DanaInNewOrleans

Hand her this post!! What you've written is a great way to convey your feelings.....

Hi Gold-- This is exactly the kind of information I've been looking for...I have a need to know the facts of the how/why and many docs just assume they can tell you only the end result... but it has to make sense to me.... Thanks so much!!

What is a normal calorie intake for someone a year out? Is hard to maintain? Have you gained weight and were surprised? Are you struggling Thanks in advance.... ~Dana

Still working pros and cons out in my mind. And I still have questions that seem logical to me. Would veterans mind chiming in here....Thanks in advance for your patience ( I know I'm a pain in the butt)! Question 1 I am currently eating around 1200 low carb calories a day and cannot lose weight. I am very well versed on low carb -- I lost 160lbs on low carb 12 years ago. I've gained back 60 but have maintained 100lb loss for 12 years. So, lets say I have the sleeve, which will reduce my calories to about 500-600 a day (right?). So, I begin losing weight because my calories are cut drastically. Won't my metabolism eventually slow down (hence the "honeymoon is over" period) to adjust to this calorie deficit? And if/when it does slow down it will co-inside with my stomach healing which will allow a larger amount of food to be eaten. Will I then gain weight if I begin to eat 1000 calories a day? Should I expect in order to maintain my weight loss I will have to continue survive for the rest of my life on 500-600 calories a day?

New Orleans!

Ok Everybody, I just found this post by me by mistake. I had no idea it actually got posted and I have no idea how it got posted. I was in the waiting room at my surgeon's office typing it when I got called in by the NUT. I just stopped typing and thought I'd go back and finish later. Well, after my appointments with both NUT and NP I felt better and just never went back to it and forgot about it. I must have hit a submit button and not realized it. While I was looking for a recipe in my content page I saw that it got posted. Thank you all for your responses -- I'm so sorry I did not respond. I think that was a day I had like 50 notifications and I must have overlooked it. So let me update that post.... One of the NPs had suddenly left the practice and my NP was doubling up on patients so I was in the waiting room for a while that day and I had too much time to think ( I'm dangerous when I think too much!) and worry. I was supposed to see the NP first then NUT but because NP was running so behind the NAT saw me first. I went over my little diet diary and I told her there was no way I could stomach the Prescriptfit program I was supposed to be doing. She said that was no problem , not to worry. We went over my food diary which showed I stayed between 900-1200 calories and I lost only 2lbs in 30 days. ( and that 2lbs was probably only because I was sick a few days before and didn't eat anything for 24 hours) She said not to worry....just as long as you don't gain. I went on to explain that this is one of my concerns and the main reason I am here for the sleeve. Will it still work for me if my body is at the point that I cannot lose weight on 900-1200 low carb calories a day. She said yes, but you will lose slower than most and I especially need to utilize that "honeymoon" period after surgery to get off as much as possible. She said they ( the practice) would be happy to see me lose 2lbs a week. Now, I have a question that I should have asked then but didn't..... If I go down to 500-600 calories a day I'm sure I'd lose 2lbs a week. Is the only reason for having this surgery is to be able to go down to 500-600 calories a day without being hungry? I'm not sure that 2lbs a week is worth removing 90% of my stomach. It seems to me that if I can somehow survive on 500-600 cal a day on my own, why do this? My other concern is ok, what happens after the honeymoon period when my body is accustomed to 500-600 calories a day. Do I then gain weight on 900 calories a day? Is the sleeve just a way for me to stay on a starvation diet for the rest of my life? Anyway, these are the thoughts going through my head. I'm still excited about doing this even with the concerns-- I think mostly because it feels like I'm taking control rather than feeling like my body is out of my control, which is an absolutely demoralizing realization. Thanks again everyone for all the encouragement and support.....

Anybody try to melt it into a soup? I bought the Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base and was wondering how Laughing Cow melts ( I haven't tried it yet) ----

Hi, My doc is Dr. Lavin -- the surgery will be in Slidell at Southern Surgical. My 90 day Aetna requirement is up 11/14..so I'm hoping for the end of November. What about you?

Wow! My psych appt was a piece of cake. We literally just talked about my history and she asked me a few questions. It was very pleasant. Basically we had a nice chat! LOL.... ~Dana

That's what I got from it too. I think the moral of the story is that the first 6 months it's extra extra restricted because of the healing and swelling....once healed and swelling is down, you go from extra extra restricted to just restricted. And in the gastric sleeve, restricted means you have only 10-15% of the capacity you had before surgery, which is still VERY restricted. Whew! There were way too many "restricted"s in those last two sentences! I confused myself.... Basically my take on it is the "honeymoon" period is just part of the process when your stomach is healing and adjusting and you just don't want or just can't eat. Since you don't have a choice you might as well make the best of it because that is when you can get the most bang for your buck.

