SKCUNNINGHAM

You ask good questions. One book I bought that has helped me is the Complete Idiots Guide to Eating Well after Weight Loss Surgery. It provides a bunch of detailed information on Vitamins, Protein, etc and has helped me understand lots of things I didn't know before. All protein is not created equal - there are Proteins that have a High Biologic Value - meaning all of the amino acids (building blocks of protein) are there for your body to utilize. There are nine indispensable amino acids - three are especially important when your body is under stress because they allow your body to better utilize protein and heal more quickly and efficiently. So you will want to more proteins with a high biologic value than those with a low biologic value. Also - the B vitamins (which you get from eating protein and taking supplements) are very important to your health and healing. One of the B vitamins is call Biotin. A biotin deficiency can lead to alopecia, or hair loss. I imagine people have greater hair loss when they don't eat the right amounts of the right proteins or their bodies don't absorb it. I imagine people have greater hair loss when they don't get adequate B vitamins after their surgery. I plan on going to a dietician when I get close to goal, and work with her to develop a long term eating plan for me. It will depend on my weight at goal, where my metabolism has ended up, and how much exercise I do on a regular basis. I will know how much protein and carbs I can eat routinely to maintain my goal weight. I will never be able to unconsciously eat carbs in mass quantities like I did before surgery. But, I will not stay away from carbs altogether either during my weight loss period or after goal. I am definatly glad to be on supplements in addition to what I am eating. I am not good with which foods have which vitamins and minerals - so to eat a balanced diet from that standpoint when I am eating around 500 calories per day would be tough. As I get farther from surgery, and my calories per day increases, it will be easier to eat a variety of foods to get all the different vitamins and minerals in.

Also - are you taking your Vitamins? And your B12? And getting in the right amount of Protein? And the right amount of fluids? All these are critical to getting your energy levels back to normal. Good Luck!

I am about 2 1/2 months post surgery. I have lost 48 pounds and about the same number of inches. Do I regret the surgery? ABSOLUTELY NOT. When I went to the doctor after six weeks and got the results of the bloodwork she ran - my results were incredibly better than before the surgery. I was anemic - but less anemic than I was prior to the surgery. All the other "nutrients" were in the normal range except B12 - it was too high - I had been taking too much. The Vitamins I take daily are 2 multiple vitamins, 2 Calcium supplements, Vitamin D, Iron and Vitamin C. I also take B12 3 times per week. The crazy thing - this is the vitamin routine I should have been on before surgery - except it would have been 1 multiple vitamin, not two. I am NOT having trouble getting in nutrition - I take in around 60-65 grams of Protein each day - and watch my carbs and fats. I get in the 60 oz of Water most days with no problem. I am eating vegatables now - but am staying away from white carbs (rice, potatoes, bread, etc). It's not that I can't eat them (the two tablespoons of mashed potatoes with Easter dinner were heavenly) - it is my choice. Carbs have been my lifelong problem - so I am avoiding them while I get the weight off. So far - no hair loss. But if 100% hair loss was a given (which it isn't) - I would still do the procedure. I would rather be thin and healthy and BALD than have hair and be morbidly obese. A lady I work with has fought (and beaten) cancer five times. The last round of treatments (for brain cancer) made her permanently lose her hair. She wears a wig at work - and looks great. Alive and healthy beats any other option. Some people do have trouble - I haven't. Pick your surgeon carefully, and follow his aftercare instructions. Good luck!

The best thing I have ever found to work on my emotional attachment to food was to go to a hypnotist to work on the issue. Hypnosis reprograms your head and can change how you emotionally respond to food. It is a tool like the sleeve is a tool. I am using it now - I was sleeved February 22nd - and it is helping me. Look for a local source - or there are resources on line.

I'll jump on this challenge I want to weigh what I did on the day I got married on this 4th of July. SKCUNNINGHAM..............253........208.......175.......33pounds For those of you who saw my post today about being in ONDERLAND for easter - that is with my home scales - which weigh 10 pounds less than my doctor scales. Good luck on the challenges!

I can't get the blasted picture attached. D**N it! It is in my album if you really want to see. it. How is the easiest way to add a picture to a post?

As you can see by the attached picture - I crossed the border in Onederland! I haven't been below 200 pounds since somewhere around 2004 / 2005. I track my "official" weight based on my doctor's scale, and the one shown is my scale at home - so I will get to Celebrate the my official border crossing in about another 10 pounds. But this one couldn't be sweeter. (pardon my lack of a pedicure - if I had known I would have been taking a picture of my toes this morning - they would have been spiffed up) Happy Easter to all my VSG friends.

Dr. "Nick" Nicholson in Plano / Dallas accepts self pay, and they offer a finance plan. I had my procedure done with him 2 months ago, and I couldn't be more pleased. You might check out his pricing / finance plan.

Good luck! I am two months post-sleeve and haven't regretted it for a nano-second. Best thing I have done for myself in years. Get a support belt and with a heating pad and use them. They help a lot to help you feel better after surgery.

I had that reaction (dumping syndrome) before my sleeve if I drank milk or ate ice cream. I can tolerate cheese, cottage cheese and yougurt in small amounts (14 - 1/2 cup). I imagine if I did milk or ice cream, I would get full blown dumping syndrome. Good reason not to eat that stuff.

I am 2 months out from surgery today. I have lost 30 pounds post surgery, 13 pounds on the pre surgery diet - for a 43 pound loss total. I am 5'4" and my starting weight was 253.

