kyllfalcon

Welcome and congratulations on your decision. I am an old pro at surgery, having had 9 before being sleeved with hiatal hernia repair. Of the now 10 surgeries, being sleeved was the second easiest. Of course, eveyone has different experiences and tolerances for discomfort. But I'm betting you'll do fine. Most of us have no regrets. If you've lurked around this forum for some time, you know a few folks had a hard time and do have regrets, but the vast majority fare very well. Hopefully you'll be on that list! Good luck, keep us posted.

And the photos looked remarkably alike... just sayin'... I went back and checked.

Only for the first few weeks when mostly liquids are going in. Since then, no, it's a struggle to poo. Like the previous poster, I may gain an ounce or two a day until I go good, then I drop some weight. I go every day, just not always as, well, thoroughly, as I'd like.

I am having a different experience than ProudGranny. She says she was looking back on 59 years of her life, so maybe you were heavy all your life, ProudGranny? I was not. I was a skinny knobby kid, gained a little weight after the babies but in my late 20s slimmed down and kept if off very well until early 40's. I actually got painfully thin during a divorce. Then I remarried, life centered around the kitchen, and a couple years later had a hysterectomy and went on HRT. I gained a lot of weight, and while the HRT didn't help, most of it was just overeating and poor food choices. I love sugar, preferably blended with a large dollop of fat. So, when I see the normal weight person in the mirror or the big window, it shocks me, not because it is a new image, but because I finally got me back. I gleefully recognize the former me, just a lot older and grayer! Somehow I always knew that I'd find a way to get rid of the weight, that I would not always be so heavy, I just did not know what it would be or how it would come about. I am forever grateful that we have such good medical procedures, and that I could manage to scrape up the funds to take advantage of it. I know we all have demons to face every step of the way, and now I have to face The Maintenance Demons. We are all determined to keep the weight off once we reach goal, but just look through this forum and on YouTube and various other places, and you'll find folks who regain. Some a little, some a lot. Of course, I am scared to death to regain. I just don't want to go back there ever again. But I know I'm human, and I still crave that sugar blended with fat!! I already let myself gain a pound over my birthday! That is the emotional thing for me, fear of losing me again, not dealing with the rediscovery of me. Does that make any sense at all?

No, I do not see the fat girl. I barely remember her. But I am shocked by what I DO see in the mirror, a skinny girl. No, I have never been mad because I can't eat much. No, I do not have mood swings, but I am post-menopausal, and have never been depressed longer than an afternoon. The change in energy level is indescribable. I feel like I am half my age. Before everything was a chore, even turning over in bed at night. Of course, the first few weeks bring low energy, but once you get past that...

I have a fancy scale that measures body Water, body fat, bone weight, visceral fat, etc. While it may not be 100% accurate, it is the same brand as used at the bariatric center and is good enough to monitor trends. My bones weigh no where near 20 lbs, and weigh the same before surgery and after reaching goal, 5.6 pounds. Of course, others will be different, but my husband who is quite stocky, has bone weight of about 6 pounds. I can't imagine anyone's bones weighing 20 pounds, but I guess it's possible. Having said all that, I look like I weigh about 150, when I weigh 165. I often wonder if that's the case because of the loose skin. We cram it into our clothes, and look smaller. We would likely weigh a lot less and have a lower BMI without all that skin.

So much of my life revolved around food. I am a very good cook, if I say so myself, and I loved to do it. I am an accomplished cake decorator, and I loved to do it. My relationship with my husband started around food 20-some years ago and continued to be centered around food. I was sought out for cooking advice. My coworkers asked me to make this or that for the group. I hosted all the family get togethers. Of course I was terrified about the impact on all aspects of my life: family, marital, work, social. But guess what? No impact whatsoever. I still cook and bake for my family and coworkers. My husband and I still enjoy good food together. I still decorate cakes, but not as often, because I really will kill myself licking icing. I still host all the family get togethers. I just send most of the leftovers away, keeping just enough to enjoy one more meal of Thanksgiving goodies or whatever. I will say I don't enjoy eating out as much, but strictly from a practical point of view. I don't eat much, and it doesn't take me long to do it. I get fidgety while the others eat - but I'm not envious of them. I just don't feel like it's not worth the time or money anymore, but I go when I need to for social reasons. I never did drink much alcohol and still don't, but I will enjoy a drink now and then. It was altogether anti-climactic really. Oh! Almost forgot!! I just turned 60 and my coworkers threw a pizza and birthday cake party for me. I ate almost one slice of pizza, kinda greasy, and a pretty decent sized piece of cake! Just like everone else, except they ate an entire piece of pizza or maybe two.

If it hasn't killed you yet, it likely won't And they say caffeine is a diuretic and can cause trouble with dehydration. But one cup isn't something to be concerned about. A few weeks ago I picked my one-mug-a-day back up, without guilt or worry. But I'm 10 months out. However, I did drink Click caffeinated Protein Drinks throughout the early days, and the caffeine did not kill me. It was not off limits by my doctor's rules. I used the Click to get extra Protein simultaneously with the caffeine. Got sick of it, went back to real coffee. Love it, just once a day.

Think she said six months out and 100 posts makes us a veteran. At 10 months, I do feel like one! Still have to deal with keeping the weight off long-term, but that becomes the primary issue the very instant one reaches goal.

