ILKrista

I don't know about anyone else, but my big incision above my belly button has a hard lump. I am 22days post op. I hope this goes away. It is still a bit sore if I push on it.

I had the hard lump by the big incision (and a weird dent next to it). This was from internal stitches & I think it disappeared around 3 months out.

Krista

I think you've already had your surgery, so, this may not be helpful to you, but maybe to someone else. One side-effect I've experienced is extreme Constipation *embarrassing*. And in conjunction to that, some hemorrhoids. I think that this is a problem for many people after surgery because you don't always have room for fibrous foods once you've gotten in the Protein. I'm really hoping once I hit the maintenance phase I will be able to up my Fiber considerably & not have to deal with this anymore. This may be TMI, but it is a side-effect I've experienced and maybe should be added to your list.

Krista

Miters36- I feel like I could have written your post myself. We started at about the same weight, have lost about the same weight & have about the same amount to go. Like you I am just past 6 months & have been losing & regaining the same 3 pounds for the last 2 weeks. It is so frustrating. And the days when I feel like I've done a good job seem to be the days when the weight actually goes up! I'm sure I am eating more carbs than I did at 2 months out, but I really don't think it has been much. I'm thinking I'm hitting my first real stall & after having the weight fall off so easily at the beginning, it is just FRUSTRATING! Good luck & let me know if you figure out something to break the stall. I need help, too!

Krista

I think it is valid to be worried. This is a lifetime- life-changing- decision. Let me just say that once I got past the post-op liquid phase, I have not had a Protein Shake. I did nothing but Protein shake for 3 weeks prior to surgery & now the smell of them makes me dry-heave. I eat 6 small meals a day. For me it is better if I am eating protein instead of drinking it. I feel full. Drinking protein doesn't give me that same sensation. I really don't have any foods that I can't eat. However, certain things don't sit as well. Breads tend to leave me feeling nauseous, which is a good thing since I'm trying to stay with the lower carbs. fruit juices are like pure Syrup to me & most sugary things will make my stomach feel uncomfortable. I eat healthy (high protein & low carb) about 90% of the time. I splurge (ie. on holidays or out with friends) about 10% of the time. If I was committed to 100% of the time eating right, I would have probably lost more, but I would rather have the slower loss & still be able to live more like a regular person. I am just past 6 month post op. The first 5 months the weight fell off. I'm now having to work out more & eat healthier to get the scale to move. I originally went in planning to have the lap-band. However, I spoke to a friend who I knew had it a year or so go & she highly discouraged me from the bad due to the complications & lack of weighloss she had. I would recommend you join forums for all the surgeries & read, read, read. In the end you need to feel comfortable with your decision because if you do select the sleeve, it is for life. There is no getting that part of your stomach back. Good luck!

I would say because that pic is hot!! I'm single I can say that on here right? *super charming smile*

Thank you, Pasquini! *blushing*

Krista

So, I belong to a Meetup group for single people. I just changed my Meetup avatar to the same one I have for this site. I went to a pool party on Saturday night & this guy there starts asking when I changed the picture. He then spend the whole night referring to me as the "Hot Librarian". LOL. I think he must have called me that 20 times. He even made someone pull the picture up on their phone so he could show everyone. It was honestly the first time anyone has ever referred to me as 'Hot' in my entire life. Super flattering, even if he is 15 years older. It made my entire weekend.

Krista

Hey Papa Jack,

I agree about telling people about the sleeve, most people have no idea what it is. I hope that by telling, I'm helping someone else find a path to happiness. Afterall, I would have never looked into WLS if a coworker's husband hadn't been honest about his. At the same time, not everyone is comfortable talking about it and letting others into their private life. I say that means those of us willing to talk just have to talk a lot louder about it. lol. Good luck on your journey!

Krista

The same thing happened to me. When I first asked my doctor about surgery, he told me the only reason anyone is fat is because they are lazy and eat like a pig (yes, that was what he really said!). It put me off surgery for about 2 years before I finally went to a new doctor and got the referral. Tell your coworker to keep trying. There are doctors out there who will help.

Krista

My doctor told me I shouldn't weigh myself until a month after surgery. I didn't listen of course & when I got home from the hospital, I was up almost 10 pounds! That took a week to go away (it was Water weight from surgery) & then during the 3rd week, I didn't lose a pound (very common. If you search 3 week stall, you'll find a ton of posts about this.) Let me just encourage you to not focus overly much on how much you lose this first month. It is not an indicator of how things are going to go for you. Plus, even if you only lose 10 pounds a month, in a year you will have lost 100 pounds! Just focus on eating how you are supposed to & letting your body heal. The weightloss will come!

Krista

I had been wishing myself invisible for years. I was so big & I just wished no one would notice me. I hadn't been on a date in 7 years & only had a few trusted girlfriends. I was miserable. The tipping point for me was when I started working as a children's librarian & I would get asked at least once a month by a 3-5 year old "Why are you so fat?" "Why is your belly so big?" They didn't mean it in a mean way, but it was HUMILIATING for me, especially since they would ask in front of my coworkers or while I was in front of their entire class to doing a storytime for a school visit. I didn't want to be the person who was so huge the kids felt they had to ask about it.

Krista

My surgeon wanted me to get my gallbladder screened before the WLS so he could take it out if there were issues. As you said earlier, far better to do it all at once. After the WLS, many people end up with gallbladder issues, so if you already have stones, odds are that you'll have to have it removed within a year or two anyway. I ended up having the WLS, gall bladder removal, & a hernia repair. I didn't experience any pain on the side where they removed the gall bladder, so I really couldn't tell they had taken it out. I pretty much haven't noticed a difference with not having it. Good luck!

