Peronella

On 13 October 2010 I booked the seminar for 16 October. At the seminar, I informed the doctor I wanted the surgery on 20 December. (I was self pay). And, sure enough, I was sleeved on the 20th. That was one year ago and I have lost 137 pounds. The best fastest decision I ever made!

Getting out of the tub without feeling like I need a crane. Not needing a seatbelt extender on airplanes. Not needing to wear bike shorts under skirts and dresses so my thighs don't rub raw. Those are the three that jump to mind immediately.

My arms were hideous... But, I started swimming about 2 months ago and they are starting to take shape. I wholeheartedly recommend swimming to combat the flabby flab on the arms!

Zucchini pasta has saved my life!!! I bought a julienne peeler and went to town. I now eat zucchini every other day!! Now, I will say that the dark zucchini as been better tolerated than the light. The light makes me very, very gassy and want to vomit.

I second the vote for Arlington (but that is just me being selfish, since I live in Arlington...) I am moving a message from the local support board here, so as to cast a wider net. Some of us were hoping to organize a local meet-up. If you are from around DC and would be interested in participating, chime in! The more the merrier!! Let's take a poll for dates: are weekends better for people? A Saturday vs. A Sunday? lunch vs. dinner? My vote is a Saturday afternoon. How about April 30 or May 14? That gives people time to plan... As for a place: Lebanese Taverna has small plates packed with Protein... Great food choices for us! There is one at Pentagon Row. What do you all think? I am just tossing out ideas, hoping to get the ball rolling. Lauri

This was big in Siena, as well. Especially with students.

My downfall is the bread that comes to the table with the water. I have to put the bread literally out of reach. I cannot be able to reach it. Otherwise, it would be all over. I must admit that I have been successful, thus far.

Bilka- what are the effervescent supplements? Do they make the water hard to drink? You you get gassy? How do they taste? I ask, because I am having a very hard time taking vitamins and am thinking this may be a solution. I am coming to Italy for the summer in June and could stock up.

My pre-surgery labs showed a vitamin D deficiency and I had to take supplements up to surgery. I stopped at surgery time. At my 2 month labs, again, I had a D deficiency, and was instructed to return to the supplements. So, some have it and, apparently, some don't.

Were it not for SF Popsicles, I would be a puddle of goo on the ground... I love them!!

Well, I am 4 months out, and I still feel gross after eating. I don't overeat, by any means. I eat, maybe, a cup of food at a sitting. I take my time. I chew thoroughly. I eat Protein almost exclusively. However, after I have eaten, I feel sick. I have not vomited once since surgery and I am not in specific pain. I just feel sick and almost like I need to lie down for a bit after I eat. For this reason, I do not eat actual food at work, for fear of not being able to teach my afternoon class. I just drink a Protein Drink. But even that makes me very full very quickly, and I never finish a little carton. Other that the sicky feeling after eating, I feel great and have lots of energy. Enough that I walk 5.5 miles every day. But, I do want to be able to eat something without this sick feeling. At least at some point in the near future...

Am I the only one who is having incredibly vivid food dreams lately? Right before surgery, I had several which were so realistic that I woke up almost tasting what I had dreamt. But then, they went away. No food dreams for months! Now, I am waking up feeling guilty, because it FEELS like I have eaten the wrong things and in huge quantities. Last night, for instance, it was a whole, large, highly decorated ice-cream cake. The night before; bags and bags of M&Ms. The dreams themselves are harmless, I suppose. It is the residual feeling of guilt that bothers me. Anyone else??

I just floated dates so if anyone has suggestions, let 'em fly ! I am fairly free these days.

I second the vote for Arlington (but that is just me being selfish, since I live in Arlington...) Let's take a poll for dates: are weekends better for people? A Saturday vs. A Sunday? lunch vs. dinner? My vote is a Saturday afternoon. How about April 30 or May 14? That gives people time to plan... As for a place: Lebanese Taverna has small plates packed with Protein... Great food choices for us! There is one at Pentagon Row. What do you all think? I am just tossing out ideas, hoping to get the ball rolling. Lauri

I will be 4 months out on 20 April. I cannot eat much at all, and, frankly, the thought of eating repulses me. But, recently, I have been obsessed with cooking shows. Not sure what THAT means... But, I am 65 pounds down, and take in about 800 calories a day. As for exercise, I walk at least 5.25 miles a day, either outside or on the treadmill. I get about 90 ounces of water a day. I feel great!

Most days, I get 94 ounces in Water, (with 5 squirts of lemon juice per 32 ounce bottle), and maybe 5 SF popsicles. On days I work, I take 2 bottles of Twist water with me to drink while at school (I teach only every other day), and then I make up the difference with an extra bottle of lemon water. Crystal Light is waaaay too sweet for me (always was), so, I don't even bother with it anymore. Now, granted, I HATED any sort of water pre-sleeve. I was a diet coke-head, drinking 8 cans a day. So, my water intake is rather a minor miracle!

I don't think it is productive to chastise the original poster for "throwing a fit", etc. We are supposed to be a support group. Rather than accusing, maybe we can all be a little supportive and lend a sympathetic ear to a comrade who is obviously frustrated and in need of our support? Sometimes, even if we don't have the answers or the answers can be found elsewhere, it is nice just to add a "I know how you feel" to the discussion, especially when many times, many of us feel very alone in this whole process.

It will be the very best feeling ever! I hit it on Wednesday and I seriously cried on the scale.

The thought of food makes me apprehensive and repulsed. Nothing tastes good to me. I used to be the quintessential "live to eat" person. Now, I truly know what it means to eat to live.

I bought the powder and mixed it with skim milk.

I started on Smoothie King on day 3 after surgery. The powder is specifically formulated for bariatric patients and is sugar free and high in protein and super yummy! That was my primary nutrition for the 1st 3 weeks after surgery.

This is very interesting. I am/was a stress eater and a pick me up eater. I am so very mindful now of my eating habits that I do not think that I over eat at all. However, it is very helpful to put a label on what sort of eater I have the potential to be. Thanks for posting this!

On 1 October, my 3 year old niece pointed to my tummy and asked if my baby was coming soon. Devastated, I immediately started South Beach. After 2 weeks, I lost .8 pounds. I couldn't believe it. That was when I decided to investigate surgical options. I went to a seminar on 16 October and I was convinced. I started my journey that very day. I drank my last soda, smoked my last cigarette. I was sleeved on 20 December. Now, 3 months later, I have lost exactly 60 pounds. I am no longer "severly obese" just "obese". I recently flew for a weekend away and didn't need a seatbelt extender. I can shop in the non-plus side of my favorite store, rather than order everything online. I can walk 4 miles in a row without having a small stroke. And most of all, I feel hopeful for my future for the first time in a decade. So, I am thankful that my little niece made me cry back in October, God love her!

Right after the surgery, I had no desire for the chips... But recently, the chips have been very seductive. I have resisted, because I have worked too hard to get where I am. But, I wish they didn't look so damn good!!

Ok: how much hair do we lose? All of it? Some of it? Patches? Do I need to buy a wig? I am starting to get concerned because it started like my Spring molt starts every year. But, now: it is horrible! Handfuls of hair come out in the shower, after the shower, drying my hair... I have always had very thick hair. The thought of being bald makes me very nervous. Also, what did others do? Did you cut it? Did Biotin make your hair grow other places? (not interested in a beard...)