MichiganChic

Nope, not even close to a failure. It's just the way it is. I also had skin and fat like that on my legs. There is just no way it's ever going to be thin and lean. I'm not built that way, and no amount of diet, exercise, OR plastic surgery can ever make my legs model thin. Use shapewear and enjoy the success you've achieved!

I have found the same thing. I go at 2 1/2 years out be because I want to do everything I can to ensure my success. I think (conceptually) that weight loss support groups should help me stay connected and focused. However, I just told my doc and the dietician who runs the group that we need something different for long term patients. It's totally a bust when the couple of voices who are new/overly enthusiastic/self-absorbed take over the meeting. Some people just think now they finally "get it" and by them telling everyone else, they will get it, too. So, I'm thinking that I'd also like to stop, but I need all the help I can get. I'm going to try to get them to do something different, but if not, I'm not sure what I'll do.

I also have to remain hypervigilant. I have to eat very little to maintain, and even less to lose. That also explains for me why weight watchers was marginally successful. I don't think I (or any of us) caused this phenomenon of a slow metabolism by being obese and yo-yo dieting. I think we had this problem to start with, and that caused us to gain weight easily, which drove us to attempt to lose the weight any way we could. At least we have a fighting chance with the sleeve. While maintenance is HARD, I still think it's easier and better to work hard and be thin than it was to work hard and stay fat.

Glad you are doing well. It does keep getting easier.

I also had a gastric sleeve, and I can eat 1.5-2 cups, too. I make an effort to keep it between 1/2 and 1 cup, though. I don't go over very often, but the once in a while if I don't consciously restrict myself, I am shocked that I can eat like that.

This wound vac is miraculous! All of the tunnels are healed and the main wound is about 1/4 its original size. I've only had it on 2 weeks, and I think I can discontinue it in a day or two. I'm going to have a wider scar at my inner knee, but my surgeon said she can fix it in about a year. After all this, I care a lot less about that than I care about being healed!

One of the reason I chose the sleeve over RNY was because I need to take NSAIDs. My doc said never with RNY, but ok with the sleeve. I take them almost every day and have for two years.

I followed mine 100% as directed. I had two weeks of liquids and less than 1000 calories. One day I had a party and I was allowed one meal then, as long as I stayed below the calories, and I think that was at about day 6. I remember it being very hard, and I wondered if I had what it takes to succeed with the sleeve, so I think I was trying to prove to myself that I could. Guess if could. My doc doesn't require liquids for two weeks for everyone, just high BMI patients. People with a BMI of lower than 50 have a different requirement. @ I'll just give myself a hooray for success AND honesty!

@@tebowfan glad to hear its going well with minimal pain. How do things look?

I stayed at 800-900 a day all during weight loss, which was about 14 months. I do not lose if I eat more than that. I maintain at around 1100 calories with an occasional splurge day.

I bought one large bottle of the salted caramel (SF) right after surgery over two years ago, and I'm just now finishing it up. I add it greek yogurt with a little Peanut Butter, and it's pretty good. I also add it to starbucks caramel coffee to make an iced coffee. I use it very sparingly because I find it to be pretty sweet. I think I didn't like it so much at first either, which is why I still have the same bottle two years later! I didn't like sweet things much at first, either, but my tastes continue to change over time.

@@tebowfan How's it going?

@@CowgirlJane thanks for the note, and I'm sure hoping that day comes soon! I feel fortunate to have access to great medical care and equipment, because I know it would take a lot longer without the wound vac. As of today all the tunnels are finally healed, and I'm only left with a 2 inch long 1 inch deep open wound. It was 2-3 times that size 2 weeks ago, with two 4-5 inch tunnels that just kept filling with serous Fluid. I'm really thrilled I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I might actually start exercising again!

Who is the "you" you're referring to? Yes, that's what I'm wondering, who have you deemed the failure, @@cfinch70?

