Finding_Stacy

That was my favorite part of this experience...extreme restriction. My 'prescription' literally ran out in my 4 1/2 month. It was like I had extreme restriction still for breakfast, then for lunch, I ate my regular half chicken breast but it no longer filled me like before. Sigh, I miss being able to go to Culver's for soup, or Wendy's for chili, and have these cartons scattering about my fridge, that my husband would finish. I'm 8 months out and can eat a small chili from Wendy's, which is still good, don't get me wrong. But still . Just enjoy it while it lasts.

Oh my gosh! That is so great, congratulations! I can't wait to hit it. Hopefully by March I will. I thought I'd never see it, so it's amazing that it's finally within reach.

This definitely has been a struggle with me, and my doctor (regular, not surgeon), won't put me on anything. She's worried it would stall my weight loss and feels it's a short-term effect. I will say, seven months out it's not as bad as it was a few months ago. I think the hormones are leveling out. But I have a lot of situational things happening, like my mom is dying and other things, that she feels a pill won't necessarily help. She recommended therapy. But I say, if you feel like you need something, take it. Lexapro is a good one. I took that many years ago and remember liking it.

Wow, look at you! I've watched many of your videos but haven't seen them in awhile. You're doing such a great job!

I was shedding for a few months. Luckily, it's slowing down but it started around the second month and went till I was 4 1/2 months out. My theory is this: you're not getting enough nutrition when your calories are extremely restricted, like they are those first few months. Your body uses the calories you're giving it for important areas, such as your heart, brain, etc, and not much nutrition is left over for unimportant areas, like your hair and nails. Before long, you'll be able to eat more and the shedding will diminish over time. In the mean time, eat the most nutritious foods you can. Make every bite count and make sure it packs a nutritious punch.

They all have different levels of tasting crappy but you can doctor them up. Currently, I'm drinking a Premier protein (vanilla) shake with 2 teaspoons of sugar free white chocolate pudding mix in it. It makes it taste like cake batter and worth the 1 extra carb. Sometimes I'll add blueberries to it, but today I just added chia seeds and benefiber. Also, the sugar free lemon pudding mix is pretty awesome to add in as well. Play around with the flavors, you might surprise yourself in what you end up liking.

This has been an ongoing problem for me since surgery. My surgeon had me drink milk of magnesia before I even left the hospital and it worked great. Since then, I've eaten a ton of fiber, but it just doesn't really work that well. Drinking enough water every day seems to help some days/weeks, but really, milk of magnesia twice a week has been my staple and the only thing that has consistently worked. My advice is to drink the max dose before you go to bed. Make sure you've been drinking enough water beforehand, and get as much water in after you take it. You'll have the best results in the morning, opposed to taking MOM during the day, and running to the bathroom every half hour with no results.

Wow, your post could've been mine. I literally eat the same thing I've been eating for months, but this past month I feel like I've hit my first big stall--or my sleeve stopped working--or I'm screwing everything up with my piece of whole wheat toast every mornings sans crust. It's a mind game, this surgery, and we knew that going in. And we still second guess ourselves every second of every day, right? I'm six months out, and at about five months along, I noticed a big difference in restriction. It's alarming when you're used to eating four ounces that will keep you full for hours, then literally one day, you eat six ounces and not feel the usual signs of fullness. I don't know, it made me a little sad. My favorite thing was this extreme restriction. But I will say to you, what I know for myself. Why am I not losing? It's most likely not your cream of wheat. You may be slacking in the protein and water department and don't even realize it. Even though I know this, I still am guilty. When you hit a stall, up your exercise even just slightly. Drink 90 oz of water per day and eat 70 + grams of protein. This will probably do it. I know it works for me so I'm making myself take my own advice as we speak. But chin up, you're doing an amazing job!

Good job! I was sleeved 4/24 and down 113 since then. I only lost three pounds this month, so I believe I'm in another stall :-/. I do a lot of circuit training, walking, and squats so it's unbelievably frustrating.

I have popcorn 1-2 days a week and it hasn't halted my weight loss...and I'm on my doctor's weight loss high end by taking off 105 pounds in five months. Now, I will say, I keep all other carbs very low. It's a slider food in the sense that you can eat more of it, than let's say, chicken or beef, but you shouldn't be able to eat an entire bag of microwave popcorn in one sitting either.

I've had the worst constipation since surgery, a few times, even four days ago, I contemplated going to the ER. In my experience, milk of magnesia works the best. If you don't have a bowel movement in two days, drink .60 ml of that stuff, it works like a charm. But don't go for a week or more or you are going to get compacted, therefore, desperate to do anything to get out of that situation, including, selling your soul to the devil to make it go away. Aim for +80 ounces of water a day, add benefiber into your protein drinks, drinks, or food, or eat an apple a day with skin on it. I feel for you....good luck!

I'm telling you, this post was meant for me. Before surgery I hated iced coffee. After? Completely addicted. I did have decaf iced coffee starting around when I discovered that blueberry deliciousness...around 3 weeks post op. I've been bad since, and drink regular, but I've cut back on my coffee. I still lost/lose at the same pace, but I do think it contributes to my constipation problems, since coffee is a diuretic causing you to pee more often, taking away from the water in your stools. Now, I may have one a day, on top of my morning hot coffee, but if you suffer from constipation, you may want to up your water, cut back on your coffee, and become close friends, for awhile at least, with milk of magnesia.

