bikrchk

Many will lose quickly at first. Partially because our bodies are losing the extra Fluid they gave in surgery, partially because of the shock of having surgery. Some don't lose well at all that first week or two as they hang on to the surgery fluids. All of it is OK. Stick to the plan your doc gave you, keep hydrated, walk, and you'll do fine. Also try to remember you felt this way when you hit your first stall, because that will happen too! It all evens out in the end!

Yep. I was the same way. Today, the $1.99 salad ROCKS! Also, oddly enough, being able to do my OWN pedicure if I want!

I'm 9 months out and in my goal range, (under 149 pounds) and still losing about a pound per week. I wear a fitness watch that does heart rate and record my intake and exercise in MFP so I know what's going in and what I'm burning on a daily basis. I choose Protein first almost always, but work in a small treat almost daily, whether that be protein'd "ice cream" or a handful of dark chocolate almonds. Occasionally, the treat is complete crap like part of a desert at a restaurant or a glass of wine. I do focused exercise 5 days per week (stationary bike at 4:30 every work day) burning about 600 calories a pop so that I can maintain this kind of flexibility in my diet. Exercise was not a part of my life pre-op, but it is how I choose to maintain balance now. I love the fact that I never have to feel deprived or like I'm on a diet. At this point, I'm trying to slow down the weight loss and figure out what maintenance looks like, but it's still coming off which freaks me out a little. I'm eating about 1200 calories per day. At 148, I'm definitely not "too skinny" yet, but I'm 5'6 and already in an easy 6 and I don't need to get too much smaller. I have faith that my body will level out where it's supposed to be. Many folks choose to maintain their loss by giving up trigger foods. I know that can work because I did it form the pre-op diet. The longer you go without, the less you want the junk. For me, I prefer to exercise. If you're hitting your protein and supplement totals, IMHO, the rest is calories in vs calories burned. You just need to figure out what works for you and commit to a lifestyle that works.

I "thought" I'd tell no one, but ended up telling everyone in the end. Once neighbor asked if I'd been sick, another didn't recognize me until I walked up my driveway so the change has been... hard to hide. Now a days I tell because you never know who needs to see the example you are. I feel amazing and I'm happy to share the tool I used to help me get my health back! I've had no negative reactions. If I ever get any, I really don't give a cr@p if they're not on my side. This is MY journey and I wouldn't trade these results for the world!

Check out http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ GREAT ideas and recipes for all stages.

Occasionally I'll do an egg white delite minus 1/2 the muffin, but I've never been a fan of their hamburgers. I do eat other burgers occasionally. Always a kids meal, just the meat and maybe a few fries, counted in my daily totals. Be aware that your best\easiest loss will occur over your first year. After that, I'm told it gets harder\takes more work. You'll want to figure that in to your plan for how much you have to lose as far as pacing. I've lost 85\90 pounds now in month 9. I may decide to go as low as 135 for an even 100 pound loss if continues to come off fairly easily. I do exercise hard 5 days per week for an extra calorie burn or about 600\day, so that helps, a lot. My pacing has been deliberate though. If I can eat 1200 calories per day now and still lose weight, maintenance will be much easier in the long run.

I also had a hernia repaired along with my sleeve procedure and the post op regimen is a similar diet progression, (though over a much shorter time span if the hernia is all they do). Many people who choose not to to tell, say they've had hernia repair. This is actually what I told the first person who asked, she had medical training and started asking all kinds of questions I could not answer about hernias and I came clean. Not a biggie at all. There was no judgement, only support from her. That said, you don't owe your boss specifics about your medical procedures, only how long it is anticipated you'll be off. I should add that I did eventually tell EVERYBODY. I told my team pre-op and if anyone asks now, I tell them with excitement about the fantastic tool that's helped me get my health back. Sometimes you don't know when you're living the example that someone else (or someone they love) needs to see.

Personally, by the time my mind was made up, I was more scared of the consequences of doing nothing than I was about the potential problems with the surgery. Mine went "textbook". I was in the hospital for 24 hours, (that's release a day earlier than planned), and back at work the next week. I can't say it's been a cake walk, but there have been no surprises. I've lost "an Olsen Twin" and about 10 prescriptions. I enjoy good health now and wear a size 6. I can eat what I like in very small quantities. I know others who HAVE had complications, but even they would do it again to achieve the results they have today.

