SKCUNNINGHAM

MY HUNGER IS GONE. If I go 4-5 hours without putting a little bit of Protein in my stomach - I feel the need to eat (kind of a blood surgar sag / hungry feeling)- but other than that - it's gone. 1) How long have you been sleeved? 3 1/2 months 2) Who was your surgeon? Dr. Nicholson from Plano, TX 3) What were your experiences with your surgeon? HE IS GREAT! 4) Would you recommend your surgeon? ABSOLUTELY! 5) How much weight have you lost since your sleeve date? 63 pounds 6) What type of sleeve do you have? Heck if I know - it works great. 7) Would you recommend the type of sleeve you have? Yes 8) Do you find you still have the necessary level of energy to sustain a good workout? Right now, I am anemic - so I get tired after 15 to 20 minutes. As my Iron levels get back to normal, I will get more stamina 9) Do you find it difficult to keep the weight off once you have lost it? Still losing- not the right person to ask 10) Do you have trouble eating, such as getting �stuck�? If I eat past the point of being satisfied/full - it is uncomfortable.(Did that once) Nothing has ever gotten stuck. 11) What is the one things about getting the surgery that you regret? Not doing it sooner - but my insurance just started accepting the sleeve - and I wouldn't want any other kind of WLS 12) Would you do this surgery again, or would you have made another choice? Yes, I would do it again. I have no interest in getting banded, having a duodenal switch, or getting a bypass.

I had my surgery February 22, so I am 3 1/2 months out. I have lost 63 pounds and about the same number of inches as pounds. I have lost 7" from my bust and hips and 6" from my waist. I was wearing size 24 W - now i am wearing a size 16W. My BMI has dropped from 42 to 32. I have gotten off of most of my meds - still take one blood pressure med and estrogen (since I had a hysterectomy years ago) and all the recommended Vitamins. My bloodwork at the 3 month mark was remarkably better than pre-surgery. My total cholesterol, "good" cholesterol, and "bad" cholesterol were normal. My triglycerides were normal and half of their pre-surgery level. The only reading not normal is my Iron - I am anemic. I am taking iron and eating red meat to fix that issue. I am sleeping much better than before surgery. My sleep apnea is GONE. I still snore - so my husband is still having to tolerate that - but no gasping and choking in my sleep like before. I feel much better than before surgery - my joints don't hurt nearly like they used to. I have a bad ankle (car wreck souvenir) and it doesn't bother me as much as it did. I am fatigued at the end of the day - but as I get my anemia under control - that will lessen. The rapid weight loss has released all the estrogen stored in those fat cells into my bloodstream - so I am like a pubescent 13 year old - or a pregnant woman - my hormones are raging. I vary from wanting to tear someone's head off that ticked me off, to weeping easily, to wanting to distract my husband for fun and games. If that's the worst side effect from losing weight - I can handle that! So far - no hair loss. But I am OK if it all falls out - that's what wigs are for. Even if it all goes - it will come back. I am having reflux - but that is to be expected. And, I had reflux years ago when I was skinny - so I am pre-disposed to that problem. There are good meds out there, and I'm sure this problem will go away as I get further from my surgery date. I don't have major issues with craving any food. I eat small quantities of the stuff I want. I focus on eating Protein first, then veggies. I eat some dairy (cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt). I don't eat complex carbs yet - don't have room for them after the important stuff is eaten. I am much happier with myself than pre-surgery. As the t-shirt company's slogan says "Life is Good."

How wonderful for you! I love "shopping" from my saved "skiiny" clothes.

Just to add my two cents - I tried alcohol twice recently. I am 3 months out from surgery, so it was really too soon to try it. But I wanted to know. The first time, I drank 1/4 cup of beer - slowly - sipping it with little baby sips. After the 1/4 cup, I had a buzz like I had just downed a couple of shots of tequila (back when I was young and stupid). No ill effects the next day - and I had allowed for the carbs in my daily carb allotment. The next week, I tried 2 tablespoons of a fine tequila. Again, I sipped it with hummingbird sips - and got a distinct glow from it. No ill effects again, and I had allowed for the carbs and calories. Experiments complete. I don't plan on having any more alcohol until I hit goal. I think it would be GREAT if sugar made me sick. I had that reaction to it after I was without it for over a year when dieting several years ago. That response makes it easier for me to leave the sweet stuff alone.

