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Ugh @ms.sss, you've had it rough. Where are the open wounds, TT or BL? So weird about the sutures. I have seen that quite a bit online, but didn't happen to me at all. I totally get feeling better and doing damage by behaving as if you haven't just had MAJOR surgery. I did internal damage to my muscle tightening sutures. Even 10 weeks post op I sometimes have a significant amount of pain from them. As far as stinky-ness, silver infused gauze completely cleared that up for me, hallelujah!! (My wound is still open, so frustrating!) I used this one: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WYZFK5W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I do go out for 1+ hour walks every few days, but I don't really count this as "true" exercise I. feel.attacked. 🤣 As far as swelling ... I'm happy to report I'm less swollen, more of the time. So hopefully for you it will start improving soon as well. (And I generally don't wear any binders unless it's under a form fitting dress.) I gotta think sleep + potential SAD has got to be a big part of the blahs. Ever considered light therapy? I'm a terrible insomniac as well. I'm opposite of you though, I go to sleep fine, but then wake up 2-4 hrs later and cannot go back to sleep. I always just dealt with it. But then post plastics, and dealing with discomfort keeping me from sleeping I got a prescription for Ambien. OMG, why did I never pursue that option before! I love that it makes me feel naturally sleepy (not groggy like narcotics), and I'm completely able to shake it off in the morning, no "hangover." I did though send one Ambien text that I had no recollection of, so that's a little worrisome. Good news is it was completely normal and sane 🤣

Kinda wanted to see if there are Other people who are struggling to see the weight loss because we have a larger frame. I’m 5 foot 10 and I have like a large bone structure and even though I went from 256 pounds before surgery and now I’m 189 I don’t see a change in clothes or a change much elsewhere only like my shoulder and thighs. Anyone else like this?

However, my shopping excursion did not end there with the cocktail dress. I couldn't help but be inspired by some other wonderful day dreaming things for our some of our thread participants as follows: 1. Killer plaid jacket for greentealael 2. Feminine dresses for Kay's mommy 3. Cool Jeans, slinky top and exquisite heels for ms.sss 4. Stunning high heels for bayougirlmrs.s 5. Way cool outfit for fluffychix (love the new style with one shirt tail out) 6. The Milou shop definitely made for angiebear! 7. Fabulous blue tunic, white jeans and satchel for sheribear 8. Sexy heels for none other than sillykitty 9. A classic casual outfit - I think many of us would favor especially the khaki jacket 10. Gorgeous nubby top with white slacks for orchids&dragon 11. Really unique adjustable necklace for some of Arabesque's stylishly smashing black outfits. Had lot's of FUN! It's a designer thing... ;]

Good luck! I don't know if there are people who go into surgery without being nervous, but I've never met any. I am 8 days out, and I feel really good! I think you are going to be surprised at how quickly you start to feel better. And between what I lost during the pre-op diet (lengthened by the flu) and since the surgery (about 15 pounds, nearly 10 of which were pre-op) I already have less knee pain, and an easier time going up and to a lesser extent down the stairs. You will be able to enjoy your kids so much more. I can't wait to hear how you are doing!!!

Hey everyone, 1st of all, the surgery has changed my life! Being 204 lbs at 6’0 tall is life changing! I haven’t been this weight since college in 1992. I have a football players body so broad shoulders big build. Everyone has commented how great I look. I had my surgery on 10/6/19 Heres the problem: For the last 6 weeks I’ve stopped losing weight. I’m stuck at 204. my stomach isn’t happy with pure protein. Right around Thanksgiving, I started noticing that when I ate protein of anytype my stomach would growl and seriously cramp and be upset until I could mix carbs in with the protein -then my stomach would be satisfied. Then I started eating a lot of rice. Sushi 4-5 pieces is satisfying with salmon and yellow tail with rice under it and I’m satisfied. Then I went into my unhealthy eating habits. I eat a lot of candy everyday....realizing I have a disease, I threw out all of the candy today. I threw out all of my trigger foods. I threw out all of the chips I was eating. All of the junk food is gone from my house. Please understand, I have a mental disorder called an eating disorder. My stomach hasn’t stretched. I still throw up eating too much, I have a small pouch, I’m still in the honeymoon phase, and even eating lots of junk each day lots of candy each day 4 months after surgery I haven’t gained any weight but I stopped losing the last 6 weeks since New Year’s Day. Im going back to pure protein light veggies then a little carbs. I will muscle my way roll my sleeves up and start losing the weight. I want to lose 20 lbs and have a BMI of 25 but my wife, co workers, friends, family all say stop losing weight! You look like a cancer victim. At basically 200 lbs and big broad shouldered football looking dude with a shaved head everyone says enough, but I’m worried with my bad habits that I arrested and threw away today, that eventually I will start gaining weight. Ps my Dr. Said that since my body type needs 2500 calories a day to maintain that I would get to my target weight quickly, which I’m close to. I also know when I get my veggies and fruits in, my candy & chip cravings disappear. Any advice? Is it time for therapy? FYI, Kaiser my provider has horrible non existent opportunities for therapy, the wait list is 4-8 months to get in to see one. Maybe a weekly support group would help? Mark -worried

