Izuri

Yes, anxiety can manifest itself in stomach symptoms. I know that when I'm very anxious I have a similar issue. My anxiety also happens often in the morning before work or school, so I just use protein drinks to get me through since they're easier.

What a great pic! You look amazing! =)

Do you measure your blood pressure? If you haven't, try measuring it when you lay down vs when you sit/stand up. It sounds to me a little like orthostatic hypotension (BP drop when you move from laying down to sitting/standing) just from the description you gave. It could also be anemia like you mentioned. I was very anemic when I was a teenager and it has most of the same symptoms of orthostatic hypotension - dizziness, light headed, etc. Are the insides of your eyelids pale? The beds of your nails? Are you paler than normal in general? Anyway, I'd definitely talk to your doctor, which it sounds like you're gonna do. Until then - be real careful every time you stand up. Feel better!

Scotty, You can do this! You made a mistake and you did the right thing - You admitted it and came for help. Today is a new day, and that means that the choices you made yesterday are history now, move on and make today the tone for how you're gonna do from now on. Are you charting on My Fitness Pal? It's a great tool and helped me endlessly at the beginning. If you are having trouble - put up signs, pictures, that remind you of why you're doing this. Make a list of all the reasons you wanna lose weight and post it on the fridge. Print out a picture of the size your stomach is so that when you go reach for that big sandwich you remember that you're stuffing into something the size (or smaller than) a banana. You don't wanna hurt yourself over a burger. And when you wanna eat and you know you shouldn't - come here. Answers as many posts as you can. Drink a big glass of water while you do it. Encourage people and you'll see that your attitude will start to wear off on yourself. Those all helped me when I have had trouble. Take advantage of this time right now, it's the crucial period to make good decisions and new healthy habits.

I'm just gonna echo the others a little. You started at a lower BMI, which influences your weight loss rate. While 29 pounds was an 8% weight loss for me from my starting weight of 325, it's a 14% weight loss for you. You have lost 14% of your starting body weight in 7 weeks. That's awesome! The less you have to lose, the slower it goes. Hang in there - and enjoy that new number on the scale =) It will keep going down!

Congratulations!!! I'm glad to hear that you're doing well. It's great that you're up and moving about, keep it up!

This is knowledge I have gained from here, reading long term members posts and many questions about it. I am by no means an expert, but my take on it is that since the stretchy part of your stomach is removed it is pretty difficult to significantly stretch your stomach. That doesn't mean impossible, but you would have to be eating large quantities often. One account of stretching came from a woman who was eating constantly. She would eat until she couldn't and then wait half an hour and then do the same thing again. If you have eating behaviors like this, or attempt to return to your previous eating quantities, it is possible to stretch your stomach some. I can tell you that I have eaten til I was full, I have eaten until I was overfull. I still have head hunger and struggle with food issues. But those times have been less than I can count on one hand, and I still have great restriction. I would say that as long as you are listening to your body and not intentionally pushing it, that you are not at risk for stretching aside from the normal small amount that comes from just regular eating.

I tried pizza a couple of months out. Occasionally my family will order it and I was craving some so bad for the first few months and everyone seemed to be having it all the time! But when I tried it I realized a couple things....1. It tasted different - it was much greasier and after chewing like 20x it starts to taste/have a gross consistency 2. The bread on it just did not sit well - it would feel like it got stuck right above my stomach and be a lump 3. I couldn't eat almost any of it anyway - two bites of pizza is totally not satisfying to me. And we are talking about pizza I used to LOVE pre-op. So it's not that I just ordered a crappy pizza or something. I've tried it a couple times since then because I keep thinking that it's the pizza I used to love, but I just don't like it anymore. I never thought I'd say it, but I think I'm over pizza, at least for the time being. That being said, I haven't tried homemade pizza on flatbread or anything. That's on my to-do list. If you do end up trying it, make sure you wait until you're on full foods and be prepared for it to possibly be different.

Thank you everyone for all the compliments! It's nice to hear that the difference is really visible to others too =)

Thank you! It really is nice to be able to look back and never forget where you started. It's really an incredible journey.

