melissa130

It sounds like you might not be getting 60 to 75 ounces of Water in per day. If you are slightly dehydrated you will have trouble with Constipation. Keep sipping on water- ALL day long. The scale will start to move.

No Regrets, or as Tom Rush said:
No regrets, no tears goodbye
Don't want you back, we'd only cry, again
Say goodbye, again

Start by gathering old magazines and cutting out things that reflect dreams you have - you can either do it for a year (I made a dream/goal board in 2012) or for your life! I also bought a piece of poster board (black)...throw in some glitter stickers (you can buy glitter foam sheets and cut them into the design you like), and have fun! Mine is below

Interesting article!
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/scientists-obese-have-higher-levels-hunger-hormone-their-blood-6C10639235

Interestingly, I specifically asked my surgeon about this last week, and she absolutely shook her head NO. She prescribes preventative meds for all her post-op patients instead. As with most things on web forums such as this, it is easy to find contradictory information. Trust your own doctor, ask questions if you have them.

I hadn't heard any statistics before my surgery, but I had heard that some surgeons routinely removed the gall bladder at the same time as the sleeve surgery. I asked my surgeon and he said that was 'old school' and he would stay away from my gall bladder. I guess in Texas it's true when they say, "if it ain't broke - don't fix it!"

Good doctors prescribe medication - Actigall- to prevent problems with the gallbladder. No matter what way people lose weight- with surgery or without- the chances for gallstones is increased. I hope everybody is smart enough to do their own research and find a good doctor who will know how to help them.

Good doctors prescribe medication - Actigall- to prevent problems with the gallbladder. No matter what way people lose weight- with surgery or without- the chances for gallstones is increased. I hope everybody is smart enough to do their own research and find a good doctor who will know how to help them.

The gall bladder is a digestive organ located next to the liver. The gall bladder stores a digestive juice called bile, and then squirts it out when you eat to help digest food. It primarily digests fats, but does have other functions. If you have had your gall bladder removed, bile simply leaks into the small intestine in small amounts all day long. Storing bile in the gall bladder for release when you eat is more effective and efficient. You won't digest fats as well if you don't have a gall bladder. However, you can live and be healthy without one.
Gall bladder problems are fairly common following weight loss surgery. Gall stones can form when there is an imbalance in the ration of cholesterol to bile salts in the bile. This is common occurrence when someone is on a very restrictive diet or is losing a lot of weight in a short period of time, as generally occurs after weight loss surgery. Studies show that about 30% of gastric bypass or sleeve patients develop gall stones following their surgery, and 10% have problems serious enough to require removal of the gall bladder. Likewise, about 10% of lap band patients have to have their gall bladder removed after surgery. There are a couple of ways to prevent gall bladder problems after weight loss surgery. Some surgeons simply remove the gall bladder routinely during gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery. This is not usually done during lap band surgery, however. Not all surgeons will remove a healthy gall bladder, however. While you can usually live just fine without a gall bladder, routinely removing the gall bladder can cause some problems. It prolongs the weight loss surgery and requires larger incisions. It increases the risk of complications from the surgery. It also leads to diarrhea in some patients, which can be a life-long issue. There is a medication you can take to help prevent the formation of gall stone.
Actigall is a naturally occurring bile salt and helps to maintain the proper ratio of bile salts to cholesterol. It is taken twice a day. It helps prevent the formation of gall stones while you are losing weight. Once you have reached your goal weight, typically one year to 18 months after your weight loss surgery, you can stop taking the medication. My surgeon only puts his patients on it for the first 6 months though.
Actigall is effective 98% of the time. There are some potential side effects of Actigall, however, including abdominal pain, Constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. Side effects are relatively rare, though. The most common is diarrhea. If you would like your gall bladder removed during your weight loss surgery, talk to your surgeon about it. As I said earlier, not all surgeons will remove a health gall bladder, but some do it routinely and others will do it upon request from the patient.
Some doctors routinely prescribe Actigall for weight loss surgery patients, but not all do. If you are not having your gall bladder removed during your weight loss surgery, it is recommended that you ask your doctor about Actigall.

Good doctors prescribe medication - Actigall- to prevent problems with the gallbladder. No matter what way people lose weight- with surgery or without- the chances for gallstones is increased. I hope everybody is smart enough to do their own research and find a good doctor who will know how to help them.

In three months you could be a size 8 or 10. Wait until 2 weeks before the wedding and have it altered by a professional. Most of the bridal stores will insist you do it sooner. But find a privately owned business and make the appointment way ahead of time and explain that you are losing weight and want to wait to have it altered till just before you need to wear it.

In three months you could be a size 8 or 10. Wait until 2 weeks before the wedding and have it altered by a professional. Most of the bridal stores will insist you do it sooner. But find a privately owned business and make the appointment way ahead of time and explain that you are losing weight and want to wait to have it altered till just before you need to wear it.

In three months you could be a size 8 or 10. Wait until 2 weeks before the wedding and have it altered by a professional. Most of the bridal stores will insist you do it sooner. But find a privately owned business and make the appointment way ahead of time and explain that you are losing weight and want to wait to have it altered till just before you need to wear it.

And I understand and would love to chat with ya too....I have been through everything you are about to go through. I am excited for you and I don't even know you. You are on an amazing journey. 6 months from now you could be at your goal weight.

