AliveAgain

I was sleeved 1/30/12 and have lost 52 total, 15 of which were prior to surgery. I know I'm slower than others, but try not to compare myself too much. It will make you crazy. It's a marathon, not a sprint!

I think you need to focus on how far you have come instead of listening to your doctor. I personally think some of them are more concerned with their statistics than they are with each patient as a human being and individual. You have made fantastic progress with just being able to walk as far as you can as often as you can. That is GREAT! Plus, you were able to overcome such a downer experience without going straight to food for comfort! My doctor is the same, he tells me I'm not losing enough and not doing something right. Yet, he refuses to look at my food journals to tell me what I'm doing wrong. He rushes in our appointments and when I leave I feel like a failure. At our first appointment I cried a little because I'd had two days of weakness and near-fainting. I was so weak, I needed my husband to drive me to the appointment. The doctor told me he thought I needed psychiatric and pharmaceutical help. Yeah, from 5 minutes of being scared and crying he diagnosed me as depressed. I went to the psychiatrist and he talked to me for an hour -- said I was absolutely fine and would not prescribe anything for me. Turns out I had really low sodium/potassium/magnesium levels from the clear-liquid diet and that's what was making me feel like crap. Just because he's a good surgeon, doesn't make them good doctors. We're all just mice in a lab to them....

Thanks everyone. My husband says the same things, that some people don't want to offend me or may think it's a touchy subject. I have not told anyone about my surgery, so there would be no reason for them to know there should be a change. I have noticed that they do the "up and down" glances at my body and it seems to register on their faces that something is different.

I've lost 52 pounds and have dropped 4 pant sizes, 2 bra/top sizes. My family can see my weight loss through the webcam, and I absolutely know it's noticeable. I have the measurements from every two weeks that show I've lost over 10 inches in my waist alone, 8 in my hips. So why aren't more people saying something when they see me? I've run into over a dozen people who knew me at my heaviest, they talk to me for 15 minutes or more and don't say a word. I've literally had ONE friend say something to me and he whispered it in my ear, "Am I crazy or have you lost a substantial amount of weight?" To which he high-fived me, but it was odd he didn't want to say it out loud. Yesterday I ran into a recent former co-worker who sat NEXT two me for over a year and has been friends with me for over five -- and he didn't say a thing!! Am I crazy, or are people ashamed to point it out?

When I gained weight, I noticed my height went from a solid 5' 2.5" to 5' 1.75" which was sad but I knew that as we age our vertebral discs loose elasticity and we get shorter. Sun of a gun, I've been in two doctor's offices this week and both measured me at 5' 2.5" again! I had no idea my weight gain had put that much pressure on my spine. Also, I've gone back to my normal shoe size of 7.5. I was an 8 at my heaviest!

My regular massage therapist offers scar therapy for people who are prone to developing keloid scars - some people do, some don't. They can also develop under the skin in muscle tissue. I had this from an old shoulder injury and she did five sessions to repair it. I had a lot of bruising at the surface which she said was that keloid breaking up. Amazingly, my shoulder has not caused any pain since! And she agrees that rubbing incisions with cream or vitaman E oil will promote better healing and less show.

Really? I don't care to watch it more than a few minutes, hadn't noticed the change. Not surprised though, what he was doing must've been so damaging to his body. And he always looked so freaking miserable at the end of those challenges. It literally made me nauseous watching it. Did you ever notice how most of the people cheering him on were young, skinny-ish people? Probably a lot of the same people who write hateful comments on online forums and blogs about Carnie Wilson and other people who struggle with weight. The other thing that kills me is how these restaurants SERVE these "signature" dishes and turn them into contests. Love watching Cooking Channel for recipe ideas, but lately it seems to be more of a bright light on why so many Americans struggle with obesity. It is so different in other countries...portion sizes, quality of ingredients, etc. I went to eat the other night with some friends and on a 5-page menu they called out ONE single item that was "Healthy, under 500 calories" (grilled talapia). Naturally, it's what I got. Waitress says, "What side do you want?" Me, "Grilled vegetables." She says, "It comes with another side, what do you want?" I asked her if I had to get another side and she said yes. I asked my husband what he wanted and he ate the fries!

Yes, my surgeon told us at the pre-op seminar that the sleeve absolutely does stretch. But slowly and over years and years. Even when it does stretch, it only goes from holding 3-4oz of food to 3x that, at best 9-12oz of food. In fact, another sleever posted a great image of this a little while back: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/31265-sleeve-size-after-surgery-and-4-years-later/page__fromsearch__1 My doctor said it may feel like the stomach stretched in months 2-3 merely because swelling is going down from surgery and the lining is healed. But it's actually becoming the size they want it to be. Remember, a normal stomach can hold up to 60oz!! Which is why that stupid show "Man vs. Food" exists, though it's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen.

