delawaregal

Congratulations TennJenn!

I wish it was as easy for me to maintain my weight loss. It must be because you are so much younger than me. I have to watch my weight very carefully because I gain a couple of lbs if I eat sugar or do any snacking. I also seem to gain every weekend when life I do more socializing. It's maddening!

Not sure it is related to age. I am 61 and had my surgery two years ago with Dr. Aceves in June. My goal was 145 and I stay around 140. I am not strict about what I eat and lately realized I was eating too many carbs and went back to drinking a Protein drink most days. I do still love sweets I just can't eat much. I can eat more than I could the first year but am still very restricted. I can only eat a half sandwich for example, or a container of Geek yogurt at one time. I think that working keeps me so busy that sometimes I forget to eat. The only thing I can no longer consume at all are milkshakes (which I love) every time I try to drink part of one I feel nauseous and once had dumping. So I don't try anymore. Ice cream does not bother me.

in response to the question about loose skin. I do have loose skin. My face looks fine but my upper arms and abdominal area especially are pretty yucky. Also because I am older my skin was not as elastic so i have more wrinkles all over my body now. If i had $30000 to throw away I would get plastic surgery but at this stage of life I am more interested in retirement. It does not interfere with me socially. I don't wear a 2 piece bathing suit and when I wear a sleeveless top I put a little sweater with short sleeves over it. If I was 30 I would do something about it but if I was 30 it probably would not be as bad, LOL. I just posted some before an after pics. I lost 90 lbs.

I have a double whammy not just loose skin after weight loss but being 61 the wrinkles and sag to boot. I wasn't wrinkled until after I lost the weight. I just started dating a guy and since I am the first person he has dated sine his wife's death we are going very slowly. BUT... i know eventually we will get to the point where we have sex and I am really dreading having him see me without clothing. I love how I look in my clothes but not so much without them and almost feel like it is false advertising. What you see is definitely not what you're gonna get, if you know what I mean. I know all the," if he really cares about you stuff" and while it is true, I also know men are visual and I know he is attracted to me physically. Just not so sure he would be when he sees me au naturel. I am not considering plastic surgery because I can't afford it and at my age I prefer to put my money towards retirement. I would love to hear from any older women who started dating after their weight loss and how they handled it.

I feel exactly the same. I am 11 months out so I am not optimistic that it is going to change. Even on the rare occasion when I am hungry and actually crave something the whole eating experience is not pleasant for me. I always feel as if it is stuck in my throat and it ranges from annoying to painful. I cannot even eat a small appetizer at a restaurant.

I wanted a healthier relationship with food but now I have NO relationship with food. It has impacted my social life some. I used to love dining out and trying different cuisines. I travel frequently and that was a big part of my enjoyment of the travel. Now i dread going out to eat. I am single and feel uncomfortable going on a dinner date because my intake is so limited I have to say something!

I never had a day of heartburn in my life prior to surgery and now apparently I have bad reflux. The heartburn pain has subsided but the general discomfort of eating has not. I can eat crunchy things easier but dense Protein is hard to get down. I am almost at goal weight and even though my weight loss has really slowed (5 lbs in 2 months) I am worried that it won't stop altogether. I don't want to lose anymore than 5 - 10 lbs because I will look haggard. I would really like to be able to enjoy the small portions that I can eat. I still drink a Protein Drink daily and eat a lot of Chobani yogurt!

I am still glad I had the surgery. I will live to see my granddaughter grow up now hopefully but I wish I could eat a bit more normally and enjoy it.

Thanks everyone.

I was taking nexium 40mg twice and then down to once. I had terrible acid and heartburn a few months ago but that went away. I ran out of nexium 2 weeks ago and I started over the counter prevacid which I have been on for 2 weeks and I actually like it better. I think I have to be more regular about taking the reglan before I eat, which I often forget to do. I don't mind not being hungry but I do mind only being able to eat a few bites. Some days I can eat but not many. I do think I can eat more in the evening than in the morning. I also do better when I don't let my stomach get totally empty and keep eating tiny amounts during the day. I was off for 3 weeks because my daughter had a baby and I did better. Being back to work makes it worse. I was eating a more balanced diet when I was off as well. Because I was not on my own and there were meals for a lot of people I could have a tiny bit of veggies, carb and Protein. when I am alone I tend to eat more Protein and not enough veggies which also causes me problems. For awhile I was having terrible pains with bowel movements and even vomiting when I had a bowel movement. None of that in about 4 weeks now.

