AtlantaRed

My insurance won't approve it if I am over even half a pound from my initial weight at my first appt.

Mine just said I couldn't be over, by even half an ounce, the weight entered on the day of my consult/entering the program.

Alright December Sleevers, I'm hoping that this title brings more people in so we can follow and encourage each other through our journeys. I am 40. I'm 5'4" and about 308 right now. I'd like to get to a healthy BMI which would be around 145. I'm hoping for a December 4th or 5th date with Dr. William Johnson. Everyone introduce yourselves! So far as of 11/02/13 Dec 02 Krysta03 Dec 02 gaslimgal Dec 02 jess9395 Dec 02 Annadette Dec 02 sookie Dec 02 Nurse_Bonnie Dec 02 doopa Dec 02 Jerzygurl Dec 03 Tasha420 Dec 03 SouthernCharm Dec 03 redilla42 Dec 03 skinnynewbecky2014 Dec 03 Sinderelly Dec 03 missmee Dec 03 Browneyedgurl Dec 04 L-in-NJ Dec 04 Healthbound Dec 04 Katdrox Dec 05 Blondiee Dec 05 Lioness813 Dec 06 kyholder Dec 06 harleychic Dec 09 De-jo Dec 09 AshleyMidwife Dec 09 Sweettart702 Dec 09 MShell Dec 09 Carlotta Dec 10 hopecomeswithtime Dec 11 liciamarie Dec 11 KaminaBlue Dec 11 Only1likeme Dec 11 soul2bleed Dec 11 Volfan Dec 11 dencob1 Dec 11 MnWin Dec 11 onedaycloser Dec 11 Scraglycat Dec 12 amills Dec 12 kellymoon Dec 12 honeylove Dec 13 Mommie4 Dec 13 amduc (and husband!) Dec 13 Under1star Dec 14 Sleevin It Dec 16 slvrsax Dec 16 elhudge Dec 16 Mfs Dec 16 MGR1852 Dec 17 Shelly70 Dec 17 Serenah Dec 17 ginnie290 Dec 18 Sns513 Dec 18 Nona337am Dec 18 gemgirl Dec 18 mija1980 Dec 18 Teachamy Dec 26 ReEstDec2013 Dec 27 Carmen1963 Dec 30 elsnanny No date yet: AtlantaRed beansmomma HoustonTexanFan AngiD fpmr96a SueRN Simpley_ke Vixey macman MonisNatural fmpr96a Tarheel79 SeniorMoment Coachk kan7525 caligirl3 Besleeve It

I have cravings now, just have to keep making good choices more often than not. Everyone is doing so great!

You both have done so great! Congratulations!

How's everyone doing out there? We're all at or about 10 months out. What are your stats? I started at 315. Surgery was on 12/13/13. I'm down 120 pounds at 195 right now.

I had mine with Dr. Johnson at Emory John's Creek 12/13/13. I started at 315 and am now 195, so down 120 pounds a little over 10 months out.

I'm supposed to lose 170 to reach a "healthy" BMI. I started at 315. I was 309 when I started my 2 week preop and now I am 200 (anxiouslybawaiting the 199). Surgery date was 12/13/13. I am almost 9 months out and down 115. I've gone from a 26/28 down to a 14 so far. I chose to be very low carb. I don't like artificial sweeteners so I only drink Water. I still don't drink with meals. I've definitely had stalls but I just stay the course because it's a numbers game and if you're doing what you're supposed to, it has to work. I'm shooting for losing as much as I can in the first year since that window gets smaller and smaller every day. I don't eexercise a lot but I can move so much easier now, I'm out hiking a lot and doing tons of yard work. This will be TMI but usually my stalls will break once I have regular movements. I have issues with constipation. Miralax is great, but not in plain water. If you drink other SF things, take miralax daily. I'm 41 and 5'2 and have been overweight most of my life so the saggy skin is gross, but so worth it.

Have you looked at lift pics without implants? I don't think they look amazing. I'm sure they are a relief and less hanging, but I don't think they are very perky or shapely. You can do a search online and there are lots of surgeons who post before and after pics.

I was a 44DDD before surgery. I've lost 110 so far, need to lose 40-60 more. Now I'm a 38DDD. Even though the cup size says the same, the cups get smaller as the band gets smaller. Although they are long and wrinkly, in the right bra (formed cups and underwire) the volume is still there. I can't wear the plunging bras snore as my boobs just fall right out! My daily wear bras were cotton, unlined, underwire. Can't wear those anymore as they just don't hold them up high enough and look too droopy. Only thing I'm still buying from Lane Bryant, bras.

Just reached my 6 months, June 13. I'm down 93 from preop and 99 from highest. I'm 5'4" and down from a 26/28 to a 16 pants and 18/20 tops.

