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Good morning, everyone. I know I've been gone for a bit but I am doing so much better now. It seems as if I am healing right up. The nausea is completely gone and the only time I get an upset stomach is if I eat too quickly. Alas, this is still something of a learning curve. On the upshot, I am ready to return to work and I am going back to tractor trailer driving because it's the best path to make a decent living given my skill set. On July 3rd, I will be starting for Schneider. It's been a few years since I've been behind the wheel of such a big vehicle so I chose the free training (and I don't have to sign an agreement either) offered by Schneider. The particular driving that I got hired for is all Mid-West lanes dedicated to Home Depot so there is no East Coast and no West Coast. In fact, just four states ... CO, NE, MO, and KS. The job is 3 weeks on/1 week off and they fly me between my home in Philadelphia and Kansas City. All in all not a bad deal.

I haven't posted in a while and realized it's been 3 months today since my sleeve! Life has been so different since surgery. I was exhaustes all of the time until about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Now I have all kinds of energy. I've been exercising since about week two. I ride my bike or walk. That's the extent of my exercise. I've lost pretty consistently since surgery, averaging 2 pounds a week. I'm eating approximately 800-1000 calories a day and at least 70 grams of protein. I still drink shakes-at least one a day, and sometimes 2. I still struggle to get water in. I'm lucky to get 24 ounces a day. I went from a tight size 18 pants to a loose 14. I even fit in a size 12 last weekend. Everyone tells me how young I look now. I'm not used to all the attention that I get, and it makes me quite uncomfortable. But it's to be expected. I'm so glad I did the surgery, and I'm even happier that hubby did it with me. Btw-he's down to 279 from 364!! HW 241 Pre Surgery Weight 3/1/18: 228 CW 182

Not sure what you are looking for in terms of advice exactly. Post my sleeve, I pretty much didn’t eat and stuck with a the liquid diet followed by soft food for 3 months to help me detox my body and start a new relationship with food. For me that was the secret to the success of my surgery I feel. It’s been 5 years and whenever I stray I remember how I and my body felt after those 3 months and that always seems helps me go back on track. Took me 4 years to let go of the weight and 1 year to stabilIze and just had my plastics done recently. I would say please don’t jump into plastics, not only because it’s expensive but also because it’s way more painful than any bariatric surgery and the recovery process is seriously tough. Hope this helps

Wow I hadn't thought of This as a benefit. Bariatric surgery just keeps giving and giving. Good decision,for me, good decision for,my,life.

It really helped me talking to a psychologist. My work situation sounds very similar to yours. I am finding that as I lose weight the tides are shifting. I have continued to do my job well and take care of myself. My coworker who thinks he's my boss is showing his true colors and people are noticing. People are also noticing that I am taking care of myself and my job. I am starting to get much more support from coworkers I never spoke to before. Hang in there. Think of yourself as the butterfly that will emerge from the cocoon.

Sometimes I think when people deny themselves constantly...they set themselves up for bad choices. I think you've been making some bad choices with the refined simple carbs. But I don't think the answer is to swing the pendulum all the way in the other direction and starve and create an unsustainable diet again. Something drove you to crappy choices. You need to find out what. If it's an emotional issue...therapy is a good thing. If it's a diet that's too restrictive and unlivable...don't go back there....do something new. Maybe try a moderate diet with some healthy unrefined carbs (beans/whole grains/fruit) and see if they will help control your carb cravings so you don't go overboard in an unhealthy direction with refined carbs. If I eat a carb restricted diet...I crave sugar like a lunatic. Makes me crazy. But if I eat healthy low glycemic index carbs.....I don't miss it much. I feel much better physically and want to exercise more. Different people approach this stuff different ways. Keto is the big trend and people swear by it because its' great for weight loss. But some people feel ghastly on it and it's unsustainable for them. Lot of ways up the mountain. If one path keeps getting blocked, maybe look at some of the other routes? Best wishes, and heartfelt hopes for better days ahead:)

I don't know anything about the RNY, so can't help you there. Band is a complete waste of time (and messes up your life in the bargain). VSG works for some, but your best result is probably 60% of excess weight. ....and a high chance of it coming back. DS, the typical result is 90% loss of excess weight, and it stays off. My surgeon said he's never had a SIPs patient lose less than 100 lbs, and his practice is huge (there were forty people in my pre-op class. There are 3 surgeons doing 5-8 procedures a day, 4 days a week) If you're single and looking to mingle, I'd think losing the weight would be job #1. As pretty much everyone on this board is saying, you can manage the gas; It just takes discipline. And lets be clear, even when things are bad, it's not like I'm spontaneous exploding. It's not incontinence, where things are just shooting out when I least expect it. I'm still 100% in control. If you are dating and motivated to impress some hot stud (or Studette), you will be able to manage this...at least until you have your hooks in 'em. Just stay the hell away from the bread basket!

Reach out to your Surgeon's office for a councilor recommendation and get some help with the emotional issues. Right now you need to shore up your mental game. cut the sugar out. not reduce - cut it all you are on a roller coaster and need to get the high and lows evened out. Lastly download a food app and get back to tracking everything you eat maybe the act of tracking and seeing your numbers will help you make the hard choices ahead. Don't wait. the more you delay the harder everything will get.

People have a lot of weird misconceptions about how fast they'll lose weight and how much weight they'll lose after weight loss surgery. Would be nice if the seminars did a better job of presenting this information factually up front. Mine did, but it seems like a lot of folks feel mislead when they're a few months out. Statistically, most people will lose on one side or the other of about 60% of their excess weight in 18 months. This is the average result. Most people will maintain a 55% of excess weight weight loss three years after surgery...which beats the hell out of the results of conventional dieting. Some people will hit goal and lose 100% of their excess weight....which is awesome! Some people will never reach a 50% loss of excess weight and end up feeling defeated. Obviously, if you work hard, follow your diet, follow a good exercise program and have good support...your odds of reaching goal go up. The biggest part is compliance, for sure. But there's also a biological component. Diabetics have a tougher time. Metabolic syndrome folks have a tougher time. Older folks have a tougher time. PCOD folks have a tougher time. Mental health issues can make things harder. Certain necessary medications can make things harder. People with limited mobility have a tougher time. Youth helps. Good general health helps. A good support system helps. No two people have the same experience with this wild ride.

I am almost 7 weeks out and have had many stalls already. Continue to follow your plan and they do break and the scale will move again. I only weigh once a week so that I don't get as discouraged. Hang in there.