I know - I love not having a fat face anymore =p

I was really strict with myself the first 2 or 3 months. Hit my protein goal every day. Once I was allowed to work out I was working out almost every day. Lately I've kind of fallen off the wagon as far as that goes, but I've been working on getting back on the protein wagon (I'm starting to have some hair loss so I'm hoping it helps that too). I love isopure zero carb and muscle milk light and drink one or two every day. Even when I don't work out, I walk a ton. My boyfriend and I go places to walk almost every weekend, so I think that's helped. Mostly I just follow my doctor's guidelines and I still have great restriction so it works well. I have a feeling that at four months you'll probably be close to where I am =)

I took a couple new pictures today and thought I would share. I found some old pre-surgery pictures on my computer today and felt like I wanted to see where I was in comparison. Pre-surgery (Highest recorded weight: 325) Shortly post-surgery (Approx: 320) Approx 2 months out (50 pounds down) Almost 4 months out (76.2 pounds down) The last 2 are from today. They aren't the best pictures as I had just gotten up from a nap, but I really think it shows a big difference from where I started. I am so thankful for my VSG! =)

Starting weight: 325 Current weight: 248.8 New Years Goal: 230

I don't really come on the forums as much anymore, but I'd like to keep a record for both myself and those who are looking through posts to find information about surgery. So I'm trying to at least keep my blog updated once in a while. I had my 3 month appointment last month, which went well. According to my labs I am high on Vitamin D, so I'll be stopping my supplements. I am also low on my Vitamin A, which kinda surprised me because I never really considered it would be something I'd be low on, so I am going to be taking a supplement for that for a while. Aside from that I guess everything was good. I haven't actually gotten a copy of my labs yet, I'm waiting for them in the mail, so when I do get them I'll have a better idea of where I'm at. My weight loss has continued steadily. I am down 76.2 pounds now. It's hard to believe really. There are days I feel thinner and there are days that I feel like I'm still the 325 pound person in the mirror. It's trippy to fit into new clothes but not see the difference when you look in the mirror. I am solidly in size 24s and just on the verge of being able to fit into some 22s. I have not been following the diet as well as I should. I know that I have not been getting in enough protein lately, so that's something that I'm actively working on. I also have not been doing workouts, but I have been walking a lot. School has been busy, and I've been going to stay with the guy I am seeing almost every weekend, which means I am almost never home nowadays. I need to make it a priority again. I don't think I get enough in to eat in general. I have not regained any of my hunger, which is a great thing for my weight loss, but it makes me at high risk for being tempted to skip meals when I'm busy. I have been doing better the past week or two, but it's very easy to slip into the "I don't feel like eating" thought process nowadays. It's really kinda strange because I never imagined it was even physically possible for me to turn into one of those people who just didn't really care if they ate. But I don't. I have had my period for almost 4 months straight now. It started a week or two after surgery and I've had maybe one week off of it. It's not heavy like a normal period, it's on and off moderate/light, but it's annoying. My gyno thinks that it's all the hormones and the fact that my pcp told me I could use 2 nuvarings in a row without having a period. She sent me for an ultrasound to make sure there was nothing else that could be causing it and they think I might have a cyst on my right ovary that they're going to take another look at in 4-6 months when I have lost more weight, but that there wasn't anything that would increase my bleeding. I've got my fingers crossed that it will stop any day now. I think it has been one of the hardest parts of the surgery for me. It's physically and mentally taxing to be on your period 24/7. I know this is probably TMI, but I wanted to vent a little! My life has been good. Things are going pretty well with the guy that I've been seeing, which has been great. He loves to share meals with me, which I think is fantastic. School has been crazy. I am doing pretty well though, and I just can't wait for this semester to be over. I am really not cut out to be a pediatric or ob nurse. While I have had a ton of really interesting experiences this semester, I am ready to go back to adult care. I never thought I'd say it, but I kinda miss medsurg (I know I'm gonna be eating those words next semester). Anyway, overall things are great, I love my life, and I'm gonna keep working on keeping myself on track. Can I just say, VSG changed my life in a way I never thought possible. This Thanksgiving it is one of the things I am endlessly thankful for. Thank you modern medicine.

1) Increase your calories a little if you can. There is no point in starving yourself, just take it slow, eat every couple hours, and make sure what you eat is high in protein - Your protein goal is far more important than calories. 2) Accept the stall. It's almost impossible to do while you're in it, but a few weeks out I hit a stall that lasted 3 full weeks. I was nutty at that point worrying that I'd gotten stuck and wouldn't continue losing. I tried EVERYTHING I could think of. Eventually it just broke on its own. I know I am gonna jinx myself typing this so *knock on wood* I have not had a stall since. My weight loss is slowing down a bit now (About 3.5 months out) but I'm still losing a good 2+ pounds a week. 3) Do something fun. All the stress just increases cortisol in your body, which can be a contributing factor to weight gain. I dunno if it really makes a huge difference, but either way - getting out and doing something for you so that you feel good is healthy! You're doing great. Hang in there and the pounds will just randomly start coming off again one day after your body finishes adjusting.

