Hiraeth

If you are exercising more now, you might actually be gaining muscle. Have you been measuring yourself? Sometimes you have to pay attention to your size and not the scale. It really depends.

Hmmm, I hear about stalls, but not much about weight gain unless you're eating carbs. Are you drinking enough liquid and exercising?

Thank God, indeed! I'm so glad you have no problems! My poor aunt has swollen feet, legs, and ankles, and she has CHF. I'm so worried about her. I'm bringing her to a support group next month so she can get the sleeve.

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this. That's so strange. My tummy didn't hurt much at all. But everyone is different. I barely ever hear about people dealing with sharp pains in their abdomen. Have you told your surgeon about this?

I agree! I even had energy most of the day, even though I woke up at 4:45 a.m. I'm glad you're doing well!

Yes, it is scary. She smokes and eats a lot of fried foods. She's also not very active. I hope she doesn't get discouraged by anything during her process. I'm glad that her husband is being supportive.

So, I have an aunt that wants to get WLS. She was not interested in getting it until I had it done; I guess I sparked some bravery into her. She is only about 4'10'' and weighs over 300 pounds. She mentioned to us that she has congestive heart failure. This really worries me. Does having congestive heart failure make it impossible for her to have the surgery? I feel like, if she can't have it, then what is she going to do to lose the weight and correct her heart? Has anyone here had the surgery and made their heart healthier? I don't know how severe her condition is.

Thanks so much for the responses. I never even knew she had that condition until last year. She only mentioned it slightly, which makes me wonder (and hope) that it's only mild or moderate. I agree that she will have a better chance at life if she loses weight. Her legs and feet are CONSTANTLY swollen. It's hard to look at because she is only 44 years old. She's pretty excited for the support group next month on September 17th. So I really hope this works for her. She has a 20-year-old daughter that just started nursing, and I know that she would be devastated to lose her mom anytime soon.

Yikes! Know-it-alls annoy me, too. But I take the beating from them because I'm a naturally passive person. But once I've had enough, they'll know it, lol! I'm sorry she's so frustrating. I think it would probably be a good idea to tell her you no longer want to discuss the gastric sleeve topic, since you and her continue to go back and forth with it. Just tell her that you know she means well, but that it's easier for you to discuss this on a forum. If she keeps bashing the forum, then tell her you no longer want to discuss anything weight related. If she can't respect that, then she doesn't deserve your company. It's harsh to say that, but I know what it's like to be around pushy people.

It may seem impossible, but it looks like you are definitely retaining water. How is the health of your heart right now? My feet weren't very big, but after losing only 23 pounds, I can definitely tell that they have lost volume on the top, and even in my ankles. I now have to tighten my sandals around the ankle because my ankles and feet are so much thinner than before.

I felt this way, too. I actually did not get in all my protein that was required when I first got out of surgery. Try tomato soup. It saved me. I was able to eat soft foods on my 3rd week. I never knew how much energy eggs can give you. It's awesome!

It's very normal to feel nervous. Just breathe and remember that this is the beginning of your new, healthy life! When you get to the hospital, you will probably be the most nervous. But, they give you a shot called Versed, which is like a pre-sedation. After you get that shot, all of your nervousness will go away. They gave me that shot and I promise I could have skydived because I had absolutely no worries at all. It's great stuff to calm the nerves! You'll probably even fall asleep before you reach the operating room, lol! Keep us updated! We are all praying for you! <3

If you have to lose 4 pounds before the diet, that is still VERY easy to do. Just track your calories. Maybe try to eat no more than 1400 calories. Try to walk about half a mile a day if you can, and yes, walking around the house counts. You CAN do this!

Good luck! Yes, please keep us updated! And remember, ignore all the haters! You are awesome and that's all that matters!

Feeling nervous is normal! I did not feel nervous, but I think that makes me NOT normal, lol! I jumped right in with so much excitement. I'm just normally a very brave person. It's my personality. Most people feel very nervous. But I'd be lying if I said you don't need this, because you do. Yo-yo diets fail most of the time. They even make you gain more weight back. So you do this, and you make it yours! As for losing 4 pounds in 2 weeks... That is very easy to achieve. I lost 9 pounds in 1 week on the liquid diet. Just stay hydrated, drink just liquid (protein shakes and yogurt are life savers).

Honestly, and this is just my opinion, but if I were you I'd consider taking out a loan if Bufflehead's (above) suggestions don't work out. This is your quality of life. There is no price on good health. If my insurance wouldn't have covered it, then I would have tried taking out a small loan and flown to Mexico. That's how desperate I was.

