Hello I am from ny and have my surgery scheduled for january 18th. I have been having the yo yo effect and also difficulties with getting away from the sweets. I am good for a few days then the craving takes over. Anyone out there have any advice to break the habit. Also having difficulty losing for surgery. I do not have a requirement from my insurance nor my doc. I just want to be able to give myself a headstart. Some days I feel like I can do it. Others I feel like I am failing. I know that this decision is the right one. I want to get the weight off to be able to enjoy and keep up with my 6 grand kids. I want to just plain be out of pain. Which I am sure is due to more weight gain over the past year. I have talked to friends and have started keeping it to myself cause not everyone is positive about it lol. Sorry for the venting .
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- Thread starter Tracey
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Kathy GN
Active Member
Hello Tracey,
I'm also from NY and had my surgery on 11/10. I didn't lose much weight before the process, in fact, I went a little overboard the wrong way wanting to get everything in I wouldn't be able to eat for a while and I put on a few pounds. That is until the two week pre-surgery diet. It was great. I lost 12 lbs in those two weeks. I don't know how much longer i would have stayed on it without the surgery coming up and needing to make sure the liver shrinks.... but It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Three meal replacement shakes, and in between two snacks like a 1/2 cup cottage cheese, or a low carb no sugar yogurt. ( I used Triple 0 ). I also wasn't increasing my exercise. I found myself so busy. I wish I had. I am now, and it feels great.
I also had some people respond negatively to my decision of having surgery which made me keep it more to myself. At the end, when I was going out of work etc. I decided jut to tell people. I was very happy. Most people were supportive. I found a couple people had a procedure years before and I didn't know it. Said it was the best thing they ever did.
I was also able to tell those that weren't, that what I needed was support and positive thinking around me. If they couldn't do that, I couldn't communicate right now. One was my mom, another was my cousin who thought it was okay to email me horror stories less than a week before surgery. They stopped, all have wished me well, and everything is positive now. I hope you will find the same for yourself.
Best of luck!!
Kathy
I'm also from NY and had my surgery on 11/10. I didn't lose much weight before the process, in fact, I went a little overboard the wrong way wanting to get everything in I wouldn't be able to eat for a while and I put on a few pounds. That is until the two week pre-surgery diet. It was great. I lost 12 lbs in those two weeks. I don't know how much longer i would have stayed on it without the surgery coming up and needing to make sure the liver shrinks.... but It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Three meal replacement shakes, and in between two snacks like a 1/2 cup cottage cheese, or a low carb no sugar yogurt. ( I used Triple 0 ). I also wasn't increasing my exercise. I found myself so busy. I wish I had. I am now, and it feels great.
I also had some people respond negatively to my decision of having surgery which made me keep it more to myself. At the end, when I was going out of work etc. I decided jut to tell people. I was very happy. Most people were supportive. I found a couple people had a procedure years before and I didn't know it. Said it was the best thing they ever did.
I was also able to tell those that weren't, that what I needed was support and positive thinking around me. If they couldn't do that, I couldn't communicate right now. One was my mom, another was my cousin who thought it was okay to email me horror stories less than a week before surgery. They stopped, all have wished me well, and everything is positive now. I hope you will find the same for yourself.
Best of luck!!
