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I live in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Land of lamb, bread and plov...veggies, not so much. We have them, just not a huge variety and they're pretty pitiful in the winter. I LOVE these strange food stories. Here the honor custom is to serve the sheep's nugget (head) and cut it up with a big ceremony and share it around. Each piece has a special meaning. I'm thankful to "only" be a wife, because my hubs has to scarf eyeballs and brains each time but I've only had to nibble on the sheep's ear a few times (gross, for sure) because it's supposed to help you listen to the wisdom of your elders/leaders/husband. But most of the food here I'm okay with eating. It's carb heavy and fatty at times but it's not offensive. And certain things I enjoy so much I miss them when I'm stateside, like beshbarmak and good Uzbek plov. I'm thankful for the baby though, because these people drink vodka like nobody's business. I mean that. We work in mostly the former Soviet Union and if I go the rest of my life and never have vodka ever again I'll be perfectly happy. Being pregnant allows me to abstain, though some of the older local men give me the stink eye for it, not really understanding why you wouldn't toast while expecting! I think far more than the food here I'm pretty creeped out by Kökbörü (goat polo) which they take pretty darn seriously here. But no food could ever top the holodetz my grandmother used to make for us after a sickness so we could get strong and recover. She was Ukrainian. And yes, vodka was ever present at the table in my childhood, too. ~Cheri

Wow...you folks manage to turn ANY question or conversation into an immature cliquey high school drama, don't you? Why on earth was there any need to attack someone for volunteering their own experience? It does NOT matter if Dianne38 chooses to eat at McD's once in a while, or enjoy a doughnut. It also doesn't mean she's unhealthy or that she doesn't care about her body. Could she make better choices? Sure. So could almost every American out there, obese or not. These things are an ingrained part of our culture and if she can use moderation and enjoy them it's her choice. I'd criticize her if she were hopping on here to complain that she's stalled and then shared that she's eating doughnuts and hamburgers. But really? The VERY first response to her was a sarcastic, overly critical snotty one. No WONDER people don't want to post here. No WONDER people say VST has gotten too negative. And you accuse the lady that was just out-of-the-blue sniped at for sharing her experience of reacting harshly, instead of acknowledging that people here are acting like a bunch of children. Pathetic. And things I've read about certain people here never having a single positive thing to say seem to ring true - outside of their own little posse of like-minded sharp-tongued people, that is. ~Cheri

Lamb here is totally different. It tastes far better than any lamb I have ever had before. Maybe because it's all local and takes less than a day from slaughter to table - I have no idea. It's not gamey and they cook it perfectly every time in the restaurants here. The beef tastes odd (not fed like ours) and they can mess up chicken every single time because they're not used to preparing it. So if I eat meat, I often choose lamb. Though there's a nice, clean butcher here that will do boneless skinless breasts. He's the only guy in the city I know that does them. The rest of them get shipped in frozen from Turkey. That said, baby hates lamb and all other meat. Yes, lately I rely heavily on legumes and eggs. And I'm BORED. I also feel more "hungry" because I usually hit 90 grams of Protein a day. I can only do that if I drink two shakes a day now. It's like being freshly sleeved again. I miss America. ~Cheri

Plenty of us don't do preop diets. I think there are pluses and minuses to that. On the one hand, a pre op diet usually means you won't lose as much the first month. You'll have already shed some of that weight beforehand. However, being able to stick to a pre op diet shows you exactly what you're in for post op, when you're on a very restrictive diet for several weeks. That said, I think that some of these doctors think up painful pre op diets on purpose, just to torture their patients! It's so much harder to stick to a diet when you don't absolutely HAVE to do it and when the stomach is still whole and you're hungry all the time I imagine it's truly a challenge. But it's all on your surgeon. I also flew from overseas to have my surgery, but I went to Mexico. How long do you plan to recuperate in the states? If you're concerned, I flew back four days after surgery and while it was tiring it was fine. I got some extra shots of Lovenox to prevent clots and made sure to walk on the flights as much as possible. I also have a maid but choose not to have a cook. I cook our food and it really does help me to know every ingredient. That said, there's nothing wrong post op with sitting down with your cook and going over a new menu of options. I bet she can make a ton of Soups that will make your liquid diet more bearable and give you more variety. Your diet should be restricted for some time while you heal, and even if your surgeon has a very lax plan you'll still find that you simply don't eat the same way as you did prior to surgery. Good luck, and welcome. ~Cheri