Yay for having fun with intimacy finally! I thought that I was going to feel very insecure and uncomfortable, but I'm not. One of my favorite NSVs =)

It took a good 1-2 weeks til I was even comfortable sleeping on my side. I don't sleep on my stomach a lot, but I would say that the first time I did after surgery was probably about 3 weeks out, and I don't think I really would have been comfortable before that.

Felt like forever. I think they finally fell off/I pulled them off about 3 weeks out.

Surgery day: July 26th, 2012 Starting weight: 325 Current weight: 257 Goal weight: 245

I'm gonna be in class tomorrow, but wanted to update for Halloween since I've already passed my goal. My post on August 25, 2012 was: Starting weight: 325 Surgery Date: July 26th, 2012 Current Weight: 299 Goal Weight by Oct. 31, 2012: 280 But my current weight is now 257! I lost 42 pounds between August 25th and today. Still am not quite into my size 22s, but I feel great! =) I hope everyone did awesome and has a great Halloween!

It has been a while since I have been on here regularly and written on here. I haven't even updated my weight for a few weeks. In the past 3 weeks I have gone from 276.8 to 262.6. So I am still losing well, and steadily. I'm down a total of 62.4 pounds now! Holy moly, I can barely believe it. Even though I know I still have a lot to lose left, I feel like an entirely new person. My life has kind of done a 180. I have energy, I have confidence, I feel like I look good when I wear my clothes. It's incredible. I cannot even list all the ways this surgery has changed my life. I have struggled with depression for the entirety of my adult life, and a lot of my late teens/early adulthood, so the level of difference is like night and day. I have had good times before, yes, but I feel like I've come so far in being where and who I want to be. I still have hard times, I still am a horrible procrastinator, but I feel like whatever the day throws at me, I am more ready for than I have ever been. And....I think I have a boyfriend. He hasn't actually called me his girlfriend, but we did have a casual conversation the other day in which we asked if the other was seeing anyone else, and neither of us are, so I guess that makes us exclusive? He invited me to a get together with his coworkers next weekend, so we will see what he introduces me as, or maybe between now and then we'll chat about it. He's really an awesome guy, and we click really well together. Last night we went to a corn maze and walked around for about two hours - something I probably never would have done pre-surgery. He has said that I motivate him to eat better when he's out eating and whatnot. I thought that was really neat. He doesn't have a lot to lose, maybe 40 pounds or so, but it would be awesome to have him get in shape and feel better too. So I spent the night at his place and the whole day and night were just fabulous. I can add one NSV to my list about having more fun during sex =) Skinnier sex is much more fun. Sometimes I feel like I need someone to pinch me, like is this really real? Is this my life now? How did I get to such a happy place so quickly? Not that I was horribly depressed before, but I certainly was not happy. I cannot say enough how thankful I am for this surgery. I will have to remember to let my surgeon know Thursday at my 3 month appointment that he has been such an instrument for change in my life. I'm sure he gets it a lot as people lose, but it would be nice to let him know that I feel so appreciative for the gift he has given me (Even though I paid for it =p). Anyway, I just wanted to update because I hadn't in a while, and I haven't really kept up on my food logging or searching posts here. I keep trying to get myself back into the habit of it, but it hasn't worked. It will continually be something that I try to work on until I can finally make it a habit. I haven't been eating poorly though, and my weight loss has been great, so I'm not concerned or anything. That being said, I'm procrastinating finishing getting ready for work, so I have to head off. I hope everyone is doing well! Life is good. =D

I have seen a wide variation of posts on this topic, from not having a period at all, to having very heavy periods. I was curious though if anyone has had a similar experience to me. I have been on my period on and off for the entire 3 months since I've had my surgery. At first it seemed like I was just getting it more often, but now it will start at the drop of a hat. I have just started seeing a new guy, and would love for things to progress in that department at a normal rate, but I'm kind of terrified that it will start up, since it does any time my hormones seem to get going. I knew hormones going wacky is normal, but this is really getting stressful. I started the Nuvaring today, which has been prescribed to me for the last couple months, but I'd been afraid to take it. I'm hoping that might have an effect. At this point I am even willing to go through a stall if it puts me on one just so that I can have a few weeks off! I have an appointment with my gynecologist in a few weeks, and I have my 3 month follow up next week so I will ask my surgeon, but I was hoping maybe anyone had a little insight on it or just to know whether anyone else is having this issue.

What is this only word? That's like 6+ pounds per week =p You're doing awesome! When else have you lost 25 pounds in only one month? You should be jumping for joy, you're doing great!

Yeah, we did meet online. I really am pretty shy in person, so it gave us a chance to get to know each other a bit ahead of time.