Aussiegirl

Just picking up your last comment...in my experience my tastebuds have changed. I used to crave sugary things and they always tasted better. Since my surgery I crave and my taste buds enjoy salty things instead. My body also can only tolerate tiny amounts of sugary things, enough to get a taste and thats it, anymore (even if it is less than my sleeves capacity) and I am over it. My body in general craves things that are good for it, lean Proteins and veggies and weirdly eggs. Just my experience...

Well I guess that is one way to motivate you too exercise...

Inspiring story Brian! I hope at 2 years I can claim the same...

Only you can answer what is best for you or which surgery if any you are comfortable with, as neither of the 2 you are talking about are revisible. We can all tell you about our experience, good and bad, specifically with the sleeve but in the end you and your doctor should be making the best choice for you. I had the sleeve 9.5 months ago and have since 144 pounds, everyone of which I have had to work for, but I am happy that I had the surgery. I am just about to drop into the overweight category and feel alot healthier. I have incorporated exercise into my daily life. I was lookig at the lap band originally but chose the sleeve, as I didnt want all the follow up hassle of getting the band filled, and also the number of short term complications which the lap band. I didnt even consider by pass, as i thought it was too invasive. As I understand it, you can have the sleeve and then a by-pass if needed. Just my 2 centrs

Much like others here, I was 330 atleast when I started...it took a long while before people noticed, probably around 50-60 pounds, but once they started it hasn't stopped. It will happen, I have tried to always have atleast one or two things, like pants that fit me...and just wore other stuff til they were like potatoes sacks. Ppl noticed more when I wore fitted clothes

I am now just passed 9 months out and am enjoying eatting again. I do say that I am enjoyng eatting again, but the type of food I get the most enjoyment out of is very different to what I used to enjoy post op. I have spent the last 9 months trying to change my habits in addition to my capacity, some days I do better than others. Weirdest thing for me ever is now I get absolutely no enjoyment out of eatting chocolate.. pre-op it was my my go to food. I also notice the amount I consume (not just based on capacity) when I am enjoying food has changed. If I have a piece of cake or a cookie, yes I do allow these sometimes, that a few bites (like 2-3 max) and I am done and giving the food away. Eatting is definitely not like pre-op...I had this surgery to help with no eatting like I did then.

I saw an endocronologist to get the OK to hav e this surgery. We dont have the amount of hoops to jump through down here, and in my case no one would have argued the point anyway. I also have PCOS, and found the endo a really good source of knowledge about all this and really jelped me understand the condition and the impact PCOS on my body. Mine did give me medication but also leaves it up to me on whether I take them, ie he gave me options on how to eat or taking the meds. I dont take the meds unless I am struggling with food etc. He also talked me into this surgery over banding, and I have to say it was the best advise.

Another late refluxer here. I have had it intermittently since surgery, however the last few months have gotten worse. I generally have a burning throat, lump in throat and tingly/numb tongue. My surgeon has me trying a number of different medication cocktails to try deal with it. He said that it is not common for people to still have it this far out (9 months). If this latest cocktail doesnt work he will do an endoscopy to see whats happening. You just have to keep the conversation up with your surgeon. I try to drink through the symptoms, or have a cracker to dimb the burning..rather than constantly eatting, when I am not hungry.

How are all the Aussies going?

Timely topic for me to see I believe people do treat me better/differently now I am average looking (still carrying a bit but nothing like before). Sometimes I struggle with this and other times I just roll with the punches. Part of the change also is due to the change in the way I treat my self. I have more self confidence and am alot happier in who I am and where my life is going (for the most part). Not a day goes by where I am not told by someone how great i look etc. This is flattering but thankfully they werent walking up to me before telling me how bad I looked. Most people that meet me now, cant comprehend that I was ever as big as I was, which is nice too. Ok ramble much.... My point (or 2c) is that it doesnt matter how other people treat you now, the most important thing is how you treat yourself. Others will treat you the same way.

