Jenny12

Hi everyone! I don't come around as much as I used to (Or should!!!), but I wanted to pop in and post an update on how I am doing. I am about 18 months post op. My highest weight was 206, and my lowest weight was 112. I reached goal of 125 lbs about 10 months after surgery, but I continued to lose. I have regained a little (I needed to, my butt disappeared). I'm at about 118-119 lbs right now. I'm wearing a size 2 in most brands. I wish I could say that I know the road ahead looks easy, but it doesn't at all. I will have to kick and fight my way ahead if I want to maintain this weight. I don't really rely on "restriction" much anymore. I can't eat as much as I could before surgery, but believe me, I can still put the food away! Just takes a little longer. since I was trying to regain a little, I wasn't watching my intake as much, and am pretty shocked sometimes at the amount I can eat. I did recently (two months ago) come off of my birth control (May get back on it), but I notice my appetite is pretty intense right before my period and I'm also able to eat more during this time (less restriction). Not sure why, but it is noticeable. Junk food is so easy to eat. So easy. And actually all food is pretty easy for me...I never had any issues eating anything. To this day I can eat bread and pasta without a second thought. Nothing makes me sick. I haven't weighed my portions in a while, I'm at a point where I can eyeball things. If I were to guess, I'd say I can eat 8 ounces protein and a side. But I get hungry very quickly. Usually within an hour I am hungry again, regardless of what I eat. It must go through my system so much faster than before surgery. Because even before surgery, my last meal stayed with me longer than it does now. The full feeling I have now isn't the same feeling as it was right after surgery or even at a year post op. Instead of a really painful pressure, like not a single bite more will fit, it's now kind of like just a normal full feeling similar to before surgery (but of course I reach that feeling sooner now). I'm not sure if it's because I've learned to stop eating at the right time, but I think it's more that my stomach has relaxed a lot and this is just how it is now. I do miss the painful restriction feeling. I'm still glad I chose to have the surgery. It wasn't easy but it's been rewarding and at the end of the day I can't sit down and eat an entire large pizza anymore, and I think that's a very great thing. I hope you all are doing well!! - jenny

It seems everyone's sleeve is a little different. I'm almost 15 months post op and I can certainly eat two pieces of pizza too. However, I can eat less than 4 ounces of lean dense pork loin. So for me, it's about the types of food.

I've been taking Seroquel for a few years now. It has literally changed my life. Before it, I NEVER slept.

I was a diet coke addict before surgery, and I'm a diet coke addict after surgery. I gave it up in the early stages of post op, maybe 3 months if that. I have been drinking it ever since with no issues. I admire all of you who kicked the habit! It hasn't hindered my weight loss efforts in the slightest, and although it may not be good for me, I figure I could be doing a lot worse if this is the worst indulgence I have. Haha. Cheers (as I hold up my glass!)

I think everyone jumping down the OP's throat needs to grow up. I definitely understand where he/she is coming from and I don't feel it is pure negative judgment at all. If I had gone to something like that early on in my journey, I probably would have felt the same way.

Only shakes for two weeks. Then I reintroduced lean protein slowly after the two weeks were over.

I drink with my meals. Not a ton, but I do have a few sips throughout and drink normally afterwards. Doesn't seem to affect me. I can eat the same portion with or without drinking with it. If for some reason this changes and I start gaining weight or eat too much, I will stop. For now, it doesn't seem to matter much.

I absolutely love their protein bars!!!!! I eat them daily. In fact, thanks for the reminder, I need to order more!

He is having to take like 4 or 5 acid pills a day. Severe reflux

Hi all. Any help appreciated. My boyfriend had surgery with Dr Alvarez on January 6th so he is almost 8 weeks post op. He can't really eat anything at all without throwing it back up/regurgitating. He is now starting to have issues with liquids. They aren't sitting well with him and last night I witnessed him throw up water, which concerns me. I am 14 months post op and never had the issues he is having. At his stage I was eating very small portions of dense protein, but he can't do that. He wrote Dr Alvarez an email asking if he is having a complication, but no response. So I am wondering if his other patients can let me know if this is maybe normal for him? Maybe his stomach is just super small and swollen? More so than mine was, obviously. But, different surgeons, so it's hard for me to compare. I'm wondering if his stomach is twisted or something. Advice?

I'm almost 14 months post op. Can you eat a whole apple? Yes, easily. Can you eat rice and Pasta without discomfort? Yes, no discomfort for me. I can eat anything. Do you ever have the occasional glass of wine with dinner? Once or twice. I used to love wine, but lately it just tastes bitter to me. I don't think this is a sleeve issue. How have your close relationships been effected by your weight loss? I don't think they have been affected much, honestly. I'm a bit more confident in my day to day encounters, but that's about it. Are you able to quickly drink a glass of Water on a hot day or after a workout? Yes, not a problem. If you were an emotional eater, what behavior have you replaced the emotional eating with? Shopping Do you have any sadness associated with the inablilty to eat a large portion of something incredibly delicious? No, not at all. Maybe a little in the beginning. I'm content with the amount of food I can eat. Not too much, not too little.

