KimA-GA

Loose skin is something that many/most will have to deal with post op in one way or another. I know there is a point that surgical removal of loose skin is the only way to deal with it. But what can you do pre and post surgery, if anything, that can help minimize the excess skin issues???

I take chlorthalidone (diuretic for blood pressure) and spoke with my dr about post surgery with it. she said to keep taking it and break daily dose in half if i start feeling dizzy

you will do great!! picture all the things you will do in the new chapter of your life after the 6th!

check with your insurance. Some have blocks from providing care directly related to a self pay procedure, even years after the fact. That could be why you are having trouble.

I watched most of it last night - will finish it today. Really good detailed reasoning and physiological and psychological information. I especially liked the information about why alcohol effects you differently after surgery - that has been super helpful in understanding. Addictive personality is in my genes (Strong genetics in Finnish decent) and I have always been cautious with alcohol (but ignored the food aspect till now). will continue vigilance after sleeve .. but know myself enough it will probably be an occasional indulgence

am starting my pre op eating habits early (no surgery date yet - late sept or early oct) and am trying to do less than 50 total carbs a day (keto) but not strict (been 75 carbs - 2 days and under 50 - 5 days this past week) … and it has worked well this last week! down 6 lbs in one week!! I am now down to 389.8 (8/23/2022)from my high weight last year of 452. (426 in April 2022) woo hoo yay me

@ShoppGirl thank you for asking. I have done a lot of therapy over the years and simply i was not ready to use what I learned then. My life circumstances just did not allow me to make the adjustments without pretty much having a breakdown or loosing things I wasn’t willing to loose even tho it was hurting me. About a year and a half ago, my mind and body realized that my life circumstances had changed and I could start processing all of that and making my life better. with this year, I finally was able to start implementing the tools and tricks and skills I had learned in therapy but wasn’t able to implement because of other pressures. I feel right now that I am on my best mental footing in twenty years. I am clearer with my desires and boundaries. Frankly, right now I think a new therapist would just muddy the waters because I am doing more on my own than a therapist ever did, but using techniques that I learned from them. I have about six journals that I have filled this year which really mimic what therapy was for me. But now instead of spinning wheels and just staying alive, I feel totally different and am starting steps towards living again. If I stop making progress or hit a hard bump I am more than willing to go back to therapy, but I just don’t see the benefit right now for me. I haven’t binged since very early this year. I stopped the behavior and I am not just white knuckling my way through but finding forgiveness and inner peace to keep the urges from happening. i have been setting boundaries around the things that were causing me to eat my feelings. I am standing up and not accepting the gaslighting or other bad behaviors anymore. I never really understood before what being “ready” meant. It almost brings me to tears of relief when I think about how amazing it feels compared to the struggle. I am ready and walking the path and it feels good, even with the emotional work pain. I wish everyone could find their “ready” because it just makes life easier, even when doing hard work.

@ShoppGirl thank you for that reminder!! so easy to forget how that stuff adds up

just another update… down to 374.4! thats 65 lbs this year so far! it’s been several years since i have seen my weight under 390!! Been doing some really hard emotional work and am pretty used to the keto… think that combo is bringing success

If you believe surgery is not a good fit, You are right (because you know you best). It’s a huge change in your diet that you must maintain for the rest of your life after a major surgery with a very mindful recovery process. the idea of injections (i don’t have any conditions that require that) and compression socks don’t bother me like the liquid diets and recovery process… it’s a big, life altering commitment. but all that doesn’t scare me half as much as what being overweight is doing and will continue to do if i don’t shed a massive amount of weight .. Best of luck trying to find a new way of eating and exercise that will give you the life you want to live! I hope you quickly find something effective for you.

I am pre op but have lost over 60 lbs already. I was expecting to loose some face fat by now but pictures really haven’t shown a difference… however over the last year i have lost about 8” around my midsection and 2” on my chest and about 1/2” each of my thighs… where did you “loose first”? when did you start loosing the face fat/reduced chin and neck??

people with the dental issues seem to be either people with issues related to vomiting or reflux after surgery or those who have poor dental hygiene to begin with. there are interventions and remedies that dentists can do to help with the acidic issues if you discuss it. I have a life long issue with acidic conditions in my mouth and use a Toms of Maine toothpaste rapid sensitive relief toothpaste that has l-argine in it. it changes the ph conditions of your moth to help protect against dental erosion. i went from many cavities to it being rare! (i used to have to import another brand from canada… believe this is still the only brand that uses this chemical formula in usa)

