CowgirlJane

I think bad feelings are really normal right now. I also think you should call your bariatric center or counselor to get some guidance and support. It really does get better, hang in there.

I have said it over and over don't do WLS if you haven't tried absolutely everything. I sincerely believe that lower BMI & younger people have a better chance of maintaining successfully and and should really try lifestyle programs first. If weight loss had been better supported i might have been able to do it when I weighed 200 . In my case I had given good tries over the decades and lost lots of weight but sorta ratched my way up the scale. I was just hungry all the time. I have been maintaining two years post sleeve so happy I did it, but wish I hadn't had to. I sincerely wish you, and all of us, a successful weight loss to goal and good health in maintenance!

And you could try saving up funds ..but I think plastics are a nice to have. I would not have used retirement funds for it, I put off remodeling my house and used that money..

Yes, and then I changed it up - added more intensity and harder workouts. I did long duration for awhile, but research shows that interval training like you are doing is quite effective. Look up or buy a good book on how to "progress". Here was the bonus at the end of the weight loss phase... under all that fat emerged a fairly fit and toned body. It took the 14 months prior to reaching that goal.. of progressively increasing and "changing up" my routine to acheive that however. and it continues... even now.

Nobody can answer this but you. My general feeling is that people need to really have tried EVERYTHING and then you know, deep down, you believe, that you need to make this sleeve thing work. there are many low BMI people who have done this and I completely respect their decision. for me, I have a hard time with it for younger/low BMI people because there ARE risks. there are major impacts to your life. Someone with a 30 BMI might have a chance of "managing" their obesity via lifestyle changes. Once you are 40+ BMI, older, have the comorbidities.. the deck is stacked much worse against you without surgery. Full disclosure which reveals my biases - I was in my late 40s, had a BMI over 50 at time of surgery so my disease of obesity was pretty advanced by then... I should also say that on some level, it saddens me that I had to resort to something quite drastic - removing a major portion of a life sustianing organ - in order for me to regain my health. I really had no other options and I have no regrets about the sugery, but if I could re-write my life story, it would not involve partial stomach removal and WOULD involve a different lifestyle beginning decades ago.

I don't know... do you take an acid inhibitor? do you feel you are consistently eating small quantities, chewing well and not "wolfing food"? The biggest adjustment for me would be to eat slow. I overall did really well with that, but would sometimes forget and go back to my old ways of shoveling food - which caused me to hurl a couple of times. Another idea is there is an herbal supplement found at Vitamin stores called DGL Licorice - I get it in German chocolate flavor. It is a tablet that i crunch a few times, and then put between lip and gum and let it melt. It coats the throat, esphugus etc and just "calms" things. I am 3 years out, but sometimes I feel a little weird and the DGL helps with that. I know longer take a PPI but I sure did the early months.

One of my girlfriends has been trim her whole life. Over the last year she put on quite a bit of weight. she is 5'7" and as a young woman, was one of those 100-115# chicks. Even as a post 60 year old, she was mostly in the 140s. She got up to like 180 in 2014 and has dieted down - yeah! Yesterday, she announced that she weighs 155, which is the same as what i weigh. She isn't back to where she wants to be but has made amazing progress and credits me for some diet coaching since it is a subject I have much expertise in... I had one of those..whoa, you are taller and 12 years older, I SHOULD weight less than you! She made me do a side by by side body comparison - Me: toned and no extra fat on calves and arms She: cellulite on calves even, i had never really noticed that. We didn't have a tape measure, but my legs are definately smaller trimmer. I have trouble with tall boots being way too big and she is having to make sure they don't hug her calves too much. Me: waist measurement, about 30 Her: many more inches than 30 Me: pant size:fairly slim 6-8ish range in most brands (up from my slimmest when I was a solid 4) Her: double digit pant size Me: big on top - usually a med but sometimes need a large. I have the breasts, but more importantly, the big ribcage, broad shoulders. I sometimes don't like that athletic build but bones don't shrink, so it is what it is... get over it. Her: Med on top, never needs a large. However, she does not have much difference between bust and waist. We compared wrists and looked closely at our forearms. Mine are just bigger.. way more bone and as we compared upper arm - mine have defined muscles. She was born to weigh less than me and it is just a reality. So, it is good to have friends give you a shake of reality and it points out the dangers of striving for somebody else's ideal weight and not your own. Point is, at the same weight, I look and feel fitter and slimmer even though she is 2" taller. I would love to weigh in the 140s again, but I am pretty good where I am at. I hope that as some people just starting our think about goal weights, they can use charts for guidance, but be real and be kind to yourself. We are not all built the same!

oh, don't rule out other physical reasons. I am an advocate of low/moderate carb, but if you go crazy low you will forget how to tie your shoes. Seriously, the brain needs some carbs to function well. There is a reason that bariatric centers of excellence do follow up blood work. If you are low on key nutrients it can make you mentally off. I am not sure what happens when people go out of country and don't have follow up. My blood work has always been great post op and my brain fog/weird feeling did pass.

