LindaS

A stall at two or three weeks post-op is very common.You can search the forum for information about it. I didn't have any problems with my sleeve, so I did feel good after surgery. As you heal, you will notice you can eat more than you could at first. It isn't because the sleeve stretched, but it is because the swelling has gone down. I still have very good restriction if what I am eating has a lot of protein. I don't have any restriction (or not much) if I eat slider foods like chips or popcorn. I am over a year and a half out from surgery. I always eat protein first.

This article talks about how food has been engineered to be addictive. It starts out discussing a meeting in 1999 of major food companies (true story) to discuss the rising obesity epidemic. It is an interesting read, but it also reminds me a bit about the lawsuits and nicotine companies. They knew, and they didn't care. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

My office is on the third floor, and I take the stairs every day. Before I had surgery, I took the elevator and would sometimes take the stairs (only going down not up). This is just one change because of my sleeve, and I love it.

Laura-ven, I was just reading that same article! The meeting between all the companies that it described reminds me of the tobacco memos. Personally, I don't think we need to ban commercials. We need to change our buying habits, and it will make changes happen.

Since surgery, I have had random rashes on my belly. Once it was caused by rivets on my jeans even though I had worn those jeans for a while, and I've worn them since as well. I went to the doctor, and my rash was supposed to be an allergic reaction, but it isn't one that I had before, and I haven't had it since either. I use a cortisone cream, and it clears it up. I've only had it happen twice since my surgery (not in the same place), and it clears up quickly.

I was sleeved August 2011, so I am more than a year and a half out. I haven't had any complications. I have never thrown up not even when still in the hospital. I haven't had any gallbladder problems nor have I had problems getting Protein down or dehydration. I did have some thinning hair/hair loss, but I think that is normal for most major surgeries and not just WLS. It started around month 3 and lasted a couple of months. I worked with my stylist to work on it with my hair style, etc. I have had so many positive changes from this surgery that I can't even recall all of them.

I am 18 months out, and I have never vomited. A couple of times, I have ate too much and had a very uncomfortable sensation in my chest area. Walking helped get rid of it.

I agree with Ladi J in that what I can eat changes depending on the day/food/star alignment.... If I eat Protein first, I am able to keep my food limited. If I try eating something else first (like an apple), I can eat more.

I keep some Healthy Choice frozen greek yogurt in my freezer for when I feel I need a snack. It is pretty tasty. I don't buy things that I shouldn't eat. When I was really craving carb Snacks, I made sure to keep some protein-filled stuff in my pantry. I had chips that had Protein in them as well as pretzels that I bought online. I also found Protein Bars like the Atkins Mudslide was tasty and filling.

A desk job and an outrageous schedule led to my weight gain more so than a love of food. I say this because I would frequently go a day or more without really eating because I would be too busy to eat. When I did eat, I would eat the wrong things and at the wrong times. My job hasn't changed. I still spend hours at a computer, but I've changed how I do my job. I converted my desk to a standing desk, so I can stand while working instead of sitting. I've also looked into treadmill desks. I feel the standing desk works better for me. I am standing in front of my desk in the profile picture, and I blogged about it when I created it:: http://www.lindasherwood.com/2012/12/06/dream-it-and-it-happens/

I am at the place where I am rethinking my goal weight. I am at a 26/27 BMI, and I am noticing a lot more loose skin with the last 5 pounds lost. I'm not sure if more loose skin is worth more pounds lost to get under 25 BMI. I am thinking it is NOT. I like where I am. I am still trying to eat healthy, and I need to get more exercise in. I am not sure what I really want my goal weight to be.

Proudgrammy, your thoughts about your daughter really touched my heart. It is such a tightrope that I feel I have to walk when discussing weight issues with my own children. My oldest daughter is 18 and just had a baby. She has the baby fat around her belly because of the pregnancy, but she is still very small. Her weight is probably the highest it has ever been, and it is close to my current weight. I am very conscious of not talking to her about being fat or "losing the baby fat." Instead, I have tried to let her guide the conversations. She asked if she could go to my Zumba class with me, and I was happy to invite her. I've shared exercise tips that I am doing and tried to always frame it in terms of being healthy not lose weight. I think that is one of the things that worries me the most about having this surgery -- I don't want my kids to see it as "mom lost weight." I want my kids to see that "mom got healthier." I try to emphasize this whenever possible including when we are doing really active things. One of the things that worries me the most is that my oldest is a busy mom who works at a fast food place and going to college -- these are all the things that led me to weight gains. I want to help her learn how to avoid my mistakes. I am also concerned about my sister and niece. Both are very obese, but they aren't ready to do anything. My sister is at the point where her health is impacted -- cpap machine, knee surgeries, swelling in ankles and feet, short of breath, unable to walk.... Yet, she has never dieted, and she isn't ready to diet. She doesn't want to change her diet or give up food. I frequently hear from them comments about how small I am getting, and I shouldn't lose more. The other day, my niece mentioned that her son saw that picture of me (my profile pic) and said I needed to eat a sandwich. It is very hard to share what I am learning about being more healthy without turning them off. And I so do not want to cause my daughter to every feel bad about her body because she is amazing and healthy, and I want her to stay that way. It's a struggle.

