BenisaMartim4

I am 15 months out and I track everything. I do not have a problem of over eating, mine is under eating. My sleeve is still VERY restrictive. Many times I'm lucky to get in 2oz. I was living on a very low calorie consumption but I stopped losing weight. I called my NUT and she said no one over 12 months out should ever drop below 1200 calories. She said continuing with the extremely low caloric intake will damage the BMR, sometimes permanently. I immediately increased my calories through any means necessary (extra shakes, Gatorade, condiments.) I had been in a 6 week stall and within a week of increasing my intake I had lost 5#. I have to track to make sure I eat. Without the accountability I literally would not take a bite all day. food is at the bottom of my priority list. I have to eat every 2-3 hours to be able to get my calories in. I am below my surgical goal, but I am 2# from my end goal of half my body weight gone and normal BMI. I still plan to track long term. I just think it is the best for me. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Woohoo!! You have done wonderful girl. So glad you were able to get your TT and everything is healing well. It will make such a huge difference in the way you feel. Question: When they say that the average skin removal is only about a pound, do you believe they are speaking of us (WLS folks) or just the general public? That sounds like such a small amount. I have 3 friends that have already had it done. Their removals were 7#, 8# and 10#. Mine is in review right now and I am expecting 5#. That will be the best 5# I have ever lost too! I can't wait to have it done. I want to have a belly button again! I agree with everyone else; you are going to have to share pics ASAP :0) Sent from my iPhone using VST

Hi everyone. It's been a long time since I've dropped by, but I just want to give an up date and a word of encouragement. I had my one year post-op yesterday. It was a bit late (2/14/12 surgery), but anywho. I was down #160 (335-175), twenty dress sizes (28-8) and over 252 inches. If I can do this, anyone can. I had my toes in the grave. I was on 21 meds and the doc told me I would die that way...whether I lost weight or not. Because of my problems he (my PCP) didn't think I would lost a huge amount (50-60#), but he encouraged me to have it do so I could 'feel a little better about myself.' Well, I'm glad to say I proved him wrong. I did lose weight and a lot of it. I also lost all of the meds and the cane/walker/wheelchair. I am a WALKING miracle. I give praise to God for my healing. Now because I was instantly miraculously healed, but because he allowed me to find the path and the means (insurance) to get what I needed to be healed. I do believe God instantly heals somethings in some people, but I also believe he uses the hand of good physicians to administer healing. This is the way he chose to give me mine. I encourage anyone that has had a long, unyielding struggle with obesity to talk to a doctor about WLS... Sleeve in particular. If you are on the edge trying to make up your mind, take my advice. Do it! You are sick? In pain? Lonely? Depressed? What are you holding on to! You have nothing to lose, but all of that. Are there risks? Yes. Is it hard? Yes. But come on. We all know the fat has a 100% chance of causing complication/death. Is it really that much of a gamble to take a 1% chance with a surgery. You're more likely to get killed in a car wreck on the way to get your next fast food burger. Do yourself and your family/friends a favor and choose life. I did and I would do it again and again. Before surgery (28, 335#) and on my 1 year Surgiversary (8/10, 178#) At my 1 year post op (8, 175#) holding my old size 28 skirt. Side view. Now a size 8. Sent from my iPhone using VST

I stand up and shout it from the mountain top. I want everyone to know what it did for me. I hope my testimony helps others take back their lives. Only positive feedback here. 15 months out, 165# down and maintaining. Awesome! Sent from my iPhone using VST

Cute!! Congrats on your progress!! Sent from my iPhone using VST

The point of us having this surgery was to live like normal healthy skinny people, not to stay on a diet the rest of our lives. I eat whatever I want and always have, but in very tiny quantities. I am almost 15 months out. I have lost 165#. I have pretty much been in maintenance for 3 months. Not really on purpose; the nut told me that my calories were too low and that is why I stopped. I upped my calories and carbs and lost 5# in 5 days. I am 10# below goal. You will find that the majority of people that will all four you are pre-surgery or newbie sleevers. That is why you will find very few veterans here. We have learned to live life like normal people with tiny stomaches and we try to steer clear of pettiness. You have to find your own way in this journey. If you were living on nothing but cokes and Cookies I would tell you to get a hold of yourself. If you have a cupcake now and then or a cookie with your milk sometimes, I say enjoy. You are going to have a sleeve the rest of your life. You have not been sentenced to food prison. You have been given the liberating to enjoy life and food and have control of it instead of it controlling you. Best wishes! Sent from my iPhone using VST