I am so happy for you! Thank you for the thoughtful and honest post. I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes by smoothly and quickly for you. Your pictures are adorable.

When the scale isn't showing you any love, ignore it for a few days. If you can't NOT step on it when it is out in the open - put is in the closet. Instead of the scales - compare your measurements with before measurements. Sometimes, if you are losing pounds, the inches come of slowly and visa versa. Or, if you haven't measured - try on some clothes that you used to wear and see how lose they are now. Or, if you have skinny clothes in your closet, see which ones you can wear now - or "almost" wear. The weight will come of - hang in there.

I am lucky - my husband is supportive. He does eat things that I choose not to eat. I have my foods in one cabinet, his in another. We both use the fridge - but the stuff I don't eat in the fridge doesn't really bother me. If his eating something I don't eat starts to get to me, I go to another part of the house. I have also had success getting rid of food cravings by seeing a hypnotist. Got rid of my sweet tooth that way. If you can accept hypnosis and a viable treatment / change method and allow yourself to be hypnotized - food cravings are a pretty easy thing to tackle. Talk to the hypnotist and make sure he/she works on fodd cravings. Good luck.

Buffalo WIld Wings has chicken tenders "naked" (seasoned and grilled). I order 4 Naked Tenders and eat two one meal and two the next. They also have a side salad, if you have room for that. THey have about six sauces to dip the tenders in - I usually get teriaki.

1) Not obsessing with what I am going to put in my mouth next for pleasure. Now I plan to get my protein in and follow my plan. 2) The feeling of accomplishment from losing 58 pounds and 62 inches since February 22nd 3) Looking so much better in my clothes (16 W or 18 misses) instead of 24/26 W.

You look great - what a beautiful heart-shaped face you have.

I went to my internist yesterday for my 3 month follow-up visit. My hormones tested normal! She didn't want to raise my estrogen supplement - said it would make the mood swings worse. She didn't want to lower the amount, because she says the dose I'm on will help keep my skin supple and elastic. At 54, I want all the help there I can get, so I agreed with her. So - basically I am going to tough it out and work through these damn mood swings. The good news - I am "officially" in ONEderland by her scales - 198 1/2 pounds. YEA! 54 1/2 pounds lost in 3 months. And my bloodwork was great - my cholesterol is normal - and I have been of all cholesterol lowering meds since 2 weeks before surgery. My "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol were both where they needed to be. I haven't had a report like that in many years (and many pounds ago). The only problem was I am anemic - so she doubled my Iron supplement from 1 to 2 per day and told me to start working beef into my diet. I have faught being anemic my entire life - no matter what I weighed. She took me off of one of my two blood pressure meds and plans on getting me off of the other one soon. My blood pressure was running from 100 - 110 sytolic and from 55 - 70 bottom number (word escapes me) and my pulse is in the 60's. So I am still in Puberty Hell, but she said the mood swings would stabilize with time.

I went to my internist yesterday for my 3 month follow-up visit. I am "officially" in ONEderland by her scales - 198 1/2 pounds. YEA! 54 1/2 pounds lost in 3 months. And my bloodwork was great - my cholesterol is normal - and I have been of all cholesterol lowering meds since 2 weeks before surgery. My "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol were both where they needed to be. I haven't had a report like that in many years (and many pounds ago). The only problem was I am anemic - so she doubled my Iron supplement from 1 to 2 per day and told me to start working beef into my diet. I have faught being anemic my entire life - no matter what I weighed. She took me off of one of my two blood pressure meds and plans on getting me off of the other one soon. My blood pressure was running from 100 - 110 sytolic and from 55 - 70 bottom number (word escapes me) and my pulse is in the 60's. On the subject of me being in Puberty Hell (separate thread) - my hormones tested normal. She didn't want to raise my estrogen supplement - said it would make the mood swings worse. She didn't want to lower the amount, because she says the dose I'm on will help keep my skin supple and elastic. So - basically I am going to tough it out and work through these damn mood swings.

I'm from Lake Tawakoni - aoubt 70 miles east of Dallas. Just passed my 3 months surgiverary and am down 54 pounds.

I had 2-3 ounces of beer one evening and got buzzed! No other side effects - except I was thirsty. I had the same experience when I sipped 1 or 2 tablespoons of fine tequila. The world became a wonderful place full of lovely people. I am officially a cheap drunk.

