lsereno

Welcome to the goalies bench! I love it here, and so many of us fit because we are all smaller! I haven't ridden a horse since I lost weight, but I gotta tell you, the amusement park rides are so much more fun now that I'm not stuffed in the seat like a sausage. And I don't have the fear that I can't fit at all! Lynda

I don't think there are a lot more people with regrets. I think they are speaking up more because one got the nerve to really speak out. And we don't hear from the ones that have regained all their weight or never got remotely close to goal and quit coming here. IMO, those with regrets should speak out so others have an idea of issues they may need to work on pre-op or post-op. When I first starting reading VST, Tiffy-kins was on here all the time. She had a terrible post-op experience, with a leak and having to get rid of her gallbladder, but I saw she got over those things and I thought, well if that happens to me, I can get over it too. I also read threads about people not getting to goal and those that did get to goal so I knew what I had to do if I wanted to get to goal and stay there. And I read the threads about people who became addicted to alcohol or drugs. After I started drinking again when I got close to goal, I set a limit on how often and how much I drink to avoid those issues. I think we all have issues with food or we wouldn't have got overweight to start with. And it's important to work on those issues because no matter how tight the restriction, at some point in the future, enough capacity for weight regain will return. Of course, that's just my opinion. Your mileage may vary. Lynda

Small lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, and lip gloss. My skin was itchy after getting pumped full of fluids like a balloon and I like my lotion better than the hospital ones. I also preferred my own gown, robe, and slippers. Lynda

It's good to know both sides. But look at the horror stories there are around staying at the weight you are now. Increased risk for stroke, heart attack, cancer, liver failure, diabetes, etc. I read the bad stories and the good stories before the operation and made an informed decision. For me, the surgery risks did not outweigh (haha!) the risks of remaining morbidly obese. Lynda

I love maintenance! It took about 9 months to get to goal, but I had less than 100 to lose post-op. The info is in my sig line. I have to be careful now because I can eat more and I have more "bad for you" foods now that I am maintaining. I weigh every day. I have a range of 5 lbs. If I go over that, I cut out all Snacks and eat lower-calorie foods till I drop back to my goal weight. I still measure my food most of the time. Sometimes I wing it. I don't track unless I am feeling out of control. I've gotten there a few times, mostly around holidays when so much food is around. As for the oldies we started with, try the Vets thread. I know many people move on with their lives and leave the group, but for me, I know I will have a lifetime issue with watching what I eat, so this group is fabulous for me. Lynda

Hi UK Cathy, Also check your blood pressure. It can drop quite dramatically following WLS. I have high blood pressure. A few months after my WLS, it dropped enough that I got to quit all meds. When it dropped, I would feel light-headed when getting up or bending over. Then even though I am at goal, it crept back up and I am again on two meds (I took three before the surgery), Lynda

For me, it was a couple of weeks or a few days less. The first few days, I slept with enough pillows to make my bed like a hospital bed with the knees and back raised. I used a couple of pillows under my knees and three or four behind my back. I'm a side sleeper too. Lynda

Congrats Fiddleman! Lynda

I like butternut squash for something starchy, but good for you. Target sells it in frozen cubes. I just saute it quickly or add it to stir frys. I do better with whole grains, which fill me up better. Brown rice, 100% whole grain bread, and whole wheat Pasta. I often eat sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes too. For even lower carb side dishes, it's probably gonna be veggies. For variety, I roast them in the oven (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, asparagus, summer squash all do well), stir fry them, or eat them in Soups or salads. One of my summer favs is garlic lime chicken, http://savingdinner.com/garliclimechicken/ , with a salad of baby butter lettuce, sliced almonds, and a few mandarin orange segments. In spring, while you're roasting Cornish game hens, throw in a pan of veggies. Add a little balsamic vinegar right at the end for a little kick. I also love this soup recipe: http://savingdinner.com/healthy-vegetarian-recipes/soup-good-food/ To make it lower carb, add more veggies and leave out the potatoes. Lynda

OMG, the privacy issue. It's such a personal decision to tell or not to tell. I'm all in with telling everyone, but I totally understand that is not best for everyone. If you decide it's private, leave it at that. There will always be people who pry and want to know information you don't want to share. Learn to recognize them and move on. Best wishes for a speedy trip to the goalie's bench! Lynda