Wow, that must be so frustrating! I'm so sorry! Now that you feel you have the doseage right, do you think you can kick start it again with a week of liquid diet or liquid diet or very strict low carb high protein? I haven't had to go back to the liquid diet yet, but there are times I get very strict with the carbs so I can see some movement on the scale. I eat lots of deli meat/salami for lunch and dinner with a premier protein drink for breakfast. Good luck! I hope that it picks up for you now that your meds are adjusted.

I, myself, am in the low-carb boat. Some people say, "I got surgery so I wouldn't have to diet." And others say, "I want to eat whatever, just smaller portions of it." However, for myself, even "healthy" carbs slow down my weight loss. Bananas are the carbiest fruit. I eat some fruit. I eat a tiny clementine or a few grapes, but only one serving each day. If I stick to meat, I can eat about 3.5 ounces, and I will not get hungry until 3 or 4 hours later. I think adding in carbs/vegetables makes the food not last as long and then you get hungry. In my fridge, I have premier protein shakes, reduced fat hard salami which I spread cream cheese on and roll up, and Boar's Head black forest ham. For my 2 snacks, I'll have a small piece of fruit as mentioned above or a Clausen pickle spear or a SF pudding cup. That's about it. I also cook for my family. If I make hamburgers, meatloaf, roast beef or chicken, I will have the meat and none of the sides. If I make something with noodles, I'll eat "my food" instead. When I added in "healthy" carbs such as cooked dry beans (chili with meat and beans, lentil soup with sausage, etc) loss slowed dramatically. Maybe you are one of those people very sensitive to carbs. I don't consider my "low carb" way of eating as a dirty 4 letter word "diet". I just know it works and I want this weight off. I don't obsess over it. My NUT said carbs above 30, and I do that. I eat the same things everyday so I don't log as much on MFP. However, I do weigh my meat on a food scale to make sure i'm getting between 3.5 and 4 ounces. You may just need to focus on cutting the carbs and focusing on meat. I don't even have room for anything else if I eat my 3.5 ounces of meat and I'd rather fill my sleeve with the meat and not 'save room' for a veg that isn't going to add much to calories or protein. I hope you find some balance and find what works for you!

Hmm...there's often so much salt in things we don't even think of. I know drinks like Gatorade and Powerade have lots of salt in them. Bouillon has lots of salt. Canned vegetables (that don't say no salt added). I think deli meat has lots of salt in it. Pickles? I eat a Clausen pickle spear most days and I know there's a lot of salt in those. Hopefully things start to stablize for you without an added med!

I love, love, love to hike! I don't mean mountains...just local state parks. I like being outdoors. I like going by myself. Get lots of thinking done...if you go long enough, you stop thinking about anything stressful and just focus on finishing! I like doing the longer hikes (usually take me 2 hours to finish) and usually in a loop. That way, you have to finish! You can't just stop. For weights, I actually enjoy going to the gym. I really don't like doing treadmills or other cardio indoors.

I'm almost 8 weeks out and can take about 5 big swallows at a time, definitely enough to quench a thirst if needed.

The pharmacist told me I should take protonix in the morning preferably an hour before eating. If I miss even one dose, I am in awful burning pain.

For me, that is a classic feeling of being too full. I would say it's definitely the eating with drinking. If you eat and drink, you'll have to leave room for the fluids by decreasing the volume of food you eat. If you chew your food well, it really isn't very hard (for me, anyway) to not drink while I eat. It's such a small amount. That's why we're not supposed to drink with our meals, because the fluid takes up valuable room so we take in less food and then are likely hungry sooner.

Hi Cindy, I'm no expert but I've seen several times in the boards that our bodies cannot process more than 30 g of protein at a time, so you may want to split up that shake into 2 servings. Yes, the calories in shakes counts towards your daily caloric intake. On my plan, anything without caffeine counts towards your fluid intake so the shake counts towards your fluid goal. Fluids should be at least 64 ounces a day. In my plan, we are supposed to aim for 600-800 calories a day. Hope that helps some!

I'm only doing measurements and pics each month. I'm sure there's no way I could keep up with weekly and I don't think I'd see much of a difference anyway.

Mine is ridiculous. I seem to be in a constant stall, then I'll lose a pound or 2, then back to stall. I'm still more than I am moving (scale). It will also go up a pound or 2, then crawl back down with ounces. I do feel I need to get a lot more water in. I get in about 56 ounces but I don't pee very much. I think we need water to help flush out what we're losing.

Maybe just tell them you had girl issues and while recuperating, you lost some weight and it has motivated you to continue!

I wouldnt tell him. Its not unheard if to lose 30 pounds. If necessary I would say something like "it's amazing what you can do when you surround yourself with a positive support system who all want to help me become healthier!".

My journey is basically a stall with weight loss in between! It has to happen at some point!

Hi new sleevers! You are automatically added just by posting in the thread. I will try to update the list at some point, but you should now start recieving updates now that you've posted.