Sleeved&Hopeful

I have seen this discussion on a lot of forums. Moderation vs. strict. The people who do well with moderation are those who have the self-control to stop at one or two of the treats like chocolate or candy or ice cream or what have you. The ones who don't do well can't stop at one or two. They have to eat until they are stuffed. Those people do well with being strict. One lady I have seen said she does moderation with FOODS SHE CAN CONTROl. For example, she will eat crackers or chips because she is satisfied with just a few. BUT, she cannot moderate ice cream so she doesn't even buy it or bring it in her home. She just won't eat it period. So there is strict--there is moderation---and there is moderation of foods that you CAN control. I think it just takes figuring out what you personally need to do.

Almost 100% excess weight. Hard to believe! I am very strict about protein first and no drinking when eating and I really think those simple rules have gotten me this far. They are really easy for me to follow.

Aww that's awesome! I think the sleeve surgery has worked very well for me and a lot of others. Congrats on your success!

You look gawwwgeous girl! Congrats!

You look beautiful already! Good job on the weight loss!

Hi there Imlosing big! How long did it take you to get down to around 131-133 lbs? Did it take you about a year or did you keep losing after that? Thanks and congratulations on your success.

You don't have to keep apologizing. If people would have read your replies--you acknowledged that it depends on height. You are a man, don't forget. A 240 lbs woman is considered anywhere from super morbidly obese to overweight depending on height. Most of us short ladies would fall into that category. I was diabetic type 2 at around 220 lbs. I am 5'4" I was considered obese and I was fat enough to get diabetes. I People need to realize you replied back and pretty much admitted we were right. I think because you are only 16 you didn't realize what you were saying because you are also a guy. I know you see now that 240 lbs is pretty heavy, especially if you are on the short side--male or female. So please everyone will you please stop ripping this young 16 year old kid a new one. He obviously realized his mistake.

I am not a vet at all--but so far the Protein first rule seems to work for me. If I am craving something unhealthy and just feel like I should have a little bit--I will eat a couple of ounces of beef Jerky first. THEN I will have a little bit of whatever I'm craving. By the time the jerky is in my belly--I've probably diminished my capacity quite a bit! I am telling ya it works like a charm for me. Sometimes I choose a thin slice of ham wrapped in cheese to eat before eating something unhealthy. That protein first rule--I'm telling ya--it's a life saver lol. Most of the time I eat on plan but there are times--like right before my time of the month--that the protein first rule is what saves my ass from gaining and going crazy. And I never drink when I eat and I can say with fair certainty that I never will. Flushing food down too quick is not something I want to do after paying a lot of money for this surgery. You can get back on track! The honeymoon may be over--but the years of wonderful marriage have just begun.

Oh and I agree with everyone else--you need to call your surgeon. My post was purely speculation. Only a surgeon can tell you what's really wrong. I hope you can figure it out.

Could you possibly have acid reflux? If you swallow the food and it is coming back up--it's possible. Have you tried to take prilosec? I know that when food was coming back up in my throat--it was acid reflux. I have to take prilosec every day to keep it at bay.

The gastric bypass pouch IS smaller. They call it the size of a "shot glass". Ours is a banana shape. Yes, our can hold more food that first year after surgery. HOWEVER--I know bypass people in real life. Once they are about a year out--they can eat about the same or MORE than sleevers can at the same point. Their pouches and/or stomas seem to stretch more than ours over time--that first year it's just really tiny. One prime example: I know a lady who was sleeved and her daughter had bypass. The lady is 3 years post op sleeve and her daughter is about 2 and a half years post op bypass. She said that her daughter can eat almost 4 times as much food in a sitting as she can. I really believe because the fundus is removed during surgery (the stretchy part of the stomach) that our sleeve capacity will stand the test of time vs. a gastric bypass pouch. This is just my theory. I know there are some gastric bypass people who don't eat much years down the road but I've known quite a few and they can eat a lot. So don't let that "shot glass" stomach fool you. I think some of it has to do with their "stoma" or "man made" food passage. Their stoma seems to stretch and allow more food. We sleevers have a pyloric valve which is the natural "food passage" tool that we are born with--so to speak. It seems to work much better and not allow for stretch like their stomas. As a matter of fact--studies have been coming out showing that some gastric bypass doctors are trying to find new ways to keep the pyloric valve in tact for weight loss surgery patients because the stoma stretching is so common in Roux en Y patients.

Wow that's awesome!

