CowgirlJane

So far acid has not been a problem for me but I know from my lapband days how much that discomfort can contribute to bad choices. I would have an afternoon ice cream or frozen yogurt to soothe myself..... there are better ways to address it so really glad to hear your surgeon is investigating that. In the meantime, are you on a PPI?

I have gone through the raging return of appetite. I feel bad for saying this, but the uptick around year 3 post op was even worse for me. Nobody offered me appetite suppressant but I would be very open to it. I am back at goal (bounced 10# over this summer) but I am still 18# ,over my lowest weight. Nobody in my medical world thinks I should be at that low weight. I think it is important to recognize that your long term maintenance weight is very likely to be higher than your lowest. I don't know your situation but be ruled by good health not just the scale. I visited a NUT at my 3 year mark and she gave me strategies that help. I keep educating myself on how to best maintain and manage hunger and it works for me. Even so, I would consider the meds if my doc suggested it.

"All" is a strong word. I need to repaint the trim, touch up some of the wall paint and I decided to defer the new counters until 2016 as I was LOSING MY MIND with all these strange men in my house all the time. I am over the trauma, so should be able to face it again soon. I need to finish the painting though.... I am getting too used to it and find myself ignoring it. Even so, it is awesome. The wall removal opened up the floor plan and makes the house so much more clean and modern. The dreadful popcorn ceilings are replaced by a modern looking ceiling. The laminate (fake wood) floor fits the country setting so nice and so much easier to clean than well worn off white carpet. I splurged on a shag rug - in an almost white color - in the seating area around the TV. IT is so deep and comfy... you want to roll in it. I can now actually use my pantry as you can actually see reach in to the whole space and the shelves are much more practical. It's the little things... Even though I didn't remodel the bedroom, somehow it has inspired me to rearrange and it is so much more comfortable as I now have room for my ridiculously large shoe/boot collection. I gutted my office, at the last minute I decided to have him replace the carpet in there too. I wish I had them do the ceilings, it wouldn't have cost much extra but I was trying to control scope of the project... Now, since I am not using it as the junk room, I am no longer embarrased to have it open to the rest of the house. IT has big french doors and I keep them open now. That is my workout room as well as office. I am really happy with it!

I went on a date on Friday night. We went to a blues club where people take dancing seriously! I wasn't sure what the dress code was - ha - since Seattle is a pretty casual place (frumpy some might say!) when it comes to dressing "norms". My date and I are not very good dancers, but we braved the dance floor along with all those spinning and dipping couples that have been doing this awhile and we had alot of fun even if we didn't have the best technique. I decided to dress how I thought I would like to look - not too concerned with what other might wear. I chose an above the knee black skirt (not a mini, but short) with flouncy ruffles. I wore a really cute patterned top that I like alot but seldom wear because it is dressier. I work dark hose and the most awesome multi color shooties (really, they are shoes, but they call them shooties when they look like booties influenced). Once I selected my outfiit, I didn't give it another thought until this happened.... I went to the restroom and a very nice looking stylish woman came up and said "I have been admiring your outfit from across the room". We chatted a bit... she left... I did my thing, came out of the stall and another woman walked in and she said "I love those shoes - they are just perfect with your outfit" It was nice to be validated, but I realized that I had no self consciousness, no thoughts about "am I dressing too young" (you know, fill in the blanks of self doubt). It kinda hit me that the rest of the world really really really no longer sees me as morbidly obese... and maybe I am kinda reaching that state too. I look like a pretty normal woman and to be quite honest, much fitter than the average woman of my age range. It is an empowering feeling to no longer feel like I need to blend in or worry about how my "rolls" look. In addition, I sometimes feel a certain amount of grief/shame about the physical problems I have as a result of a lifetime of obesity (mostly arthritis and joint problems). I am not sure how it came up, but my date mentioned he'd had a total hip replacement when he was about my age! This guy is slim, and has been an athlete his whole life. In his case, he took a huge fall while mountain climbing in his youth and it eventually caught up with him. It helped me reframe my own emotions about the damage to my body. It is the past, we all have our stories and history and all we can do is make the best of right now and build toward an even better future. I am currently rehabbing my bum hip with a much more positive attitude than I had when I was first diagnosed and guess what - getting better results! It is estimated I have 3-4 years before I need that replacement, and I say bring it - I will be ready when it is time!

