Seannie

okay, Crosswind - here goes.... SNAP OUT OF IT I'm with Lissa ... you are 47, and dangit, "we" in our 40's deserve to have the best... best tummies, arms, legs... you name it! Stop tripping off of all the other stuff and go for it.. And by the way, scoot over - 'cause I'm next! I was already researching tummy tucks, etc... when I logged back on here and saw your post! I'm just 8 weeks out, lost 40 pounds since surgery and I already feel successful. And guess what? I have several children, love them dearly.. love my hubby, and my house... but this time, it's about me.

Hey Now!!! Go on girl - do your thing.. looking fab-u-lous!

I LOVE this post!!!!! Just love it.. do you girlfriend! do you! Let's take this opportunity to get even better - all around! proud of your honesty.

welcome to the Loser's Bench!! and get ready because you are in for the ride of your life! There will be lot's of emotional and physical ups and downs, and that's something we all here have experienced. But the one thing consistent among all of us is weight loss - some of us reallllllly slow, some of us lightening fast.. and of course every speed in between. The good thing about this forum is that we are all family in this weight loss struggle - there's really no topic off limits, and LOTS of good advice because there's so much experience here to choose from. Not everyone here has a cool support system in the "physical" world, that's why these forums are so important. We truly understand how this surgery has both positively and negatively impacted our lives. I can tell you this - your relationship with food really does change! This surgery made me have to deal with other issues point blank - because I couldn't stuff myself (anesthetize) with food. I have/had to deal with those food triggers dead on and let me tell ya - it ain't always pretty! But you what is pretty? (Yep, I'm a girl!!) Pretty is looking in the mirror and thinking "damn girl.. you are looking great today"... no feeling like it. My confidence is through the roof and it shows in both my personal and professional relationship. I'm down almost 35 pounds. It's one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Good luck on your journey, and keep in touch! We are here for you!

I use Silicone Scar sheets as recommended by my surgeon. They help significantly reduce swelling, puffiness, keloids, etc... You wear them 12 hours a day for approx. 10 to 12 weeks. I've read good reviews.. www.myscaraway.com. I have a tendency to get "hyperthropic" (sp??) scars.. that can get raised and look very similar to keloids. I've read these silicone strips prevent that from happening. Just started wearing them so keeping my fingers crossed!

Love, Love, Love your honesty! Great reading! and more importantly Congratulations on reaching your goal and then surpassing it! Way to go my dear... way to freakin go!! I started off at a similar weight to you, and my personal goal is also close .. about 135. I already know that I'm going to need a tummy tuck because after the weight loss (and FOUR c-sections) my stomach looks and feels like crap! If you don't mind my asking, was your VSG covered by your insurance and is that how you were able to get a panni surgery? or were you self pay? My insurance didn't cover my VSG so I took my happy butt to Mexico and paid for it myself! I doubt my insurance company will pay for a panni surgery, but you never know! Just curious..

Your are not alone - this happend to me 2 weeks ago - literally, 8 friggin pounds! I was walking, eating right, you name it. But like a PP said, 3 days later it was gone! I was just about to throw out my scale thinking something was wrong with it! Not only was the 8 pounds gone - but I actually lost another pound???? Go figure. keep doing what you are doing, if need be, drink a little more water, step up the exercise... but most importantly ... keep your head up and keep in the game.. okay??

WindyCity .... good question.. and good responses from PP... I've been there and done that in the 5 short weeks that I've been sleeved.. one too many times, and you know what??? I stopped (like Pavlov's dogs) when I got sick one too many times. Seriously! I mean, I knew that I was only hurting myself (literally) but somehow, i thought I could "out smart" my sleeve by eating what i wanted and when I wanted... forget the diet the surgeon recommended!!! What the heck am I supposed to do when the kids are going crazy, too many demands at work, sisters getting on my nerves, husband forgets to pick up the stuff from the store like I asked him to 15 times... blah, blah, blah... the surgeon didn't think his "diet" would work then did he??!! (uh... umm...wait, I'm getting side tracked here.. I digress ) Well, "home-chick".. my "gangster" sleeve, showed my butt who's boss. So after a few (really like 3 times) I gave in... I was like this is ridiculous.. I'm NOT going to win this struggle at this stage of the game. She's in charge and runs this ship. My need to eat when I was angry, upset, frustrated started going away. Like the PP, you harness that energy into something else.. your "something else" may be going for a walk, or a drive, or in a quiet room, or phoning a good friend... just try to keep yourself focused on what's going on, and not let old habits kick in. Stuffing ourselves, eating quick, eating the wrong fattening foods is not going to help... and if so, you have a few "ounce" window for it to appease you.. and even that is not cool with the sleeve... We all know that - that's why most of us got the surgery in the first place. We have to use this "tool' to our advantage and learn other ways to channel those uncomfortable feelings. Know what i mean? Girl, my "home chick" sleeve acts UP when I even THINK about the wrong stuff... LOL.. LOL

