deedeemuffin

I'm only 34 but I decided a long time ago that I didn't want to ever have kids. So, I want to find out the soonest I can get my surgery once I get to goal. I agree that if you want to have children it is better to put off the surgery. For people like me, though, we need it ASAP!

You are SO not alone! You are right. There are a lot of positive posts, but the truth is the majority of us feel like we went through hell. I am only 4 months post-op & I remember very clearly what it was like. From the moment I woke up in the recovery room I was like, "What did I do to myself?" I didn't even have the benefit of a pain med pump like most do. I just had one small drip bag & if I needed more I had to get horribly painful injections in my upper arm. My surgeon's diet requirements were clear liquid only for 1 whole week post-op & then adding 3 shakes a day for 2 more weeks! I couldn't even have soft, mushy food until the start of my 4th week. My first week I couldn't even sip Water the way they tell you too. My boyfriend would use the food processor to grind ice chips for me to suck on just to get liquid in. I couldn't sleep actually lying down flat for about a full 4 weeks. Everything was horrible and I had so many questions. I remember laying on my couch crying thinking if I had just had enough will power I wouldn't have had to permanently mutilate my stomach. I was convinced that I had ruined my life. Then the inevitable came very early for me. I had a stall. I dropped a ton of weight weeks 1 & 2. Week 3 I was still on water & 3 Protein shakes a day for a total of 300 calories & I didn't lose even one pound! Then week 4...no weight loss. Week 5...no weight loss. I was convinced that I had just lost the 30 lbs that I had managed to lose & regain over & over again in the past. This website was my saving grace during that time. People said that it will get better. It did. People said my stall would end. It did. I am now 4 months out & down 75 pounds. I went from a very tight size 32 to now a comfortable 24. I have too many non-scale victories to list such as fitting in a booth at a restaurant for the first time in over 2 years. I am not going to lie to you. I still have hard days. I was pouting earlier tonight because my sleeve was hurting from snacking on too many raw vegetables! I wouldn't take it back for anything, though. In the end it is going to be so worth every big & little pain and drama we go through. I am still considered a newbie, but I have faith that I can follow this through to a healthy new life. So, can you & we are all here to help you anytime you need in any way we can. It REALLY IS going to get better. Just hang in there! I can't wait to see when you're 2,3,4 months out & encouraging people who will be right where you are right now!

It looks like you're rocking with your sleeve as well! You don't have your weight posted, but I see that we both started out & are now at a similar BMI. So, give yourself the credit you deserve. I chose to only tell my immediate family & one of my closest friends who was banded that I was having surgery. Also, NO ONE except my Dr.'s & people who are on this sight know what my starting weight was. Only here can I shout from the roof top, "I used to weigh 418 pounds!"

I'm sure the weight loss will slow down a little once I start weighing a little less. I think people who have a really large amount of weight to lose drop big numbers in the beginning. I bet if you looked at someone starting out 100 lbs or more less than me at their starting weight the percentage would be the same. For example I have lost approximately 18% if my total body weight over 4 months. That is the equivalent of a person who starts out at 250 losing around 44 pounds over 4 months. I am not trying to say that I haven't done well with my sleeve so far. I'm just saying that someone who loses a much smaller number is working their sleeve just as well. I think we get so caught up in the numbers. Do you know what I mean? Don't get me wrong, though. I am still going to make sure to post when I am down 100 lbs.,150 lbs., 200 lbs., every time I lose a size or have a NSV, etc,! LOL

Well, at least they weren't a temptation for you this year. Those silly little eggs are addictive! I honestly don't think that I can say that I ever ate so much of anything that I didn't want to eat it anymore. Probably because I was like a bottomless pit. However, about 10 years ago I was out one night with friends drinking some kind of blue martini. I got SO sick. To this day just seeing a blue drink or even "blue" anything listed as an ingredient in a drink makes my stomach turn. 10 years!

Count yourself lucky that you haven't tasted them & if you see them DON'T BUY THEM for heavens sake! It will just be one more food to avoid.

I found this post very interesting. I see that a lot of people go to Mexico for their plastics since it is so expensive here. I also live in NY. I am from Orange County right outside Westchester. I see that you have lost 118 pounds which is awesome! I was under the impression that you had to be at your goal weight for a year before plastic surgery. Was this case with your Dr.? Also, did insurance cover any of it or was it all out of pocket. I don't mean to be nosy, but I am down only 75 lbs. & already seeing a lot of skin sagging. I need to lose like another 150 pounds, so I am going to need some major plastics!

