joatsaint

Funny you should mention the variety pack. I have never eaten a Quest bar and bought a 12 bar variety pack - it's sitting on my desk. I ran across the free bars deal while researching Quest bar nutrition and preparing to do my video review and taste test of Quest bars.

My gurgles and bubbles lasted at least 6 months before tapering off. At 1 year, they were almost gone. Now, at 2 years, I have to eat something really tough - like dry chicken breast - to get a gurgle out of Frankensleeve.

Here's my blog post of how I fell off the wagon and was able to recover and get back on track. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blogs/entry/33645-dealing-with-setbacks-or-climb-down-off-the-cross-build-a-bridge-with-the-wood-and-get-over-it/

I went through a dramatic weight loss slow down at the 6 month mark - and my stalls increased in duration. At 6 months, I was able to eat a wider variety of food and temptations were everywhere at work - from leftover deli trays to ....eek!! Birthday cake! And I allowed myself a little grazing here and there. Finally, I had to step back and take a real look at what I was allowing myself to eat. I realized that just the smallest amount of sugar/fruit in my diet was adding too many extra calories and possibly causing my stalls. I went back to my original diet of lean Protein and low glycemic vegetables - and the weight started dropping again. Not as fast as the 1st 6 months, because I still was eating more. But I've learned that I if I want to lose weight, I have to stay away from sugar and high glycemic foods.

I did not feel hungry the 2 weeks following surgery. I WANTED to eat, just out of habit and boredom. But I never had head hunger or that feeling of an empty stomach.

I hit the weight my doctor set for me at 10 months. I was down to 235lbs. I had lost 130lbs, an average of 13 lbs a month.

I'm glad my post wasn't taken the wrong way. It is very difficult to communicate humor through typing. My sense of humor can easily be taken the wrong way when seen in plain text. And sometimes smiley faces aren't enough to signal humor. Psssst.... just between you, me and Frankensleeve, I watch grav3yardgirl and seen her makeup hauls. Don't tell anyone, they may pull my MAN card.

Don't forget, you still need to purge all the drugs they pumped into you during and after surgery. That can also keep the fluid weight on you.

I don't believe you can edit the Title of your post, once submitted. I've tried to edit my titles before and couldn't find any buttons that would allow that.

I guess the weight loss stops when you want it to. My ideal weight is around 185, but I'm pretty happy at 205, and it doesn't take much effort on my part to maintain it. If I see my weight creeping up, I know to cut back by a few bites per meal - it really only takes that little bit of an effort to get back to 205. I also think back on what I've eaten. During Thanksgiving and Xmas, I ate a lot of Spiral Ham and "ballooned" up to 215 - 220. But I figured a lot of that weight was Water - from all the salt I was ingesting. And sure enough, 2 weeks into Jan, I was back down to 205 - 207. After I had returned to my normal eating. I know I could start losing again if I cut back on my calories and/or stepped up my exercise routine. So it's really up to me to decide what weight I stay at. Hope this helps.

During my 1st 6 months post-op, I was doing a lot of moderate intensity walking. In Texas, it hits 95 degrees w/ a heat index of 105 during August and Sept. And I kinda over did it and got to the point of heat exhaustion several times. I'd drink 16oz of Water before my walk and cover my neck and head with a water soaked towel, but it didn't help. I tried drinking during the walk, but it just made me sick at my stomach. After the 2nd time I overheated, I started paying attention to the warning signs that I needed to get in the shade and rest. During the rest of the year, I've never had an issue staying hydrated for my walks. I normally walk 3.25 miles at at pace of 3.5 - 3.9 miles/hr. And never drank before or during the walk. If I were just starting out with a new Sleeve, I'd be cautious, try some moderate exercise and see what my limits are. Dropping the lbs definitely reduced my need to drink during exercise. I used to drink 1 - 2 gallons of Crystal Light per day, pre-op. 40+ ounces with a meal. As I dropped the weight and kept increasing my pace at walking, my endurance went up and I didn't need as much Fluid to stay hydrated. This is going to be a learning process. Everyone is different. Take your time and watch for signs of overexertion. And keep plenty of fluids nearby. You may not be able to drink a whole lot in one gulp, but you can sip, sip, sip. P.S. Don't worry about any foods or drinks you can never have again. At 1 year out, I could eat and drink anything I wanted - just in smaller amounts. But for the 1st 6 months, almost everything cause Frankensleeve to get pissed!!! But he learned to adjust.

