wondering1

Giving up diet pepsi really sucked!!! I am 3.5 months out and still miss my diet pepsi occassionally. The not drinking while eating is kind of difficult but I do sip with my meals. My doc said it was ok if I needed something to wash things down, just don't drink a lot at meals. I would say another big change is not having ice cream that much anymore. I used to eat ice cream several nights a week. Now my hubby and I spend time walking the dog instead. Don't get me wrong though, these are really great changes and I love my new life.

Update: eventhough I had that one horrible day, I met my goal for the Thanksgiving challenge! Today I weighed 215!! I'm so excited because I would have NEVER been able to do this before my sleeve. This is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I thank God for my sleeve everyday and pray that this weight loss is permanent. Hope you all are doing well too!

Thank you for sharing your journey. You've done a fabulous job and your story is really encouraging.

I've noticed a few things: 1) I was a lot bigger than I thought and 2) the lines on my face seem to get deeper as I lose weight. In fact, I think I liked my face better when I was heavier. Of course I don't want the weight back, this is just something I'll have to get used to. If I knew how to upload a picture, I would post by school id from last year and my one from yesterday. You would be SHOCKED.

My hair started falling out about 3 weeks after surgery and continues to fall out like crazy. I had the thickest hair ever. When I put in in a ponytail it was like a cucumber. Now it's like 2 long green beans. It's very sad because I loved my thick hair. I have been religious about getting all of my protein from very early on so understand that it's not prevented by gettting all of your protein everyday. I now take Biotin and I just ordered Nioxin shampoo. I've lost 57 pounds so I'm excited and thrilled about that! I just wish I had my hair too.

Today i went to the car wash. This Air Force guy totally tried to pick me up. He stayed talking to me for sooo long after his car was done. He watched me walk to my car and asked me for my phone number. My wedding rings are getting downsized so he didn't know I'm married. Still, he was great looking and it was a real confidence boost!

Try increasing your calories. It helps with the energy and can break you out of a stall. Good luck

Hi Tiffany, My hairdresser said the hair loss is also due to anesthesia. If that's the case, there's really nothing we can do about it. My loss has slowed down some and I'm thankful for that Debbie

It was a pretty good week for me, weighing in at 218 today, which means a 2.5 pound loss. I'm happy with that. Sometimes I just don't believe it's real, like somehow the weight is going to come back. I plan on walking my dog a couple of miles today at the park. Wish me luck! Hope everyone had a great week!!

Sorry to be the downer on the hair loss thing but that one poster's doctor was wrong. Since week 2 I've gotten 70-90 grams of protein a day and 1/2 of my hair is still gone. It can happen to anyone. I had extremely thick hair and now it's on the thin side. But no regrets! I still love my sleeve!

Agreed. I'm cold during the day. Especially here in the northeast. And right now I'm in bed and HOT. My hair is still falling out too. Hopefully in the next few months this will all change.

Funny you should ask. I haven't been doing great this week but I weigh 220 pounds today and I've weighed 220 since Nov 1st!!! How am I going to lose weight if I'm 1/3 way into the month and I haven't lost A POUND. My 3 month anniversary was yesterday. I'm sorry I don't have any advice for you but I totally sympathize.

My journey began last March (2011). I went to a seminar featuring a local doctor that specializes in weight loss surgery. After some prayer and research, I decided to go with the Vertical Sleeve. My surgery was done on 8/8/11 and I remained in the hospital for 2 days. There was a lot of pain and some vomiting but I made it through and went home on time. Now it's almost 3 months later. I have lost 52 pounds with set backs here and there.

Hi all! I'm down 2.5 pounds this week weighing in at 220.5. I still feel like a failure most days so I have to focus on my ticker and smile. I really want to get to 217 before Thanksgiving. Hopefully that's do-able. Hope you all have an awesome week. I'm planning a really stict diet and exercise plan this week so I can't wait to weigh in NEXT Saturday. Yesterday was completely awful... football, wings... you name it, I ate it. But I'm going to dust myself off and MOVE ON.

40 pounds seems reasonable provided you follow your dietary guidelines. Your energy level should be top-notch. I am 3 months out (almost) and feel like I could run a marathon. You will be able to nibble on snacks and desserts once in a while but don't go overboard. These foods go down much easier than we would like. For me, the first few times I had dessert I had to find a bathroom quick. Don't let that happen to you on vacation, lol. Good luck and have a great trip!!

Thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate it.

Me! I got back on track this past Saturday. Ice cream was what got me side tracked. Doing much better now!

You look awesome! thanks for sharing the pictures.

I'm almost 3 months out and 1/2 of my hair is gone. Every time I wash my hair so much of it comes out. I get 60-70 grams of protein a day. When will the loss slow down??

Hi Eveyone, I'm feeling pretty pathetic tonight. I've discovered that I can eat WAY more than I should. I've been inhaling about 1400 calories per day. The scale hasn't moved in about 8 days and I feel like giving up. I've been walking some in the evening but this is what always happens to me. I get really excited about a new diet, give it all I've got for about 2-3 months, then sink back into my old ways of eating and being lazy. I'm becoming afraid that the sleeve was just another diet for me. And I FEEL HUNGER. I'm not one of the lucky ones who does not feel hunger. I need some encouragement to get back on track. If I start eating the right things again (Protein first), will I feel the restriction again? It also doesn't help that I've lost most of my hair so I'm feeling pretty fugly. I tried finding a support group in my area but there are none. I want to hear from people who have been where I am. Thanks. OH... and I'm still going to do the Thanksgiving Challenge... I guess I just need some encouragement.

So I'm happy with my weight loss but my hair is falling out all over the floor! Went to GNC today and they have the 5,000 Biotin capsules. Can I break them apart? Has anyone else done that? I know it won't help my hair loss but I'm hoping it will promote new growth. Thanks for any advice/replies.

Ok so how is everyone doing so far? I can tell you I've stepped up my exercise but guess what... I've also stepped up my calorie intake. I mean, for some reason I can't STOP EATING!!! I had a whopping 1322 calories just today. I really feel like I'm trying to sabatoge myself. Someone please tell me they're doing great! Get me back on track.

I've been losing my hair since about 3 weeks out. It really doesn't matter what you do, if it's going to fall out, it's going to fall out. My hair is very thin now and I'm pretty sad about it. I'm glad it will come back eventually.

Nothing's hopeless! And congratulations on having the courage to take care of yourself. I know you'll be just fine.

Hey MeMeMEE, I'll be praying for you tomorrow. I know it's scary to go back into surgery. I'm praying that this is the end of feeling tired and run down and unable eat for you. You deserve the best this little sleeve can give. Just know we're all thinking of you and sending prayers up for you.