ella37

I hugely regret not taking "before" pictures. I was so ashamed of my weight that I probably didn't get a photo taken for years before surgery. They snapped one at my doctors office during my pre op visit (to my horror) but I haven't seen it, they save it for your 1 year follow up to compare. I advise anyone who is getting ready to take a bunch of pictures, I'd love to see them now even though I'm still far from goal.

Things will likely change when you move to solids. I could full on swallow liquids too and thought my sleeve was messed up when I was eating puddings and Soups. Once you start moving on to solid foods that full feeling will come MUCH quicker! I also never had issues getting food down, I've tolerated everything and also never thrown up. You might just be a lucky one!

My doc and NUT both said to focus on getting in your protein and water, don't worry about how much you're eating or calories/carbs in the first few weeks. If you're only one week out you could very well still be retaining fluid from the surgery, don't focus on the scale yet!

Assuming your procedure is laparoscopic, you have nothing to worry about. My incisions were barely even bothersome other than some itching. I know some people have more issues than I did and I've never had a C section but these incisions were much easier than any surgery I've ever had. I slept on my side that night and needed only a little help standing up for the first couple days.

This will definitely change once you move to solids. I was also confused by how much I could get down at first but once I started on purees a few bites was more than enough!

I get pretty bad anesthesia hangovers. Honestly it probably took me 3 or 4 days to feel completely awake afterwards. All I really used out of what I packed were slipper socks, my pillows, a heating pad and gas X strips. You will probably be sleeping most of the day after your surgery and most of us get sent home the next day. Make sure you have non constricting clothes like sweatpants to wear home because your stomach will be sore. I had some pain upon first waking but that was quickly dealt with and some nausea the first night. They changed my nausea med and I went back to sleep. Honestly the gas pain was probably the worst but didn't last longer than a few hours. I did fall asleep on the toilet on and off for a couple of hours when they told me I needed to pee or get a catheter, lol. I was NOT having a catheter so I just sat there fading in and out until it came out. I always wake up feeling totally awful after surgery but that's just my own personal reaction to being put under. My husband stayed overnight with me and the staff at the hospital was super helpful and on top of all of my problems.

Just be really careful and try not to do it again. I practically begged my surgeon to move me to purees a week early because I was so sick of liquids and sweet stuff. He told me that even though I was feeling hungrier and tolerating everything well it's not really about what you can tolerate, it's about giving yourself time to heal. Some people do it and have 0 problems but remember that your body is still swollen and fragile on the inside even if you feel fine. I know that the liquid part feels like it will never end esp if you had to do it pre op like most of us, but before you know it that part will be a distant memory. It's just not worth the risk of a staple line leak or other damage to your insides!

I take a lot of meds and have never had a problem swallowing them, even the day after surgery. I take them one at a time instead of 3 or 4 pills at once. With all the supplements on top of that if I waited 10 minutes between I'd be taking pills all day, lol. I'd say that if swallowing them doesn't hurt, they don't get stuck, and aren't causing any issues then just take them one at a time without waiting in between.

Sounds like he was just feeling a bit insecure and maybe he was also just worried about the surgical procedure involved. My husband wasn't on the boat at first and told me it was too extreme and dangerous and you and I had similar starting stats. Have you actually lost 44 lbs since surgery in December or does that include pre op? If it was in less than a month I am jealous, lol. I think that due to shows like my 600 lb life a lot of people feel that weight loss surgery is only an option for extreme cases. I was self pay so I felt that I needed my husband to be 100% on board. After some research he agreed but would've had no problem if I'd changed my mind. I told him once we made the decision that I didn't want to hear a single comment from now on unless it was supportive. I knew that there would be moments post op when I'd be wishing I hadn't done it and I'd need his support and not an "I told you so". He blew me away with how much support he gave me and how caring he was during my recovery. Sometimes men are just resistant to change, lol.

Best of luck! Many people have lost their weight with the lap band. I carefully considered all the options and decided to go with the sleeve because I didn't like the idea of going in for fills and whatnot when my insurance didn't cover the surgery. I hope you have nothing but success!

I am usually 700 to 1000. I was about where you are for the first few weeks.

So I made it 8 weeks on the "no soda" rule. I was an absolute addict before surgery and now whenever my husband has a soda I have a few sips. I've learned that any more than a few sips is uncomfortable so I limit myself to that. Dr Pepper was my love in life before and I haven't and don't plan to even have a tiny sip of that because that's a door I don't want to open! So far I've had no problems and from what I've read the whole "stretching your sleeve" thing isn't really an issue. I know that a lot of people can't drink it any more after surgery due to discomfort, but am I alone here? Not just vets but also those of us who are still losing? Thanks!

Thanks so much for the comments! I have been pretty solidly on plan since surgery except for a few days when my Water or Protein goals just weren't going to happen. My relationship with food has changed. Although there are still things I enjoy eating and have to limit it's mostly just about meeting my goals so I don't feel crappy, I have overeaten twice since surgery (both times were still a fraction compared to what I used to eat) and paid the price. After that I just don't have much desire to overeat and the types of foods I'm eating aren't things that tempt me to stuff myself, lol. Like I said there are still things I crave and enjoy and I occasionally give in but make sure that it's just a tiny portion, same as the soda. I also could not come close to drinking a full serving or even half. My weight has gone down steadily although slower than others (my starting BMI was somewhat low) and I am learning to look at food as a tool to be healthy instead of a cure for boredom or depression. It's a learning curve for all of us and I have for sure made mistakes a few times but like you said, we just have to get back on track. Thanks!

