Cheles

Skydive...which I'm doing for my birthday in Nov.

Congrats, Lisa! You are an inspriation to us all. Sorry to hear about your home. I'm not on here as much as I used to be, but I do check in from time to time.

I'm almost 8-months out and my diet is pretty normal. I tend to stay between 1000-1100 calories a day. I'm bad because I do drink coffee and eat a bag of popcorn all the time. I do try and keep protien first. Good luck.

I totaly understand. I too had the same problem that I could see thast "fat" me and not the smaller me. It takes time for you to truely see the real you. I think for me it was that I had always seen myself as thin and never as fat until ast Nov. Here I am, 140 lbs lighter than last year and I can see the thin me now. Everytime I do laundry I see my size 10 jeans and think...those are mine...I fit in those. That has been my reality check during this process.

It is a challenge to completely change one's life. Way to go for making such a touch choice and being the person you knew you could be!

I told family and close friends, and a few at work. However, I told my boss and team 2-days before my surgery. When I returned from work, everyone knew....lol

I don't miss walking upstairs and breathing so hard that I that I was dying. I don't miss shopping in the women's section because their clothes are not what I was wanting. I don't miss feeling squezed into a airline seat because I was so big. I don't miss having the car seat all the way back so my fat had a place to go. I don't miss not crossing my legs.

If your surgery is on Monday, the surgeron may cancel your surgery because you did not follow his instructions for the pre-op weight-loss. I would be more concerned if you had the surgery and did not follow your doctor's instructions because you could, from over eatting, blow out your stiches and bleed out and at worse die from complications from your over-eatting.

No guilt whatsoever. At times I give them a headsup to bring the dogie bag when they bring my meal because I will not finish it. When, or if they ask why I tell them I'm on a diet. Now, if I'm ordering from the child's menu I present my surgery card. They just want to please you, but since we have changed our eatting habits in my opinion I try not to get bent out of shape with them. They are doing what they've always done and it's up to me to educate them about my change.

that's $25 for each bottle.

As to hair loss. Avead makes a product called Invati. It's about $25 for shampoo and conditioner. This product is specifically for hair loss. I will admit the first few times I used the shampoo I lost more hair then i had ever lost in my life...yes, in small chunks. What I've found was it helped to remove the hair that was going to fall out either way. The conditioner added the volume which many "claim" to do but never do. I suggest trying it. But remember the 1st few uses will freak you out! LOL

jasleeve we were both sleeved on the same day 12/20/11. Over the past 7-months I have watched and commented on your recovery. My heart went out to you when this all happend, but at the same time I had complete fear this would happen to me. Thankfuly it did not. I appreciate the information you've provided to the board because we all need to remember this is surgery, and sometimes it doesn't go as expected. I pray you continue with your amazing success. This is a journey and we have to decide whether it is the right path for us. I have been fortunate that I've had no complications. I have dealt with the hair loss, but after 2-months it has almost stopped. Keep up the great work and rock your sleeve.

First of all, congrats on the pregnancy! Secondly, you look AMAZING! You've given me some thought about holding off on the plastics. I too, have unsightly arms, thighs, and belly. I had planned on surgery in 2013, but I may wait until the end of the year instead of the first of the year. Congrats again on all your wonderful news and showing us how you rocked your sleeve.

Congrats to you! I too love trying on clothes. Trust me, in my past, which was most of my life, I had to shop the plus women's section. Now I get to shop in the" regular" women's section. I hated trying on clothes because they never fit properly. Now I'm a size 10 and large tops. I can spend hours trying on clothes and I likey!

Woo Hoo! Now that's progress! Congrats to you!

Woo Hoo! Rock your sleeve!

Thank you!

Awesome job! Congrats on your hard work.

Started my journey at 310 and down to 178 now!

About 2-weeks ago I bought (ordered online) some size 12 pants because my 14 were way to large on me. I bought some jeans and dress pants, and a XL belt. They arrived and I was floating in them. Thankfuly I had to go to Atlanta Friday, so I decided I needed to return them. I did, and much to my surpise I was able to put on a size 10. Never in my entire life would I have thought I could be that size. Much less not wear a XL top. Well, I'm down to a 10 in pants and skirts and a L in tops and dresses. Nice. However the sales lady brought me a size 8 in jeans. I'm thinking lady you are crazy. But, I got them on, zipped and was tucked into them. Much like wearing a size 24 like last year, but hello...I actually squezed into them! First lesson learned, no more buying pants online...I need to try them on now. It's funny. I look at myself in the smaller sized clothes, and yes, I do love the classic lines I can finally wear. But, to be honest, I would be totally happy if I could stay in a 10. Who knows where this journey will take me, but I'm lovin' it. What I do hate is my saggy skin on my leggs. I hate wearing shorts and swim suits. I know I'll have to have surgery for this, my arms and tummy, but that's to come in the future. Good luck with your journey. I'm grateful for how far we've all come. Cheles

I'm wearing the bermuda shorts too, and thankfully they are in this year. I feel you're pain. The crazy lady gave me a size 31 in Mee Too jeans which are low-riders....not gonna do it. I looked funny in them.

I start back to work the week after next, so I thought I might do a bit of housekeeping in my closet. First, I tried on the few pair of pants I generally wear for work. They had to go! I was swimming in them. Then I tired on pants I've held onto because I "thought" one day they might fit. Yeah, they fit. That gives me pants for at least a month or two. Next onto shirts. I had beautiful silk blouses which I bought and could not wear becuase of my arm-n-hammer arms. I thought, Finally, I'll get to wear them. Not gonna happen...again, I was swimming in them. Dang, and they were nice and expensive blouses. Anyway, tried on the smaller one and yeah buddy! Look's like I'm not going to be wearing my turtleneck any longer! Well, that clear out a 1/4 of my my closet. How about ya'll...how much did you clean out by your 1st month post op?