Just want to say your baby is adorable!! Congratulations! With a new baby, I think what you are going through is normal. Give yourself some time. You lost a significant amount of weight, so you know what to do. Back to basics, Protein first, you know the drill. Rid your house of the junk. Detox from those carbs. I'd say take some time to make it easier on yourself by having foods that you like, that you should have, readily available. Set yourself up for success. You can do it!

I was told no straws to prevent sucking in air and taking in too much liquid at once. I didn't use a straw at all for the first year, and I do once in a while now if I'm out and get something to drink that comes with a straw. Honestly, I don't think it would hurt me at this point, but I'm trying to be compliant even though I don't believe it have any negative consequences at all, lol.

Glad to hear you are doing well! Once the swelling goes down, you will feel even better! Take care of yourself and don't overdo it

I do believe you can go through periods of plateaus where you are doing everything right, and the weight does not come off. I think it's absolutely true that we just don't really understand obesity and weight loss as well as you might think. I've had periods of time where I did everything right, and didn't lose weight, and other times when I didn't do so good, and the weight just fell off. Before I had the sleeve, I followed weight watcher religiously for 18 months. I lost 50 pounds the first year, and the next six months I lost nothing. There was no explanation for it. With the sleeve I can tolerate much lower calories, so I didn't experience anything like that. However, I lost about 40 pounds the first two months post op, and then in the third month I lost about 6 pounds - nothing changed, but my body was fighting to stay fat while I ate less than 600 calories a day. I think the physical dynamics of a morbidly obese person is just so much more complex than calories in = calories out (that we've all been taught). One thing for almost certain, though, if you keep consuming low calories, you will lose weight over time. It's what we do for the long haul that makes the difference, and the amount we can consume to be successful varies from person to person, so we each have to find what that is.

I never had a band, but I have never had anything get stuck, and I've never vomited either.

Mine was also covered.

I flew as a think person for the first time last summer. I swear, I love a lot of things about being then, but that was right near the top of my joyous list! I was just going on a work trip, and I flew alone and knew I didn't need to worry about fitting in the seat, maybe being told I needed 2 seats, spilling over onto someone else, and walking through airports. I still remember that feeling of utter joy, satisfaction, and freedom. ahhhhh. Enjoy!

I had the same problem. I would read on here how people had so much energy! and think to myself something must be wrong. But there are plenty of people like us, too. I never did get a noticeable jump in energy, because it was a gradual improvement. Then one day at about 7 or 8 months, I realized how much energy I did have. It wasn't sudden at all. I think that time coincided with a significant weight loss and a slight increase in calories. I have a theory that even though I was not hungry, and I didn't get the other physical symptoms of hunger such as shaking, I still was weak and tired to the super low calorie intake. So that's a long winded answer to say it's normal, and you will eventually get more energy back than you had before your surgery. Just take care of yourself and be patient.

@@twinhappy I love my Vitamix for smoothies. It's expensive, but you can do frozen deserts and hot soups in it, too.

That's great that it seems to be resolving! I'm glad for you. I'm sure hoping this wound vac does the trick for me. I had a small area of dehiscence after my lower body lift last August, and that literally took 4 months to heal, which was about a week before my thigh lift. So, I've had some sort of open wound to deal with for about 7 months - and that's getting a little old! There was a plastic surgeon who was a guest speaker at the last bariatric support group I went to, and one of the first things he talked about was the need for mental stamina. My experience really brings that statement clearly into focus!

She said she was hurt that I didn't tell her, she thought we were better friends than that. You're right, I think I didn't tell her because I knew she wasn't a true friend. I just need to let it go, it's just hard. We work together and I have to see her everyday. That does make it rough. Maybe she will quit and make your life easier. If you didn't have to see her every day, it would sure make it easier to write her off - where she belongs. Her behavior is really out of line. I would just be professional toward her and let it be HER problem, because it clearly is. You need your energy to focus on your health and weight loss, not for such negativity. Leave that to her.