iegal

33.1 BMI and I am close to your height. I self paid since no comorbidities other than knees hurting. Not going to say everything in journey was perfect, but I had no major complications. Learning the new you is not easy. Today at almost 2 years out it is easy to say I would travel this way again...over hot coals. I have no regrets and love my sleeve..

Your stomach isn't stretching out but you can be grazing, eating too quickly, and/or eating wrong foods like slider foods. Something worked. So, now we figure out how to get you back there. What is your calorie count daily? How many carbs? Proteins? Taking your suppliments? Excercising? How much sugar are you consuming (Are you drinking calories?) How much Water are you drinking a day. All these will affect your weight loss.

Suggest you take a sublingal b12 suppliment twice a day. Sleevers do not absorb b12 as easily I was really weak for a while, not getting in enough protien/nutients. You need to eat and find another Vitamin you can tolerate. Hate to be pushy but you did get this surgery to be healthier. So, find something that works and stick to it. Eat to survive. Try adding some carbs for a week and see how it helps. Chewy Vitamins, childrens vitamins, crushed vitamins...whatever lets you get what your body is crying out for to survive. Hugs.

Sweetie; I am so sorry that you have this news. Just so glad you were diagnosed. Praying for a full recovery. Hugs for you and your daughter. iegal

YIPPEE and hugs for you. I don't even know you and I am tearing up for all you have accomplished. Getting rid of so many complicatons is wonderful! Thanks for sharing your success and wishing you the best in more loss.

BMI of 33.1 and yes, I self paid. No co-morbidities but I was headed down an ugly road. I was not overweight all of my life, just for the last 10+ years. After trying just about every diet and failing multiple times, I had an epiphany moment. No more self loathing, no more yo-yo, no more buying diet plans. Did VSG because I wanted a fighting chance to be the real me. Took out a loan to pay for VSG and worth every penny for a US surgeon. Outpatient surgery was a good experience. Hit weight loss goal in 5 months, but I was diligent with the VSG diet plan. Watched my carbs and kept Protein count up. Surgery was drastic and VSG is non-reversible. This is your choice alone. So, let me ask you something. If you could keep off the weight without surgery, why haven't you? I love my sleeve and have no regrets.

Why would grazing constantly enlarge your stomach?

First of all I want to be your kid...look at those cakes! Way to go mom! You look fabulous! Happy dance for you.

Nope, you have to put liquid in it to puree so the taste changes. But, my taste buds changed a lot during those first few months so almost everything was new.

Wow, a lot of people in your shoes. A couple of my SoCal Sleeve buddies calls me the secret keeper. I didn't tell my mom who would have been adamantly opposed to this surgery. Did not tell her for until three months after surgery and she lives very close to me. She actually pushed me to get surgery by stating "if we could only tape your mouth closed" reffering to my eating all the time. I only told three people prior to surgery due to the negativity I was expecting. One dear friend was horrid and told me all sorts of "friends" who have had problems. Hence, I kept my mouth shut. When I hit goal, I started telling people how. That shut them up.

Feel your pain as I couldn't gag down the thick sweet Protein shakes either. So I went to clear protein in a bottle which I found at GNC. 40gm protein Isopure in Apple melon flavor around $4.50 a bottle was my standard during the first few months to supplement protein. Not delicious but certainly drinkable - think apple jolly roger candy. Just get one. Taste buds change. Also, have you tried Cappuccino protein? Still drink that today when I am in a hurry.

Wishing you the best of luck tomorrow. Be sure to post as you are able to let us know how you are feeling and your experience. Hugs - and a early welcome to the losers bench. You made it!

Teenage and up...really hard at any time for a boy/young man to understand his mom is a woman. You can't stop people looking at you (yippee) but you don't have to gawk back and embarass the boy(s). Celebrate that people are noticing. Minimize your reaction for your boys. High five to you!

At 50 lbs, I went into Victoria Secrets and bought something pretty...just for me.

Congrats. Crossing my fingers for you!

Hormones still in your body, so yes it is head hunger. Not that this statement makes you feel any better or your tummy less noisy. Taking a PPI (acid reducer) really helped me. Are you on one? Call your surgeon to see if you can get some. Might not "fix" you but it will help with some of the symptoms a little. Congrats on being sleeved, remember this is a learning journey.

Normally being pissy. You have cut off a lot of sweets, carbs, fat and all of the addictions your body is so used to getting. Of course the hormones are raging and fighting back. Literally. I felt your pain, mine was over Labor Day weekend without all that "good" food. Hang in there. A cure - I hid in my room or bathtub with a good book. At work I limited my interaction with others. When I normally socialized, I went out to my car. Told others I "had a few things to take care of...." Oh, I cried a lot too. You will look back and realize that these few weeks of torture are so worth it and you would go through it again for the miracle of the sleeve. I have no regrets and love my sleeve. Hugs.