I'm around 17 weeks out and eat anywhere from 650-850 calories a day, 20-40 net carbs a day, and can eat 5.5 ounces of something like yogurt, but maybe only 4 ounces of meat.

I definitely know and applaud you. You've done an amazing job! I have BCBS of IL. I've heard of them paying for a lower body lift, breasts, and arms, but I'm sure it really comes down to what you can prove you need to have done. I didn't really lose much, maybe 6 pounds, before surgery and my first month after surgery I lost 34 pounds. Second month 30 again, and now almost 20. I know it sounds crazy, but every day it still feels like my weight loss is dragging. It's not until I look at my fitbit app and see the downward trend for me to say, 'wow'. I know I'm too hard on myself but I think I want this so bad, I can't focus on anything else but that next ten pounds. Like, I better be in my 280's next week or that scale is going to have it.

Wow, I just noticed your starting weight and realize we were very close. Some days I feel like it was just yesterday that I was 378, and other days I feel like I've been stuck at 296 for months, even though it's only been less than a week. This whole thing is a mind game, no joke. But I can't wait to hear how it'll go. I'm counting on a lower body 360, breast lift/implants, and most likely I'll need my arms done. I guess it's hard to tell what else I'll need until I get there. I do a 100 squats a day, circuit train at a gym 3-5 days a week, and 15-25 flights of stairs a day. So, girl, I'm trying--that's for sure.

I've definitely been there. You might want to pick up some Atkins frozen meals for those 'I need to eat but don't want to cook' moments. I've had many moments like those, because, well, I'm not in the mood to cook quite often. One tray equals two meals. My favorite one is the roast turkey and cauliflower mash.

Thanks so much. This is really helpful. I was wondering at what point to make an appointment with the plastic surgeon. I always thought at goal, too, but I saw on Youtube that one woman's plastic surgeon wanted to see patients around the 200 mark. He didn't want patients quite at goal because when he takes off the skin, the patient afterwards would be under weight. That makes sense too--although being under weight is a problem I'd like to experience, at least once. So I was really lost there.

I really don't like eggs, either, since my surgery. I pretty much live on chicken. The other day I made tikka masala chicken with vegetables, which was so good. Chicken and broccoli. Yeah, I haven't gotten tired of chicken yet. You could make tuna salad to switch it up.

Constipation is my number one problem. Milk of magnesia is a must if you're constipated. Nothing works better. Also, buy some tasteless benefiber and mix it into your food or shake.

As much as I've prepared myself today in going into my first appointment to meet my surgeon, dietician, nurse practitioner, and psychologist, I still was thrown. I kept telling myself to keep an open mind, knowing the doctor may want a different surgery from what I had my mind set on. I thought I was completely open minded and prepared for whatever happened. I wanted a sleeve and both he, and his nurse practitioner, felt I should have the DS surgery done. It was like he wanted me to say 'Yes, I agree to the ds.' When, in actuality, he's doing the sleeve first, and in six months to a year, the second part. So why are they trying so hard for me to accept this instead of saying, 'Hey look. It's up to you. If you can't lose more than 75 in one year, let's go ahead with the second part.' Is it for insurance purposes and are they trying to get an approval for the ds, even though they'll only do the sleeve for now? But seriously, I just don't know how I feel about the ds. From what I've read it seems extreme. Long term results at two years out show a pretty equal weight loss between the sleeve and the DS, but the side effects with the DS are pretty startling. I trust my doctor since he's done hundreds, if not thousands, of these procedures. I really do. He feels I may not lose more than 75 pounds with the sleeve and I have 190-225 pounds to lose total. Can anyone tell me the best things they've gotten from this procedure and why did you choose this one?

Yes! That's her. I felt so bad for her, but so terrified for me--I'm not even kidding. In the end I went with the sleeve. I thought, I could always change my mind and get the DS down the road, but let's first take this sleeve out for a test drive and see how well I do with it alone. All I know, I'm almost three months out and not regretting having bariatric surgery. Best. Thing. Ever. How are you feeling?

That is so good to know, thank you so much!

I wanted to ask you, since my insurance said they pay for skin removal too if the extra skin becomes a problem. Did your insurance pay for your entire lbl, or just the 'skin removal' part? I read some insurances who pay for skin removal won't pay for anything they deem cosmetic, like a belly button etc. I've also read some people even got insurance to pay for their breast surgeries as well. I hope I'm in that boat. And are you happy with your results? Would you go to Dr. Zachary again?

They delayed my surgery until my thyroid was normal (ish). My test was showing a 10.5 and he wanted me in the 4 range. They increased my synthroid from 135 to 175, which is where I'm at currently. I'm hoping I'll start needing a decrease here soon, since I lost nearly 80 pounds since the middle of April, which is the last time they tested me.

I'm not a vet, but I haven't tried any breads or sugars, outside Dunkin Donuts slipping me a sugar filled iced coffee here and there on accident. Nothing like a sip full of sugar when you least expect it. But nothing intentional. That is one slippery slope I don't want to fall down.