LVikingFan

How is your new life? I am down 90 pounds, I just saw a 1 on the scale for the first time this week. 199.8 but I will take it. I admit I wasn't as good as I could have been for a few months, but I am back to seriously sticking to the program and I have seen the scale start to move again. On the other hand, even though the scale wasn't moving, my belt was. I have gone from a snug 50 waist pants to 38's that are now loose. My wife bought me some size L shirts that I argued with her were going to be too tight. They fit perfectly. My biggest victory though was at a family event I mentioned my weight to my 31 year old, very fit, son, I weigh 5 pounds more than he does. As my wife said to me, "Honey, when I look at you now I don't see a fat guy anymore....you are normal." I never thought normal would be so good!

Love the hiccup story. I had them too, the worst pain of the entire journey. Lasted almost 24 hours. Thankfully I can also say they were the only complication of my whole journey so far, And it is only 2 days to my 1 year surgiversary.

My one year Surgiversary is coming up on July 22. I initally lost about 65 pounds in the first 3 months, then lost weight very slowly over the next 8 months for another 25 pounds. I was really kind of bummed and decided that I had lost all I thought I would until about 2 weeks ago when I just started losing again. I have lost almost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Not that I am complaining, because I would really like to lose another 20 pounds. But all that being said I can't believe how much better life has been. I have to say I don't like to think that I am thin, just that I am now normal.

Can't believe I have been living this new life for almost 3 months already. I have pretty much became used to the water/protein regime, I can usually get enough Protein in during the day, but I still drink one bottle of Isopure every day. I guess I am strange, but I don't mind it. I pretty much know exactly how much I can eat of different foods now. I can go out and eat at a restaurant now and be comfortable. The weirdest thing is when I get asked what I want to drink when eating out. When I say nothing., I get the strangest looks. I am down 65 pounds which is great, but 10 pants sizes which is the best. My wife keeps telling me that I look like a homeless guy with my baggy clothes and a very bushy beard. I have had facial hair for 16 years, but I haven't trimmed it since I retired a year ago. I surprised her the other day when she got home from work by being clean-shaven and in clothes that fit! I bought a shirt in a large---I haven't worn a large since just after high school! Let's hear how everyone else is doing? What are your greatest challenges and rewards now?

The most important thing to do is relax. It is kind of painful to sit down so you are tensing up. Take the drugs and they will help you relax and might make it easier to go. The catheter isn't really that bad, so if it gets painful from not going get it. It is lots better than being in pain.

Let me weigh in for the men here. I am 5'7" and weighed officially 295 when I had my surgery 6months ago. I wore size 48 pants (but I had a really comfy pair of 50 jeans). Today I am 216 and wear size 40 pants, but my wife suggested I get 38's next time because these are pretty baggy. I wear size large shirts down from a 2X. And I am so much happier!

My doc says no drinking 30 minutes before, during the 30 minutes you are eating, and none 30 minutes after. When I was first sleeved it made it kinda hard to get enough liquids in. Now that I am 6 months out I can drink quite a lot, and I do. Iced tea all day long!

I am a strong believer in Isopure. At first I would sip one bottle slowly for most of the afternoon. Now I just drink it down, I like it cold. I also have the shake mixes and I have a home delivery service that now has a high protein nutritional drink that I get. I just mix them all up and try to have something different each day. I also have some of the protein bars that I use when traveling. I am almost 6 months out now, and I am able to get most of my protein from my diet, but I still want to make sure I have enough.

I was glued too. It must be very popular, my Grandson is having cleft lip surgery at the end of the month and they were told that his lip would be glued too. I am sure that there will be internal stitches, but it sure will help keep the scarring down. I only can even see the biggest incision that they actually removed my stomach through. All the others have faded away to nothing!

I went to three different doctors seminars. One of those was at the hospital my wife works at and if I had chosen him I would have had zero copay.I just did not feel comfortable with him, and when I went in for my first pre-op exam he was so rude that I walked out. The doctor I eventually went with shares the office with my PCP. I had hours of consultations pre-op to explain every single question my wife or I might have had. He offers free support group follow up and insists that you come for regular check ups for 5 years. I liked him because it didn't seem he did the surgery and then forgets about you. I have also never met a person at support group who has one bad thing to say about him. My wife is getting sleeved by him this summer.

