newat52

The weight loss slows down the further out you get. In my Facebook group of March sleevers most of us women have slowed down and are struggling with the last 20 or so pounds.

Most people that have more to lose, seem to lose it faster. If you don't have as much to lose then lots of people say it goes a bit slower.

As for myself, I was losing at a pretty good clip for the first 6 months and I have 25 to go. I have not lost any weight in the last 3 months but have lost an entire size. I'm sure I am building muscle. I work out 3-4 times a week.

I think your body is going to do what it does. As long as you follow your surgeon and NUT plan you can't go wrong, it just may not be as fast as we would like.

Good luck, you will rock your sleeve!

They start pushing the crack in early Jan and deliver the goods in Feb.

Last year I bought 12 boxes. You can specify to have them sent to the troops overseas.

Win/win!

Thin mints……frozen…..oh my!

They always have and always will be the most amazing concoction ever!

OMG it's too early for this... let's see:

Since I don't like using minority cases as normality, I will focus on truths that effects most of us bandsters.

The false claims:

1. You yack daily lol

2. You can't eat healthy

3. You can never find the green zone and we spend our lives finding it lol

4. You cannot lose all of your excess weight with the band

5. You can expect your band/port to flip, erode, slip and be taken out in it's lifetime

6. Fills are not necessary (sorry 5.0 I disagree, very rarely does someone not need them )

7. Fills are torturous and you avoid them

8. The followup care for the band is demanding and impossible to adhere to

Oh there's more I'm sure...I just haven't had any coffee yet lol

I am a sleeved my self but interesting tidbit. At first I thought I would get a band but after researching, I know the sleeve was the best option for me and what I wanted/needed out of the whole WLS experience.

Of course we all hear the horror stories about all the different types of WLS. I have to admit, I have heard more on the band then any of the others. I am guessing because of this site and so many band to sleeve revisions??

That said, my brother was visiting a few months ago. He had WLS about 5 years ago. Don't know why I always thought it was bypass but low and behold he has had a band all this time! He loves it and has lost about 130 pounds and kept it off!

Different strokes for different folks….and so on and so on….

I take an over the counter reflux twice a day. I had reflux before surgery and have it now if I don't take it. It's a rather low dose but it does the trick. I eat more spicy foods since surgery so it comes in handy.

Miralax. My dear friend. It has saved me and served me well. I still use it to this day over 8 months out. Protein is a huge poop maker and If I don't get proper Fiber, it becomes my best friend. Don't be afraid of it. I throw a teaspoon in my morning shake if needed. Gentle relief.

Don't let Constipation get you. It's miserable and not pretty.

Good luck to you!

I am going to have to try it with the sugar free Syrup. I love greek yogurt!

There are a few of them. One is in Dallas. The servers dress as nurses and the the orders are "prescriptions." It's a gimmicky place. I have never been but they were featured once on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

The owner says his food is the most unhealthy you can get.

It seems to be a popular place. I like a fun themed place as much as the next but that wouldn't have been one of them, even pre sleeved.

People make choices and the places are doing quite well….

Well I think the decision not to tell about the surgery usually comes very early in the process. Falling off the good eating band wagon often comes after a period of enthusiastic compliance....meaning later. So I'm betting usually the 2 decisions aren't related. But I don't know. Just my speculation.

I think the decision to keep your surgery to yourself or as many say "lie about" simply is just personal. For me, it's just personal and have never discussed my medical procedures with anyone out side my husband. I am accountable to myself and my success or failure fall squarely on me and no one else.

I think for the most part people choose to say they are working hard, and working out . Some say diet and exercise. Yes, they are all true but when people do ads that say it was something else are being very deceitful You can't control that. I think they end up being exposed as frauds.

I also wonder why so many people are so concerned that any body who doesn't do it they way THEY would calls them liers and frauds, just because they don't agree or understand, Does it REALLY matter who or how we did it? The fact we did it. Yes sir, We did!

