MzPecanBrown

I understood your post, my phone does the same thing. I am glad u posted about your loss. It helps to see u have been successful. I am trying not to have any expectations just take it a day at a time. That is easier said then done. I am just grateful that i have been blessed, no complications and I feel really good.

I assume this refers to my comments earlier. I did NOT chastise you. What I said is that people need not feel compelled to tell anyone about their surgery. If they choose to, great. If not, great. It is a very personal decision and needs to be made by each individual. People should not be made to feel as though they are failing someone by not talking about their surgeries. In my experience, many of the people who have chosen to be vocal about their surgeries are almost bullies. They constantly tell more private people that they are wrong or are not making the right decision in deciding not to disclose to people that they had surgery. That is not OK. Certainly, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but the very framing of some of these questions is off-putting. People are put in the positon of having to justify why they don't choose to broadcast their surgeries.
I have had various types of medical procedures during my life and at no point have I felt it necessary to tell everyone I know about it. This is no different. I am not going to make up elaborate excuses and I am not going to lie. But I am not going to volunteer any information. And if someone is bold enough to ask such a personal question, I won't feel bad about letting them know how rude and inappropriate I find them to be.

How is it deceitful to just say I am eating right and exercising? Is it a lie because you don't choose to say I had WLS? Please see my post above about how it isn't my job to educate the nation about WLS. If my kid wrecked my car, what he did directly effected his life, my life, my insurance agents bottom dollar, the families bottom dollar, and depending on what he hit, other peoples lives as well. In the case of WLS, outside of your household, your decision really effects no one else. Therefore, your argument that is meant to be "logical", is invalid.

Sigh! I don't think anyone has an obligation to do that. If it works for them and their life, they should do so. If that isn't in keeping with their personal priorities, they should not. Either way, there shouldn't be pressure or shame associated with the decision.

To me its not only what others think, I just think my health is none of there business! From preop to 3 weeks post op my hubby was in Saudi. Before surgery he tried to talk me into post;poning until he was home saying You will not be able to do this alone without help. You will need help etc. After a while he saw my point and relented. I have support from my mom, she had bypass 23 years ago and I knew my hubby (no matter how hard he tried) would not understand how I anticipated feeling after surgery (head hunger, etc) He is a 30 in the waste, same size as my teenage boys, and has never been overweight in his life. He eats only to survive, he doesn't sit down to eat to enjoy food, he eats when he is hungry and stops when he is full. He has never overeat to my knowledge and to him eating is something that is required to survive. His entire family is slender whereas my whole family is either very overweight or obese. I dont think he can REALLY understand why everyone is not like him. He doesn't get that people eat to be entertained, feel better emotionally, or just because it taste so durn good! Or whatever reason we all have for overeating for years. I am def not blasting him because he does try to understand, I just dont think he is really capable of COMPLETELY understanding because of our different backgrounds and habits. There are still times I have to catch myself from telling my kids, "clean your plate, dont waste that food"! Old habits die hard but I do not want my kids to grow up obese.
On the flip side, I knew I would have support from my parents and baby brother. my family has battled obesity my whole life! At the time of surgery my mom had just had total hip replacement 4 weeks previously, but still she followed me around the halls after surgery to do my required postop walking using a walker, when I would fall asleep walking she would pat my face and say wake up you gotta walk. Her and my dad stayed at the hosp the whole day until baby brother got off work to come stay with me. He took off for 3 days to stay the night at hospital and bring me home and stay with me at home for a couple days until I was sure I could get around alone.
My point is, we all really need some type of support, but it doesnt really matter where it comes from as long as they understand how hard this can be. I have never regretted the vsg, but it isn't always an easy journey. Sometimes you feel like an infant learning how to eat, what works, what doesn't, etc, finding your limitations, figthting head hunger, and realizing you CANNOT have a cheat meal anymore. its not like a diet when you could take a day off and go to the buffet and pig out. Its simply not possible unless you enjoy pain and vomiting.
I stand by my decision to keep my surgery to myself. This journey can be emotionally draining at times and I simply dont need negativity in my life from people who choose to sugarrcoat sarcasm. It is my journey and I choose to surround myself with people who are genuinly proud for me and say to heck with the others.

