Catracks

I had my one year follow-up and my surgeon upon hearing that weight loss has stalled and slowed said that I might be done losing weight, but for maybe another few pounds or so, He is happy with me. He doesn't want me eating too little trying to force weight loss because this may be where my body is happy. I suppose I could live being a bit overweight according to the charts. I'm not sure. I know what he means about not starving myself and trying to force the issue. That could backfire in some some yo-yo stuff that I'd rather not experience.
Today I am starting a strict Vitamin and Protein regimen. I already started with the Vitamins last week. Labs were normal, but my cholesterol is still way up there. I have been hit or miss on both Protein and Vitamins. Turns out that my levels were fine. D was a little low, but still.
I think I will relax, but stay with what I'm supposed to be doing, i.e. getting that protein in.

I don't believe it for a second :-)

I plan to:
1. Get a small tattoo - a Chi Rho.
2. Go hiking down Havisupai creek in the Supai Reservation and to the Grand Canyon down and up the Bright Angel Trail.
3. Go to the Glen Ivy spa for a massage, and pedicure.

Wow Cheri! In the 1970s and earlier, kids like us just used to either run away or endure it. Even when family members found out about the scale of the abuse, they pulled back even further - expect for my grandfather and his wife who saved my life. My mother had two, yes two personality disorders.
What I am now if a person without a whole lot of self confidence. It trips me up a lot. It had also taken me years to hug without flinching. It's still there on the edges.
I don't really know what caused the obesity other than the fact that to me food = love and safety. I guess it still does and I still love food. I can just get by with a whole lot less of it and make better choices.
On a lighter note - I want to get a size 20 pair of pants and put them on. Just yesterday I put on a pullover hoodie that I haven't worn for a year. It hung on my ridiculously. I kept looking down at myself in disbelief.

This thread really reminds me of the one big issue I'm having at home. My wife has been great through all of this, she's been my biggest cheerleader. She's always been a healthy eater and physically fit person. She's run a marathon, and has continued to eat right and exercise as long as I've known her, and despite my weight going up and down. But like most people, she would love to lose 20 pounds. 20 pounds that I can't help but feel partially responsible for since she put those pounds on while I was putting on 100+ pounds and eating everything in sight and refusing to exercise. All the while she made many attempts to lovingly encourage me to eat better and exercise, but I never took the hint.....until I made up my mind to have surgery.
Well, now I've had it and the weight is coming off, and I've turned my eating around 180 degrees. And even though my wife exercises with me everyday and eats pretty much just like I eat, she cannot lose a pound. And every time I Celebrate another 10 pounds lost or another shirt size dropped, it just reminds her of her inability to lose any weight and makes her feel bad about herself. I've done everything I know to tell her how healthy she is and how she's doing all the right things, but it doesn't matter. I've basically had to quit celebrating those little victories because I don't want her to feel bad. I wish I could help her but I don't know what else to do. I don't give her advice cause she doesn't need it. She knows what to do and does all the right things, but her weight won't budge and it's making her miserable. And seeing me lose so easily just makes it worse.

I plan to:
1. Get a small tattoo - a Chi Rho.
2. Go hiking down Havisupai creek in the Supai Reservation and to the Grand Canyon down and up the Bright Angel Trail.
3. Go to the Glen Ivy spa for a massage, and pedicure.

i never kept any of my old/too small clothes - or even the "normal" ones i was wearing and they got to big
in other words i never "saw" my transformation
i finally saw a few differences, new clothes sizes, things improving - but i could never grasp the weight loss mentally
went to the store the other day to try on a pair of the exact same 2X blue jeans, elastic band, same brand
i put them on in the store and just stared at myself in disbelief
i did that for about 10 minutes!!!
then i took those jeans off, put my size 6 jeans on with the 2X over them
i again kept staring at myself
i bought the jeans and sat in the car for another few minutes
i was so sad!!!
Reason????
i just kept looking/staring at myself say "OMG" is that really me in those gigantic pants???? i filled out "ALLLL" that empty space
i was very upset, still am alittle just thinking and talking about it
i don't think i'll ever forget this incident - i was looking back at 59 years of my life - pretty sad!!!
but................
i know, i know - out with the old, in with the new
i am so very happy now - healthy now - no more diabetes meds/insulin - high blood pressure - CPAP
self confidence through the roof
life IS good
proud to be a veteran - looking forward to continueing a new good life!!!
only the best for all of us!!!