I came into this world a 9 pound baby, and have been heavy most of my life. I was always the "fat" kid in gradeschool, and thought I was fat when I graduated highschool at 135 pounds (I'm 5'4"). I gained weight during throughout college and when I started working (although would lose 30 pounds with Weight watchers occasionally). I married at 24 weighing 175 pounds. Even though I was too heavy, I was healthy for amany years. Then I started gaining weight every year. Finally - in the 1980's - before Oprah lost with Optifast - I lost 90 pounds with Medifast - lost to my lowest adult weight of 118. Even though I was a regular gym rat and watched my food intake, I couldn't maintain 118. My weight crept up, and I felt like a failure again. I did Optifast again in 1990 before my hysterectomy - to get to a healthy weight before I underwent surgery. By then I was on bloodpressure medicine, and cholesterol medicine. In the late 90's I did a doctor supervised (weekly) program where I took ~ 85 pills a day of vitamins, minerals and supplements - along with folowing something similar to the south beach program.By now, I had a heart they wanted to "watch" for future problems. Never felt better - and got to a nice size 12 - but taking 85 pills a day is a BURDEN and I finally stopped them. (cold turkey - BAD IDEA - threw my immune system into a severe downturn and I got shingles as a result). I gained weight for the next 3 years, and finally in 2002 at 237 pounds I started a weight loss program with a hypnotist. Best way to lose weight except for the sleeve! I lost 103 punds in 9 months and kept it off for about 2 years - during which time I watched my intake, exercised and listened to my hypnosis CD's. Then, I was in a car accident and screwed up an ankle and foot (couldn't exercise), started travelling 80% of the time for work, not listening to my hypnosis CD's and eating on an expense account. Hello - weight gain! Since then, I continued to gain weight and get more health problems (sleep apnea, shortness of breath, worse blood pressure and higher cholesterol problems). WIth my family history of serious heart problems, I was a heart attack waiting to happen. My absolute highest weight was last September (263) - on a trip with my two sisters and my 85 year old mom. We were hiking up a hill in a park to go to a balloon fest. My mom was out-hiking me. My chest hurt so badly I thought I was having a heart attack right then. I guess I had an epiphany that I really needed to do something. When I got home, I seriously started pursuing the sleeve. I had been working to get certified before that (because my insurance would pay for the surgery) - but wasn't "serious" about it. I am absolutely serious now! Three months post surgery, I have lost 54 pounds. Best thing I ever did for myself.

The human body is not a static, unchangeable entity. Normal fluxuation happens - your weight will bounce up and down around by small (relatively) amounts around your normal weight. Also, peope, like other subtances on earth, react to changes in heat and humidity. These cause a person weight to fluxuate. Throw in hormones, immune system response to toxins/contagens and other bodily reactions - these cause fluxuation too. Give yourself a break! If you feel fat today - STAY AWAY FROM THE SCALE. Drink lots of water, make sure you aren't coming down with something, exercise until you work up a good sweat, and do something nice for yourself not realted to putting food in your mouth. Tomorrow will be better!

Another thing about dropping sizes - you may still be swollen around your waist from the surgery - depending on where the lowest of your incisions. If your waist is swollen, you may not be able to comfortably fit into the next smaller size pants, even though they are loose through the butt and thighs. I have lost 54 pounds here 3 months after surgery. I started out in 24W's / 3X's and now am wearing some 16Ws or 18Ws (and one regular 16, wonder of wonders). Hang in there - you will drop those sizes. Also - be sure to take your measurements - I have a formal meausring session / picture taking the 1st of each month.

Here's the pertinent data - I am 54 years young - and had a hysterectomy in 1990. I was left one ovary and went on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) within a few months of surgery. My hormone level has been relatively calm all these years - except when I rapidly lose weight. Fast forward in time to now - I am three months post VSG surgery - have lost 54 pounds - and am in the throws of a wicked PUBERTY. I alternate (sometimes rapidly) from wanting to RIP OFF SOMEONE'S HEAD THAT ANNOYS ME and WEEPING over the most trivial items. My people skills seem to have left me (not a good thing for my career). I have an appointment with my doc to have blood drawn on Monday, and then to have the results of the bloodwork reviewed a week from Friday. I want my hormone levels stabilized! This is driving me nuts! Anyone else experiencing this? Other than this issue - I feel great after my surgery, and I am happy with my sleeve.