Welcome and congrats on your surgery! A day to day pound fluctuation is completely normal. I am one that weighs daily but recognize that lots of things come in to play. My NUT told me that I'wereaa urine my pee and poop by weighing daily. LOL! Also, expect some stalls so you won't completely freak out when they happen. I stalled for 3 1/2 weeks in my second month and thought I would lose my mind! But now in my fifth month I'm down 82 lbs! Good luck to you!
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I'll join in! Maybe this will help with my focus!
Surgery date: 1/10/12
SW: 403 lbs
No pre op diet
Today, I weighed in at 321.2! That's 82 lbs in just over 5 months! Twoterville, look out! I'm coming for you!
My July 4 goal is 318, looks like I'll make it. :-)
My next short term goal is 100 lbs by Labor Day weekend. That's my annual family reunion and there will be so many people who haven't seen me since last yr!
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I'll join in! Maybe this will help with my focus!
Surgery date: 1/10/12
SW: 403 lbs
No pre op diet
Today, I weighed in at 321.2! That's 82 lbs in just over 5 months! Twoterville, look out! I'm coming for you!
My July 4 goal is 318, looks like I'll make it. :-)
My next short term goal is 100 lbs by Labor Day weekend. That's my annual family reunion and there will be so many people who haven't seen me since last yr!
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Today I weigh 146.6 lbs. So, I've made my 4th of July challenge. I know that I may bounce up some but I'm going to take this loss and run with it. I'm totally excited! Now to get a plan for maintenance. That's the scary part. I will have to switch my obsession to exercise now and not weight loss. I can do this.

some cl is made with truvia now. but the best suggestion is just add more Water to tame it down. And I agree with everything tasting too sweet immediate postop. Now at 7 wks postop, things are settled down for me like pecan above.

And don't get me started about "orientated," "conversating," and "irregardless." (Former English teacher.)

You know, I thought about sharing this earlier, but I didn't... but I will.
At my surgery consult earlier this week there was (what I call) "one of those" ladies there, who think that because you're in a room, and she's in the room, there's some kind of automatic sisterhood. So I'm reading and she asks me what I'm reading, how is it, what's my favorite book (leave me alone), what surgery was I having, why that one, how much did I weigh (seriously?), was I married, was my husband fat, what did I think about RNY, what's my favorite food, do I think my surgeon is cute, etc.
She proceeds to tell me that she was thinking about getting, and I quote, "A vertical seive with a 32 degree boogie."

I am 5 months out today and started noticing hair loss about a month ago. I don't think it's noticeable to others, but I can tell. I am natural and wear my hair in a loose, curly fro. I can imagine that it would have been very noticeable if I was wearing it straight. The back has thinned to me so I've been pinning it up or wearing it in a large afro puff on top of my head. Hopefully, it will stop soon. But I'm down 75 lbs and look and feel SO good! It's worrisome, but I've been looking on the bright side of things.
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I know why I haven't changed sizes even though I have lost 40 lbs since my sleeve on April 10th because my clothes were tight as hell : ) now they are loose. : )

I'm in even though I'm pre-op.. My surgery is July 2nd.. I currently weigh 657 - goal is 600 by surgery and I know it's a lot but I'm on all Protein liquid diet and not straying one bit from here on out.. I want the gold at the end of that rainbow damnit!
Starting weight: 670
Current weight: 657
Surgery weight: TBD