@Starwarsandcupcakes and @SpartanMaker are spot on. talk to your dr and be honest and open to avoid potentially serious complications.

do you think that you may not qualify because you haven’t lost weight? do not worry about that. it’s more of a formality that insurance companies put out there. I guess the thought is that overweight people have never tried to loose weight so they should try once before surgery lol have you consulted with a nutritionalist yet? that can help you prepare for the bariatric journey even if it’s not required. do you have an app or journal where you track off of your food intake? for me, this was important to gauge what i was eating and where i needed to adjust. i currently am doing a pre op keto diet and use “Carb Master” to look at all of my nutritional macros (protein/fat/carbs/calories). it helped me actually shed some weight before going down to keto low carb levels (and been fantastic since hitting that level) i will say that it is important to understand your nutritional habits and change unhealthy ones if possible before surgery to avoid issues. knowledge of self is true power in this situation! have you completed the other insurance requirements or still working on them?

make a list to ask the dr. each surgeon is different with their pre and post diets, time off work and other requirements. complications do happen with any surgery from time to time, but from my research, gastric sleeve has a relatively low complication rates overall. if you can listen to the dr and follow the instructions you should do well.

loosing inches is great!! are you doing strength training to tone up?

worry is completely natural. talk to the doctor openly and honestly about your concerns, issues and fears. A good surgeon should have answers and make you more comfortable with your decision. You CAN do this. You CAN improve your life and have a new and exciting chapter. message me anytime make a list of what you want from life. see how many of them surgery will help you achieve. The liver shrinking diet that i was given is not as bad as I thought (Dr plans vary!) and am already doing it without an exact surgery date. I am not on liquids but low carb (keto) which is doable for the short term. come here for support, ask questions or release your fears. we want tos we you live your best life!

Since your surgery…. what’s been your biggest change? what was the biggest surprise? biggest challenge? biggest personal victory?

i am pre op but have made major dietary changes this year. tbh 80% of my cravings for sugary and carbs have already disappeared with the changes i have made. once i made the choice to reduce my consumption to “sparingly” on fast food, sugary items and now carbs, (begrudgingly due to upcoming pre op diet) and went through an adjustment period, the cravings majorly reduced. now the specific cravings are few and far between. also, i worked on WHY I used those items as an emotional crutch to get me through some challenging times. that made a huge difference. another big change is when I feel a craving, i can tell if it’s emotional or physical. emotional can be soothed by working on the emotional issue causing the craving; physical can often be satisfied with a very small portion of the food desired. it has been a freeing experience that was worth the extremely hard work and tears to get to this point. (lost 40 lbs since the end of April.. 56 this year) Journaling has been my best tool. There are other tools like meditation, therapy, channeling energy into a hobby etc that can help too. Remember this process is truly changing your life!! The more you look at all of your life’s patterns and seek out the healthy path, the better off you will be.

You look fantastic!!! Keep up the amazing work. what’s been your biggest change? biggest challenge? biggest personal victory? over the last year….

people have a hard time with change and some need time and patience to adapt, but the trick is not allowing destructive behaviors to take root or at least make sure they are discussed. i really fear some of your situation for me. think i already am experiencing some of it. it is hard to both be sympathetic to someone who needs time to adjust and protect myself from harmful behaviors. its a personal balancing act that i hope you find the right path for so you can enjoy this exciting new chapter of your life to the fullest. (and me too;) )

wow, name calling. thank you for showing who you are. it is showing how helpful you are!

life tip, Tek: if i you you ever have to put the words “i don’t intend offense” it means you do intend offense and don’t care how nasty and judgemental you are to another human being. and of course, I don’t intend offense by that

Wanted to recommend a product! i ordered some Millie’s Sipping broth and they are fantastic. Really lovely savory flavors while being low carb, low calories. These will be a great addition when I am in the liquid phase. i got four packets with three broth bags each - Tomato Basil, Spicy Tortilla, Thai Lemongrass, and Delight Pho The flavors really hit that mental satisfaction for food with me. Comfort in a cup!

totally get this fear… lots of alcoholism in my family. i have always been cautious with alcohol because of that but realized and that my weight came from using food to mask sadness, depression and anxiety… just another addiction! so important to do the emotional work. half the battle is acknowledging it… great for you in getting a therapist to help you work it out.