It was just sort of a silly title for the post. The first time I drank it was only 1 sip and that night I looked over my plan and it doesn't mention it one way or another past 8 weeks. I will mention it to him at my next check up but it doesn't seem to be hurting anything and like I said it's only a few sips. Why did your doc make you wait til 6 months?

The first month is HARD. There's just no getting around it. Some people have an easier time than others but you're generally tired, malnourished, and dealing with a huge physical and emotional change. I was pretty lucky as far as symptoms go but I also wasn't losing much for the first 3 weeks. I lost 7 lbs the first week and then NOTHING for 2 weeks. It's just a rough time when you're still recovering and not able to eat normally. I promise it will get easier and in a couple of months you'll be eating real food and most of the post op issues will be resolved. Hang in there!

I have this issue except that no one else has noticed either. When I was at my highest weight I was basically just packing it in to all of my clothes (most are stretchy) so I haven't gone down a size yet, everything just fits a lot better now. Not one single person has noticed my weight loss besides my husband. It's frustrating but I know that eventually if I keep at it I will start fitting into my smaller clothes and people will notice, including me.

I think we all need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I know it's frustrating when you're weighing yourself every day and not losing after so much hard work, I didnt lose an ounce between day 7 and day 21. However, people saying they "only" lost 20 lbs in a month, or 15 in 2 weeks, etc.... think about how high your expectations are. I was sleeved 10/11 and since surgery I've lost 32 lbs, since pre op diet I've lost 38. That is SO MUCH. It used to take me 3 or 4 months just to lose the first 20. I do feel bad about myself when I see people who lost as much as I have all together in the first month, but remember that we're all different and my BMI was lower than a lot of others who had surgery. We all have days and weeks that are frustrating. I personally have only lost .5 lbs since Christmas Eve but I know that if I stick to it I will see more progress. Not everyone loses 20 or 30 lbs/month. Let's look at the reality of the situation. What would your weight be if you hadn't had the surgery? Mine would probably still be at 235 or possibly even higher (especially after the holidays). Even though it was only .5 lbs, this is the first year in forever that I haven't gained weight during the week of Christmas. To date I have lost almost 40 lbs and not one SINGLE person besides my husband has noticed or said anything. It's a long journey and eventually I will stop feeling so fat and people will start noticing. I see my clothes getting looser and my face getting thinner. You CANNOT compare yourself to others, it's a dangerous game and you will likely always end up feeling bad if you're not a super fast loser. I could've sworn 6 weeks ago that I'd never get below 220, and here I am and it seems so silly that I was so upset about that. Try not to focus on the small stuff even though it feels like forever at the time. The weight will come off as long as you follow your plan!

This is a huge change, IDK what your pre op diet consists of but mine was only liquids. You're hungry, you might be withdrawing from sugar and caffeine. The severely restricted diet before surgery when your stomach is still normal size is just really hard. Things will get better I promise! After surgery your body will only be able to tolerate small amounts of food and your hunger will really drop off.

Just remember he has good intentions. He is uninformed and truly thinks you're about to make a mistake so like any parent he's trying to talk you out of it. Yes, the first few weeks suck. It will be small meals of bland foods. The good thing about the sleeve is that most of us can still eat a little of everything, it just helps control portions!

my NUT says that i should be around 1000 calories/day while im losing. We have very close BMIs right now so i have to agree with the others and say that you need to cut the calories down. good luck!

I found that after surgery a lot of the Protein shakes I liked were no longer for me. I've had the best luck with 100 calorie muscle milk and clean unflavored whey protein. https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Label-Protein-Unflavored-Servings/dp/B019YWFHAW It's a little pricey but is the closest I've found to truly being unflavored and mixes well. I was totally over the sweet stuff by about 3 days out so this was a life saver on full liquids. I added it to Soup, pudding, etc.

I had beef & broccoli a few nights ago with no rice. We love chinese food here too! I wasn't able to come close to finishing the whole serving but I did treat myself to 1/2 a crab rangoon. I also love homemade chicken tenderloins and steamed vegetables with teriyaki sauce!

I lost 0 lbs from day 14 to day 22 or so.. It IS super frustrating but the stall will break. I'm in another one right now and just waiting around for this one to end as well. Be careful about comparing your weight loss and eating habits to others. The kind soul who sent you his plan is a different gender and had a different starting weight, it's not one size fits all. Follow your surgeon's instructions and youll do fine!

My weight starting out was not so far from yours and we are the same height. I was 229.5 on the day of surgery. If you're anything like me, then 300 and 400 lbs is in your future. I knew that my pattern would just keep going until I got there. I'd typically lose 30 or 40 and then gain it all back plus some very quickly. You are already having significant health problems. Insurance will not cover this surgery (mine didn't) for BMI under 40 unless you have co morbid conditions. You are clearly a candidate for the surgery no matter what your husband thinks. I truly hope he has a change of heart when he realizes that this is happening and being a jerk isn't going to stop it. This can be a complex emotional issues for some husbands, some actually want you to stay fat for other reasons. Maybe he thinks you'll leave him if you lose the weight. I have no idea but he needs to put your health first. If he still can not get on board once it's clear that you're doing this then maybe some marital counseling is in order!

I was 10/11. So far so good! The first month was rough, not gonna lie, but it gets easier every day. I've just moved to normal foods as of last week and so far no issues. I've lost 30 lbs since my 1 week pre op appointment and 25 since surgery. I'm a little jealous of the people who have lost 40 or 50 lbs already but I know everyone is different. I'm about to go out to lunch with my husband and looking forward to some chicken and Beans.