MichiganChic

Congratulations, that's awesome

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the odds are not in your favor. Not saying it's 100% certain you will lose hair or how much, but it's better to not to waste energy fretting over something you can't do much to prevent. I took biotin since before surgery, got all my protein in every day, and still started losing at 3.5 months. I went to a dermatologist last week, and they gave me some injections and a topical steroid to slow the loss and speed growth. I sure hope it works! I also started with hair on the thin side, so I couldn't afford to lose it at the rate I am. Hope it works out better for you.

Wow, great accomplisment! You look wonderful!

I'm a pear at my thinnest and also at my heaviest. I don't think your basic shape changes.You lose weight all over, but your proportions stay about the same. My waist is currrently about 10 inches smaller than my bust, and 15 inches smaller than my hips. I've lost about 24 inches from all over my body, and I'm pretty much the same ratio as I was at the start, with the only difference being my abdomen is thinner/flatter. I was never big busted, and those puppies are deflating!! Still, it's better than the alternative

There is no way to tell from this information if you are going to be a slow loser, but what you are experiencing is normal. I came home heavier than when I went in, then about two weeks later lost 10 pounds in a week. However, I lost about 25 pounds the first month. I also don't know your weight, but 30-40 pounds is a pretty big expectation. It might happen, but it might not, either. I think the worst thing we can do to ourselves is have unrealistic expectations because then we are continuously disappointed. Wish I had figured that out a little sooner Good luck.

Sounds pretty normal at this stage. You'll be able to eat more later on.

Wow, that's great!

Once I decided to have the surgery, I spent the next 2 months "keeping my BMI up" (my insurance had no waiting period for BMI over 50). I made it my business to have the things I liked the most, and as I was doing it, I noticed myself saying goodbye to it - it was the food funeral others discussed. I didn't know that's what I was doing at the time, I just knew I made a decision to permanently change my lifestyle. It was strangely effective for me. By the time I got to the liquid diet, I didn't have any regrets and was ready for surgery. Now, even at 5 months post op, I don't think about it. I think I was grieving the loss of the lifestyle more than the food. I can eat whatever I want, just not in large quantities.

Congratulations on your continued success, and thank you for posting here. I often wonder what the future will be like, and the things you discuss are my biggest fears now. I try not to push it either, but I know that my sleeve can hold more than many people post here. I'm about 5 months post op, and I don't graze, but I could. I used to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and I never want to go back to that lifestyle. I agree that it takes a lot of energy to stay the course, which is one of the main reasons I was so fat. If I was stressed or if something else needed my full attention/energy, I ignored my diet. I know I can never allow that to happen again, but I also have to be realistic and know that life gets in the way sometimes. How do you manage to keep your energy and attention on this at 2.5 years out? Again, congrats!

Thank you, and congratulations on your success!

Nicolanz, I hope you get in, too! Nursing has been a wonderful career path for me, and I've done so many different things in my career. Good luck!

Cute post, and congrats on that great big loss!

The fibers really made a big difference. Very easy to use, and take that shine off your scalp! It does give the illusion of more hair. It made me feel a lot better about the whole thing - so I would buy them again.

Well, you nailed it - obesity is a demon. And I think you CAN do it. If I can, anyone can. I do not have special powers or abilities or anything. Just some determination and the belief that I can do this! And there are many, many other normal people here who are doing it? I wish this would have been available to me 20 years ago when my kids were little. I missed out on a lifetime of things, and I'm just so happy that I have this opportunity.

Well, the thing I dreaded and hoped wouldn't happen to me, did happen. My hair is falling out. I have taken Biotin since before surgery, and have always gotten in all my Protein, all my Vitamins, and am eating around 800-1000 calories a day. I have been using Nioxin products since the third month post-op. I think I had may bases covered. But at about 3 1/2 months my hair started falling out so fast I can't believe it. When I'm drying it, it just comes out and fills the sink and flies all over the bathroom. It wasn't very thick to start with, but at the rate it's coming out, I can see my scalp, and I'm quickly losing the ability to hide it. It's just so discouraging and frightening. So yesterday I went to see a dermatologist. They gave me about 10 injections in my scalp (some type of cortisone) that is supposed to generate some hair growth quicker, and also a topical solution to put on at bedtime that is supposed to stop it from coming out. I also got some Bosley fibers to hide it until it grows back. Don't know if any of that will work, but I figure it was worth a try. They said that it does work, so I'm hopeful. I feel better about than I have in a while. Just wondered if anyone else has tried any of this?

We don't put a weight on DL in Michigan. I think it's because the whole state is too fat! But it's been working for me for years.

I was the 19th.....stuck at 76 pounds lost for the entire month, just want to get to 80 pounds down!

I think the pre-op diet is hard because it's a shock of reduced calories, no real food, and so restrictive to a person with a whole stomach. The reason we were over weight to begin with is because we were hungry and had a large capacity. We all over ate for a variety of reasons, and some of them were physical reasons. While I do think adhering to the pre-op diet is important, it irritates me when I hear people saying if you can't do the pre-op diet, then you'll never succeed post-op. Unless you have a crystal ball, you don't know, and that's not enough information to make that judgement. I think the fact the OP has some insight into the need to stay on the pre-op diet and willingness to continue to it speaks more about determination than having cheated. Incidentally, I did not cheat on my pre-op diet of two weeks of liquids, but I don't think that guarantees my success, either. It's what we do over the long term that determines our success.

You might want to give your sugeon a call. Liquid vicodin can be hard to tolerate. I had it in the hospital, and it made me naseous. I was able to tolerate pills better. Maybe your surgeon can prescribe something else?

Wow, thanks for sharing! I'm going to need all those same things done, and it's encouraging to see how GREAT you look! Seriously, it looks like it couldn't have been too bad before surgery. How much weight did you lose? Congratulations on your successful achievement of a beautiful body

Depends on how far out you are. At first, they wanted me to shoot for around 40. After the first two weeks, it was at least 55. At one month, it was 65-75. The reason it's so low at first is because your expected caloric intake is equally low.

You might want to consider RNY as a possible option, as well. DS is pretty drastic with some unpleasant side effects you might want to research.Just curious, does your sleeve not offer you enough restriction to manage your diet and weight? Best of luck.

I take them daily, have since six weeks post op, no problem. It's one of the main reasons I chose VSG as opposed to RNY.

Globetrotter, I totally get what you are saying.....it's how I got to be over 300 pounds to start with. I don't think high carbs, low carbs, Water, protien, blah blah blah can make that big of an impact on me. I've tried it all. I crack up when people post "increase your water!", because I'm here to tell you, I'd be a slim 125 pounds if that were true. One thing I DO think will make a difference for me (and maybe you) is consistency and time. I get so frustrated because I have so much left to lose, and while I'm thrilled at what I've lost, I have periods of no loss, for no apparent reason. Before surgery, I would diet, do everything right, and have no loss for weeks, then just give up. I have similar patterns even now, but I don't give up, and suddenly the weights comes off, then the pattern repeats.I tink to myself that if I had only consistenly tracked my food - even if I had eaten 2000 calories a day, I would have been a heck of a lot thinner than I was. So, in answer to your question, because you have been 20 pounds lighter in your recent past, there is no doubt in my mind you can achieve that and more - just stick with it. Find a calorie amount you can live with it, track your foods, do your exercise, and it will work! You said it yourself, you know how to do it. Anyone who can lose 130 pounds is a rock star in my book. You got this!

Let's not forget my shiney scalp! It reflects the sun.