scootergirl

I am nearly 7 months out. My incisions were small and sealed with a superglue type of material instead of sutures. They have healed very well. Even the pinky-red discoloration is starting to fade. I suspect I will always be able to find them but I am not sure others will be able to.

Roserie - will you be my sleeve buddy? You and I are very similar in our stats....similar starting weight, similar surgery date, similar amount of weight lost. I don't have any photos to share but you have my thoughts and blessings on your continued success.

Great post! I swear some folks are just uncomfortable with change. As you get smaller their world gets rocked. Keep up the good work and the good sense of humor.

I have been taking a Walmart line of Children's Chewables fruit flavored Multivitamins. They are chalky and gritty but I have come to love them. They are inexpensive and my blood levels are doing great. I see no benefit in spending big bucks on Vitamins if I don't have to. If things continue to go well, I need to save my pennies to purchase smaller clothes!

"Call your doctor" is good advice but don't forget that you have just had a real surgical procedure. Your body is in recovery mode and saves energy for healing if it can. I found it hard to walk up my stairs right after surgery but quickly found it much easier as the weight came off.

You will be amazed by the bundles of energy you find as your weight falls off. I used to dread every walk, even across the room. My knees hurt, my ankles were swollen, all my joints creaked. Now I look for excuses to go for a good long walk. I have started to walk to work most days. I wouldn't have believed it possible if it hadn't happened to me.

I am in the same boat. Thanks for posting this. I just e-mailed Alex to see if he can fix it.

No. I have been blessedly healthy since my surgery (actually more healthy than I had been for years prior). I am sorry you are sick. Do you have anyone who can help you out as you recover? You really need to take care of yourself so you heal well. Sounds like you have lots of folks who rely on you as well. Good luck.

Hey. I am no friend of an unsupportive/abusive partner but let's give the guy a little break. It can be scary to see big changes in the one's we love. Perhaps he is scared of losing the version of you he fell in love with as you lose your weight. Try to get to the bottom of this with him. If he is just a jerk you may need to give him the boot. If he is scared and inarticulate, he may need your help. It doesn't seem fair that you need to do so much of this work (go through surgery, lose the weight, hold his hand) but you can do it! Good luck.

I did not drink many carbonated drinks before my surgery. I have had a few since (they are sometimes the only choice when I am out and about and looking for some liquid). I have tolerated them OK but still don't prefer them to non-carbonated. Like so many post surgery food issues.....try a little at a time to see how your new tummy handles it. You may do fine, you may find that you don't want them anymore.

Love your closet. Love the idea. Wish I had room to convert. Heck, wish I had a closet full of small sized clothes to fill it. Something to work towards?

Great advice. Listen to these wise sister sleevers!

Way to go! I am sooo happy for you. I will try to follow your example. I now weigh less than I have for any of the past 20 years. It is amazing. Onederland....I am coming after you! It may take me a while but I plan to join the club one day!

I have to say that if I weren't so happy for you all and your amazing success....I'd be really sad. My weight loss is sooooo slow in comparison to yours. Keep up the good work and keep posting your success. You will keep me inspired.

I agree with the comment that "everyone is different". Take your time as you re-introduce spice into your food. A little at a time will tell you a lot about your tolerance. As you can read above, there are lots of us who have had no trouble with potentially troublesome foods like spice or alcohol. Good luck to you.

What a great surprise. It is good to hear from folks whose journey has been more tortoise than hare. I, too, have been a slow and (somewhat) steady sleever. It does my heart good to hear such a joyful success story from a fellow tortoise.

You sound like you have a great attitude. Keep it up. You will start to feel noticeably better every day. Soon you will catch yourself "forgetting" that you had the procedure. Amazing but true!

Ask your doc. I can sleep a wink except on my stomach. I was very grouchy in the hospital post surgery 'cause I was laying on my back in the bed. I asked my surgeon on day 2 post surgery when I could roll over and try to sleep. He said "you can do it today but you might not enjoy it. It won't hurt my stitches but it may hurt like crazy". He was right that it was hard to roll over but I slept like a baby. I would check that your doctor gives the OK before trying it but I predict he will say "go for it". Sleep well and sweet dreams.

I have several instances where I felt really sick after eating. Usually when I have chosen poorly and eaten something inappropriate or too much quantity. I have been able to get through it by laying down and keeping still. It passes and I don't seem to have any lasting issues except "don't do that again!". Advice I had heard (but sometime have ignored) is to introduce any new foods slowly and in small amounts to see how well they are tolerated. This has worked for me when I have followed the advice. Try it and hang in there. You and your new tummy will find peace with each other.

Don't get discouraged. I think the rapid changes in our weight/shapes can seem extreme to those around us. Try not to be overly influenced by their surprise and concern. Also, I feel that the rapid physical changes to our bodies take some "settling in". That we can look a bit "gaunt" or drawn as the weight starts falling off. I have seen it in others early in their weight loss process. I have also found that, over time, their bodies seem to adjust. Their new, sharp edges soften again and they look fantastic (and not due to weight regain, just to body reshaping and adjusting). Hang in there and keep up the good work.

Congrats to you. I can't imagine such a rapid and successful weight loss. Mine has come off much more slowly. Keep up the good work. It is clear to me that you are on your way to your goal. Keep up posted on your journey. Such success as yours is an inspiration to us all.

Bronco0605 - I hope you get more replies on your post. I am at about the same total weight loss as you. I also have been surprised by the extent of my sagging skin. I am only half way to my goal so I suspect the sag will continue. At a follow up appointment with my surgeon I mentioned my concern about "my deflated balloons" and asked if there was anything I could do to help it. He said "save your money for plastic surgery". I was disappointed by his answer but think he may be right. You look young in your photo. I am am in my fifties. It seems to me that younger skin tends to have better "snap" to it. Good luck and congrats on your success.

The good news is that I am down ~65 pounds in six months. Yippee! Alas, I have been bouncing around on the same ~five pounds since Thanksgiving. I have upped my exercise and tried to keep my total calorie intake to about 1000 calories per day. I aim for ~60g protein/day but often fall short. Has anyone else found themselves in a severe (more than two months and no real weight change) stall this early after surgery? My % weight loss is ~21% of my highest weight (65 pounds/313 pounds). My excess weight is ~145 pounds (highest weight - desired weight = 313 - 170). This means I have lost ~45% of my excess weight (65 pounds/145 pounds). Are these numbers the explanation for why I am stuck? I have read that most folks lose ~60% of their excess weight. Does anyone know what the average of %-of-pounds-lost is for us sleevers?

Thanks for the suggestion, lilbearzmom. I had not heard that eating a bit more can be helpful. How careful were you with your Protein intake? Congrats on your long-running success. You are an inspiration to me.

Post surgery I was hooked up to a fentanyl (sp?) self administered pump for pain management. It would knock me out with every dose but did not help the pain if I was awake. My nurse suggested IV Tylenol. She said it costs a fortune but works really well. She was sooo right. Soon after my IV started I felt well enough to get up and walk and walk and walk, use the restroom, visit with family. I owe her a bunch for my much improved recovery.