Most insurance companies will go with your first recorded weight and not penalize you for weight you lose during the 6 months of supervised diets. You need to show that you are willing to follow a diet plan. And - losing weight is much better for you on the operation table.

Then don't tell people you are not *able* to eat more; tell them you are watching what you eat, and now you stop eating at a NORMAL portion size. Most people have NO IDEA what a portion size looks like, so this is pretty safe to say. Not that you owe any explanations, but I've used this one. I even act all disappointed that I can't eat more, and groan dramatically as I throw away a slice of pie after eating a forkful, which adds some fun to my otherwise boring secret.

We have to remember that once the newness wears off people won't inquire at all. Flaunt it and enjoy the compliments

Thanks for posting this because I feel somewhat uncomfortable "fibbing" but I also don't want it broadcasted...so I will document my walks like I've been doing on FB, my low-carb meals and that way people who follow me know I am eating better and exercising. I walk 2.35-3miles a day for 5 days and that's a lot of info. to share and the results will follow.
Only a few close friends know and my Mom, Sis, ex-boyfriend, and my niece. I'm comfy with that.
What a wonderful life...

I too have decided to not tell many people of my choice to have the surgery. I feel it is a personal decision and I don't need any judgement on what has been a life changing decision for me.
I do wonder how you guys explain to people how little you're able to eat when you are out in social settings. That's something I've struggled with so far.

I don't struggle with this AT ALL. To me, it's just personal, and not something I discuss conversationally. Eating tiny amounts, weighing, measuring, and keeping to a strict eating schedule are ALL things I did before, every single time I ever lost weight, prior to surgery. Those things don't 'give you away'. Only loose lips will give you away. If you keep the belief that your body and your diet are YOUR business (and yours alone), you'll be fine. If anyone finds out after the fact and asks you why you lied to them, you can give them the blank stare and ask them "What lie?". If they ask why you never TOLD them, then you can say "it never occurred to me that you'd feel so strongly about knowing this, and I'm frankly pretty surprised by your reaction, why?"

You won't need to wait several weeks to work out. I started walking right away when I got home from the hospital- in the winter. And then about 4 weeks post-op I was able to aggressively do DVDs at home. Good luck and stay motivated.

I had surgery 1/21/13 I started at 299 as of today I'm 199 yaay and I'm 14 pounds away from my goal weight I am so happy and pleased w my weightloss and for you new sleevers hang in there it will happen

MMOL,
No lecture here, you and I are on a very similar path. I can only let you know what I do, as your screen name implies, you have to do for yourself. Like others have said, I notice that I can now sit in chairs I couldn't, I can reach my feet to put on shoes and socks without falling over. Sure I'm still really really big, but I'm getting smaller than I was and that is what this journey is all about. Granted I'm a guy and guys and gals look at ourselves in different ways. With all that we had to loose from the get go, only having to loose 200 more is a milestone to Celebrate. I hit 390 this morning on the scale, way too damn heavy but I'm happy I can't remember the last time my scale only said 390. Heck even the reading glasses I have to now wear because I'm growing older fit my face better. Yes I'd like to have a small waist and be farther along, but this is a long path we've chosen, sports metaphor coming up, this is a marathon not a sprint. You've done great so far, keep going the end is a ways away, but you're on the right path, alway remember that...

when i started my journey, it was my personal goal to lose 200 pounds. i have lost 181 so far. everyone tells me how skinny i am. and yes, i am now wearing the same size clothes as my brother that i have admired my whole life. i went from a size 56 waist jeans to a size 30 jeans. from a 5-6x shirt to a 1x shirt. but, i still have the 'fat brain' syndrome. i know that if i were to lose another 20 pounds, i'd probably look like a crack head, but, i feel ya on the whole body image thing.
other than my clothes not fitting anymore, i didn't really 'see' a difference until i'd lost about 100. here is my advice. go back and look at your pics. take a good look at your face in the before and afters. that is where it seems to really show. your body will take time to even out.
also, i know that you want to be an 'after' already, but remember, you didn't get big in 6 months, and your not gonna get small in 6 months either. keep working your program, and talking to people that have been successful. a therapist may not be a bad idea if it doesnt get better, but i have gotten much satisfaction from going to my monthly sleeve support group meetings. if you have those in your area, i highly suggest going. it has been very helpful to me.
good luck. you have been doing great. dont take that away from yourself.

I think many of us can say we know exactly how you feel. I am just about 10 months post op and just hit 150 pounds lost. I still have about 70 pounds to go. Seems like it will never happen. Some days I feel uglier and fatter now than I did at 364 pounds. The weight does not come off where you want it to and the loose, saggy skin sucks. Those are the bad days, but on the good days I can appreciate the major changes in my life. I went from a size 36 (5x) to a size 20/22, I had to move my car seat forward and still have lots of room between me and the wheel, I fit in any restaurant booth I want and I can shop for clothes in stores instead of online. The other day I came across a picture of my daughter and I on Mother's Day 2011. The change was unbelievable. Sometimes I loose sight of the changes that have happen so far and just need a reminder. Hang in there. When you have over 200 pounds to loose it does take awhile until the changes are noticeable. After about 100 pounds the comments started coming and now not a week goes by without someone commenting on how good I look. Good luck and try to be patient with yourself.