First off, you look really great. You've both done good work and you shouldn't fail to be proud of your accomplishments just because you aren't to goal yet.
Secondly, the only surgery I'd consider revising to if I were you, would be DS. So yes, if you're considering it, I think that BPD is the way to go. That said, it's a HUGE change and a lifetime of supplements and blood panels to stay healthy, so you have to be sure it's necessary. Which leads to my third:
I don't think you've got anything to be ashamed or worried about.
I think you're right on track for a slower loser. I lost quite slowly, too. It seemed that no matter what I did to mix up my diet it didn't have a big impact.
I know there is one more "heavyweight" here who got to goal very slowly. But she got there! Your sleeve isn't stretched. I know a lot of people feel like there's a honeymoon phase but that is simply not the case. You're more than a year out - your sleeve is about as big as it's getting so unless you constantly cheat it or try to stretch it, you're fine. Your tool is in fine working order.
And I'm not here to judge your diet or intake but here's my two cents, anyway.
You're eating too much for your body, or you'd be losing more. Some folks are lucky and can eat more without gaining. Some folks are athletes and need 1,500+ calories a day. Some of us have to be very strict all the time to lose and stay firmly on track in maintenance to avoid regains. It's just a sad fact of life.
My opinion is that you need to cut those calories. Start by cutting 500 out a day until you're consistently 1,500 per day or lower. And then when you hit a stall (same weight longer than three weeks straight) drop them again by 10% - with this tactic you will lose again.
If you're having a problem with hunger check if you need to be on a PPI again. Just in the last month I had to restart my PPI. I was feeling like I was starving all day long and at night I'd have an acid problem. It took me two weeks to put two and two together and get back on my PPI. Now I feel fine again and the hunger is gone.
And be sure it's not head hunger. Have you worked on your food issues? We all have them or none of us would have a weight problem. Are you compensating, overeating, hiding? Evaluate this honestly so that you can get to where you want to be.
Last but not least, stop comparing yourself to other people. Especially men, because they always lose faster! You can always revise to DS and should look into those options if you're certain the issue isn't something you can fix without it. But not everyone reaches goal quickly. Nobody wants to be "that girl" that loses slowly and we all walk into this surgery with some measure of unrealistic expectations, I think. If we didn't I'd never read a single post about someone freaking out over "only" losing 30 pounds the first month or "stalling" for two days!
You know what to do, right? We all do! Dieting has been drilled into us countless times, especially when we spend years overweight.
Try using 1,500 calories (go 40% Protein, 30% fat and 30% carbs if you want to feel satisfied) as your ceiling for a while. See how you feel. Get back on a shake a day. I'm two years out and I drink a shake most days. I consume between 1,200 and 1,400 calories most days. I like to hit 90+ on my Protein and the shake gets me there. I still have very little room for food. Two scrambled eggs, max. So you do have restriction and you do have the tool to do this. I just think you've gotten complacent. I'm sorry to say it that way - it happened to me for a spell, too! But there's a difference between eating "normally" (which anyone who knows my posts knows I advocate) and eating "normally for an overweight person." You don't need 2,000 calories a day, especially not in the losing phase. I don't care what the doctors say or the nutritionists say, either.
If they were right, and dieting was one size fits all, I would have gotten thin the first time I tried Weight Watchers at sixteen!
Chin up. Be nice to yourself. Pat yourself on your back for how far you've come. And get your Buns back on track. Because if you hang in there, you can live at goal.
~Cheri

This makes me so sad. People, children and adults can be so cruel. I am a teacher (Pre-K) so I know all too well what kids innocently, and not-so-innocently say.
I hope this can make you feel better. I have an adopted brother who is 9 years old. His name is Humoody and he is from Iraq. He was shot in the face with a shot gun he was two years old and his face is disfigured, he is completely blind and missing an eye. The one he does have is covered by a fake eye cap that looks real. He has been through hell as far as being teased and made fun of, having adult strangers come up to my parents (IN FRONT OF HIM) and say "what's wrong with your kid's face??" Too bad he is blind, not deaf, and he happens to be extremely intelligent. He is at the top of his class in math and reading and has a personality and sense of humor matched by few. I only thank god that he can't see people's rude stares at him.
So just remember, it's not all bad. You could have been disfigured or blinded. You are on your way to a healthier, thinner you. People that give you crap or say rude things have their own insecurity issues. People that are secure don't make comments to their children or others about some families "must eat fried food." You have to feel sorry for their kids because they are learning from example. Your kids will have compassion and character for dealing with this. I used to get yelled at: "Sueeeyy! Suueey!" when I was in elementary school. It was tough, but I'm better for it.
Check out these links if you like, they could give you a new perspective on being made fun of, etc...
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20060711&slug=muhammed11m
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003714541_iraqboy20m.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003316900_iraqboy22m.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003544835_iraqboy28m.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003989172_iraqboy02m.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008123196_hamoody19m.html
Humoody is my little brother and he is now 9 and in the 3rd grade and thriving! He tells me he doesn't understand why I am having surgery because I have a great personality. If only we could all love like a blind child! <3 He sees what really matters.

