2bfit

To Happy1957: We were sleeved on the same day! WHOOHOO! I too was suffering from MAJOR hair loss. I used to take Biotin as well and also tried Nioxin shampoo. But I was still losing hair in clumps. I recently started a regimen and the clumps have stopped coming out and it's only been a week. I started eating more protein, closer to 100 per day. Also, I bought Keranique and Andrew Lessmans Healthy Hair Skin and Nails. This seems to be my winning combination. At the rate I was losing hair I was considering buying a wig. It was pretty frightening! I am happy to report that this seems to be working for me. Good luck!

everything listed here is true. You don't drink before a meal so that you have room for your Protein and you don't drink after your meal so that your body has a chance to absorb the nutrients it needs. This has been a hard one for me. I usually only drink Water around meal time especially when eating out because it would be a waste of money to order anything else. I try to wait at least 15 mins.

I had a reduction & lift in 2007. I went from a 44F to a 44D. Now that I have lost a lot of weight they are shriveled little tube socks and are deflated looking. They look ok but the volume is definitely gone, the lift is still ok, sort of. Makes me tremble to think what I would look like if I had never had that first lift and reduction. These girls would be knocking my knees! When the doc refers me for plastics, I am going to see if another lift will help me stay a full C cup. If not, I will most likely consider implants. A full C is all I am hoping for or want. Funny but I used to hate my breasts. NEVER would I have thought I could miss them. Right now I am in a 36C. But I could probably fill out a B better.

I have a question for anybody who might know the answer regarding a breast lift and implants. It looks like my insurance company will cover my lift as part of my body contour because I have documented problems with rashes and blocked sweat glands under my breasts. But if I decide to get implants does anybody have any idea how much the implant portion will cost me if it is done at the same time as the lift? I have UHC west *** and they do cover reconstructive surgery. So I know my arms, tummy, butt and thighs will be addressed. Second to that which is better silicone or gel? And which method? Under the muscle etc. Any information would be appreciated. If you have had implants are you happy with them etc. I would like to get as much information as possible. My surgeon is going to refer me to plastics at my one year mark in Dec. Thanks in advance!

I was sleeved on 12/28/11 and am down 76lbs since surgery and down 107lbs from my heaviest point. I have just returned from my check up. Hard to believe I am only 4 months away from my one year anniversary. The doc is very pleased with my progress and so am I. At my one year mark he has agreed to give me a referral to see the plastic surgeon for body contouring. I have a lot of excess skin around my butt and thighs. So I am very excited about that. He is pretty sure the insurance will cover it so double bonus. My goal is to be 140 by 12/28/13 which is my one year mark. This journey has been so life changing. This summer I wore tank tops, summer dresses, went down a water slide with my kids and even wore a bathing suit almost all summer! I even wore my first little black dress while in Vegas as you can see from my profile pic. My food cravings come and go but I find myself craving "refreshing" foods like fruit or fish. Strangest thing. Some of my old habits started to creep back in but I am aware of them so I try to control myself. If I eat sweets, I get a case of dumping syndrome. I start to sweat and feel nauseous so I just stay away from those foods now. I do not drink soda or beer. On occasion I have a piece of toast. I am able to eat a bit more than before. But according to my doctor I need to make sure my portions stay small, eat a little more often if need be as long as I am eating the right foods, but small portions. Otherwise, you can run the risk of stretching your sleeve. I did not come this far to have that kind of a problem. There was a point around 5 months post op when I was dealing with heartburn but I got that under control. I am dealing with hair loss which is very sad. So even though I am getting my protein in I am suffering through my loss of hair. I am trying a couple of products to see if I can grow it back. I will keep you posted on that. My stomach gurgles a lot. I am so used to it now though. When I am getting full I start to burp a little. I call that my full meter I still have a tendency to be an emotional eater so I try to stay aware of that. Guess that is just life at this point! My activity level is through the roof! I have so much energy, I sleep better, I have more patience and am a lot calmer. This procedure not only saved my life, it gave me a life. :wub: Only a few people know that I have had the surgery and I personally like to keep it that way. I was given a tool but like any tool it will not work if I don't use it! So I don't want to hear people say I took the "easy way out". I may have to punch them. So I just don't say anything. I love this board and have missed seeing what the December sleevers are up to. Take care!

