redroses47

I had my surgery a year ago and I think they reduced the costs on the band and the sleeve about 5-6 months after I was done. And no, I don't attend any support groups. I never did.

They have reduced their prices .. I definitely paid more than $17,000

Isn't Dr. Landerholm great? He didn't do my surgery but his post-op was fantastic. I would recommend Puget Sound to anyone. Hope you are feeling well, too!

I am in the Vancouver area and I was done a year ago @ Puget Sound. I highly recommend them.

It's pretty amazing to me how this surgery has changed my life. My one-year anniversary is coming up and I can't believe the number of ways my life and health have changed. Obviously, the main one, is how I look. People who have not seen me in awhile are simply blown away. I am half the person I used to be. Original size was 28 and now I am a 12. My wardrobe that was very carefully collected and cultivated over the years is completely gone. Ask me if I care. Shopping today is a THRILL! I have not told people how I lost my weight and the only ones who actually know the truth are my family. Works for me .. I know people around me are very critical of this surgery and I don't feel like fighting the fight, you know? It's my business and my success .. I am very happy. I was on a plane recently, too. Can you say 'snap me in' without tightness or asking for an extension? Freedom, baby .. it's incredible. I can even cross my legs in the seat. And not feeling like I am squishing the person next to me is an amazing success. Paint me happy! I eat quite a bit more than I did perhaps 6 months ago but I have never gained any weight back. I exercise (very easily, I may add) about 5-6 days a week and I can actually run for the first time in over 20 years. My foods remain healthy choices with high Protein and veggies being the main options. I have zero cravings for chocolate which I found weird. My pre-op tastes were sweet and post-op are definitely savory. Wearing high heels now is sooooo easy and comfortable, too .. that rocks! I did experience the hair-loss factor quite heavily in the 8-9 month post-op period. Nothing you can really do and I didn't subscribe to special shampoos or Vitamins .. it's a body/system thing and you have to roll with it. I have a lot of hair and very long hair, too. My bathroom floor was quite a mess every day for a number of weeks but then it suddenly stops falling out. You will survive this .. I can promise you that. I will need follow-up tummy surgery. My weight fell off so fast that I wasn't able to even try to exercise my way through it so I do have that apron that needs to be removed. I have gone for two consultations and I have to wait another 6-8 months before anyone will consider this since my WLS is still considered quite new and I am expected to continue to lose weight over the next year. I am not at target weight yet but I suspect I won't really get there as I always felt I was too thin by those standards. Regardless, should it stop today, I am fine, happy and healthy. Thanks for reading and best of luck to you!

For the first few months, my weight dropped quite dramatically. I was constantly looking at my wardrobe to find things to wear as I am sure, like many people, I had quite a size range. I had it in my mind I had clothes for 'months ahead' but the truth for me is that I went through my entire wardrobe and zipped past sizes I expected to wear (but didn't) in less than 6 months post-op. I got to the point where I tried on my smaller clothes once a month and I could see the difference each month and there were many things I never even got a chance to wear. Talk about thrilling. Don't feel reluctant. I think that is a natural feeling because we have all dieted and gained back and tended to keep that larger wardrobe 'just in case'. I guess we knew deep down that diets don't work. But this does. Trust me. I just did my second consignment and the store couldn't believe these were my clothes. They were new-ish but much much larger than the woman standing before them. The owner asked me if they were actually my clothes! As I was preparing the clothes for this consignment, I was holding up items I had worn mere months ago and can't believe I was that big. I had been dealing with my brain not catching up to the image in the mirror plus the comments I had received from others so after I looked at my old/large clothes recently, any remaining denial flew right out the window. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

The pics always tell the strongest visual story but no, I have no plans to post. I wish to keep my identity private.

Wow .. look at your success! Very inspiring, too!

Thanks for posting I feel so completely different in heels. I used to feel like I was jamming my foot into the shoe (I probably was) and thought it looked great but in reality, it only promoted swelling. Not attractive. I have lost about a size and a half (plus a width) since my weight loss, too. Another unexpected perk!

Laughing here .. good call on the tray!! Yes, not only was it down but I had at least 8" to spare. Talk about another mini success!!

Thanks for your comments I think it's important also for those who have had successes to also share the difficulties, too. For me, I dealt with extreme exhaustion for about 4 months post-op when I heard so many times that I will be up 'n running in no time. I found this pretty difficult and let myself nap when my body told me it was time to rest. However, it does pass. And, you will stall and everyone's schedule for stalling varies. However, the weight will come off. Follow the rules and you can't go wrong. My weight dropped very steadily for at least 6 months before my first stall and that one lasted about a month. And of course, the closer you are to goal, the slower the scale moves. That is where you rev things into gear with exercise as it's so exhilarating to move without those same pains you may have had post-op!

Pre-op I drank 2-3 cups of coffee a day and I made a decision to stop drinking coffee post-op until I felt better to do so. What I found is that my taste for coffee was radically altered after surgery and I didn't have a sip for about 6 months. The taste was horrible. I was recently on a road trip to Vegas and I was dead-dog tired so I grabbed a coffee and made myself drink it. Honestly, I could have flown a plane after that *lol* and since then I am back on coffee - about 2-3 cups a day with a bit of cream and I am now 8 months out. No issues, pain or bloating, etc.

