NtvTxn

IT WILL happen, I rememeber when I first wore a sixteen, it was exciting! Luckily I had a couple of pairs, because don't most of us have several sizes in our closets??!!! LOL! Wow....I've gotten rid of everything from 'before' - as advised from somebody wiser than me. Dr. Oz I believe said don't hang on thinking you MIGHT re-gain, but somebody in my support group said keep one piece of clothing to remind yourself of WHERE you started. I kept a pair of jeans and a dress. The jeans are a mens size 40x32 and the dress is a size 20. I cannot BELIEVE how huge the jeans are!! I put them on about a month ago just to see.....and they are so big it is hard imagine that they fit me snugly a year ago!!! Good luck.....it's such a fun journey!!!

Thanks Y'all!!! ** Davida - I was JUST thinking of you!!!! How are you? Give me an update here or e-mail me when you have time!!!

Yay for you!!!! Congratulations!!! It feels wonderful when you have a week like that. Enjoy and keep on keeping on! Happy Tuesday!

I explain my 'new hunger' as an empty feeling. I can fill it or ignore it. It's not something that is REAL hunger, but it is a feeling, just not something I HAVE to address. Make sense? Is this what you are feeling?

I highly recommend Dr. James Davidson in Dallas. I was self pay and all his self pay patients are treated at Forest Park Medical Center. It's like the medical equiv. of a Embassy Suites or Hyatt Regency, top notch treatment with a private room and private nurses! I'm not sure how many doctor's have their self pay patients there, but there are several. It's a very nice facility. Dr. Davidson is doing sleeve surgery for 12k, he repaired a hiatial hernia that I unknowingly had at no extra charge. A 'center of excellence' was important to me and Dr. Davidson has also been voted a "Top Doc" and named in 'D Magazine' for 17 years by his peers, which is a big deal in the DFW area. That is how I came across his name and narrowed down my search between him and a couple other area doctors. There are many good doctors.....I just wanted to throw another one into the mix.

My first two weeks my surgeon said "nothing that won't go through a straw" - well, ok then! =)

Yes, very helpful, thanks! I need to find the OH maintenece forum, thanks for mentioning it. I agree totally about the soft 'slider' foods. I can eat soup, tuna or something like that, and sit and visit for a little while and eat a little more. I weigh or measure everything when we are home, and am 'snacking' on Peanut Butter string cheese, cottage cheese....stuff like that throughout the day to get my calories in. A couple of weekends ago we ate out all weekend and I gained 2.5 - three lbs....I was still below goal, but I didn't like it...I just didn't do my normal 'snacking' during the day on Monday and Tuesday and it was gone. It is shocking how quickly it can be gone again. Is it like that for you too? On the downside, if I FORGET to add in those extra calories I will quickly lose even more. You are way below goal, so I KNOW you KNOW what I'm talking about!! It can happen fast, I can see that. Thanks again...and I think the greens are good too!

I was 50 when I had surgery June 11, 2011 - I love my sleeve!

Tiffany - I am not quite 8 months out and have just noticed I can eat a little more. The group at my surgeon's office said they didn't want me ever eating more than 3/4 - 1 cup of food. I'm not eating that much 'solid' food. I can eat a half cup of home made Soup and a half slice of bread. Do you think what I am eating now is what I can expect to be eating a year from now? That should put me about where you are....maybe a little further out. It would be great if this is it. I hate "not knowing" - it would be nice if we knew what life was going to be like three or four years from now! The person after your post asked.....what are the sleeve eating guide lines, tell us! =)

Beware of bananas, I thought they'd be fine, but it was either my nurse or dietitian that told me about the little seeds in them. We have staples in our tummy after surgery and the reason for liquids is to put no stress on the staple line...and we want to make double sure nothing gets stuck in the staples. Yikes!

Tiffany, You look wonderful....you have been my inspiration since I began this journey. I know exactly how you feel. The clothes...it is amazing. I am in a size 8 jeans and they're a little big. I think I can buy a 6 just this past couple of weeks. My tops are a M and depending on the brand, I have gotten a S recently. Never in my life could I imagine in my wildest dreams...and I'm 51, so you have a long time to have a blast buying those fun, fabulous clothes!!! You keep us all informed, up-to-date and entertained. Thanks!!

My blood pressure normal, I'd say it happens when I haven't eaten anything in a while. I'll pay attention from now on.

