MichiganChic

Thanks for posting. Nice, easy read, and I think right on the money.

Fage 0% greek yogurt is my favorite. The others already covered the sugar aspect, but it is really high in protein, though it's thick, so you'll probably need to wait till you are at the full liquid stage. I still find it very filling at 4.5 months out.

My advice is to fully understand the procedure and the aftercare, as well as the lifelong changes that must accompany the surgery in order for it to be successful. I especially urge you to condiser the potential complications, which you can get a pretty true understanding of by searching the complications forum on this site. Once you've done that, put yourself in the shoes of someone who lived it. You really need to decide to what your risk tolerance is. Really serious things can happen, even if it is only a small percent of the time, but if you happen to fall into that category, the complication is 100% yours. It sounds like you've witnessed firsthand a less than perfect outcome with your aunt, so you already have some firsthand knowledge of it. One other thing I'd like to say is that while gastric sleeve does not reroute your intestines, it is still just as invasive. It's a major surgey, complete with all the risks of any major surgery. Not trying to dissuade you at all, just giving practical advice. For me, the risk was worth the benefit. I did have a minor complication (infection) and it quickly made me realize that while that risk is low, when it happens, you are the one stuck with it. I'm almost 5 months out, and I'm happy I made this decision. For me, it was hope to avoid obesity related complications and hope at a better life. I don't know what the future holds, but it is promising!

Try a new battery. When that happens to me, I take the number I get twice. I always want it to be the lowest too.

I'm about 5 months and try to stay 900-1000, but sometimes a little less, sometimes more. I try to never go over 1200, but I have a couple of times. I don't think I lose any faster eating 600-800.

Fiddle, when you say "eating clean" you mean nothing processed, low carb? Have you noticed changes in focus and concentration? Since surgery, I find sometimes I'm foggy...and even forgetful. I've attributed it to not enough carbs/calories, and I seem to do better with a little higher of both. I'm interested to know your experience.

Wow, that's so great! Congratulations!

It can take a while. I was anemic a while back, and it took months for me.

Wow, looking good! I'm happy for you!

In my opinion, if you are following your plan, eating right, exercising, there is nothing more to be done. I don't beleive we can do anything to impact it. We all know we over ate, and that's how we got overweight enough to need surgery, but I think there's more to it than that. And whatever that something is, it also impacts how we lose weight. Some of us lose slower, some of us have to eat less, and some of us have exercise harder, and some of us just have long stalls. No rhyme or reason, it just is. I let go of a lot of stress when I can remember that.

Just under 5 months, 74 pounds down, lots to go, stuck right now for the last few days.

Wow, that's a great deal, thanks for the notice! I was going to go get some today, but I'm going to wait till the 9th.

I'm glad you are looking online to seek some assistance. Sometimes it doesn't take much, and the fact that you are concerned enough to do something is good. Just keep looking till you find someone. You know, you tried to eat 900 calories because you wanted to increase to attempt to lose. But when you purge, you obviously are not getting those calories, which is defeating the purpose, and you are still stalled. Do you think you could just decide to not throw up for a few days, see how you feel? Another observation....even though you've been stuck for 6 weeks, you still have lost a lot of weight in a short time. You can only lose so fast. It seems like if we can lose 25 pounds in one month by eating so little, it should happen every month if we keep doing the same thing, but it does not work that way. If we lose 2-3 pounds a week, on average over a period of time, we are doing great. You said you are not quite 5 months out, so that puts you at an average of over 10 pounds a month, which is more than 2 pounds a week. Sometimes it's all in our expectations. Best of luck to you.

I threw up once in the hospital when a nurse pushed some IV pain meds too fast. Other than that, I've never vomitted. Incidentally, I usually eat a little faster than I should, and at almost 5 months out, I take normal size bites, too. Everyone has a different experience.

I used to like Sabra the best, until I started making it. Homemade is soooo much better.

You didn't say if you were losing weight. It sounds like you are mostly following the diet, so I'm assuming the real issue is the purging. You said you "decided" to purge...does that mean you can quit if you want? To answer your questions: First, I don't think your sleeve stretched, I think when you eat slider foods, you can eat a lot more. Second, I think you should seek some mental health support. Most communities have mental health support for people with out insurance or money. Check with your local health department to see what services are available.

I think it's going to be a bit of trial and error. It does have to do with your BMR, which is a guideline for basic calorie intake. If you eat more, you'll need to burn more to maintain. I think you'll probably figure it out as you go by watching your calorie intake (or food intake) and seeing how your weight responds. Depending on your metabolism and activity level, I imagine it could be anywhere from 1200 to 2000 calories a day. In my program, at 6 months they clear us for a "normal" diet, but include guidelines that we live by now....avoid high caloric nutrient poor foods, avoid slider foods, pop, don't drink with meals, and all the other basic rules we live by during loss. Personally, I think "avoid" means a treat once in a while is fine, but it's the exception, not the rule.

Oh yeah, I'm a big time tracker. I keep excel spread sheets and try to predictive analysis, lol. It's all futile. I lose on the slow side too, which is exactly how I got in this predicament. I would go on a diet, be MISERABLE, lose a pound or two after a few weeks, and just give up. Now that I can't just give up, what I've learned is that time marches on either way, and I do still lose, sometimes faster than I thought. Also the incessant tracking has shown me that while I think I'm not losing much and have periods of no loss, really a lose a pound or two pretty steadily. Once in a while I see a bigger loss, and sometime 0, but the trend line is going in the right direction. I feel like ranting today because I haven't lost anything in 6 days. I'm at a weight I haven't been able to get below in 25 years, so I figure I might be stuck a bit. You can see my monthly stats below.

How many calories are you eating?

Great job, you look wonderful!

My wings are uneven! The left is bigger/worse than the right, and I'm right handed. ;(

Yep, it's overwhelming when you look at in it's entirety. It's hard not to, some days, so I have to force myself to just stop it! Like Lzuri said, every time the scale stops, I fear this is it, and I'll never get to goal. I wonder if my goal is reasonable? Just not knowing drives me nuts, and when I think about how far I have come, and then how far I still have to go....I'm more nuts, lol. So. I decide every day, and every time these thoughts creep into my mind, that the first 70 pounds came off pretty easy, and I now consider myself more of a "normal" fat person I can move around great and wear much smaller, cuter clothes, and people call me skinny (that totally cracks me up). In other words, even though I'm not there yet, this place is far better than where I came from. I take one day (sometimes one minute) at a time, and I think, just like I ate all those cookies and cake one bite at a time, I'll take the weight off one pound at a time. Time marches by either way, it's just how decide to view it

Mine started coming out about 3-4 weeks ago. It comes out about triple what it did before surgery. It was a little thin to start with, and now it's very thin. I freak out about it, too. I knew it would happen, but I don't like it! I might have to do something about it.....but don't know what! Maybe extensions? I hope it stops soon, but I know it may not stop for a while. I've started making sure I have a little more balanced diet, just in case that makes a difference. I use minoxidil, and I'm using nioxin products, too....but honestly, I don't think anything can stop it at this point. Just time. If you search threads like this, you will find the answers you are getting here are pretty much the standard. It happens to almost everyone in varying amounts. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones!

Well, if it were that easy, none of us would have needed this surgery. Cut yourself some slack, and just write it all down, no matter how bad it is. It increases awareness of what you are eating and you start to get a sense of what you are doing. Start again, right now, not tomorrow. Once you are sleeved, you have some help to augment your willpower.

I haven't eaten any since surgery. I think they will be like cookies/cake/candy to me, which is crack to me! I can tolerate all foods and have a protein shake I like, so I haven't had the need.