FrankyG

The sleeve can't magically make you stop wanting bad things forever. About 1 year out, I'm wanting cake and Cookies and carby stuff more than I used to. But I have less room to fit in that crappy stuff, and I can just eat one cookie or have a few bites of cake for special occasions (like Christmas) and I'm done. Before, I'd eat half the box or cake and feel horrible about myself. I eat normal, small portions now, and the cookie is something that doesn't happen often. See, that's the thing. You absolutely will be able to eat total crap pretty much within 3-4 months after your surgery. You could eat junk all day every day for the first 6 months- year and lose weight because the amount of food you can fit in your stomach will be so small, it will not matter if it is french fries and milkshakes. Should you? Hell no. The problem is when you do this type of eating, all you're getting is fat, sodium and carbs. You need to eat healthy Proteins, complex carbs and nutrient dense food packed with Vitamins and minerals. The ones that fail the sleeve are the ones that never change over to eating healthy, never retrain themselves in this very short time period to eat lean meats/protein and veggies, and recognize the junk is something that should be very, very rare events in their life. This is more about your brain than your stomach. The sleeve gives you a chance to take the crazy hunger and portion control difficulties out of the picture so you can really concentrate on changing your mindset/relationship with food. The failure part is if you don't use this time to reteach yourself how to eat healthy, and what foods to eat on a regular basis. Your sleeve won't fail you if you learn to use it properly.

If you're in the state of Texas, HEB stores carry a similar milk called Mootopia - tastes wonderful and has all the same benefits (and it cheaper I think).

Very slow loser here too. I was told by my doc at my year check (93 pounds down) in that I seem to be doing everything right, but my body just won't work with me as well as some others. I figure as long as I'm still losing, I'm good. I now am around 6 pounds loss a month, which is super really. And my energy levels are doing well, and I'm really getting my exercise/activity levels figured out now too. There's some slight sadness/disappointment about not being one of the lucky ones that have 100 pounds gone in 4 months, but I keep telling myself that it's not a race, and I'm doing well - better than I've ever done in my life. And other people's successes aren't going to detract from my own success.

Why couldn't you return it if you don't like it? I've always been able to return any Target product I didn't like (or just changed my mind) for a full refund. I have their credit card, so I have free shipping all the time, and you can return any Target product even from their website to an actual store any time within the return period. There are very few instances where I've seen you can't return stuff (bought some clearance tennis shoes that were non-returnable, but even then I had them shipped to store and tried them on before officially getting them and they would have refunded my money if I didn't like them).

Are you drinking things that are dairy based? YOu might be temporarily lactose intolerant, and should look for lactose free drinks. I used to get really sick from the full sugar/high carb Protein drinks and switched over to the ones like glucose control boost, so you might try checking out those too.

Lots of people have very few issues after surgery. You're one of the lucky ones! I had almost no pain, was up and walking the afternoon of my surgery. I did swell up really badly and have difficulties getting fluids in the first couple of days, but some are able to hit their fluids just fine one day out. Many find that they don't have much restriction when they're still on fluids, but once they start purees/soft foods, the restriction becomes more obvious. Do not weigh yourself often. In the early days/weeks, you may drop fast, but you might gain due to the amount of fluids they put into you for surgery. You'll retain Water too. Honestly, if you can't weigh yourself and just note the weight and move on without freaking out, I'd hide it and just wait until your weigh ins at the doc's office. If you do decide to weigh yourself just to track, there will be days/weeks/months where you see the scale stop moving and hit a stall. Usually you'll see a stall right at the 3 week mark, and there will be many, many more and some can last weeks. Also, take monthly measurements - arms, chest, waist, hips, legs. By taking measurements, you can see when your body is actually using up fat and building muscle when the scale isn't moving. One pound of fat is much bigger/bulkier than one pound of muscle.