I found this great article about the importance of the first 6-12 months (depending on how much you have to lose) after surgery.... it really made me realize I've got to make the most of that time. I know the veteran Sleevers know this stuff but I thought the newbies and pre-surgery sleevers (like me) would be interested. It's a gastric bypass website but all the vital info is the same for Sleevers. http://gastricbypass...neymoon-period/

Wow! You look beautiful!! Congratulations!

Hi, I've heard that the peer review often works to get the decision reversed. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. By the way, I have MS too.....one of my goals for losing weight is to help with the overwhelming fatigue....

Hi MK, Yes, Dr. Lavin is the founder of Surgical Specialists of La (Why Weight is their slogan ) They have offices Metairie and Mandeville.

Hi Shane, Would your cardio happen to be Dr. Lasala? I'm asking because he is the "huggy" type and I immediately thought of him.

Hey Shane, It was Gina Beck. Who did you? By the way, did you ask me about where to find the Northshore people? I meant to reply but just remembered I didn't. The group or thread was called NOLA Northshore but I haven't seen anyone post recently. I think they used to get together - not sure if they still do. I wish we could revive it -- it would be nice to a little local group!

Hi Robin! I must have missed this post -- I'm sorry!! Sometimes I've got like 50 notifications and I'm having trouble keeping up. How did your Upper GI go? I just went for my second NP and Nutritionist visit yesterday. Aetna requires a 90 day song and dance too. My 90 days is up Nov 14. It cannot get here soon enough. What type of program on you on? I only lost 2 pounds in my first 30 days. Vesta said she was fine with that. Does Blue Cross require you to lose before surgery? ( Aetna doesn't -- they just want you to do the song and dance). I'm in Mandeville -- where are you? I would love to get together... let me know what works for you! It would be really nice to go through this with someone close by! When is your 90 days up? ~Dana

Hi MK, I'm using Dr. Lavin too. I just had my second NP and Nutritionist visit yesterday. Aetna requires a 90 day medically supervised nutrition program which I will complete in mid November. I'm hoping for a surgery date not long after that. Do you live in the area? I've met two people in the waiting room at Dr. Lavin's office who are from DC and NYC-- they fly in for the post op visits.

One more thing, both doc and NUT told me that based on my history (lost 160lbs 12 years ago-- kept most of it off but gained 60 back over the last five years even while restricting calories/carbs) that I should not expect to lose quickly. NUT told me that she would be happy with 2lbs a week - which kind of disappointed me but in my head I already knew it. I guess I was hoping for a dramatic miracle!

I asked this same thing Doxie..... I even asked my surgeon and NUT..... Doc said this surgery completely resets body set points. And because for the first year or so your calories are so drastically reduced your body has no choice but to burn the fat. The key is to make sure you get the tons of Protein in so that your body doesn't burn muscle first before fat. The nutritionist did not mention the reset of body set points....she just said your body has no choice but to burn fat if you are only consuming 500-600 calories a day. I never really got an answer about what effect the extremely low calories will have on metabolism for down the road maintenance. My concern is ok, so when your body eventually gets used to living on 600 calories does that mean you'll gain weight on 1000? The reason I'm here doing this surgery is because I have been unable to lose weight on 1200 calories a day. I finally came to the conclusion that this was my only way...

I feel the exact same way!!! I love to know more about everyone! I always like to see where people are from and what their interests are.... and pictures! Who doesn't love progress pictures??? I plan to post progress pictures because I know how much it means to the pre-surgery ( like me) or freshly sleeved ( who may be going through a rough period and needs to see the "golden ring").... ~Dana

You look gorgeous!!! Congratulations!

Congratulations!! I'm hoping my date will be around that same time!! We'll be able to support each other!!

I've been reading a "regrets" thread and now I'm doubting my decision about this. I'm sitting in my surgeon's waiting room for my second appointment with NP and NUT. I'm scared of complicating my already screwed up health ( multiple sclerosis , lupus). The horror stories are scaring the daylights out of me. I also think that I will be isolated socially -- this is New Orleans -- food is like a religion here-- EVERYTHING revolves around food. Will I EVER be able to eat a normal meal? (of course smaller portions). I love steak-- will I ever be able to eat steak? The carbs I'm not really concerned about -- they haven't been a big part oft life for 12 years. But meat and salad -- I love. What will life look like

Hi, Yep, your story is a lot like mine ( and probably most!). A lot of my friends also think this is too drastic. What I try to explain to them is that it is time for "drastic". I have tried everything... I'm DONE with that and I'm READY for this! I'm very scared too but staying fat scares me more..... Welcome to our Novembers club! ~Dana