WOW! I have not been on here in about 4 months. Life just got a hold of me, then summer hit with a vengence. Now the kiddos are finally back in school. I have just returned from my check up. Hard to believe I am only 4 months away from my one year anniversary. The doc is very pleased with my progress and so am I. At my one year mark he has agreed to give me a referral to see the plastic surgeon for body contouring. I have a lot of excess skin around my butt and thighs. So I am very excited about that. He is pretty sure the insurance will cover it so double bonus. My goal is to be 140 by 12/28/13 which is my one year mark. This journey has been so life changing. This summer I wore tank tops, summer dresses, went down a Water slide with my kids and even wore a bathing suit almost all summer! I even wore my first little black dress while in Vegas as you can see from my profile pic. I am at this moment down 107lbs from my heaviest point and down 76lbs since the surgery. My food cravings come and go but I find myself craving "refreshing" foods like fruit or fish. Strangest thing. If I eat sweets, I get a case of dumping syndrome. I start to sweat and feel nauseous so I just stay away from those foods now. I do not drink soda or beer. On occasion I have a piece of toast. I am able to eat a bit more than before. But according to my doctor I need to make sure my portions stay small, eat a little more often if need be as long as I am eating the right foods, but small portions. Otherewise, you can run the risk of stretching your sleeve. I did not come this far to have that kind of a problem. There was a point around 5 months post op when I was dealing with heartburn but I got that under control. I am dealing with hair loss which is very sad. So even though I am getting my Protein in I am suffering through my loss of hair. I am trying a couple of products to see if I can grow it back. I will keep you posted on that. My stomach gurgles a lot. I am so used to it now though. When I am getting full I start to burp a little. I call that my full meter I still have a tendency to be an emotional eater so I try to stay aware of that. Guess that is just life at this point! My activity level is through the roof! I have so much energy, I sleep better, I have more patience and am a lot calmer. This procedure not only saved my life, it gave me a life. :wub: Only a few people know that I have had the surgery and I personally like to keep it that way. I was given a tool but like any tool it will not work if I don't use it! So I don't want to hear people say I took the "easy way out". I may have to punch them. So I just don't say anything. Anyway, I hope all of you sleevers out there who are newbies are doing well, hang in there it gets better and all of the seasoned sleevers are keeping on. I love this board and have missed seeing what the December sleevers are up to. Take care!

Has anyone heard of UHC *** requiring a BMI of 35 or over with one comorbidity for surgery? I was denied for the surgery stating that I need to have one comorbidity to qualify. However, when they first denied me for my consultation they indicated that I had to have a BMI of 40 OR a BMI of 35-39 with a qualifying comorbidity. That was the letter from the medical group. When I appealed the consultation denial to the insurance company I received a letter from UCH stating the same thing BMI of 40 OR a BMI of 35-39 with a qualifying comorbidity. Now all of a sudden the game has changed? They clearly left out the part of the BMI being 40 or over on my most recent denial for the actual surgery. I have 2 documents from them on their own letterhead stating that a BMI of 40 would qualify if medically necessary. I guess that's what I will have to go after them with if my appeal for the surgery does not get approved again. UHC has my appeal as of right now so I will probably have to wait for 30 days until I know something. Right now I am finishing up the 3 required visits with the NUT and I did meet with their weight doctor as well. He wants to put me on a Medifast program but my NUT is absolutely against it. She is going to document her reasons why going on Medifast again will not work for me. So at least I have her in my corner. So now I sit and wait again....

Take your measurements now. That way if the scale is not moving you will continue to be motivated because you will see that you are losing inches. Trust me, knowing that I was losing something, even if it was inches was better than nothing when the scale would not move. Good luck!

I say wear it loud and proud. I just tell people I had hernia surgery which is true since it was done at the same time as my sleeve However, I still am very shy about showing skin. I bought a one piece with a little skirt because of my thighs. Try using Mederma for the long term.

The journey continues. My weight loss has slowed down considerably in this last month. I fell off the wagon for a couple of weeks and I have since pulled myself back up. I am exercising and following the plan. I am not as discouraged as I would have been had I not took measurements prior to surgery. I have lost 34 inches and I have lost 40.2 lbs since the morning of surgery. Altogether, I have lost 55.2 lbs and my BMI is at 30.2! I am almost just overweight. Nothing to be upset about! But I do consider myself a slow loser. Now the good news. I have so much energy. Exercising is easy now and my feet do not hurt. Such a blessing! I was able to get a life insurance policy for the first time too. I used to get denied because of my weight and that always worried me since I have children. I went to the store and tried on a bathing suit and the scream could be heard around the world. I am wearing either a M 8-10 or a L 12-14 depending on the cut of the clothes. I still can't wrap my head around it. Now the bad news. I weigh what I did in HS but my body looks nothing like it did. I now have to come to terms with the fact that my skin is so stretched out it's going to take a miracle to get it back to where it should be. Or the miracle of modern medicine! I think it was in my head that once I lost the weight everything would kind of go back into place. Boy was I wrong. I was standing in the dressing room looking at my flabby legs and I got depressed. I am working out and am trying to tighten up on my own, I just don't think it's going to work. I feel so self concious about my body. I also tried on a summer dress and it showed so much skin that I just stood there paralyzed! Not to mention the attention I am now receiving from the opposite sex. Whenever a man talks to me I am looking behind me to see who the heck he is talking to. I have spent most of my adult life covering up my body to hide myself from the world. Now, I would love to wear all of the cute clothes that I missed out on. I just don't know how to push through this mental block. Has anybody else experienced this? I would love to hear how you overcame your fears

