mdbrowneyes

No HIPAA laws were violated here. She was not involved in care of patient. She can speak of her sister's experience even if it bothers others.
That's the right of free speech.

I am almost 2 years out and still occasionally see the scale move. Ive been below (way below) goal for over a year now. I've had my fair share of stalls and what makes the sleeve soo awesome is that before.. I could talk myself into the whole "ugh this isn't working, I give up " business and eat a cake. Well now I can't do that.. my sleeve wont let me. I must keep going.. I no longer have the option to give up. If this was me presleave.. I would have given up 100 times. I am now a success story and soon you will be too. The best advice I can give you is to TRY to stay positive. Some days will be better than others but the new you will be worth the wait. You must work out.. consider it a part of your new life and body. You must make good choices. Your sleeve will help you with Portion Control but ultimately you are responsible for what you choose to eat. I have no doubt that you will also be a sleeve success story.. if I could do it, anyone can

Bit of tough love here.
You are not losing weight because you are not following the diet required to to make your sleeve work. Your sleeve is a tool, not a magic wand. You must use the other part of the tool to make it all work. Pure and simple.
Did you think you would be able to fall back into the eating habits you had before and be successful? If you did, as you can see, that does not work now, just as it did not work prior to your sleeve.
You have your answer. I'm sorry if it seems harsh, but that is the reality. We all have times when we have our pity party. All of us, we are not perfect but seems like now would be a great time to end yours and get yourself back on the program. Its not to late. Get help. Go see the NUT. Go see the DR.
Again, sorry if it's coming across as harsh, but sounds like you are looking for a magic solution. There is none other than hard work.
You say you would love to follow the eating plan? That is great but you need to decide if you would love to lose the weight and follow the plan more than you love to eat poorly.

I have had a rough time making the numbers I wanted after surgery. During the all liquids phase I did excellent with my weightloss but it slowed drasticly after I started foods again. I had trouble making it to 64 ounces of Water and meeting the protien recomendations. a little overa week ago I was desperate when I gained 4 lbs in my fourth month so I decided to consume 120+ ounces of water and go over my daily recomended Protein requirments. I lost 11lbs this week!!! I was really affraid I wouldn't lose any more weight but my hope is renewed =) Just wanted to share and encourage anyone who isn't drinking enough water or getting enough protein!

I Think It too much soon.

I'm sure life has been stressful, and it's extra hard being home all day with food and not enough to keep you busy, but you can get back on track.
Here are my suggestions:
(1) Spend some time really thinking about why you had the surgery, your goal weight, and the benefits of being there. Really focus on what you're trying to achieve.
(2) When you eat, focus on dense Proteins to combat hunger. meat or fish rather than yogurt or Protein Shakes. Really pay attention to your food when you're eating. Add veggies if you need to feel more full.
(3) Figure out how to get carbs out of your diet, they only make you hungrier and slow down your weight loss. Eliminate what you can, and look for substitutes for the things that are hardest to give up.
(4) Track your food and exercise and weight using something like MyFitnessPal - it can help you focus on what you're trying to achieve
(5) When you're done with a meal, set a timer and make yourself wait before you start drinking, and don't have anything else to eat until you've gotten your Water in. I really find a timer helps me postpone eating and get back into a good routine and cut snacking. If you're struggling, chew gum, or give yourself a task to do for the next 20 minutes, anything to delay the urge.
(6) Set some small, achievable, measurable goals, like getting at least 75 grams of Protein in every day this week, or walking at least 20 minutes every day this week. Every goal you succeed at builds your confidence that you can do this, that you can get back on track.
(7) If you find yourself snacking when you're not hungry, find another way to comfort yourself. Listen to some music you enjoy, or get out and get some fresh air, or play with the dog, or whatever makes you happy.
You can do this! I got to within 5 pounds of goal and got sloppy with my eating and have spent the past 9 months bouncing within an ever-larger range. But this is going to be my year. I've found a supplement that helps me with appetite, I've gotten the carbs back out of my diet, I'm back on track with exercise, and my head back in the game. I WILL get to goal, and you can too!

