*susan*

You are doing great! Right now, your body is in a bit of a state of shock. You just put it through major surgery and all kinds of changes are taking place. It is trying to adjust to all of these changes and settle back down. During this time, stalls, or even a slight gain, are not unusual. It could even just be plain old Water retention. The important thing to remember is this is not a race or competition. Please don't compare yourself to others, as everyone's body is different, reacts differently to surgery and loses differently. As I said before, you are doing great! One more suggestion, just weigh yourself once a week. Doing so daily can drive one crazy with the way our bodies fluctuate, lol. Sent from my iPad using VST

Amanda, that should be everyone's expectations, whether having surgery in the US or abroad. There are several Centers of Excellence in Mexico, so there is no reason for anyone to settle for anything less. After all, this is our health we are talking about. The surgeons you mentioned have excellent reputations, you should do very well. Sent from my iPad using VST

Yay, congratulations. It is natural to be scared going into any type of surgery. Just remember why you are doing this. Sent from my iPad using VST

First off, don't defeat yourself by saying you have "only seen" a 34 pound weight loss. That is a fabulous loss, especially for just ten weeks out. Remember, this isn't a race, don't compare yourself to others, because everyone loses differently. Remember the basics, make sure you are getting in plenty of Water and Protein. When sitting down to eat your meals, remember protein first, then vegetables and then, if you have any room left, starches. Take your time eating, enjoy every bite of food, take a bite and then put your fork down. It takes our brains about twenty minutes to register that we are full, so that is why eating slow is good for you. You may want to look at using a tracker, such as My Fitness Pal. It really helps to track everything you put in your mouth. You may think you are eating healthy, and then be surprised when you look over your day/week and see what your really ate. It is a great way to keep yourself accountable. Lastly, make sure you are moving. Whether you join a gym, have a specified daily exercise routine, walk, etc., moving more is vital! Park farther away when you go to the store, at work, use the restroom farthest away from your desk, take mini walks, it doesn't really matter how you do it, just increasing your daily activity level will do wonders for you. Sent from my iPad using VST

I was able to take all my meds without having to split them at about five weeks out without any problems. Sent from my iPad using VST

Hi and welcome to our forums, we are so happy to have you join us and look forward to following your progress. Sent from my iPad using VST

I am over three years out and still in love with my sleeve. I was a band to sleeve revision and have no regrets at all. I can eat more than I was able to the first year, but still not anything close to what I did pre-surgery. Sent from my iPad using VST

Okay, everyone needs to step back, take a deep breath and remember our forum rules. In case you need a refresher, here is the link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules The personal attacks, disrespecting of each other and name calling needs to stop immediately or I will close this thread and issue warnings and/or suspensions. Remember, anyone is permitted to share their own personal story based on their own experience. Also, attack the idea, NOT THE PERSON. Thank you.

At over three years out, I can honestly say I have not once regretted this surgery. I feel better, I look better, I am healthier and my confidence has improved ten fold. What was important for me was to really change my mindset. I was very much a volume eater. Sure, there were and still are times when I turn to food in response to stress, depression, etc. But, in being honest with you and myself, my main problem was I just love food, especially the yummy tasting, not so good for me foods. So, I have had to retrain myself. I have had to work on tracking every bite I put in my mouth. I love my sleeve because with it I can eat anything I want. However, I don't allow myself those special "wants" until I have eaten a healthy amount of Protein, dairy, fruits and vegetables for the day. And when I am eating something I especially love, and feel a bit jealous because others are able to eat more, or upset because I want to eat more even though I know it will make me miserable, I just have to remind myself that it's okay, I had some, I enjoyed it and now I can stop because I know I will be able to enjoy this food again another day. I don't have to binge on it, because it isn't like this is the last time this food will ever be available to me. In the first six months to a year, aka "the honeymoon phase" I really had no interest in food. I never thought that would be possible, but it does really happen. There were times I actually forgot to eat! Holy moly, me, forget to eat? No way! But, I did. Food no longer held the same power over me. Now, at my present stage, I can honestly say I still don't experience what I believe to be real hunger, just the old demon of head hunger. I think I want something, even though I'm not hungry. When that happens, I drink a glass of Water or eat a piece of fruit and that usually satisfies me. So, yes, no regrets and my sleeve is till working for me at over three years out and I happily and confidently recommend it to anyone considering weight loss surgery. Sent from my iPad using VST

Congratulations, that will be a great way to start the new year! Sent from my iPad using VST

If they have, they have kept it pretty quiet. Sent from my iPad using VST

Girl, you look amazing, what a wonderful accomplishment! I know you are feeling great too, congratulations!

I also agree that you already know the answer to this question. If it doesn't feel right, and he treats you poorly. why stay in the relationship? You have just made a major life change in deciding to have this surgery, because you want a better, healthier you. Don't you think this new you deserves to have someone who truly loves you and treats you the way you deserve to be treated? I do!

Glad to hear you are doing well!

Rootman is very wise, and I agree, take the personal attacks out of it. We are a support forum, anyone considering weight loss surgery, who has had weight loss surgery, is struggling with their weight, etc. is more than welcome to post on our forums. Remember our rules about being polite, especially paying attention to: Members will treat each other with courtesy and respect, especially when they disagree. We understand that bright, intelligent and educated people may not always agree, but personal attacks in the form of insults, abusive language or other means of obvious harassment will not be tolerated. - Do not attack, mock, or otherwise insult others. You can respectfully disagree with the message or topic, but you cannot attack the messenger. This includes attacks against the user’s spelling or command of written English, or belittling a user for posting a duplicate topic. - If you are attacked by another user, and you reciprocate, you will also be subject to the same consequences. Defending yourself or a friend is not an excuse! Do not take matters into your own hands – instead, use the Report Post link to report an attack and we will be happy to handle the situation for you.

Don't just base your caloric intake on what everyone else is doing. You also need to factor in how much you are exercising. For a normal, non-sleeved person our bodies need about 1200 calories a day just to perform its daily basic functions. At eight months out I was averaging around 1100 calories a day. I was working out at a gym daily and not losing anything. My fiancé, who is a personal trainer and nutritionist insisted I wasn't giving my body enough fuel and upped my calories to 1450 per day. I was mortified, but agreed to give it a shot. Sure enough, he was right and I started losing every week again. Sent from my iPad using VST

Goodness, definitely time to get this party started then! Let us know how it goes. Sent from my iPad using VST

Milk of Magnesia was my savior during the first few months! Sent from my iPad using VST

Add me to the group of those whose only regret is not having done it sooner. This is the best thing to ever happen to me and I couldn't be happier. I wish this had been around when I was in my twenties, it would have saved me years of poor health and unhappiness. Sent from my iPad using VST

Why am I sitting here blushing? Sent from my iPad using VST

That is wonderful, so happy for you! It is truly a great feeling. Sent from my iPad using VST

That is great NSV, congratulations! Sent from my iPad using VST

I slept in a recliner for the first week. Sleeping any other way was uncomfortable and impossible. Sent from my iPad using VST

I feel for you, they are definitely miserable. I get them fairly often, but fortunately have not required surgery. Hope you feel better. Sent from my iPad using VST

Good luck, I know once the decision was made I was getting mine, the day couldn't come soon enough! Sent from my iPad using VST