DoOver

Horseback riding. And not kill the horse.

Research the standard method for figuring metabolism for an "average" person. You typically take the person's weight + 10%. So if you want to be 140 pound your caloric consumption should be 1400 + 140 for 1540 per day. Everyone is different. But I do not believe that very many people who up their metabolism through exercise eat as little as 1200 calories a day for the rest of their lives. Specifically, I do not believe any men eat that little and logic tells you that a woman who's 5-9 is going to need more than one who is 5-2. There are no hard and fast rules, but I would be very surprised if people who are two years out and in maintenance are consuming only 1200 calories. I know that I averaged 2900 per day pre-surgery and very high carb. I lean toward a high Protein (higher calorie, low carb) diet now and probably average about 1300-1350 now and, due to health troubles exercising very little, and I am still in the losing window. 6 pounds last month. I just no longer feel like I am starving it off.

Can only say that I lost at a higher rate when I got to taking 1000-1200 calories each day. That seemed to be where my body was comfortable. I had energy and felt healthy. At 300-400 calories, I was actually losing (on average) less. That was the first 4 months or so and by the time I was finally able to eat more, I was tired. Just beat. So I happen to believe that the body shifts into starvation mode to protect itself. But I don't think it happens overnight.

I'm not sure what the brand is but I got mine at JCPenny. I absolutely love wearing them. I know they make me look a full size smaller and I just feel so much "firmer" in them. Maybe I got lucky but I have had no issue with them rolling up or shifting. In fact, they were on sale at a very good price and I only wish I had purchased each size they had. I talked a friend into trying the entire shapewear stuff and she now loves them. A lot of people think they will be tight and uncomfortable but I love them. Even after I have plastic (also about 2 years off for me) I might still wear them. They just make me feel good.

I've now had 3 episodes with dumping. Yes, I know those with the sleeve don't dump but I do. Here's the thing: 1) I was not a sweets eater before surgery 2) I've always suffered with very low blood sugar. I think those two issues contribute to the fact that I suffer from serious dumping. My body was not used to having to process sugar before and now the least bit seems to drive me into a dump. I've been sleeved for months now. Last night I was at a holiday gathering that had an open bar type thing. I'm a non drinker for the most part anyway and had driven so I ordered a fancy coffee drink. I was very specific. Give me anything decaf and sugar free. Otherwise you make the choice. The woman went down a list and w/ each suggestion I'd say "is it sugar free"? A couple of times she looked at the bottle and corrrected herself. I ended up with some sort of cinnimon drink. I should have asked to see the bottle but she was making a real effort to help me so I didn't. And this is graphic, so just stop reading if you can't take this sort of stuff. The good news is that it does not hit instantly. But about 1/3 of the way into the coffee I started to feel the sweats start and I knew. I went to the rest room first which was right by the exit and waited to see how bad it was going to be. Within about 5 minutes I knew it was going to be bad so I dashed to my car and moved to a far part of the parking lot where I spent the next 20 minutes heaving. This is a whole new world for me. But here's the thing: I'm on a PPI so it's not the normal acid type ick. It was really just all the drink coming back up. Sadly, my "snack" 30 minute earlier when I arrived was a handful of nuts. Let's just say they do not digest fast. I was dreading the possibiity of this happening so I choose sleeve instead of bypass. Turned out it made no difference for me. But the worst part of this isn't the being sick -- which is what I detest with a passion -- but the sweats, shakes and anxiety. The whole thing lasted about 90 minutes before it was completely over. I was able to drive home at about the 30 mark after leaving the building. Just wanted to share this experience for those newly sleeved. Please be careful, especially with liquid sweets. 2 of the three times that's what nailed me. And it doesn't take much. This was a small coffee drink and I got 1/3 down before it all hit the fan. It won't kill you. But let me tell you, it puts you on high alert. I will always ask to see the bottle of the "flavoring" in the future. I'm 99% certain it was not sugar free as I can drink things with artifical sweetner w/ no problem. Heck of an intro to the Christmas season.

Wow! You look great!