Congratulations Grace! I know that is definitely a wonderful feeling. I know that we have had our differences in the past, but I wanted to reply to this. I have always loved Easter candy the most! The Cadbury Cream eggs & the Cadbury Mini Eggs with the Milk chocolate & thin sugar shell were my absolute weaknesses. The day after Easter I would go to the pharmacy & clear out any of those that they had left. I was able to make a huge Easter basket from my boyfriend and hold it together...well mostly. I know you will LOVE this part. I broke down and bought the mini shell eggs for myself on Friday. When my boyfriend went to bed I took them out to have "a few" while I played a game online. Well, I had them on my lap & had eaten exactly 3 when the bag fell on the hardwood floor! Eggs were rolling everywhere & the cat & dog came running to try to get in on the action. I picked up the bag & there was not even one left inside. I had to get the broom, sweep them up & throw them all away...lol. A serving size of Cadbury mini eggs is 12 for 190 calories. So, I got 1/4 of a serving and 47.5 calories. I think it was my bodies way of saying, "We didn't lose 76 pounds by eating chocolate! It was a blessing in disguise. So, A very big congrats to you for not giving in at all!

Okay so I am going to give this a go. I know the scale has gone down 75 lbs., and I started out in a TIGHT size 32 & am now comfortably a size 24, and have had many other NSV over the past 4 months. I still don't see it. Someone recommended that I look at side by side pictures so here we go. 3 pictures are me at my highest weight of 418. One is 2 Easter's ago at an Easter Egg hunt with my boyfriend, nieces and nephew. 2 are from this August at Niagara Falls and in my sister's wedding. I was still ate 418 for those. My VSG was on 11/27. I'm not sure how these pictures are going to upload so the pic of me in the black & pink flower dress is from today. My boyfriend's 2 year old niece told me that I looked like a ballerina. LOL. Idk about all that, but hoping that I'll see a difference posting them together.

Thanks. It's kind of funny. I am not really very good at picking at clothes. I think that I am missing the shopping gene most women are born with. LOL. The dress is a hand me down from my boyfriend's sister. She lost 110 lbs. & has been saving all her clothes for me! That dress was in a bag of 24's & I have 2 huge bags of 22's & 20's from her when I go down the next two sizes. She is in a 12 right now so I am covered for awhile. It is really such a blessing for me to get wonderful, free clothes from a person with a sense of style. The only thing I need to buy for quite awhile are bras & underoos!

I posted this very same topic yesterday! You can definitely see the difference very clearly. Great job! Keep up the good work & try to go a little easier on yourself. As someone said to me yesterday. "We are our own worst critic". That is so true. Trust in the process. You already on your way to looking healthier & hopefully feeling healthier too.

Thank you! I will definitely give it a try!

Thanks! I really noticed the difference in my legs in the pics. I'm going to walk those calves until they are looking better than my pre-heavy days. I'm 5'10" so, I have a lot of leg to work on...lol

We are all a little nervous in the beginning. In the first few weeks following surgery you will have a ton of questions & this website is a great tool for answers, encouragement & inspiration. I can't think of a better gift to yourself for your birthday than the gift of good health & a longer life. I wish you all the best & keep us updated!

You know, Laura, it's just crazy. I honestly don't see a difference when I look in the mirror, but the picture from 2 years ago Easter & then today are so different, My face was SO bloated looking. It was after an Easter egg hunt & I was helping one of the nieces in her age group. I was exhausted after half an hour. Just last week I was pushing a wheel barrow around the property where I live...filling it up with fire wood & hauling & stacking it. I never could have done that 4 months ago. It was hard even getting off my couch then!

Okay, so maybe there is a LITTLE difference now that I see them together & in sequence lol. I see it in my face & legs & some in the stomach & chest area. Looking forward to seeing what pics are like when I am at a healthy weight. I don't know how to put the pics side by side. If anyone can tell me I would really appreciate it!

