Proud2BMe

Hunger usually starts to return around the 6 month mark and increases with time. It's okay. Regain has always been known about so you are not alone. Most patients will regain some weight by the second year. Two years out the weight loss phase is considered to be over with and any more weight you have to lose will have to be lost in the old fashioned way. That's why it's so important to try to lose as much weight as possible in the first two years.

Okay, I thought surviving the Halloween holiday would be a breeze. I blew it big time. Over the past three days I've consumed 5 Halloween cupcakes with buttercream frosting, a Hostess chocolate cupcake, Little Debbie nutty buddy bars (2), a popcorn ball, numerous handfuls of candy, movie theater popcorn (twice), french fries, onion rings, a corn dog, two brown sugar and cinnamon pop tarts, and one pear. I'm scared that I've now stretched my stomach out. Please judge me cruelly. I need to be punished. I obviously can't handle the holidays at all and will have to lock myself in my room for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (Seriously, does anyone know how long it takes to stretch your stomach out?)

Don't worry. Once you get about 6 months out you will be shocked when your hunger returns and you all of a sudden can eat a lot!

Protein shakes should not be rich in sugar and carbs as that defeats the purpose of taking them. I would switch to a different brand if I were you.

Everyone I told was dead set against it and many people told me that I would die. One person even cried. However, I ignored them all because their opinions were uneducated. None of them had done any research on this and were just acting off of the b.s fear about what Mexico is like. I didn't enter into this lightly. I took my time and researched everything extensively. As a result my stay in Mexico was wonderful. My surgeon was awesome. I had no real pain and zero complications. I would go back in a heart beat.

What did you mean by revision? From band to sleeve? I think the figure he gave you is incorrect. I was told it was closer to 1% risk for a leak or other complication.

Could be acid reflux. However, if you are concerned about a potential complication then go to the ER as has been suggested here by multiple people.

Could be the gas or it could be dehydration. Also might be the first sing of the flu. Probably nothing to worry about. Check with your doctor if you are concerned.

Centrum chewables, available practically anywhere.

This is the end of 2015. E-cigarettes have been out since 2007. There is no excuse for you or anyone else to continue to smoke cigarettes. You are addicted to nicotine and not cancer causing tar. I smoked a pack and a half a day for 20 years. Often when I went out or if I was stressed I would smoke 2-3 packs a day. I quit smoking 2 years ago and transitioned to e-cigs. When I had my gastric sleeve surgery they did x-rays of my lungs. I assumed everything would be fine as I felt fine and it had been 2 years since I last smoked a cigarette. Instead, the doctors took me aside and explained that all of the white, whispy stuff in my lungs was damage from smoking. I was shocked by how much damage there was was as I felt fine. But that's the nature of smoking. You will feel absolutely fine literally up until the very day that health problems develop. Unfortunately, many people who wait until health problems develop in order to quit do not get a second chance at life. With e-cigs you get the same feeling and routine of smoking, the same inhaling of a something that looks like smoke, and the same nicotine. You stop having the "smoker's cough". You no longer have to clear your throat 50 million times a day. You don't stink like an ashtray. Your fingers and teeth don't get stained. You don't have to go outside during the freezing cold, blazing heat our pouring rain. So unless you absolutely just love the taste of cancer causing tar, by all means continue to smoke. If not, then look into transitioning to e-cigs. Rant over.

You won't be smoking for a couple of days after surgery. E-cigs have been out since 2007 so there is no excuse to continue smoking. I quit smoking 2 years ago and switched to e-cigs. Before my surgery they gave me an x-ray of my lungs and showed me all the damage I had done. I thought that after 2 years my lungs would have been healed. Nope! All this white shadowy stuff still was all over my lungs. That is the accumulative damage of smoking for 20 years.

Monica, the article cites 1988. It was first used in conjunction with other weight loss surgeries. About 12-15 years ago it was first used as a stand alone procedure as doctors realized that patients lost almost the same amount of weight with the gastric sleeve as with gastric bypass and duodenal switch.

Tijuana is safe. Went there and had my sleeve done in May with dr. verboonen. Great experience. Would do it again in a heart beat. No real pain and no complications. People were nice.

