MKambalimath

I've just passed my 1 yr mark and have only lost 55lbs. I have been stalled since 8 mos out. I started at 265, am currently 210. I have gotten back up to as much as 215, and down to 205, but it fluctuates all the time but never get lower. I joined a gym and started paying for a personal trainer in March, and though Ive lost 5" in the last 6 weeks, I have only lost another 4lbs. I have a lot going on in my life and am seriously stressed out. I KNOW thats why I have been making absolutely TERRIBLE food choices. Whats really freaking me out is that I can eat A LOT now. Its almost like I never had the surgery. I feel like an epic failure at this. One good thing, tomorrow I will weigh in for a contest at my gym. Part of the deal is, you have to go 3 times a week for 3 months to continue to be eligible, and theres a lot of money to win, lol, so I hope thats going to give me motivation. Anyway, you are not alone and I'd like to keep in touch to see how youre doing. Good luck to you!

I had to reschedule my 3 month check up because I was sick, and they couldn't get me in until later this month. After 3 months out, how many calories were you guys on? Last time I was there she told me 600-800 calories. She said I would gradually work my way up to higher calories as I healed more and as my stomach got used to accommodating food again. My weight loss, as always is SLOW, so I wonder if I am eating too much. I have MFP set at 800 calories a day and try to stick with it, but I'm not going to lie, there have been times, especially this week that I have gone over that. One day I grazed all day and I'm pretty sure I got to 1400 calories. :/

So you guys dont try to stay at a certain calorie goal? I guess thats my question since I missed my appt and cant seem to lose anything.

I havent had any issues with foam, but ever since my surgery my mouth feels nasty all the time. I brush my teeth at least 3 times a day now and I was sleeved in April. I dont know what the deal is, but I think it has something to do with not eating as much crunchy stuff as I used to. Also, I used to chew gum all the time, but I never do now. I eat a lot of soft foods now that I never did before.

Hi Holli, I was sleeved on 4/25 and have only lost 43lbs. I had to resch my 90 day appt to the end of this month because I was sick when I was supposed to go in July so I dont know how many calories I should be eating now. I've got my MFP account set at 800 but could actually go over that (and have sometimes). Is 600-700 calories what your surgeon wants you to be on right now or are you just going by what works for you right now? I wonder if I should be trying to keep closer to what you are eating? I know its different for everyone but my losses are VERY slow. I might be eating too much...?

Mishy, is that the only thing you've had that you shouldn't other than the soup? The cake and ice cream is not going to damage your sleeve. I think some of the responses to your post are alarmist. Obviously, its not good to go for that so soon after your surgery, but you are probably in the same state I was at that point where you are feeling a little depressed and resentful of what you have done to your body. You just need to follow the post op diet to a T, especially the liquid part. If YOU feel that you need counseling then by all means, call your Dr and see what they have to say. I found that the best thing for me was to drink my shake with my family and then when I was done, take a little walk while they were finishing up. I ate a french fry less than 2 weeks after surgery, just because everyone else had them. It didnt kill me, but I didnt feel so well afterwards. You just need to take care of yourself right now. Good luck to you

I think most of us struggle with this. I miss being able to comfort myself with a bowl of ice cream. I know its probably not right to admit that, but there it is. When I cant use food, I feel very irritable. I agree that this is a learning experience and no one said it would be easy, but I really wish it was easier than this! Good luck with everything

Hi ladies I was sleeved on 4/25th and I have a 3 yr old son that was 3 on 4/18. My Dr said not to lift over 10lbs until 6 weeks out. Otherwise you have a chance of getting an incisional hernia. You're still healing until then. My mom stayed with me for 2 weeks, and then I went out of state (where they are) and stayed for 2 weeks. My parents did all the heavy lifting and such. I could have him climb up on the couch next to me, but I couldnt lift him up in or out of his crib. By the time my 4 weeks were up though, I was ready to get back to life. I went home and had to do the lifting while my husband was at work. I never had any problems but it was almost impossible for me to NOT lift him before the 6 weeks were up. I think you just need to be cautious and do the best you can.

I've been thinking about going back to it too. Mostly for the accountability aspect. Also, they do have great ideas for recipes, and I think it would be good motivation for me. I dont mind about the points and carbs and stuff. A good leader would be someone you can talk to about it and see if she could help fit it into your life. I would say absolutely to go in and talk to a leader and see how you feel after that. A lot of people will say that it didnt work before so why do it now? But you have to go with your own gut on it and do whatever helps YOU

I think its pretty sad that anyone would have to apply for medicaid anyway. The cost of insurance is very prohibitive, even if you get it through work. If you're a family of 4, that's a chunk out of your check. Not only that, but how ridiculous is it that a lot of private insurance companies don't cover the surgery?? They don't give discounts on WW or other weight loss plans either, BUT, they will cover a drug that wont help us make a lifestyle change. It just perpetrates the lie that drugs will magically make us thin and the drug companies will make more money. There's no excuse for anyone in this country to be uninsured, its the antithesis of a "Christian" nation to have so many people struggling alone in their health. I applaud anyone who will do whatever it takes to make themselves healthy. And for the naysayers, would you rather have the "govt" pay for $10,000 in surgery? Or 10's of thousands in the coming years for diabetes, heart conditions ect?