The "swelling" is from lymphedema. The PS interrupted your lymphatic drainage system And it takes a while for the body to "reconnect." And what you're experiencing with the compression gear is absolutely true! If you don't have the proper garment in place, it will cause worse swelling below the area due to the inability for that lymph fluid to drain. I wear my sleeve every day. If I don't, then my arm gets huge and if I don't wear my glove with it, then my hand turns into a balloon. I do feel better with it than without it. It gives a comfort/secure/structure feeling. LOL. So glad you are feeling better girlie!!! Oh also, you know me...biased low carber, but $10 bet says that if you ditched the high carb crap and went back to low carb, you would notice the end of your belly bloat starting in as little as 3-4 days and maybe a complete resolution of it in 2-3weeks. hehe. Sorry couldn't resist. You know me...always biased. TY for sharing your journey girlie!! You are so brave and have been a true warrior during this time!!

Ah, its been two months to the day since my plastics trifecta, and I have to tell you the past month or so has been a little rough. On Wound Healing: My healing progress took several steps backwards primarily due to my over-eagerness to get back into my exercise routine. I pushed myself a little too soon, a little too much and ended up opening up a few incisions. TWICE. Add to this that my body for the past few weeks has decided to expell my sutures instead of absorbing them, resulting in more broken skin and open wounds. At it's worst, I had 9 concurrent open wounds that were painful, oozing and stinky. On Exercise: Not including the two ill-advised attempts of full-on running and strength training, along with the equally ill-advised crunches I was doing in bed, I have had almost zero exercise. Now, I do go out for 1+ hour walks every few days, but I don't really count this as "true" exercise as I don't get that exercise "high" afterwards. I consider walking more of mental health remedy, I guess. On the Blahs: Due to my slow healing and recurring wounds + the lack of exercise + the fact that I have been basically holed up at home for 2 months + the crappy T.O. winter weather + my self-imposed week-long lack of sleep to watch every marquee Australian Open match, and difficulty sleeping even after it was done + my noticeably increased carb (read: sugar) intake + my obsession with the swelling in my lower abdomen, was feeling pretty sh*tty for a while. I was in full-on pity party mode and was being a total B to the fam, and picking totally unnecessary fights with them (Sorry Fam! They deserve trophies for putting up with me). I went through a week or so of drinking my blahs away, which I put a stop to once I realized what I was doing. I even shared an ENTIRE pack of cigarettes with BFF one night cuz I was just so annoyed and looking back, probably wanted to give an EFF YOU to the universe. Of all the things, I am most regretful of this. Mostly because I admitted it to Mr. & the Kid and while they didn't admonish me, I could see that they were disappointed. Jeez. On Possibly Turning a Corner: Last week, I did a much needed reality check (of which I need to thank @sillykitty for for prompting, along with the break in the winter weather that day, and the first good night's sleep I had in a while the night before). I upped my protein (thanks @FluffyChix for the reminder), and made sure to get more sleep (thanks me!, LOL). As of this morning, I am down to only 4 open wounds. The ooze factor of these have decreased ALOT, and they no longer stink. YAY! Though I'm going to temper my expectations because I have healed and UN-healed TWICE before and it was a definite hit to the mood. Current PS/body results: Swell hell continues in my lower abdomen & upper thighs. Some days are better than others. The one thing I have noticed is that if I wear my abdominal binder too high, the swelling in these areas get worse. I have been trying to make sure that the binder sits low enough, which results in lots of tugging throughout the day. I may have to invest in a full body one. My arm compression garment is no longer compressing me, despite being tailored by my mom earlier, but I wear it anyway as it helps keep my silicone tape from coming off. That and I have developed a weird security-fondness for it. I stopped wearing my sports bra (or any bra at all, for that matter) weeks ago because of the wounds on my under-boob and side boob. The arm compression garment is doing a little lifting in that area