IncredibleShrinkingMan

@@jessi29 As a guy who has kept in close touch with many women who have undergone the surgery, we have it easier. I tried to deny this at first, but it's supported by the numbers. However, the depression hits us just the same and is very closely associated with rapid weight loss. He may be doing great, but he may be masking the more difficult parts of this (hiding our feelings is also something we do much more readily than women). Don't get ahead of yourself...the paranoia about him leaving is probably contributing a great deal. If you can convince yourself that it isn't true, you will see a marked improvement. And one final thing: the weight loss will come...and will be more slow and steady. Freefall then stall is no way to go about it.

@@ellie123 Congratulations on the new job. That's wonderful! I think it is very normal, and I, for one, had to suffer through a stall of a duration of about 5 months. I am just now starting to lose again, so please look towards the future and have faith in that. It looks like the early going went very well for you, and now you just need to rekindle those good habits. First and foremost, try to clear your head and enjoy your good fortunes, and the rest will slide right back into place!

Very simple...either they are naturally skinny and think it's a big life achievement of theirs...or they were obese and managed to lose weight and keep it off. It's rare, but the latter does happen for one reason or another, and they think it is a testament to their character and superior will-power. That is like telling a short person to get taller by trying harder, or telling a dyslexic person that if she cared more she would learn to read and write more quickly. Sickening!

Ugh...poutine with short rib gravy. Don't judge me.

This brings up two very important issues, @@Alex Brecher. Her poor candidacy is unrelated to her age. The turmoil surrounding her life both before and after surgery should've been a clear red flag, and perhaps psychiatric evaluations are not quite what they are today, and more people like her could fall through the cracks and into an ill-advised surgery. That said, I think two things are unreasonably stringent...first, that there is a very strong presumption against surgery on anyone younger than 18...obesity and its devastating effects start and become very hard to reverse much before then, so why shouldn't the surgical option become available as needed? Must we wait until there are quasi-irreversible effects on health to allow somebody the most sophisticated option available, provided he/she checks out fine in other respects? Second, and in a similar vein, why is the standard 40 BMI or 35 with a co-morbidity? This disease is vicious and destructive long before an individual reaches either of those two standards, and even more uncontrollable once they are reached...therefore, there is a greater risk that in order to become a qualified candidate, you have to reach a point at which there may be less you can do than you could when you were, oh, say an innocuous 10 lbs overweight but clearly struggling with food. This is another reason the psychological evaluation is important. It should not just weed out people with too many problems to be prepared for surgery, but should also be an inclusive tool, in other words, identify people who do not qualify strictly by numbers, but who are headed in a direction that makes surgery a very good, and potentially life saving option, even for a mildly overweight teenager, particularly when there are already some failed diet and exercise attempts under the person's belt.

You said it, @VSGAnn2014. There is hardly anything in this article that is news, the least of which is that Biggest Loser is an awful show by awful people. Leptin was proven to be an ineffective therapy, though. I am surprised they are still talking about it.

This is a very blessed problem to have, @Andrea72. I was craving things within 48 hours of getting back from the hospital. Also, it seems like you are on a particularly aggressive return plan to normal foods. At 4 weeks, I was still on no tougher consistency than scrambled eggs...i.e., late puree, early soft. If you need to stay above a certain calorie amount, I would just say slightly increase the portion sizes of the stuff you know are good to eat, like nonfat yogurt and lean protein...these things hopefully cause the nausea related to smell to be minimal. I think in your case your instincts will be far more useful than your nutritionist's advice, which frankly is the most likely thing to sabotage you. This is a gift...both the sleeve and your apparently changed taste buds. Don't let that get reversed!

ISOPURE...from the Vitamin Shoppe...40 g of protein, no carb, in 20 oz bottle. Slightly sweet tasting, but always did its job with me. Helped me with the pre-op diet a lot, and made clear liquid stage pretty tolerable. I use it to break out of stalls and it usually works!

Hospital stay of one night, and maybe a half a day after that, is pretty standard. That sounds like a pretty quick turnaround from work. My job is as sedentary as it comes, and after Thursday surgery, didn't go back until the following Thursday. They wouldn't approve anything earlier, and didn't really want to approve that either.

Good luck. Hope you are in the zone!

Wow, congratulations! I guess it's time to last-supper up and get stocked up for pre-op! I think the quick turn around is quite a blessing...I went throughout months of mental anguish as to how I would spend my stomach's remaining days.

Fantastic idea. It is just a mental prison. So are all numbers. LOL. I think there needs to be a scale that will only respond to you twice a week. I find myself arguing with my scale from time to time. We don't have a good relationship.

It sounds like this might also be from your drain site, which is the other bigger incision. Mine hurt for about a week. Give it 72 hours. The other sites didn't really hurt that badly. Call the doctor on Monday if there is still no improvement. Good luck!

I hope this is helpful for you. I had two straight therapists try to talk me out of my surgery, and you have to make sure this does not occur. You absolutely need to get the emotional eating addressed, but only go with a therapist that will support your underlying decision and work within those confines. If you end up changing your mind in the next six months, it should come from you and only you. Good luck.

Congratulations on reach the great divide! Wishing you prosperity in your slimmer days...