My doctor told me the best way to measure solid foods is using a food scale as measuring cups are best for liquids and powders. Since an ounce is a unit of mass, I prefer grams which is a unit of weight (the metirc system is so much better). One ounce measured of a powder or liquid is roughly 28 grams, but that does not equate with some denser meats like chicken or pork. Eh, but I think they're all pretty close. Yes, I am experiencing this as well - I can take in 4-5oz of food and be fine where I used to not be able to more than 2oz. Sushi is a prime example: 2-3 pieces of sashimi, some miso soup, and I was done. Now I can do 4-5 pieces (but I stop myself at 3.5-4), plus veggie and maybe one piece of a roll (I scrape off the rice). It's too soon for the stomach to have stretched, that takes years. But it will stretch, there are pictures from GI series that show it does happen. For two months out, my doctor said it's mostly the swelling that is gone now so the "real" stomach we're going to live with for the next few years is finally making an appearance. All the more reason to practice good habits, food journaling, and measuring!!

Yes, absolutely. It really is as though blinders have come off and now I really see how I must've looked when I was at my heaviest. I see a lot out on my daily walks, barely moving, shuffling feet or choosing to sit on the bench instead. One woman looked absolutely depressed and it took all of me NOT to stop and ask her how she was doing. I see them choosing the elevator instead of the stairs and want to grab them and tell them to come with me!

Maguro, sake, unagi (sushi) and it was YUMMY!

I highly recommend the Unjury and Nectar brands. They are 20-24g protein per scoop mixed with water, milk, soy, broths, etc. To boost for more protein, I'll usually use 1.5 scoops. I like making SF Jell-O with the unflavored Unjury to boost the protein. You'll most likely be on clear to full liquids for a few weeks, depending on your doctor's diet plan for you. Everyone's doctor is different. Mine had me on fluids for two weeks until I went to mushies. Then it was non-fat Greek yogurt, small curd cottage cheese which I still use today. After about a month, I was able to introduce shrimp, chicken (breast meat), turkey, scallops, fish, and some of the lighter cheeses. Can't stand the Isopure and don't do many of the ready-to-drink mixes as most are made with milk and I still can't do more than 4oz of skim milk every few days.

Can't STAND the Isopure... I don't blame you for getting sick off them!

Are you pre- or post-surgery? Which shakes are you drinking? I went through a period after surgery where nothing tasted good except Jello and the shakes felt like torture. But by the 2nd week it got better, and now I barely notice them. I have used only nectar and

I was consuming 60-70g protein, 64oz or more total of fluids, and about 400-500 calories in my second week.

Thank you for compliment! It's the best picture I've taken in years, and it was done using Photo Booth on a raining, boring day! HA!

I'm only in my 9th week and I've had about 3-4 stalls now. And yes, they are INFURIATING! But they do inevitably break, so hang in there the best you can. There is no magical cure other than staying on your diet, talking to your nutritionist to see if you need to lower/up your calories and/or Protein, drinking as much Fluid as you can, and trying to stay active. Mine tend to show up around my TOM, of course, then break right when I start. They also tend to break when I stop obsessing and sometimes after a "rest" day from exercise, when I only wash the car or do housework instead of working out or doing an hour of walking/biking. Keep reminding yourself that 43 pounds in 4.5 weeks is an AMAZING loss! Seriously, could you imagine losing that on your own before surgery?! Congratulations!!!

What the other posters have said is right on target, but I especially believe in the idea that we're not giving up food -- we're just giving up the AMOUNT of eat we used to eat (like Kimberly said). I really struggled with the idea mentally that I will never taste my parent's homemade cooking again, my husband's wonderful recipe's, or my favorite dishes eating out. But once I was able to go to solid foods, I realized I can still have those things just in moderation. Granted, I'm still being very watchful of what I eat having gone through a few stalls already. But when my husband was comped apple pie the other night at a restaurant, I had the smallest bite I think could ever exist. I mean it literally fit on the end of ONE of the prongs of the fork. But that bite was so amazing, and full of flavor. I savored it and was happy that I didn't want anymore. I was full of of 2.5oz of an unbuttered lobster tail and some broccoli! And yes, the waiter asked me three times if I was sure I didn't want them to prepare my tail with butter nor serve it drawn on the side I know eventually the weight will come off, I will get sick of being so diligent with my food journal, and I'll let the not-so-good stuff back in. But at least I know I won't be able to have that second portion of Pasta - hell, I'll be lucky if I can get through a 1/3 cup of pasta! Even if I lapse, I'll have this wonderful tool to remind me when I've had just enough. And it will be there to help me get back on track when I need to, along with the knowledge of what I know I need to sustain. Before this surgery, I thought 600 calories was starvation. There is a nagging voice in my head that still tells me that from time to time. But that's because before I was dieting at just 1000 calories, but still using caffiene, carbs, and sugar in that diet. I wasn't always watching what the calories were made up from! Now, I feel the best I've felt in YEARS and it's like it's clicked in my head. It's become natural instinct to go for the Protein before anything else. I've truly realized my relationship with food was very attached to my emotions and memories. Food became a source of celebration that it was the weekend, that I made it through a difficult deadline at work, and then on the darker side it became a comfort when I felt rejected by coworkers, or my self-esteem was extremely low. Little did I know I was making it worse. Now, I have so much time to do other things and not think about food or where I'm going to go for food later or what treat I'm going to pick up later. My food is there and it's for nutrition, not for kicks. Yes, I will still enjoy my Dad's chicken bog next time I visit, but I'll skip or go easy on the rice and have more chicken. Now I get to choose when I want to ENJOY the food instead of it having control over me. Now I'm able to cope with those emotions and moments with something other than food like taking a walk or bike ride, cleaning up around the house or doing a project. Or just enjoying the fact my husband hugs me ALL the time now because he loves that he can get his arms all he way around me again :wub: :wub:

Yes, mostly whiteheads around my chin and some on my cheeks. I actually had a few on my abdomen, if that isn't weird. Nothing big or scarring though.

Not sure how far out you are from surgery, but it sounds normal. The largest incision by the belly button is where they inserted a tube-like instrument to remove the excised portion of your stomach. It took about 4 weeks before I didn't notice mine anymore. I'm 9 weeks out now and I still get the very slightest bit of tenderness on one edge when rubbing vitamin E on that incision. Do be careful lifting too much. Can you borrow or get hold of a roller bag instead?

Have you had your magnesium levels checked recently? I've battled low-magnesium for years and muscle pain is one of the symptoms. Magnesium is a wonderful muscle "relaxant" that we normally get from foods, but not foods we're eating right now. I like to use magnesium citrate in the powder mix form, with water. Don't need it every day, but maybe once or twice a week. Things like antibiotics (that ShapeShifter mentioned) can rob the body of magnesium. Of course it could be mostly related to increased activity, but talk to your doctor if it persists.

My surgeon had a non-insurance fee that covers services insurance does not allow at all. Basically, I pre-paid for the next five years of services from him and his office. Office visits, dietician, registered nurse, supplement discounts, support groups, cookbooks, etc. So even if I lost my health insurance tomorrow, I can go in or call for checkups anytime I want and it's covered 100%. I can call the dietician on his staff every day of the week for the next five years, get meal plans, etc. Between that and my deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum, it all came to about $6K for me. He billed $18.5K to insurance of which $3000 was allowed, and my 10% was already part of that pre-payment I mentioned before. Then the hospital billed $107,198 of which $6200 was covered by insurance, and since I prepaid at the hospital I got an additional 20% off my 10% co-pay. The rest was made up of all the pre-testing stuff like the GI series, labs (excised stomach and liver biopsy), and the anesthesiologist fees (they billed $2400 and $1400 was covered). I'm not sure how much value there will be in those "uncovered" fees that I pre-paid, the next five years will tell. But I do like that I can call and speak to someone at anytime, with any problem and get tons of support. His dietician is very nice and she helps me a lot with what and how to eat. It's also nice to have easy access to great supplements, some of which were included for free as part of my fee.

I say there are no excuses for not being able to cook. I don't have a man in my family who can't cook for himself or for the kids - my dad, brother, husband, brother-in-law! I would ask your husband if he'd be open to taking a class or learning a few things from you, as a sign of support for what you're doing. I understand about feeding the kids, but perhaps now is the best time to teach them healthy eating options by making meals that are good for you and them? The steak and garden salad sound great, maybe next time try a cauliflower mash instead of potatoes? I'm only two months out so I'd say the hardest part of my surgery has been learning patience with the process. I've had a few stalls and to go from losing nearly a pound a day to staying flat for a week or more nearly threw me into a giant depression. It would've been the kind of thing in the past that would have thrown me into downward eating spirals. But I'm thankful that I have my sleeve and to go and screw it all up with bad food just seems senseless now. The stalls inevitably break, usually when I stop obsessing about it and just live normally.

The first week was hardest for me, I definitely got depressed. It does get better with each passing day and week. I found that trying to take even the smallest walks, taking a shower, watching a funny TV show, or encouraging others on this forum all good ways to stay positive. I think one of my first walks was literally across the street and back! Maybe play a board game with your daughter, or if you can do a creative project like coloring or making Easter eggs! I hope things turn around for you soon, please call your doctor if your symptoms get much worse.

Congratulations, Lissa! I'm so proud of you staying so determined. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We will get there with true lifestyle changes and staying patient with our bodies and ourselves. Can't wait for the next "before/after" from you!