instead. Some Comparison Numbers: Pre-PS Weight: 115 lbs 2m-Po Weight: 117.1 lbs Pre-PS Bust - Waist - Hips measurements: 32.5" - 25.5" - 33" 2m-Po Bust - Waist - Hips measurements: 33.5" - 25.0" - 34" Pre-PS Left UpperArm Circumference: 10.5" 2m-Po Left UpperArm Circumference: 10.0" Pre-PS Right Thigh Circumference: 17.0" 2m-Po Right Thigh Circumference: 19.0" * I didn't think to measure my lower abdomen before, but I did this morning, so I can start keeping track: 2m-Po Lower Abdomen (measuring widest part): 33.0" Next Steps: I have my 2 month post op appointment with my surgeon tomorrow. He had given me homework to stretch/massage my arms at my 6 week appt, as he felt I should a fuller range of motion that I did at the time. He wanted to see me be able to raise my arms completely straight up with no resistance. Well....I CAN do it, BUT i can feel the areas between the armpit and upper tricep stretching to its limit. It doesn't hurt, but I can definitely feel the pull. I'm not sure if this is where he wanted me to be at, and I guess we'll see what he says tomorrow. I promised myself I would not go back to my normal level of exercise until ALL my wounds have closed. This may be overkill, but I really DO NOT want a repeat of last month. Hopefully this will be in the next couple weeks. I am going back to "work" in a couple weeks as well, so this should help with the boredom. Pictures: My surgeon will be taking pics of me at my appointment tomorrow, will see if I will post those, or take some myself...will decide later. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edited to add update from 2 month follow up appt with Doc: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soooo....went to my 2 month follow up yesterday and Doc scheduled me for some steroid shots next month...I guess he is not happy with my my scar healing (I was fine with it, but I guess he knows better ) He also asked me again to not wear my tape as much as I have been. I wear them basically 23 hours a day and he wants me to halve that, if not more (he asked me to do this last time, but I didn't listen...but since he asked AGAIN, I guess I should pay attention). I have been tape-less since about 6pm yesterday, and it feels odd. Almost as if the incisions are getting sore again? Only on my arms though...my boobs and tum feel the same. *shrugs* I do notice this morning that a lot of dried skin was flaking off the (healed) incision lines...not sure what the impact of this is *shrugs again*. I slathered some bio oil on them (he did tell me to moisturize). Wound update: I was down to 3 open wounds yesterday! BUT...this morning a new one opened on my left underboob due to another suture expelling, so my number stays at 4. Le sigh. Btw, Doc says that part of the reason why I'm expelling so many sutures is because I am "so skinny". Something about no where for the sutures to be absorbed into. On another note: Speaking of being "so skinny", when I asked Doc about what we can do about my saggy butt, he said that I am not a good candidate for a BBL in my current state, unless I want to gain at least 10 lbs OF FAT. Um, no thanks. He also does not support nor perform implants, which left his option recommendations to: Traditional butt lift Some machine treatment (I forget the name), which is basically a device that simulates 100's of mini squats per session (think Dr. Ho's) Actual Squats I'm gonna go with the Actual Squats 

I started my sleeve journey on 11/06/19 at 65 . I’m now 66. My journey has slowed a bit at 4 mnths. , and am constantly looking at my daily diet and seeing what changes to make. I’m NOT an “ everything in moderation “ person. I try not to eat nothing processed or in a box ( although tuna fish is on my ok list) and try to buy organic when we can afford it. We are only 2 people so I can splurge a little on healthy foods. We try to eat as natural as possible. I work out as much as possible, usually spin, Zumba, combat, weights at least 4x a week. I made myself a commitment to this program and that meant changing my mental attitude towards food, leaving out all sugar, starches ( bread, rices, potatoes), sugar drinks, etc. I have no tolerance for the “everything in moderation” attitude, simply because I believe you’re kidding yourself with this attitude and setting yourself up for saying, “ it’s ok, I’ll just start anew tomorrow “. I make no apologies for my attitude and plan. If you want to argue another point of view, I will listen but you won’t change me. At 66, I’m doing what works for me and love my new lifestyle.

