KS Fort Worth

I've been keeping track of my obesity levels too - waiting to get to overweight category

NICE!!! Congrats!!
I was happy when I went from "Super Obese" to just "Morbidly Obese." Hooray! LOL

Well, that IS one of the goals of any WLS, and that's why most surgeons order a sleep study. If weight loss didn't make any difference, OSA would not be considered a comorbidity.

Six days post op, down six pounds, and I just realized that yesterday I went from "severely obese" to just "obese." I still have a long way to go, but i started out "morbidly obese" in February, and have not been this light in TWENTY YEARS! Not that long ago I thought I'd never be here again.

I had a plethora of NSVs this week that I totally didn't even realize! It's probably a good thing since the scale hasn't been moving much (almost 5 weeks out). I need any kind of victory I can get!
1. went off the (low) diving board at a public pool for the first time in years! I have a torn meniscus and was always afraid I wouldn't be able to get up the ladder. I also had fears of snapping the board in half! lol
2. I went out to dinner for the first time since being allowed real food and stayed on the plan. I actually went out twice, got chicken once and seafood once (all baked or grilled)... had maybe two bites of the accompanying mashed potatoes and rice (forgot to substitute my sides).
3. Went out bar-hopping with college friends and didn't drink a single drop of alcohol! These friends do not know about surgery and I want to keep it that way for the time being. I had to get very creative since there were many toasts to the newly engaged friend and to my weight loss (ha ha- the irony). An 8oz bottle of Water fit great in my purse for my trips to the bathroom! lol
4. I actually went to bars both nights this weekend and made it home without stopping for fast food. I used to be the queen of 4th meal- Taco Bell, Wendys, McDs. I was ssoooo tempted (this was the hardest NSV) on my way home because I was actually hungry. Instead, last night when I came home I had a few salami roll-ups and tonight had some milk.
5. I finally joined My Fitness Pal and started tracking my food. It's definitely not as difficult or time-consuming as I expected (the reason I put it off).
6. I went to see my psychologist for the first time since surgery. I was seeing her long before surgery and she was actually the biggest advocate of this for me and facilitated the discussion with my mom because I was too terrified. Anyway... she didn't recognize me! Legitimately, she wasn't just saying that. I was wondering why she didn't say hi to me when I saw her sitting outside the building!
Whoo hoo! As always, thanks for all the support! Love this place!

Six days post op, down six pounds, and I just realized that yesterday I went from "severely obese" to just "obese." I still have a long way to go, but i started out "morbidly obese" in February, and have not been this light in TWENTY YEARS! Not that long ago I thought I'd never be here again.

Congrats!!! I had my 6 week appointment on Friday and as of today I am down 50 as well. Yeah us. Isn't is a great feeling - 50 POUNDS! It makes it seem so real.

Haven't been able to check in for a while, but I'm back finally.
Had my 6 week appointment last a last Friday. Everything is going great and I've offically lost 50lbs! Still struggling with head hunger at times and craving lots of stuff I should stay away from. But I've made my first big step, never thought I'd even get this far.

Here is the link to eggface:
http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.ca/
I think your meal plan for the day sounds pretty reasonable. If you are looking to cut a little from it, I agree with the above, maybe some sugar free jam. Also, what kind of dressing are you using on your salad. Regular Caesar dressing is very high in fat, calories and carbs. And I think a little bit of chocolate isn't going to kill you either (but a whole bad of m&m's that is a different story).
I am a firm believer in moderation. I agree with UTGal99, that it is unrealistic the expect that you will NEVER eat any kind of treat ever again. I have to laugh when I see people say that they will NEVER eat cake, chocolate, fast food, alcohol, or anything bad EVER again. The sleeve is a tool and you DO have to change your habits and adopt a healthy lifestyle. But to place the expectation on yourself that you will never eat anything bad ever again is just setting yourself up for failure and self-deprecating behavior. The cycle of eating, shame and guilt, and eating more is so burned into our brains, that so many people continue to do it even after the surgery.
From the beginning, I choose not to count anything. I watch what I eat, have changed what I eat, and I have worked with my sleeve to be successful. Do I eat chocolate sometimes? Yup! Do I eat ice cream sometimes? You better believe it! Do I feel bad about? Not a chance! I didn't get the sleeve so I could live the rest of my life on a strict diet. The key is I eat these things in moderation. And I know my weaknesses. The surgery did NOT give me any more will power. I have chosen not to keep trigger foods in my house. If they are there tempting me, I will eat them. This may be a stance that you may have to take. I may have lost more slowly that some, but I am still losing 20 months post op and am below my target weight.
You need to find a system that is going to work for you. Look back at what you were doing before that was working. The point is, it has to be something that you can live with for the rest of your life, not just for the here and now to lose the last few pounds. If it is not sustainable, you might lose, but you will most likely end up gaining back.

