TStew

I'm extremely scared of the hair loss! I have fine hair but I had a TON of it and it is about mid-butt. It's been falling out for the past few years and I can now see my scalp for the first time ever and the WLS loss hasn't even started.... The WLS is my 3rd surgery in the past two years and I never even considered that the anesthesia might be the reason. I asked my doctor for suggestions and without hesitation - she said Rogaine. Anyone ever try it? I'm taking Biotin and I've purchased a few things from vitacost and will begin using this week. Engergizer Hair Follicle Stimulator and Jason Think to Thick Scalp Elixer. Looking for the Nioxin - supposed to be available in drugstores but I haven't found it. I also bought Avalon Organics Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner. It claims to restore thinning hair and had some good reviews.

I had a uterine fibroid removed in Aug 2010 and had 5 small scars across my belly. Some are a bit low so I never even thought to ask Dr. Aceves if he could use the same. I was prepared to have TEN tiny scars and wasn't real happy about it but he managed to use three of the same cuts and the other two are really tiny. I lucked out. I use New Chapter Tamanu Oil on them every day and the ones from August that didn't get used for the sleeve are already a faint pink. The scars from the sleeve (a month ago) don't look bad at all and I think they're going to fade nicely.

Shanny, I'm experiencing almost the exact same thing! It's like the feeling you used to get before your stomach would growl and that feeling is almost always with ya. Sometimes I'm hungry an hour after eating! I haven't started on meat yet so I'm really hoping that will rectify the hunger issues! The worst TV commercials are for pizza and they show them contantly!!!!

Hungry. All the time. Not good.

Thanks everyone! I feel really great for the first time in sooooo long!

The easiest things for me to get down are cottage cheese, SF pudding with Protein powder mixed in and yogurt. I can eat ONE scrambled egg and it's REALLY difficult to get down - a fried egg went down much easier (not sure why). Someone on this board suggested egg beaters because it's not as dense and goes down a lot easier.

LOL - great description!

I stalled at 3 weeks as well and then had a two-day carb fest which has made the scale finally move in the past week!

I have a big family but only my oldest sister is in San Diego (by the way, I'm from Southgate, MI and worked in Dbn for many years!). I told my sister and she was not supportive at all (and I'm single). It didn't take her long to get the gossip machine going so I ended up just telling her I decided against it (because of health problems and the fact that I've already had two surgeries in the past year) but I got it without her even knowing! As far as she knows I just did a 21 day liquid fast (which I've done before) and now just trying to change all my bad habits to lose weight and be healthy. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it from her but I just can't take the gossip and knowing people are waiting for me to fail. I'd rather do it on my own! My doctor knows and I just started the hospital support group but this site has really made it possible. Knowing what is 'normal' and having people who have been here answer questions is more valuable than any family support. I ended up having it in MX and they actually picked me up at home and dropped me off a few days later so it wasn't hard to do without her knowing. She tried all sorts of scare tactics to try to talk me out of it and went into overdrive when I told her about MX. She even went so far to tell me that if something happens and I'm not able to take care of myself that she would not be my caretaker and I better plan on being in a nursing home or something. (I have no doubt she got that idea from one of her friends while gossiping about me). She is also overwieght and I know it will bother her when I lose all the weight and she doesn't and I'm trying to get her motivated and focused instead of going out and buying every new magic diet pill or device or book. I hope that my motivation (and my secret tool) will also help her get where she wants to be.. .

Do you ladies go to the support group meetings at Sharp or Scripps? I went to the Scripps one last month but there wasn't a huge turn out because it was V-day. It was pretty informative though - a nutritionist spoke. It was cool to meet a few women who were waiting for the sleeve and be able to share my experience and answer questions. Scripps is the second Monday of every month but Sharp seems to have several related meetins: http://www.sharp.com/weight-loss/bariatric-surgery/support-groups.cfm Do you plan to attend any?

First, do you get enough Protein post-op to retain muscle? It was near impossible the first few days after surgery but I've had no problems as of about 7 days out. Secondly, in the first few weeks, is there a lot of nausa and/or vomiting? I have yet to vomit either but I did have terrible nausea after surgery. No gagging or heaving but I felt like my stomach was very weak and the slightest taste of anything or even a smell could send me over the edge. It started the day after when they took the IV out and gave me the sublingual pain med. It was all downhill from there. I couldn't drink anything they gave me and they had to hook the IV back up to give me fluids and pain meds. I didn't feel better until the day after I got home which was the third day after surgery. Thirdly, do you have poopy problems as well, constipation and/or the opposite? I am also doing a high protein, low carb diet and I don't have any problems at all but that's not to say I won't start having them once I start on meat. Right now I'm still on mushies / soft foods. I am one of the unlucky ones that still feels the hunger pain. I have it all the time it seems but once in a while I can eat something that makes it go away for a short time. I just had 1/2 cup of refried Beans with cheese about 45 mins ago and I have that pain and could easily eat again right now. Instead I will drink Water but it does nothing to make that feeling go away. This feeling is what made me overeat before surgery so it scares me. Best of luck to you!

