Loooou

It is been the slowest month for me! but I take that so proudly!! I am looking OMGishly different. I might not make it to goal with this challenge but I am happy with every lil progress or even little stall!! thank GOD for no gains! unless it is TOM! Everyone is really doing awesome and u are soooooooooooo inspiring!! SN..............Starting Wt........Current.......Goal.......Lbs to Goal Looou........235...................206..............199........7

OMG!! i am trying to find my dropped missing Jaw!! U Rockedddd it so well!!

Well, U will find great deal of people here with HORRIBLE experiences with the band on here. Mine wasnt at all horrible. or even bad. I am just saying with all the "under preparation" and my AMAZING surgeon been the best at the procedure but not the follow up ( so I seeked another one who helped) I still managed to to lose with the band but It was my own effort at the end of it. I am not a big fan of the mechanism of the band after experiencing the sleeve sensation. Everyone's experience is different, urs I'd consider way ugly than mine, Slipping and such complications aren't just great! Mine was just plateauing and having side effect of not able to consume healthier food, which most of ppl on this board find it the biggest reason for their revision. You are lucky about not having the hunger as your friend, I wasnt and may be more 100 people I know arent too:) I am not talking out of generally speaking , I am talking out of personal experiences sharing! from different continents:) so may be you were just unique. I can see the band is working too good for you aside from the slipping, Mine never had any complications and I had it for 8 years, all the doctors I had to consult for my sleeve had to thankfully praise for my surgeon. So If it is just a matter of slippage and you are just delighted that much with the band why not try fixing the slipping, I am no expert but I have heard people having another band after their slips. I can see how happy you are with it EVEN with the slipping thats why I am wondering why are you researching the sleeve? if I may just ask. The band for me should be stopped, many people wasted money on it and others suffers in such big deal of going crazy with their food and their feelings. I wasnt diagnosed with anything, but the port pain was such a huge pain in my left side that it reached my upper thigh, after the band was removed there is non of this terrible pain which was my friend day and night and especially after my work outs. I am considered a lap band success story by many doctors here, but they still agree that the work was almost mine at keeping the weight off and at losing the last 40-50 pounds. Dumping started with me since the band but it actually arises more after the sleeve after removing my gallbladder (turns out it was no good after the excess weight loss) so we had it removed at the day I had the sleeve. So my dumping showed at my band time with some diarrhea , after the sleeve it is more like, not feeling well for 5 mins or more if i had something not sugar high no, just something fat concentrated with some sugar. my surgeon told me the gallbladder is a big factor in this too.

I am sorry I havent read all the conversation down under the main topics but I wanna add that once I had the sleeve, and had my band removed, lots of physical pain that no doctor has an explanation for, just vanished. My face look a lot better, I dont think it is not only about the weight loss but it is also related to that am able to eat healthy food now and stay full. With the band I was a good patient with no knowledge what so ever. I didnt research a lot like the sleeve, my doctor was one of the biggest surgeons here but he is not into the band and he didnt give me good guidelines about the band, he just pointed out that am not supposed to have anymore sugar in my diet ( eating or drinking) I lost good 70 pounds with band then 40 more on my own, the band wasnt working. I didnt know about the Water rule for the first 2 years and I still lost weight and when I knew about it when I plateaued I started losing again but come to think about it, I was never able to eat chicken meat or any dense food. I was stuck to Sushi and fish which is a bit boring and expensive. When I go crazy I can rely on sweets and Desserts which is not a good way to a healthy life. Now with the sleeve I sometimes hate my life for not being able to consume any ice cream or desserts but then when I fit into cloth and have that confidence I dont know where it came from .. I no longer hate that I cant eat sweets. Actually I think the band should be banned for good. It drives you crazy! for people who says they find their sweet spot they are just adapting the hungry feeling all the time. It drives u mentally to be unstable. it deprives your body of good nutrition. I swear my face now when I look at it , it is totally colorful but when I browse my band photos I find someone missing life from their face. I am lucky along with others who chose the sleeve, even with complications that may occur I am still more secured with the complication of being obese and others that may occur ( mentally & physically) from the band. The band is good for someone who is looking t lose 50 pounds at most! Good chat u had there and I hope this lap band patient can find another insurance to do her revision.

