Candace76

I am sorry to hear that your partner is not being supportive. He should be your biggest cheerleader and fan, so it must be hurtful when he says those things. You are doing great getting to where you want to be, don't let him stop you from getting there. Hopefully, he will come around, and realize he was acting out of fear, insecurity, or jealousy. If he doesn't come around & continues to make you feel unsupported & says hurtful things, you may need to reevaluate this relationship and/or seek counseling. I hope you have a strong support system of family or friends. Wishing you the best with your weight loss process & hoping you get the support you need from him or elsewhere!💜

That's great, congratulations! 🥳

Yay! Congratulations, it must feel so good to reach your first goal. 👏

Yes! I noticed my lips were chapped after the surgery. After I drink a protein shake I feel like they get worse, too. I have mostly been using Carmex. I think I might try a lip scrub soon. 👄

I also didn't end up using much of what I brought. I was so tired I slept most of day 1 and often day 2. I went in comfy clothes, comfy bra, socks & sneakers. I brought a brush & hair ties, toothbrush & toothpaste, lotion & moisturizer, lip balm, phone, charger, clean shirt, undies & socks, slippers, charger, phone, & heating pad. I also brought a journal and pen (didn't touch those). Basic toiletries, phone & charger, undies & socks are musts. My lips have been really dry since surgery & often after drinking protein shakes, so chapstick or lip balm are good to bring. I didn't use the heating pad there, but I did at home. Wishing lots of luck for a successful surgery & easy recovery!

Yay, it's almost here! I think it is totally normal to be "feeling all the feelings"! Yes, I went through many different feelings before my surgery. Nervous, scared, hopeful, & excited! Surgery is a big step. I even wrote letters to my family, just in case. I woke up that day with a calmer feeling, & ready to get it started! So far, things are going well. The first week can be tough (tiredness, soreness, discomfort & difficulty getting fluids down), but it gets better & easier as you go through the different phases of the diet. Wishing you lots of luck on Monday & throughout this process!

I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time after surgery. It is a big adjustment, and the first few weeks can be very challenging. Something that many of us enjoyed or found comfort in has changed-eating! It is not pleasurable those first few weeks, this big change can feel like something is missing. When you are so restricted and only drinking liquids, purées, or soft foods it can get boring. When it is difficult to swallow, or you get nauseated after eating it can be upsetting. You might be tired or in pain from surgery on top of these issues with eating. You might wonder why you did this to yourself. I had brief moments of thoughts like this, but ultimately, I know this is what I wished for and wanted (eating mindfully/less, feeling full). Things get easier! You will be able to see results, eat more easily & more variety soon. It will make the challenging moments worth it. Wishing you lots of luck & happier days ahead. 😊

Congratulations, wow 68 pounds so far!! That's awesome. Perhaps people started to notice earlier, but held back from saying something until it was completely obvious. 🤔🤷‍♀️

Congratulations on your surgery. Drinking water will get easier & easier. It sounds like you are healing well from the incisions & surgery. I was very tired that first week, and had difficulty reaching my fluid & protein goals at first. So, just try your best to get in what you can, if it seems like too much. Thank you for sharing your story, I am sure it will be helpful to others waiting for surgery. 😊

I think it sounds like you are doing great! 🤩 You are already halfway to your goal and you just had your surgery in July!!!🤯😱🥳 From what I read, the average WLS patient loses half their excess weight around the 6 month mark. That is typically when weight loss might start slowing down (but people typically lose for about a year to 18 months post-op) . Just keep doing what your doing. Keep your water, protein, & food in check. Start tracking again, if you stopped. Adding exercise in, as you said, sounds like it would be a way to help tone up and maybe help boost the weight loss. Maybe just start with increasing the length or speed of your walks or add weights, at first. We are still pretty close to the surgery, so start things gradually. I am not very good about exercise either. I walk, but I need to start doing more. Let me know if you find anything you like! I like to swim, but it is so much money to join a pool. I am looking into the vibration plates, as they are supposed to help with weightloss, toning, aches & pains, lymphatic system, & cellulite. Congratulations on your weight loss results. You are doing so well. I'm sure you will keep losing. Don't forget, there will be stalls along the way. 😊

https://www.healthline.com/health/gastric-sleeve-diet Here is another website that has meal plan information.