I just figured I'd copy the My Fitness Pal data in here. I suppose almost 7 oz. of shrimp sounds like a lot, but I eat it over the space of two hours. I eat all my meals like this. It just works for me. This strategy would not work if I didn't plan, weigh and measure everything I eat though. I remarked on another thread that this seems to be a lot of food for 750 calories - especially when I compare my menu to others who are supplementing with Protein shakes. I hardly ever have one unless I feel like it.
You menu seems great, but I would like to warn you against eating microwave popcorn. The oils they use have shown to be poisonous. It better for you and cheaper to pop it yourself over the stove in a little olive oil.
Yes, the fillet in panko breading is not very smart, but they've been sitting in the freezer for too long. Besides, they fit in. I didn't go over on fats and carbs. I don't do bread often and if I do it's some whole grain nut stuff. I sauteed the shrimp in butter, garlic salt, cayenne, cinnamon and coriander..
Breakfast
Chobani - Greek Yogurt Lemon 0%, 6 oz (170 g)
Best Choice - Sliced Almonds Natural Sliced, 1 tablespoon
lunch
Trader Joe's - Argentinian Red Shrimp (Wild/Uncooked), 6.67 ounces
Butter - Salted, 1 pat (1" sq, 1/3" high)
Lettuce - Cos or romaine, raw, 1 cup shredded
Kraft - Light - Parmesan Asiago Balsamic Vinaigrette Reduced Fat Dressing, 1 tbsp
Bel Gioioso - Caesar Blend Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano cheese - Shaved, 1 tbsp.
dinner
Generic Restaurant - Panko Crusted Cod, 5 oz
Broccoli Steamed - Broccoli, Steamed, Without Salt, 1/2 cup
Snacks
Stater Bros - Light String cheese, 1 Piece
Calories 750 Carbs 48 Fat 28 Protein 77 Fiber 5

Other than band to sleeve revisions, I would say that it would be like removing your ovaries to prevent cancer before it happens. I see it becoming a trendy thing like those tube feeding diets. There are too many anorexics out there or wanna bees who would love this.

I'm sure some fit people do. I will never be one of them. I eat almost paleo now and I've never felt better. I'm convinced that overly processed and additive laden food make for a poor quality of life. I also think that combined with genetics, this stuff is at the heart of autism, certain cancers and a host of other diseases. It's bad enough that the meats, milk and produce is tainted. Thank goodness I have my own hens. A least my eggs are clean.
Sure, we are all going to die, but I want to be ambulatory like my German grandma that grew up on a pig farm, fried everything in lard and made everything from scratch. I want to live as long as she and my Italian grandfather who ate sparingly. Neither ever ate fast food or packaged food.
'Sides, most fast food sandwiches are from 500-1000 calories. I eat around 800 right now. It takes too much space away from other things. My tastes have changed considerably. I'd rather sink my teeth into a rare slice of tri-tip.Greek yogurt with pineapple is better than any slice of cheesecake to my tastes.
So I've turned into a bit of a health nut and food snob, but "I'm loving it!"

They cut and staple around a bougie - a tube that is inserted into the stomach. They are pretty standard, but even the difference between the sizes is minimal - we're talking millimeters.here.
Somebody is feeding you B.S.

I so much rather have this bit of extra skin than that weight any day, but I just had to share. I have the panni apron that I will have surgery for in another year. I have empty tube sock boobs that look fine in a bra. I have bat wings, but they aren't that noticeable. I have inner thigh skin that will keep me from wearing short-shorts or a bikini. Thank goodness for that because a 47 year old shouldn't go there anyway.
Here's the rub though. Lately I have been noticing extra skin in weird place. It not gross or anything. It's just weird. I have extra skin I can grab on my back and poor butt.
Here's the weirdest: I have extra skin ON MY FINGERS!!!! My knuckles are baggy!!!
I can tell you that I never expected THAT!

I am a year out, but from very early on I could eat a 6 oz. yogurt, but only 2-3 oz of more dense Protein like meat. Everyone's volume or capacity is a little different.
Just make sure you are getting 70-90 grams of Protein and log everything you eat on My Fitness Pal or some other site. Eat protein first ALWAYS and stay away from sugars, white flours, white rice, etc. They are simple carbs that turn to sugar too easily and are not nutritious.
Some are told not to count calories, but a couple months out I was getting 500-600 calories. From 5 months to now I have been getting 700-800 calories a day. I also eat under 30 grams of fat and less than 47 grams of carbohydrates.You're mileage will vary.
I am female and 5'1".

Oh I know! Just wear it as another badge of honor. It's just part of the whole process.

They cut and staple around a bougie - a tube that is inserted into the stomach. They are pretty standard, but even the difference between the sizes is minimal - we're talking millimeters.here.
Somebody is feeding you B.S.

They cut and staple around a bougie - a tube that is inserted into the stomach. They are pretty standard, but even the difference between the sizes is minimal - we're talking millimeters.here.
Somebody is feeding you B.S.

Sleevers don't have pouches, The swelling goes down after you heal and the volume you can eat slightly increases. Studies show that depending on the length of your sleeve, volume increases from 2 oz. to about 8oz. The real stretchy part was removed.during the surgery.
I have never heard of this. Is this what your surgeon said?

It certainly grows back. It happens to everyone and it is your body's response to healing after the surgery. Your body turns off all non essestioal systems to speed healing and unfortunately hair is not essential to our survival. Better than losing your nails huh?
Just take care of yourself and get your Protein in. Take your Vitamins. It will start back in a couple months. I didn't really start loosing mine until 5 months. everyone is different. The reaction is delayed depending on when the hair is formed in the follicles.