The doc that inserted mine told me to just get in the habit of doing monthly checks of the strings. So I was already doing a check every few weeks. But what made me realize it had really slipped was my husband, because he noticed the strings more during, eh, "relations". I did a check before my usual time and realized I could feel much more of the strings than before. I made an appointment with my doc but in the week before I got in to see him it fell out completely. I found it in my panties one day when I used the restroom. End of that! So if you're checking your strings regularly you should be able to feel a change in the length of them and at least reassure yourself that it's still there. ~Cheri

My husband is military and we were separated for four months right before I reached goal weight. I was more than a year out at that point but it took me a while to shed the final pounds. He absolutely did not recognize me when he picked me up in the airport. If the twins hadn't been shouting "Daddy" he might have overlooked us entirely. Sometimes he'll still see me from behind but not realize it's me. It's amazing. He still pictures the girl he fell in love with ten years ago and she was a much larger girl. Thanks for sharing your story. I enjoy your posts and seeing how proud you are of your wife is very sweet. ~Cheri

Yep, yep, yep. Good posts. It's what you can eat while easily maintaining. Track your food and fiddle with your diet until you find that place. If you haven't already incorporated a more balanced diet, do it so you know how your body will react. Some people find they have to restrict how many and what kind of carbs they consume for the long haul. Some of us are much luckier and so long as we stick within a particular window we'll do fine. The idea is to get where you can eat without having to restrict yourself. Maintenance is challenging in many ways but the biggest thing you can do for yourself is figure out how much you can eat early on. I weigh daily in maintenance when I didn't in the loss phase. I no longer track my food daily so I need that immediate "feedback" on what's going on. Outside of this pregnancy, it was very easy to stay within a four pound range at any time of the month, regardless of what I choose to eat. My calories typically ranged (in maintenance) between 1,200-1,400 a day, but I couldn't lose weight unless I was between 700-900 calories a day in loss. Again, this is all so individual that all we can do is offer tips on how to figure it out - we can't give you your body's magic number. Good luck, ~Cheri

Why are you taking Pepcid at all? I see it's doctor's orders but a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) is far more common and effective. The PPI slows the acid production so that your body has time to "learn" that you have a much smaller stomach and no longer need as much acid. Not everyone suffers it, but a huge number of sleevers have acid problems post op. In most cases it resolves within 6 months to a year. For some people it goes on past a year. But Pepcid (or Tums) will only address the symptoms of the overproduction. It will also interfere with Iron absorption. So I'd caution that if you're taking the pills (because you need them) that you talk to your doctor about Prilosec or a similar PPI instead of the Pepcid. If you find you don't need the Pepcid (and therefore have no need for a PPI), that's great. You're lucky if that's the case. ~Cheri Edited to add: I'm picturing the chewable Pepcid tablets but if you're taking the small pill that you swallow it will not work the same exact way as a PPI but will do much the same thing: inhibit acid production. If you don't think you need it, try a day without it. You'll know for sure if you need it after that.

It's easy for binge behavior to transform into grazing behavior post op because that's what our sleeve allows. So it's good you're asking for help. One - I'll always bring it up first, so don't be offended - check your PPI. Is it really only mental or is it acid, too? Just double check it any time you feel hungry or when you're poking your head in the fridge too often. Two - what's your diet like? Are you low carbing? Fill me in. Because a lot of times, your body will start to absolutely CRAVE those foods it needs for your mental and physical well-being. If you're more freshly sleeved and only really have room for Protein now, consider rethinking your eating plan to incorporate more quality grains and vegetables. That might help with the desire to eat and give you back some control. Men do excellently on Atkins but women tend to need a better balance to feel satisfied. You might also need more calories than you're consuming. I don't know your diet so I can't say, but I'm happy to try and offer suggestions if you are open to that. Three - You have a choice here and you're in control of what you choose to consume. Water always helps. An extra Protein shake will never hurt you. If your body tolerates them well, fibrous veggies are filling and good for you. Do you drink tea? A warm cup of tea will curb your appetite and is comforting to hold and sip over a longer period of time, often long enough for us to forget we were feeling peckish. Find something you can comfortably eat without compromising your nutritional goals. Four - cravings happen. It stinks. During my cycle I could eat paint chips off the walls. It's gotten better as I've gotten farther out from surgery but it's not uncommon. And our hormones are very wacky in the first year post op. So it's possible that you've simply been burning off fat cells (which I've read store our hormones) and are feeling the effects of that. The choice is yours: indulge or distract yourself. Good luck. It's pretty normal to hit these points off and on and you're definitely not alone. Having no physical hunger is great but really, physical hunger isn't why we were obese in most cases! It's breaking all of these habits and food cycles we get into that will really help us change for good. ~Cheri