Hi Texas girl!
I did the same thing. I had a low bmi and I only have about 50-60 to loose. I went to Dr. Garcia in Tijuana. I am one month out and feeling ok. Still struggling to get my Water and Protein quotas daily...but other than that...no problems at all. It has been difficult to go through the holidays and eat when I can't have what my family is having but I will get over it. I am down 20lbs this month so that is good. I can now have some soft solids from what my doctor told me and the things I couldn't wait to have don't taste right. Ughh...I've tried to cheat and eat pizza topping, and ice cream...amongst other things...but they taste like crap! All food tastes bad except for baked fish and soft cooked leafy veggies like spinach...what the what?!?!? I didn't realize that my tastebuds would change too!
I know this sounds cool...but it is a big mental and emotional adjustment. I am realizing how much I relied on food to make me feel ok. I have found that now I have to stay busy just to keep my mind off of eating. So I'm working on getting some hobbies going. I have to replace the solace that I used to receive through food. I kind of wish I had have prepared myself a bit more mentally for this change. I didn't search this board like I should have before I had my surgery. But I will adjust and overcome. As everyone will tell you...time makes everything better. You will see healing milestones everyday. That's the awesome thing about this surgery.
Whatever the case we are making room for you on the loser's bench over here...come on girl!!! Get ready for some loose hanging clothes and renewed confidence. I swear I look 10 years younger...not sure why but even my husband noticed. He loved me before...but he doesn't notice how much more loving he is now. He loves to cuddle and pick me up now...so come on over to the "light" side!!!

This is a public forum but we still have rules our members must abide by. I understand your intent might not have been to promote or advertise your surgeon but you have to understand how it appears to everyone else.
You posted (and re-posted) the same contact and sales info about your surgeon, in multiple forums.
This is clearly not allowed according to our posted Forum Rules.
Thanks for your cooperation!

Your post was unnecessary and read as rude.

Settle down lady, you haven't been sleeved yet and you said nothing about travelling alone. Get a grip..............you must have high blood pressure. Good Luck to you.

Jrzydiva i thought that he would be uncomfortable but i never thought it would be like this. I Dont have many friends to talk to and i am so confused. His mom and i get along great and she sees what i am dealing with and told me i have to focus on me too. This couldnt happen at a worst time.

You know what I notice about weak men with low self-esteem? They constantly sabatoge your progress in anyway that they can. I remember the closer I got to obtaining my bachelors degree, (a major accomplishment because I was working full time), the harder my ex would cheat on me and compete with me. He wanted me to be so consumed with him and grief that I would just give up altogether. Girl puhleese, he did not and could not get that! I agree with the other ladies, he is probably jealous that you are handling your handle and do not need him for this new journey. Stay focused and pray for yourself and for him. Maybe GOD will bring him around but if he keeps rolling like this, you may have to remove him from your life so you can grow. Best wishes!!

Why should I feel obligated to tell you?
Why should you feel entitled to ask?
It is my choice, not yours, what I elect to explain about my private life.
I don't have "secrets." I have privacy. And that is my right.
I did have someone ask me yesterday why I was not eating the pre-Thanksgiving Breakfast that was served at work. I said it was not on my nutritional plan. They then asked what I was doing to lose weight. I told them that I eat Protein first and exercise. That is truthful. Should I then launch into a detailed disclosure of everything that I did/do and why? Hell no.

I'm not sure how far you live from the Y, but have you considered going before work? My Y opens at 5:30am and I have always loved an early morning workout because it gives me energy for the day and also because I'm not already exhausted from my day, so I'm less likely to make excuses to get out of it.

I am overwhelmed by the kudos and support that I've gotten on this post! Thank you so much! Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to questions about my workout routine--ironically, I've been laid up for a couple of days after I threw my back out trying something new--more on that later. Anyway, when I was first cleared for exercise I started walking like most others. Then I moved to Zumba on the Wii, which I loved, but I eventually got bored...I signed up for a 5K, so my focus moved to training for that, which consisted of jogging walking 2-3 miles every other day. The 5K was on 11/4 and I beat last year's time by 10 minutes I took a week "off" just because I felt like I'd earned it So now my plan is to do Turbo Fire from Beachbody. I have degenerative disc disease, so it may not have been the smartest decision, but I started the program this past Sunday even though my back was already hurting. I was fine during the workout, but as soon as I finished, I started having all kinds of back aches and spasms, so I've been pouting on the sidelines since then (finally went to the doctor yesterday). I want to get back to it tonight, as I'm feeling better (not at 100%, but I never am...). Thanks for all the encouragement--glad I've been able to inspire those of you who are recent post-ops or have upcoming surgery!