That's cool that we have the same surgery date. I definitely agree with not weighing yourself daily. As someone else pointed out the scale can definitely be a liar. I would really suggest making an appointment with your nutritionist. I would not recommend going back to only liquids. Our body is past that point. We need to be able to eat real food. Going back on liquids is like our past yo-yo dieting. A liquid restart would be for someone who had really gone off the rails in terms of eating. Every surgeon's office is different in their diet guidelines. I would definitely take a look at your sodium intake. When I see lunch meat, Jerky and a bar of some sort they are all LOADED with sodium. I have found that getting all my Water in is crucial to my success. Your body actually retains more Fluid the less you drink. Like I said, everyone's surgeon has different nutritional guidelines, but I will share mine with you. My nutritionist does not have me count calories. My guidelines are 60-70 grams of Protein, less than 40 grams net carbs (not including fruit or vegetables) and less than 1,500 mg of sodium. I do not vary what I eat very much as I have found that what I eat right now works pretty well for me. This is a sample of what my day looks like: Breakfast: 8 oz. almond milk, 1 scoop chocolate Designer whey Protein powder, 2 tbsp. PB2 & half a frozen banana blended into a shake. (Total of 24 g of protein) Lunch: Chobani 0% fat plain greek yogurt with 2 tbsp. of PB2 & 1 packet Truvia. (Total 23 g protein.) Snack: 2 Polly-O String cheese or 1/4 cup edamame (Total 14 g protein for either snack) So: before I even sit down to dinner I have had a total of 61g of protein. Dinner is always vegetarian: Tofu & veggies, Beans & rice, etc. If I feel like I need something at night I have a serving of fruit - strawberries, blueberries, red grapes & cantaloupe are my new favorites. I drink 16 oz of water in between Breakfast & Lunch. Then another 16 between lunch and snack. Another 16 between snack and dinner and my final 16 after dinner. I always follow the rule of no liquid 30 minutes prior to or after a meal. Sorry, I know that this is a super long post, but if even one thing helps you then it is well worth it. Don't give up. I started at a much higher weight than you. So, it makes sense that my weight loss is a bit of a higher number. This is really such a learning process of how to fuel our bodies not just feed them. I also think that some of us expected to lose more quickly, feel more restricted and lose huge numbers. I was sure that I would be down 100 lbs in the first 3 months & here I am 4 months out & down 75 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining! I just know that personally, I am learning to use my sleeve as just 1 tool in my weight loss efforts. I would say that I average between 750-900 calories a day, but I choose what those calories are comprised of. I can have 700 calories of healthy, body fueling food or 700 empty calories. So, there is still the aspect of needing to put healthy food in our bodies and exercising. Add the sleeve and you have a good weigh loss trifecta. The most important thing is not to give up. There are a multiplicity of reasons that you are not losing at the rate that you want to. It's up to you to find what that is. We continue to be here for support. I really hope that you are feeling better soon!

I have found that there really is no "normal" when it comes to how peoples bodies react after surgery. I am almost 4 months out & ONLY down 74 lbs. I am what people call a "slow loser". How silly is that? As far as food, don't push yourself. It takes quite a bit of time for your stomach to completely heal. Talk with your nutritionist if you are concerned that you aren't getting in enough nutrition. There is always the go to shake of your choice. The are easy on the system when you are having a rough time. My go to shake is a cup of almond milk with Designer Whey Double Chocolate protein powder, 2 tbsp. of PB2 & half a frozen banana all blended together. It is easy on my sleeve & allows me to get in a full 20 grams of protein with just one meal. Being sleeved is like learning how to eat all over again. You can absolutely do this, and we are all here whenever you need support! Best wishes to you. This does get easier so, hang in there,

You absolutely can still lose weight. I am four months out & down 74 lbs. On this board that is considered being a "slow loser". How silly is that? If you look at my ticker in my signature you will see that I still have another 160 lbs or so to go. If I think about that I get totally overwhelmed. I just had a conversation last night with my boyfriend on how it has gotten much harder to lose weight since I started being able to tolerate any food that I eat. I haven't been doing very well for the past month with meeting my Protein or Water intake. Sometimes I would much rather have a handful of goldfish crackers than a snack of 2 string cheeses. We are in a position now where we need to eat to properly meet our nutritional needs. We don't really have the luxury of eating what we want or how much we want. This is very hard. Especially mentally & emotionally. We are not perfect. Every time we make a healthy choice it is a victory. Try to keep track of all your success on the scale and off the scale. Know that you are not alone. If, most people were honest they would share that they struggle too. There are many people here who do not judge and are willing to be supportive whenever you need it. You CAN do this! I am not saying that it will be easy, but it is possible. I really encourage you to Celebrate every victory and not compare your journey to anyone else. Come here every day of you want or need to. There are a lot of people who are willing to offer support. So, when I'm having a meltdown when I am down 100 lbs & have more than 100 to go, you might be there to lend an encouraging word. Hang in there & just keep pressing on. You are SO worth it! I wish you all the best!

