melodyssss

What you are feeling is totally normal. I went through the same emotions.. even up to the time i was on the gurney getting ready for surgery. For me, I prayed about the surgery from the beginning of the process and asked God to close the door if the surgery wasn't for me. He opened every door from the insurance approval to the actual surgery itself. So deep down i knew that this was something i needed to do for my health. I am 2 1/2 months out and i don't regret it at all. I still go out to eat with my family. I just eat alot less and pay attention to getting the Protein in first. The good thing is, i can just eat off their plates or i just order a Soup so you get off cheaper. LOL. Before surgery i couldn't walk to the end of my street without being totally wiped out. Now i either walk 3-4 times around my block or walk on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and i am feeling great. So, just to reassure you what you are feeling is normal. And yes, this is a big change, but once you start dropping the pounds it gets kind of exciting. I urge you to pray about it and go with your gut. :-)

What you are feeling is totally normal. I went through the same emotions.. even up to the time i was on the gurney getting ready for surgery. For me, I prayed about the surgery from the beginning of the process and asked God to close the door if the surgery wasn't for me. He opened every door from the insurance approval to the actual surgery itself. So deep down i knew that this was something i needed to do for my health. I am 2 1/2 months out and i don't regret it at all. I still go out to eat with my family. I just eat alot less and pay attention to getting the Protein in first. The good thing is, i can just eat off their plates or i just order a Soup so you get off cheaper. LOL. Before surgery i couldn't walk to the end of my street without being totally wiped out. Now i either walk 3-4 times around my block or walk on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and i am feeling great. So, just to reassure you what you are feeling is normal. And yes, this is a big change, but once you start dropping the pounds it gets kind of exciting. I urge you to pray about it and go with your gut. :-)

I had my surgery in June of 2013 and 19 months later I stepped on the scale and saw the happy number I had been waiting on for so long! I made goal at 160 pounds and I can't believe it finally got here!! I have now lost 133 pounds and have a whole new life! I still want to lose another 10 pounds just for a safety factor but I couldn't be happier!! For all of you on this journey you can do it!! Attached are my before and after. LIfe is good! 

I've read all kinds of great information on this board and just want to share my experience, although it sure is a lot like all the other experiences.
My doctor was Dr Heider in Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. He took his time to answer all my questions and explained everything. The staff was also very nice going over diets, process, etc. Check out their website and see the fairly low self-pay option in the US.
The hospital, while smaller, is very new and I felt like I received excellent care from the moment we arrive. Did the pre-op testing, upper GI, EKG, blood draw, etc. on Wednesday afternoon. The barium goo was pretty nasty and I think I would have thrown up if they made me take one more swallow. Process was about 2 hours to complete all the testing.
Surgery was schedule Thursday 9:30. I arrived at 6:30, they got me prepped, and I laid there for about an hour. Dr Heider was able to move my surgery up a little bit. I hate needles and was dreading the IV. They collapsed the vein on the first try. CRAP. Second try was good.
I talked to Heider, the anesthesiologist, etc. When it was time to go, he gave me I think a versed, and I don't remember a thing until recovery room. I was only in the recovery room for 30 minutes or so when they moved me to my room.
The rest of Thursday, into the night, I was in considerable pain. I didn't have the gas pain, mine seemed to just be stomach pain. I've heard it described as someone kicked you really hard in the stomach, and that's pretty accurate. It would hover around a 4 or 5, and then shoot up to a 7 or 8. They gave me morphine every couple hours and that really helped keep the pain level down. Thursday night was a terrible night's sleep. I was also nothing by mouth and only survived by brushing my teeth every couple hours and gargling.
Friday morning, I was feeling better and the pain was more like a 3 shooting up a 5. I didn't take any pain medication after 12:30 AM on Friday and felt pretty decent. I did have some nausea kick in during Friday, especailly when they gave me that drink for the leak test. I passed the leak test and started sipping Water a couple hours later. I'm easily hitting the ounce of Fluid per 15 minutes and the pain levels are down. Zero pain from incision sights and man are tiny.
Overall, its been an interesting experience so far. I hate pain, needles, and hospitals and had doubt, was thinking about cancelling, etc. I was literally thinking "I should just cancel and head to Bob Evans for biscuits and gravy". Wednesday night, I looked in the mirror and asked myself if this is how I wanted to look for the rest of my life. Hell no. I clung to that all the way through the AM wait, the pain after the surgery, etc. There is certainly a price to pay to go through with it - $$$, risk of complication, pain, etc., but I hope that will be a long distant memory in 6 months.