There are so many things that factor into this. Your sleeve is not a failure. All of us function differently and have had different things going on with our health when we were sleeved. I am in a support group with ladies that all were sleeved within a month of each other. We are all 14 months+ -. Our weight loss ranges from 66# to 170#. I have lost 165#. My start weight was 335#. What was your start weight. Pounds lost is not the best way to look at it. You need to know % of body weight lost. This is how they figure it on the biggest loser. It's not fair to compare the weight loss of a person weighing 350-400# to that of a person weighing 200-250#. The bigger person is pretty much always going to drop big numbers faster. You also may have the opposite problem than what you think. You may not be eating enough. You will lower your BMR if your body presumes starvation. I was doing this to myself. I would ask my doctor to assess my routine. If he/she thinks you are doing everything right (keep up with it on my fitness pal so you can be POSITIVE of your intake) then I would consider going to an endocrinologist to have my BMR tested. If it shows that your metabolism is damaged, then they can tell you ways to help boost it. You did not make the wrong decision choosing the sleeve over the by-pass. It is much better to lose >60# and be healthy than to lose >100# and be malnourished and Vitamin deficient. Sent from my iPhone using VST

After seeing all my test results and them saying it was degenerative and the only way to alleviate some of the pain and a faster deterioration was to build muscles, he told me that I could go to the gym if I wanted to. We are going to see if they will let me do a trial to see if I can hold up prior to PT. I was standing and looking at myself in the mirror this morning. I have the tiniest little bird legs with piles of loose flesh over the top. I hope building up muscle under there will help their appearance too. My main reason for doing it is my spinal and joint condition, but I'm just as vain as the next girl and want to feel pretty when I look in the mirror too. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Girls, he's jealous! It is so funny (and its not.) People have picked at him so much about me getting another "feller" until he has taken it to heart. He says he doesn't want other men looking at me while I exercise. He wouldn't care for me to go to the Curves, but they just recently closed ours down. He acts like my body guard now. I think it's cute. Poor guy has always been insecure even though he is super sweet, a hard worker and cute as a button. I humor him not to tear him down; but I really would like to try all those weight machines out. It feel like it would be more beneficial to me that cardio/aerobic activity. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Hello Jessica (my name is Jessica too.) I am also 5'9" and I started at 335. I am 14 months out and I have lost 161#. It came off really fast at first and then slowed to almost a stop after 10 months. I am a size 8 now; people tell me all the time that I am skinny. I am technically still 6# overweight. I am shooting for the normal BMI weight of 168#. I am also in the process of getting the paperwork done to have a tummy tuck. I really expect that to take that much weight off...and firmly plant me in a 6/8. I can already wear some 6 skirts and some 4/6 tops, but you know how crazy sizes can be. I believe you will take the rest of your weight off just fine. Don't let others discourage you. They are just in shock. Also I think as long as you eat right, you will be able to have another baby after a year. My blood work is perfectly fine and I have had my share of problems. If I were not already finished having babies, I would not be scared to get pregnant at all. Best wishes!! Sent from my iPhone using VST

^^^like she said! Get on my fitness pal and do it now. It's the best partner your sleeve will ever have. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Although I pretty small now (8 s or m) I have to say my lower abdomen is more pronounced than my backside. It is flat as a pancake. Hoping to get rid of the last of the belly and FUPA with plastics in the next few weeks though. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Yes, it is called a FUPA (fat upper pubic area) by plastic surgeons. When you have a tummy tuck or panniculectomy they can pull it up and remove the excess skin (and lipo if need be.) I just had my 1st plastics consult yesterday and I plan to have it done. Mine is not fat though, just loose skin. Even if you are still a bit pudgy there it is disguiseable. You need to get some shape wear. I have lost 161# and have a ton of loose skin, but you can't see a wrinkle on me anywhere when I'm dressed because I wear good shape wear. People don't even believe I have any. They always say, "I can't tell you we're ever big. You're not all saggy and flabby like most people." Sent from my iPhone using VST

Wonderful job! Congrats! Sent from my iPhone using VST

I have lost 161# and mine are pretty big. My kids love them. They are all the time squeezing my arms. One asked me the other day: Kid- are those your wings? Me- yep Kid- can you fly with them? Me- nope, I prefer to use a broom. Kid- ahhhhh *screams for other kids* mama's an alien!!! Lol...kids???? Sent from my iPhone using VST

