NtvTxn

Not one second EVER. I was like a kid going on vacation, it was an adventure, a journey. I was hyped from the time I woke up in recovery, I felt like "Ok, let the fun begin" and I've never looked back!!!!!

Out of all my NSV - seeing my collar bone, is still, by far, my favorite. Just wait, there are more surprises, hip bones, rib bones, a real jawline!!! The list is endless. You will be surprised how well you can do with this surgery. It is marvelous!!!!!

My snack of choice is graham crackers with PB2. I was eating Natural Peanut Butter, but the calories are too high, I hated it, so I tried the powdered peanut butter.....not bad, especially not on a graham cracker! I hate that you are craving candy. I think you probably are too thin and no doubt you have trouble finding clothes. I'm just under 5'7" and weigh 145. My jeans are a size 4. Start drinking 1 or 2% milk, eat a half a peanut butter sandwich, or grilled cheese. Put a little butter on toast or your veggies. Good luck!

If you are eating like you should, just kick start the weight loss again by increasing your protein as much as you can. I know at three months out you still cannot eat a lot, but always, upping my protein and liquids helped. It still helps if the scale goes up two or three lbs. I say liquids because I can't drink that much water, the nurse finally told me to DRINK LIQUIDS, that are not carbonated or sugared. After that, I kept iced tea made all the time and drank some water, iced tea and coffee. She wanted to make sure I didn't dehydrate, I never had any problems after that advice from her!!!

I've lost about 83 lbs, in June I'll be three years out, maintaining for almost 2.5 years....AND my jeans are 4's and 6's. I STILL have days when i feel fat or I feel like I look fat in something I have on. The head games we play with ourselves. It's crazy and I don't know if this will ever change, but it does keep me on my toes and "aware"......still, rationally I know I'm obsessive and nuts at times!! LoL

I am just shy of three years post op and I still don't have 'real' hunger. It is GREAT!!!! I will get an 'empty' feeling, i call it my "new" hunger!!! I hope it lasts forever!!!!!

June 11th will be three years for me. Different food is different, but I can eat about 2/3's cup. I was told early on that he didn't EVER want me to eat more than a cup at a time. I still have good restriction, I tend to normally 'under eat' my sleeve, it's easy, I still have no REAL hunger. I hope and pray that I'll always eat this amount. I was HOPING I'd never be able to eat much more than a half cup. Oh well.

Girl, you've done WAAAAAAY to good to backslide now. Try doing like I do, weigh every single morning, first thing. Some times I'm up a couple of lbs and some times I'm down a couple of lbs, but I want to make sure if it is what I am doing/eating and not just water weight - I want to get on it immediately. Shedding two or three lbs is not a big deal, six, eight or ten lbs., that is a little more daunting to me!!!!! C'mon, you will be fine, keep in mind how GOOD it feels to slip into a size SIX!!!!! I bet you're like me....never in your wildest dreams, right???!!!!!!! Good luck!

The further I go back and read, the more I learn. Now it's ME that is judging. Six kids later I hear you saying YOU have dieted with him, so common sense tells me you aren't 5'4" weighing in at 120 soaking wet. YOU can stand to lose a little weight as well. "Me thinks" you are threatened. Maybe you don't need to lose enough to get a sleeve, but enough that you struggle with it. Could it be you're afraid he'll get fit and trim, then judge you? I'm just sayin'

I don't feel insulted at all. I am not a victim and seriously, who cares what someone else thinks? Not me. You can't fix stupid. I don't feel sorry for Rick, he'll see the light and ditch her and her six kids! You know, donuts, cupcakes and coke make you fat if you use no self control, but six kids, let us talk about learning what causes that. Ok, I'll crawl out of the gutter now. I'm just sayin'

If she is REALLY a mom to six, that is a lot of baggage and probably a LOT of insecurity. If she fell for Rick, overweight, then she is probably worried he may feel as though he 'settled' after he starts losing weight. Once he loses weight, he will be thrilled, a whole new life, sexuality, girls are interested. Scary stuff for someone who isn't quite sure she's a prize. My humble opinion, of course.