Hey guys,
Just wanted to share some pics, cuz we all love it when others share pics! . This is my first time sharing photos, aside from my avatar. I'm 9 months out of surgery as of yesterday, and initially, I was having my hubby take pictures every month. I kinda fell off over the summer, but finally remembered to have him snap a few this morning. I cried a little when I put the 'before' and 'after' side by side. I was self pay, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Rejoicing over here!! Woot!
p.s. not sure if I'm doing this right, so hopefully there are pictures here!
   

It takes a while to learn how to eat small enough bites and how to eat slowly enough to avoid discomfort. You're probably still not there yet. You get to purees and the food sounds good and looks good but you can't get your brain to understand that you can only eat two or three bites, not the 2 oz. or 4 oz. you'll work up to once you're fully healed.
It only took me a few weeks to realize what my limits were on those softer foods. But it took much longer before I could reach my nutritional goals on a daily basis and eat enough in a meal that I wasn't forced to nibble around the clock to get enough nutrition.
It takes time. Be thankful that you're tolerating food well. Try to slow it down or go with smaller bites, stopping as soon as you get a cue from your body that you're done. My cues were a runny nose or hiccups. If I went even one bite past that I'd experience discomfort. You should not be feeling discomfort simply from eating if you've followed your post op diet plan, so if you still have that once you're sure you're going slow and small enough, it might be cause to contact your surgeon.
Good luck. This stage passes more quickly than you think and you'll take eating a "normal" meal for granted in a few months, mostly forgetting what a challenge it is in the beginning.
~Cheri

One of the "limitations" of these forums for me is the terribly skewed selection bias in active membership. The most active members are preoperative and relatively recent postsurgical patients. Postoperative members hang around just long enough to report their continued weight loss and, then, after a year or so—especially if they are successful at keeping the weight off—fade away into the sunset. For the most part, active members with more than two years after surgery are still struggling, which is why they are still posting (staff notwithstanding).
The other problem is one of equivalence. The vertical sleeve gastrectomy as a standalone procedure is only a few years old and the procedure has been modified even within the past year (essentially, they are removing more of the stomach body now than they used to when it was the first stage of a two-stage procedure ending in RNY). I’m guessing that three- and four-year postsurgical patients, who have had less stomach body removed, find it easier to gain weight as their sleeves are bigger and a small part of the fundus is still intact (they would still feel some hunger pains although not as intensely as before the surgery).
We really need to hear from two- to three-year post-surgical patients who have been able to successfully maintain their weight loss. Specifically, I would really like to know:
What contributing role would you say your sleeve (reduced stomach) plays in your ability to successfully maintain the weight loss (e.g., 25, 50, 75, 90 percent)?

Related, how much conscious effort does your continued weight loss require? That is, must you deliberately monitor your food intake on a daily basis or does the restriction of the sleeve necessarily limit how much you can eat so that maintenance is relatively effortless?

How has your relationship with food changed, if at all? Related, do you still enjoy eating or, currently, is food just something you must consume to sustain life?

Compared to the type of hunger pains you had experienced pre-surgically, while on a calorie-restricted diet, how would you rate the degree and quality of your hunger pains now after the surgery? That is, do you still feel hunger pains and, if so, how is your hunger drive different now than it was before the surgery?

