MegInNOLA

Hi there: My BMI was right at 40 (I actually had to gain a few pounds in order to get it there to help qualify for the surgery), and I'm 47 years old. I think skin looseness is dependent on a lot of factors--age, ethnicity, things determined by genetics. That being said, sometimes people who lose more slowly (and by slowly I mean "at a normal pace" for regular, non-sleeved folks) have fewer problems with loose skin. People who exercise seem to have fewer problems with it. I have loose skin on my stomach and my underarms, but it's not dreadful and it's not anything I need to "cover up." I've only lost 52 pounds, though, although I've moved from a size 26 to a size 18. Some of the smaller girls on the forum who have lost a lot of weight do talk about having loose skin, and at a point, there's just going to be loose skin if you're 5'2", used to weigh 300 and now weigh 130. Seems like you, with your young age and relatively low BMI, will probably have less problem with loose skin than some folks might. Good luck!!

I don't eat sugar-free, either. I get headaches from artificial sweeteners. When I have something with sugar, it's a really small amount--and keep in mind, some people cannot tolerate any sugar without getting a sick feeling (like "dumping" syndrome) or having swings of their blood sugar--some folks who have been overweight for a while really have issues with carb intolerance. I'm not one of those, but I definitely try to limit my sugar intake because of the calories--I had the surgery in order to be able to eat properly for my health while losing weight, and heavy doses of sugary foods aren't good for me. I also frankly don't worry about low-fat, although I prefer low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese. I use whole milk in my coffee and mostly low-fat everything else dairy, just by preference because of texture. Again, I'm not ravenously eating a bunch of fatty dairy--I couldn't even if I wanted to! I have a strict "no ice cream" rule for myself, since that is so easy to eat and overeat for me. I find I get the worst feelings of pain and discomfort after eating certain foods that are high in fat content, perhaps because I don't have a gallbladder any more, but also because maybe Sleevie can't handle those, so I definitely avoid! I have tried (and will never eat again) a few potato chips and 2 chicken nuggets from Chik-fil-A that hurt more than anything I had eaten before--happily, I can live without those foods, even though I like the taste, because Sleevie hates them. There's lots of stuff I can eat and enjoy that's good for me. If your surgeon or nutritionist gave you recommendations for eating, please follow those!! They're designed to help you stay healthy and make the most of the fabulous tool we've got! Best--Meg

WOW! Congratulations to you! What a great accomplishment!!

Hi Karelia: I started out immediately post-surgery (as in waking up from the anesthesia!) with a serious case of buyer's remorse. I was angry at myself for getting to the point where a surgical procedure was the best option for my long-term health--I was mad!! I also had a problem with throwing up for the first month and a half, until the wonderful people on this board encouraged me to try a PPI and I got enough of it in my system to solve the problem. I'm telling you, my husband dealt with a very tearful, very frustrated, very upset wife for a good 6 weeks after my surgery. I was losing weight, though, even through all of that. Since the throwing up problem has been gone now for almost 5 weeks, I can truthfully say I am really glad I had the surgery. Yes, I'm admitting it. :-) I know for a fact I would never have lost the weight "on my own," despite my best intentions--I had tried numerous times in the past and had never managed it. Now, I eat tiny portions of "regular" food, am losing weight despite not exercising much at all, and feel pretty darn good. I'm enjoying having cuter, smaller clothes, and I'm looking forward to getting back to teaching in the fall with more energy and more physical stamina. I'm also looking forward to my blood tests and physician checkup in a couple of weeks, because I know my blood pressure will be lower, my weight is getting better, and things are moving forward health-wise. So, no, I don't regret it at all now--if you had asked me this same question a few weeks ago, you might have gotten a very different answer, but even then I knew it wasn't a permanent thing. There are frustrations at first with learning how to eat and what to eat and when to eat and even then, sometimes things beyond your personal control happen that you have to deal with, but time makes most of those things better. I'll be interested to see how others respond. Best wishes to you as you research!! Meg

Good for you, Irene!! That's exactly what the sleeve is supposed to do. I can't wait for the day when I'm really happy with how I look weight-wise--yay for you for getting there! And you're right, you're probably going to continue to lose some anyway, having built up a great daily exercise habit. Sounds like sanity to me.

I find I can skimp on protein and feel okay, but skimping on fluids does me in every time and gives me those "hangover" symptoms without the fun of the "night before"! Seriously, being low on fluid can really mess with your body and your brain function. You might want to jump start your rehydration with some watered-down (or straight up, depending on your carb status) Gatorade. They do have low-carb, low-sugar Gatorade, but I frankly just use the regular and cut it 1:1 with water. Still tastes good and 1/2 the cals. Get some electrolytes into your system and some fluid and a few carbs to get the brain working. Push the water--add whatever flavoring you need to to really make it something you WANT to have, and then go for it.

