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I'll start by saying I'm a year post-op tomorrow and 115 lbs down. I have had my Mirena for 5 years, in fact it is due to be replaced. Before I had my surgery, my female nurse practitioner and my nutritionist both said that my IUD could slow down my weight loss. I actually had full intentions of having it removed, made appointments that were canceled by my doctor and just never got around to it. Happily, it did not interfere with my weight loss. I also had the same type of breakthrough bleeding post surgery, started the day of and had it off and on that first few weeks. Interestingly, like clockwork, every six weeks or so I'd start to spot and everytime that happened, my weight loss would stall out for a week or two and I'd spot the entire time. Every single time. This went on for 8 months. I think my body was possibly shedding estrogen during those times but I'm not sure. It was such a pattern I could set a clock by it. When I'd start to spot I would just know that my weight loss was going to stall out for a while.

Miso Soup isn't too bad.

Do you still have your gallbladder?

A year post op, I have more hip pain than I had when I was heavy. I attribute some of that to being more active. I had to have a cortisone shot in one hip and think I may need one in the other hip relatively soon. I wake up in the middle of the night hurting sometimes. I had my gall bladder out three weeks ago, as soon as I am able I'm going to focus less on weight loss and more on strength training, specifically my glutes and core. I hope this will help!

I just had mine out here in the US a few weeks ago. Ariel Ortiz did my sleeve last December but I never asked re: gall bladder. I didn't want to push my luck. My surgeon who took it out said that there was a stone in it almost as large as my gall bladder itself (I know TMI) and there was no way that my weight loss caused my stones - that they had been forming for a number of years. The recovery was fine. Funny, I had terrible gas pains after gall bladder removal, but not after my sleeve. Go figure I'm 3 weeks out of gall bladder surgery and will be returning to cardio tomorrow, but no weights for a few more weeks.

My sister is going in for WLS too on 12/23. I'm very excited for her!

I second Katcloud. It doesn't taste the best and it is a bit pricey but Isopure is totally worth it, the fruit flavored clear-ish (as opposed to the milky protein) isopure. I also found egg flour Soup from a chinese restaurant run through a blender to help me with my energy, I think I had it 3 weeks out but cannot remember for sure.

I had surgery December 16 last year. 110 lbs down and loving life food does not have the appeal it once did and I am thankful for that every day. Follow your surgeon's plan. Find a form of exercise you love sooner rather than later because it makes a huge difference not only with weight loss but with frame of mind. Mine happens to be dance. Get ready because next year will be an amazing year of changes! Good luck!

All for the two in one. I had my sleeve surgery almost a year ago and my gallbladder came out last Thursday. Recovering just fine but wish I had been able to do it all at once!

11 months out, 110 lbs down. I wore a designer Badgley Mischka dress to a formal event - floor length black sequins and won "The Butterfly Award" at a banquet for the dance studio I go to.

I just had my gallbladder removed this past Thursday, I found out I had stones back in May. The blocked gas in my shoulders was worse than my incisions. I didn't have any gas with my sleeve (done in TJ). I'm recovering well. I am 11 months out from sleeve and 110 lbs down.

Congrats! You look fantastic!!

When I could finally eat a full Quest bar at 4 months out that helped. I eat only a few a week.

My drive tanked. Completely. Totally unexpected. I'm 10 months out.

This may be a question for another thread, but I'm curious. My surgeon said I could drink up to 10 minutes BEFORE I eat but not during or for 45 mins after, which I always follow. I see that some don't drink for 30 minutes or more before and after a meal, does anyone know the benefit of not drinking BEFORE a meal? I've always wondered.

I had my surgery in Mexico last December. I had an ultrasound in May of my gallbladder because I had a tiny bit of tenderness when pressed, sure enough I have stones. I've never had an attack, it is slightly tender to the touch but you really have to reef on it I have decided to have it removed next month. Surgeon said that judging by the size of my stones I probably had them for quite sometime before my VSG. Having it removed is optional given that I'm having no symptoms, I'm only having it removed because I've met my deductible for the year.

