bigtom1948

Hello and welcome back. I am still hanging in there but weight is too. Spoke to doctor about it just yesterday and because I am older he said I should expect the weight loss to be about 2-5 pounds a month. I am finally at a stage where I feel restriction with most meals and I am not hungry all the time. I confess that I am probably eating more than I should to facilitate rapid weight loss but I will be happy with an average of a pound a week. Sorry that you had it rough and hope that the recent gyn surgery is not causing you distress. Good luck to us all. Tom

The UnderArmour and Spanx shirts are great but $40.00+ is a bit much to spend. Others of this type available in sporting goods stores are about the same price. I did try those Insta Slim Shirts advertised on TV and they are very plain but do the job just as well for $20.00 each. I don't work for them I was just a customer. Here's the link: https://www.instaslimshirts.com/ Here's the Undershirt Guy's Review of the product http://www.undershirtguy.com/insta-slim-review-initial-thoughts-of-the-insta-slim-crew-neck-slimming-undershirt/ Here's a site offering coupons for the Insta-Slim shirts http://www.whatsyourdeal.com/instaslim-coupons.html# Hope this was helpful

Dear Dave, I completely agree with what you are saying but (there always has to be one ) the drinking with meals seems to be washing my food through my stoma and allowing me to eat more food before my brain gets the signal that I am full. You're right in that water has zero calories so more food was being taken in than I needed hence the stalling and now weight gain. I currently spend 2 hours 4-5 times a week at the gym doing mostly cardio exercise and I don't want to do any more than that right now. I am on day 3 of avoiding water with meals and its very tough for me to do but I have noted a decrease in food intake due to this small change. I hope that I did not give the impression that I believed that the water caused my weight stall and gain if so I apologize to anyone that thought that was what I was saying. I absolutely was overeating and the water flushing my food through was making it possible for me to do so. I will continue with withholding the fluids during meals at least until I see the doctor again in 10 days I really hope that this breaks the stalemate and that I begin a cascade of weight loss. If this happens I will know for sure that the no drinking guideline is one that I will have to follow. Thanks, Dave, for the good thoughts and well wishes, I really appreciate having you root me on and also for the sharing of your personal experience. I'll certainly let everyone know how it turns out the Tuesday, August 9th after I see the doctor again. Tom

Great that you are taking action, its never too late to do it. I am 63 as of tomorrow and wish I had done this sooner. The doctor will probably advise you that due to our age (over 60) you can reasonably expect 2-3 pounds a month in weight loss. Younger folks do that per week when that start the program and taper out as they get closer to thier goals. 40 pounds makes a real difference in how you feel and your general health and you will notice it. Best wishes and Good luck and lets hope that you have a faster than average metabolism so you can reach your goal as soon as you possible. Let us know how you do.

Well had a long chat with my surgeon after a 7 pound weight gain on my 5 month follow up two days ago. This issue came up as I told him I routinely drink 24 or more oz. of water with every meal. I havn't been loseing anything for 3 months and he was surprised that I was drinking like that. He thought I was following the no drinking with meals guideline and confirmed what others have said that drinking with meals is the # 1 reason for non weight loss. This highlighted a real dilemma as adjustment to this non drinking mode is scary and a hard habit hadn't been able to break. I can look back on it now and without bullshi**ing myself that I have been eating much more than I thought I was and in effect self sabotaging my weight loss goal. Sheesh! do I feel dumb! The doctor gave me lots of non judgemental encouragement and re-eductated me on the band basics. For the past two days per his instructions I have avoided drinking 15 min prior, during and 30 min after meals. God its hard. First couple of bites of my first meal after seeing him I realized that along with the drinking issue I was taking too large a bite and not chewing long enough thus I got stuck for a few mins. I waited for the food to pass and thank God it did. I then resumed eating with much smaller bites and lots of chewing and the meals now take a lot longer. Now I'm the last one done. I have noticed already that I feel full sooner and stay satiated longer and don't need a snack between meals (I was browsing a bit too, lotsa bad habits I now see) Perhaps these adjustments will make the difference and get the scale moving. I have a follow up appointment in 2 weeks to see how I am doing and hopefully the scale will show improvement and joy back to mudville... So to all of us who like to slosh our food down and derive comfort while eating that way I can really relate. If this turns out like I think it will with the weight coming off quicker I'll be sure to share that info. Gosh it's had to give up the fluids while enjoying the meal but I am determind to get slimmer and this may be the key to why the weight hasn't been coming off. Heck, I am sure that its a major part of the problem. Good luck everyone.. Tom

