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Hi Stacy, My name is Stacy too...and I'm maintaining. It's a whole new ballgame. First of all, I lost weight when I was eating between 450 calories at the beginning to eating between 650 and 800 calories when I reached goal. I couldn't stop, my size 4's were getting baggy and there isn't as much to choose from in a size 2, plus I am too tall (5'6.5") and needed to get a few of those lbs back. Can that happen??? It still amazes me that I needed to gain a little and stablize at about 145. I learned from my dietitian that I'd need to ADD calories back into my diet and find out what I needed to maintain. OMG, ADD calories. Ok, I can do that. She said a couple of small Snacks or a maybe an additional meal and then go from there. I can only eat so much at a meal, so I eat about three small snacks a day. I like LF Graham Crackers with a little Natural Peanut Butter on them. Sometimes I'll have a mini scone at Star Bucks, if I'm there. I'm good at grazing, it is something I had stopped prior to surgery.....now I'm doing it again, and for now, it is what I MUST do to maintain. I just cannot let it get out of hand. It IS a slippery slope we ride on. I never have anything carbonated and I don't snack on chips or anything like that, those are so easy to over do on. I still log my food on line and weigh and measure when I'm eating at home. I weigh every single morning, it's habit, it's what my doctor recommened and it's like a game. All this works for me and I know I am in control. Good luck, and enjoy!!

do not understimate what you can do with this 'tool'. I was simply amazed. I would have been happy as a clam if I never lost another lb when I hit 170 and slipped into a 14, but it happened so fast, I knew I could do much better. The doctor set a goal of 150, wow, was that possible? My NEW goal was to wear a size 8. How crazy is that????!!!! I kept going down, down, down. A size 12 and then I got into an 8, that is what my mom wore before we lost her. She was always so small, at least to ME she was! I set me newest and last goal at 5 lbs under Dr. Davidson's goal, 145. Seriously.....I weighed 160 and wore a size 9 when I was 19. My wedding dress is a 9. I'm 53 now!!! LoL In the end, I got UNDER my goal, but was looking gaunt and my size 4 jeans were getting lose. I upped my calories and stabled out at 146. I have been maintaining between 145 and 148 for about two years. I buy GAP jeans and the 4's and 6's are what most of them are, onc style is an 8. Life is good, I still will hold up a pair of these pants and say to myself, "NO WAY" So....what I am telling you, I am certain you can get to your CURRENT goal, and then lose more. I'd bet money on it and I don't bet!!!

BMI, 36 - barely. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I've loved every single minute of this adventure since I woke up after surgery. I had NOTHING wrong with me except I was fat. I wanted to love shopping, look nice in clothes and not be the biggest girl in the room. My father's sisters and his mom were all over weight, all but one over 300 lbs in their later years. I have cousins that NEED to do this on my dad's side of the family. I struggled to maintain 225. I've been to WW several times, popped pills, more often than I care to remember, seen a nutritionist, Medifast. All sucessful a little, for a little while. This is by far, without a doubt, the single best thing I've ever done for me. I wasn't unhappy before, but now.....wow. Not one second of buyer's remorse!

Hi, I just looked it up on their web site, it's been so long, I couldn't remember the brand. I knew I'd recognize it though!! Brand is IDS Sports New Whey 42 liquid Protein. Here is a link to the web site. My favorite, and that doesn't mean you'd want to belly up to a bar and order one....but the least offensive was Blue Raspberry. http://www.gnc.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=liquid%20protein%20shots&origkw=liquid+protein+shots&f=Taxonomy/GNC/13200328&sr=1 If you just go to the GNC site, search for Liquid Protein shots.

I read this three years ago, just a couple of months prior to my surgery. (June 11, 2010) I hope some of you will do it, you'll be glad 12 months after you start on your new adventure!!! Go to Wal Mart or wherever and buy a disposable camera. It has to be disposable, not digital.....have someone take your picture the day of surgery. (or the night before) Every month on that date, have your picture taken. After your ONE YEAR surgiversary, take the camera and have the film developed. Actually laying out, side by side, those twelve pictures, wow, there is NOTHING like actually seeing your transformation right there in front of you!!! Do it, you won't believe how your body and your life, change in 12 months!!!! Good luck!

Y'all are welcome!! You'll love it....YES, it is a nice surprise and to get the full affect, you need to be able to lay a REAL picture, thirteen of them, side by side. With a digital, unless you have one you won't use for anything else and won't give in and look back......then it won't be the same. Never the less, even if you do have a spare camera that you don't need for the next year except for this purpose, you'd need to print the pictures out!! ** I was mistaken, it is THIRTEEN pictures, not twelve at the end of one year **

Keep in mind, unflavored protein doesn't mean there is no flavor...it just means it isn't vanilla, chocolate or strawberry! Finding something was a challenge for me. I finally settled on the bullets, some say not the 'best' but it is what didn't gag me and I was off supplements altogether at 2.5 months. Anyway, I drank the bullets (got mine from GNC by the case). They're only about 3.5 oz and that is not much at all. 42 grams of protein and even though the taste was not any better, it wasn't as thick (I'm big on texture!) and I could hold my nose and breath, just like a kid, and take a couple of sips in the morning, at noon'ish and before bed. I'd rinse my mouth out afterwards and survived!!! Good luck and congratulations!

