LadySin

Congratulations! You should make this photo your christmas card. *grin*

Hi All,
VGS is a tool.....not a cure. Most long-term morbid obesity sufferers who have failed to lose and/or maintain weight-loss have emotional eating disorders. Most people who have VGS that do not address the emotional issues are much more likely to fail at weight loss and improving their health. Reading the research and spending a lot of time reading the accounts of others makes this very apparent. Finding a good therapist with a background in eating disorders is the best path to take to assure your long-term success. I'm working with one now.
I've come across some materials that can be very helpful. In fact, these are materials that can be used as a self-help but are often used in therapy. They are very brief workbook-like modules that must be worked through in order. It is best to take a module a week and fully absorb it....without jumping/peeking ahead to other modules.
Here is the material for eating disorders: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Disordered-Eating
Here is similar material for other issues such as anxiety, depression, and self-compassion: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/

Good luck!!!!!!!! You got this!

Almost go time! Weeeee

Lesbian sleever here! Surgery is in January. Can't wait!

I called my insurance company today to see what the status was. It's still pending but a funny thing happened after I had called. About an hr later I get a phone call from my insurance company so I started getting excited. The lady said I am calling for Pam I'm with the authorization dept. I said No this isn't Pam but I'm waiting on my bariatric approval. The lady said oooohhh sorry I dialed the wrong number I was calling a drs office.
Before I could say are you looking at my chart the lady hung up. So I do know Pam works at my Bariatric Dr's office soooo fingers crossed!!!!!!

I feel like it all gets back to this idea that weight loss surgery is "unnatural" or like "Cheating". My parents asked me the same thing before surgery. Like, "Well you've lost 30 pounds before, why can't you do it without surgery?". I told them how I look at it is this: When I was the lowest point in my depression, I couldn't bring myself to get up and shower, eat, or do much of anything. If I hadn't reached out for help, I'm sure at SOME point I would have made myself get up and shower. Or eat. Generally act like I wasn't depressed. But I needed help, and I made the doctor's appointments to get myself the help I needed.
When I reached my highest weight, I realized I couldn't walk around like I normally could, that my back hurt all the time, that I would get shakes for no reason at all. I realized that, yes, I could possibly go on a diet and lose some weight. I could act like I would stick to a diet plan and lose the weight. But I needed help, and I made the doctor's appointments to get myself the help I needed.
Both appointments changed my life, but knowing that I was beyond the "quick fixes" everyone always suggests was the turning point for me. I could have gone on Atkin's again. I could have just watched Ghost Adventures and tried not to be depressed. But admitting I needed something beyond what I could physically do was the turning point!
the Pre-op diet is hard! You got this!

Woo Shawana, you're a freakin rock star. You've got this. No doubt in my mind.

No it wasnt. You have to remember that your body is really adjusting and recalibrating after a traumatic event. Don't be hard on yourself or be regretful. You have to also remember that you are not taking in a lot of calories and you are exercising on top of that. Your body may be in complete shock. Despite all of this...the scale is moving in the right direction. Now really ask yourself, without this surgery would you have really lost 6 pounds in that short period of time. If your metabolism is anything like mine ..its a whopping hell no!

I was sleeved on 11/28/18...and I know there will be some mental play here...so that is why I decided not to weigh myself. I have been the big girl for so long, I don't want to be in bondage by the scale anymore. That is why I will say to you. You had surgery to free yourself. Dont imprison yourself again with the numbers game. Think about it...the scale will change...but your mindset has to change too. Be patient with you and remember you did this to feel better about you. Whatever is going to out that in jeopardy, stay away from it.

I hope I'm not preaching...but I want you to know that you're journey is just beginning..and if you work your tool and be patient...your weight loss goal will come to fruition.

Hang in there [emoji8]

Sent from my SM-J737VPP using BariatricPal mobile app

I've always been on the cold side, even at my heaviest. My husband jokes that I am a lizard. Ever since surgery, I am always cold. Heck, in my first week I was so cold I had like 3 blankets on me and a hoodie. I'm not that extreme now, but I can relate to the cold hands and feet. Just last week I bought myself a heated mouse cover. Cute little thing, looks like a sleeping bag for my hand and it sure does the trick!

Right on schedule! Welcome to the Polar Express where flannel jams, turtlenecks and leggings with fleece slippers and socks are the preferred attire!

Possibly TMI-ing the hell out of the thread on this one, but I went to a national industry event recently and had an amazing hookup experience with a guy I met there. Body-positive feminist from the drop and just incredibly affirming the whole time (and also damn attractive and volunteered the term “enthusiastic consent” in conversation unprompted). I’ve been pretty conscious of my body for about a decade now, and the entire experience was fabulous. No shyness, no “demure” instinct to cover up when it’s actually just hiding. No trying for “flattering” positioning or lighting. No searching for the hotel robe and hoping it fits.
I’ve lost around 90lbs so far, last time I was 20lbs above this weight I had the negative experience of guys suddenly catcalling me and just outing themselves as superficial assholes. It made me feel furious and cheap and like I wanted to live at the bottom of the sea. I don’t know if the way I carry myself has changed as well (or the five years makes a difference), but this time round I’m able to avoid most of the crappy experiences. And obviously hit the damn validation lottery with this last guy.
(...also the nonstop shagging knocked off a few more pounds, bringing me within a whisper of onederland, so hooray for aerobics.)