I will follow up with my PCP and drop Dr. Aceves a line. Yesterday and today were good days I just never know why I have a good day and why I have so many bad days

Ok I am happy with the weight loss and the decreased appetite but at 7 mos I am still rarely hungry, can only eat a few bites and while the acid has gone away I always feel like food is stuck in my throat. I take nexium or prevacid daily and I take reglan for the reflux. It helps a little but I am starting to think something is just not Kosher here. When I had the UGI in Sept it showed a lot of reflux. I always feel like there is gurgling in my espohagus as soon as I eat. I would like to enjoy food once in awhile. I am starting to date again and this is a problem because I cannot even finish a small appetizer. I dread going out to eat. I still drink a Protein Drink every day because liquids go down much easier. when I try to eat a little spaghetti I end up vomiting.

Anyone else still feel this way after 7 months.

Happy to say that I got below 200 lbs. I am losing slowly but glad to see that 200 go away and moving steadily down.

I am very open about my surgery and willing to answer any questions anyone has. That is just my personality. I am not ashamed of my surgery and don't much care what anyone else thinks about it. Several people have asked me for information for themselves or for friends.

I would do it

My scale is moving verrrrry slowly but I went shopping for jeans tonight and went down 2 sizes. Check your inches. remember that weight is not a good measurement. Muscle is more dense than fat and takes less space.

You have been her friend since age 6. She has not been your friend and deep down you know that. We change, grow and mature and our relationships either change and grow too or they end. Maybe it is time to move on to new friends who appreciate you.

I feel the same. I just don't want to be bothered. I am bored but it is also a chore to make an actual recipe just to eat a few spoonfuls. I have Greek yogurt and a Protein Shake almost every day. I made a scrambled egg with cheese and had to force it down this morning. I actually like having the Protein shake, I mix in some instant coffee. lunch and dinner are just a pain in the neck. I miss enjoying going out to eat with friends. I have gone out a few times but I don't really enjoy it much. even when I feel hungry and crave something the reality of it is not enjoyable and 3 bites and I am full.

First off, I took a vacation day and got weighed and only have 2 lbs to lose to be under 200 ! :thumbup1:

Then I had a mani/pedi, got a massage and had my pre-scheduled hair appointment. While shopping for a pair of jeans I got a phone call and the job in San Francisco that I applied for is interested and wants to to do a phone interview :smile1: (I live in DE). Then I had to keep getting smaller jeans to try on and I am no longer in plus size jeans but in a regular size 16 skinny jeans :thumbup: woo hoo!

I am trying to relocate to SF because my daughter is pregnant and I want to be closer to her and my granddaughter. :biggrin0:

Body composition is a much better measurement than the scale. The scale only measures overall weight but not how much fat or lean tissue you have. why not focus on body measurement instead of body weight? You may find you are losing inches and gaining muscle. It is better to weigh 150 and have 10% body fat than to weight 130 and have 30% body fat. If your clothes are getting loser you are doing OK

I felt that way until my 7th week

I would report her to you local Medical Society. She should be sanctioned

I agree, she is a b$%$ch, She is more interested in covering her a$$ than taking care of you. Get a new PCP

I don't feel like eating much either. I notice on hot humid days I don't want anything. I supplement with a Protein Powder mixed with 10 oz of skim milk in the morning, that way I start the day with 33g of Protein. I usually eat a 5oz Greek yogurt mid morning and get another 14g of protein. I enjoy my Protein Drinks more now that I add some instant coffee to them. By afternoon I have 47 g of protein and it isn't hard then to get 55 - 60 g in most days. I also eat cheese sticks for quick protein and use Kellogs protein iced tea instead of crystal light.

