emily_0192010

33 lbs is 1/3 of 100!!! That is huge I loved losing my first 33! Congrats!

I never set official goals, but I did not look at the long-term either. I suppose my next goal was also the next pound. I celebrated every pound down and I still do! It is most definitely the small victories and our NSV's that make this journey not only possible but enjoyable as well.

Not lose?? That would be wonderful... I gain... like 10 lbs. It goes away after, but still... it sucks!! Anyways, yes, it is completely normal. It also sometimes affects my weight the week before as well.

YES!!!! None of my shoes fit now lol... I have three pairs that i can wear... sneakers, simple black sandals, one pair of flip flops. I really need new ones, but I needed some essential clothes more... things you can't buy used!

I would suggest doing your best to schedule your surgery towards the end of the week, that way you have a couple extra rest days at home before a new school week. You may not be able to drive for awhile depending on how long you need your pain meds for. You won't be bed ridden, but you won't really be able to do much for the first week or so. I think you'll be okay as long as you speak to your older children ahead of time and ask for their help and understanding. Good luck!

Yeah... it sucks. But you know what it is so move past it. I gain about 10 lbs once a month It sucks but at least I know it goes away!

The very first week I got in... very, very, very little. I was struggling with my water and protein shakes were way too thick. I tried the isopure, but I nicknamed it isopuke. Everyone can handle the protein shakes differently. You might be fine, you might struggle. Please focus on your liquids first. The last thing you want is to be dehydrated. Protein is very important, but not as important as the liquids.

Thanks for the input everyone!

That's why we have our sleeves. Yes, you made a bad decision. But think of what you would've done pre-sleeve and stop beating yourself up. This bad feeling will help you remember in the future. On another note, I am really sorry to hear about your friend. "Death is not kind to the living"... it is something I have learned to be very true. I also firmly believe that bad days allow us to truly appreciate the good ones... get through this day and then be glad for the next. 65lbs is amazing! You are doing great! Don't let today bring you down. Thank your sleevie for keeping you in check today and move on with a smile (((((((((hugs))))))))

5 oz rule? I haven't heard this before. I'm curious where it is coming up. And like pookey... if I was to eat 5 oz the only rule would be that it would come back up!!!

Dumping is very individual. A portion of us never experience dumping, while others do. I think a part of it has to do with food choices but part of it just can't be controlled. It is definitely much less common with the sleeve. From what I understand about dumping, it could happen even to a "normal" person. Of course it is very, very, very rare. During the seminars that i've attended they say that it doesn't happen with the sleeve. And I suppose they say that since the way food enters the stomach and the way food exits it doesn't change, so technically dumping shouldn't happen. From talking to people you figure out that it does. I know that was kinda convoluted and didn't give you a straight answer, but I came to the conclusion that there isn't one. It will either happen, or it won't. You mentioned you might make an appointment for a consult, have you attended any seminars? They are normally free and they are a great place to ask questions.

I know my surgeon's office accepts self-pay. Do you have insurance and are choosing not to use it or they won't approve the surgery? If you do then I don't see why they have a problem. Insurance would cover anything catastrophic right? So that would be a safety net the surgeon too. I dunno. It doesn't make sense why they won't. I'm in Florida though, and that is pretty far from NYC. Have you tried Jersey or PA. My surgeon used to have a practice in the virginia/dc area. I believe the practice is still there under his father, maybe they will accept self-pay patients.

I had that side effect for the first few days home too... to the point where my mom called the surgeon to ask. She was worried about dehydration as well. He said to take some anti-diarrhea medicine. He said it was normal and happened and to be extra careful with my Water. It cleared up quickly and never came back. When was the last time you talked to your surgeon? If it wasn't recently you might want to call and talk to them. Just tell them what you told us and ask them for the best way to approach it. That will probably set your mind at ease the best.

I've heard that the best cardio "is the one you do". It sounds like you have a GREAT handle on your exercise!! I think that as long as you are getting your heart rate up and changing it up every so often there is nothing else you should do. Maybe add in some classes for some variety. Great job!

Congrats on being pregnant!! At this point in time I would focus on the baby. You ARE going to gain weight, but it is the right type of weight! Also, you shouldn't panic because your sleeve will still be there AFTER your pregnancy! You'll be able to re-focus on weight loss. And if you breastfeed? BONUS calories incinerator right there! Relax and enjoy your pregnancy. Make the right choices for your baby and stay calm knowing your sleeve is going to take care of you after! And look for tiffykins... seriously.

