Dea

We are TTC#4, which would be the 2nd pregnancy since I was sleeved. I conceived just over a year after surgery, which is a little of a no no but my doctor was okay since I'd lost 90% of my excess weight. I went on to have good pregnancy and an amazing labour and birth. We're trying for #4 now, but it doesn't look like it will be as easy to conceive, babes #1 and 2 were the result of a lot of fertility treatments and #4 might need a boost too. #3 was a blessing. I did metformin with the first 2, but I don't want it this time since I am still breastfeeding. Likely use menopur again.

you've lost 20 lbs in 3 weeks. that's good! just like before your surgery you don't want it to come off super fast. re: Protein, my opinion is different than your nutritionist's. I did very well though getting moderate protein and more fat. (fat keeps you feeling full, and helps you to better absorb Vitamins. I'm not saying eat buckets of it, but I chose full fat things, rather than low fat options) When I was in the Protein shake phase I did what I could (and it wasn't much) and then when I could eat food I did better. I hated the shakes so much, they were too sweet for me and I cannot stand fake sugar. (plus it's awful for you!) Also if you're 3 weeks out, you're still healing, don't push too hard, if you injure yourself, it'll slow everything down. Go for walks and enjoy your new body. Anyhow it does get better! You're doing fine! Remember it's not a race or a contest. Do what your body needs and be proud of what you're doing for you!

Hi! Baby is doing well. She keeps me busy! But that's her job, along with pooping and eating. About hair, I had waist length fine straight hair too. I was so gutted when it started falling out. I lost about 1/2 which was quite noticeable. So I cut it to a pixie. It was nearly a year ago, now, it's growing back and it's thick again, although part of that is pregnancy hair. I will lose more again in a couple months (about 4 months postpartum), but I don't lose much after pregnancy. I'll never regret my surgery either. I tell folks i didn't do it to be X weight, I did it to not be Y. I'm so much happier now.

I liked that update, thanks! My hair did comeback, but I cut it off and started over. Would that help do you think? My update.... I had my baby, and it was wonderful. I gained 40lbs this pregnancy, and have about 15 left to lose to get back to pre pregnancy weight (I'm 7 weeks postpartum). I got my period at 6 weeks, which is a bummer, but it might be good, showing that I've managed ti kick the PCOS. I'm not sure. we'll see....

HI all! So I haven't posted in a while. I'm in a different place than many of you. I just had a baby, I met my goal weight and (intentionally) got pregnant. It was a hard pregnancy, but medically so much better than my other 2 from when I was heavy. My birth was a dream, literally everything I've wanted in a birth (home Water birth, baby born in the caul) So now here I am 4 weeks post partum and 15 lbs above my lowest weight. I keep hoping and hoping it'll magically fall off, but alas, no dice. I can't wait until I can start running hard again, as I enjoyed it before. Right now I am enjoying baby snuggles and remembering to not eat like I'm pregnant, which is easier than I thought 'cause I'm busy with 3 kids now! cbwalker.... I know your dilemma! I went through something similar, except I didn't like the protien anything at all. It all made me gag it was awful. Have you made a homemade broth? I made myself a good chicken bone broth, with lots of chicken feet in it, it really loads up the collagen and that helped me to heal and to feel fuller, maybe it was just my mind, but I knew that it was a nutritional powerhouse so I felt good drinking it. If chicken feet gross you out (they might, but they're so good for you! and you don't eat them) just do a good bone broth with backs and necks. It'll gel less but it'll still be super good for you and so nourishing. Also this too shall pass. I kept reminding myself that the liquid phase was short and that I'd be through it soon and I'd just remember it, and not be living it. good luck!

Dawn0429, I was sleeved 02/29/2012, I lost 20 the first month, 10 the second and then it dropped to about 8-10 a month. I chugged along slowly and lost 100. I think 50 of that was my hair. Okay not quite, but I lost at least 1/2 of my hair, which was a horrible blow, I had long to my waist, straight blonde hair. I was a wee bit vain about it. Anyhow, it stopped around March of this year, so about a year post op. You could see my scalp all over my head. However it grew in quickly. I did cut my hair and I have a pixie now, which I am growing out, but my hair is back to it's original thickness. So it will stop and for me it came back. (I'm also pregnant and have noticed that I have my usual pregnancy hair, just shorter.)