Same here as Foxbins. My TSH will get checked in a couple of weeks, and we'll see if we have to adjust the dose. My PCP said we might have to lower the dose, but I'll believe that when I see it, as difficult as it was to get the thing regulated in the first place!!

Hey Krzy, doing great, thanks! Figuring it all out step by step--down 52 pounds, so feeling pretty good about that. No more throwing up, yay! And I'm loving shopping...had to totally clear out my closet and dresser drawers and have been having fun replacing necessary things (and a few just for fun outfits!). What a kick. Hope everyone else is doing great! Meg

You look fantastic! Congratulations on all you have lost and gained!!

Hey, Feedyoureye, the link doesn't work--takes us to the forum but not to any abstracts that I could see.... I'm another one who, from the beginning, has tried to eat the way I want to eat for the rest of my life--regular food, good quality everything (including carbs), just smaller portions. And Meggie!! I have a small, picky sleeve, too, and I think you're doing GREAT to get in so much Protein every day. I confess that I didn't, don't, and may never get to my protein goal--I'm 6'2", and my nutritionist said I should aim for 110 g of protein a day--110 g!!!!! And, like you, I can eat maybe 1/4 cup of food at a time, which is an improvement from my original 2 TBS at a time, but still really challenging to get in enough protein. Like others, I have come to the realization that it's a process, and each person has to learn what's best for their body through the journey--it really is about the journey, not the destination, although we definitely all have "goals." So I eat what sounds good at the time--I do experience hunger, although I didn't at first, but it's not the same sort of hunger as before being sleeved. Now when I get that empty, growly feeling, I find something like cheese and a couple of crackers or a slice of apple with some Peanut Butter. I'm hoping the restrictive phase lasts a LONG time, since all I ever wanted from this surgery was the ability to eat regular food, just in much smaller amounts, and that's what I've got.

How fun! LOL And you DID rock the cheerleader outfit!

I have Gilsbar and mine was right at 40.

Imawhodat, are you close to me? I'm in Covington and would happily come visit if you'd like to see a friendly fellow sleever. I feel so bad that you've had it so hard!! Hope you feel better fast, and holler if there's anything I can do for you. Meg

Oh man, it's not just potato chips for me... I had 2 chicken nuggets from Chik-Fil-A (the little bitty ones!) and thought I was going to die--not in the good way! They tasted great, but OH, sleevie does not like them!!! Same painful symptoms, same bout with nausea and bathroom--again, did not throw up (only bright side), but felt horrible for half an hour. It is evidently the fried foods that cause this for me, because I absolutely ate a little cookie the other day and had no problem. Yuck. It's a great thing, though, because it will be a cold day you know where before I try either of those foods again, and that is by my choice!!! I don't like stomach ick and pain. Still figuring it all out! M.

Yep, I made my goal of being down by 50 pounds!! I know the weight loss is slowing down now, but I'm excited--even if I never lose another pound, I'm healthier, happier, and wearing REGULAR SIZE CLOTHES that I bought at OLD NAVY--and not the XXL's, either, but XL shirt and size 20 pants--this is down from a 3X shirt and tight size 26's to start. I'm not done, either... slow is fine!! I'm anxious to start the next challenge, which I am already planning to participate in from the beginning for more accountability. GO Y'ALL--good luck to everyone and congratulations to those who made or surpassed their challenge goals!!

Hey Melissa: I found that I relied on a few foods kind of over and over, because that's what my sleeve liked. For purees, you can go with blended soups, mashed potatoes, refried beans with cheese (yum), meat zapped with some gravy or broth to make it soft, yogurt, oatmeal, cottage cheese (blended at first), applesauce, and I know some people go with tuna salad or chicken salad (which I couldn't tolerate), and I love pimento cheese and peanut butter (which I ate with a teaspoon). If you enjoy cooking, you can take a basic set of ingredients, like cooked chicken and mayo, and vary the flavor using herbs and spices... Ooh, another thing I really liked was mashing up some cooked hamburger meat (soft cooked) into a little mashed potato--when all you're getting are sweet protein shakes, it's divine. You'll probably be surprised by how little you actually will eat, so you might plan on having leftovers; if you keep things simple when you make them, or purchase "builder" items, you can combine them in whatever way sounds good at the time you're ready to eat. Hope that made sense--!! Best wishes to you!