I found that a firm pillow helped. I actually used an oversized stuff frog pillow... it was soft enough to be comfortable and it gave a little, but it stayed nice and firm. I would put it in my lap and kinda lean forward a little bit and it would help support me. I wore spanx from the beginning and still do! It definitely helped me in the beginning. However, make sure you wear one that is supportive but NOT constrictive while you are healing. I say I wore spanx, I wore the cheap knock off from target. For 20 bucks it works well enough! At first I purposely bought it a size bigger than I technically would. It kept everything in and from jiggling, but I didn't have to struggle like crazy to get in and out of it and it didn't put extra pressure on my incisions. Good luck going back to work!

I hope you feel better soon!! I think your discomfort could be from the medicine not working well. Your surgeon might be able to give you something stronger that won't bother you so much. As for the fever, if it is higher please call and let your surgeon know. I'm not too sure what you mean by heaviness... are you still on liquids? I'm wondering if you are drinking too much at a time. I have said a couple times when I eat something too fast or it just sits down wrong that it feels like a "rock" in my stomach. Keep up updated please!

Hmm... i'm assuming you will have a cooler? You could bring cheese sticks, deli meat "roll ups" (you put meat, cheese, mustard/mayo/etc, lettuce if you want... and roll them up instead of putting them in bread), Peanut Butter (if you are not watching your carbs). You could also do greek yogurt. This might be tough, but if its wrapped properly and in a cooler I don't see a problem. You could even put it in the freezer the night before and eat it in the afternoon after it defrosts. I add Protein powder into plain yogurt. Then I add some sort of flavoring IF i need it (espresso powder, splenda, flavored syrups, crystal light packets, etc). This is a great way to get lots of protein! If you are up for a little pre-cooking you could make meatballs. My favorite recipe= ground turkey, plain greek yogurt (you do NOT taste this, but it works to keep it very moist and keeps it from falling apart) and the seasonings of your choice (my favorite is garlic, italian seasoning, salt, and curry). These would probably taste just fine on the cool side and if you weigh them as you make them then you'll know exactly how many protein each meatball is. Makes it very easy to count while you are at the beach. This should also sit well in a new sleeve. Again with the pre-cooking you could make egg "muffins" (i could find the recipe for you if youd like or you could google one to work with your specific tastes... actually there are probably a ton here under the recipe section). They travel very well but i'm not sure how well they would taste cool. Have fun!!

I'm so happy for you!!! You look amazing! Great job on just about being to goal!

Hello Sorry to hear you are having problems with your liquids! If you can't get your Protein down, focus on your Water. With only 11 oz you will become dehydrated. For me, "small sips" were so small I could barely tell I had anything in my mouth. What I was taught was "an ounce every ten minutes"... because that's 6 an hour, times 10 hours a day= your min. To do this the straw was just about attached to my mouth! It took me a good couple weeks before getting my water in wasnt a struggle. Also, are you drinking everything cold? Cold is generally bad for sleevers. Cold KILLED my sleevie. Do warm liquids, broth, bouillon, decaf coffee (IF you are allowed), tea (again, IF you are allowed).... warm tends to go down MUCH easier. Some people use a candle warmer to keep their drink warm since it takes us so long to drink them. Good luck!

Awesome!!! I always hated the large cuff :/

"onederland" is when your weight is below the 200's! It is generally a huge milestone for everyone here. Many people post when they hit this

I haven't changed shape that dramatically, but I did notice that I lost in stages. I know they say that you lose evenly all over... but... yeah, that didn't seem to happen with me. My stomach also loses slower than anywhere else. At the stage i'm at now, my stomach skin also hinders my shape. I swear if it was gone i'd be at least a size smaller. I should also note that I was never bottom-heavy. I was always pretty much in proportion.

1000 calories over 2 days right? So 500 a day? To me that seems right on, maybe a little low even. Are you getting in enough Protein? As long as you getting in your liquids and protein than I wouldn't worry about your calories. I am 9 months out and I average 600-800 a day. Do you use MFP? It is a great way to track what you are eating (easy as well) and to compare your food with others. If you do use it, feel free to add me (emmeylou). There are a bunch of us sleevers on there as well.

AND you are ONLY two pounds away from ONEDERLAND!!!!! I can't wait to see you post that!!