keldolbeth

as much! Calm down, people! I still shower everyday... However, I used to be the person who had to shower before every event, sometimes multiple times a day. I would work a full day (no physical labor involved) but had to fully shower and get ready again before going out that night. I'd plan my day and my social life around when I needed to shower. I never felt "fresh." I sweated all the time. I constantly felt like I smelled. Last night my friend wanted to go out and I contemplated showering... or just washing off in the bath since I can comfortably fit in the tub now... but I realized even though I had showered 12 hours prior I still felt clean, everywhere! Some of this could be due to my new baby powder routine (LOL) but mostly because I'm not constantly sweaty anymore. I feel fresh and clean for 24 hours or more. So I just touched up my make up, straightened my hair a bit, changed and was out the door... saved me probably an hour! All NSV's are awesome but I particularly love the silly ones... so much stuff makes me laugh now about my new body! Oh yeah, last weekend I saw the guy I lost my virginity to in college for the first time in 2 1/2 years... I told him about the surgery and how much I had lost but he hadn't seen any pictures. The first thing he said, with a bewildered look, "man, you do look different as hell!" Of course, I couldn't mention my night without including a picture... I'm wearing an old sweater as a tunic with leggings now! Keep rocking those sleeves!

Krissy, I am pleased! When I thought about WLS I was also thinking band. I talked to two different doctors and they both said sleeve was the best surgery for me. I would definitely do it again. Luckily, I haven't had too tough of a road. I am getting my gallbladder out Monday but I haven't had any intolerances, complications, vomiting, etc that can be common. Also, after being extremely obese my entire life I felt hopeless. All I saw was the huge mountain ahead of me and never imagined I could make any progress on my own. It was a lot about my mental health too. I was in a deep depression. I had to do something. My life has changed so dramatically in the last year. I am a totally different person now! Still a long way to go to where I want or need to be but I don't feel hopeless anymore. I just take it one day at a time.

I was going to say this but didn't want to be a buzz kill. Most women lose top down and many will tell you the stomach is the last to go. Unfortunate, but true. It took me probably 50 pounds before I noticed any difference below the waist. I'm 70% of the way to my goal and am still waiting for my belly to shrink into proportion to everything else. Listen to everyone and don't worry about the working out too much yet. Take it easy and do what you feel up to. I know, at four weeks out, I didn't have much energy so walking was it. Good luck!

Yes, totally! We aren't too far away... SW Ohio here so we are also dealing with the snow and dreary cold days. I live alone and don't have much to do today so I'm enjoying some couch time. These kind of weekends I would look forward to binging and eating as much junk as possible. I loved to order in as much food as possible... three Chinese lunch specials, large pizza and wings, etc. Now I'm thinking about what to have for lunch... hmm, veggie burger or grilled chicken? It can be a tad depressing because food does still excite me. And sometimes I do order pizza... except ate less than half of a small. I don't beat myself up about it but I don't feel too physically well after it either. I'm a boredom eater and this cabin fever is getting the best of me! So, yes, I understand. We are human.

Thanks! We are all in this together!

Yes, you will find lots of people around here who have had this. Mine is coming out Monday. I'm 7 months post-op. I had two attacks pre-op but my gastroenterologist didn't investigate as much as he could have. Makes me mad since I could have had it done with my sleeve. I ended up in the ER on NYE thinking I was having a heart attack. I've had several attacks since. The last two days I have had very bad attacks... yesterday had to leave work early. I haven't had an attack today (knock on wood) but my whole body is sore now and I get sharp pains when I eat. I am so ready for this to be over! Good luck with your surgery!

I did but I wasn't on a skim milk diet. I was on a partly liquid diet provided by my doctor. It was only 500 calories a day. After probably 10 days I went to the gym one night and felt light headed and dizzy. I came home immediately and threw up. I called my NUT who talked to the doctor and told me not to work out again until surgery. I clearly was not taking in enough calories to support it.

