glitter eyes

I had a very difficult time drinking plain water. I had to drink propel or vitamin water. It wasn't until year two post op that I could tolerate plain water.

What works for me is I give myself a manicure. Can't eat with wet nails!! The upside is I have an amazing collection of great nail polish and fabulous looking nails. I change my color several times a week. Sometimes to change it up I will do a facial while watching tv. It makes me feel pampered and less likely to snack.

One of the protein powders I like is the Inspire brand. They are powder and can be mixed in water, milk, or almond milk, etc. 20 grams of protein, between 2-5 carbs and made from whey protein isolate. Lots of flavors.

You can get back on track!! It's not easy, but you can do it. I am almost three years post op too and I have gained about 8 pounds "holiday" weight that I am working at getting off. It is hard to kick the carb habit, however, you have been so successful in the past that you got this. What helps me is I go back to protein shakes for a day and then do shakes all day and a high protein meal. If I have to snack I get some protein snack that I like: jerky, cheese, etc. Hang in there you can do it!!

I really like the Inspire brand. They have a lot of flavors and they are low carb, most flavors have 1-3 carbs per serving. They have very little protein aftertaste and are whey protein isolate and designed for Bariatric patients. My favorite is the Reese butter cup flavor and the peanut butter cookie flavor.

I am two and half years post op and have been maintaining since about month 9. I agree with @MichiganChic. I could easily gain my weight back. I log all my food intake and I do have days/events where I choose to eat unhealthy (bring on those Christmas cookies). However, I watch my diet most days. I too have to eat very low calorie in order to lose any weight I may gain. I maintain on about 1000-1100 calories a day. To lose I have to keep it below 900.

I am 5'3" and my body just kind of found its own goal weight. I weigh 149-150. It's a few pounds over a normal BMI, but my waist ratio is normal (I have to get weighed and measured for my health insurance and they measured my waist and said I am in the normal range). I wear a size medium top and size 6 in almost all pants. I am happy at this weight. Would eventually like to get plastics on my stomach and that would probably help. Overall I am content and consider myself at goal.

You have gotten a lot of good advice. I just want to send you a virtual hug!! I know from all your past posts and successes that you will find a way to overcome this obstacle too and conquer what you want in life. You are already so successful. Don't worry about the food binge (not that you ate a lot of unhealthy things) I know you have been a goal for quite a while and one stress eating night won't derail you. I know you will pick yourself up, shake this off and move on to the achievements you want!! I am rooting for you! Keep us posted.

Congratulations!! What an accomplishment.

Current weight: 155 Goal weight: 149

My mom just had a gastric sleeve and was self pay. It was probably less than three weeks total from her first visit to surgeon until surgery. It went super fast.

My family was supportive. However, in the beginning my husband was so worried and scared for me to have it done. He said he was scared I would die and he loved me at any size. He never forbade me. He know that ultimately it is and was my body. I took him to my surgeon appointment and a support group meeting and that set his mind at ease. Maybe your husband just needs a little education on the procedure. But this is something that you do for yourself and no one else. If it is important to you do not let anyone's opinion hold you back!!

@Karine76. When I add a scoop of the powder to my water I also add in some flavor drops like crystal light or orange crush packets and I can't taste it. I have even mixed it in my flavored propel water and can't taste it either. I am sure if I just added it to plain water I would be able to detect the flavor of the powder

@@Ruby11 the brand of marine collagen that I use is Vedapure I ordered it from Amazon. I have also used some from a company called vitaglow and was very pleased with their product but it was twice as much and the Vedapure seemed to work as well. The tea I also order from Amazon and the brand is Uncle Lee's bamboo tea bags. The taste is pretty good- similar to a green tea. I started noticing significant changes after taking both for about a month.

Mine fell out for many months (can't really remember how long exactly). I tried everything: biotin, essential oils, coconut oil, and hair loss shampoos. What finally worked for me was I started taking a powdered marine collagen that I added to a bottle of water everyday and my hair loss stopped by way more than half. I also started drinking a cup of bamboo tea every day (bamboo tea is high in silica and is great for skin, hair, and nails). This tea fixed the dryness and brittleness that my hair experienced and slowed the loss even more. Good luck and hope your hair loss stops soon!!

@@Inner Surfer Girl, those look tasty where do you buy yours at?

My mom just had her gastric sleeve last Monday. She too was feeling fine in the hospital; once home she spent an entire night throwing up. I called the office the next day and talked to her doctor and they added a pill called Zofran and Flexeril. This combination really helped. She alternated between the phenergan and the zofran and the nausea got way better and no more vomiting. Hang in and call your doc and see if there is anything they can give you to help. Good luck

Adding a powdered marine collagen supplement to my water everyday cut my hair loss way down. I also added a cup of bamboo tea everyday which is high in silica and this helped with the dryness, breakage, and brittleness I was experiencing.

What worked for me was adding a powdered marine collagen to my water everyday and drinking a cup of bamboo tea everyday. The bamboo tea is very high in silica and is great for hair skin and nails. This combination cut my hair loss way down and helped with the dryness and brittleness I was experiencing. I have always gotten plenty of protein and that didn't make a difference. I also tried biotin and that didn't work for me, but has worked for some people. Good luck it usually gets better!

My insurance company went with my initial weigh in.

I am a beauty product whore. I own about 150 bottles of OPI and Zoya nail polish. My dressing area looks like a mini Sephora. I can't get enough of eyeshadows and I own hundreds. Also, it's not a good day unless I have glitter on somewhere on my body. Yes I am a 15 year old trapped in a 45 year old body!! Love reading everyone's responses.

I am two and half years post op and I have never vomited or had any dumping issues. I never curtailed my social life and when I was out with friends or family no one ever made a big deal out of my eating small portions. Like others have said, most of the time no one even notices what you are eating. If I am off with people who don't know I have had surgery and on the rare occasion someone comments on my small portions I just say I am watching my carbs, or I had a large meal previously. It's never been an issue. This surgery has been so life changing and is an amazing gift! I am grateful everyday.

@amyreborn. I still drink protein shakes even at almost two years post op. I don't drink them everyday, but they are great when I need some high protein and I am in a hurry. I also will occasionally do a day or two of all protein shakes and then a no carb high protein dinner. This will help me drop a few pounds and keeps my weight at goal. My favorite brand is the Inspire protein powder. The flavors are mild and they don't have that nasty "protein" aftertaste. I will also drink premier protein and the caramel ones are my fave.

@Elode- I agree; most of the time I don't have much to say either. Plus I get a little tired of the people who make unsafe choices immediately post op and only want rainbows and unicorns for advice, so I usually don't have much to add. On another note my mom just had her gastric sleeve this past Monday so I am excited to see if it gives her a new lease on life. If I remember correctly you were hoping your mom would decide to have it too. Tell her that if my 67 year old mom can do it then she can too!!

Welcome back!! I was just thinking of you the other day and was wondering where you have been. I am excited for you that you have another procedure coming up in which to make yourself even more fabulous. I know you have been wanting to get your teeth/mouth fixed for awhile so congrats! Hopefully with the protein/liquids you won't lose a lot more weight. I know you are at goal. Maybe you could add in a few shakes that normally we Bariatric patients wouldn't drink ( higher carbs and calories) so you can maintain your weight. I know you will figure it out because you always do. You will have to keep us all posted.