I was really tired for about 3-4 months. I had no complications, but NO ENERGY! The only thing abnormal about my bloodwork has been a really low Vitamin D. I am now taking Vitamin D and trying to go outside more often and catch some sun. I am fortunate that I am retired and don't have to get up and go to work, because I really don't think I could have. Don't give up, the first few months are hard, after all this isn't a "miracle cure". I am now almost 6 months out, down 80 pounds and have accepted the sleeve way of life as my new normal. At first it seemed like that was all I thought about, but now I am living life and food is not my #1 thought. The B12 and Iron would probably give you a little boost. I just take a sublingual B12 and chew up a childrens vitamin with iron each day.

My doctor explained that the digestive tract is one big long tube. When you fill it up it empties. Pre-op we had to have it empty. Now the amount of food we are putting in takes a lot longer to fill it up, so it will need to be emptied less often. But be careful, I don't mean to be indelicate, but as others have posted here, never trust a fart!

Hi. My husband was sleeved back in July and has really learned a lot from you guys. Now I am considering surgery too. I have lost about 50 pounds just following the diet he eats, (but admittedly eating a little more). I am going to start my 6month diet as required by our insurance company this month. I am wondering, if I continue to lose weight on my own will they turn me down for the surgery? I am still diabetic and have high blood pressure. I need to lose about 100 more pounds to be healthy. I know that I can't continue eating just the little bits without some sort of help, like a sleeve.

You look great, even at your heaviest. Exercise is the key to keep things tightening. Your age will be in your favor. I was told years ago that drinking milk helps the skin stay tighter. I don't know if it is true or not. Good luck in your journey.

I agree that the kids menu options are usually not healthy choices. I tend to order from the appetizer menu and even then I find I bring home leftovers. If we are going out and taking the grandkids, which is usually the case, I order a regular meal, split it with my 4 year old granddaughter and then bring the leftovers home for lunch the next day.

Congratulations. What a beautiful story!

My surgery was July 22, 2011 and so far I have lost 81 pounds.

Unexplained pain is the worst. Thank God I haven't had any with my sleeve, but went through it with something else a few years ago. It just runs you down. Hopefully it is something simple like gas or a tight stitch, but don't let the doctors just blow you off. Don't be afraid to ask for pain meds to hold you over until they can figure it out. {{Hugs}} that they figure it all out soon.

WALK! It will help to break up the gas. Believe it or not it is gas in your next and shoulder from all the gas they pumped into your tummy. I know your knee hurts but try to get up and move around. I had trouble sleeping too, I was afraid I would move in my sleep and I was sure moving would hurt worse. Actually I found it didn't. I had my surgery late on a Friday and on Monday my wife and I went to the Mall shopping. I was tired when I got home, but I felt much better as lots of the crampy pains went away with the walking. I also had the best sleep since the day before surgery that night. You will feel pretty yucky for most of this week, but by Christmas I bet you will be feeling MUCH better!

You sound like you are feeling a little better now Rosy. I agree the first month is HARD. I don't think you will find a single person on this board that will say they never at least thought "Why the H**L did I do this"? during the first month. My doc is like yours and is really strict. Heck I am almost 5 months out and I am not even allowed to swallow a pill, everything must be crushed and this is forever! But I have followed the rules, and I have to say I have not had one complication. Not even any nausea. Just hang in there and vent as much as you need to us. We are all in the same boat and at least one person here has exactly what you are experiencing at any time. Just take a deep breath and remind yourself how great you are going to look and feel in just a few months.

Happy Birthday (a little late). Mine is today. We December babies are doing great. I plan to use your 5 day the next time I hit a stall. I JUST got off one today. Almost a month with nothing and then 5 pounds today.

