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You are right - you may have been off on the reality of this surgery. It is only a tool to help with weight loss it doesn't do it all for you unfortunately! However, if you stick with eating properly, getting your Water, and doing some exercise - the weight will come off. The good news is that unlike the past diets, you don't tend to put everything back on at each holiday and big night out. It took me about 15 months to hit my goal (loss of 146 lbs) and now I am 5 lbs under my original goal for a total loss of 151lbs so far. I had many plateaus, but in the long run, the weight always started coming off again. It's not a magic fix, but use your tool and you'll get where you want to be! Good luck.

Thanks for the reply; I haven’t been exercising because I am frustrated with pain and other issues when I walk. So weight loss surgery still needs exercising to drop at least 2 lbs a week? Hmm, I think the weight loss surgery is no different than dieting and exercising then? I think I’ve been disillusioning myself on what this surgery will do for me, this is very disappointing. Thanks for your honesty I look forward to your replies.

I have had 3 surgeries in my lifetime (only one for WLS), but I don't remember a tube going in or out for ANY of them. I had VSG about 16 months ago and it was the best thing I've ever done. Don't let this fear hold you back! I only wish I had been able to do this when I was 21 instead of having to wait until 33!

You're normal! Isn't that nice to hear sometimes? haha Each day will get a little better, but the first few are the hardest. Soon, you'll be drinking/eating more and then you'll be asking "should I be able to eat this much????". Good luck and just follow your doctors guidelines the best you are able to.

At 5 days post-op, I was back to work full-time and I was EXHAUSTED at the end of the day - ok, by lunch. You have had major surgery, you're barely able to get enough calories in to keep a bird alive, and you're body is spending it's energy trying to heal. In a few weeks, you'll be able to drink more, and more importantly, eat more (high Protein items that aren't yucky protein drinks). As soon as I started eating solid food, I had a huge jump in my energy level. Do you best to choke down the protein for now and in a few weeks, you'll start feeling like a new person! (I always added the Special K Protein Drinks to my Water, it's only 5g per packet, but it kept me constantly getting hydration and protein and the iced tea isn't sickly sweet like so many of the other flavors.)

Jumping right in and experiencing everything by your mom's side is really the best support you can give. Having a full understanding that her life is going to completely change is very important. Changing along with her and being non-judgmental when she slips will also help a lot.

At one point in my life, I was the supportive friend and years later my friend told me that the fact that I was willing to try Proteins, crushed up Vitamins and everything else he was going through still stood out and he has thanked me for that kind of support.

Now that I am the one going through all of these life changes, my husband is a little wishy washy in his support. He likes that I've lost weight, but he's jealous and tends to sabotage my efforts (unconsciously, I hope). The biggest struggle is that he still expects us to keep buying the same types of food, drinks, Snacks, etc... He hasn't changed his eating habits hardly at all and having all the junk food has been difficult for me. Even after a year, he still makes a big deal out of how small my portions are and for some strange reason it always makes me feel weird, strange, abnormal, guilty - a bunch of things that I shouldn't feel. Then he complains that he hasn't lost any weight. Uggh!

Anyway, I think you are doing an amazing job already of supporting you mom. My mom didn't agree with my decision, but once she knew I had done my research and made up my mind, she stood by me and has supported me throughout my journey. This type of support is the KEY to success and I'm sure your mother loves you very much for standing by her.

Check with your doctor, but likely you don't have to remain off the pill forever. Discuss your PCOS with him and see if you can get the clear to go back on after surgery and some healing has taken place. There are many women on here who use BC. If it's temporary, do it for your health and a safer surgery. Also, you may find that once you start to lose weight, some of your PCOS symptoms may decrease a bit. This may also be a good time to discuss some alternative treatments with your doctor.

I will be blunt. My mother almost died of a blood clot in her lung after surgery (not WLS). I was not ready to lose her and luckily she pulled through. However, it meant another surgery to install a filter, she had to go on medication, and she had to change her diet to fit that medication. Her whole life changed, but luckily she still had one. If you're deciding on surgery, make it as safe as possible.

I lost two cup sizes in about the first two weeks! I think all the weight I lost then was directly from my chest. Luckily, they now seem to lose more in proportion with the rest of me and my cup size has stayed pretty stable (although my butt and thighs still having trouble catching up!)

