MichiganChic

My opinion is I would not have surgery at 8 pm. That's one long day for the guy cutting me open for an elective procedure.

I'm not going to repeat what the others said, but just thought I'd address the getting old part. I am 53 and lost 145 pounds, and I think I look much younger. I don't think I ever looked sick or old, but I will admit that during rapid weight loss, there were a few rough months. My skin was looser, my hair was thin, and my clothes didn't fit. Now at 2.5 years out, a few body contouring procedures, skin tightening on it's own some, and my hair growing back, I'm looking way, way better than I have in 25 years. I look like me, only hotter . Version 1.2!

@@bayareanan Sorry you had this, too. Usually a seroma is a pretty mild complication even if they are pretty common, but it sounds like the 3 of us had a worst case scenario. @@BethinPA is right, it will get better and things will be OK. I also had a wound vac, and once I had that, it healed very quickly! I had my original surgery in mid December of 2014, and dealt with the seroma by multiple weekly trips to the surgeon, getting it drained manually, having a drain placed, had it opened up twice, and ultimately in March had the wound vac. It was a tunneled area on my left knee that was about 12 inches, with a 4 inch opening. It healed once and for all in less than 30 days. I still have some residual swelling in my left foot as a result of all this, which might be permanent. Even with all that, I am still glad I had the surgery. I'm still a little traumatized, if you can't tell, lol! Where is your seroma?

@@globetrotter You've lost about a pound a week. Good for you. I think you've established you have a slow metabolism, and now I think you've established you know what to do to lose weight, and that you can lose it. That's good news for you! My advice is to stop stewing in the fact that it's slower than you want, and a lot of hard work, because when you are fighting yourself, that just makes the weight loss battle that much worse. If you were my daughter (and I have 3 of them whom I love more than anything) I would tell you to stop wallowing in your own self pity because you are making yourself miserable. I always remind them not to be a victim. We choose our happiness. But since you are not my daughter, I won't tell you that. Having said all that, I do understand where you are coming from. Most of us got dealt a bad hand when it comes to weight management. Whether it's a genetic predisposition to weight gain, a lifetime of bad habits, or something else resulting in weight gain, there is not one WLS person who doesn't have to battle. The realization that it's going to be a lifetime of rigid dieting and there is no wiggle room is a little disheartening. It's probably our worst nightmare on so many levels to experience regain. Staying thin is not as simple as "a new way of life" for me. It is a full time job for me, and I consider it job one, all day, everyday. I wish that weren't true, but it's my reality. I've learned to be happy anyway.

Most of us have a set of rules we were taught will help us succeed with our weight loss after surgery. Not all docs subscribe to the same rules, which leaves a little room for interpretation. I do try to follow as many as I can, to ensure my success. I even follow some I don't think are really necessary, and there's some I break even though I think I shouldn't break them. **Disclaimer** I suggest everyone follow their own physician's plan. I am not recommending or suggesting anyone break any rules, but it's a frequent topic of conversation and thought it would be interesting to see individual approach in a real life setting. I do the following (95% or more of the time) No grazing No drinking 30 minutes before or after meals Protein first 65 or more grams protein per day Take Vitamins as prescribed 64 ounces or more of fluids per day Stop eating when full Measure or weigh food No straws Nothing carbonated Go to support group meetings (not a requirement, but a suggestion) I do not: Practice mindful eating. I often eat while watching TV. Since I measure my food, I'm not going to over eat. Chew, Chew, Chew. Hard to do when you are not mindful. Watch sugar or fat grams. I don't have issues with dumping, and I eat so little calories, I don't focus on them. What about you - Do you follow the rules? Discuss.

That amount isn't a tablespoon though plus, organic peanut butter. Doesn't have all that monosaturates fats. Whether it's a tablespoon or a teaspoon, it has calories. And they do add up. So, I guess "grazing" is the rule you do not follow? For me, I am a grazer by nature. I really have to fight to not do it, because I could easily tack on 500 calories a day just tasting little things. That's 3500 calories a week, which would mean I'd gain a pound a week. Easy for me to get right back to 300 pounds! It sure is a hard habit to break.

I lost a lot of sizes, and went through several wardrobe sizes. Getting a wardrobe at the thrift shop or consignment store is much easier said than done. I tried to do that and never had luck in my town. I think there are some places that have better selection, but I would have had to drive a long way to get to them. After a few attempts, I gave it up. I didn't like having to dig and search and search, just to find nothing. I have a professional job and have to dress a certain way. I also don't have a lot of extra time. So I tried to be pretty basic in shopping. I bought about 3 pairs of basic slacks, and paired them with different tops and jackets. I really only had about 15 items in my closet at any one time, but it was enough to get me through 2 weeks without repeating, for work. (Obviously I washed and repeated the pants). I also always made sure I had one casual outfit for weekends. I bought things a little snug, and then wore them until they were a little too big. I shopped only clearance items, and got things really inexpensive - like I mostly paid around $10 for the pants, and less for shirts, a little more for sweaters or jackets. Now that I've been the same size for over a year, I'm starting to build a big wardrobe. I LOVE being thin for that reason. I still am a bargain hunter. There is solace in knowing I don't have to grab what I can when I see it and pay full price, like when I was fat. I used to do that, just being thankful there was something that was sort of cute and fit ok. Now I know that I can wait for things I like to go on sale, and if it never does, oh well. There are a million more things out there in a size 8 that I'm sure I'll love

