CowgirlJane

I couldn't see it either. Later this week I will have time on laptop and will look

I had about 2.5 months between band removal and sleeve. I had failed with the band, and was very obese... but those months I was ravenous - eat everything in sight I went low carb to avoid gaining like 50# but it was miserable. Just.plain.awful. I am glad it happened though. It removed ANY crazy ideas that might have been lurking in my brain that I didn't need the sleeve. When you are 300# and gaining it is quite the wake up call.

Go to a really good athletic shoe store and have them fit you. It will cost a bit more money, but then when you buy replacement shoes you will know the brand/style/size etc that is perfect for your feet and you can look for them online, or at a discount store or something. It is worth it to prevent injuries and pain. I did the 3 day breast cancer walk when I was still morbidly obese in 2007. I walked 20 miles a day for 3 days and trained for it for months. I wound up taking way bigger shoes than my normal size in order to protect my toes on the downhills (remember lots of HOURS walking) and also to have the arch hit me in the right spot. I wound up buying multiple pairs of the same shoe. I did all that when I weighed over 250# and I am sure my good properly fitting shoe (for the purpose) is what saved toenails and kept me from getting a foot or leg problem.

You are getting alot of detailed feedback, but I think it is wise to step back and ask yourself the really big questions about your readiness for this. I too wish I could have achieved lasting weight loss when I was your age, but I have to be honest... I am not sure I was emotionally ready. Who knows? I think meeting some people in your age range, understanding their situation, discussing with a counselor or other support resources is a really good thing. Most bariatric centers have support groups and preops are welcome to them. I can't emphasize enough that you need to be "all in" to make this work. I am not talking about whether you can have a piece of bread or occasional alcholic drink (once you are goal etc) I am talking about the day after day, month after month, year after year lifestyle committment this takes. I think we all need to view WLS as the big huge hairy deal that it is and not imagine that it is just one more diet. I am NOT saying you believe that, I am just trying to get across a point strongly. I have been maintaining a big weight loss for 2 years and due to my history of ALWAYS regaining, I am still self observing with "guarded optimism" that this is finally it - I can stay trim for a lifetime. That is my dream and I WISH WISH I could have done it in my early 20s and not late 40s but that is MY reality. I just turned 50 and finally I am in single digit sizes and actually maintain the same size month after month - now that is a novel concept for me! I'll take it - beats the crap out of being morbidly obese and middle age..haha

Healthy skeptism versus blind belief it is a miracle cure is a good thing. Others have said this already - it doesn't just "poof work like magic" it is a very powerful tool you can use to manage the disease of obesity but it takes your effort, perserverance and investment in yourself. Most people experience (after first 2 months of healing and adjustment) "the weight comes off so easy - I can eat anything I want just small portions".... and then they cross into a realization... "darn, I guess I DO need to watch WHAT I eat, timing, frequency etc or I will regain" I am 3 years and 3 months post op; maintaining for 2 years. My highest lifetime weight was somewhere in the mid 300s (330-350 range). My presleeve weight was 308. I wore 3X tops and at one point 32W slacks - I was a big lady. I spent most of my life overweight, morbidly obese, or super morbidly obese. This morning, I weighed 156 and I wear single digit clothing sizes. I will never tell you it has been easy but, my life is SO GOOD without carrying around the weight of a full grown man - that was so exhausting mentally, physically, emotionally.

Besides the flavor and enjoyment factor I just dont think they arehigh enough protein.

Please ladies. .. this man is not perfect (are any of them..ha) but he doesn't seem to be the villain so many of you seem to see him as. op updated us...please read it. This WLS thing effects our loved ones too. I promise you that investing in their emotional needs is important too.

Omg...today was like a perfect spring day. I spent the day with my best friend. She lives in the country. ..dogs, horses, glass of wine in the sun among the trees...heaven. absolute heaven

I know this is a zombie thread, revised from the dead, but I love your husband!!! Sounds like a keeper to me!

I have been reading these forums well over 3 years. I also lost a few more pounds than I planned (happened while in maintenance ). I can confidently say that it is nearly always caused by emotional or eating disorder issues. I had been at goal well over a year when the culmination of life events including my grown son moving out made me lonely. I was demotivated to prepare food. The less you eat, the less you WANT to eat. Pretty soon I felt like I couldn't eat. I lost weight rapidly and felt terrible physically. The solution was once again to treat food like a prescription for health and I had to force myself to increase eating. I did other things too but key was once my eating became reasonable again my emotional state improved. Most people, myself included work to keep from regain. ..that fear of too thin is really not a physical issue (rare exception) so if you have your head on straight you can address it much like I did, in the unlikely event it does happen.

I too advise PPI but this lump in the throat business might be something else. My first 2 years post sleeve my surgeon surveyed me for issues. That hard to swallow and lump in throat was constantly asked and in a different section of survey than reflux so I think you need to see your bariatric team.

@@AvaFern I suspect when you are a bit further out and your scars fade more you will feel better. My arms for example - I go sleeveless alot and people don't really notice the scars. There are very few women my age -or most ages - that look perfect in a bikini without airbrush. We have created an idea of perfection that will never be found. I find that if a man is attracted to you as a full package details like imperfect thighs or even scars don't matter. I am my own worst critic...well, I used to be, but I don't do that anymore. I am proud of my body, my hair I am even beginning to accept my face. I am not making this up, but as soon as I started liking my looks I got prettier.

