Elaine The Great!

I knew I wasn't crazy... the water thing is real! It nauseates me every time I drink it! I can drink anything else but plain water. I keep trying and some days it isn't horrible, but I still get mild to strong nausea. I have no idea what that is all about. I add flavor drops and it's fine; it is only plain water that makes me nauseous. Weird...

I am so glad I came across this! Just ordered a non-enhanced nutritional yeast on Amazon. No artificial Vitamins...they are no bueno. I have become "digestively intolerant" to both whey and dairy based Proteins. (sorry for that personal info) My hair has started to shed at a very alarming rate. I have to find something that works! I can't eat enough to get in enough Protein. I'm taking my supplements, all kinds of them...but, my hair!

I'm in Houston, we haven't hit 100 yet...it's not that hot. Right now it's 81... you don't have to worry about 100 degree heat until July/August. Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

I hate all of the Protein powders! H.A.T.E. them! I just ordered GENEPRO on Amazon... hoping for the best. I'm three months out and starting to have hair loss... because I haven't been getting in the protein. Hoping that this one does the trick. I have a vast collection of protein powders right now. None of them are tolerable. I have started forcing them down and am having very unpleasant run to the ladies room episodes. It's not just my palate that doesn't like that Damn Protein! Disclaimer: I haven't been tracking my foods, and I'm getting back on track with that too. It seems impossible to get enough protein just from food when I get full on such a small amount, but I'm sure I can get there.

Oh how I love this thread! I don't agree with everyone, but how boring would it be if we all agreed on everything? I HATE the term "Fat Acceptance". I refuse to participate in that. I've been part of numerous conversations with various groups of people, and those who have adopted the "I'm FAT - get over it!" attitude. Fat is a label, but it is far more than just a descriptive like having blonde hair or long legs or blue eyes. It is NOT the same, at least not to me. I refuse to embrace something that is universally accepted as derogatory. Now, talk to me about Body Acceptance, and I'm all over that. I have been a part of that movement, and it did me far more good than chasing after that imaginary perfect workout regime or fad diet. It validated for me that it's ok to be imperfect and to take pride in how I look. I've always been a hair and makeup girl, but that was really based on the idea that if my hair was fabulous and my green eyes were glowing, maybe they wouldn't notice or care that I was 100 lbs overweight. I realized that it is ok to just love myself in the moment, and do the best I can with what I have, and to never look away from the people I caught staring at my stomach. I can now catch their eye and give them a big friendly smile, and most times, they smile back. I hope that they remember my smile and not my big fat droopy belly. I have also had countless debates with people on social media and in person about the fat is unhealthy topic. I have never had any weight related illnesses, and I'm 52 years old. No Hypertension, no high cholesterol, nothing. Perfect labs every year. My doctor has told me I am healthier than she is many times. So yeah, I'm not going to jump on that bandwagon and toss statistics around like I'm an expert on obesity related conditions. Of course I KNOW that they exist, I work in healthcare and I see it all the time. However, being fat is not always a precursor to dropping dead of a heart attack or stoke. These days, my hips and back cause me pain. This is not caused by my weight, it is caused by arthritis and the natural aging process. I'm hoping that my weight loss will alleviate some of that, and it's part of the reason I had surgery. I also need to get my ass out of this big boy office chair and move around more. I'm working on that. I've followed a lot of Plus Size bloggers and models, and of course I don't agree with some of the crazy things they say, but most of them are realistic about their issues and know that eventually, being overweight is going to take its toll. But for now, they are loving themselves in the moment and enjoying the fact that there are millions of people who consider them beautiful and deserving of the attention they are getting. I was reading one of my favorite bloggers pages yesterday and it linked me to a recent discussion about the use of the term "Plus Size". One designer's comments really moved me: "I remember the ballet instructor telling me that I would never be small enough to be a ballerina and even if I was, It would kill me to force my body to be something it never wanted to be. That was the first time in my life I ever felt ugly and ashamed of my figure, I think I was 8 yrs old. I remember crying to my Grandmother that I needed to tape my breasts down and get my body thinner so I could be a ballerina. My grandmother said, ‘Girl, these big bones and full bodies are the strength of the women in this family; they were passed down to you in your blood.’ She told me the story of my body. She talked about how I had her mother’s eyes, her sister’s broad shoulders, her cousin’s hips, and the breasts of every woman in the family. Something about that talk made me so proud that I was connected in this unique way with the women in my family." THAT is the message that I get from these "movements". We need to be encouraged to love ourselves and do our best. If your best is having WLS and getting healthy, then that is awesome. I think that if we are having surgery in order to love ourselves, we are going to find that being overweight wasn't really the problem to begin with. I loved myself just as much as when I weighed 327 lbs as I do now. It took me a while to figure that out, but I am glad that I did, and I have a huge appreciation and admiration for these Plus Size women who have taken on the fight to be accepted as they are, in all their big fat awesomeness. Here's the link to that article, if anyone is interested. http://www.plus-model-mag.com/2016/04/keeptheplus-keep-using-term-plus-size/