I am not sure I was depressed - but i felt "not myself, not quite human" for the first 12 weeks post op. It was sorta strange, like I felt as though I was an observer of my own life, kind of a surreal feeling. Is that depression? I have many theories as to why I felt that way, but it did pass. I would say by around 6 months post op I was becoming... jazzed, excited, happy, astounded even... My theories of what causes that weird, unsettled feeling: -Fat acts like a body organ and releases hormones. It is well documented that rapid weight loss releases stored estrogen. Sometiimes that makes people feel very emotional. I felt stupid, couldn't remember things etc -Many of us probably used food to help "quiet" feelings. Could we perhaps be starting to "feel" some things were weren't used to feeling? how unsettling to wake up one day and realize that you just cannot, under any circumstances continue to live with XXXX in your life that you tolerated for a long time, with the help of a little food to bury your true feelings. -Wow, it's kind of hard adjusting to the water/food/vitamin schedule. Felt like a freaking full time job. I was so huge nobody could even SEE my weight loss until I had lost about 50#. So, those early months I was parting ways with a close friend (food and obesity), realizing aspects of my life really sucked and needed to change, spent huge energy on managing my food/water/activity/vitamins etc etc AND I was still HUGELY FAT. That kind of thing could get a girl down if she let it...

I am 3 years out. I have had one "classic" dumping episode and it was Christmas day 2011. My surgery was December 11th 2011 and since I was a band revision, surgeon had me on a much slower food progression than typical. I was still on liquids so whilst my family enjoyed a Christmas feast, I had a warm chocolate Protein drink... but this was back when my thinking was still a bit "off". It was Christmas - I needed a treat, right? So I blended some Peanut Butter in. Perhaps too much peanut butter. I felt horrible - cramps, digestional upset, overall misery etc. It was bad enough that I didn't even taste peanut butter for a very long time after that. Since then, I will say that I have had a few meals that made me feel bad, although I don't think they were classic dumping. My take away is that you need to be "in training" to eat junky crappy food. If you eat pretty clean and then decide you will share a deep fried fish and chip dinner with a friend (hey, i was at goal, what's a little treat?) you may decide it ISN'T WORTH IT! I had a horrible tummy ache, I felt like I had been dipped in grease and had to digest it all. It wasn't the same as my Christmas day event, but it wasn't good either. So, where that leaves me is I can have a bit of something deep fried every once in a while.. but just a bit... and I feel okay. I made homemade potato chips for my boys and their friends, munched on a few with no ill effects... but just a few with a very healthy meal. I don't really want to eat that crap anyways so it is fine. I can't even fathom eating say a McDonalds meal, I suspect I would hurl it just based on the grease alone. Well, who knows, but I decided I don't want to find out.

I thought I had a fat apron too... turns out it was a skin apron. If you can't/don't want to do plastics you need to accept it as part of the new you. It might shrink some up over time, but franky excess skin does not disappear by lifting weights, doinb body wraps or anything. It is stretched out skin but it is so much healthier AND attractive than obesity. Never forget how much you have accomplished! We are so dang self critical - I bet you look great in spite of this. I found that strategic shapewear really helped! Not too tight or you muffin top out, but just right and that extra skin gives you a fake "va-voom" factor in the hips. I did get plastics, but, I coulda lived with the skin... much better than the fat.

Do you really want this? The patient must pick their own surgery, with counsel from their surgeon. You are the one that has to live with it, the one who has to "make it work"

I feel bad for you all still recovering. ..but it will get better soon!

I had lapband for 10 years, sleeve for 3. There are successful band patients including the founder of this forum. However, the band made my life miserable with stuck food, vomiting and reflux issues. I lost some weight but never got under 200# -was still fat. Sleeve is less restriction but more consistent small capacity. You definitely have to"work" the sleeve to lose 100percent of excess weight and maintain it but it has been effective for me.

I am 3 years out and I CAN drink Beer or Soda without any physical problems. I don't think either a great idea though.. high carb and I think for some people... a gateway drug back to sugar - ha! I do have the occasional beer with my sons, but on a daily basis, I choose to avoid carbonation. I can't stand the taste of soda pop anymore so its not really a temptation. Again, things in moderation aren't really a big issue but we all need to make tradeoffs. I would rather consume my "treat carbs" in the form of a glass of wine over a cup of soda. Of course there are many informed to NEVER drink any alchohol again post op too - which is probably great advice. I waited till I got to maintenance and you can be sure I watch it closely since calories and carbs really sneak in via liquids of any type! People that start regaining after the 3 year mark (trust me on this, something changes around year 3-4 post op that makes regain even easier...) often start by slowly sliding down that slippery slope - so whatever you do, make a conscious decision and make sure you can manage it so it doesn't interfere with health and weight goals!

Some people call it a stall just because they arent losing weight. That is not an accurate definition of stall. A stall is when you really are losing but scale doesn't reflect it. People can be "following a plan" not really losing and it is not really a stall. It means that they either aren't following the plan or it isn't the right plan for them. My point is that a stall is a temporary state of affairs when the scale is lying. People often lose inches etc during stalls.. it is just the leveling out of Water weight etc etc

Dee - I too came to the conclusion that 5:2 contributes to mood issues. I dont' take ANY drugs for anxiety anymore, and so I avoid behavior type things that tend to trigger it. I also think some kind of regular activity or exercise helps with mood, general help etc probably more than it does the weight. It is good you will have your sleeve checked, but i am guessing it is the business dinners at restaurants, the wine, the lifestyle that is the issue. I don't even know what you do, but i used to have a very high pressured job. i had an uber high pressure week these last 4 days and it reminds me that for me, it is incompatible with a healthy lifestyle. All that stress and working crazy long hours - exercise, physical therapy, adequate sleep (which is an issue anyway) just fly out the window. I ate pretty healthy, avoided the junky snacks in my workshop that everyone else was eating but i did eat too much over all. Fruit, nuts, bigger lunch, out to dinner, wine with dinner, too late of nights etc. and just ridiculous amounts of coffee. I feel like i was running on stress and caffeine this last week. This is why i don't want a promotion, my quieter daily life allows me more time to focus on my own needs.

I cannot relate to getting WLS primarily for " looks" . This is a life altering decision - I did it to avoid obesity related disability and premature death. My looks improved way beyond my wildest dreams but that was bonus points.

Thirst masquerades as hunger...

I started at 308 and lost 150# to get to goal in 14 months. Lost a little more later. I advise to not get to hung up in monthly weight loss. Just keep following your plan and the weight loss follows. This isn't a crash diet it's a permanent way of living. Heal fast and good luck!

I cannot comment on your belly but your face is georgous. Have you considered the possibility that you have an inaccurate and unreasonably negative view of your appearance?

I am sorry! I didn't have any seromas but I didn't know they used drains to address.

I have gone on alot of first dates... and I have not really had a problem. I finally figured out that nobody questions if a skinny (by skinny I mean normal size ) girl eats light. I could not even try to eat a cheeseburger and don't want one but I can eat a shrimp skewer, a crabcake, sushi, smaller salad, half sandwich. .really lots of things. Just started seeing someone and he seems to find it very cool that he gets one and half meals. We tend to go to places with modest serving sizes and you can be sure I order something he'll like. I feed him bites from the beginning and I am not sure he even realizes (or doesn't care) my portions. Even when he cooks for me...I sorta skip the rice or noodles, eat half a protein portion and some veggies and he seems quote satisfied that I have sufficiently enjoyed his creation. I think half of it is not drawing attention to your food and choosing wisely what you order...and charming him with good conversation. .m ha ha

Sleeve is different. For me...I didn't lose with band well at all but sleeve I lost half my body weight and normal size now. I guess it is less about restriction. .and indeed you have no food restrictions. It takes alot from you...and I think low carb helps. You asked what I'd do. Not sure I would revise the sleeve. Don't know what you weigh but 10 isn't that much. I'd either try to make current sleeve work or revise to DS.

She hasn't posted in quite a while. Did you send her a pm?