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I had an appointment with my regular doctor today. My list of medications has now gone froom 8 to 4 :becky: and that's only because I CHOOSE to be on these 4: zyrtec(for allergies), birth control, synthroid, and effexor(new ssri since Paxil packs on the pounds) He was really surprised when I told him that I had not been taking my Actos for the past two months, but when he looked at my numbers he was really impressed. We decided not to refill my blood pressure meds and that I only have to take what I have left every other day until I run out. That should not take long. I'm down 30lbs since surgery! :clap2: My hA1c is 5.7. That is down from 5.9 on the day of surgery and it should continue to drop. Today has been a really good day. My nephew is also visiting with me for a few days and made the comment the other day that I sure do hiccup a lot after a meal. :hungry: Seems he's picked up on my soft stop as well.:thumb:

LOL!! Well congrats!! That is a really great NSV

Hi everyone! I wanted to touch base with you all... because I can! On Thursday I will be 18 months post op. One and one half years exactly. Yay! I'm happy. Yup, that about sums it up right there. Here's something I've learned and I think by sharing this bit of knowledge it might help some of you who might be struggling mentally with figuring out how - when - where - what - why's with the Post Op life of a VSG patient. Notice the word "patient"... because seriously, you will never find this more of a virtue than after you have your surgery. This journey IS!! NOT!! EASY!! You're going to have so many ups and downs you won't know where you're headed sometimes. It's ok, and it's normal to feel confused by a lot of things! That's why this forum is so valuable, all of us pre-oppers and post-oppers coming together to offer support and some great advice. Here is something to look forward to though... rather than become fixated on how much one will lose on the first month out, or for that matter 6 months... concentrate rather on how your life will look IN ONE YEAR from the date of your surgery. You're going to have a Santa's List worth of NSV's, likely you will have cleaned out your closet and replaced all your clothes 2 or 3x over. Some people (for example my own Mom) will pass you right up and not realize that you're YOU... You're going to be bombarded with folks coming up and either congratulating you and/or asking you how you did it. You will probably get a little embarrassed by some comments. You won't need to buy your clothes in the Bigs & Talls anymore. Your shoes are going to fit like they should. You will be able to walk and workout with the greatest of ease and without much pain. Likely you will begin to feel more comfortable in larger crowds... and (if you're single) you might feel more empowered to flirt with others. You will fit nicely in stadium seats, in an airplane without extenders, chairs with arm rests... you will also be able to cross your legs like second nature. Your Before & After photos won't even look like you!! These are only a handful of all the wonderful things you WILL experience at one year out... that you will still be dreaming of at one month. Patience. It's THE #1 asset to have in this whole process. Have a great day everyone!

Hello every one. Well, I went into the city to pick someone up at the airport. Hit the malls. Am I crazy??! :bananapartyhat: There is a Christmas rush in Mexico too! I went to Walmart. I found a scale where you pay 2 pesos and it spits out your weight. How desperate am I, I weighed my self dressed in a store full of peoples without a care. :faint: That is a NSV of sorts!!! Oh and not only once but twice, just incase! I was happy with the numbers considering I was dressed and wearing sandles.:clap2: My major problem right now is I am barely able to keep anything down. Christmas we went out for supper. :hungry: I had a forkful of mashed potatoes and stuffing and 2 bites of ham and ever since, I can barely drink. Today I suffered from a caffine withdrawal headaache and probably from dehydration. I really do not want to have to get an unfill here:cry Mandi, you had a similar problem, right? How long did it last for you? My fill was Dec 5th. I really want to eat guacamole and refried beans. I have only been eating tings that do not taste gross coming back out. Because everything has!! Thanks girls!

Best nsv ever i started at 322 now i am 258 since jan 29 2013, tried on dresses at old navy that FIT and were cute also tried skinny jeans on! Have NEVER fit in any old navy stuff before best nsv!

Hi all ! I was banded 4/20/10 and have lost 40 lbs since /2/10. NSV is my A1C for my diabetes went from 7.3 in Feb down to 5.9 which is in the normal range. My meds went from 2000 mg to 500 mg and expect to be off diabetes meds in a few months. Blood pressure was even in the low range. I'm off the other 3 meds I was on. I'm excited. Sounds like we're all progressing at our own pace. Keep up the good work everyone.

