phoenixgen2

Well Fellow Sleevers, I have made it through my first major holiday and have to say I did pretty darn good!!! I was a little worried going into Thanksgiving because it is one of my favorite holidays in which to overeat. I was worried I would be a Grumpy Guss because I couldn't, but you know what...I was able to enjoy all the foods that I normally would! I had turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, rolls, pumpkin pie, etc. I just ate a WHOLE LOT less of it. I didn't feel deprived or anything. All in all I had a wonderful holiday and felt so good that even with the holiday I was still losing weight!!! That is a first for me. I am really looking forward to Christmas now that I know I can get through it successfully!!! P.S. for those of you following my blog, I'd also like to add that in spite of the typical holiday stress, my anxiety is still steadily improving!!!!

I am losing more hair as well and I am 4 months out. My doctor said it will stop around the 9 month mark and that it is vitally important to keep up my protein and water amounts. 90g and 80-100 foz respectivley. He said that will help to keep the hair healthy and provide the nutrients necessary to stay healthy during the rapid weightloss period.

You just walk right on in. No appointment or signing up is necessary. If you end up coming tonight and want to talk to me, I will be sitting towards the front. I am wearing a muti color dress and black wrap with my hair in a ponytail.

I have gone to a few of them and find them very helpful. I am actually going to one tomorrow night at 6:00 with Doctor Atkinson for the Sleeve and Bypass patients.

Do you ever go to the support groups on Tuesdays? I find them very helpful!!

Howdy fellow sleevers!!!! It has been quite some time since my last posting and I have a bit to say. If you have been following my blog you have seen my ups and downs, my struggles with anxiety and other emotions, my issues with being able to eat and getting nauseous when eating, and my early morning troubles. I am here today to tell you that things are finally starting to stabilize! I had my 6 week check up with my doctor a while ago and told him about how hard it is for me to eat or drink in the mornings, how I feel like crap in the morning, and how it takes me hours to get going. He assures me the by between month 3 and 4 that should stabilize. Well...It is finally starting to do just that. I am starting to feel better in the mornings and eating or drinking in the morning is getting easier. I am even doing better at work in the mornings and have improved mental clarity and focus! I still have some normalization that needs to happen, but given my current pace, I am sure that by month 4 I will be feeling 100% better. My emotional state is improving as well. I have not required an anxiety pill for almost a month now and was able to work through my stress and anxiety by myself. I had a death in the family that caused me to begin to have a panic attack, but I managed it without drugs! I am feeling more confident, happy, and healthy each day! I am able to eat more normal foods and enjoy the company of others when I eat. It feels so good now that things are starting to get normal. I still cannot eat soft (untoasted) bread, but that will come at around the 6 month mark along with pasta. I was actually able to eat sushi the other day which made me sssssssssssoooooooooooooo happy!!! I love sushi, it was one of my favorite things before my surgery and I am so glad that I can still enjoy it! I am trying new stuff daily and finding it getting easier and easier to eat. I still struggle with eating 4 ounces in 20-30 minutes, but I know that that will happen in time as well. For now I take about 45 minutes to eat. Things are really starting to happen for me and I am filled with joy, relief, and a positive outlook. For any of you that are struggling, hang in there...it will get better. You will have ups and downs (I still do from time to time), but this was a good choice and soon you will be thinner, happier, and above all healthier!!! Ciao 4 Now!

What are the gummies? Are they a vitamin supplement?

Hello, I am having a hard time getting enough fruits and vegetables in my diet since having surgery. I am taking all my Vitamins but worry that I am not getting enough of the other benefits i would usually get from various fruits and vegetables. I am not sure what to do. I have started drinking V8 Vfusion to get some additional servings, but they are loaded with calories and sugars. USDA recommends 5 servings but after surgery, that seems next to impossible. Any information you can share with me will be greatly appreciated!

Your words are so very reassuring to me. I have emailed my doctor to see if I should be taking them more regularly. Initially they were up to three times a day as needed for panic attacks, so I have been taking them sporadically. I think I may need to take them more regularly to manage the symptoms. I am going to start seeing a psychologist on a more regular basis to get to the root of my anxiety in the hope that I can one day be back in a more normal anxiety range. For now I will keep on keeping on. I was on an anti-depressant before surgery and they upped my dosage because of all the hormones being released after surgery. Watch out for this along with your anxiety levels after surgery because the depression caught me off guard. It is primarily due to the fact that as fat is consumed tons of estrogen is released into your system. My depression is now well managed; I just need to get the anxiety under control.

Good Afternoon, I have noticed since I went to soft solid/solid foods that sometimes it feels like food is getting stuck in my throat. Like it is close to coming back up, but without the vomit sensation. I try to burp to get it to move down, but it dosn't. It isn't sticking in my esopaghus, but in my throat, just about where my collar bone is. Has anyone experienced this? What could be the issue?

Were you able eventually to get off the meds?

