bariatricbride

See, we don't have Moe's in Washington state. But, we do have a place called Costa Vida that is similar to Chipotle...but no food poisoning, delicious steak/chicken/shrimp/ground beef, and their queso doesn't taste like vomit.

So, I work as nursing staff at a psychiatric hospital and our crew is very tight-knit. We have potlucks in our nurses’ station for every reason. Birthday? Potluck. Back from vacation? Potluck. Trying patient going back to jail? Potluck. It’s a Saturday? Donuts, chips, and other goodies. Today, I came into work and there was a box of donuts from our psychiatrist because he wanted to show his appreciation. Right now, there’s a bag of Doritos and gummy bears right in front of me as I begrudgingly eat my salad. I’ve managed to do pretty well so far and I haven’t given in to temptation, but man, that apple fritter was calling my name. What are your favorite snacks to keep on hand in this type of situation? I have a fridge at work and my own locker. I am just starting my 6 month medically supervised weight loss.

More goodies on the table today when I walked in for shift change report. Thank you all for your tips and suggestions. I ate snacks I packed (cheese stick and turkey jerky), and will eat my dinner in about an hour (Premier Protein RTD shake). Feeling satiated throughout the evening and not letting my self get super hungry has helped a bunch too.

I have two tattoos so far: a hummingbird behind my ear and a Celtic claddagh on the back of my neck. After I get my surgery, I’m going to get a tattoo of an ouroboros (like the photo). The ouroboros is a symbol of transformation and rebirth.

I totally know how you feel. I'm brand new to the group and just started my journey--I had my initial meeting with my dietitian and surgeon a couple days ago. I initially told two people I was choosing surgery--my fiance and my best friend who is also on her bariatric surgery journey. I wasn't going to tell my parents or other family at all, for the same reasons you are hesitant. My whole mindset was that I was going to go to family functions as I lost weight, and just say, "Oh, yeah! It's just this new diet I'm trying, " or eventually tell them after I got surgery. Then, when I was at dinner with my dad just after the information session, he brought up that he's noticed that I never eat tons at a time and basically wanted to know why I was so obese. From there, I explained hormones and PCOS and other factors and told him my choice. Surprisingly, he was beyond supportive--he even offered to pay. He broke the news to my mom with my permission and resources to teach her, and she is coming around. But, at the end of the day, the choice to have surgery is the total opposite of "the easy way out". In my case, I have always been the big kid, have tried almost every diet known to man, have struggled with anorexia/bulimia, tried EVERYTHING to lose weight with no real success. Surgery is not the easy way out; doing nothing is the way out. Let people think what they want. You can educate them, but don't feel like you have to explain yourself. Always remember that this choice is life changing, and it will hopefully be beneficial for all aspects of your life. Feel free to message me any time, beautiful.

@AELdoesRNY I have had an IUD as my form of birth control for 2 years, and want to keep it during and post surgery. I won't have to get it removed or anything prior to surgery, will I?

Hello beauties, I just had my consultation with my dietitian on 7/31, weighing in at 310 and a BMI of 48. A week later (last Tuesday), I had my initial consultation with my surgeon and lost a couple pounds. Anyways, when I met with my surgeon, he nonchalantly said, "You can't go wrong with bypass or sleeve." I went in to this process being pretty convinced on sleeve, and now I don't know what to choose because he listed pros and cons for both. Luckily, I have six months to choose, per my insurance requirement of supervised weight loss for that amount of time. So beyond grateful for a community/support group like this. While I have a great support system with my future hubby and my dad (my mom is getting there), it's so nice to have people who are/have had experience with what I am going through, as well. I am at probably one of the most stressful times in my life--between planning a wedding, working full time at a very stressful job, starting my graduate studies in a week, and committing to a healthier lifestyle, and I wouldn't change a thing. I can't wait to embark on this journey, and I am so thankful to have y'all to guide me.

So, I am also debating between surgeries. My surgeon said that I can't go wrong with either RnY or Sleeve, and my dietitian thought RnY might be a better option for me. I had gone in to my information session convinced on the sleeve based upon my 2+ years of researching bariatric surgery, but now I'm at a standstill and leaning more towards RnY. Statistics on RnY show more weight loss (average of 60%-80%), in comparison to sleeve (capping on average about 60%). However, the sleeve seems less invasive (not rerouting your intestines). There are pros and cons to both surgeries for me, personally. If I got the RnY, I would have to find a different medication to manage my headaches and other pain besides NSAIDS. If I got the sleeve, there is a possibility that my acid reflux would get more persistent. I wish my surgeon would tell me which surgery would be better for my circumstances; my pros and cons list is not helping me decide! He seemed sort of nonchalant about the options I had!