One pound of fat is MUCH bulkier than one pound of muscle. Your body is currently using up fat stores right now, but it's also working on building muscle back up, so that's why the scale doesn't show significant movement sometimes. What the tape measure is telling you is that you are losing fat - that is WONDERFUL. The weight will drop on the scale, but it won't be super smooth and easy. Keep measuring and tracking sizes along with actual weight. It's very encouraging to know even during a stall, things may be changing.

Every doctor has a different pre-op diet, so no one on here could really tell you what your specific diet should be - I've seen diets ranging from straight liquid only for weeks, to no pre-op required at all, to solids (lean protein/cup of veggies) allowed. You should examine the handouts they gave you, and call and ask to speak to the nurse or nutritionist if you have further questions.

I agree that soda is just garbage. That being said, I do still drink it from time to time (diet only). I pour it over ice and let it sit for a while before sipping since that helps dissipate the bubbles more. It will not stretch your sleeve, but it is full of chemicals and will dehydrate you if that's all you drink and the carbonation can cause issues with gas/GERD if you drink too much. I can only have a serving if I make it to my Water goals. I can't replace my water intake with soda in other words.

So sorry you're feeling so bad, but this is very temporary. Just keep sipping an taking your meds!

It's not a race! Your body will lose at the rate it decides, not you, not your doctor, not because you've read of others losing tons of weight themselves in a few months. You have your own unique metabolism and there isn't a thing you could do to change it unless you want to screw it up by starving yourself or yo-yo dieting... as long as you are hitting your Protein, calorie, and Water requirements and getting some exercise, you'll get there eventually! Slow loss is still loss. You should not be putting "only" in front of "lost 50 pounds in 4 months" - 50 pounds lost in 4 months??? That is fantastic and I'd bet most people out there that haven't had weight loss surgery would be amazed if you said that to them... And don't forget, slower paced weight loss minimizes the issues with saggy, baggy skin. Keep doing what you can do and get your protein and water - you're doing great!

I think most of us go through the feelings of self doubt and disbelief. Give it your all, and trust that you'll see wonderful results. Believe that you're making the right decision for yourself and your health. Those little doubts and worries won't mean much once you've made it to the other side.

I have a 34 size, but only know due to other posts on here and I got curious and asked. I don't have any issues with my stomach size. I honestly think he could have gone smaller as I seem to be able to hold more than half a cup of food when eating. I don't think it really matters unless there are complications - some people will just get GERD or reflux or have issues no matter what size. I think it has little to do with the bougie size, and more about predisposition and dumb luck.