My co-worker, and very good friend, went through the same experience a year and a half ago. Her son was shot and killed and the murderers got away with it. They said it was self defense, and who knows, maybe it was, but it doesn't matter. He was 17 and my friend had to bury her son. She was lost, just as you are now, in the shock and pain of it all. Those first weeks and months were awful. Watching her grieve was heartbreaking. She went to his grave all the time and would put huge bouquets of flowers out there on the 12th day of each month, because that was his monthly anniversary. It was terrible to watch her go through all of that and I asked her why she was having another funeral each month, and she just said because she needed to do it. At the one year anniversary of his death, the family gathered at the cemetery and they had a celebration of his life and she finally decided that it was ok to start to move forward. I reminded her that she has her daughters and that they lost their big brother and they needed her to focus on them, and not the ghost of their brother, because that is what she was doing. Her grief was heartbreaking, and it is absolutely true that nobody can imagine that kind of loss and pain unless they experience it. Give yourself time and do what you need to do to make peace with what has happened. All of this is still so fresh for you, I know that you can't see how life will ever get better for you. My friend tells me that the best advice I gave her was to find a new normal. Life will never go back to the same way it was before this horrible thing happened. But that doesn't mean that you can't find peace and acceptance at some point in your future. One day you will be able to sit with your granddaughter and tell her funny, happy stories about when her daddy was a little boy, and you can talk about what happened and then work on putting the bad memories to bed, and replacing them with the ones of happier times that you will always have. I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. I will keep you in my thoughts, and I've lit a candle for you to try to help keep you out of the dark places. Peace & Strength to you.

@@Crochet Queen - I'm the same way...sit down next to me and you get my life story, and if you're lucky, you get the short version. I haven't posted it on social media, but anyone who asks about my weight loss gets the truth. I can't be bothered with trying to keep up with what to tell to whom. My filters don't work like that. I live my life out loud and I refuse to be ashamed of the choices that I make for myself. Mr. Wonderful wasn't totally on board, but he is now. My family, friends, and co-workers are excited for me and we are all looking forward to what the future holds. If there are haters out there, they know better than to throw that shade at me!

Awesome post! Good luck with your consultation and next steps! Oprah is always gonna have the struggle, she is a food addict and her "taking the high road" about WLS is just a crutch. I will have to gently disagree with the "rant" about fat acceptance. Plus Size women have made huge progress in the fashion industry and just in general. I follow a lot of plus size bloggers and models, and they take a constant beating from people who are so cruel; the health "experts", the fitness fanatics, and just mean people in general. For a long time, I was one of those BBW in all my glory. I found my confidence, decided to love myself, and made peace with my body. I wear two piece "fatkinis" (can we just do away with that stupid word?) at home, and have a vast collection of swimwear and assorted accessories. My reason for surgery was because of the increasing pain in my hips and back that are mostly weight related. I'm looking forward to there being less of me physically, but I'm keeping the lessons being obese taught me, regardless of what the numbers on my scales and clothing say. That being said, I'm really looking forward to buying smaller "fatkinis"!!!

I'm just past four weeks out of surgery and I can not get the Protein powders down. They literally gag me. I have unjury, Isopure, Pure Protein, and another one that escapes me right now. My nurse recommended the New whey shots, which I now see aren't the best thing on the market, but at 42g of protein, I'll do them for now. I have to mix them with ice, Water, and Crystal Light to mask the protein smell and flavor, but they don't make me nauseous. I'm going to try the Syntrax Fuzzy Navel. Has anyone tried it here? I didn't see it mentioned.

