emily_0192010

Well first, be sure that it really is constipation. At this point out you are barely eating anything and you should only be eating Protein.. so your body may actually be using everything you put it. I know I didn't (and still don't, sorry TMI) go very often at all. At one point though it had been a couple weeks, and I took a tsp of milk of magnesia. It was kinda gross going down but it worked. The milk of magnesia was what was suggested in the small packet I received from my doctor. In the meantime, just focus on getting in your liquids and protein and don't worry about it so much.

I'm very similar to you... except it's not hope that I feel but relief. It's like a weight (hahaha) has been lifted off of my shoulders that I didn't realize I was carrying around. I no longer pay attention to diet ads or the "lose 20 lbs in 20 days guaranteed" gimicks... I finally feel like I have it under control. I'm only just over the halfway point but I've said more than once that this is the easiest "diet" I've ever done because I am not actually dieting at all. I feel normal and happy and I feel like i've taken control of my body and it is wonderful.

I still drink a Protein shake per day because I can't eat enough protein in a day... so my portion of the grocery bill is still about the same. I am almost 4 months out, and I am hoping that within the next few months I'll be able to actually eat enough protein to ditch the shakes. My surgeon told me to just "eat when I'm hungry"... I told him i'm never hungry and he laughed and said "then don't eat!"... as long as I am getting my protein and Vitamins in, at this stage he doesn't care where I'm getting the protein in. So that is why I still have my shakes. i much prefer to drink them then to force myself to eat.

I love electric blankets! I have also heard some awesome things about the electric mattress pad... HOWEVER. You can only use the mattress pad at night... if you need the blanket say while watching tv on the couch? That would be helpful. Also, you said that your hubby doesn't like being warm, so with the blanket you could keep just yourself warm and not sweat him out during the night. I also find that my problem starts once I GET cold... then I can't warm up again. So I just take extra efforts to keep from getting cold. Like I wear a sweater before I'm cold, or I snuggle with a blanket... before i'm cold. It helps me a lot. Good luck!

I was! I have never lost more than an average of 3-4 pounds per week. I say average because there have been a couple times that I haven't lost at all, but then dropped 6 the next week... but then I was back to my 2 pounds a week. It SUCKS in the beginning, but once you are out a bit more it feels so much nicer. I wouldn't be too concerned. Also, you may still be retaining fluids since your surgery was less than two weeks ago. I would make sure you are getting your Water down. The other thing I would suggest, which is really hard... is to get OFF the scale for a week. Seriously. It killed me to do this (I had my mom take the wii board and hide it, i use that as my scale) but after the first week where I was driving myself crazy with the weighing in... it was so worth it! To see the scale drop was an awesome feeling. Now I can weigh in just once a week and I'm fine with that. I've finally gotten to a point where I am not too obsessed with my weight. Keep your chin up! You WILL lose the weight. Try to remember that the slow weight is actually a lot healthier overall... you are much less likely to have any regain when you lose slowly, your skin is said to not be as baggy when you lose slowly and your body isn't thrown out of balance as much.

Awesome!! I personally loved having to buy panties and leaving the plus size section... both were huge for me! Congrats and keep it up

Hey everyone Well I was NOT sleeved in NY... I was sleeved in Jax, FL however I am moving to NYC on Monday and would love to eventually meet up with some people in person I am currently 3.5 months out.

That is wonderful!!! Congratulations I don't weigh in on Sat's or I would share... but I weighed in yesterday at my docs and I was down 15.5 lbs in 5 weeks... and since I am three months out I was shocked! I though it would be closer to 10 pounds.

WOW!! You look amazing! You MUST either be at goal or super darn close to it!