I am not a vegetarian - I am a happy omnivore - but love fresh veggies. I agree with the person above that says your stomach can't take it for some time. I tried steamed asparagas at 3 weeks post surgery - and it caused intense stomach pain all evening and half the night. Now, at 6 weeks out, I can have steamed asparagas, steamed yellow squash, raw tomatoes, and raw cucumbers. I have eaten some salad greens, but have to severely limit my quantities.I am doing a lot of the milk based Proteins (cottage cheese, yogurt, low fat cheese) and the prepared proteins (nectar brand is great, as is Isopure PLUS). The only meat I am eating is chicken and shrimp - ground beef isn't setting well yet. Good luck.

You may find a book I am reading helpful to you. It is the "Complete Idiots Guide to Eating Well after Weight Loss Surgery". If you are not familiar with the "Idiot's Guides" books, they are very similar to the "Dummies" books. I have learned a lot, and I thought I had been on enough diets that I really didn't need to get it.

I am taking the One a Day brand chewable vitamins that are the consistency of gummy bears - assorted fruit flavors. They don't bother me at all. I get the chewable calcium from Wal mart that is like a chocolate or vanilla piece of soft taffy. I also get my chewable C there. My iron supplement is the Bariatric advantage lemon lime chewable. I talke a B12 that is sublingual - dissolves under the tongue.I have gotten it from Bariatric Advantage and also from Wal mart. I take liquid D from Bariatric advantage, Viatmin Shoppe has a liquid multiple vitamin that I was planning on taking if I didn't like the One a Day brand. You take a capful of it, either drink it like a "shot" or put it in your crystal lite, etc.

For those of you that are still producing estrogen, the female body produces estrogren amounts based on your weight - the more you weigh the more estrogen the body produces. But as you lose weight, the body doesn't adjust the levels on a nice steady decrease. Mine would hold my estrogen level the same, then "notice" I had lost weight and drop my level suddenly to "catch up" to my lower weight. I could have hired myself out as a hit-woman! I never figured out how to compensate except for taking Prozac. Now that I have had a hysterectomy, I can control it through my HRT dosage. Good Luck, ladies.

I bought a binder at Wal*Marts. The one I got was the kind that is used to protect your abdomen when you lift heavy weights. It is black with Velcro. It was great after surgery. I wore my day and night, only taking it off to shower. Watch out on making broth a month ahead. Even frozen chicken broth has a short shelf life. Good luck!

CONGRATULATIONS! I AM HAPPY FOR YOU! RELISH THE MOMENT! GO BUY YOURSELF SOMETHING WONDERFUL.

I am six weeks post-sleeve, and have lost 36 pounds. I had my mammogram yesterday, and (surpisingly) it hurt less than usual. Same facility - same equipment as before. I mentioned it to the tech - who I had filled in on my surgery (like she wouldn't have noticed the five healing incisions on my abdomen). She explained that with less fat in my breasts from the rapid weight loss, the breasts were easier to compress than before - thus the lower level of discomfort (they never say PAIN). So I guess that is a positive for my less full breasts. I have lost 3 1/2 inches through the bust already. I hope I still fill a B cup when I hit goal. Anyway - thought I would pass on the good news to any other sleevers that need their mammograms done.

Lake Tawakoni, TX.

I used ISOPURE PLUS after surgery. It is a fruit flavored protein, very lightly flavored compared to other brands. Each 8 oz bottle has 15 grams of protein. It comes in a punch flavor and a grape frost flavor. I had tried it at my dietician's and liked it. I couldn't find it easily in a store (I live in the sticks of east Texas), so I ordered a supply online through Amazon. It is the cheapest place to get it. I also liked the Myopex light vanilla flavor - purchased at WalMart. Again, not super sweet. It has 20 grams of protein in 11 oz.

You are right - If you get a padded seat cover and padded bike shorts, you won't crush your private parts. I used to spin twice a week (prior to taking a job where I traveled all the time). It is outstanding cardio, and the best exercise ever for your legs and but. Good luck!

Another safe chocolate that you can have is the chocolate chewable Calcium supplements from the Vitamin Shoppe. That might meet your TOM cravings.

Thanks for the good hints - I will stay away from beef, onions and asparagus for a while. SInce I had all three yesterday, no wonder my stomach hurt!

One of my all time favorite quotes is by Robert Heinlein - the great science fiction writer "Nevery underestimate the power of human stupidity". I started out not telling many people at work - but got more open as time passed. Now, if someone asks, I tell them. Haven't had any negativity (to my face) yet. It is hard for people to tell I have lost from baggy clothes, as I am "shrinking through my closet" of multiple sizes.

I agree with the other respondents - be honest. If the counselor that meets with you is worth their salt, they can tell if you are lying, and I think that would be more damaging than anything truthful you could say to them. My exam didn't include the hundred of multiple choice questionairre (most likely the MMPI test), my counselor just talked to me after having me fill out a six page questionaire (a history, not multiple choice). The one thing I remember saying to her was that I didn't expect getting sleeved was going to make me model-thin, or make all of the problems in my life magically go away. I more view the procedure as a tool to help me get more healthy, so I can have an easier time doing the things I enjoy. I think they want to identify what your expectations are, and how you see yourself living with the sleeve. Good luck - don't worry - those counselors really are on your side to help you.