Yep. Feeling tired at this stage is normal. I think part of it is that you're not getting a lot of nutrition and the other part is that as you lose fat, the hormones and toxins stored there make you feel icky on the way out. Also, at least for me, I did not lose much during the puree phase. Perhaps that was my (typical) 3 week stall. You'll have a few ups among the downs on the scale even when doing everything by the book. It's just your body adjusting. Just keep working your plan and it'll come off.

Surgery date October 14, 2012 Height 5'6" HW: 235 SW: 223 CW: 150 Current Size 6 Goal 145 Stretch Goal 135 5 pounds from first goal and I've lost an Olsen Twin! LOL

Cheating by definition - act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination. For "cheating" to have happened there must be a winner and a loser. How exactly does your success in getting healthy diminish the the other person here? Pure ignorance! I guess I've been lucky, no one's ever said that to me! No actually, THEY are lucky no one's ever said that to me! LOL!

Yes! Even my surgeon, at my 6 month follow up told me if I didn't lose any more I was still considered "a WLS Success", though my BMI was still in the obese range at that time! When I asked him about it, he did tell me that it was okay to lose more as long as I maintained weight withing the healthy BMI range, but STILL! Makes me wonder if he wasn't just checking off a box for his stats, "yep, another success"! I did adjust my initial goal up by 10 pounds from 135 to 145, (I'm 5'6") as I'm already wearing a loose size 6 most days, (I can fit a 4 sometimes) at 150 pounds. I eat about 1200 calories most days and exercise 5 days per week and I'm still losing. So I still have a stretch goal of 135. I may lose that last 10 anyway as I try to figure out what blend of exercise and calories makes me maintain instead of lose. Seems impossible to me right now to eat more than I already do without adding more sugar\junk. I'm trying to have faith that if I continue healthy behaviors my body will level out in a good place, whatever that looks like!

I get concerned when I hear someone say "I don't do protein shakes". It makes it sound like you've decided you're not up to following the post op prescription to get the required amount of protein. The protein, the supplements, the portion control, the exercise, is what we signed up for when we let someone cut us open so we could get healthy. We all need to pay attention to our after care. FOREVER. *End Rant* That said, there are lots of alternatives to "protein shakes" that can get you to your goal. For me, that's 74g per my Bariatric surgeon's instructions. I throw a scoop of chocolate Protein powder in my coffee every morning. Makes it taste like a latte and gives me 24g of protein. Isopure makes a clear, pre-bottled drink that tastes kind of like a Jolly Rancher. They have 42g of protein. The body can only absorb 25-30g at a time, so pace yourself with the super-high protein options. There's protein pudding, protein brownies and protein shooters. There are a variety of Protein Bars, Quest is one of the best nutritionally with 20g of protein and only 3 sugars. Another fav of mine is PowerCrunch with 14g and 5 sugars. That one tastes like a wafer cookie! If you refuse to do "protein supplements" at all, it CAN be gotten strictly from food, but personally, I couldn't live like that. I like variety. And vegetables. And occasionally carbs. And I would have room for none of it if I didn't use protein supplements in addition to a high protein diet. Have a look at http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/. She's a long term success WLS patient and advocate and has a million recipes and ways to boost your protein intake that you may not have considered. Best of luck to you!

I'm nearly at goal and can fit a 4, 6 or an 8 depending on the cut. Most of my jeans and pants are 6 women's or 7 Jrs today. I do have an XS maxi skirt, but those stretch, lol. Have to admit, I enjoyed purchasing (and wearing) that immensely! The smallest "old clothes" I had were size 10, so all of those are long since donated and I don't have much to compare.

I didn't know that that Morbid Obesity was actually on my Dad's death cert until my Mom told me when she made her peace with the news I was going to do WLS. It just strengthened my resolve that I was saving my life by getting the sleeve. As for the coughing when lying flat, get some risers from your local bed and bath store and put 2 under the top feet under your bed so its at a decent angle. It takes some getting used to, but it's way more comfortable than a wedge pillow. If it relieves your symptoms, there's a really good indication you have silent reflux. An EGD (part of the pre-op test process for most of us) will help confirm. Mine found a small hiatial hernia they fixed in my procedure. Issues were worse the first month post-op and have now completely resolved with a single night time dose of PPI. I can sleep flat now too!

