SarahD.

I really think that you are right on track! I am 8 months out and the first two months I really struggled to get in everything the nut wanted...like protein, vitamins, calcium, and on top of all that LOTS of water! It will come with time and what you are experiencing sounds very similiar to what i went through! Hang in there it does get easier with time and healing!

Leesey, I didn't really read the replies as being judgemental of your choices. I believe that most people were simply stating what they know about their own bodies, what they have been told and what they have learned about themselves through this journey. I agree that for myself it wasn't just about the scale going down but to be healthier as well. Ultimately we all make our own choices about what we chose to put in our mouths and no one else is in control of that. I believe you have to do what is comfortable for you and base that upon advice from your team.

OK, I have lost about 27 lbs since my surgery! I can't EVEN believe it. Although no one really has noticed yet:001_unsure:. But, I'm feeling great......so great in fact, that I believe my sex drive is returning! LOL! Soooooo, I was wondering if anyone else has notice anything like this and if so, as you lose weight does it just get better and better???? LOL! My husband thinks he has died and gone to heaven! LOL!!! :sad0: I thought if anyone could shed some light on this subject, it would be my sistas on here! Thanks for your thoughts.:001_rolleyes:

Hi everyone! I have a question for you. How often do you weigh yourself? I seem to be "addicted" to weighing myself. I do it several times a day. Then, it just makes me feel bad because either I haven't lost anything or it is just a small amount. So, how do you handle the scale? Thanks for you reply..... SarahD.

Kim, The FSA was one of the ways that I was able to get my surgery. I paid the surgeon and then used the balance to pay the hospital. So it was two separate transactions. I wasn't able to fund the whole surgery that way, so I had other funds, however, if I hadn't been able to use my FSA, it would not have worked out for me to have the surgery. And yes it was that easy! Good luck and let us know how it goes! Sarah

OMGOSH! I went through the same thing recently! I really thought it would feel awesome going through my clothes and getting rid of them...... but just the opposite was true. What I had to do was move them to the back bedroom closet and they are still there. It was sort of like grief or a loss feeling. Logically I know my clothes do not define who I am, but to "get rid" of the clothes was very scary for me and sort of like a sense of loss. It was not anything like I really expected it to be! Anyway, I've been to goodwill and other thrift shops so that I can restock my closet until I get to goal. It is weird though to get a pair of pants on that I could wear just last week and find out that they are looking shabby on me! It's really a great problem to have!!!!!!!!

I'm four months out and what I have found is if I eat more carbs than normal (normal as in what I eat day to day since my meals are mostly protein centered), I find that I have that "empty" feeling sooner and for longer periods, plus I tend to crave the carb foods. Here is my thoughts: when I eat poorly, (ie higher carbs) I tend to want to snack more and have a deprived feeling. I believe that the carbs, crackers, chips that type of thing are the slider foods for me, plus I believe that it throws my body off and it sort of reverts back to "old ways". I too had a few times where I didn't eat like I should and it was very noticable to me in the way my body was responding and functioning for that day and the next. So since that, I try really hard to remember what I've learned about my body and it's response to what I eat. That helps me make better choices as the day goes along, plus I try to plan what I'm going to eat that day and that helps too. I think at times the weekends are the hardest for me because that is when I'm home and can graze and not follow a schedule. I'm still learning about myself, my body and my health, but I also find it totally fascinating how my body reacts to the foods I choose to feed it. Since I'm a little further out, I COULD begin to eat some what like the old way, so I'm try to remain conscious of that. When I began to fall back into those habits, that when I began to really notice how I was FEELING all over and it isn't just about the food anymore. I don't know if this is making sense or not, I sort of have a hard time putting it into words. Please let me know if I can try to clarify what I'm saying.

I am now almost 4 months out and I wanted to say that I would do it again in a heartbeat. I also struggled in the beginning with everything "con" that has been posted. But for me, once I began healing, life began to return to normal. I can drink in big sips now, I can eat just about anything I want (within reason), I've lost almost 50lbs, and the pros go on and on. Yes, there are some what some people might call cons that remain, for example not being able to gorge myself at the buffet to "get my money worth", (lol), or to finish off that box of Cheeze its before it "spoils", etc. HOWEVER[ i do not want nor desire to return to that mentallity ever again! So for me, those things are not really disadvantages, they are actually the end to a mean and that is to be a healthier person. I feel so WONDERFUL and full of life now. I actually enjoy getting out of bed and look forward to what my day will bring, instead of thinking, OMGOSH, when can I come back and relax. A funny side note, my husband has now lost almost 20 pounds just on his own because I'm not sitting around and eating/snacking like I use too. LOL! This has caused him to feel better and not be as dependent on insulin. Anyway, my answer is there are some cons first out, but the results are well worth it! I feel like standing on the top of the mountain and shouting how wonderful the sleeve has been for me!!!!

