MrsGamgee

I think, like many areas of bariatrics, different doctors have differing opinions. My dietician is hard core on the not drinking while eating or for 30 minutes after to prevent the flushing through, but not so much on the 30 minutes before. I'm allowed to drink up to 10 or 15 minutes before I eat.

I've been thinking about a tattoo as well, when I get to my goal. I'm leaning toward something incorporating a line from my favourite book that feels fitting to me now and about reclaiming my health...

"Renewed is blade that was broken..." written in elvish.

1 hour ago, Healthy_life2 said:

Is it normal to ....... Have your sex drive elevated and turn you into a horny teenager.

Dear God, I hope so! lol

I've been really honest with my kids (8yo, 6yo) about this from the beginning. They know that I take a lot of medications for my various co-morbidities, so we talk about it in terms of me getting healthier so that I don't have to take so many pills. We also talk about things like maybe next year at the fair I'll be able to go on the rides with them, that I'll have more energy to play with them. I don't often refer to the idea of losing weight, but rather getting healthier.

My program has asked me to lose 10% of my body weight, and I've been working on that for the last 18 months (yes, my program plays the looooooong game). I'm about 5lb away from that 10% mark at the moment, and I'm hopeful that my pre-op diet will take care of the rest. I've had a lot of difficulties losing anything because of a couple of my medications, and it's been a frustrating road.

@Frustr8

Things are indeed finally moving forward. I had to absent myself from the boards for a while as I was getting very discouraged that everyone I knew here was getting their surgeries while I was still treading Water. But I have a date now and am preparing to begin my pre-op diet (phase 1 of 2) next week. 49 days and counting!

Is it safe to assume that things finally got sorted for you and you are now on the losers bench?

My DH is a full foot taller than me (he's 6'4'') and is high in the overweight category. He put on some weight after we got married 12 years ago and it's stayed. He still sees himself as the stringbean 17 year old with pipe cleaner arms, so he doesn't see a huge need to lose weight. I refuse to police his food choices though. I do 99.9% of the cooking, so that helps him a bit. His family has this tradition of 'bed lunch' which means a mini meal just before bed (usually a Peanut Butter sandwich for him) which has always thrown me, and he's working on cutting that out. I'm hopeful that when he sees me losing some significant weight he might be inspired to make some further changes (if for no other reason that it might lessen his snoring!).

I mostly meant the slippers. There's something about hospital floors that skeeves me out.

I'm also starting to think about what I'll need to take, and I'm not planning on taking much. I'm supposed to be in for 2 nights, so I'm bringing pjs/slippers (cheap so that I can toss them on the way out of the hospital), phone & charger, and chapstick. My paperwork also said to bring all my current meds (everything I take daily). I don't know if you're like me, but I'm planning on taking a book. May or may not feel like reading, but something to distract me when I'm not up walking around.

I'm a nighttime snacker now too... and I hate it. When I was growing up, once dinner was finished and the dishes were done, the lights went out in the kitchen and it was CLOSED. It wasn't part of our family culture. But my husband's family have a tradition of something they call 'bed lunch'... a snack, a sandwich, a bowl of Cereal in the evening, usually later in the evening. I have tried to steer clear of it, but I have become a nighttime munchies fiend. popcorn is my weakness these days. I need that hard and fast rule... no eating after 8pm. New goal.

And for those who are having difficulties sleeping... I know it's cliché, but there are a lot of great herbal 'sleepy' teas out there. I really like Mother's Little Helper from David's Tea. I drink a cup of that and I'm down for the count a half hour later.

I had a thought, and I'm not sure how I would do it, but possibly have something planned for your gathering that isn't food focussed. Something for you to look forward to that will help take the stress of the daunting dinner table. With my inlaws, I would just have to find a new board game or card game. My side of the family would be harder. Like I said, just a thought.

(I'm like you... I love to cook for others, seeing them enjoying their meals, feeling comfortable, having fun, etc. I get the pressure one can feel to make everything perfect nice)

Whew... ok. So I think what I'm going to do is to keep on what I've been doing... for now. I had be trying (and not succeeding) to go lower than 100g net carbs, but I'll stick there and not sweat it if I go over a little now and then. I've been able to keep my blood sugars in check, and that's a priority for sure. This is going to be topic number 1 when I see my nutritionist in May. Thank you for all the input!

Okay, I'm confused. (Not uncommon, but I thought I had this one figured out)

I had my regularly scheduled meeting with my nurse at the bariatric clinic today. One of the things she commented on is that I'm not eating enough carbs... insert confused emoji here.

I'm a type 2 diabetic for five years and had gestational diabetes before then, and somewhere along the way I had been told/read/somehow absorbed the idea that I'm supposed to be eating than less than 100g of carbs (net) per day. My nurse was shocked that I was trying to keep my carbs 'that low'. She wants my carbs to be 50% of my macros. I currently am striving for less than 35%. 50%, which works out to 200g (total) carbs per day on a 1500-1600 calorie diet, just feels like way too much.

Am I completely off base? Have I been misinformed all this time? I'm not looking to go Keto or Atkins right now, just keeping my carbs low enough to keep my blood sugars controlled and to lose the 10% that my surgeon requires. I don't get to see my nutritionist again until May. Any insight would be appreciated.

Ok, so last week's goal sucked big time... the only thing I accomplished was to keep my carb count down (not Atkins or Keto level, but definitely lower for me) and gained 5lbs!!!! How the heck does that happen? (Question: am I the only one who doesn't record the bounces up on my ticker?) Seriously, the only bad thing I ate was some onion rings when the family went to A&W for lunch. I *know* it's Water and constipation... my fingers feel like sausages and I'm bloated like crazy.

