CowgirlJane

How is everyone doing? I just started the Wellbutrin... definately feeling it (the adjustment period for new drugs is always rough for me) but I am committed to sticking it out. I met with my counselor from last year and while I like her to monitor my meds, I am just not sure that she is the right counselor for me at this point. I feel that I am much more grounded in my real life, real world, doing what I have to do and just making the best of things and she seems disappointed that I am not focused on future dreams. I get her point, but being a dreamer has not really paid off that well for me in the past. Making a huge life upheaval (such as moving to a sunny climate) sounds very appealing but it would have the consequences of losing my whole day to day social network. What people don't always get is that while I am very extroverted and meet people very easily, true relationships form slowly. My real problem right now is work. I am so overwhelmed with a set of problems I don't know how to solve. I hate that. More importantly, I am pretty burned out on work. I am grateful to have a good career, but it just doesn't suit my personality very well anymore. I got my pony back that I sold a year ago. I know, so much for downsizing. He is awesome though. So, going on third date with new guy - he likes to dance. I have been a reluctant dater but I am glad he hasn't given up on me because we have had fun! Truth is I would like to have a real relationship but of course who knows if a few dates will turn into anything.

While I see the logic of seeing a PA or nurse practioner, on an emotional level, I wanted to see my surgeon. I did in fact at the first follow up and then shifted over to the PA. when it was time for my 1 year, I wanted to see the surgeon again, I suppose on some level so that he could see that I "dun gud". I don't know why it was important, but it was.

rny revision solves acid problem. I don't think the DS does, but that new DS (fewer side effects) interests me. I am 10# over goal and so of course not looking into revision... but I guess I always have it in the back of my mind...

Long term acid issues were one of the risks I grappled with when deciding on sleeve. I got so lucky, only time I get it is when I eat too much volume or too spicy.

I hope that your instant connection really turns into something wonderful. Nothing beats that - finding someone you want in your life and that has compatibility and she wants the same thing! I had an instant connection with someone who is a great guy. Little did i know that I had met someone heading for an emotional crash. He seemed very stable and "had it together" - but in truth he did not - in a pretty deep way - but he had mastered hiding it from himself and others. That relationship never became physical or anything, but I was beginning to become attached and thought we had a chance of being together. I think that probably bothered me alot and has made me considerably more gunshy about "falling for" someone that I feel a strong initial interest and connection with...

You are doing great! We are not machines and in truth weight loss slows down pretty fast for most of us. I am not talking about a stall, but just the reality of how it works. In the end, you get there though!

Welcome! I might argue that 100 in 3 months is incredibly fast... maybe your body needs a little break?

Nice to hear from so many. We had a storm my power was out and just back on in the middle of the night. My date was epic good. I am so glad I pulled myself out of the slump to go. We went dancing and had alot of fun!

I am continuing to improve my life... it is really an important part of life at goal to me. I now LOOK like the person I want to be, and I continue to improve my life on many dimensions. anyway, I decided life is too short for me to spend it constantly cleaning. I have a little farm, animals, love my flower garden, love to go dancing, out with pals etc etc and I want help on the homefront! So, I hired a lady and paid her $45 for her first visit. She cleaned two small bathrooms - granted DEEP clean - and she did a good job, but I actually thought in 2 1/4 hours she would have time to do something else besides the bathrooms. (one bath has a deep tub, the other has just a shower, they each have 1 sink and I had removed all stuff from surfaces so she could just clean) I would really like to hear tips on how to best utilize a house cleaner. Due to vacation, she won't be back for 3 weeks, and then I plan to start either weekly or every other week and trying to decide if I should go to someone else or if this is reasonable... would like to hear experiences.

My counselor just got back from vacation. She called in my scrip... she actually thinks wellbuterin is an outstanding choice except there is a risk of suffering through anxiety while ramping up to thereuputic dose. She is prescribing something else to help with that in the short term. Reason she likes wellbuterin is that it doesn't have the weight gain, sexual killing side effects and is just generally well tolerated by people. I have an appointment with her monday, but I appreciated that she was supportive of me getting started on this ASAP. I have alot to talk to her about. The last week i have been driving my tractor, doing some earth moving, preparing planting beds for spring... and it is a time of contemplation. We shall see if she sees much into my recent epiphanies. I am going on a date tonight to listen to music. I am so unexcited about it... I better get my shit together soon... less than 2 hours and Prince Charming will be arriving to pick me up. I am sure I will have fun once i get there, but i somehow feel very tired today. My son told me that I have been grumpy for 2 days, although I don't think he means grumpy as we have had no altercations/arguments. I think he means that I am not smiling, not full of my usual pep and zest.... that is for sure.