Once you're healed and once you can tolerate them, yeah, it's fine. Just please, please do not every come here two weeks post op and ask if you can have one or our heads will explode! There's a line to walk here. Eat well, eat quality foods BUT also work on the head game of learning how to eat in moderation. That means not fencing off entire foods or food groups because they're "bad" because it's easy to go from there to temptation to binges and grazing. The idea is to learn how to eat like a normal person. Normal people eat cheeseburgers once in a while. So find healthier ways to incorporate those foods on occasion. But remember that the idea here is to change - not just our pants size but our lifestyles. That means avoiding the crappy McD's burger and going for some quality sirloin you either make yourself or buy somewhere nicer. Don't be surprised if you can only eat a few bites, sans but or no. ~Cheri

I'm amazed that any newbie would ever feel comfortable posting in this childish and hostile environment. Really, people. Can't you keep your personal animosity to a minimum? As for the repeated insistence that the OP is a fake for only posting once, why one earth would the OP post here regularly? Did anyone read the original post? The OP didn't have a sleeve. Why on earth would a family member of someone choosing surgery be an active poster on a forum for a surgery they aren't having? I can tell you, my mom isn't hanging out on VST. Try not to dismiss her off the bat if she shows up one day and posts once! I do not agree with everything iggychic says but she has EVERY right as a patient that has had surgery to share her experiences, positive or negative. Whether or not I agree with her approach every time simply does not matter. The same goes for anyone else. As I said before negative feedback is VALUABLE because complications DO happen. Do not expect that the 1% that experience them are going to be thrilled that it happened, regardless of whether or not they knew it was a possibility. If you want sunshine and rainbows all the time the real world is not a place for you. If you weight your value in life by the number of people that "like" you in a public forum or on a social website, you might have a reason to be so offended when people disagree or have conflicting opinions. But for crying out loud, nobody's value or worth is determined by those things, regardless of what they think. In any case, as we don't have a post from the person that chose to undergo surgery, we don't know how she felt. The reality is that her family could be devastated but she could feel that she knew it was a risk. She could also be angry and resentful. We don't know, because she didn't post. But attacking the OP for sharing a story, even if the method wasn't ideal is ridiculous. I've had my comments watched or topics locked for possibly offending people and making them scared to post. The way this entire thread has de-evolved is exactly what I think the moderators are trying to avoid. I'm certain it'll be locked shortly. People disagree and not everyone words things the same ways. We don't need to revert to our kindergarten selves when it happens. We can still be adults about it, can't we? ~Cheri

