MlkPas

I'm another lightweight and I echo everything Mini-Me said. My weight never caused many physical problems, but it made me absolutely miserable for my whole life. I was constantly obsessed with my weight, constantly yo-yo dieting, never the same size clothes for more than a few months -- ugh. It was awful. I don't have one single regret about having the surgery, and I bet you won't, either! Good luck tomorrow!!

And you're worrying about this now for what reason? Averages don't say anything about how any particular individual is going to do. You are doing fine, and I'm sure you will continue to do fine -- if you don't stroke out or give yourself a heart attack from all these hysterics first! LOL Chill out, eat your Protein, and remember... you can start enjoying your new life RIGHT NOW!

If the psychologist is covered by insurance, I'd do that IN ADDITION TO the surgery. We all need some help with our head hunger and other issues. I see my shrink twice a week and it really helps. But no way would I do the psychologis INSTEAD OF the surgery.

I'm just over three months out and haven't had any hair loss so far.

I'm almost three months out and I don't take TINY bites any more, although I am taking much smaller bites than the giant ones I took pre-surgery. As for alcohol, I have had a small glass of wine or half a margarita a few times, but haven't had much alcohol because (a) the sweet drinks fill me up and take a long time to drink -- same as a Protein drink or any caloric drink would, (:scared0: I don't choose to ingest too many empty calories via alcohol, and © it does hit me a little harder and faster than it used to. For a couple of weeks I had a lot of social occasions where there was alcohol served and it seemed to stop my weight loss dead in its tracks. SO not worth it!!

That's awesome! We just had our grill cleaned and serviced so we are good to go for the summer! Tomorrow is ribeye night at our house!!

The materials I was given by my doctor emphasized it was very important that I not get pregnant for at least two years after surgery. (Not that it was an issue for me -- I'm 51 and long past wanting to have more kids!)

I use a dessert plate and child-sized silverware. It didn't take long at all to adjust. These days (3 months out) the "normal" servings my DS and DH eat look HUGE to me!

Mary, you took the words right out of my mouth! "You have a big butt," is just a statement of fact, like "the sky is blue" or "you have curly hair." I'd tell my kids, "Yes, Mommy has a big butt and curly hair and brown eyes and a big mouth so she can give you lots of kisses!!" They take their cue from you -- if you're not upset, they won't be, either.

That's fantastic! I joined this board right about when you were having your surgery, and I can't believe how quickly the time has passed and what amazing progress you have made!! Congratulations!!!

Jillian, you've said several times that you are "starting therapy." When? With whom? It seems to me that getting some psychiatric or psychogical care needs to be at the very top of your "to do" list! As in, today! Honestly, I don't want to scare you but if you were a family member of mine I would be urging you to seriously consider checking into an inpatient eating disorder clinic immediately! This is what I see from your posts so far: You were eating huge amounts of food before your surgery, you had the surgery within a VERY VERY short time of finding out about it despite the fact that there is no way on earth you would meet the criteria for surgery for any surgeon in the entire United States, with no psychological counseling beforehand and against the advice of your family who warned it wouldn't help your compulsive eating problem, you chose a surgeon who offered no aftercare whatsoever (again, probably the only surgeon who would operate on somebody only 30 pounds overweight with a raging eating disorder), and you have had nothing but problems since your surgery, largely because you have been utterly and completely unable to control your compulsive eating despite the fact that you've had most of your stomach removed. Honey, you are in a bad way and you need way, way more help than we can give you. If I were your mom I'd have you in the car and in an inpatient facility faster than you could say "they don't operate on your head, the only operate on your stomach!" Please wake up and take this seriously before you do something irreversible to yourself!!

I'm a lightweight and a very slow loser, too. But I am making a gigantic point of NOT torturing myself during the process. In my head, I know I'm doing what I'm supposed to do, and I know that the weight will come off. I'm down 21 pounds so far (probably a little more because I bought a new scale and had to lose the same three pounds twice!), and I'm wearing clothes I haven't worn for a couple of years, and people are really noticing. It seems WAY too slow for me, but I'm not yet three months out and I'm more than 1/3 of the way to goal, which is far better than I've ever done on any diet. I would hate to think that 3 or 6 or 9 months from now, when I'm at my goal weight, I would look back and think "Gee, I wish I had trusted the process and not driven myself crazy and tortured myself the whole time I was losing." I had this surgery so I wouldn't have to torture myself any more. So I'm trying my very very hardest not to obsess, not to compare myself to others, not to watch the calendar, and not to drive myself crazy. Instead, I'm focusing on building my new habits and enjoying the journey. I've already wasted 40-plus years of my life acting crazy about my weight, and I'm just plain ready to stop. You know? Hang in there, Stacey. You're doing great! Don't wait until you get to goal -- let your new, happy life start NOW!!

Uh, last I heard there was no such thing as "militant atheist doctrine." I'd bet anything the people in the freethinkers group are just like you -- people who want to meet others who don't need or want religion in their lives. Give it a try -- if you don't like it, you don't have to go back!

Looks like your surgery is not covered. But you should be able to use your medical flex money. I was self-pay and used my flex money to reimburse myself for part of the cost of surgery.

