McButterpants

There was something like this on My 400 Pound Life...the doctor wouldn't operate because he wasn't ready. Me thinks this is a similar case. I didn't expect my husband to cater to my every need - getting up and walking around is great for recovery, so I did those things myself. He helped me, yes, but I didn't demand he get anything for me. If you don't like being a doormat, pick yourself up and don't allow yourself to be one. Best of luck to the both of you - sounds like counseling would help you both!

Well hello there! I was sleeved in November, 2013, so I'm right at 6 months. My loss has slowed considerably and I was so frustrated. While I sat in the doctor's office for my 6 month check up it's like a light bulb went off in my head - I'm letting some old habits back in my life. Yep, I'm snacking and I'm not tracking. I'm drinking too much coffee (empty calories with the milk and agave) and I'm allowing myself extra bites, bigger meals and surprisingly eating too fast. So, for the past few days, I've been tracking...I was surprised at what I found. I'm eating way too much - I'm eating around my sleeve, I'm not watching my portion sizes and eating too many slider foods (yogurt pretzels are a favorite slider for me). So, I went back to basics - I'm logging all my intake and I'm doing 1-2 shakes per day. I make sure I track my fluids, too. I can already feel a difference. You've identified a problem - that's important. You're going to be OK - My plan is to get back to basics - Protein first, logging my food and Water and continue to work out (I do 3-4 cardio workouts a week, resistance training 2-3 days a week - I move my body most days of the week) You got this!!!!!

Depending on what your approved for...looks like you're about 3 months out? Here are some of my go-to's... Beef Jerky Raw Almonds Quest Protein bars Pantry Selections Protein Bars (I get mine at www.mybariatricpantry.com) Single serving shake mixes (and a Blender Bottle w/ the wisky thing that goes with it) If you have a cooler... Turkey pepperoni w/ cheddar cheese Deli meat Enjoy your vacation!

Another thought...we are human, by that very definition, we will fail from time to time. It's how we handle that failure that will define our success. If you fail one day and say, eat a bunch of donut holes or a bad of yogurt pretzels or insert "bad food" here, that's not catastrophic. The next day you need to "behave yourself" and tighten things up. If you allow that failure that one day become two days, which becomes three days and so on until you finally give up, then I think failure is outcome. I have had to give up on my "all or nothing" way of thinking - I'm not perfect and I need to say Good Enough sometimes. This was the best I could do today and move on. I have said to a couple of sleevers on this site who were lamenting about screwing up - "What would you do if a friend said they did the same thing? You would tell them it's OK that tomorrow is another day" YOu would be kind to them. Why can't we do the same thing to ourselves? Have a great day everyone! Keep on sleevin' on!

I am right at 6 months out - I wish I would have been more prepared for the mental/emotional part of this process. I wish I would have addressed my issues with food prior to surgery (why am I stress eater? Why do I turn to food for comfort?). I had to address those issues (still addressing them, actually) while trying to recover from surgery, the different stages of eating when I re-introduced food, etc. I have no regrets about getting the surgery - it's been one of the best things I could every do for myself. This is a life-changer.

I use the hair building fibers - I purchased the took kit and the regular sized bottle. I still have about 1/2 the bottle left and I use it daily. I apply it with the spray applicator which works best for me.

I ate a lot of... Scrambled egg topped with some cheese Fat-free refried beans topped with cheese (add some plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream) Pureed chicken or tuna with mayo and mustard.

Your fear is perfectly normal - we have all failed before, multiple times. A lot of us think that this, too, will fail. Here's what I know at 6 months out....I can eat lots of foods. I have a sleeve of steel, I have yet to find a food that bothers me. I can eat lots and lots of carbs and feel very little restriction (this happened just 2 weeks ago with yogurt pretzels). Your sleeve doesn't stop you from eating the bad foods, it stops you from eating large quantities of bad food. I just had to start tracking my intake again because I ALLOWED those old habits back in my life in the past 8 weeks. My weight loss slowed to a crawl and I didn't know why until the first day I started logging my food again. I also realized I started eating too fast again. I need to be more disciplined, I need to track and I need to make good decisions. I am responsible for feeding my body Protein rich and healthy foods. My sleeve will stop me when it's time. Best of luck to you!

