CowgirlJane

hmm... not sure who this was targeted at but since it was shortly after my post, perhaps it was me. I do not claim to be perfect nor am I all that concerned with choices other people make. I am simply sharing my own experiences.
I do agree whole heartedly that you do need to find a way to live your life and deal with day to day stuff like vacations, parties, dates, birthdays, work meetings, business travel the list goes on and on. The basic shift in thoughts are that "food" is not the vacation. it makes it alot easier to enjoy social events when you see that food is still sustanence, which of course you enjoy but it is still just food.< /p>
I simply mean to say that this does not require perfection but you do yourself a favor if you stay with the basic rules (small portions, Protein first, no grazing) while still living life. I eat real food, and i enjoy higher calorie foods for sure but I still have decent restriction and feeling of satiety as long as i eat properly and take good care of my sleeve..
Some people get to goal in 6 months. if you are higher BMI it will take longer and you may never make it (look at stats if you doubt me). I know that some lurkers read things and I get PMs that say things like "I want to be successful like you" so I do not ever want to give the impression that I lost 150# in 14 months without being quite diligent and frankly strict. I do not care if anyone else choses my path, but it seems unfair to give an impression that is anything other than my truth.
Maintaining for 2 years now - and it is still effort.
My point is that NONE of us are going to be 100% perfect in our eating all the time. For goodness sake, we have to LIVE. So you go on vacation and overdo it a little? Get back on track the next day. Just because you break one plate unloading the dishwasher, doesn't mean you have to break the rest along with it.....
I know I'm a noob and in the "honeymoon" period of my surgery. But I'm also looking at this long term. If, ONCE IN A WHILE, I let my hair down a little and have a good time, I'm going to try to make sure I'm getting right back on track as soon as possible.I KNOW it gets harder as time goes on. But if I'm making good choices 95% of the time, I know I have a chance of keeping the weight off. I don't know. Maybe some of you can bookmark this thread and throw it in my face in a year or two when I'm struggling with maintenance, lol. I only know what I know NOW.
UGH. Sometimes the holier than thou attitudes on here are too much.

okay, and I have to say this - not targeted to original poster, but just in general. That period, maybe 5-8 months post op it is easy to get a little cocky. The losses are coming easy, you can't imagine how anyone could ever NOT lose weight post sleeve... la dee da... life is good! Warning, it does get harder in some ways and i genuinely believe that this window during the first few months, certainly first 6-12 months, you are laying down basic habits and priorities that will set your course down the road. It is never too late to change, but you might be surprised how many people come back to these forums, 2-3 years post op disappointed that they never quite made goal and have started regaining... lots of reasons that happens, but one of them is that slippery slide back to old ways. So, I do encourage people to think about vacations, trips, family reunions, parties etc in terms of "what do I need to do right now" and "how will this fit in with my life for the long term"?
I suggest that my way of handling (stay with basic program "eat small mini meals, Protein first etc, but eat lobster..haha) addressed both reasonably well.

I am 3 years post op and I travel and surely eat "crazy bad foods" sometimes.
Here are my thoughts - take it or leave it - I think that when you do a vacation trip it is MOST important to keep portions small and to not graze. So have that butter laden whatever, but just a tiny bit. don't let yourself munch and snack all day - eat enough to be satiated, eat those 4-5 mini meals (or whatever your program calls for). reason I say this is that you really haven't gone off your routine or caused long term problems, you are just eating higher calorie/higher carb food for a few days and it is much easier to go back to your routine once you get home. If you let yourself "stuff yourself" you will be hungrier and it might be harder to get back on track immediately.
I also try to stay really active on vacation and stay away from "food oriented" vacations. March last year I spent 8-9 days in Mexico, I actually lost weight even though I had been at goal for a year already.
when I drink, I stay away from sugary mixers.
So, this applies probably more to people who have alot to lose. I was determined to get to goal, but had to lose over 150# to do it. what I knew is that the honeymoon periond only lasts "so long" so I didn't drink, didn't go eating junky food and really didn't allow myself food vacations until after getting to goal. I realize this isn't for everyone, but in my case, it was something that was very important to me. That first year post op wasn't filled with fun and frolic for me, it was filled with disciplined eating and exercise. I only share this - not as any kind of judgement - but so that newbies reading this don't think that I lost that kind of weight in that time frame any other way - reality check.