I agree that the waitress should have backed off, but I don't think she was pushing to be rude. I worked in the food industry, and when someone wouldn't order something or didn't want a drink you automatically wonder if something was wrong or made incorrectly, or you wonder if that person just didn't feel well. The waitress may have felt bad that you were paying for all that food and it was just going to be thrown out. She's not allowed to ask why you aren't taking it, so offering a box is the only thing she can do. Asking that many times is annoying, but I don't think it requires sensitivity training. As for the booth thing... that is a tough one. On the one hand I agree that it sucks to have to ask to move to a table because you can't sit comfortably at a booth. But I also know a ton of people who would be offended if they were put at a table. Typically booths are more secluded and nicer for two people who seem like they are on a date, where tables are out in the open and less private. They should have asked your preference before seating your or when taking your name down to avoid this. It would have been so much easier for them and nicer to you if they just said "would you prefer a table or a booth", or if they were busy they could have said "we have a booth available now, but if you would prefer a table it will be about a 10 minute wait" etc, etc. Overall I think the stress of eating out and not being able to eat the way you are used to and not being able to enjoy your meal made the whole thing seem a lot worse than it was. This happened to me a lot at the beginning as well. My mom helped though... we would order and app and tell the waiter/waitress that we were going to share. They never noticed that I wasn't eating because the food was still eaten. I've also stopped questions in their track by saying "I already ate, I just want a snack" or "I have a big dinner later, I'm just going to munch"... At this point I don't say anything. The majority of waiters or waitresses know to back off and not question it and it generally isn't a problem. I hope next time you eat out you have a better experience.

HEY!! We were sleeved on the same day! I was 9/19 as well Congrats on the weight loss, it seems like you are doing amazing!

What is going on?? Is everything okay? I am also three months out and I definitely do not feel this way. Talk it out and let us help you

I haven't!! I have always "shed" a lot, but I asked the guy who does my hair if he has noticed if it's thinned out or seems to be less, and he said no. In fact he thinks I have too much hair! I have a LOT of hair! I know some people's bodies freak out after any surgery, add in that with the dietetary change and the body goes into freak-out mode and it doesn't care about your hair. But not everyone does that. As long as you are getting in your protein and your vitamins then you might not lose any.

Ever since I was in kindergarten and they celebrated the 100'th day of school I've always loved the "100.... whatever", so 100 days post op is a big deal to me!! I am down 82 pounds overall (I lost about 40 pre-surgery). I was wearing a size 24 jean at my highest and was wearing 2x/3x shirts. I am sitting her typing this in a size 12 pants and a large shirt... and they both "fit". I feel amazing! The weight loss is really only starting to hit me now, to be honest. I never "saw" it before. I know that at about the 70 pound loss mark my shape started to change. Before I had the same over-all shape, it was just smaller. But now I am curvier (and I haven't lost my boobs!!!) and my face has thinned out and I can "see" the difference. At the beginning of this year I was at my highest weight ever, I had no job (I had put in 40 applications and NOTHING...it was horrible), I was out of school (due to financial issues), I was living at home (which really was the only plus, I adore my mom and sister)... but pretty much my life was spiraling and I was stuck. Because of situations when I was younger I've been through worse..nothing catastrophic, but lots that was very difficult. It made me capable of coping with this without becoming severely depressed but it was still hard. I am a 4.0 honors student, pre-med... and for the first time I couldn't see a future for myself. BUT. My decision to have this surgery? It changed me life. Literally. I know that the weight loss didn't "cause" any of the changes, but so much has happened this year and it started with my decision. I got a job. It wasn't a glamorous or high paying job, but it was something. I lost a ton of weight (and I still am of course!)... but guess what? I was just offered an awesome job in NEW YORK!! Which will include enough pay for me to go back to school! I'll be working for my cousin as her "nanny" while taking a few online courses for now. I'll be in my favorite city in the whole world... it feels like my life is back on track. This seriously has been one of the best years ever. It started off the worse, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Thanks VST for having my back and being the best friend a girl could have through this

Thank you everyone!!!!! I really appreciate everyone's comments Also, as of this morning I am down 87 pounds!! WOOT WOOT

I still have a LONG ways to go, however I had the same thing as you... after 70 pounds my body was just a smaller "fat" body... but after 70 I started to notice a difference in my shape. I am curvier then I was before and I can see some of the nasty fat rolls and such going away. I hit 85 lost this morning and it has only been in the past three weeks that I've noticed this. Even my mom agrees that the changes this month are huge compared to the others. I'm hoping that at this point my body will continue to "shape" itself and that eventually I won't look like a smaller fat person.