Oh no! My gallbladder is coming out Monday. Until now I was really looking forward to it! Well, I still am looking forward to being done with the pain and attacks. I was puking today. Ugh! I am 7 months post-op from my VSG and my weight loss has dramatically slowed lately. I was hoping after surgery I would stop feeling crummy all the time and it would kick start my weight loss again. I know I always have trouble with anesthesia and feel lethargic for a while after. One thing I liked about the sleeve was that it more regulated my bowels. I know constipation is typical, and has happened to me, but I had a lot of diarrhea and stomach problems pre-sleeve. So you're telling me that's going to happen again? Is it just for a short period after surgery or forever? What kind of foods should I stay away from? I'm off work for a week then working from home for another week but I'm now nervous for when I go back... I work in a small place so everyone knows where I am and what I'm doing... Plus, the bathroom is kinda far away. Ugh!

The only slider I have found so far (luckily) is cereal. I've been craving it big time, which is odd because I wasn't a cereal person before surgery. I bought it for a recipe and ended up eating the whole box in a few days. At least it was Fiber One so the carbs weren't as bad as they could have it.

I tried this a few weeks ago and loved it! I did it crustless and added a few nuts and SF chocolate chips... you might wanna leave it plain at 4 weeks but it would be good for the pureed/mushy phase. http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com/2010/11/dessert-week-offering-5-niks-portion.html

I am 6 1/2 months post-op and found out Friday that I need to have my gallbladder removed. I am wondering what kind of effects, good or bad, this will have on me, my diet and my weight loss post-sleeve. Has this surgery had any effect on your average weight loss? How do the pre- and post-op diets for surgery fit with the sleeve's diet plan? Will this help with the constant gas and belching I have? What is recovery like compared to the sleeve? Anything you have found that helps with symptoms and attacks before surgery? The good thing is my bariatric surgeon is doing the gallbladder removal as well. I don't have to worry about someone in there who isn't familiar with my "compromised" anatomy. Since I've been going through this most medical professionals I've come across are not at all familiar with VSG and that worries me. I'm not looking forward to another surgery but I am relieved this pain is going to go away. (I'm in the middle of an attack right now and it's hell!)

I'm on board! We all need encouragement because the weight battle is exactly that- pre-op, post-op or non-op. I spent too many years obese and depressed and pessimistic and negative and insecure. I'm trying to turn that around one step at a time. I'm a realist now and understand we are all human. That's one of the biggest things my NUT stressed. I can't get down on myself because, despite "missteps" (if you wanna call them that), I am making progress and winning everyday! ****, I had wine, vodka AND french fries this weekend! lol You won't hear me coming down on anyone. This surgery and my weight, in general, is a very personal struggle for me so sharing in here leaves me vulnerable. I'm sure others feel the same way so there's no reason to pour salt in anyone's wounds if they choose to open them up. I love coming here to share my victories, ask questions and talk with others. I'm so glad I found this place! Ok, I feel like I'm rambling... Go VSG!

I am a high school math teacher and had my surgery 6/25/2012. I preferred to do it over the summer and my doctor wanted some pre-op weight loss so that's just how the time line worked out. However, if I had to do it over I would still do it over the summer but probably later in the summer. I'm 28, single, no kids and I didn't think about how much of an effect it would have on my social life. I didn't have any complications but I felt like I was hindered from enjoying my summer... I didn't get to do a lot of the things I love to do over the summer. Plus, I think having 7-8 weeks off after surgery actually hampered my recovery. I didn't regain energy or a routine until I went back to school. I think I may have squandered too much of my "golden" time by being lazy and not following orders strictly enough. Getting back into the swing of things in August really helped. Personally, I would have done it maybe 4-6 weeks later and I don't know if I could have done it during the school year. (Plus, I'm not totally "out" about it so being MIA did not raise eyebrows.) Good luck!

How far post-op are you? I had problems sleeping the first few months but probably after 3 I was back to normal.

How are you feeling? Found out today that I'm going in February 4th!

I've heard stuff about stomach problems after... excessive diarrhea and whatnot... anyone experience that?