I was at least 8 weeks out before I started feeling almost "normal" again. You have had major surgery, you have cut your calories to probably a third of what you had before, and you are probably not able to get in enough Protein or eat a balanced meal yet. That was my experience. As you heal up, and your body starts to adjust to the lower calorie intake, you really will start feeling better. Once I could eat a more balance meal (as was mentioned above, I do make sure to have some carbs as well) I started to revive again.

I don't have much to add to those above except that I am sorry I didn't have surgery sooner. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself. The short period of discomfort and adjustment has been so worthwhile. I researched forever, but the day I made my decision, I was in wholeheartedly. I hope you get the answers you are looking for and good luck!

I actually did not have a period for two months after my surgery. After that, everything got back to normal. Well, normal for me anyway.

BonBon - I went and had my labs done back with Dr. A's staff. I live in Las Vegas, so we just swung by on our way to San Diego and made a weekend of it. I e-mailed Gaby, they set me up with an appointment, we went, and I had all my bloodwork and upper GI done in less than an hour. I had my lab work back within a few days. I'm pretty sure they would help you make any arrangements if needed. The appointment cost me $150, but I felt more comfortable having Dr. Campos tell me everything looked great than going to someone who didn't know jack about the sleeve!

Slow and steady wins! I didn't lose drastic amounts of weight, but a year later, here I am at 120 lbs gone! Everyone comments on how "thin" I am now (still have a ways to go). Those months seem like they will take forever, but they fly by. I also find that I never mourned food the way some people do and now I just feel like I eat normally. So, I feel sort of like you do, that I just needed that smaller stomach. (Although, I do know I have boat load of issues!) Some people comment on how little I eat - but mostly it's just people who knew me before. I don't hide my surgery, but for those who do not know, I haven't had anyone ask if I had surgery. It's funny, nobody notices when you eat normally - haha.

I was terrified to cheat - I was sure my little stomach would rip open! Also, I just wasn't hungry. I kept a water bottle with Protein Drink mix in it with me all the time, this kept me hydrated and being well hydrated usually keeps phantom hunger away as well. Stick with your doctor's orders, you'll be happy you did!

I thought I wanted the lap-band too, until I started reading all of the posts on my doctor's yahoo group. Ultimately, I decided the sleeve was best for me. It required much less maintenance and looking at my oil change and haircut track record, that was a bonus for me. Also, I just saw so many people having complications with their bands! My friend went with the band 1 week before I got sleeved. I have lost 120 lbs and she has lost 35 lbs because her fills just haven't restricted her enough. Overall, I ADORE my sleeve and have not had one day of regret in the past year. I'm sure talking with the support group members will help. But, remember that people are very sensitive about their choice and think that they are RIGHT no matter what! They tend to get very defensive :thumbup1:. Remember, you have to choose what is right for you. Read through the posts, look at some other sites, talk with your support group and doctor and hopefully you'll find what fits you best. Good luck on your journey!

My doctor recommended around 800 calories a day while I am still losing weight. Like Journey - I also don't like to cook much. Plus, my husband eats at work in the employee dining room, so it's usually just me. I use GNC Protein Drinks (the ones in the red bag) and they are just over 100 calories - for Breakfast, I mix one in with my coffee because I can't handle the rich, sweet flavors - they gag me. For lunch, I eat Soup almost every day. I get either the Progresso or Harvest Select LIGHT - these range from 100-160 calories for the entire can (technically two servings). I buy many different varieties to help stave off boredom. For dinner, I buy the precooked chicken breasts and steamer vegetables - so that ranges from 210-260 calories depending on which veggie mix I buy and they take less than 5 minutes to prepare. I usually have a snack of fruit (I go for frozen strawberries/blueberries or fresh if in season) - this is around 100 calories. I also really like to snack still - uggh - but I get the 100 calorie bags of popcorn, which is way healthier than chips. Sticking with a very similar meal plan helps me stay on track. I do well with a plan and consistency. It also allows me a little wiggle room if we want to have a drink or go out for dinner now and then. Personally, I don't think 400 calories is realistic or healthy - your body probably won't tolerate it very long. Good luck!