I had my revision on 3/8/16 and I'm down 30# since initial weigh in at the first appointment. Not sure what I weighed on the day of surgery. I've had a few times when I had a "starving" feeling, but if I just drink something or eat something it goes away and I move on. I am struggling with finding things that I want to eat. Nothing really appeals to me. I had something with more sugar than I thought it had because I wasn't paying attention, and it gave what can only be described as the dumping syndrome. I won't ever do that again! I'm not a sugar/sweets person anyway. I'm finding that my go-to food is turkey chili and avocado, with a little cheese. I know it sounds crazy, but it satisfies me and I get enough Protein out of it. The shakes are a struggle, and I have not been able to finish one in the last couple of weeks. I just can't get past the smell and the taste. My nurse says that will get better and my nut says to get away from the shakes anyway. She's not a fan and I'm desperately glad to hear it! I just need to use My Fitness Pal to track my eating to make sure I get enough protein. I have bought some of the New whey shots, which I understand are not favored by all, but I've done my research and I'm ok with them. They are small, pack 42g of protein, I can stomach them, and they were one of the sources of protein recommended by my doctor's office. All in all, I'm feeling very good about my surgery and recovery. I had my follow up appt. today and was released to return to full activities and instructed to start exercising. It is a struggle that I have yet to overcome. I did buy some new workout shoes, now I just have to put them on and get to steppin'! I go back for my next visit in six months. That's not until the fall. I am really looking forward to what summer brings!

That was only part of the conversation that we had. I am fully aware of the nutritional values of everything that I consumek, and I assure you that my surgeon is not lacking in education or knowledge. In reference to the watermelon martini, my recipe involves muddled fresh watermelon and cucumber, vodka, a little Water and some Splenda, shaken with crushed ice.

LOL! I too was one of those girls.. and I am going to miss my wine! I committed to giving it up after having this conversation with my surgeon. He explained, which I already knew, that wine has carbs and sugars that will make you fat. Liquor, on the other hand, will not ever may you fat on its own. The body converts alcohol to ketones, which are either burned off as energy or eliminated. He told me that he doesn't tell people not to drink, because he understands that it's just what some people do. His advice to me was to choose top shelf liquors because they are made from superior grains, and mix them with zero calorie mixers. He also said that if I do decide that I want a glass of Chardonnay once in a while, buy a nice bottle of it and savor it, rather than knocking back a big bottle of Barefoot. All perfectly agreeable alternatives as far as I'm concerned. I'm only seven days out...so it will be a while before I have any adult beverages, but when I do, I am considering a nice fresh watermelon martini!

I'm seriously considering going... I just asked my sister if she is interested. We were both banded in 2008 without much success on either part. Are you already scheduled?

I lost 6 lbs over the last week but I've been eating bad stuff so I'm sure I put some back on. I am avoiding the scale. I will be weighing in tomorrow morning and I'm sure that I, too, will be placing myself in time out... that's ok. I'm looking good! I don't know the name of that tea, but my friend said she got it at the Vitamin Shoppe. I'm going to go get some this weekend.

There ya go...that's better. I bought a scale yesterday. I've never owned one! I'm trying...I still can't seem to choke down those protein shakes. My friend found a protein tea that she loves so I'm going to try that. Small steps but I'm still steppin' so that's what really matters!

I know how you feel girl! But hang in there! I had my surgery in August and I've only lost 40... Don't give up and don't put yourself down. You just have to keep at it and figure out what you're doing wrong. I know what I do wrong. I'm scheduled for a fill next week and I'm going to join a walking group here at work. I usually tease them and make fun of them because none of them are that big, but I'm about to get my fat azz out there and start walking too. You will look beautiful on your wedding day. Don't be so hard on yourself. Your fiance loves you... he asked you to marry him didn't he??? Come on now...you can let your shoulders droop but keep your chin up!

Thank you! I'm better. I was just having a really bad day. I have an appointment next Thursday for a fill and have landed on the slow losers thread. I think that's the place for me! I am going to be a regular on the website...I joined right as I was having the surgery and then strayed. Strayed right back into a bunch of old bad habits! I'm going to be ok. I am strong and I will beat my battle with fat. Then I'll be all over the plastic surgery threads whining about not being able to afford that tummy tuck and I am SO looking forward to! A trip to Mexico is definitely in my future. Thanks so much for the words of encouragement! LOVE!

I feel so much better today! Thanks for all of your support and advice. I guess I think I'm too cool or too busy to actually write down everything that I eat down. I know when I'm eating too much or eating the wrong thing. I started drinking beer again and I know that has a lot to do with it. I quit yesterday. I'm going back to the occassional cocktail. My friends are all beer drinkers and its hard to give up those old social habits. But my friends are all behind me and I went for months without drinking beer and then when I started up again they all fussed at me. These are bar owners and a few bikers, so trust me they don't hold back. No more Bud Lite for me! I have a date tonight and plan on having a couple of martinis and that's IT. I KNOW that alcohol has a lot of calories but one of the reasons I chose the lap band was because I could still be a social drinker if I want to. I'm wearing size 18 jeans and a long black top today and everybody at work has told me how good I look and that they can really tell I've lost, so that boosted my ego. And to answer the question, YES! I need a fill. I go too long in between but I have to pay $150 each time so I have to spread them out. I'm a single mom with a kid in college so I'm always trying to juggle it all. But I have an appointment next Thursday. They always do the barium swallow so I will know if I have stretched my pouch. I don't think I have, but my sister did and didn't even know it... Thanks again for the support. I plan to be a regular on here and I am so thankful to have somewhere to go to talk and ask questions and vent when I need to. I'm going to work in my yard again Sunday. I am so out of shape it's ridiculous. I'm getting there and a year from now I'm going to be smokin hot!

