swizzly

AGREE. Auntie Gok is a very favorite of mine. Most weekend mornings find me watching him avidly.

Raine, amazing -- you look great! JEALOUS. My big double chin has decamped and left me with the most awful wattle and turkey neck.

Oh my GOD. That dress was MADE for you -- you look better in it than the model does. No joke. A. maz. ing. You're going to knock 'em dead at parties. Love that it has the shapewear already as part of it, so very Gok. Thanks for posting the pix, I am loving it.

Oooh, I can't believe you got one of the Gok Wan dresses! ***JEALOUS*** I've been hearing all about those even way over here... That red one is completely fab. And OMG, you DO have to post a picture of you in it, woman!! ETA: I want that black slash-neck shift dress and the teal trousers (preferably in red).

Cold turkey. But at the time I quit, I was down to about 5 ciggies a day. Good luck!!

I'm not family, but I couldn't resist your awesome thread topic!! Anyhoo, hiya!

The texture of my hair has totally changed too. Some of it must be down to being thinner and not having as much weight to pull itself down, but it's gone quite curly and much drier or more rough somehow (?) than it used to be. It's weird! But I'm glad the loss has finally slowed way down. I doubt it's down to lack of Protein (I've had plenty all along), lack of Iron (my levels have gone up since surgery and they were already fine), or anything else like that. I think it's just overall starving/very low calorie diets + surgery/anaesthesia. But that's just my unscientific opinion.

Mine went overnight from not losing at all to losing by the fistful. UGH. It started at about 3.5 months out and really slowed down over the past month or two, so hopefully it's going to end soon. I have had it happen before, though, after I'd been quite ill from food poisoning, so I wasn't as traumatised this time around. It does grow back!

Hi Zoe -- I just saw your other post that said you were getting operated in Germany, so I thought I'd weigh in on this one. I didn't have surgery in Germany, but in Switzerland. My experience (and there are other Americans in Germanic countries round here too, though they don't post all that much) is that they don't provide a TON of info up front, though they do do all the testing that is required -- eg, chest x-ray, endoscopy, etc. Have they mentioned when you will do this testing? Looks like you will have surgery in Frankfurt, but you live in Amsterdam? Are you doing self-pay? What kind of pre- and post-care can you get in your home location? The things I would be coordinating with the surgeon/clinic in Germany would be that sort of thing. Just as context, I didn't have any pre-op diet, they're not really used here. The Austrians also didn't have one -- though someone in Denmark did. The eating guidelines are usually much different to the American ones as well, so you will hear a lot of different advice than what you get from your own Nutritionist or clinic. What kind of information are you still lacking? Maybe we can help a bit? Welcome and good luck!

So I'm just reading this thread again because of your new post, and since 24th August when I posted originally, I've lost another 3kg. So that's good!! And I rarely eat anything less than 1200 cals per day. I've noticed more than ever that even when the scales aren't moving, my body is still changing. During that big stall I went from a 12 to a loose 10, sometimes 8. And don't be like me coz I'm v. BAD -- but I don't work out at all, aside from walking a lot in the course of my daily life. I would totally eat that Protein Bar, if I could get my hands on one. Sounds like a very good wallop of protein for only 300 cals!! My point is, I think you're doing just fine! Two lb a week is fab!! And I'm sure you'll have weeks where it's higher than that (and lower...). Best of luck!

Dude, you look GREAT!!

I was already drinking coffee in the hospital after surgery, they don't even think it's something that should be cut out here. I have one small cup plus a shot of espresso in the morning and then switch to decaf in the evening. I like wine and started drinking it again occasionally about 4-5 months post-op. No problems with either one.

Wow, awesome photo comparison!! You do look so much younger!! I have a turkey wattle neck now, but overall I'm not as scared by increased wrinkles/sag as I thought I would be.

Excellent!! Fun times, huh?

Slow loser!? You've lost 88 pounds since surgery, woman! That's AWESOME!! And you look absolutely fabulous, WELL DONE YOU!!!

My program has called for me to eat six times a day -- three meals, three Snacks, which used to freak me out a bit, seemed like so much! But it's been good for keeping my blood sugar stable throughout the day, as well as helping me get in enough calories early out. I still eat snacks now, but I almost never do all three anymore. I eat between 1000-1300 cals per day, which seems a reasonable amount to me. I am not a fast loser for sure, but neither could I say I am slow. I'm average and I have loads of stalls (like more than a month long at a time), but overall the direction is the right one. My Nut also told me to 'take a day off' every week and eat whatever (along with always bugging me to eat more carbs), but I don't do it every week. Every now and then, yes -- but even on the most "whatever" day I've had, I only got in 2000 cals, and that's including (um, several) beverages. Not sure what my point is -- I mean, I don't know how many calories you're getting, but you can probably add some and still lose or lose a bit faster? I am not a fan of sub-1000 cal diets in any case, so there's my personal bias. Good luck!!

I've also never thrown up or gotten the slimies, only felt too full a few times, nothing painful. Swallowed Water too fast once and it hurt for a minute, that's about all I can complain of. The sleeve has been a walk in the park for me thus far (touch wood)!

Congratulations on the loss, you've done a great job! I hope you do very well in your RN program. Apart from that, I think this thread should belong in the Religious Sleevers Forum.

I had insomnia temporarily after surgery for a while, but then I started sleeping again no problem, actually better than I used to sleep.

I totally agree with the very smart posters who've already said it's the meds and the water retention. And you should be super nice to yourself when you're having that kind of pain, sweetie. {{{Hugs}}}

Ever since I hit around five months, I totally stalled out. I gained and lost the same 2kg for weeks and weeks. I'm still on the low end of that same 2kg now. Well, I figure things will move as they will move and I'm not going to get all fussed about it. I really do enjoy the ride (not so much the clothing issue LOL), so I'm just sort of taking my own route and getting there in my body's own time. I'm seven months out as of yesterday (just realised that!) and I've lost about 32kg or like 68lb (LOL...don't check my math, I suck at the conversion). There are people here who've blown past me much more quickly than that and every now and then it gives me a pang. But then I remember, we're all different -- that's their bodies, mine just does things differently. Meh, fine. We'll take it slow then. Having said all that, my doctors/nuts always tell me how great I'm doing, but they also don't do 'goal' weights or 'projected rates of loss' at ALL. They take a super indivdualised approach, and that helps me remember that the differences in individuals DO matter. So that's my soapbox du jour. Slow losers are still losers, and we all rock, frankly. <3

My program requires carbs (not tons, not simple ones) for the reasons you mention. I think you did the right thing. Listen to your body. Best wishes!

Oh I very much will be hoping that the prednisone does the job! I am thinking of you and Tatum and your son and husband as well. Much peace and many hugs to you. Keep us posted, we're all here for you. <3

Never. When I heard about VSG, it was like meeting The One. It just felt right and I could never bring myself to do one of the other surgeries though I researched them for years. I would do the VSG again, 100%.

The doctors, nuts and programs are all OVER the place on this one -- some saying you should never drink it ever again, some saying you should wait a while, and some allowing it freely.