Sleeved lesbian here as well!!! 10/25/18

Sleeved lesbian here [emoji847]


Highest Wt: 265 lbs
Surgery Wt: 250 lbs
Current Wt: 168 lbs

Just wanted to thank to thank Creek for this post. Really good information and research links. Will definitely be saving this for when I'm in maintenance planning my long-term eating habits. Please kee[ right now wacking that dead horse. I need this info. Thank you.

You lost 50 lbs. in less than 2 months and you are questioning whether or not it is working? That is incredible progress! When have you ever lost even close to that on a regular diet plan? It is working.

@georgetown My surgeon did NOT!! I was very angry when my psychiatrist said that was why I was sooo depressed. We changed some things around so I take meds twice a day instead of all at once and I feel a lot better.

It’s totally up to you! I would calculate both for my own information but your surgeon is measuring effectiveness of surgery so he would calculate off of 243.

To be fair, when most nutritionists say "no carbs" they don't mean "no egg yolks" or even (usually) "no plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese." (The carbohydrate in an egg yolk is so very small. It's a little higher in dairy foods, but it's still not that high. Reasonable people classify eggs, plain Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese as sources of protein.) Most don't even mean "no vegetables," because one of the few areas where there's scientific consensus about nutrition is the statement "vegetables are good."
They probably mean "don't eat bread, Pasta, rice, etc.," or phrased another way, "don't eat foods that are primarily composed of carbohydrates." They might also want you to leave out Beans and fruit, but only if they are monsters. (OK, now you know where I stand.) By most anti-carb nutritionists' rules, broccoli and cauliflower are borderline (OK in moderation), and tomatoes and any kind of potatoes are right out, but kale and other lower-carbohydrate vegetables (zucchini, cucumber, ... eh, there are lists) are OK. ... I mean, obviously, check with your team, but I'm pretty sure they didn't mean that extreme a rule, at least not for long-term. For now, maybe they really do only want you to eat high-protein foods; mine sure prefer that I focus there, though I'm allowed to have a little fruit in my cottage cheese and a couple of crackers with my tuna salad, you know? At least when I talk to the nice nutritionist; there's a hardliner at my surgeon's office who I avoid, and she might not allow those things.
Also, for dairy with a bit more Protein and less sugar, I really like Fairlife milk. I usually prefer 1% when I'm drinking normal milk, and I'm really happy with their skim. My spouse, whose preferences are even stronger than mine, is also happy with their skim.

god. Back in the good old days some people got all up in arms simply because someone use the "wrong" drinking fountain. Now it's bathrooms. Sorry but there were no good old days.

Yes, you have a conservative wardrobe. I did too. My whole life I dressed conservatively. Something happened during this surgery. I'm like..."losin' daylight" on the number of year I can possibly dress like a hoochey mama and not just look pathetic (despite a smokin hot figure). LOL. So now I'm rocking the tight jeans and bootilicious Kardashian look, and tight shirts and tight sweaters and I feel a Giant FU 🖕 in my future! hehe--JIC someone dares to tell me I should dress more respectfully for someone my age. LOL.

You have WAYYY more years to your advantage! Start dressing hot to trot! Especially at synagogue! LOL.

Wow, that looks like so much more than 20 lbs!

It was blossom yes.

So update on this whole problem.

turned out being a spasm in my esophagus. After three different trips to the er. Two to three day stays every time, just to replenish my fluids.

I smoked some some old pot I had laying around. “Let’s keep in mind I hate being stoned. But I also hate not being able to eat or drink.”

i drank. Still a little pain. But that made the light go off that hey, lets go to the store, pick up some Vape pens of weed. “I live where it is legal”

I was able to drink freely. I ate a whole bag of mini Funions! I was a wreck after smoking. But I’ll take that any day over the reglan and blood pressure meds.
I felt like a test subject that was on all sorts of trial meds that would hurt me more than help.

I woke up up and ate a little bit of this philly cheese steak I froze. I can’t tell you how incredibly freeing this is. I am sipping on a mango shake I write this, with a huge smile.

I was watching a YouTube video on a person who gave me a different perspective on stalls. Stalls are the body's way of recalibrating itself. You seem to be doing everything correct. Your body just need time. One of the things that I decided to do is not to have a scale as I think you can become too fixated on the number and held captive by it. You're gonna lose weight. And losing weight slowly may not be a bad thing. Just my own perspective

Sent from my SM-J737VPP using BariatricPal mobile app

Ok y'all! Let's play a game to help the newbies (immediately post surgery)!!!!! For all of you who've already been through this forest and figured out the path to Gran'mas house, share your tips and secrets for meeting and exceeding your Protein goals in Stage 1 and Stage 2 right out from surgery!!!!! (Stage 1=Full Liquids); (Stage 2=Full Liquids/Pureed liquids). So many newbies HATE and GAK at the Protein Drinks, so let's give them some practical advice they can refer back to and that we can re-post the link to for getting their protein in so they heal and get to progress down the path to post WLS life!!
(Psssssst!!! Calling all sophomores, juniors, and VETS!!! Please let's play?!!! Please include your favorite protein drinks too!!!)
Ok, let the games begin!!!!