IrishEyes

@ Irisheyes...this was one of my concerns, thx for sharing

I am 6months post-op and recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. I give myself weekly shots of methotrexate and seems to be helping. I still have some joint pain and it makes exercising challenging BUT I canNOT imagine how much worse I would feel if I still had those 65lbs. I feel so much better in my skin. I no longer have sleep apnea which is HUGE. Here is the challenging part, I HAVE to make sure I get all the Protein and fluids in (vitamins daily and B12 shots monthly) or I have low energy. Its difficult for all of us but I think its even more crucial when dealing with autoimmune issues. Please keep that in mind. I had a problem taking Rx pills for psoriatic arthritis with my little tummy. Thats why i do injections and its the best choice i made. Very, very small needles. Easy to do and only once a week vs 2 pills a day. Life is truly sweeter now. I really wish I had surgery years ago. You all are going to be sooo happy! Its not every day you turn your life around. Enjoy the journey.

I am 6months post-op and recently diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. I give myself weekly shots of methotrexate and seems to be helping. I still have some joint pain and it makes exercising challenging BUT I canNOT imagine how much worse I would feel if I still had those 65lbs. I feel so much better in my skin. I no longer have sleep apnea which is HUGE. Here is the challenging part, I HAVE to make sure I get all the Protein and fluids in (vitamins daily and B12 shots monthly) or I have low energy. Its difficult for all of us but I think its even more crucial when dealing with autoimmune issues. Please keep that in mind. I had a problem taking Rx pills for psoriatic arthritis with my little tummy. Thats why i do injections and its the best choice i made. Very, very small needles. Easy to do and only once a week vs 2 pills a day. Life is truly sweeter now. I really wish I had surgery years ago. You all are going to be sooo happy! Its not every day you turn your life around. Enjoy the journey.

Super hero type? No thanks.. I've always had a thing for Jimmy Stewart....

Finally broke that darn 3 week stall And got a NSV: I'm in size 8 jeans and got in a size S dress!

It's my six months surgiversary today. Wow! :)

its been a little over a week since my 6 month Post op!
My surgery weigh in: 232
surgery date: 9/07/2012
Today I weigh: 158 pounds!!!
that's over 70 pounds lost! I'm so proud of myself! I was at a stall for nearly a month, I was exhausted but I finally have a huge smile on my pretty face. :-D

Bless your heart, someone who is actually shorter than me. I am almost 5'0". I think 4' 11" and a half. My doctor's goal for me is 130. I am currently going between 185 and 187 which is fine with me since so far I don't have much hanging skin and don't want any. I seem to be losing about 6 lbs a month now. Hopefully in 6 months I will be down to 150. Anything is better than 240.
I have a new NSV. I can now put my pants on without sitting down and can cross my legs at the knee now.

A huge thank you to everyone! You've helped me feel much better and I am, once again, excited for Friday to get here!

Getting back to normal size bits just takes time. The main thing is to know how many bites before you get full. I'm at week 8 and still don't get any warning signs that I'm full. It goes from normal to "topped off" with just one more bite. So it's better to eat small bites to learn where your full mark is.

Your whole perspective about food will change in general. When I see someone else take a big bite of a burger or sandwich I think, "I would never WANT to take a bite that big". When I am in a restaurant and see a platter of food come to another table I think, "Omg, I cannot believe I used to eat that much food." You will be fine.

Now a days I'm loosing a pound a week. Started at 258 and I'm now at 202 slow and steady but at least I'm loosing and not gaining. Surgery was 9/14 56lbs down!!! I'm 32lbs from my goal weight.

I am 16 months post-op.
1) is it a totally different life style? It isn't totally different, but I have made changes. I have a job that requires me to sit at a computer for big chunks of the day. I recently changed my desk to a stand-up desk in order to help myself move more. I work out (and make time for working out), which is something I didn't do in the past. The rest is pretty much the same.
Do you go out to eat and just eat less, or totally avoid it? ,
I do still go out to eat, and it is something we do pretty frequently both pre and post op. I just make good choice and don't feel compelled to eat everything.
Do you eat differently from the rest of the family?
Yes and no. I can eat the same things my family eats, but I eat much smaller portions. But just because I can doesn't mean I do. I tend to modify my meals. For instance, if my family has spaghetti, I just eat the meat sauce and only a few noodles. If they have pizza, I might eat the toppings off one piece and then have something with Protein in it.
I am still in the weight-loss stage, so I am still drinking Protein drinks for some of my meals. I usually do this when I am working or my family is gone. I sometimes just have a bite or two of something like potatoes.
My eating isn't strange enough that people comment on it when we go out to eat.
Can you do everything physically that you did before?
I can and actually I can do so much MORE than I did before. This summer, we went on a very physical vacation, and I was able to do all of it including a very steep, hilly four-mile hike that I wouldn't have been able to do before my surgery. I was also easily able to go up into a lighthouse, and I think I would have had trouble fitting in the tight spaces before my surgery.
Has your life changed drastically in any way?
No. I am still happily married, employed and mother of four kids.
2) how has your life changed mentally?
Before my surgery, I had this voice in my head that constantly brought me down mentally. It would be the voice that told me I was fat and couldn't do this or that or would notice my butt overflowing the chair I was sitting in and that my waist band was cutting into my belly and how big my thighs were and how hard it was to bend over to pick something up off the floor. I would hear myself breathing heavily when climbing stairs and dreaded seeing someone at that point that expected me to talk too.
After my surgery, the voice in my head shut up. I don't have the negative self talk constantly in my head, and I am happier because of it. I'm quicker to smile and laugh and am not afraid to try something because I'm worried I won't fit.
Of course, the obvious, looking and feeling better. Anything else? I'm more flexible, which can be handy in certain rooms of the house.
Has it been worth it?
Yes!