I am 3 years post op and I travel and surely eat "crazy bad foods" sometimes.
Here are my thoughts - take it or leave it - I think that when you do a vacation trip it is MOST important to keep portions small and to not graze. So have that butter laden whatever, but just a tiny bit. don't let yourself munch and snack all day - eat enough to be satiated, eat those 4-5 mini meals (or whatever your program calls for). reason I say this is that you really haven't gone off your routine or caused long term problems, you are just eating higher calorie/higher carb food for a few days and it is much easier to go back to your routine once you get home. If you let yourself "stuff yourself" you will be hungrier and it might be harder to get back on track immediately.
I also try to stay really active on vacation and stay away from "food oriented" vacations. March last year I spent 8-9 days in Mexico, I actually lost weight even though I had been at goal for a year already.
when I drink, I stay away from sugary mixers.
So, this applies probably more to people who have alot to lose. I was determined to get to goal, but had to lose over 150# to do it. what I knew is that the honeymoon periond only lasts "so long" so I didn't drink, didn't go eating junky food and really didn't allow myself food vacations until after getting to goal. I realize this isn't for everyone, but in my case, it was something that was very important to me. That first year post op wasn't filled with fun and frolic for me, it was filled with disciplined eating and exercise. I only share this - not as any kind of judgement - but so that newbies reading this don't think that I lost that kind of weight in that time frame any other way - reality check.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

Proud Grammy lost over 100# and she is in her 60s.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

If 100percent regain is what his patients experience I would be thankful for the info and seek a surgeon with a better track record.
Yes, some regain happens, maintenance takes diligence. I lost 150# and have been maintaining. My sleeve was Dec 2011 - 4 1/4 years ago. I'll let everyone know where I am at 5years post op in Dec.
Sent from my KFJWI using the BariatricPal App

He likely makes a good living on fills and un fills. Please get 2 more opinions. My band to sleeve was 2011 and o am maintaining 150 pounds loss so he is full of crap

When we write things on forums, it isn't just the original poster, or the responders who read it. I betcha there will be many lurkers who will read this thread and it's good that they can see various points of view. My remarks are targeted at those people who are trying to understand this surgery and if it is a good idea for them. It's a freaking scary proposition to have part of your stomach removed!
My personal experience as a sleever can be summarized like this:
Preop - Terrified and anxious, I had to get short term medication to make it through the last week before surgery. The word "hot mess" comes to mind. It wasn't because I didn't want to be sleeved, it was because I had such a fear of the operation, such a fear of failing AGAIN (I was a failed band patient and there is no feeling of failure like failing after bariatric surgery) First weeks post op were very miserable and I was still fat. Struggle to get in enough Water, exhausted, anti-social, diarrea all that stuff. I never regretted it though because I knew this often happened and I just had to "muscle through it" Introducing solid food was another awful experience. I felt like I had to do it perfectly right since I was so desperate to succeed. I feared damaging my sleeve, I felt sick to my stomach, everything tasted weird, Water tasted like it had metal in it.... and I was still fat. The next few months were surreal. I didn't feel like myself and I can't even articulate why. While I got the hang of eating properly, it was disorienting for food to taste bad, to eat so little, to have food restrictions, eating FELT LIKE A CHORE. Then, I had an "ah ha" moment - this is the window of opportunity to change my relationship with food. Food is not recreation, it's nutrtion - novel concept for me! I often felt I would be happier just not eating, but I realized that is another form of disordered eating, so I took on the approach that food is like medicine - follow my surgeons and NUTs directions and take it on faith it would get better. Still fat, but down alot. By 3-4 months out, people were noticing the weight loss, I was feeling more myself emotionally, I was not as naseaous, I could tolerate a wider variety of food and it started tasting normal. I was in a good workout routine and loving that I could do more. Yes, still fat, but not nearly AS fat. I started thinking that amazing things MIGHT be possible. At around 8-9 months my appetite returned, my weight loss slowed and I was still about 40# from goal. I made a conscious decision to evaluate what was important to me and I got my butt back on track with good steady losses. At 14 months I made my goal of losing 150#. I could wear cute clothes, people didn't recognize me, I could eat pretty much anything (exceptions are rich ice cream gives me cramps and spicy food can irritate my tummy a bit) I am nearly 5 years post op and living a good life as a normal sized, active woman with a loving boyfriend. I am living a day to day life that I could only dream of. Many people dont know I had surgery - I eat small portions of very normal food. My kids are shocked when they see my before pix... but they tell me I changed inside too, not just the weight loss. I wear makeup, I love to dress up, go out, social butterfly all that. Life is pretty damn good and I am thankful for the help of the sleeve to get me here.