I didn't know about the serotonin in the stomach! :thumbup1: I have found the same thing about the food being just OK. I find that I crave Water more than food. Which I'm a former Cokeholic and too me that is a miracle! I also find that as time goes by, I don't like the taste of the high sugar, high carb foods, like Cheez Its! I also find that I don't have that undeniable urge to be eating all the time. I can be around food now with having huge uncontrollable fantasy about what I see. OMG! IT IS A MIRACLE! AND I LOVE IT!!!!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I AGREE with everyone! I basically did surgery because I was concerned about my health, but now that I've lost 45lbs, I feel FREAKING AMAZING! I can't believe how much better I feel, the places I want to go, the things I want to do now and how proud I am of myself! Never did I think I would feel this AWESOME after surgery. When I had my 3 month follow up appointment, I cried while telling the doctor how he has truely changed my life and I see him as my angel! I kept gushing and gushing to him! Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY! I have to stop myself sometimes, because I too want to stand on a table and tell the whole world how wonderful I feel and that perhaps this might be an avenue for them if they wanted! It's REALLY HARD not to talk about it with everyone I meet! It's just crazy! But a fabulous CRAZY!

I'm in a stall too! I can't believe how frustrating it is! I've weighed the same thing now for about 2 weeks, give or take 1-2 pounds! I just feel like this is going to be another failure! And I recently went back to work after summer break (I'm a school counselor) and I decided I would be honest with people who talked with me about my weight. This is because I want to help support someone if he/she decide they want to try WLS. Plus I didn't want to give the idea that diet and exercise was all I was doing! I know, I've been there.... So, now that I'm stuck, I can't help but think that I've gone as far as I can I this is it! Especially since I've been talking up WLS to my co workers!...... UUUUGGGGGGHHHHHH!

I have also expereinced the same thing. I think of my tummy as a baby tummy and very sensitive to certain types of food/spices. I am now a little over 2 1/2 months out and I don't have that crampy feeling anymore. What was strange was sometimes it would happen even with something that I ate before. Hang in there, it will get better. How this helps. :thumbup:

Yes, I have the same problem with multi's. I fight this all the time, because it's hard to make myself take the vitamin! What I've started doing with my chewables is to let them slowly dissolve, like a piece of candy and that seems to help me. The only thing is, i don't care for the taste much, but this is better for me than the nausea feeling I get afterword. I stocked up on Bariatric Advantage vitamins and I don't want to waste them. Also, if I try to swallow a whole vitamin, I still get sick, if I can get it down with out hurting. Soooooo, I too need suggestions about the whole vitamin thing. :thumbup:

Yes, I experienced the same thing. I'm almost 3 months out and will still, rarely have a soreness there. It took almost 6 weeks for the discomfort to subside in that area. It was constant for about 3-4 weeks then it began to ease up. Every once ina while it would really ache!! But now I don't even think about it. Hang in there it does get better!

I can't wait!!!

Hahahaha, love it!!!:thumbup1:

I play wow too. My son and daughter got me hooked on it! LOL I'm looking forward to the expansion!

I have a question for sleevers. What do you eat for breakfast? I've returned back to work, which means I have to eat something quick but I'm getting sick of a scrambled egg every morning. I have never been a breakfast person! So this is new territory for me. Please let me know how you handle breakfast in the morning. Especially, what you do for a quick morning meal. Thanks so much!

Hahahaha! I love this! This could work for a LOT of certain situations!

CONGRATS! Before long you will be on the loser's bench too!:thumbup1:

Great! I have yet to start shopping for clothes with my new size. I'm sort of dreading it! It "'feels" like the past times of shopping and being disappointed and critical of myself. I usually couldn't find clothes at Thrift stores that would work for my big size, but always saw cute smaller sized clothing, of course wishing the whole time if only........ I'm so glad you found that many nice things for 30.00! That is totally awesome! One day, I will be forced to go clothes shopping out of necessitiy.:svengo:

I wanted my surgery so badly...then, the closer it got, I too began to question myself and began to have some negative thoughts. I began to think things like, did i REALLY try that hard to lose weight (YES I DID)! What I did was to remind myself what brought me to the point of surgery anyway. I reminded myself that I wanted to live a quality life and a long one so that I can be here for my family. I also kept myself busy. I think it might be a normal reaction to begin to have a few doubts. I did a lot of research and never saw anything that suggested the sleeve is somehow "related" to stomach cancer. Hang in there!

Hang in there and don't give up yet. I think there is a way to appeal the decision. If you can show how it will benefit THEM if you have the surgery it might make a difference. Also, checking out the self pay route is a good idea. I was self pay and I am so surprised that we (my family) were able to pull it off. To me that is a miracle just by itself! Great things happen, just hang in there!

This is probably very frustrating for you. But look on the bright side...potassium is fairly easy to increase and you are only .3 away! Add a banana and take the supplements they give you. It will all be alright and work out! Hang in there!

I also am having some issues with being dizzy. I have not blackout, but often feel close to it. It usually happens when I change positions too quickly. It seems like others are having similar reactions. I had hbp but got off of my meds right after surgery. Tiffikins, that is interesting and I am going to check into this.:confused1: