MichiganChic

Great story, thanks for sharing. You must feel so lucky to have found all those health issues you didn't know you had....and now the opportunity to resolve them!

string cheese babybel cheese Fage 0% greek yogurt white albacore tuna canned chicken breast boiled eggs Sunsweet Ones prunes cottage cheese hummus premier Protein shakes cooked diced ham cooked diced chicken colby cheese lettuce grapes strawberries carrots Mmmm....I think I like cheese, lol

Yes, it is. Hang in there...it will get better! You just have to make it through this...but if you are like me, once you can start food, it's pretty hard to eat at first. And then, that gets better, too. Good luck!

Great job, congratulations!

I'm about 4 months out, have a really long way to go, but it's what is on my mind, too. I have restriction, but not nearly as much as some people report. I can tolerate any and all types of foods. On one hand I'm happy about that, but on the other, it worries me because so many people report a lessing restriction at 9 months to a year, like the OP. Don't get me wrong, I still weigh/measure/count everything and I don't overeat, but I can eat a slice of pizza, so I worry about the future. I'm hoping I just healed early, and I will stay this way. I also think the realization that it's a possibility to easily regain might help us to prevent just that.

Thanks, Fiddleman. I agree, it is a daily learning experience. A big part of that learning is coming to the realization that we are all unique - all the way down to our sleeves. No two bodies will respond the same, and there are so many variables. I think that's what makes it harder to find a "formula" we can live with and find true and lasting success. Love reading your posts and watching your journey, thanks for the insight.

That's a good revelation! Funny how we feel about ourselves and our relationship with food, isnt' it? I'm almost 4 months out, and I'm still coming to terms with it, too. We also had a function last night with pizza, and I ate once slice. I also felt a little concern, a)that's too many calories, why was I able to eat the whole slice with no problem, and c) should I have eaten it? But, like you, I also decided I could have eaten4-5x that amount before, and would have. I also could have eaten more later in the evening yesterday, and I didn't. So after a little worrying, I think it's OK. I felt elated that I ate way less than the "normal" people did, and even more thrilled that I was satisfied with it!! It's really all I ever used to wish for before I had surgery - that I didn't have this burning drive to eat, eat, eat! Congratulations on your new found freedom!

Sorry you are dealing with this. I'm interested to know where you got this statistic because I had not heard that. My doc's office lumps the RNY patients in with the sleeve patients for statistical purposes. Based on that, it looks like I'm losing slow, but I don't so (even though I'm in the midst of a 3 week stall!). We still absorb every calorie we eat, so really, we can't expect our bodies to behave magically different than they did before the sleeve. We all know it's only a restrictive tool, but I keep thinking that the laws of nature will win and we will lose weight (slowly for some of us) as long as we continuously maintain a lower calorie intake. So, I'm wondering, is that considered a failure? Is less of a restriction a failure? Is continued hunger the failure? I'm not sure, but would love to know. I have much less restrriction than some people here report, but I still have a LOT less capacity than before. I could easily "eat around" my sleeve right now, if I chose to, but I think that woule make me the failure, not the surgery. I would love to see studies about what constitutes failure, and the causes. I'm sure you have tried all the things we all must do to lose the weight, so I'm not going to give you advice about things you already know. Again, what you are describing is my worst feat, and I'm so sorry you are going through this. I do wish you success!

i weigh and measure things to start with, and any extra goes into individual containers. I also buy smaller quantities, and I find I buy a much smaller variety of things, too. It does make staying on plan easier, and it decreases the grocery bill, as well. As far as the yogurt goes, that's the one thing I buy larger. I buy the Fage 0% by the quart, then I can measure out less. I still hate to waste food...but I really think I waste less now than I did before because of the way my habits have changed. I used to buy anything and everything that looked good to me, which was way more than we could eat. No one in my house has suffered or even complained because these changes.

