Lisa :)

LOVE my electric blanket!!!!....wish I could take it everywhere with me!!

It definitely gets better...and easier. I had horrible head hunger after coming home from the hospital...it seemed like every commercial on TV was food related. I remember seeing a commercial for Laughing Cow cheese and just thinking that if only I could eat a cracker with cheese on it I would be so happy!! LOL! I had dream after dream after dream about food....most revolved around sneaking Big Macs!! Now I'm almost 8 weeks out, eating almost anything I want (which BTW is not the junk I used to eat) and life is soooo good!!! I don't feel deprived and I feel "normal"....my relationship with food has changed...which I NEVER thought would happen!! Just hang in there....you'll get there too!!!

I weighed 8 lbs more the day I came home (post op day 2) and then one day in the first week it just magically disappeared. I know it's hard not to step on the scale everyday...but TRY not to!! The scale can be your worst enemy sometimes....don't let it determine how you're doing!!! You very well may be holding onto liquids you received in the hospital and you've got to give your body time to heal. Hang in there and WALK, WALK, WALK!!!!!!....it REALLY helps!!!!

I weighed 8 lbs more the day I came home (post op day 2) and then one day in the first week it just magically disappeared. I know it's hard not to step on the scale everyday...but TRY not to!! The scale can be your worst enemy sometimes....don't let it determine how you're doing!!! You very well may be holding onto liquids you received in the hospital and you've got to give your body time to heal. Hang in there and WALK, WALK, WALK!!!!!!....it REALLY helps!!!!

Walk, walk, walk!!!! It really will help with the gas pains and will speed your recovery!! I think I lived on SF popsicles in the first few days after being sleeved to get my fluids in. Hang in there....it gets better. Oh and the pain on the left side is probably where your stomach was removed. I had an internal stitch that bothered me up until about the end of week two. Good Luck!!!!

I wouldn't be too worried. I am a little more than 7 weeks out and have tolerated everything I've eaten very well and when I started on pureed foods I was able to eat about a 1/4 cup as well. Other than hitting the week 3 stall, I've lost weight very consistently and am down 33 pounds since surgery even though I sometimes feel like I'm eating too much. Sounds like you're doing just fine!!!!

I experienced tremendous head hunger at about a week out. Are you sure you're physically hungry? I thought I was but later realized I was just so angry that I couldn't eat what I wanted to eat. Be careful of what you do eat at this stage (I was still on liquids at day 8)....your new stomach is still healing and is probably still swollen. You don't want to do anything that may cause a leak. Good Luck!!!

Try not to be discouraged. Your body needs times to adjust to losing a lot of weight so quickly....it will pass!! My week 3 stall lasted two weeks and then I began losing again. I would suggest that you get in more protein....it may help you get past the stall. If you don't like shakes try unflavored powder in something like hot chocolate. I think the Isopure unflavored whey is the best...it adds absolutely o flavor. Good luck!!

To add to what Rootman says....make sure that when you are swimming, you look straight down at the bottom of the pool. Many people new to swimming have a tendency to want to look up when taking breathes instead of tilting the head just slightly to the sides. Just practice, practice, practice. Lastly, strengthening your core will help with sinking legs too!!!

I'm training for a triathlon, so I hike and jog about 12 miles a week (mon-fri) and then I do what's called a brick workout where I swim a half mile and immediately bike 6-10 miles after my swim. I'm only 6 weeks out and i feel amazing!!! Even though I belong to a gym, I don't care for it and only go there to swim....although I'll probably start doing some weight training after the first of the year.

I am 7 weeks out and finally (and slowly) adding regular food back into my diet (I couldn't be more excited to finally get a salad LOL). I went through the whole 3-4 week stall and got over it. But my biggest triumph has been the revelation that my relationship with food has changed...and continues to change!!!! The holidays could not be a more perfect a time for this to happen. I attended an office party yesterday and watched my co-workers (large, small and in between pile food onto their plates and into their mouths....and instead of feeling bad about the fact that I was eating so little, I just kept thinking "Wow, that's soooo much food"!!! It's hard to believe that I used to eat like that and it's even harder to imagine eating like that again!! And even if I didn't lose another pound, my new relationship with food makes it ALL worth it!!

Once I got to the hospital I was asked probably 10 times..."what procedure are you having done?" and they are all supposed to ask to be SURE they do the right thing. Also, if you are insured, your insurance authorization should have the sleeve listed as the authorized surgery.

My favs are many of the eggface bites. Currently in my fridge: pizza, patty melt and Philly cheese steak. I just LOVE her recipes....my life has changed since finding her site!!! theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

I was running...ok, jogging (LOL), before surgery and have been jogging since week 3 (I'm almost 6 weeks out now). Even though I'm still really heavy, my body seems to handle it just fine (I was super athletic up until about 10 years ago). The main reason I chose the sleeve over RNY was because I want to do triathlons and I wanted to be sure that I could fuel my body with the necessary carbs in order to complete an endurance race. I will be doing my first tri in June 2012!!!!!

Keep calm & carry on!!!....because this too shall pass!!! I'm at 5 weeks too (posted about my stall last week) and hit that stall for two weeks.....I finally broke through today!!

Congrats on your first 100 pounds!!!!! And YAY for "LIVING" not just surviving!!! You're a great writer, by the way!!

What do you mean by low calorie? You have to keep in mind that each gram of Protein has 4 calories. So, if it's a high Protein Powder, it will be higher in calories. I use Isopure unflavored whey. It has zero carbs, zero fat and 25 grams of protein...which means it has 100 calories of pure protein per scoop. Hope this helps!!!

Congrats!!! You look amazing....and so much younger!!!!!! Way to Go!!!!!

I guess I just need to vent!!! Today I'm officially one month out. A week ago, I hit the dreaded week 3 stall which has now turned into a week 4 stall. I'm so over it!!! I've tried to stay off the scale, but it's hard!!! I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do: 100+ grams of protein/day, a good 60 oz. of water/fluids and I'm hiking up hill 3 miles/day (which I was doing for the 2 months prior to surgery and I started back up at 2 weeks). Please, tell me this stall is gonna end and that it's not possible to stay stuck here. I'm trying to stay positive about the fact that I've lost 25 lbs since surgery and 52 total.....I know, I should be thrilled, right?!?!?!?

I felt the same way after getting home from the hospital. Hang in there...it'll pass

Thanks Lissa!! I guess I really do need to take inventory on the NSV's: my pants are fitting looser, I'm back to walking at a higher intensity than pre surgery, my wedding ring doesn't fit anymore and since going back to work this week, EVERYONE is noticing my weight loss!!! I guess it's time to stop "shoulding" on myself especially since I refused to set a weight goal and monitor my success based on how I feel!!!! This is why I hate the scale...it really messes with my head!!! Hang in there everyone....we'll get there (wherever there is LOL)!!!!!!

I just posted a few minutes ago....I'm one month out and totally frustrated that I haven't lost a pound in a week and a half!!!

Try Neutrogena body oil.....that's what I used. It didn't just wipe off though...I had to use my finger nail and kinda work it into the area.

I took 3 and a half weeks of paid disability and cashed out about 25 hours of PTO about two weeks before going out (I accrue 2 days per month so it won't take very long to build it back up again). All I had to do was fill out the forms and my doctor's office took care of the rest.

Me-again, If he has been at his job for at least one year and works full time, he should be able to take "Paid Family Leave". Under FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) an employee can take up to 12 weeks per year (that don't have to be consecutive) to care for a newborn or sick immediate family member. Here is the link to the FMLA website: http://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/