CraftyChristie

I'm sorry for what you went through - I will be honest and say I had read your post and didn't respond. It wasn't because I didn't care, it wasn't because I didn't want to hear a bad experience or complications... I simply didn't know what to say! Sometimes words don't seem enough for something to big. I'm sorry for what you went through and hope it gets better for you as time goes on.

For those who have been following us here is the update on my husband Ian. His one month was yesterday (July 3rd 2010.) He is down 26 lbs and has lost 23 inches off his body. Here are his 1 month progress photos. He may not have lost as many pounds as I did the first month but he was very close in inches! I can definitely see his body has changed. Here is my favorite comparison. This is me and him together before surgery at a family member's birthday party... compared to now. The new photo was taken last night at a family BBQ.

Thank you everybody for the nice comments!! I will make sure an gets a chance to read them

I *really* appreciate you posting this since many of the people past goal don't bother coming back here very much. I am really encouraged by what you have said. I started at a 26/28. I hope someday I can write a post that sounds just like yours because that is what I want for my life!! Thank you.

When you can do it pain-free and be comfortable. For me it was at about 1 month.

That's is incredible! A HUGE congratulations to you for your amazing accomplishment.

There's really no way anyone can tell you that because everybody is different. I can tell you that for both me and my husband by about days 3-4 we started noticing feeling much better each day and by about 10 days we felt pretty darn good. But then pulled some scar tissue which hurt again for a couple weeks. I didn't have any problems with mood though, I'd be slightly cranky when trying to get comfy in bed at night but during the day was pretty chipper.

Any more than once a week is only going to serve as self torture. There are so many fluctuations that even once a day can be disheartening. Weighing multiple times a day of course you won't see much change, we don't typically lose that much in one day.

.... and 41 pounds down! I have blogged all about it here. Hope you will take time to read. Thank you

LOL!!! Goodlife you are so funny. That will be so nice to get back into something you used to love!!!

goodlife, don't be jealous, you started out post op at the weight I am now so it makes sense yours would be a little slower :thumbup: Plus I exercise like crazy because I'm a weirdo who loves it. My back and other probs kept me from exercising since January (to May) so I am SO HAPPY to be able to again, I exercise 5-6 days a week burning 300-500 cals each time soooo I am just a freak LOL

I had severe physical hunger pains from the moment I woke up from surgery. The really painful ones lasted through the liquids phase. Once I started food it began diminishing. I still have physical hunger though. I feel it around each meal time (every 2-3 hours) which is fine, I'm not feeling it all the time or anything. I feel it, I eat, it goes away. But a little bummed that I have no hunger since most people seem to say that's what they experience.

My doc does 34 so that's what hubby and I both have. I'm at 6 weeks post op and my max intake is 2.5 oz. Hubby is at 4 weeks and gets down 2 oz. Fromt he general guidelines I hear you should be at about 4oz by 6 MONTHS, and 8oz by 12-18 months! Are you eating 8 oz of solid foods, or slider/squishy/mushy foods?

I think you should have it checked out. This happened to me about 4 years ago. I had lost about 40 pounds and started having back pain in my upper back. For me it turned out that I had 3 herniated discs. I still have them and still dealing with them. I don't know why I didn't feel it til i LOST some weight, so weird. It's possible it's not related to that at all and it's just you moved a certain way, or did something working out, etc. It could be nothing, but it could be something more serious like that. If it is something, the sooner you can start PT the sooner you will feel better. :lol0: So don't wait! Don't be miserable for no reason.

I am SO happy for you, seriously just beyond thrilled. I LOVE the list you made - both the improvements and the "needs improvement"... I think I will do the same kinds of list when I hit 2 months in another couple of weeks. You are inspiring. I smiled ear to ear as I was reading your post. HUGS!!

I can do it. PMing you next.