I had my surgery in November, 2013 - my hair loss started in the 2nd month and has continued to month 6. It's slowing down considerably now. Some days I could get a handful of hair - it was horrifying. My doc OK'd Biotin and Folic Acid. She said "whatever you lose due to the surgery will grow back." I have lots of new growth coming in, which makes styling a challenge, but am glad it's coming back. I also have a bald spot where my bangs should be - it's disheartening, but I can see some new growth. For the bald spot, I use a product called Toppik - you can look them up on the internet. It works just like how the video shows it. It covered so well that my stylist didn't even know I was using it until after she washed my hair.

Here are my staples.... Egg Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Patties Sharp Cheddar cheese Fat Free Refried Beans Deli meat - turkey and roast beef Roasted chicken breast (I cook a couple on a Sunday afternoon and use them during the week) Frozen Strawberries for shakes One of my go-to meals when I want a treat (when doc approves) - one carb balance tortilla shell, spread some BBQ Sauce and add some of the roasted chicken. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes (watch it closely - it burns fast). Heavenly!

If I could make a couple of suggestions...these saved my sanity: 1. Don't weigh every day - it's bad for your soul. I went so far as to have my husband hide the scale and bring it out once per week. I realized a couple of months in that my body was going to lose weight at it's own pace and it wasn't as fast as my brain wanted it to lose. 2. Take your measurements - I measure about once per month. You will see your numbers getting smaller even if the scale says your weight is slow. (Case in point - I lost 3 pounds last month, but I lost 5 inches.) 3. Document your journey with pictures. I have pics from about 2-3 times per month since I decided to have surgery. It's nice to refer back to those pictures when the scale isn't moving. 4. Be kind to yourself. I know I'm my own worst critic and my own worst enemy...I've had to learn to like myself - something I haven't done since high school. Best of luck to you!

If you graphed my weight loss it would look like a stair step, not a straight line down. My doc said this is perfectly normal and to be expected.

When I have the time I go for my French Press....2/3 cup of coffee made w/ gourmet Beans, 1/3 cup of warmed 1% milk, 1 splenda and touch of Agave...Now that is heaven! I may have to make one this afternoon....all this coffee talk is making me thirsty! LOL

I had my VSG surgery 6 months ago on 11/14/13. This has been an amazing process! I have learned a lot in the past 6 months... * One bite too many will cause unbelievable pain for hours - it's not worth it. * A bagel is a gateway drug. * There is life after losing A LOT of hair. * I was more hung up about my weight than other people. * I like to cross my legs now that I am able. * I actually like to exercise. * I don't mind flying on a plane now that I fit in the seat. * I can eat around my sleeve, but I don't feel good physically or mentally afterwards. * I have a sleeve of steel which is a double edged sword. * There are days I will still feel like The Fat Girl. * The mental part of this process is more than I expected and has taken and will take more effort than I expected. Some negative thoughts that come to mind: I have had moments of "What the hell did I do to myself" even as recently as a couple of weeks ago. I sometimes feel like a fraud - only 5 people know I had the surgery (please don't judge, I have my reasons) - there are days I feel like I took the easy way out...I know this isn't true, but it's how I feel sometimes. I know there hasn't been anything easy about this, but that bias, that perception that some have still sticks with me. I feel like there are some people just waiting for me to gain the weight back. I have some "friends" that haven't said anything about the 70 pounds I have lost. I have another "friend" that doesn't speak to me any more. My weight loss has slowed way down the past 2 months - it's discouraging. Some positive thoughts: I feel awesome. I feel better today than I did 15 years ago. I can shop at a "normal" store - no more Plus Size clothes for me. My health is so much better than 6 months ago - blood pressure is down, not on the verge of diabetes, labs are great. I can make it thru the day without a nap - I used to lose 1-2 hours a day napping because I couldn't get thru the day. My relationship with my husband is better - this one is on me, he never made me feel bad about my weight (he never uttered a word) I'm a better mom - I'm more active, more attentive, I have more patience. I'm a better employee - I have more focus and I don't have such a short temper. My life is better than it was last year. Even though my loss is slowing down, I'm losing inches (3 pounds lost last month, but I lost 5 inches!) This has been an amazing process and I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to have this surgery. For those newbies who are thinking about having surgery or are going to have their surgery soon - this is a life changer. I know you're scared - I was, too. This is an opportunity for a do-over. Would I do this over again? Absolutely - my only regret is I waited until my mid-40's to do it!