Jillian, are you still planning to see a therapist? It really does seem that you may have issues that go beyond the physical -- particularly eating 24 fudgesicles in a day, so soon after your surgery. And I'm concerned because your posts seem kind of, well, frantic. I really think a good therapist would be able to help you find some peace around this whole thing.

Stacey, honey, I say this will all love and respect, but you are driving yourself nuts for no good reason! The weight is coming off -- look at your ticker; you are almost 1/4 of the way to goal in just over a month! And if you want to compare yourself, compare yourself to me: I just checked and at 1 month, four days, I had lost only 12 pounds! You might want to ask yourself: "WHY am I going nuts? Why do I have to over-think every single fluctuation of the scale? Why does a 2-pound water-weight fluctuation send me into a tailspin? Why aren't I happy to have lost 14 pounds in a month?" Could it be that you're just used to obsessing about weight and the scale and it's hard to do anything different? Honestly, my body and weight are doing the exact. same. thing. as yours. I just hit the 20-pounds-lost mark today, and I'm almost 10 weeks out. My scale goes up and down and gets stuck and does everything yours does, but I have my eyes firmly on the big picture and I am thrilled to death with my progress. I absolutely REFUSE to spend one. more. minute. letting my body and my diet and my weight drive me crazy, because that's what I had this surgery to get away from.

My surgery was two months ago and I STILL feel that way! I am surprised at every meal by how little I can eat and how satisfied I feel when I'm finished! I still worry that I may slip and over-eat, and I'm always surprised that (a) I don't want to, and (:biggrin0: even if I wanted to, I really couldn't! But like ouroborous, I mostly feel more normal than I ever have. And I LOVE being a bird-like eater!

Stacey, it looks like you are about exactly my size, and I can totally relate to your frustration. I was sleeved on March 17 and I have lost 19 pounds so far. I was stuck for almost a month when I was about a month out, and I was totally pulling my hair out! But... I'm almost 1/3 of the way to goal after just over two months, and that's with almost no exercise. I've been losing inches and I am back into a lot of clothes I hadn't been able to wear for a while. And I haven't been hungry and I haven't been obsessing about food. Not such a bad deal overall, right? The reality is that those of us who don't have that much to lose are going to lose slower (in terms of pounds on the scale) than those with more to lose. So I am doing my very very best to relax and not torture myself because I want the weight off instantly. I'm averaging about two pounds a week, and I've NEVER been able to maintain that pace consistently without starving myself AND putting in hours and hours at the gym. So I'll take it.

Ugh, no! If you think you need malabsorption to help with your weight loss, maybe your should look into the DS instead of just the sleeve by itself.

How about "I am on a very strict diet and can't eat much these days?" Totally true, as far as it goes! I have to eat out with colleagues quite a bit and I find it goes more smoothly if I order something I can make a good dent in, rather than something I'm just going to pick at and send most of it back to the kitchen. For example, I can eat almost all of a cup of Soup at most restaurants. Or I'll order an appetizer instead of an entree, and eat what I can and then push the rest around on my plate. That really works -- put a bite on your fork, wave it around a little, put it back on the plate, repeat. Most people don't really pay much attention to what you actually eat. As for the people who actually own the restaurants, can you take them into your confidence and maybe ask them to prepare you special meals that you CAN eat? Maybe a grilled half chicken breast with a little veggies on the side, or something similar? I'd bet a million dollars they'd be pleased to be taken into your confidence and thrilled to help!

I had surgery the day before you, and I still haven't hit the 20 pound mark yet. I think those of us with less to lose just have to accept that we're going to lose fewer pounds per week/month/whatever than those with more to lose. Other than that, I agree that if you are eating a lot of carbs and skimping on your Protein and Water, you are going to feel hungrier. I was stuck for almost four weeks at about three weeks out, and I was ready to tear my hair out. I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but when I really concentrated on getting all my protein in and drastically cutting back the carbs, I finally started to lose again. And although I'm only 18 point something pounds down, that's still on track to get me to my goal in just over six months. So I'll take it. Be patient, drink your water, eat your protein, and try not to drive yourself crazy! We'll get there!

You're like me; I'm also a lightweight. I was sleeved on March 17, and I lost 14 pounds in the first month and then stalled for almost three weeks. As of today (7 weeks out) I'm down just over 17 pounds. If I make it to 20 pounds lost in 2 months, I'll be surprised and ecstatic! But I'm more than 1/4 of the way to goal, so I'll take it! :thumbup:

Yep. I was sleeved a week before you and I have those days, too. I figure it's all good as long as I get my protein in.

Yep, we're all going to lose some muscle mass. You can minimize it but not avoid it. That's why I don't use any function on my fancy scale but weight.

All great points! And remember, you don't have to convince your friends that you're making the right decision, and you don't have to get into debates with them. It's going to be fruitless -- they have decided to go with the RNY so it's extremely unlikely you're going to change their minds, and if you do, what do you gain? Nothing, really, except to possibly make them feel bad about their choice. Repeat after me: "I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, then!" Say it with a smile, as often as necessary, and change the subject. If necessary, leave the room. They'll eventually get the message that the subject isn't up for debate.