When I first had surgery I did good to get in 450 calories but when I reached goal (just under five months) I was averaging 675 calories a day. I've been maintaining since the first week of Nov., my dietitian said to 'play with' between 800 - 1200 calories per day to see what works. To maintain I'm finding that 975 and 1050 is what is keeping me at goal. (actually I am a little below, so I have a cushion) I live 'normally' now that I am AT goal, but until I was, I DID treat this as a diet, I was aware (I still am, but I do LIVE) of everything that went into my mouth. I ate NOTHING sweet. I was very strict with myself, obsessive according to some in my family! But, I've been very successful. I started getting ALL my Protein from food at 2 months, I've never had a hair issue....I enjoy every single bite I put into my mouth.....I'm never hungry and now that I am at goal, I snack off and on all day it seems, just to get in enough calories to STOP losing. I love this sleeve. It has been disgustingly easy!! I don't know about 'not enough calories' - it was never a problem with me. If I stopped losing for a few days, I'd UP MY PROTEIN, not my calories....and get in more Water, maybe ride the exercise bike for five minutes....but I NEVER upped my calories! Up the protein, I'd lower calories, watch the bad carbs, again.....lower the calories, drink plenty of water.....you'll do fine! Good luck!

I totally know what you mean....when they told me I need to add Snacks in to get more calories, I thought, 'Oh no, isn't that starting a bad habit??' I've decided that this is what normally thin people do and don't think about it or feel guilty about it. I must snack because I can't possibly eat more at my meals. I have added more caloric foods into my diet when we eat out when possible - like full fat dressing on the side or if my meat comes with a sauce, I'll get it on the side and dip in it if I want to. It is just WEIRD because before surgery I would not have gotten the sauce at all. The dressing I always got on the side....but I'm doing things NOW in moderation that I did not do before. It is getting past the "guilt" - the "am I developing bad habits" mentality. If I am going to maintain my currant weight I must eat like this, I must snack unless my stomach is going to stretch all of a sudden and I'll be able to eat more. I don't anticipate that happening. I HOPE it doesn't. I'm still never hungry....I feel empty some times, but never hungry. I do feel dizzy once in a while, is that a drop in blood sugar? I felt it this morning before I ate Breakfast, it didn't last long, but it happens once in a while. Some times I can be sitting and it happens. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one.

TexasT - Seeing this makes me feel better. You are eating basically like I am, and I am WORKING on feeling like a 'normal thin' person....not worrying about what I eat. I weigh daily and every night as well. It's like a game I play. I guess what I'll weigh in the morning by what I weigh at night. I vary between seven and nine lbs below goal and am finding it easy to maintain. I don't eat fried foods, although I'll eat a few fries off someone elses plate but that is rare and I ate five pieces of fried okra from my husband's plate when we were at a Cracker Barrel last weekend. We didn't really eat friend food before I had surgery though. I AM aware of everything I eat and it seems like I am 'snacking' off and on all day just to get my calories in to maintain, if I slow down, I start to lose again...and then I have days like yesterday when I have the munchies.....do NORMAL people do this? People who have never had a weight problem??!!! I didn't wake up this morning and weigh more and of course I can't eat much at all, I just had the munchies. I don't eat chips, but we don't keep them in the house. My new love is Graham Crackers with a little Peanut Butter. I just want to get past WORRYING about re-gaining. I've been at goal and maintaining since the first week of Nov. When do we feel 'secure' - when did it happen for you? You look great, congrats!!

I'm just curious about the 'super sleeve' - you said they fold it over rather than remove it. Do you mean that none of your stomach was removed? Do you still have the hunger hormone? I'm just wondering if you feel the same restriction and same lack of hunger that I do. Very interesting....as far as the other stuff....it sure does mess with our heads, doesn't it? It does take awhile for our brains to catch up to what our surgeon did to our tummy! I am about eight lbs below goal and there is part of me that would like to go lower just because I KNOW I can!

I've found myself at the mall a couple of times where I had to eat at the food court and ended up eating at McDonald's. I couldn't possibly eat a small hamburger I don't think....and I'm never hungry anyway, so what I eat so I am getting Protein, and I basically stopped eating white bread months before surgery.....I ate the small cheese burger....and it was WONDERFUL. I ditched the bun altogether. Just the meat, cheese and it had those little diced onions on it, the pickle and I can't remember if it comes with ketchup or mustard or both....but it is great and when you read the nutritional stuff and then minus the 'bun' - it's not so bad! I do not drink when I eat.

I haven't had any problems with pineapple or anything since surgery.

Get the chocolate chewable calcium citrate from Bariatric Advantage (on line, google it) - they're like Tootsie Rolls!! Better than Viactiv!!! No shipping if you are on the auto shipping plan!! There are other flavors, some people LOVE the lemon, but not me, the chocolate rules!!!

WHY would he do that? What I'm thinking I will not post, but what a jerk. Just know that at some point you can have a piece, and if you are like me, you will not be able to eat more than one....and that WILL satisfy you. We make our own pizza now, after reading Pizza Hut's nutritional info, I CHOOSE not to go and eat what they offer....and I know the others are just as bad. We have a recipe for a home made whole wheat crust that is better than anything "out" and we put the Ragu pizza sauce on it. I like Canadian Bacon for a little Protein, the part skim mozzarella cheese - more protein, banana peppers and mushrooms! Oh-so-good. With such a little tummy, I pick the smallest piece of our med. sized home made pizza so I will have room to eat the crust!!! Pre-op I could eat or almost eat a half a lrg Pizza Hut pizza.....shocking to me now! Hang in there and be strong....I'd have a LONG talk with that husband of yours and ask him why he'd want to sabatage you like that....to me, that is mean. Shame on him!

