NtvTxn

Keep us posted on what the "professional" says. I know many of us might benefit from what you have to report! Good luck! I am older than you, but before I lost weight, I didn't really see many wrinkles....now, I see more. I guess it is what happens when we lose. BUT - I don't know how many people tell me how much younger I look. Go figure. I am just like you though, I am picking myselt apart when I look in the mirror putting make up on every morning. Ugh, it is a vicious cycle. I would not go back for anything. I love being thin, but still. I'm not as unhappy with my arms as I thought I would be, they aren't tight, but they are so much smaller that I can't gripe too much....and my stomach is not tight, but it's acutally flatter than it's ever been I think; I've lost my behind and my legs were 'tighter' when I was heavy, now the skin on my thighs is loose. I really cannot imagine ever wearing a bathing suit out in public. Yikes!! A botox party, sounds like fun!

OMG - A bypass patient may be able to eat a huge cheeseburger, but seriously, can you imagine any sleeve patient EVER being able to do that with 85% of our stomachs gone?!!! I know that our surgeons opinions differ on whether or not our tummy's can stretch out at all or not, but there is NO WAY they can ever be like before....what did they tell us, like a deflated football, approx. 51 oz??!! I really think VSG is the superior surgery when it comes to long term success. I know there are some who have food addictions - we can and some will "eat around" our tool. Milk shakes, pasteries, soft food and eating stuff like this every couple of hours will certainly pack on the pounds....but you can't save someone from themselves.....all in all, the sleeve is a wonderful opportunity for most people who are overweight, we just have to approach it like "Rocky" getting ready for a fight. In a good frame of mind and ready to go the distance and win!!

Lissi - I know exactly what you mean. I reached my goal at just under five months. I have people tell me I'm "thin" and have even been referred to as "skinny". ME SKINNY??!! Surely they jest!!! Oh my. I pull out my size 8 pair of jeans from the dryer and think there must be some mistake, 'there is no way I can slip into these pants' - but I do, without having to lay on the bed, there is actually a little room. What the heck!!??? I am six lbs under goal - I'm getting the hang of maintaining, I don't want to lose any more weight, I never thought THIS would be the difficult part, STOPPING! Very strange to be adding calories back into my diet. I am snacking because I cannot possibly eat more at meal time. I love my sleeve!

You DO look perfect Tiff - why do we pick ourselves apart??!! We are so critical of ourselves - no wonder so many young girls have eating disorders, the magazine covers, their moms, aunts, sisters...... LOOK AT US!! Look at what we've been through, and seriously, we do look pretty darn good, if we take a step back and see us as others do....and IN CLOTHES, OMG - it's what we've dreamed of....but "if only" kicks in!!! I have to say, I have the up days and down days just like you.....I wish it weren't so but it is. I am six lbs below goal, trying not to lose any more, going up and down with one lb....so I'm getting the hang of "maintaining" but I still have days where I "FEEL FAT" - how crazy is that??!!! Does it ever go away?!!!!

GNC is the place to go, keep the receipt!! I started 3 months ahead of time determined to find something I'd like....to no avail. I tried the whey, egg white powder, flavored and unflavored. Keep in mind, unflavored just means it is NOT strawberry, chocolate or vanilla....it still has a taste to it!!! Ugh!!! I finally gave up and after getting a "goodie bag" from Forest Park Medical Center when I was discharged after surgery...I discovered the protein bullet. 42 grams of protein packed into 3.5 oz. Not the tastiest thing in the world, but it isn't horrible either. I liked the blue raspberry the best and didn't mix it with anything. A few sips in the morning, a couple at noon and the rest later in the day and I was through. None of the trying to get down a big Protein Shake for two hours!!! The protein bullet is also from GNC and comes in all different flavors, the grape is over powering, the blue raspberry was the best in my opinion. I did it for two months, one a day and between it and food, i was getting 65 - 80 grams of protein per day. Towards the end of the two months when I was eating more, I didn't even have to drink an entire bullet! Good luck!!

I cannot remember what I asked except "What size bougie do you do?" Dr. Davidson does a 32....which left me with about a 3 oz tummy.....perfect, it is what I was hoping for. No larger, no smaller.