Nutjob...blow her off and find better friends. You know darn well you aren't"thicker" and you know this change was for the benefit of your health. I think we need to remind ourselves WHY losing all this weight was so important (save my life, for example). It surely wasn't to please some random person from the gym.

@@Miss Mac very helpful. This lady charges some people 15 hour; I pay 20/hour because it is a bit further drive for her. I am okay with the hourly rate, just trying to level set how long a task should take. One of the bathrooms had a recent deep clean so wasn't too bad. The one with the shower needed a pretty deep scrub because the glass doors etc needed cleaning. I will give her a few more tries and see if we can get a good rythym. I am doing some remodeling/updating in October so after that will want more help keeping new appliances etc deep clean from the get go!

I researched alot too... but part of it was I had already failed with the lapband (implanted 2001) and so felt that NEED. I thought I had researched the lapband, but in truth I was very poorly informed, did not absorb the information well... and in hindsight I think was given some very bad, inadequate guidance and advice. Having said all that, my anxiety started AMPING up about the revision to the sleeve so I did reach a point where I didn't want to hear anymore. In the weeks leading up to surgery, I was very careful about what posts I read on here, what studies I read etc. I had also reached the point in life where I decided to "turn this over" to the experts. What I mean by that is I picked a program that I believed in and then did EVERYTHING they said. In the past, I used to think i was smart enough to "customize" instructions to fit ME, as we all know, we are special (not so) little snowflakes - ha. Truth is, when I did what they knew was tried and true, I found much success. For me, a key part of success was just being so "over" food as a friend, comfort or anything else - like the bad boyfriend you gotta kick to the curb! Doesn't mean it was always easy.

I sense your housekeeper is alot faster! This lady would be $80 for a half day, only due to her boyfriend/childcare schedule she seems to be only available for short increments. Maybe I should give it a few more visits and see if once we get a rythym going re-evaluate? I like a clean house too, but I have so many other things to do! I have to hire some help, and truth is I love doing my outdoorsy work - at least when the weather is nice!

You have done so well - a true inspiration to all! I have to say though, I am not sure I completely agree with all the points, but my personal experience definately matches much of what was said. I will be 4 years in December (Dec 2011). What I can say is this year has been different then the previous ones for a variety of reasons. I hit goal in Feb 2013. Lost 150# in 14 months and have been maintaining pretty well. I have mixed feelings about the honeymoon period arguement. I lost significant amount of additional weight in 2014 and got 20 under goal, when I had been in maintenance over a year but it was due to problems that caused me to not be able to eat. (not really sleeve related). I do think there is a honeymoon period even if it is partially "in your head". It is my opinion that they don't actually KNOW all the reasons for how the sleeve works. For example, nobody has ever been able to tell me why Water tasted metallic to me the first year or so post op. I still don't love plain water like I used to. Why would that happen from a partial stomach removal? Anyway, I do think the main point is spot on - you have to keep doing what you did to keep having success. There is nothing really magical about maintenance in truth... it is just more of the same forever.

@@Oregondaisy happy to her you are recovering well! @@coops nice to hear from you. I will say that this "round" of anxiety is pretty mild and I have done pretty well managing it with out drugs (my primary care AND counselor are both on vacation right now and I couldn't handle going to a new person!). The best part is because it is mild, I have been able to think alot more about what is under the anxiety besides my genetic predisposition to it. In truth, the only reason I want to medicate for it is because the suicide at work was a real eye opener/wake up call. I am tired of "managing" anxiety and would like to find actual relief from it. Maybe starting counseling again with the goal to address what I believe is an underlying life concern/theme is the thing to do right now. I would not characterize myself as depressed, but some days i feel great and other days a little less great.

That's big talk...bring those dimples on young man! I THINK I can handle it (besides, the pacific is a long cold swim to you!)

I am the analytical type... so I tend to want to know the "why" - but when it comes to managing obesity I am over it. At this point, it is just "how" I was committed when I revised from band to sleeve... and I remain committed to the "fight". I love life as a normal sized person too much to consider any other path.

