RJ'S/beginning

I am 11 months out and if I eat something that is hard to digest I can throw up still....I cannot eat beef or pork yet. I have trouble with fried anything even if I take the coating off, and of course the skin...Chinese food I won't even go there..It hates me now... I stay away from these foods and give it time..I'll try them again later and see if they will suit me...If they don't that's okay...There are a lot of other things to eat so I am okay with these changes....

There is nothing wrong with eating raisins...Or any food in moderation.....So many on here look at this as another diet plan..If you do...It could have the same results as the other diets that we all went on.... Everything in moderation...Everything except junk food....That is how I feel..This is a life long change and the change is finding something else besides food as your comfort..Fixing the head issues will be the hardest part.... There are up and down days for sure...And sometimes we just get tired of the fight....But tomorrow we pick ourselves back up again and go on.... You have done fantastic...I am sure you will succeed with whatever you are doing now....You have been teaching yourself how to handle food opposed to food handling you...... Chin up.....forward go...just keep swimming, just keep swimming!!!

If I could go back I would ask the lady that came to talk to us after she had been very successful with the sleeve.. I would ask her....What was your lowest point? What made you decide to do the sleeve? What was the worst habit or junk food that you found was difficult for you to give up? How has your life changed since surgery? Would you recommend it to others? What did you eat as a staple in this program, because chocolate is not a staple? When did you start to feel different and getting the results you wanted? Did you ever regret it? And so on and so on... If you had the chance would you ask different questions now that you are succeeding compared to having that wide eyed awe staring at the before and after picture of that one who was there to encourage you.....

if you have a chronic condition of depression it will act up..There will be bad days and good days..Your body is going through a tremendous change...Physically, mentally and emotionally....Once you heal and yours starting to see progress you will feel euphoric for a while...Then you will experience fear.....Fear of the unknown and fear of whether you will succeed or fail.... Everything will be new and you will not have food to help you deal with all the things it comforted you with before...Your head will be worked on because that is where the issues are.... This is major surgery and your body needs time to adjust to the changes...as each pound goes off toxins are released that cause emotional and physical changes....It is all natural with any diet....But this will be your life and you will succeed...Your body, your life, your choice......

Yes my hair is growing back....lol...I cannot trust this program for growing my hair back alone....I am on my second bottle I took 5000 mgs the first bottle and this one is less.....no side effects that I have experienced

I started taking Biotin the minute I came home from the hospital...One of the affects from not eating for 51/2 months was my hair all fell out.... I cried and cried and started to up the Protein drinks and used Biotin....I take one every day and will until all my hair comes back.. I take 1000 mgs a day... My hair is growing back....

You almost there...congrats..Soon you will join the rest of us losers...lol

Searching out a group...support group would be helpful...In my area we don't have one...And we were not allowed to go to the one where I had my sleeve done until the surgery was done. So even though I watched countless videos and talked to the pros where I was having the surgery..I was not prepared..... I don't know anyone personally that has had weight-loss surgery. One night about a week before I left the hospital a woman peaked her head around my curtain and said.." I know you think this is never going to get better but I promise you it will." she slipped away as quietly as she came...I laid there thinking was she even real...And wow a sleever! I never saw her again... That made me realize for the first time that this was my life now and I needed to make it or break it on my own...Yes I read and joined this forum and it gave me a lot of help....I did however have the nerve to think this won't happen to me or that won't happen to me...And it all happened to me..I was so close to death that the Doctors told my husband that they did not have much hope for me making it through it.... When I look back on that I think that preparing myself before surgery by detoxing was a good idea..I stopped a lot of bad habits before I even got close to the surgery...That part I would do again! Don't give yourself the pleasure of thinking that you know what is going to happen and how you are going to DEAL with your sleeve. One persons experience is different then another's..One day at a time...one step at a time....one victory at a time....And remember who's life it is. And who is taking the risk. There is your family to consider and their emotions will run high at times...Embrace their caring spirit and feed on it..There will be times when you will cry and no one will be able to help you except the ones that know you the most.... So before you even have the surgery commit to a life long change..Working at it day to day....Whether a slow loser or a fast loser don't put pressure on yourself to have yourself at goal in 3-5 months..It can take 2 years.. After a few months go by, your excited and scared that you have lost some weight and you are down a few sizes...Fear is the enemy here...We look at what we have accomplished and still do not see what we have done..How far we have come...And all the time we are dealing with our heads and it is playing games with us and we have to fix the reasons why we came to this point in our lives... All the small changes that you will experience. Like the first time you cross your legs or fit into a airplane seat without a extension...All good! But you are still afraid of what lies ahead of you....where will you fit in and how will you change if you change at all..And you will change in some way..Everybody does who has great changes in their lives.... Some days I am so proud of myself I can't stand me..and at the same time scared to death about who I may or may not become....I am invisible to everyone who knew me before surgery. No one recognizes me at all...It is fun but sad at the same time... There are so many scenarios that you read on here....Different experiences of the good the bad and ugly of it all..... Learn to be patient. Don't expect perfection. And hit the scale with a sledge hammer and get weighed at the doctors office. Treat yourself to something nice like jewelry..never food! Take your time and enjoy each step you are making to make yourself a better and healthier you...Don't look at the sleeve as another diet..but as a program for life...And when you think that you failed when you make a slip up..it is not like all the failed diets...This is you and your life now...Tomorrow is a new day.. 11 months out and I am learning more and more about myself and the issues that got me to this place...You have to learn to love yourself!

