CowgirlJane

I am thankful for my sons. They have turned into amazing young men that any sane woman should be proud to claim as her man.

Also, my neck wattle seriously improved with time. Give it a year.

Don't rule out arms. I almost didn't do it for fear of scars but it probably made the biggest difference in my profile...even with clothes. You can spanx your way through tummy and thigh skin...but those arms...

Another Dr Sauceda fan. I was transformed by his work and thrilled to do so much at once. He is a very caring man who clearly has a life mission...

Kelly, I have a bit of advice. I too am struggling with huge appetite and some regain. Don't avoid the scale or fitted clothing. That is the beginning of very bad things.I knew I would weigh an outrageous amount thismorning but forced myself to do it. I am STILL under goal, but I feel like a moose. It really is such a mental game. anyway - glad to hear your updates! I love my PCP but she is in Bothell and I can't imagine that is convenient for you.

ha! Well, SHE gave me her number. I think she was pretty interested in hooking us up. He seemed cool - but, not sure I will call to track him down. Miss Mac - your siggy really made me smile! In general, I have the "no regrets" philosophy but I admit... there are a few pages I would like to erase and REWRITE! I wish the book of my life was written in pencil. There are a few pages I would like to erase.

I don't think you are failing miserably at all. I have written about this many times, but at about 8 months post op...i faced a cross roads, a decision. I was looking and feeling so great. weighing around 190 looking incredible compared to weighing say 300+ so the compliments were flowing. However, I have to honestly say I still had a fairly comfortable protective layer of fat on me. I had to face it - was I okay as a fairly typical middle aged "mom" (not obese, looked pretty good, physically comfortable, but still overweight). Frankly,I would have been just fine if i stopped RIGHT THERE. Seriously - that IS SUCCESS!!!! I decided that I wanted to go for the gold so to speak and try to get to a normal BMI. That seemed impossible in some ways, but why not try, right? I did two key things. 1. I spoke to my very good NUT (who sadly moved away!!) about specific dietary changes and 2. I learned from some smart dudes on this very forum how to change my workouts to get better results. i moved to high intensity interval training. So, I am maintaining in a normal BMI range and it wasn't so hard for quite awhile. As I approach my 3 year post surgery anniversary, I am finding it harder, even though I am still under goal. My point - you are not a failure at all - you are a success! You just have some decisions to make now....what is it you REALLY want?

Great to hear from you!!! Congratulations on your wonderful success - you look awesome and I bet you feel amazing too. Lots of vets do post here! I don't track food either. I am 3 years out and finding just recently my desire to eat is going up. I feel like I need to be "forever' vigilent, but, i eat pretty normally in the sense of enjoying good food etc.

There is a long standing band to sleeve revision forum that has been in place for years in the Sleeve area. I think the bypass has something similar. I don't want to bash anybody for their choice and I hope my comments were not construed as such. what is difficult for someone like me who had the band, and really had problems for 10 years before revising, and saw lots of other people with problems (I was banded in 2001 to 2011) - well it is hard to not answer when people ask about your experiences. I can also see that my "answer" is in some ways not fair if the band design is in fact greatly improved so my "experience" may not even be relevant to someone making the choice today. What I do stand by is that I think the band is just a little more finicky... a little harder to get "just right" and so I can see the value of a healthy, active support group. It would have helped me alot when I was banded. Instead, what I got every time was that the problem was "patient compliance" - which was rough because I wanted to comply but I could not seem to get the stars aligned (ie I was either too tight or constantly hungry). We don't discuss it much, but I also think it is kind of silly how many people bash the bypass because they know someone who regained. Well, you can regain after ANY WLS and lots of people have had the bypass over the last 20 years so no wonder that has been observed. It is still the gold standard surgery for a reason. I am pleased with my choice of the sleeve, but frankly there is a fair amount of uneducated criticisms of other procedures all over the place.