I understand what you mean about turning to food and not having a daily regimen. My boyfriend and I broke up last week and ever since I have wanted to take comfort in food and have lacked the motivation to work out. This, combined with painful gallbladder attacks (surgery coming soon), has made it difficult to hit my goals for Water, Protein and working out. I want to sleep and eat but I know this is not the answer. Luckily, I haven't gained any weight yet. Also, I am a teacher so I understand when you do not have a specific routine it is really easy to not prioritize your sleeve's needs. I was sleeved in June and never developed a regimen over the summer for my eating. I feel like I wasted the first few good months I had for weight loss. However, once I started back to school it got much easier. Over winter break I fell victim to grazing again. I've also been unemployed so I understand the depression and lack of energy that comes with. BUT... why don't you start your own routine? It will not only help with your weight loss but also your mental health. Set your alarm and get up at the same time everyday. Plan to eat Breakfast at one time. Do your errands, go to the gym or walk, take care of family and kids (if applicable), apply for jobs- all at set times throughout the day. That way, even if you are home most of the day you have some routine to follow. And, of course, plan your meals ahead of time. That has been the biggest help for me. I have a spreadsheet I update every Sunday with my meals for the week. I don't stick to it 100% but it helps to have an idea. I also recommend MyFitnessPal. It's nice to see evidence of your hard work if it's not showing on your body. Meeting my goals on there is just positive reinforcement and motivation daily. Good luck!

Not all WalMarts carry them yet but there is a product locator on the Atkins website. I bought two of the breakfast meals. None of the dinners looked good to me. I tried one so far and it was surprisingly good but, as someone else said, it was two meals for me. Problem is, it was pretty nasty reheated.The eggs were hard. I have another one in the freezer now so maybe I will try to come up with a solution. I already feel like I waste so much food!

I lost 50 lbs before I (or anyone else) even noticed a difference in how my clothes fit. It wasn't until probably -80 or 90 that I dropped a full size. I've now lost 145 and gone from a 28/30 to a 20/22. It depends on where you carry your weight, mine is all in my "apron" which is shrinking much slower than everything else. I've definitely lost top down so my face and boobs show it first. If you are losing, you are losing, don't worry about your pant size. Plus, as I've started shopping in more brands I notice how much they vary. I have everything from an 18 to a 24 in my closet and they all fit similarly. Be thankful you don't have to start spending money on new clothes yet (even tho I'm sure you want to)!

I just experienced this recently! I thought people were crazy. I have wide feet but not fat and always had slim ankles. I'm down 140 and was excited to try to wear heels again because I have SOOO many! However, last week I wanted to wear heels to work and tried on three pairs before I found one that I THOUGHT fit. It sounded like I was wearing flip flops walking down the hallway and looked like a little girl playing dress up. I bought a super cute pair of black booties this weekend, a full size smaller.

I'm always afraid to post on these threads and jinx myself. I'm 6 1/2 months out and have yet to experience much hair loss. A month or two ago I started freaking out because I noticed a huge handful come out in the shower. It must have just been the heat damage I inflict on my hair daily! I have noticed an increase in the amount I lose daily in the shower but not a dramatic increase. There's no noticeable balding or loss on my head. I pray it stays this way! And, no, I did not do anything special to prevent it. Honestly, I haven't been the best with my Protein either. I struggle to get 60g a day. *fingers crossed*

I've tried a few of the sweets recipes from Bariatric Foodie. (Make a small portion ahead of time and have it for a few days.) I just made two of the protein cheesecake ramekins (eating one now) and it is so good! I also got in the kick for a while of buying sugar free angel food cake or SF shortcakes and adding some low-carb toppings (cool whip, nuts, SF chocolate chips, torani syrup, PB 2). There's always sugar free candy, if one piece will satisfy you. But that's where the real sugar alcohol problem comes in. I learned my lesson the hard way!

Oh yes, I love BF! I just made her ramekin protein cheesecake last night! Very good! I halved the recipe and was just thinking about getting the other one out of the fridge. I've mostly tried baked goods from there because I need a low-carb fix for my sweet tooth. The banana nut bread was GREAT! But I'm a novice in the kitchen so some of it is a little too intense for me. lol

I didn't either... talked to my surgeon, CNP and PCP, all said it was ok.

I'm in Dayton but work in Columbus regularly.