@@jordantaylor I don't know how old you are, or what your circumstances are but in my late 40s, for the first time EVER i came to understand the disease process of obesity. This does NOT negate the responsibility I hold for the choices I made, but understanding the upstream, almost impossible battles I fought just removed so much guilt and shame. I want to thank Dr Billing from PSSC for explaining this to me in a compassionate, yet factual way. It set the path for me to begin changing, not just my weight and appearance, but much of how I relate to the world. Being super morbidly obese is a terrible thing really and you don't know how bad it is until you arent. I too started out over 300# and am now a normal weight. As a preop, I could not even comprehend how this change would impact me... but I am truly transformed. So my advice - don't be "down" be excited! Think of where you might be 1-2 years down the road. look at before and after pix, read success stories.. visualize what is possible.

@Nyelaah congrats!!! I guess some of them are pretty hardcore about this. What happened to me is that during my general freak out about having my SECOND WLS (I had band from 2001-2011 which was an epic fail) I decided I just needed "counseling". I kept looking for reasons that I was pretty successful in life, and yet was such a failure at the fat game. I picked a lady who was supposed to be an expert in over eating issues. She decided I didn't fit the profile of an eating disorder, but she never believed me that I was just hungry all the dang time. Turns out, she only had like a years experience as an "expert" and was very anti WLS... however, she could not deny that I was stable, motivated, able to understand instructions and comply and understood what I was getting ready to do (remove most of my stomach which is frankly a big deal) so she sent the letter. So, for me, I learned more about why I was so huge from my bariatric docs than I ever did from any mental health professional. I realize that other people have other circumstances, but I am jaded on this topic.... 80% of my issues where genuine physical hunger ... caused by the very advanced disease of obesity. No counseling could really change that, but surgery did - I thank my lucky stars and higher powers that I discovered that before I died.

It's a long list: -shop anywhere EXCEPT Lane Bryant -fit in any seat -run up stairs and -outhike my young adult sons -horsebike ride fast and long hours -kickboxing without dying -wear fashionable clothing - including the occasional item from juniors section -keep up with people even much younger than me -dance the night away -sleep without the blankety blank CPAP machine -live life without prescription meds for high blood pressure -cross legs Okay, and here is a funny one - be visible to the rest of the world. I don't think i realized I was invisible until I wasn't anymore, who knew?

yeah, kind of a tough crowd...

I don't think there is a standard template of questions. They are just trying to assess if you are capable of comprehending and complying with the pre and post op requirements. Some of them give advice on dealing with the emotional changes so I am guessing it reflects well if you are open to that.

All members have access to all of the public forums. Cross posting is prohibited, please see item 10 in the Forum Rules http://www.bariatricpal.com/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

Sometimes duplicate posts have happened due to a system glitch, but you seem to have posted the same message many times in different forums - not sure how that happened. I deleted the dupes. Thank you.

Denise, could be worse... I knew someone who did that, stone sober, only she plowed into a 7-11 convenience store. Took out the big glass window... sheesh... she must have had to jump a curb to do it! Of course, she was a brand new driver, but still... people have done much worse. Be nice to yourself - you have been through alot. Had my first PT appointment - went well and we have a plan to get me ready for Iceland this summer. 6-8 hours a day of fast hard riding for a full 7 days... woo hoo! Now, i just need to book that trip! All booked for Costa Rica, but that will be easy peasy. Another beautiful day - life is good but I have been eating too much.

Well, as best I can tell from reading published research (please do this!) and reading these forums for years... the main long term risks of the sleeve are: 1. Not making goal/regain. I know we keep harping it is "just a tool" but it is the truth.... it takes effort to sustain a significant weight loss. Do not be fooled, you CAN regain weight even with a small tummy. 2. Acid reflux. There is evidence that even people who do pretty well with this early on MIGHT develop this problem even 3-4 years down the road. I don't recall the percentage - but I think it is in the ballpark of 20% of sleevers have at least some issue with reflux in the 3-6 years down the road. Most people who get this can control it with meds, but if it is really really bad might have to revise to bypass. I am doing good 3 years out, but it is one reason I am careful to not eat big meals, I try to baby my sleeve on this point... 3. Emotional issues. As a wise woman once said "you don't get to be 300# without having some emotional baggage." Some people feel depressed losing their best friend (obesity? overeating?), some people have addictive behaviors and transfer it to booze or something else, some people struggle with changing relationships. It's a big change. I feel I have done really well. I don't think I realized I was signing up to transform my whole life, but that is what has happened. It hasn't always been easy, but now I am feeling like I am living a life closer to my real heart.

tee hee!

My warning is there are plenty of non obese people who are NOT fit. Also, realize that women eat way less to stay trim so be sure you look around at people who are similar to you. I think this is one reason that so many more women are obese than men - we think we can eat full meals and stay trim. As a mid life cowgirl, I have lots of very fit galpals and they are very light eaters - my best GF eats less than me... seriously. that is what it takes for her to stay trim. This has been a huge shift in mindset for me.

Good for you for turning this around! My advice is to step away from the magical thinking - "if I work out everyday and am perfect I will be thin.right.now." There is a reason this is a journey...to a new lifestyle. It is the long haul that counts. You will have days or weeks that don't go the way you hoped and you can't let it get you down or cause you to quit living healthy habits. I lost 150# in 14 months and maintaining for two years. I do it one meal, one day at a time. I just keep doing, the best I can, what I need to maintain a healthy fit weight.

I am 3 years out and follow basic rules. That does not mean I never indulge in a drink or a dessert but moderately. On a day to day basis I don't eat junky food.and I eat "small". It is hard to imagine but observe a"fit-trim" woman you know. WLS aside, fit women eat like this. Day to day pretty controlled but enjoy some indulgences too. I chose to wait till getting to goal tho because I had so much to lose I didn't want to risk getting to goal.