Creekimp13

You deserve to take a victory lap for your family, Fluff... You're down 77 pounds! That's amazing!

They make sugar free Reeses cups?????

The year my hubby and I first got married, the night before Easter we were staying at my bosses house overnight...house and pet sitting. We woke up in their king size bed...with six Elkhounds and several cats. On the table on my side of the bed....my hubby had arranged a mechanical wind up Godzilla....who spit sparks....on top of a clutch of Cadbury eggs in a little nest of paper grass. I remember thinking.....He gets me. And that's an incredible feeling:)

My group runs mine. Actually, the psychologist who does our psych screenings and counseling runs it:) I've gone twice...and felt kinda...meh about it. On the one hand, it's nice to be among folks going through the same experiences...but there's a lot of repetitive information. Which is cool and necessary when you're new to the process. I do enjoy the personal stories:)

I think your exercise efforts are awesome for someone who is staring from sedentary. Keep track of your steps...they really add up. Add a couple hundred more every time you get too comfortable with your goal. Walking has been a huge part of my lifestyle change. When I started back in June of last year...I was walking less than 6000 steps a day. And my back, hip and feet were killing me. But I pushed a little more every week. These days, I walk 5-7 miles every day and often more. My official daily step goal is now 12,000...which I can do in my sleep. I'd upped it to almost 20,000 and my doc told me to cut back and diversify my activity. Walking changed so much for me. My endurance changed completely. My core strength. My back improved so much. And it really helped my weight loss when partnered with a good diet. Have had good luck in the heated therapy pool, and doing some circuit training, too. But mostly...I walk. It's simple, you can do it anywhere. No special equipment needed. Don't underestimate it's power. Walking is where it's at:)

I know the Rochester area well:) We're puppy raisers for Leader Dogs for the Blind:)

Good questions for your surgeon, Sammi. Each doc is different:)

I think the reality that you now have to depend more on self discipline is creeping in...and you're feeling scared about it. Very very common. Have seen a lot of posts expressing these same sentiments. How many calories are they suggesting per day?

I think with your particular issues caution is warranted. First, do no harm, right? It never hurts to ask questions and do some reading. How is your presurgical diet going? Have you been seeing a nutritionist? Might be a great place to start. Losing a little weight and getting your diet figured out before surgery really improves outcomes. Very best wishes to you on your journey. Be well, and don't hesitate to ask the peanut gallery anything. We're not experts...but we have a ton of different life experiences to draw info from, and some valuable insight in the trenches so to speak. Good luck!

Your first study...consider why WLS patients might get more cavities. It could be as simple as....more frequent exposure of teeth to food. When you're eating 6 little 200 calorie meals every day.....your teeth have more exposure to food than if you're eating a fast big mac, fries and a coke. We're taught to eat very slow...chew like crazy...not to drink after meals. All of these habits keep more food matter on our teeth longer. This additional exposure could be eliminated (or at least reduced) simply by swishing with water or brushing after all of our tiny meals.

Cyclical, I think you're smart to check out as much research as possible. I do think you're jumping to a lot of conclusions, however. Vomiting isn't necessarily something you'll ever do after surgery. I haven't vomited even once. Haven't experienced any nausea. Have overeaten a couple of times and felt things back up a little. Did a little walking and deep breathing and the sensation went away within a half an hour...and taught me to avoid overeating. While people do typically hit ketosis during the liquid diet phase....you're only talking a couple weeks. You do not have to follow a ketogenic diet post surgery. I sure don't. Some folks do, and do great with it. But there are plenty of surgeons who will work with people who don't want to go the keto route. My diet is similar to Mayo Clinic Diet. Calcium malabsoption could cause dental issues....but again, that's very manageable with monitoring and taking vitamins. My labs at 3 months were all perfect. Good vitamin levels. Perfect sugar. Obviously, results are going to vary and yes, there are risks. But remaining obese is not without serious risk,either. Risk-vs-Benefit...in my opinion....strongly favors having bariatric surgery.