Hi, I am so sorry to hear that you are having a difficult start to your recovery due to Ida. Hoping you & your loved ones are all ok. I found this website with a meal plan that looks similar to mine as well as many others I have seen online. The link below will tell you more about what to eat during the different phases. You can also do searches for other examples. Most advise 64 ounces of liquids & protein daily, but that goal may be hard to reach those first few weeks. We're you given vitamin recommendations? Those are also part of the follow-up plan. Wishing you well with your recovery from surgery & Ida. OBESITY COVERAGE MEAL PLAN https://www.obesitycoverage.com/the-big-gastric-bypass-diet-guide/#week 1

A heating pad may also be helpful in addition to the other recommendations. Hopefully, you will feel more comfortable soon.

Hi GottaLearnToSlowDown! I think my incisions were sore for the first week, but the bigger incision where the stomach was removed (belly button in my case) was sore for 2 weeks. After the first few days it was mostly when moving, clothes touching it, & it was touched. It was slightly sore to the touch in third week also and still had bruising. As for twinges in the belly area, I felt those often the first week. Then after that I felt them after drinking a few sips of a liquid close together. I usually stop and wait a few minutes before another sip. Once I started soft foods & solid foods, I usually feel them when (I think) my stomach is telling me it is time to stop eating. Soon after that I often get hiccups, too. I am only about a month ahead of you, so I am not sure if the twinges fade, or if they are just a signal to stop eating or drinking at the moment. It may be different for everyone, too. Congratulations on your surgery & hope your incisions feel better soon. Good luck!😁🍀

When he said less invasive, he meant that it didn't alter as many organs. They are both surgery and invasive. I was not opposed to RNY and realize it may be "the gold standard", but it is not the only option. My pre-diabetes was borderline and my A1C was under 6 before surgery, so he believed the sleeve would resolve it also. This is what he suggested for ME. I also have been anemic in the past, so the absorption of nutrients was possibly another reason he suggested VSG. We did seriously consider both, so I am aware of the benefits of RNY as well.

Congratulations 👏 that is so exciting! I'm so happy for you! 🎺🎺🎺🎉🎉🎉

Yes, you are more than worth it!! Take care of you! You deserve to get on a path to a healthier you. We shouldn't be angry, disappointed, or disgusted with ourselves for becoming obese. It is likely that the diet industry, medical factors, & biological factors have also contributed to weight issues. Yes, our bad habits had an impact, of course. We're human and not perfect, all we can do is work towards being better. I'm sorry for your losses.💜 Reset, move forward, & start your journey to be your best you! Wishing you lots of luck with your weight loss experience & healing.

I originally thought that I would have Gastric Bypass, but after meeting with the doctor and discussing it with him, we thought that the sleeve was a better choice for me as it was less invasive. Like you, I had high blood pressure, PCOS, and already had my gallbladder out years ago. I was pre-diabetic. I did not get heartburn/acid reflux and that was one of the criteria that would have made him suggest RNY instead. I think that he also looks at diabetes & A1C levels to help determine which surgery to recommend. It may be helpful to discuss your options again with your doctor after all your testing comes back & after you continue your research on both surgeries. Asking people on here about their surgeries is a great way to hear about personal experiences. I wish you success with whichever surgery you choose! Lots of luck!😁🍀

Welcome Newbies!😁 I just had my VSG surgery July 26th. So far, I am very pleased with my surgery. I believe it was the right decision for me. This community is a wonderful resource, & is filled with many caring & supportive individuals. There are knowledgeable veterans that give informative & truthful advice, information, & tips. Before my surgery, I also looked at YouTube videos of people that experienced WLS. There are many of them, and some from doctors, too. Good luck to you all on your path to a healthier you! We look forward to hearing more about your experience!