Kathy
Christine Seese
Active Member
Welcome to the group Tracey. I'm having a bypass on Dec 6. I wish I could tell you how to give up the sweets, but I've had my good and bad days. I did lose some weight thanks to going through the shake diet back in Oct for rescheduled surgery. I gained a little back, but somehow started losing again. I'd say take it day by day and not beat yourself up if you slip. When you start the shake diet, you WIL lose weight. I lost 17 lbs in the 2 weeks. Today I started the 2nd round of the shake diet. Hope to lose close to that same amount again. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
I hope all goes great for you!! what shake diet are you doing? The doc had me having 1 egg a piece of toast and the 2 boxed meals. I WAS STARVING.Needless to say that didnt last long. I seem to do ok at work. Its when I am home. I think its boredom lol. I have gone on other sites and read to many negative horror stories. I have decided that wasnt such a good idea as that everyone is different and all depends on whether you are following the docs orders post op. I am glad I found this site. It is some good support. I have a group I can go to but its once a month. at least here I can ck in more often and read everyones experience and progress. thanks alot for responding. I have to keep my mind set I am going to do this. I have to stop the yoyo. prob attributed to reading to many stories of failure. But I am very positive all will go well and I look forward to 4 weeks off from work lol
Christine Seese
Active Member
I'm doing protein shake only diet. 3 shakes per day for my 2 weeks pre op. It shrinks the liver so that the doc has a better view of what he is doing. . I'm going to cheat on Thanksgiving and have a little bit of dinner in place of one of my shakes. I stay at home and that pantry screams my name at times. It is interesting the different diets we are all given. I read the horror stories at first and doubted my decision. Now I realize those are few and far between. I am also glad I found this site. I too only have a support group to go to once a month. It is mainly pre op people, so I don't know how useful it will be post op. 4 weeks off from work will be nice. I look forward to getting to know you.
Yes this is such a wonderful group. it is funny how docs give different diets pre op. I have to do all liquid diet 3 days prior to surgery. I am sure the failures I read about probably did not follow all the post op instructions. My doc said you should not really have any difficulties as long as you follow the plan. He is a great doc. although I am very surprised he didnt require me to lose x amount of weight before surgery. my insurance company also had no supervised nutrition dieting either. I know lots if people have to jump through hoops. I dont want him to think I am not trying and this is a quick fix. But I ask and he only said if you lose 5 to 10 lbs great. the more the better. The 4 weeks off from work will be great. I work for the postal service so going to be a wonderful break. Being with the hubby for 4 weeks will be a chore lol.
Christine Seese
Active Member
I didn't have to lose any weight or see a dietician for any length of time. I consider myself lucky. I hope you are able to handle the time with your hubby.
Have you always fought your weight? I've been fighting it since I took a sit down job at 21. Now I'm 46 and feel like I've been fighting forever.I have been overweight pretty much I remember from childhood. I weighed 160 when I met my husband. I am 5'7. I got pregnant at 180 lbs and gained 60 lbs. Pretty much have been between 230 and 275 since 90's. When I hit 280 that was it. I was working an acyive job and was pretty physically fit but then I changed to maintenance and there is hardly and exercise and movement. So I was about 245 last year this time. Now my body is starting to hurt. Knees, feet and hips. never really had issues before gaining more weight. I just turned 47. It seemed like I could lose 40 or so then just gained back plus 10. I will be so happy to be able to move without pain. maybe my husband wont complain about my snoring either lol.
Christine Seese
Active Member
We are very close in age. I'll be 47 in February. Hopefully my snoring will go away too.
I'm 5'9". I weigh 344.8 right now. My highest weight was 381. I was 220 when I got married 20 yrs ago. When I got pregnant in 2000, I was 275. Gained 4 lbs as I was really sick the entire pregnancy. In 2008, I was diagnosed as Bi Polar. I take 3 meds that have weight gain as a side effect. That bumped me to the 381. I starved myself down to 275, but as soon as I started eating again, the weight came back on to 260. I've lost a little weight to get me where I am now. There's my novel. LolI have been on antidepressants since I was in my early 20's. I to have been on many drugs over the years that have caused weight gain. Last one was lyrica for headaches. At this point I have told docs if its says weight gain as a side affect I wont take it lol. I am sure that my depression may be sort of linked to my weight. I am not sure if I will ever be able to get off them. I am on bp meds also. Also just my recent blood test show cholesterol is up. I have so many habits I need to get under control. Fast eater and binge eating. I def need to learn to start eating slower or I will suffer. I am sure the first vomit will deter me. I have a few friends who have had the rny recently and are doing good but I have also seen there struggles.
