amandaRN

I have more trouble convincing the waiter that I don't need anything to drink than ordering small portions. So, I quit trying and just tell them water and move the glass away from me because I have a hard time resisting the urge to drink while I eat. I always have leftovers to box up somehow, even when I share or order somethig small. I usually eat the leftovers for lunch for a couple of days.

I have been in onederland for awhile now-well a few weeks-and my weight loss has slacked off, but I am still stoked about being under 200 pounds. I only weigh 10 pounds more than my hubby-WOW. I have only lost 10 pounds over the last month, but really that is more than I thought. I have reached the point where I can accept that stalls will happen and when they do, I quit weighing so I don't go berserk. I am in a size 12 snuggly and 14 loosely now and I am THRILLED about that. Still having issues accepting my body in the buff and am really challenging myself with strength training to rectify this. I still don't feel like I have reached my baseline strength level as far as gaining muscle mass back, and I drink protein drinks almost daily still. But I will get there. I didn't get this way in overnight! My hair has begun to really thin. I had a massive amount of hair to begin with so now it is just to the point where it is actually manageable, but i sure hope it slows down soon. I have doubled my protein powders and have added Biotin,and brush it more to stimulate the follicles, but it is still falling out. I think it is beginning to slow down, but we will see. For the most part, overall, I am very satisfied and gratified with my surgery and I can't believe I have lost 68% of my desired weight loss already and it isn't even 4 whole months yet. WOW. I have learned I cannot eat flour tortillas or chicken strips or hot peppers or chewy bread...lol. I am sure there will be more things but these cause vomiting and pain. I am so glad I have taken this drastic step to getting my life back in control.

I am going to Six Flags tomorrow and for the first time since probably high school, I am not dreading trying to squeeze myelf into the coaster cars...how 'bout that for an NSV! And when I fly to Cozumel in december, my plane seat will be much roomier! My feet have shrunk 1 1/2 sizes!! AND I wore my husband's camo to deer hunt in tonight...lol...a bizarre NSV but a good one nonetheless. Can't wait to be able to wear his jeans in addition to the camo pants and shirts! I can get the jenas on but all my loose fat rolls get squeezed up under my boobs nd it looks terrible...lol. I can wear his t-shirts though without stretching them out of shape. And finally,I got my first back massage from my hubby since my surgery and he was complaining that my back was bony...and the massage hurt because he was grinding my skin over my bones without any of my old cushion! That was a surprise. In other news, my promotion has been God send. I love it! I have found the perfectblend of nurse management/educator and I actually enjoy my work again! The only thing is, I can't sleep at nigh because I am thinking about work. I also am itching ALL the time. I think even though I don't perceive any stess right now, it has manifested itself with insomnia and itching and eczema flareups. Maybe too much change too soon? I think I need to see my PCP and get something to mellow me out a little or at least to shut my brain down at night so Iam not lying awake thinking about diet and exercise and work. None of these thought cycles are very rest-inducing! I also am having self-esteem and sex drive issues. In the past, when I have lost alot of weight and even been at the weight I am now, I have had soaring confidence and my drve was out of this world, but not this time. When I look in the mirror and am in my birthday suit, I cringe at the flabby dimply mess! I don't know why this is...I have added more resistance training to tone up, but heck, I should be tickled that I am in a 14 and can actually shop places other than Lane BRYANTor in the plus sections a dept stores. And because I feel so bad about the way I look, my sex drive has not improved with all this weight loss. Hopefully in time I will tighten up and this will change.

Look at other posts and ya'll will see that alot of u have stalled somewhere around week 2-3. Your body is adjusting to the shock of reduced calories and recovery from surgery. Stick with the plan and "this too shall pass." Once I got past my eary stall, it hs been smooth sailing and I will be 3 months out on 10/12/11. Lay off weighing for a week and you won't feel so frustrated and look for those non-scale victories during your stalls for encouragement. Good LUck!

As a healthcare provider, I can tell you surgeons in general are notorious for having bad bedside manner, so keep that in mind. That being said, you should use someone you are comfortable with and who will answer your questions and put you at ease when you have concerns. Most WLS offer free seminars. I don't know how far along in the process you are, but maybe you should attend some at other clinics until you find a good match. My insurance would only pay for me to use a surgeon and hospital recognized as a bariatric surgeon/center of excellence. You might check into credentials such as these. The recognition is based on outcomes and patient feedback. Good luck.