I had mine in Tijuana. Would do it again in a heart beat. Very positive, no real pain and no complications. Lost 128 lbs in 6 months.

Please keep in mind that only some people have doctors that require a pre-op diet phase of about 2 weeks or longer. During that phase patients consume primarily Protein shakes, chicken broth, and sugar free Jello and popsicles. Patients who have doctors who require this diet will lose more weight than those patients who have doctors that do not require such diet. I did this diet and lost 25 lbs prior my surgery. Also, the more weight you have to lose the quicker you will lose weight.

Gall bladder issues are really gall stone issues, which form during the rapid weight loss phase when patients are no longer eating high fat foods. The bile builds up in the gall bladder and solidifies into gall stones. However, this process can also occur at other times so it is possible to get gall stones after the initial rapid weigh loss phase. Gall stones are quite painful. If you are given an option of removing your gall bladder at the time of surgery take advantage of it. You don't need your gall bladder to survive. All it does is to store excess bile. Without it the bile is just dumped into the colon.

Thanks, 3 to 4 thousand I may be able to do but so far all I have is a female friend that i know who personally had plastic surgery and she had the complete upper body lift and then had breast implants as well and it was 12K. 3 to 4 would be doable but then again it depends on the region of the country etc. Do you mind if I ask where you are located or what state? Thanks for your info! Gynocomastia surgery is just to get rid of man boobs. An upper body lift will of course be more money. I plan on getting gynocomastia surgery and a tummy tuck which should run about 8-10 thousand depending upon your area. You can get free consultations with surgeons. So my best advice is to begin saving up and once you have around 8 thousand or so go ahead and start to make free consultation appointments with surgeons in your area.

I've researched it in my area and it's about 3-4 thousand. Not bad at all. Lots of videos on YouTube you might check out.

It will be 6 months on the 12th.

Corn is a starchy vegetable and eating it should be kept to a minimum. The corn we eat as a vegetable, sweet corn, is bad as it contains sugars. Other types of corn, such as popcorn, is filled with starch which the body turns into sugar.

When you reach the point of being able to eat normal food. I love cherry and grape tomatoes! Even slices of normal-sized tomatoes are good too.

Yep. I had them both at the same time. It was good. Practically no pain. No complications.

Most doctors tell their patients to get 60-80 grams of Protein a day. If you consume too much protein it can cause kidney damage. Your doctor can screen your urine to see if you are consuming too much protein. As far as Protein shakes go, I just stick to brands sold at Walmart. However, that's me. You can buy whatever you like as it's your personal preference.

A stall after one week is strange. However, keep in mind that it all depends on how much weight you have to lose and how much muscle mass you have. People who don't have that much weight to loses will lose weight slower than those who have a larger weight to lose. People who have more muscle mass will also lose weight faster.

You sound really judgemental and rude. That's not the point of this website. This is supposed to be a supportive, helpful site. I cannot believe you are judging other people's very PERSONAL decision. What part of the "problem" am I since I'm not telling people? And yes, I am well aware I seem angry. I am angry at your comment. Do you judge me for having two surgeries for endometriosis and not telling people about that? This has been my personal struggle and battle. It is my story to share if I decide to. I think you shaming others for not telling is part of the "problem." And by problem, I mean obesity. We know we are being silently judged at all times just walking into a room. We know how hard it is to stick to a diet and exercise regimen and fail over and over again. For most of us, surgery is the last ditch effort. And we are still afraid of failing. Everyone has their demons, issues, and their right to privacy. I'm glad you feel so confident in telling everyone about your surgery. But do not try to shame me and make me feel like I'm doing something wrong by keeping my experience to myself. Obese people suffer and their suffering is made worse when people who had weight loss surgery lie about it. That's what I mean that if you lie you are part of the problem by promoting deception and that all that one has to do is just diet and exercise. You don't have to shout it on the rooftop but you should be honest when you are asked how you lost the weight. There's no shame in having surgery but there's shame in lying. So if you are actively lying and then have the nerve to say that I'm rude then I suggest you do some soul searching.