Christine Seese
Active Member
Do you get migraines? My daughter and I both do. I'm on day 8 of one. Ugh!!! I'm lucky. My BP is great, but I have to be on cholesterol med. I hope to get off of it after the surgery. Hopefully you will get the eating under control without getting sick. My mom was rather rude and said when I went back to my bad eating habits, they could give me a bad time. Not if I do, but when I do. I explained to her that I can't go back to my bad eating habits. My parents haven't been very supportive, but they are in Co and I'm in Ga so that helps.
I do get headaches. Mri showed history of migrains. I never knew it until I went off topomax. which was prescribed for something else lol. ended up in the er and admited for a day. Now I just take a small dose. Seems to work. My husband is very supportive. I have told a few friends and one said I could do it without surgery and why do that to myself. Well needless to say I have stopped sharing. I see a mental health doc once a month. She is great and does my counseling too. been seeing her for some time so she had no problem clearing me for surgery. I have 2 adult children living home now so the stress level is high. Hoping to keep away from the junk. Bit of an emotional eater. Think I may try some protein shakes and see how that works out for me. Last time I did them I probably added to much fruit and yogurt. imagine it was loaded with calories. did it for couple of weeks didnt see results
Christine Seese
Active Member
Migraines suck! I've had them since I was 21 and my daughter has had them for 3 yrs. She is 16. I'm glad your husband is so supportive. That is very important. My hubby is also very supportive. He's watched my struggle. I'm lucky. The only people who felt I should do this on my own have been my parents. All of my friends and siblings have been very supportive. If only the ones who think we shouldn't do it could walk in our shoes for a day, they might change their minds. I eat out of boredom. Worried I'll try that after surgery. When you feel ready to eat emotionally, write to me. That will clear your head. What are you looking forward to the most with losing weight? I'm hoping to finally like myself. Didn't even when I was 135, so don't know that that will happen. Can't wait to donate my closets of clothes and get smaller ones.
I am hoping to gain some self confidence. Most of all having more energy for 6 grand kids lol. They are such a ball of energy and want gramma to do this do that. Well I really dont have all that much energy. I also go into work at 3am. This shift sucks for wondering when to eat or sleep. I am looking forward to getting rid of my closet full of bigger clothes. I have some from when I lost weight that I saved. So I will have backups. Looking forward to shopping for normal sizes lol. So many nice things that dont ever come in plus size. Most of all I want to feel better and be healthy. Ultimately that is my goal. I will definitely write you when I want to gorge lol. I to eat out of bordom. My hubby had the bypass in 98 but he started drinking and it went downhill. Inam hoping that when he sees me getting healthier he will follow suit. He has had his pouch ckd and they said its stretched a little. He doesnt understand how he can eat so much if he has such a small pouch. He also suffers dumping at times. The firat time it happen scaref the crap out of me. Was like he was going into diabetic shock. He doesnt have diabetes but high bp. I will prob end up clearing the cabinents out before surgery lol. We will be a little over a month apart for surgery so will be able to follow you as you start your journey and get some pointers.
Christine Seese
Active Member
That's a bummer about your hubby. Like you said, once he sees you succeeding, maybe he will follow suit. You will be able to follow my post op for a little while and then it will be both of us. I can't wait!!!
Douglas Naumann
Active Member
My surgery is for sometime in January, just don't know when. Check the site out, if you feel like replying to a message, go for it. If you want one on one, start a conversation with me. Its all good!
Doug
Doug
Kathy GN
Active Member
Hi Tracey. I didn't lose any weight before my surgery, in fact in the months leading up to it I put on almost 5 lbs. Eating everything I felt I'd have to be denied and taking a vacation to Europe to visit my son with Oktoberfest included.... I am glad. It has been four weeks since surgery for me (gastric sleeve), and I am down almost 30lbs since the two week pre surgery diet started. Don't be hard on yourself. After surgery it is a lot easier to follow the diet and I've felt great and been exercising. Hopefully you'll find a similar experience.... Kathy
Douglas Naumann
Active Member
My surgery date is sometime in January 2017. I'll let you know, December 19, my pre-op appointment and will be given a date.
Doug
Christine Seese
Active Member
Can't wait to find out when your surgery is. We will have a few of us within a couple of months. The support will be nice.