My experience was pretty good. I was to have my surgery at noon so we arrived at a little before 11 as instructed. After an hour wait in the waiting room (and my wife having a total meltdown and not wanting me to do it) we finally inquired and they said they were just getting ready to call us. They took me back to get my designer gown and IV started. After half an hour or so they let my wife come back. She had realized she had forgotten her phone at home and asked if she would have time to run home to get it. The nurse laughingly told her she could get the phone, lunch and a nap. My case was going to be delayed at least 3 hours. It actually turned out to be 6 hours and it wasn't until after 6 that I went to the OR. I was pretty anxious by then but it went pretty quickly and I don't remember until I was in my room finally at about midnight. It didn't really hurt, but I was afraid if I did move it would hurt so I just laid still. My wife was able to spend the night with me, so we both slept until about 3 am when the nurse came in and said that I needed to get up and walk. My wife helped me and I made it once around the unit, and then I really wanted to go back to bed. They had taken out my catheter when I was in the recovery room and I didn't even know it. I got some pain meds in the IV when I went back from my walk and I slept until about 7:30 when I needed to use the bathroom. My wife helped me out of bed and I walked to the bathroom and noticed that I really didn't feel too bad. We went for another stroll and they told me that it was time to go and have my leak test. That whole process took about an hour and then back to my room again. The nurse came and told me I did fine and I could drink. That little sip of water tasted SO GOOD! I got my first liquid meal of 2tbls of crystal light, 2 tbls of broth and 2 tbls of jello. Something about that caused me to get hiccups, and that was the most painful thing of the whole experience. They lasted almost 4 hours. They said there was nothing to do for it. Right after I got over them they said I could go home. About 20 hours after surgery. The nurse did give me a dose of pain meds so I would be more comfortable for the ride home. I don't think that was the best idea, since I got really nauseated on the way home. Soon after I got home I got another attack of hiccups that lasted almost 12 hours and that were very painful. The wife called the doctor and he said to just take the Lortab and try to relax. The drugs knocked me out and a slept and hiccced all night. They finally went away the next morning. Kind of sat around the house the next day. They day after that I went and walked in the Mall with my wife. It has been all uphill from there. Moral of the story, the first couple of days are the worst and from there on you do feel better.

I must admit I faced Thanksgiving with a little trepidation. I think knowing I had an appt with my doc this week made me think a little more. I have found the smaller plate trick REALLY helps. I also made a decision to sit next to my wife, and my diabetic brother who eats very small portions. Then I took just one small spoonful of the things I really liked and no more. I tried to talk more and eat very slowly. I wasn't forced to look at someone elses plate piled high and it didn't make me feel deprived. I even had a tiny bit of pecan pie. And I was really happy to say that I did not gain an ounce. It also helped that we ate at my Mom's so we didn't have a lot of leftovers to stare at. Christmas will be a challenge since it will be at our house, but I am changing our traditional menu so there won't be as much temptation.

I am 4 months out and just went to my doctor yesterday. I have only lost 4 pounds in the last month, haven't cheated, but I haven't been able to exercise due to a strange pain in my back. The doctor told me that the wait loss slows up dramatically at the three month mark, but will continue to come off slowly. I had hoped to make it to 100 pounds less by Christmas but I suppose 70 pounds is not too bad. He did say that the back pain could be from a very low Vitamin D level. I don't know why it is low, I eat yogurt and drink milk and take tons of Vitamins, but will increase the Vitamin D and see how it goes. As far as your period goes, I can't comment on that, as I am a guy, but I remember when my wife was on Atkins and losing weight hers really was messed up. I am sure that rapid weight loss will affect your hormones, that could also account for your mood being a little different. Good luck to you.

I was fortunate to not have a drain. I did have a leak test done the morning after surgery. I was so thirsty by that point that the dye was wet in my mouth and that felt good. I am 4 monts post op today and I can not see any of the scars except the big one, and it is only about 3/4 of an inch. No stitches just steri-strips. My surgeon said to leave them on until they fell off on their own. I had an appointment about 2 wks after surgery with my primary care and he took one look at them and said, "these things can come off" and ripped them off. Must say it felt much better after that. Honestly all the little things that are annoying in the first couple of weeks you can hardly remember after a couple of months. It really just becomes a part of your normal life.