My sense of smell was super heightened right after surgery and Proteins that I could tolerate before surgery made me physically ill just from smelling them right after. I went through the very same thing and never got enough Protein on my liquid phase! This only lasted a month or two and I tried some other methods to get my protein in. One - I used the special K Protein Drink packets (ice tea and pink lemonade) - it's only 5g, but they didn't gag me and it helped me get my liquids in. You may want to try the Isopure stuff in the bottle - it doesn't have a thick consistency or the "protein" smell. Some people hate it, but I could get it down (it's better really, really cold). Overall, my experience is that the gag reflex did get better after the first month (then you can eat other proteins, which helps). Now, I can use the GNC protein (comes in the red bag/tub). I can't handle a straight Protein Shake because I still don't tolerate anything rich. So, I get the chocolate caramel and mix it with a cup of coffee. It's my healthy version of the fancy coffee drink - haha. It is very common to not be able to get all you need during those first few weeks, but you'll soon be able to nourish your body the way you should.

Great job! Thanks for inspiring me to strive for "normal" as well - haha. I have a long road to go yet, but I can do it! Keep up the great work!

I had a summer sleeve. It will be one year on June 13th! I had it three weeks before a scheduled three week vacation to Lebanon. I don't regret it one bit! It was harder for my husband's family than it was for me, because they love to feed you there. I was transitioning through to solids by the end of the trip, so I was able to have some bites here and there. I think there were major benefits to having it done before my summer trip. I was so busy exploring the country, swimming, walking, go-carting, playing with the kids, praying while in any sort of moving vehicle, shopping (you get the picture) - that I never really missed not being able to eat. Also, I was getting fantastic exercise in. If I had waited until I came home and then went right back to work, I don't think my healing process would have gone nearly as well. I would have been stuck on the computer all day with my butt in the chair and we all know that isn't good for healing! The only downfall was that I tired out a little more easily and sometimes I had to opt for sleep instead of going to a nightclub.

I say start your new life as soon as you can. When you look back, you will be very glad you did!

Wow! That is amazing progress. Good for you. As for your question, I actually started losing my hair about 4 months out. I was hoping it wasn't going to happen to me, but it did. I am almost 11 months out and I guess it slowed down at about 9 months. I have a ton of hair, so it wasn't really noticeable except to me (and my husband who constantly was brushing hairs off the bathroom counter).

Wow! I can't imagine losing 100lbs in 4 months. But I know we all start out a different sizes, shapes, etc... I am so happy for all of you that reached those goals! It took me about 8-9 months to lose 100, but I never got impatient and am so happy to have reached that milestone! Now, I seem to be at a standstill. I still have almost 40 lbs to go. I have switched up my workout (and am kicking it back into gear) and I am really trying to get myself drinking more Water - I slacked off there for awhile. I know that if I had pushed really hard, I would have lost faster. However, I really feel I have been able to adjust to my new self a little better this way and really work at a lifetime of change - something I can maintain forever. Thank you all for sharing your stories.

Make sure you're getting enough fluids in. Sometimes thirst can feel like hunger. At 5 weeks, I didn't feel any hunger yet, but I constantly had a water bottle by my side (usually with Protein Water - like K20 in it) .

I had trouble sleeping there too - strange place, bed not very comfy, arm swelling up and IV popping out - ha. Don't be afraid to ask for a sleeping pill, it helps and resting your body is important to the healing process. I'm so glad you're doing well. Keep up the walking and just know that each day will get better and better!

Ah, as an old married woman, I'm jealous! I remember those days. Have fun, keep it casual, and when the right one comes along, you'll know!

Keep up the great work! We all know how hard this is and what a great accomplishment you've reached.

I am yet another "satisfied customer" of Dr. Aceves. My care was fantastic and I am so happy that they keep you in the hospital for recovery and any aftercare needed. I have two friends who had WLS within a month of my surgery date. One had bypass in the U.S. and one had Lap-band with another doctor in Mexico. My friend who had bypass was released the SAME DAY as her surgery!!! Just to clarify, she wanted to go home, but the fact that they let her amazes me. My friend with lap-band also was released to her hotel the same day. While they both returned for leak tests afterward, I just cannot imagine having to spend that first night away from qualified hospital staff. I have also had two other surgeries in the US, with both I was sent home the same day and with both I ended up with infections that kept me laid up longer than expected. Based on my previous experiences and those of my friends, I feel the research that I put into choosing my surgeon paid off.