That's an NSV! CONGRATS and keep workin that Sleeve!

@CaribeRidge Everything sounds terrific, things will only get better. the NSV's you mentioned will continue and become more frequent. your DH sounds like a keeper! buying a similar bike to ride with you, what a sweetie. Getting thin so you feel like you "deserve" your DH - hmmmm - i think/hope you know better. he loves you now - size doesn't matter, but smaller definitely will help with your medical issues, diabetes gone - and HBP is lower now. true," personnel" things you and DH will enjoy as you "grow" smaller. True - age is just a number. Every year my number goes down and down and down!! LOL I was one month shy of being 58 years OLD when i had the sleeve. now,7+ years, i am now 65 years YOUNG!! keep up the good work kathy congrats

When I was at my lowest weight, I used to LOVE laying down and feeling my hips and rib bones, lol. Right now, I'm only about 20 lbs heavier than my lowest weight, it's amazing how that 20lbs makes it harder to feel those bones! Looking forward to those NSVs again after my revision.

So today is the last day of 8 weeks out from my gastric sleeve surgery. I’ve been thinking a lot about where I am in my journey. I’ve been able to eat meat for about 1 ½ weeks. I can only eat 2-3 ounces. I have to really gnash it up with my teeth, but I can get it down, keep it down and enjoy it. I’ve noticed in the last few days that I can eat and actually feel full. I don’t feel like I’m stuffed and choking on my food. My sleeve doesn’t feel uncomfortable or hurt when I eat. In the beginning I was so frustrated that I would never be able to eat somewhat “normally” again. Coordinating my meds, food, Protein, supplements, and liquids is becoming more routine. I still have to be vigilant, but I don’t feel like I’m “obsessed with food” so much. I gained 10 pounds with my surgery. No one warned me about that. It took about 6 days for that weight to come off. I’ve lost 32 pounds since my journey began, 17 pounds since surgery. My biggest problem, my waist (I’m apple-shaped – worse for the heart), is 2 ½ inches smaller. At 1 ½ weeks out, I went through a 4 week stall. I thought the surgery was a failure and that I would always be a big, fat, unhealthy mess. I had put SOOOO much faith in the surgery, I guess expected immediate results. The stall finally broke, I lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks, and have been in another stall for 5 days. The scale is stuck at exactly 204.0. I want to hit Onederland so bad, but will have to be patient. I have not been losing weight gradually. Even when I do lose, I gain back, lose again, gain back, lose again, with an eventual net loss. My calorie intake is always about the same - no reason for the gain and loss. I started out at size 22-24. Today I put on size 16W pants. Some of my 14/16W shirts fit. I had an NSV – I had to tighten the armband for my IPOD because my arms were smaller. I’ve started hiking again. I can eat some spicy foods finally (love it!). Wow, as I read back over this, I realize that in spite of my difficulties, I’m doing good! Screw this stall! I will be triumphant! The bottom line is, IT WILL GET BETTER! I had a hard time believing this in the beginning, but this website and all of you have been a godsend, giving me faith. Thank you all for being here! ! !

What a great son! That my dear is a priceless NSV!

NSV-Got engagement ring back on Ordered 2 sizes smaller swimsuit Dropped one size in pants, almost a second size

