GreginMI

I didn't read all the posts so sorry if this has been mentioned but it also works the other way. Now that I've lost almost all my extra weight I don't see myself as really that small in the mirror, but when I see a picture of myself, I'm shocked at how much thinner I am. I'd rather have it this way than the other way, though. Obviously. lol

I respect everyone's decision on this, but for me I needed to tell. I would have felt bad about myself lying to people every time I was asked how I did it, and pleasantly found that no one made any derogatory comments to my face (which is all I care about--people will think what they will think and I could care less what that is). Now I'm a year out from surgery and everyone is used to how I look now at 122 lbs down from a top weight of 320 in only a year. I'm a guy and maintaining 198 lbs at 5'9 and feel great! So anyway, I rarely anymore have people ask me how I lost the weight except for the occasional person that I haven't seen in a very long time. What I do when someone asks is just launch into this exhuberant dialogue about it. I say, well I had a new kind of weight loss surgery about a year ago that's only been out for about 5 years now. They sometimes ask if it's the band or bypass and I say neither, it's the sleeve and the only difference between you and I is that my stomach is smaller and doesn't hold as much as yours. I tell them I've probably lost 100 lbs three different times in my life but always gained it back and I was looking for a permanent solution so I can live long and enjoy my grandkids. I get a really good response from saying it this way and no one has ever acted differently to me after it. The great thing about telling (for me) was that I didn't have to remember the lie all the time when people would ask me why I'm not eating much or why I'm not drinking anything with my meal or why I have to wait 30 minutes after my meal before I drink. I just say you know why, because I can't, remember? And they say oh, yeah. The other good thing is that because of my results and being open about it, several people have approached me about having the procedure and a couple have even scheduled the surgery. If I can help change one person's life by telling, it was worth it. I only tell if they ask me directly how I did it. If they just say wow you lost a lot of weight, I say yep, I eat a lot less these days. It's a personal decision whether you tell, but I will say if you have friends that criticize you for trying to be healthy and live a long time, they are not your friends and you should ditch them. People in your life that truly love you will be happy for you and proud of you. I'll end by saying that if you lose 100 lbs in less than a year, everyone is going to wonder if you had surgery, no matter what you say to them. Don't be naive to think otherwise.

A little more than one year out and doing great! I have a sleeve of steel and can eat and drink anything I want. I will say my capacity and hunger have increased substantially since my surgery. But I still make healthy choices and am maintaining well. I've lost 122 lbs and just entered ONE-derland the other day at 198 lbs. I haven't weighed under 200 lbs since the 1980s. I can't even describe in words how much better I feel! This was the single best thing I've ever done for myself. I decided to share with people about my surgery and since then there are 2 people scheduled to have the surgery and 3 more contemplating it after seeing my results. I don't have any before or after pictures on here but I'll work at getting some. Yes, it was hard in the beginning but so worth it. The only thing that sucks for me is having to wait after I eat before I an drink, but I'm getting more used to it everyday. Good luck to all of you! You'll be happy you made the decision to get the sleeve!

The reason the Gas X won't work is because the bloating is caused by the gas they use to blow your abdomen up so they can work in there during surgery. It's not in your stomach, it's in your body cavity. Walking is about the only thing that will work.

I can drink carbonated soda but I usually don't. I do drink beer on the weekends though, and it doesn't bother me one bit. Plus I've lost 113 lbs doing it. Who woulda thunk?

It's because you still have the habit of eating all the time. That will get better with time. Don't freak out just yet. lol

Your stomach will be able to hold more food after a year or so, but will never be able to hold what it used to. I can definitely eat more now at almost a year out than I could shortly after my surgery, but I still eat like a normal thin person should. It's the way I eat that has changed and will keep my weight off. I have broken my addition to food and I want to eat healthy things now. Not sure how this surgery does that for someone, but it did it for me. Good luck to you. This was the best thing I ever did for myself. 113 lbs down and 20 lbs to go to goal! yaaaaa hooooo!!

I'm a 50 year old male and had surgery last year on June 6th, so my one year is coming up. I am 5'8 and weighed 320 lbs at time of surgery. I now weigh 207 lbs, a whopping 113 lbs less than I did before and only 20 lbs left to goal. I can honestly say this was the best thing I've ever done for myself in my life. I haven't had one complication and I can eat anything I want to, although I do eat healthy most of the time. I say go for it and never look back. I can finally eat like a normal person and know that this time the weight loss is permanent. Good luck to you!

Pssst. Don't tell anyone, but I drink beer, too! shhhh!!

I'm almost one year out and enjoy coffee every day. In fact, I can hardly function in the morning without it. I waited until I went on solid foods after surgery before I started back, but you'll be able to drink it again, no matter what anyone tells you. By the way, I've lost 113 lbs since my surgery and only 20 lbs to go to my goal. Good luck!

Stuck at 208-209 for a few weeks now. Anytime!!

With me, the stool is so hard and big around that it's very painful to pass and has caused me hemmorroid problems. It also doesn't want to come out so there is a lot of straining involved to get it out. I imagine giving birth when it happens. Sorry to be so graphic but it's the truth.

All the Phillips laxative is that I posted the link for is Magnesium. Same stuff as Milk of Magnesia, basically. I think it's more gentle than Miralax, which I've tried.

No, it doesn't bother my stomach at all. They're not small pills but I don't think they're huge either. Not near as big as my Calcium tablets are. Anyway, I don't like taking anymore medication than I have to either, but I was only eating dense Proteins for a while and that will stop you up fast!

I tried a lot of different laxatives until I found one that worked for me and maybe it will help you, too. I only take 2 at night and it keeps me regular. Stimulant-free and doesn't cause cramps. It's very gentile. Here is a link for it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KYVL08/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

Here is a link to some at Amazon if anyone is interested. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LUCNY4/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

I took your advice a few months ago and bought the GNC Bioton 5,000 and have taken one every night religiously since then. I have to say my hair is growing back and I'm happy! So although your hair may fall out for awhile, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And I'm 107 lbs down since last June and feeling great! Only 30 lbs more to go.

I was sleeved on 6/6/2011 and have lost 107 lbs. I feel great! Only 30 lbs to go!

I have no such card and don't even tell a waitress about my surgery. I just order what I want and they give it to me. Crazy eh? It works every time. They just figure out the price ala carte and it's never much. I'll say I want a poached egg and an order of bacon or the 4 oz steak and the green beans. I never get a hassle anywhere I go. Don't know why others have had trouble.

I felt the exact way you do at that stage. The good news is that it DOES get better and soon I might add! Once you start on solid foods and get used to it (with no nausea) then you will start to enjoy eating again! I'm almost 5 months out and it's awesome!

Bottom line for me. Every time I started eating more carbs, my weight loss stops. Every time I stop eating them it starts up again.

What confuses me with these stalls is that if I hadn't been sleeved and eating like I am I would be losing weight like CRAZY. I know, I've done enough dieting over the years. I just don't see how you can NOT lose a pound in a week eating 900 calories a day composed of mostly protein and not many carbs and NO sweets, pop, etc. When I've done that in the past before the sleeve I would be dropping at least 5 lbs a week. Weird.

Yep, you're in ketosis and there isn't much you can do for it. It's not emitting from anywhere you can wash or mask the smell. Sorry.

I drink a Tim Horton's medium coffee with 2 creams every morning. I also drink varying amounts of beer every weekend. It hasn't stopped me from losing 80 lbs in 4 months. Other than portion size and cutting out certain foods, I feel pretty normal again.

My surgeon told me it's against the law for him to remove an organ unless something is wrong with it. I am taking medicine to prevent gallstones.