I was never a frosting girl but I'm a serious baker. Usually I can sample a small bit of whatever I make and give the rest away. But I made these banana rum cupcakes with a brown butter frosting last week and oh my word - that was the best frosting I have ever tasted. When I have a little left over at the end I normally just give each kid a little taste and then toss the rest...but I stuck this in a small bowl in the fridge for later. I've never understood the spoonful of frosting thing before this, but man...I could really just eat that frosting with a spoon. I wound up frosting some butter Cookies with it and giving it away. It was okay to have a taste here and there but consuming two cups of frosting over the course of a week or two isn't good for me. And my husband has always maintained that I'm un-American because I absolutely hate both Peanut Butter and ketchup. Luckily the peanut butter jar and the Nutella jar hold absolutely no temptation for me. But I do see what you guys are saying about the constant struggle. And I can see how maintenance can make it easy for us to forget that we still really love food. It's easy to get cocky and say we made it to goal and now we know how to eat better, etc. But if I'm not careful it is easy to dismiss a handful of candies or a not-so-healthy snack between meals simply because my choices are really good ones 90% of the time. I never really see an impact on the scale, but I wonder if that's a bad thing. I mean, it gets easier for me to dismiss my food behaviors if I'm not seeing an impact...but then, if I'm not seeing an impact is there an issue? I mean, am I simply worrying and punishing myself because I'm not a "perfect" eater? What's a particular challenge for me is this pregnancy. I am repulsed by meat and my lactose intolerance is worse than ever while I'm pregnant. I don't live in America: I live in the land of grilled lamb, bread and plov. There aren't solid vegetarian options here to sub in for the Protein I'm missing. I eat far more carbs than I've ever eaten since surgery. I don't mind that...but they really do feed the carb monster and they do make it harder to choose good foods. But there are only so many ways I can make Beans and lentils or prepare eggs before I'm going nuts because I'm so bored with my diet. I had my husband's coworker bring me some tuna from the states...ugh. I can't even eat it. This child is making me insane! It's like the first few months post op all over again. All food smells or tastes terrible and I can't eat what I really want! The only two foods I really want and cannot stop eating are chickpeas (which I can't seem to find locally, even though I know they have to be somewhere) and quinoa. I'm out of quinoa and chickpeas now. I actually ate garbanzo bean salad every day last week with both lunch and dinner. What a bizarre food to eat as a craving! And it's easy to say the reason I gained weight last month is the pregnancy. I can't be sure how much of it is my choices and how much of it is the baby. I know I'll lose weight afterward. I know that it will be the same as it was in the second year post op. I'll still have restriction, I'll just have to make the right choices. But somehow it feels like I'll be starting all over again, in more ways than one. After all, my twins are now five and like a crazy couple, we're having a newborn now of all times. Ugh. Anyway, I just got my flights back to the states because they don't let us deliver here. So my time in Central Asia has come to an end. I'll get about a year and a half in the states before we go overseas again. You better bet the first thing I'm doing is shopping at a Whole Foods once I get back! I'll be hitting that salad bar for some chickpea salad and every other vegetable I've missed for the last two years. ~Cheri

Oh, I got bounce back in my thighs, arms and even a little in the chest. My tummy did bounce back some, but mostly the weight redistributed. I also have twins and my skin was a wreck even before that pregnancy. I have very little give. At twelve I broke out in a roadmap from puberty and it only got worse and worse with the yo-yo diets over the years. The twins really did a number on me. I went 37 weeks and measured 51 weeks when I delivered! I was 27 when the twins were born and I'm 32 now, so yes, I am young and that does have an impact on how I've done and how much I recuperated. I have never, ever been a firm or fit girl and even with plastics after I have this little one i'm pretty sure the most I can hope for is "not as soft" because I've just always been curvy and soft. I'd like to see the stomach fixed. If I only had money for one thing that is absolutely where I'd spend it, because I had a long apron even before I had surgery. If I have my way, though, I'll do breasts and tummy and honestly, the rest doesn't matter as much. I was most worried about my face, honestly. The turkey wattle is hereditary in my family and my face gets so plump when I gain weight (and now that I'm pregnant it's puffed up again, ugh) that I was really worried about saggy jowls or chins but I got lucky. I wonder if this might have been a bigger issue if I'd waited another ten years to have surgery. Good luck in any case - I hope we all get the plastics of our dreams at some point. ~Cheri

This is exactly it. This is the real reason behind why the majority of people that regret surgery regret it. Some have complications that make the journey even harder. But this is the heart of it. Because people feel entitled to instant gratification when they follow a restrictive diet and mourn their old relationship with food. But it simply doesn't work that way. The time expectation gets almost everyone at some point or another, but how quickly we lose is NEVER a guarantee. So people vent that they don't see the results...but they're really saying the scale isn't moving and they aren't considering all of the other things that have improved in their lives. And the scale always catches up. If it's worth anything, I've seen some vocal regretters on VST but I'm not sure any of them are out there living life in maintenance yet. Meaning, I can't be sure that they're done with their journey and won't feel differently later. As for Krispy Kreme, there is not one single thing in the world stopping you from eating part of a doughnut. Odds are good your sleeve will stop you from eating a whole one. And yes, you will almost certainly have a reaction from all that sugar and fat. But you don't need to use the word "can't" when it comes to food. You could still choose to eat that doughnut. One day you might. I've been into Krispy Kreme three times since surgery and only wanted a doughnut once. I ate most of one. I felt sick but I also kind of felt that satisfaction of knowing that I made the choice. I am not denied any food I want. I tracked that doughnut and it wasn't worth the calories wasted. By the next time I was in a shop, all I could smell was grease and sugar and it wasn't even a temptation any longer. So learn that balance. That's the real struggle here. Learn when to say yes and when to say no but never, ever give any food or food group a pedestal that builds them up as something you can't have or that you resent avoiding. Odds are good that half the foods you'd do this to don't even taste the way you remember. Trust me on that one! The only foods I have to keep very strict limits on are soda and popcorn. I never cared for popcorn much prior to surgery but it's one of my favorites now so I control my intake. And soda, despite how awful I feel from the sugar (we have REAL sugar here; no corn syrup) if I drink too much, is still a beverage that makes me want more if I have it too often. So I limit it to a small glass bottle once in a while, maybe once or twice a month, and it's not an issue. You're doing this. What you shared is the start of the head work. Keep on and you'll not only reach goal, you'll understand why and how you eat and be able to change/control that behavior for good. ~Cheri

