New to group

[Tekosima]

Hello everyone.
I am almost finished with my "To Do List" and then I will be calling my doctor to see what is next. Scheduling surgery date and pre-op appointment, then 2 week liquid diet from what I understand.
About me... I am a single Mom. I have three kids. My youngest one is now 18 and graduated during this COVID nightmare! I am very proud of her. I also have a 20 year old daughter and 27 year old son. I have raised good kids.
Now, I am taking time to concentrate on Mom. This is something that has been neglected over the years, as putting my children first has always been my priority. So this is a very new and interesting journey into self. I have found it kind of tricky to do all these things during COVID. I am hoping I will be able to get my surgery. I know that in the beginning of COVID they cancelled elective surgeries, I am afraid of that happening to me.
In less than a week I go to my appointment to get clearance for my sleep apnea, which is one of the last things required. Aside from attending support group meetings. Which, during these times... WHERE DO YOU FIND THEM? I think I have been pretty resourceful and checking into forums and chats and such.
I am hoping to get the sleeve. I am only one pound away from my pre-surgery goal weight.
Just anxious to see what is next and get input from others on what they are doing for themselves.
Helpful hints, things to avoid? Feedback/advice welcome!

 

[WazzuCoug]

Congratulations on the big step you are taking and welcome to our group. There are so many great people here with lots of experience from pre-op to a decade+ post-surgery.

• Stick to your pre-surgery diet as best you can. It really helps set the stage for post-surgery.
• Start mimicking the post-surgery eating habits like eating slowly (chew each bite for 20 seconds, take 20-30 min to finish a meal, etc.)
• If you aren't drinking 64oz of water in a day, start getting used to doing that, and always carry a water bottle with you.
• Prepare yourself mentally for pauses and stalls in weight loss after surgery. They happen, they are natural, and while it's hard not to get frustrated, you will break through them.
• If you aren't in the habit of exercising, a good place to start is walking. Just build the habit. Walking is a great way to help speed up healing and stimulate your body after surgery.
• Consider addressing and talking about any food issues (emotional eating, food addiction, etc.) with a counselor before surgery and continue after surgery to combat old habits.
• Reach out to bariatric communities like this one for support.

Best of luck in your journey!!
Ryan

 

[3momchaos]

Welcome! So happy to have you here. As far as support groups go, my surgeons office had an optional one before Covid, and I think there might be one via zoom, but I never looked into it because I’ve been using this forum the whole time. I’m preop, waiting for my precertification to go through at insurance. I’m anxiously awaiting the call from my drs office with the approval or denial, which will probably be approval since I’ve done everything insurance required. Glad you’re here and putting your health first!

 

[missyinacage]

Hi, Welcome to the group. My program offers a support group via Zoom, but I can't make it due to work. But I am very glad I found this group. I think all programs should offer support groups or require you to find one. It's really great to hear from those with more experience and those who are having similar experiences to your own. Best of luck to you.

 

[dianeseattle]

... required. Aside from attending support group meetings. Which, during these times... WHERE DO YOU FIND THEM?
Helpful hints, things to avoid? Feedback/advice welcome!

Tekosima, welcome to the group. You have landed on what must be one of the very best support groups online. I noticed there are several and I understand there is one on Facebook that's extremely popular. Try to stay away from support groups that are led by people who have a vested interest in your health, like people who have written books about bariatric surgery and want to use their own philosophies to guide everyone else.

But the support group, really, at this time can only be for your benefit. COVID has shut down in-person support groups and they won't be coming back soon. We are here for you and we will address all of your questions. I don't think there's anything we haven't touched on in our posts and we have 50,000 posts in the archive going back to 2010. Use the search in the upper right corner of your screen using a keyword like sleeve to find postings about the sleeve.

I had surgery 13 years ago and I had surgery 13 years ago and no complications or exciting stories to tell about it. I lost a hundred 15 lb in 14 months. I had a 6-month stall. You can expect to hit a stall at some point in your journey.

You will be following a meal plan after surgery and if you want to get the best benefit from your surgery, comply with it exactly as it is written.

Everyone loses weight after weight loss surgery but our results differ wildly. I'm not sure why, but my doctor told me I should be a poster child for roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery. I lost 60 lb in the first 2 months and another 15 in the third, and then I slowed down and had a very long plateau. As I increased my activities, the weight just dropped off until I was too thin. So I gained some back.

good for you Mom, finally, getting a break from parenting and responsibilities of the home. Enjoy your Me Time and make it last as long as you can.

Do you have any specific questions about surgery and post-operative life? We do a lot better with questions then blanket
explanations because there is such a variety of experience among the membership here.

So glad you found us!