mlbdl

I have it, and hypothyroidism, too. I agree that a reproductive endo would be better, or even a gynecologist. There are PCOS groups out there that can direct you to PCOS-educated docs. Where do you live? I'm happy to answer your questions, too.

Consider this. The six months are going to pass anyway. If you give up, you'll be no better off than when you started but six months older and probably the same weight. If you continue, the six months will still be behind you but all the benefits of the surgery will be available for you to make the most of. Like others that have suggested using this time to start implementing some of the post-surgery habits, I found that to be helpful. It made the first few weeks easier to adjust. Good luck. It was SO worth it for me. I wish the same for you!

Are you taking small bites, chewing throughly, and waiting between bites? I find that if I don't do that, I get very uncomfortable, an acid-like feeling. Also, make sure you're not drinking too close to your meals. It might help...I dunno. Good luck!

Fantastic!

LMAO!!!

I never once said you were wrong. Perhaps you need to reread the thread/our little spat. If you do, you'll see that I originally referred to an expert's lecture. Oy vey. Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed. I'm done with defending myself to you. I appreciate the reference to the video. But, do us both a big favor and don't bother reading any of my future posts. We clearly don't gel and this has gotten silly. Have a great night.

Her name is Lillian Craggs-Dino, DHA, RDN, LDN, CLT. She's a wonderful speaker. I'm not sure what all the initials are for!

Just curious, and I probably should ask because I don't want to get in an argument. Are you a medical professional specializing in bariatrics? I'm not, but I tend to listen to those that are, with a "trust but verify" skepticism. The experience the NUT related was not "a few bubbles." She also did a knowledge the empty calories, but she was answering a question about stretching. She's highly qualified, very experienced, practices at a world-renowned medical facility, has published several papers, presents and trains internationally on Bariatric nutrition, etc. My GYN also is licensed in bariatrics and has the same recommendation of avoiding carbonation based on her patient experiences. I trust their expertise. Personally, carbonation always made me feel crummy. Since the surgery, I gurgle like a darn drain pipe. I don't want to add anything to my system that might cause a problem, stretching or otherwise Whether you or anyone else believes it, is a choice. I'm glad your experiences has not resulted in an adverse outcome. All we do here is share our experiences and pass along what information we have. But, there's no need to be combative about it.

Based on the lecture the NUT gave this week, carbonation and overeating will stretch the sleeve/pouch. She had a patient that went back to frequently drinking non-diet soda and regained all her weight. She had some other stories. We aren't born with stomachs the sizes of footballs. They stretched. Our sleeves can stretch too large if we don't take care of them.

I have no regrets. My sleeve was 6/30/16. I researched for 7 months while going through the insurance process. I read a lot on this forum - the happiness and the regrets. I attended every support group and nutrition lecture my surgeon's office offered before my surgery every month for 6 months. I was often the ONLY pre-surgical patient in the room. When I attend now, I feel sorry for those post-op folks that didn't attend - they are very uninformed, and are struggling more than I did. Did I struggle? Yes, but I had resources immediately available because I researched and planned ahead of time. The nutrition lectures were/are especially valuable. The medical community has learned so much about this wonderful Bariatric/metabolic surgery, especially in the last 10-15 years. Nutritionist that specialize in Bariatrics are so much more reliable than ones that don't, and are better at knowing what to do in certain food-specific situations than many of the surgeons. The surgeons cut and rearrange. The NUTs know how to handle the chemical reactions our bodies have with the food. I also cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get a psychological evaluation before the surgery. Not as a pass/fail test, but to help you identify possible strengths and challenges you may face. It may also help you decide whether you want to more forward. After all, you can continue the process and cancel the day before if it just doesn't feel right to you. I continued seeing the "food shrink" as I call him, and it's one of the main things I contribute to my success. He and I agreed that my main challenge would be, and continues to be, body image and anger at how people treated me/now treat me rather than the food. It's what the evaluation showed and it's what I predicted. My evaluation showed that although I was in the 90+ percentile of wanting the surgery and being prepared for it (and I don't remember exactly how he termed it) I was also in the same percentile for anxiety about it. He said that was very unusual. Most people that want it as much as I did would be in the 60th percentile for anxiety. Long story short, with my family history of diabetes, including blindness and loss of limbs, and my own history of hypothyroidism and PCOS, I was done torturing myself with diets that just wouldn't work. Dieting has a 2% success rate. Bariatric/metabolic surgery has a 80% success rate. That's a 98%/20% failure rate, respectively. I'll take those numbers any day. Just do your research and your soul searching. I wasn't ready 13 years ago when I was thinking about the band. I'm glad I didn't do that. But I'm thrilled that I did the VSG.

I wouldn't go back, either! Time to invest in a portable stadium seat!

