SuperDave

I believe elongated refers to the length of your stomach, not the width. Your pre-op diet would have shrunk the width, not the length.

If you make it 6 months you may not be craving it anymore! Then there is no point in starting again!

My surgeon recommends giving it up forever, however it is mandatory for a year. The reason being that the gas, (carbonation) tends to stretch your new stomach.

Sounds good. I may have to try this. I have a bunch of vanilla Premier Protein shakes that I can't stand to drink without some help!

You didn't give much info about your current eating and exercise routine, but I would suggest going back to basics. More Protein, fewer carbs, and kick up the exercise a little. Even an extra 10 minutes a day will add up. And of course remember that everyone is different. Some lose weight faster than others. The fact that you are down 71 pounds in less than 8 months is fantastic! Just keep it up!

Good luck! The waiting is the worst part. Once that is done it all happens very fast!

Awesome! Great work hanging in there and breaking through!

That's a rough situation. I hope it all works itself out. It's not over yet my friend!

Glad you made the choice! Best of luck on your journey!

From WebMD: "As your weight goes down, you not only lose fat but also a small amount of muscle. It’s estimated that up to 25% of the body tissue lost during weight loss comes from muscle. Since muscle is critical to keeping your metabolism perking, losing it can reduce your metabolic rate and hinder weight loss." So basically, it happens. The important thing is to keep following the program, sensible eating and exercise. Your body adjusts and you get past the stall. It is also good to remember that even though the scale in not moving, you may be losing inches and gaining muscle. Weight loss is not the only sign of improving health!

It is also important to remember that bariatric surgery is not a magic weight loss solution. It is simply a tool to help keep you on the right path. Everybody is different. Everybody will have different results. Your body has gone through a huge change. Give it time to do it's thing. Just follow the program and it will happen! It WILL happen! Don't get discouraged. Don't worry about it. Just do it! Good luck!

Awesome! Isn't it a great feeling to know you did it and can continue to do it? Keep it up!

Get lots of rest and fluids, hopefully you will feel better! Good luck with the cold and the surgery!

I have had the same issue with my head vs. my stomach. It is getting easier though. My head hasn't won the battle yet!

I tell people if they ask. I'm not wearing a sign or anything. If they have a problem, I just try to answer with something snappy like, "Go to hell, jackass."

Glad to hear everything is going well!

That sounds strangely delicious!

Walking is good. It will help. My first week was rough but it does get better. Keep up your liquids, protein and exercise. Soon you will barely remember the pain! Good luck on your journey!

Excellent! Congrats!

I had problems with the flavor of any Protein shakes after surgery, sweet or not. It was weird because they were fine pre-op, but they just wouldn't go down post-op. The only thing that worked for me was getting them really cold, then pour them over ice and sip slowly. It took me a long time to get them down, but it would get easier as the ice melted and thinned it out a little. Just stick with it, it will get better!

I always sleep on my side, so when I got home from the hospital I would roll on my side after I fell asleep. Sometimes I would wake up feeling uncomfortable (not really in pain) from sleeping like that, but it only lasted a week or so.

Potato chip sandwiches. White bread, mayo, chips. Awesome!

That will vary from person to person. It just depends on what you are comfortable with. I take larger sips, but I have read many on here have trouble with even the smallest sip for a few days post-op. I would guess my sips are at least a tablespoon. That wasn't really that silly of a question!

Protein shakes, keep busy and don't think about it. I won't pretend it doesn't suck, but you can do it!

@@Thinkingthinner1109 - You look great and it sounds like you feel great too! Congrats on your success, and have a fantastic time on your trip!