I have also noticed people who really, really regret it speaking out, but I wonder if it seems like a lot because once someone says something, others with the same thoughts chime in. It's also different from the norm we see a lot of here - people with good results who are happy. This got me thinking, and I looked at Alex's poll. If the poll results are any indication of the general concencus from the boards, I'm thinking it might not be a trend at all. The overwhelming majority would do it again. Check out the latest poll results

It's easy to get discouraged when you feel like you are putting in the effort and not losing, but hang in there and you will figure it out. I would suggest count, measure, and weigh, and maybe try some of the other poster's suggestions. I'd like to say that I'm not sure there is really a 6 month window of opportunity....I'm not that far yet, but from reading what successful vets have to say, I think we have a permanent tool that will help us for the long haul. When you look at the stats from some of them, they lost just a few pounds a month for a lot months, and they did get to goal. We can, too! Good luck!

Congratulations! That's got to feel great! And.....I'm jealous of your summer plans Have a great time!

I guess it depends on your definition of "diet". I guess I think of what I do as a diet because I count calories and protein, read labels, weigh and measure food. I believe I will be bound to this regime for the rest of my life if I am to be successful. I know that I am a grazer, (in my former life, but I'm learning not to be) and I underestimate how much I am eating if I don't write it down. It's what works for me...it gives me a sense of control, and I don't feel a bit bad about doing it. I wish the sleeve was a miracle, but for me, it's not. I still have to do the work, but it sure does make it easier! Maybe it is a miracle, now that I think about it

That's a good question....but I don't think there's an anwswer! I'm also in a stall right now, going up and down the same 3 pounds since March 18. It get's aggravating, to say the least! But I figure things are readjusting, and this too, shall pass. It has to, right? Good luck!

I felt the same way. I didn't want to be the source of anhyone's conversation, so I only told a handful of people, and my boss. I now know that they each told other people! One day the VP of HR asked me about my surgery in the elevator - and I never told anyone in HR. So, the moral of the story is tell NO ONE, unless you want everyone to know. And I think you hit the nail on the head, people start talking once you start losing anyway, so I'm not sure there is any way to avoid it. I wonder if hospitals are worse places for gossip than others?? You'd think people would get the whole concept of privacy, lol. So, I'm not mad at the people who told, because I am absolutely certain they didn't do it in malace...they are just human.

What an inspirational transformation! You look wonderful, congratulations!

I'm down 54 pounds from surgery, and 64 total with my preop diet. Currently hit a stall for the past couple of weeks. Trying to remember that it will start coming off again, but it's frustrating when that happens! Still, I'm feeling happier all the time I did this. Went from a 2x top and 26 pants to an XL top and 18/20 pants. Hope this finds everyone else doing well!

Yeah, those little balls of gooey sugar have more calories than I thought!

Way to set your priorities! We will be here when you get back - have fun!

Wonderful story, beautiful ring, congratulations!

Congratulations. Lookin good, and lookin like you feel good!

Congratulations, she is beautiful! Glad you are doing so well!

Oh Yeah. I know exactly what you mean. I'm still wearing stuff way too big to work...I call them my work pajamas. I can't keep doing it though, they are way too big. So, I have been collecting things that fit, and starting next week, I'm going to start wearing things that fit. It also reminds me of when I didn't have anything to wear because nothing fit - I'm still struggling to put together a decent wardrobe! However, I'll take this problem over the other any day I plan to wear this set of clothes for another 2-3 sizes until they are way too big. At home, I lounge in way too big sweat pants. I guess I'm a work in progess, and it will work itself out.

When was your surgery? If it was in the last three weeks, it probably is a result of that. The green color means it's an old bruise. I didn't have bruises there, but I was really surprised that I stayed bruised from the IVs for almost a month. If you had blood thinners (and you probably did) right after surgery, this exacerbates the bruising a little. You could always ask your surgeon, he/she knows what went on there....

That's so ridiculous! I'm a nurse, too, and my advice is don't go back there. I wouldn't go back, not only for her negative approach and awful bedside manner, but also for the apparent lack of medical knowledge. Sorry, but she was misquoting statistics. There is plenty of medical evidence available that supports MUCH higher success rates than 30%. It actually makes me wonder if she even understood the surgery you had. Just dismiss what she said and move on.