I surprise myself when I look in the mirror. When I try on a smaller size and it fits for the first time, I start to cry. I'm now in 10s comfortably, and can also get in some 8s, which I find shocking. I think I went from children's sizes to a 9/10 when I was in junior high. I don't ever remember being in an 8. I'm shrinking on the bottom more quickly than the top. When I was heavy, I would push the weight around off my face to remind myself what I really look like. Now that I've lost so much weight, I can see and feel my jawline easily, and I feel bony. My collarbone sticks out (to me) and I feel bony on my upper chest (but I'm a 38G!). I've never had a nice round bottom - it was always wide, but flat. I've lost so much on my tush that I'm bony there, too. TMI, but moving a certain way on the toilet actually hurts my tush! I think I need to buy a cushioned toilet seat! I don't remember that being a problem when I was a teenager, but my butt actually hurts!! I mention above that I would push my face around to remind myself what I look like. There are few people in my life that know me from before I got fat - my sister, Dad, and a few cousins. I've caught my sister looking at me, kind of shocked-like (but happy) - like she's rediscovering me. My dad has teared up looking at me, just thrilled that I had the surgery. It's probably the one thing in my adult life that he hasn't told me that I was wrong for doing. Everyone else is just amazed at how I look. Sometimes the comments don't bother me, especially from the people who know how important this was to me and that know that I had the surgery. But the people that don't know, and that I don't like, or that make a big deal about it (especially publicly), it really drives me nuts. All my rings are too big, as are some of my watches and bracelets. Even some of my shoes are too big, which really surprised me because I've been the same shoe size since I was 12 (and I wasn't fat when I was 12). I'm still curling into myself, as I mentioned in another post a couple of months ago. 15 more pounds to go to the top of the weight range for my height. Not sure if I want to stop there. I'm not unhappy where I'm at now, but I know I need some more off. I really can't get over how bony my ass has gotten. Ouch!

Thank you!

I think it's a fantastic post. I don't know why you would be attacked. My only feedback that I consider constructive criticism is the comment about avoid other overweight friends that aren't changing their lifestyle. If these friends aren't sabotaging you, why give up otherwise good/great friendships? I'm not sure if you meant they were or weren't sabotaging or too difficult for the surgery patient to be around someone for a little while that is eating a lot or things you can't have. But, the world doesn't change for us and we have to learn to live in it. The rest of that particular comment I totally agree with. I just wasn't sure what you meant. Again, great advice, no reason you should have been attacked. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I bought and wore something this week that I haven't in decades... BELTS!!! I started to tear up when it occurred to me that just maybe I could buy some, and took the plunge. I put one on and asked the sales lady if I looked ok and she said, "Why of course you do! You have a nice, flat tummy so there's no problem." I think I stopped breathing for a second or two when she said that. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Plenty of folks go to Dr. Wizman's support groups. Google Bariatrix Florida. It's on Margate but an easy drive down the turnpike. I come from Delray. The meetings have been invaluable to me. PM me if you have specific questions. Good luck!!

Fabulous! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm finding that the more weight I lose, I don't know what to do with my arms. I also seem to be slouching a lot, crossing my arms over my breasts or stomach, and curling into myself. It's like I've forgotten how to sit up straight. When I do sit up straight, I'm clasping my hands in my lap. I'm also fidgeting more. Does anyone else find themselves doing that? I've always swayed a lot when standing, but now I do it more! But the slouching and curling into myself is just weird! When I realize what I'm doing, I try to stop, but why am I doing it in the first place? Because I can?

I tried one (the purple one?) at the suggestion of a friend. I had one sip. I imagine it's what death tastes like. BLECH!

Don't let others' misinformed pre-conceived notions of what you'll look like color your future. I almost let that happen to me. One person told me my face and neck were going to sag, and that I'd need a lift. She went as far to tell me that in a year she was going to follow up and make sure that I took care of it. I've been obese my entire adult life - 20+ years. I have pictures of myself at a normal weight from when I was a teenager - from when I was told I was getting fat and needed to lose weight. I had a rockin' body then! So, I have a general idea of what I'll look like in clothes, but I know I will be saggy - I'm much older now. That's just a fact of life. You are beautiful - there's no doubt about it. If there is something about your appearance as you slim down that you're not as happy with as you'd like, you'll address it. It might be with makeup, clothes, foundation garments, or some other physical method, but it will be on your terms and based on your opinion. Don't let someone else's insecurities of their own appearance or their opinions about what you should look like influence you. You've made the decision for the surgery for your own good. Keep up that perspective as you continue, and you'll do fine. I hope your recovery is going well, and good luck in the future!

Congrats! It's a great feeling, right? I hit it on 9/3 and had to force myself not to bawl - I hadn't seen "1" at the beginning of my weight since 1996! Now I've been dancing in the mid-190's for 10 days. I want the 180's!!

I'm at 55 days and just under 25 lbs. Frustrating in one sense, but on the flip side, it took me 7 months to lose 17 lbs to prepare for the surgery. So I consider the 25 lbs in 2 months a win! If I continue to average 12 lbs a month (which...who knows?), I'll be at goal, or close to it, in 6 months. Anything can happen, but I constantly remind myself that this is better than I've ever done before.

My surgeon says to let your employer know it could be 6 weeks, or you could return before then but with restrictions up to 6 weeks - they really encourage it. My surgery was on a Thursday. I was out for a full week after that. The 2nd full week, I worked part time from home 20 hours, and the other 20 hours, I was on disability. Then I returned to the office full time with the restriction/ability to work from home as needed (which I can do anyway), and that's what I'm still on. It's good to have that because there have been times where my energy has just been so low that I can't get out of bed in time to get to the office at a decent start time, so I work from home in the morning, and then go in, in the afternoon. Or, I'll have a rough morning and will go home early and work the rest of the hours intermittently. The flexibility has been helpful. I've had no real physical issues as far as pain goes - its been brain fog, energy, or sometimes something not agreeing with me. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

We can never, for the rest of our lives use a straw? That's crazy and sad.I guess I don't recall hearing this in the myriad of consultations with the nutritionist and the doctor- or the tons of papers I had to sign. Why exactly is using a straw bad? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App At our nutrition group this week, our NUT from the Cleveland Clinic said that there is no medical reason/study/evidence to not use a straw. She indicated that it was based on experience/word of mouth that patients are told not to use it. If using a straw helps you and doesn't cause you a problem then she had no problems with it. If you notice that you're getting gassy, then don't use it. I started using it and so far, so good. If I have a problem, I'll stop. Since using it, it's been easier to get in all the liquids. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App