Wheetsin gives you some EXCELLENT suggestions above. I will also chime in with the "just eat what you're used to, in small quantities" voices--you can always grab a few bites of something later on if you're still hungry. I was also scared about being sick at work--I'm a university teacher, and the closest bathroom is way down the hall, and it's not a faculty restroom--I definitely didn't want to be throwing up in a stall next to my students!! So my advice is just take it easy--don't eat new foods at work, and don't eat too much or too fast. You'll be fine. You might experiment with eating two or three mini-meals throughout the morning instead of one bigger lunchtime meal--use the extra time at your lunch break to get up and walk around or visit with friends or whatever. I keep Protein bars at my desk and typically a bite or two every so often can tide me through a particularly stressful or busy day when I think maybe eating a "regular" lunch might not be a good idea.
You should be just fine. :-) Slow and familiar is the key.

Update on dad: last Monday he went and had another scope done and since they took the stints out and let him heal on his own he healed completely the pocket that formed was fine and closed on its own. surgeon told him two Weeks on soft foods then he could move to solids finally! His surgery was march 5th so i'm sure you can imagine what hell he's gone through not being able to eat solids for 5 months...he's down 123 pounds.
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After hitting 330 for the second time three years ago, I told myself this was the last time. I lost 55 on my own by my 49th birthday. I told myself I would be below 250 by my 50th birthday. Instead I put on another 20. I had been considering WLS of some sort for a few years, so at my annual physical last November I told my doctor I was considering it. He handed me a business card for Dr. Kim and told me to give him a call. It took me two more months to make up my mind, but I finally got the ball rolling in February. I'm only 5 days postop, but still glad I chose the sleeve.

Hmmmm. Re-gain? Right. I'm way pre-op (more an explorer--my first bariatric appt is mid-August), but I'm staring at 100+ pounds to lose. Like, I re-gained FIVE pounds? I re-gained TEN pounds? Okay. I could totally live with that. At my weight, five pounds isn't a) noticeable; or significant.
What a blessing this surgery is!
As I read these boards I'm beginning to see that REAL life--at whatever weight--begins when you change your relationship with food. Like, boom. That's it. The sleeve, as many have said, is a tool. Not a magic bullet (I wish it were, but hey.) Plenty of people say that their view of food changes effortlessly, their taste for food changes immediately, whatever. Going in, I'm planning to have to face my dragons. I'm just hoping the surgery will make them smaller, scared, squash-able.
I am hanging in here, still one more Determined Girl

With the sleeve you CAN gain the weight back. This is going to be true of any weight loss surgery. The major changes that are needed to get to goal and to maintain it will have to come from you. You have to watch what you eat and exercise regularly to keep the weight off. The sleeve is just a tool to help you lose weight. It is not a cure all for obesity.

I posted this in another room and thought I would share...
Well guys....countdown begins. My surgery is on Tuesday. I am not sure what time yet. Dr's office said they would call me on Monday before noon to let me know what time to be at the hospital. I have everything I THINK I will need. WOW. I cannot believe it's almost here and that I have successfully completed TWELVE days of the liquid diet. GO ME!!!! Honestly, it hasnt been as bad as I thought it would be. Guess that's a good thing and hopefully I won't 'miss' food as much post surgery either. Weird though...I am not nervous one bit. I am so ready. This is a whole new chapter in my life and I am going for it. I will have my mother by my side through the whole thing. Husband will be home with the kids (1 and 3) and he really hasn't been supportive anyway during this process. But...I am ok with that. This is about my kids...and ME! ME! ME! For ONCE in my life...ME!
I will keep you posted!