It gets better!! dont worry, just focus on getting more water and what about ur vitamins?

CONGRATS!! u are so dedicated!! I can see it from ur statuses.. u are doing great!! u will be at goal in no time:)

Thanks Tiffy, I actually chose my goal weight and I wasnt greedy about it. I wanna settlle for 150 pounds, I know I might be a 20-25 pounds heavier than what the bmi chart suggest but I think I will be happy at this range so by your equation I am supposedly lost 35% of my excess weight in 2 month which is phenomenal to me. but if I am applying the equation to since I was banded I think it will brings my total loss to 101%

well done!! u are rocking ur sleeve:)

I wondering how do u calculate the percentage tiff?

you truly look amazing!! COngrats!!

well dear,Dont worry about it, U will be losing again.. My body seems to be dropping few pounds for a while then nothing for some weeks, I dropped 28 pounds and I am 2 month post op now. Some will consider it slow but I consider it a success I have never achieved before in my life. I have lost 100 pounds with my bands and may be more but plateaued for several years, as I have never been in this weight like in forever. So I guess Our bodies just give themselves some rest between every pounds and I consider it a blessing that it is automated this way. U will be losing again UNLESS u are drinking ur calories which I doubt u are. Do u track ur food? if u need further advice u can write us down ur typical day intake and we can all chime in:)

WOHOOO!! CONGRATS!!! SOOO HAPPY FOR U:)))

wow OUTSTANDING!! congrats:))

191!! WHAT A VICTORY!!! U are a true inspiration!! I wish I can look half as gorgeous as u look in my 191s!! you are a dedicated person who spread positive energy around u!! Great things must happen to ppl like u:) I Wish u wellness and happiness through out ur life! and I will never forget that u offered me a lot of helping hands when I came here, I was actually confused how many hands u do have:P u were such a great help! to everyone! but u look u just own a tiny pair now!! KUDOS AND WOHOOOO!! XOX

SW: 235 Last week W: 211 Current W: 209 GW (4th of july) 199. Dont know if I am gonna make it! My TOM is around!! Congrats to all of you who have reached ur july goal!! U make me push harder and believe! XO

U havent had any sugar in a long time? It happened to me but with hagen Dazs ice cream, I felt may be too much sugar in it. then Again with the pudding (Not sugar free) Then I knew it! I cant tolerate anything with lots of grams of sugar, the yawning wont end until u rest for a while. Too much carbs do that, and I know u havent had that much but 2 spoons are capable enough of doing these symptoms to us! Some are lucky and they can go on with such kind of food. Others wont. I can tolerate dark chocolate, but milky one leaves me with an acidic taste in my mouth even after having my PPI meds. the cold sweat, hot flashes are one of the symptoms of dumping syndrome but u must at least have diarrhea with it , so if u didnt then I just think ur insulin spiked over the rough all of the sudden and then abandoned u , that u felt like crashing.

please dont leave these forums! everyone is entitled to their opinion but common we are not in a classroom here:) CONGRATS on breaking the stall!! and best of luck on the rest of ur journey!

dont worry honey, the hunger feeling wont strike u that often in a matter of month or so. let us know how it goes, and if u still feel the same, then u need to talk to your doctor.

ease up on the chicken and turkey now, 3 weeks out is still needing softer food. I bet thats the whole problem. Try tuna, salmon and fish. the moister the better now. I always try not to expand my time of eating to more than 20 mins. Our sleeves really cant hold more than few bites. The real question is, are you satisfied after eating? or do u feel hungry? or do u feel like u are sweating and over done it? (chest pain) Again I will confirm it for you it gets way easier, your stomach is still swelling and still healing and the real capacity is ahead of you. Be kind to it and go for softer food. I will be it will makes a difference and you wont feel like "eating" is a lot of work to do. best of luck