You all look AMAZING and are truly an inspiration!

Sorry, posted this in the wrong spot and can't delete!

It's so worth it! Good luck!!

Down 30 lbs and 14 inches from day of surgery and I'm happy with no regrets whatsoever! I have just over 100 lbs to lose now and I'm wondering if July 19th (birthday) is a realistic goal? That would be so unbelievably awesome even though I think I'll have an amazing b-day and be happy with my progress even without reaching goal.

I started with him but my insurance would not pay for the sleeve so I ended up self paying in MX. He was nice; I liked him! When I told him that I was thinking the sleeve was right for me he told me straight up that this was a very important decision that would affect the rest of my life and not to let my insurance dictate the right tool for me. I did not do a ton of research on him because I realized that he was right and that the bypass or band were not even an option for me and I was not up for a long drawn out fight to try to get my insurance to pay. I went to his seminar and met with him twice. I had a good feeling with him and also with the others in the office.

Down 30 lbs (from day of surgery) and 14 inches. Needless to say I'm very happy and have no regrets!

I have some sugar free chocolate sweets on hand... I have Atkins low carb PB Cups (which are AWESOME) and some York Peppermint Patties and believe it or not - it's really not hard for me to eat just one and satisfy that craving. I take tiny bites and just let it melt in my mouth. If I do eat one of them, it gets logged and I sure don't want to run up the numbers with empty calories. I'm a chocoholic and small amounts like that aren't going to hurt anything. I'm hoping that I'm going crazy for chocolate right now because of PMS and that in a few days the craving will not be so bad.

Yeah, I suppose it's a bit obsessive.... lol BUT, if you're stuck in a stall this might be the way to get out a lot faster....(?)

Another post about calorie confusion reminded me about cycling. Has anyone ever tried this? It's supposed to help avoid plateaus and preserve muscle and 'trick' your metabolism so your body isn't entering homeostasis. You work with a weekly calorie count instead of daily and cycle the days up and down eating more calories on days when you have more intense workouts. Here is an easy read that explains it in more detail. http://www.answerfitness.com/316/zig-zag-dieting-fitness-nerd/ We are already learning portion control and keeping track of calories and measuring so I think that it would be easier for us than for someone who's just on a diet. This would be much easier when you're a few months post op and getting in more calories but let's see now.... I'm just doing this off the top of my head but if we're told that 800 is the max daily caloric intake in the first few months and that is 5600 calories for 7 days. Here is an example based on the example of the Fitness Nerd: M 750 T 600 W 1100 TH 750 F 600 Sa 1100 Su 700 This doesn't seem too drastic, does it? Some might think it's too difficult to get in 1100 calories but I'm sure there must be some high quality high calorie foods that you wouldn't mind eating twice a week. Please, tell me what you think?

I remember reading about a diet last year that focused on calorie cycling to avoid plateaus and lose more fat and preserve muscle. You get the same amount of calories every week but some days are low and some days are high in order to trick the metabolism. I just Googled it and here is an interesting and easy to understand description: http://www.answerfit...g-fitness-nerd/ Most of us are already learning to be disciplined and counting calories and such so this really wouldn't be that hard for us. I'm going to do some more research and may give this a shot!

My nutritionist told me that your brain only knows that sweet is sweet and it doesn't matter if it's sugar free or a piece of juicy fruit. He said that your body and brain reacts to the sweetness and not necessarily the source of the sweetness. Of course some sweeteners are much healthier than others but when it comes to cravings and the brain it doesn't really make a difference. He suggested a book called 'Licking the Sugar Habit' by Nancy Appleton and it was REALLY interesting. Well, at least for me because sugar and carbs are my weakness. I've noticed that my Protein drinks don't cause a lot of problems for me (I don't add anything but the powder and open up some Vitamin capsules in it) but if I eat sf pudding or sf chocolate I start craving like CRAZY and it takes all my will power not to eat all I have (like I would have done pre-surgery). I'd rather not throw those obstacles in my path so I'm trying hard to stay away from all that stuff and maybe have one cheat day a week (on the weekend) and prepare myself mentally and physically for the negative effects. Maybe after being so conscious of the effects I will someday not want this stuff at all.

So unfair, isn't it? If your body is smart enough to realize you're starving and hold on to fat then why the heck isn't it smart enough to dump the extra calories that we eat and don't need so we don't become obese and die of a heart attack or something?!? lol

Thanks! But I'm still on mushies and my surgeon said no meats so I still have 4 or 5 days before I can start adding it in. I'm eating tons of cottage cheese though but it seems like one of the things I can eat too much....

I hope that proves true for me but I can put away a whole cup of yogurt - no problems. No problems with cottage cheese either.... The only thing that makes my stomach say "OKAY, STOP NOW!" is the refried Beans and hummus. I can't wait to add meat just so I can get my Protein in easier!