I hope you are doing well!!! I am six months out...or I will be in just a couple of days. I hit goal a week before my five month surgiversary! Just prior to surgery I was excited and not really nervous. I couldn't imagine myself as thin. I never thought I'd be "thin", but people call me thin and even "skinny". It is hard for me to hear those words and think they apply to me. I am wearing a size eight, which is what MY goal was....I still take a pair of jeans out of the dryer and cannot believe they will fit me. I use to hate a pair of jeans right out of the dryer, but not now, I don't have to SQUEEZE into them. This surgery has been a life altering change for the better. I have never had one regret except that I hadn't heard of it and done it years ago! I wish this for you!!! Good luck!!

Some of your meds may come in liquid form, some may not. I asked the pharmacist ahead of time about any medications I was taking, IF it was ok to crush them....I didn't buy anything special, the nurse at my surgeon's office showed us at the seminar how to put a pill in foil, fold it and then crush it with a spoon. Although yogurt is not allowed on the liquid diet right after surgery, we were allowed to use just enough fat free yogurt to dip in the crushed pills (YUCK!!) for SIX weeks. After that we could swallow pills again. At some point yogurt was allowed and we could use more, or apple sauce. I was cheated and started swallowing the pills again after 2.5 weeks, the bitterness grossed me out!! I was only taking Topamax for migraine prevention, so two pills a day, I just did it and lived to tell about it! I do take Bariatric Advantage choc. chewable calcium....it's like eating four Tootsie Rolls a day....and I take one gummy multi Vitamin a day and liquid B12 complete....anything else, Vit D3, Biotin, Vit C - all regular pills.

Hi TCL - My BMI was 36.6 - so you are just over what I was. We are probably considered fairly low, but still obese. I have not had ANY "buyers remorse". Getting the sleeve is the best decision I've ever made for myself. I too was a self pay, but I left Wisconsin, where healthcare is expensive and I went to my home state of Texas. The sleeve is safe, I was in good health, so I think that made a difference, but I never had one problem. I've never even thrown up!! I haven't found anything I can't eat, although I'm careful with Pasta, it fills me up fast! I'm a pretty cheap date, my husband and I share a meal, or else I bring home my left overs and have lunch the next day, and depending on what it is, possibly a third meal. I am real aware of everything I put in my mouth, I did not suffer from a food addiction, so I don't have some of the issues that some folks do I guess, so I'm lucky. I reached my goal in just under five months (first part of Nov) and am now 6 lbs under. I was up and about walking the hall in the hospital several hours after surgery and was walking around Wal Mart (slowly) four days later. Walk, walk, walk....it's good for you. We rented a beach house for week two of recovery and I was walking on the beach for a short distance then. I felt good!! I took a nap every afternoon for about ten days, I would get tired easily, but I think that is normal. As far as eating a "normal" meal, I have a NEW normal and I look at what others eat and is THAT normal???!! Yikes! I still like food, and I eat because I need to and because it tastes good, I'm not really hungry. I feel an empty feeling some times....it's great! I have control, food does not! I left the table on Thanksgiving for the first time in my life not stuffed, satisfied. I had a few bites of everything. I cannot eat much....but I enjoy what I do eat!

You're doing almost exactly what I'm doing. I traveled 1000 miles from where I currently live to have surgery in my home state of Texas. I had surgery in Dallas first thing in the morning, stayed all that day, over night and left the following day about 3 PM. I left Dallas and went 2 hours to my dad's house in East Texas. This is where our story changes a little. I stayed at his house for four days and then went for my one week follow up visit. Dr. Davidson requires a two week follow up as well, so we rented a beach house in Galveston. After my one week visit, we drove from Dallas to Galveston. It was a six hour drive, but we stopped every hour so I could get out and walk....that is important because of blood clots and sitting. We went back for my two week visit, and flew home three days later. I felt fine, never had any problems. I had the "ok" just so I stopped every hour and got out to walk around the car and when I flew home I had to get up every hour and walk down the isle as well.

I'm cold a lot!! I used the air less and am using the heat more.....less insulation! I need to get back to Texas SOON!

Six months on Dec. 11th (I reached goal at just under five months) Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg (with 1 piece of turkey bacon cooked and torn up in it and a half oz of 2% cheese melted in) Kind of a scrambled omelet! Lunch: 1/2 cup of left of chicken and dumplings mid-afternoon snack: 1 TB of Natural Peanut Butter on a half a piece of whole wheat bread late afternoon snack: half oz of almonds Dinner: we are getting ready to go out to eat. I already know what I'm getting! I'll have it for lunch tomorrow as well! 2.5 oz Baked Cod (no butter or oil used) they are so good about leaving off the bad stuff for me! Baked potato - approx 2 TB a little butter I also have 8 oz of skim milk twice a day - extra Protein and goes towards my liquids as well!!