Good for you! Something in your earlier post touched a cord in me and I am happy to hear that you seem to be doing better! Keep up the good work and keep on NOT weighing...lol.

If you have a drain, it probably won't come out until your visit one week post-op. The JP drains seem to be a pretty standard thing, so you might consider that when you are planning your time off. I felt good the first week but weeks 2 and 3 were pretty rough but I has some unusual issues. Dragging that drain around everywhere I went kinda sucked, but other than that you will probably be fine! Good luck!

Thank you and it means so much to me to be motivational and inspirational to others. I was walking into Wal-Mart today and thinking I wish EVERYONE had the chance to have WLS surgery if they need it. It seems unfair to me that something this life-improving can't be available to everyone. Best of luck to you!

I don't know where you are now, if ahy of the advice above has encouraged or helpded you but I sure hope it has. I was pretty frustrated for a few weeks after surgery for the same reason-thinking OMG this is ANOTHER diet and I CAN"T do diets hence the WLS. One day, just like that, I woke up and realized this was self-defeating and self-sabotaging thought and that only I coud ltake control and achieve my goals. So, I quit trying to think of it like a diet. Basically, I know what I neede to do. I don't measure much of anything, because my stomcah tells me when enough is enough, regardless of what I have measured, and it is nevr more than 1 cup of anything. I wake up everyday not knowing what I am going to eat, but I only have good options in my house, so I know whatever I choose will be fine. I try to avoid carbs as much as possible but if I want a Cheetoh, I have 1 or maybe 3 cheetohs and get over it, you know? I drink constantly. I shoot for 64-80 oz a day, but I don't measure precisely. I have a Water mug and I now how many times I need to fill it. I carry a mug with me everywhere. In the beginning, I used a watch with a timer that chimed every 30 minutes to remind me to drink. I try to make all my food sources a form of Protein, but I don't count, because as a backup plan, I make part of my fluids a Protein Drink. I spent a lot of money findings some I ENJOY and now proteint is not an issue. I still have most of my hair anyway...lol. And I take my Vitamins as much as possible even though I can't always tolerate them! I exercise nearly EVERY DAY. Exercise is SO important. As much as diet. If all you are doing is walking, you need to add some resistance training. Start out with a set of resistance bands. They susually come with a chart. Or do some basic stuff-puship, situps, crunches, lunges, squats. This will help your weight loss AND improve your bone mass. Muscle burns way more calories than fat. Follow your strength training session with lots of protein. This is usually when I drink mine, but once again, I mentally block thinking of it as a RULE so I don't stress. Cut yourself some slack. Stress will block weight loss as well! The infections are very likely a big barrier for weight loss. Your body will recognize that you are in poor health and will conserve all of your calories. IDK how you feel about holistic medicine, but you might try a food-grade peroxide regimen and/or a juice fast/detox. I have heard wondrous things about using peroxide to heal everything fro skin disorders to cancer. I have used it for eczema and acne, and it WORKS. My sister drinks it for a chronic fungal skin rash. The health food store is where you go, and ask the people that work there. The lady who runs my local store is a WEALTH of knowledge for alternative medicine. Get yourself fixed up first, then focus on getting that weight off. Most important of all--THINK POSITIVE. You create your own destiny. Negative thougth wil have negative results. You have to believ you can do it before you really will or your subconscious will generate self-defeating actions! Maybe even try some therapy. You have had a really rough go of it and I wish you the best of luck!

I am the fifrth person in my center to have had WLS. I may have to post this at work!! Thanks.