I had surgery over a month ago....we were at costco today, and I purchased a slice of pizza for my daughter from their little food-court thing (we rarely have junk at home, and she's had a real yen for pizza the last several weeks)...and this skinny broad in line behind me starts making these very obviously loud comments to the woman next to her about how terrible it is that PEOPLE can't rein themselves in and how last she knew, Costco sells SALADS, etc. People are cruel no matter what. Surgery changes nothing. They have no idea that I've lost almost 50lbs, or that I can barely get down 400 calories on a good day - all they know is that I am FAT, and therefore an out-of-control JABBA THE HUT clone who deserves to be publicly humiliated.
My daughter came home one day and said she was invited over to a friend's house, but was warned that they won't have junk food at home, like we OBVIOUSLY have at our home. Which made me laugh...prior to surgery, I was hypertensive type 2 diabetic, I had to monitor my diet very closely. We had a bag of chips that sat on top of the fridge until they turned stale.
I should mention that even when you do get surgery and you do start losing weight, there's the inevitable comments about how you took the "easy way out", to further invalidate your efforts at health.
Bottom line: haters gonna hate, whether they be kids or adults. If you knew how little people thought of you, you'd think little of them too.
We here are very proud of you for soldiering on and doing what you need to do to take care of yourself. Don't let ignorant comments lodge in your brain

You were already gorgeous, girl! Now, you're just on fire! You were the first person to make a comment on my first status update 5 months ago. Thank you for being so positive and caring! You are truly an inspiration! Congrats on your success!
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I had a DVT in 2009 and have had to give myself Lovenox injections many times over the last 3 years. I was freaked out at first, but it's really not that bad. You will feel a pinch but it doesn't last long. The nurses will administer it while you're in the hospital so you will get an idea of what it feels like there.
For my sleeve surgery I had an IVC filter placed AND came home on Lovenox until my INR levels became therapeutic again for me. I have been on Coumadin since my DVT and have to stay within a certain range. Lovenox is not that bad. You'll do fine! Good luck with your surgery and recovery!

That's exactly why I don't tell anyone. They don't understand and I don't have time or the patience to educate them. This journey is hard enough, don't set yourself up for the fustrations of dealing with people who don't get it.

Hello and welcome! I just went on a cruise at the beginning of May. I've been on cruises before being sleeved and LOVE them. Leading up to this one, I kept thinking abt how different it would be now that I can't indulge like I used to.
One thing I learned is that we DEFINITELY can over eat if we don't stick to our newly formed lifestyles. I broke every sleeve rule possible. Ate too many slider foods, drank with every meal to make room for more food, grazed all day. Even with doing this, I still only ate a fraction of what my fellow cruisers were eating.
What did I learn? That I really appreciate my sleeve for allowing me to sample and enjoy without going off the deep end. I also know first hand that it is truly a tool; the willpower and self control is the driving force behind it. Without creating and following healthy habits, we can't do this!
I returned on May 10 and learned that I'd gained 4 lbs on the cruise (GASP)! But I cranked my focus up, went back to the life I know and lost that plus an additional 12 lbs in less than 3 weeks! I LOVE my sleeve!
Let me know if I can assist you on your journey!

So I had my 18 month post-op checkup this week (it's a smidge late due to scheduling conflicts, and now I"m actually closer to 19 months post-op, but hey better late than never) and was very happy with everything. From my stellar labs, to being -100lbs lighter, there is nothing bad I can say about the sleeve. It has given me hope in the never-ending weight battle. Never before would I have stayed the course through so many stalls (and for me personally there have been plenty!) I'm starting to see my body change even though the pounds are NOT melting away the way they did when I was a few months post-op.
Just thought I would share some photos since that was my biggest inspiration when I was researching the sleeve. The photos just don't lie, they tell the story.

Do a search for "Hair Loss". It's discussed daily here.