Forensikchic

Welcome to you both! I thought about the surgery for several years before I committed to it. I was scared too. I am so glad I did though! I feel so much better now. My back hurt all the time and my feet too. I was even having trouble wiping myself because it twisted my back (sorry if that is TMI but it was becoming a real problem for me). I knew then that it was affecting my quality of life! I did not want to live like this anymore. It was the best decision I have ever made and there is no way I would have ever made it this far without the sleeve! Love my sleeve!

so close! You will be leaving as we are arriving. We will just miss each other. bummer. Good luck on your surgery!

I have noticed my deoderant is not working as well as it used to. I use Secret but not clinical strenth. I will be trying that next!

I fly tomorrow for the first time since surgery 8.75 months ago. I cant wait to see where the seatbelt is. I will take a picture too! I have lost 82 pounds and the last time I was on a plane was last spring for 8 hours to Brazil. The seat belt barely fastened and dug into my hips and I couldnt put the arm rest down because it mashed by hips and hurt! I hope it is greatly improved this time! Congrats to you!!!!

SW 155.2 CW 152.6 GW 144.2 Pounds to lose by Memorial Day-- 8.4 I am stalled this week. Its TOM and I am bloated! lol. I expected to stall since I lost 2 pounds last week. I am hoping as AF leaves she will take a couple pounds with her! Good luck everyone!

Im sorry you are hurting... I didnt have much pain. I didnt have to take any pain meds once I was home. Maybe you should call your doctor if you are in intense pain.

I am 80 pounds down from surgery on 8-8-2011. My hubby took a pic of me this morning on my way to lecture at a local college. I dont usually dress fancy for work because of what I do, but since I was dressed up, I let him take my photo. I will include a before pic so you can appreciate the difference! The first two pics are from my trip to Brazil with my family in March of 2011. I was about 235 pounds then. I am 154 today, the last picture. I am so excited to have made it this far. I am 9 pounds from having a normal BMI. I am still working my sleeve and trying. I am in a bit of a plateau right now and they seem to be coming closer and closer together, just like the surgeon said they would. I am 20 pounds from my personal goal. I felt so good in these clothes today. Size 10 banana Republic slacks and a size medium blouse. Yay me!

I understand. I had a kidney stone complication and was hospitalized two weeks after my surgery and had another surgery on my kidney. It took me a minute to bounce back from that but I did and you can too! I am down 82 pounds and only 18 from goal!

A lot of that might be head hunger too. Be sure you think about why you are wanting to eat because it might be boredom, stress, etc.. emotional rather than real hunger.

What day? My sister and I are going to Dr. Alvarez June 1. We are looking for people that might be there at that time. She is having the surgery and I am just going to comfort her. I had mine 8.5 months ago.

There was another lady on here a few months back who had a bazoar. It was from eating raw celery. Its stringy like hair and it didnt digest and made a ball. Maybe you could find her post by searching bazoar. She might give you some insight. Tammi

The yellow sounds like bile and it could be your gall bladder is not functioning properly. Call the doc about it.

SW 155.2 CW 152.6 GW 144.2 Pounds to lose by Memorial Day-- 8.4 I lost 2 pounds this week! Yay! I am happy about that. I would like to continue this losing streak and I am hoping to ride it a little longer. Im just 2.6 pounds from being in the 140's. Maybe I can reach that soon. Good luck to everyone!

I had diahrea the first few weeks too. Like the other posters said, liquids in, liquids out. I went back and forth in week 4 and onward, from diahrea to constipation. The constipation became a real problem later on but I was eating a lot of dense protein and hardly anything else. This happened at around 5-6 months. I now have that fixed by taking three stool softeners (colase) a day, all at once and drinking a muscle milk. Works great. I dont do it every day though. At week three, I was back in the hospital having surgery on my kidney for a stone (unrelated really to the sleeve but just happened at that time due to me not drinking enough and taking calcium citrate), and didnt make it to the bathroom in time. I was heavily sedated and it was possibly the most embarassing thing to ever happen to me! I had great nurses that helped me and I was okay after that. I had loose stools for about the first month and then it started alternating between the two extremes. This is probably waaaaaay too much info but I like to be thorough. teehee.

All I can tell you is this was not my experience. My surgeon said vomiting is never normal. It is a problem and if it happened a lot, see him. I havent vomited at all, not even once and I am 8.5 months out. I had pressure in my chest when I ate the first few weeks and it was my full signal, It didnt hurt but it could be a little uncomfortable at times. It was not enough to even bat an eye at, let alone send me to the emergency room. I think you need an endoscopy to see what is going on in there. I realize you didnt say you vomited but I think if you have serious pain when eating, its not a normal symptom of vsg, it should be checked out. Also, wishes, I might shy away from spicy or hot things for your mom since she has ulcers. that might agrivate them.

Very well put PDXMAN. I am just coming out of a stall myself and though I am happy to be losing even if its just a half pound, I understand that my body is going to take little breaks and revamp. I usually stall every two to three weeks for a couple of weeks at a time now that I am 8 months out.

That sounds like a plan I could easily do. How many calories were you to have a day back in the losing phase? I eat about 850 a day now. I was eating about 600 and very comfortable with that but now i can hold slightly more and it has crept up to 850, which I still think is ok. I just dont want to go over that because I know I have a slooooowwww metabolism and would not lose if i did.

I have no doubt that you will. Thanks so much for the very insightful information. I am 8 months post op and some days find myself snacking a little too much on slider foods. I know that can be dangerous since I have not quite made it to goal and I certainly dont want to gain! I am going to omit these slider foods and stick to three meals a day, and only the occasional snack. I dont want to gain any of my weight back and your experience really helps me realize I still have head work to do. Thanks again. Tammi

did you lose all the weight you wanted to and are you able to maintain your loss? That is the burning question that I have....

I am interested in this too! My sister is having her VSG with Dr. Alvarez June 1. I had mine in San Antonio about 8 months ago. I want to know everything there is to know about Dr. Alvarez so peeps who had their surgery there please do chime in! If you dont want to put it here, (if you are a newby and the OP is looking for more expereinced peeps) in box me please!

I just moved from Huntsville a few years ago. My last child who is 14 now, was born there. I lived there for 12 years. (Madison area). Welcome! I was self pay also here in San Antonio. I went from seminar to surgery in 9 days! I went to a saturday seminar, made my appt on Monday and then had surgery the following Monday! I had a one week liquid preop diet, lost 9 pounds, and now I am 8 months out and 80 pounds down! It really works and after the first couple of weeks, it will be smooth sailing. It is hell week during preop and getting used to sipping such small amounts but that will pass. You will lose and plateau, in a pattern, over and over. Dont worry if you didnt lose what you thought right off the bat. Your body has to adjust and you have to be pateint! Just remember that when you are in a stall. It will pass! Good luck to you!

She has seen the pics but unfortunately, she has only been here once or twice. She doesn't want to participate in this site right now. It makes me sad but she is her own person and each one of us has our own journey so..... maybe she will visit here more after her surgery. Who knows.

Thanks Wishes! I enjoy this forum and it keeps me motivated to keep going. My sister is having a VSG done June 1! So excited for her and everyone that is going on this journey with me!

SW 155.2 CW 154.5 GW 144.2 Pounds to lose by Memorial Day-- 10.3 I lost almost a pound this past week. Not a great start but its a little and all the little oz's add up to pounds! I hope I have a better week next week. Good luck to all!