I was very ambivalent right up to the day of my surgery. I had tried all sorts of diets and pills and doctor-supervised programs over the years and nothing was helping long term. I had a horrible relationship with food and it was just getting worse and I was the highest weight I'd ever been by the time I went in for my first sleeve consult. I was experiencing weird issues with my feet and hands (tingling and numbness) and felt awful and gigantic and stopped being able to do things I'd loved because I was too tired or too fat to do them any more. I really didn't want to do the surgery. But the fact was, I knew if I didn't do something - really make a drastic change - I would die early and the rest of my shortened life would be spent feeling tired, sad, full of self-loathing and getting progressively worse health-wise. I didn't want that life. I wanted to get out and enjoy myself, be happy and go places and do things and be healthy. And I knew I could not do this without help. Permanent help I couldn't get around, or quit or ignore. So I had the surgery. And I do not regret it at all. I am getting my life back. I am getting me back. I like myself again and I can't even describe how wonderful that feels. Only you can answer whether this is a good idea for your situation. No one can make this decision for you. But you need to think about what you are saying to yourself too... don't fool yourself; your relationship with food IS the reason you're considering this surgery. You eat to avoid dealing with your feelings. Food has become more than just fuel for your body; it controls you, and masks pain/shame/anger/sadness - until you remove food as a comfort, you can't dig down and deal with those feelings and the reasons you feel them - you can't heal yourself. You may need counseling throughout this process to help you process those feelings and help you to figure out what is causing them and deal with the situations that got you there, but the sleeve is a very effective tool for giving you back control over your eating and relationship with food. If you have difficulties controlling the amount of food you eat (binging/portion control) and feelings of ravenous hunger, then the sleeve will help with this. It will give you at least a year or control on both portions and types of food and the hunger/cravings should lessen or even go away completely for quite some time. This allows you the breathing room to start relearning how to eat again - healthy, protein-dense meals that will be small portion sizes. You will be able to eat anything eventually. But you may not want to eat things you loved after having relearned how to eat healthy foods/portion sizing. And you will be okay with this! It won't feel like a sad thing - you'll be happy you no longer are attracted to crummy foods or giant portions. It may still be possible to eat crap foods and eventually regain, but the main "magic" about having this surgery is that you get the control back and can think and plan and make real progress towards a normal, active lifestyle that does not revolve around food. That can be very helpful for those of us that do use food for a reward/comfort (I am in that camp as well). It is extremely disorientating at first to not be able to go buy a cupcake or stop off at a restaurant to pick up something special when I'm super happy or super sad. But I have adjusted, and breaking that habit is very freeing. I still love food, but I don't feel the need to smother myself with it any more. I don't eat my feelings; I enjoy food for what it is, and there is still room for occasional indulgences... just a whole lot less room overall and it is a pretty rare thing these days. Another component is that you should feel like being more active as well as the weight drops away. Getting some exercise/activities that you enjoy and will do often is one of the other key components of being successful on this journey. So you also need to be aware that it will take effort in this area too - unless you already have hobbies that include sports or activities, you'll need to work hard here as well (I now love walking, biking, yoga and swimming - I had never really liked walking and never tried yoga, but I kept at it, and now I can't imagine my life without them). It will take hard work mentally tho, so go into this knowing that you'll be working HARD at the brain reset at the same time as you are dropping the pounds. But if you think you can do this, then it could change your life. And you will be so happy, and so proud and feel sooooo much better.

Is he threatening you somehow - "you'll make horrible fatty dinners or else!" Make what you feel comfortable making for your family. If they want something else, then he is a grown adult (I'm assuming) that knows how to read the back of a package or find a restaurant on his own, right? But the big picture is that he is being extremely unsupportive and selfish, and undermining you - saying if you can't do this, you should get out if you can't provide him what he wants... if he's husband/relative/significant other, maybe you need to assess just what you're getting out of this relationship if he can't be happy and supportive of you having this surgery? And it is VERY telling that you yourself are unclear about your relationship with this partner - you call him "the guy that I am with" which is distant and cold - and a weird way to define a relationship that you're happy with. Do some deep thinking and try to talk to this guy and see if you're both really, truly happy and supportive of each other, or maybe it's time to go your separate ways if this is the level of intimacy that you currently have. Maybe you should leave and go stay with relatives... and then make the leaving permanent and go find a nice place for yourself and your kid(s) without this guy.

I have always had large arms, but after I gained tons of weight they just got huge. I have to remind all docs/nurses to use the largest blood pressure cuff or they'll get a false high reading. That being said, I have lost almost 4 inches off of each upper arm. There is definitely hanging skin/fat still, but I'm also developing my muscles and I am pretty sure I can wait a few years after hitting goal to assess how bad they really look. And I usually don't wear anything sleeveless so it won't be the end of the world if I just keep wearing cap/short sleeves to camouflage the wobbly upper arms. I've still got a ways to go, but I feel SO MUCH BETTER and the arm thing doesn't bother me nearly as much now as when I started. I think we all tend to obsess over the little things that we are just sure will be awful in the early days - saggy cheeks, wrinkly belly, batwings - but this is such an involved process and your whole world is changing so much, that in my case, I'm no longer really that worried. I'll deal with it if it gets bad enough to bother me, but so far, I'm thrilled overall and I know it may still get better even years down the road. I think that my upper arms and the wrinkly part of my neck are the two places I mind the most, but we'll see once I hit goal how much they really bother me. I've seen the surgery required for reducing upper arms, and I am not sure I'd want to go to that extreme but it really is going to be a waiting game to see how I feel in the end.