There are two activities that are low stress on joints, can be done at any pace to match your fitness and YET will also help you get fitter. First, is walking. The human body is made for walking! Just go slow, respect your body when it tells you things (ie pain is not how you gain!). If you are really out of shape, start with just 5-10 minutes and add a few minutes over time, build up. The second is Water aerobics. I did it when I was pretty heavy and it was soo fun! Not only was it a great, low/no impact workout but it made me feel good emotionally. The class I did was full of older, out of shape, or injury rehab people so I felt very comfortable. That group was a hoot to boot! Look into it.

For my 4 year sleeve-a-versary I decided to do the BOD pod which measures body composition and the metabolic test that measures baseline calories or RmR they call it. The woman administering it wasn't an expert, but she is a body builder so has her own personal experience.... she told me that while I am in the "moderately lean" catagory I am actually not bad for my age at 29% fat percentage. She felt that I could pretty quickly move to the "lean" category by upping my Protein and refocusing on strength training. I am not sure 22% bodyfat is a reasonable goal for me given my long history of obesity, but perhaps back to something in the mid 20s. It is nice to have a goal that isn't related to the scale. I am right at goal - 158 this morning - which I feel good about given that it is the "eating season", but I am not happy with my current fitness. I have been hitting the physical therapy HARD and it is making a difference. My hip is so much better... although will always me an issue. I tried to join a gym, after careful careful research of a place that is knowledgable and can modify for my issues, and it is so annoying. They ONLY accept payment on their website which is not a secure one. I am not super techie, but techie enough to call bogus on it. Anyway, I have offered to pay via paypal since they won't take cash, checks or card payment via secure method. No wonder that place was empty when I went for my free trial day.... since they are completely unwilling to do anything other than me putting my banking or card info into an unsecure site... unreal. Anyway, looks like I am firing up the home gym. That is okay since my remodel I actually have a good place to do it!

The topic title refers to posting on this site wirh my Kindle but applies to the subject too!

No pix of me in the outfit, but this is the look..with black hosiery

You have done sooo well!!! My situation isn't the same, but I can draw some parellels... I am a very social person, but I work from home... way out in the country. I could go days without seeing anyone besides my sons and animals! MOST days I intentionally shower, do my hair, dress decent and fine a reason to leave the house. This could be for a workout (ok, maybe no makeup!), a happy hour with the girls, a date, shopping, go into the office to work - something! Since you are doing an online classes and without a job maybe aren't in a position to join a gym or go shopping I suggest finding a volunteer opportunity (resume building!?!), find walking partners and set up a daily appointment to go walk, join a meetup group or something to get you out there talking to people. I lost over 150# and hit goal Feb 2013; just shy of 3 years ago. The headspace about how I look, my attractiveness etc has really changed. I understand the excess skin issue - I had it and I had skin removal surgery. That was such a boost and for me very worth it.... but you know what I have figured out over the last year - it doesn't actually matter that much. My friends are still my friends. I could get dates before skin removal, I get dates now, but still no "Mr Right". I guess what I am saying is that the inner changes that have happened in the last year are just as important (if not more) than the outer changes brought on by plastics etc. I know this is hard. I think you should also consider going back on the drugs that helped you before. Truth of the matter is that WLS, losing massive weight fixes alot of things, but it doesn't fix everything and I will go out on a limb and say it makes some things harder. No longer having food as an emotional outlet leaves a big gap for some. For me, it seems my actual fatsuit, the state of obesity provided me with some benefits that I did not really understand until it was gone.... Keep coming here for support and I really find that getting outside my own head (ie taking on things in the world that aren't about ME) is really healthy.

It depends on your starting weight/BMI/age/gender. I recommend you don't think so much about # of pounds but more like percentage of excess weight loss. example - a man with 200# to lose might seriously lose 80-100 in 3 months. If you only have 80# to lose, are middle aged woman, you might lose half or even LESS than that, it's just how it goes. Comparing yourself to others sets you up for disappointment. I asked my nutrioonalist for "expectations" and she gave me a target range of excess weight lost in 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and it was kinda motivating and fun to meet/beat those targets!