Oh my gosh, I didn't realize this person was referring to her husband. Oh, how sad for him. My husband was apprehensive for a brief time. He didn't want me to risk going from perfectly healthy to who knows what. When I told him I was going to do this and I'd love for him to be on board, he soon became my biggest fan, my biggest cheerleader. He attends every support group meeting, missing just two in the past three years due to being out of town. He's great, participates and even takes notes. I love him, his enthusiasm (sp?) and his unwavering support....not to mention, he will let me shop till I drop and then take me out to Celebrate a new outfit. Life is good.

Sorry Charlie, you're wrong, at least this is NOT my story. I do not think I woke up fat one morning, and I know exactly whose fault it is.....isn't it ALWAYS our mom's fault???!!!!! LoL Just kidding. Seriously, it's my fault. A speaker at a support group recently said, 100 additional calories a day, every day, is over 36,000 calories a year, which equals about 10 lbs. A light went off, that is exactly how it happens. 2 or 3, 4 or 5 lbs per year over a 20 year period - Yikes!!!! Where the problem lies is we 'accept' that additional 4 lbs and when we get closer to (you fill in the blank) we tell ourselves, at least I don't weigh that amount....and we go on. It's slow, it's a vicious cycle. Some do have medical conditions, just like there are some who cannot GAIN weight, many times due to a medical condition. It is what it is.....if someone thinks sleeve surgery is 'the easy way out' - I don't care. I'm all for easy, I don't give a rats a$$ what anyone thinks. It is what it is.....I personally don't think having 85% of my stomach removed is the 'easy' way out, but it HAS been easy for me....of course, so was popping prescription diet pills. I think this is better, long term, so sue me.

I can answer this question. It's much easier to resist when we should since the hunger is gone. I have been at goal and maintaining since Dec 2010. I make holiday meals, I make every day meals and do NOT do without, I just do much, much, MUCH less! I do NOT go to the gym, not ONE time since surgery, I know me, I'd lose interest, get bored and I did NOT want to lose weight in part from being a gym rat. So, what DID I do you ask.....I made life style changes, and I'm obsessive about it. I make choices, I log my food, I weigh and/or measure my food when at home, I weigh every morning. I feel like finally, I live and eat like a naturally thin person. BTW, fat or thin, I have never lounged around in bed, not a bon bon fan either. I hope this answers your question, of course this is MY story.

The taste of the protein powders etc were sure incentive for me to start getting in ALL my protein via food ASAP. I drank my last protein bullet at 2.5 months!!! I gave up on the powders, yuck, yuck and double yuck!!! I switched to the 'bullets' or 'shots' because there was NO WAY I could choke one of the shakes down, I tried for the first week, to no avail. The hospital sent home a 'goodie bag' with samples of powders, Isopure and a protein shot from GNC. Make no mistake, they are not 'yummy'. You won't want to find watering hole, belly up to the bar and order one, but they are approx. 3.5 oz. EASY to do with so much less. I'd hold my nose and take a couple of sips in the morning, again at noon and finish off the little jewel in the evening. Rinse your mouth afterwards and with one, it packs 42 grams of protein. I found the blue raspberry the least offensive. I never lost my hair, labs were always stellar and I felt good. I'd get the rest of my protein with food. As soon as you can start eating additional food, an egg, 1% cottage cheese, tuna, steamed shrimp or just thawed shimp. These are all great sources of protein. From the beginning I start my day with a cup a skim milk in an ice cold glass glass....and I end my day the same way. My organic skim is 9 grams per cup, that is 18 right there!!! Good luck.....you're not alone with those shakes!!!

I took three different Protein powders back to GNC, all opened. You DO need to keep the receipt, I got to where, I'd just tape it ON the package so I wouldn't lose it.

OMG - the Hydrocodone was HORRIBLE. I only took it at night, but I had terrible nightmares. I later found out from a family member that this is some times a side affect, or is it effect? Anyway, I ditched it and asked the doctor for Tylenol #3. I took it for several nights and I was finished, by the end of week 2, I wasn't taking anything except an occasional OTC Tylenol liquid. My heating pad during the day was the best 'medicine' if you ask me. It felt wonderful.

