Chelenka

I can so relate to your story, feelings and experiences. I just said to my husband yesterday how much I enjoy feeling like a normal person and not some freak of nature. I too was on the receiving end of many cruel remarks which created a defensiveness. There are a lot of ignorant ass holes in the world. My decision to have bariatric surgery was based on my own well being though and not on what others may have thought. You are so strong and brave to be so open. Big cyber hug and keep going forward!

The 2 week pre-op diet was the hardest part. The first week post-op was hard too cuz I felt exhausted and sometimes hungry but I stuck with my plan and really had no serious issues. Over ate and slimed a few times. Had to learn the hard way, LOL!

You look HOT! Way to go!

So sorry that you've been diagnosed with MS. That sucks.

I stared decaffeinating myself about two weeks pre-op, first went to half-calf then decaf, you get the idea. Post-op I couldn't handle coffee at all for a while. Eventually started making myself a latte in the mornings, decaf at first but gradually returned to full strength. Just keep reminding yourself, it's temporary.

I am 16 months post-op. Love lettuce, salad, spinach, etc. no problem eating any of it. I was never told not to eat lettuce or that it has no nutritional value. It probably depends on the type of lettuce. Anyway, I don't recall when I started eating salad exactly but I think it was closer to 6 months out than 6 weeks.

Look for Cheery juice at Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Most health-food stores probably carry some too.

@@Fiddleman Is the EFX program a class or on a DVD? Sounds intersting. I have improved my shoulder issues somewhat through stretching but am having some new upper back and shoulder issues and I think I may be losing muscle mass. I probably should do some strength training but find the machines to be pretty useless, not to mention boring, and I can't afford a trainer. I'm pretty clueless about using free weights but I like yoga and Pilates, both of which can help with strengthening.

So sorry you are having a painful gout attack. The high-protein diet may be contributing to the build-up of excess uric acid which will cause you gout. Be sure to drink a lot of water. Also, I've heard that cherry juice, organic and unsweetened is best, can help prevent and alleviate the symptoms. Not sure how much to drink though. Have you done any online research?

Processed sugar may not be a manufactured chemical but isn't truly a natural sweetener either. Sugar cane bears little resemblance to the product that results from it. For most of us processed sugar triggers overeating and acts like a drug in our brains. Also, post-op it causes many people to have dumping syndrome. I was told it would slow my weight loss. I do eat some foods with processed sugar but try to limit it. It triggers me to want to eat all the time. There are natural sweeteners like stevia and also one called Nectressa which I like better. It doesn't have any bitter aftertaste like Stevia.

Never had a yoga class geared to overweight people but took yoga with regular folks, some of whom were also overweight but not as large as I was. My height was sometimes more of an issue than my weight. I would sometimes accidentally hit someone with my foot LOL! Anyway haven't been back to yoga since WLS. I would love to find a WLS oriented yoga class to help one adjust to the rapid physical changes and often balance issues that occur. Also a guided meditation would probably help one deal with the anxiety that can come up. It's a great idea and I wish it was offered by the hosp where I had my surgery. Their support meetings have been useless to me.

Dear Lisa: you have been an incredible source of love, care and comfort to your husband at the end of his life. I believe it is one of the greatest acts of love one can give. You don't feel this way now, in your grief, but you have been and continue to be blessed. You have been an angel of love to your husband and suffered along with him. My heart goes out to you. I pray that God sends you deep and abiding peace and a sense of His unending love for you.

Closet eating is an old MO of mine thanks to my well-meaning parents who scrutinized what I was eating from a very early age. Your post has really got me thinking. When eating becomes connected to feelings of shame and you feel like you have to hide then you have a potential problem. It can quickly spiral into a cycle of self-defeat. It's great that you have realized it and are bringing it into the light. Your family needs to be told gently but firmly to MYOB when it comes to your food choices and food amounts. I also am struggling with getting to my goal weight and some of my old food demons are messing with me. I can eat more now and also don't seem to have any adverse reactions to anything like I did in the beginning. One of my students gave me a small box of chocolates which I ate over three days (hubby got a few pieces) and it didn't upset my system at all. However, I couldn't stop thinking about it and put it in the freezer but then got it back out, put it way in the back of the fridge, thought of throwing it away but it was such good, high-quality chocolate that I couldn't bring myself to do it, total sugar addict here. A better choice would have been to leave the chocolate in the break room at the school since I know that I don't have good control with that sort of thing. I'm mad at myself for allowing my addiction behavior to run me. It makes me feel badly about myself which just makes me want to eat more. Letting go of shameful feelings around food and eating, especially when I choose poorly, is part of the learning process for me. I have to take ownership of what I choose to eat but not shame myself.

Thanks for the update and info about DGL. I'm gonna check it out. Low B12 levels could have triggered a mild depression and certainly will affect your energy level and sense of well being. If I remember correctly you had plastic surgery and although very happy with your result the enforced inactivity of the healing period caused you to feel a bit down. Could it all be a part of your body's response to the surgery? I'm glad you are following thru, taking good care of yourself and keeping us informed. Hugs!

If I had a nickel for every time a "well-meaning" soul has told me about someone who had WLS and gained it all back I'd be a fricken millionaire! Quite frankly it really peeves me because it's like they want you to fail and thus prove them right in all their mistaken and uninformed ideas about WLS. Most of us do struggle at some point to maintain our weight loss. The surgery isn't a cure and one must still work at keeping the weight off and deal with all the emotional and behavioral issues around food and eating in order to have long-term success. The majority of people who've had WLS do keep most of their excess weight off.

Great question! At 16 months out I am now a "veteran" so I'm going to weigh-in, yuk, yuk! I have struggled with obesity my entire life. I have a very slow metabolism. First went to Weight Watchers at the age of 11, way too young in my opinion. I did countless diets and was never able to lose a significant amount of weight and would always get discouraged and quit at some point. SOS. What decided me on this particular WLS was the promise of decreased hunger. However, knowing the difference between true physical hunger vs. emotional head-hunger is a work in progress for me. Everything that others have written here is true. Ultimately how well we do with our weight loss and maintenance is up to us. So yes, I still track my food and weigh myself every day. It's the only way I know to stay on track. It gets old and sometimes I relax about it, take a vacation, and usually I will gain a couple of lbs but if I get back on track quickly I will lose it again much faster than I ever would have pre-surgery. Also weighing daily, even if I've not racked my food keeps me from regaining as much as I might otherwise. So why get the surgery? If you know that you have the ability and patience to lose the weight and maintain without the help of WLS then you don't need the surgery. I knew I needed the help, but that's me. Only you can make this decision for yourself based on your medical history, self-knowledge and awareness and ability to handle the risk of surgery and possible complications. It's a big, life-changing decision and should never be taken lightly. Whatever you decide for yourself I wish you all the best. Thanks so much for posting your question.

Deep cleansing breath! You are probably just experiencing a stall which happens from time to time. Sometimes our bodies have a mind of their own. Examine what you've been doing food-wise and are you getting enough water? Dehydration will stop your weight loss as will insufficient calories over the long term (starvation mode) or perhaps you've changed your exercise routine which can cause a stall or temporary gain. At 4 months out you are really in the beginning stage so chill baby!

I am so sorry that you are experiencing such awful complications. I hope that your Dr has a solution to get your digestive system working properly and that the feeding tube will help in the short term. Sending you a cyber hug (()) and prayers of healing and light.

The Nutritionist will tell what they want you to have. The Atkins shake may be OK but maybe take one with you to the apt so they can read the nutrition label.

Welcome! I had my VSG surgery on 2/28/13 at the age of 53. It is the best decision I've ever made other than marrying my husband! Anxiety and doubt are normal emotions. This is a big deal, major surgery and major life style change. The main thing is to be confident that you have a great surgeon and surgical team with a good support group, hopefully a bariatric center of excellence. Second is to be as psychologically as ready as possible. That is one advantage of being older when having this surgery.

It it a rough ride when an emotional eater is no longer able to use food to quell all their emotions and keep themselves calm and even tempered. I should know cuz that's my MO! Is your fiancé part of a support group for weight loss surgery? If not she probably needs to find one or a therapist. However, if you say that to her you will probably piss her off royally. You are in the proverbial hard spot my friend. Try to be patient and ask her what she needs and wants from you in terms of support. Tell her what you just wrote, that you don't understand what she is going through but you want to help her. It may be that she just needs to vent. The good news is that it gets easier as time goes on. I am about 17 months post op and I can eat a lot more now than I could at 5 months.

I had a small revelation last night. I have always used food to comfort myself when stressed or upset (that wasn't the revelation) and I can still do that but I need to ask myself what will truly nourish my body instead giving in to the junk food craving. Food can still be a source of comfort and self-love. When I eat junk food it's often because I'm feeling bad about myself and it becomes a self-defeating cycle. Food=love is a problem for most of us but I realized that for me junk-food=self loathing. Don't know why it's taken me so long to figure this out. When I'm unhappy about my body (which is how I was feeling yesterday) and I feel that desire to eat junk food I need to realize that it isn't a loving behavior and that I need to pause and ask myself what would truly nourish my body in a loving way. I hope I can change this aspect of my behavior around food. My sleeve has given me tis opportunity. But also, my bad feelings about my body are still with me some days, probably because of bathing suit shopping on Sunday. LOL! But I've always carried my weight mostly around my hips and thighs. I still have saddle bags and lots of loose skin and loose flab on my thighs. It's depressing and makes me feel ugly and old. I don't think exercise will change it significantly and I'm not sure if I can deal with plastic surgery either financially or on any other level. Looking into some non-invasive solutions but I'm dubious about them actually doing anything and they are also quite expensive. So need to love and accept my imperfectness. Gonna keep on trying!

@@penman53 congratulations on your success! I think you should contact your surgeon or a medical professional to consult about whether you need to stop losing or should maintain. Are you physically unable to eat more calories or is your current calorie intake your choice? I am not sure how tall you are either but my brother is about 6'4" and weighs about 190. He is very active and physically fit. He is just a skinny guy and always has been. It seems to me that maintaining for you will mean eating more calories. You can get more calories by adding calorie dense foods that are healthy choices like nuts and nut butters, avocados, use some organic unsalted butter for flavor or cooking, or olive oil. You get the idea.

CONGRATULATIONS! Thank you for being an inspiration. Your openness and honesty about the ups and downs are very helpful. Enjoy your success!

So sorry you are having such a rough time. Please do your best to stay hydrated. Perhaps the can feed you intravenously for the short term. I hope they figure out how to help you quickly. I can only imagine how you are feeling. Sending you a big cyber hug! ((()))