There is absolutely nothing useful or constructive in this entire thread. I'm sorry the OP's sister has had a terrible experience, but I also realize this is a post by someone that did not choose to have the sleeve and who has no first hand experience to relate. I think it's a bit ridiculous to implore strangers on the internet to change their minds entirely about surgery based upon one experience. I think the approach taken was wrong in that respect. Sharing information is one thing. Scare mongering is another. But what's the big deal in the end, really? Look - I appreciate every single person that comes to VST to report their negative experiences. Because people researching surgery sometimes don't understand what complications can arise, even when they're clearly listed and every surgeon should cover them in detail. Heck, ten minutes of your time on VST could outline every single possible negative experience or side effect you could possibly have if you bother to do the search. Most people don't, but then most people undergoing surgery are so "eyes on the prize" that they completely disregard any risks as things that simply won't happen to them. So people that are either post op and had a great experience should not take it personally when someone relates their PERSONAL negative experience here. It's not our job to defend the entire surgery. Some surgeons stink and shouldn't operate and sometimes complications happen even with great surgeons. The people doing research have a right to know about the good and the bad. But much the same way I get peeved when I read an anti-Mexico surgery rant by someone that's never had a surgery in Mexico, I don't weight posts by people that haven't personally undergone surgery as heavily as I would a personal account. Sorry, that's just the way it is. My sympathies to the OP's family because seeing a family member struggle isn't easy or fun for anyone. Everyone else should really chill out and stop making this into an argument. There's nothing to argue about. OP says don't have surgery, lots of people love the surgery, whatever. VST is about sharing our vast breadth of experiences and that goes for positive as well as negative. There's nothing to be offended about when someone has a bad experience. ~Cheri

You're doing a great job! Remember that every pound off is one gone forever if you this the right way. A slower journey can be frustrating but I still feel that it gives us more time to address the underlying causes of our obesity. I had an easier time in maintenance for it. May I also say many will be envious that you've lost less than fifty pounds yet shed several sizes! I don't think I really lost a size until about 50 pounds down. I can tell you from my experience that sizes go down much more quickly once you're out of the plus sizes, too, so you have that to look forward to. You've done great. Stay positive and focus on the goal of staying healthy and at goal for the rest of your life. That's worth however long it takes to get there, ~Cheri

If you still feel symptoms OTC omeprazole (generic Prilosec) is the most common one used here. It's the most effective one I've used. I only needed mine for 4-6 months post op. I was on one pill daily for four months, then slowly started to wean off by skipping days over the next two months. Now that I'm pregnant, I'm back on one as the acid is a killer. Be aware that the signs of needing a PPI aren't only heartburn or acid reflux. If you notice an increase in stomach gurgling AND you feel like you're hungry you'll likely need a PPI for a bit longer. I say both because every new sleeve is noisy. It's a concern if it's accompanied by the feeling of hunger. It's easy for even vets like myself to miss it or mistake it but overproduction of acid in a tiny sleeve feels the exact same as a hungry, growling tummy felt prior to surgery. So keep that in mind if it comes up. Only take your PPI if you need it, of course, but in the case of the sleeve, it's totally normal to need/take a PPI anywhere from 4 months to a year post op. And some unlucky folks need them for the long haul. Good luck, ~Cheri