I weighed 293 when I got diagnosed with OSA, bought a machine, and was fittef with three different full-face masks. I could never get the leaks to completely go away around the eyes, so I eventually gave up. I noticed about a month before surgery, after I had lost 30 pounds, that I was suddenly sleeping through the night, and my wife hasn't noticed me snoring. One of the goals of weight loss surgery IS to cure sleep apnea, or they wouldn't consider it as a comorbidity.

I would suggest you contact Dr. David Kim or Dr. Wade Barker. They are both in the DFW area and do a LOT of these, so their people are very experienced at dealing with insurance. (I chose Dr. Kim but did one consult with Dr. Barker, and have nothing against their practice.) There are several other bariatric surgeons in the Metroplex who also do a large volume. I have Aetna and had no problems, but I do know that the same company can have different policies with different employers. The insurance experts at one of these surgeon's office can help you wade through the "jungle." If you've already done a lot of the prepwork, you have a RIGHT to copies of everything you've had done, sleep studies, blood work etc. Could save everybody some time. You should also be able to get a copy of your health insurance policy from either Aetna or your husband's company. Sometimes, Insurance companies play games and will deny something just to see if you will go away, and approve it on resubmittal.
Good luck, and don't give up!

Hi! You have no idea how lucky you are that you were able to have this surgery at your age. I'm 58 and wasted many years being "fluffy". When you begin to lose weight and drop pant sizes, you won't miss the food at all. It is true that you can't sit and eat large quantities of food like you did post-surgery. However, you will now be eating a lot more frequently - just smaller quantities. You'll also be a lot more selective in what you decide to put in your mouth.
Once your friends start to notice your weightloss-and more importantly-guys-you won't miss the food. I promise you. At your age it will literally fall off you. Listen to your stomach and stop eating when you sense you're full. Don't go overboard and you'll be at your goal weight before your 19th birthday. Good luck and keep us posted. We're rooting for you

Good luck to you. Because youre getting this done at such a young age you will have the rest of your life to live so many great moments. Don't give up. Don't be scared. Go for your dreams.

I don't know that I "eat what I want" because if that were the case, I'd be eating Big Macs and Burrito Supremes LOL!! But when I feel like I need some chocolate, I eat a little chocolate. When I feel like I want Cheez-Itz, I go and buy a small bag of Cheez-Itz...I don't deprive myself of anything because I don't want to live on a "diet" for the rest of my life. Plus, my sleeve just won't tolerate a binge...Thank god!! I actually feel like my relationship with food is more "normal" than it's ever been!
I do notice that when my carb intake is up, I lose less. Like you, my weight loss has slowed down at almost 9 months out...but I'm okay with it!! I absolutely LOVE my life now!! I'm doing triathlons (which accounts for my carb cravings much of the time) and I feel great!! I sometimes have to remind myself that I didn't have surgery to lose a certain amount of weight. I had surgery to feel better and to be able to do the things I wanted to do....My goal has already been accomplished!!!

I no longer have a fever and I feel really good!

if you live by a mall with air conditioning you could walk there

I am not even a full month out (surgery was July 2nd) and I am down like 23 pounds from day of surgery. My clothes are fitting loose and I have soooo much more energy. I am already noticing my confidence returning...and my adventurous nature! The other day, I DIVED off a diving board - 3 times! My children have NEVER sen me do this! They loved it - and so did I!!! Also - we went to the movies, and my butt fit in the chair! My husband - who is 100% supportive and never made me feel less than sexy - is astounded! He is gone 2 weeks at a time - so he sees bigger changes than I do in the day to day functioning.......
I am excited...I haven't lost much in the last week and a half, but I have faith. food is not controlling my life, yet I enjoy SMALL portions of really good food that is good for me! I am hitting 60g of Protein a day - thank God I love fish!!

This is the first major goal I've been waiting for. I'm almost halfway there now. This dress will be WAY too big when I'm done!
Oh YES I did!!!

Maybe we should renew our vows while it still fits!
--danielle