Madam Reverie

@septappt - according to the information on your tag. Your start weight: 280 Your Goal weight: 170 Weight to lose: 110lbs Weight lost so far: 68lbs Therefore: 68lbs/110lbs = 0.6181 x 100 (to get the percentage) = 61.81% of your excess weight lost so far. That's pretty groovy!

You'll lose weight and no inches. The you won't lose weight and you'll lose load of inches. That's how it works. Don't panic, it will happen

They are great stats! Many congratulations. And don't worry, at that rate of loss you'll be 'overweight' very soon!

Word of the day: 'Vainglory'.

I love it when people really read stuff... <bashes her head repeatedly on her laptop keyboard> (Hmm.. inspiration for a rant post, perhaps?... )

That hurts! I love you anyway! lol As I, you!

The reason you're on soft and pureed foods, is because your staple line is red raw and still not healed. You have a MAJOR wound in one of your MAJOR organs. Although you might think you're all good in the hood, you could be doing yourselves some damage. They don't (on average) tell you to wait for 6 weeks just to be pains in the bum. Its for your safety. The three week stall is well documented. Also, and more importantly, so are the risks of jumping ahead of your eating plan. Please be sensible.

Scary, frustrating - but lesson learnt, no? Down to experience and a better day tomorrow

Was the blood in your urine, your stools or vaginally? Are you running a temperature? Where in your stomach did you feel the pain? What is your pre-existing condition? Are you still bleeding? Either way, straight to the hospital and to your surgeon for you, my dear.

Rice? Nope, that's only just reappeared 6 months out. Fried food? I may have one-two single, solitary fries. Fried chicken/Fish/prawn toasts? Hell-to-the-no! White chocolate - HELL-TO-THE-NO!!! I don't know whether it's applicable to everyone, but it is for me. I get a bit nervous almost when eating out. Even now. I fret that I might order the wrong thing, might eat too quickly, not chew thoroughly enough. When I'm at home, I eat as I should; so I eat slowly, chew well and because of that, the whole process is more relaxed (I can screw up my face if I've got something lodged in the wrong place and walk around rubbing my sternum until the offending article has been dislodged!)- and I can sadly eat a lot more! Consequently, the rule of thumb for me whilst out is 'keep it simple, stupid'. So I'll go for something I absolutely know I can tolerate. If it comes with something fried on the side - I leave it. Could it come with a rich cream sauce that would make me bilious and over produce acid, making me grossly uncomfortable? I leave it. Is it hard-core Protein potentially gonna be served on the dry side? I leave it. You know you 'gave it a try' and it didn't really pay off. As has been said, try not to rush forward too soon - primarily for all the reasons above, but it could either make you uncomfortable or at worst, do you harm. The most important thing is that you didn't do yourself any harm, or embarrass yourself - you just got a bit sickly. Lesson learnt for a bit? As dull as it is, those food plans are given to you for a reason. Because of something similar which happened to me with hard-core protein (a mouthful of steak at about 9 weeks out), I decided to leave all the 'ooh, maybe I'll try that' for when I was at home. That way I could make all the weird facial expressions, conduct all the arm waving/flapping/sternum rubbing, deep breathing I needed to do with no fear of embarrassment. Well, other than that of my partner laughing at me from time to time. You got this

Sounds like getting something out of her was like pulling teeth. Least you got the affirmation you were after. It is important to get that from the people who matter.

As has been stated before - the experts are suggesting a particular procedure for a reason - and particularly for you. Its always healthy to do your own research and your own analysis - I know I did. Lots of it. If you're worried about the suggestion made (thinking there could be alternatives/better out there), ask more questions of your medical team. Get them to substantiate to you personally why they have suggested what they have and not another procedure like gastric balloon, plication, duodenal switch, sleeve, hanging butt-naked from a tree. But and again as has been stated before by LL, you have a whopper of a condition that should not be considered lightly. Consequently and if it was me? I'd be looking for procedures proven to improve that condition in the quickest amount of time possible. If it helps clarify your mind, draw yourself a pros and cons list of each surgery available (as you have been informed, there are more than 2), and how each of them would specifically impact upon you. You could also break it down into categories for example of a) post surgery down time post surgical up-keep c) long term prognosis on conditions of concern d) surgical risks e) average weight loss f) mortality/complication rate g) Vitamin deficiency h) dietry requirements (short and long term), i) impact on life/family, etc If you start working along those lines, analysing the things that matter to you most (and of which are most important medically to your doctor, too), you will eventually generate the answer you need. You could also take that list into your doctor when you go in for your next chat. I did. Blew the buggers away with how comprehensive I'd been. (Not surprising considering how anal I can be!) We all know how confusing it can be. Crikey, I must have read every academic journal available, but I got there in the end. The only problem after making that decision was taking the deep breath required to walk into theatre - knowing I was electing to get sliced and diced (yeah, sorry, I'm a bit gruesome like that!) Through all of it though - and forgive the cliche, however repetitive yet true - I wish I'd done it years ago. If you have any questions, feel free to ask away. There's a lot of knowledge on this thread and in these forums - about all the procedures. Hopefully the answers you require will be balanced, impartial, accurate and more importantly, relevant funny! (only kidding) You got this!

