HashiHope121

These are all amazing responses! I strongly second doing something you love- I’ve never enjoyed the gym but I love my yoga studio & the community there. I also love walks in my neighborhood and skiing. The best tip I ever heard was go for 10min, if you still don’t want to work out after 10m then you are free to go home. But 99% of the time you are going to want to continue.

I’ve been happy with the Perfect Locks clip ins

Congrats! I hope it went well!

Yep! No problem, I would have been bored otherwise. I was actually on an important project with HQ at the time and I don’t think anyone noticed. I went back to work 2 days after surgery, working from home. It was totally fine.

Hey there! I started with a lower BMI and had lots of success! I am 5’ 5”, started at 209. Within 6mo I was WNL and a year later I was about 145lbs & am happily staying there. I have actually heard that lower BMI (30-35) has more long term success with the sleeve, in part because folks at that level tend to not have as many food addiction or unhealthy habits. There are some studies going on to demonstrate the success of lower BMI folks, with the hope that eventually insurance will cover lower BMIs more often. (I just eeked in at BMI of 35 at my highest- may have purposefully gained a few to do it.) IMHO the trick is to track what you eat and have a balanced diet (not another low carb, highly processed fad nonsense diet that’s just going to fail long term.) So, yes! Lower BMI patients absolutely have a ton of success. And potentially have greater long term success. So go for it! You will do great.

I had similar issues before and after surgery. It was rough. Prescription medicine was the only thing that worked in the beginning. But incorporating daily fiber helped then and in the long run. I take Fiber Well gummies. I think a lot of people like that brand too. The good news was this was my worst issue, all else went really well. Good luck.

Like some of you I was lower BMI. I was healthy but I had struggled for 10 years, my deciding point was when I realized that I didn’t want to suffer for another 10 years and then get the surgery. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself & recommend it to anyone struggling. Good luck!

Hummus & steamed carrots!! (Then cool them)

I think you’ll be OK. I was happy to be alone & just rest after surgery. My surgeon sent a visiting nurse a few times, which made me feel safe. I slept in my bed but with some body pillows to help. I hear the medical lazy boy style chairs are awesome to sleep in & can be rented. I didn’t take the pain meds, I didn’t need them & the constipation wasn’t worth it. As for standing, I don’t think you’ll need help but, I would slide off the couch or bed and stand from my knees. You can do this, it’s not bad. The dentist is worse IMHO. Good luck!

If you didn’t have an insurance option I would 100% say go pay for it! A year out now and I only wish I did this sooner. It is worth its weight in GOLD. That being said, I did wait for my surgery (& gained a few LBs) so insurance would cover it, mostly because I was terrified of the bills in the event there was a complication. I think it also depends on your timing in life, if there is something pushing you to get it now, that may be another factor in the pay column- I was moving cross country and couldn’t have waited another year. I think you will be happy in the long run either way & either way you will have this for the rest of your life. Good luck!!

Here’s my opinion & it differs from others: I am 1y post op & have surpassed my goals. I believe that a lot of my issues with weight gain came from diet culture. Now, I live in the land of balance. I absolutely have had Mac & cheese (I like the reduced guilt from TJs & have it with Tuna). I think long term health & success comes from eating a healthy balanced diet. I do not ban anything, and never ever plan to diet or ban foods again. I eat a ton of Whole Foods, lean protein, Veggies & fruit. I feel and look healthy & fabulous. What I avoid the most is processed foods. I also tracked for the first year so I knew how many carbs, protein, calories and fat I took in & that helped me learn good habits. It also helped me learn what was not worth the splurge. So, IMHO, eventually you can have some Mac and cheese- once in a while. I realize everyone is different but this is my opinion & experience. I hope this helps.

This surgery to me is about getting away from unhealthy diet culture & finding balance, fuel and nutrients. So, Yes, I eat carbs & am happy to not be afraid to put a carb in my mouth. The carbs I eat are high quality and mostly unprocessed. They provide important nutrients and I need them to stay satisfied. I worry about surgery centers pushing no carb as a way to get faster results, but not as a way to finding long term success. As always, everyone is different but this is my humble experience & opinion.

Same!!

I used vitamin patches for the first few months. I found the chalk vitamins disgusting and there would be too many to take. Now I eat a lot of fruit veg & take gummy vitamins. I knowwww they aren’t as good as other vitamins but I don’t forget to take them everyday bc I like them and my levels are perfect. I vote patches in the beginning!!

I only told my immediate family that I was considering it. I didn’t need anyone else’s (uninformed) opinion & it’s really not anyone’s business. It’s been over a year, and when people say I look great, I just tell them thanks. If someone asks how I did it, I’m honest, briefly share my reasons & experience (under 600 cal/day for ~6mo, under 1200 now). Now that I’m post op, I’ve only gotten positive reactions, I feel like I’m actually educating folks (reducing fat/VSG prejudices) & have yet to hear any dieting advice nonsense. But, In general don’t think it’s anyone else’s business, just like any other medical surgery or issue.

I felt like I had a few minor stalls, but looking back at my charts it was really a pretty steady decline. I weighed myself every day & only added it to my tracker if it went down. A few Lbs up or down is not usually weight gain, its usually just normal fluctuations based on the time of day, fluids, etc. I would keep tracking, focus on whole foods & add walking to your routine- that always helped me.

Also make sure you don’t add it to hot foods, it’ll get gross & clumpy. & use a small hand blender/mixer so it mixes well

Someone may have mentioned it, but I added Unjury unflavored protein powder to things like soup (pho 💙) & oatmeals. I also added unflavored collagen protein to drinks.

I was working from home at the time so I only took the 2 days I was in the hospital off. Lol, I had my reasons. I was fine to WFH. I’d say a week is enough for a sedentary office job- just no lifting for 30days.

June 2021 sleever here, just popping in to your thread to say good luck & share some motivation. This time next year you are very likely to be at your goal & feel like a million bucks! You can do this, it’s not half as bad as it seems. Best thing I ever did for myself, I only wish I did it sooner. You got this!! 🥳 It is worth it.

I found so many of the broths so gross! Especially bone broths. I live on pho and was very happy. Don’t dread liquids too Much, one day at a time. It’s really not that bad. And it’s only a few weeks out of the whole process. You got this.

I kind of skipped over the puréed stage & stuck with liquids. I ate tuna fish, pho with protein powder & grits a bunch but couldn’t get into puréeing real food. I tried baby food and it was disgusting!! Thankfully it’s a short stage.

Everyone is different and it sounds like you have come a VERY long way- so congratulations!! Seriously, 177 is great! I only chime in because I am the same age & height. I’m not sure what you do for diet but, I keep track of my calories, protein, carbs & fat. I stay under 1200 cal/day (was closer to 800-1000/day first 6mo) & min 70g protein per day. TBH there are days where I feel like I didn’t eat a lot but my calories are high because of seemingly healthy choices that were higher cal and I need to adjust how/if/when I eat certain foods. If I didn’t track I would have no idea this was happening. I’m now WNL but that last ONE POUND took 6 weeks to lose. Lol. Notably, I don’t exercise a lot but am trying to increase.

I kept my protein intake high (80g) & took my vitamins and didn’t have hair loss. I feel like there’s a lot of hair on my bathroom floor, but my actual hair looks the same as always. (Sleeve 6/30/2021)

My surgeon told me that while the dietician would disagree, she recommended just having coffee until lunch time. So, I have coffee with ultra milk & unflavored protein powder in it. This has worked really well for me & surgeon is very pleased w my progress & labs.