Eureka-C

Nov 22nd, 77 pounds lost since July, 50% loss, halfway to goal of 150. July - Nov 22 pre-surgery lost 24 pounds Month 1 = 16 pounds Month 2 = 11 pounds Month 3 = 6 pounds Month 4 = 7 pounds Month 5 = 12 pounds Gone from a size 26/28 to an 18/20, and I can fit in the 2x in the regular clothes section. I have found that I usually gain the week of my TOM, lose the week after, and lose only a pound or stall the other two weeks. I eat between 1000 - 1400 calories a day, Protein first, veggies second, carbs last. I eat a small servings of dessert, candy etc about once a day. I eat 3 meals about 1 c. to 1 1/4 c. per meal and 1-2 Snacks about 2-3 bites. a day. I eat about every 3-4 hours. I drink before eating, and only take a sip or two during a meal. After eating, I have no desire to drink. I don't do well on my Water intake and don't drink enough fluids. I take double Multivitamins, 1000 mg Calcium, Vitamin D, 60 mg Iron, Vitamin C, 1000 mg B12. I am not good about getting in my Vitamins daily. My hair has thinned noticeably, but I can see new growth. If I never lost another pound, I would feel a success. I am down to my pre-children, wedding day weight. I can walk without pain, walk a flight of stairs without being winded, fit in a booth without my belly on the table, fit in between the movie theater armrests, have a waist again. Thanks for asking, What about you?

That is so awesome. You really made me smile. Priceless! Thanks for sharing it with us. I am 4 1/2 months and started at 26/28 sizes. I was wondering what size you are in if you don't mind sharing. I am in a 18/20 now.

I also chose VSG because I was an overeater. When I eat less, I lose weight. I just haven't ever been able to keep it up long term before without feeling like I was starving to death. This is totally working for me. I don't feel like I am starving to death and I eat a normal diet. At 4 1/2 months (including preop diet) I have lost 77 pounds and am halfway to my goal. I also eat more calories than a lot of people on here averaging around 1200 a day. However, I am totally satisfied and don't feel as if I am starving like I always did on a diet of 1200 calories. As for the RNY, I wanted to maintain my lower stomach sphincter muscle to keep the food in the stomach longer. I have no desire for malabsorption as I am already low on Iron before surgery. With a smaller stomach, my body still works like it was made to, just on a smaller scale. The RNY was never for me. I also asked myself if I would be happy if I only lost 60-70% to my goal, and the answer was yes. Don't get me wrong, there are many people who make it to or below goal with VSG. I am just going with statistics. So here I am happy, healthy and with only a handful of clothes in my closet that fit. Its a wonderful world with my VSG.

I was a volume eater. There is no way I could go back. My mom on the other hand is a grazer. She eats much less in a sitting. Maybe she wasn't a volume eater.

I sent you a message with my email. Hope it works out.

I have a lot of problems with vomiting. I am 4 1/2 months out and have noticed some patterns. Bread, tortillas and rice are the worst. It's like they gum up un a ball and just stick, even if they are the first bite. I have to take these in smaller bits than other food, baby size bites, even when chewed thoroughly. I also eat too fast. It's like it takes a while to move from the top of my stomach to the bottom, so a traffic jam occurs and it feels like it's sitting there at the bottom of my esophagus. I still get a painful gagging sensation if I drink too much too fast. These things usually occur when I go too long without eating or drinking. I do better if I wait between bites to see how it feels, measure my food, take small bite, and swallow a drink, not a gulp of liquid. When I do vomit, it's not the whole meal, usually one gag and the last bite. Reminds me of a mommy bird regurgitating. I don't feel bad like being sick (or drunk) and vomiting.

If it is daytime on a most Wednesdays or Fidays, then I am free.

If you choose fatsecret, friend me

So I started my journey in July of last summer (2010), and finally got my surgery on November 22, 2010. It has been over four months and I am halfway to goal. My goal was to lose 150 pounds and be 150 pounds. I want to be 1/2 of what I was. I am halfway to goal with 76 pounds lost at 223 pounds two days in a row now. I am sooooo happy.

I see by your ticker that you are halfway to goal too. Congrats!