I bought a potato slicer at a kitchen store and we do our own. Season them with s & p or get creative!! I haven't touched a deep fried one since several months before surgery!! Since I'm at goal, I'd have a hot wing if I wanted one, but things like that don't even cross my mind any more. What seems strange is how BAD walking into a fast food place SMELLS to me. There is a place here in town that has good coffee (We don't have a Star Bucks so some times we'll go to this hamburger joint) - anyway, it's a "nice" place for a FF restaurant but when you walk in, it just smells greasy to me!! There is nothing about it that smells good or that makes me WANT something. I get use to it and after the initial 'YUCK' - I'm ok....but at first, it just hits me in the face. It was NOT like this pre-op. The butter burger was quite good! LOL Love my sleeve!!!

This is something that my husband has worried about since before surgery. How do I stop losing! Here we are three days after Thanksgiving and I'm down 1.5 lbs since Thanksgiving day. I reached goal earlier this month, just under five months and I'm feeling my way through this maintaining business. I'm about six lbs under as of today....I don't want to find myself in your situation. I am "snacking". My dietitian...and Tiffykins have made suggestions. I just have to find that fine line, a balance. I have almonds that I have weighed and have in snack bags, a half oz each. I just bought some sunflower seeds that are already shelled. I like Peanut Butter, so I'll have a half a half sandwich and I'll even put a tiny bit of jelly on it. I've already gone up to 1% milk....do I dare go up to 2%?? Have you considered doing that, or even whole milk??!! The dietitian suggested allowing myself some gravies or sauces on the side to up my calories a little - so I'm doing that when we go out. It is weird back tracking, I feel like I'm undoing my way of thinking. SAUCES and GRAVIES??!!! Yikes, she even said to use full fat cheese rather than the 2% that I use. I have not done that yet! What changes have you made to increase your calories? Other than pumpkin bread at Star Bucks....a few little bites....I am not into sweets either, that is not where I'll get my calories. I have not been told that I am TOO thin, but I have been called thin and skinny....and several have said "whoa, you've lost enough" - "when are you stopping" or words to that affect. Good luck!!!

Our "group" was told at the seminar that he removes approx. 85% of the stomach, that we'd be left with a 3 oz tummy. I have a copy of the surgical notes and he did a size 32 bougie.

I took and did NOT use: Robe, gown, slippers I wore the hospital gown and the little socks with the non-slip things on the bottom the whole time I was there. They put them on you before surgery! A heating pad is the best pain reliever I think, pack one if you can! Have a travel pillow for the ride home, whether you are traveling by plane, train or automobile - you need one to have between you and the seatbelt and you need one in case you cough or sneeze, or heaven forbid LAUGH!! Forget make-up, but take shampoo, blow dryer and all that good stuff. so you can feel good when you leave the hospital. I had my cell phone, but wouldn't have felt like or wanted a book or laptop. I wore home what I wore to the hospital - it was clean.

For two weeks, I couldn't have anything that wouldn't go through a straw!! I had sugar free jello and sugar free Cool Whip, unbeknowst to him I think....the dietitian has that on the ok'd things to eat, but he is really cautious about his staple line, or at least I am guessing that I why it is liquids only.

I hope you are feeling a little better by now. I wanted to ask if you'd send me a private message with the recipe for your crawfish dressing/stuffing. We are Native Texans...we lived in East Texas for 20 years and use to drive across the border for Cajun food!!! I've never had the stuff, but I've heard it is wonderful!! So, if you don't MIND sharing your recipe, this Texas girl would love to have it! Thanks....and good luck!!!

Pamela! Congrats....and I'm right there with you! I'm at goal, I just reached it earlier this month, and for the first time in my life I was not stuffed Thanksgiving day! I ate, was satisfied....did not at all feel deprived and that was that!! Three days later and I'm weighing less and trying to add in more calories, this maintaining stuff is harder than I thought! Go figure! LOL Thanksgiving for me was wonderful, I'm thankful for this new opportunity I have, this new "tool". I love it!!