I honestly feel like I have been sleeping better since the surgery. I don't have sleep apnea & I was pre-diabetic before surgery (urination overnight was not an issue). I had been having difficulty getting a good night's sleep for at least the last 10 years. I often had trouble falling asleep & staying asleep, with periods of being up for 2-4 hours overnight. Often, I would get an hour or two of sleep at a time. My husband's snoring 😴 didn't help any either!🤣 One of the (many) reasons I decided to go through with the surgery was to help me get better sleep. I was getting pain in my legs, hips & lower back & was constantly readjusting my position overnight. I thought dropping some weight would help with the pain & discomfort while sleeping. I have only lost about 35 pounds so far, and I have been more comfortable overnight & able to sleep for longer stretches than I have in years. Hopefully, you will also have improvement with your sleep as well.

Yes, agreed. I add more water to help reduce the sweetness. I look forward to when I can have caffine again, so I can drink unsweetened iced tea instead of these drink mixes, but they help in adding some variety to my beverages, for now. I haven't seen a decaf unsweetened iced tea, yet (I could brew my own, but decaf tea isn't as good to me).

I saw these when I was looking for a non-carbonated, sugarfree cola flavored drink mix. They are Ginger Ale flavored. I also saw 7 up flavored, root beer, & RC cherry cola. I have not tried any of the "soda" flavored drink mixes, just lemonade & fruit punch. Most are available at Wal-Mart or Amazon. I haven't had soda post surgery, and will try to avoid going back to it,, especially this first year post op. I had a major craving for diet coke the other day, so I was looking for a cola alternative. Craving went away for now though.

I had my gallbladder removed in 1998 due to gall stones/ gallbladder attacks after losing over 60 pounds. After the gallbladder removal it was a struggle to lose weight & it quickly returned with extra. In 2011 I found out I had hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) and PCOS. I worked hard to try to lose weight to have children & increase my fertility. I lost 20 pounds, but struggled beyond that. I had VSG last month and the weight is finally coming off. Perhaps it might be slower than some other people, but it is going in the right direction for the first time in about 20 years. I don't know if you had surgery, or are looking into getting it, or are looking for weight loss tips. I was put on metformin for PCOS and told to eat a low carb diet. I didn't lose much, though. Yes, PCOS has been known to affect weight loss. I haven't heard much about the effects of gallbladder removal on weight loss. It is hard to know if it was connected in my case, as I also had undiagnosed PCOS and hypothyroidism for many, many years. I believe WLS may reduce symptoms of PCOS. Wishing you luck with your weight loss goals. 😁🍀

I understand your concerns of failure going into this. When you have tried to lose weight over and over only to regain or not lose much at all, it is hard to believe anything will ever work. Yes, people have had WLS and regained or didn't lose much. I, like you, questioned my will power to remain on track, and still do. I have been on diet after diet, and tried many programs over the years, never reaching my goal (close a few times) and never getting to maintenance. I can say that post-op, I am surprised how much the restriction does help in keeping me from "going off" the plan. It is early on, so things may get harder, but at about a month out, a craving might "pop" in my head for a second, but it goes away quickly. I get full (satisfied) pretty quickly, and am not really tempted to snack. I think after putting myself through this extreme weight loss procedure & knowing that it is important to stick to the plan help me not want to do anything to jeopardize my success. I do enjoy cooking, but because I had to cook for my family also, I have been taking more short cuts then I did prior to surgery. During the soft food phase, I often ate Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt or scrambled eggs for breakfast, & canned chicken or tuna for lunch & dinner. Now that I am on the modified regular diet, I am trying to cook meals that my family & I can all eat. My sides might be different (quinoa instead of rice, etc.) I try to make double for my family & freeze a second meal when I can. For the foods that are just for me, I also try to make extra for another day or the freezer. The airfryer, crock pot & instant pot are great tools to make easy meals. Right now, as I am getting in new eating habits, I buy foods that are easy to prepare. You can do this.🤗👍 Find ways to take short cuts (in food preparation), find a few bariatric recipes that sound good & focus on those. I wish you luck with your surgery and progress. It is totally understandable to have these fears going into this, but don't let them get in your way of taking this step towards a healthier you. 🍀😊

That first week can be really challenging. You are so limited with what you can have, and even what you can have can be difficult to get down. As others have said, it gets easier. I am little over a month out and just started the modified regular diet, it is still tricky to get used to this new way of eating, but by far much easier than those first few weeks. Once you start getting some of the purées & soft foods in, you should start to get more energy. It will take time to heal & get used to your new stomach. I hope you start feeling better soon!