Hey guys! I hit a week from surgery Thursday. I think I may be the prodigal child and I feel bad about raving about how little pain I was in, how little the gas was a problem etc. But at the same time I want to let others know, it's not always negative! Also, consider about 3 years ago I had my gallbladder removed, so I am fresh to a lot of things these surgeries deal with. Incisions, pre op diet, gas, pneumonia potental, etc. Sorry in advance for the novel. My surgery was supposed to be at 1030am on the 14th, but I think I went under something after lunch. I think they were running a little bit behind lol. I remember coming to and going out many times that first day. I was able to drink from the small medicine cups of water they gave me. I expected there to be pain ... but there wasn't. Granted I had dilaudid at first and then just tramadol. I was up peeing (they keep track of that for kidney function) and walking around the nurses station. Later in the evening/night. I literally just wanted to sleep. But honestly, as annoying as they were waking me up every hour for vitals and asking if I felt up for walking, I really did feel better at least getting one trip around the station every so often. I was discharged around lunchtime the next day. I never touched the prescribed oxycodone nor tylenol for that matter. I never took anything other than my normal pills and the Prilosec except one zofran because the day after I got home (that saturday) the nausea took hold something fierce for some reason. After that though, I never had a problem. I didn't have to use the little spirometer they give you. I just took deep breaths and coughed. Very little phlegm came up overall, but I have no trace of pneumonia. Saturday I also decided to weigh, as I have read others did. I was also up about 3 lbs from day of surgery weight. They put like 3 or 4 bags of fluids in me while I was there, so I don't doubt that was 100% the reason. I decided then that I would just wait for the next appointment before weighing. Sunday, my first day on full liquids, was the worst. You would think that graduating to the next stage would be the last day that would be bad, but when you realize that doesn't really open you up to much more than tomato soup and protein shakes (which you are already sick of by now) - when I tell you mentally I was so done. I regretted the surgery, I regretted becoming fat enough to need it in the first place, I hated everyone and everything. I was hungry ALL THE TIME. I was not one of the lucky ones that lost the hunger hormone and have to "force" themselves to eat and drink. Monday rolled around. I just started taking things day by day. Hour by hour and slowly time started to pass. Thursday was my week post-op appointment. Incisions are healing well, bruising is starting to clear up. Also, the uvula (the dangly thingie in the back of your throat) was irritated and elongated from the breathing tube while I was under. IT WAS DRIVING ME F**KING BONKERS. I can't stand that thing hitting the back of my tongue and making me feel like I have something caught in my throat 24/7. It is just now starting to get back to normal. When I started this journey, beginning with the nutritionist visits in December I was 371.2. On the day of surgery, I was 345. Weight one week post-op was 336.8. Overall, since December down 34.4 and almost 10 since surgery. Granted I could be down less as it is now Saturday, but I refuse to weigh for a while. Maybe not until my 1mth appointment. Just stay the course and see what happens! I'm already seeing little NSVs. Tiny ones, but none-the-less they are there. They are just little reminders that this is a process and I can and will be successful. It's been a while since I've been around so I wanted to touch base. Also to provide info for those still waiting for surgery and those that are fresh out. It DOES get better! Even as soon as a week after. Best wishes to everyone no matter where they are in their journey!

Hey, those NSVs and your losses are awesome! How do you know you don't need your CPAP, do you have a sleep tracker that tracks your breathing, heart rate and blood oxygen level? I had to sleep without my CPAP for a week and I thought I was fine, too. Then, I looked at my Sleep Tracker (my bed is fancy and records breathing/heart rate, but not oxygen level) and my sleep score was way down all week and I snored more, breathed in a sporadic way and my heart rate went up (that's what makes us gasp in our sleep to get in more air, usually doesn't wake you up). I highly recommend another sleep study before you just stop using your CPAP, you could be hurting your heart.