I can so relate! who kinew that one can be felled by a milk dud?? LOL!! I gave my daughter some goldfish crackers a few weeks ago, and thought.. WTH? I'll just eat a few of them. Well, old habits die hard and i ended up having 10 or so.. I swear, the second I put the last one in my mouth I was like uh oh!!! and was in the bathroom with a quickness. it's funny, for my finiscky sleeve, i really don't know when that nasty feeling is going to hit.. 1 teaspoon too many? So now I tend to undereat, and am stuck there. I HATE that feeling of being nauseaus, it makes me take to my bed like I have the doggone flu or something! The only thing I "eat" with any kind of certainty is .... HERBAL TEA.. my sleeve and tea LOVE each other.. too bad it's not food :wub:

Get a new doctor my dear! What is that.. 13 pounds on average a month?? Are you kidding me - that is fantastic! I believe that most "doctors" strongly suggest that anyone who needs to lose weight should average 1 to 2 pounds a week. You have averaged over 6 months time, about 4 pounds a week... you are on track! If you ever have a doctor that makes you feel like crap - write your own self a prescription.. for a new one!

Girl, I read this and thought... Damn, she's bad!!! Loved reading this!

Favored - I LOVE reading your posts! You are always so funny and positive. It's that type of attitude that will not only take you far in your weight loss journey - but also far in life... Keep up the good work girl! I'm right behind you...

Rhap - how are you feeling? Better I hope!

AWWWW!! I loved that story! Happy for her and happy for my surgeon. She is right - I have 2 birthdays.. August 23rd, the day I was born, and then March 9th, the day I was reborn! Love it!

Only piece of advice that i can give you is......... DO YOU ....... don't DO anybody else... what we all have in common is that we recognized that we needed to lose weight and did something about it. That's where, in my opinion, is where the commonality ends... EXCEPt .. we all want to cross the finish line, whether that's to lose weight or to get off medication. Everyone's road is different, all paths are not the same.. So try not to compare yourself to someone else's success. Give people an "atta boy", mean it.. and wish them well. That's what we are here on these boards to do encourage each other when we feel discouraged, listen, when folks just want to vent.. offer advice when it's warrented... Do you! You WILL lose weight, you WILL feel great... and you WILL succeed.. even if this takes longer than other people. I know this sounds so cliche(ish) but.. we all know that the tortise wins the race!

as I re-read my above post... I don't want to give anyone the impression that I am on government assistance... I was just using that as an example... (in the voice of Jerry Seinfeld.. not that there's anything wrong with being on public assistance.)

Girl, haven't encountered anything yet, but I can tell you, those will be fighting words!! LOL! Shoot, what's easy is getting type II diabetes from over eating, getting HB medication, high cholesterol.. and then letting the government pay for my health bills, which consequently means letting the public pay for me to over eat! Yep, that's right.. I said it! It's easy to over eat, it's easy to go for fast food, it easy to blame everyone else on my inability to lose weight...Easy way out my arse! What's SMART is recognizing my issues and dealing with them head on - rather than waffling - doing every diet under the sun and still failing.. and only to wake up years later with every known chronic issue out there related to weight. What's SMART is being there physically, mentally and emotionally for my kids.. Being in a good place to nuture, love and inspire them that all things are possible... OMG... don't get me started.... I can't stand naysayers and anyone that even thinks they are going to get away with saying that to me will regret it... I'll give them the schooling of their life....

Don't you just love these boards???? I know I do too! it's been so incredibly inspirational, and folks are as honest as they come. I love being in a community with like minded people. People that know EXACTLY what I was going through as a person that suffered so many ill effects of being over weight. and then, knowing what I'm going through right now at the beginning of the weight loss. You can search these boards and find exactly what you are looking for. Love this community!

