BitterSweet*

@@CowgirlJane, I love your moment of realization! Lol!

@@H3LP, welcome. There are a lot of really nice people here and lots of good info. Your struggle sounds like many others on here. Of all of the things you said one phrase stood out; binge eating. I would strongly encourage you as part of your pathway to health and surgery, to seek counseling as well. Whichever procedure you may decide on, it won't fix your brain or your heart. Whatever drives you to binge eat will not be fixed through weight loss surgery (WLS). In fact, as you read through people's posts, you'll notice a lot of folks saying they wished they had dealt with the mental aspect (food addiction) before having surgery, because it is much harder afterwards to battle. Some people have no trouble at all and some people leave one addiction (food) and quickly swap it for another, such as alcohol. There are even some people who return to their old destructive patterns, stretch their sleeve out and regain weight. So my best advise is to research as much as you can and address the underlying issues to the best of your capacity, and with or without surgery you'll be successful. Best wishes to you.

That my dear friend is the true matter at hand. I feel exactly the same way and will not have WLS until I can get a grasp on the mental aspect of my food addiction. It seems as though most folks have a Psych evalulation as part of the pre-op pathway, but it's usually only one visit. I seriously doubt much is accomplished during the eval; it's really just a formality to be cleared for surgery. I believe that anyone who doesn't examine the mental aspect of food addiction and began to resolve and work through the problems, is creating more problems for themselves - because having the majority of your stomach cut out does not fix your brain or your heart. I want to prepare for the marriage (living healthy after surgery) instead of the wedding day (having the surgery done).

Btw, I never thought I had a chubby one until I went to get my 3rd plastic surgery consult. The surgeon assessed my loose tummy skin by pulling it down and sideways. Then he tells me "You're a great candidate for this. I can probably remove about 4-5 lbs of skin." Then he proceeds to pull UP my abdominal skin and says, "It'll even make you look better down there." I was thinking Wtf. Down there.....I didn't think anything was wrong with my cookie jar, but apparently I was wrong! Sure enough, there was a noticeable difference after surgery AND made you know what much better.....since my chubby part was gone! Lol! Hope this helps!

When you have a tummy tuck done, the surgeon includes lifting the mons pubis (chubby part Lol!) as well. The tummy tuck scar is usually directly above where your pubic hair line begins. Take your time when you research your cosmetic surgeon. The really good ones automatically lift that area without an additional charge. Part of the reason is because the JP drains that are left in place after a tummy tuck are tunneled beneath and through the mons pubis skin so that additional scars aren't left on the abdomen. Chubbier skin, hanging skin is infection prone and surgeons would rather not take the risk, so it's an added benefit that you don't have to pay for.

Lol! It's a lot to take in! Best wishes to you.

@@Jewells70, that goal is crazy with a capitol C, but if that is what's required - go for it. You say that you've never lost more than 22lbs on a diet previously......well, if you're like most of us there's a history of yo-yo dieting. The diets usually aren't the problem, it's us, because we actually stop doing it. Thirty pounds gone is GREAT and I fully believe that if you simply don't stop this time, you'll meet your goals. Start increasing your exercises, even if it's just walking. Put on ankle weight or wear a weighted vest and walk longer distances. You can do it!!

To answer your question.....I always avoided any chemical processes on my hair during times of shedding. I really don't know if it mattters or not, but I figured the chemicals could increase stress on my hair and cause more loss.

@@Amy373, Ask your stylist if the Aphogee protein treatment would work on your hair type. I've used the treatments many times over a 20 year period, as I've had my hair fall out a total of 5 times. Just horrible. The treatment really helps strengthen my hair and the shedding decreases significantly. Ultimately though, the only thing that will naturally help hair loss to rebound is adequate daily protein intake, hydration, and time.

Double check that you actually are required to lose weight. Maintaining your current weight may be enough. Everyone's requirements are different so that may not be the case. I don't have to lose any weight at all; I just can't gain weight.

@@yummymummy32 1) Giving up is not an option. You gave up that right the day you got on the operating table. 2) You aren't losing weight because you're not eating properly. 3) You are losing your hair because you are not eating properly. 4) Get rid of your scale. 5) Read more forums / threads on solutions to solve some of your issues such as constipation. 6) Return to the basics: Protein (60-80mg daily). However you can get it in. You don't have to like the shakes in order to be compliant. You know that you need them as a supplement if you aren't getting in the daily requirement. 7) Drink Water. At least 64 oz per day 8) If you're like most of us, you've yo-yo dieted and your body is used to this process. It just needs time to accept the fact that a permanent change has occurred. It won't understand that when you return to poor food choices. Your body and metabolism still thinks you are trying a new diet and is going into starvation mode - holding on to every single pound. Get rid of your scale. Eat properly, maximize your protein and water intake, and rev up your exercise (including weight training). 9) Use clothing a size smaller than where you are as a measurement of progress. Quit weighing yourself and focus on the process, not the scale. In time you will achieve your goal. Best wishes to you!

If you're over 30 and have been using the pill for years, discuss getting another form of birth control with your practitioner.

It's also possible to have nausea without actually feeling like you're going to vomit; that'll make you produce tons of extra saliva......that watery mouth syndrome.