His goal for you is probably based on a few things. First, he may need his patients to hit a 50% loss to be considered successful for insurances, and if his program participates as a center of excellence. Second, statistically, gastric sleeve patients lose around 60% of excess weight. Third, he may not have given it much thought. Doctors are human, and they also have stupid human tricks that include saying things in a way that sound factual but are guesses based on potential or what comes to mind at the minute. You are in charge of you, and in this case, you do not need to listen to him. This does not qualify for medical advice. You can reach or surpass your goal if you do the work.

All good advice. It's easy to buy and wear the wrong things because we finally can buy any style we want. It's important to find the right style, particularly in a professional environment, and I think the message is good.

I understand why that sort of shitt is so maddening. There's no reason for it, other than the person saying it gets to feel superior in some sort of sick way. My advice is to let it go, and marginalize her. Instead of stewing about it, next time, just call her out and then let it go. People who like to slide in back-handed comments typically don't do well with a straightforward dressing down. You didn't like her before, and you are never going to. She clearly feels the same way. She's just acting out in the way that pushes your buttons, and then she can sit back and watch the show. She's backhanded, manipulative, and unpleasant. My guess is that this is her way, and not unique to her interactions with you. She can only steal your positive energy and thunder if you let her. You will carry on, you will succeed, and she'll still be the unpleasant, unhappy misery queen that she is.

I think pros and cons are unique to the individual and their situation, and can include anything from financial obligations, family obligations, work obligations, and personal readiness. Only you know that. However, the sooner you start losing weight, the sooner you start to feel better. Every day is the first day of the rest of your life, so I never believe in wasting that opportunity

Thank you. I also love, love, love sweets! Cake is my weakness. I seriously used to bake all the time. I used to call the period between Christmas and Easter "cake season" because I was tired of Christmas cookies, and I would make 3 or 4 cakes a week! To be truthful, I am not over my sweet tooth. That's not to say I indulge or give in very often. I do allow some occasional treats, though. So, I find that if I avoid bread, rice, and pasta, and don't eat processed foods, I'm pretty good. If I really feel like I want something sweet, I have a cup of flavored coffee with a little flavored creamer (and I count the calories for that). It really helps with the cravings. I find that if I have sweets in the house, I'm drawn to them. I've learned to make the decision once - at the grocery store. I simply don't bring that stuff in, so if it's not here, I do pretty good.

I had the same conversation with myself. I was a good candidate for either, and also have a sweet tooth. RNY was the gold standard and more widely used, with lots of data to support it as resulting in the greatest weight loss of all types of WLS at the time I had my surgery. Statistically, I could lost and maintain about 10% more with RNY than a sleeve, which is a significant amount of weight when you are starting at over 300 pounds. I ended up going with the sleeve because I didn't want the risks associated with the malabsorption component of RNY (still have some risks with the sleeve, but less so) and I wanted to be able to take NSAIDS for arthritic pain. I also didn't want the risk of dumping. I've been very happy with my choice. I've lost and maintained more than the statistical averages with either surgery, at over 90% lost. Sometimes I wonder if I would have lost the last few pounds with RNY, but it doesn't really matter because I'm a normal size woman with a nice, normal life now.

I was never a big pop drinker, so it was pretty easy to give up. I have had a craving for one a couple of time in the past 2 years, and when I've tried it, it just didn't taste right and wasn't what I think I remembered. It's one area where my taste really has changed.

I am more than 2 and a half years post op, have lost 145 pounds, and maintained it for a year and a half. The short answer to your question is that my success has been due changing both the way I think and how I eat. I'd be lying if I said I don't want refined sugars and processed carbs. I do want them sometimes, and once in a while I will have them, but as a rule, I follow the Bariatric Eating plan. I am not a person who can eat all things in moderation. Just a little indiscretion will cause me to gain. I can do a lot of damage in one meal. The greatest piece of advice I can give a new sleever is to follow the bariatric eating rules and determine what works for you - and then do it. All day, every day. It requires dedication and hard work, both physically and mentally. At this point my sleeve does not offer enough restriction to maintain my weight. It most certainly still helps (keeps me from eating huge amounts at once) but it does not keep me from grazing and it does not keep me from consuming caloric dense foods - I do that. The longer time goes on, the more I realize how fragile this current state of success is for me. I always feel like I'm one bad choice away from 300 pounds because it's as much a mental issue as a physical one. Now that I've gotten a taste of what it's like to be thin and normal, I don't EVER want to go back, so I pay close attention to what I'm doing to stay here.

It may be that the skins are too hard on you, since you are pretty new post op. My plan didn't allow for any raw fruit for the first several months. I'm 2.5 years out and had fresh cherries last night with no issue.

You go with your bad self! Sounds like a great use of time to me.