Try to avoid the tempation of daily weighing it'll drive ya buggy. Once a week is enough due to normal Fluid retention or release the scale can bounce up and down 1-3 pounds day to day. Sounds like you have the diet thing under tight control and from what you describe it's way less than 1,000 calories which could leave you malnourished so I suggest that you discuss your diet with the doctor or his support team to be sure you are eating healthy and in the proper amounts. The goal is to reach a specific weight and maintain it so severe dieting could sabotage the ultimate goal. In my case the doctor has stated to not expect more than a 1 pound a week loss due to my age. That is dissappointing to me as I want instant slimness but I understand the slow weight loss can mean permanant change and perhaps lessen the saggy skin issues that rapid weight loss exacerbates. You are just starting out so don't fret too much. Eat healthy foods and eat enough to satisfy and nourish your body while you lose. Use the expertese of the dietitian and the doctor to guide you through this first stage and set the goals for a safe and reasonable weight loss. Good luck...

Yeah I can really relate, it's super tough to stop drinking with the meal. I have been better lately and do note the amount of food I can eat is waaay less wo/water so my stall/palteau is probably related to eating more than I thought I was so although it's really hard I will try to do the right thing good luck to you on doing it.

Slime 1st till the small remnant of food that's stuck goes down or out. Very unpleasant to be sure. Small bites and chew chew and dare I say chew some more cuts down the risk. I'm sorry it happened to you though, i'm sure it wasn't fun.

Most insurance copmpanies will cover the removal of excess stomach skin if that tissue results in severe rashs so as you are losing weight and if you develope skin issues (rashes, fungal infections) have your surgeon document it so that you have a paper trail to support your claim. When you are near your goal consult a qualified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, avoid cosmetic surgeons unless your Bariatric Surgeon knows him/her and can recommend him/her wo/reservations. The insurance company will require you to stay at goal for a period of time to see if you will be stable long term. (that time varies among the carriers) There are two surgeries generally done: 1) Panectomy or removal of excess stomach fat and skin wo/ abdominal wall muscle tightening and which does not usually include repositioning of the belly button or removal of pubic fat pad. 2)Tummy tuck for removal of excess stomach fat and skin w/ abdominal wall muscle tightening (if needed) and the repositioning of the belly button. Some doctors will include the removal of excess pubic fat pad. In addition many long term overweight males may find the penis and testicles partially or completely encapsulated by a pubic fat pad 5 or more centimeters thick. This often requires surgical removal to free the trapped genetalia. For younger males trying to have children this is very important as such trapping can increase tempreture to the testes making them infertile. Some insurance companies will only pay for the panectomy (if covering at all) others will pay for either one. Most other areas of the body with residual skin post weight loss would most certainly be considered cosmetic and probably not covered. In regard to costs it is unfortunately whatever the market will bear and that depends on the region you live in, the number of doctors performing this service and the degree of compitition in the market area for those self pay services.

I have/had a lot to lose 150# altogether to reach goal so I asked my surgeon about that and he said to expect to go down 1 or 2 sizes as well as moving to normal width so I am holding off on new shoes for a bit I can say that I have to lace the ol tennies a little tighter and there is now more toe room with the 50#'s I have lost so far so I think i'll be needing some new Nike's

Well because of my age, 63, the doctor says I can expect the weight loss to be a slow process. I am losing about 5 pounds a month and have officially crossed from a BMI of morbidly obese to severely obese woo hoo. Thats really nice and all but I really want to be skinny.... (don't we all )

Great work, congratulations to you.