I colored my hair throughout the thinning and regrowth stage. I am almost completely gray on top so I have to color or commit to gray hair. At about 20 months out, it is finally thick down to the ends again. It started thinning around month 4 or 5 and started coming back in by month 8 or 9. My hair grows slow and I kept the length, so it took a while to get thick all the way to the ends again. I have been very vigilant about taking my Vitamins, drinking fluids, and eating right. I go to a salon and told my hairdresser about the surgery, but he didn't change the products. He did a few styling tricks, cutting tricks, and coloring tricks to make it look thicker. I did try to slow down the schedule, with touch ups every 2 months instead of my normal 6 weeks. Lynda

I've been a year at goal. In that year, I have fallen off the wagon, topped out at my new "allowable" top weight of 140 twice, spent a few weeks drinking too much (two, twice a week is now my limit) and faced the fact that I am still food obsessed and probably will be for the rest of my life. Heck, I quit smoking about 25 years ago and still, every once and a while, I really, really want one. I'm just that kind of girl. Laura-Ven, as long as you get back on the wagon, falling off is no big deal. Even the most natural thin person eats something bad once in a while. That's why we are vets: we've been in the war longer. Take that fatty food: Kapow! Lynda

Congrats! Thanks for checking in and letting us know how you're doing. Lynda

I'm 5'6" and have been maintaining at my goal (135) for a little more than a year. I prefer a thinner look for myself. I am small boned and like the long, lean look. Lynda

Congrats! You look fabulous! Lynda

congrats! Are you at your goal weight now? lynda

Hey Feedyoureye, Good to see you back! I consider you a huge success!! There are a few of us "oldies" left. Oregon Daisy and Coops have been here too. I love having a place for us where it's easy to find the questions and topics that are of interest to vets. BTW, I did see another post from someone else comparing this to a maintenance group. We already have one of those. I think it's under social groups, but I forget. I post and check there too. Lynda

Yeah! My secret weapon in the exercise war is do it before I wake up all the way and make an excuse. I get up, get dressed for exercise, brush my teeth and hair, wash my face and head out. I don't even drink coffee first. I also clean out the house of trigger foods, which change as time goes by. And I stock up on low cal, filling favorites: Greek Yogurt Lowfat string cheese Lowfat lunchmeat costco Roast chicken Lettuces, spinach, or baby greens, rinsed and ready to go Frozen veggies (latest favs are Trader Joes fire roasted peppers and onions, whole green Beans, and cubed butternut squash) Canned veggie Soups Whole grain bread Fresh fruit and veggies (whatever's in season) Soy milk (still got a little lactose problem post-op) oatmeal And I track what I eat using a white board on the fridge door. I write it BEFORE I bite it. Lynda

I'm back to normal and have been since about a year out. Lynda

I'm about two years out. I have four teeny scars that could pass for chicken pox scars and one that is about 1/2 inch long. It's very thin and not raised, but the skin is a different color and kinda shiny. They all look a zillion times better than they did at first. The big one puckered in till I lost quite a bit of weight. I expect them to continue to fade a bit more, based on the scar I got on my ankle during surgery after a nasty break. It looked better at five years out than it did at two years out. Lynda

Yeah, I didn't catch that when I wrote my reply! Maybe search for Tiffykins old threads on being pregnant with the sleeve. She documented the first pregnancy on these boards pretty extensively before dropping away while pregnant the second time post-sleeve. I don't have a word of advice. At 56, I would be a medical miracle if I were pregnant, and not a happy one :-) I'm firmly entrenched in grandma territory these days :-) Lynda

Well we thin out as time goes by, and not just in the weight dept. I'm a May 2011 sleever. I rarely see my May 2011 buddies on the boards. I've been at goal for a year now and looking forward to my second annual post-op checkup and bloodwork. Lynda

Not me. If I overeat, I still feel like I'm gonna slime. And I get heartburn. It never aches that low. I agree it sounds like something else. I know nuts are a big no-no for Diverticulitis. Lynda

Congrats! She's darling. Lynda

I agree with chitowngirl. Just take the candy, let the kids pick out a few pieces to keep and give the rest away or just toss it. Have a little talk with the kids about limiting candy. Lynda