Update! I all! I posted a long time ago. So I am 31 weeks pregnant. I got pregnant about a year out from my surgery. I had reached my weightloss goal. I had my IUD removed thinking it would take months to get pregnant like it did with my other children with the fertility treatments. So to my surprise I managed to get pregnant that cycle! My cycles are still somewhat irregular, but yay for no fertility drugs, they're awful. So now I wait, have this baby and see what happens. We want a 4th baby (2nd since surgery) so we'll see what really happens. I credit my weight loss for an easy conception, but also cleaning up my diet and getting the crap out of my body, which I started doing well before my surgery. Now I stress about losing the weight I gained during pregnancy. It's a bit of a mind game to watch the scale go up again. But I know it's healthy, I'm not gaining too much, right on track. (according to my midwife, not to my surgeon who seems to think a baby should only weigh 3 pounds or less after considering placenta, extra blood volume and amniotic fluid.)

Hi all! i'm 5'0" and I lost about 100 lbs. Then just over a year out I was lucky enough to get pregnant without any assistance (we wanted to get pregnant but my other children were lots of fertility treatments). Luckily my docs are all happy for me, since I've surpassed all expectations. Anyhow, yay for shorties! Congrats all! this is the only thread I follow!

Madison! So encouraging thank you! I am just about a year out and am close to 100 lbs. (I was 230, and nearly 130 now) And I am loving buying small clothes, the strangest thing now is finding clothing I like. I am not quite sure how to dress my body! Anyhow about PCOS. I feel like it's come on stronger since i lost the weight. i have more hair, and worse symptoms, which is annoying because I want more children. I think I'll have to consider laser hair removal when I am done with having children. I hadn't even thought of that though. thanks! thanks again!

So I borrowed a bike since the bike portion was only 12 miles. But I think get something you'll be comfortable on, probably a hybrid. And learn to love swimming, it's how I've gotten in most of my exercise, starting with beginner lessons, now I do masters classes a couple times a week. A really excellent workout, and great for my achy body.

So I did my first race ever this weekend, and I chose a triathlon. (go big or go home, right?) I came in somewhere around the middle of my group and the whole race. I totally survived. I went from not being able to run pre surgery, to 7 months out doing a tri. It's amazing what a little work and a lot of determination can do. Next up is the Muddy Buddy then a half marathon and perhaps another tri. I am actually enjoying this! Who knew? Also I am dead convinced anyone can do this, anyone!

Your body needs to exercise or you'll lose more muscle than you want to and it will be unattractive, and you'll end up a skinny fat person. Bad news! However exercising while fat is hard, it's so much easier as you lose the weight.

Hi! I am about to do my first tri, which incidentally is my first race, ever! (I think I'm crazy!) I'm wondering about energy and what to eat before and during. I think I have a pretty good handle on food in general, I tend to keep to real food, no bars, very little protein powder also. But that might not be possible the day of and during. Any ideas? My tri is Oct 6/12, 1/2 marathon is 1/20/13 I feel like I am ready for my tri, and well on my way to the 1/2. (running is so much easier after losing this much weight, it's amazing!)

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've posted. Life got busy, we've sold our house and are trying to buy a new one, but we live in Silicon Valley and houses are hard to come by, and we've been in a few bidding wars and it's making me crazy! AND when I'm stressed I look for food, and now I can't, so I'm working on that. Fun abounds! Mama's stressed, the kids are stressed and the dog is napping in the sunshine. Oh the life. So I've lost (at least) 40lbs from my surgery date of feb 29/12, so I'm bringing up the rear, but I'm okay with that. (I haven't weighed myself in over a week, so not sure of the exact number, but last time is was like 42ish.) I've signed up for my first triathlon, and I've started running which is something I've always hated, but it's so much easier with 60+ less pounds hanging off of me. (I lost 20 before surgery) Anyhow, to all my shortie sleevers, I love you all! I see all of your messages since they are sent to my email. It's such a breath of fresh air for me! I'm not alone!

18 pounds is a lot for someone as tiny as you! that's awesome! (PS I'm 5'0"!)

rodswife, I had only lost 20 lbs my first month, and 10 my second. I remind myself it's not a race. Also how tall are you? That can affect it too! Remember it's your journey, no one else's and using their data to gauge your own isn't fair to you!

I only had to do a one day preop diet, but I did have to lose 20lbs before even that. and for protein, there are lots of places you can get samples. Start tasting now, but be prepared for your tastes to change. I don't want to be a bummer, but I had my faves that I'd been using for years before, and now I hate them. Even at 7 weeks I still hate them all. bletch. I can't stand the smell or the over sweet taste and I've never liked artificial sugars. It was hard, but I seem to be surviving! Just taste a lot now. I wish I would have had more samples on hand.

hi all! So I just got back from Mexico for a week. It was nice to be able to not feel horrible in a bathing suit! And I still managed to lose 4 lbs the week we were gone. YAY! Next stop, triathlon!

Hi! I think I am the anomaly, but i didn't have to do a 2 week liquid diet. I had a 24 hour one, then a week post op. But I did have to lose 10% before they would even book my date, so I had to have good eating habits before that. Anyhow I didn't do a food funeral. I had a last meal, because it was literally the last meal I ate before the surgery, and nothing appealed to me other than what I should have had. Funny how that is, eh? Now at 5 weeks out, I'm starting to be able to eat a little more, but not a lot, and everything is good. If I have a rare craving I can pretty much have anything if I an careful to chew, so I don't feel I am missing anything. So my suggestion is to not go crazy, because I think that mind frame will hurt you. it's like you're mourning your old life, but think of what those old habits did to you.... And like others have said it won't be long until you can eat like you want to again, if you want the same stuff. (it's so true that your tastes will change.) anyhow sorry if this is not what you were looking for... good luck!

Hi! So I've been on solids since 2 weeks... I did a week of liquids, then a week of yogurt and the like, then at my appointment we talked about how I can't tolerate Protein Powder, so I moved onto mushy foods, and I was told it was okay to move on anyhow since I chew everything so well. I stick to mostly Proteins. A lot of chicken breast, sandwich meats (nitrate and nitrite free), a lot of whole eggs, some fish, and lots of chewing! I make sure everything is good and chewed before I swallow it. I've had a tiny bit of bread, only once and it filled me up too much and I can't waste precious stomach room on anything that isn't Protein. My biggest problem is that I don't have 45 mins to an hour to eat like was suggested to me. I have 2 young children. Time is a luxury. So I've had a few times where I've eaten too much and felt horrible, so I try to remember about how many bites I can have before I'm full. it's not the best way, but it's working. I commented to my doctor at my check up that I was feeling hungry and he seemed baffled. I think I was feeling thirst. Although this week with having stomach flu, I felt hunger. But it's cause I hadn't eaten anything from tuesday at lunch until friday at lunch. (horrible flu going around here, it totally had me freaked out, but I'm okay!) Anyhow, don't be scared! Just go slow to see what you can tolerate and chew chew chew chew chew, also chew some more. It'll be fine! Have you started working out much? I've been walking a lot, haven't made it to the pool, just out of horrible schedules, but lots of walking. PS congrats on 22lbs! YAY

HI everyone! I wanted to check in now that we're all a month out! So far I'm good. I've lost 20 lbs (which I'm happy with 'cause I'm only 5'0") I got stomach flu earlier this week , so it's been hard with that, but over all everything is good!

I woke up and was hit by bad nausea. The nurses managed it quickly, I remember thinking it was odd to be so nauseaus, but then it dawned on me that I'd just had part of my stomach removed. For me the nausea was worse than the pain, but it was managed. Since then (I"m 3 weeks out) I've had very little nausea. The pain was manageable with medications, then lortab. I wish they would have let me stay another night, but I have 2 small children and it was hard, I did pull a muscle near my big inscision, and it still bothers me but it's totally manageable. For me the gas pressure was worse than the pain. I think the general consensus is that it's manageable, you'll be fine. Don't have any crazy expectations and let yourself have the time to heal.

I don't think you can be too old! I'm 34 and just learning!

HA! I just started taking lessons this past summer, and for some reason I've taken to it. So swimming it is. I've also started training for a triathlon, before my surgery I was running 5ks. Now I'm not sure, hopefully I haven't lost too much endurance!