LipstickLady

You'll get mixed opinions about this but it's *MY* opinion and that of my surgeon that you can't stretch out the sleeve too much. It will never hold the capacity it did, but it will give a little. Most of the stretchy part was cut out and what you are left with is the tighter, muscle part of the stomach. As your stomach heals from surgery, the swelling will reduce and it will give way a little, but it won't truly streeeeeetch. Even if you drink soda through a straw. Which you shouldn't. It's bad for you. I am sure someone will some along with the opposing view soon enough.

Congratulations! You look fabulous!

The only person you have to believe in is YOURSELF. How hard are you planning on working? How bad do you want to lose your weight? How committed are you to your own success? You don't have to answer any of these questions out loud, you only have to be honest with yourself. You can do anything you want to do with this surgery. There are far too many amazing success stories on this site alone to think that you can't succeed if you give it 110%. Can you fail? ABSOLUTELY! But only if YOU allow it.

I was allowed 8oz of decaf three days after surgery.

How foul! Even the "uplifting" "encouraging" part is condescending, insulting and judgmental.

Totally normal. Relax, stick to plan and keep up the great work. It could be water, hormones, stress, poop....

Fear not! I have been textbook with the timing of my "stalls", hair loss, etc. I started losing hair at month three and stopped at month six, almost on the dot. My clumps lost were huge and my temples were thin but the regrowth is like gang busters now. I have lots of new layers of about three inches in length. With the curly nature of my hair, these charming pieces stick straight up and/or out giving me volume in all the wrong places like unruly cowlicks. My big hair used to balance out my big a$$, now I fear I am starting to resemble a serving of cotton candy.

You are absolutely correct and I apologize if I offended you in any way. We should ALL be passionate about our choices and still be able to support others in whatever they choose to do.

I love eating out with my sleeve. I can always pay in cash and it's never more than $5 unless I get a glass of wine first. I am over the Soup thing unless it's cold. I usually order the add on Protein so anyone's salad who orders one. Did you know that even if you order one extra protein, you can order a second? I usually get something with shrimp or an appetizer with full knowledge that I will be taking some home. I have no qualms about ordering off menu and most places are happy to comply. (Single steak taco, hold the tortilla? SURE! Grilled fish, half portion, absolutely! Shrimp app, broiled not fried? YUP!) I always take food home which means I've learned to carry my cooler with an ice pack in the back of the mini van!

My, my ... This response is a little like the pot calling the kettle black. It is a "rude" and "self-absorbed" response to a veteran bander who has much to share with folks here ... And who offered, yes, his opinion in a kind way. I agree with him, by the way, but like we say ... That is MY OPINION. No one on here is a certified expert, including you. But thank you for your opinion, although it could have been much less insulting to a lot of us. So let me make sure I understand... It's *my* opinion that we shouldn't put down the band or the bypass (or the sleeve for that matter) in this situation or in ANY situation. I don't feel that the OP should lower herself by insulting her friend's choice in the same manner that her friend is insulting her choice, and that make ME the hypocrite? No where have I ever stated that I am an expert on ANYTHING nor would I ever make such a offensive suggestion that sleevers, or bypasser or banders are weaker because their journey is different than mine. Perhaps I'm confused on what you are saying, or you are confused on what I am saying?

Seriously?? They must hand out those "host" badges to any newbie off the street if you really believe that placing a band around someone's stomach isn't less risky than removing their stomach and rerouting their intestines? And acquainting her friend to what I believe are the differences is what I would do. This is an open forum right, or are you the forum Nazi who gets to scold people you disagree with? And I stand by my statement that losing weight with the band is harder than losing with the sleeve or RNY? Chuckle all you want and if you want proof, I can produce. Although, I shouldn't have to since your one of the "Hosts" and supposedly wiser than most?? Sorry, bud... I refuse to be reeled into a p!ssing match with you nor will I put down your choice of surgery or anyone else's . As for calling me a "forum Nazi"? Nope. Not at all. Just as you have the right to post your opinion, I have the right to post mine. Fortunately, I know how to do so without name calling. I'd suggest you figure out how to do that same but I fear that would ruffle your feathers even more so than they already are. I hope you have a great evening!

Absolutely!! We chose to have this surgery, the people around us didn't and while I appreciate all the support I've gotten, I certainly don't expect anyone in my life to change their life to meet MY needs. You did the right thing and you did it well! This surgery is about taking your life back, not putting it on hold. GOOD FOR YOU!

Love them!

This. Absolutely!

Why does she "need to be acquainted"? She can't undo what she did and it's your OPINION that LB is less risky than another option, definitely not fact. Why should the OP lower herself to her "friend's" level of asinine behavior? I agree that she should distance herself from someone who is obviously self absorbed and rude, but to lash out in such a hateful way would make her no better. As for taking a "stronger person" to succeed with the band? I am going to chuckle to myself and back away from responding to such a ridiculous statement.

On the other hand, I couldn't give a rat's patootie what anyone thinks about the contents of my cart.

To date, I've lost 91 pounds. At a smidge under 5'3", I've gone from a tight size 20 to a comfy size 12 pants, from a 2x (42DDD) top to a L (36D). I weighed 263.4 at my highest, I am 172.2 as of this morning. I still have 23.2 pounds to go to my personal goal but that's a number I just picked out of my ass, with absolutely no idea what that's going to look like or where I really want to end up. I'm just realizing what a delusional fat person I was before. I could look at myself in my bathroom mirror thinking I looked good. I had my "skinny" days quite often where I went out with my head held high thinking no one could possibly see how morbidly obese I was. At the same time, I always tucked myself in the back of pictures if I wasn't offering to take them. As one of the shorter people, that was no easy task as everyone tried to shove me up front. (As if they could move THIS mountain! HA!) The result from this is that I have very few pictures to compare my current body size to. Now, my head is telling me that I am "normal" sized. I am no longer the largest size in the store. I am no longer the largest person in the room anywhere I go. When I go shopping with friends who I've always considered average in stature, I am in their size or one smaller. I can pick up clothes and think that there is no fuckeding way that my assed will fit in that and it does. I am not skinny by any stretch of the imagination but I do think that I am fit. I am no longer afraid of a fitness class. I am no longer afraid of a day of hiking in the apple orchards. I am no longer afraid of a marathon day in hot weather at the park with the kids and the dog. I can easily jog in place for 45 minutes while I teach a kickboxing class joining in seamlessly whenever I care to without losing my breath. I am willing to try new exercises not caring what I look like and no longer making the excuse that I am uncoordinated so I can't possible try. All that said... I CAN'T SEE IT. I JUST CAN'T SEE IT!!! I am in constant doubt that I really am normal sized. I am in constant doubt that I am not still the big girl. I look at pictures of myself and while I know in my head I look better, all I can actually see is my fat thighs and the roll that's still apparent around my belly. I used to be able to pick up an article of clothing and know if it would fit and now I am terrified of being disappointed because it's too small because I am so unaware of my body size.I am constantly trying to compare myself to everyone around me, not because I want to tear them down and make myself feel better but because I want to see what everyone else sees. I am dying to ask everyone around me what size they wear, how much they weigh, if I can take a picture next to them so I can compare. I restrain myself, but it's hard. It's really really hard. You know how when you hear yourself on a recording, it's bizarre because that's not what you sound like in your head? You know how you can't hear your own accent? That's how I feel about my appearance. I can't see it. I am not fishing for compliments. I am not asking for reassurance because intellectually I know I am getting there. I just want to know when my self awareness will catch up with my actual being. ARGH!!!!! HELP ME!

I got no additional support from my surgeon or nut after surgery. I took all my advice from my preop sessions and this site. If I can, you can as I am no one special. .

I think it's unfair to blame the surgeon, personally. Take the advice above, start back on plan now, not later, and go back to high Protein low carb as recommended. Good luck to you! You can do this.

Good to hear! Like I said. I am only an expert on me! Always follow your NuT and surgeon first.

I ate mashed avocado or guacamole, hummus (with a spoon), cream cheese, Greek yogurt, mashed potato and gravy (allowed once a day 1/4 cup), cream soups blended like black bean or chicken and stars, pudding with protein powder, refried beans with a bit of water to thin, tuna salad blended to purée, peanut butter...

I am only an expert on *me*. I was allowed 2-3 tablespoons MAX at your stage, which was about 1/2 an egg. That's all I could hold, too. At ten months, I can now hold an entire egg with some cheese but that egg better be scrambled soft. I cannot eat an entire hard boiled egg yet. Is 1/2 a lot for you? I don't know, but I'm inclined to say it's close to a lot. Head hunger is when your fat brain is telling you you want more, but your new tummy doesn't necessarily need more. I still cook more/serve more than I need and have to make a point of evaluating what I've put on my plate before I eat. Most often I put some back because while my head might say it's right, I know my tummy won't agree.

Oooof! That's a lot of egg! Remember, because your tummy is still numb, you might not feel full when you really are. I took a bite out of a baby spoon, walked a lap around my house (open floor plan, so I could still talk to family and get my steps in), and came back and repeated. My NUT said to wait 30 seconds or so between bites, eat no more than 2-3tbspns and if it took longer than 30 minutes, to stop eating. I am 10 months out and can only eat one egg with cheese. Are you sure you are still physically hungry or is it head hunger? Another thought. Are y taking your acid blocker? Reflux mimics hunger so it may be that you FEEL hungry when in reality, you are having a bit of indigestion.

How many eggs in a cup?

It totally makes sense. I did it with WWs alllllllll the time. I also weighed out my one ounce of (insert chips, Cookies, candy, etc. here) and added more to the scale one at a time until I hit 1.1 ounce just to make sure I used the ENTIRE point allowance. No wonder I weighed 264 pounds. HA!