Full of questions tonight

Food is what got me here, right?!  I LOVE FOOD!  But I realize that I have to eat to live, not live to eat.  My biggest fear about this surgery is learning about my sleeve.  I guess its normal to fear the unknown.  Congratulations on your success.  I can't wait to be on the loser's bench with you all!

1.  Had crunchy knees before but it's less so since surgery.  There's some damage from walking around as obese/morbidly obese for 25 years that no amount of weight loss is going to fix.  

2.  No

3.  10 days from surgery to back to work.  I had a desk job too. 

4.  The new and horrible experience of acid bubbling up and choking me at night.  Had to try 3 different PPIs before we hit on one that worked and I wasn't allergic to. 

5.  I'm glad that I don't get AS hungry as I used to - much more manageable.  But there is nothing that stops me from sitting down and eating an entire pizza.  It might take me longer (like an entire day or two)...but I could still do it.  The surgery doesn't make it impossible for you to eat crap...it doesn't make it impossible for you to make poor choices...it doesn't make it impossible to eat fast food...and it certainly doesn't take away the thoughts or desire to eat certain foods.  

Eventually, all that comes rushing back.  So get prepared mentally and get some other tools in your tool belt to deal with your food addiction.  Because eventually, the surgery by itself won't be enough.  

Thanks for your advice!  I actually have been looking into this surgery for about 5 years now, but earlier this year was my final straw.  I have heart issues that my cardiologist believes will be much better after the weight loss starts.  I had heart surgery in March.  I'm only 30.  I'm a single mother whose little boy depends on me.  I have seen a behavioral specialist for a few years and have been mentally prepping for this, but I am also physically prepping by having thrown out any and all of my junk foods that were easy to get my hands on.  These were my go to snacks when I watched a movie, or wanted to grab something to eat on my drive to where ever I may be going.  Now, I shop only the perimeter of the grocery store and take the scenic route home to avoid fast food.  I clearly have an addiction with food.  I'm not an emotional eater, I am a FOODIE.  I don't love the way it makes me feel.  I love the way it tastes.  I know my triggers and feel like I had to get that part under control prior to surgery because I personally know someone who had RNY and ended up gaining all their weight back PLUS MORE.  I refuse to let that be me.  I agree 1000% that this surgery is a tool.  There are a lot of other tools in the belt that you have to have in order to "Fix" the fat.  I love this site because I now feel like it's one more missing tool that has been placed.  Sleeve, support, education, and awareness.  Thank you for taking the time to respond.  I know this won't cure my knees, but at least there is hope that they will feel better!!!

I am still preop surgery scheduled for 6/16 my surgeon told me time off work between 3-6 weeks depending how long I needed. I do production work in a factory so am on my feet 8 hours a day

Good luck with your surgery!  Let us know how you are doing!

Yes, my bad knees were the final straw that send me to WLS.  I was tired of living on vicodin and anti inflammatories every day.  They no longer crunch, but my left knee is still a little weak.  If I'm going on a long workout of walking/jogging, I wear a knee brace on the left knee for support.

Yes, I think it was liquid tylenol with codeine.  Didn't need it.

I took four weeks off.  My surgeon thought I should return in two weeks, but signed me out for three and I took one week of vacation.  It was helpful with the transition from liquids/pureed/soft/normal foods to be at home while I discovered my limitations.

The most difficult part of recovery was learning a new normal and the limitations of my sleeve.

I love being more active and going anywhere I want.  I no longer fear the chairs at restaurants, stadiums, etc. because I fit into everything now.  Last weekend I rode carnival rides for the first time in years.

Congratulation!  I can't wait to fit into theme park roller coasters again.  Being obese has taken so much from me.  I can't wait to get my life back.  I get so embarrassed going to dinner with people because I always have booth fear.  What if I don't fit?  Or I squeeze in and can't eat because I'm so uncomfortable???  I sit down so carefully and struggle getting back up sometimes.  IT SUCKS!

This for me has been one of the most freeing things about surgery and the weight loss that came as a result. I didn't even realize how much mental energy, fear, and basic emotional effort was going into:

--scanning the room and looking for a chair I was sure I could fit into (and not possibly break)

--praying to atheistgod that my lunch partner wouldn't get there before me and pick a booth (or one of those patio tables with tiny white plastic chairs I could never fit into)

--wondering if I would fit through the turnstile, or have to go through the handicap/wheelchair gate

--psyching myself up to explain to the flight attendants that I had purchased an extra seat due to my size and needed a seat belt extender

--plotting out routes through rooms that would let me through without having to turn sideways/squeeze

Sometimes I still catch myself thinking things like "uh oh, a booth! Discomfort and awkwardness ahead!" before I remember that that is all in my past now. I am just psychologically lighter than I was before. I am not afraid to go out of my house or participate in just about any activity, while at 350+ pounds I was verging on hermitdom/agoraphobia. My physical health has improved a lot but my emotional and psychological health even more so.

My husband & I both had surgery 2 weeks apart. My husband filled the prescription for liquid pain med. the taste was worse than the pain. We each took 1 dose & that was enough. Plus every time I had pain med. in the hospital I got nauseated. That was way worse than the pain.