SecretAgentDD

Best wishes to you. Please let us know how you’re doing in the coming weeks!

My Gosh! Look at how far you have come. Seriously, it's AMAZING! To second what everyone else has said, it sounds like you have your sh*t together here. You're on it. You ARE kicking butt and taking names. You're tearing it up. Why on earth would she tell you to change things? You sound like the poster child for success stories. I do understand following orders, but I also understand that no one knows you better than you. What you are doing is working beautifully. Please don't feel discouraged. You should feel proud and amazing of what you have done. Working out that much has to make you feel so great and you DO need fuel for that. Sometimes I think dieticians may be afraid of the "slippery slope" of things and forewarn us about things that might never apply to us. Like others have said, she tells you what she "has to" but again, what you are doing is clearly working! You have to find your own path and find a way to make this life change work for you, permanently. It's not her life. Trust in yourself and enjoy your progress. You have so much to be proud of.

Thanks for sharing your story. I was already sure I wanted to do this, but you made me feel even better about this decision. I look forward to seeing more updates from you UnknownJorge and hearing how things are going.

As far as getting ready: I've got a binder my doctor gave to me. It has basically all the information that I should need going forward. I do look at it periodically to refresh my memory about what is expected of me. For the dietary changes and stages, I write everything I need to stop/start on a calendar. For example: I need to stop drinking coffee and need to taper off to avoid headaches. I am also weaning myself off carbonated water and need reminders. I'm struggling with a few things such as taking small bites, so I like to put reminders in my calendar so i have to see them every day. I'm also changing my vitamins over to different brands and also needed reminders for that as well. (I'm forgetful!) I've made a list of the things I need to buy such as different kinds of protein powder, unjury protein, chewable vitamins, calcium chews, small utensils, small plates, a drink blender, etc. I've made a list of things to pack for the hospital (thanks to several threads here on this website, I have a list going). As I purchase them, I mark them off. Along those lines, I have fairly good ideas of the types of things I will be eating in each dietary stage so that I can plan ahead for grocery shopping when I get to that point. I purchased several books off amazon that were used, and very inexpensive. Things like bariatric cookbooks and bariatric mindset success books. I do try to read a little bit each day and then journal about what I read. I drive a lot for work so I have plenty of time to listen to podcasts. There are several that I enjoy that I feel are science-based, supportive and informative. I've learned many things from these podcasts about bariatrics. They're free and it's easy to just put one on a few times a week. Besides bariatricpal, I am trying to avoid other websites that deal with bariatrics at this point. It felt overwhelming and felt like I kept going down a rabbit hole of horror stories and it was not helping with my anxiety. There is one person on youtube that I enjoy watching because she's many years out and is very inspiring. Now that I have a date for surgery, this all feels very real and scary. I am trying to not give into the fear too much and remember why I am here at this decision. I need to take charge of my health. I have ONE precious life. I want to live the rest of my life in the best health that I can. I've tried desperately since I was about 20 (in my late 40's now) to lose the weight and keep it off. I've had high blood pressure for 15 years and no matter what I do, It continues to be an issue for me. I've been warned that I am pre-diabetic and likely someday soon that will catch up to me and I'll officially be diabetic. I cannot do this on my own and maintain it. It's that simple. This is my second chance and I will not turn back. This is honestly a story about saving my own life by asking for help. I hope this helps.

Sounds like you’re doing a good job of advocating for yourself! I feel ready for what comes my way. I’ve got a planner and have marked down what to do each day and to keep track of everything. Remember, the surgery is out of your hands. Let that stuff go. We have zero control over that. What we can control is following orders that we are given by the surgeon. I just had to let the stress of not having control go. It’s too much to bear. I am committed to doing what I need to do and preparing as much as I can. Failing to plan is like planning to fail. I may plan too much, but with this…I think it’s warranted and will pay off. As far as chickening out, it’s your brains way of trying to talk you into the status quo. Your brain wants to take the comfortable way out and plant seeds of doubt. Try your best to ignore it and remember your reason WHY. Why are you doing surgery? I ask myself this daily.

How are you feeling? How’s everything going with preparing??

I’d call your doctor. Some doctors only do certain procedures. They’d be able to go over the other you if you have other options. I was not given an option. It’s usually what is least risky combined with most beneficial for your medical situation. It never hurts to ask!

Meh… It’s ok. Now that I have a date scheduled I’m really buckling down on everything to make sure the transition before and after surgery goes well. I’m trying to chart everything to keep track of things. 🙂 how are you doing?

Yes! My surgery date is 7/24/24.

I’m preparing as well. I was offered June 5th as a surgery date, but I had a lot going on and needed to travel in June, so pushed it to middle of July. Like you said- eyes on the prize! Use this time to focus on other things than food right now. You’ll do great! I wish you much luck and success.

Hi all! I am not scheduled for VSG yet, as I am still waiting to get my mental health clearance. That’s the last thing I need before getting the surgical team approval and insurance approval. I met with my dietician recently and she’s encouraging me to start immediately on 1200-1300 calories a day. My surgery could be MONTHS away (who knows because there’s pieces to fall into place before that?) I’m already on 1500-1700 calories a day, which is fine and works ok. However I feel very nervous about going to 1200 calories and being able to function properly at work (my job is semi physically demanding), and being able to maintain a vigorous exercise schedule. I asked the dietitian if I can eat a little more on days when I work out and was emphatically told “no”. With no idea when I’m going to have surgery, it feels risky to my body that I could hurt myself if I’m not eating enough. I understand after surgery that I will have to take time off from exercise. For reference, I am hoping to participate in a four hour swim event on January 1, 2025 and have been training for it. Does anyone have thoughts on my concerns? Is this normal to go this low on calories without surgery even being scheduled yet? I could be waiting for several months.

Thanks for the replies. Lots to think about here. I appreciate your thoughtful responses.

Thanks summerseeker! I appreciate your thoughts. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who thinks this seems strange with my circumstances.