My gripe is a day late but I only lost about 4lbs this last month. Seriously not happy about that. Also, my thighs keep moving even after I stop. Seriously, it's a cottage cheese fest. As for the hubby, I sit and watch him eat and I feel like smacking the food out of his hands before he can eat it. I never noticed how fast he eats and how he doesn't seem to chew so much as just swallow his food whole. It's irritating me. So I guess this is my problem because he has always done it but now I am so aware of it! I am really afraid for him and he doesn't get it! He is a former marine and body builder. His 6 pack has long since been replaced by a keg. He has always had high blood pressure even when he was in his best shape. I am terrified that if he keeps going down this road I will be raising two boys by myself. Trying to get him to understand that and make the changes is another story. I know he knows how to lose weight because I have seen him do it.... However, he has been VERY supportive of me and my journey and that's why I love him.

it sure does! Any and all liquids count at this stage.

Dang girl! Work it! You look fantastic!

Welcome to the land of rediscovering your new body! Soon you will be on the loser's bench! I went through the same thing. The only thing I can recommend is that you plan your meals/liquids out for the day so that you get in the required amounts. You will not feel hungry but you need to make sure you do not get dehydrated and it will take a lot of planning and work to get in the required liquids at this point. Liquids are crucial! They keep you from being constipated and dehydrated so do your best and get them in SLOWLY over the course of a day. Also, if your doc gave you an acid pill & gas pills, take them. A stool softener wouldn't hurt either. Your digestive system just took a big hit and the rumbling is not going to go away any time soon. My sleeve talks to me all the time and I am almost 4 months out. The constipation was the most uncomfortable experience I had after being sleeved because of a lack of fluids. Good luck!

Hi all, It's been a while since I have checked in. I have been dealing with a pretty bad stall. I am hoping that it is coming to an end. To be fair, I did fall of the wagon. I am finding that I am able to eat a lot more and it scares me! Luckily I did not gain any weight but I did not lose anything either. I have continued to exercise even during the stall. I definitely was emotionally eating. There has been some stress lately. The sleeve did stop me from eating too much but it could not stop what I put in my mouth. That's where my self control was seriously lacking these last couple of weeks. I am happy to report that I did get back on track over the last few days and the scale is starting to budge ever so slowly. A big part of me is scared. I am questioning whether or not I can really reach the DRS goal weight of 140. I am really doubting myself. I have started to receive a lot more attention and I must admit I am getting a bit flustered by it. I am at the weight I was when I met my husband. It is a number I never thought I would see again and I certainly was always stuck at that number before. With all of the current changes I am starting to wonder if I have the courage to hit my goal weight. I piled on layer after layer of fat to hide myself from the world and now that those layers are disappearing I am having to learn new coping mechanisms. The fat I carried around kept people away from me. Now that it is going away people are nicer and more receptive to me. Kind of pisses me off that they were not as nice when I was heavier but such is life. I am past the honeymoon stage where the weight is just melting off and now the really hard work is coming into play. I am really having to stay on the plan to see any loss. I know that this is all worth it. I just have to muster up the courage to not self sabotage my current success. Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks aroundhky & everybody else for the encouraging words! I was not so put off by the stall as much as my "mental" state if that makes sense. I suddenly froze. Like the old saying be careful what you wish for. I was suddenly receiving attention that I never had before. People did not recognize me, guys walking up to me, family asking me what happened etc. I thought I was prepared for all of that but I guess until it really happens to you, you really do not know how you are going to react. Those who know about my surgery are saying that I should not lose any more because I will be too thin. I still have 32 lbs to go! So how the heck can I be too thin. Those are words I never thought I would hear. So I am not focusing on their input but am focusing on the plan the doctor has laid out for me. On the plus side I am like the energizer bunny. I have so much energy and exercising is an amazing experience because it doesn't hurt anymore. I know a stall is expected and during the stall I did lose inches. I am doing strength training so I know I am building muscle which is a good thing. I think I just had to get my head straight again you know? That's why I love this forum. Only the people on here can understand exactly what I am going through. So thank you! PS. I can totally relate to your post: First 2012 weigh in ---- 253 (01/05/2012) 12 weeks post-op------ 253 (01/24/2012) WTH??? WTH!?! is exactly what I have been thinking too!