What you are feeling is totally normal. I went through the same emotions.. even up to the time i was on the gurney getting ready for surgery. For me, I prayed about the surgery from the beginning of the process and asked God to close the door if the surgery wasn't for me. He opened every door from the insurance approval to the actual surgery itself. So deep down i knew that this was something i needed to do for my health. I am 2 1/2 months out and i don't regret it at all. I still go out to eat with my family. I just eat alot less and pay attention to getting the Protein in first. The good thing is, i can just eat off their plates or i just order a Soup so you get off cheaper. LOL. Before surgery i couldn't walk to the end of my street without being totally wiped out. Now i either walk 3-4 times around my block or walk on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and i am feeling great. So, just to reassure you what you are feeling is normal. And yes, this is a big change, but once you start dropping the pounds it gets kind of exciting. I urge you to pray about it and go with your gut. :-)

What you are feeling is totally normal. I went through the same emotions.. even up to the time i was on the gurney getting ready for surgery. For me, I prayed about the surgery from the beginning of the process and asked God to close the door if the surgery wasn't for me. He opened every door from the insurance approval to the actual surgery itself. So deep down i knew that this was something i needed to do for my health. I am 2 1/2 months out and i don't regret it at all. I still go out to eat with my family. I just eat alot less and pay attention to getting the Protein in first. The good thing is, i can just eat off their plates or i just order a Soup so you get off cheaper. LOL. Before surgery i couldn't walk to the end of my street without being totally wiped out. Now i either walk 3-4 times around my block or walk on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes and i am feeling great. So, just to reassure you what you are feeling is normal. And yes, this is a big change, but once you start dropping the pounds it gets kind of exciting. I urge you to pray about it and go with your gut. :-)

I have been in this situation before where and old "friend" wants to have lunch/coffee whatever, and even though it may be harmless, I always put myself in my husbands shoes. How would I feel if he went out to lunch/coffee with and old "friend". I would be so freakin jealous so I just have never let myself in that situation and neither has he.
Good luck with your decision. That's just my 2 cents worth!!

I think this whole process is crazy hard on the best of relationships, so if the core isn't strong going in, then there are sure to be mountains that come up. Some people feel that as they start to find themselves they realize that they have 'settled' for way too long and refuse to do so any longer. It's important that you do what you need to do in order to be happy. On that note I agree with your desire to not be that person. I would be very careful in revisiting that relationship when you are feeling so vulnerable and unsure. You admitted that he is married and considering that, I don't recommend putting yourself into a situation that begins with 'behind the scenes', why take a step backwards. As a female in a relationship, put yourself in his wife's shoes. How would you feel if you had a husband and he was going for coffee with someone he wished he had married all those years ago??? Not exactly an empowering life choice

Well, If this was me, I would first sever all ties with current relationship before pursuing another one, with that being said if this man your going to meet for coffee is a good friend that's 1 thing...but I'm from the old school unless his wife knows you and knows that you two are friends and going to have coffee.than I wouldn't meet him. I don't believe nor condone cheating in any sense of the word...and if he leaves his current wife for your....he will leave you for another woman.
And if your in Therapy to help your relationship..why would you even think/dream of having coffee with another man. Fix or end the relationship your in now first.
Once a cheater always a cheater. Wrong...so very Wrong!!
Just my 2 cents of course.

Blooming lotus, that is crazy! I'm glad they found one that worked for you.
My surgery went well, no problems! Yay!!! Afterwards very little pain, just a lot of nausea. Getting ready for a good nap myself:)

I'm done! Resting now. I was the first of many for the day so I haven't spoken to my surgeon yet, but Ite did learn something new: apparently my body doesn't react to dilaudid (sp?) at ALL. I was in excruciating pain in recovery for what felt like hours. Turns out, morphine, a less strong drug, worked waaaay better for me. Bizarre. Nap time. I'll catch up soon.

