Momonanomo

The only caution I would have is to not get dehydrated! It can get hot in those beds, and if you're not able to get all your fluids in properly yet, you will end up feeling like CRAP!!! And dehydration can be very dangerous to those who have recently had surgery. . . .

I use Skinceuticals and it has been amazing. People actually comment on how good my face looks. Love it, because I was starting to get horizontal lines on my forehead and the "elevens" between my eyebrows. Been using it a year, and those lines are hardly visible now, and random people have said I have a glow. I LOVE the Age & Blemish Defense serum the most, but I also use the wash, the toner, the vitamin c, and the vitamin b moisture. I think I will use this stuff forever because it has been so effective. Pricey but a little goes a long way and it lasts forever.

It warms my heart to read this. My mom has been one of my biggest cheerleaders. It has meant the world to me.

I completely agree with 1Day -- def look for a new PCP. Perhaps your WLS surgeon can refer you to a good one! lol Good for you for keeping your cool and getting what you needed. Shame on her for acting that way, but kudos to you for rising above.

How exciting it must be to be at Goal!!!!! All your hard work has really paid off!! You should be proud! Excellent advice you give to those considering VSG to really do the research. And I totally agree that it is up to the individual to use the sleeve to its best advantage. Words of wisdom! You've done beautifully! Congratulations!

First 4 weeks post surgery I lost 20 lbs exactly. Here's how it went week by week. Week 1 -- 5 lbs Week 2 -- 9 lbs Week 3 -- 3.8 lbs Wekk 4 -- 2.2 lbs I had lost 10 lbs in my 2 weeks pre-op. But you are right --- everyone is different!

hmmm interesting question. First thing that pops in my mind in response was: well then, how could any of us rationalize eating to the point of obesity when there are so many people starving in the world? And yet....we all did it. I agree with the above folks....I utilized what was available to me to get healthy. Me not having the surgery and continuing to fight a losing battle with dieting would have done nothing to help the starving people in the world. There are many non profit organizations that I can help support with my time or money that can offer help to those in need.

only regret not doing it sooner. this has been exactly what I needed. Best of luck to you!

Alcohol & sugary drinks cant stretch your sleeve, but they are empty calories. The stomach after sleeve cannot regrow to th esize it was before, but people who regain find ways to eat the junk that slides through easily and adds up the calories. People who stick to the Protein First rule continue to feel the restriction of the sleeve. It does relax abit after surgery and can hold more, but that is why changing habits of what is eaten is important. It may be cliche, but the sleeve is not a magic cure, it is a tool that when used properly can mean maintaining healthy weight loss. Ultimately each of us is responsible for the outcome.

First, welcome LaLa And, it is SO natural to be scared. Use this forum as much as you possibly can to find out about the whole process. Knowledge is power. Also, you can read about what people are gong through at various stages in their journeys and think to yourself "What will I do when I come to this? How will I best handle it?" As far as the starch thing goes -- omg I was such a carboholic. Sourdough was like crack for me! lol! I never never never would have thought I could get over my addiction, or at least get it under control. But, here's what worked for me. I treated this surgery like what it is: a SURGERY. On my stomach. And to best protect that staple line while it's healing, you *cannot* eat things like sourdough! For quite a while. I went without the starchy things from the beginning of my 2 week pre-op diet to several months afterward, and you know what? It was like a detox. So yes, you will be putting yourself in a position where you could harm yourself medically if you eat that stuff, and for em that's what it took to break its hold on me. After your stomach is healed and you're cleared for real food, be very careful about reintroducing that stuff because by its very nature it causes you to want more. As far as the alcohol goes... well you will need to be drink free for a while to let your stomach heal. Once you're cleared to drink, please be very VERY careful with the alcohol. Many WLS patients get into trouble with what is called a "transfer addiction" with alcohol, because it is liquid and goes down easy, and when you can no longer indulge in a food addiction it can be very easy to transfer that addiction to alcohol. Be very very very careful if you feel you may be susceptible to this. Do you have access to a counselor? if your program had you take a psych evaluation, perhaps you could see that person some more or have them recommend someone to you can talk to. If you truly are not ready, they will help you get to a place where you are. And remember, we all had nerves about this. So we're all here to help you with yours!

You will absolutely be able to eat sushi again You just might not want the rice with it. For many of us, rice is too heavy and uncomfortable in our tiny tummies. But no worries! Sushi without rice is still yummy!My favorite is sashimi (or poke) wrapped in nori. Yum! And high protein! You should start practicing the no drinking with your meal thing. It does take a while to get used to, and I usually pop my chewable Vitamins or a sugarfree min right after eating to help signal to myself the end of the meal. But with practice, the no drinking while eating thing gets to be second nature. I've always loved beer, pierre, club soda. However, it's no so appealing to me now. I've had a few sips and ...<shrug> it's no longer appealing. It is said that carbonation can be anywhere from damaging to painful on tiny tummies. Some people on the board difiantly indulge anyway and claim no problems. Ask your surgeon and or NUT. I think like with many things, after you're all healed and can have whatever you want, you may ultimately find you don't miss it all that much anyways. As far as Disney goes -- you should be a couple of months out by then. Valid concern to be careful to not get dehydrated. You just have to carry Water with you and sip sip sip all through the day. It too will become second nature! good luck to you on your journey!!

what a great metaphor! I don't have an m&m, but I do have a little foil-wrapped chocolate heart that sits on my work computer as a token to remind myself "I am stronger than the chocolate, I do not have to eat the chocolate just because it is in my sight, I will not eat the chocolate" It's a visual anchor to keep me strong -- just like your m&m!