I have taken Prilosec and Zantac. I stopped taking Prevacid due to side effects. What does everyone think of Nexium and/or Tagamet?

would do it again in a heartbeat! There is some discomfort involved post op BUT the rewards are amazing. Make sure you do the research and really understand what is going to be involved. You have to be mentally ready as well as physically. It really is a life change.

I was sleeved on 12/28 and I am down post op 36.4 lbs and 29 inches. I had to lose 15 lbs before surgery so total weight loss is 54.4 lbs.I don't fear stretching my sleeve. I rely on my full meter. I usually burp or hiccup when I am eating and I know I am full. Sounds silly but it's what works for me. I just find it interesting that there are some foods that get me full faster than others. There has been nothing I could not tolerate. I have never thrown up or anything. I am able to eat all of my Protein through food but I still use an occasional shake or Protein Bar and I get in all of my fluids (when I remember). Fluids are a hard one for me. If I am not careful about my fluids I end up with a UTI. No fun. What I have found works for me is an 18 oz Cool Gear cup with a straw that I bought at Walmart. I know some say you are not supposed to use a straw. But I have had no problems with it and it really helps me get in my fluids. Plus it helps keep my liquids cold since it takes me so darn long to drink anything. I figure if it ain't broke don't fix it! As for exercise, yes, I love it. However, every time I do exercise I find that the scale does not move which can be frustrating. I think everyone loses differently and that this is a journey of self discovery. If I would have been more gentle with myself and paid more attention to my feelings in the past I probably would have never turned to food for comfort. I have to feel every emotion I have now. Which is not always a good thing. But I will no longer let my past dictate who I am now or who I want to be. I am taking control of my life one step at a time. I have my good days and my bad days to be sure but I allow myself to recognize my feelings. Now I am just waiting for my mind to catch up with my body. I do still feel like the fat girl in the room. But I am running into people who do not recognize me. It can be a little disconcerting but I figure in time I will learn to deal with it. My extended family has not seen me since before the surgery and I am curious to see what they are going to say. I only told a couple of people in my immediate family because I didn't feel like it was anybody elses business. So I am gearing myself up for that emotionally because I know I am going to be cornered and asked a lot of questions about how I lost weight. I know when I was at my heaviest I used to think, "If I lost weight, my life will be so much better" almost like losing weight would magically solve all of my problems. I now know I was wrong. I have lost weight but life's problems are still hanging around. I will say though that having lost the weight I am better able to deal with said problems. It has given me the confidence and the strength to say no, not be a push over and stand my ground. In the past I would have folded under the pressure and ate something to soothe my nerves instead of speaking my mind. I am coming to the realization that I am worth so much more than I ever gave myself credit for. This surgery has given me my life back. For that I will always be eternally grateful!

I am happy to report that I am back to normal today! I went for an amazing run today and even cleaned the fridge after. To have this much energy is an amazing thing!

Today I am 13 weeks out. I have stalled :'( I have been hovering in the 170's for at least a couple of weeks now. It seems like any time I increase my physical activity I stall. I also stopped taking Prevacid. I was having stomach pains, diarrhea and mood swings. What is that all about?! So I am back on Pepcid and Zantac and am trying to manage my gnawing stomach that way again. It's the lesser of two evils I guess. I am feeling pretty down in the dumps today. I just want the gnawing feeling to go away. I have never said that I regret the surgery and I never will. The things I don't like are a minor pain. Excessive acid and saggy skin being the biggest bummer. Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Here's to hoping tomorrow is a better day!

I crossed them at the movies and it didn't hurt! Seriously the best feeling EVER!

greensthings...Wow! You look amazing! I hope to reach my goal weight so I can rock a black dress too!

The Prevacid gave me stomach pains, diarrhea and I noticed mood swings which I did not have before. It was kind of like an aloofness if that makes any sense also an anxiety/nervous feeling. Since I have stopped taking it I am nowhere near as moody and the anxiety is gone. Also, my libido decreased while on it TMI I know but just thought I would be honest. I am going to start being more aware of the side effects of meds that are prescribed for me. For whatever reason, I seem to get hit with all of the side effects! The Prilosec is starting to finally kick in again. I am taking it twice a day with Zantac for a little extra help. Today my stomach is not gnawing at me so it appears to be working and all of my other systems are back to normal

Thank you twoboysandagirl! I will definitely keep that in mind. I kind of figured I was just having a bad day. That's why I love this forum. :wub: