suzcomptime

Thanks for the response! Sue

I just had mine thinned too. The back and sides were sticking out and driving me crazy but I thought back to the thinning days and thanked my lucky stars. Sue

I have since edited question 2 & 3 so you have an option to use if you did not have hair loss. Thanks Sue

I created a similar poll a while ago but feel it better belongs on the veteran page in order to get more responses. I will use this poll to refer new sleevers to when they ask about hair loss. Thank you for taking the time to vote. I am 17 months post sleeve and well past the hair loss days but I know it is a big concern for newer sleevers. I am on a few support groups and this will give me info to pass along to those concerned about hair loss. I edited the poll so all questions relate even for those with no hair loss. It only takes a second to vote, please do so in order to give helpful information to those who have not been through it yet. Thanks, ~Sue

I wanted to update this post as well. I have had my sleeve 13 months and have had no complications or issues so the nickel allergy I have has not been an issue with the sleeve staples. YAY ~Sue

I went to the seminar prepared to do the band last November 2011. I liked the fact that if there was a problem, it could be taken out. It seemed less invasive, no overnight in hospital. Overall less of a procedure. I had my first consult with the lapband Dr. in December but someone at work was going for the sleeve and so I decided to consult with the sleeve Dr. too. I went to a couple of support meetings and were surprised that there were band people there who were switching over to either sleeve or bypass. I also read a lot of stories where people seemed to have a hard time finding that right spot between not enough restriction and too much. I also read about bands eroding and slipping and after giving it some thought and not wanting to do it twice, I decided to just go for the sleeve. I am so glad. I have been so successful, I feel so good and so normal. Including the 8 lbs that I lost from my first appt with the Dr until my surgery in May, I have lost 75 lbs and have 15 more to go. Each person has to weigh the pros and cons and make their own decision. Someone else I know from work has been very successful with the band and her husband is having it done this week. I also do not know if there will be complications in the future because of my sleeve. It was the chance I took. You weigh all the pros and cons and get input from people both that have had the sleeve and the band. It seems like there is more eating restriction with the band and maybe more nausea. I have not been nauseous but the girl I know with the band seemed to be but that may not statistically be the norm for these two surgeries, just happens to be our different experiences.

Progress Report: Sleeved May 2012, Down 75 lbs. 15 to goal. Age 57 I don't notice being cold as much now as I did about a month or so ago. I think your body needs to catch up and generally thin people tend to be cold, at least in my office experience. It seems more in balance now and I can usually compensate by making sure I have a standard sweater or jacket that I can throw on at work. I still get hot at times and so there is this off/on process with my jacket or sweater. hair loss has gone to about nothing so thankfully that is over. My hairdresser says I have short hairs growing in so I think I am past that period. Same with the indelicate subject of ummmmm, oh let's call it "lack of fiber" and "plumbing issues". Eating more veggies, taking Fiber gummies and making sure I drink lots of fluids has helped in that department. Really, 6-1/2 months out, I feel pretty normal. I never have nausea, I seem to be eating the right speed, chewing the right amount, without even really thinking about it. I eat most foods, don't have any that give me issues....that being said, I have not tried white rice and soft bread, both of which I have heard can cause issues but both of which I plan to avoid because I am aware that processed carbs and white carbs are not good for me. One area I need to work on is exercise. I don't have a lot of muscle and at my age, it's important to build and maintain your muscles. I have been successful with my loss without exercise and I'm hoping to pick up some lifestyle activities to build some muscle without having to do it on a machine. My body could use some toning especially stomach, triceps and upper thighs. I am thinking tennis & kayaking in the spring/summer/fall and maybe some swimming at the Y for this winter. I do feel that my face is feeling a little gaunt. Less facial fat to plump up those wrinkles but for 57, I don't feel too bad about that. I am so happy to feel like a "normal" person. I started gaining a lot of weight around mid 30's and for years have not felt like the "real me". Now I feel like "me" again. Besides marriage and children, this was the best decision of my life. My mother has type II diabetes, High BP, High Cholesterol and similar weight issues as I had. I saw myself following her path and took the plunge after having some slightly elevated fasting glucose levels and finding myself last winter at my highest weight ever. Health was the motivator but the part about refinding "me" was icing on the cake.

Glad that I'm not the only one thinking about this. It came up recently on another board where I am a member. I am 3 lbs from my original personal goal (still an overweight bmi) and 17 lbs from a normal bmi. I have slowed a lot but I still lose a lb or two here and there with this little ying yang with wanting and trying to lose to get to a normal bmi and at the same wondering how I get it to stop when I get there. I have only been sporadic with my working out and so my weight loss has mainly come from my smaller eating. I am still thrilled I had the sleeve, just thinking that I am in a routine of what and how I eat and now I will need to change it up to add enough to maintain but not to gain. HAHA, who would have thought 6 months ago that I would have this "problem". I also don't want to get too thin because at my age (57) too thin can age you, plus I don't want to be a bobble head either!!

Ha, noticed your username. I have a daughter named Amanda Joy and we called her Manda for short. She was born in '81.

I am a week away from being 5 months out. I was at an all time high last winter of 225 size 20 sometimes 22 pants. I lost 8 lbs before I started my presurgery liquid diet. I am currently 161 and wearing a size 12 pants. Just bought a size 10 pair that I could wear but I shouldn't yet because no one wants to see a 57 year old in pants that tight. LOL Another 5 or 10 lbs and they will be fine. Twenty six lbs to goal. Best decision I have made in a long time.

Thanks for the info. I belong to a group that were all sleeved in May and we are all talking about the hair loss and someone thought it lasted 5 months. I wanted to see what people on here experienced and report back to them. Luckily I have thick hair but not sure it can stay that way with the handfuls that seem to come out in the shower! I am going to try a new shampoo...anything to help.

Lissa, Thank you for being a source for the rest of us. Sorry for all of your tragedies and losses. It takes strength to not fall back to our old ways during these times of sadness and/or stress. I just started back on my heavier schedule (summers are lite, school year crazy busy) and have not made it to the gym this week since I've been getting out at 6 or 7 everynight from work. Now is the time to buck up and do the right thing. Thanks for the inspiration. Also, for you or anyone that is willing I have started a poll that I would love to see people that are 6 months or more out to participate in. I belong to a group of sleevers that were all done in May this year and we have all started our hair loss journey and they brought up some questions and so I decided to start a poll to see if I can get some answers for them. THANKS http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/51194-hair-loss/

I am 3 months plus out from surgery and am curious how long the hair loss lasts? I knew it was coming, but I haven't heard too much about how many months it typically lasts. ~Sue

I had the single incision. The Dr. mentioned it to me and I said: "at my age I'll never wear a bikini again so go ahead with single incision BUT if it makes the procedure harder for you, than just do it the regular way". He inspected my stomach and thought I was a good candidate (I am short-waisted so that makes sense based on the previous poster who mentioned long torso being an issue for si). I do not feel I had any more pain but of course that is hard to say. My incisions did not bother me at all except they itched as they healed and when mine were healed other posters who were sleeved around the same time seemed to be having issues with their many incisions. I think there is less chance of infections etc because less incisions. I actually had 3 but two were just little dots that had a surgistrip over them, you wouldn't know they were even an incision. I think that is where the camera and something else go in.

Hi, I think I posted in here earlier but wanted to do an update. I turned 57 about a month after I was sleeved. I was sleeved 5/21 and it has been one of my best life decisions. Last winter I weighed 225 (230 at Dr's). I lost about 8 from then until my pre-op liquid diet. Lost quite a bit pre & post op, (was on liquids 4 weeks). I don't think my age was a huge factor in the process or the healing. I feel great, I just started working out at the gym. Yes there is saggy skin on my stomach, upper arms and inner thighs but I just started working out so it will improve a little with that. Honestly in clothes it doesn't show. I have lost a total of 58 lbs since last winter, I have 32 lbs left to go to get to a normal bmi. I am quite happy and am not going to stress about the last 32. To be in a size 14 and heading toward a 12 is so much better than 20-22 and 2X that I'd think it was worth it, even if this is as far as I got.

Where did you get this information? I have read other articles about the link of increasing ghrelin in lab mice, increasing memory. Yours was the first post I have seen that said the opposite. Can you provide a source? That being said, I haven't really noticed a loss or gain either way. I still forget things but before surgery I was putting it to "old age"....but I really don't think it is much different than any one else. I was glad that I didn't have some type of obvious memory loss or I probably wouldn't be able to do my job....I have to keep a lot in my head! Almost 3 months out and it is a non-issue.

Like someone else said, being able to eat more is normal at the beginning because you are very swollen after surgery. Also, just think of this as temporary. Where you are right now, is not where you will be in 3 or 4 months. It is a temporary price to pay for a life changing choice you made for your health. You will be able to eat regular food again, just in smaller quantities. Of course, making healthy choices is start part of the plan in order to reach your goal. Get 60 Protein a day and you are set. If you buy powdered you can mix it double strength to have less too drink but it may taste too sweet. That is the biggest problem I am having that things taste too sweet or too strong. The other option is mix it weaker and just sip for a few hours and do that a few times.....gives you your protein and your other liquid. Oh, and my birthday is in a few weeks and I will not be eating cake. I may make some protein icecream though: The World According to Egg Face

I would suggest getting Unjury unflavored protein to supplement. You can put it into soups, yogurt, etc because some of the mushy/puree food does not have enough protein without supplementing with 1 or more protein shakes. If you can't stand the shakes, than at least try and get some protein in with the food you can eat.

Thanks for the responses. I hope I can be patient as well.

I belong to another group that were sleeved in May. People talk a lot about stalls and slowing down. My theory from scanning through the profiles and signatures that provide enough detail from members a few months out, is that you lose fastest the first couple of months but then things slow to more of an average of around 10 lbs. Can you comment to your personal experience? I feel that many are getting discouraged and may be expecting to keep up their 14 lb per week weight loss. How did your weight loss go? Thanks

Unjury chicken broth has been my life saver as warm is what I tolerate best. You have to be careful not too overheat the water as I guess it can make the texture weird. I actually use my meat probe thermometer and make sure it is 130 degrees or less before I add the Unjury to the cup of hot water.

I was told to leave the surgistrips on the two small incisions until they fell off. When I shower, I don't srub them, just let Water wash over and than pat dry gently. For my big incision, which I can't even really see since it is inside my belly button, he said to take the large bandaid off, pull out the gauze stuffed in my belly button, take my shower and then gently pat inside my belly button dry, put fresh gauze in there and recover with another large bandaid. So far, so good. I am 8 days out. Sue

So sorry about this tragedy I am sure your surgeon will be understanding and may help get you in when the time is right.