IcanMakeit

Depending on age, weight history and genetics, some people's skin will tighten up to some degree over time after weight loss, but for many, plastic surgery is the only treatment for the lower belly flap. You are so young, you might experience some improvement with exercise over time. After losing more than 100 lbs., I'm definitely planning on a full tummy tuck. A panniculectomy (which just takes care of the lower flap) won't do enough for me. But I am much older and have little hope that my skin will shrink significantly.

Congratulations on reaching your goal. I can imagine how happy you are right now. I am also very concerned about maintenance. I've always been pretty good at dieting and terrible at maintaining. I'm researching and focusing on strategies for long term maintenance. I have a real horror of weight regain.

I was sleeved also. My experience has been a bit different. In the beginning, I felt pretty crappy and had absolutely no appetite. But when my stomach began to heal, my appetite returned. My capacity is much less, and my hunger is a little less insistent, but after the first few weeks I never experienced the total lack of hunger others have described. This might be good news for a gourmand. They say "hunger is the best sauce." I think the surgeon who seemed to be pushing the gastric sleeve may have been motivated by the excellent results he/she has seen from previous patients. My surgeon performs many different types of WLS but was very enthusiastic when I chose VSG. WLS can definitely be an effective treatment for diabetes. My diabetes is in complete remission.

We have all been programmed by our entertainment media to think that physically flawless people are the only beautiful and desirable people. Average mortals are never the love interest in movies and TV. No wonder we all focus on our perceived imperfections. But when two people actually connect, the programming breaks down, thank goodness, and we can appreciate each other without comparisons to perfect specimens.

I only suggested massage because so many other people like it. I personally never enjoy it, so I get where you're coming from. I agree that chocolate is a food of the gods but it's probably not a good long term strategy to reach for food when we want comfort. What are you taking for pain relief? Talk to your doctor about better pain control. This may be indelicate, but I found that having a bowel movement helped my cramps. (I'm old and had a hysterectomy many years ago, so I'm only replying from my past experience, not current experience.)

Eating chocolate won't really help your period, so it's not worth going off plan. Try to substitute another indulgence for the chocolate. A massage from your significant other? A beautiful manicure? A luxurious bath with scented candles? All of those are soothing without being dangerous to your diet, I can relate to feeling yucky and wanting comfort. We just have to find comfort that will be a net positive.

After I reached 6 months post-op, I experimented with drinking less than 1/2 hour before my meals and found that if I stop drinking 10 - 15 minutes before I eat, I'm fine. However, I really need at least 45 minutes after I eat to start drinking again. This has been inconvenient and problematic because I'm often behind in my fluid intake and need to catch up, but I have to wait because I was also hungry and chose food over water.

I don't know if Weight Watchers is right for WLS patients. They encourage a lot of carbs. And your suspicion is correct, most of us can't eat as many calories as they allow and still lose weight. If you can find the original Weight Watcher's diet, that would be much better.

Me too. My insurance company didn't require any weight loss, just pre-op tests and a psych evaluation. All were accomplished in less than two months. I feel so lucky when I read the stories of people who have to wrangle their insurance companies.

Congratulations on your great progress. I agree that WLS offers us a wonderful opportunity to improve our health.

That recipe sounds delicious but I definitely would save it for when you're further out. It seems way too challenging to digest. Not too mention that it must have about a billion calories.

I don't think you should wait until Monday. Can you call your doctor and get some phone advice?

My profile and content history have disappeared. What happened?

I just checked again and my profile info is back. The content history is still missing, though.

All of the personal information is gone from my profile and when I click "my content" it says there is nothing to display. This just started today. Yesterday my last status update uploaded successfully and I used the "my content" feature to find threads that I participated in.

My best friend is a Reiki practitioner. I haven't actually experienced it myself, but from what she tells me, she has gotten some very good results. For instance, she used it on her father when he was terminally ill. He definitely seemed to rest easier after the session.

We've all been where you are. Weight loss is notoriously inconsistent at the beginning. Your body is adjusting to a major event. You just have to follow your program and be patient. The weight loss will come.

I'm sending you all my good wishes. Good luck with your surgery and your recovery.

I'm glad that your recovery is going so well. I'm amazed that you were able to return to work so soon. I felt like a worn out dishrag for the first couple of weeks. You seem to have a great outlook on the whole thing and I believe that will get you through the tough patches.

Happy surgiversary! I, too hope you'll stick around on the forum to encourage others who follow. The benefit for you will be to keep focused during maintenance.

We can all relate to your feelings. It seems unfair that we do what we're supposed to do and our bodies decide to take a break from weight loss. It's no fun, but I think it's pretty much inevitable. We are not machines and there are a lot of complex interactions going on inside us. Go ahead and rant when you need to, but don't let yourself get discouraged. If you stay on track with your diet and exercise, a month or two from now you're going to be amazed at your progress. As far as the need to prioritize Protein and avoid carbs, we all know that is the price of admission when we start, what we don't know is how it's going to feel months down the road. I feel you on that point, too. But I think you will agree with me that the end results are worth the effort. And don't forget that when you get to maintenance, you'll be adding in more vegetables, fruits and even some occasional starches. Hang in there.

To me it's not a stall if you're still losing. Every pound lost is a victory. When you get frustrated at slow weight loss, console yourself with the fact that slower weight loss results in less loose skin in the end. Inconsistent weight loss rates happen to many people. If your diet and exercise is on track, don't worry about it. You'll eventually lose the weight. But if you have been slipping, it's time to tighten up. Are you journaling your food? I find that is my best defense against diet creep. MyFitnessPal is a great tool.

@@bikrchk, can you give us some brand names or on line stores where we can find the suits you describe? They sound like something I need to know about.

Good luck on your upcoming surgery. For many, the second day of liquids is the hardest. Stay strong. You can definitely do this. Off topic: I love your hair in your profile photo.