kimini

Great job! Congrats!!

The surgery was an exception for my insurance, meaning they wouldn't cover it at all. My surgeon checked me for a hiatal hernia (which I had, and he says most obese people do), and the insurance paid for that surgery, including hospital visit and anesthesia. It ended up being about half as much, and I was able to get right in with almost no waiting. I don't know if this is an option financially for you, but it seems to me that saving the money to self-pay is never discussed here, but is always an option, and may take less time. Just a thought.

I mentioned this on another post, but I told my husband a week or so ago that as I lose fat I am releasing hormones, so if he notices any moodiness, that is why. He said, "So that's why you've been so mean to me lately!"

You didn't say how for out you are, but I am 5 weeks out, and yes! Right now, I totally miss these things! My husband and I still occasionally go out to eat, but I have had some troubles with the food at such an early stage. Also, I have had a sip of his margarita (which was not stirred up and mostly tequila) and I could tell I wasn't ready for it. I could feel the burn of the alcohol all the way down to my stomach (I was a big drinker before surgery, so that's unusual for me). I know it won't be like this forever, so I am trying to be patient and wait for my body to be ready for these things.

Benefiber did not work well for me either, so I switched to Miralax. My plan says it's okay, but does that mean I can take it every day? Or just when I'm feeling constipated. I've been putting it in my water every day, but I don't know whether I should or not.

Thank you for this informed advice! I would love to see more posts like this about some of the other myths that have been debunked by science. My surgeon told me from the beginning to ignore advice about straws, SF gum and crushing pills, which has been very helpful to me. I would love to hear more about carbonated beverages and any others we have debates about on this forum.

Wow!! 100 oz. a day?!?! My surgery was 8/19, and I still have trouble meeting the minimum 68 oz. I really have to focus and remind myself to sip, sip, sip. It does get better every day, though.

^^^^ This!! I have seen this advice many times on this site, and right now, I live by it! Early on, we need to focus on our protein and Fluid goals and getting/keeping ourselves healthy! Even later on, comparison can be dangerous to your self esteem and sabotage your progress. Each person's journey is different. You WILL lose the weight. Just be patient!

Congratulations! You look amazing! Such an inspiration!

@@less_of_christan, Hi, and welcome! I am also from Dallas. What surgeon are you seeing? I was self-pay so no waiting for insurance for, although I did have to wait for work reasons. Even then, looking back, it seems like it all went pretty fast. As proudgranny said, just check out the site and read all you can. You will learn so much, not just about post-surgery guidelines and such, but also about other people on this journey and how they handle all aspects of their weight loss, good and bad. Best of luck to you!

To each their own. Who are we to disagree? We need to find beauty in and of ourselves any way we can. And when we are overweight, that is a hard task, indeed. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App I agree with @LisaMergs. Everyone deserves to feel beautiful/attractive in some way. Not everyone agrees what constitutes attractiveness, but yes, I'm sure some people find that attractive.

Oooh, this just made me think of American Girl by Tom Petty!

You look amazing! Congratulations, and thank you for the inspiration!

My liquids plan included canned, protein-based soups (chicken noodle or beef vegetable) blended to a smooth consistency and mashed potatoes or refried beans blended with milk or broth. The rule for me was if you put a straw in it and it stands up, it's too thick. There should be some options on your plan that will give you some satisfaction from that hungry feeling. And as someone else mentioned, it could be acid mimicking hunger. Above all, take care of yourself!

This is such an interesting phenomenon for me. It happens to me daily, and it really does feel like hunger! But sometimes it is not long after I have just eaten, so I'm pretty sure it can't be. I don't experience any real desire to eat along with it. It just is a sensation that feels like hunger, and my natural response is that I "should" eat something. Is that the way it feels for others?

From my own personal experience, I would say that when you are at your heaviest, your boobs look great! They are at their fullest, skin is taut and cleavage is ample. Maybe these women just want to show off the part(s) of their body they are proud of right now. Later, when they lose weight, they be able to take pride in their whole body.

This sounds like great news! Do you have a source for this? I would love to find out more. Thanks!