This surgery really is not easy. There are so many people that say we have taken the "easy" way out of being fat. I'm learning, the hard way, that this really is a lot of work. Maybe for some people, they can sit back and let the weight drop off. I know a couple people that never went to the gym, drink alcohol (lots), eat whatever they want and still the pounds just drop off. I guess I was hoping I wouldn't have to work so hard anymore. I've recently gotten out of a 4 week stall. I lost 5 lbs, and now I'm not losing anymore. This time I know its my fault because I am definitely grazing. I've actually gotten up to over 1000 calories a few times, which I don't think I should be at this point, and definitely not with carbs, which is what I've been grazing on. I'm going to the gym 5 days a week now, and burning 600+ calories according to MFP, but I'm going between 228-229. I start out really well, having cheese and wheat crackers for breakfast, and lean protein for lunch. Sometimes I make it to after dinner before I start grazing. Sometimes I start after lunch. I know it sounds like a cop out, but I've been thinking of asking my surgeon if they have a recommendation for someone for me to see about the mental part of this. Since having a smaller stomach inst really working for me at the moment, I guess I need to deal with issues as to why I eat. I never really figured it out on my own. Most of my family is heavy so I always figured it was genetics, since I've never been abused or abandoned or anything like that. I don't really have an excuse to have a "food addiction" unlike other people that actually have had traumatic events that they need a coping mechanism. I was 220 when I got married, but quickly ballooned up to 250+ in the 1st couple yrs after I got married, and at one point was at 287. That was scary. So I know I should be happy with almost getting down to where I was before I got married, but I KNOW I'm sabotaging myself

I agree, you need to get all the info you can first. I can tell you that I was originally scheduled for surgery on Jan 24 2012, but I got so scared, and so convinced that since I was losing weight on the pre-op diet, that I could do it myself. I canceled my surgery 3 days before. Then I gained 6 of the 10lbs I had lost back. I had my surgery on April 25th and have lost 35lbs. Even though I am disappointed in my weight loss at this point, I know that if I had NOT had the surgery, I would have just kept gaining. That being said, its a decision that only you can make. I'm learning that it really is a lifestyle change. Good luck on your journey

Hi TX, my husband is Indian and we used to get take out from the many restaurants around our area a lot. I'm 10 weeks out and unfortunately I still cant really have it. We aren't veg so I can have some of the chicken, and the spiciness doesn't hurt me at all, but the rice and naan and other bread type things arent doable for me right now. I'm hoping in a couple months or so

Good luck, hope it all works out for you

There's so many emotions going crazy inside her right now, there's no way for you to really know unless you guys communicate with each other, and you cant always effectively communicate without someone to help.

If you care about your wife and unborn child you might want to think about getting some personal/family counseling RIGHT NOW. Since you mentioned that you were getting "attention" that you've never had before, you may be giving her vibes that you want to flirt or more outside your marriage. That and the fact that shes 2 months pregnant with YOUR child, will make her very emotional and change her personality for a while. That happens when your hormones are out of whack because you're having a baby. I don't want to sound like I'm beating up on you, but you have more important things to worry about right now than whos making eyes at you at the gym.

I had surgery 5 days after you and have struggled to lose 35, I'm curious how youre eating and exercise too. I need any pointers I can get! :) You look great by the way, good job!

Thank you so much for being so supportive! For some reason this is just a really hard time for me, but I know I will just keep pushing through it. I love this forum so much, because even if I feel like I'm the only one, there really are others feeling the same way I am. And Pookie, I'm going to look that up now

Honestly I knew it wasn't a cure all too, I was very smug that I knew all I needed to know about it, but its so different when you're actually living it, lol. I just hate feeling like I'm still on a diet You're right though. We do "GOT THIS"! I think its just a matter of taking it a day at a time and a small goal at a time. Sometimes when I read the boards, I feel like I really am the only one still having trouble staying away from "bad" foods. Everyone seems so positive, like they are really loving just eating protein and protein shakes. Sometimes I feel bad about myself because I still want cookies! I know I'm fairly new at this, 2 months out, 35lbs lost, and I just need to get in the groove of making healthy choices. Thanks for the support, I really appreciate it. Today's a better day than yesterday and hopefully tomorrow will be even better

Yep we're all in this together! The good thing about this sleeve though is that in time, when we've got our sh** together, we'll be able to eat anything in moderation. For now though, I'm TRYING to learn better eating habits. Today has been a VERY hard day though. I'm going to the gym and need to at least burn 600 calories now :/

LOL. I've been craving brownies for over a week. I even bought a box thinking I would make them in the little tiny cupcake pans, but then I thought that would be too much temptation. If they are little, I would probably eat more of them. So I figured I'd just make them in a regular pan. But I havent worked up the nerve yet. It was TOM last week so I think thats why I was literally DYING from want. This week not so much so they're still in the cupboard

It consumes my life even AFTER the surgery. I get on here a lot, some days (like today) I'm more active on it than others, but I'm on here a lot. Its the only place I feel like I can really show my obsession. My family doesn't really understand and I know they dont want to talk about my weight loss and what I'm eating all the time, lol. I think its normal, and its good to have a forum where others are going through what you are.

Do you FEEL tired? I guess thats the important thing. If youre feeling tired maybe they'll want to up your vitamins or something. Good luck

I'm 10 weeks out and I ONLY drink out of a straw. Some people say their Drs said they couldnt, but that was never in any of my info. I wasnt drinking enough when I was starting out just using a cup, about 3 weeks in I got those acrylic cups with the straws and have been using them ever since. Just dont suck in the air when your glass is almost empty. Then it can make you feel bloated. :/

I was able to eat soft chicken when I was on the mushie food stage. Now, 10 weeks out I can HAVE anything. No texture is off limits, but I get full VERY fast and I try to stay away from bad carbs. Of course I still have bad days and then I dont feel good. I've read on here too that the surgery removes the part of your stomach that has the hunger hormone, so some people dont feel hungry at all. Thats not how it works for me, but I'm not hungry for long. All it takes is less than 3oz of chicken and thats it for me at this stage. I know sodas a pretty big no no here. I've tried it after surgery and it was terrible for me. It hurt, 1st of all, and 2nd of all, it tasted disgusting. A lot of people seem to have a very low tolerance for very sweet things after surgery.