I didn't think I had any comorbidities either, then when the doc's office did my eval, they pointed out the edema in my ankles (socks leaving grooves on a daily basis), some incontinence when sneezing or coughing, sores that develop under my fat roll along my c-section scar, acid reflux, low iron, and a family history of diabetes. I also had a lot of knee pain, and a knot on top of my foot due to being overweight. Others find out they have sleep apnea, prediabetes, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, GERD etc. Talk to the nurse and find out a list of problems. Most I just took for granted, tolerated or ignored them and went on with my life, but they made a big difference in my appeal I believe.

Welcome to the site. "My question for the people here who have been through or are going through this, how do you deal with people when they tell you your taking the lazy way out? It angers me because I work so much harder than my peers and get poor results. I am anything but LAZY! " As many people have said and will concur, this is anything but easy. It is a tool. You can still make poor or good choices. Someone on here once said a good response is "so people who have heart disease and have heart surgery are lazy?" "People who have diabetes and take insulin are lazy" Yes, I personally made poor choices to get me to the weight I was, but it did horrible things to my body that made it almost impossible to lose and keep off weight. It is not a matter of willpower. It is a combination of genetics, upbringing, and damage I have done to my body with too much dieting. My gastrointestinal system isn't working like its supposed to just like someone who has heart disease due to high cholesterol, genetics and lack of exercise. No one tells them they are lazy for getting a stint or having a heart bypass surgery. No one tells them they should just ignore it, eat healthy and exercise. It's too late for that for them. The damage is done. The same is true for my overweight body. The damage is done and this surgery provides me a tool to heal. After heart surgery, people often have to start a new diet, make changes, exercise and quit smoking to keep it healthy. The same for this tool. After VSG, you have to make lots of choices and changes, only now it really is possible. Just as people die from heart disease, I was dying from obesity. Now I have a tool to give me a new beginning.

If you don't mind sharing, what mistakes did you see? calories? protein? I haven't been tracking, and some days I think maybe I should track again. I am still losing though.

I usually mixed mine (fruit flavored) with crystal lite single serve stick so I used more Water. about 24 ounces water with one scoop and one pack crystal lite. For the choc and vanilla mixes, I finally had to give up on them. I didn't like them in water. It took too long to drink with milk setting out that long. They got thicker the longer they sat making me gag. I don't think it matters how much you use. Find what works for you, what you can take in in a reasonable amount of time, and what you can stand drinking. A friend of mine took the bullets and cut them in half with kool-aide. Good luck

are you tracking your intake and keeping your calories low? If you are doing all you say and keeping the calories low, then there may be something more wrong. You may want to have some bloodwork done.

As a graduate student who does a lot of psych evals, I would recommend you get a second opinion. I would not recommend you try to hide your depression/self-esteem issues related to your obesity. I would focus on how you believe your life will change, realistic expectations and goals. You can also ask about their background in bariatric assessment. I personally had my psych eval from a doctor who has been working with clients with eating disorders for the last 3 years. On the other side of the coin, this surgery can play havoc with your hormones and send someone who already has a propensity for depression into a downward spiral. If you are the least bit unsure, I would recommend you make 2 appointments with a therapist specializing in eating disorders and depression. In those two appointments, you can evaluate yourself more critically and determine what, if any, support would be beneficial to you before and after the surgery.

My doc prefers I stick to liquids, chewables, or gummies to be sure and absorb the maximum amount.

I was cleared to eat those things at 12 weeks. My first apple was heaven.

If you are wanting to lose 110 pound, then you have already lost 18% of your weight. You are almost 1/5 of the way to your goal. Way to go!

Way to go!

I had to eat 5-6 times a day that early out. At 4 months I eat 3-4 and every once in a while 5 times a day. I am usually satisfied at 3, but need the snacks to get my protein in. It does get better.

% is found by #lost divided by #want to lose times 100. For example I have lost 75 lbs and want to lose 150lbs so that I 75/150x100= 50%. So at 4 and1/2 months I have lost 50%. The stats for loss expectations match percents better than pounds lost. Hope this helps.

I use my iPad and it loads as if for a phone, no ads!

I have heard it's diff for everyone depending on the bougie size used, length of your stomach, how fast it empties, type of food etc. Personally, I am one of these who can eat more. I eat about a cup to a cup and a half of food at four months, depending on the food. I am losing well so I am not concerned. I think do what's best for you. Others limit themselves to 1/2 a cup no matter how much they can eat. I think you are likely at your maximum since you are healed, and if it's working then hooray!

3 weeks chicken well cooked with mayo or gravy to keep it from being too dry. Chew well. I ate some Micky d's chicken nuggets at almost four weeks. Not the healthy choice though.