MetroDetroitChic

Today is a big deal for me. One year ago I had surgery. I was scared but knew something had to change. One year later I am 80lbs down, ... And 15 lbs up... 22 weeks pregnant with a very healthy baby girl. I'm really proud of this accomplishment. I worked hard and now I get to be rewarded by becoming a mom. (Pretty amazing.) Sorry for the terrible pictures. They are all I have on my phone.

They are a core member of your pregnancy team. They can do a better job helping you if you tell them everything that could be relevant. They are a service to you... If you don't feel comfortable with them as a part of your team, bail and find someone else. It's like asking someone on the street to provide you directions and then blind folding them. They can probably point in somewhat the right direction and give you so-so directions, but since you handicapped them you aren't going to get the results you wanted.

8 months post op, 4 weeks pregnant... Found out yesterday. Still in shock. 80lbs down due to VSG, about 15 lbs from goal (in a size 14, I'll take it for now!) Any advice for me? Especially interested from hearing from you guys that have become pregnant under the 1 year mark. I am pretty religious about Vitamins daily (multi, Calcium chewables, folic acid supplement, zinc, vit D, and a B complex. Also take omerprazole which helps a ton). No nausea, but tired and chest hurts. I have a feeling it will get much worse. (As you can tell, this is a first for me). We are pretty stoked, but definitely cautiously optimistic as it's still very early. Thanks in advance for your help!

This is a question on behalf of my husband who gets sleeved on Tuesday. He is understandably nervous. Anyone know if they had cpap in the recovery room? I know there is a tube down his throat during surgery. Any insights out there? Thank you!

Iron is the bane of my existence. Seriously. We all know Calcium binds with iron, but apparently some types of soy and things in grains do too. Every post op check up has shown my iron as low. Anyone have a solid plan for how to take iron? I take iron with a Vitamin C, but have yet to find a decent snack I can pair it with so I can take it....3 hours after my last meal... With a Vitamin C... Without calcium... Without soy... So it doesn't make me puke (Ugh.) Help would surely be appreciated. Thank you!

I don't know exactly how low it is to be honest. I feel fine... But my doc still says it is low. I would like to show up to my next appointment with good numbers!

There is no question I feel better. I can't eat myself into a diabetic coma with three pieces of cake or a huge pile of nutrion-less fettuccine alfredo. My Iron is under control. My Protein levels are under control. I have energy now! There is 250pounds less on my bad knee (5lbs of pressure for every 1lb lost). And I make it to the gym more often than not because I actually WANT to now. It's like I've become an endorphin junkie. I don't feel just a little better, I feel a TON better!

Don't be scared. Dr. Krause is awesome. He will make sure you are okay.

Beer. I'm not gonna lie. My brain misses beer.. ...but the rest of my body does not! It's busy getting heathy and recovering from all the bad choices I made over the last decade!

In addition to hair loss ---- Anyone else been in a stall for two/three weeks? I am at 205 and have been for almost three weeks. I am dying to see a 199. My crippled *** might even do a cartwheel to celebrate I swear. IF I ever get there!

My hair ---- those few strands that I actually had on my head ---- is starting to come out. I have really thin hair to start with. Time to cut my hair crazy short I fear. Still worth it? Yes. But this may be the biggest hurdle to date. Yowch.

I flat out asked my doctor how it is even POSSIBLE to maintain weight on 800 calories (early post op). The stalls baffled me. He never gave me a great answer, but said it is super normal to stall. And you do lose inches. The whole thing is nuts, really it is.

I'll probably do a photo shoot for my husband. ...and as a photographer, this will be the first photo of me that I didn't drastically change in Photoshop! I usually liquify the heck out of my photos. Lol.

Give up on the scale and instead look at your body everyday. Even though my scale isn't moving I can physically see my shape changing daily. Literally daily. My stomach is melting away even though I haven't lost a pound in two weeks... (In a stall currently.) Give up on the scale. Really.

Hilarious. Yeah, I would say the bat wings, boobs and things that happen to me as a result of the birth control and high protein (fiberless) diet they have me on now is very much not rainbows and sunshine - LOL! I seriously envisioned my body would somehow morph back to its shape/functionality at the age of 21... Silly silly me! Oh well. Even though I am bound to look like a raisin (despite my best water/exercise/protein/Metamucil efforts) I still feel better than I have in the last 15 years. Congrats on the exercise. If nothing else, it makes me feel like a million bucks right afterwards - and I sleep like a baby. I hope it does the same for you! Congrats on the weight loss too, btw --- that's awesome!

I had this happen too. I don't remember exactly when I first noticed I was hungry, but it was very early on (within the first week). It would be nice to be without hunger, but even though it's here, the pounds are still coming off.

Holy cow... You can definitely see it in your face! You look great. Yeah, I know what you mean about body image issues. I am quite sure I could jump out of an airplane without a parachute and land safely due to my new batwings. And I am seriously in search of a bra that can get these saggy things back into place and keep them there. Good grief! One day at a time I suppose. Oh well.

My favorite recipe so far from her site: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2009/09/italian-food-beach.html. <------ super easy! My favorite recipe for tuna ---- great for a day when you are struggling to meet Protein goals. http://minougirl.com/2014/01/skinny-greek-yogurt-tuna-salad/

I cannot cook. I hate it and am awful. But I also avoid fast food like the plague. Way too big of a trap for me. Here's the deal: even though you may hate cooking you need to learn to like your kitchen. I live on Tuna, grilled chicken (learn to grill it's so easy). And I do occasionally make some recipes from The World According to Eggface. One recipe is a lot of meals for me and I know it's healthy. As someone who probably made 10 meals total in 37 years of existence pre surgery, trust me... You can do this. If I can do it, YOU can do it!

I had a rough day too. Broke down and bought donut holes. (very very bad...) first day this happened to me. I am usually really obedient. But I did log my food (all 630 calories of the donut holes... Sheesh), and reflected on what I did wrong. I guess in the end I'm grateful that the sleeve stopped me from turning my 630 calorie mistake into the pre-surgical 2000 calorie mistake. Crappy day. Definitely a "failure". And I suppose it won't be the last. So I take each day in stride and generally do my best. If I thought about how I was going to stop from "failing" again for the rest if time, I'd go nuts. But you know what? I'm pretty sure I'll be good tomorrow. And tomorrow is something I can control. Hang in there...!

At 5 days I was in rough shape. I went to work on day 6 and lasted 1.5 hours (I sat at my desk the whole time). I just felt terrible that first week. Doable? Probably. You might feel like hell though....

I guess mine would be that it is a lot of work! A ton more than I thought! Tracking everything I eat in myfitnesspal, planning out the Vitamins (no Iron with Calcium etc), and planning all the Snacks (and water!) for the day so I meet my Protein goals and don't have crap to snack on. Oh... And bringing my workout clothes so I can get my daily workout in. Worth it? Oh absolutely! But I guess I thought I could just sit back and let the sleeve do the work... Not true unless you want to feel like crap all the time.

I am allergic to Ursodial. Took a few days after surgery for that to creep up and the hives to come out. Apparently many people are allergic to that stuff (according to my doctor). I hope you feel better soon!

Yep, I did. 22lbs lost in 6 days, then a three week stall where I lost inches but no pounds. (Which at 650 calories a day is absolutely amazing to me.) the doc said booth the rapid weight loss and stall are common. Hope that helps.

Don't do it. I am about to go to Germany... Land of delicious beer (my FAVORITE)... Will have none- not even a sip while there. I went through hell and back the week after surgery. Carbonation is not worth undoing the surgery.