southernsoul

So sorry to hear about this! Sending good thoughts your way, please do keep us posted.

I chose the sleeve because I wanted to keep as much of the natural digestion process in place & avoid the malabsorption issues I heard can happen with bypass. I didn't want the band inside me with the need for adjustments and fills, and the risk of slipping. I don't really have a firm final goal number in mind yet, but I've lost about 60% of my excess weight in 6 months (if I end up around 175-180, that is) and I'm pretty happy with that.

I'm just a little bit behind you (6 months), and I've had a few "pauses" that lasted 8-14 days here & there over the last 6 months. I guess I look at it like a pause my body needs for some reason & I try not to stress over it too much. I know that some folks recommend changing up what you've been doing in order to jump start losing again. Increase the carbs a little for a few days, change up your exercise routine, and change up your meals if you tend to eat the same stuff all the time. I don't know if that's the answer, but it might be worth a shot. Good luck!

I've told everybody. I've been very lucky in that I've not heard one negative word from anybody, but even if I did I don't think it would bother me much. However, it's definitely a personal choice & what works for one person wouldn't necessarily be right for someone else.

Hey, Sheldon & welcome to BP. Honestly, no one can resolve your fears but you. Being that afraid or worried must be really hard & I'm sorry you're struggling so much. It's absolutely true that some folks have a really difficult time postop, but I believe that many, many more (myself included) have a relatively complication-free postop process. If your fears are this intense, you may not be ready to take such a big & irreversible step. This week marks 6 months postop for me, and I am so glad I took the plunge....but my experience is my own & yours could well be different. It looks like your surgery date is tomorrow, so I wish you good luck & peace of mind.

Not quite sure what you're asking. What do you mean by honeymoon phase, specifically? The period of time when you lose the most? The time when it seems "easy" to make good food choices?

Wow, you look great!!!

Wow! I have no idea what could be happening, but it looks awful! I hope it doesn't hurt. I had marks like that on my hip right after surgery, but they didn't hurt. I joked that I had clearly managed to piss somebody off even while unconscious, lol. Good luck in figuring it out!

I think this is great. Most of us have different behaviors, different eating triggers, different health issues, and different cultural perspectives surrounding food and eating. There is not one single path to obesity & there's not a single path to overcoming it, either. You always post the most thought-provoking things!

Wow!! You look wonderful.....great job!!

Thank you, bearman! I agree, getting the head right is absolutely crucial & this is a great place to find inspiration & assistance when we need it. I wish you great success with your surgery & postop process!

Hmmmm, good question. i guess I always think that if you're feeling the romance then sex is a natural part of that, but I don't personally feel like sex if I'm not feeling affectionate or close to my hubby (which is how I think of romance). Can you be more specific?

A friend of mine posted this on FB & I think it's a really important message. The things we say to ourselves MATTER, in the same way that the words we direct at other people matter. Why are we so often willing to treat ourselves with less kindness and consideration than we would extend to someone else? http://www.upworthy.com/first-these-women-were-offended-then-they-realized-who-was-being-offensive?c=ufb1

I'm 6 months out & there's nothing I've come across that I makes me sick or that I physically can't tolerate. I was never a pizza person, so that's not a big deal for me. I was a huge bread & potato eater, but that's been an easier adjustment than I expected. It seems to me like it's easier to make good choices now. Partly it's because of the reduced volume, but also I feel pretty motivated by my progress. If I really want a taste of something I have it, but I don't go off the deep end eating a ton of non-nutritious crap that will fill my sleeve & not benefit my body.

I'm so sorry to hear of your mom's diagnosis and the stress for your family. Absolutely, get a second opinion and see what happens. But even if you cannot donate, I have a feeling your mom would not trade your new chance at a healthier life for the ability to have you as her donor. I wish you all peace and healing at this difficult time.

I didn't have exercise or nutrition classes, but I can tell you that at my first surgical consult my surgeon wanted to know why I thought I wanted the sleeve & what I knew about it. He wanted to know that I had gotten good information & that I was basing my choice on accurate facts. The length of the process is different for everyone, sometimes depending on the process your insurance company requires & sometimes depending on other things, like you surgeon requiring that you lose 10% beforehand. Personally, my time frame was about 6 months, but only because I had a specific date in mind that worked with my school schedule. My insurance company had a 90-day process of various appts & tests I had to go through, and that actually took about 4 months to complete. Once I was done with the preop requirements, the approval submission took about 2 weeks. Once approval was received, I scheduled surgery for the date I wanted which was about 6 weeks later. Good luck to you!

It sounds to me like you're talking about a woman who has known you for 9 years, clearly likes you just fine already, and is indicating interest in potentially more. If your weight has not been a determining factor in the success of your friendship, why would you think that it might be a factor in the success of a now-turned-romantic relationship? Because you'd be getting nekky? She's probably already figured out that you're not a skinny minny. If you want to get to a different place before starting something new, then tell her that...while you are enjoying her company before you are separated for several months. Everything you said about needing to focus on self-care makes perfect sense, and I'm willing to bet that if this woman has been your friend for years already she's probably smart enough and mature enough to understand that & appreciate the honesty.

At 6 months out, I'm starting to see the loose skin forming. I knew going in that I probably wouldn't be able to afford plastics later. As much as I know my skin will look weird, I wouldn't change a thing. I feel so much better now than I did 6 months ago. I can move and walk so much better & I'm in much less pain. I am participating in my own life much more fully than I was before. I have worked hard to make good food choices & I am able to exercise in a way that was impossible for me before. Absolutely no regrets here!

When I got divorced in 2006 I decided to try online dating. Since I had been married for 20 years, I hadn't had a date with someone new since 1984...which was a little freaky to think about. In addition, I weighed about 270-280, so I knew that I would likely be passed over my many men. I probably went out with 10-12 men before meeting the man I'm married to now. There's really no way to know why someone suddenly stops calling or seems to flip the switch from being interested to not interested, and I'm not even sure the "why" really matters. They are just not in the same place anymore. When it happens, try not internalize it as though there's something wrong with you. Most of us aren't great at having uncomfortable conversations where we try to let someone down gently. We often choose to avoid & hope the situation just resolves itself. Not the most mature way to handle things, for sure, but it's very common. Just accept that something has changed (or was never as "there" as you thought it was) and move on. The right person will stick over the long haul & not leave you wondering about how he feels.

I have been seriously neglectful of gym time over the last couple of weeks. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, for sure, but I still should have made a better effort. I'm going back tonight & get myself back on track. On the positive side, I have been keeping up with the ab challenge at home, so at least there's that. My abs are sore, so I guess that's a good sign. We have hubby's office party tomorrow night & I have a cute new outfit planned. I have 2 skirts, one smaller than the other...let's hope I can wear the smaller one now!

I started with spinach salad around 4 months, since cooked spinach went down just fine. It was fine & I've had a variety of lettuces since then with no issues, However, I usually eat the Protein off the top first & don't have much room left for much of the greens.

You look wonderful...congrats!! My 6 months is next week & I'm excited to pass that mark, too.

Sounds like it was as pretty as it was delicious. Life is too short for regrets...onward you go!

Mindfulness in all things, including and maybe especially eating, is always a good idea. Thanks for the reminder!

Wow, that's amazing!! Congrats!