I was specific for decaf as it was evening. But I was also specific about no sugar. I actually have had a bit of caffeine since surgery and seem to have no issues with it. I do think if I had much it would fire up my acid reflux but I'm not much on caffeine. Even in my 50's I'm hyper enough without it. No sugar alcohols have bothered me otherwise and I was bad about relying on the Protein bars that have them for a while. ( I don't think it's the best way to get protein so weened off of them.) And thankfullly, nothing yet give me gas. I really am grateful for that as I have a co-worker who had gastric bypass and she can just about close us down at times!

To me, it is a very different experience with the sleeve. But I was sleeved in April and I'm pretty sure I'm "matured" and have what I will always have. There's a woman in my support group has the same issue so I just want folks to know up front it's not quite as unlikely as advertised. And, I am trying to talk a good friend out of a band right now. She's set for early February surgery. My instinct is that she's thinking "temporary" in case she needs an out. She's one of the few people I've been really open with. I LOVE salad and once I was healed and at the point where I could eat salad, I was 100% convinced I'd made the right choice for me. This dumping issue can be managed. But I want the newly sleeved to ease into trying any sugar (if they ever are tempted) in a situation where they are in control because dumping is rough.

You'll have that. I went through the "no turning back" window of thought. But I am soooo grateful I went through with it. Last year any physical activity was misery. Any. But this next spring I am signed up for horseback riding lessons. And I'm in my 50's. No kidding, the first 3 months or so are hard. But now, it's just so normal and okay I find it amazing. And I had the occasion to binge eat so it's not like I went in w/ no real serious food issues. (As they explained to me, my idea of binge eating and true binge eating are two different things but that's not relevant if you think you have the issue and I did.) My advice: Be brave this one time and it will save you many, many other times in the future where you will not have to be brave but will be able to be bold instead! Good luck.

Welcome. I can only tell you that I am very happy I took this chance. I'd do it again over and over...but like many, sooner.

Assuming that you have followed up with medical care and nothing is surgically or medically wrong, I can only tell you that my surgeon told me in passing that he had had this happen a few times. No medical reason, just almost like a rejection of the process. The good news is that he said he'd never had the issue happen that did not resolve within 3 months. He told me this because I upchucked my way through the first few weeks so he was just explaining a "worst case" from his perspective and he'd been doing this surgery for 8 years. Mine wasn't as bad as yours as I was only sick once or twice a day, able to otherwise keep things down. The Vitamins were a 100% trigger for a vomit so I stopped those early on for weeks. Otherwise, no rhyme or reason. Please check back and give us a few more details if there are things that might help us narrow down things that might help.

I'd strongly suggest you talk to them honestly and find out what their firm expectations are. My program is also very strict on this issue and they said they cancel approximately 10% of their surgeries each month for this reason. So you are not alone at all. I did the same thing for a window of time and now that I'm on the other side, I actually know it was something I needed to do. I'm sorry they (program) didn't understand it. And on the date of surgery I was where they wanted me to be. But the gain, then loss that happened in the mean time was actually my way of getting ready. They were angry about it but I now know I needed that process. And on the day of the surgery I shocked myself by going in with no fear and no reservations. I was ready. And prior to that date, I wasn't even sure I would be brave enough to show up at the hospital. A side note. My program demanded you give up carbonated drinks from the day you enroll in the program. It was the only thing I did not do. I've said before that one of the most important things about this whole process is knowing yourself and being truthful....at least inside your own head. I was drinking caffeine free diet coke. I'd quit drinking it before and knew it would be no issue when it was time. So I drank it up to the day I started my pre-op fast. Again, the way my mind works, that meant there were no regrets. I didn't look back on months of denial of something I didn't really need to be denying myself. I did not have a carbonated beverage for months after the surgery and, ironically, about 3 weeks after my first one I went to a support meeting where they announced they no longer required complete permanent abstinance from carbonation -- only from the start of pre-op to 90 days. Same rules they have for caffeine. So it sort of validated my method. I would have actually been angry if I had given up the diet coke I love for no benefit or reason. As it turned out, I went into surgery down weight wise down the approximate 10% they required and the surgeon was thrilled with my flat as a pancake liver. I was not the ideal pre-op patient until I knew I had to do it. I was perfect from the day they handed me the liquid stuff and others who were in my group later told me they were not. So my advice: get the rules, understand what you are actually required to do and then be honest with yourself as to whether you need to take a bit more time before you actually roll into the OR. Just because you are "death row eating" right now, it does not mean you can't do this. It just means you need to make sure YOU know you are ready and then meet the rules they tell you. My program said they get mad because people are not honest and do not believe that if they are insurance approved (or have self paid) that they will cancel and they do. They actually do.

