COnative

Best of luck to you! I hope you get approved too! Keeping my fingers crossed.

NOW THAT IS MOTIVATING!!!! You look amazing! I definitely know that feeling of looking in the mirror and being shocked. Cool eh? Thanks for posting your success it keeps the rest of us motivated! CONGRATS!

Please don't get discouraged yet- this happens to almost everyone. Your body needs time to catch up to this weight loss. You are more than likely doing everything right and don't need to change a thing. I have hit so many plateaus that I lost count. I even had one that lasted a MONTH! So hang in there- that scale will be coming down again soon. Here is a great link that "Butterthebean" (a member on here) had on his signature that really helps. Check it out. http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Is that also referred as "dumping syndrome"? I definitely experienced that in the beginning but not anymore. And yes, they DO NOT remove any of the bowl or intestines. There are some really cool videos on YouTube if you have a strong stomach. (ha- no pun intended)

I had great success with the gentle laxative Senakote. It seemed pretty gentle and I took it every night till I felt like my bowls were back in to a good pattern. It sucks to be bound up but my doctor warned that I might not have a bowl movement up until 14 days after surgery. Good luck! The sooner the better when dealing with this.

Mine is that I will put the weight back on. After yo-yoing all my life you never feel like it will end. Thank god for therapy.

That is the million dollar question in some ways. I started the process with one doctor (Aceves) and then went to my second choice (Alvarez) to have the surgery. I really just followed my heart BUT with being said, I also met with the doctor a month before surgery just to make sure I still felt good with my decision. And I think it is to your advantage that your wife had a good experience. I actually think that speaks louder than anything else. I wish you the best, the decision is not easy, but soon you will be on your journey post-surgery.

I am scared too. I lucked out, in some ways, - I met my husband when I was really heavy then I got thin and then heavy again. If I met him thin I would have said the same thing- that I was really a fat girl! LOL I think it will always be on the back of our minds especially for us that have yo-yo'd a lot through life. I am thankful for the surgery and I am soooo happy I can't eat as much as I did. I just try to stay positive and really in-vision my future as thinner. But I can totally relate to The Gamer- when I look in the mirror I'm like, "Who are you?" But yes, I feel I am the same person as I have always been. Life is such a journey with all its experiences! I love it!

I am close. I am 5'7 and started out at 220. I am 6 1/2 months out and 55 down. I lost 20 the first month and about 7-10lbs each month thereafter but a month long plateau at month 5. Now at month 6 I started losing again. But I definitely felt like I hit plateaus all the time. I would lose a few pounds in a week then plateau for two weeks then lost again. But the entire time I felt my body changing. I also learned that if I eat 1000 or less calories per day I lose- I eat a measly 200 more calories per day and I plateau. I really hope this helps!!!! Hang in there! It looks like you are doing really good.

Hi :-) I was at a plateau for a month and then started losing again after I added one more day of workouts and did a dietary change. For one month, and my hubby's doing it with me, we cut out alcohol, caffeine, dairy, gluten, corn and soy. I know, it doesn't sound very fun but I dropped five pounds in a week and have kept it off for the following two weeks. I am hoping it has jump started my losing again. We'll see. Losing weight is still tough! Tougher than I thought it would be with the sleeve. I will lose if I stay under 1000 calories per day but as soon as I am up around 1200 - I either stay the same or gain a little. Oh well. It was still worth it. I hope you start losing again soon. All the best.

Ditto. I don't wait ten minutes but just long enough to put my fork down in-between bites. And yes, chew chew chew.

I don't think you should have any trouble by the summer either. Unless May is considered summer where you are, I live in the mountains and summer doesn't come till mid June. Hopefully you aren't moving until July or August. All the best!

Thanks for sharing. It is important I think for all of us to know that the battle is never over- I wish it was but it sounds like it is not. I remember gaining 10 pounds over a weekend pre-surgery. I am still paranoid about gaining all my weight back- hopefully that will stick with me for years to come. But thanks for the reminder that this can happen even with the sleeve. Seems unfair almost. Best of luck getting back on the wagon.

That's when I started drinking coffee again. But I also had a fair amount of milk in my coffee too which probably cuts down on the acidity that is in coffee. But I would try a few sips and see how you feel! Good Luck!

I think you should be fine! I felt pretty normal at a month. Have a great time!!!!

Thank you soooo much for your post!

What you are experiencing is completely normal and will pass- promise. We, I should say 95% of us, hit plateaus throughout our weight loss. Please check out this link that a member, butterthebean, on here has on his signature- it made me feel better when the scale wasn't moving. But be patient- you will lose. Promise! http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

I think that is one of the BIGGEST frustrations for ALL of us during this process. BUT, with that being said, most of all of us hit plateaus all the time. I hit a plateau for the entire MONTH of January . But I am not discouraged because I know I am doing all the right things- exercise and good diet. I think our bodies just have a different idea about adjusting to our weight loss. Especially since I have never lost weight this fast before- I think my body is freaking out a bit. You will totally get through this- hang in there! You will start losing again and if you aren't losing- I have noticed my clothes fit better even if the scale isn't moving.Thanks for your post. Keep up what you are doing! Butterthbean (a wise member) has a link regarding plateaus- check it out. http://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.html

Man, I am almost six months out and I could TOTALLY put weight back on if I didn't exercise! I agree with PDxMan- I think it would be seriously difficult to put it all back on- that's for sure. It's a struggle, not that I tried this all but once or twice, to eat more than 1400 calories per day. I average 800-1100. Hope this helps.

Man. I have always thought of that. And being that I have lost and gained and lost and gained sooooo many times- I have always put my tattoo's where my skin stretches the least like my ankle, wrist, and back of my neck. And now that I am close to my goal- I can't wait to get more too!!! It is super addictive!!!

You are welcome! I have been on this site since April 2012 and man I have never heard of ANYTHING truly helping with the hair loss. Its a waiting game, and I know I can say this easier than others cuz I have a ton of hair, but having the surgery was worth the hair loss for me. Doesn't mean we have to like it- that's for sure!

I started losing my hair at month three and it is still going on month four and five but I actually don't mind because my hair is crazy thick. Here was a website that was passed on to me by a fellow member on here that really brings light to the whole hair loss issue. I hope your hair loss ends real soon!! At least we can count on it growing back eventually. http://www.slhn.org/docs/pdf/bariatric_surgery_and_hair_loss.designed.pdf

I am kind of where you are right now. Kind of frustrated but hanging in there. I was really sick two weeks ago so I stopped working out and then I went on a little mini vacation last week and didn't work out again. For me that is the ONLY way I lose weight (which is kind of a bummer). But I think we have made great progress thus far! Keep it up- hang in there! Get back to the gym! I think once you get your juices flowing again with exercise- things will start to change. At least that is my hope for the both of us!

I hope this is the same for you but for the first couple months I had no appetite for anything- including my favorite foods. And I think it does help to withdraw from sweets completely- it really helps with the "over" craving. You have overcome many challenges in your life- I think you are going to do great.

I agree with Chilihot59 - I think at month three my taste buds started coming back along with my appetite. Hang in there- you will enjoy food again!!!