CowgirlJane

I am so sad...my young horse mia sold before I even put an ad up. I know it is the right thing but I am down today.

Skirt length. ..go by what looks best on your body. Skirt below the knees make me look like a frumpy spinster. .2" above the knee is perfect. I also buy "young" clothes but am careful how I style and what I pair them with. I am not trying to look 15 but not 85 either..haha

I can't give medical advice, but constant vomiting does not seem like a healthy, happy way to live. Speaking for myself, I got WLS to improve my life not make it miserable. I fear regain too... don't get me wrong... but I think you should really do what's best for your long term health.

@@Oregondaisy how are you doing? has the surgeon told you what activities you are allowed to do? I think you should view it like I did recovery from plastics. Not an excuse to get fat, but not a time to severely restrict either. I emphasized Fluid, Protein and no junky food, no alcohol etc. I maintained during that time. I went to a Mariners game yesterday my friend had suite tickets - with buffet and everything. It was really fun. We did a bunch of selfies and I admit I didn't like how I look. People say they can't tell that I have regained, but I look so much bigger then my "thin" friends it was a reminder why i need to stick with what I am doing and even if it takes me a year, to get my weight back down....

@@sarsar so so sorry about your dad. I know that is devastating. I am praying for the best possible outcome. I think your depression predates that diagnosis though. I think you should take seriously your family asking you to take action. I am really sick of talk therapy too - I am not one to hold things inside so talking to a stranger never really helped me too much. However, I do think seeing someone that might be a good listener and ALSO knows how to balance/adjust meds might be a good choice. I know you are on antidepressants, but there are alot of different types and dosages, so consider changing/adapting. Being depressed isn't just a choice, it really is a chemical imbalance. I notice with my anxiety, i can go along pretty good then once something tips me into it... it seems to take on a life of it's own. Like the andrenal response just keeps firing even after the crisis is done. My friend P has done alot of research and found this is a very common problem among people who had "abusive" childhoods" - their fight or flight andreniline runs at full throttle too often and with little provocation. I don't know if there is real science behind that, but it makes sense. For me, it was a huge wakeup call when the woman at work took her life. I am far from suicidal, not even depressed really, but just feel kinda stuck and the anxiety... thinking in circles... certainly doesn't help with that. I was managing my anxiety fairly well, but it was exhausting to think of all the little things I had to do just to try to feel normal. So, while it is too soon to tell if the wellbutrin is going to work, I do feel better already and hope it keeps taking me the right direction - just being normal. I am wishing the best for you, hope you keep coming here to post and hope you find some relief. You deserve to have a life that while never perfect, gives you joy and pleasure.

I was fat shamed as a child but as an adult 98%was self inflicted. It goes to show that the words we say to children turn into the internal voice when they are adults. Choose the words with care including mean nicknames etc (i am talking from parent and other family! )

I was shocked people were surprised too. The topic has been on my mind for awhile as well.

I had serious "face dismorphia" for probably the first year I hit goal. It took me awhile to figure it out... then I realized... last time I had seen my face as a thin person i was like 22. No wonder I was shocked at that late 40s face staring back at me!

Ha! But I count on people who really do think about these things to keep me up to date! Seriously though, I think Premier Protein is pretty good choice for many of us and many NUTs recommend it as one to try. for me the main advantages are that it is palatable, I don't have to mix it and it is actually a bit "filling". I am nearly 4 years out and need food that sticks to my ribs a bit!

Look for ways to get protein/nutrients in forms that don't fill you up so quickly. Examples might be - higher calorie/high carb Protein drinks, perhaps adding a bit of Peanut Butter to a protien drink in the blender, eating nuts, etc. Can you eat half a high calorie Protein Bar and then the other half an hour later? Are you adding healthy high fat foods to help boost calories like choosing avacados, using olive oil, avoiding "diet foods" that are low fat etc. You got to goal really fast - at 6 months out my appetite had not yet returned so i can see where this might be a struggle. Have you contacted your surgeon/NUT yet? It sounds like you are doing fine for now, but if you are eating so little, resorting to junky food just to get food in etc. you might be heading down a path to lose some of that great health you have worked so hard to acheive!

I am now 8# over goal. I am working it hard and feeling good I have turned the tide and seem to be finally relosing. I decided to make 2 mini goals...one is for Halloween and the next is my Maui trip in February. I can do it!