I saw that episode...and that dude's mouth had serious issues before he ever had surgery. The surgery might have put them over the edge due to Calcium malabsorption, but they were not healthy before hand. Happy to report I've had no dental issues since my sleeve. Just went in (my husband says to have my fangs sharpened..lol...normal people call it a teeth cleaning) and got a clean bill of dental health. I do think it's important to do two things though: 1. Keep up on your cleanings and check ups and floss well. Pay attention to your teeth. 2. Take your calcium and other vitamins as directed and follow up with having your labs checked on schedule. At 3 months, 6 months, a year, etc.. Make sure you're not vitamin D deficient, particularly if you live in the North where it's darker. If you are, make sure to correct your vitamin D to a normal level so you can absorb your calcium. Go to your rechecks! About the cancer thing.... First off, when reading your studies....make sure they are comparing incidence of esophogeal cancer in WLS patients to other obese patients. Second....the bariatric community....WITHOUT weight loss surgery has higher esophogeal cancer due to weight related reflux. Third....being fat is coorelated with dozens of other cancers and ups your odds of getting one.....so even if there was a little uptick of esophogeal cancer, you'd probably still be ahead with that risk than the risk you take being significantly overweight. Fourth....experienced surgeons are doing a better job of tightening hernias and preventing reflux in sleeve patients. Fifth...endoscopic screenings for esophogeal cancer could become a standard part of preventative care for WLS patients...and they're pretty easy to do....if more research determines more risk.

To clarify on the 450 calorie burn...we were there for an hour, but were only on the tramps jumping about half of that time. Spent the other half an hour gasping to catch our breath on the sidelines so we could jump again:) Heart rate was stellar the whole time, though. (provided for the exercise enthusiasts among us who wonder about these things)

You have no idea... Bahahaha!

Congrats!

I am so glad my group does NOT use BMI. Because BMI is kinda....crap...and everyone in the medical community knows it. Try telling that to the insurance companies, though. BMI is a very general measurement of average body types and it can GROSSLY misrepresent actual fitness. For example...Anold Schwarzenegger had an obese 33 BMI when he won Mr. Universe in 1967, The formula for BMI was created in the 1830's by a Belgian astronomer. It's an extremely DATED tool...and we have more accurate ways of measuring body fat. My group used a metabolic analysis test to precisely measure my body fat. Then, they figured out what I would weigh at 30% body fat...which is a normal, moderately fit body fat percentage for a woman my age. They said I would achieve 30% body fat at 172-176 pounds which was their suggested goal. I picked 170 because it seemed like a nice round number with a little built in error zone. Some of us are built sturdier and more muscular. Some of us are built willowy and long. Body shapes and types do not conform to the BMI chart. Getting a metobolic analysis and figuring out your actual body fat pecentage...is a really good tool for setting a healthy goal weight.

It wasn't busy, and the attendant took the funniest video of us bouncing around square to square, tripping, crashing...it was great.....she's laughing in the back ground going..."they're having so much fun!" Someone let the moms out... LOL:) As stupid as this looks? We got some exercise, tried something new, and had an absolute blast:) I am NOT disappointed!

One thing I've noticed reading this board for a while, is that we've all got a lot of valuable insight. Some amazing success stories here. Some amazing works in progress. Really good people with some terrific advice. But we all have a lot of prejudices, too, about what works and what doesn't, and what would really help people if they only listened! LOL And there is nothing quite like being on a stall, or being hungry, or learning to cope without your favorite lifelong coping mechanism....to make you grouchy and indignant about why people stubbornly won't listen. Can we agree that not even the doctors have this crap figured out to any kind of consensus? Some of us have had terrific success with eating keto. Some of us eat a buttload of carbs and do great. Some of us are exercise maniacs. Some of us are working hard to get to 5000 steps a day. Some of us won't touch a taboo empty calorie treat food...because it's a slippery slope that shouldn't be tempted. Some of us feel the need to master eating taboo foods in moderation to prove that we are in control and have "conquered" food. Some of us eat 600 calories a day. Some of us eat 1200 a day. Some of us are ok with moderately consuming alcohol. Some of us are not. Some of us are horrified by artificial sweeteners. Some of us use them by the boatload. And here's the really shocking part: People in BOTH CAMPS on all of these points...have been doing really well. How cool is that? The more I listen to all the different stories, the more convinced I am that there are a LOT of ways up this mountain. (Also cool!) Here's another interesting question... What's success? For some folks, success is having a low normal BMI, and being an athlete. For some folks, success is fitting a certain size, looking a certain way, feeling attractive, getting perfect plastics and looking like a model at the end. For some folks, success is hitting some other goal. Being able to fit in an airplane seat, Being able to play with kids and be active. For some folks, success is getting diabetes and blood pressure and other health concerns under control. For some folks, success is weighing under 200 pounds and not sweating it much beyond that. For some folks, success is being mobile, being independent, going back to work, and being able to take care of themselves. There are a lot of different versions of what success looks like. And not everyone's gonna want the same thing. What your group of doctors says....I guarantee you....will not be anything like what another group of doctors says. There are no hard fast answers about what works and what doesn't. What we've got...are a lot of valuable personal experiences with a LOT of different programs. All worth sharing. But no one has THE answer for everyone:) Sometimes I hear....but what about the newbies? Don't we owe it to them to set a good example? No, we really don't. We owe them our honesty. And we owe them the credit they deserve...to do their homework, read a LOT of stuff, consider all the various opinions about everything.... and figure out what they believe and what works for them:) Just my $.02 Opinions...as always....will vary:)

I ate a whole grilled cheese yesterday. It was terrific. Had some tomato soup, too. Whole wheat bread with reduced fat cheese, and reduced sodium soup. For like a total of 300 calories. Big whoop. We're not birds. We do eventually eat again. Sensible, nutritious food. Oh, and I'm less than four months out...and my doctor and nutritionist are 100% in approval of my lunch. That said...my doctor and nutritionist wanted me eating 1000-1200 calories a day at 3 weeks...so schools of thought vary. I will say I've always felt like my doc has based his recommendations on empirical evidence supporting long term weight loss...rather than the fastest weight loss possible (though I admit, walking advertisements are a hell of a way to advertise your clinic). I'm losing weight and doing well. Horrors... LOL:)

Statistically, 85% of people who have weight loss surgery get divorced within the first few years after surgery. Someone here said their surgeon told them it makes a good marriage better, and a bad marriage worse. How to put this eloquently? Your husband sounds like an abusive jerk and you should have left him long ago. Why haven't you? I think he's scared to death you'll succeed. Which is why he sabotages you and tries to make you feel like dirt. Yes, his mental health issues are pitiable. But at this point he cares so little for your welfare he's trying to derail your efforts to take charge of your health due to his insecurity. Your post is written by a downtrodden broken person who takes the blame for everything. I don't think that's who you are or who you want to be. It's who he's made you become. Your daughter is watching. Every time he hurls caustic insults...she gets used to that being ok. It's not ok. And it's a terrible example. Do you want her to end up with a guy who treats her like that? Of course you don't. Have the surgery. Stick to your plan. Get rid of this jerk. Have a happy life with someone who respects you. You're stronger than you think.

Ok, I was put up to posting these by another poster who shall remain nameless. Here goes... This is a pic of me, my kiddo and my mom....taken in June of last year when I started this whole weirdness. 270 pounds...unicorn shirt on the left. And the rest are me in the last week or so:) 199 pounds today.....30 or so pounds to go, but making progress!

I love the Cherry Blackberry. Hate the Arctic Grape...but love the Berry Grape (who knew, right?) Beware the flavors with caffeine and stevia....bleh! The ones with B vitamins aren't so bad. Which flavors do you love/hate?

Most folks and most doctors will say kiss them goodbye forever. They're empty calories and the carbonation is uncomfortable. There's debate on whether they'll stretch your pouch/sleeve or not. For the most part, you'll hear they're not a good idea ever again. Plan to give them up.

What a nice gesture! How cool to be thinking of others:)

As usual, I'm the outlier. LOL My group pushed us to get 1000-1200 calories per day. I accomplished this in week 3. I will say that most people in my group weren't hitting 1000 until week 4 or 5...but the nutritionist started asking you to try at week 3 and I didn't have any problem. If you're not hungry...don't eat. Get your protein in, and be thankful for your lack of appetite. (I was starving)