I was blessed with friends inviting in for a wonderful Thanksgiving day. There were pictures taken. I've gone from busting out of a size 26w this time last year to an 18w this year, surgery at the tail end of April. And the pictures were a little eye opening. I am still soooooo fat. I will say that in spite of the depressing part, it was also motivating. I can definately tell you I'm putting off that venture into on line dating for another 3 or 4 months into spring and a few more pounds. And will be giving myself that gym membership for Christmas. And possibly a tummy tuck next year. Because as it is emptied, it's like a leaking blimp. What a day.

Ahhhh.....you see, that's why the pictures caught me off guard. With being in the smaller range of plus size, and comparing myself to the normal public, I was thinking I was in that group. Normal. And I'm way not. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine who was in the picture is clearly 20-25 pounds lighter than I am and I was thinking we were close to being the same size. I've read a lot of posts here where people say they are actually thin but still see themself as fat. So it felt odd to be on the other end of the spectrum....where I was thinking I was starting to look "normal" and not realizing just how big a size 18w still is. It didn't bother me so much as wake me up. I've done and am doing all I can go solve the problem so I am trying to stay positive. It's that old "I didn't get this fat in a year so I'm not going to lose it all in a year". But it definately lit the fire to start paying more attention to the details and see if I can't get things moving a little faster. Thanks all.

Good luck. Age and weight are not friends. The sooner you address this, the more your joints will love you for it. And my bet is that in a year's time you will be thinking of this as your best resort, not the last. :biggrin:

I know this is hard for people to believe but my first surgeon resigned. Then, 4 months after my surgery, the guy who did it resigned! I missed getting quit on twice by 4 months. It's amazing. The office support person told me that surgeons are like everyone else these days. Very little loyality to their organizations/hospitals, ready to jump for the better deal. The first guy quit and went to another hospital because they let him take the prime OR hours that he couldn't get where he was. I'd never given that sort of thing any thought, but I guess at large hospitals it's a real pecking order/pride thing. Good luck. You'll get there. You really don't know when things are meant to be.

I also did not mean to sound unsupportive. We all have our food deamons. I'm was simply trying to explain to you what it's like being on the other side. You then have to decide if hunger and cravings might drive you to eat the wrong things, then purge to then be able to eat the correct things your body needs. Because this is not a cure all. As a matter of fact, I feel hunger far more now then I did when I could eat a large quantity of food. It's just that a couple of bites sedates that hunger. So I think that what I'm asking is: for whatever reason you eat/purge now, can you see yourself hungry and craving something and being able to accept 4 bites as the solution? If you can, then you may be right and this might be your answer. But if you think you would eat 4 bites of that food, become frustrated, purge, eat 4 more bites, then it's going to be the same vicious cycle if you have the same results of this surgery as I have. There are people here who say they have zero hunger and zero cravings. I'm not one of those people and I think I am in the majority. So I just want you to understand this is not a cure all but a tool.. Then, with the explanations of how others feel and how they have reacted, you can decide if you think it's fit for you. It was just my concern that it might not be single solution and that you might want to get counciling to go along with this step.