I promise that this is normal and YOU WILL lose weight. ALOT of people hit a stall around 3 weeks or a month after surgery that lasts several weeks. It will play mind games and you might start to think you're a rare person who won't lose the weight with surgery. But you are going to keep on losing. I promise! Matter of fact--I'll bet you 50$ that you will keep losing! If you don't lose more weight in the next 3-6 months--I'll send you a paypal payment!

I like this! Thank you for posting it.

Try a PPI like Prilosec. Sometimes our small tummies still produce a lot of acid as if we still had a large stomach. Acid mimics hunger. I can tell you that Prilosec works for acid reflux AND it does help alleviate hunger at least for me. Good luck!

WOW! You look GREAT! Amazing loss! Did you keep losing from 6 to 12 months post op? Just curious how much weight you lost from those months. You look beautiful!

Congratulations on your 2 year surgiversary!

Hey Derel long time no talk! Congratulations on blowing up the scale in a GOOD way. I am hoping my gall bladder stays okay. I have been seeing a couple of videos on youtube of my favorite sleevers that are getting their gallbladders removed 1-2 years post op. I guess the attacks didn't happen right away. Hoping that doesn't happen to me because I don't have insurance right now. May be taking my ass back to mexico for that if it happens.

Oh girl doesn't that feel good? I too kept some pants from 10 years ago hoping I would fit in them again one day because they are STILL cute! And I'll be damned if they aren't fitting me reallllllly well now. My butt looks super cute. Bet your booty looks cute too!

I agree with trying not to stress too. I try my best not to stress. If I eat something off plan, I don't punish myself. I think that can cause issues down the road. I try to make good choices most of the time and if I don't make a good choice sometimes--then it's all good. You are looking good! You have done well! And working 60 hours a week burns a lot of calories :-)

Congratulations MandaBear! I thought about getting the plication but decided on the sleeve. I'm glad to see you are losing weight with it! Keep us updated on your progress and welcome to the group!

You've had some great suggestions in this thread! We can always rely on excellent answers here. I agree with checking out medicaid in your state. You may be able to get some help. Also, my sweet friend MANDY GRAY just got gastric bypass paid for by the WLSFA.org! A beautiful woman--inside and out--and couldn't afford to get surgery on her own and didn't have insurance to cover it!! Please visit http://www.wlsfa.org they give grants to deserving people to have life-saving weight loss surgery! It's a wonderful organization full of some of the sweetest people out there! They have fundraisers to help pay for surgeries. It's WONDERFUL! I only wish there were more organizations out there like that! I think everyone who wants sleeve surgery or gastric bypass or whatever--should be able to get it! God bless you and big hugs.

Sooo happy for you! I would have been SUPER PISSED OFF!!

If your surgeon is recommending the sleeve-I would get it. You should be able to have a healthy and happy life with HIV and getting the sleeve can help with that. I am able to take some pretty big pills if I need to with the sleeve although I think the first month or so it might be a little difficult but I am sure you can do it. I hope someone with experience in this situation will respond.

I've heard of a few people gaining 30% back and one lady gained back 50 of the 100 she lost. I don't hear about them very often though. They were over on another forum I belong to. I think the sleeve is one of the best out there. Do I think duodenal switch is an excellent surgery? Yes. BUT the trade off is you have to take a LOT of Vitamins and supplements and I know first hand what happens when you don't. A lady I know lost her insurance and job and could not afford the hundreds of dollars in supplements and vitamins she required. She got a charity organization to help her because she was getting VERY sick. It was her example that made think that while the sleeve may not be as powerful as the duodenal switch--it's a LOT safer! The sleeve is a really great tool and I don't want to get a DS and perhaps one day not be able to afford my vitamins. I also forget to take vitamins and with the HUGE regimen they have--I wouldn't remember every day. Some people are excellent at remembering--me--not so much. It was just too big of a risk to take for me personally. Gastric bypass? Pssh no thanks. Malabsorption of calories only lasts for 2 years but malabsorption of vitamins and minerals lasts a lifetime. Not a fair trade off IMHO. At 2 years out they end up with a restriction only procedure just like we have. And the restriction isn't as good as ours from what I've heard after several years out. There are some GBP people who can eat entire full meals and appetizers at restaurants with no problem. I will take my pyloric valve over their stoma any day Sleeve= safe and effective and has weight loss results pretty darn close to the gastric bypass after 2-3 years. I like that the sleeve uses the least stretchiest part of the stomach and that it helps with appetite. I like that if I forget to take my vitamins for a day or two--it's not likely to cause me to get sick as it could with the other surgeries.