6 weeks after surgery was the 4th of July. I had a few sips of white wine at a party -- very carefully. I ended up nursing that glass for hours. I was surprised when I found that I no longer had a desire to over indulge like I had pre-surgery, in both food AND drink!

I read somewhere it has to do with the surface tension of plain water (forgive me if someone already said this). Anyways, thats what causes water to sometimes be uncomfortable in our tiny tummies. Just add a little something to it, anything. I like a splash of lime juice.

that means 39 people on THIS website have claimed him as their surgeon Not every WLS patient finds their way to this particular website, or any other online group. And of those that find their way here, not all of them put who their surgeon was (I didn't). hope that helps!

I wouldn't recommend progressing faster than your surgeon advised you to. If you had the sleeve, you've just had your stomach cut up the side of the organ, and it needs serious TLC to heal. Boredom is a small price to pay to have a safe recovery. You can make it, I promise!

In the top menu ribbon of the website there is a menu option that says 'SURGEONS'. Click on that, and you can put in all kinds of search criteria, including what state, what insurance, even dial it down to a zip code. That should be a good place to start. Then you can google them and see if their clinics have informational websites/ You can also search other members in your area by searching 'PATIENTS' and contact them directly. Hope this helps!

For me, full feels...well, full. Like NMJG, I have learned to eat to where I'm not hungry anymore rather than to where I am full. Keeps me from getting over-full. Over-full feels like someone punched me in the stomach And it only takes one more tiny bite to get over full. It took me a while to figure out I need to stop before I get over full -- for many months I was likely to put in my mouth that one last bite, only to think better of it and spit it into a napkin. It took a while, but I've learned. Now I can stop before over full. And sometimes I have one super loud, unannounced, uncontrollable hiccup. That's embarrassing! but thankfully it hasn't happened in public!

lmao -- 'lost a supermodel' . I love it! congrats!

Oh yeah! Definitely slouch when they measure you! I apparently am an inch shorter than i used to be in younger years; i guess age and being obese so long compressed me lol. I was bugged at first to find that out. But it helped raise my bmi

Ive heard of people sewing weights into their clothes. I needed to gain 8 lbs...i knew it was worth it to have surgery before i got too unhealthhy, which i would have in the long run. I was ready to get things going....i didnt tell anyone i was purposely gaining. Ended up gaining 20 :/ BUT now im down 106....definitely worth it!

I'm not a year out yet and am still i my losing phase; I know there are vets on here with loads more experience, but I can put in a thought that might be helpful. Hoping those further out will put in their advice too, because I'm interested in what they have to say! I think for me -- the key is to always ALWAYS eat Protein first. My recent stall & experience with sliders over the holidays (T-giving all the way through my birthday in early Feb) I truly believe was because I was allowing myself to eat processed carb-y and sugary things when I was hungry. The sliders. The evil sliders You don't really get full and they have an addictive way of making you want more. But! the whole thing was a learning experience for me so that I now know it's true what they say: eat the protein first and you'll feel the restriction. I believe, that for the rest of my life, when I need to, I can use my sleeve as a tool by eating the dense protein first. Other things that I've picked up on the boards in addition to protein first: 1) don't drink any beverage for at least 30 minutes after you eat 2) overall, try to limit (or eliminate) bread, Pasta, rice, sugar 3) get your exercise -- doesn't have to be hard core from the get-go, just try to always do a little more than you did before. Get moving 4) think about why you might be eating too much or the wrong things. If it's perhaps rooted in emotion, consider seeking counseling. there is no shame in getting help to sort things out. It's a wise investment! 5) Once you get to goal -- and I truly believe you can get back there! --- weigh yourself regularly. Allow a small "bounce" range of 5 lbs or so, and don't let yourself go beyond that. The sooner you catch the regain the better. I think we all know that if we allow 5 lbs to be 'ok', then pretty soon it can turn into more. That has been the story of my life. So for me, no more sticking my head in the sand and being in denial about my weight. And hey! Congrats on losing the weight in the first place -- don't get too down about the regain. You're absolutely doing the right thing by addressing it now. I really think we will all ALWAYS have to fight this battle. It's all a learning process -- for the rest of our lives. I know that's cliche, but it's true. You can do this! best of luck