GiGi3

I have made it six months. So far, minimal hair loss. All reports I read say hair growth should regenerate after six months. So I am hoping I am past the "you are going to lose some hair phase". I have been religious taking all my Vitamins and minerals EVERY day. I am down 60 pounds. It feels amazing being able to purchase pants in regular stores. It feels great being able to put my pants in the dryer without the fear of them not fitting when they come out. No more "hanging" my pants to dry. I am pleased when I see myself in photographs, I no longer cringe. Very, very few people know that I had gastric sleeve surgery. Just feel like it is my own private journey. I find it interesting that many friends are "concerned" how much more weight I am going to lose. "You look perfect now". Funny how they never asked me in the past: "How much more weight do you planning on gaining?". I focus on not sabotaging my weight. It is easy to have that glass of wine, or that handful or two of chips now. I remind myself I have been given an extreme weight loss tool with this surgery. It gets tiring refusing to let other people sabotage my weight, "Oh come on, you can have one cookie". I work on staying focused. I like how I feel now, I like how I can cross my legs now, I like that I don't have anxiety walking into a room. My co-workers and such who do not know, constantly ask me how did you do it? I tell them I don't have the answers. I have done many things. Mainly, eating very little. It does amaze me now how much others eat. As had I, people have lost the concept of what a portion is.

Thanks Curvy! Annie, oh I don't think it is shallow about the hair issue. It worries me, I just keep eating healthy and down those Vitamins every day.

If I have calculated correctly I am in my 11th week post op. Gosh, it feels a lot longer than 11 weeks. I feel great! I don't miss my old life of over-eating. I do love that I eat regular food now. Nice to fit in the healthy foods rather than all that Protein drink, yogurt, mashing everything up and such. My body feels so much better and is operating as it should (no need to go into detail with that---plumbing is finally working well with no help). I am down 43 pounds, that was last week. My hair is still healthy. Taking all my Vitamins everyday religiously. People are now noticing. I really don't like the attention. There are three people at work that know what I did. Everyone that asks, "what are you doing?" I tell them the truth, "eating healthy, portion control, no alcohol, no chocolate and getting my walks in". I don't feel the need to spill my story. It is my own personal journey. I still continue to eat my tiny portion way too fast. I am pretty much done in a few minutes. Seriously, how in the world does one make a few tablespoons last 30 minutes??! After I finish I have gotten into the habit of setting my timer for 30 minutes, when I can drink. It is all working for me. I am determined. Yes, I get to that crummy part of the scale when it decides not to move for a week or so. I have learned not to let it bother me. I understand what is going on, so I just don't worry about it. Saw my doctor a few weeks ago. I am scheduled to see him again in four months. Since he is far away he was willing to Skype my visit, but I didn't want to. I want to see him, I want to stay on the band wagon. I feel if I keep visits every four months or so for awhile I will stay on course. I am sure most of us have that fear of regaining. I don't want to ever go there. I have no regrets. I love the journey I am on.

I just took the road that my stomach was going back to it's original size. I have my hair colored to my "original color", what is the difference??!!! =-) Advice---get an excellent doctor, research, ask around. I have not had one issue since day one.

Keep your eye on the prize. Doesn't sliding into those new smaller sizes feel absolutely fantastic? Stop all your bad habits right now, you can do it. Feed your brain with positive thoughts. When you feel your brain going down that lane of Starbucks, just stop it immediately and fill it with a desire for a glass of water. Train your brain to go down another lane. Just do it.

I thought I was the only one that did that!

Why would you want to? Why begin the sabotage? Before my surgery I was a two glass of wine every night person. Do I want to sabotage, or do I want to be of normal weight? I will go without the wine. Getting to a normal size really is pretty simple. Portion control, exercise, and eat healthy. We fatties are the ones that make it complicated.

You look great! Bravo to you!

I hated the liquid diet. Most of it all too sweet for me. I did finally go to a French Cafe and got some yummy French Onion soup...ate around the onions, that was tasty. Had to do the same diet one week after. I am happy to be on pureed. Just bought an All Clad Immersion Blender, her and I have become best friends! Good luck! Sounds like you are getting in gear!

Bravo!

I think I had a food funeral for about three weeks before I had to go on my liquid diet. Then I actually got sick of my food funeral and was ready to give it all up. Enjoy the food of the holidays. I agree with Lorraine.

You are probably a very nice person =-) As a customer service rep, I won't ever use the words calm down when someone is upset, that will just put a whole new spin on things. What I am learning from here quickly, research your surgeon. Research your surgeon! I went to another state for mine. I have some of the top hospitals in my area, but I decided to go with my friend's surgeon. He has a passion for helping people, he is not in it just for the money.

Why did you feel the need to stir the pot again?

Actually so far it has been great. As I have said three or four times now, what I meant by easy is that my gosh it better be easier living with a sleeve for a stomach after several months, than it is in the very beginning when a newly sleeved person is nervous about everything they do. I have a friend that had the surgery one year ago, she is my inspiration. She leads a normal life, healthy life and is happy. I had an excellent doctor, I haven't had one little issue, and I expect that to continue. Positive thinking my boy, that is all I got.

As I said before...easy street and intense street. Easy Street, I just meant that you are obviously more comfortable with your sleeve than people that are newbies. I will consider myself on easy street when I get to eight months. That is just the kind of person I am, I have already decided that I will feel that way. It is not an option.

want2live-- have a great day today!

I used Easy Street because you are more comfortable with your sleeve because you have been living with it awhile vs newbies that are intense and nervous about their sleeve.

Maybe you need go back to the file in your brain from your first few weeks. It can be overwhelming. Nothing wrong with sugarcoating in the first few weeks, I think beginners need that. Even though I asked my doctor why he thought patients had problems and his answer was doctor error most of the time. I still get nervous I am not following every thing I need to be doing, and something is going to go wrong. I am going to check my "diet meal plan" for week 2, 3 and 4 again today. I was hardly eating anything the last week and suddenly I am eating more (3 tablespoons a day vs 5 tablespoons a day), it feels easy going down. Yes, we all get nervous about gaining weight in the beginning. It is easy being several months out, years out. You are on easy street. We are on intense street.

How sweet so many of you know Butter's style. Not. There is no excuse for harshness at a support forum. Maybe he needs to read what he wrote before he posts, notice the poster and not just a routine comment that he would give people that "know his style". I found no humor when I read his posts. I just read it as mean spiritness.

Keep us posted.

It is a serious operation. Call your doctor if you are not comfortable with what is going on in your stomach.

ouch butterthebean. A little harsh, eh? I am 17 days out. Today I was drinking Water so much better. I feel good about that. I was nervous that last week that I was going to get dehydrated. I am finding the first couple of weeks many changes are going on.

Have you been walking? Got to get that gas out. Walking is going to do that.

The amount of energy I have.

You should have no pain by the end of the week. This was a breeze for me after having three c-sections 20 some years ago. I even asked my doctor after day two if he really did anything to me! Keep us posted Jenny. Hope you feel better soon.