Pookeyism

A few pics to show my weight loss: Me before. Me as a bunny (just kidding but aren't my guys AWESOME, lol). 90 lbs down. before and after on pants - size 24's (not my biggest jeans, either) and men's 36" waist . Not sure how far I will go from here - I fit into almost all 14's and some 12's (12 are tight). I am currently at 190 lbs.

Dr. Ata Ahmad, 1/4/12 You are in my backyard!

It should have read "wholly transitioned". There was also a brief explanation that I can't do solids consistently...I am not sure why my phone keeps editing my posts! I do mean go back and start again on a softer level...maybe give my tummy (George) time to do his thing.

Get in some Water - not liquids water. Then get in some protien, after waiting the optimal time - somewhere in there get in your multi... You really have to keep with a food schedule, and make sure you have decent food options available. It could be you need an antacid - especially if you feel ill along with the hunger sensation. You could be dehydrated. BUT - anythime in this journey you feel truly nauseated, check your heart rates, and "feel" for further discomfort - breathing, claminess, sweats, pain - many of us have heart issues and this is taxing. Nausea is overlooked way too often in my opinion...

Why do you need to make a decision in so little time? This is no small thing. If a doctor is pressuring you to fill a spot, STOP, and go somewhere else. The forum is great, but how much research and preparation have you done? These surgeries are a big step, not your only options, and you really, truly, need time to prepare - are you on a pre-op diet? Are you seeing a counselor, a nut? (not are you required to see one - are you seeing one). All the best to you, but please don't rush - no one here will be living your life, once you have made your decision.

??? just from what it sounds like, it sounds like a rip-off! these surgeries are only decreasing in cost, and if you are paying ahead of the surgery anywhere past just enough time to reserve a spot (maybe a month or two out) you are being cheated. save your money in an interst-bearing account - the best you can find. Earn interest while you save - do not pay it to someone to earn from your money!!!! better yet take a look at your finanaces and be sure there isn't somewhere better to put this payment - for instance I have an aquaintance who recently mentioned saving for her surgery is delaying 1) paying off her car note and 2) paying off a credit card. the car note was almost resolved and was a reasonable rate - so she is keeping with that and paying it off on her existing schedule - BUT her credit card is at 26% interest, and she owes over 3, 000$ - which is about what she needs to finish covering her surgery. She was going to save 3000 while making a 2x minimum payment on the card...and had been "saving" for 8 months when I found this out! She is now dropping the savings for the surgery directly into the card, and an additional 600$ that her mom is gifting her for airfare, which covers all but 300$ which she will have by her NEW surgery date, which will be July 2nd - months ahead of what she would have been able to do - and saves all those cc charges she would have paid, while the $$$ was just sitting there. Getting off the soap box...my point is, I guess, just look at all of your resources, and go from there - saved money in the face of debt is often wasted money (yes I know but, yes, I know).

This is a general post in response to the questions about what to cook, or eat once you can have solid foods. I got everything on this plate from Central Market on Westheimer (an HEB grocery store). For those of you nearby - it is a wonderful market and nowhere near your typical food store. "raw food" or "a la carte" combos can be so nice! from 12 o'clock counter clock wise: feta cheese, olives, chick peas, sunflower seeds, heart of palm, honeydew (green) mango ( yellow) cantaloupe (orange), tortouga oil biscuit (think oil crisp cracker) and edamame...mmmmmm! I can't eat this whole plate - a fourth to third. I was going to post an after but I was assisted by the squirrels and birds, so it was gone at the end, lol.

Also any reason you have had a charcoal based product, or somethingn like pepto bismol (bismouth) will produce black stool.

Five months out, and really never totally transitioned to solid foods. I think I am going to take a week or two, do a boot camp, and start making thorough notes on my day to day progression back to solids. I will not be goin gback to clears...just protien shakes and exceptionally runny mushies - with a strong emphasis on low-carb. Has anyone else done this?

That is really not necessarily so - research the type of pant, and or the cut...for example a true pilazo will hang from teh hips and minor glutes the way a full skirt will...while the emo pants will hug every cirve and is designed to , of worn properly, draw a ligh straight across your bottom, rather than , er, ride "up there".

Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to take your Vitamins. Other than that be patient. keep your calories up rather than down - but focus on protien. Get a tight tshirt so yo ucan confirm you are still losing inches - I bet you are. STAY THE COURSE! stick in there! Just wait it out. Yo uhave this wonderful tool that keeps you from feeling starved. Just go as you would - read your books, see your counselor or attend some meetings, etc. And again, just wait it out - you now have the power to beat the stalls.

You may be eating too little, or you might benefit from more dense protien.

I would tell your friends and fam what you told us. make plans starting about 1 week out - day trips trips to exhibits at museums, outdoor festivals, exercize classes and support groups - art or hobby classes, anything and everything...keep busy.

Its pretty good - I put it in mootopia choclate milk, and hoodia soy milk, and even some soups...just remember dont get it past 130 degrees! It will denature. I mention mootopia alot - it is a HEB grocery store product, but may be found elsewhere - I am not sure...50% more protien, lactose free, and 45% less sugar... SO with a scoop of unjury, it becomes 80z of cholocate milk with 32g of protien...

What would the flight cost I wonder???

I do not think you shoudl assume you need surgery again. The sleeve is supposed to help us learn new habits, get away from old situations and relatonships with food. It was a long-term tool for longer term results. maybe do the liquid boot-camp while getting back into the mentality you need to be Ok again. I am not accusing but perhaos if I mention it will help...so with the risk of being the b***h - lets get real: Your stomach has not expanded enough that if you are following an healthy lifestlye and "the rules" yo uwould be gaining any real amount of weight. You have to sick to healthy foods - and you can't ignore that carbs, sodas, fats, and junk/fast/fried foods are no good. To be gaining you are doing something different than what you were doing to lose. That's it in a nutshell. The malabsorptive route will not help in the long run if you do not correct your habits. I don't want to be mean and I sure didn't intend to - I want you (all of us) to be okay, and successful.

I have and would be opposed to plastics to do small vanity things. The risk vs. return is not worth it. Having said that, I should mention I was once in a situation that required extensive reconstruction to my face, over a long period of time. I cannot complain it was never like you see it sometimes - it wasn't burnes or cancer but alot of cracked bones, the part of the jaw that held my teeth suffered extensive fracturing in several areas - I fought a losing battel for a decade to keep several teeth. A prt of my cheek bone is a prosthesis. People say you can't tell, but I can - I "see" it still. With that said, let me explain. Extensive reconstruction, even when it is correcting things that go beyond cosmetic, beyond "vanity"...you MUST, or really should, face this with as much effort as you put into the weight loss surgery. You are going to need it. It is an emotional event, and the results are profound. If it was like my experience, you are going to have to deal with alot, and depending on how ready you are, it will be hard. But the lose skin and maintenance I already experience, is an indication to me that I will indeed have to make myself ready for thar once again. It is scary, aside from the extensive modification of my body, I have concerns of remembering things that I have been able to push to the periphrial part of my memory...things I really don't want to visit again.

So pretty! I bet you feel so much better! And summer has just started! What an inspiration you are! I LOVE THESE POSTS!

Just recognize why you did it, what your trigger was, and dont do it again.

Yay for you! Welcome to the losers bench - we always keep several seats warm and ready for our next brother or sister!

If he stays with the kids, woudld there be a friend that could come and stay the first evening?

Having been stabbed in the stomach once upon a time (don't ask), I would have to say no. I think he was referring to the 5 incisions they make for the laporoscopic procedure. There are varying levels of pain for this...one of my most consistent was a site whee an internal stitch was set high and my belly pulled on it. I will still get a small twinge. Or at least I think I do it has been a couple of weeks.

I thought I was not going to have much, because I didnt loose hardly any for 3 months then in April !BAM! My regular stylst just seemed lost...I ended up going to a place called sports clips...I figured I needed a short do, and I had thinning hair - so I went to a guy's hair shop. Apparently I am not the only fem that does this. She looked at my face and my neck and said "pixie cut". I have had a dozen compliments in less than 24 hours. I also realized I have a crazy long neck! lol

Where are you at? I don't compete yet...but the first day at the groups weekly get together where they practice and spar and whatever, lol, I went to get a Water after we had been sparring and I heard this guy go "she hasnt done this in ten years? no f-----g way!" That felt good!