The stat I've heard is 80% are able to maintain "success" which in bariatric circles is to keep off 80% of their weight loss. My surgeon told me I was a WLS "success" at my 6 month appointment when for me, I wasn't near "done" yet. I hadn't quite even achieved a healthy BMI at that point and personally wanted to be in the middle of the healthy zone before I stop losing. Success by his criteria was not that I reached "goal" but that I'd lost 80% and had erased my pre-op co-morbidities achieving a healthy lifestyle. I was also told that many people gain 10-15 pounds from their lowest post op weight, which kinda jives with the metabolic reset theory. Another reason to not fear going a little lower with the understanding that it's okay to fluctuate in a particular range without going over. Bottom line is, if we go back to bad habits, (not exercising, grazing on crap all day, etc.) we can fail at this. I don't intend to let that happen!

The sleeve is a treatment for a condition that can eventually kill you. I watched my Dad commit slow suicide by knife and fork and die at 54. I was 13 years old. Always overweight to obese, I "carried it well" too... Until I turned 40 when my lifestyle really began to catch up with me. High blood pressure, (3 meds) not well controlled even then, high cholesterol (1 med) , borderline diabetic and asthma that kept me up all night coughing despite the 4 meds they had me on to try and control it. It hurt to move, so I just didn't. Today, I'm a healthy, happy 47 year old with a new lease on life. I exercise regularly, eat what I like in small portions, keep track of my calories\Protein count and take my vitamins\protein. The only medication I take besides supplements is one dose per day of the post-op PPI (acid reducer), which I may take for life. Apparently the "asthma" was mostly reflux showing up as a cough in me. Correctly diagnosed and treated during my treatment. If I have any regret, it's that I didn't do it sooner! Do what you need to do to take care of your health!

I think it depends on whether you're getting the results you want. I've been eating 1000-1200 calories per day and exercising 500-600 calories 5 days per week since around month 3 or 4. My weight loss has been slow and steady pretty much the entire time. I eat what I like, including small treats and occasionally, alcohol. I'm 5 pounds from goal and loving my new lifestyle. At the rate I'm going, I expect I'll go below my pre-defined goal of 145, maybe as low as 135, (an even 100 pounds loss) but I doubt seriously that I'll settle there. If I do, I do, but I feel\look fine now and I'll feel fine at 145 in 5 pounds. Wherever I "land" I'll set a 5 pound range on either side of it and focus on maintaining that range. I feel like I've set myself up for a maintenance calorie goal of 1250-1300 which seems like a lot to me right now, but I'm sure I'll find a way to adjust. :-)

I watched my dad commit slow suicide by knife and fork. He died of Morbid Obesity at 54 when I was 13 years old. I had been overweight to obese my entire life and managed to remain fairly healthy (stats wise) in spite of it until I hit 40. Then started the high blood pressure, (3 meds) the cholesterol (1 med) and the asthma (4 meds). My sugars had me in borderline diabetic territory and it hurt to move. I could not and would not accept that this was to be my life, so at 47, I took what some believe is a drastic step, having 85% of my stomach removed and changed my life forever. No more high blood pressure, high cholesterol or asthma. Normal sugars. The only prescription I take now is my post-op prescribed PPI. I LIKE to exercise. I LIKE to socialize. I have more energy and confidence than I ever thought possible! I didn't "accept" the health consequences of the life I was leading and got the help I needed to be healthy. No different than treating any other health condition as far as I'm concerned.