Statistically, this is the time when regain happens. The ability to eat a lot more at this point is also common. The hard reality is that it's really up to us, at this point. I am also coming to the same realization. I am going to need to increase my diligence and really watch it, or I'm going to gain. I also have not gotten all the way goal (within 5-10 pounds and had plastics) so I don't have any wiggle room. My surgeon does not do revisions for regain. His coordinator openly said that at the last support meeting, stating that if you didn't do what you needed to do to keep weight off, a second surgery probably isn't the answer. He had also told me previously that they are finding areas of ballooning in sleeves which is probably the reason capacity increases, though there is no evidence to support that it causes gain, and the risk is higher, so not worth an unknown benefit. I always knew regain was possible. What I didn't know is how EASY it would be. I thought you'd have to really be going out of your way to eat wrong, way too much, etc. My harsh truth is that it only takes a little indiscretion, for a very short time, or those pounds pack on. Every veteran sleever I know who has regained says it's harder to get it off the second time, also a disappointing thought. However, I do know what it takes to lose the weight and maintain it, so that's what I've got to do. I saw some statistics @AlexBrecher posted, and I think it said revisions accounted for about 11% of all WLS. It didn't say what the revisions were. So while my surgeon doesn't support that, obviously, it is being done. I suspect some of those numbers are band to sleeve, or sleeve to RNY for complications. To answer your question - I'd be trying to go back to basics before I would undertake another major risky surgery to combat a regain of 20 pounds. You know what to do, you've done it before. Good luck to you.

Do you get your liver checked regularly? Ibuprofen is not good for ongoing use like that. It can cause liver damage. It's not good for a lot of things, unfortunately. It's mostly bad for your kidneys, and lately, I've been reading that it can cause strokes and heart attacks. Nothing is benign. It would be great to never need any medication, OTC or otherwise. My labs are good, though. Thanks for asking:)

I lost 145 pounds in 14 months. I think at 6 months I had lost around 80. Incidentally, my starting weight was close to yours. I think expecting to lose 100 pounds in 6 months is an unrealistic expectation. I think if we have realistic expectations it will cause us a lot less aggravation.

I'm south of you, between Detroit and Toledo. Had my sleeve in Toledo two and a half years ago. It was the best thing ever did for myself. It's hard work, but being fat and always on a diet was harder. I'm about at goal. I've been at this weight for over a year, though I'd be happy to lose another 5-10 pounds. I'm in a size 8, so not too worried about it. How much do you have to lose? Are you ready to do the work?

Thankfully, you DO have support. Before I saw this post, I was thinking that you really only need one person in your corner to help. You have that, and more. It helps to have support, but really, you could do this without it! I'm always a big proponent of getting the people in your life on board if you can, (if they actually care about you) because they may have fears and it impacts them, too. Like it or not, there is always the possibility of complications, and that WILL impact everyone. However, at the end of the day, it's your decision, and you have to be comfortable with it. You have to accept the risk, you have to do the work, and you get to reap the rewards. Ultimately, this is your decision. Only you know the answer to the question if it's right or wrong. You are asking that question to a bunch of people who did exactly what you are proposing to do, so we might be biased . Some of the people in my life didn't really want me to do it (my parents who I am very close to) but once they realized I was moving ahead, they were worried but not openly opposing. Once I was through the surgery and was safe, and then later as they saw my success, they were and are thrilled for me. It was absolutely the right decision for me, and worth the risks. I'd do it again, with or without the support of loved ones.

I'm from Michigan. What are your questions, and where are you?

@a new begining I've learned a couple of key things for my success: Weigh/measure all food Be brutally honest with myself about what I'm consuming. I hate that one. Do not graze Eat 800-900 calories to lose Follow the general rules/guidelines for bariatric patients. If I do those things, I can lose. If I don't do even one of them, I don't. They actually all lead to #4, and for me, it boils down to getting my calories low enough to lose. I'm also hungry at that intake, but if I want to lose, that's what it takes. If I exercise I could eat a little more, but I don't factor it in when I do.

I lost hair for well over 6 months, and went from thin hair that was pretty easy to style and looked pretty good to hair that was so thin my scalp showed almost all over. It was very hard to camouflage. It took an increase in calories and over a year to grow back, but its about there. I went to a dermatologist and got steroid injections in my head, which did help to stop the excessive loss, and also helped stimulate some regrowth. I had a topical solution, too because my scalp was irritated. I also used the Bosley fibers, which helped some, but at the worst, there was just no hiding the balding. I still use them (just a little) in the part to add the illusion of fullness, and they work great now. I also recommend going a shade lighter than your hair. The dermatologist sold me a SUPER expensive shampoo, Vitamins, and stimulating spray system from Glytone. It was over $200, but it also seemed to help. Now I use Keranique shampoo. You can also use Nyoxin, and Bosley also makes a product for thinning hair. You can get the Glytone products from a dermatologist, but I did find it a little cheaper online. I got the other stuff at Ulta. I did everything right. I got my Protein in every day. I drank my Water. I took Biotin. I firmly believe if you are going to lose hair, nothing will stop it after WLS. I also believe good nutrition and hair care does make a difference in regrowth, though.