I am just over 1 month post op, and I used to be a coffee freak. I loved the taste of it and couldn't do without it in the morning. Now, I drink about 4 oz. in the morning (that's literally all I can stomach), and I mix the rest with my Protein shake for a little iced mocha action. It thins down the Protein Shake (I used to like them nice and thick, but not anymore) and makes both more palatable. Spicy foods. I have always loved them, but now they sometimes seem overly spicy. I think that's just my belly telling me I'm not ready for them, though, because they give me bad acid reflux! And beef. I'm a true Texas girl, and I have always enjoyed brisket. Now, I can't stomach it anymore, but that's probably because my stomach is not ready yet. I'll give it time and try again later. I used to love sweets - nothing was too sweet for me. I wouldn't eat them a lot, but when I did, I wanted the sweetest thing I could get my hands on. Since surgery, I have not had a single craving for sweets. I thought about indulging myself in chocolate one night, but I changed my mind. I really just didn't want it.

My surgeon said coffee was fine, but limit it to 2 cups a day. Tea is completely okay and encouraged on my plan. I was drinking coffee the day after surgery. The only thing that has been an issue for me is acid reflux, but it is not necessarily from the coffee, as there are plenty of spicy foods to be had here in TX, and that is something I have always enjoyed. I am learning to keep the spicy foods to a minimum. And the coffee? I find that I don't enjoy it as much anymore. At the suggestion of someone else on this site, I started mixing it with my protein shake over ice, and it really makes both go down better!

@@ovaw8ovathinka, I also read your post to cbonet about your niece. I think you would find support in going through your weight loss journey together, no matter your age difference. She is someone you can confide in who understands exactly what you are going through. Having my family members who have also experienced it make this so much easier for me.

@@ovaw8ovathinka, I think it is normal to go back and forth. This is a huge decision that affects the rest of our lives, and it is something you have to be ready for. For me, it was that 2 1/2 years of working with a nutritionist. I put a lot of money, time and effort into that, only to see the same results I had seen so many times before. I am fortunate to have 3 family members who have all gone through some form of WLS, and I have met and spoke with many other people who have also had it done. I feel like this really helped me to make the decision. And yes, it was partly out of envy that they had begun to enjoy their new healthy bodies and lives, while I was still stuck in "before" mode. Another factor was the amount of money and effort I had put into the nutritionist and so many other things I really thought would work, only to have the same result - gaining the weight back and putting on more lbs. To me, surgery was the only option I had left, and looking at everyone else's success stories made me a believer. You can friend me on here to stay in touch and keep track of my progress. I certainly hope my weight loss story can be an inspiration to you and others, as I have been inspired by others before me.

@@lizardqueen I am 50 and I was sleeved a month ago. I've lost 24 lbs so far. Things have been going great for me. Do I wish I had done it sooner? Sure, but not because I think it would have been easier to lose then, but more because I could have enjoyed more time being thin and really living my life! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

Hi ovathinka. I'm not exactly sure what stats you are referring to, but im 50, and I had the sleeve on Aug 19, so I'm just a month out. Since then, I have lost 24 lbs, and I'm feeling really confident I'll lose a lot more. I really haven't had any other surgeries either, and I really felt like I went through the whole process on autopilot. Maybe because I didn't want to overthink it? I don't know, but now that I'm on the other side, I have no regrets. The only other experience I've had with a surgeon was when I got my wisdom teeth out. I remember asking the surgeon about the clause in the paperwork acknowledging that I could die from the procedure. Like you, I was expecting reassurance... Maybe something like, it's very rare... this is a routine procedure... etc. What he said to me was, "we could just cancel this whole thing and I could go play golf." It was then I learned that surgeons don't say what you want to hear. Good bedside manner and a reassuring tone/attitude is not necessarily required for a surgeon. So get that second opinion, but remember, the surgeon is not really there to reassure you. That's not really his job. I think we all want to be free of the dieting/losing/regaining rollercoaster and I feel thats what the surgery provides. I hope this is helpful to you. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using the BariatricPal App

@@MrsOwlison2004, I know it's been several months since this post, but have you had your thyroid checked? I've heard of people experiencing changes in thyroid function after surgery, and frankly, it is something that should be well managed by your physician with regular testing. I get mine checked every 6 months, and I have changed my dose several times in the past couple of years.

I am thankful for this post and @innersurfergirl's "Embrace the Stall" post. I'm also thankful for any post about a stall that was posted more than a couple of months ago, and here is why: First I read the original post, filled with angst, frustration and fear that something is wrong and questions about whether they will lose any more weight. Then, I scroll down and look at their ticker. It usually reflects a significant amount of weight loss, proving that they not only broke their stall, but are successfully on their way to, and sometimes at, their goal! I have not had a true stall yet (only a minor bump), but I know exactly where I will go for inspiration when I do! Thanks everyone for all your thoughts, good, bad and ugly, regarding stalls!