sweetie716

I use Nuva Ring. I'd like an IUD, but in the past they've said that they're for people who have already been pregnant because of the size of the uterus or something. However, lately they seem to be backing off on that and have said that they can do it. I'm still thinking about it.

I started out at 331, and six months post op I'm at 185. I have about 20 more pounds to go before I hit the "half my former size" goal, but it seems to be going well. My surgeon said that at 207 pounds I would be at the average success level for the sleeve. I've just kept on going and I plan to keep on. My ultimate goal is about 140, but 150 will put me at the normal bmi range. I think there are plenty of people on here who have lost 90-100% of their excess weight and I hope to join them. Good luck! ETA: I had lost 50 pounds preop, I didn't lose all that in just 6 months.

I experienced "hunger" within a few weeks of surgery, but I do believe mine was head hunger, not physical hunger. I notice that sometimes when I'm going through something emotional or stressful I will think I'm hungry, but I redirect myself into some other activity and it goes away eventually. The other thing that can make someone feel that way is stomach acid. I don't know what kind of hunger you are experiencing, and it is possible, although not likely, that it is real hunger. I would suggest taking a time out the next time you feel it and just let it be for a while. Check in with your emotions/stress level and see if there is something else making you want to eat. I still have to do this almost 6 months out. That was part of the beauty of the sleeve to me. It really has helped me to understand that my urges to eat were not all physical and through that, I've realized that food is not going to make my stress or difficult emotions any better. I hope you figure out what's going on for you

Sounds like a slippery slope. I would just keep working your program.

I JUST had another dream again last night. In the dream I was at a silent auction and I had 3 dinner rolls! lol, I was incredibly relieved when I woke up.

Right after I had surgery, for about a month or so, I'd have dreams that I'd eaten entire sleeves of oreo Cookies or bread or other high carb things. I would wake up so scared that I'd messed up on my diet or damaged the surgery. It is crazy how going through a life change like this can take over your head. Good luck to you and enjoy the ride

I waited until clothes were just way too big, and bought about every other size. I staggered my jeans and my work pants so I would have at least one thing that fit right all the time. For example, I bought 24 work pants, but waited until I was in 22 jeans. Then I got size 18 work pants, and 16 jeans. It was kind of crazy how fast I was in and out of sizes, so don't buy too much. I also shopped clearance racks a lot, and you can get really good deals on things you actually like if you keep on checking each time you go in.

Mainly I use a digital kitchen scale since normally I weigh meat portions (after cooking). I also use a measuring cup for peanuts. Just because I measure doesn't ensure no discomfort though. I just ate a 3 oz portion of chicken that was too much for my tummy. It doesn't feel good right now. Part of avoiding the discomfort is eating slowly enough and listening to your body when it says enough. A lesson I'm still learning...

same as the ladies above for me.

Aww, I'm sorry. I hate that feeling. I hope that your new doctor works out well.

Wow, good info. Thanks for sharing!

Breakfast: 2 cheese sticks Lunch: Premier Protein Shake Dinner: 3 oz of chicken, beef, or fish 2nd Dinnner: cheese & peanuts Sometimes I have a protein bar in place of one of the meals. The main thing I track is the protein and typically I have 70-75 grams a day.

I was also scared of sliding into bad habits, but so far so good. It really is a whole new way of eating. Follow the rules, and if you feel yourself getting lax on something like not chewing enough, reign it back in and make it a focus for a few days. The good thing is that the drive to eat to excess isn't there for me at this point. Once you get to eat solids, you will actually get a full feeling that becomes uncomfortable/painful if you don't stop. Go slow and listen to your body. I am more than 5 months out and I still weigh and measure my meals to help ensure that I don't go overboard. Sometimes I can't even finish what I weigh out, and I try not to force myself to finish the plate. Go at your own pace. Good luck

On my surgeon's plan it would be a no go because of the carbs. Sometimes its funny how random foods I used to eat pop in my head. Was Kix in your normal rotation before or did the craving come from nowhere?

Hey everybody, I'm feeling kind of down lately, and I'm wondering if anyone else went through this and what got them through. I just hit my 5 month mark on Monday. My highest weight ever was 331, the day of surgery I was 281, and I'm now 201. I've been a strict rule follower, Protein, chewing, separating food and fluids, exercising every day, etc. I got a lot of milage out of these first months out of surgery. However, the last week or two there have been a handful of days that I didn't hit the 64 oz Fluid goal, and I have missed some Vitamins as well. Because I'm on thyroid medicine, I have to take that in the morning, then Calcium in the afternoon, and finally my Iron multi before bed. The toughest one for me to remember is the calcium because it's at work and things get so hectic during the day. I'm really good with the other two. Anyway, there are a couple of things that are going on with me I think and I just want to see what you guys have to say about how to move through any of these. Not always following all the rules by missing a couple glasses of Water or missing a Vitamin dose makes me feel like I'm slipping. I hate that feeling. It's a scary feeling because it feels like a short step to my old 'all or nothing' type of thinking. I hope that I can deal with this and stop that kind of thinking (I honestly don't see myself just giving up and eating junk or anything), but it does really bug me when I didn't do everything right for the day. Second, things have started to slow down. I was hitting at least 15 pounds a month for the first 4 months, and this month I hit 13. I know that's awesome, but it really disappointed me when I didn't make the goal I set for myself this month. It's also not helping that I'm hanging out right above a major accomplishment of hitting the 100's. It feels soooooo slow. I sometimes feel fat, which is not how I expected to feel after losing 130 pounds. Don't get me wrong, I often feel great about how I look comparatively and there are many things which are so much improved and easier (like today I sat in the backseat of a car with two co-workers without worrying if I was encroaching on someone else's space, yay!). I don't really get why I have this new body criticism, when I made the best of what I looked like before. I was telling my husband how I was feeling last night, but he did not get it. He asked if I was re-gaining weight and when I said I was still losing I don't think he understood or knew what to say because the conversation just dropped. Maybe it's a girl thing, I don't know. I figured if anybody would understand my bariatricpals would. Well, this turned long really quickly. If you have any insight or want to tell me what helped you through any of these things, please tell me. Is this down feeling just a phase? Right now things are crazy busy at work with the end of the school year coming up. I just want to keep going and keep losing until I get to goal in 61 pounds TIA!

I just got there last week. I celebrated with another daily walk, lol. No special celebration or anything. I'm still just enjoying it. I haven't even told anybody else because I'm not into sharing my numbers with people I know.

I'm watching this documentary on Netflix. I don't know how long its been on here, but its really interesting. It's about the obesity epidemic and childhood obesity. It's nicely put together. Definitely an interesting watch

1 Tbsp of honey contains 17 carbs, 16 of which are sugars. The sugars are simpler versions (fructose & glucose) than typical granulated sugar (sucrose). Sucrose is made of a fructose and a glucose linked together, so once the body unlinks them via enzymes, they are treated the same way.

Honey has actual sugar in it, so I would avoid it. It's natural, but it isn't a sugar substitute.

I had a day where I was trying to get my Protein in very early on and it was just crappy. Everything I tried to drink was just horrible. I was on clears, and the Isopure was working (it's not great, but I've had worse), but I was so tired of it that I was trying the other things I'd bought in preparation for surgery. My nose was so sensitive to that "protein" smell I could barely get anything down and it was all disgusting to me. I was definitely frustrated. Luckily the next day I got to start the full liquids so shakes and all that got introduced back in. It was so much better because there is a bit more choice than clear options. (Although even then there were days it was hard to finish my protein goal because it was just really sweet by the end of those two weeks.) You will get through it. It's not easy, but it is definitely worth it. Stick to the plan and don't let yourself rationalize eating off plan. Especially not while your stomach is so new. You will make it and you'll be so happy when you get that 1-2 oz portion of refried Beans or yogurt lol.

walking and hanging out with my dog (sometimes while walking)

I have 6 and I was expecting 5, and I'm really glad more people have 6. I thought maybe it was a mistake, like they cut and realized they needed to be over two inches. Whew!

Thanks! I guess part of why it bothers me is because I had been doing great with the Water and Vitamins for months and then in just the past week or two I've been having trouble. So it feels like going backwards and it is scary that everything was going along and then it happened several times very quickly. It sucks to think, what if 4 or 8 years down the road I get off track with the food part. I'm scared of regaining.

I feel like you are so brave for making that call. Relationships/marriage is hard enough without adding in major insecurity right off the bat. You'll find the person you were meant to be with.

Love that!