I can't believe it - 4 years since that scary day I was sleeved! I couldn't be more pleased with my results!

know thyself.
I got a bottle of Baileys for christmas. My christmas eve dinner party ended with us each having a small bit on ice. It has been in my cabinet since... haven't even thought about it until now.
A week ago, I bought a container of choc chip mint ice cream. I ate a 1/2 cup a day until it was gone - I measured.. I couldn't forget it, the siren's call was so strong it was all I could do to keep from eating until I felt sick which is why I put it in these tiny 1/2 cup serving dish and forced myself to not heap it. I should have thrown it away.
So, for me, clearly ice cream is something I probably can't manage all that well as it is an old trigger (I don't even like it THAT much but it just seems to call my name!) whereas a bottle of spirits has it's time and place and I don't have white knuckle it to ignore it whilst under my roof.
They are both empty calories, there are clearly healthier foods and drinks to consume, but one calls my name and the other doesn't.
I guess I have a problem with the one size fits all approach and I while I do agree that addictions can be a real problem, and should be considered - it seems like it is an overgeneralization to say that people in maintenance should "never" do ...fill in the blank...
We need to know ourselves and how to balance a healthier lifestyle against things we enjoy or find fun.
I know several cigarette smokers - talk about something useless and harmful to consume!! Why aren't we ranting about THAT?!?

know thyself.
I got a bottle of Baileys for christmas. My christmas eve dinner party ended with us each having a small bit on ice. It has been in my cabinet since... haven't even thought about it until now.
A week ago, I bought a container of choc chip mint ice cream. I ate a 1/2 cup a day until it was gone - I measured.. I couldn't forget it, the siren's call was so strong it was all I could do to keep from eating until I felt sick which is why I put it in these tiny 1/2 cup serving dish and forced myself to not heap it. I should have thrown it away.
So, for me, clearly ice cream is something I probably can't manage all that well as it is an old trigger (I don't even like it THAT much but it just seems to call my name!) whereas a bottle of spirits has it's time and place and I don't have white knuckle it to ignore it whilst under my roof.
They are both empty calories, there are clearly healthier foods and drinks to consume, but one calls my name and the other doesn't.
I guess I have a problem with the one size fits all approach and I while I do agree that addictions can be a real problem, and should be considered - it seems like it is an overgeneralization to say that people in maintenance should "never" do ...fill in the blank...
We need to know ourselves and how to balance a healthier lifestyle against things we enjoy or find fun.
I know several cigarette smokers - talk about something useless and harmful to consume!! Why aren't we ranting about THAT?!?

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

I can't believe it - 4 years since that scary day I was sleeved! I couldn't be more pleased with my results!

Here is another perspective. ...I had sleeve in Dec 2011...took me 14 months to lose 150#. For the first time in my life I am maintaining a normal size for over 3 years now!!! The whole thing with WLS isn't how fast you lose it, it's how long you keep it lost!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

@@LipstickLady when I was new to this site, I was terrified to post. I had alot of shame, fear of failure and I was emotionally very vulnerable - especially preop. I suspect reading a few others getting their ass handed to them helped me too. At nearly 5 years out, I am much less "compliant" than I was the first 3 years, but still hanging in there at a healthy weight and a happy life. I had to really really change to find this success after my failure with the lapband. I still thank all the IRL people (NUT, surgeon and others) who supported me with the truth as well as my imaginerary friends on this forum. Sometimes we don't like what we need to hear.

