MeMeMEEE

It is a struggle, honestly I think almost harder than the losing phase. I took me a good 8 months to get comfortable maintaing. Don't let the bounces scare you, your body just does it! As active as you are, you will have to add quite a bit of calories to stop losing. It's all about figuring out what works!

I'm a few years post now but it is really the first year I have been able to spend any amount of leisure time traveling and I am determined to do it! It is so much easier weighing less! Good luck in your process!

ps. I am from IL also, central, near Springfield!

Bumping for a friend

Welcome to Florida! I just finished reading your complications story and now I am scared. My surgery is scheduled for August 9th.

Most people don't have any problems. Don't be scared but know if you do have any complications be strong!

Does the unpacking ever end??? We should plan to meet up sometime! I am finally feeling settled in!

I am currently trying to get my house unpacked, but we're now officially Floridians!

I just moved to the area, I am in Dade City. I was sleeved nealy 2 years ago in Springfield, IL. I am attending the Tampa General support group this week though! I am hoping to find a support group here.

No one else in Tampa, really??

Hey I'm up the road in Dade City! Just moved here from IL.

Well, not really Tampa..I live in Seffner.

20 miles from me. I'm in Zephyrhills thinking about buying a lottery ticket at Publix.

I just moved to Dade City from central Illinois. I will be 2 years out in a few weeks.

Have a safe trip! We arrived today!

Sorry I didn't see this!! We bought a house and are on the road right NOW moving to Safety Harbor!

ah I have so been avoiding this place for just these reasons! Thank you for an awesome Saturday morning laugh!

Libb3C is mine - I am up to like 740 days?

Hi MeMe Tampa is a very nice place! where are you coming from?

Central Illinois

I eat lean meats, greek yogurt, Ricotta, skim plus, egg beaters, cheese, nuts, cottage cheese, fish, an EAS AdvantEdge for Breakfast. I'm supposed to be getting around 100gms of Protein per day. I barely make 60-70gms. My surgery was January 23, 2012

Here's how you add calories - try some fatty-er meats, go for higher fat greek yogurt, I don't know what skim plus is but go for 2%, real eggs, regular cheese. Also, you will be surprised that veggies and fruit don't take up as much space as you might think. Have some Peanut Butter.

Moving to Tampa area soon too!

I was curious if you continued to look in to the sleeve? I am moving to the area next month and am looking for a local support group!

It does not appear that the Center of Excellence bariatric program I listed above does the Vertical Sleeve procedure.

I haven't had a problem with friends but I do feel judged by larger people who don't know me and don't know about surgery. I want to whip out my bat wings and panni and wave **hi**

I went to another consignment store today that I had never been to before. I went in and asked what their terms were - .30 cents on the dollar when your items sell. 90 day consignment. Yeah, didn't leave anythng. Will probably just let my support group ladies take what they want then give to Salvation Army.

Amen to that! I hate going to garage sales (which I rarely do, except with a friend who luvs em) and seeing things like books for $3 (something from 1990 that they themselves probably paid $4 for), clothing for $5, and toys for $10. Why do people think their junk is worth so much? The Goodwill is way overpriced also. For someone who gets all of their donations for free, to charge $8 for a pair of jeans is ridiculous.

I agree on the consignment thing. Recently, I found a new store opening that offerred cash for "trendy" clothing. Most of my stuff is from J Jill, Eddie Bauer, JC Penney, and the like, so I think it's pretty trendy. Out of about 30 items, they kept 2. My husband and I watched them go thru the stuff, laughing to each other. I guess if you don't have rhinestones on the butt of your jeans, they're not trendy! I guess they're a "trendy for teens" type of store. Great...

Marci

I shipped a few boxes of clothes last year and I want to say it was around $15-20, USPS. I did not charge for the clothes. I wouldn't pay $10 for something at a garage sale, most likely I wouldn't pay more than $5 for anything. I do a lot of thrift shopping and find most pieces at .49 cents. I have to really like or need a piece to pay $5, I can count on one hand how many items I have paid that much for. If you want money, your best bet is try a consignment shop. They will be very picky but you will get a higher price for what they keep. I took a large quantity yesterday, they kept like 3 pieces and I got $15.

I am hoping this link works, it is acting funny for me today. Here is the recommendations of the ASBMS - I base my Vitamins from what my Dr says which follows directly with the ASBMS. The chart is on page 7 of the PDF

http://www.google.co....45512109,d.eWU

Sorry to hear you are going through this! It sounds like your team is on top of everything! Hang n there! I have heard stents suck!

I think it is the lifestyle change also. My NUT was saying that Medicare is the only insurance they deal with that requires any length of time before surgery - I am thinking these people aren't prepared for the changes, didn't have enough pre-op time to really let things sink in. I think the pre-op time is so important!!

I would say at the end of your diet progression - so maybe 12 weeks?

Not sure if this applies, as I am not a smoker (of anything) but my doctor told me that smoking really affects the time your body takes to heal. His words were "With smokers, all bets are off."

Mine too was at the top, they told me it is the most common place on the sleeve because of the curve I guess?

I didn't have dumping before surgery but not sure if before the leak, I wasn't eating much then - I know now it was because the abscess was pushing on my sleeve.

My tastes had changed right after surgery but have slowly went back to normal. I actually found a Protein shake I LOVE - Matrix Mint Cookie.

I haven't heard much about the glue or clamp treatments. I have only heard of one other person who had the j-tube. Seems like the stents are the main treatment.

Hello!!

These gosh darn leaks cause so many problems. It sounds like you have been to the bottom of the pit too!!

What a great day it must have been to get the j-tube out!!! Relief I am sorry. Where on your sleeve was the leak? Mine was at the very top!!!

Cheers to a fellow non/never have smoker!!! Arg... Not sure why cigarettes are made and sold!!

Sounds like we had never different treatments for our leaks. But both of these situations j-tube and NPO or stents do not seem ideal!!! I was supposed to receive this glue over my leak and the clamp placed over it after my stents. I was so happy to not have the glue and clamp after the stents. I woke up during my stent removal!! Blah. That was the most miserable feeling.

How weird that you now have dumping. Did you experience this prior to your leak?

My test has changed completely. I have no idea what I like or don't like. One things for sure I am burned out on Protein shakes and all their glory!!

Have a great evening!!

Thank you again for sharing your story with me. I am thankful and appreciate knowing that you're a year healed and doing AMAZING!

Best,

Sannah

my labs showed my ferritin was high at 6 weeks but my Nut didnt realize until about 8 weeks and they sent me to a hematologist thinking lung cancer. he did a ct scan of my chest and saw my abscess in my abdomen, he personally called me and told me that he had no doubt when that was taken care of my ferritin would go back to normal. I met with my surgeon the next day and he told me he thought it was a leak and needed to go in and clean my abdoment out so we scheduled the surgery for 2 days later. After that surgery, when I had the leak test a few days later, it was standing up and didn't show a leak so they assumed no leak. About a week later they did another leak test and I felt nauseous and had to lay down for the rest of the test and then the leak showed when I rolled on my left side, there the whole time.

so how did they find out you had a leak at 10 weeks out?