You are NEVER too old to shop at VS!!! I'm 51 and that's where I buy panties! I like Macy's or Nordstrom's for bras, and they'll both fit you....as will VS!!! Go and enjoy buying something pretty!!! I've never in my life had so much fun shopping. I know that I've had good luck finding bras on the sale rack....get someone to tell you what size, then you can look around!

You look soooo much younger, I know others have told you the same thing! Yay for you!! Just wait, you'll keep losing, and I did NOT have a problem as I got closer to goal, the hardest part for me is stopping!!! I've been maintaining since the first week of November....it takes a while to get the hang of it, and it takes a while for our BRAIN to catch up to what the surgeon did to our little tummy!!! Going to the missy dept instead of the women's IS strang, isn't it? For the first time in my life, shopping is fun, fun, fun!! It is weird taking jeans out of the dryer and not needing to lay on the bed to get them zipped. I still look at them and think, NO WAY can i slip into them!!! Keep up the good work, you look amazing!!! Kudos to you!!! Have a great day....I bet you reach your goal and go even lower!

Hey Tiff - how are you doing 'coke free'? How are you feeling? Just checking in.

pumpkin - You are being a 'little' stubborn! Taking a multi is something I've been doing since I was about 35....I'm 51 now. It is something we give our children for years, stop for a while and then they start up again at some point they are adults! I think most of us as women are told by our family doctors to start taking Calcium, as well as a multi when we turn 40. So I'd been taking both for ten years when I had surgery. I also was taking VitD because I live in Wisconsin and go without sunshine a good deal of the time. I switched from calcium carbonate to citrate.....if you haven't known any of the hunched over old women with osteoperosis (sp) - pay attention, consider those chocolate little 'tootsie rolls, preventive maintenence. I take the chocolate Bariatric Advantage, they're like choc. candy! Love 'em!! The only 'new' thing I take is B12, and now I have my husband taking it too. It isn't like they have us taking something we can sell on the street.....this is good stuff, nothing alternative or controversial. I don't take Iron, it is nothing that my doctor recommends unless my bloodwork indicates I am low. If you are low in areas, I am willing to be you will have health issues on down the line. I can't imagine that is something you want to gamble on. Put this into perspetive, it's vitimins, not oxycodone!

Hi SocialKelly - here are some examples of what I was eating, and what I still eat a good deal of the time! For Breakfast several days out of the week I will eat a half cup of 1% cottage cheese, I call it the breakfast of champions, 13 grams of protein! Other days I'll have a scrambled egg, 6 grams and add a half oz of 2% grated cheddar or LF Farmers cheese, 3 grams, for a total of 9 grams of Protein. When I got a little further out, I would eat 2 eggs, 12 grams, without cheese, or 1 egg and one egg white, 9 grams with a fourth oz of cheese, 1.5 grams of protein. I weigh or measure everything here at the house!! Some times I'll eat a half a low fat English muffin 2.5 gr., with a slice of American cheese 3 gr. For lunch, I love solid white Albacore tuna. I add a boiled egg for an extra 6 gr of protein. A serving is 1/4 cup, 13 grams of protein, then you add the additional grams because of the egg, for a total of 15 grams per serving! I add 2.5 TB of lite mayo, I DO measure the mayo to know exactly how much is in there. I add a sweet pickle or two, or a small dill pickle for extra flavor. I seldom eat bread here at home, but I LOVE the tuna salad on Special K crackers, anywhere from 8 - 12 with a fourth cup fills me up. Earlier in my surgery I could only eat 6 - 8 crackers. If we have any left over baked chicken, I'll eat that, or any kind of meat....but to get in enough protein, I need 2 oz. Also, I keep a bag of shrimp here and will steam the shrimp and eat 2 oz of shrimp. That is 11 grams of protein. You need to weigh it AFTER steaming. Eventually you can eat 2.5 oz and that will get you even more protein!! Shrimp is easier to eat than chicken or beef! At night I'd eat 2 oz of meat....pork tenderloin has a LOT of protein....and then fill in with just a little whatever else, a TB of a veggie and I'd almost ALWAY have an eighth of a cup of cottage cheese to get in a little more protein. I really never snacked in the afternoon, if I wanted something to eat, I'd just grab a few Special K crackers. I STILL keep a food log, and I do it religiously. If I saw I wasn't going to get enough protein, I did something to make sure I would. There were days, a FEW, that I did not, but they were few and far between! I hope this helps...a little!!!! Oh...and thank you!!