MichiganChic

@@Elode with all that, I would probably do it, too! I had an awful lot of ridiculously painful and expensive plastics that no one thought I needed either, and I'm so glad I did. It was worth it.

You look lovely. Are you sure you want all that mouth surgery? I know if it was something I wanted, there would be no talking me out of it...but I just have to ask because I just came from the dentist. I had cracked a molar over Labor day, and about a month ago they ground it down and put a temporary crown on it. Today I went back and he put on a permanent one. I feel like anything more would be too much, lol!! Anyway, it you decide to move forward, I would say you'll be able maintain good nutrition while you can't eat. If you are like me, you might be able to gain on liquids! Yeah, I would like to smoke every once in a while. I haven't smoked since I was in my 20s, but every once in a while I think it would be nice to keep from eating. However, I am pretty sure I NEVER want to pick that up again, and good for you not going down that path again.

I had a lower body lift, thighs, arms, breasts (in two different surgeries). I was told I could exercise 6 weeks post op. I tried yoga and it hurt so bad I just never tried again! My muscles are still sore some times a year and a half later. I had swelling for at least 6-8 months. Like some of the others said....there seems to be a lot less need for tightening those abs after plastics!

Regarding the mind shift of buying less - it reminds me of the first month after my surgery. I was at costco, and I looked at that 20 pound bag of potatoes - you know, the ones that have the huge 1-2 pound potatoes in it? I used to buy that bag before surgery, eat a whole one WITH meals, feed them to my family, and force some on my extended family. The first time after surgery when I saw that bag and it occurred to me that it would go to waste if I bought it because I wasn't allowed potatoes, and also because one of them would be 6 meals, was a big shock to me. I haven't bought a bag of those in three years. I was there yesterday and saw that big beautiful bag, and I still have the same reaction. I kind of want them, but I know I can't use them, and if bought them, I'd be trying to use them. For me, I have to put forth some of my best effort in self control at the store. Once I'm home, I never wish I had those potatoes.

I would be mad, too. Unfortunately, being mad does not un-ring that bell. You've let them know how you feel, and you could consult an attorney. Maybe they would have to pay a fine. For me, it would come down to how much effort I wanted to spend making them pay, vs how much I wanted to continue to go there. I also am private and didn't tell many people. However, 3 years later it's much less of a big deal to me. My docs office put my before and after picture in their waiting room book, and someone who went there for another type of surgery mentioned it to me! It even had my before weight in it, along with health conditions. I'm pretty sure I didn't sign the consent for that. I just decided to let it go. I like them, they have been really good to me, and now I feel like maybe I could help someone. The law is the law, and it's on your side here, but it really comes down to what matters most to YOU.

I don't like to waste food, either. So, I try to buy less, and I cook less. Having an abundance, both in quantity and choices led to obesity for me. So, I have learned to limit that, and has led to my success. I do have to throw things out sometimes, and I hate it, but once it's cooked, it's going to be gone either way. My rule of thumb is NEVER waste a calorie on something I don't really want. I do not eat anything anymore just because it's in front of me. It's a big mind shift, for sure. That concept never occurred to me before WLS. @@MonikaMakal I do understand what you are saying. I feel like that about cake. I just can't throw it away. Somehow, I don't feel like that about lettuce!

Congratulations! My surgery was12/19/12. The last three years flew by, and I'm so happy I did this! Good luck!

I'm 3 years post op, and have never vomited once. I eat anything and everything. I have a Protein Drink a day to boost my protein intake for low calories. I could probably get protein in easy enough, but like the convenience.

Before surgery I was in a heavily padded 36D from Victoria secret. It was seriously just padding, lol. I wanted the surgery to make me roughly that size. I ended up being a 36DD in the same bra. I had very little breast tissue left, and I imagine if I had gotten just a lift, I would have been an A cup. I have wide breasts, which takes up a lot of the cc in the implant. I have 400 cc mentor moderate plus implants. They do look right naked and in clothes for my frame. I very much understand your dilemma, and I was also consumed! I posted a similar question here, too. I also didn't want to end up wishing I had gone larger, because the surgeon and PA told me no patient had ever said they wished they had gone smaller - they all wanted to be bigger. The actual cup size is a little irrelevant because it depends on the manufacturer. I showed my surgeon pictures of the size I wanted to be, and also the bra. I didn't want to have to get bigger clothes to fit my boobs! Once in a while I run across an article of clothing that's too snug across the bust, but mostly, things seem to be proportionate. They do not get in my way at all, though sleeping with them did take some getting used to. In the end, I had to trust my surgeon to do a good job, based on my requirements. I wanted to look proportionate and natural (though not sure any 53 year old who nursed three kids would have these great looking boobs naturally! )

