RawrrAshleex3

Sleeved 5/16/12 with multiple complications including a leak. Trust me, you will know something is very wrong. I couldn't hold anything down, hard time breathing (couldn't walk across the room), shook for no reason, intense acid reflux pain that couldn't be handled with meds, in and out of the hospital, etc

Almost 1 year out and my tummy still does this almost every time I eat or drink friends just joke my sleeve "Eva" is just being a diva again and talking back. She seems to have good timing *rollseyes* lol

It might change back. I like things room temp-ish before, then for the longest time I craved everything cold (surprised I didnt turn into an ice pop!) after. Now I'm back to everything room temp or a little hotter. Taste buds changed too. I dont mind turkey or asian as much, and not a huge huge fan of kielbasa/hot dogs/sausage/etc anymore. Used to love Shoprite iced tea, but its too tangy now.For a bit during complications the only thing I would drink was watered down apple juice (HATED before, and hate now). Still a carb fan though.. lol

Pardon my karma sutra, but sex is a million times better. Shopping for smaller clothes is exhausting because "everyone wears that size" but it still feels like a victory! Even your shoe size shrinks! You dont worry "omg, am I going to break this" or "will my butt fit on this". You dont think people judge you on your size anymore, but on how sexy you knew you were before "Why yes, I'd like to try a sample of [food]" doesnt make you double think errrr will people stare at me funny? (++, it serves as a meal early on haha hellooooooo Sams Club Buffet!) That meal at Applebees people scorf down in 1 sitting and are still hungry? Nope.. serves as 3 meals for me! And no more awkward "quarterpounder with cheese, 6 piece nugget, large fry, 2 apple pies, and a large diet coke" orders. (although they will look at you silly when you order a kids meal. Oh well its half the price of a regular meal you wouldnt eat all of!) Oh. And "crap theres a weight restriction!" no more of that! And "does this make my butt look big?" turns into a whooooole nother reason to ask! Although I would like to say, I thought clothes and accessories would be cheaper. NOPE! Just means I buy more because I CAN buy more variety at those stores I couldnt shop in before HELLOOOOOO Victorias Secret!

I cut mine to a long angled bob (after it had already started falling out REALLY bad) in October then chopped it into a short bob thing recently just because. (google Chelsea Kane, thats my haircut!) Nioxin puts out a 3 step hair care system I wish started using from the time of the surgery, it stopped it dramatically! Of course 5 months and about 1/3 of my hair later.. better late than never though! (I have to note though, I had a LOT of complications, hence why so much fell out)

Have you uped your cals? The body image thing I think is going to take a while for your brain to catch up, no matter what anyone tells you. My fam keeps yelling at me to stop losing (not that I'm even trying, I eat like a pig but I still dropped 2 sizes since Christmas.. Not that its a grand amount but I feel like I shouldnt be losing at this point let alone the way I eat) but I keep in my brain my sister is 2 sizes smaller than me and they dont yell at her.. And I'm extremely self conscious that my skin is so saggy in my thighs and my bum looks like it 'hangs' And the 9 scars that look like gross wrinkly white wormies on my tummy, dont even get me started. I think I'm more worried about the way I look now than BEFORE the surgery.. I think more people have these problems though than what is admitted.

I had Prokurat but Noyan assisted throughout everything. Both wonderful!!!!!!!!!

Hellooooooo McHottie!

Wondering the same and when we can eat "regular" size portions again... 7 months out can only eat a little less than a cup an hour.

Don't get discouraged, it will end!!!!! Also, just because you're not losing on the scale, doesn't mean you're not losing in inches. Watch what you eat and drink and your fitness and you'll be golden. Also, sucks for us girls but I tend to either maintain or even GAIN a couple days before I get my time.

To each their own. I'll be 8 months out on the 16th. I don't eat out often, but when I do I never deny myself because I know I'll crave it and eat junk in the meantime when I could have had that in the first place. When I go to Applebee's, I usually do the appetizer trio with wings, sliders or wonton tacos (and just eat the innards), and whatever 3rd I feel like and I'll eat 2 wings and a bite or 2 of the others. Paneras is always broccoli cheddar soup (with the little bread chunk I make it 2 meals). Cheesecake Factory last week and I got the Madeira chicken YUM!!!!! It lasted me 4 meals and I only ate about 1/3 if the potatoes but well worth it. If I want Pasta, I'll get it with chicken or steak. I got the blackened steak penne at Applebee's a few weeks ago and it lasted about 3 meals and I dumped the rest. Bk or McDs ill get a chicken nugget kids meal, eat 3 nuggets and a 2-3 fries and dump the rest. Wendys/Wawa/etc if I get a salad ill get it with chicken or turkey and just eat the toppings not the salad/croutons. I can only eat about 1/2 a regular beef taco, not worth it and it runs through me the next day. pizza I can eat 1 slice no crust over an hour (thin crust "jersey/NY style" pizza, not like dominos ill only eat the cheese off that lol) I've noticed even though I can only eat about a cup of something, I will eat it the same time everyone eats a full meal. I chew thoroughly, talk, and push my food around the plate in the meantime. I also will take super tiny sips of drinks throughout dinner (altogether maybe about an ounce). I don't really eat meal meals throughout the day, more so "grazing" on Protein and nutrient stuff. I snack on Protein Bars I ordered that are loaded with Vitamins as well my normal physician told me about as well as things like cheese, Jerky, and sometimes grapes. I have also done popcorn but it seems to be a slider food. I admit, I drink soda. Don't drink half a pack like I used to, but I'll drink maybe 1/2 a bottle of diet Pepsi at work everyday. There's theories you shouldn't do it because you can stretch your stomach, it causes ulcers and cancer, the caffeine causes hunger.. Honestly, there's really just no nutrition in it. I like it though, I can keep it in moderation and balance it out so I don't deny myself anything.