First of all congrats on your progress so far. For the topic at hand, yes it's dissapointing when people don't keep confidences but that's just the way people are, we as a species seem to love to gossip. I believe you are right and agree that lapse in trust was not meant to be mean and I hope that everyone who now knows your secret is cherring you on. At any rate, don't let it get you down cause you are doing the work here with a little help from the band, but ultimately is's you. So I repeat the congrats and wish you well.

So that's what that left side pain is, overdoing it. Well I thought I was doing OK but sometimes the ol piggy puts the snout back on and roots around a bit too long and what do I get (me being the ol piggy) an awful pain in the side (and left shoulder) that lasts for at least an hour. Thanks for sharing that folks at least now I am sure of when I have overdone it and can work to keep it in check.

Havn't been on line for a few days and just saw your note. Sorry that you didn't get support you were seeking right away. I know that you have given it out very often even if its just a sympathetic ear. So I agree with what the others said. and your own observations some foods are PB traps (Bread, Oh I Love good bread but not the getting stuck part of it) The weight not droping away fast enough is another part of it. I know my expectations were very high but the surgeon says that at my age 1 pound a week is all I should expect even with all the exercise I do. Well with such a slow weight loss time frame perhaps I won't have to face massive cosmetic surgery, just a small tweek and tuck. . Anyway, keep up that chin and please continue to be so supportive of us others out here it's appreciated very much. Best Wishes BigTom (I guess for longer than I had hoped for)

Good for you, I great to hear of goals passed on the way to the final goal. I'm sure it was a very satisfying moment. I hope to have some of those myself as soon as the scale starts to move again.

Welcome back and thanks for sharing the great news about your mom, glad to hear she's on the mend. I once went to a skin doctor to have a blemish removed from my face. First he was looking at it under a magnifyer and then....slash it was gone. Guess he was from the "We Don't Need No Stinkin' Novacain" school of medicine too. But darn it that slash hurt like heck and I yelled some choice words at him, I even called him a quack. That seemed to have upset the poor dear and he went off in a sulk. Since then I make it clear to all doctors...no cutting wo/ anethestic. I don't think the novacain is really needed for the fill though but numb is better than sorry, did that hurt?

Ok so I stopped doing the daily weigh in since the fill cause it was really frustrating to see the scale not move. One week later and I have gained 3 pounds , Yikes! I'm exercising like crazy 2+ hours of cardio with weight training 4 days a week and eating around 1200 cals a day. Ugh! I would rather the scale stay the same then move upward. I must be doing something wrong, I have an appointment with the surgeon in a week and hopefully the new trend will reverse and start going down by then. At least I hope so. Till then I'll keep plugging along and try to keep a positive zen like attitude AHUMMMMMMMMM, now where is that 'ol navel anyway? You are supposed to contemplate that, right?

Wow, I hope your mom recovers fully. You and her are in my thoughts and I pray that you get to be with her a bit longer.

I spoke to both my primary care physician and my cardiologist and they advised in my situation to wait and see if the blood pressure drops before discarding any meds. The cardiologist said that because of my history I will still need to stay on beta blockers and cholesterol drugs even after and if indicator levels drop but that the dosages would be dropped significantly. Your surgeon doesn't mean you any harm but does not know your history like your primary care physician and/or cardiologist. It seems wise to keep them in the loop and follow thier advice in weening off medications.

Thanks for the sympathy, I was begging for it . Sliming is when you overproduce syliva (lots of it) to hush through the blockage. The more you swallow the sooner the urge to vomit, not very pleasant. I feel your pain cause i'm sitting at about the same weight for almost two weeks myself. I understand that its fairly common but gosh it would be good to see the scale start to move again. Well I didn't get fat overnight so I assume it will take awhile to go away. Hope your scale starts to move again real soon...