Great update! Although I am 8 months out, I can relate to a number of things you posted here. I didn't tell anyone about my surgery except for my family and I know my staff are seriously wondering how I have dropped all of my weight. Whatever .. I made it my decision not to say anything. That is my comfort zone. I also related to the eating little in the morning and more in the evening time. I have no idea what my caloric intake is but I think like you .. it balances out in the end. My weight continues to drop. The last one was the hair loss. I really started shedding pretty badly around the 5-6 month mark and only now does it appear to be waning. Talk about a panic .. my hair is very long and very full and even my hairdresser noticed the difference. It's starting to come back though. I can see the new growth. Anyway, best to you. You are doing great!

I was sleeved 8 months ago and I still experience coldness frequently. Or at least my propensity to it .. it hits hard and fast out of the blue. Even during the summer months. I think it's a part of this journey of rapid weight loss and as well, less body fat.

It's quite a feeling, isn't it? Congrats on your success - you look terrific

I have similar questions as former_vbg .. perhaps you could post more information about your surgery? In speaking just from my experience, I had a nutritionist set up post-op so I could deal with the questions and concerns that you are currently experiencing. You need some help and I do agree that your doctor's lack of concern is an issue. I can't really tell when you had your surgery but for me, I was very careful what/how much I consumed for at least 4-5 months post-op. While I am 8 months out now and can pretty much eat whatever I want, I still choose my Protein, vegetables and Fluid intake first. I don't graze or 'test' myself in ways that I know are possible with WLS because there are slider foods that you can eat 'n eat 'n eat .. staying the path of healthy choices ensures success. I don't know why I had such great success thus far but I know we are all different and my assumption is the more weight one has to lose, perhaps it comes off faster. Simply a theory on my part. I completely understand your frustration and you do need some help and guidance. Perhaps your doctor's office can refer you to a nutritionist who specializes in bariatric surgery? That seems to be the ticket here for you. Anyway, good luck to you

I was off work for about 10 days and I planned it that way. I was pretty tired immediately post-op and continued to struggle with exhaustion for a number of weeks afterwards. I have a management/HR job .. office work mainly .. so it was a small blessing in my view that I didn't have to exert too much energy because I wasn't sure I could. That has all changed now, of course. Everyone is different but I have read mostly that people take 7-10 days off.

I am 7 months out and I can tell you that the initial days are very much day-by-day .. baby steps, sort of thing. Many people talk about the head hunger and you will go through it from time-to-time but I can tell you from personal experience that the post-op hunger is diminished to quite an extent. I haven't had one hunger pang in 7 months - no kidding. I got into this health groove so quickly because I was so happy that I had the surgery, it was a success and continues to be. I have lost over 125 pounds and 8 sizes and I could never have done this on Weight Watchers in 7 years never mind 7 months. Please focus on the gift you are about to receive. You will be adding years to your life. Think about it this way, when the head hunger hits .. you don't see old morbidly obese people .. they cannot survive excess weight .. you are on a path of a long healthy life. Best of luck to you.

I have always been a good sleeper but I found post-op, I was like the original poster .. my sleep felt incredibly deeper and I needed much more if it - at least for 2-3 months. Pre-op I was a coffee drinker (not much, perhaps one cup a day) but I stopped that completely. I have to wonder if my sleep now is a true reflection of my body without coffee but regardless, I sleep way better and seem to crave it a lot more. I nap almost every day now plus I sleep about 7-8 hours a night.

I spoke to my surgical clinic about this topic last week as I had a 5-week stall in my 4th month. I was told that most sleeve patients have one or two pretty major stalls within the first year and that is based on their stats with their patients. I was like others - up and down the same 2-3 pounds BUT my clothes were incredibly more loose by the end of that stall. So I know for a fact that the inches continue to shift around even if the scale doesn't move but don't despair .. the scale will move again.

I agree with Goodlife. I only use the bars when I am stuck or really not feeling like a cooked meal but I do consume most of my protein from regular foods and not shakes/bars. I started the bars about a month out.

Oh my god *lol* .. I will soon, I promise. I have NO clothes left. I just did a consignment a few days ago and put in pretty much everything I owned. I am having to go and buy things now but what really rocked were the tight new jeans I bought. Waahoo! It was GREAT. I felt so good and the funny thing is that I am not where I want to be yet so I know the best is still coming. I am buying smaller sizes that I can't get into yet, too .. the motivation is there .. it will be soon I hope. Simply put .. I am proud of you. You are doing great :thumbup1:

For years I was a solid Protein shake person and for the life of me, post-op, I am gagging on these shakes now. They just taste so gross to me so I stick with the bars (see my other post).

I have always consumed either Pure Protein (20 grams of protein) or the Premier Protein Bars (30 grams of protein) but I watch the calories on the latter bar. They are close to 300 calories so those are more like a meal and it took me awhile to be able to actually eat the whole thing. I was too full! The Pure Protein are under 200 calories and I use them to boost my protein intake if I haven't had enough for the day or I need something quick and/or portable.

You and I were sleeved one day apart and your write-up here is very close to where I am, too. I am down 105 pounds now and similar clothing stats, too. I actually bought a size 14 skirt today - I haven't worn that size in 20 years. Simply amazing. You are doing GREAT. Like you and other posters said, I would have to dig very deep to find some old pictures of me and be BRAVE enough to post them. I am a chicken shit *lol* .. but I will soon. So many people around me are finally saying something about my weight loss now. It's humbling on one side and a reminder on the other that life has changed significantly already. I am aiming for another 40 pounds. Way to go! Great post .. thanks for the update.