As many have said, it is normal and it does pass. I was exhausted for about 3 weeks post operatively. Went back to work after 2 weeks and did half days for the 3rd week, mainly because I was so tired. Even for a few weeks afterwards I would get bouts of extreme fatigue every week or so. As said above, try keep yourself hydrated the best you can. At 10 months out now I have more energy than I remember having in years, I work out hard, nanny naps are a thing of the past (almost). It will get better, you just have to let yourself get recover initially.

I bought a pair of $5 skinny jeans in size 12 (Aussie which is about a 10 US) over the weekend as an item to grow into....maybe. well this morning I tried them on, just to see how close they were..and shock horror and happiness they fit, snug but wearable...yeha!!!! This is probably the biggest victory to date. Pre surgery starting at a 26/28 my goal size was a 14. I never saw or wanted to be tiny, I like curves just in the right places not bulges like before...so I am happy to get here atleast on the bottom....my tops still are a 16/18 and my boobs may stop me ever getting to a 14 as they have not shrunk much at all. Man I feel cute, curvy and sexy today...ye me

I am 36 too. I will let the pics speak for t hemselves. Sometimes I feel I look younger and other times I feel I look older, but I do always look happier Me @ 330+ pounds Me last weekend at just on 200 pounds

This journey is definitely a learning experience and I keep learning and seeing new possibilities. Having what I would say is a less than great day at work, frustration, moodiness (me and others), TOM and just feeling like things are not in the best place. So this morning, I felt the need for a pick me up...went for the chocolate (alcohol would have been preferable but it was 10am), had 2 bites and that was enough to take the edge for a bit. Not wanting to succumb to the food hunger, had a tea and went to the gym to work out some frustration...a healthier way to deal with stress. Anyway at the gym, i tried (have been slightly attempting for a while) to do a sit up. I have never done a sit up (i dont even remember doing this as a kid). And all of a sudden I COULD!!!! It felt easy and simple, like i should have been doing it for years....my body just decided that it could.....score, definitely a fist pump, blog moment )))))) For lots of people the action of doing a sit up is nothing but to me it is huge!! And it another one of my physical goals that I have achieved. FYI I am stalled right now with another 30 or so pounds to go...but when I have these kinds of wins, the weight doesnt seem as important.

tonibugg, they will come and really quite frequently, the trick is realise them and be proud of yourself for them

I often wondered why people become less involved in the forum a few months after surgery, I now understand. I am a few days after my 9 month anniversary (22nd Sept 2012) and pre-surgery I could not imagine how much my life would change, while staying pretty much exactly the same. I see the physical change, loosing over 130 pounds with just over 35 pounds to go, which i should be at by the 1 year mark. I am constantly (and i have started counting avg 4-5 times a day) being told how good I look. This is nice to hear and see that society sees the change. But for me the change is so much more than how I look. It is the confidence that I have in how I approach my life, the positivity I feel for my furture. I enjoying feeling great. Exercise is an initrisic part of my life. I feel weird if I dont exercise regularily, it definitely helps with my stress levels. My life just feels balanced. My eatting is balanced, I do eat Desserts (a couple of bites is enough) when I am with friends, but I manage keep a balance in eatting Protein, veggies, good carbs. Dont get me wrong isnt always easy but my body tells when the balance is off, either by feeling unwell or lacking energy. I am learning to listen to my body. I am a person that people want to know and be around, my social circle is growing. It feels nice to have company, good people are coming into my life and staying in my life. I have lost some friends from my old life and some have become better friends that I thought. I ran my first 8km the other weekend, with my good friend cheering me on and keeping me going. I did in 63 mins tho I wanted 6 mins but given the amount of people I had to navigate I am ok with 63 mins. I am working towards a 14km in August. My life is still the same, I still do the same job, live in the same house and am still single. But these are all my choices now, not something that I am feeling trapped into. Life feels good....I hope you all feel this and get to feel this. There is a rather bad pick of me from after the 8km run in what I now call my "snuggie" a sweater from pre-op which keeps me very warm but can now wrap my body in a few times

I hear ya, I lived on food porn the first few weeks post op...