I slice up the ham into chunks, and then freeze it for use in omelets, frittatas, Soups or for seasoning or larger portions to be served on the side with beans/veggies (love turnip greens or green Beans with ham!) Never had any issues with freezing ham as long as you squeeze out most of the air. Keeps for months and I don't taste any difference when used in dishes.

I barely did anything the first 4 months. I was so freaking exhausted, I just couldn't move more than needed for my day to day. Around 6 months, I finally started getting some energy, and began walking and swimming. At about 7 months, added back in biking. At this point, I was swimming around 5 days a week for 2-3 hours (not constant laps, but in the pool, diving and swimming and running underwater and playing catch/pool volleyball - it was both for fun and exercise). I was riding my bike to the pool every time as well - .60 mile total each day. And then I added in a yoga class once a week. My current schedule at just over a year out: Walk 2-4 miles 5+ days a week on a walking trail (with small hills/valley terrain - I LOVE my walking trail!!) I might be walking 7 days a week if not for some weird pains I keep getting in my hips (working on hip abduction exercises to try to work that out now) Yoga - one structured class once a week; 1-2 at-home yoga sessions (30-45 minutes) Biking a few times a month (depends on weather; I like walking in rain, but not getting my bike soaked) One weight-type workout - some pushups, leg lifts, hand weights, etc... mostly concentrating on arms tho since the rest of the stuff works the lower body more When the pool opens for the 2016 season, I'll be adding back in the biking/swimming 5 days a week minimum (swimming does not feel like exercise to me, so I do it every chance I get)

I'm not your age, but the thing you have on your side is your youth. Losing a large amount while you're still young means your skin likely will rebound much, much better than in your 30s or 40s. If you lose weight slower, and make sure to exercise and keep hydrated and hit your Protein goals, you should be okay, and once you hit goal weight, your skin will continue to improve; most plastic surgeons won't even evaluate you until you've been a stable weight for one year because they know skin continues to tighten and adjust during that time. You may be lucky and not have any issues after a few years. But anything that doesn't tighten up can be fixed eventually if it is really bugging you. The big thing is that a little loose skin is nothing compared to how great you'll feel losing all that weight.

You're ready when your doctor and nutritionist say you are. If they want you on a specific diet, it is very foolish to not follow it. You've just had major surgery and need to follow what they told you to do. Even if you think you can handle it, your stomach is going to be swollen and healing for months. Seems dumb to me to advance to solids so soon just because you are craving them; aren't cravings really what got you to the point of needing weight loss surgery? Why on earth would you listen to that little voice now? Advancing too soon may mean you'll either stress your stomach out, or minimum not be learning your stomach's new "full" signs and how to eat properly. Eating small amounts of liquid, then puree, then soft, then solids is important because you're relearning how to eat food and breaking your old relationship with food as well. Not following the proper steps is setting yourself up for a possible issue down the line because you are so impatient. Not a good idea to skip steps if you wanted this for long-term success.

The reason you feel so hungry after eating is not getting in your Protein. Protein is needed because it is essential to make sure your body has enough to maintain muscles and basic function (hair, nails, skin, muscles... all need lots of protein to function well). Protein makes you feel full and satisfied longer as well. SO skipping your protein because you don't like the drinks is really bad - you risk losing muscle mass, your hair will start falling out faster, your skin and nails will look like crap and you will feel bad because losing muscle mass just makes you weaker. and you'll start feeling vunerable to eating crap again - it is a bad cycle to get caught in.. so stop doing that! Find protein drinks that you can tolerate. Go buy a few different types at the grocery store, and check out the recommendations on these boards for others available online. You will find one that tastes okay eventually. Most grocery stores carry a type of low lactose/sugar high protein milk. I am lucky to live where they have one that tastes wonderful - Mootopia (in TX HEB stores) - but there are others like Fairlife I think that are going to be great for a high protein low sugar drink. If you added some Protein powder to that, it probably could be just as good as a regular Protein Drink. Start reading labels and find things at the store that could work out for you at each stage of your diet. Kroger makes a decent yogurt called Carbmaster that has only 60 calories and 4 grams of carbs, but 9 grams protein and they taste pretty good. I know when I was finally cleared to eat things like eggs I still couldn't because I threw it up (and continued to throw them up until almost 4 months out). You don't want to rush things food-wise not only because you are trying to relearn how and what to eat, but because your stomach might not be ready for them either... you might not have had that happen yet, but believe me, I'd rather have waited and never experienced the egg intolerance! In the mean time, work on eating what you're supposed to be eating. Cheating is bound to happen and what you did isn't going to hurt your staples or stretch your stomach, but you have to realize that the only person you're cheating on is yourself. We all end up doing dumb things every once in a while, but don't dwell on them - just resign yourself to getting back on track and recommit to sticking to the program. Get psyched up - you are going to be happy and healthy and rock this sleeve!!!

So using a credit card? How were you able to do that? If you didn't pay it all off that following month $15,000 would rack up a lot of interest wouldn't it? My doc let me pay in installments. I broke the full amount into 3rds, had the office charge the installment to my card every month for 3 months. I had the full amount in my savings, and would pay off the card in full each month. That's the only way I'd use the credit card (I don't do interest charges!)

You had a day of crazy. Don't freak out too much about this - just realize that you have difficulties controlling yourself around sweets and guard against exposure to this stuff until you are much better about restraining yourself. But a big thing to remember - at this point, you could eat absolute crap and still lose weight. There are plenty of people out there that eat fast food and Cookies and because of the restriction in the early months, they continue to see weight loss. My doctor was just talking about this at my last appointment, not that I was eating poorly, we were discussing a friend of mine that is doing this and justifying it by saying she's still losing weight and me trying to get ideas of what to say to counter that mentality. What the doc said was this: the sleeve will cause anyone to lose weight eating exactly the same foods they ate pre-sleeve in the first year. They can't eat anything in large quantities, so the weight drops away. It works that way until they hit about a year or so out, and then the weight loss slows/stops. At this point, their stomach has relaxed and they are able to eat a bit more food than at the beginning. And all of this time, they haven't adjusted any of their eating habits or tried to move towards healthy foods, because they thought they didn't have to. So they keep eat stuff that has no real nutritional value, is high in fat, calories, salt and low in Vitamins, Protein and Fiber. They no longer have the sleeve's super reduced size to make up for the poor eating habits. And they gain back all of the weight, say that the surgery failed, when in reality they failed themselves. You should be using this time over the next year to completely change how you eat, what you eat and how often/how much. The sleeve takes care of portion control and in most cases the feelings of hunger. The biggest thing that many seem to miss about the surgery - the biggest advantage is really that it allows you to relearn healthy eating habits - good foods full of nutrients and putting protein, veggies first and foremost in your daily diet - because you're no longer a slave to ravenous appetite or able to stuff in tons of food. Sweets or junk are still possible, but they should be very occasional treats, not stuff you eat daily. It's a huge mind shift, but those that are able to make that shift do the best after having this surgery. I hope you're going to be one of them!

I was self pay, had ACA (the real name of Obamacare) and it was not covered under the plan we have. It really just depends on the coverage on the exchanges (I'm in a state that refused to set up a healthcare exchange and acts generally pissy about everything that might help others). Advantages? You can itemize on your taxes, take a medical deduction and get a bit of money back as long as it is something like 7% or higher of your total income. (confirm details yourself) No 6 month wait time, and in general, no hoops to jump through. You get a few tests run, and as long as you're healthy enough for surgery, you could go in within weeks of starting the process. No psych evaluations, no constant back and forth with insurance reps or other paperworky hassles. No having to appeal turn downs and play phone tag for months with insurance and the doctor's office. You can pick any doctor you'd like, not just one covered by the insurance plan. If you have points credit cards, you could use them (as long as you have the cash to pay them off shortly) to run up some impressive rewards. I made sure to pay in installments so as to not max out my best card, paid it off that month and then charged up the rest of the amount and paid it off. Didn't cost me anything extra, scored hundreds of bucks in reward.