I have an appointment at the bariatric clinic with my nurse tomorrow morning, which I'm not stoked about. I looked for any possible way I could legitimately cancel, but there's just nothing... and really I need to go. My program only allows 3 no-shows/re-scheduled appointments before they kick you to the curb, and I've already had one due to a completely brain dead moment, inputting the wrong time for an appointment on my calendar and I showed up way late.

So this week's goals... 1- go to this horrible-no-good weigh-in where I know my nurse is going to give me serious side-eye when I step on the scale. 2 - work out 4 days this week (already did 2!). 3 - keep working on lowering my carbs and upping my Protein.

Here's to a much better week...

Good to know... I'm a life-long chapstick addict (yes, I have a purse chapstick, a car chapstick, a living room chapstick, a nightstand chapstick, etc), so I will have to stock up.

I want to make pillows out of some of my favourite geeky t-shirts once they're too big. Too bad I have no clue how to use a sewing machine.

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Thanks Fluffy! I had been wondering about your yo-cheese.

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Welcome!

I've been on here for a few months now and have found it super helpful and I've gotten a lot good information and support. My suggestion, poke around everywhere. Read, join the conversation, and ask questions. Good luck on your WLS journey!

Most of my family and friends have been very positive about my decision, even while expressing concern. Most of their concern has come out of simply not knowing the details (which I do my best to explain) or general fear of surgery. Oh, and one friend who knows that I'm a foodie and love cooking expressed concern that she wouldn't get to partake of my culinary skills any more.

That said, I was really surprised by one aunt (a retired RN and wife of a doctor) who was rather negative about the idea. I explained the whys and wherefores of my decision, and listened politely as she told me it 'really only takes moving more and eating less', and then I told her I'd be sure to keep her informed about when I have my surgery and that I'd appreciate her support. We haven't discussed it since, and I don't imagine we will until after the surgery happens. In my case, I think part of it is a bit of a generational disconnect, and part of it is just that this particular aunt is and has always been a know-it-all with a stick up her butt. I know who I can talk to about it and who I can't. Some people are just negative-nellies because they get their jollies from it.

I did this recently too. Actually had my 5 year old take them so I look a little taller than usual, but he got a lovely angle of my quadruple chin.

Hang in there lady! You have been through the wringer the last couple of months and your funk is legit. I recently read something I found helpful...

When you can't imagine next week because it's too big, too scary, focus on this week.

When you can't imagine this week because it's too big, too scary, focus on tomorrow.

When you can't imagine tomorrow because it's too big, too scary, focus on today.

When you can't imagine today because it's too big, too scary, focus on the next hour.

When you can't imagine the next hour because it's too big, too scary, focus on the next ten minutes.

Breathe, ground yourself. You have done all you can reasonably do. It's out of your hands at this point. For your sanity, find something to occupy your mind... walk, read (something not WLS related), watch a movie you can lose yourself in, go out.

*hugs*

12 hours ago, istytehcrawk said:

Like @Gagsy, I'm being very open about my surgery. I figure that's the best way I can do my part to help reduce the stigma that surrounds WLS. So far, nearly everyone has been very supportive, with only one person saying (when I was just starting the process) that I would regret it. Several people in my small town have gotten some form of WLS in the last few years -- at least six acquaintances I can think of, just off the top of my head, plus I know there are others.

Besides, my goal is to lose at least 200 pounds, so it's (ideally!) going to be very noticeable, especially to people I see often, and I don't want to have to come up with a lie and then make sure I am consistent with it. Too much mental effort when I have other things that need my focus.

Here's my perspective... it works for me. It may not be your thing and that's cool.

I'm another who has chosen to be open about my choice to pursue WLS. I talk about it with friends and family, on social media, and I've even been known to talk to a stranger or two about it (when health issues are part of the conversation). I also think it's time for the stigma around WLS to die, and I think we need to be the ones to make that happen.

Nine years ago I went through 2 miscarriages and 2 chemical pregnancies (when you miscarry a month or less into pregnancy). No one in my connection, to my knowledge at that point, had ever dealt with recurrent pregnancy loss. It was only when I talked about it openly that others, some who I had known for years, some who were in my family, felt like it was okay to talk about their similar experiences. Instead of struggling alone, we were able to provide support to one another. Does it mean I've had an impact on my little corner of the world? Yes and no. There are still members of my family that are uncomfortable with the fact that our kids know the names we gave our lost babies. Do I care? Not in the least.

When someone has cancer, or lupus, or MS there is no stigma about talking about their treatments. I look at WLS, obesity, and my co-morbidities the same way. If I'm honest about my experiences on this journey, then perhaps I might change one person's perspective on WLS or encourage one person to seek out more info for themselves. We live in a time and culture where it is acceptable to mock, denigrate, judge, and belittle people who are overweight and obese, and yet it isn't socially acceptable for us to seek medical intervention to remedy that particular 'moral failing'. I call BS on that and choose to talk about it.

My goal for this week... to get outside and walk on the three days that both wee-lings are in school. It's finally warming up here and I need to get outside. Also, to take Fluffy's sage advice and continue to lower my daily carb intake (and not screw up my day by snacking after dinner!).

Fluff,
OMG...I would so dress like FRANKIE! In fact...I kinda do:) LOLOLOL. I think Frankie's earthy weirdness is beautiful. That said, Grace is definitely stunning.

Fluffy, how you feel about jeans is how I feel about fitted and button down shirts. The day my belly doesn't hang out of the bottom of a normal length shirt you will hear the Hallelujah Chorus being belted out from the frozen flatland of Canada with immense joy.

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