Lainey H

How did it go@goddessmoon

Things went well@proudgrammy I would say more discomfort than pain I’m doing laps and can move pretty good I still have that elephant on my chest feeling but mor of a big dog now. Lol

Surgery went well. Initially felt like someone was sitting on my chest but feeling is improved. I wasted at 7 and 9:15 and seems to help with gas. Now in room and guess I will try to sleep. Pain isn’t terrible. How often should I be working. Kinda scared of drinking my water. So just lots of smalll sips. No limitation on volume per hour?

I'm tomorrow as well!! Getting super nervous. I have to get off the forum before I read something that will change my mind. Good luck @GoddessMoon

I'm curious if people are very hungry a few years out? I attended a support group meeting and I did hear how hungry some people were and most were between 1-3 yrs out. The nurse running the meeting seemed to think it was what they were eating. i.e. not getting enough protein and eating too much sugar. So for those of you out 2+ years, are you just as hungry as you were before the surgery but can't eat as much? Do you find that following same type of plan as nutrionist helps with hunger. How tough is it too maintain. Do most find that you don't loose past the honeymoon phase. I keep hearing about how critical it is to maximize weight loss during the 1st year. I know I'm a bit ahead of myself here since my surgery is set for Nov 30th but I'm trying to prepare mentally for long-term. TIA

@bellabloom It’s so hard to say if it’s worth the risks. I mean of course I want to live long enough to see my kids grow up and that along with my constant yo yo dieting are the main reasons for surgery but weight loss is such a mind f$@k because it feels like I can do it on my own and yet here I am 9 years later and bigger than when I was pregnant with twins. Outside of my weight, I am relatively healthy and feel good most of the time but it’s hard carrying the extra weight. Trading in this life for a thin one with constant worry about eating and pain doesn’t sound very appealing either. I have young children and a sick Mom and don’t have a lot of extra time to eat all day long and people rely on me not to get sick. I even worry about feeling well enough to keep my job. I made my decision and have been trying to read only positive posts. Maybe I need to step away from BP until next week. I do appreciate your candor.

I’m 8 days from surgery and I️ worry about my future life. I️ wish I️ had a better understanding of the percentage of patients that struggle every day like you describe. Sounds so exhausting...

I have told a few people but don’t feel I need to share with everyone. I will be in a couple of scenarios where it will be awkward not to share. Day before surgery dinner with my daughters best friend and her mom and then post surgery with my sitter who is helping a bit. I thought I remember reading someone talking about a surgery that was similar in terms of pre op or recovery? Thanks!

Good to hear... I appreciate your comments.

That's so good to hear @CowgirlJane !! LOL on toxic food and relationship. Thanks for the comments. I really appreciate it.

Thanks @jenn1 So as most say it is a long time battle with managing the foods you eat and the weight gain. I guess it a big jump start and most keep most of their weight off but it's not easy. I guess they have so much vested probably or have better tools to cope with urges. I mean realistically I never really hungry now but love to eat and crave sweets big time. I'm just trying to wrap my brain around how I will be successful long term when I have lost my weight (70lbs) before but have not been able to keep it off. I appreciate your detailed input and congrats on success!!

That sounds a little rough. Do you get enough protein? Does it affect anything else like hair loss, etc. Awesome job on keeping the weight off.

Thanks for your feedback @CowgirlJane I guess it will always be somewhat of a battle but it's good to hear you are a success 6 yrs out and rocking your goal!!! Any other issues (i.e. nausea, reflux, etc?)

Good to hear @BigViffer !! Thanks. Hoping for the same...

Oh bummer @jess9395 I was hoping that shutting down the hunger hormone ghrelin, would help long term. At least that what was explained to me during one of the first group meetings by one of the surgeons. I guess that is just a theory b/c I'm hearing from a lot of hungry people out longer than one year.

Thanks @BigViffer I never thought about the liquid / food part of soup. That all makes sense... I just ordered Unjury chicken protein powder which I guess would be a good option.

Thanks @Waler So would you say it's easier to stay on track due to the surgery? I'm hoping that's the case.

So I have a date (Nov 30th) although still going through insurance approval. I'm becoming so anxious about it now that it seems real. I'm not sure if I should be excited but I'm scared of long-term issues with gastric sleeve surgery. I feel good about committing to the plan and loosing weight but I'm so nervous about so many other issues that might come up. Partly because I have been reading people's experiences on the boards. My fear is going through all the pain, recovery and learning to eat in a new way and trading in my success with weight loss for another set of problems. Here are some of the items written by people who are out 2-3 years. They are scaring me: -nausea 2-3 yrs out -not being able to leave house because need to be near bathroom -gallstone issues and heartburn -feeling just as hungry but not being able to eat as much and still gaining weight -constipation -I even read a thread about loosing teeth. Jeez, I didn't put that on my list of questions for either the surgeon or dentist And of course there is also the unknown. What type of consequences will I experience 10-20 years out from vitamin deficiency and any unknown issues that will occur based on this irreversible surgery. Ugh I'm struggling here... I will say there are many positive posts so I'm trying to sift through the large amount of information here. I spent most of my adult life thinnish (130) but always on a diet and went up and down 10-15 lbs. Always finding ways to get my sugar in so I have a bad relationship with food and def a stress eater. Once I had my kids at 38, I spent the next 9 years going between 170 and 247 (current weight.) I managed to loose 70 lbs 3 years ago with Weight Watchers and thought I had it all figured out. Even threw out my fat clothes. Then I spent the following year gaining it all back. I realize food is my addition and I don't understand how I couldn't keep it off and why I can't get back there. I was really intrigued by this surgery because of the research on resetting and shutting down hunger hormones but I know it's not a quick fix and I'm so worried it won't work for me. That thread on the person who was always hungry and barely ate anything but still gaining really got to me. And the nausea... I know the numbers on weight loss and stats on reflux, gerd, leaks etc but having a hard time finding any good sources for success 3-5 years out on how patients feel overall and how eating low amount of calories and vitamin issues could affect long-term health. I'm already a bit resentful that I won't be able to eat like my family or drink a nice glass a wine with my dinner but it would kill me to feel awful on top of that. Something about this surgery feels wrong and yet I'm fighting to start my 50s in good health. I have 2 kids and a husband and want to be healthy and live long enough to be around. I'm willing to do the work and change my ways. I know it will be good for me. Thanks for any words of wisdom.

