atPeace55

God Bless you too - It's good to reach out of here you will get answers don't hesitate to ask questions I did until I was satisfied. That's what we are all here for to encourage, share our experiences good and bad.

First off you're definitely not broken it you are then we all have pieces laying somewhere. Second, if you were able to do this on your own then you would not be considering the sleeve, everyone on here has had or have some type of food disorder that they are battling or have battled. You'll never really get read of it having certain trigger that cause you to eat but if you are patient and listen to your body you will learn what sets you off and causes you to want food to pacify you. I for one still can catch myself with cravings for certain foods during that girlie time of the month and I can be super emotional during that time or close to it. What I've done to deal with that emotional timeframe is I have a calendar reminder in my Outlook on my laptop and sync to my phone that lets me know that my time is near and to pay attention to my feelings. Yeah I know it sounds funny but it helps me keep that one in line. The VSG is a tool and that's it - you will still have to learn to eat right and exercise and that is a choice. Will you loose weight without working out or eating properly everytime? Yes, the first 6-9 months I dropped weight and wasn't really trying to workout like I should have but it's because you can not eat alot even if you wanted to so your body is adjusting/adapting to it's new stomach. But in the long run on this journey you will have to make good decisions which is you will even "STOP" loosing and you will have to eat properly and workout or you can gain all the weight back I have been to meeting where people did not maintain there weight loss because they didn't take care of themselves or they continued to eat like they did before. So just know you will have to do the work - hopefully soon rather than later. I am 18 months Post-Ops and I'm on my maintaining weight loss journey now so I am conscience of what I put in my mouth, I exercise 3-4X per week for 60-90 mins. and I weigh myself weekly to make sure I stay on track. I love the new me 135lbs lighter and I don't want to go back and this is my choice that I am in total control of. I was like you scare I may fail and not do well after I got this surgery but once you start losing the weight and you see transformation it makes you feel so different in a positive way. I wish you luck and I hope you make the best decision for you and you alone.

Yep! The chances of having gall bladder issues after WLS are quite high. Obese women are at higher risk to begin with as estrogen appears to influence the development of stones and obesity is thought to cause reduced bile salts in bile, leading to the formation of stones. Add rapid weight loss (when cholesterol is concentrated in the bile due to weight loss) and the risk increases again. Older people tend to have more gallbladder problems, as well, simply because there is more time for stones to develop, and a diet low in fiber and high in fat also can lead to stones. About 1/3 of WLS patients will end up having gallbladder surgery. If you're experiencing pain in your abdomal area or it you notice yellowish tint to your eyes that could be a sign of gall bladder issues.

No I did not have Kidney or stricture problems. But I did experience having gall stones and was admitting into the hospital the day of my post op release I was severely dehydrated and had problems keeping fluids in me and I had to stay in the hospital for eight days to get my levels down and then they decided to remove my gall bladder. I would definitely recommend calling your Surgeons office or the Nurse Practioner charged with you post op care so they can take a look.

I used Biotin 1000mcg I take them 1x per day with a meal as well as a multivatimin and calcium chews. I experienced some hair lost in the beginning but not anymore nothing more than usual. I'm natural and have been for 8 years so I co-wash my hair I don't use anything with sulfates I also section my hair into four sections and take my time untangling my hair with my fingers and smoothing it out before I wash each section. I use a wide tooth comb and start from the bottom of my hair and work my way up and I do not use hot water only luke warm water when washing or rinsing my hair which hot water can cause tangling and breakage wich leads to hair loss. I keep my hair moisturized (not greasy there is a difference) often and I seal my ends. I still color my hair but I use Aphogee Protein Treatment before I color and that helps with hairloss as well. I don't know if you have tried any or all of this but that is what I do! Hope it is helpful!

Definitely recommend and aquatic class for low impact but I have you considered a fundamentals (intro) yoga or pilates class where there is not alot of movement that would trigger your asthma but you would toning and building muscle which burns fat so when the weight starts to melt away you will already have started that toning and strengthing process which may show better results in the long run on your body. Just a suggestion

Total Transformation!! You look great - Congratulations!!!

I may not be like others when it comes to this but there is a reason why and it was confirmed for me recently why I don't really talk about it much. I was talking with a family member who knows that I had the VSG surgery last year and they have put on a few pounds recently (well over time). We were speaking of the US standard of BMI and I had stated that with all i've lost i'm still considered "overweight", and they said oh yeah well what do they say about my weight and I said well I don't really know your size but it you are 200 lbs or more and based on your height you are probably considered "obese". I even said a year ago I was considered "morbidly obese" according to the standards but i'm glad i'm not there anymore. Well once I said that they stated well if it had not been for the surgery you would probably still be but you "CHEATED"!! I was like cheated - really?? At that point I confirmed that no matter how many people say congratulations or i'm proud of you or you did it! In the back of some of their minds they feel "I Cheated"! That's why I don't tell people I just say I had my gall badder removed (which is true) and I can no longer eat the way I use too and I exercise and eat right (which is all true). I did not know there was a right or a wrong way; a honest way or a chearters way of losing weight?? Do you?! Just because I didn't join Weight Watchers again for the 4th time or try the lastest fad diet like most of my friends and drop some weight and then blow back up again shortly after does that make me a cheater? It doesn't matter if I slaved away in a gym 5 days a week or that I still need to eat right and be mindful of what I eat they still see me as a cheater! I hate that stigma but, at the end of the day I made a decision that was best for me and my life, i'm not coping out to being a cheater - I still have to put in the work both physically and mentally despite what people may think about bariactric surgery and it's supposed "quick fix". I've seen people gain it all back so I know that it is not a quick fix and you still have to work at it - it's a tool. Used wisely or unwisely you will it the fruits of it. I just needed to vent I guess and it hurt me to hear that from a loved one but like I said that's why it has been a personal choice of mine not to be forth coming with this journey of mine because of that very comment. Hopefully one day I will feel open enough to let more people in on my journey but until then that's why I have my VST family where i'm not judged!

These two make my day a little lighter. Since my surgery I have had like most folks i've seen on here really bad acid reflux. I usually take a PPI - Protonics but my surgeon doesn't want me to stay on them long time he suggested that I get another GI and that I may need to have a revison to the RNY (not happening)! I continue to search for natural remedies to resolve this issue but until then these two are my "Besties"!!

Thank you ALL for your wonderful and supportive comments, I know what I did was far from cheating, this is a lifestyle change unlike any other and I decided to take this journey and it has been the most successful for me. I've met alot of encouraging folks along the way! And if I had it to do all over again I would still make the same choice hands down!!

Do you know that stress and worry can cause you to stall in your weight loss? Relax and follow the process. Stop looking at the scale it's making you anxious now and it probably made you anxious pre surgery when you were trying to lose weight right so stay away from it. I only got weigh during my follow up appts. with my surgeon other than that I went by the way my clothes kept getting bigger and bigger and that made me smile. Believe me don't worry just relax and enjoy the journey you will see that wait come off, be anxious for nothing!!

Congratulations!!!!

My BMI is -- 25.11