Even at 144, I'm self conscious about my appearance.. I liveeeeee in yoga pants work and gym (work has an extremely lenient attire code, heck my hair is blue!) I L-O-V-E danskin, have since I danced and excited Walmart carries a line and dirt cheap since I'm still going through sizes every few weeks. During the warmer weather I only ever wore their capris and now that its colder I wear the yoga pants. I do admit I went to Models and bought a 40$ pair of Adidas pants and they're much more comfy, but too expensive and don't hide the cottage cheese thighs like danskin Lola's far as tops, I just wear cheap 5$ thin v-neck fitted tees (walmart, target, wet seal, etc) with a kohls tank underneath (also about 7$)

What's couch to 5k? Where can I get the regiment?

Wow I feel lazy :/ luckily, I've never stalled, but only in the past few weeks I finally joined the gym to TONE. Not intentionally to lose, no matter how much I eat all day I'm still losing but things are finally starting to sag in my thighs so I do the bike, elliptical (even though I can only do 10 min, still better than nothing and working on building it up!) and weights on the machines until I can afford a personal trainer (I'd be the one to hurt myself ...) I danced for 13 years and was always into it after I stopped the recitals and whatnot a couple years ago (way overweight then too), trying my first dance (Zumba) class since surgery, this should be interesting! Also working towards being able to run as I'd like to do the color run with my sister this year

I believe they're every 3rd Tuesday 6-8pm at rwj h&f. I'm so bummed she's gone and no one will say why I have an appt Tuesday I'll have to beat up Prokurat for an answer

I forgot all about the contrast!!! Ughhh the first time they did it, I had a hot flash and started to cry ashamed because I really did think I peed myself!!!! Flgirlygirl; I had it in NJ, my doctors first and only leak. He felt awful. Even on days his partner came in to check on me, he still came, holidays and all. Even though it was a gastroenterologist that put the stent in, my dr pushed off his other patients and made sure he was in the room with me. When I was having second thoughts about the stent being put in because of what I read, he immediately dropped his other appointments and left the office to come see me and make sure I was ok and calm me down. I regret the surgery as well, probably always will. I never want to put my family and friends through that again.i never want to go through that pain and suffering and the blackouts and sleeping with my head in a bucket from the nausea. I lost more than just the weight, I lost "friends" and most importantly my fiancé. I'd rather be fat, healthy, and happy. I had a low bmi with no health problems and I myself didn't take the risks that seriously. If I could I'd go back in time and kick my butt for thinking to do such a stupid thing!

1. Did yout get stent? if yes, did it change the leak characteristics? Eventually. It hurt, not going to lie. I felt ok with the tpn before the stent when I wasn't eating. The stent made it feel worse, and I had problems with it shifting and I had emergency gal bladder removal at that time and they thought my picc line got infected so they had to switch arms but I understand that was also my body healing. 2.Did the drain discharge continually go down or it had up and downs? I never had a drain 3. Did it stop altogether, or at some point, lets say 1ml or 10ml per day, the doctor decided to pull the drain out? 4. How long have you had drain in you? were there mulitple or just one? 5. In another thread I think you said, you had leak test by using a dye. Do you know the name of the dye? Do they just mix in the food or you did that in the CT? The first one they gave me was clear and tasted like weird Water (they mixed it in water). They used that for all my ct scans. For my leak tests they gave me I believe it was barium. For my final leak test they gave me some gross chalky stuff and made me drink while they rotated me standing to laying down 6. If you got stent, did you do the dye test afterr stent? Before during AND after 7. Which antibiotic were you taking? How much, through IV or orally? I don't remember but they had me on 2-3 8. What tests did you do on the drain material itself? Did you ever do culture and sensitivity test? 9. Were you having food by mouth or through nose pipe before or after you got the stent? I still had tpn. They allowed me liquids but they made me sick so we relied on tpn 10. Did you have some fever in the night while you were recovering? There were a couple nights I did

No idea with mine. A staple at the top came out for one reason or another

Iggy I couldn't agree more!!!

How do you calculate inches lost? What parts do you add up?

On top of it his people skills suck. He's not very friendly, he acts robotic

I had strep (just didn't get to that dr yet) and he told me I had to do a sleep study because my breathing was off (no $/-/it! I was sick!!!) and I got a lovely 1700$ bill now for it

Bring your own stuff to theaters, they charge too much anyway!!!!!

I want to try eating yogurt again. It made me sick after, but I'm tolerating more now so I might be able to! The first couple months suck, but it gets better!!! And when you do eat out, with the exception of buffets, you get your money's worth lol