You will be amazed in a matter of month or so how much energy you will be having, although u will still have ur down days, and to be honest it is absolutely normal for every non WLS human beings, but for the time being give ur body the naps it needs, and dont feel bad about it, it will pass:) This has never happened to me, I usually burp after done eating and ALOT! sometimes, but may be cause I was banded before and I have a very good practice with chewing things so well, try making the bite smaller and the chewing longer. if this happens as soon as u start eating then for sure ur having a solid thing that doesnt agree with u yet , or u are just "as I said before" not chewing well and having bigger bites. BUT if it happens after several bites, thats the one signal to know u are completely full:) What kind of food are u eating? I think u need to mash your food a little, with a little condiment or saucy stuff. 1 oz is still good but u need more at one sitting. I would recommend fish fillets, salmon, stewed chicken, grilled stuff are harder. It will get easier and better, remember Water is the key! best of luck

Okay for another step to motivation I will get in! although I hate those goal setting techniques. Dont get me wrong but my whole life I have never been successful with them thats why I do hate them, they bringback bad memories of disappointment and failure feeling. But the sleeve is so much different so lets give it a try, even if I didnt achieve my goal at least I will be close, I wont feel horrible! SW: 235 CW: 211 GW (4th of july) 199. 12 pounds in less than a month is so high I know! but at least if I reached half goal I will be amazed! best of luck everyone:)

Dear Lara I am really happy for you in every way!! I call us lap band survivors! I still face your issues, Not seeing a difference sometimes although it is obvious! and sometimes I am in denial, with every pound lost I have (lapband) flashbacks! and think to myself yeah I will gain it tomorrow! and the sleeve still fascinates me! when I dont. thirty pound is just a huge number and special one coming from someone starting at a light weight like urs and a band experience. Doctors always told me that virgin WLS are most likely to be the slowest losers on earth. Kinda of discouraging but look at everyone on here with revision "WE ARE AMAZING" and living proof that virgin or no virgin we pushed through. Congratulations and best on luck on reaching your goal! I still cant tolerate sugary stuff just like you and end up with dumping syndrome every time so I think its so common but so worth it! I can have dark chocolate every now and then, some milk with splenda may be but really tiny tiny portions. Sometimes I think to myself how much I miss my favorite chillis paradise pie, and my famous love to ice cream but I thank God everyday I dont consume them anymore! It makes all the difference, and still I have my alternative when I crave sugar. (dark chocolate withs some nuts and Splenda) thanks for posting this update.. keep them coming XO

You said it, THE MEDIA! It is always reflecting the news from their own vision, the revolution ended and the mini protests that are taking place every now and then are barely recognizable. Security is back and strong. Ofcourse it is always ur decision and what u are feeling about it. The only bad thing that didnt take off the curfew which starts from 2 am till 5 am lol.. so on the weekends we cant stay longer out as we used to. Thats whats happening in Egypt right now:) Best of luck with your decision but from what I can suggest is you either do it in the US or abroad better than the Gulf area, Not that I dont have faith in doctors there but I know that many arab patient prefer to come down to Egyptians doctors or going abroad for their surgeries rather than having it there. I will have my appointment with my doctor in ten days, I can ask him if he recommend someone in the UAE for you too:)

In Egypt here. My doctor's name is Ahmed Hatem Al said. He is considered one of the first ppl to perform VSG in Egypt. I think his price ranges between 40,000 LE (Egyptian pounds) to 45,000 LE.

I think Julia said the most important word here along with everyone's great advice DESIRE it truly fades away, you wont feel the need of having all. you will be amazed at the constant conversation you will have with urself about can I order that? OH NO! I am full! I dont really need it, u may just feel like you are having a lot of free time, which u used to occuppy with happy eating ( OR SO CALLED) time. Thats what U will be battling with! thoughts.. about how much time food use to consume out of ur life. But the biggest urge to eat wont be there cause u are truly not missing on any food, u can eat whatever u want just in a reasonable amounts. Dont worry!