Good Morning Sleevers! As I have mentioned in previous entries, I developed Anxiety after my surgery and now 6 weeks out it is still prevalent in my life. My largest problem is the hyperventilation. Even with the Xanax the doctor prescribed, I still deal with hyperventilating even though sometimes I don't realize I am doing it. I am going to talk to both my doctor and psychologist as to why I am still felling this way even though I am adjusting more and more to my new stomach and life. I am also trying to figure out what it is that I am having anxiety over. It is not the healing aspect anymore, which is what triggered it in the first place, so I must have transferred the anxiety onto another trigger. I am sure I will figure it out. Until then, I have found a breathing technique that seems to help with the hyperventilation. The 7-11 Breathing Technique: When you get stressed out and anxious, it can feel as though someone is sitting on your chest. Your mind starts to race and your breathing becomes shallow and rushed. Anxiety can be caused by a range of factors, from a psychological condition to daily stresses like being held up in traffic. Most people will feel some form of anxiety at different points in their lives. Using breath-control exercises like the 7/11 technique will help get you through the panic and feeling at peace again. Step 1 Sit comfortably in a chair, or anywhere you can if you are feeling strong anxiety. Step 2 Breathe in through your nose to a count of seven. Breathe deeply through your diaphragm, so that your stomach pushes outward with the breath. Hold the breath for a moment if you can. Step 3 Breathe out through your mouth for an eleven count. Your out breaths are important because they will lower your heart rate, dilate your pupils and decrease blood pressure. Repeat this breathing technique about 6 times and/or until you are feeling better. Tips and Warnings You can modify the count if you can't handle 7 and 11, as long as the out breath is longer than the in breath. Place your one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. As you breathe in and out, your chest should hardly move. As you breathe in, your stomach should push out and when you breath out it should move inward. This is called diaphragmatic breathing. I hope this is helpful to you. Ciao 4 Now!

I developed acute anxiety disorder after I had my surgery and though it is getting better with the help of medication, I am six weeks out and still have some symptoms. The one symptom that I struggle with now is the breathing. I start to hyperventilate by trying to take too deep of a breath which causes me to panic because it feels like I should be able to, but when I stop and remind myself to take slow, deep breaths the problem resolves. It eventually comes back throughout the day, but it is much better than it was. I was having full on panic attacks. Racing heart rate, difficulty berating, tingling in my neck and hands, dizziness, feeling faint, and extreme fear. Since taking my meds, those have subsided significantly. Based on what I have heard from most people is that it will subside over the first several months and typically not recur. Since I am only 6 weeks out from my surgery I think I may have a little bit to go before I am symptom/anxiety free. I just hold on to the knowledge that the anxiety and depression will eventually subside. If you’d like more information on my emotional struggles post-surgery, I have a blog on this site under “The Weight loss Journey of VegasBusby”. I wish you all the best!!

Happy Monday Sleevers! I am pleased to announce that I have lost another 3.5 pounds bringing my total loss since surgery July 10 to 28.5 pounds!!! This makes me very happy, but I do have to admit I was a little disappointed that it wasn't more. After losing 25 pounds in the first 4 weeks I was hoping for a bigger loss than 3.5 pounds. I know that once you get to more solid foods the weight loss slows down a bit and in my mind when it comes to losing weight any loss is a good loss. I have heard some of you mention a stall early on in the weight loss and that may have been the case with me...who knows. I am still psyched that I lost 3.5 pounds in the two weeks since I last weighed myself. Like many of you, I had to lose some weight before the surgery and losing even a pound was like pulling teeth, so losing that much weight in two weeks is amazing!! I think I am going to up my cardio to more than once a week (not including all the walking I do for work) and see if that can help in the weight loss. Plus I've heard that a regular workout can improve your mood as well, so I am totally game. I would love to hear from you about any early weight loss stalls or slowing of weight loss. Ciao 4 Now

Howdy Sleevers, It has been a while since my last post so I thought I'd chime in and give you an update. So far I am a little over 5 weeks post op and doing pretty well all things considered. Physically I am feeling better and better each day and am enjoying soft solids like fish, cheese, ground meat, crackers, pretzels, etc. I have tolerated everything pretty well, with the exception of some warm quinoa salad I had Wednesday which almost made me yack. Emotionally I think I am doing better as well. I am getting more focused at work and not feeling so tired in the mornings. I am back down to only needing 1 Xanax a day. Today I have not even needed to take one in spite of a very stressful situation happening at work this morning. Yeah me! I feel as though I am coming to terms with my new body and new life and I am for the first time really looking forward to what the future holds for me. I have been keenly aware of my own mortality of late. I don't know if it is because I have a renewed outlook on life or that I know now that my weight is coming off that I have a much better chance of living a full, long, and happy life, but it has been on my mind. Not in a negative way, but I have this desire to make the most of every day. But I digress...the reason for my entry today is to talk about some bad habits that I have noticed are trying to sneak in now that I am eating more regular foods. First and foremost, let me tell you that I have yet to experience true hunger. All the hunger and cravings I am about to talk about have nothing to do with being physically hungry. I have been craving junk food like chips and crackers. I really want some salty goodness, which is odd, because I never used to be all that interested in salty junk food. I was more of a sweets girl. That being said, all I can think about is having Doritos, french fries, Cheetos, and other stuff like that. I know it is all in my head, but the cravings are pretty powerful!! I picked up some pretzel thins which are crunchy and salty and give me a little bit of protein too, but having them on hand has led me to another bad habit that is trying to worm its way back into my routine. SNACKING!!!!!! This is the most dangerous thing a person can do which will sabotage their weight loss and in the last three days I have snacked. Some pretzel chips before dinner or a bit of sliced ham in the evening. This is most often happening when I am bored, watching TV, or surfing the net. I DO NOT want this habit coming back after being good for so long. I want to make the most out of this drastic change I have put myself through and to start snacking feels like I am letting myself down. I believe the snacking is a result of the cravings I mentioned earlier because I am snacking on all the salty stuff. I wonder if part of it is because it feels ssssssssssoooooooooo good to be eating more normal foods again and I want more than the three meals a day. Whatever the reason behind my snacking I know that it must stop!! Since I know that I am not physically hungry I am going to employ a new tactic. Whenever I want to snack, I am going to try a change of location and activity. Maybe I will go for a walk or do some chores or do something creative that keeps my mind off the snacking. Have any of you experienced this? Do you have any suggestions? Ciao 4 Now!