You might want to try this too...Put your fork down after every bite...Half way through..Take a few minutes to listen to your sleeve.....Most of the time when I do that I lose that feeding frenzy feeling and walk away.....I has worked for me...Hope that helps a little

That is going to be very hard on you....I think it would take the courage of ten men to do what you are about to do.......I hope you will be okay and strong....That was a tough decision you made there for your health..... What we will do to be healthy and happy in the future.....Keep us posted...And if you need encouragement..WE are here..... All the best future sleever!

You made me giggle..thank you for the laugh...

So yours is working....It is all in your head and this wonderful tool gives you the opportunity to work through the issues that brought you to this place...I too would not change it for the world!!!

Hind sight is 20/20...That is what I am referring too....If I knew what I know now I would have been more prepared then I was....I spent 2 years researching VSG. I thought I was really prepared for what lay ahead....Personal experience goes a long way to answer some questions...I had the chance to talk one on one with a successful sleever. I did not know enough of the emotional or head issues...or even how to get used to your new sleeve or your new life....All was very scary....And to top it all off I had severe complications so the distress I dealt with I would have loved to have learned more possible problems that people deal with prior to surgery..... When I was done and finally home I had so much zeal I shoved the correct answers in peoples faces...Thinking I was helping them...But it is so different when you go through it yourself...I had no idea what it was really like..But she would have had a really good idea..She had done it all! I know this forum answers a lot of questions..I have learned a lot..But it does not compare to someone who is sitting right in front of you who personally went through a lot of the battles we faced or face now......I hope you understand better what I meant!

I feel like I am constantly repeating myself over this issue...I was one of the few who almost died after complications with the sleeve...I got a leak and did go septic and spent 5 months in the hospital trying to recover...11 surgeries later and now 11 months into it...I am a different person...Finally I am living..I was only existing before.. You can have your teeth out and die from that...Just because your other surgeries have been a breeze does not mean this one will be...The surgeon I had has a great record....I was the worst case he has ever dealt with.... I am so happy I did it and would do it again in a flash! 160 lbs. down and counting... Tonight at a restaurant I sat in a booth....have not been able to in decades....Just one of the many many wonderful things that have changed for me!!!!!

This is exactly how I feel about it all......I refuse to stop eating all kinds of food...moderation and balance is the main key... My son in-law could not eat at the table with me for months after my surgery..He said it made him feel bad that I could not eat more then a few bites...11 months out..I eat whatever I cook for the family...I also over fill my plate and leave what I can't eat...Hubby does the clean up...He loves that...So it looks like I am the same but they have stopped watching me at least....down 160lbs. Working for me!!!

This happens to me all the time now....My family used to stop talking and all look at me at the same time to see how much I ate or what I was eating.... A friend came over yesterday and gave me an apple...She just knew that the other stuff she brought to snack on would not be the right thing for me to eat.... My husband said after I ate a Halloween sized chocolate bar....when was the last time you were on the forum.... The other night a guest said you eat really well at supper but you really need to improve during the day... Life is full of know it all's I tell them to back off or they will regret it....I am stronger now then I used to be..So i think I can take some of them....LOL

55 and happy..total loss right now is 160lbs. at 11 months out..Lots of sags and everythinjg going south..but nothing that a good plastics can't fix... All the things I can do now has made my life worth living...before surgery I was just existing Now I am on the move, living and doing and having a good time just getting back to my old me... That said....people tell me I have changed a lot..I feel different about so many things..I am not recognized by anyone I know....It is so cool!..I am glad I joined the human race again and will never look at what I went through as a terrible experience......But that it saved my life and gave me a life!

My two favorite are.....gonna take the easy way out huh? and Why don't you just follow the post surgical diet now, instead of having surgery? Going to take the easy way out eh.....Man people are so ignorant of what it takes to do this.....It is a life long commitment and not for the faint of heart...You like most of us worry that it will be another failed diet.....You have good support and a good attitude about comments... Learning to deal with the issues that brought you here are in your head and that part has to change as your body changes....Life long commitment is not the easy way out for sure..... Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!!!!!!!!!

So glad you are in hospital..They have to count things out so they can get to the problem...Your on everything you need to be to fight infection...good! keep us posted ...k....We are there in spirit!!!!! :wub:

Sorry I was not attacking you..This is a real symptom of a condition call Anorexia. I was just concerned that you might be one of the ones who suffer from this...I just mentioned it.....putting it out there sorta.... :wub:

Which incision is weird?

Step one is done congrats...now rest up...you have a new life ahead of you!!!

When you get the shakes most likely it is your blood sugar plummeting... Protein and piece of cheese something small will work far better then sugar...Sugar is a quick fix but it plummets and you shake even more...protein, protein, protein....k

I am always in need of salt since I was sleeved..lots of salt....don't know why...I detoxed from everything in the hospital...But the only time I want something sweet is when I am worn out and exhausted....Protein would be a better choice..Sweets is a quick fix.....

I know what you mean..my highest was 380..I knew I was big...but not that big....I wince each time I think of it....Oh man...I would say LOL too, but it hurts too much to know I was that big and didn't even realize it