Looks like the poll results are going well! I can't answer all of your questions, but these are the ones I had something to say about. 1. Dr Michael Snyder in Denver. He's an excellent surgeon, but his practice is too big now that the hospital bought it, and some things need improving around there especially for sleeve patients. 3. The pain totally depends on the person and probably lots of factors. For me the pain was really bad the first 3 days then started getting LOTS better every day and by a week out I felt pretty normal. Then I pulled some scar tissue about a week later (which also happens frequently) and that hurt a lot for another couple of weeks. My husband usually heals FASTER than me and feels LESS pain than me but when he had his surgery, the pain seemed worse for him and he got his pain meds refilled, which I did not. So I think it just depends! 4. I have heard this about the energy too but for me it wasn't so bad. I was tired the first few days while the anesthesia was still wearing off, and for the first couple of weeks I needed a mid afternoon nap (but that as common for me pre-op too!)... now I take a nap once in a while, and I've been working out regularly since the 4th day!! I am 6 weeks post op now and already have MORE energy than I did pre-op, and I would say that's been the case for 2-3 weeks already. 7. You are never supposed to have a carbonated drink again, mostly because the bubbles can stretch out your stomach. However, a lot of people do drink sodas and things so that will have to be your personal decision. 8. So far this hasn't bothered me but I haven't eaten out too much yet. When I do it's with my husband so we are in the same boat. No one has looked at us weird or treated us weird. But I haven't ordered in a real restaurant yet so not sure how that will go. But to be honest with you, I just don't CARE!!! I'm so happy being satisfied with my small portions and if someone things it's abnormal, I just don't care. This was so right for me. 9. Nothing has made me throw up. I have not even felt nauseous since the first night in the hospital, other than with trying to take some Vitamins that didn't go down well. Still didn't throw up though. If you listen to your body, try new things carefully, and don't overfill yourself, you should hopefully avoid the puking. It depends on how much you are susceptible to nausea though. 10. Exercise, exercise, exercise. It has done wonders for my healing, my weight loss, my mood, and how I feel physically. So much stronger and so much more energy.

I am tempted a lot of the times too but here is the thing. Sometimes even at my size now something will FIT as in, be the correct size, but it doesn't fit correctly or doesn't flatter. I figure this can be the same at any size. So even though I KNOW I'll be a size 16, why buy something now, because just getting to a 16 doesn't mean it will fit me right. So that could be a waste of money. I did buy ONE thing that is much smaller as a comparison dress for later in a size 12, but it's easily alterable if it doesnt' fit right. I avoid it with anything else.

Thanks for introducing yourself and sharing your story! I am 27 also :) I started at 310 and I'm down to 269 after 6 weeks whoo hoo! I love the sleeve!!!! Being a size 16 must feel so great!!! Ridding yourself of so many health problems is a huge accomplishment. Since you are my age I am sure you know how I feel - that having so many problems at this age is just absurd and doing this allows us to get our life back so we can live many healthy years ahead of us.

Hey everyone. I am one month post op as of yesterday but had to do all my fun stuff today as we got home late last night from a trip to the mountains. I am happy to report that at one month I have lost 37 pounds and a total of 25 inches off my body!!! This has been an adjustment but I have to say overall it has been an easy one for me. I am happy... I am active (5 K last weekend, 3 hikes this weekend, and workouts in between!)... I am feeling well... I'm eating a lot of different things now (still nothing hard/crunchy/100% solid for a couple more weeks). I'm satisfied with my small portions and loving that I am ABLE to be satisfied. Had a Father's Day BBQ at my parents house today and had 1/2 a bratwurst, no bun, and a small cube of pineapple. Compared to previously when I would have eaten 2 bratwursts with buns, potato chips, corn on the cob, a ton of fruit, and dessert. I'm already a size down in my tops (lost more inches up top than I did on the bottom) and getting rid of clothes and fitting into stuff I've had stored away. I'm wearing tank tops and shorts out in public and I am happy. I am LOVING being SLEEVED!!!!!!!!:thumbup: Now for some pictures. Before, and 1 month, side by side in two tops - one that fit me at the start and is now really roomy, and the other was super tight at the start and now actually fits. Do you see a difference? I do :001_wub:

I have heard that some people find it really helpful to buy small dishes, utensils, cups etc. so that when they eat 1/2 cup of food or what not, it's easy to gauge it and it doesn't look like you are eating so little with it on a big dinner plate or something. So I was wondering if any of you have done this and what did you buy? Toddler dishes? Smaller versions of adult dishes? I know when I did a pre-op diet for lap band (which I never followed through with getting) I was using toddler spoons to eat things like applesauce or whatever... and drinking from sippy cups. Would love to hear any experiences/products!

Thank you for the sweet words everybody. I can't believe little me can be an inspiration to people. That feels really good.

Thanks Kathy!!! So much. As far as your blog URL, when you are in your dashboard click "view blog" and then copy the url that you get. It will be the name you chose originally and then .blogspot.com ... i will try to go look for you as a follower in a bit!

I put up a new post on my blog! http://healthy-christie.blogspot.com/2010/05/stocking-up.html

That was so well written! You're a very good writer. I really identify with so many of your feelings. I think you are doing wonderfully at 3 months out, developing new good habits. I think the ability to be more active, and ENJOY being more active, is possibly the most exciting thing about all of this. I am really enjoying being active too and it just feels so wonderful. Keep the posts coming, they are great!!