Katie713

Whoop there it is!! Awesome!!

Dealing with the same thing, I did lose alot if it, but I know this is some stubborn tummy fat, first to put on, last to go!!!

Sleeve of Steel....just wondering if you still have protein shakes at all? Do you track your protein or are you pretty much just back to a normal way of eating, taking the bulk of your protein from regular food?

Really....? I just don't know if I'm capable of coming up with a reply that doesn't point to a troll-post.

OMG, I went thru that and cried my eyes out! But I knew it was time to change. What can I say I am so happy now to be in a size 14 I was huge before and felt helpless. I had ti find other ways to deal with my life. About time!! It will happen!!!

Hope today is another decent day for you. Just did my shopping for the remainder of the month including Thanksgiving and I was just thinking I'm not stressed over having all that food around me, I will enjoy cooking for my extended family and on that day I will enjoy a few small spoonfuls of my favorite dishes but not two entire platefulls like the old days. I was on a 6 month pre-op diet last year and I did just fine, and this year I have the power of my sleeve to help me continue to lose weight and stay the course. This is something to truly look forward to if not this year, next year. This year it may be nibbling on a few things to get the taste, but it will still be the holiday and for most treasured time with family.

What guidelines were you given for the liquid diet? Some people do shakes and soups during the day and have a protein & veg for dinner. I was on a low calorie diet for months with the target of 10% loss by surgery date, which I accomplished starting at 1600 calories, then 1400, then 1200. Yes that's low, but I am a woman and barely 5 ft but still I started at 280 lb. I only really did clear liquids the day before surgery. I think the intent is to lose as much weight as possible before surgery to shrink the liver and make your surgery safer, and they want to see comittment on your part. Post surgery is usually a few days of clear liquids then full liquids including thinned out hot cereal, creamy soups, yogurt, SF puddings, then pureed and then soft foods, slowly introducing foods without putting undo pressure on your tiny healing stomach. By 6 weeks full solids. You will get full restriction with dense protein. During the earlier eating stages not so much. I do have a glass of wine once in awhile, but not carbonated drinks. Good luck, have your doctor give you specifics on how he wants you to proceed.

I feel for you new grandmother. I think at times we wait for surgery to make an immediate change in our lives for the better, but at first it seems to just complicate our lives and we realize, truly realize its not magic, we have work to do and its a long road. Gentle self talk works for me, and when the new day dawns I usually feel better. Just let the days feelings pass, and they will and tomorrow is a new day, hopefully you will feel better as time goes on and the weight loss you've been hoping for becomes a reality. Hang in there girl.

Hi I'm 4'11" and started this journey at almost 280 very top heavy as well and very wide, well round, I felt like I was pregnant at times, but as the weight came off, it came off everywhere, bust as well and over 10" off my stomach. Went from 3X-4X to a 14 and about 100 lbs down now. I feel alot more like my petite self from days gone by, but still curvy and busty. Really happy, my face is back and my neck seemed to get longer, my legs are much trimmer too, I guess my rest of my weight is in my abdomen but it is going down, after 3 kids it will probably be the last to go. Feel great!!

Iggy, how are things? I know that you are still around and posting, just wondering how the claw is holding and how are the stages of eating working out for you? Hope your little boy is happy to have his mommy home and that you are indeed looking forward to the holidays, decorating and being alive!! Hopefully you will give us an update, there are a few of us that really care and loved to banter with you! I haven't updated my ticker but I am 100 pounds down now in just over a year including pre-op weight loss. I feel so much better, and I am used to my sleeve now, it feels normal. I know my fullness cues and try not to cheat (much) but a small piece of dark chocky makes me swoon and a glass of red wine now and then helps me make it thru my busy days. I take care of my 9 year old grandson and life is deliciously good with my little guy around to make me laugh! Sending you good thoughts Iggychick!!

I still gurgle and internal burps at 7 months out. When I get an uncomfortable sensation of fullness coming on (happens quick) I stop eating, then I hiccup twice and know I'm done. It's weird but I am used to it, so great to have this little internal signal. My family laughs at it but know its normal for me.

If you have a stricture you have a very hard time with intake of fluids or solids and the stricture has to be stretched by your surgeon so food can pass into the newly sleeved stomach. Restriction is the means of preventing overeating by restricting the amount that can go in at any one time. We also" feel" the restriction as the sensation of fullness, especially with dense Protein.

Aliasmith...in he beginning your tummy will gurgle, its gonna take time for the internal swelling to go down, and truthfully, our new stomachs can be very noisy long after surgery. Glad you made it through ok, every day will hopefully be a little easier.

Glad you're doing ok. Take it easy and get some protein if you can.

sounds like gallstones. have that checked out ASAP.

Hope you girls that just had surgery yesterday are doing ok. Check in with us when you can.

Love me some shrimp on the skewer with cajun spice. So fast, just a few minutes on the indoor or outdoor grill!

It's nerves. Most of us experience it, especially before something like surgery. The odds are on your side - and after being on this site for over a year, I have heard that most people do quite well and feel better than expected after surgery. I know I did, but I have done well with surgery in the past and had that to gauge by. When I woke up I had a little nausea, but the nurses quickly gave me some meds and it went away. I had a morphine pump next to my bed, and if I needed it I could self administer. I had some discomfort but no excruciating pain at all. I was home the next day and have no regrets, and it is working. Thank God and my surgeons, it is working!!!

Deep breathing...they will usually give you something to make you calm....and then lights out baby. Wake up to your new life.

I'm a baby boomer and guess you could say I still have a bit of the hippy chick in me. Grew up watching Ed Sullivan, Soul Train, American Bandstand, Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Music ran from Motown to all the Beatles years, David Bowie, The Police, Van Morrison, Joanie Mitchell....to current day from Sade to Adele. The styles of the day ran from crop tops and bell bottoms to maxi dresses and floppy hats, go go boots, ratted hair sprayed hair and heavy eyeliner to the most torn up jeans you could find, long straight hair and peace signs. I loved the times....and still have my signature style, but these days I don't have to wear a tunic to every event, I'm starting to get my sexy back on! Peace & Love!

True hunger feels like knawing in the pit of my stomach, empty, hollow, deprived, and the time between meals matches the feeling I should be having, uncomfortable and ready for nutrition. Head hunger feels like a temporary craving, a quick fix to a feeling. The head hunger can be for a specific taste or texture and may follow a nutritious meal by only an hour. If I ignore the pangs or have a beverage, the feeling passes, whereas with real hunger it gets more and more uncomfortable.

It gets better with time. I do use an OTC face firming cream and keep super hydrated. You can and should also do facial exercises...but over time the skin seems to adapt to your changing face and body. The story isn't over until the fat lady is skinny! My skin keeps adapting to my loss, so at first I thought this was how it was gonna be, but you know what, my skin is hugging my bone structure more and it's not worse at all...thats why I think they say not to do plastics until you are two years after goal, because the skin keeps changing as it heals. The skin is the largest organ in our bodies and it takes time to heal properly and respond to changes. It needs time to catch up.

You go girl !!

My doctor indicated I could go back on NSAIDS after 6 weeks when regular foods were introduced. By that time the stomach is healed from the initial operation. I never had problems with Motrin before - although I know some people do - and I don't have a problem now. I use them when I need them will NO ILL EFFECTS whatsoever.