Orchids&Dragons

OK, speaking only for myself, ds are ugly - coyote ugly. I'll take a pic of just about any other body part (love a great @ss) but no ds, please!

Omgosh, Matt! You look amazing! I'd never guess you'd been overweight! Congratulations!

Hey, Fluff! Found a Christmas present Mr F can get you:

Girl, if you weren't jealous, that would be abnormal! That said, we all have to deal with our own body/hormones/etc. and it sounds like you're doing amazingly well. Congratulations on your success and just try to shut out the rest.

WOW!!!! Congratulations!

Man, that sucks. I'm sorry. Hope the clearance comes through quickly. My first surgery date was canceled when I was 1/2 way through the pre-diet because they wanted some more heart tests done. It is so disappointing when you've got your mind/spirit all geared up. Morning-of really bites.

Kay, if your stomach already has a lot of acid in it, adding a big rush of water makes it slosh up into your esophagus. Since you don't suffer with this the rest of the time, slowing down when your stomach is empty is the "cure". Take it from the Acid Queen!

Not for a minute. OK, I did, for a few minutes post-op (does that count?) Other than that, no way, no how.

Welcome to the site. It's a very supportive and friendly community and you can pick up a lot of info, as well. Just remember, we are all random people on the internet who do not even play doctors on tv. Use your common sense and if you're not sure, run the question by your team. They are the source of your "official" playbook. The things you listed above are common to every single surgery. Not everyone gets them, but some do. You really can't use any of those criteria to decide which option to choose. You're doing the right thing by researching now. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Don't worry about stalls, they're beyond your control anyway. Keep to your plan and get your exercise and eventually the stall will break. This is a great time to pay attention to how your clothes fit, how comfortably you can sit in chairs, etc. Have you checked your measurements?

Bad-@ss rock star!

Thank you! It's great having so much info in one place!

I actually told my surgeon in the initial interview that I could lose weight just fine, I just couldn't keep it off. So, I understand where you're coming from. But enjoy your successes along the way. Recognize them because, by God, you don't EVER intend to celebrate each one of these milestones again. Be proud of yourself. We've spent enough years being ashamed, or at least I have. Congrats!

These are definitely girlie-doc questions. I had a bladder suspension done maybe 12-15 years ago. Absolutely nothing like giving birth. Just one of those trophies you get for having humongous babies. Now that I've lost a lot of weight, I'm getting weird "tugging" type feelings down there. I don't know if it's related to the weight loss. But, ask your doctor if it would be better to wait on a fix until you're at maintenance if you're not now. Good luck.

Congrats on being so healthy starting out. Many are not so fortunate; I was one like you. I just knew that eventually, it would all catch up to me. I'm sure when the surgeon evaluated you, he did some significant abdominal palpating. One of the things he was looking for was a "fatty liver". That doesn't mean fat around the liver, it means the liver itself has pockets of fat. That is what the liver-shrinking diet is for. To thin down a fatty liver enough to ensure that the surgeon has enough room to manipulate the liver out of the way safely. Clearly, your doc didn't think yours was an issue. I had no diabetic issues before the surgery and my levels have remained normal after surgery. This isn't a source of worry, it should be a source of comfort. You may be the healthiest person the surgeon operates on all week, which means your chances of an uneventful surgery are higher and you'll likely have a quicker recovery. Best of luck with your new life!

Just call any of the local hospitals. They will tell you if they host support meetings. In my area, all the meetings are open; it doesn't matter where you had surgery. Good luck!

I was the same way. My surgery was Feb. 26th and flu was rampant. I practically avoided everyone I could from mid-February onward. But it turned out ok for me. Take your vitamins religiously! You'll need to do it after surgery anyway, so start now. I'm not generally a fan of hand sanitizers, but I used one every time I got back to my desk those last weeks before surgery. Hope that scratch in your throat is nothing major and for December, hoping all goes well!

I think we can all appreciate this one -

Not inspirational, but darned funny.

For me, it's CheezIts - my gateway drug.

Don't forget to check out any support group meetings in your area!

Do they sell any products like Lactaid in NZ? That would help with the gas/diarrhea if it's from lactose intolerance. Did you have problems with milk products before?

So, you've given yourself a mental spanking and it's time to move on. What, specifically did you learn? Keep trigger foods out of the house, slider foods are as dangerous as everyone says, etc. Learn your lessons, then let go of the guilt and move forward. Good luck. It's not the cheat that will destroy you, but how you react after it.

Best wishes for a smooth surgery and a speedy recovery!

There are also anti-nausea patches or tiny tablets that dissolve on your tongue that can be prescribed. Even though the office is closed, surgeons usually have someone on call. Hope you feel better soon.