I still enjoy food very much. I look forward to eating. Haha. I just can eat more like a normal person now, and not someone who has enormous binges.

I'm in Nashville. I had surgery at Centennial with Dr Houston 13 months ago. Best of luck to you all!!

I'm not sure I understand. You said you have no restriction but that you can only eat up to 4 oz of chicken. Heck, I can eat more than that. it sounds like your restriction is just fine to me. Sliders can be eaten in much larger quantities. Am I not understanding correctly? I'm very curious, since I'm 13 months post op now and others' level of restriction is interesting to me because I compare it to my own.

I'm 5'2" and my starting weight was 206. I reached my goal weight (125 pounds) in 10 months. I'm 13 months post op now and this morning I weighed 115. I only have a very small amount of saggy skin on my upper thighs and upper arms, but not bad at all. If I actually worked out for a couple months, it probably wouldn't be an issue at all. It's pretty minor in my opinion. My stomach is actually flat with no sag. In clothes, you can't tell I have lost any weight. best of luck on your journey!

I lost well over 100% excess weight. It's very possible if you want it to be possible.

Everyone has a different opinion about this. I'm 13 months post op now, but when I was about 5 or 6 months out I also found myself eating badly. I did for about a month and then said no more. I didn't know what else to do other than go back to protein shakes for two weeks. That's it, just protein shakes. It was hard but I stuck to it for two weeks and then slowly started to eat protein again. This got me back on track. It got me over that hump and took me to goal and well beyond it actually. So, try that. Maybe it will work for you too. It was HARD though, so you just have to stay strong.

I'm in maintenance, but my plan was also no bread, pasta, or rice during weight loss. I stuck to that and it's one of the reasons I was so successful. I eat plenty of carbs in maintenance now, healthy carbs. Use your honeymoon phase wisely. It will be over before you know it.

I don't really know anyone who can't stop losing weight if that's truly what they want. Best of luck.

That's tough. I feel for your daughter. I also feel 13 is entirely too young for this surgery, but if you're going to do it anyway, at least please save up and do it with a reputable surgeon in the US at a center of excellence who has the pre-op and post-op programs that she can be involved in that are so very important, especially for someone so young. She is going to need even more assistance than the rest of us I would think. This is a very life changing surgery. I'm not saying Mexican surgeons are bad at all. My boyfriend just got back from Mexico a month ago. But someone so young, at least do this at a great hospital here in the United States who maybe has some experience with someone who isn't fully grown. But if your mind is made up: Dr. Alvarez or Dr. Acevez. I wouldn't go to anyone else in Mexico (only MY opinion based off of MY research, no disrespect to anyone else's surgeons in Mexico).

My diet is considerably much different now that I am in maintenance compared to what it was like in my weight loss phase. During weight loss, I tried to stick to 600 calories and less than 20 carbs a day. I primarily ate lean Protein and a few veggies. I'll be honest and say I did not exercise, and I still don't. I am lucky and apparently have a pretty high metabolism for someone so petite who doesn't work out. I maintain 116 pounds easily while averaging 1800 calories a day. I eat a LOT more carbs than I did during weight loss, but I eat good carbs. I do have little treats often, but I log every single bite that goes into my mouth. So everything is accounted for and I know what I am doing.

I got to goal in 10 months (81 pounds), but went on to lose a total of 90.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! It really helps to break it down and have the numbers right there in front of you.

I'm over a year out. I can eat a lot more than I could in the beginning. I'm in maintenance, so I don't only eat protein now. I try to get a lot of fiber in. For dinner I just ate grilled chicken mixed up with tomato salsa, shredded lettuce, and a small amount of sour cream. It equaled 7 ounces, and I feel like I could easily eat a dessert but I will wait to eat a snack later in the evening (probably a light protein bar). So, that sucks (for me). I wish I had my old restriction back.

Definitely weighing daily, but even more importantly right now is tracking every single thing I put in my mouth. This is what is keeping me on track! I have an "official" weigh in day every Friday. I record this weight in an Excel sheet along with all nutrition information for each day of the week for the Friday-Thursday before the Friday weigh in (calories, carbs, fat, Protein, Fiber, sodium). Then I do an "average" of all of that, and see where I am averaging for the week. This sounds completely obsessive after typing that out, but I didn't pay this much money and invest this much time and effort to gain anything back! I've also found Protein Bars that I love that taste like real chocolate with only 150 calories and 6 carbs, but the fat is a little high. These keep me out of the real chocolate. I have at least one a day. I eat between 1600-2000 calories a day, usually averaging out for the week at 1700 or 1800. I don't exercise at all (I know I should). So far I am maintaining!