That's a lot of weight to lose in 6-7 months! I had my surgery in July 2019 too but am only down 53 lbs from surgery date (261-209). That's an average of 7.5 lbs per month, which I believe is a normal and healthy speed. Your body is probably just readjusting. Plus, at that lower weight, you don't need the calories you needed to maintain anything over 200 so check what your current calories needs are. Eat sensibly, exercise, and let your body work it out. And make sure you don't repeat the mistakes you made leading up to the weight gain! It's hard because it's so much a part of who we are but we have to fight temptations and rejoice in the healthier lifestyle!

Lol, so I weighed myself again this morning (gasp! TWO DAYS IN A ROW???) and I’m down another 0.8 pounds to 136.6, which is currently my all-time low PO. I REFUSE to panic or react to that number because I’ve come to a head space where I’m going to do my thing and trust my body to do the right thing. This kind of trust has been something that’s taken me months to come to grips with, but through group and individual therapy, I’m learning to trust that my body won’t actually let me become deathly ill/or die from malnutrition. I’m still 10-12 pounds over my adult low weight of 125-ish pounds from my college days. Wow. When I think of how “fat” I felt whenever I got >125 and then would diet and exercise like a maniac to get below that magical number, I realize how messed up our ideas of body perfection truly are. Back in the 80’s/90’s a woman weighing over 125 was considered “too fat” to be good partner material, even at a height of 5’7”. Now we wonder why so many of us in my age range struggled with MO as we dieted ourselves into that condition trying to reach this fairly unrealistic goal.

I’m 5 months out and I’ve stalled out (it’s been about 2.5 weeks with no loss). Is this it? Can I hope to loose more or am I done? When did you stop loosing after gastric sleeve. st w 238, CW 185. SD 9/19/19

I remember posting in December 2019 and a poster wanted to see a male before/after pic. The first one is from my highest weight ever at 314 in August 2019. I am now 244, 70 down since then and 46 down since surgery on December 17. I've been active as a basketball referee and playing pickup games in basketball. I also walk around 3 miles a day at work; not all at once, but in spurts throughout the collective day. Aflac paid me for my surgery through my hospital indemnity policy so I thought that was great! My health insurance paid their part 100% so I'm looking at getting a loan soon to pay off the rest. It was well worth it!

Been craving tamales really bad, and I found a good recipe to try. I would probably leave out the jalapenos/salsa until you can eat spicy foods (if you can at all), but they sound delicious and amazing and I never thought to use cauliflower for a tamale. Nom nom. Copied from: https://www.rippedrecipes.com/recipe/cauliflower-tamales-3994.html Ingredients 4 medium Egg 2 wedge or slice (1/8 of one 2" dia lime) Lime 2.5 serving (serving = 4 oz) Tyson Foods Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 4 serving (serving = 1/4 tsp) Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning 1 serving (serving = 2 tbsp) Old El Paso Pickled Jalapeno Slices 6 serving (serving = 3/4 cup) Green Giant Cauliflower Crumbles Directions Cauliflower tamales! 2 bags of Green Giant Cauliflower Crumbles 4 eggs 1 tsp adobo seasoning 2 packets true lime / or lime juice from 2 lime wedges 10-12 oz meat of choice Pickled jalapenos (optional) 1/2 cup world market salsa verde 9 corn husks Soak corn husks in hot water for 2 hours before starting. Purée cauliflower crumbs until they reach a rice consistency. Place in cheese cloth and squeeze out excess water. Mix with seasonings and eggs. Lay out corn husks and apply thin layer of mass mixture even on husk. Measure 1-1.5 oz of protein of choice and put in center of husk. I added 3 jalapenos on top as well as a 1/2 tbsp of salsa verde on the protein. Fold husk together to close the tamale. Steam for 25 minutes and done! NUTRITIONAL FACTS per 1 serving size (Recipe makes 9 servings) Amount Per Serving Calories 83 Calories from Fat 28 % Daily Values* Total Fat 3.06 4.71% Saturated Fat 1.02 5.10% Polyunsaturated Fat 0.41 Monounsaturated Fat 1.30 Cholesterol 100.72 33.57% Sodium 255.33 10.64% Potassium 194.67 Total Carbohydrate 3.23 1.08% Dietary Fiber 1.49 5.96% Sugars 1.52 Protein 10.75 Vitamin A 0.22% Vitamin C 48.00% Calcium 2.22% Iron 3.11% * Nutritional Values are estimated and may vary