Yup, scar tissue or stitches. The farther out you are, the more it's likely scar tissue. Once you're farther out, you can massage it a bit to break down the scar tissue. Don't do that if it's painful or swollen right now. Bring it to your doc's attention but it's unlikely that it's a real issue. My "dissolving" stitches never dissolve and usually get pushed out of the area on their own, and this made a lump, too. ~Cheri

It's annoying. If you search hard enough you'll find some old threads about losing "friends" throughout the process. Women can be very mean and very competitive. And I think that every one of us has one "friend" in our lives that isn't a true friend and is in our lives for reasons of their own. Losing weight or making any other big change in your life can make even your close, genuine friends insecure. It's part of the process. They're either going to realize this is for good and get over their own insecurities, or they won't and you'll have conflict and more comments in the future. There's no way to know. All I can say is that if they aren't genuine friends and can't be happy for and with you (once they adjust to the idea of a new you), then it's perfectly okay to dump that baggage the same way you're dumping the excess weight. Changing your lifestyle and cleaning out your emotional closet is the perfect time to clear out toxic people in your life, if they're hiding in there somewhere. If you're not letting them know it annoys you or bothers you, they don't know it. Or at least they can pretend they don't know it. Confront the issue if it gets bad enough, but otherwise, hang in there and I hope everyone adjusts soon. The people close to us sort of tag along on parts of our journey, whether they expect to or not and it can be a challenge for them to adjust. ~Cheri

Search the forums for regain posts. In more than three years here the worst I've seen is about a fifty pound regain (roughly 50% in this particular case) and I've seen a handful of people that only lost about sixty pounds and stopped there. Let me tell you - it's not that hard to put on ten pounds if you, say, go on a cruise or head to Vegas at two years post op and eat like mad. But it's also not that hard to drop the weight again. Gaining a serious amount of weight post sleeve means completely dropping any good habits you've learned, intentionally eating around your sleeve and keeping yourself in denial about it as your pants get too tight. You'd see this type of issue in a serious grazer or someone that goes out of their way to consume calorie laden slider foods. I think regains with bypass are more common because there are more variables at work there. The pouch stretches and we all know that. The sleeve gets bigger in the first year post op, but around that point it's just about as big as it's getting. Stretching it out a serious amount takes real effort and some real pain. We also don't rely on malabsorption. If we eat junk, we don't see a loss. If a bypass patient consumes junk, they dump. For the first year at least. After that, the only guaranteed malabsorption is of the essential Vitamins and minerals we need to survive. I have never, not one single time, seen a post about a total regain or a regain of anything beyond 50 pounds or so. And those regain posts are rare. It could mean that people that regain are ashamed and just don't share. But I think it's more common that while most people realistically won't maintain 100% of their goal weight, many stay pretty close for a long time. It's hard to tell with a newer surgery. I think the oldest sleeve I've seen post here was five years old. After a year, it's more common for us to simply maintain our weight loss and move on. There are no guarantees with any tool. And the sleeve really is just another WLS tool. If you make crummy choices and refuse to confront the underlying cause of your obesity, you won't succeed long term. ~Cheri

Hey, hey folks. I'm definitely a vet (and an old meanie one at that) at 2.5 years out. Saggy skin is a pain but it's the least of my worries. Yeah, it really does bounce back. A lot. Enough that I went from "eww" to "eh" as I looked in the full length mirror over the course of the second year post op. In my clothes? I'm doin' alright. Now that we have a forum, what do we have to talk about? I mean, most of why I come to VST these days is to lead people onto the path of sanity ('cause being hungry and staring at the scale every day makes everyone a little crazy) but what do I do when it's a forum full of folks that mostly do the same thing? ~Cheri

