relatively new and having surgery in 3 1/2 weeks?!

hey everyone,

february 10th is the big date! i'm very excited, but very nervous about it as well. my surgeon told me one thing. don't gain any weight. and what did i do? gained weight! not like an enormous amount, but 16 pounds! i have to lose it by the time i have the surgery for sure, and i've already started. i met him when i was 250, i went up to 266 and now i was 254 the other day - it seems whenever i get closer to the weight i need to be at for the surgery, i can't stick with the diet. actually, weekends are really the worst because i can just drink my protein shakes at work, but on the weekends i have far too much time on my hands! i would have thought i would spend my time exercising, but apparently i haven't picked up that habit as much as i want to.

anyway, i wonder if i am eating more when i get close to the weight i need to be because i don't really want to have it in some subconcious way?! or am i just freakin' hungry!?!?! lol

all i know is that my surgeon sent someone home for a 12 pound weight loss . . . i DON'T want that to happen to me (especially since i have to travel 6 hours to get to my surgeon). i know that i have to do some protein only diet soon. i just hope i can do it.

looking for some support here. my wife is great support emotionally, but her food issues are not helping, and she's having the surgery not too long after me.

please add me as a friend too!

mindy

Hey Mindy,

breathe!  you're ok.  your fears are totally understandable.  If you truly want to have this surgery, you do have to work for it.  This surgery is not the end all be all magic wand poof to make you skinny.  It is just a tool that we use to help us get healthy.  It is a lot of work.... I've  seen people "fail" a week out of surgery and burst their pouch.  Now of course that's the extreme, but it's really important to get clear on what you want and to make it happen. 

I don't mean to sound harse or anything... I honestly wish you the very best and hope you are
very successful.  Stay focused on your health and vibrancy so that your dr doesn't resched your surgery and you can move forward with this powerful tool.

Weekends: find things to do to fill up your time (I totally get the i'm bored and gonna eat thing.)  Exercise more. 

Hey... why are you driving 6 hrs from Bako for your surgery?  I'm up in San Jose... where are you going?

~Maryn

thanks so much for your resonse. i think i just fluctuate between oh my god i'm never gonna eat again, to oh, i have to do this if i want to get healthy. but i think i am going to do it. i'm only like 4 pounds from the weight he wanted. and if i really do the liquid protein from thursday on, i should make it! i am starting the p90x on tuesday, i did it for a month 3 months ago, and i know i can do it.

i am having the surgery in san diego because i have kaiser and they have a contract with pacific bariatric. MUCH better than san joaquin hospital (i think it's a disgusting place) and they just got the contract with them here. since i already met my surgeon, i get to go there. i'm happy about it. my wife is having the surgery too - probably in 2 more months, but she's going to have it here in bakersfield (she's not quite as picky as me!)

anyway - i have relatives in san jose, we were there last spring - nice there (although anything is nice compared to bako) i'm from ny originally and julianna is from louisiana! we're quite a pair living here.

have a great night. thanks for responding.

mindy

that is how I am feeling right now too.  I am 3 weeks 2 days until my surgery and I'm eating everything because I feel like OMG I'll never eat this again - better get my last supper ready.  But I do know that this is why I am the size I am.

Mindy,

You will totally eat food again.  common fear.  Only 4 more lbs to go? you'll totally surpass that goal.  Fantastic!  the more you drop pre-op the better off you'll be!  I was on Optifast (mostly liquid diet) for 2 wks pre-op... and i dropped 12 lbs!  So yeah... you'll be fine!

I honestly don't know anything about p90x, but i can say that it's probably a great idea to do plenty of exercise before your surgery.  So p90x on, girl!

Mindy,

Best of luck with everything. IMHO what you're feeling is normal and to be expected before a major, life-changing surgery.

But, I think you hit the nail on the head with your subconcious actions. I've had a lot of self-hate through the years and continually "punished" myself when I came close to achieving a goal. I almost didn't make it through college because I'd do fine through a class and then fail the final or not turn in a term paper.

In my area they have support groups for WLS patients. But they also have group therapy sessions lead by an LSW. Believe me, that kind of thing can help.

Another help for me is a weekly Sunday weigh-in. This happens in the Men's forum on this site and it helps me feel like I have to accountable for my success that week. I think I'll try to start something like that in this forum to see if we can't support and be accountable to each other.

Hang in there and follow your plan.

Hey Mindy!

My date is Feb. 10th too! I just heard yesterday that I have insurance approval, so I am on my way to the losers bench the same day as you in Santa Barbara. I'm only traveling 2 hours to get there so not as bad as you.
I completly understand your gaining weight concerns. My Dr said I had to loose 15# before surgery. I went in for a consult last week and learned I lost 10# in about 2 weeks. So this last week because I did so "good" I have been eating like crap. No bueno. I have gained some of what I lost back but mostly I gained irritaion at my lack of will power. I am back on the "saddle" so to speak and am watching what I am eating again.
What has worked great for me is not going over 1,000 calories a day. I do the Isopure dutch chocolate shakes 3 times daily and for dinner of what ever meal I choose it's a Lean Cuisine not over 300 calories, or if it's real low a big salad w/ low cal dressing. That gives me about 960cals and then with a few SF jello cups or SF popscicles I don't go over 1,000 calories.
I am a big doodler so I doodle if I get a food craving or I go on here. Read a book. Your just going to have to find what works for you.
I wish you all the best and it's nice knowing someone sort of near me that is having the same date! Good luck!

-Adrienne

Adrienne,

Congrats to you too!  10 lbs in 2 wks is fantastic pre-op.  I totally get the backslide but good for you for getting back on that saddle.  1000 cals/day pre-op is really aggressive.  That's a huge accomplishment.  Def pat urself on the back for that one dear!

Great that you're also setting yourself up to win with having something to do when you get a food craving.  Make sure you're drinking lots of water and exercising too.  The more you can exercise before your surgery, the faster your recovery will be.

I'm up in NorCal myself.  Hey neighbor!

~Maryn

Hi Mindy,

I'm from San Diego (living in Denver now) and you're in good hands with Pacific Bariatrics.  Are you having your surgery at Alvarado Hospital or the Kaiser Hospital in San Diego?  Both are pretty good.

Bakersfield is a tough place, lol.  Are you familiar with Mojave, Tehachapi, Lancaster areas?  I was born in Lancaster and my grandmother lived in Mojave til she passed in 1996.  I lived with her right after high school and was bored out of my mind.  Working 2 fast food jobs in a bitty po-dunk down was NOT good for the weight loss issues.

What you're feeling is totally normal.  I only had to do a 3 day pre-op diet and had a really hard time with it...although I did do it!  I am now seeing a therapist weekly and strongly suggest that for anyone about to have surgery.  It is an enormous change!

hey there,

i'm doing the surgery at scripps hospital - it's through kaiser, but pacific bariatric is doing the surgery (dr. taller). they didn't ask me to do the pre-op diet, i just want to get used to this and lose the most possible weight before surgery

i am familiar with mojave, tehachapi and lancaster, but don't go to any of those places very often. to me, bakersfield is a tiny po-dunk town, i'm originally from new york, so this is really small. i did live in santa barbara before here - and even though that was smaller, it was way more friendly and especially gay friendly.

i am going to the support group every week for the surgery - i am waiting for them to contact me for an appointment for a therapist, but kaiser is totally overbooked and to me, going to therapy once a month really isn't worth it.

anyway, thanks for your response!