On March 26 I will be having gastric bypass surgery at 77 years young. Over 10 years ago had a lapband after having problems it was removed. Looking forward to my surgery! They told me a man of 79 had gastric bypass who turned 80 the month after and was doing a wonderful job.

I'm doing ok so far. I've talked with someone and it's not a big deal. The last 10 days of the pre-op diet I plan to stick exclusively to liquids. I've read on here that there are people who had popcorn or something along those lines during liquid diets and they still have had surgery. I've lost nearly 10lbs in a week, and the whole point is to shrink my liver. I also talked to a friend who had RNY, and he kinda scared me straight the night I had cravings for taco Bell. I have been so tempted to eat anything besides soup, but I haven't. I wish you the best of luck on your journey.

Assuming your bariatric surgeon’s office has a dietitian, I would bounce that question off them first. I had all kinds of issues with the liquid pre-op diet last year, it was one of the reasons why I opted out at the last minute, 2 days before surgery last year. I am not looking forward to doing it again, but health matters dictate I must get past it this time around. I kept in contact with three others who were in my pre-op support group who went through the sleeve surgery in 2019. All three are now reaching a year post-op and the feedback I am getting is encouraging, but cautious. One of them has not been as successful as the others but she knows what she is doing wrong. From what she tells me, she “grazes” and eats small amounts of food constantly during the day and evening. She has gained back about 35% of the weight she initially lost and is now considering revision surgery and moving to full bypass. She says her biggest mistake was not reaching out for help. I plan to be active in this support group, I know I am going to need help and I want to make myself available to help others.

Hi everyone, Tomorrow is the big day! I'm in at 7:15 and will be in the OR at 9am. I had 3 c-sections and my last turned into an emergency hysterectomy so I'm familiar to recovering from surgery. I'm still super nervous because it's still an operation...I'm taking a week off of work and I'm reading a lot (too much is what my hubby would say) just to know what to expect. I really want to make sure I recover well. Aside from all the wonderful posts I've read here, I found Dr. Vong on YouTube who has made some very informative videos. I have struggled with my weight since 2012. At that point I was working out and getting on track which off course meant that the next logical step was to get pregnant with child #2. Child #3 followed in 2016 and I haven't been the same again. I'd diet for months, lose 10 pounds which would come back with more once life took over. I began a new job in 2019 and someone told me about their VSG experience. I immediately made an appt with their surgeon. I initially thought well this means I can eat however I want since it will all be over. I put up a few pounds and felt like crap. 12/28 I woke up and decided I needed to prep for surgery. I also felt like if it went well, I would reconsider the surgery. I have been on a low carb IF plan since then. I found it easy to stick too especially because I knew this would be my new normal. I met with members in support group and decided to go ahead with the surgery. All was great, then it was time for the liquid diet and honestly I've cheated here and there. I was 75% on point. I'd have great days and then an off moment. I kept waiting for that moment where I wouldn't be hungry anymore. It's never come. I do realize that I should have made a plan for this with time frames for my broth and jello. I'd get busy at work and then try to catch up on shakes...so lesson learned. I have plugged in time frames into my calendar which will send me alerts for liquids for the next three weeks. I have the containers ready so I always have my portioned liquids with me no matter what. I have my bag packed for tomorrow with the essentials and aside from reading, lol, I'm relaxing with my kids and my broth...