I have no idea about anything official, because I haven't done any research on it. I decided to try it on the... well i would say recommendation but it was more like order, of my surgeon. I found that I did lose a lot more than any other diet I had tried. However, the weeks when I stayed at his point or under (under 30 per day) I lost LESS than the weeks I was a bit higher (say around 50 per day). I found that my body really likes it when most days are low, but then i'll have a couple days here and there that are higher. I lose the best that way. At this point, I don't actively limit my carbs. I simply eat Protein first, and to be honest there is never room for carbs. I'll sometimes have a bit of Pasta or veggie or whatever my protein was served with if I am out, but that is just for the taste of it. I get my carbs mainly from what I drink (I didn't want to give up my coffee, I did however switch to decaf), which is MAINLY my Protein shakes.

I had my surgery at Memorial hospital and for the most part it was great! The only problem I had was because of a specific nurse, but my second nurse made up for it because she was amazing. I DID have a private room... it looked like all the rooms were private. They were also very large and spacious. On the floor it was a mix of all types of patients (not just bariatric), but all were either medical or surgical patients. It was not ICU. After the recovery they brought me in the room and my mom was allowed to stay there as long as she wanted. She could have stayed overnight but she had to be with my little sister over night. Overall it was not a bad experience. As someone else said it was very, very clean. I also found them to be very efficient. Things happened on time when they said they would happen and I was surprised by that.

Welcome to the LOSERS bench!!! We kept a seat warm for you Congrats on getting through it!

Pictures have always been tough for me as well. I always avoided them like the plague because they were the only things that could bring my self-confidence down. For me, it hasn't gotten better after surgery. I still avoid them like the plague and looking at old pics is tough. I wonder how I let myself get to that point. Now that I am three months out and there is a noticeable difference (even to me... i could never tell before) it is slightly easier because I *know* that i'll never be there again. I'm looking forward to being in a healthy weight range so that when I see pics I can know realistically that I am where I should be. I see pics right now and I think "well, it's an improvement but I still have a long ways to go". I'm sorry to hear how much you hated your pics. I just wanted to let you know that you definitely aren't alone in feeling that way. It was a picture that started this whole process for me. I saw one and I made up my mind to just do it. I had already researched everything and knew that I was going to go with the sleeve, but I was still on the fence. It was the photo that sealed the deal. I can now look at that photo and say never again. Leading up to the surgery was the most difficult time for me. Once I had my date I didn't want to wait! I was super excited and not nervous at all. It will be here before you know it!

You know I never really considered what my goal weight should be. I am three months out and only about halfway, so I'm definitely not pressed for time. When I made my ticker I looked at the BMI charts and it said a healthy weight was between 98 and 130... so I went in the middle with 115. But honestly I have no burning desire to hit that number. I have no clue where I want to end up because I have never been there before. I am hoping I am one of those people who just "know" when they've reached their ideal weight, but of course nothing is that easy right?? Thanks for posting this! Hopefully when I am at that point I'll be able to look back and use this to help me.

It IS normal for you to feel that way. I am 20 and I had some medical issues "on the horizon"... they weren't affecting me yet but I could see them coming and I had some signs that things would start to be a problem. I also didn't have low self-esteem before the surgery and I was happy with the way I was. But now? I am three months post-op... and the way I feel is just amazing. I didn't realize I would feel this much better. Seriously. I worked out and was in pretty good shape before surgery. I was just big. My weight didn't stop me. But now everything is just easier and I feel so much better, physically and mentally. Again, I didn't have low self-esteem and I was a confident person. Now it is just multiplied. Ultimately it is your decision. One day your weight probably will cause problems for you and you may wish that you had done it while you had the chance. I am very happy that I was able to do it at 20, because I still have my whole life ahead of me. Maybe I can nip this in the butt before it becomes a problem in my life. I am hoping that because of this I will never have to deal with weight related issues. I am going to be a healthier person overall and my life will be better because of it. Good luck! You'll do great no matter you decide!

Is today your second day? From the people I've talked to, the second day is almost always the worst. Hang in there, I promise I gets better and before you know it you will feel 100%... and the only difference will be that you are losing weight and don't eat as much. Congrats on being sleeved and welcome to the loser's bench