Amanda! I know what you mean!! I was a cognac drinker, and you are soooo right! it's the eating afterwards! I was always starving!!! I would take a half a snifter of cognac, after the kids were all asleep, and then soon afterwards, I'd be so hungry, i'd practically make another dinner just for me! I know there are empty calories in alcohol, but I always liked the fact that there were 0 carbs in cognac. But all that fell by the wayside because it would cause me to eat, and eat, and eat! Dang, I just don't miss that!

LOL!! Well Jimmy, you got my attention! Prior to my surgery, my "vice' of choice was cognac, staight, no chaser, no ice.. you know "brown liquor".. LMAO!! I'll be curious to see what others say about this. But, I will say that my family has come by - bearing wine, cognac, etc.. and even though I know at just 4 weeks out that i can't indulge, I really haven't had a desire to. which is interesting, because I often had a nightly "night cap". I mean, to be honest, my last "drink, was about 2 weeks before the surgery and I kept thinking, well.. no worries, you can indulge soon after the surgery... blah, blah, blah... you know, trying to convince myself that my life wasn't going to change that much - HA - yeah, riiiiiight.... Still no real desire... I'm actuallty shocked... maybe it will come back... or maybe not

OMGoodness - I couldn't agree more! I'm just now 4 weeks post-op, and while I've had my sdhare of "slimy issues" this surgery has changed my life! I mean that literally. I'm feeling better than I have even when I've lost more weight on other diets. I feel in CONTROL... I truly believe that this is a life changer, and that it's exactly what I needed. I needed the restriction, the inability to over eat. My BP is dang near normal, knees no longer hurt and hate to admit this but ... the desire to eat, and over eat is practically gone... you can not tell me, for those in the weight loss struggle, that they like it. Because they don't.. we don't... no one likes to limp because their ankles are swollen and their arches hurt. no 40 year old woman wants to walk with a cane, because it hurts to carry around that weight.. NO ONE wants to feel invisible and treated less than because they are heavy ... I could go on and on. I've seen so many women, and my heart aches for them - because I've been there. The one thing that gives me a little solace is that maybe, just maybe.. some of these folks HAVE had the surgery, and they are just going through the metamorphisis (that's just me trying to find the bright side)... But I know if someone looked at me, and thought the same thing "dang.. she should get WLS" they'd be hard pressed to talk to me about it - because I walk with purpose now.. I hold my head up.. I smile more and dang - I still have 70 pounds to go.. but I'm proud of myself for doing something so "drastic"... I got my life back.. who wouldn't walk around with more pep in their step??

I agree with many of the AP... it really doesn't hurt. What "hurts" more is when they tell you "okay, take a deep breath" The anticipation is like Killer!! So, I did, and then after 5 seconds I said "I'm ready - please hurry", and the nurse said "I'm finished"... I was thinking then why the heck did you tell me to take a deep breath, when it was over by the time I blinked my eyes??? LOL... Trust me - I'm a baby - I don't do pain well - and it was a piece of cake.............. ummmmm, cake :wub:

As an ex-smoker, I'd suggest that IF you get really crazy (we know those days), then at least give the e-cigarette a try. Keep it handy and use when you feel like you just will go nuts if you can't have one. It's not a cigarette - which actually makes them better - no tar, no carcinogens, just nicotine (and you don't even have to have that if you don't want it). The e-cigs are better than they were just s few years ago.. They give more "smoke" ... I used them when I got serious about this surgery, and I actually feel like I can say I quit once and for all. Been a smoker for 20 years and I'm glad I can actually say... I'm done.

This may happen for a while. The best thing to do , is to sip, sip, sip and walk, walk, walk... The occassional Gas-X strips also help. I had the same problem when I was in the hospital for 2 day, and then when i came home. Finally after a few days, I was able to burp and pass gas and pass gas (sorry). But really, you have to get it to move. Some folks have recommended massaging that area where it's trapped (not too firm -but with just enough pressure). Also make sure that you aren't "drinking" anything that might be gas producing. I had to try different protein drinks until i found one that didn't make my stomach gurgle. There are probably many other recommendations, but those worked for me. So.. sip and sip and walk and walk!

Hey there! just wanted to let you know that I went to church yesterday and the pastor asked the congregation for prayer requests... I asked that by His stripes, YOU are healed! I didnt have your name - I just used 'sleeve' but fortuantely, I know that God knows who I was talking about! Like the PP said -keep us abreast of how you are faring. You may not have a physical family (outside of your immediate family) - but there's a really big virtual family right here that's got your back! Take care and keep your head up - prayers work.. really they do!