SKCUNNINGHAM

I started my day out yesterday with a 20 minute session on my eliptical. This morning I did a Zumba class. Trying to do something physical every day now. Love my sleeve!

If you go tell the person who had the bad reaction that you are going to go have the surgery, and you are telling her this in confidence - no one but she and your boss know - she should keep her mouth shut. If she is in a leadership position, she has to know talking about an employee's private medical business is NOT OK and there are laws against it. Make up a plausible story to tell when you get back from surgery. I told people I was having "plumbing surgery" and that shut people up. Other people have "gallbladder" or "hernia" surgery. Once you are visisbly smaller, tell people you had to change your diet before surgery and have kept it up afterwords, you like the way it makes you feel. No one has to know your business. Good Luck!

I used the EAS chocolate and vanilla, the COSTCO chocolate, and the muscle milk chocolate. I hated the muscle milk vanilla. My go to protein drink though is ISOPURE PLUS, both the punch and the grape flavor. 15 grams of protein in 8 ounces of liquid. I ordered it from Amazon, as I couldn't find it in the stores.

It was not a pleasant feeling, but it didn't hurt. And it is over quickly.

I have a problem-free surgery and recovery. BUT, I didn't sleep through the night for probably 3 months. And now (ten + months out) I still get up once or twice a night to go to the bathroom (I really push fluids). Don't know what disturbed my sleep - thought it was either the anasthesia or having to change the position I slept in from pre surgery to post surgery. But - it is definately worth it - I love my sleeve!

One night. My doc would have kept me a second night - but I wanted to go home to get some rest. The hospital staff was so caring I couldn't get any peace and quiet. I had no kids at home and my husband took care of me once I got home.

Height - 5'4" Weight at start - 253 Weight day of surgery 240 after 3 months - lost 55 pounds (198) after 6 months - lost 84 pounds (169) after 9 months - lost 104 pounds (149) after 10 months - lost 108 pounds (145)

I was not a particularly buxom woman prior to WLS (barely a D) and now I am somewhere in the B+/C- range. My butt is as flat as a pancake - but even 100 pounds ago it was not anywhere in Beyonce or JLo's family. My shape is basically the same as it was before, only smaller. I gained weight all over my body and I lost it the same way.

M2G. You are a beautiful, thin woman! Enjoy living the skinny life. Sharon

Great job!

Think about your NEXT birthday. You will be 96 pounds smaller! When you want to reach out and choke the chicken right out of your neighbor, try to take a longer view. Nothing smells as good as being ~100 pounds lighter. When they give you cake, tell them "wow, thank you - this looks great - just set it here so I can enjoy looking at it - I'll enjoy it in a few minutes - anticipation will make it taste even better." Then, when everyone is gone, go throw it away. Anticipation is, this time next year, you can have a small taste of birthday cake - you will be celebrating not only your birthday, but getting to (or close to) your goal weight. Hang in there! Sharon

Make sure you are getting in all your Protein. Make sure you are getting in your Vitamins - and I expect you will need extra Iron. As soon as you are on food, I imagine your doctor will want you to eat red meat. And, make sure you are getting in your B12. It took me longer than 5 weeks to feel 100%, and I didn't have the bleeding you did. I hope you feel better soon.

What great NSV's! Congratulations on your progress.

I have loose wrinkly skin around my waist, on my lower abdomen, my upper thighs and my bat wing upper arms. I think it is a combination of the fact that I didn't exercise much during the losing phase and my age (mid 50's)

Everyone has to figure out what works for them to be regular. This is what works for me. The more exercise I get, the better. Moving your body stimulates your intestions to "move", too. So walk as much as possible. Next is fluids. You have to drink enough fluids, or things will never be normal. So, if you aren't successfully getting in a minimum of 60 ounces of Fluid, you will have problems being regular. Then, I take one dose of Miralax most every day (mixed in either a smoothie, oatmeal or a bottle of water) and two "packets" of Benefiber (you can take up to three packets of benefiber each day). That works for me. Good luck finding your optimum solution. Sharon

Congratualtions! Your first victory in a long line of them. Good work!

I looked for Center of Excellence doctors that my insurance approved. Then, I researched the literature to see what were the criteria for surgeons that had the least # of problems with bad side effects. The criteria are: # of sleeve surgeries in the last year, # of sleeve surgeries in total, and the same for the hospital they use. Two surgeons were COE and met the criteria. I went to both surgeons' intro meetings and picked the one who I liked the best.

I have occasionally have had a little bit of alcohol since the sleeve surgery. I didn't have any until about 5-6 months after surgery. I have had a small glass of liquor (irish whiskey or tequila) straight - and it takes less than 1 oz. for me to get a buzz. Good that I have practiced those tiny sips! I also have had about 1/4 cup of beer or wine twice. I only drank the 1/4 cup because that was when I felt a buzz and stopped. I haven't noticed any ill effects - but I did have to account for the calories in my daily totals.

I occasionally use a veggie for a snack. I eat my Proteins for meals and one or two Snacks. Sometime mid morning or mid afternoon I might have 3 -5 mini carrots or a handful of fresh snap peas if I either don't have a protein snack, or am going to have my protein only in my 3 meals that day.

I grew up the youngest of three sisters - so I was used to wearing other people's clothes. That is why I have seen more than one resale shop named something like "my sister's closet" over the years. Another good resale shop in Dallas is Clotheshorse Anonymous - some larger sizes, but primarily regular sizes. They have a lot of high dollar designer clothes.

Moonsiren - the way it works at the three different consignment shops I have gotten rid of things through is this. You sign an agreement with the consignment shop. You bring in your clothes, drycleaned an on hangers. Most will have you schedule an appointment to drop them off. They will inspect them to see if they meet the criteria that the shop sets (age of garment, season, style, etc.). Usually, the garments will be on the floor for sale for 90 days. The sale price decreases the longer the garment is on the floor. Whatever the price the garment sells for, the consigner gets 50%, the shop gets 50%. You pick up your garments that haven't sold at the end of the 90 day period (again by appointment). Some shops will donate the unsold garments to charity - those details are in the contract you sign with them. You can get your money paid to you, or you can get store credit.

Go to the section on this forum and look for a buddy to go through this with. Look for someone who is close to you for your surgery date. You could look for someone close geographically or someone close in age or in a similar life-circumstance. A second alternative would be to find a person in a support group that is going through a sleeve program. Call the coordinators of the support groups and find out if they have sleeve people in them. Good Luck!

I started shopping resale years ago and absolutely love it. My best deal ever was a Chanel suit from the shop Chanel shop in Paris at a resale shop in Richardson Texas. Absolutely beautiful. I have been going to a resale shop in Dallas as I have been shrinking - it is called "Larger than Life" and is for sizes 12 and up. A great shop.

I am also experiencing elevated cholesterol levels (total cholesterol 239 - 9 month labs). I am exercising more (to increase the good cholesterol) and doing the following things to lower the bad cholesterol: - eating oatmeal most mornings - adding ground flax seeds to the oatmeal - talking fish oil capsules daily - taking cinnamon capsules daily - taking red rice yeast capsules daily My cholesterol readings are up due to my heredity - nothing I am eating. I am trying this to see if I can get it down by my 12 month readings.

You do look great - give yourself credit for your accomplishments! Since when you are sick, you eat what you have available, it is going to be important for you to always have healthy foods on hand that will fit into your eating plan. Then, when you grab the first thing available, it won't ruin your eating for the day. Good luck with your sleeve journey and your health.