Exactly, what the person above said. It could be fatal if you don't tell your surgeon. We are not doctors, so your surgeon needs to know what happened. But just in case you can still have the surgery, continue on liquids. 110% is perfect thinking! Proud of you!

LOL! Wait... They made you try this for 6 weeks?! What in the world... That's is ridiculous! I only did mine for one week and my surgery went amazing. Your doctor is probably trying to be completely sure that there are no complications. I also heard that the bigger your BMI is, the longer they usually make you do the liquid diet. But my gosh... 6 weeks is the longest I've ever heard. Please be 100% dedicated to this liquid diet for the remaining 5 days. And PLEASE tell your surgeon about what happened. I screwed up my liquid diet the DAY BEFORE my surgery. I was only allowed to have clear liquids the day before, and without thinking, I had non-fat chocoate milk. I was so upset. I told my surgeon (nervously) and he didn't mind. He said, "Well, it's done. Let's rock and roll!" Ha! I think, in my opinion, you've already shrunken your liver in the 5 weeks of the liquid diet prior to your fallback. So you probably have not increased your liver size that much in just 2 weeks. Worst case scenario, your doctor will probably postpone the surgery for about 2-3 weeks. If maybe you insist on trying to have the surgery, he might open you up and find that your liver is a good size to continue the operation. Just PLEASE stick to only liquid from now on, until your surgery and at least 2 weeks after your surgery. Good luck! Keep us updated! Prayers~

Honestly, I could not have or handle any solid liquid 4 days after surgery. I was only able to handle CLEAR liquid. Try just clear stuff, like broth, Popsicles, Jello, and Water. 3 days after my surgery, I felt a bit regretful because I was sore all over, like I had been beaten up. But now, at 18 days post-op, I am SO GLAD I did this! I'm already 23 pounds down! Also, make sure you're taking your Zofran or whatever nausea medicine they gave you. It really works! It was a miracle pill for me!

9 months?! That is bogus! I was approved in 8 days. I'm sorry your insurance is being so difficult. :/ And yeah, 10 classes... Wow! You sound very busy. Oh yikes! I had my gallbladder removed a few months ago, and I'm not really having bad symptoms. I just remember feeling like I had a Charlie Horse in my abdomen, which made me wonder if my gallbladder was failing. I got a HIDA scan, and sure enough, my gallbladder was only working at 12%. I'm glad you're doing better. I have heard that weight loss can actually help with your fibromyalgia. I haven't heard about it flaring up after surgery, but everyone is different. I hope your recovery goes well. Keep us updated! You're so right! Her attitude is not my problem. At first, I thought I was doing something wrong. But after many months of dwelling on it, I realized that I'm doing absolutely everything I can to make her like me. And she always finds a way to disagree with what I say and do. I've realized that she's just a miserable person.

I've been dealing with this, too. But not from family or friends; from a co-worker. She was being so negative around me and even telling me I would fail! I found out she's actually jealous that I got the surgery because she's over 300 pounds and is too scared to get it. Don't let them get you down. You are doing this for you, not them. Us on the forum support you! You go, girl!

Why are you nervous? Are you nervous about the surgery, the diet, or both? The surgery was easier than I expected. My only challenges were the gas pains that lasted for almost 2 days and getting in enough liquid. My pre-op diet lasted for one week and was actually pretty easy. I didn't really feel miserable like some people say they felt. I made sure to drink at least 3 Protein shakes a day and eat about 2-3 light and fit yogurts a day. Also, drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself fuller longer. Good luck!

In a way, yes. I felt like it was kinda hard to breathe when I first woke up from surgery. But I think it was a gas bubble that was trapped. Also, it hurts my esophagus more when I eat than it does my stomach.

The gas pains you might feel after surgery are not in your abdomen. The pain is usually in the neck, shoulder, or arm. I felt it in my left shoulder. It feels like someone has hit you hard, but it goes away if you walk. When I walk, I feel little to no gas pain. If you feel a lot of pain while you're in the hospital, you can tell the nurse you want something that will take the edge off so you can sleep when it's night time.

Awww! I'm so glad you enjoyed my post! When is your surgery? Yes, every recovery is slightly different, but most of the time, people don't struggle much. Mind if I ask what fears you have? You're right. I think my co-worker wants me to fail so she can boost her pride. But I've tried my best to be nice to her, and I guess there's not much more I can do.