I know exactly what you mean. I never even thought about going to the bathroom, and now it seems to be a problem a LOT!!! I do think part of it, at least some of the time is because we do eat soooo much less....also, I think part of my problem is I am certain I don't drink enough Water. That is something else I didn't use to "think" about that I think about each and every day!! (how about you??) It may take the Miralax a couple of days, but it will help!

If you don't have a heating pad, get one and try it! I loved my heating pad and used it during the day. I swear it helped more than paid meds! I only used the medication at night!! I was only allowed liquids for two weeks. It seems awfully early for you to have the foods you've mentioned. I think I may have 'jumped the gun' as well, my doctor said it "must go through a straw" so I BLENDED a wonderful soup! I baked a potato, steamed some broccli - added some milk, the consistancy must be thin (a straw, remember??!) - I also added a little 2% cheese for Protein and a dab of Greek yogurt as well. (Plain) It was great, I could only eat about 2 TB at a time....tiny, tiny nibbles, and I was STUFFED, but it was good. I did not do this until week two. Week on, I just sipped on broth and ate sugar free Jello with sugar free Cool Whip...and very little of this. I could only get in a few sips at a time, but it counted as liquid. I was determined NOT to get dehydrated and I never did!!! Good luck...and seriously, find a heating pad if you don't have one already!!! I had a terrible time with the incision IN my belly button healing up, it finally did, it was not a big deal, it was really the "worst" thing with my surgery, mostly just irritating....but it would hurt when I turned over at night and the staple came out by itself. It just gave me fits!

I have had a HORRIBLE time off and on since surgery!!! I've tried adding the powder fiber to drinks, I've eaten prunes, I was drinking prune juice. Everything. I don't know how many times I ended up using glycerin suppositories. I finally asked the nurse at my surgeon's office and she said that Miralax has been approved for daily use. She said for me to use it daily until I got regular and then I could stop and then use it as needed. That is what I'm currently doing. I'll be ok for a while, then for some reason, I'll have problems again. Oh....I talked to my PCP when I was in a few weeks ago about Magnesium and she said it would help too. I had been taking it prior to surgery and I had stopped because I didn't want to 'crush' it after surgery for six weeks and I just never started taking it again. I started again after speaking with her....3 per day and I can definitely tell a difference. You might try that. Good luck! I NEVER had problems before surgery!

You look wonderful, but you looked good before!!! Doesn't it feel great though to feel good about yourself??!!! Reaching goal is awesome!!! Kudos to you!

I know you've already had surgery....and hopefully you are doing GREAT! I just wanted to let you know, my surgery was June 11th and I have not thrown up ONE time.....they sent me home with a prescription, something anti nausea that I had filled and have never used. I may be one of the lucky ones....but I was determined NOT to throw up! I have always been careful about the amount I eat etc - so if I did get sick, it wasn't going to be because I was shoveling too much in!!! Good luck, you should be feeling a little better by now!

Kerri - don't get discouraged. I also ate LOW calories and would stall; I'd go up and down for several days before the two lbs would stay off! Let me ask you a few questions about what you are eating. First of all, I am a BIG cottage cheese eater. I call it the 'Breakfast of champions' - are you buying 1% cottage cheese? If not...SWITCH!!! When you are eating cheddar etc, make sure it is 2% and don't over do, get a scale and weigh it. I like to add a half oz to a scrambled egg, but there is a lot of fat in even 2% cheese, so don't over do!! I start every morning and end every day with 8 oz of SKIM milk.....it counts as part of my liquids and also protein!! Up your protein, I get in 60 - 75 grams per day!! Cheese and ham both have salt in them and will make you retain water...so beware! Make sure your refried beans are fat free and again, weigh how much cheese you are adding to them. Cheese has protein, but it also has FAT!!! Add a little Greek yogurt for protein to the refried beans! Avacado is also a 'good fat' but you want to limit that as well. I don't see eggs mentioned at all....they're a good source of protein if you like them. I "fry" them in a non stick skillet with NO grease or scramble one. A can of solid white tuna in water mixed with 2 TB of lite mayo is great.....eat half and you have 13 grams of protein. I love it on top of Special K crackers. (half is one fourth cup) Good luck......enjoy the journey!!!! I weigh myself every day.....don't cry, the scale goes up and down all the time!!!