When we write things on forums, it isn't just the original poster, or the responders who read it. I betcha there will be many lurkers who will read this thread and it's good that they can see various points of view. My remarks are targeted at those people who are trying to understand this surgery and if it is a good idea for them. It's a freaking scary proposition to have part of your stomach removed!
My personal experience as a sleever can be summarized like this:
Preop - Terrified and anxious, I had to get short term medication to make it through the last week before surgery. The word "hot mess" comes to mind. It wasn't because I didn't want to be sleeved, it was because I had such a fear of the operation, such a fear of failing AGAIN (I was a failed band patient and there is no feeling of failure like failing after bariatric surgery) First weeks post op were very miserable and I was still fat. Struggle to get in enough Water, exhausted, anti-social, diarrea all that stuff. I never regretted it though because I knew this often happened and I just had to "muscle through it" Introducing solid food was another awful experience. I felt like I had to do it perfectly right since I was so desperate to succeed. I feared damaging my sleeve, I felt sick to my stomach, everything tasted weird, Water tasted like it had metal in it.... and I was still fat. The next few months were surreal. I didn't feel like myself and I can't even articulate why. While I got the hang of eating properly, it was disorienting for food to taste bad, to eat so little, to have food restrictions, eating FELT LIKE A CHORE. Then, I had an "ah ha" moment - this is the window of opportunity to change my relationship with food. Food is not recreation, it's nutrtion - novel concept for me! I often felt I would be happier just not eating, but I realized that is another form of disordered eating, so I took on the approach that food is like medicine - follow my surgeons and NUTs directions and take it on faith it would get better. Still fat, but down alot. By 3-4 months out, people were noticing the weight loss, I was feeling more myself emotionally, I was not as naseaous, I could tolerate a wider variety of food and it started tasting normal. I was in a good workout routine and loving that I could do more. Yes, still fat, but not nearly AS fat. I started thinking that amazing things MIGHT be possible. At around 8-9 months my appetite returned, my weight loss slowed and I was still about 40# from goal. I made a conscious decision to evaluate what was important to me and I got my butt back on track with good steady losses. At 14 months I made my goal of losing 150#. I could wear cute clothes, people didn't recognize me, I could eat pretty much anything (exceptions are rich ice cream gives me cramps and spicy food can irritate my tummy a bit) I am nearly 5 years post op and living a good life as a normal sized, active woman with a loving boyfriend. I am living a day to day life that I could only dream of. Many people dont know I had surgery - I eat small portions of very normal food. My kids are shocked when they see my before pix... but they tell me I changed inside too, not just the weight loss. I wear makeup, I love to dress up, go out, social butterfly all that. Life is pretty damn good and I am thankful for the help of the sleeve to get me here.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

There is already a huge long thread dedicated to before and afters.. but it is such a fun topic I don't mind repeating!!
This is what losing 150 pounds does for you! A girlfriend of mine said the sweetest thing "I didn't know you had a teenage daughter"...LOL. I do feel like I look younger being trimmer.
Taken within the last few weeks

This was taken in December i believe - I think I was 20# away from goal,back when I was a bit curvier. I was feeling pretty good, but, I like how I look better now even if my T&A disappeared since this photo was taken.

This is my before picture at over 300#. I don't have much to say about it but I KEEP looking at my befores to remind myself how far I have come.

I can't believe it - 4 years since that scary day I was sleeved! I couldn't be more pleased with my results!

Most of the replies are from peeps like me, who did NOT have DS. My understanding this is an issue with DS related to what you are eating. Talk to your NUT, veteran DSers to get ideas. If you don't know any veteran DS patients, message me because I do.
Poo pourri really helps mask odor from #2 but doesn't address gas. Still suggest it!