I agree with Erp. Focus on exercising and weight training, it'll mitigate the amount of loose skin you end up with.

Reflux.

It is orthostatic hypotension and under your circumstances is probably related to dehydration. The easiest way for you to tell at home (without the use of a BP reading) is to check your pulse lying, sitting, then standing. If your heart rate jumps significantly (like a 30 beat difference between sitting and simply standing up), you're probably dehydrated. Push fluids with electrolytes in them.

We are all total strangers to you and we care enough to take the time to respond to you because all of us know what it's like to be in your shoes in one capacity or another. You need help and you need support but you have to want it for yourself. If you can't get support from your family and friends, at least this collective group of strangers can be that for you. Your struggle will only be as hard as you want it to be. Take the time now while you're young to regroup. Your body will be very unforgiving of your choices the older you get, and many medical problems are not reversible; don't do that to yourself. Make it right. Today.

My sister-in-law did the ankle weights trick. It worked.

LindafromFlorida, give it some time. I waited 2 months after it fell out to see what would grow back in. I had noticeable regrowth without the Rogaine but obvious Patches that did not come back. I started putting Rogaine on those spots and it's much better. My hair is still thinner in the front and Rogaine hasn't cured the problem, but it's definitely helped and my hair has grown about 4 inches since I started using it. I haven't had a gastric sleeve but I am preparing. I have already bought some Remy just in case! Lol!

Lol @ Vsgjourney! I just did an Aphogee Protein treatment yesterday! I have experienced hair loss a total of 4 times from my battle with weight loss; never knowing of course that it was related to deficient protein intake. The last time was the absolute worst. I waited for the growth to rebound, and what started growing back in left much to be desired. After crying for days about it, I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to start Rogaine for women. I've been using it faithfully twice per day for the last year, and after about 7 weeks of use, I saw a big difference. I'll have to use it for the rest of my life but it is worth it. I had lost practically my entire hairline.

Get your doctor to switch your meds to a pharmacy that does compunding. It sounds like you really need them and if the problem is as you stated, a compounding pharmacy can make up your meds in a different fashion - to include a liquid form and flavoring to help get it down. Good luck!

What impresses upon me the most is, I believe whole-heartedly that you already know every single piece of advice that has been given to you. So, what is your intent to come on here and be told what you already know? From Lipstick Lady's comments, this is a habit of yours. From your own admissions, this is a habit of yours. At what point are you going to realize that you need help? You are clearly demonstrating out of control behavior that has nothing to do with getting the majority of your stomach removed. Body builders don't even eat 5,000 calories a day. You didn't discover costco, you went looking for Costco. You are the poster child for why ill-prepared people should not have weight loss surgery - delusions of a magic bullet. Don't you understand that non-compliance is non-compliance? You are PURPOSEFULLY and INTENTIONALLY gaining weight. Why? Why are you doing this to yourself? GO GET HELP. You don't need a nutritionist, you need a therapist and to quit wasting your time and everyone else's with these posts. You're fat because you want to be. You're drowning yourself and medicating yourself with food, and your treatments are 100% effective. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You were a poor candidate for surgery and did an excellent job of bullsh!tt!n your way through that Psych eval if you had one, and convincing a nutritionist and surgeon that you had the capacity, desire, and drive to change your life permanently. This is a joke to you and it always was. You were too young and ill-prepared to give up living life the way you see fit. 'Cause eating a freakin case of tamales washed down with diet pop is what fat people do that want to stay fat; not a person with full mental capacity who understands that they didn't need to butcher their body in order to eat that way. That high GPA you have in school won't mean a damn thing if you're dead from a heart attack or stroke; and yes, those things do happen to young people too. Stop lying to yourself and get help from a psychiatrist / psychologist so you can quit with the slow death that you have prescribed for your life.

I happened to mention to my mother that I was a candidate for weight loss sugery and she swiftly reminded me of a cousin who died from it. The responses you get from people will hardly ever be filled with joy. There will always be stories of someone who died, someone who never lost weight, someone who took the easy way out by having surgery etc. It irritated me that my mother said that to me, especially since she taught me everything that I know about food addiction and really doesn't know what caused my cousin's death. What I do know is that getting a gastric sleeve is not going to fix my brain. That's why it's referred to as a tool and nothing more. There are people who fail at weight loss surgery, but we all know that it's not the surgery that fails them - it's a return to the same destructive patterns that got them fat in the first place. If you do what you've always done, you will be who you always are. The real question is not whether the surgery will work for you, but have you done the work on yourself (on your brain and in your heart) to stop doing what you've always done. You can succeed at this if you have done the legwork and are well prepared to do the afterwork.

Until you show up the day of surgery, you can change your mind. The OR rooms are prepped for surgery the day before and the equipment kits and set up that are needed for a sleeve is very different from a bypass. They can change the plan around before, but not the day of sugery. Good luck to you.

Check your weight at home before you leave for your appointment. If you are good with your weight on your home scale, it should be fine at the doctor's office; their scales are always off to me and I weigh 4-5 lbs more at the office. Wear jeans or other clothing that's heavier than something like cotton.