Wow. In one week, I will be celebrating my 3 months surgiversay. I can't believe my new life. It is amazing and I am so greatful for having the surgery. In retrospect, I can see clearly how being so overweight was affecting my life in a negative way. You make your own destiny. I truly believe that. You have to be willing to reach for your goals and seize opportunites when they arise. Being fat made me reluctant to reach for anything other than food. This sounds harsh, but it was true, so very true. Being so sad on the inside and mad at myself was reflected in my choices, decisions, actions, words, looks, marriage. Once some of the heavy weight fell off, so did the heavy feelings and it has been liberating! Since the surgery, my husband has been crazy affectionate ( more so than he used to be), I have earned a promotion and a substantial raise at work, I am remodeling my house and adding a large addition, and better yet, my husband has decided to take us to Cozumel first part of December-will be my first trip out of the country! I really think that because I BELIEVE good things can come my way now, they are. Before my weigth loss, I would have dreaded a beach vacation before because that means swimsuits, I would have stressed about a promotion and gained more weight, I would probably still be indecisive about what I wanted to do with y house because I was fearful of making decisions so I just didn't make them. I have lost weight before, lots of weight, but I was always overshadowed emotionally by the fear that I would gain it back--and i DID, everytime, plus some. This time, I just know in my heart and mind, that WLS is the key to PERMANENT, MEANINGFUL weight loss because it has forced that hand of changing my lifestyle. I have NO CHOICE but to eat right and if I don't the consequences are very real, very rapid, and very lasting. Hair loss, weight gain, feeling crummy, bone disease, dehydration, and malnutrition are pretty serious tools of leverage for maintaing a better lifestyle when I choose what I fuel up with! I never thought I would get such a sense of empowerment and forward momentum after surgery--I guess because I couldn't believe it to be possible, but NOW, I can!

At my heaviest weights in life, my bicycle and my Wii were always my most toelrable go to options for exercise. I love using Wii Active, I got amazing results but I wouldn't recommend it until you have a little stamina for cardio. Biking is a liberating low impact, super cardio exercise and I have a blast on my bicycle. I rode with my kids so I killed many birds with one stone. My grisl got quality time with me, got exercise, had a blast riding around town as I won't let them go alone or unsupervised, and I got a good workout in! My hubby even has a bike now. I also liked taking them to local state parks and hit the hiling trails. Hiking burns crazy calories. When my kids were babies and very young, the Wii was just the simplest most convenient way as well as DVD', but I found it was easier to go at my own pace with Wii than it was with DVD. Good luck. You will FEEL so much better once you commit. Give yourseld 2 weeks before you make your mind up about an activity, too. Exercise boosts serotonin levels thus the feel-good feelings. So does sunshine, so if you workout outdoors, double the boost! I think this is why I like hiking and biking and golf so much. Variety is also key for me!

lol...congratulations! Your mood is infectious! It makes me remember how happy I was and still am. Good luck! And you are doing a good thing by not having a diet blowout. I did binge and only had a 3-day preop diet. I look back and think about where I would be right now if I hadn't gained that extra 10 or 15 before surgery. What's done is done and I have learned from it. Now I can share that knowledge with those who ask. I wish I had looked into this online supprt group prior to my surgery because it has been a such a good resource.

Yes, I am healing. I am healed more and more every day, and it is in no small part to VST and the wonderful supportive people here.

No you are not weird and you are doing a great job! Keep uo the good work. Eating becomes a behavioral pasttime for overwieght people as does smoking for smokers. You assosicate eating with DOING everything. Sounds like you have found a way to cope with these feelings and that is a good thing!

It will only still be bad after surgery if you don't have the ernia fixed. My reflux is very mild compared to what it was before. I had issues with swallwoing from esophageal erosion because of the GERD I have had since childhood. I don't have any breakthrough reflux anymore with my medication and I even if I miss a dose, I don't have reflux again until I miss 2 or 3 daily doses. I haven't eaten a single antacid since my surgery! If you don't have the hernia repaired, then yes, according to my surgeon, the reflux can be extremely severe. Glad I could help and good luck with everything! BTW, if you have a tendency for hiccups now, be prepared to have trouble with them after thehernia repair for a few days. They are very uncomfortable after an abdominal surgery!

Thanks a bunch! I will be checking that out pretty soon then! There is a Wellness Center free for me to use because I am Native American 2 miles form my house that has crossfit classes. I am going to go in an talk to someone there in a week or two. You are an inspiration!

I did have a hernia repair with my VSG and I do not regret it. I did have a rough postop period but in the long run it has been for the best. I had severe GERD prior to the surgery and a VSG alone will cause GERD or exacerbate it if you already have it, according to my surgeon. This is why he chooses to fix the hernia while doing VSG. He also says sometimes a VSG can cause reflux bad enough to justfy converting a VSG to bypass <yikes> The hiatal hernia repair caused me to have terrible hiccups for 2 days that also resulted in a lot of vomiting and caused tearing in my diaphragm from the hiccups/vomiting straining the stitches in my diaphram where he repaired the hernia. I still have a little reflux but it did not start back until about post op day 7. I still take Prilosec OTC but my GERD is much less severe. It would be gone altogether if I hadn't had a VSG, but reflux with VSG would be unbearable without the hernia repair. Catch 22 I guess. So , like I said, I am glad I had the repair in the long run AND I can still vomit like I did before, but I haven't vomited since I got sick taking Lortab elixir postop. You also have to be more careful with lifting and activity after hernia repair with VSG than if you had only had a VSG-according to my surgeon, anyway.