I think, and this is just MHO.....so much of what we deal with, pre op and post op, is in our heads. It's too bad the doctor's just work on our tummy and can't do anything about our heads and all the head games we play with ourselves!!! Focus on your new life, every day is ONE step closer to your ultimate goal. It's a wild ride and boy is it fun!!! You will be shrinking right before everyone's eyes, and although in the mirror, you may have trouble seeing what others see.....the clothes tell the story. When your pants start sagging like an entire family moved out.....it is a GREAT feeling!!! Some people whine and hate not being able to eat like we could prior to surgery.....at almost three years out, I REJOICE in eating less. I hope and pray that this lack of real hunger will NEVER end!!!! To me, this is a game I play every day and I'm winning. When will things get better, today if you're willing to realize what a journey your on and Celebrate that, every step of it, the ups and downs!!! Good luck and have fun!

Initially I had intended to get the lapband. My friend, who'd been urging me to get WLS, had gotten one a few years earlier. She had lost 60 lbs and didn't die. Both good signs. After researching a little, I decided to go with the sleeve. The 'forced' portion control is what I needed. Plus, going back for all the fills etc did not appeal to me. I am so glad I did this, never a minute of buyer's remorse. I chose the right procedure, at least the right one for me. My friend has since gained some of her weight back, with the band you do not lose your hunger like we "sleevers" do, so she still has that 'I'm starving' stuff to deal with. I only know two people personally who have gotten the band, the second friend doesn't really count, she had to have hers removed 6 weeks later due to complecations. I hope this helps, a little anyway.

I take the adult gummies from Target. I started taking Biotin a couple of months prior to surgery and I still take it.

I've been weighing EVERY single morning for almost three years. The only time I do NOT weigh is when we are out of town!!! My doctor recommends it! It keeps ME in control. For instance, yesterday I woke up three pounds heavier.....thank you Easter weekend!!! Protein upped to 95 yesterday, cake was out of the house......back to my normal life. I'd much rather know at three lbs and not weigh every ten or fourteen days and be up TEN!!!! That would be overwhelming, this three lbs is NOT. I know I'll go up and down, that is normal. I do not get upset, depressed - but it's part of my life, I go up and down 3 or 4 lbs every week.

During my entire losing period, I would go up a lb or 2, a time or two, 3 lbs, then I'd lose it, up again and then I'd wake up and it would be gone for good. On to the next couple of lbs. I heard from ol' timers, that this was normal for them as well. Not really a plateau as it was and up and down, up and down. One time I did this for 10 days! Just know, if you are doing what you should, you are good.....and this is normal. I did treat these times as a plateau and followed the dietitians instructions. Up protein and liquids. It will give you a kick start. I am 2 months away from being 3 yrs out and I've been playing with this theory the past two weeks. I don't want to lose more, I think my body is comfy where it is, which is still a few lbs below goal....but it was a test. Upped my protein from 60 - 65 to 75 - 95. Lost three lbs last week....BEFORE Easter and carrot cake. Back on track yesterday, 95 grams of protein!! Good luck and relax, it's all good!!!

My step mom had a good portion of her stomach removed probably 35 years ago due to ulcers. She was not heavy, but she lost weight. Not as much as we do, because we have so much removed so we CAN lose weight, for her it was more of a side effect. she is now 82 and other than being diabetic, she is like more women her age. She and my dad married in '92 and she has always been thin, and she was not diabetic, but was diagnosed after she was in her 70's. Weird, weight played no part in it for her. Anyway......I don't know anything about long term studies, but people like her have been having this done for decades, I guess.

My daughter's carrot cake got me, in more than one way. I was up 3 lbs (this is why I weigh EVERY day) and I woke up at 2 AM Monday morning with a screaming migraine. Too many sweets!!! I'm already on the road to 'recovery'- down 1.5 this morning. Got in 95 grams of protein yesterday, so I know that helped. Back on track, which is what is so good about this tool. It sure makes it easier to get back where we need to be. Good luck to y'all!!!

I haven't been to this one, but I think I'll check them out Thursday evening. Weight loss surgery program provides patient support groups on the first Thursday of every month. Meetings are held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Magnolia Room, Tower C, Lower Level. For more information please call 972-981-3861. 6200 West Parker Rd Plano, TX 75093