It was awful I tell Ya! I have had my first bout of sliming and PB'ed to boot, YUK! This was soon after my first fill and the first time it's happened to me and I didn't like it one little bit thats for sure. I will do my best to not do that again.... I was having a bit of chicken breast that was a tad dry I chewed the heck outa it and swallowed it down. I knew I was in trouble almost immediatly Pain mid chest, sliming, eyes watering and hiccups. Then off to the bathroom to expell the culpret. Now I will go to extreme measures to avoid Yakking up my meal but this was force of nature a tsunami (with due respect to the events in Japan) and unstoppable. Oh the relief was almost instantanious and after a few moments I returned to the table and finished my meal with much more respect for the humble dry chicken, I slathered on some low cal mayo and had no repeat of that awful experience. To you folks that have had this fairly often I extend my deepest sympathies. As for myself a vow to be more careful. Small bites, chewed to a pulp and swalloed with care. My final thought on sliming and PB's = YUK!

First of all you are doing awsome and I have had the exact same feelings that you describe. I just had my first fill today and brought up the slowing down of the weight loss with my doctor. He said that losses of1-2 pounds per week are considered good. I retorted that I wanted more than that and he suprised me with his answer. He said that that desire is normal but unsustainable and not in our best long term interest. Now the suprising thing, He said that almost all his patients say the same thing and his insight is that its becasue we as a group are High Achievers and expect great or even exagerated results. When this doesn't happen as fast as we expect we get depressed. I know that I am an all in kind of guy. Any new adventure I undertake has my full attention almost (heck no almost about it) to the point of compulsive focus. This was a real eye opener for me and I am going to pull back and work to become more mellow and self forgiving in my outlook in this effort. As far as the sweet spot is concered, don't have a clue, guess I'll know it when I see it. The starting weight issue you bring up isn't really an issue according to my doctor he routinely sees folks male and female over 350 pounds at the first consultation, and you sir, are doing a super job. Tip of the hat to you and I hope to break through to the 200's by this July for my 63rd birthday Keep up the good work and don't get discouraged.

Well I was hoping that the post op weight loss would continue. However, now that I have progressed from gruel to thicker gruel it's stayed the same with no more daily steady drop. Grrr. Tracking the calories and it's about 1,000 per day give or take 50 and I have returned to the gym. I can't say that I have any great hunger yet and eating is not something I enjoy like before the surgery, I do it just because I need to. Really looking forward to my first fill in three weeks and a return to normal foods where I can CHEW something. It's strange though according to all the charts in order to maintain the weight I am I would have to consume between 2300-2700 calories a day (depending on whose chart you use and what factors are punched in) so at about 1,000 Cals I should be loseing 2+ pounds a week. Maybe it's just on hold due to the fact that immediatly post op I had a real problem getting even 500 calories in on clear liquids. Probably balancing out and weight should begin to drop again soon, I Really Hope So for the sake of my morale. Has anyone else experienced this lull?

I havn't had the issue you are having to deal with but my mom had low colonic motility the last 20 years of her life and had many colonic lavages to relieve the pain and cramping associated with stool retention. This was something she did with the supervision of a gastroenterologist while he worked on the root cause of the problem. Turns out she was a laxitive abuser and the colon wall muscles were not as effective at paristalsis as they were when she was younger. He did find that she wasn't drinking enough water and when you don't drink enough the end of the colon extracts as much Fluid as it can get leading to constipation and the need to turn to laxitives for relief. He told her that this constipation and laxitive use cycle was much more common in females. Just another bit on unfairness there for the girls. So if you aren't drinking 8-10 8 oz glasses of water a day I would start there. Try not to use laxitives and speak to your primary care physicain about colonic lavage as my knowledge in that area is certainly dated and second hand. Good luck and I hope that you can rid yourself of the burden of all that stool and establish a regular routine that is good for you. Keep eating the Activia that live yogurt will eventually get you on track towards a more normal colon, plus it's good for you.