First of all, congratulations on your great start losing weight. This surgery was a lot harder than I had anticipated. Just because we have tiny tummies now doesn't mean that we are immune from wanting food. even at almost 4 months out I still feel somewhat overwhelmed. When I see TV commercials for food I get upset. When I am at the grocery store & there are so many things that I know can't go in my cart, I feel stressed. At holidays & parties I literally sometimes feel sad because I can't have what I want. I should say that I can't have the quantity that I want. I'm sure that you get the picture. This change does not happen overnight & there will be weeks when the scale won't move. Just try to keep in mind your goals. How do you want to feel or look like? Is there something that you want to do that you can't do now because of your weight? Concentrating on those things really helps. Write them down & put them on the fridge or someplace that you see every day. This does get easier as time goes by. Also Celebrate every victory...a loss on the scale, going down a clothing size, being able to walk more without getting so tired. Whatever is a victory for you write it down. Then you can look at it when you need a little boost. You can do this. This is a great community to get support. So, utilize it. Wishing you all the best!

I was always surprised when people would tell me how they were discouraged or other people were unkind to them on this website. I never understood that until today. From now on I am sticking to family & my surgeon's office support groups. Since I am apparently too dumb to figure it out on my own, can someone please tell me how to delete my profile from here? Thanks.

Yesterday I found out that I can run....well a little way at least. I still have another 9 days until my 4 month surgiversary so, hopefully I will be posting some better weight stats by then. At my last weigh in I was down 68 lbs. I know some people consider that slow, but it is fine with me. It averages to over 4.5 lbs. a week. I have a lot more weight to get rid of, but it amazes me every day how things are changing. Today I needed more fire wood for the wood stove. (I live in an apartment on a farm in NY & it's a little cold with more snow coming tonight). I didn't want to bother my land lord for it so, I decided to get it myself. I have NEVER done this! I ended up having to go all the way to the horse barn to get a wheel barrow. Then to the wood shed. I actually had to climb into the wood shed & throw logs out the door into the wheel barrow. Then wheeled the wood all the way to the apartment, unloaded & stacked the wood & then got the wheel barrow back to the barn. Phew! My dog was running circles around me the whole time & barking like crazy. I'm pretty sure she thought that I had lost my mind! LOL Later in the morning my mom came to visit. I don't see her very often because she lives about 2 hours away. We went out for a few hours & when we got back to my place I realized that I had forgotten to give her a gift that I had been holding on to. She had to leave in 2 minutes to get home in time for when her foster child gets off the bus. So, I RAN! It is definitely a bit of a hike from where you can park & where our apartment is on the property. I ran all the way down to the house, grabbed the gift & ran all the way back up the hill to my mom's car. Now, it's not like I did a 5K or anything, but I didn't know that I could run again at all! Almost 4 months ago I would be freezing right now instead of building a fire. There is no way I could have done all that walking, carrying, climbing, etc. at over 400 lbs. I'm not even tired right now after what was a pretty long day & far from over. There is still cooking and cleaning and home work to do. (Yes, I am a 34 year old college student :ph34r:) I think we sometimes get so obsessed with numbers on the scale that we miss the little or more important things. Keeping track of them & sharing them has been helpful to me. I can't wait for my BF to get home so that I can tell him that I ran today. He'll probably make me go outside & show him...LOL. So, keep the faith my fellow sleevers! Our new tool that we are using to live a healthier life IS working. So, who else is running? If you haven't tried yet, I DARE you! You might be surprised.

I had the exact same feeling before...that I couldn't run if my life depended on it & it scared me. It's something that I still struggle with. Now I can run a very short distance & so will you!

Ah, now that I can understand. Already I feel like my chest has kind of deflated and I need some kind of magic, anti-gravity bra! LOL. My sister in law lost over 100 lbs. & now runs. She told me that she has to wear 3 sports bras, layered together, because of boob issues. You couldn't pay me to wear 3 bras at once!

I very much dislike this! I hope that you can get some answers & that things get better...