I had surgery August 2011, and I am still losing. It is slow, but it is happening. I am at the point that I'm not sure if I still want to continue losing because as I lose now, I am seeing more loose skin. Thanks, Iggy, for the link. My results were: BMI 27.16 BMR 1532.1 Waist to Hip Ratio 0.73 Body Fat Percentage 27.48 This is a little different than what I get other places. The BMI and body fat percentage is showing higher, and the BMR is slightly lower than what I see on my scale that has the electric pulse, but the difference really isn't that great. I am not too worried about the BMI saying I'm overweight. I don't necessarily agree with that.

If I eat too fast or too much, I get a pain in my belly/stomach/chest area. I haven't had any vomiting at all since my surgery. I have had some bathroom runs, but it isn't any more often than before surgery.

Oh wow! Such a huge difference already! Keep up the great work!

I think you have to constantly reevaluate your target weight as you lose weight. I am 5'7.5", and I started at 255 pounds. My doctor said 140 would be a good goal, which is on the low side of the normal BMI for my height. Your weight shows differently depending on whether you are muscular or fatty.If your body is more muscular, you are smaller even though you might weigh more. I've since readjusted my personal goal to 155, but I am questioning even that. I am currently at 173-ish, and I am starting to see more loose skin in my belly area. I don't want to have too much, and so I am targeting that area with workouts. I am hoping it will improve, but if it gets worse, I don't want to keep losing even more. So, all of that, is a long explanation to say that I am constantly reevaluating my goal weight based on what my body looks like as well as my BMI, which currently is 26.

The problem is that even if you don't want to tell very many people, someone might tell others for you. It is hard to keep a secret as soon as you tell anyone else. They might not even do it on purpose.

I had stalled from March to September last year, and in September I started losing again. I am 19 months out, and I am still losing. I lowered my calories and upped my Water intake, which finally worked for me. I also worked out. It can still happen.

College, and I had surgery Aug. 9, back to work Aug. 22 with classes starting a week later. I was fine although I was very tired during week 3 -- probably because I walk a lot when working. I would feel tired when I got home; I'd fall asleep watching the 6 p.m. news.

Congratulations! I have loved being a mom. My mil just warned me the other day that pregnancy was common after WLS! I think her MIL had warned her.

Edited: My comments were for someone after surgery. I didn't realize you were still presurgery and not taking them because of surgery restrictions. My initial advice remains the same -- talk to your surgeon about some other options since what you are doing isn't working. /end editing Talk to your surgeon about whether you can have Nsaids. I have arthritis in my ankle and need to take naproxin once in a while for pain and swelling. I don't take it every day, but I do take it when I need it. My surgeon said it was OK since my stomach hasn't changed. My risk of developing problems is the same it was before my surgery although if I do develop them, the complications might be a bit more troubling. Your doctor may be able to prescribe something instead of ibuprofen. My daughter also takes naproxin for her back. It is an arthritis medication that helps with pain and swelling, and a single 500 mg pill works great for me.

My mother-in-law had sleeve surgery last October, and she has lost more than 50 pounds. She just reached "onderland" (Under 200 pounds), and she started at 255-ish range. She is about 5 feet tall. She has more energy and stopped taking her blood pressure meds. I was sleeved just a couple of weeks before my 40th birthday, and I've lost 83 pounds so far (sleeved August 2011).

Contact your doctor and ask to be seen to get your questions and concerns answered. It will help you mentally as well as make sure everything is OK physically.

I am 17 months out and still losing. :-) It is definitely not a race. I've lost 83 pounds overall, and I am planning to lose 100 pounds. August 2011: 25.5 pounds (sleeved Aug. 9, 2011) September 2011: 14.5 pounds October 2011: 9 pounds November 2011: 6 pounds December 2011: 3 pounds January 2012: 6 pounds February 2012: 6 pounds March 2012: 0 pounds April 2012: 0 pounds May 2012: 3 pounds June 2012: 0 pounds July 2012: 0 pounds August 2012: 0 pounds September 2012: 5 pounds October 2012: 0 pounds November 2012: 3.2 pounds December 2012: 4 pounds I haven't lost any weight in January "officially." I gained some weight around the holidays, and I've lost it again. I also went down to a size 10 in jeans in January, which isn't reflected in my weight loss and stayed true even when my weight went up a few pounds. To me, this means I am losing inches and gaining muscle tone as well as losing weight overall. This is good.

For most foods, I feel restriction. There are some slider foods that let me eat large amounts like chips and popcorn. I try to avoid them, but I love popcorn. Linda