Muscle vs. Fat :: Fitness :: Body Mass Index (BMI)

Muscle vs Fat

When determining your overall health, it’s important to consider your percentage of body fat in proportion to muscle mass. Someone weighing 200 pounds with a body fat percentage of 25 is carrying around 50 pounds of extra fat. That same person weighing 200 pounds with 10 per cent body fat would be carrying around only 20 pounds of fat. This is significant in terms of health, not to mention how exhausting it is to carry around 30 extra pounds of fat. In addition, the person with 50 pounds of fat has only 150 pounds of lean mass to carry that weight, whereas the person with 20 pounds of fat has 180 pounds of lean mass to sustain it. That factor alone will have a dramatic impact on energy level, joint stress and mobility.

Fat takes up more than four times as much space as lean muscle mass. So if you want to reduce your size, then reduce your percentage of body fat. An obvious indicator is your waistline. If your pants are becoming baggy but your weight is not changing too much, you know you are heading in the right direction.

1) When was your surgery with Dr. Aceves?

June 15, 2010

2) How much weight have you lost?

25 lbs

3) Tell me (briefly) about your stay in his facilities? (i.e., cleanliness, friendliness of staff, attentiveness of his nurses)

outstanding on all counts

4) Did you have any complications, even if they were very minor?

I ran a fever for a few hours in the hospital and had all the nurses and Doctors fussing over me. It went down quickly.

Two days after returning home I developed a throat infection unrelated to surgery (I have allergies) and felt sick for 2 weeks. I had to take antibiotics.

5) If your child wanted to use this surgeon in the future, how would you feel?

absolutely

6) How did you get to/from the facilities?

I flew to San Diego. My cousin's wife lives in Dana Point, CA and is from Mexicali. She picked me up at the airport and we drove to Mexicali. I used Dr. Aceves driver for the trip back to the airport

7) How difficult was it to schedule your surgery?

Not very. I did not get my first choice because Dr. Aceves was attending a conference that week. I scheduled 6 weeks prior to surgery

8) What kind of pre-operative requirements does his staff have?

I had to submit a lengthy medical history.

I was on a lo carb diet for 2 weeks pre-op. He only required 1 week. Fasting before pre-op blood work and the night before surgery

9) What do you regret about using Dr. Aceves?

Nothing.

10) On a scale of 1 to 10, what would you rate your overall experience using Dr. Aceves?

10

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I was a 2x or 18W. My surgery was on June 15. I am now 16W pant, 16W or XL top and a 16W or 14W dress. Top seems to be shrinking quicker than the bottom but that is due to my belly. I need to start exercising.

I mix mine with skim milk and add instant coffee. Not bad and I get my caffeine since I stopped drinking my coffee when I had surgery. You could also try adding the sugar free syrups.< /p>

I also hate exercise and have lots of joint and back problems. I had no energy following the surgery and just started feeling better in the past week. I am doing 10 - 12 minutes a day on my elliptical machine. I know it doesn't sound like much but I am building up my stamina. I plan to take a yoga class at the end of the month and since I do love dancing am looking for a Zumba class.

The surgeons at CHRIAS do the sleeve but they do not "specialize" and when I visited them several months ago the practice had done only about 40 procedures. I decided on Dr. Aceves in Mexicali, although I really liked Dr. Iragau at CHRIAS,

In my opinion it tastes terrible but some people love it. I have the Roadside Lemonade and the Fuzzy Navel. I can tolerate half a scoop of Fuzzy Navel in some crystal light peach iced tea.I did like the Cappuccino.< /p>

I have sleep apnea and had the surgery. He probably wants to tell him to be sure to bring his cpap machine with him. I was tubed so no worries about breathing during the surgery

I was sleeved on JUne 15. It was as easy as any surgery can be. It was my best hospital expereince ever. I just got an email from Dr. Aceves 2 days ago and I am in frequent communication with Gabby his coordinator for post op patients. I received wonderful care and great aftercare.