hockeydog

I wish I had known: 1. That depression is pretty common for the first few weeks after surgery: mourning food, feeling uncomfortable, looking at a seemingly insurmountable goal. GOOD NEWS>>>>depression lifts, pain/nausea resolves, goal gets closer and closer every day! 2. To NEVER compare your weight loss with others.....we all lose at our own pace (for a variety of reasons). GOOD NEWS>>>>>if you work the plan, the weight WILL come off, and my slower loss gives me more time to practice the plan and good habits that hopefully will be easier to maintain once at goal (as they will be sooooo ingrained). 3. To focus on non-scale victories (ie. clothes fitting looser, fitting in seats better, less joint pain, etc). GOOD NEWS>>>>>these NSVs are the reason why we do this....we did it to feel better! 4. That you will stop missing the foods that you thought you couldn't live without. GOOD NEWS>>>>healthy stuff starts tasting better than it did before! A couple of fresh strawberries for dessert really IS a treat (vs a ton of M&Ms). Seemingly unbelievable, yet somehow true.

no painful bra strap indentations on my shoulders having to go back and forth to the dressing room in a clothing store, as i keep picking up a size too big

2 words: FLOWER PRINTS

walking down the beach in maui and 1) not feeling totally windedand 2) feeling like i fit in with all the other normal-weight folks. tucking in my shirt. NOT being noticed having only 1 chin

I COMPLETELY get your frustration, BUT the experienced folk here are right. I have had what I think is slow weight loss, and I never had the initial dump of weight immediately post op or with the pre-op diet. I have lost a pretty steady 1-2 lbs per week since the get-go (with a stall of 2 weeks as well). And this is with carefully tracking of intake and exercise. I was terrified to fail at this again (as I am a revision from band to sleeve). That fear fueled my anxiety and frustration, but never helped with weight loss. I was told by someone on here, in no uncertain terms, to congratulate myself on my success (YES, SUCCESS!) thus far and keep up the work, and it will all even out in the end (and basically, to adjust my attitude ) It was a hard pill to swallow, particularly since I was expecting more weekly loss, and never experienced that dramatic loss initially. But, I have accepted what IS. I'm still better off than I was in mid February before my surgery (at 30 lbs down), I feel better, and I think I look better, and that is keeping me motivated. The absolute worse thing you can do for your motivation and emotional state is to wonder why your path isn't like someone else's. THAT is a recipe for anxiety. I know I'm early in my journey, and believe me, have shed tears and had fits about what I thought should be, but isn't. But I have come to accept that all lost lbs/inches contribute to my health and are SUCCESSES. Please save yourself the stress and go with the flow. The fact that you are being diligent and following the rules are only going to work in your favor over the long term. We are always here for you, to cheer you on, and celebrate with you.

although i think this may just be gastritis, yesterday i vomited bloody flecks of tissue. I had had a migraine all day (which has been a BIG problem since my surgery), and was nauseated. i don't feel weak, it was not huge amounts, and i'm taking both protonix and pepcid as directed. has this happened to anyone else? also, i continue to get left shoulder pain everytime i eat anything. Thoughts?

i soooooo needed to hear/read these posts today. Thank you for your encouragement, words of wisdom. It sure makes things a bit easier when you feel like you are failing, and makes me want to keep on trucking, even though i feel like giving up at times.

I certainly feel restriction after having a band to sleeve revision, but the scale is moving very slowly it seems. I am 6 weeks out and have lost 18 lbs. I KNOW i'm eating the appropriate amts/types of food and am taking in between 600 an 900 calories daily (max). I have started to exercise, although not as much as I probably need to (i have a full time job, part time job, a family and am doing my masters). i am trying very hard not to compare myself to others, but MAN....sometimes i give in to feeling sorry for myself as a slow loser. I just don't want to fail again. I just worry that if the weight loss is this slow initially....how will it be down the road? Thoughts anyone?

mine went away after about 7 or 8 days, but now that I am almost a month out, it has returned. I have no other concerning symptoms (like fever, heart racing, etc). It is a sharp and aching pain to the left collarbone, near the shoulder attachment. Has this happened to anyone else?

I am an NP in the DFW, having a band to sleeve procedure nearly 1 month ago now. Despite following the post op instructions TO A TEE, i have only lost 12 lbs. kinda discouraged, because the thought of failing a second wt loss surgery is devastating. i lost 100 lbs with the band, but overtime and after some band complications, I gained it all back. Anyhow, i was told by the NP in my surgeon's office that wt loss after band-to-sleeve procedures are slower for some reason which she could not explain. Does anyone know if this is the case, and if so, why?

I would like to say the following: I too am struggling. I am 4 weeks out, have lost 12-13 lbs and am DOING EVERYTHING I HAVE BEEN TOLD.....TO THE LETTER. It is EXTREMELY frustrating, as this is about what could be expected with a 1200-1500 kcal diet, minus the surgery. i have overheard people who know i have had the surgery say "I thought the weight was supposed to come off fast at first." I cannot tell you how this makes me feel. Yes, i can actually.....like a failure AGAIN with regards to my weight. So.....for those of you who feel the need to scold those of us in a different part of their journey and feeling worried, vulnerable and (i'm speaking for myself here)....somewhat of a failure.....Please refrain. We could use some words of gentle encouragement and support rather than a slap. This is supposed to be supportive, is it not????