Why do you believe it will address your issue? I'll be very frank. If I could have used bulimia as a "tool" I might have. It would not have been a control issue but to purge calories after overeating. But I can't vomit. It's difficult for me even when sick. I find it vile and even hate the subject. As someone who is 7 months out, I'm sorry but I question whether or not this will solve your issue. I think you need to consider getting counciling along the way. At 7 months out, I still get hungry and I still get cravings. It's simply controlled by my sleeve and the fact that I can't purge. And, for me, there was healing where my capacity increased but since then no indication of any sort of "stretch" so I see this as a long term solution for me. Now I'm not saying this might not eliminate a percent of your issue. But if you are like me and still get cravings and experience hunger, I'm almost concerned this would be worse for you in terms of your esophagus which can be at additional risk due to the high liklihood of acid reflux developing. I'm hoping for you. But I'm also concerned. I honestly question whether this will solve your issue. And if it doesn't I think it's high risk to make it worse.

I think the best way to answer this is to say that when I think much about being sleeved, it makes me cry to think how much better and different my life would have been if I'd had this solution 25 years ago. The key is to find a good surgeon and follow the rules. And within 3 months, your new life will begin to emerge. I "look back" about once a month. And then it passes. Compare that to how often food rules your world right now. And decide. Good luck to anyone considering this choice. It's saved me.

My dream for 2012 is to find peace with my past. There's a song by Rascal Flatts called Moving On that expresses it far better than I can. To all of you young folks out there who are trying to decide, do it! Find a good surgeon and take a leap of faith. Your life will be totally different for this one brave move.

I had a lot of fear. At some point I had to put them aside and ask myself "but what if this works?". And it did. It's not been a rose garden but when I think back to 1 year ago, it's also not been that bad. Sometimes I read posts here that concern me. They are so lalalalalala, I'm rolling into surgery, can't wait, whooo hoooo.... that I wonder if they have faced their demons and know how rough the first 3 to 6 months of the road can be. But there's the magic. Think of your entire life. And that the first 3 to 6 months...and not even all of that time....is going to be all you have to tough out to get to the other side where things will be better. I understand the fear. But you need to do this. Yes you can diet it off. But yes, it will come back. On my worst week, eating my worst, I maybe put 1 pound back on now. And I get back on the wagon, and it's gone in 2 days. Very much worth all of the trades and I'm no where near my goal yet.

I've said before that I'm not great with numbers so if I'm a bit off from previous posts, please forgive me. I'm not trying to revise history, just not that observant on numbers. But I'm just now starting my 2nd year in this life and thought I'd share the markers. In mid-October 2010 I started my pre-op diet. I think was was right about 326. Strict program requires loss prior to surgery. In mid-April I started my pre-diet liquid fast. I was at 309. I was 100% faithful and it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. 10 day fast and I ever skipped two packets. I think my mind was on the future by that time but I was also going a bit numb. I knew I had to do it so I sort of went into denial which worked for me. I was actually sleeved the last week of April 2011. As of today, I am at 235. That's a loss of 92 pounds. It's not tearing up the track. I've seen others who have lost tons more but that's the main reason for this post and something I want people to understand. You body, if you stay within reason and safety in eating, will lose. It just might pace itself differently than others so try not to judge yourself by others. I lost horribly when I was in the 400 calorie a day range. When I moved to the 800 calories, it wasn't much better. But now, in these past several months, with being able to take 1200 calories a day and having the energy and strenth to pick up more exercise (and with almost 100 pounds less stress on my knees) my weight loss has become steady and consistant. As I've added more calories, and 1200 is very reasonable to live with, I am not stopping weight loss. My surgeon preached that if you didn't lose in the first year in his program you were not going to lose with the sleeve. He was 100% wrong with me. This is now my new normal and the key to that is that I no longer fight it because I've accepted it as my normal. It's no longer something that was forced on me to save my health but something I'm thrilled to have done to have saved my life. It feels like I was born this way. I stopped counting every bit of food about 3 weeks ago. I just got sick of it. I concentrate on Protein and take a good multi every day as well as my Calcium. In that 3 weeks I have become far less obcessed with food. I think of it so much less, eat only when I am really hungry (and I do still experience hunger). But now I'm just a human being who has a small stomach. Most days I love it. It's a relief. I had had a bout of depression but I'm also going through menopause, lost 2 brothers (both under 60) and my Mom is now terminal and these things are the tip of the ice berg.. I have never turned to food in stress. My stomach actually gets tight and hard to eat so I don't think the sleeve contributed any to the depression. But I'm not being a hero and getting the depression treated so I'm thinking I'll be better by year end. And at least 10 pounds lighter. Oh, and one more thing. One year ago rolling my trash can to the end of the drive was a challenge. The last several days I've walked a 1/2 mile trail behind my house. And I have very bad knees. So plan for the best. It's right around the corner for you.