It occurs to me as I write this post that not one of the three surgeons I consulted with over the past 16 months had ever addressed any of these very critical issues with me. I’m guessing the reason for that is they simply don’t know the answers because they—at least the surgeons here in the UAE—don’t follow their patients beyond the three-month mark.
In fact, I think I will be approaching my surgeon after the procedure about collaborating on a research study of the qualitative and quantitative psychological and physiological changes experienced by VSG patients. These data would be far more useful to prospective patients than just knowing the surgeon’s fatality and leak rates.
I am not undergoing the expense and difficult postoperative recovery and effort involved in this surgery just to say “Hey, guess what guys, I’m wearing a 32-inch waist pants again!” only to be back in my 44-inch pants two years later.
I (we) really need to know what’s involved in long-term recovery and, specifically, what has changed (and why) for the 80 percent of all WLS patients who keep the weight off. After all, that and that alone is the reason I am going to pay a surgeon to remove about 85 percent of my stomach in less than two weeks. If this was just about weight loss, I wouldn't need the surgery. I've lost well over 300lbs since I was 12-years-old (over six distinct dieting episodes).
I can definitely lose weight without surgery, no problem. I just can't keep it off for more than a year or two at a time and I'm getting too damn old and sick to continue this cycle of yo-yo dieting any longer.
Not everyone on these forums has gained weight in the same way, for the same reasons (before or after surgery). Some suffer from eating disorders such as bulimia and are binge eaters. Some are “emotional eaters” and will knock down a quart of Ben and Jerry’s after a particularly frustrating day. Others, like myself, regain the weight back over time due to consistent overeating during normal meal times, that is, we eat more than we should at each sitting simply because it tastes so damn good.
For those with more than two years out who have generously and courageously shared that they are regaining weight, I would encourage you to specifically explain exactly what it is you are doing to regain that weight, i.e., how often and how much are you eating in one day? In this way, in addition to being enlightening and putting preoperative members on notice that it is possible to regain weight after being sleeved, the post would also be instructive in advising whether this issue is applicable to the reader.
For example, if someone writes "I'm regaining weight because I'm consuming 3ozs of leftover Halloween candy corn every 60 minutes, 10 times a day, to the exclusion of my Protein, I am personally not going to take this warning to heart because I have never engaged in that pattern of overeating whereas other members might be able to identify with that and learn from it.

I can't say I've never regretted it, but really only for the minute or two that it takes me to realize that
I'm not really hungry... just maybe anxious or pissed and just want to lose my SELF in food. Now that I can't do that, I have to think my way through what's bothering me and that can be difficult. But five minutes later, when I realize I haven't given in and consumed huge portions of food just to feel better... I feel better!

I have my sleeve on sept 27 2012 in day of surgery I was 379 I start at 388 in to day IM 335 I lose Frm surgery like 44 pounds I still got lot go but IM cumin down I can't wait to see 299 been long time.

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Thanks, I'm learning slow and steady wins the race. The journey is hard and sometimes slow but I am grateful to be on right track.

Congrats ! You look wonderful. How do you feel?

I REALLY like Cheri's post. Her comments are probably the most common sense posts that i've read on here for a LONG time.
I'm a 'slow loser.' And I'm ok with it. Never have I ever felt so accomplished, confident and satisfied when losing weight before. I've lost 50 pounds 6 months, including pre-op, which my doc absolutely counts as part of the process, because it IS!! I know that weight is gone!! My doc says 15 months is about when our bodies stop losing weight unless we really push ourselves. He says at 15 months after surgery thats when our skeletal frame adjusts to the 'new lifestyle' or whatever you want to call it. So I still have 50 pounds to lose to get to goal. I was sleeved in August, so that means I have till next Thanksgiving to keep losing if I continue to work the program.
The way I look at it, this is year for me to Celebrate, retrain myself to eat & live a healthy lifestyle. No habits formed from years of practice are going to change overnight. So I'm ok with being a slow loser. It will be the LAST TIME I ever lose a massive amount of weight. (I feel like that Taylor Swift song: i'm never, ever ever EVER gonna see the fat again.) So I am not rushing thru this wonderful experience. Maybe this comes from being an older gal and I don't feel like i need to lose the weight to start my life. I'll accept that. But what I don't want to accept is docs getting down on their patients and upsetting them by putting meaningless and harmful labels on them.
Hang in there.

So glad to see you made it! Blessings to you and prayers for a speedy recovery