My surgery date is 3-30-15. So I'm glad the wait for surgery approval is over, but now I have to wait two whole months to get sleeved. It feels like March is a lifetime away, but I believe everything happens for a reason sooooo I'll use these two months to loose as much weight as I can, so when I'm sleeved I will be that much closer to goal. I'm one step closer to the losers bench, scoot over you guys make room for me on that bench????

Me the night before flying to San Diego for surgery, and 5 months after surgery... Surgery date 8-26-2014

It will be 5 months on Feb 4th since surgery and 80lbs since Feb 2014. So grateful!!!

I love the program for tracking food, exercise and weight. I pay no attention to that message. I actually think it's funny.

Hi everyone--
This is my first post, but I've been following everyone's stories on this site for the past year. I've gotten lots of great info and motivation from eveyone's topics, questions and answers.
My surgery was on Jan 20th. I can't believe one week has already gone by. So far, so good! Per my surgeon, I've started adding pureed foods today.
Been taking short walks outside for the past several days, and today walked around the block, which is about half a mile. Hopefully that's a good sign that healing is going well.
I'm so thankful I've made this decision, and that I have the first week behind me.
Just wanted to say hello to all of you!

It amazes me that so many get their panties in a wad when they post their opinion on a public discussion board and someone else disagrees or posts a counter opinion.

Seriously! It's OK. In most cases, that counter opinion is just that -- opinion. While I do take issue with those who take themselves very seriously and post their opinion as fact, I am happy to say they are few and far between.

We, for the most part, have different surgeons, different NUTs, different metabolisms, different builds, different backgrounds, different thought processes, different psychosis... (JOKING! Kind of.)
There are very few doctors or therapists here. There are NO experts on YOU here, with the exception of yourself. No one is qualified to give you *absolute do or die* advice. No one is in a position to tell you that you are !!!WRONG!!! or that everyone else is.

Relax. Breathe. Discuss. Share. Vent. Listen. Learn.

We all have our hot buttons, we are human. We all have topics we are passionate about. Debate is fun! It's healthy. It's how we learn and grow. It's a positive form of interaction until someone takes it personally. (I'm guilty at times -- I know it!) As long as it's respectful, there is no name calling involved, and there are no personal attacks, there is nothing wrong with it.

I'll tell you a few things about me that are "wrong" and I don't give a rat's patoot if you want to tell me so:
I drink soda. GASP! Even worse, I drink it through a straw! I would never tell anyone else to do the same. That's between you and your doctor.
I graze all day. My sleeve is small, my restriction is fierce. I graze to keep myself from getting too hungry, eating too fast and then vomiting it all back up.
I eat while I work, when I drive, when I watch TV. I find that when I do this, I get distracted and I eat slower. Weird, I know.
I weigh myself 2-4 times a day. First thing in the morning (usually fully dressed in my PJs as I get up at a ridiculously early time of day to get my kids out of the door.) I weigh myself buck naked after kissing them goodbye when it's time to get myself dressed. I weigh myself before and after a poo (giggle) because I have a middle school boy sense of humor. I weigh myself at night, again buck nekky, just before I get in the shower. I call it my step aerobics. It works for me. I don't get frustrated or upset. I never have, even at my fattest.
I eat real chocolate every day. Just a few Hershey Kisses or a Dove Promise (dark!). It quiets the sweet tooth I didn't have pre-op and keeps me from thinking about sweets all day. It's better to feed the beast a nibble and shut it up. FOR ME.
I eat full fat everything except the things I don't.

I am choosing not to be a WLS advocate. I don't care HOW people think I am losing weight, I don't care who supports me. I don't tell my business to everyone and it's not up to me to save the world from obesity one fatty at a time. I'm not embarrassed, ashamed or a liar.



Your personal experience, your advice from your NUT/surgeon/NP may differ completely. You may be of the opinion that I will be the size of a small whale in 5 year's time. You may think that I am failing myself and my surgery. You may think I am a hypocrite. It's OK.