Our family/friends see us in just as skewed a light as we see ourselves sometimes. My husband likes a larger girl. And by larger, I mean LARGER. The man loves me to death but the smiles on his face got bigger the bigger I got. Eh, to each his own. In any case, he wanted me to stop losing weight more than 30 pounds before I did stop. And he still calls me skinny, when if anything I'd say I'm "small but curvy." He'll get over it. I love him and I take his opinions seriously, but this wasn't about him. I lost weight for me. Same goes for you. Stop when you're happy. Be cautious about losing too much but realistically, that BMI chart (that I hate with a passion) will tell you if you're underweight. Keep two things in mind, though. One - your body has a happy place, a natural stopping point. It might not be what you think. It might be larger or smaller. That point will become apparent when you try to lose and can't lose any more and when you can maintain your weight effortlessly. At less than 5'2" I wanted that stopping point to be snugly in the 120s but it wasn't meant to be. My body LOVES 137-139 pounds, though, and I can hang there and eat whatever I want (I don't, but I could) without any issues. If I try to go much smaller it becomes a hassle. So be prepared for that. The second half of that is that it's possible to hit a lower goal if you push it. But many that go beyond their body's comfortable point will experience bounceback and will slowly regain what they lost. This isn't a personal failing - it's that we get so into the dieting mindset and get so focused on our goal that we ignore the fact that it's not what our body wants. So, push it to 140 if you want. Ten pounds will likely drop you another size. It might also make it harder to maintain, or make it impossible to do so. Stop when your body is ready. Pay attention to the signs that you're done. Because ultimately, you want maintenance to be easy. If it's a constant struggle and diet, you've defeated the purpose of having the sleeve over doing another willpower diet. Good luck, and congrats on your success so far! ~Cheri

No regrets. I am 2.5 years out and pregnant and my biggest complaint is that the lactose intolerance that was making itself known with small inconveniences became a full blown issue post op. It would have happened anyway, but it happened sooner due to the sleeve. And yeah, any of us *could* have lost weight on diets before and likely tried. And likely failed, or we wouldn't have seriously considered the sleeve, am I correct? The difference? My tool is permanent. Everyone is different but you're still fresh out from surgery without even six months under your belt. Willpower and the Atkins diet will only get you so far, even if you cut out most of your stomach. The real difference here is that I had a tool to keep the hunger under control, the portions in check, and the scale moving (albeit slowly) while I worked on the REAL issue behind my obesity. Which wasn't an inability to eat a special diet or hop on a treadmill - it was an emotional attachment to food. I was an overeater (and totally in denial about it) and I had a completely unhealthy relationship with food. Diets? I'd done those for eighteen years and failed before I finally found a way to eat like a normal person who has never had a weight problem. And all the rest of it: being thin, being more active, keeping up with my kids, no longer being diabetic, having great blood pressure, not suffering from joint pain and a host of emotional/mental perks like regained confidence and losing the social anxiety that had plagued me for years - all of that was just the icing on the cake in the rebuilding of my new life. I owe every bit of that journey to my sleeve. Without it, I couldn't have focused on anything but how hungry I felt on the current diet. You're doing great. And I've seen a number of people go back and forth on this. I can't speak to what you could have accomplished without surgery. But I can tell you that in my experience, no diet was going to last the seventeen months it took me to get to goal and it wouldn't have given me the extra tools I needed to not just lose the weight, but the baggage. ~Cheri

For the sake of your sanity try to rid yourself of any scale-related expectations. For those that don't do a preop diet, I think the average first month loss is between 20-30 pounds. I gained weight after surgery and didn't lose anything until the final ten days or so of my first month. The scale is one of the most valuable tools you'll have when you're in maintenance and it's important to weigh at least weekly to track your progress and stay accountable. But in these early weeks/months when your body is still adjusting it's just going to make you crazy. Because you can't count on a loss and you're going to see stops and starts (and maybe even real stalls) along the way. Good luck and congrats on the large loss so quickly and on your new sleeve, ~Cheri

Vitamins are the biggest thing that can help you with this. I could keep up with my normal life (hectic and busy chasing two year old twins) within a week to ten days post op. But I was tired and sluggish for a while due to the lack of calories. That was nothing compared to how I felt around roughly one year post op, though. I was seriously deficient in B12 and Iron - my supplements weren't doing the trick for me, despite that I took them starting immediately post op. Once I was on B12 shots and a prescription iron supplement the forgetfulness and overall zombie feeling went away completely. I felt better than I had in a long while. So, long story short: nobody can really do anything but share their experience with you. How your body handles it is going to be totally individual. But focusing very hard on getting in liquids, drinking Protein shakes (keep trying new ones until you find one you can drink every day) and taking good quality vitamins, not to mention getting panels done more frequently than I did, will help you recover more quickly and keep it together. I spent a few months in misery not even really realizing how beat down I felt until I finally went in and had bloodwork done. If I had known an inexpensive shot that I can give myself and an inexpensive supplement would improve my life so much, I never would have gone through that. Learn from my mistake. ~Cheri