So I have been a member of VST since before my surgery, 5 1/2 months ago. I have longed to submit an NSV thread, but never felt like I had a "legitimate" one to share. I recently went on R&R, home to my parents. Those who know me here know that I am a frustrated slow loser. Well my first victory is I guess a scale victory; By the time I was set up at my parents house and got to the gym, 8 days had passed since my last weigh in and ... I lost 8 pounds! Baffled doesn't begin to describe, I ate eggs benedict, chocolate, high tea cakes and sandwiches, and fancy cheese plates in those 8 days! So that was pretty groovy. My NSVs however, are these: going to the gym I realized that I was tying my shoes with zero strain or effort, just bending down, and tying them. Though the memories have become cloudy of life pre-op, I definitely know that tying my gym shoes used to be dangerous and depressing. To reach my laces I used to risk throwing my back out or had to lift my foot up to a high stair and even then felt the struggle to do this simple act around my fat. Now - bend and tie. The other NSV is that I was able to pour myself into a size 16. Due to vanity sizing and a discount brand, this doesn't really mean SO much, but when I stop to remember that I started out in a 24 - and that at my highest ever I was even in a snug 28- then I realize that yeah, I've made some progress. I bought a blouse from Old Navy, right from the store, in a regular XL. The embroidered terry bathrobe that came with my hotel room fit - not loosely, but it fit. I can scratch between my shoulder blades without an instrument. Although it was stretched to its limit, I was able to use the actual seatbelt in the airplane without and extention, and was able to bring down the tray, though that was a snug fit. Still, it was impossible before. I fit into the seat without my hips painfully bubbling over the arms. I'm in a 38D, from a starting point of 42G I think I've lost 6 inches off my hips and I think 3 inches off my waist and one off my calves. All of my old jewelry fits again and my newer jewelry is all loose - rings that I could barely shove onto my ring finger now fit my pointer and middle fingers. And as for that scale? I am mere ounces away from having lost 70 pounds, and barely 6 away from the milestone of 75 pounds lost. This is really happening, isn't it?! =)

So today I actually bought my first pair of size 8 pants, and they fit!! I have never worn anything with a single digit size in my life! I was at a 26/28 at my biggest. The pic below is my biggest pants compared to the pair I bought today and the other picture is my 13 year old son and I both in that same biggest pair from the other picture.

karen my vice are Protein bars sure they are good for you full of protein but..........way too many carbs and i eat them like they were candy bars others also mention that eating Protein Bars is an addiction like have heroin i have way too many so i stopped buying them that actually is a big NSV for me there i said it!!!! ahhhhh i feel so much better now hands out of the cookie jar!! good luck i can see you will do much better in your future good luck kathy

I am glad that you rescheduled your appointment just to talk. You are still not committing yourself, but you are getting informed, and that is the best starting place. If you decide not to get the sleeve, at least you know you have done your research. I was 31 when I got my surgery. I also had ZERO healthy issues. My cholesterol was low, my blood pressure was low, my blood sugar was normal, other than being overweight, I was normal. However, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart problems ALL run in my family. I knew it was just a matter of time before it would probably happen to me. My mom was in her thirties when she developed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. I didn't want to wait until I already had problems, I wanted to prevent them. I had 2 very young children (14 months and 3 yrs) when I went to have the surgery done. I was scared leaving them, what if I didn't some back...but deep down I knew this was the right thing to do. I have not regretted it for a moment since I had it done almost 2 years ago. I am healthy, and, for the first time in my life, I am happy with myself. Yes, I also got it done not only for my health, but also for my self-esteem. I wanted to look better too. I didn't want to be stared at and made fun of walking down the street. I wanted to shop in normal stores, I wanted to feel normal. Like others have said, continue to research. Read all the positive stories on here too. All the NSV's. Of course there are risks and complications, and despite them being very low, they can happen. So you have to go into this with open eyes. Whatever decision you decided to make, just make sure it is the right one for you. Best of luck!

These are always the BEST NSV's!!!! Congrats to you!! The sleeve is such a wonderful tool!!

I am sooo thrilled for you -- those NSVs are not small, but huge!! And 70 pounds is not losing slowly!! You've lost almost 15 pounds a month!! That's an enormous amount of weight!! I say CONGRATULATIONS and keep up the good work -- and I second that we need pics!

