Advice ?!?!

[TheNewSusie 471]

I won't be sleeved until July but I'm worried. I stress each day that I'm going to gain so much weight before I'm sleeved. I cut down on carbs tremendously, I stopped the diet coke a week ago, and I'm obsessed with weighing myself because I feel if I don't I will gain. I'm stressing and going crazy. I hate this feeling of feeling "fat" . I know I'm solving it and making better choices , I know I'm going to fluctuate but sometimes I feel like really huge. I think im going to do my liquid diet for a few days to clean out my system because I'm so tired of food! Any comments would be great.

[Lea Anne 17]

This may not be the best advice but try not to worry so much about your pre-op diet and focus your energy on post-op. I lost 18.5 pounds in the 6 days before surgery when I started the Protein drinks and Clear liquids on the day before, so in my opinion, you have a little "wiggle room". I'm sure the doctor would not agree but the way I look at it is this: I've made this decision and I'll follow your instructions to the best of my abiltiy, but I'm human and have an overeating problem. It took me much longer than 2 months to learn the bad behaviors so you can't expect me to completely change in 2 months. Plus I had to quit smoking on top of it. (I still yearn for a cigarette, diet coke and regular coffee and hope the cravings go away eventually!!)

It's good that you are being mindful and making healthy choices, but my personal addmission is that I lived it up in the months before surgery. I ate what I wanted, whenever I wanted. It was my "good bye" to unhealthy food and eating habits. I was stressed about the surgery (and my upcoming move and wedding) and being a stress eater, I pigged out on several occassions. But I also started to incorporate the healthy options and found a good balance near the end.

You'll find that balance, too. And for now, don't weigh yourself every day. Maybe a couple times a week. Save the daily weigh-ins for when you start the liquid diet just before surgery and you'll be amazed at the results. Oh, and one more thing...I gained 13 pounds the day of surgery. They pump you full of fluids so that you don't dehydrate post-op. I weighed 8.7 pounds more when I left the hospital than I did when I checked in. Just keep that in mind for afterwards and know that it will come off plus more in a week or 2.

Good luck and try not to stress so much!

[TheNewSusie 471]

Thank you thank you so much. I appreciate ur great advice

[StormWarning 194]

I can so relate to you GF even tho I dont even have a date yet. I gave up my sodas over a month a go when I got real sick with what I believed to be food poisoning or maybe gall-bladder. Whats depressing for me is, that even tho I gave up sodas, on straight Water, more Protein, less carbs, I have noticed that I have managed to gain 7lbs. Where did this come from? Is this all water weight? I wonder If i am doing something wrong. I can't even imagine the stress I will experience when the time comes that I am given a date.

[4ALongerLife 329]

Ever thought about going to counseling? It'd help your feelings now and you would be a step ahead of the game once you do have the surgery.....

And I suffer from weighing myself too much. That alone will drive you nuts so go hide the scale. Relax, get your Water in and try to make exercise consistent.

Try out myfitnesspal.com - commonly referred to on this site as MFP. It helps you track your eating/exercise and many of us are on there. Feel free to add me!

Best of luck!

[TheNewSusie 471]

I don't really think I need counseling but I wanted some tips from others. I'm trying to do things right and prepare myself so that way my doctor doesn't tell me my liver hasn't shrunk because I decided to say "splurge" I've been splurging for years and am tired if it. I'm a month and a half away and headed in the right direction I just dont know how to get these negative thoughts out of my brains. Get what I mean ?

[StormWarning 194]

I think negative thoughts to a degree are healthy and normal. After all who doesn't have a negative thought or look at themselves in a negative way when we think we are fat, obese etc. It's not even "if we think" cause the world is telling us we are by the standards that are in place. Our society has programmed nothing but negativity with words like Fat, Morbid Obesity, Huge etc. After all can anyone stand up and say they didnt have a negative thought or comment to oneself after looking into the mirror? If they didn't or don't then they didn't need a surgery in the first place.

I don't think your thoughts or feelings indicate a need for counseling. I think its normal to be worried, frightened, scared before surgery. After all we are making a change and we don't want to fail at progress. We have the fear that if we don't do something right our visions of the future may not come true. I think thats perfectly normal.

[TheNewSusie 471]

That's exactly how I feel. If we were all healthy and positive then we wouldn't be here today. I'm just scared and I keep getting worried about several things from gaining weight to am I doing things right ? Wrong ? All the above ? I'm terrified because I want this to work. I know I have to work with it and I'm giving it my all I just get worried/scared .

[StormWarning 194]

Susie, you just need to lay some of your worries on me. I know we wont actually meet in person til Saturday, but we live close enough to each other to give each other support. I will be here to listen to anything you have to say, or need to get off your chest.

[TheNewSusie 471]

Thanks jenn ur awesome ! Likewise to you.

[Smoggy 152]

Hi Sweetsusie

I'm being sleeved on 2nd July (we'll be sleeve sisters!) and the in last few months I have put on weight - I have times when I see a type of food I like (which is many and often LOL) and just HAVE to have it one last time....which has not been the best of things to do. I'm in counselling and she says this is a totally natural reaction and not to beat myself up about it. I have recently lost a few pounds and I'm upping the Protein and slowly phasing out carbs, but it is HARD! This is never going to be easy- we are all riddled with food issues and we just do the best we can. One day at a time and all that!

I am SO looking forward to it- the time can't go past quick enough!

[TheNewSusie 471]

Hey smoggy,

Yay for July! Lol. I just have this fear of getting too big. It's weird but true, I think I'm taking all the right steps that my doctor gave me and god willing I will be ok. I'm just going to be really strict from today on and stop obsessing about it. Best of luck to you!

[kczar 166]

I can so relate to you GF even tho I dont even have a date yet. I gave up my sodas over a month a go when I got real sick with what I believed to be food poisoning or maybe gall-bladder.

If you think the pain was gall bladder related, I would recommend getting it checked out. A lot of sleevers wind up getting them removed due to the change in diet, quick weight loss, etc. If the gallbladder is bad, they can remove it while you're getting sleeved. Don't fool around with that, it can land you in the er.

[StormWarning 194]

Thanks Kczar. We are watching it. I have doctors and Nurses in family. It was a first episode. I am really leaning that it was food poisoning, cause I was very sick to stomach, couldnt keep anything down, but no fever. I did have back pain like it was kidney related which is why I gave up sodas. When word got around that I was sick, my family started calling me asking me tons of questions. It is something everyone is somewhat monitoring.