I went to Dr Sauceda in Mexico 2 years ago because I didn't qualify for insurance coverage - I am in the USA I am very pleased with the experience, and my results.

The metabolic test is RmR (baseline or resting metabolic rate) and VO2 - I don't have a clear understanding of this.

This all went through my bariatric practice. i saw the brochures and decided to go for it.

I started as a very big apple. I like to call my build "athletic" which means robust shoulders/ribcage and skinny butt and quite thin calves. Downside is if I get slimmer than my current weight, I continue to lose it on the lower body.

I just did it for the first time yesterday. I paid 40, it was easy and painless. I did it because I have been at goal for awhile but have lost fitness due to my hip issues/stopping strength training. I am just restarting so wanted to have a"measure". I figure I will check again in a few months. I also did the metabolic test to check what my baseline calorie needs are - that is covered by my I insurance. Here is what I found out - based on my current"muscle" mass (or rather non fat mass) I should consume more like 100grams of Protein for optimal results. I am in the lean range,but definitely room for improvement. I am aiming to decrease my bodyfat percentage.

158.5 No weight loss but maintaining is good...

Sleever here...everything tasted awful first few months post op. It was a great opportunity to change my relationship with food. I ate food like taking necessary medications, not for pleasure but for health. That changed of course and I enjoy food again, but I viewed that unpleasant time as a blessing.

What WAS helpful was going to a support group at a nearby hospital when I was preop. That meeting was so well run - cohosted by a counselor and a Nutritionalist. It helped me get over my fears (I was considering RNY at the time) and create a more realistic view of what to expect. I highly recommend that preops spend some time doing this!

I went to one through my bariatric center and one that was posted on here. I decided I am not a support group kinda person. I went to the bariatric center one about 2 months post op and could have used some support, but the facilitator didn't show up due to an emergency so it was a self run meeting that didn't go that well. The second one, I was already at goal and the conversation wasn't too relevant to me. I rely on this site!

I am a big advocate of finding "active" interests. Meetups, clubs etc are all good ideas, but where I have really done well is simply spending time with active people! Example, I have a hiking partner that I hiked with weekly during the summer of 2014. I have my horseback riding friends, I go go dancing with people who like that etc. I am very very social so I inherently seek other people and I find myself redirecting my energies toward people with healthier habits and less food focused. And then... there is the gym! You can kill alot of hours working out. One of the more rewarding things I did was volunteer to help with a habitat restoration project. Middle age woman out there taking on the briars and the brambles with the youngsters! I want to do more of that sort of thing - it made me feel really good to see a tangible result and I really liked the other people doing this too! I have a gfriend who always claims it is easy for me because I am outgoing. Well, that is true in a way, but you don't have to be a social butterfly to find like minded people. What it takes is the willingness to take a risk and put yourself out there.

That is a great NSV! I do the same thing with Junior dresses, especially the sweater types - I wear them as tunics over legging or skinny pants. I get so many compliments on that "look".

My "normal" size 20something sizes can't remember how I used to look. When I pull out the "before" photos, watching their expression is actually quite painful in many ways. It reminds me that my obesity not only cheated ME, it cheated them of some life experiences.

The changes needed aren't a moment in time but rather a progression, an ongoing activity. I agree that it is important to make the lifestyle changes but why not start now rather than worrying about last week. That is the thing, it isn't about perfection, it is about making good choices the majority of the time.

I just hit my 4 years post sleeve...maintaining a very nearly 100 percent excess weight loss. Reason it isn't 100percent is because the number they use to calculate excess weight is too thin for me - how do I know? Well, because I got under it at one point. I share this because many people on this site have achieved lasting success.. and I found knowing that inspired me.

Does the vicadon even help with sciatica pain? Nothing helped mine because I had an injury in that joint and the pain came from a spot with poor blood flow so pain pills didn't really help much. I would seriously consider alternative treatments. I think it's very admirable you can admit this. I want to give you a big warning. Post sleeve, your body will metabolize alcohol differently making it very easy to turn to problem drinking. It would be really great if you could find a therapist that understands WLS and addictions to help you ward off problems down the road. Hope you get to feeling better soon.