I am not currently a crossfitter but want to be someday. I am not sure how to get started. Would love some tips. A doc I worked with raved about it and had his 65 YO mom doing it. I checked out the website, but couldn't really figure out how to get started.

Dear Fat, . It seems like just yesterday we began to head our separate ways even though it has now been 2 months and 1 week. I hope you have found a new purpose in life other than weighing me down, because I wish you the best. I wouldn't be where I am today, who I am today without the challenges I faced with you in my life. And I am gratefeul. But I am also happy to find myself moving on. I lose a little more of you tat was a part of me every day, and, frankly, I am feeling much better. At first, it was very hard. I was very sad and at times I regretted making the decision for our separation, but now I know that this was best for the both of us. I had to learn to do things differently; I don't think you would even recognize me now. I have given up many of the thngs we would enjoy together that helped both of us grow...figuratively and literally...but I have found new joy in new activities. Eating was lonely at first, but now I recognize food as a fuel rather than an opportunity for us to grow closer. I have replaced donuts and ice cream and lazy days on the couch with salad and chicken and bike rides. I have rediscovered that my family loves me just as muc as you did. So you can be rest assured I am doing well. I will be shopping for clothes soon...without you... and now I know it will be great! So this is goodbye--for the last time. Yours no more, Amanda

Nothing is wrong. You are rcoverng from a major operation. I am surprised that you are hungry. Surgery in and of itself ususally suppresses appetite x 2 weeks, much less a VSG. Sometimes thirst and dehydration maniests itselfas hunger pangs. If your are not getting in 64 oz of lfuid daily, this i probably what's going on. I struggled with the fluids as I had SEVERE nausea for aout 3-4 weeks. One thing that really helped was buying crushed ice and chomping on it constantly throughout the day. I would even wake up at night some and eat it. Also, your body is likely in ketosis from restricted calories and carbs if your doctor has you limiting carbs right now. This will make you weak and sweaty, but so will recoery from a major abominial surgery. Give yourself time to heal and don't worry too much. The first few weeks are VERY HARD, so don't be surprised if you feel bad. The most important job you have right now is healing and it takes sufficient hydration, rest, and protein to do this. Good luck!! You will be a different person in a month!!!

Riujnite Lambrusco is a good, inexpensive, highly available red wine. It is mildly sweet and was the first red wine I ever tasted and enjoyed. I like to drink it as a "nightcap" type wine, but not really ith meals. I like the really dry red wines when I am eating. I usually ask the waiter to reccomend a dry red and go with that. I have better luck with waiter recommendations than just guessing. When I find domething I like, I make a note in my phone. I almost always have Lambrusco in my house and or Barefoot Moscato. Moscato blend is a very sweet, delicious white wine.

I did light walking for the first 4 weeks, but I felt pretty bad and thought I needed more time to heal. Around week 4 I added other forms. I golfed a little, started swimming a little. At week 5 or 6, I began going to the gym and using elliptical and started riding my bike outdoors. Last week was week 8 and I began a little strength training. I basically just do what I feel like doing on any given day and it seems more fun that way. I enjoy many activities and like to keep it mixed up. Just listen to your body;if you feel better, keep it up. If you feel worse for wear, take it down a notch, but most of all HAVE FUN and you will stick with it!

This is the first I have heard of the 5 day pouch test. It sounds like a good reality check and plateau busting tool though. I think you should definitely give that a go, if you feel like you are in a rut and falling off the "no bad carbs: wagon, so to speak. I am only 2 months out and haven't become complacent yet, but I will keep this pouch test stuff in mind in case I need it. BTW, I think you are being too hard on yourself. You have lost an AMAZING amount of weight and I am envious. I would be ecstatic with a 95 pound weight loss at 6 months and you should be proud of that too as well as the fact that you are being proactive,recognizing that your are develpoing a bad habit before it becomes a lifestyle again. I am proud of you, and you should be too. The carb monster is a hard one to beat and so easy to fall prey too even after you think you've beaten it. Good luck!