I was self pay as my excess skin caused no health issues.

The only pain was a couple had to stay in longer (too much output) so I had adhesions. The removal "smarted" like a MOFO but it was over fast. They never leaked though.

The side effects are tough but I am working with someone who really understands and has me on a very very slow ramp up. She tells me me if I feel bad to even skip a day. I did that yesterday because I was feeling... I can't even describe it...but a little weird. I feel better today but it will take at least 4 weeks before I am on a therueputic dose and then then it may take even longer to start feeling benefits.

After having a LBL (and other procedures ) I can say that drains are annoying, icky but really NOT that big of a deal...

I had the lapband from 2001 to 2011 and didn't lose much, regained it all plus some after I had to have the fill removed, suffered from band induced reflux etc... Except for about the first few months, I never really experienced hunger relief from the band - restriction yes, hunger relief no. I also didn't recieve proper "dietary" guidelines. I thought since I was a volume eater (lots of healthy food too - just too much of everything) the band would be ideal for me, but instead it turned me into an eater of "sliders" etc. It takes alot of maintenance to get the band tuned just right and it is not a permanent solution (many see that as a pro) I revised to the sleeve in 2011 and have lost 150# and maintaining in the ballpark of goal for over 2 years now. There is not alot of long term data on the sleeve, but what little there is indicates that it is not as effective at eliminating diabetes. I am very happy with my choice but I think a person should investigate all possibilities including bypass etc.

If it's any consolation, my level of failure pre WLS was more exetreme and yet I have somehow made it work. I will be honest, there are some people who aren't as successful as they hoped for. There is probably a lot that goes into that equation, but all we can do is make our best effort to make it a success - right?

You should never be able to eat a "normal" meal by most people's standards. I was at Claim jumpers, a restaurant with serving sizes that i swear are for 3-4 people. I can't fathom a 12 course meal. However, I have spent time in France and other foodie cultures and they tend to just have a spoon or forkful of each course. I am nearly 4 years out, i can eat quite a bit, I consciously choose to control my portions and am careful about food choices because I want to maintain my weight. I understand the frustration - but the way WLS works is restricting your portions, making better choices, becoming more active etc.

My nutritionalist recommended them as one of the good quality choices. They have been my "go to" Protein for years now and I am doing well!

I think you should cancel as you are filled with much doubt. I think your doubts are legit and should really be soul searched a bit more. I am not suggesting you shop for a surgeon who agrees with you, but rather get a couple of consults, hear their reasoning, understand the pros and cons of each (especially in the context of MS) before proceeding. I am very biased as i had a band in 2001 (I have been told they are improved these days) and lived with it, in some misery I might add for 10 years. It is very hard for me to advocate for the band for anyone, but I must also disclose I am an expert on one topic - my own experience. It is very true that one of the disadvantages - or maybe advantage - of the sleeve is that it is irreversible. Not a decision to take lightly. I do think one of the reasons I have been very successful with the sleeve is I had alot of gut wrenching soul searching before I committed. I wasn't one of those that ever had a regret - I had really worked through alot of things before having that sleeve surgery. (life at maintenance has been a whole nother head trip - a topic for another day!)

stall at around 3 weeks post op happens to alot of people. Just keep following your program... in the end you will get there!

Well, when people see my before and afters they tell me i look WAY younger now and I am 51! Yes, you will have some excess skin blah blah blah.... but... trust me when I tell you all that is WAY better than morbid obesity. I had my sleeve almost 4 years ago and am so glad I did it.

@@globetrotter this lady is being told to get the band, not the sleeve due to MS. Not sure you want to participate in this discussion, but since I know nothing about MS and WLs I don't have anything to add except to say DONT GET THE LAPBAND! http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/350356-approved-for-band-not-sleeveneed-some-advice/

Why specifically is the sleeve contradicted for MS? There are many success stories with the lapband, but overall stats aren't that great. I personally don't think most people should consider the band at this point in time given the other options available. I am biased - had the band for 10 years and it was not a good experience.

I agree with this sentiment. Not sure the right approach but I assume an interested man is interested. It's up to me what I am interested in and how I respond. I have definitely "missed out" since becoming slim by rejecting men whose motives I didn't trust or understand. In hindsight there are a few I wish I had handled differently.