You do you, I'll do me. We can talk and share and be opinionated together, even when our opinions don't match.

This is a public DISCUSSION board. It's ok to discuss, it's ok to be opinionated. Just expect the same in return.

TLC is doing alot of stories on larger folk today and tonight. I watched the story about the guy who lost 400 lbs. 'the natural way' by dieting and exercising. He was training with the biggest loser guy..Chris something or other. Anyway, definitely a put down of those who have bariatric surgery so once I realized this was an old program, I Googled the guy, and what do you know?? He gained back 300 of the 400 lbs. he lost.
Now I take no pleasure in his weight gain but it shows once again that losing it is the easy part. It's the maintenance that's hard. The 600 lb. people next week has the woman who in the promo says that she could easily be back at 600 lbs. again but that she chooses not to.
That's the reality of our lives. Even with bariatric surgery, we can gain it back. I know...I see folks on this forum all the time struggling with regaining.
I just wish, as many of you also do, that the general public stops seeing WLS as the easy way out...or even as cheating.
Oh..and one more thing as long as I'm posting stuff about these types of shows. What's with the woman on My Big Fat Life? Is she supposed to make us think she's fat and happy? If so, she's not. She reminds me of myself...very self-depricating in order to shield herself from just how unhappy she truly is. Or she's just delusional. She's a very large woman and no one that big can be happy at that size. Not in this society anyway. Smaller is beautiful and anyone who says otherwise is rationalizing. Did you see the guy she met who was a chubby chaser? He didn't care about her...only about her body. That's probably what extraordinary beautiful women experience as well, but it's just an assumption on my part.
Anyway, just some random thoughts while I sit here and watch our mayor again tell us that the city will shut down tonight while the blizzard is upon us.

Congrats! I had BCBS of Illionis and they approved me quickly too! How exciting! Best of luck to you. Keep us posted when you get a surgery date!

Wow…the exact same thing with me. My paperwork was submitted to the insurance company on 1/21/15 as well and got my approval date today! I am solo excited. Congrats to you.

Sleeved 11/3 and I'm down 50.6 pounds! I'm doing great with no issues. I love my sleeve! The restriction is perfect. I get enough to feel satisfied but it keeps my portions reasonable. Best thing I ever did. On the other hand, my pants are huge and I need some new ones soon!

I watched that too. She makes me so angry. She was given this gift of another chance and she is just taking it for granted. And her husband just makes matters worse!

I have found myself getting quite used to the new thinner me. I don't think about whether I will fit in the seat at a restaurant or if there is enough space between me and a stranger if I am walking by. Are people looking at me and judging me because of my size or even what I put in my cart anymore. I have become accustomed already to this much thinner and happier me.
I was at the hospital this morning as I have been sick with this nasty flu that has been going around and was concerned because of my compromised immune system that I might have pneumonia as it turned out I did not. But when they wheeled me down for a chest X Ray I realized that I took up less then 1/2 of the space on the stretcher then I used to when I had to have these kinds of tests.
It got me thinking that maybe I am finally seeing myself a thinner person and don't look over my shoulder anymore for disapproving looks or hushed criticisms of my size. Maybe I am starting to get used to the new me. A smaller version. The person I was meant to be. I don't seem to even notice much new now. Or changes anymore. But today I just happened to look down on the stretcher and noticed.
It was kinda nice you know....I told my hubby about it and he said yes there was a time you could not move on one of those. You couldn't roll on one side or the other. And then he smiled. I think he was trying to compliment me
Anyway I noticed and it felt great. I really never want to feel the emotions I did when I weighed 380 lbs. And I certainly never want to visit that place again...
It was a nice reminder of how far I have come on my journey to health and well being not to mention why I made the choice of having WLS in the first place!

"OH MY GOD HE IS GOING TO SEE MONSTER CROTCH."
This has made me laugh over and over again since I read it. I so get this.
Matter of fact, now I have a new word in my head that I can't get rid of:
Sascrotch.

Officially down 114 lbs!