Thank GOD I've found you all. I need HELP! I was banded 8/24/07 and have only lost 39 lbs or thereabouts. Not too sure because I don't even own a scale. I'm going to buy one this weekend and start to work harder at this. I've been getting discouraged because I'm not shedding the lbs like magic, but I haven't been doing what I'm supposed to. I'm still self-indulgent and eat and drink pretty much whatever I want. I have faithfully given up bread and I do eat much smaller portions than I did before the surgery, but I never was a really big eater. My issue has always been the fact that I refuse to excercise. I'm trying to talk myself into it, but it's so hard for me. I worked in my yard all day last Sunday and my legs are still sore. That's how out of shape I am. I have gone from a size 26 to an 18/20 but it's not enough. I'm 8 months in and I wanted to lose 100 the first year. I know I've lost a noticable amount, but I'm stuck now. For me, this is like going to an AA meeting and saying, Hi, I'm Elaine and I'm A BIG FAT LOSER! I know I shouldn't be hard on myself and trust me, I dont' usually have self-esteem issues, but I'm disappointed in myself for being a slow loser. This is exactly what I expected to happen. In the back of my mind I can hear a little voice saying, you didn't REALLY think this was going to work did you? Man...I'm really down about this today. Tomorrow will be better... :tt1:

Ok all you twosters or on your way to twostervilles, I need some help. I was banded on 8/24/07 and I've lost about 39 lbs. Not even sure about that. I started at 304 and am now about 265 but havent' weighed since February when I had my last fill. I have an appointment for next week for another fill. I have the large 10cc band and have 7cc's right now. I have almost enough restriction but I'm still doing the wrong things. I've been eating pretty much whatever I want unless it makes me sick and I started drinking beer again. I have no excuse and I know I'm messing up. I'm so sick of being fat. All of my friends say wow, you can really tell you've lost weight, but it has stalled so I'm sure what they're really saying is I knew it wouldn't work. I'm just disgusted by the whole thing. Maybe this isn't the right place to post this, but I want to hit that 200 mark really bad and you all are close or are already there. I just needed to vent this somewhere and landed on you guys. Congratulations on your progress. I just feel so different from all of you...I don't know why. Elaine

Claramae, that was well said! I'm getting hungry now and I'm wanting Whataburger and Church's and all the stuff I've been eating for lunch for years... You are SO RIGHT! I've had years of that crap; time to eat the damn soup and get over it. I'm sticking to the soups even though I'm craving carbs and the fats. I'll be DAMNED if I fail at this. Thanks Claramae!

Didn't you know? Jesus is in jail! Everybody who goes to jail "finds" him there. Then when get out, they lose him again. Repent! and mean it when you do...!

I'm having all kinds of gas but it's not uncomfortable. From everything I read it's common. Lots of unpleasant bathroom trips but I suffer from irritable bowel syndrome so that's nothing new to me. I haven't been taking anything for it because I think it's mostly from the all liquid diet. I don't think the liquids will stretch anything because they pass straight through and there's no restriction right now anyway. Overall, I feel so much better!

I'm 43 and have been heavy since my early 20's. I've never ever felt discriminated against because I'm fat. I think that maybe that has more to do with my personality than with anything else. I can't ever remember being looked at as anything less than my counterparts simply because I'm fat. I have high self esteem; I refuse not to. I've seen other overweight women berate themselves and shrink away when they should stand their ground. It's as if they think that they deserve to be treated differently than everybody else so they accept it. I don't know how to explain it because I've never felt that feeling, but I recognize it when I see it. It makes me so mad! The little chubby mousy girl who doesn't dress well or put on makeup or fix her hair; it's like she gets up in the morning and says to herself, what's the point? I wish I could give those girls some of my energy, whatever it is that makes me refuse to do that. I hope I'm not offending anybody by trying to express myself and I may not be making my point as eloquently as some others here do, but basically, what I'm trying to say is that you get treated the way you allow yourself to be treated.

Green, Yes, they're those little dangly things that just happen and don't seem to have any feeling. I have two under my left arm and I'm tempted to have them removed. My sister cuts hers off with fingernail clippers. I just can't bring myself to do it. I just can't... Should have asked Dr. Hollis to do it when I was under. Ah well...