Missed it by 1.4 but that's okay during this challenge (thanksgiving day to today) I lost 13.6!! Any other holiday season I would have gained that!!!
on to my valentines day challenge (Come join me!!)

Irish-
That was the best advise I dropped quite a bit then the holidays hit and I went into food over load now it is time to jump back on the wagon and start dropping again.

Starting weight: 243
Surgery weight: 228 (Sept 21, 2012)
New Years Goal: 190
Todays weight: 191
Missed it by a pound but THRILLED at my progress, as we all should be.
How awesome is it for all of us today? How many of us have had a New Year resolution to lose weight in the past? Now we KNOW we will lose it! How liberating!! All these diet commercials and finally, FINALLY, this year I KNOW I will lose weight!! This is an unexpected NSV. Starting the new year knowing the weight will come off. I just want to congratulate all of you for making this amazing decision to transform your life!! Happy New Year!!

Starting weight: 243
Surgery weight: 228 (Sept 21, 2012)
New Years Goal: 190
Todays weight: 191
Missed it by a pound but THRILLED at my progress, as we all should be.
How awesome is it for all of us today? How many of us have had a New Year resolution to lose weight in the past? Now we KNOW we will lose it! How liberating!! All these diet commercials and finally, FINALLY, this year I KNOW I will lose weight!! This is an unexpected NSV. Starting the new year knowing the weight will come off. I just want to congratulate all of you for making this amazing decision to transform your life!! Happy New Year!!

Omg.. This thread is perfect. I hadn't a clue what to pack for my surgery tommorrow 12/26/12. So nervous I can't think. Now with these lists I won't have to!

Well I'm not a year out but I'm about 9 months. So 1 I still eat out, I make better choices, eat much less and don't eat out as often. I still log all my food, yeah it gets annoying, but it keeps me accountable. I haven't told any friends, just family. So when I go out to eat with friends I order light, like a Soup, or 1 or taco or 2 tacos and just eat the inside. I say that I'm watching my carbs which is pretty true. Emotionally I'm on cloud nine, however I must admit I was not a miserable person to begin with. Getting my sleeve was the best decision ever. I'm down 90 lbs from my highest weight. In in a size 16 loose and going into a size 14 non plus size. It's weird because some people are actually really just starting to notice the weight loss. It took me about 50 lbs To loose a size, however now I go down a size ever 10-15 lbs.

Also just nine months out, but I don't expect further significant changes to lifestyle.
I do still eat out, but of course I can't eat the entire meal like before. I always ask for a take home box first thing. I don't eat out as often as before simply because we both have adopted healthier eating patterns (he is not sleeved and doesn't need to be), and it doesn't take me very long to eat my small quantities, so it just doesn't seem worth the trouble, time and expense anymore!
Sometimes hubby and I eat the same thing for dinner, but more often than not, I do my thing, he does his. This has not adversely affected our relationship. Thank goodness he is self-sufficient in the kitchen!
When we have family dinners, I eat what they eat, just not as much. I still put on big family dinners and don't make anything special just for me. I just eat what I can and no one makes a fuss about it. My sons are great guys, and so are their wives. Grandchildren haven't even noticed my drastic change in size, as it doesn't seem to register with kids. They look into my eyes, not at my butt.
Certainly, I can do everything physically that I could do before, and waaaaay more! It was a struggle to walk to the office from my car! It was a struggle to clean house. Heck, it was a struggle to turn over in bed. All that has changed. I will admit that I have lost a good deal of muscle mass and with it some strength. I laugh it off, but I struggle sometimes to open a jug of milk or laundry detergent! It would help if I would exercise!
Emotionally and mentally I am clear and focused and happy as I can be. Like the previous poster, I was already in a good place, with a happy marriage, well-adjusted adult children responsible for themselves and their families, good job, satisfying creative hobbies. I was just fat and with that all the shame, embarrassment and disabilities that go along.
Now I am even happier and will knock others out of the way to get in front of a camera!
Truthfully, this has been a very easy journey for me. The hardest part was making the decision to proceed. Once decided, I admit I was fearful, but went forward. No regrets. I've lost weight steadily, never weighed the same for longer than three days. I can eat almost anything I want, just less of it. I look great with my clothes on, not so great with them off, but I'm old, who cares. I feel marvelous. I love all my new clothes, they fit and flatter and reveal more about who I am, rather than being used to hide who I am.
The second hardest part was learning to live with all the supplements in addition to my regular meds. Now that is just a part of my daily routine and I don't give it a second thought anymore. Most folks do get off most of their meds, but I have not. I have highly resistant hypertension, but at least now my meds keep it under better control, whereas before they did not. I do not expect to ever get off my bp meds or my arthritis meds, but I have seen improvement in both afflictions.
Life is just too dang good.

OMG! I ate everything in site! I thought I would never be able to enjoy the same foods ever again! Man was I wrong! If I could go back and do it again, I probably wouldn't eat like I did before surgery because I am enjoying all my favorite foods- just not as much of them.

sue why do you love your sleeve so much?
I love my sleeve so much because it has changed my life!! It has given me the ability to eat smaller portions, exercise, lower my blood pressure, feel more confident.. the list goes on and on! I never thought I would feel this great again! LOVE IT!!