Also the acid in the coffee is hard on your stomach. I was required to be caffeine free at the time of my surgery. My doctor OK'd real coffee at week 12, but only 1-2 cups of real coffee per day.

Your body probably held on to some Water because of your weight training - your muscles will need the water to recover. It's totally normal. The thing that has saved me is taking my measurements along the way...I measure my neck, upper arm, forearm, chest, waist, hips, thigh and calf. For the last month I did more weight training than previous months and I showed no loss on the scale, however I lost almost 5 inches in that same period. While I was disappointed I didn't lose pounds according to the scale, it was nice to know I was getting smaller! Best of luck to you.

Thank you so much for your very open and honest post. I get a lot of reassurance from people who post the negatives, yet still say they have no regrets. My op is tomorrow, and I'm scared that the mental side is going to be my failure.....posts like yours make me feel that it's normal to think twice, however, with commitment and focus, it all works out in the end. Thanks heaps and good luck in your continued journey Best of luck tomorrow. I'll be honest, the night before and the morning of surgery, I almost backed out. Truly, I sat in admitting thinking "I could walk out of here and only be out $500." I was scared, so scared, but at that moment that I looked at my husband and thought about all the reasons I wanted to have the surgery, I chose to walk down that long hallway and start the process. It hasn't been all sunshine and lollipops - I've been frustrated, mad (at myself for letting it get to this point), fearful, disappointed, etc. But, I AM happy I did this. It has been so worth it. You'll do fine tomorrow - be patient and take good care of yourself. I had my surgery on an outpatient basis (I was in a 6:00 am and in the car to go home at noon). That first day I slept and paced around the condo (that was the only thing that helped with the gas pains). I took 2 or 3 pain pills in total - just so I could get some good sleep. Good luck!

Yes to both - apron is not too terribly bad, it hangs down maybe 1 1/2-2". On my thighs, it's not really bad, I have muscular legs, and I've noticed that as I've added weight training, it's gotten better - I have sagging on the inside of my thighs and I can wear capris or bermuda shorts with no issues..

My NUT freaked when I told her I hadn't poo'd for 5 days after surgery. She suggested taking a good quality probiotic and some Metamucil to get these moving.

Hi there! It's not as bad as I thought it would be, but yeah, there's loose skin. I have some on my inner thighs, my tunny (the dreaded apron) and my bat wings (arms). I'm working hard on toning and building muscle (not bulking up, toning.) I don't know if it helps, but I use Firming Lotion from Nivea - if nothing else, it makes me feel like I'm doing something to help.

I'm at just under 70 pounds from my high weight - my husband said I'm carrying myself differently, but in a good way. I walk much taller than I did before and I'm "more athletic" than I have been in years. I haven't found balance to be an issue.

RJ is right on...you will feel better, you're body is healing right now - you just went thru major surgery. In response to what your question about what you should have - what did your doctor tell you to have? Every doctor has different directions for their patients, you should follow the diet that you were given. I was self-pay and had a local bariatric doctor for after care - their diets and reintroduction of foods were polar opposites from each other. I followed the surgeon's rules immediately after post op (protein shakes, water, etc), then at 2 weeks when I saw my local doctor, I started following her diet (it was actually a step back from the surgeons).

@@LipstickLady, you are my hero! You are stunning. Congrats to you on your success - you are an inspiration!

This is an interesting top - thanks for starting it! I think it's a little bit of both...restriction and new habits. At least that's how I'm feeling now. I ate 1/4 of a bagel the other day (one of my favorite things to do on Sunday morning pre-op was to eat bagels and drink coffee on the back deck with my husband....). I knew when I toasted that bagel that I wouldn't be able to eat much of it, thus only making 1/4 of a bagel. I felt the restriction just as I was taking the last bite, so I was happy. My problem came from the rest of the day - I craved carby things all day and had a hard time controlling my hunger. My take-away from that experience...I probably am not going to have bagels any more! :-) I feel like the restriction and the fact that some foods feel better in my tummy than others, along with better decisions will help my success. I also feel that the same "excuses"/rationale/ reasons for not exercising prior to surgery are coming back...I need to watch that I do not become as sedentary as I was before. That's a slippery slope for me.

Decision day on 08/21/13 and late March...I had my surgery in November. Best of luck to you!