Crosswind, I always look forward to your posts, because behind the words I get a sense of you as a real person who is going through some tough times and STILL manages to see the bright side.... Your ex has no clue how strong and positive you really are if he's passing on platitudes like "be satisfied with the little things." I can think of about 1000 "interesting" comebacks for that phrase that I would have lobbed in his general direction, so I think you're being much more gracious than I would be under the circumstances!! And yay for the 51 pounds. I agree with the others--caller ID is a good thing. Do what you do on your terms, just like you've done with your sleeve. Continue to care for yourself. You definitely deserve it!! Congratulations and thanks for posting. Meg

Wow, you look great! Way to rock your sleeve!! Congratulations!

Yeah, I can eat a cookie, but potato chips are a whole 'nother story. Just a few, seriously, like 3, and WOW what a horrible reaction from sleevie and friends. Pain, nausea, pain, bathroom episode, pain... at least I didn't throw up, but it was close for 30 minutes or so. I'm actually rather grateful, since now I know I absolutely can't have them, and I'm cool with that. They're not good for me anyway. We're all learning our way through the eating jungle! Meg

I, too, went through this for the entire first month and a half after surgery--the depression and feeling like I had made a huge mistake. I was losing weight, but not as fast as I wanted (despite eating fewer than 500 calories a day because of serious problems holding anything down!). I felt lost and frustrated and I couldn't see any loss or change in my appearance. Then I hit the -45 pound mark. Suddenly, people were noticing. At week 7, I stopped throwing up every day (thanks, Prilosec!) and started being able to tolerate a larger variety of food. My mood improved almost immediately, as soon as my energy level picked up. Give yourself time! I think the advice from folks above is excellent, and I would add that I think you need to be gentle with yourself. This isn't an overnight process, but it is a pretty slow, sure one. I don't lose super fast, but I don't gain, and I know that what I lose isn't coming back. I'm looking forward to being a year out and seeing how things are at that point. Hang in there---seriously, it really does improve with time. Once you're able to eat more normally, you won't be consumed with your sleeve, I promise. I was at first, too, and I think everyone is, but as you heal and are able to eat "normal" food, everything gets easier. Hugs to you!! Meg

Happy birthday! Don't beat yourself up. Good grief. A few bites of biscuit on your birthday is a WHOLE lot better than you would have done in the past, right? That's why they're called "celebrations," because we don't do them every day-- let yourself off the hook for that one. Enjoy YOU!!

Alexis, you look fabulous. Congratulations on your achievement and on the upcoming wedding!!

I'm posting in for the first time on this thread. I had a "secret" goal to have lost 50 pounds by July 4. Since my surgery was April 18, I really thought this would be a no-brainer---but I've been sort of stuck at -48 pounds for the last few days. I think I lose in stairsteps, though, and I'm definitely not gaining any weight (LOL--not enough calories in to do that!). So I'm going to be in the final push of adding some more exercise to see if I can't get there by Monday... and water, water, water!!! Good luck, all! Let's get that July 4 goal!!!

Are you a vegan? If not, you might try whizzing up your own "protein" shakes using milk, milk powder (for extra protein), eggs or egg powder, and whatever flavoring and level of sweetness you prefer. Throw in some tofu or Peanut Butter and whiz it up thoroughly. OR zap up some soup with milk powder and have something savory. I couldn't handle the Protein drinks, either (still can't), so I made do with "food" sources of protein, mostly dairy, until I got to the mushies stage. Cottage cheese and yogurt and peanut butter are staples in my diet now, too--I am not a vegetarian, but my sleeve seems to prefer seafood and dairy protein to meat and chicken (don't get me started on how sleevie really dislikes chicken and eggs now!). Best wishes to you!! Once you hit mushies, you're golden--Beans, tofu, nut butters, etc. If you can tolerate dairy, so much the easier. Meg

Another aspect besides the chemistry of your body might be that your sense of smell is more keen. When I was first sleeved, I noticed a HUGE jump forward in my sense of smell, which I had always considered fairly sensitive prior to surgery--after, it was really sharp, and I noticed odors were much stronger and much more detailed. Since a lot of times, it was food odors that I could smell (just in general), I jokingly asked my husband if he thought my body was saying, "Hey! You're losing weight--smell that, doesn't it smell good! Eat something!" You're in the losing stage, so perhaps this is happening to you because of that. I know that one's body chemistry DOES change the odor of one's perspiration, but it might not be the only factor in your noticing it more now.