Did you feel no ill effects from the chicken and the creme egg? For what it's worth, you know what you've done, you know you shouldn't have. Now stop beating yourself up and move on. I know its hard. Hell, I ate half a Maccy D's cheeseburger at about 6 weeks. We all do it. The head game is indeed a real biatch to try and beat. Deep breath, head down and attack this thing! Don't wallow - it'll only make it worse. Just remember, you're not alone

I have something sweet. But not a bucket load of sweet stuff. Else my tummy says 'Whoooah, prepare to dump!'

It is different for different people. But, when the physical changes, the psychological can change too. This can be in the positive and the negative. Sometimes, you swap feeling fat and unattractive for thinner and concerned over excess skin, sagging boobs, etc. Or, you get thinner and can think wooooooooo hooooooo! Bring it on. Sadly there are no hard and fast (scuse the pun) rules on this one. I would say, however, that on balance, weight loss is great for libido. If you're worried about it, I would go and talk to your doctor. Be honest with them. Maybe they can give you some hormones which will help 'pep you up' a bit. Better still, they could give you some hormones and provide you with a bit of counselling. Sounds like your self esteem has been a bit battered and you need to feel a bit better about yourself. No harm in that. We have all walked the same path in some guise or other. Your husband loves you. He's obviously a lovely guy - inside and out. Embrace his support and his needs, too. Mustn't be very nice to know you're only sleeping with him because you feel you have to. He, too, needs to be desired. Don't be fearful. Surgery to change the physical is just one facet which could help. However, maybe its time to ask for a little help with the other facets, too - for him and for you. x

I LOVE alone time and I'm not depressed. I like the feeling of not having to compromise in whatever it is I want to do at that moment. Read a book or academic journals. Play with my make-up and hair. Watch whatever it is that I want to watch on the tv. Try on clothes and shoes and play dress-up whilst listening to the radio. Cooking in the kitchen, trying out new dishes. Going for a walk and pottering around the shops. I like me. I like spending time with me. In fact, I could have fun in an empty room. Does it mean I'm anti-social? No. Does it mean I'm depressed and need to talk to someone about it? No. I think some time with me is just fine. If you're wanting some time to yourself - you ask for it. I think its wholly worse to feel like you're obliged to be around people, when you don't want to be. Doing that will end up making you resent them, resent yourself for not voicing your desires and it will make you a bit depressed, because you could feel constrained by having to do what you feel you're obliged to do - not what you want to do. I'd say you're all groovy. Set out some new ground rules, ask for some 'me time' (in a careful and compassionate way) and see how it goes. It doesn't mean you're stepping away from the relationship at this juncture. You just need some time to be alone and have a good old think. Ideally with a nice cup of tea. It doesn't all have to be doom and gloom! But if you have some time alone to evaluate and you do think your relationship isn't for you any more? Then at least you've had the time to give it thorough and careful consideration.

You can often get what is known as a stricture. This is where the opening to the reduced stomach is a little tighter than it should be. They can do a couple of procedures to stretch this a little bit - to ease the entry of food. As for the stomach size - it is what it is after surgery. If someone is not eating hardly anything, particularly solids, a person may need to go and get it checked.

Bea, THAT is a thing of beauty! Particularly loving the embedded physical representation. Clearly I want (dammit, WILL) be the chick on the far right!

Lol now are we that bad???? Love this thread going to figure stats be back in a minute Answer - Yes. That is all

Oopsie! Definitely time for you to invest in two new items. Some new jeans and a new skirt! Wear them to death until you experience the next 'whoops' moment! Congrats on the embarrassing NSV though!

I'm practically constantly bleeding - despite being on a pill that's supposed to stop it. Its ridiculous. I am very tired of it. I'm wholly expecting them to tell me I'm Iron deficient now as a consequence. Grrrr

I'm the opposite. In the mirror, I think I look okay. In photos, I am a heffer. Fact.

Just to add a bit more salt into the wound his excess skin isn't bad at all. He just needs to tone up a little and you would never know that he has struggled with his weight. I on the other hand have more than a couple of handbags hanging off this body. Arms, legs, belly and boobs. Neck 's not looking so great either. So there was one lottery winner in our house and it wasn't me. Not that I'm complaining to much because we were sleeved on the same day and I live with the proof that it DOES work. So that's enough to keep me motivated. The positive side is he won't need PS so that means more money for the huge repair job I'll be needing. Sheesh, why is it always men that have it so easy.... <awaits the nuclear fallout>

How's the excess skin thing going? I thought I might escape with my arms. After seeing recent photos, I'm thinking not... The belly and boobs? Well, they're just a car crash.

I know it sux my husband hit goal at 5mths lost 99lb. I however still have 55lb to go and had lost 66lb. Ahhh if that doesn't make you crazy I don't know what will. Crazy indeed! May I ask what your husbands BMI was at the start and at the finish?