His leaving may be the best 180 pounds (wild guess on his weight) that you lose.

Yes, I did what you are describing. I had a "last meal" with all my favorite foods and indulged all my bad eating habits at least once in the months I was waiting to get approved for surgery. I was very conscious of what I was doing - and laughed at myself for doing it - but did it anyway.

I got sleeved on 2/22 of this year. I have not felt light headed and shaky since I got out of the hospital. Some of the meds I was on right after surgery made me so light headed, I could have floated off the bed! I eat 450 - 600 calories per day, ~ 60 oz. of Protein, get my 60+ ounces of fluids in, and take Vitamins daily. No problems so far. One caveat to the above - when I stepped on the scale and it was less than 200 pounds - I was so elated, I felt light headed. Don't drive yourself crazy worrying - focus on building good eating habits while you are saving your $$. Good luck.

I was sleeved on February 22nd of this year. I can currently eat 2-3 ounces of chicken and about 4 cherry/grape tomatoes and I am full. I also get full when I eat 1/3 c of cottage cheese and 1/2 c of applesauce. If I eat too much, I get very uncomfortable - my sleeve has no trouble letting me know when I put too much in it. I eat small amounts of food about every 4 hours during the day. I can eat around 450 to 650 calories a day. My appetite is gone - but if I go five hours without food - I get that hollow hungry feeling. Hopes this helps - good luck with your sleeve. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

I took my first business trip this week since being sleeved on 2/22. I have lost 48 pounds, and felt pretty confident about being able to handle being outside of my safe environment of home/work/family/selected restaurants. Then, I realized I wouldn't be able to take liquids through the TSA security checkpoint, and wouldn't be able to take any Protein drinks with me (as "backup" if I couldn't find a decent protein choice). Gulp - one crutch was taken from me! ( I talked to a TSA agent, and described to him being on a special diet and needing to carry liquids through - he said they would accomodate that - would need the OK of a supervisor) It was fun packing smaller sizes for the trip - I have dropped from 24Ws to 18Ws so far. The normally tiring trip of walking from the car to the terminal, through security to the gate was not tiring at all. I made it through security with no problem. I noticed bending over to tie my shoes after I replaced them on me feet was much easier! Before it had been a chore, sitting on a bench just to get my damn shoes tied. The first place I checked in the terminal that sold magazines and Water had Muscle Milk Protein Drinks also - I bought two (just in case) and two bottles of water. I passed by my old favorite travelling companion - peanut M&M's. And, I didn't even say hello to the sugared papaya at the fruit and nut stand. Once I got on the plane (US Air) I noted how closely spaced the rows were. But, even with that, the tray table would go down into its normal horizontal position when lowered. Before, it would tilt up because of running into my thighs and belly. I buckled the seatbelt WITH NO NEED FOR AN EXTENDER!! YEA!! And, during the flight I had to make use of the facilities. It really seemed as if the toilet closet was larger this trip. I used the two muscle milk drinks during the trip, but had no problem finding protein (chicken, shrimp) to eat. It's not as though I was travelling to the third world - I just went to Connecticut. In the airport on my return trip, I had two layovers. Instead of reading and eating my favorite junk/comfort foods (my usual ways to kill time in an airport), I walked laps of the terminals with my rolling bag trailing behind me. I probably walked 30-45 minutes total that day doing that. Word of worning - the TSA agents may question this as "odd" behavior - they are on edge this week due to the death of Bin Laden. On my third lap by a TSA agent - he asked me what I was looking for - and could he help me find it. I thanked him and told him I was exercising. I even had to do a short sprint to make a connection - barely made it! Before the 48 pound loss, I probably would have missed the flight. Anyway - life is good - even when putting up with the hassle of travelling by air. No one needs to worry that they will have to eat "bad" things when they are travelling if they are aware of the options available. And, the victories - although minor - are certainly sweet!

Dr. Nicholson was my surgeon. I am very pleased with him. He is located in Plano Texas. And, as another person posted, hair loss (to some degree) happens with rapid weight loss from any cause. Good luck.

Also, I had blood work done at 6 weeks post surgery. I am having it again 3 months after surgery and again at 6 months after surgery, then 1 year. This is not my surgeon telling me this - this is my internist. She is watching me like a hawk! I am her first sleeved patient - so I think she is doing it for my benefit and for her own knowledge.