Krista

Holly,

I do the jogging on a treadmill. I like it better than the track because I find that when I run on a track & I start to get tired, I slow way down. I feel like the treadmill keeps my pace better & I don't have the option of slacking off when I want to. I also like the fact that there are tvs in front of the treadmills... it helps distract me from the fact that I still don't love jogging . If you go to a gym that offers classes, I would highly recommend checking out a zumba class. It is fun & aerobic dancing. It is probably the only exercise that I really find myself looking forward to.

Krista

You guys are so inspiring! I decided I was going to buy a size 8 goal LBD as motivation. Well, when I went to the store this weekend, I found a great one & I found a size 12 that I fit into now. I haven't willing worn a dress in 15 years, but I didn't think I looked to bad... So here I am in my LBD & me looking fierce. LOL!

Holly- You can do it! I've not followed it exactly because I know if I push myself too fast, I'll just quit. But I went from gasping for breath from doing 60 sec of jogging and 90 sec of walking to jogging for 20 minutes straight. I'm now working on increasing the speed... each week I try to bump it up a percentage of a mile an hour. Once I hit 5 miles an hour, I'm planning to work on distance. Keep at it and you will succeed!

Krista

That's a huge achievement! Congratulations!

I wore a binder for about a week after surgery- it really helped keep me from moving in ways that would cause the incisions to hurt. I don't know if Shapewear will help your body go back to where you want it. I bought some because some of my skin has gotten saggy as I've lost weight. I pretty much only wear it if I'm putting on something form-fitting.

Krista

I'm sorry you had to go through all of that! I hope you are feeling better & are well on your way to recovering.

Krista

I think it is great that you are losing weight. My concern is that you are eating so few calories. Most of us have to be around 500 immediately after surgery, but once you are a month or so out, I think you are supposed to go up to 800-1200 a day. How are you getting in 60 g of Protein on so little? I understand about not having an appetite, but my doc says that even if I'm not hungry, it is important that I eat every couple of hours to get my metabolism reved back up. I would consult with your doctor.

Krista

SavingGrace- Please don't let the fact that no replied right away turn you off to this group. Many people read & never post because they want to remain completely anonymous. Others of us only come on every couple of days. Please know that people here will support you. And if you really feel like this forum won't work for, please find another that will (Obesity Help is also very nice). Having the support (or just reading the stories) of others going through the same experience as you is very helpful in learning how to work with and understand your new stomach. It is one of the things that has helped me keep going when I really felt like throwing in the towel, so to speak. Wishing you good luck in your journey.

Krista

I was told not to drink anything with carbonation. However, I have had an occasional beer & haven't had any problems. I'm not a huge drinker, but I have gone to parties & had a few drinks. My experience is that the alcohol hits me a lot faster & wears off faster. If I have 2 beers in a row, I'm pretty tipsy... not sure if that is due to a lower body weight or the smaller stomach. I would say that you should be able to drink eventually, but start slowly since you don't know how the alcohol will affect your system.

My dr. said he wants me to be 150 - 145 at the lowest. This still leaves me in the overweight category. He wants me to stay 'a little fat' so that I'm not doing excessive things to try and hit a really low goal weight & he says a lot of people start losing muscle when they try to get too low. That being said, my goal for myself is 120-125. In my mind, I haven't gone to all this trouble to still be fat! I think that weight will have me thin, but still curvy, which is how I tend to think women look their best. I guess you just have to wait until you hit the weight & see how you are looking.

Krista

Being scared is normal... I'd be worried if you had no fear at all. This surgery is life-altering. It will change the way you deal with food, it will change the way you see yourself, it will change the way the world sees you, it will change your entire life! Something this momentous should scare you. BUT- that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It just means that you are really considering how much your life will change & not walking in blindly. I was terrified that this surgery was going to kill me... I even wrote letters the night before surgery saying goodbye to the people I loved. But, I ultimately decided that it was worth the risk of death. For years, I felt like I hadn't really been living. I was embarrassed just by existing at the size I was. I decided that if I died, at least I would die trying to change my life & become the person I wanted & deserved to be. And at 6 months out, I can honestly say having this surgery was the single best thing I've ever done for myself. I actually feel like the fun-loving person I used to be. I'm not embarrassed by the way I look - I don't fear meeting new people - My life has shifted & for the better. I hope you won't let fear stop you. Let it inspire you to put everything you've got into making the sleeve work & succeeding using the tool you're being given.

Krista

I would probably consult the other surgeon. It is your health, and you want to be sure you are getting what it best for you. That being said, my surgeon's office also hadn't updated most of their stuff to include the sleeve when I first went in because the sleeve had only been approved my the main insurance companies in our area for about 2 months. I also found the surgeon to be a bit... pompous. However, I feel like he did a great job. The thing about having to submit stuff to the insurance yourself would be what would probably put me off. I would check out the other place & see if they will take care of that for you & how comfortable you feel with them. Good luck with your decision!

It was 80 degrees & I wore a winter sweater to work. LOL. I've found that any place with air conditioning is way too cold for me. I keep a sweater at work & one in my car just in case I suddenly get chilled. People probably think I'm crazy. Good to know others are going through the same thing.

Just want to add some encouragement. It really does get easier once you are on solid foods. I'm over 6 months out & I really can eat like a 'normal' person, just much smaller portions. Once you are on solids, you will feel like a regular human being again. Good luck!