Bobby46

I think people believe its the "wrong" way because we are choosing to physically alter our bodies "just to lose weight". I heard it from a few people, not many. Mostly heard the "easy way out" stuff.....so "easy" and "wrong" probably do go hand in hand. But from what was said to me...they had a very hard time understanding why I was choosing to permanently cut out a portion of a vital organ. Its just "wrong" and "crazy". No amount of justification on my part changed their minds. I still have a stomach, I still eat.....but with the way I am built mentally and physically I couldn't control this without a drastic choice. Now I can.....Thank God! I explained that I HAD to take advantage of this opportunity to gain control so I can live a healthier life. This is the right choice for me. Every other avenue failed me. Still got the "I just don't understand why you don't just eat less and exercise more, its about choice." They don't understand.....so its "wrong"

I see posts about breast, arm and stomach plastics but never legs. Has anyone had this done? I carry my weight in my stomach, hiney and thighs and I am going to need help in all 3 of those areas. Just curious right now. Thanks!

Thanks guys. I will need the arms and tummy done as well, no doubt. I am scared more for my legs. Anything will be better than the loose skin though! Average for a 47yr old would thrill me! I just don't want to lose the weight and still feel like I have to completely cover myself up. I will have to pay out of pocket for it all too. That is also scary to me. I will figure it out, I suppose. Glad to hear you are happy with the results! All the best to both of you!

I feel your pain! Tonight we are having a birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse (pretty much a steak house). People eating steak around me doesn't hurt...not a big beef fan. What bothers me are those hot buttery rolls they serve with cinnamon butter!!! UGH!!! I will probably overdose on the smell of all that wonderfulness! But....I wont have any. I will stick with my chicken and greenbeans and just fantasize its a big roll smothered in butter Family dinners at home don't really bother me. Maybe because I'm in a comfortable place and can distract myself. Eating out is really hard. Glad we don't do it very often! I hope it gets easier over time!

You are doing fine! No worries! I never buy organic anything and the weight is moving in the right direction. Just get up each day and make a plan. Protein, veggies, a little fruit if you can, Vitamins and Water. I have never bought expensive anything for this. I have an occasional hersheys kiss.... a small bite of a bagel.....a small bite of cake if I'm at a birthday party. Sometimes I even skip my protein......OH NO!....and eat pasta!! Guess what?.....I didn't gain a single pound from it! I plan for it. Exercise. Drink my water. Get back on track. I don't have anything off course every single day....I have it about 1x a week or every other week. I try to go into the store with the mindset that I am a normal woman eating a normal healthy diet....instead of I'm a WLS patient and have to abide by this program to a T or I will be fat forever. You're human. Eat good healthy food most of the time and enjoy a bite of something "forbidden" when you please. Don't deprive yourself, it just makes you more frustrated. This is a permanent change. Make it work for you. Its your life! No worries! PS.....anything that makes me feel guilty is off the table....Things that make me track every single calorie and every single movement makes me feel HORRIBLE if I am even slightly off. I write down what I eat and a close calculation of the calories and the protein. That's it. If I see that I had Pasta on Monday I stay away from it the rest of the week. That's enough tracking for me. I did weight watchers and the point system still runs through my head and drive me bonkers! I exercise 3xs a week for 30 mins. I don't worry about what day, what time of day or what kind of exercise. I refuse to stress myself out over this!

I am about to say something that will make some people mad......but keep reading.....just giving my point of view. Don't want to make anyone mad. This is just my experience. I used to get soooo mad at people who said WLS is the easy way out............... I have been on just about every single weight loss program known to man kind. About 37yrs worth of it. I have lost and I have regained. Most of us have traveled together on that same stinking road, I'm sure. WLS has been the easiest for me. Yep, I said it. My surgery was so easy. No pain. Recovery super fast and super easy. I was very blessed. The weight just fell off. I didn't struggle with emotional issues regarding food. I didn't cry. I didn't fight it at all. So to me this has been the "easy way" considering all the other avenues I ventured down. WAIT......That being said...... I am only 5 1/2 mths out. I have hit a stall, a huge one.....about 6 weeks now. So....about 6 weeks ago #%^& got real! I understand why people who don't have weight issues.....or those who do and refuse to face it......say that this is the easy way out. To them they see surgery 1 day and weeks or months later people are 1/2 their size! Easy peasy. No one outside of this experience will ever understand how difficult this is. They just wont. I really doubt we will ever make anyone understand that WLS is just as difficult as any other weight loss program out there. We will never be able to show them the hard part.....the fight in our heads and the fight to avoid certain foods, maybe forever. They only see that the weight came off fast and that equals easy because dieting without surgery is a slower process. Little do they know.....little did I know....the real work begins when that grace period ends. For me I had 4 glorious months of "easy". But, I realize the rest of my life this is going to be one difficult fight! My 600lb life to me is inspiring and sad. I worry that the general public is just gawking at them. Makes me sad for them. They may be inspirational to those of us who struggle with weight.....but I feel they are just entertainment for those who don't. I've never watched the other show about the young woman who is "happy" as a very obese person. But, there are issues there. In my opinion, no one who becomes obese...with or without medical issues....is "happy". They adjust to it, accept it, and make the best of it....but I guarantee that if there was a "miracle pill" that would turn her into a thin, healthy woman, she would take it.

I only have 3 pair of jeans now. Well 1....1 pair that fits for the most part but are starting to get a little loose. 2 are too big.....but I still grab them and put them on thinking they will fit just fine. I take them back off immediately but still hang them where I can reach them....because they might fit again. ?? I have always had 2 or 3 different sizes in my closet. I think I'm still shocked that they no longer fit. I also deal with the booth when I go out to eat....surprises me when I actually have room between me and the table!. I am always shocked when I fit in the seat at the movie theater....don't have to fight for both arm rests because I need that extra room! My son and I can pass each other easily in the hall way without him hugging the wall to let me through. I still don't recognize myself when I catch my reflection in a mirrored surface or shiney glass window.....I always do a double take instead of avoiding them completely!

45lbs in 7.5 weeks is amazing! Normal weight loss for those who didn't have surgery is 1.5lbs to 2lbs a week. Please try not to worry about numbers....you will drive yourself bonkers! So never, ever, worry about whether or not your weight loss is fast enough. Anything lost is heading in the right direction! And....don't be surprised if you stall or slow way down along the way. Try to remember your weight loss is going to be completely different than anyone else out there. Best of luck to you! And congrats!!

Throw in a big hand full of spinach first and cook it down before you scramble your egg. Great way to get in a couple servings of veggies because they cook way down. I also use the laughing cow cheese with it. 5 mths out and its still my favorite Breakfast most mornings! It was heaven on a plate when I was first allowed to eat food! Sometimes I also put a spoonful of salsa on it too. YUM!

Don't waste your money. Youre removing 80% of your stomach. You will not be able to eat like you used to. There is just no room for it. The only way you will not lose weight with sleeve surgery is if you are grazing/nibbling/constantly eating all day and making horrible choices. If you follow the nutritionists guidelines and eat the way you are advised after surgery, not only will you lose weight (the purpose of the surgery), you will do it in a healthy way. If I had every dollar back that I ever spent on weight loss programs, diet pills, diet gadgets, exercise dvd's, diet books, diet shakes, hypnosis..... I could have paid for this surgery out of pocket with cold hard cash. Most of these things worked to a certain degree.....but I always put it back on with in several months. ALWAYS. This surgery is not a "diet". Its not a "miracle cure". It is the permanent reconstruction of your stomach to decrease the amount of food you can eat. FOREVER. You can choose to eat healthy and be healthy with it. Or, you can choose to do crazy crash diets and gimics that leave you more frustrated after. You will lose weight either way, no doubt, your stomach is mostly gone. But, wouldn't you rather eat good food and enjoy it rather than drink weird drinks, pop pills and deprive yourself of good tasting food?

Hello. I never got sick right after surgery.....thank God Almighty! I can only imagine what you go through! We are all different tough. Your experience will be your very own. It doesn't mean something is wrong with you...it just means your road is a little more bumpy than others. Try to take it one day at a time. You will figure out whats right for you with the help of your doctor. I can tell you that I worried.....way too much....about how much I will be able to eat. I think most of us do. Youre used to a certain way of eating and getting through your day. Things are going to change. That's why you went through with this, right? Something had to give. It is shocking to see how much you once ate compared to how much you are eating..or not eating...now. I completely understand! I thought for sure I would only be able to eat 1/4 cup of food for the rest of my life and it depressed the hell out of me! I enjoy food. Good food, bad food....all of it! I am up to about 1 cup of food at a meal now at 5+ months out. I think this is the norm for me now. And, guess what, I'm am totally used to it! It's okay! Do I want a giant chunk of cake or a big plate of Mexican food....oh, yes I do!!! But now I can have a bite of my favorites and be okay with it. I am down 66lbs and it feels great! I wouldn't have been able to do it without the surgery. So I am thrilled with my new eating habits. I am thrilled that I no longer crave junk food. I am thrilled that if I do want junk food 1 bite makes me happy! I never thought in a million years that I would be ok with a bite instead of a hunk!! Good things are coming your way! One day at a time! One accomplishment at a time! One realization at a time!

No relationship right now. No sex. The only thing messing up my hair right now is me taking a nap in the middle of a Sunday afternoon! Dang it! I am starting to think about dating and sex once again.....its been about 2 yrs for me. I am hoping I can deal with this body once I'm closer to goal. Its a scary thing for me. I'm also a divorced, single mother of a 13yr old boy....we're very close. Dating is not something he wants me to ever do again as long as I live lol. So I have some things to work on, I guess.

There are several articles online. Sounds like they really cant explain why some people experience hair loss after surgery like this and some don't. What I have read I doubt you will continue losing tons of hair for months on end.....I think there is a window of time when the hair loss can occur. Most seem to say it starts anywhere from 4 mths to 6mths after surgery and lasts for a few months. I know all advise is different. One thing I was told by my nutritionist is that our bodies store Protein and Vitamins...it builds up in our systems like a reserve.....so when you go without protein and vitamins like B12 and Biotin for a few weeks at surgery it will show as a loss of those essentials several weeks later when the reserves run out. Try not to worry too much....the stress cant help the situation either. I have no doubt you will be fine. I'm sure the hair loss is more noticeable to you than to others. I have thinned out a bit and to me I feel bald....to my hair dresser its hardly noticeable. My thinning only lasted about 5 weeks. Hang in there! It will get better!

I have been wondering about how I will handle the maintenance part of all of this. Thank you for a real glimpse of what its like. There aren't enough threads that point out the mental fight. It helps to see others are fighting this and winning. Its reality. I am only 5 mths out now and am about 1/2 way to where I want to be. I have days that are super easy for me and I'm on track with everything and life is so good! "This is the best thing I have ever done for myself!".....Then I have days and sometimes weeks where I fight the fight and the scale doesn't move....that's when I start wondering about how this is all going to pan out for me. I never expected the weight to just fall off quickly and I would be model perfect, yay me! I never for a minute had any delusions of being thin and being able to eat the way I used to. But....my little brain keeps messing with me. The whole "is this worth it" question nags at me on occasion because this is more a mental challenge than a physical one. But, its okay. I am not alone. Thank God for therapists! I know I will reach my goal. I know I will fight until I get there. I pray that I will fight just as hard to stay there! I know my biggest battle will be the maintenance.

16lbs in a month is fantastic. Relax. Its going to come off. Its going to stall, its going to fall off like crazy, then it will level off and just when you think youre going to move right along its going to stall again. Welcome aboard the rollercoaster!

When I started losing weight I realized I was wearing some shirts that were way too tight before. They fit like they should fit for a while and are now too big.....but....I still wear them. I wear jeans that fit well but I continue to wear baggy shirts for now because I don't want to shop for anything right now that isn't completely necessary and the shirts aren't totally hanging on me. I am also wearing some of the big long sleeve t-shirts as jammie tops.....have lots of jammies now! I wear what makes me feel emotionally comfortable..... what makes me feel like I look female. Before, if it was clothes and covered everything, then I wore it and tried not to think about what I looked like. I just needed to be presentable and get on with my day. Now if I don't feel good in it then I wont wear it.

Absolutely, Positively a NSV!!! I give myself a pat on the back every time I skip the bread basket or the chip bowl when I meet friends and family for dinner! Its definitely a victory for someone who had no self control over those before! Feels fantastic! Why wouldn't it be a NSV?!

Its a lovely ole stall. I am 5 mths out and I've had 3 stalls. 1 lasted a week. 1 lasted 3 weeks and this one has been a month long. When I come off a stall I drop 4 or 5 pounds in a few days then it levels out to 2lbs a week. Usually if I up my calories a bit it will break the stall. The 3 week stall was awful....I did everything I can think of and I stayed stuck. This stall I'm on now I think is the result of hormones on top of a regular stall. And I started the stall after a week of having Christmas Cookies (just 1 or 2) everyday for about 5 days. This stall is killing me! But, I know it will eventually start coming off again in due time. I know I'm doing everything right so theres no reason for it other than my body adjusting to everything again. Part of the process is what I'm told

I am over 5 mths out and I drink 2 cups in the mornings......takes me about 3hrs because I work from home and I nurse it...heat it up a few times. I also drink a cup in the evenings if I'm in the mood. My doc said that as long as it doesn't upset my stomach its fine.

If it grows from the ground or has a face, eat it. Isn't that what Jilian Michaels says all the time? Bananas are healthy good carbs. If you are eating processed/packaged foods as your carbs then you should probably worry a lot more. It seems just about all of us are getting different advise from our nutritionists. My niece is a nutritionist and she is obsessed with what she believes to be the correct way to eat and she trys to argue with me over the advise I've been given. I kind of imagine most of them are stuck in their way of thinking/training too. What I've learned in the past 5 mths?.....I firmly believe in making smart choices for myself and what makes me feel good. I listen to my nutritionist...and fit the info in and see how it goes for me. But I decide. I feel great when I eat Protein, veggies and fruit and I feel crappy when I eat processed, packaged foods. So....a banana, for me, is a wise choice....and I eat a whole small one as a snack : )

Take this time to choose high nutrition. You have to eat so eat the things that are the best choice for your body. I kind of thought it was a chore as well in the beginning. I started eating very healthy at that time. Now 5 mths out I WANT the healthy choices. I crave spinach and roasted veggies, baked chicken and salmon, laughing cow cheese and roasted chickpeas! I watch my son eat a cheeseburger and all I see is fat and grease lol ....I tend to lecture him even though he is a perfect weight and very active. I still crave sweets though....but I found simply fruit spread, s/f Jello and popcicles and fudgecicles and special K or nature valley Protein bars and they all take the edge off. I experiment with spices and things now too. You will develop a new normal over the next couple of months.

I feel younger! I'm 46 and I don't believe I look older, most people guess my age around 38! Since surgery my skin is more clear....no more breakouts....I think its because I cut out sugar! I use moisturizer on my face and neck 2 or 3 times a day and drink a lot of Water. I have noticed my neck is a little saggy....and it scares me a little. But, my doctor advised that it takes about a year for the your skin to adjust and I should notice a big difference then. He advised to stay hydrated..even if I have to force the water...and to lather on the moisturizer. A little sagging on the neck is a good trade for my double chin and chunky cheeks!

I was told with the sleeve you have a 50/50 chance of having digestive issues with sweets. With the bypass they remove part of your small intestines and that's why a majority of bypass patients have issues with sweets. Your small intestines do more digesting than your stomach....which is why with bypass surgery there is malabsorbtion problems when it comes to nutrients. (that's how it was explained to me by my nutritionist....I am no where near an expert with this stuff) I have absolutely no issues with sweets.....I stay away from the real deal and eat fruit, s/f Jello and pudding. If I want something crunchy sweet I have a special K Protein bar or something like that. Nature Valley has some good Protein Bar options too. Unfortunately it is going to take pure will power to step around things and choose wisely. You will find your way

Do you have thyroid issues? I have a slow thyroid. About a 11/2 yrs ago I started itching and my skin was practically peeling it was so dry. I was so tired I could hardly get out of bed and I had no appetite. My family doc put me on a steroid thinking the itching blotchy skin looked like a severe hive issue....it didn't help and the steroid just made me eat uncontrollably. After about 3 mths of seeing him and the local urgent care 3 times, I finally went to a dermatologist who said it looked like a thyroid issue. I went to an endocrinologist and was put on synthroid. I have been 100% better ever since! See your doctor! Oh....and the above response mentioned gummy Vitamins...I take them and have no issues and my blood work is on target. I just double the dose...one dose in the morning and one in the evening. Best of luck to you! Take care of yourself!

So jealous! Still working my way towards that goal! My short legs need more time.