Cheri, that is great that you had some bounce back in your skin. I can tell by your picture and the fact that you are pregnant that you are much, much younger than some of us. And that probably helped with your skin bouncing back. And some folks just have more elasticity in their skin than others. I've never had any! I carried twins, not even to full term, when I was just a teenager, and my tummy skin never recovered, although I very quickly returned to my former weight, and was quite fit back in those days. And I was large breasted and the boobs were just ruined from no elasticity in the skin envelope. I later had a breast lift/reduction to fix that mess, and the boobs have somehow survived the weight loss fairly intact for an old girl. I can remember being in my early 30s and working out with weights, just fit and firm all over, except for my loose skin. And of course, the later weight gain made it worse. I'll probably get the tummy fixed because I can see it clothed. To heck with the rest.

While you may strongly disagree with the OP, there is no need to resort to name calling. The name caller is the one put in an unfavorable light, and it is against the forum policies.

This is my primary concern about plastics at my age. I don't want to look like FrankenWoman. I have too much upper arm skin, saggy flat butt and my thighs are just hideous. But I'm only interested in bringing the tummy bulge down, nothing else. I don't want a belly that looks like it belongs to a 20 year old, or even a 40 year old. I just want to look like a 60 year old with a reasonably flat tummy. I hope to find a surgeon who understands this concept.

So glad to see this forum! At 10 months out, not having any real issues. I am disappointed in myself. I've done so well to date. But had a cake-filled few days this week as I turned 60, and I did eat too much of it. Now the scale is reprimanding me for it. Just a pound, but a pound is a pound. Going to be rid of it by end of the week.

Spatter, I look like an old empty paper sack too! But I look ok clothed. The only part I can't hide clothed is the pooch belly, and I am considering plastics for that, but not sure yet. Why don't you come to the support group on Feb 2, where a prominent plastic surgeon in Lexington will make a presentation about our options? I haven't attended any of the meetings, but I will attend this one.

Not one regret. I'd do it again today. I'd pay for it again today.

Not one stall. I tracked my weight daily (still do) and never stayed at the same weight for longer than three days. And I have yet to hit the first lick of exercise. I know, it's shameful. I have a super high metabolism. I know this as I had BMR tests before surgery and once I hit goal. And that's shameful too, because it means I had to work hard to get that heavy with such a metabolism. I weigh 165 as we speak and am told I have to eat over 2000 calories per day to maintain current weight. I am having a hard time holding that much food!!

Not quite so low a BMI as only 60 pounds to lose, but I started at almost 40 BMI and lost 86 pounds in about 9 months. Never hit a stall. I don't know how much I lost on average per week, don't have my records here with me this moment.

Salsa! Delicious with cottage cheese!

And we are at risk from the obesity. Either way brings risks, but the risks of surgery were SO worth the rewards! I don't belong in this forum because I was only 59 when I was sleeved, but close enough!

Panera's tomato soup. Or the broccoli cheese.

I doubt he means harm. My husband has been so supportive and understands my life style change, and has embraced it for himself. However, he is still able to eat normal portions, where I am not. Whenever I allow him to cut my piece or get my serving, it is always far more than I can eat. I am certain there is no sabotage, just failure to understand.

I was self-pay. I can't speak for all self-pay, particularly those who go out of country, but yes, I had to go through all the visits with shrink and nutritionists, plus have all the medical tests. The only thing I did not have to do was undergo medically supervised dieting for any period of time, thank goodness. That alone was worth the money. I felt extremely informed, prepared and ready for the surgery and the changes it would bring. I do not attribute this in any way to shrink and nutritionist visits - that was just jumping through hoops. Instead I attribute it to my own research, soul-searching, self-awareness, preparation, realistic expectations and true readiness for and acceptance of change.

It really wasn't that painful. I've had 10 surgeries, and it was #9 on the list of discomfort, with total knee replacement in #1 and tubal ligation at #10. You'll be fine. Just remember, pain is temporary.

Where did you have your surgery? Do you not have post-op checkups? Were you not given any information before or after surgery? Not being a smarty, I just really am wondering? I had frequent check ups and still do. I was given a huge manual with all the information I could ever think of. I was given a diet plan for way farther out than 4 weeks. And I definitely had to take more than one multi-Vitamin pill - I had to take a ton of other supplements in addition to a multi-vitamin. In absence of any medical guidance since surgery, and since you would be about 2.5 months out, I would suggest continuing the Protein shakes. At that point in time, I was eating pimento cheese, tuna salad, crackers, Wendy's chili, and believe it or not, nuts. Also, cheese, cooked hamburger patties with cheese,cottage cheese with salsa, lunch meat by itself. I know this because I logged my food in great detail. And if any foods cause pain or discomfort, stop eating them for a week or so then try again. I'm 10 months out, at goal, and I still drink Protein drinks.

There is evidence that grhelin, or however it's spelled, is in part responsible for the regulatioin of body temperature. Well, we don't have nearly as much of that stuff as we used to have. I was as hot as heck all the time pre-surgery. But I was immediately freezing to death after surgery, painfully so. I could not get warm, particularly in bed for some strange reason. I thought that would just be a price I had to pay. And it went on and on for months. I had to pile blankets high on my bed, and still I couldn't go to sleep I was so cold, for about the first two hours of the night. Now, 10 months out, that is starting to level out some. I am still cold when I go to bed, but not nearly as much, and it subsides within a few minutes. Thank goodness. Others may have different stories, but I think my cold issue is getting much better. I was just wondering yesterday if it is related to an increased carb intake now that I'm at goal.