I have read many people describe what fat pig over-eaters they were pre-surgery. I definately overate... but in my judgement NOT THAT MUCH. It is like once I was obese, it didn't take much to "maintain it" (or gain more). I suspect a similiar mystery involved. i also think the fact that I simply cannot workout like I could 1-2 years ago (due to physical problems) has a big impact. Exercising isn't just about the calories burned during the workout, it is about a muscle mass it builds that takes more calories to maintain. I look muscular now due to my body type, but i do NOT have the muscle that I did a year ago. When you think about it, it isn't a big swing in terms of calories/carbs between losing, maintaining or gaining... just a fairly small change - in either intake or output - makes all the difference.

So, my sleeve was December 2011. I had LOTS to lose and knew that nobody expected me to get/maintain much below 200# so i just kept my shoulder to the grindstone until i got to my personal goal. Took me 14 months. I feel that I worked it pretty hard the whole time, but it took MORE effort after about 8 months post op. After about a year, a few pounds came back on, but they were super easy to get rid of. I am now about 10# over goal and 20# over where i want to be. OMG... it is like hand to hand combat (again!!!) with each pound. For me, there has been a huge huge shift this year versus previous years. It isn't just about hunger, it isn't just about old habits, it isn't just about less restriction. Seriously, i think i need fewer calories now! Also, due to some physical problems i don't do the higher intensity workouts anymore. So, hard cold truth is I completely understand why we have so many people that come back to this forum 3-5 years post op having regained a good portion of your loss. I feel the need for ongoing vigilance which you would think gets easier, but it doesn't. Even so - sleeve HAS BEEN a miracle for me. It has done it's job and now the maintenance is up to me. I am STILL a normal sized person, after a lifetime of morbid obesity, it is a miracle. I still say that I worked harder to stay under 300# then I do now to stay "normal".

Wowsa! What an amazing change!! You are a real sucess story! P.s. Were you worried if you smiled we couldn't resist all that hotness?

I love fruit and it has many good Vitamins, but frankly, it is really just sugar in a healthy looking package. i eat very little - but do eat berries daily. As much as i love yogurt, if you are trying to control carbs - most yogurts have way high sugars and carbs. Consider eating plain/unsweetened yogurt (use those berries as sweeteners!) or buy a brand like carbmaster that has a moderate carb count of 8-9. Many yogurts are over 20 carbs. Protein bars are another high carb surprise. I moderate both - even now in maintenance. So, just a few suggestions, change the Breakfast to be more protein and lower carbs and I bet you will see a difference. I like to make egg beater omelette with veggies and low fat sausage - lots of protein an I get veggies in. Consider giving up ranch dressing and try something like a spritz of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (white is my favorite) - super low carb and olive oil is a very healthy fat.

Well, what I saw both times is that I am an extreme E, but all the others I am way more on the fence.

I recently took a meyers brigg test and found out I m ENFP. Last week i was going through old boxes of my (deceased) sister's stuff and found that she had a book on this and i had taken the test about 25 years ago! At that time I was an ENTP E=extrovert N= Intuitive F= Feeling; T= Thinking P=perceptive I decided to google the difference between the two - and it was interesting because in my youth I was much more of a "fighter" which totally fits this summary. http://www.preludecharacteranalysis.com/types/ENFP/vs/ENTP I also recognized how well suited I was to my career decades ago, and why these days I have a very difficult time staying focused on it. I am not sure if this stuff has any merit really, but interesting.

@@Oregondaisy Good to hear from you Denise - how are you feeling? Has the surgeon mentioned anything about how it went, prognosis, anything like that? Is your daughter or girlpals around to help take care of you? I would like to suggest you put positive mental energy toward healing rather than imagining the misery. It helped me alot with plastics as I just knew it was going to be amazing and wonderful (and in the end it was!) rather than focusing on the very long, slow recovery. I took wellbutrin when I was suffering through menopausal symptoms. My primary issue with menapause was I was irritable. I took such a low dose i am not sure it really helped - noticed no change when I stopped BUT I don't think it triggered appetite. I am going to seriously suggest it if i can get into see someone. My latest anxiety relieving activity is moving dirt with my tractor. i know that sounds absolutely nuts, but it is somehow very calming ...haha.