That tunafish could taste so unbelievably good and that I could get full on half a cup of it!!!!!!!!! I broke the rules by 12 hours and had my first food (mushy) tonight. My tastebuds were dancing!!!!!!!!!!! You would have thought I was eating steak! I did take my time and ate as slowly as I could for being famished LOL. I chewed chewed and chewed until it was completely pulverized, and then I would wait periodically to see how I felt before proceeding. I stopped at about a half a cup and I probably could have had more but I didn't want to push it especially my first meal. Tomorrow morning before we go on our charity ride I will have an egg, two if I can get it down. Again, I don't want to push it, especially right before going on a ride. I also had an NSV! We went by Open Road Leathers to look for some new chaps for me as my old ones (the ones I bought in November!) were getting way loose on me, especially around the legs. Now, you have to know that they don't size chaps like regular clothes. Don't know why but they run WAY small. So the chaps I got in November were 6X (ugh) despite the fact that I was actually 2X at the time. Well, today I got into 4X chaps!!! Two whole sizes! I purposely got them nice and tight so that I would be able to wear them for a while before having to get another pair when I lose more weight. I normally wouldn't even bother getting something like this until I have lost all my weight but I wear my chaps even during the summer as it keeps the engine heat from burning my legs. Oh! I took off the steri strips on the three small incisions today. They were starting to come off anyway and they were annoying me. One of them probably wasn't quite ready to come off but I just put Neosporin on it and covered it with a bandaid. It will be fine in a couple of days. The other two, my port and the big blob of cotton in my belly button are under waterproof tape and okay like they are. Dr. Cywes wanted them to stay on for two weeks. I'll see what those look like then. I did a lot of running around today, brushed down the pool, washed my motorcycle, did a load of laundry, emptied the dishwasher, pulled some weeds and stuff. So I am definitely feeling back to my normal self with the exception of some isolated and periodic soreness in the muscles where my port is. I'm very excited about eating real food again. I can't even begin to explain! I feel like my journey has really begun today. I am starting to eat like a bandster and lead the bandster way of life! :biggrin:

Hi everyone. When I last wrote in this thread I was one fill back from now. I have had 6 fills in 4 mo. Doc said he was getting tired of seeing me lol. He was kidding (I hope). In any case, he went full bore and gave me .05cc. After having posted here last time, my restriction lasted maybe 2 days. But this time....it seems here to stay for a bit. I can eat like 1/4 cup of food at a time and am not hungry. At first I was pb'ing and sliming a bit because it takes getting used to, this eating so much less. And you really really have to chew the food too. I'm very happy because I am losing like .5 pound every day or two. I've been off work for like 3 weeks (vacation and then sprained ankle) so I hope when I go back, someone gives me a nsv. Valerie

1. Momto1plus1.......241...............238..............229...........9 2. TxArcher...........360........Last week, 357......???...........12 3. Hungryforchange...227.5..........225...............215.5.......10 4 shortgal ............. 198............195................192...........3 5. Hollyberries.........298............293................285........... 8 6. Tyman311..........167...........168................150............17 7. Trixie.................264...............255..............244......... .11 8. plump_princess.....237.............233..............227........... 6 9. Foofy ................249............244...............237............7 10. wnt2lose..........236............233.8...........225.............8.8 11. BarbBee...........284.............278.............272..............6 12. Longhorn..........211.............209.............199.............10 13. Steph...............203.5..........197..............188.5.........8.5 *sigh* It was kind of a rough week for me. I don't really want to get into details, but at least you might understand why I haven't been around much...accountability. I did have a NSV this week. I measured my waist for new work pants about a week ago and the tape said 38.5, so I thought 38 size mens pants would work...they were too big! I am now in a 36. They are slightly snug, but actually surprisingly comfortable considering I thought they'd be too tight! One more size and I'll be even with DH. LOL I SO look forward to being smaller than him.

DeeDee- Thats FANTASTIC!!! I know how frustrating it can be to be "stuck" at certain #'s.... we might put too much emphesus on it.. but itshow we have to be to stay focused. I'm proud for you!! Keep up the good work!!! I'm glad to see you others in here tooo!! I'm loving the company and want to see everyone do well!! Tiff- I got the same problem.. but I think mine is sooooooo much worse....... I have no ass....... everyone is commentting on it!! ( or LACK of it ) But it's all in my belly!! It sucks... my belly is bigger than my ass! Tummy Tuck is a DEFINITE! Gonna wait a year.. but I know I will have to have it done. My g/f I went shopping with was mad... she was a 14!! I have always been the "biggest"... but she was over it quick! And I noticed today in the mirror at work.. the 14 pants I had on were really looking "saggy"............. GREAT NSV!!!

Wow, you guys are all doing so tremendously well! Keep up the great work! I'll be able to cheer my NSV's pretty darn soon! Surgery is next tuesday!