Interesting read. ABC News video link at bottom of page. LA Times By Thomas H. Maugh II June 18, 2012, 12:11 p.m. A major new study confirms previous sporadic reports that weight-loss surgery increases the risk of alcohol abuse, researchers reported Monday. In the second year after having a gastric bypass, technically known as Roux-en-Y surgery, patients were 30% more likely to have problems controlling their alcohol use, a team reported online in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. and at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Previous reports have suggested that alcohol abuse could be a problem following bariatric surgery, but the studies have been small and generally involved collecting data at some point after the procedure. In the new study, a team led by epidemiologist Wendy C. King of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine began studying 2,458 adults before they underwent bariatric surgery at one of 10 hospitals. Of those, 1,945 could be monitored for one to two years after the procedure. The team found that 7.6% of the patients suffered from alcohol-abuse disorders (abuse and dependence) in the year before the surgery. At the end of one year after the procedure, the percentage was about the same, 7.3%. But by the end of the second year, the prevalence of such disorders had climbed to 9.6%, a 30% increase. Virtually all of the increase occurred in patients who had undergone gastric bypass, with no increase among the roughly 30% of patients who had a banding procedure. Some research suggests that the increase in problems arises because the metabolism of alcohol changes after gastric bypass. "Given a standardized quantity of alcohol, patients reach a higher peak alcohol level [in the bloodstream] after surgery compared with case-controls or their pre-operative levels," the team wrote. In other words, bypass patients get drunk faster and with smaller amounts of alcohol. The excessive drinking may be a greater problem for bariatric surgery patients because alcohol abuse can affect vitamin and mineral status and liver function, which are already potential problems for the surgery patients, King said. She urges clinicians to perform a better job of screening patients for abuse before surgery and to offer counseling to help them combat the problem. ABC VIDEO LINK: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/gastric-bypass-fuel-alcoholism-16600168

My advice? Skip potatoes. Puree Beans (black, pinto, lentils) rather than mashed potatoes. Beans are more filling, more flavorful, have Fiber and more Protein. You are eating for nutrients and protein until you hit goal.

Sorry you are struggling. Are you on a PPI (acid reducer)?

This sleeve thing is going to be a breeze for you. You have so many challenges already and you are going to be strong, ready to face them head on. You are able to say YES to a new you, NO to an old you in many ways. Remember you are capable of making a fresh start. Sad to say but people (strangers) treat you differently after this sleeve surgery. Be prepared for a new you. It is okay to mourn what was but do not sabatoge your bright future. Hugs - we are here to cheerlead you on.

Sliders - food that easily slide out of your stomach and the restriction of the sleeve does little to help. Sliders = non controlled quantity eating chips, some types of candy, rice, etc. I can eat it all without feeling any restriction and overeat. To the tune of 9 lbs. Now trying to get back on track. Don't look for trouble with slider foods, it will find you.

Welcome to site! Please be careful about wanting to force food back in. Your new "sleevie wonder" is healing. Ask your doc before you introduce foods before schedule. All surgeons have different diet plans and when you can go back on solids. Depends on how they sewed up your stomach and their experiences. Some error on the side of caution. Just remember you will be chewing foods again soon. Congrats on being sleeved. PS - scrambled eggs made me sick but overeasy and diced hardboiled eggs did not. Go figure.

You are correct, time will make all the difference. Until you can stay hydrated, don't run off and sweat out everything. You need to have clearance from your surgeon to go back full force at the gym - mine was 6 weeks although I was back at work in a week. What helped me? Drinking out of a shot glass so I would not gulp. I used sugar free Poweraide or G2 gatorade to ensure I did not get dehyrated. That is your most important job right now...healing and hydration, not sweating. You will lose the weight. Love your attitude and wanting to be back at the gym so soon. Advice given before - just go slow. A few days makes a difference. Can you imagine what a difference a month with make? Congrats on being sleeved. PS - I can gulp easily, patience.

There are private and public "groups." Most everyone one here is really helpful and likable. Sure they would love to have you join. Go back to that group and find out who "owns" the group and send them a private message. That person can invite you to join and then you can see everything. I "own" a private social group here. Since we meet publicly and discuss our location - we have decided that only people we know can read our posts. Sometimes these locations are at people private homes. Just a safety thing, not a personal decision to keep anyone out. SoCal VSG group does not get any notification when a new member joins VST that is in our area. We seek local sleevers out and invite them to join us. Hope this helps!