Almost three years out and I still read everything I can on our surgery! My nurse said I was a bit 'rigid' and 'obsessive' - really???!!! LoL It's like a game for me, I've loved this journey from the time I made up my mind to have surgery - it was about 2 AM one night in December 2009 - and I still enjoy it. I love the support group meetings (we had a new informal one today) - I love weighing every morning since a couple of months before surgery, I love logging my food and weighing and measuring it. It may be weird, but it's my new life. Educating yourself is great, this is a great place, and real live support groups are WONDERFUL. Good luck, a year from now, you won't believe how different your life will be!!!

We're less than a mile from that CVS on Custer and Hedgecoxe, going towards the Tom Thumb on alma. Do either of you attend one of the area support groups? BTW, welcome to Texas!!!

Congrats Pottergirl. Almost three years ago I had my sleeve done, and I had no issues. None. Easy, easy!!! Enjoy the ride, it's wild but fun!!!

Chapstick A travel pillow or your reg pillow for the ride home. Put it between your tummy and seatbelt. I actually MUST have my pillow to sleep on! phone and charger clean panties loose clothes to wear home. I actually wore TO the hospital what I planned on wearing home. I took slippers, but they had those little socks for me. I took a gown, but just stayed in theirs.

At almost 3 years post op, it is still all about choices. The difference is this, now we really are in control, at least this is my experience. The cravings I had prior to surgery, aren't there anymore. Yes, I may WANT something or something might sound really good.....but I can resist, I can make wiser choices than I use to do. Do I ALWAYS resist you ask.....No, absolutely not. Dr. Davidson said this is NOT a diet, it's a way of life. Sometimes a piece of cheesecake sounds good, and I will share a piece with my daughter or husband. There was a time in my life when we'd each get our own, and resisting was almost painful, although some times I'd make the wise choice. You understand, don't you? Today (as I type) I am eating an entire can of Solid White Albacore Tuna (that is 1/2 cup). I make it with 1 TB of Lite Mayo and I added a baby dill pickle. My lunch is packed with 24 grams of Protein and 168 calories. Sometimes I eat half the can and will eat it on ten or twelve Mini Club Crackers or Special K Crackers, but today, I CHOSE not to eat the crackers because I wanted the protein!! My other option was left over roast. 3.5 oz of roast would be about 30 calories more than the tuna and 4 grams of protein less. It would have been yummy, but I knew the fish would be healthier. I don't think it would have been a 'bad' choice, but what I'm having is better. It really, really makes ME feel in control when I make a wise choice like this! It is so much easier post op. What are y'all having for lunch?

What's for dinner? Buca di Beppo - we get Shrimp Fra Diavolo, I eat shrimp because it is soooo easy. I'll eat about a fourth cup of the pasta and a piece of bread, dipped in their yummy olive oil.

BTW - self pay in Wisconsin was between 18k and 25k. I've discovered healthcare in the south is less costly and I'm not sure about the rest of the southern states, but it's hard to beat the doctor's and hospitals in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin.

I was living in Wisconsin but have since moved to Texas - going to Mexico wasn't even a thought for me, but I did have to go elsewhere. I came 'home' to Texas. Surgery for self pay in Dallas was just over 12k and well worth it. Dr. Davidson at Forest Park Medical Center is who I used. Voted 'Top Doc' by his peers (D Magazine) for 19 years. It included follow up visits for the first year. Seminar, blood work the day before. Up to two nights in the hospital. Not to mention, Dallas is wonderful. Northpark Mall is close by, a good place to window shop for all those new smaller sizes AND get your walking in!! You WILL have to have a one week follow up, or at least this was the case back in 2010.

I was self pay and flew in from out of state for surgery at Forest Park Medical Center. I was a patient of Dr. Davidson though. Great facility and nothing but good things about Dr. Nick. I had a leak test the following morning after surgery. The rooms are private and there is a couch in there. Someone CAN spend the night if you want them to. Be prepared, the nurses do NOT sleep, they had me up walking the hall at midnight or some gawdawful hour.....that first night!! Nurses are GREAT! The hotel you mention, may be the one we stayed at the night before surgery, I'm not sure. If THEY recommended it, it will not be too far away. It is probably on the opposite side of Hwy 75 AKA Central Expressway, you'll go down the access road and under the over-pass then north on the other side of 75. A couple of miles is my guess. If you're self pay, it's easier than those who have ins. paying. I had to have blood drawn and pre-registered. No big deal at all. I had none, zero complications...I'd do this again without hesitation. I've enjoyed every day since I started on this journey. With self pay, at least with Dr. Davidson, no psch eval Good luck, you'll love your sleeve!!

I used Dr. Davidson in June 2010.....absolutely a great doctor. He does surgery at Forest Park Medical Cntr and he is also at Presbyterian here in Dallas. Being a top doc in D Magazine is what led me to him. I mistakenly said in another thread that it was 18 yrs, never the less, he was voted by his peers for a LONG time!!! I knew I wanted a 'Center of Excellence' doctor and both he and Dr. Nicholson were voted 'top docs' and both had the Center of Excellence stamp of approval. I went with Dr. D because he did surgery on Fridays and Dr. Nick did not.....Friday was more convenient for me since at that time, we were living out of state. I am sure I'd feel the same way, had I gone with Nicholson.

I used Dr. Davidson, a D Magazine 'Top Doc' for 18 years - I don't know Dr. Barker, but I've heard good things about him. I DO know about Forest Park Medical Center, it was wonderful. Beautiful facility, great staff...there was nothing I can complain about when I was there!!! I am sure you'll be in good hands with Dr. Barker....good luck, a year after surgery, you won't believe how your life has changed!!!

I discovered 'unflavored' is not unflavored, it only means it is not choc, strawberry or vanilla!!! LoL Prior to surgery and for a few days after, I tried numerous, I mean quite a few powder shakes. Thank goodness GNC will take back anything you don't like. Keep receipts and I think it has to be within either 2 weeks or maybe 30 days. I took back THREE bags at three different times and finally tried a 'bullet'. They saved me, although the bullet was waaaay sweet, they're only about 3.5 oz. Like I did when I was a kid and didn't like something, I held my breath and nose, took a few sips and then swished Water around in my mouth!!! I did a few sips in the morning, a few mid-day and finished the darn thing off at night!!! I never lost my hair and it was sure incentive to get Protein in with food!!! I stopped using them at about 2.5 months, getting all my protein in with food. I can't believe I could get in at least 60 grams and my calories were at 550 calories per day. Cottage cheese, eggs, tuna, bagged frozen shrimp (to steam) and milk - on hand all the time!!

Wendy's chili is sooooo good!!! Low in calories, high in protein. I've gotten it a couple of times and it will last me for two, some times three meals.

For all of us who are Dr. Davidson's patients, SKIM milk is considered a 'clear' liquid. It's a win/win since you can count it towards that magic 64 oz per day thing, and it's Protein. From about day four, I started AND ended each day with a cup of milk. The first few days it didn't sound good, but after that it was great, and I still do this, three years later! I discovered how really good the milk is if I put it in a 'frozen' glass!! I started keeping glass glasses (smaller, juice size so I don't have to measure) in the freezer at all times. I always have five or six glasses in the freezer. Now my husband is drinking milk like this too!!! Ask you doctor, but I knew I was getting in SOME protein, I had a hard time with those nasty shakes!!! LoL

1% cottage cheese, my 'go to' food!!! Packed with protein!! I call it the REAL breakfast of champions. Many times I'll have this exact meal for breakfast.....I like it with pears too!!

I'm almost 3 yrs post-op and I know my eating habits are not great, but I've been maintaining easily for over two years, so it's working....I guess. It IS a slippery slope. Like you, I sometimes think I've gotten cocky, but the angel on the other shoulder is always making me worry, so I guess it evens out. I'm aware of everything I eat, I still weigh and measure my food, and I keep an on line food log. I know I cannot eat 1350 calories a day without seeing the scale go up a little, but then I leave a snack out the next day and I'm back where I want to stay. I feel like I eat like a naturally thin person. I guess I should ask one of my friends some time....do they obsess or do they pick and choose like I do. Who knows, but this is my normal. It's like a game I play, weighing in daily and going from there. It's fun to me.

this is soooo juvenile, but it works for me. If we are sitting in a restaurant and I am finished and there isn't anything I'm taking, I'll pour salt on it, food, bread, whatever. Not fit for consumtion!!! LoL Just an idea!

Do you log your food on line? I use fitday.com and for instance, I enter spaghetti, and it will bring up with our without meat......it may not be exact, but it's close and you can also enter specific foods if they don't have it. I really like this on line logging system, it's easy for me. I've been doing it for almost three years now. I have gotten all the numbers for all the ingredients several times, and you're right, it is a pain!!!! I find something close if it isn't in the list and go with it!!! That's why I weigh every morning, I know I can shed two or three lbs in no time, but with ten, I'd feel overwhelmed!! You can do it though, will just take a little longer!!! Good luck and thanks for your story!