AZhiker

Follow your doctor's advice. Blood clots are not anything to mess with or to risk.

Ha! It's called LIFE! And developing resilience! And perspective. My poor little daughter-in-law has 10/10 pain with a mosquito bite! No kidding! My favorite all time quote: " Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather a skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, "Wow! What a ride!" Hunter S. Thompson

I agree about the pain. Compared to a total knee, open abdominal hysterectomy, and thoracotomy, (and also a fractured pelvis and broken ribs) this was a piece of cake. I used some Tramadol for a day or two, then just liquid Tylenol for about a week. The most painful part was getting out of bed - that sideways twisting was not nice. That's where my firm little pillow was my best friend. I held it against my tummy every time I coughed, twisted, or even walked for the first week. See if they have something like that at the hospital before you leave. They might call it a "splint" pillow - to splint your abdomen. At the last 2 hospitals I was at, the volunteers made them.

Congrats! So glad you are doing so well! Continue to heal and keep us posted.

They are the first to go!

IF can be very powerful. It really does curb the appetite. Just be sure to get your protein and vitamins in every day. IF helped me get past a stall at 7 months and bumped me to goal. There are many variations to try. You can mix them up, too, which I think keeps the metabolism so confused it just keeps chugging away. The real key, however, is that IF decreases insulin levels, which promotes fat burning instead of fat storage. Even eating good food, but snacking all day lone keeps the insulin levels up for longer during the day. This makes it a lot harder to burn the fat.

I cut coffee to reduce acid. I already had Barretts esophagitis and precancerous polyp due to GERD.

I lost a lot pretty fast. That is not the way it is with everyone, and in some regards, I wish the loss had been slower. It is a huge mental adjustment to losing so much so fast. I went from pant size 24 to 10. Bra 42DD to 36B. People don't recognize me and I hardly recognize myself. Body dysmorphia is real - I feel like I am in someone else's body. It's a bit surreal. Sometimes I feel a bit lost - like where did I go? I think I look old and wrinkled - shriveled and saggy. People tell me I look younger, but I don't see it. Without clothes, I think I look 90 years old. Anyway, I just try to focus on all the things I can do now, even if I do look funny! I must say, it is fun to shop for cute clothes. I hated it before - so shaming. But gosh darn it! I can't find jeans that fit. My thighs are hollow on the inside now and even size 10 have way too much fabric in the thigh area so they look more like English riding pants on me. Bottom line - you will lose at the rate that your body wants. Going slower is not bad - it might even be better for all the mental and physical changes that happen. I am also getting pretty tired of people asking about my weight loss. Some are concerned that I might be sick and others are just nosy. That is getting old.

Always got at least 60 gm protein. That gradually went up a bit. Average 80 gm by end of 6 months. Also doing a lot of exercise by then - strength training and cardio. Caloric amounts are average. They varied by 50 give or take each day, but this is what my journal shows: First 3 weeks: 300 cal. M:1 400-500 cal. M 2: 600 cal. M 3: 600 cal. M 4: 800 cal. M 5: 800 cal. M 6: 900-1000 cal. Now, because of this silly triathlon (what was I thinking?) I cannot get enough calories. I am eating to the point of being uncomfortable just to keep from losing weight. I don't like it. Can hardly wait til this is over. I will continue to bike, swim, and walk, but not all on the same day! I just want to get back to "normal" eating with my morning fast and smallish meals.

55 pounds in first 2 months. RNY. I also focused a lot on exercise - walking, wall push ups, then stairs, then light weights, then a leg routine and stretches. Now biking and swimming and entering a triathlon this coming Saturday! Woo hoo!

I agree that some honest confrontation may be necessary for them to see how they are hurting you and the relationship. You need to take care of YOU now! You are worth it, you are precious and you are valuable in God's sight, even if you don't measure up to the family. I would encourage you to seek out some other social contacts that are healthy and supportive. Find some new friends, join a support group, join a Bible study or small group at another church. Start setting limits on how much damage you allow your family to inflict - that probably means limiting time around them. That will be hard with holidays coming, but let them know if they start in on you, you will leave. I have friends with dysfunctional families who actually moved across town to minimize contact. They are also considering a move to another part of the state, because they want to be their own family without the others butting into every situation. That is something to consider. Glad you and hubby are working things out and I sure hope your new confidence will carry the day!!!!!

I think upping your calories can help. You can also try alternate day IF - maybe just do it for 2 days the first week - any 2 days you like. You will not be decreasing the total calories in the week, but pick 2 days where you eat far less. (I was only eating 500 cal per day at 8 weeks. I cannot even imagine how I would have gotten in 1,000!) Since you have been getting around 800, try for the 1000 if you can, but just do 500 on the 2 days you choose. This can trick your metabolism into thinking it is having a food fest, so metabolism jumps up. Or you could stick to your 800 and do 400 on 2 days during the week. It is still more calories than a lot of folks get at that point. Just be sure to get your protein in each day.

Buy the size you want. Put them in an insulated lunch bag that is pre-refrigerated. Not rocket science.

You probably didn't do a lot of damage to your weight loss, but the reason for no alcohol is to prevent tissue damage to the surgical sites. Alcohol can cause erosions and ulcerations - even years later. I know everyone makes their own decisions, but personally, I think it is best to avoid alcohol forever after WLS. I am a GI nurse and the worst ulcers I have ever seen are in WLS patients who started drinking again. It is pretty horrible. These tissues seem to remain fragile forever, and we need to do all we can to take care of them. I gave up sugar because I don't want dumping. I gave up coffee and alcohol because I don't want ulcers. Gave up soda, as I already had fatty liver disease, and soda contributes to it (diet as well as regular.) Gave up simple carbs because I don't want to be fat! BUT...... got a whole new life that is so precious and worth taking care of.

I lost 100 pounds in the first 6 months! Unbelievable, really. What I gained was also unbelievable - a whole new life! No shortness of breath with exercise, no asthma, no GERD, sleep apnea resolved, no joint pain, so much energy! Able to get down on the floor and GET UP AGAIN! Down 12 clothing sizes - WOW! Being one of the smaller people in the room instead of the biggest. The list goes on and on. It is a new world for me and I am so excited for you!

I had the heparin injections in the hospital, but my doc does not require follow up anticoagulation unless there is an underlying problem. A week or so after surgery a couple of the superficial varicose veins in my legs got swollen and very painful. I didn't think it was a big deal and went in for my regular 2 week post op appointment. Doc sent me in right away for a doppler of my legs and turned out I had 3 deep veins that were also affected. The superficial ones were just the tip of the ice berg. So I had to go on Xarelto for several months and see a hematologist. Any future surgeries will require me to be on anticoagulation since this is now part of my history, I did all the right things - walked the halls right after surgery and was actually up to 10,000 steps a day by the end of the first week. I did my leg exercises and kept moving, but it just happens sometimes. Wish I had been given the Lovenox injections for 10 days! As others have said, the needle is very small and short. The injection only goes under the skin into the fatty tissue. They really do not hurt. It's great you have a nurse friend who can maybe guide you through the first couple. After that you will be fine.

Not a big deal. They just go into the chubby area on your tummy - under the skin. I wish I HAD gotten them, as I developed blood clots after surgery.

Go to YouTube and watch Dr. Matthew Weiner's WLS stuff. Lots of really good information - everything from which surgery to choose, diets in various stages, how to maintain. Every surgeon has their own take on how they like to advance diets, and you still have to do what your doctor says, but I found his information to be very helpful when I was in the preop stage, even when I was trying to decide if WLS was an option for me.

Start by walking. It's the best way to get your endurance up. I was not allowed to lift more than 10 lbs for 8 weeks, but I was walking 10,000 steps a day by end of week one. That is very empowering. Hang in there.

Cottage cheese is a great choice. So is liver. I also craved it and found it to be the easiest of all meats to get down. I found calves liver to be very mild and quite tasty. Sprouts has it frozen in sealed individual 4 oz packs that keep really well. I would break off 2 oz at a time and keep the rest frozen. Easy to eat and the iron is well absorbed.

The fear of failure keeps us from so many opportunities! There are many times in life when we come up against obstacles - it feels like a wall. We can't see what is on the other side (the future). We don't know if it is even possible to get over the wall at all. Many will turn away and see the wall as insurmountable. Some of us see the wall and are determined to get past it. You will never see the missed opportunity unless you persevere. Some of the greatest experiences of my like have been found on the other side of walls! I never would have known had I not persevered. WLS is like that. Great opportunity for a whole new like awaits, but you have to take the risks, which include failure. I think the fear of failure is because you want it so badly and because it means so much to you. Failing feels like utter devastation. I get that. We cannot know the future - only the steps we take today. Successful WLS is a series of small, daily steps. One day at a time... step, step, step...... and persevering all the way to success, inspite of set backs, inspite of challenges.... step, step, step. If you can persevere one day at a time, you can be successful. Don't let the wall (fear of failure) keep you from an unbelievable journey and a new life. I don't know how old you are, but for us mature geezers (I am 63), WLS is the only option left after we have tried it all. My health was failing and I was losing my life and ability to be mobile and active. Don't wait until you get to where I was - joint replacements and irreversible damage to my knees, hips, and spine. Fatty liver, severe sleep apnea, asthma, Barrett's esophagitis with tumor, blood sugar and blood pressure creeping up, hysterectomy due to precancerous obesity...... oh the years of life I lost! Don't make that mistake!

Just thought I'd throw this out, as it seems like a lot of fresh post op folks have trouble tolerating their water requirements. I have found myself gravitating more and more to warm liquids - herbal teas, rather than straight water. I do drink lots of water, but warm/hot tea seems to really settle well, if not better than plain water. Water sometimes feels like a rock landing in my pouch, and I am 8 months out. So just an idea to experiment with temperatures and teas, to see if some are more tolerable than others.

All of us here are food addicts to some degree or another, or else we wouldn't be here at all. My question to you: Are you willing to take the scary steps to give up your addiction? You WILL lose weight with surgery - no question, and you will be given a grace period of 6-18 months in which to learn new behaviors and new ways to cope with stress and emotions. Are you willing to learn new skills? If so, you will be successful. The other warning for all of us is the issue of transfer addictions. We MUST learn new coping mechanisms or else risk other addictive behaviors like alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, etc. There is simply no easy way to overcome obesity and all the related issues without commitment and a willing heart. Counselling is very important for many, as this is uncharted territory for all of us. I can assure you that there are plenty of tools and resources available. The bottom line is whether or not you are willing to make the lifestyle and dietary changes. You cannot possibly figure out all the answers at this point - it is a journey of discovery. But if you are willing, the help is there are you will be successful.

Everything hinges on insurance approval. Once you are approved, it is a done deal. I would not start on the pre-op diet until you know you are approved, since you are borderline with the BMI. If that means putting off surgery a week or two, so be it, Nothing will happen without approval from insurance and you don't want to risk denial.

Your triglycerides will probably drop off quickly by being off carbs. Your HDL should increase significantly as you start exercising more. However, the total cholesterol may actually increase while you are in the weight loss stage. It has to do with the fat breaking down and how the liver is handling all that load. Don't worry about it. Once you are in maintenance for a while, it should normalize. Keep exercising to keep your HDL up, which is protective against heart disease.