Thanks for your kind words. This holiday season is going to be miserable. My brothers were both divorced and their adult children are all moved away. I'm not married and never had kids, so I'm really on my own this year. And sleeved so no all you can eat buffets to ease the lonliness. I'm just trying to accept that this year will be bad. I'm dipping my toe into the idea of internet dating (if that's legal at my age....lol ) and just banking that next season this time will be better. Just the fact that I can care for my home and myself so much easier now is enough. I have been on a decluttering bent like you wouldn't believe. I am seeing a therapist for the depression and he said that's the best thing I've told him because, whether I knew it or not, I am cleansing myself of my old world and getting ready for the new one. After he said that, I realized he was right. If I get the chance to meet someone to share my life with, really be a part of my world, then I want my home to be as ready as I am. And the great thing is that this time, as I undergrow my clothes, they are off to Goodwill. I'm the happiest all month the day I hit the Goodwill donation door. It's so freeing to know I will never be a size 28 again!!! Oh, and anyone got any nice, single brothers in their 50's, IM me. I have a 200 mile radius limit. : )

No where near as difficult as I expected. I'm 7 months out and understand my new normal. I miss the old normal much less than expected. I wish I could have had it done 10 years ago but I'm glad I waited for the sleeve. It was my best choice.

A woman I know on-line still goes to her weight watchers meetings. She did not tell them she had gastric by-pass. She suggested I consider it now that I am pretty far out. She said it helps her keep structure to her eating. So I went for my free weigh in. It was sort of funny. The one thing I have really appreciated in my program is that they do a real test for body fat (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) if you are willing to pay for it and I did. With the excess skin I'm hauling around and my being far more muscular than I appear I wanted a reasonable goal weight. So mine was set at 185. My surgeon said that if I get a tummy tuck or an arm lift (which I have a saving account set for and building) that he would rachet me down to 170ish. But as my body stands right now, 185 would be good. And I would be very happy there. In my weight watchers consultation I was told that at 185 I would be obese and that I need a more realistic body view. What a hoot. I'm in my mid-50's,and my highest weight was 364. (I told them that part) Believe me I have a very clear body view. I know I do because I usually have to lift my boobs up to see it! lol Here's where I get seriously concerned tho. The woman and I chatted a bit and she said the chart she was using was the chart insurance companies use to determine insurance coverage. I had so hoped that getting my weight down to what would be acceptable to me (and frankly, thinner than most folks I see out and about these days) I could get some reasonably priced insurance next year when my job ends. Maybe not. Or else I have to really speed up on that arm lift and get a tummy tuck whether I want it or not to fit in right on their charts. ---oh, and as a side bar, I met with my friend last week who had her arms done. She's 4 weeks out from surgery, doing great, her arms look amazing!!! The surgeon did a fantastic job. Not only the arms but the side fat and skin that's there in the bra band is gone! She said it was tender but not at all what she would have considered painful and she was back to work -- office job -- in 2 weeks. He took 9 inches off one arm and 8 off the other. She is very similar to me in terms of pre-situation. With the fat and skin and probably a bit of lesser eating, she was down 12.5 pounds the first time she weighed 10 days later. I am sooo going to do this for myself. I am a big chicken surgery wise, but now that I've seem what a huge difference it makes in her appearance, my plan is for next year this time! I'll save and save and then....yea, for decent credit! And Kimmy, I know you lurk here and read so if you see this ---YOU LOOK AMAZING! Great job for doing this for yourself and thanks for leading the way! --