Thanks BLERDgirl, Just so you know, I wasn't slamming anyone that makes the "Haul" videos, I just wanted to understand why they are so popular. Just like I can't understand why watching videos of others playing video games is such a hit. But, now that you realize you have a problem, you have taken the 1st step to finding a cure.

The only food I could consistently eat during my 1st month post-op was Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup. You might try a can and mix in a little unflavored ISOPURE protein powder. It worked for me when I couldn't eat anything else.

I just want to know why so many people like watching videos of other people showing and talking about their latest food purchases?

Congratulations, thanks for sharing your pics. Your sharing is giving encouragement to a lot of people that are worried if WLS is right for them.

I've only used ISOPURE. I mix it in with anything, including coffee.

Oh man! I can still remember how pissed I was at the world, that 1st week post-op!!!! You are not alone. We all went through mood swings. Fortunately I live alone and my mood went back to normal by the end of the 2nd week. It will get better, day by day. Hang in there.

Immediately after surgery, I went from sleeping 9+ hours/night to 5 hrs/night. I believe the change came about because I wasn't eating late at night anymore. Since I wasn't eating at 9 or 10pm, my system wasn't digesting food while I was sleeping and could focus on rest and recovery. 2 years later, I still wake up after 6 or 7 hrs of sleep.

I went through it too. The 1st few weeks, just 1 tbls of ANY food would cause cramping and painful spasms. It was a good 6 months before Frankensleeve settled down and tolerated MOST foods, but still, things like chicken, pineapple, whole wheat bread and broccoli were tough on my sleeve. It was a year before I could comfortably eat any food I wanted. It does get better day by day. And it is completely worth all the hassle! Keep going! Everything ends at some point. Good times and bad. So persevere through the hard times. STAY STRONG. I believe in you. I know you can do it!

I don't think you are aiming too high. You can reach your goals. But you must plan and prepare for success. The 1st 6 months post-op is critical to success - getting into good eating habits and exercising. The weight will be dropping like magic during this time, but after 6 months, it will require more effort on your part. As you lose the weight, you body will adjust to the lower caloric intake, your metabolism may slow and you're not burning as many calories as when you were carrying those extra lbs. I experienced two major increases in the amounts of food and kinds of food I could eat per meal. During the 1st 6 months, I could only hold 1/2 cup of food per meal and almost everything I ate caused Frankensleeve fits. After 6 months, it went up to about 3/4 cup and I could tolerate more kinds of food. At 1 year, I could hold 1 to 1/2 cups of food and could eat anything I wanted. It hasn't changed since then. But it does require more effort and vigilance on my part to make the right food choices and limit the amounts I'm eating. I have trigger foods that make me want to eat and I tend to eat when I'm bored. The effort required is not big, but I just have to pay attention. The sleeve is a tool that never stops working. Hope this helps, Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!

Are you sure it was autocorrect... might just be a Freudian slip?

I'm 2 years out and have successfully kept off 170lbs. I'd lost 130 in 10 months and lost another 40 lbs 6 months later. I just posted my 2 year Surgerversary videos - hope they can help.

Everything about my VSG surgery was covered. I did have a deductible of $5000 overall, but every test, x-ray, exam, doctor visit, and blood work was at least partially covered by my insurance.

Yep, I cheated too. The pre-op diet was the hardest part of this whole "adventure" for me. But it was worth every minute. I didn't really believe that WLS was going to let me lose the weight. And I was just chasing another weight loss dream. If I had only known it would all be worth it in the end, it would have really helped me stick to the pre-op diet. So I'm tell YOU, stick with your pre-op diet, it will be sooooo worth it!! Here's a chance for you to get back on track. No matter how tough it's been, you must keep going. If you stumble, get back up. NEVER quit. Stay consistent, persist and persevere. Look long-term, not to just tomorrow. You can do it. Keep at it.

Whether you are ready or not, we can't make that call. But I can tell you, you are not alone in your thoughts. Your question comes up almost weekly on the forum. We all had our fears and doubts about having WLS. I can only reassure you, that 2 years out, I am still happy with my decision. And I work with 3 others that had Gastric Bypass, and they are happy with their results. Here's how I made the decision to have VSG: I asked myself 2 questions. 1) Do I want to be where I am right now, a year from now? 2) Without surgery, do I see my life getting worse or better? Hope these videos help.