Okay so I had a moment like this today at the Pilates studio. An instructor I hadn’t had in awhile was back at our location and she made a comment to me after class about how fantastic I looked and how strong I had become. Another gal in class piped up saying she was noticing the same thing about me and then it turned into a discussion on how much I’d lost since joining the studio last March. So I told them all that I’ve lost 120+ pounds since January 2019, and there was a part of me that wanted to add, “but it was bc of WLS, so please don’t look at me with awe and admiration,” Then I mentally took a step back and realized that 1. I didn’t owe anyone an explanation of how each of those pounds came off, and 2. I am amazing and awesome for sticking to my program like I’ve done for the last year. I could’ve “settled” for losing 50,60,70, etc pounds, but at the end of the day I pushed myself beyond anything I ever thought I could’ve. And you know what? I am actually very strong and dedicated to this lifestyle. Yes the compliments sometimes can make us feel guilty and awkward, but I challenge each and every one of you guys to give yourself credit for the incredibly brave and wise decision to have WLS in the first place. This choice isn’t the easy way out. There’s so much involved in it that will be with us forever and we chose forever altering our digestive tracts to get back our health. There are many people out there who will -for a multitude of reasons-never make our very difficult choice.

I saw my doctor 10 days after surgery. He looked at my incisions and he told me I could start exercising, lift weights, go swimming, lol. Said nothing I could do would hurt them, WOW. Go figure. I didn't do any of those things though. Just stuck with walking for a couple of weeks. Then I hopped on the stationary bike at the gym. Tried elliptical today and it just about kicked my butt. I finished 30 minutes though.

Surgery on 2/19. Getting nervous, but I’m ready.

Last summer when I started thinking seriously about bariatric surgery, I had trouble finding info on the timeline for Kaiser patients in the DC/MD/VA area. So for anyone who's interested, here's the process (and my timeline): Got a referral from my primary care provider (9/3/19) 1/2 WLS class with a nutritionist (9/19/19) 1/4 appt with a nutritionist (10/23/19) 1/2 Surgeon-led bariatric info session @ Holy Cross (11/12/19) 2/4 appt with a nutritionist (11/22/19) 2/2 Surgeon-led bariatric info session @ Holy Cross (11/27/19) 2/2 WLS class with a nutritionist (12/20/19) 3/4 appt with a nutritionist (1/16/20) 4/4 appt with a nutritionist (2/12/20) Got approved for surgery (2/14/20) Appt with surgeon @ Holy Cross to schedule surgery (3/3/20) It's designed to be a six-month program starting with your referral and ending with the appt with your surgeon to schedule surgery (with variety of mandatory classes and one-on-one sessions spread out over the course of those six months). Here are some of the other requirements you have to take care of before a board will review your medical record and approve you for surgery: Ideally, you lose some weight, but there aren't a set number of pounds you have to lose. Behavioral health evaluation H-Pylori antibody stool test Sleep apnea screening Write a letter to the surgeon about why you want to have surgery Although my nutritionist is at South Baltimore County Medical Center, the only two bariatric surgeons currently available for Kaiser patients in the DMV are at Holy Cross in Silver Springs. My surgery will likely be at Largo Medical Center, and once it's scheduled, I'll update this post but I've been told to expect a six to eight week wait. I hope this helps!

I think I had a 10 lb limit for the first four weeks or so.

I have a one year old at home so a little older than yours but my surgeon said I couldn’t lift over 10 pounds so I will not be able to pick her up. Someone could put her in my arms and so on but I can’t actually lift. maybe you could find someone, a family member or friend to help for a few weeks with baby. but then again, all surgeon’s are different and you might have a different weight limit.

I agree on healthier swaps but another tool is to divide up the candy into separate little baggies. If you have the willpower to let yourself have 10 M &Ms or 3 pieces of sour candy a day then you can look forward to that tiny treat but stop and really enjoy that tiny portion. Honestly if you had a big portion you stop really tasting it after a few bites anyway. This could be a dangerous path for some but it works for me. NEVER eat straight from a box or bag, always put what you are going to eat into a separate dish so you can visually see how much you are eating.