I am not sure I articulated this very well.. but I had a meaningful encounter that reminded me of how much I have changed. I was really blown away actually because the entire interaction, my feelings about it, my openness to people... everything is just so different now. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/325492-how-others-see-you/ Here is what i wrote: I am 3 years post op, lost 160# and maintaining... transformed in looks and other ways too. I had something happen the other night that sort of blew me away. I decided to stop at a upscale "taphouse" to sample a fancy holiday brew. I have gone in there before with my sons, but it was just one of those impulse things. So, i sit at the bar and the place was starting to clear out as the Seahawks game was over. I sat next to what I assumed was a "couple". The bartender started talking to me in a familiar way so I figured he thought i am younger than I am so I mentioned that I had been in a few times with my sons. that shut him down. I use that tack with anyone who looks under about 35. Anyway, the woman in the "couple" next to me said "I cannot believe you are old enough to have two sons of drinking age". I told her I am 50. She went on to genuinely compliment me that she hopes she looks as good as i do at 50. Then she told me... it was more than looks - it was attitude, comfortable with my self, the way I dressed... my "style" Then she went on to make sure I knew that the guy she was with was "just a friend". Ha. They invited me to go to dinner with them at a nearby Italian place. I did join them for a glass of wine, but not dinner. Anyway, I have been reflecting on this because I felt her words were genuine, and I sort of saw myself for a few minutes through the eyes of someone who never saw me obese. Who never knew that even a year ago I would NEVER walk into a taphouse by myself much less sit at the bar. Who never knew that I used to buy clothes based on they at least sorta fit... to now having my own sense of style. My confidence in this new life as a trim person continues to grow.

I am proud of you "fasters"I think I have only had one fast day all month. Had a fairly awesome NSV. might post on a public forum and just link back here.

It is my opinion that anyone for high risk of reflux should go right to the bypass. Other than that, they are both statistically pretty comparable and each have risks, pros and cons. I think i just felt more "comfortable" with the sleeve but that isn't really a logic based conclusion.

The redesign of the website mean people inadertently post all the time in the "wrong" forum. I see no reason the lapband support should go away or be minimized. The band nor the sleeve has EVER been considered the "gold standard". The gastric bypass is the procedure considered the "gold standard". doesn't mean any of them are perfect or without issues and risks. I had the lapband for 10 years; revised to sleeve 3 years ago. In my opinion, living with the band is a little "trickier" in the sense of finding the sweet spot and managing food/tightness etc correctly. Seems like very focused online support could be very helpful for some. I surely could have used more help when I was banded.

Ah ha moment is that morbid obesity is a disease process... way more to this than "will power"

2-3 months post op. Then I had some issues this spring and used dgl licorice and it worked great. 3 years out and not dependant on a PPI

So nice to hear from everyone. Here is a proposal. Make sure everyone is ok with queen and/or Linda. .maybe give everyone a few days to"vote. We delete this mega thread and start a new one where we introduce ourselves. In the future, any discussion about a new member should be in a separate thread (to be deleted) or by PM. I vote yes on both if they want the small group. Be sure to tell them its often off topic. What I didn't care for was when Susan was a member for a week..clearly this was n not what she was seeking.

152 totally effing rocks (my last weight too! ) So good too see you gamer girl

Given that so many don't post at all and some post rarely I make a motion we consider allowing up to 3 new members. I do not have strong opinions on who they should be except they are interested in 5:2 and a small support group. If we don't disrupt this group with new energy it will fade away....

I do think we need to consider adding a few new members! This group is really slowing down.... I had one good 5:2. Yesterday was a "normal" day but i hit the chocolate.. damn. I am doing something emotionally charged for me. I am going through a backlog of paperwork and reducing the paper chaos. That means reliving many memories through paperwork, photos, old books and other remnants of my life. I know I will feel lighter when it is done! ... but no fun right now

Continues to involve. This spring, at 2.5 years out I entered a phase of hardly being able to eat. Turns out it was emotional, but it felt like physical restriction.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/324978-what-if-there-were-a-natural-disaster/ another one

I think you have received great advice. I equate TV watching with "mind numbing". It is a way to not face the world. For me, obesity and over eating did that too. Somehow, I experienced the world a little more dull, a little less intensely on a full (over full) stomach. one of the huge adjustments for me over the last 3 years has been getting used to "feeling" EVERYTHING. It is calming down a lot now, but i tell you I had no idea how strong the pull of "numbing" things were for me (TV, movies, internet, computer games, reading way too many books etc.) I theorize you don't lack motivation, but rather your emotional state feels a lot safer in bed hiding behind your TV. Even after being at goal for a while, living a very active lifestyle, every once in a while i have a day where i crawl in bed after work with my kindle and bury myself in netflix, facebook and other mindless activities. I feel blessed that is the minority of the time, not the majority. As a practical matter, have you considered disconnecting cable? Or at least moving the TV out of the bedroom. That might encourage behavior change. Good luck - I really don't think this is about your "lack of motivation". I suspect there is more going on here. It has been my experience that obese people have LOTS of motivation and willpower, they just aren't always successful at how they use it/deploy it.

Here is one example... but I hit a couple recently. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/324826-of-weight-loss-but-i-really-want-to-and-with-what/

I learned to value many aspects of myself. ..intellect, courage, tenacity over looks

3 years for me in December. I am maintaining 160# loss!!!