I haven't posted here in a long while! I started at 280, was 262 on day of surgery. Today I'm 175. I'm exercising a lot, eating well probably 90% of the time. I haven't lost anything in a month so today I started tracking my intake again because I'd stopped. Night time snacking and weekend "relaxing" are my weaknesses. I'm having my gall bladder out on November 20. I'm having some mild symptoms but no attacks. Here are the things motivating me to keep up the good fight! 1. Finishing the year strong and getting as much off as I can for my 1 year pix/stats. I'm bummed because I'm having surgery on 11/20 and won't be able to exercise for a whole month! I've put off my surgery because I'm on a roll with exercise and don't want to stop 2. Getting into a size 12 sparkly blue formal I've rented for a fancy party on 11/15 (Have the same dress in black on stand by but I really want to wear the blue) 3. Holiday party season, I want to wear a short dress! 4. Reflecting on maintenance and what that might look like long term. I'm in a size 14, sometimes a 12. My dress size seems high for my weight! I'm 5'8 and 175. I swear if it weren't for my extra belly skin I'd be in a solid 12

Don't give up - where there's a will there's a way! Just a bump in the road My insurance had a strict exclusion so I didn't even try for approval here in the states. I went to Obesity Control Center in Tijuana and had a wonderful experience. I had excellent care every step of the way. When I first heard of surgery in Mexico I thought "this is nuts!" (I'm a conservative by-the-book person by nature and not a risk taker). After months and months of research I decided to go to Tijuana. Not. One. Regret. I agree with others - an appeal might be in order too if you can find out why you were denied. It'll work out

Jenjo, you really do look fantastic You have come so far! I totally relate to what you're saying. I'm 10 months out as of yesterday. I am THRILLED to be where I'm at but I don't want to be done yet! I feel like I have to work much harder now for ANY loss and I'm not sure how to jump start it again. I am also around a size 12 but still feel "big" because of the skin flap below my belly button. My cardio is done in a dance studio. I compare myself to the other ladies (all younger and smaller) and that is just never good. I just shouldn't even go there, comparing myself to others is just dangerous territory. Just this morning I was telling myself "Sherri, its time to re-group and get this going again!" I'd like to lose another 10 by my year anniversary. Truly - you look great!

I knew that exercise would be the hardest part of this journey because I HATED exercise, so I started looking for something "tolerable" 2 months before surgery. I really do believe it helped with healing post surgery. I had a blood clot 21 years ago and knew I was susceptible to another, exercise helped my circulation and probably aided my recovery. I was doing 2-3 hours of Zumba a week for 2 months pre-surgery. Doesn't sound like much but it was all I could handle at 280 lbs. Fast forward 9 months, I LOVE exercise now! I take Zumba classes 4 days a week plus strength training. I can relate to what Bandista says, that I can't believe I'm the same person. I am quite irritated that I have to miss my class tonight for a work related dinner, since when do I prefer exercise to eating? Miraculous I tell ya!

I'm falling in the "no drive" category myself. I thought I was all alone, glad I'm not! I must say ladies, for those of you with higher libido - that is awesome! I had hopes in the back of my mind that my drive would pick up after some weight loss because I was having problems in that area pre-surgery. Not so much. In fact, everything seems different including my physiological response. It doesn't even FEEL the same anymore. I was checked for pre-menopause before surgery and I was not. I have an appt. here in a few weeks with my OB. I wonder if the surgery has pushed me towards menopause hormonally speaking. I'm 44.

I used Ariel Ortiz at the Obesity Control Center for sleeve surgery last December. Not. One. Single. Regret. OCC is a Center of Excellence. I'm a bit fuzzy on this, but I do believe they have to have trackable data to keep that designation. I received surveys via e-mail every few weeks (again my memory isn't the best, I could go back in my e mail if you really want to know how often for sure) initially, then every month asking about progress, complications, etc. I am nine months out from surgery and down 103 lbs. I was very well cared for while I was at OCC, I received better care there than I do here in the states - no lie. It was discovered I had acid reflux and scar tissue in my esophagus at the time of my sleeve surgery. Dr. A. advised me to have it biopsied in the Spring after I had healed from surgery. I did - I went to a GI doc here, who promptly ordered an upper endoscopy as well as ultrasound of all of my middle organs (looking for gallstones, which I have). Everything came back fine, my sleeve looked great, biopsies came back fine and I have mild acid reflux and a little mild gastritis. I have not had a gallbladder attack yet but I do have stones. Insurance covered all of my testing, never had an issue (I was worried about that too). I know this is a hard decision and a bit scary to make. Good luck to you in making your choice! I do believe there are good options in Mexico.

Folks who elect to have surgery in the US have bad experiences too, they just don't make the news. Just sayin'

Thanks Jamie! Actually I'm finding things, I'm just completely overwhelmed with all the choices! Totally different from my wedding dress shopping experience, much more positive.

The picture is showing a little funny, it looks stretched. Attached is another, it shows my before, this was taken back in June at 88 lbs lost.