I had both of those procedures, but not at the same time, and combined with other, bigger procedures, so it's hard to judge how they would have been if done together. My arms didn't actually hurt that much, but they were very tight, and I remember not being able to feed myself for a day or two because they were swollen and I felt like they were going to split. I kept them up on pillows for a few days. I think I would have needed about 2 weeks to recover from that, since I'm at a desk all day. I love, love, love my arms! It was worth every dollar and any discomfort! I had the breast lift/augmentation done a few months later, and it wasn't too uncomfortable. I did need pain medication, and I had "morning boob", meaning when I would sit upright for the first time each day, I could really feel that muscle stretching. Anyway, I probably would have needed about a week off for just that procedure. I am also thrilled with my new big fake boobs!

All that would really make me mad. However, it won't be long at this will be a thing of the past. The clothes and fitting in anywhere are the two things I love the most about being a normal size! Sadly, that woman will still be a bitchh.

I rarely eat out, but I don't actually cook more than once or twice a week. It's just my husband and one college age daughter at home, so they are on their own, for the most part I do try to keep plenty of healthy, easy to prep or convenience foods at home. Before surgery, I used to love to cook and bake, and eat and feed people. I spent an inordinate amount of time planning, collecting, and preparing food. Even when I was "on a diet", I would do that. I know that contributed to my obesity, so now I just limit my exposure to food. I have a hard time not grazing and tasting. I think this change is a big contributor to my success.

Has anyone cheated? Yes, legions of people on here have, and it's a frequent heated topic. Personally, I had to do a 2 week, 800 calorie liquid diet, and no, I didn't cheat. It was hard and I hated it. I doubted that I could do it. But I learned that I could do it, and it gave me the confidence I needed to see that I could do more. Like lose 145 pounds and keep it off. Now, three years later, I'm glad I gave myself the opportunity to start things off right. It was the first step in a long series of good choices that led to a whole new world for me. WLS is a precious gift, and it's not a miracle, so my advice is to not squander it. Good luck - you can do this, too!

I chew gum all day, every day, and have since surgery. It wasn't a restriction for me. I was told not to swallow gum, which I never do anyway. I love Trident cinnamon and have no problems with reflux. The reason I always have gum is because I think protein shakes give me bad breath

@@CLK good to see you again! I wondered where you went Glad that you are doing well. I'm three years out from my sleeve, and also a (self-declared) success! My success looks much different than yours. I'm almost 20 years older, weight is a little higher, and my approach is that of tracking and monitoring. But what we have in common is the knowledge of what it takes for each of us to succeed. I am a firm believer there is no one way to do this, and our stories of success are as unique as we are. One thing is universal, though, and you said it great - that you are present. We all have to show up, every day. Anyway, I love everything about my new life post WLS, and I'm not about to give that up! It really is a precious gift.

My lower body has always been bigger, so the bigger boobs even things out. Now I'm an 8 or medium all over, so in that respect, it was probably the right choice. No one has ever said or acted like I had giant boobs, and I think they are proportionate. I wouldn't have wanted much smaller, and honestly, they are not in my way. But after 50 years of being too small on top, it still surprises me a little when I see them, lol! I bet if I could have tried them on, a little smaller would have been proportionate, too.

I had my arms done over a year ago and love them! My scars are on my inner arms toward the back, so you can't see them from behind. They are the worst scars I have, but they don't really bother me at all. I wore sleeveless all summer and if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything. As for the breast lift/augmentation, love that, too! I have 400 cc, and they might be a little bigger than I wanted. I was afraid to go too small, because I heard no one ever says they wish they had gone smaller....but sometimes I sort of wish I had. Mostly, I think they are good, though! Certainly nothing to make me want to replace them.

That is just unbelievable!! What the hell did you say to him when you found out he is married?? He would have certainly gotten a piece of my mind. I hope you made him feel like the piece of shitt he is. I can understand why all that is discouraging. But the right one will come along. For what it's worth, I agree with your counselor. Maybe be willing to look past some of the superficial things (you can always help a lame dresser ). You are a beautiful person inside and out, and you DO deserve someone of equal caliber. You'll find him.

I've been a registered nurse 30 years. This is the stuff our lives are made of. No one will bat an eye, and just take your stuff with you and do what you need to.