I am 5'9" Sent from my iPhone using VST

Aww sweet, I'm so sorry about your mom. Be with her all you can and make meaningful memories to last you the rest of your life. I personally feel that I am not coping with stress very well at all. I have no crutch to turn to at all; I no longer enjoy food, I don't drink/smoke/use drugs and I have quit all Rx drugs including my antidepressants and pain meds. I have four children 5-12 years old, 3 of them are disabled and we also full time homeschool. To say I stay stressed would be an understatement! I feel like I have nowhere to turn. The more weight I have lost, the worse I have felt mentally. It's like I'm trapped with no hope or end in sight. I never realized how much eating actually fills a void in your life until I didn't want to eat any more. I wish I had something to help. I don't think it needs to be running though...if I ever started, I might not turn around and come back 0.o Sent from my iPhone using VST

I can testify that you can most definitely dump with a sleeve (but I don't believe that is what you are doing)or without one for that matter. I have had medically diagnosed dumping syndrome for 15 years. Mine is much better now, but in the beginning I could dump ingesting ANYTHING and that included water. It was a miserable existence. Like I said, it is much better now but I do still have episodes. Mine is associated with having a gallbladder removal. About 50% of people without a gallbladder experience some type of dumping syndrome. I did not see anyone mention it above, but many artificial sweeteners can cause gastrointestinal disturbances. Some of them even mention it on the package. I have found Splenda ties me in knots and causes me to dump terribly. My father, who is a diabetic, also experiences dumping from Splenda. Maltitol (found in sugar-free candy) is another culprit. Some of my other friends with the sleeve actually buy a bag of sugar-free Werther's candy and eat it to make themselves dump when they are severely constipated. If you do not normally eat fiber (bread, crackers, cruciferous veggies) adding a sudden overload of that can also cause tummy upset. I suggest that you get yourself a Myfitnesspal account, set it to 3 meals and 3 snacks a day and track every bite that goes in your mouth. This will help you know what is hurting you and also help you get a reign in on your eating. The sleeve did not fix your brain, just your stomach. YOU are going to have to exercise some will power. No one can do this for you. You have to make up your mind you are worth it. My Myfitnesspal account/friends are as important a tool to me as my sleeve is.

I believe in many cases here there may be a misdiagnosis. It is not head hunger, but just plain out HUNGER. With this surgery most of us fall into a 'anorexic' type of thinking. Oh Lord, if I eat one bite over 700, 800, 1000 calories a day I'm going to get fat again. If you had anyone else other than a WLS person tell you that they led a normal life and only consumed 800 calories a day, you would say that there was something wrong with their thinking. Living the rest of our lives in starvation is not feasible. After all the excess fat is gone the body is going to HAVE to have some fuel to burn. If it does not get it from what you consume it will start to burn its own muscles and vital organs. I have upped my calories to 1000 and actually consume closer to 1200 a day. I am finding it almost impossible to function on less than that now. I am still actively losing and I only have 5# of excess weight left. My body is obviously needing this. I would also like to note that generally I do not exercise. If you do, you are going to need more. When I have a hard day, I have to eat more or I will literally get faint. So I guess I took the long way around to say this; we were not told we would NEVER be hungry again. If you are feeling hungry maybe your body is trying to tell you something...FEED ME!! Remember being anorexic is just as dangerous as being fat. We were not looking to trade one eating disorder for another. Just keep it in check. Add a 100 extra calories a day in the form of a good quality fat/protein combo and see how much better you feel.

I saw the doc today and she said I definitely had to increase my fluids (I lose them too fast.) she wants me to drink the sports drinks. She said they should raise my bp. She then said if that did not succeed she wanted to give me a pill to make me gain Water weight. Wha!!! After all I've been through, a pill to make me GAIN weight. I don't think so. I'll stick with the Powerade and not trying to fly. The endocrinologist also called and said I had to come in for an adrenal function test on Tuesday. My labs came back too and my D is still really low. This can also cause dizziness/weakness/black-outs. He upped my dose from 2000IU BID to 5000IU BID; that is on top of the double dose of calcium/D and Multivitamins. Maybe it will get straightened out one day. Sent from my iPhone using VST

Ok guys and gals, I'm 13 months out and have lost #160. I'm having a problem with low blood pressure and also orthostatic hypotension (bp bottoming out upon standing or sudden movement.) I stay really weak and black-out at least 2-3 times a day. I understand this is pretty common among people that have lost a boat-load of weight. Has anyone else here experienced this? And if so, about how long did it take it to resolve (if it did.) Any tips to help ? (other than don't move fast :0P) Sent from my iPhone using VST