Got my surgery date and waiting

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homeport51
homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
Just wanted to pop in and say hi. I was hoping to find a group here and this seems like a great one! My surgery date is Oct. 27th, but I'm on a wait list if someone cancels..
I have been trying to adopt some of the things I will have to do after, so it's not such a shock to the system. My surgeon doesn't require a liquid diet before, so I'm pretty much on my own until the date.
So far, I've given up coffee and fast food completely. Still indulging in sugar on occasion, but rarely. My friend said I'm having "food funerals". I think she is right. I keep thinking about what will be my last meal before surgery, but I don't know what it will be and as time goes on, it seems to matter less.
I've been doing protein shakes twice a day and one meal and have lost 16 lbs. doing that. I do feel better and I can't wait for the significant weight loss.
I've been up and down for as long as I can remember and I don't want to go up again.
Please feel to free to friend me.
I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you!
Jacki

Replies

  • jcavanna2
    jcavanna2 Posts: 782 Member
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    I couldn't agree more with Nicole! She is a wealth of knowledge...

    I also second that post op you will have stuff you ate before again. I am a pizza fanatic and have had pizza just half a slice usually because that is all I can eat before getting full.

    Have found lately that I am gravitating back to protein shakes for breakfast and finding different shakes to buy:make.

    Good luck!
  • homeport51
    homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
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    I know a few people who lost after surgery and ultimately gained again. I don't want to go there. I know I could easily go back to bad eating habits so I'm hoping to continue to avoid trigger foods. That's my goal anyway.
    So glad to have met you both! Thanks for the advice!
  • NicoleL874
    NicoleL874 Posts: 684 Member
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    @homeport51 I would DEFINITELY agree to avoiding food triggers. I have had pasta (gluten-free) 3 times since September of last year. Pasta was a HUGE comfort for me (Italian girl). I have made it at home once, had two portions (mine, not suggested, much smaller) I definitely avoid making things like rice at home for the same reason.

    I've had ice cream (no sugar added) once, on my birthday. I've had sugar-free sweets a few times, but I can control them so it's not an issue. I find, for me, having a few in the house helps me stop the crazy around my period.

    I'm finding that popcorn is a new problem. It's not a big issue, but it's a problem. I can't eat much of it, but I have an issue controlling when I stop. SO...no more popcorn in my house without automatic portioning into baggies. When I make up individual bags, I don't have an issue grabbing only one.

    This whole thing is definitely a mind f***. There is a huge learning curve, and relearning curve. I really needed to become seriously introspective. I have had to face a lot of things I never wanted to face. I needed to question what *I* want from my life, not how I see myself *fitting* into someone else's life. I needed to find/take back my power. I'm still doing that, it's an on-going process. I have found myself out of relationships I thought I needed. I have found myself ending relationships with people that were toxic, but I didn't want to see it. I have learned more about myself since August of 2015 than I ever did in the preceding 41 years.

    My biggest suggestion to people, as of right now...(this stuff changes with every step)...is to have a great support system in place. I don't mean husband, family, local friends. I mean other bariatric patients, both online and local. @jcavanna2 has become someone I lean on. I have other facebook groups I'm a member of and now have people across the country that know me better than people I've known for years. I'm actively involved in my local support groups. I've been through a dear friend passing, my uncle being diagnosed and treated for cancer, a breakup with a boyfriend, and the dissolving of the relationship with my brother. EVERYONE can understand ALL those situations. However, not many can understand the complete change needed in the way *we* handle things. Not many understand the struggle faced on a daily basis, let alone in that of a crisis.

    *stepping off soap box* Have a great day!
  • jcavanna2
    jcavanna2 Posts: 782 Member
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    @NicoleL874 has also become a good friend and someone I also lean on. I definitely agree with all she days. My bypass was 4/18/16 so I still make mistakes and am still learning. It is definitely tough trying to figure "me" out. I also agree to find support through other channels. My husband lost weight and is also on MFP but he didn't need to lose meat as much as me and didn't even need to go through surgery..he gets it but only to a degree. In definitely happy to have found a good friend and resource in Nicole -- she totally gets it.

    Happy to help in any way I can, and happy to support you in any way that I can as well :)
  • homeport51
    homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
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    Thank you both for the advice.. I definitely need it! I am on facebook too. Please look me up and friend me. I think it is easier to communicate there. Jacki Caruso Lussier. 4 weeks to go now... I'm so ready!
  • NicoleL874
    NicoleL874 Posts: 684 Member
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    Ugh. I have no access to my phone or fb from work! If I don't friend request you on there, inbox me here! There's a group that is FANTASTIC on there. Bariatric Recipes and Eating, or something like that. There are definitely your "food police" on there, and they annoy the hell out of me, but for the most part they are a great group of people. I used to be a member of 9 or 10 WLS groups on FB but have narrowed it down to 3. Ain't no one got time for more!

    Good luck! If you need assistance during the week, I'm here while I'm working! lol
  • homeport51
    homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
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    I went to the hospital this morning for my final meeting with the Nurse Manager and my last bloodwork. It's getting very real now. I am both sad and excited.. I am definitely a stress eater and I was on my way home tonight thinking I wanted ice cream, because I still could eat ice cream.. then I yelled at myself and said "what is wrong with you? How do you think you got here.. you don't need ice cream!" So I just went home.. no ice cream.. yay me.. lol
  • jcavanna2
    jcavanna2 Posts: 782 Member
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    @homeport51 good luck! It will be the best decision you have ever made for yourself! For what it's worth, I am a native NY'er and was upset thinking I may never be able to eat pizza again (I have pizza for blood..lol). Happy to report that's not the case and I have basically had almost everything I ate before, just a lot less of it. You may find that certain things make you not feel so great and you shy away from them or look to alternatives. I also love ice cream but even the sugar free kind bugs me and I can only tolerate a bite or two. Fine with me as long as I can still have pizza - lol. I usually can manage 1/2 and if I really pace myself I can still have 3/4 -1 slice.

    I bought an ice cream maker and am going to try Eggface's protein ice cream. Hopefully that will be better for me than even sugar free
  • homeport51
    homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
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    Only hours to wait now... I'm very excited!
  • homeport51
    homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
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    Went back to work today. I'm feeling pretty good, but I get jittery (like I've had too much coffee, but I'm not drinking coffee). Today is the first time I have felt hungry too.
  • spulido01
    spulido01 Posts: 42 Member
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    I am in the last stages of getting approved. I am a bit nervous. How was it after - I have heard alot about "wish I hadn't done this, it was a mistake". Did you feel that way too?
  • NicoleL874
    NicoleL874 Posts: 684 Member
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    @spulido01 The only this I "wish" is that I had done it SOONER. I have ZERO regrets.
  • homeport51
    homeport51 Posts: 198 Member
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    I'm 6 weeks out and I have no regrets either. I have had a few hiccups along the way, but that is because I was eating too fast. Listen to your doctors and your nutritionist, take your vitamins and your medication for acid reflux, even if you don't think you need it...
  • spulido01
    spulido01 Posts: 42 Member
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    I ended up not doing the surgery but have reactived. I wish I had done it. :( What hit home was I got a call for my 1 year check up (was on call list) and I told my husband I would have been at goal. Uggggg. Anyone else start then stop only to restart?