@RJ'S/beginning I can only imagine your disappointment, because I know how I would have felt. It is very hard to hear you can't "finish" what you started due to things outside your control. I know that must be a huge loss to you, and I'm sorry you have to deal with it. I am glad that you are trusting this surgeon who sounds like he makes good decisions. If you have a problem with skin healing, the last thing you need is miles of incision lines that won't heal. Skin is our first line of defense against infection, so you definitely need to keep it intact! I hope for you that you can come to some level of self-acceptance where this is concerned. I know it is easy to become focused on physical imperfections, but I'm pretty sure there is more to love about you! Hugs.

Be glad this surgeon didn't undertake a procedure he couldn't confidently perform. He is only human, and I sure wouldn't want someone operating blindly on me. I wonder if it could be done "open" with an incision, instead of laparoscopically? You could also consult another doc. That one made the right call, IMHO.

Three years out, and I still measure and weigh food. It's more the volume than weight, though. I weigh things that don't fit well into measuring cups. I was on 1/4 cup or less per meal to start, then that increased to 1/2 cup. Now, I'm not supposed to eat more than one cup at a time. I don't measure everything, but I still routinely measure a lot. I also track all those calories, because you can pack a lot of calories into a cup, depending on what it is.

How many calories per day are you eating? I learned I have to eat around 800/day to lose. I still find that to be absurd and almost unbelievable, but it's my truth. And while it's good and recommended to exercise, it's had minimal impact on my weight loss. One other thing - my surgeon won't do revisions for people who don't lose, or lose and gain weight back. He says its not going to help. But,yes, you are in control of you, and you CAN do this!

@@chilepeppr4 welcome to the boards. You'll learn lots here. You have a beautiful family! Your post really jumped out at me...maybe because I see myself 15-20 years ago. My highest weight was 325 at 5'4" tall. I spent my children's youth alternately dieting and indulging. A few times I got down below 290, and once I even got down to 230. The older I got, though, the less success I had. By the time I hit 50, I wasn't able to lose weight at all. I had so much to lose, and it came off so slowly (maybe a pound or 2, or nothing a month) that I just was in despair. I hated being fat, I hated that I had spent my youth and my child rearing years morbidly obese. I can never get those years back. While I was fortunate regarding health, obesity was starting to threaten my health with blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol rising. I was becoming more and more sedentary. I had prided myself on my ability to move easily and partake in all life's activities. I had really made an effort not to let obesity hold me back, but the truth is, it did. So, I decided to have WLS three years ago, and was sleeved in December 2012. I lost 145 pounds in 14 months, and I'm maintaining that loss. Honestly, losing the 145 pounds was pretty easy with the sleeve. I was willing to do what it took - have a painful surgery, go a couple of months without eating (2 week liquid before surgery and about a month of full liquids after), commit to a lifestyle change of ALWAYS watching what I eat, and exercising. I was ready for a change, so I wasn't one of those who mourned food as a coping mechanism. I was glad to be free of it. Hunger was gone for the first year or so. Fast forward to today - I can eat enough to be like a normal person. I can eat whatever I want, though the quantity is less than before surgery. I consciously watch what I eat - every bite. I log it all. I do get hungry now, but it is reasonable hunger. I also know that I could be right back up to 325 pounds if I stop doing that. I didn't know that before I had surgery, and in the early days, I thought I was "cured" of obesity. Turns out, the sleeve gave me a fighting chance at a healthy weight, but these days, it's mostly me. I'm worth it, so I keep doing all the things I need to do, even when I really don't feel like it. That's a super long response, but I just wanted to share my experience with you. Even with a lot of weight to lose, if you put the work in, you can lose it. It's not a miracle, but sometimes it still feels like one to me! The quality of my life is greatly improved. My adult children always marvel at how fun I am now. I didn't know I wasn't before, but glad I am now. That is a direct result of losing the weight. Congratulations on your decision to take control of your life!

Sadly, yes I can eat anything, now. I never had issues with vomiting, dumping, or sliming. I eat like a normal person for the most part, but always (mostly) follow the bariatric rules. Gone are the days of 1-2 bites filling me up. As time goes on, you'll find maintaining the loss becomes much more "you" and much less physically imposed restriction of the sleeve. I doubt I can consume as much now as I used to, and frankly I don't want to try, but I have to make good choices and impose some restriction, or I'd be gaining weight. I try to be very strict during the week, and loosen up a little on the weekends because there is usually some event that makes sticking to 1000 calories harder. Oh, and I do track all my food, even when I'm indulging. I've found that to be a quick way to reign myself in.