Joni

Well so far we have 5 members! Sounds like a good group to me! But I hope some others will see the group and join us. How's everyone feeling today? I have been doing some things around the house and personal care in preparation. The other day I cleaned out my dresser drawers and closet. Then I did the bathroom cupboards. Yesterday I cleaned the frig top to bottom. Yuck, something had spilled in there that wasn't pleasant but it's sparkling now. I've done a pedicure and facial. My daughter gave me a haircut. Actually she chopped it. I asked for a trim from a person who has never cut any hair so I guess I got what I deserved... Yikes it's chin length and not so nice right now. Thank goodness it will grow (unless I lose it all from this surgery, lol). Today I'm going to Walmart for some postop shopping and things for others. Tomorrow I have to work from 8a to 4p but I'm glad cuz that will take up a good part of the day. I'll be off work for 2 weeks after surgery. My surgery is at 7:30 am and I have to be there at 5:30. It's almost here everyone!! I'm not feeling nervous, a little excited and mostly just want to get it done and over. We are gonna be on the loser's bench soon. Oh, on this preop diet, my starting weight was 212, and today it is 203.5, so a loss of 8.5 lbs. Not bad, my liver better look like a little shrunken prune for that surgeon after all this suffering! How's everyone else doing today?

Just saw your photos dogmom, you look FANTASTIC! What a difference - congratulations to you!!!!

Whatever BMI that is the lowest still accepted, I think 38, I was borderline there. And yes, there do require something disease related, hypertension, high cholesterol (which were mine).

Yes. M Premier Care. Depends on BMI. If BMI is high (I can't remember number) then you can get scheduled sooner. Mine was lower, so I had to do 6-month process of monthly dr visits for documentation. Also the other usual stuff - psych eval, dietitian visits, and 2 group sessions. When all was completed (which they help you with), it's submitted to BC. I was approved on first try. I hope this helped a little? Joni

I'm so excited I just gotta say - I bought a pair of size 12 jeans today. Can't take the smile off my face. I might have lost super slow, but who cares? Fast or slow - it does come off!! Whoopeee!

You are definitely girls after my own heart! I was sleeved 4/23 and have lost a total of 47 lbs. It's been slooowwww going. I finally got out of the 170s; I thought I was going to lose my mind if the scale didn't move. Some days i have a norm appetite, others I can even forget to eat for the whole day, and some days I'm hungry from morning til night! I would be very happy to reach a goal of 140 or even lower.

Considering I went back and forth between 174 to 170 for more than 2 months, I too hate plateaus! I finally made it into the 160s, weighing 168 today. So that makes a total of 47 pounds for me. No carbs would be very hard for me to do, but anything is worth a try! I'll be interested in how everyone does in your group. Keep us posted okay?

next stop will be sytycd auditions!!

Sleeved 4/23 - Slow loss. Not much exercise. Good protein and fluid intake. Lost lots of inches. Feeling good. Need to get back to basics again and keep journal. Overall, very happy with sleeve and know I will eventually get to goal!! And very grateful for this forum as always!

Labor day will mark 19 wks postop for me, and since the beginning of July I have lost 4 lbs. That would make 2 lbs lost in July and 2 pounds in Aug. I am wondering if anyone else has had a super long stall, very slow or low loss for an extending period and then picked up again?

I can so relate. I have been depressed for a bunch of reasons, and who did I turn to? My old friend FOOD. This is life. It's a journey with twists and turns, ups and downs. We didn't have this surgery to go back to our old ways, but relapse is always looming ready to put its claws into us. I say BS! We are in charge, NOT food. You will win at this, I know it - and so will I, and everyone else who wants to....

Hi everyone! I'm still here too. I'm so disappointed in myself. I joined the health club and haven't been in a few weeks. I am trying to talk myself into going tomorrow. I don't know what my problem is. Weight loss is super slow too. I'm hanging in there though and don't care how slow I lose, I know I will get there. I can't figure out why I have this narrow column now either! Does everyone have it?

Oh, that cracker thing drives me crazy!!! I can really pack em' away, but give me protein and I'm stuffed. Katie you are so smart to figure these things out. I buy the right stuff, but also have the wrong stuff on hand most of the time. When meal time comes, I just don't want what I planned or should have; and honestly it's not just that I want the wrong things (although carbs mostly sound great), but that I would rather not even eat if I have to have what "I should." It's truly like I'm a child! I like your ideas though and I am going to have to get mindful, make lists, gather my recipes I enjoy, and plan! Maybe then I'll see that scale move at last.

