MichiganChic

I lost 140 pounds, and plastics removed 12 pounds of fat and skin. So far my weight is not changed.

In the first 6 months, eating was such a chore that I dreaded it. That was a shocking experience for me. Then, the next year or so, nothing ever tasted like I expected it to, also a disappointment. Lately, however, food has started to taste good. That, my friends, is terrifying to me. I think I liked it better when I didn't like food. Take advantage of this time.

LOL, Hell to the NO! Haven't missed being fat or all the associated misery even once. I wake up every single day and the first thought that crosses my mind is Thank God I'm not fat.

600-700

Lumpy, I think you should see a dermatologist. Hair loss in one spot could be some other form of alopecia, and may or may not be related to weight loss.

@@CowgirlJane I agree, it's easier to find things if you've seen the package. The only reason I had that picture was because I had sent it to my daughter who also had the sleeve, recently. I am going back to look for those skewers! I might have to try a couple of different locations because I've noticed they don't all carry the exact same stuff. Usually the one in Ann Arbor has a little more than the one I go to in Toledo. I don't know about you, but I LOVE convenience foods that are high quality and healthy. I used to be a from scratch for everything kind of girl, but no more. Since my sleeve, I avoid prolonged contact with food. I stay out of grocery stores, recipe books, and the kitchen if possible. I've found the less time I spend thinking about it, the better!

I haven't seen those chicken skewers but I want them. Where are they usually located?

Just bought this yesterday. Sorry don't have a picture of the nutritional info, but it was 200 calories for 5 oz and 24 gram protein. Very good, too.

I doubt that it's stretched eating so little. However, I have an observation, mostly as a point of clarification for new people reading this. I just wanted to say that it's not a sign that things are good because you over ate and threw up. A better sign is that you identify the amount of food you should eat, stop when you are getting full, and not throw up. I would worry that eating to the point of vomiting might actually stretch it. Anyway, congrats on your loss, that's great!

Mine was a 36.

I-O! LOL, I've never said that before! But, I live on the Michigan/Ohio border and work in Ohio, so I see and hear it a LOT! Glad you got a laugh from my post. But it is quite a strange phenomenon that so many of us who are fully grounded in reality find this same issue. I always say I've had worse problems, though! I have to remind myself that it's more than a pass/fail or win/lose situation. Incremental, partial, and ongoing steps in the right direction are part of our success.

Beth, I am feeling for you! You might not be ready for work since you are feeling so light headed. You don't want to pass out, fall and hit your head. How many weeks ago was your surgery? Those seromas are miserable. I've read that they are as common as 35-40% in surgeries like this. Mine encapsulated, so that's making matters worse for me. I had a couple of open areas after my lower body lift that were slow to heal, and one in back that split. They left red wide scars. However, even with the minor complications and all the scars, I still think it was worth it! I hope you feel better soon!

I know the feeling. I thought every pound I lost would be my last. lost about 140 pounds, so I'd say don't stress too much. It didn't help me at all and I still lost the weight.

LOL. we are soul sisters. I can see the change in myself, but have had a hard time assimilating what I see, too. I also wonder if I am being too hard on myself to get to a normal BMI. Or maybe I'm being too easy on myself to take the easy way out, so I can stop fighting to get to a weight that seems unattainable. Do I look fat? Blah, blah, blah, on and on the loop has gone in my head. So, to answer your fundamental question, does it ever go away? I think it depends on you. We are in charge of our own happiness and thoughts and actions. In the past week or two, I am starting make peace with it. I know that a size 8/10 and sm/med is not fat. I have just had to come grips with the fact that the number on the scale is just an indicator to monitor over time, to show a trend. It's not the be all, end all to determine success. I'm healthy and not taking any meds, (other than vitamins) and I'm feeling great. I have a great wardrobe, can shop anywhere I want, and I'm smaller than the average American woman. I am a success.

I'm still with you, girls. Just not fasting for the moment. Just as soon as these surgical spots are healed, I'm coming back Keep up the good work. And really, in what life time were we EVER able to eat 600-700 calories? That's success! Perfection is a myth, I'm sure.

I don't have this issue, but I'd say don't despair yet. As you lose weight, your blood sugar could normalize.

Aleve has always been an NSAID. Better take a look at the list of drugs to avoid.

I chose the sleeve because I wanted to be able to take NSAIDS and steroids if I ever need them. I wanted to avoid dumping that can be common with bypass. I didn't want malabsorption associated with bypass. I also had a BMI over 50, and I'm a grazer. Both of things would have made bypass a better option for me, but the benefits of the sleeve were worth it to me. I can't seem to get the last 10 pounds off, and sometimes I wonder if I would have with bypass, but I'm still not sorry I chose the sleeve.

I wanted to be able to take NSAIDS, and to avoid malabsorption. I wanted to restrict my intake, but not be sick (dumping) if I ate something sweet. At two years out, it was a good choice for me.

There is no guarantee either or any procedure will result in weight loss, short or long term. Agreed, there is not long term data about the sleeve, and RNY is still the gold standard in WLS. However, there is data to support it's effective as a stand alone procedure. I chose the sleeve because I knew I'd need NSAIDS and I didn't want to deal with the malabsorption issues. I've never been sorry I did, either. I've lost about 95% of my excess weight and kept it off for a year. That's better than I've ever done before. There is no way to know how much you'll lose - That's largely up to you.

What is your height and weight? Your head might be screaming it's crazy for good reason. Know way to know without more detail.

I really think there is nothing we can do to prevent it all together. I do think there are things we can do to encourage regrowth, and that includes adequate Protein intake and Vitamins. I started losing at 4-5 months post op, and at 12 months post op I looked very thin. It started growing back, slowly after that, and by 2 years post op it's mostly all back. I had a lot of weight to lose and it took more than a year, so I kept my calories very low all that time which I think contributed to the slow return of regrowth. My hair didn't start looking better until I got my calories over 1000 for a while.

I'm tboosrn on fitbit. I'm not much of a challenge to beat, though!

I've lost about 140 with the sleeve, or around 95% of my excess weight, depending on end goal. I think it is possible to lose massive amounts. I'd like to lose another 10, but can't seem to get it off. Sometimes I think if had RNY I might be able to get it off easier, but there is no way to know. Either way, I'm thrilled, and I'm not sad I chose the sleeve.

I imagine it's swelling, and will subside. It sure is hard to wait for the end result when we are looking at what appears to be less than perfect results. I decided I can't ever go out in public naked