Great advise. I will. He is such a good man and somewhat gets my struggle. He is in the pharma industry and his co makes a weight loss drug. Last night he asked me if he were to work out with me and eat healthy, would I give it another try. I felt so bad bc I have worked it out and feel better about the risks and my decision. I really feel like it may work for awhile but it’s like my body and will are broken and I need this tool to help me. Been down this road so many times and wasting my 40s in this body. In the end he said we should still work out together so I woke up at 6 and jumped on the elipitical. Oh how I hate early morning workouts. Much more of a night owl. Thanks!!

Well I feel better now and passed all my tests, got approved and PCP cleared me today for Nov 30th date. Three weeks out. I will say that I feel good until I talk to my husband. He is supportive but it's the little things he says that I know he doesn't want me to have it. Sets me back a little but I do think it will be the best thing for me. Thanks for input!

Good luck with your surgery! Excited to hear how it goes.

I have a date since last week (Nov 30th) and everyday I question whether I should back out. I spent most of my adult life thinnish (130) but always on a diet and went up and down 10-15 lbs and felt that I understood the struggle. I felt different than my thin friends who would always leave food on their plate. And I found ways to get my sugar in so I have a bad relationship with food and def a stress eater. Once I had my kids at 38, I spent the next 9 years going between 170 and 247 (current weight.) I managed to loose 70 lbs 3 years ago with Weight Watchers and thought I had it all figured out. Even threw out my fat clothes. Then I spent the following year gaining it all back. I realize food is my addition and I don't understand how I couldn't keep it off and why I can't get back there. I'm becoming so anxious about it now that it seems real. I'm not sure if I should be excited but I'm scared of long-term issues with gastric sleeve surgery. I feel good about committing to the plan and loosing weight but I'm so nervous about so many other issues that might come up. Partly because I have been reading people's experiences on the boards. My fear is going through all the pain, recovery and learning to eat in a new way and trading in my success with weight loss for another set of problems like nausea, constipation, hunger and not eating much but still gaining, etc. And of course there is also the unknown. What type of consequences will I experience 10-20 years out from vitamin deficiency and any unknown issues that will occur based on this irreversible surgery. Ugh I'm struggling here... I will say there are many positive posts so I'm trying to sift through the large amount of information here. I'm already a bit resentful that I won't be able to eat like my family or drink a nice glass a wine with my dinner but it would kill me to feel awful on top of that. Something about this surgery feels wrong and yet I'm fighting to start my 50s in good health. I have 2 kids and a husband and want to be healthy and live long enough to be around. I'm willing to do the work and change my ways. I know it will be good for me. Thanks for any words of wisdom. I appreciate having a place to come for information.

I have spoken with my PCP for the past 8 years about weight loss options and he is against them all. pills and surgery. I actually need to see him in a couple of weeks to get cleared so I'm curious what he will say. His feeling is that all these tools are temp and will go back to hold habits so need to change the habit. After speaking with a bunch of people in the bariatric world as well as other specialists, I think he is not as educated on the specifics of that world. He is a generalist and I don't think he could be up on all the data and studies on weight loss. We go to specialist for a reason. Good luck!

Thanks @Sosewsue61 I put that book on my amazon list and will download it this week. I have tried so many different approaches in the past 14 months giving myself a deadline to loose weight or go to surgery. I didn't loose weight and never found a therapist that was able to reach me. I did speak with a couple of social workers on mindful eating and even started a book but it just wasn't me. Did that book help you prepare for surgery? Good luck with your weight loss journey!

Thanks Diana! This is what I need to hear... Congrats on your success. I actually have clothing in all sizes and I can't wait to fit into those smaller sizes. It's so interesting about still seeing yourself as fat woman. It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that I am fat. lol. I still think I'm thin until I see my reflection or a pic. Believe it or not I have been working on this for about 14 months. Started with hypnotherapy then weight loss doc with 4-5 Rx and social worker talking about mindful eating, a couple of books on obesity and GS and two surgeons and support groups and a couple of nutrionist and here I am. Honestly I really never found someone good to talk to about it. I would really love to understand more about why I eat so I can help prevent it but I think most docs / therapist would rather tackle how to change. Thanks for your input! It's so helpful.