Best Advice?

I cant believe it, but surgery is in 3 days! ive read, researched and prayed. I am determined to make this tool work. I'd love to know however, for those of you that have already had surgery, what 1 piece of advise would you give? What would have helped you as you started this process? Im looking for real world info - beyond whats in the books.

Thanks

What one piece of advice:  to love yourself enough to make WLS work beyond your wildest dreams.

What would have helped:  more personal, emotional strength would have helped; it was/still is the toughest part.

Hi NewMe,

my surgery is also on Monday 4/6 - we are surgery twins!  I share your determination and your excitement.  I am bouncing off the walls! Let's make the very best of this gift and work the tool to its maximum potential.  No excuses and no crying in baseball.  I love the advice in that post and I hope you do, too. 

Stay in touch, and I will see you right beside me on the losers bench! 

Christine

That sounds great! Good luck Christine! So excited and determined. 

Just one... OK... Work on the "head stuff"... don't neglect the emotional journey... the why's of why you gained weight, ate, etc. Those demons will not go away with the pounds in fact a giant light will shine on them when the weight is gone... so start working on slaying those.

Best to you!! It was truly the BEST GIFT I ever gave myself. I hope you will soon say the same.

~Michelle "Shelly"

When you hear people say, "Weight loss surgery is just a tool" believe them. It is not magic. It is hard work. Do not make excuses and go back to old habits. We are never "cured'.

So true, as I am finding that out lately..the head game is the hard part.  Best advice is to be sure and drink your water..a friend of mine hadn't and developed kidney stones!

Keep a journal. 

Log your measurements (I measured EVERY part of my body from my neck to calves) once a month, on the date of your surgery. 

Follow doctor's orders to a T. 

Recognize that even though you will wish you'd lose the weight YESTERDAY already....every day of healing for the first few weeks post op is essential to your long term health. So don't stress - give your body the time it needs to heal. You will lose weight. 

Be good to yourself!

My one piece of advice - This too shall pass.  When the difficult stuff happened along the way, I began to feel "Oh poor me" until I realized, this too will pass.  I am 16 weeks out and feel great but back at week 2 when I was still sore and didn't want to eat what I was supposed to - I wasn't in the same head space.  Good luck to you - this is a life changing experience!