I'm 8 months post-op and 85 pounds down... I have lost... an Olsen Twin. 1) when you eat and get full, is it the same feelling as today, just without the big food quantities? Or is it a different feeling? It's different. I feel fullness less in my stomach and more in my chest\throat now. 2) are you handicapped for life? Like the need to avoid certain foods and certain drinks. Since about month 4, I've been able to eat whatever I like in small quantities. Rice was the last hold out, but I can do that now too as long as I take it slow. I drink alcohol on occasion, (even a beer sometimes!) but not nearly like used to. I do not drink even diet soda. Just a choice. I don't really want it anymore and the carbonation is supposed to be bad for my sleeve. 3) can u ever drink a whole cup of Water, or will you need to sip slowly for life (sounds lile a torture). I can't gulp, but I can drink normal mouthfuls of water. Took a few months to get there, but feels perfectly normal now. 4) just tell me about ur day to day life. I dont know if u had the same feeling, but I sometimes think to myself that I might be crazy to be cutting an organ that functions 100% right. I'm up at 4:30 am and on the exercise bike for an hour every work day. I burn 500-600 calories per the heart rate monitor. I look forward to it now as I get to feed my NetFlix addiction for an hour a day, I've developed a good habit and it allows me to eat pretty much what I like in small quantities and still lose weight. I take a handful of Vitamins and I have 1 egg with a slice of cheese for breakfast. I Am. Full. I have a scoop of Protein powder in my coffee, (bonus 20g). I work. Have a handful of almonds about 9am. Some of them have thick dark chocolate! High protein lunch followed by a high protein dinner, (typically 3 oz of some kind of meat each meal) and I've hit my 80g of protein for the day and stayed under 1000 calories. If I want an afternoon snack or something I have it. If I'm busy, probably won't bother. Afternoons\evenings\weekends are motorcycle riding, dating, yard work, dog walking, festivals, movies, TV, shopping for smaller clothes. I wear a 4 or a 6 now after having been an 18. I finish the day with another Multivitamin and 1 Omeprazole, (stomach acid reducer) the only prescription I take after giving up 3 BP meds, cholesterol meds, several asthma meds, etc. Life. Is. GOOD!

99% of the time the comments are compliments so I try to accept them graciously and move the conversation along. If folks are asking about specific numbers, I usually use something non-specific, like I've lost an Olsen Twin! There are people out there who are struggling with weight or know someone who is. If I can be a cheerleader for them or educate a bit along the way, I'm happy to share. Eventually the "attention" will subside when folks get used to seeing me at a healthy weight. Until then, I'll just enjoy the ride!

By the time I'd made up my mind that I was going to have surgery, I was way more scared about where my life was headed if I didn't do it, (that picture was 100% bleak), than of the potential complications if I did (like 5% potential complications). I chose the sleeve over they bypass as with a BMI of 37, I had about 100 pounds to lose. Not as much as a lot of folks here, but still a significant amount. I didn't want\need the malabsorption effect you get with they bypass and long term the complications, (dumping, etc) were less. Plus I just liked the idea of keeping it simple. Some docs prefer the bypass as it is the "gold standard" for WLS. It's been around longer as a WLS. The fact is, that they've been doing stomach reductions (sleeves) for a long time for gastric issues, (ulcers, cancer, etc), so the procedure is not as "new" as you might think. It's just only been approved as a WLS by insurance in the last 2 years or so. For me it was the best decision I ever made. No complications, out of the hospital in 24 hours and back to work the next week. Now, nearly at my goal, I've lost an "Olsen Twin" and have left an armload of health problems behind. I enjoy an active lifestyle and eat what I like in small portions. I can totally trade the lifetime of extra supplements, Vitamins and Protein for what I've achieved today. Life. Is. Good!

For me, exercise is what gives me the flexibility eat what I like in small portions. 5 days per week I spend an hour on my stationary bike. I burn 500-600 calories at a shot and enjoy an hour of whatever NetFlix series I'm currently addicted to in the process. I take weekends off from focused exercise, but I'm way more active that I used to be. When I'm living life this way, I can have a small treat daily if I want and still meet my nutrition goals while losing weight. I record everything that goes in and know what I burn, so I never feel guilty as I'm working a balance that naturally thin people have already figured out! I wouldn't trade this for anything! It's what motivates me to be up at 4:30am to get it done so that life, fatigue, etc. doesn't get in my way at the end of the day. My new size 27 (size 7 Jr. jeans) MissMe's are pretty good motivation as well! LOL

My mother was trying to be supportive as she'd watch my dad literally kill himself by knife and fork at 54, but she was scared and uneducated about the process. As educated as I thought I was going in, I was not in a place to counter her fears, so I took her to meet with my Bariatric Nurse Coordinator. What a difference that made! She still had her fears, but they were managed as she was well informed and she was my ally in the process which made all the difference.