Actually that's not a bad thing. It's a ratio about where you carry your weight. A larger ration between hip and waist means higher risks for certain comorbidiites and long term health issues. If however you need some hips let me fly down again and have some of mine implanted in you!
This is the link, though it may bring up my personal info. (It does on my computer). If it does just go down to the calculators section and enter your own data on them all and then it will save it for you and give you a better assessment of your personal health. I found them to be real eye openers!
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/personalized/
Do each assessment and read carefully. They're interesting, especially the one that tells you about how to set a goal and that maybe your goal is off because it's not taking into account a healthy fat percentage.
And I do think you need to consider that excess skin hun. That's weight that is going to be harder to drop off and your goal should be set accordingly.

I started my journey on Nov 23, 2010 at 492lbs. On the day of surgery Jan 10, 2011 I weighed 456lbs. One year post op (Jan. 10, 2012) I was 200. Today 2 years post op. I set here at 190. I had gotten to a low weight of 177 around September 2012. I was still 4lbs away from "ïdeal" weight putting me under a BMI of 25, but my body fat was under 9% and I felt like crap. For once in my life I made a conscientious decision to be heavier. That concept is still surreal to me even as I type this. I found that I felt the best and looked the best in a range between 185 and 195. I am using a target of 190 as my new life goal. It took a long time for me to get comfortable with the reality that I was still over 25 BMI and would likely always be. Now is where I get to make myself feel better and preface that this is all weight before any removal of loose skin so in all reality my "real" body does weight less. My best guess based on others I have seen that have had removal is that I have at least 25lbs of skin that could go. Will I ever be able to get the skin removed so that I can actually see what my "real"body looks like? Who knows, I doubt it. And yes there is a bunch of extra skin. I like to make jokes about it, after-all who doesn't want a butt that looks like a Shar-Pei? The reality though is that it sucks. I have bags and folds that are a constant reminder of the size this container used to be. I can dress it well but in my birthday suit it is not a pleasant sight. Uhhhhggggg! Is the extra skin burdensome enough to regret the decision to have surgery, nope, never. The surgery is still the best decision I have ever made.

I had an appointment with my surgeon today and showed him this post. He thought it was very funny and said there is no possible way that at 7 weeks the stomach could just suddenly stretch. He said it stretches slightly over a period of 12 months.
He was really happy with my weight loss though but said I need to eat more.

Baaaaaaaaa....cats are awesome cause either they like you or they don't ..a lot like people ...????

LadyJ that last (or near last) line was so valuable. You assume that people come here for help with the truth and if you're wrong, where's the harm? That's so true. This gal had a bad experience. They happen. They happen all the time. There are many of us here who have had them at centers of excellence after researching and preparing, they still happen. You don't want to believe it? Move on by then. (not you dear, the posters who have to post the crap).
We have someone else here who had a horrific experience with the same doc. I'm not surprised to see that they blew two cases after reading her story. (Sleevealicious). She went through hell and got very little support from her docs. In fact for most of the bad cases you read here, doctor support was a major factor (it was in mine and the "horror" story that was posted recently). I'm so glad that is unimaginable for many, but for those who suffer, why kick them when they're down? It makes zero sense and stinks of mean girl syndrome

I am really disheartened to see how many posts in this thread are focused on the veracity of the OP or fighting with each other rather than trying to address the problem she asked for help with.
As far as the ability consume more than the average sleever:
According to the research I have done in prep for my sleeve although most doctors use a bougie (with really small differences in size between each one) for width, someone who has a longer stomach will have a greater capacity. Further I was able to drink my juice and Jello and the only reason I left the broth was because of the taste 24 hours after my sleeve.
I had my surgery at a center of excellence by a well-known and respected surgeon, No leak tests done.
I was on full liquids including cream Soups as soon as I came home from hospital.
I never took any pain medicine after the first 24 hours when the pump came out.
I think the the posters who mentioned excess calories and Protein may be on to something. In addition if the OP went on a no carb liquid diet pre surgery and dropped weight ..then it is very likely when she started eating those excess calories and protein (and probably carbs) her body started hanging onto Water. Think Atkins diet.
Yesterday when I added up my calories I was in shock, I even remarked to my daughter that it was hard to believe I was sleeved.
I also have have a almost month stall and am refiguring calories, carbs etc..because of it.
I come here because you all are the experts on VSG...if we cannot get advice, support and understanding here I don't know where else one should go.
I assume everyone is honest and reaching out for help, if I am wrong, so what? It has cost me nothing.
OP I hope you keep posting and many people will try and help you work through this.

The research no longer supports that a leak test reduces your risk of having a leak. This is why so many surgeons are no longer performing this test. There are other surgeons who do perform the test despite the evidence that it does not correlate to better outcomes. Malpractice is a huge motivator! At Dartmouth, we have one surgeon who chooses not to perform the leak test and two others who do perform the leak test. So, this varies and each surgeon and/or practice may buy into a different approach.