm making plans for activities that I wouldn't have made if I didn't have the surgery. I'm walking a little taller, I'm smiling a lot more, I think I'm just all around more pleasant if that makes sense. I'm putting my trust in this process and I'm not scared of failure. I'll get there. I'm really going to get there this time. (Que up Sally Fields Oscar speech).

Congratulations! My surgery was only 2 weeks ago. Your story is great inspiration!

I have my 2 week follow up yesterday and I got the okay to start the Stage 4 diet. I left the appointment and went straight to Wholefoods and got a lovely piece of cod. I roasted some carrots and fingerling potatoes and enjoyed dinner with my husband. I didn't eat any potatoes but I did manage to eat 3 oz of fish and 1/4 c. of carrots. It took me a while to get finish but it was so nice to eat food again!

Exactly! Put 7 lbs of sugar in a grocery cart and push it around for a while. You'll pretty blown away looking at it knowing that it used to be on your body. Great work!

HOLY SHIT! Sorry, for the language, but seriously! LOOK AT YOU!!! I needed to see this today. Super inspiring. So happy for you. Keep up the good work! Can I ask how often your working out and what you're doing? Thanks!

The pup is my pitty pal. She's the best. I am really eager to start eating real food. I thought it wouldn't bother me but after 12 days of eating out of cartons, containers, etc. and I've had it! The shakes don't bother me but this other crap is just awful. I was looking through the suggested diet for the next phase and it's not very appealing. I see my dietician tomorrow and want to talk about actually eating whole, fresh food instead of the processed high Protein, low fat packaged stuff in my materials. I assume that's the kind of food that is easiest for most people to deal with because it's overwhelming to figure out what to buy, cook, eat, etc. I think I can handle sorting it out. Does anyone eat avocado? Seems like although it's high in fat, good fat, that it would go down nicely and be tolerable. Any try and fresh veg - roasted until it's soft or pureed? I'm dying to make a butternut squash Soup or puree some parsnips. I was also thinking that I could make a lemon chicken soup with little chicken meatballs. I'd be eating super small portions but it would be so good to cook! God, I'd settle for a baked potato or sweet potato right now. Something that isn't white! Nice to find some recent surgery folks. Lots of new territory to navigate and it's good to have some community support.

right now i feel very good. i was really careful with both the amount and pace but i still went a little too fast (burpy feeling) but then i got the burp out and kept going a little. i even put siracha on it. so far so good. how are you doing today pal? did you get pepperoni chips? I *LOVE* pho! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it and kept it down. I'm only 10 days post op and I am so over my soft food diet. Nice to know something so comforting is in my future- even if it's just a little bit at a time. Must be hard to eat slowly though.

I had my surgery Monday. In the weeks leading up to it everyone at the weight loss program, and people who know I'm doing this, all asked if I was excited. I felt badly because I wasn't. I told everyone to ask me again in 6 months and that for know I'm trying to keep a firm grasp on the realities that come with so much change. I worry that this won't work for me, even though my surgeon is confident I'm going to do really well. Before surgery I was super worried about how hard it would be to drink and eat post-op. I had heard a gamut of reactions and worried I would be struggling. I've been dehydrated before and it's scary. Fortunately after a couple days I'm doing well meeting my Fluid and Protein requirements. I also feel pretty great- no major pain, no regular discomfort, not too fatigued. Pretty lucky. I'm following doctor's orders and taking: omeprazole, some stomach and bowel spasm med, Zofran, Colace, and Aleve. Between shakes, cottage cheese and yogurt I'm getting in plenty of protein. Water is getting easier to drink daily. And warm chamomile tea goes down really easily. I'm aware that there are many challenges ahead as I move to different stages of the diet, watch the scale plateau, etc. But that awareness doesn't bum me out. I feel prepared AND I think I'm actually finally feeling excited! I"m down 7.5 lbs. I wasn't going to check before my 2 week check-in but I put on a pair of jeans today I wasn't able to wear for the past 6 months and they were comfortable. Woohoo! I've got to start putting together my fitness routine. I have twin babies so it will be tough to make the time. I'm not looking to get obsessive like I have in the past. I'm shooting for 3 proper workouts a week along with more walking in my regular day. Longer walks with the stroller, adding an extra 15 minutes to the dog walk, etc. Hopefully this will help me feel ready for a winter season with lots of snowboarding. It will be amazing to fit into my snow pants again. I've been lurking for a while and so many of you helped me to make this decision. Thank you. I hope that participating now will keep me in touch with people going through this right now too, and to connect me with others who have navigated this journey before me. I'm ready to believe this will work for me. And I'm excited for good things ahead. Wish me luck!

I"m 5 days post-op and I feel you. There are milestones and some of them are tough to get through. The decision to do this was tough. Surgery day was really tough. I was alone, haven't told many people and my husband needed to be home with the kids, and I had a rough time in the recovery room. Rotten 24 hours in the rearview mirror and, like you, I'm on to the next milestone. 2 days ago I thought it would be impossible to meet my Fluid and Protein requirements. The past 2 days have been a relative breeze. AND I feel pretty normal. I'm getting around fine, done with pain meds, finding myself taking probably gulps of Water that are too big and not suffering. I'm sure these are just a couple lucky days but I'll take them. If I have another week of managing my intake without all kinds of issues I'm grateful. Moving on to the next stage of the diet has me anxious. The upcoming holiday season with loads of social events has me anxious. Inevitable plateaus will bum me out. But we will be fine! I get where you're at. I also feel like the worst is behind me. The worse being a life of chronic pain, weight related health issues, etc. We've got lots to manage ahead but today let's say "Hooray!" We did it! We really did it! It seems sort of surreal but we did it and I'd rather deal with every challenge ahead than the version of me I'm leaving behind.

I was sleeved on Monday and my surgeon discovered a hiatal hernia and repaired it. She said it's very common. Happy it was discovered and fixed.