Just reading through the last 10 posts or so, and boy do I feel a lot better that I'm not alone. Losing is very slow. Bad habits are coming back. I haven't been tracking as I should, etc. Elsewhere on the forum everyone seems so positive and losing like crazy, and doing everything they should. I was getting depressed....lol. Thank you dear people. I too do not want to waste this opportunity and am determined to reach my goal. I must get it together, start tracking again and doing what I know I should. I was acting like a rebellious child, angry that the sleeve hasn't been all I dreamed of and thinking I could have done this with WW (I know, I know - it didn't work the bazillion other times I tried), and all these things that we must do why have the sleeve. Well I told myself to grow up, stop being a child, and GET IT TOGETHER. I still eat waaaaay less in calories so I can do this.Thank you all for making me feel I am not alone in the struggle.

does anyone else have just a single narrow column now for our posts? I don't have this anywhere else on the forum just our group.

I was just thinking about our little group and thinking I should post something - glad you posted notime!! How's everyone doing? Maybe we should all check in with our weight loss, inches lost, calorie and/or Fluid intake, exercise, etc., or whatever else we can think of to see where we are at since we just passed our 16-week mark?? I'll do it but gotta get it all together first...

Congrats Joyce! Great to hear you had a good experience/result! Mushies will be here before you know it!!

Hi and Welcome! I too was 56 when I had surgery this past April 23. It's amazing isn't it how much time we spent thinking about food and the anticipation of "something good to eat." My husband and I too found it would be a highlight of the day for us - where we'd go and what we would get! LOL. Now it's definitely not the same. I had a pretty easy time with surgery and postop. My weight loss has been very slow, and I've dealt with feeling disappointed and come to terms with that. The important thing is I know it WILL come off, and that's really what matters. I can eat almost anything now, but it's the amount that is sooo different! Good luck to all pre- and postop!!

Kat - refried Beans? Mexican food... taco bell? They come in a can and are basically beans that are made mushy. I would think you gotta have them in the grocery stores? Not one of my favorites, but you can add salsa to them and melt cheese on them. Don't know how you would add them to a Protein drink and make it good though??? I am SO glad you ordered the unjury. What flavor did you get? Did you see they have tips and recipes on their site too, and a newsletter you can sign up for. There is also a website sponsored by Unjury that has info from professionals. They might be able to address some of the issues you are experiencing and give you some sound advice. I would tell them you went to Mexico and have no followup here and need help desperately. It is www.baribest.com Hope this helps a little. Please stay connected to us here. Above all, never never give up. There are answers, we just have to find them my friend.

Oh Kat - It could have been the brand of protein or the fruit that you had. Please, please, please order the Unjury protein powder at their website. I have had the vanilla and the chocolate splendor. Both are good. They also have unflavored and strawberry. I REALLY disliked the chicken. Unjury was recommended at my hospital and by my NUT, also, I have tried others, and it is for me the most easily digested, best tasting, and the protein is the highest quality. And no I do not work for them, etc....Lol. I just want to find something that will work for you. I think you might want to stay away from the fruit right now. Another idea is to find a nutritionist as close as possible to you and make an appt. You MUST keep trying to find answers and you will. In the meantime, please go order the Unjury!!! It's worth at least trying isn't it?

Unjury (order at their website) - chocolate splendor. Just like good old choco milk when mixed with skim milk.

Weight Watchers smoked mozarella string cheese and Stacy's everything pita chips. Hummus and Stacy's Philadelphia fat free strawberry cream cheese and Trader Joe's sesame corn tortilla crackers. Watermelon.

First - Amy you look like you're 20! And KAT - THAT IS FANTASTIC NEWS!! What a long road you've had. People don't realize sometimes that serious complications happen when we have surgery in other countries - I am so glad you lived to tell your story!!

Good news! Glad you checked in - we missed you!

I have very fine thin hair and was so worried about hair loss. I haven't had it happen to me yet - for which I am very thankful. From the very beginning, I was able to get enough protein in. Don't know if that is making a difference or not, and don't quote me, but I think I remember hearing at the hospital the hair loss happens around 4 months AFTER not having enough protein intake. So, if right after surgery you did not get enough protein in, you might be seeing the hair loss now. It should also stop soon if you've been getting enough protein now.