Gastricsleeve4me

At 11 years old I was living with my mother and step father. My father was no where to be found. My step dad worked nights from about 3pm to midnight, leaving my mom with their 4 year old and a newborn. My mother, diagnosed only a few years ago, is bipolar. Two young children and a husband away in the evenings was too much for her to bear. But, at 11, after spending much of my time caring for their first child, I was well equipped. There were diapers to be changed, and dinners to be made, and someone to watch the kids while my mother needed "alone time", pursued a variety of different careers to keep her occupied and out of the house, or disappeared for days on end when life was too overwhelming. At that age, "normal" is whatever your life is. So, I did what I believed I was supposed to. But there was not much time to be a kid. No one to scream at to when my brother stuffed yet another box of crayons in the VCR or my sister decided to "puffy paint" the bathroom towels. No one to cry to when I was home taking care of two kids when everyone else was playing sports or meeting boys. So I ate. I used food to comfort me for the adult stressors I was incapable of handling at such a young age (and had been primed for over years before). Who do you cry to when your step dad says he needs to pick up your mom at the suicide clinic so make sure the kids get to bed on time? I became an expert at being capable. At being resilient. At relying on no one. But food. Food was my best friend and a constant. For years later during high school my parents would "scold" me for sitting on the couch to catch an hour of tv after working one of my two jobs (by 15), presumably because they noticed my growing waistline and assumed it to be lack of exercise (as a varsity gymnast holding down two jobs and "babysitting" every day you'd think they would have figured out it wasn't my ability to commit to hard work or the result of laziness). I left home at 17 and, by now the consummate overachiever, graduated with my bachelors at 20 and began a career I'm continuing 12 years later, becoming the youngest manger in my region, then the most quickly promoted sr manager, and so on. But always heavy. Always. The stress of two young kids was replaced by stress at work, the need to succeed, anger/grief/etc at my parents when I realized later how different my childhood was...but I never learned how to cope with thes emotions. Being dumped 5 weeks before your wedding, losing a best friend to sudden death at 28, funerals for 16 yr old cousins, and uncles who died too early, friends and family with brain cancer. I was ill-equipped to do anything but make it to therapy, and eat. So, at 32, I needed a catalyst. A push. A drastic change. Enter the sleeve. At nine weeks out my journey is an emotional one. One that I'm conquering. Slowly. But surely. With the guidance of a therpist who specializes in food and has picked up where other therapists began (but without the weight connection). It's not easy, and it's not about Protein or Water intake. It's about becoming more emotionally mature. And I'm committed. And I'm nothing if not resilient. Jo - sleeved 5/21/12 Everyone has a story and, I'm curious, what's yours?

75 since 5-21 surgery

Hey! Anyone have a breast reduction before vsg? I went from a size or two above a DDD to a D a couple years ago. Also had the laser bra lift. Now I've had VSG and wondering what will occur! Clearly I did it backwards, but never had considered wls at the time of my reduction. In the end, whatever my boobs look like, I'll be happier thinner, so it's all good...but curious nonetheless! I'm quite the Frankenstein between my reduction and vsg scars!

If you're not currently seeing a therapist, might be worth finding one. Weeks 6-9 were the worst for me emotionally.

I bring protein powder from my tubs at home dumped into big ziplocks. I thought I'd have problems bringing in my carry on, but have traveled all over the world with it and no problems.

I'd posted previously about my love of flatout bread. Last night I cut one in half and made buffalo chicken on one half (wing sauce, canned chicken, cheddar cheese, sprinkling of ranch dressing packet) and sausage/pepp on the other (prego pre made pizza sauce, leftover sausage, turkey pepperoni, and four cheese pizza blend). At 8 weeks I could only eat 1/6 of a flatout...now I can do about a quarter, but am stuffed (e.g., what you see in pic is four meals)

Fabulous! Love the flatout...options are endless and I'm with you...satisfies my enjoyment of pizza as well!

First, so glad to hear you're doing well!! Second, yes, a meetup is in order I'm out of the country for a couple more weeks but let's do late sept. I also need to actually schedule an official meetup since more people signed up in jersey! Last, sorry to hear about the split...sounds like it may have been a mutual decision, but either way, hope you're okay with it. You've got time an youth and now some serious weight loss on your side! I'm loving what it's doing for my confidence in the man department Later girl...thx for the update. Looks like I wasn't the only one looking for it!

Resurrected one of my favorite things to make pre-surgery with a few tweaks to try to keep calories manageable. Recipe and nutritional info on my blog at http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com/2012/08/turkey-chili.html

These are the only ones I eat. I do a half as a snack and I'm good. Here on the east coast I've found them at Walmart and vitamin shoppe.

You might try googling "5 day pouch test" as a place to start to get back on track

I use kelocote and think it helps

5'7, lost 55lbs in 14 weeks (none pre op). Surgery weight 250.

Another Aceves fan here! Sleeved 5/21. Down 55 lbs in 3.5 mos from surgery weight of 250 (5'7"). Went to Mexicali by myself and couldn't have been a better experience!

Go to amazon (or google) and look for click mocha decaf protein powder...it could be the perfect replacement for you!

You can buy singles at Vitamin Shoppe in the cooler area. People have strong reactions to different flavors to strongly suggest that you get one of several flavors and try them out. If you find one you like, then you can buy more. I found them to be a lifesaver early on...haven lost any hair at nearly four months out. I may still lose it, but attribute lack of loss so far as being religious about getting lots and lots of protein in the early days. Even if I didn't "like" the flavor of something

Literally feels like yesterday I was where you are. Now 13 weeks and 55lbs...stay focused on the goal! Anything can be done over a short period get thru this then start building healthy habits to sustain!

I'd posted about the flatout bread pizza I'd made a few days ago. I had leftover cheese, pepperoni, and pizza sauce so decided to make pizza bites. Recipe and nutritional info on my blog at http://gastricsleeve4me.blogspot.com/2012/08/pizza-bites.html. Yum!