Its strange. I had a business trip this last week with a colleague I have not seen face to face in 2 years (before wls). No comments on weight loss or fit look. I have lost 180 lbs and am holding a low body fat %. Not one comment in over 2 days shared together. Really?? No need to lie if the topic never comes up I guess. We are fairly comfortable with each other after working together remotely for 2 years ( phone, email and IM). I was just surprised. Maybe it is a work thing not to talk about weight things. He did / does know I workout almost daily because I told him that on several occasions. What gives?

Its strange. I had a business trip this last week with a colleague I have not seen face to face in 2 years (before wls). No comments on weight loss or fit look. I have lost 180 lbs and am holding a low body fat %. Not one comment in over 2 days shared together. Really?? No need to lie if the topic never comes up I guess. We are fairly comfortable with each other after working together remotely for 2 years ( phone, email and IM). I was just surprised. Maybe it is a work thing not to talk about weight things. He did / does know I workout almost daily because I told him that on several occasions. What gives?

Maybe your colleague is just real enough to think that your weight is not what you are about and that you are you, no matter what your current level of weight and fitness. I, for one, would welcome it not being mentioned.

Just a thought.

8 months and my stomach can make the funniest sounds! My husband will just crack up and look at me like what?

Some of them are loonnnnggg too!

It's not you. I'm not seeing much of anyone. Navigating around is more work and it most certainly is not as user friendly.

I think the same people designed the Obamacare website.

I make a 2 quart pitcher each day of cucumber. I peel and slice a cucumber and heat a 2 cups of Water in the microwave for 2 minutes then add it to the pitcher and let it set for about 10 minutes. Add water and ice and it's such a smooth, fresh taste. It helps me get my water in easily. I love the taste!

I know what a second cousin is. But but the heck does twice removed mean?

I'd like to know too!

Is there gonna be a test on all this stuff?

8 months out and I still use it for meats. I paid less than $20 for it at costco and it's been great. I think it's worth the investment!

Indeed. Some of us are lucky to have supportive people but you are right, at the end of the day, it is a unique journey, known only to ourselves.

Feel free to vent and the occasional pity party is allowed.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Hang in there!

Sending a hug your way.

I'm 8 months out and still freezing.

Two words. Heated throw. Life saver!

Right now costco has them for $23.00. Normally $29 but they have a $6 off instant coupon.

Best. Thing. Ever.

Totally spewed coffee on my new MacBook!

Mine is back and it's mine. Does you new ticker have better numbers than yours?

Yep, ... Just like wine is fruit

It's not?

Holy crap! Maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

5 servings a day, right?

I am with Laura piggy piggy BonBon! I have been able to eat an entire 5.3 oz greek yogurt since about day 6 post op. This kinda worried me. I was starting to think I got the fat gurl sleeve. Thank goodness once I started eating some pureed Protein I could only get about 1 1/2 tablespoons down before sleevey told me STOP.

On topic. I have no idea why they stopped making lids for the yogurt. I liked 'em!

Back to the best Greek yogurt. I like the Dannon Light and Fit Greek Yogurts. Here are the nutritional facts

Nutrition Facts

Dannon - Light & Fit -greek Yogurt - strawberry

• Servings: 1 container (5.3 oz/150g)

Calories 80 Sodium 55 mg Total Fat 0 g Potassium 160 mg Saturated 0 g Total Carbs 8 g Polyunsaturated 0 g Dietary Fiber 0 g Monounsaturated 0 g Sugars 6 g Trans 0 g Protein 12 g Cholesterol 10 mg Vitamin A 0% Calcium 15% Vitamin C 0% Iron 0%

The Dannon fit greek is my favorite too! I can live with 6 grams of sugar for the protein and that it only has 80 calories. Love the blueberry.

I love to take a few slices of a honey crisp apple and and eat the yogurt like a dip.

Oh, and costco has it with 6 strawberry and 6 blueberry for about 7 bucks. It's almost 5 bucks in the grocery for 4!

I can eat the whole thing with 3 or so slices of apple.

I love you! :wub:

Love you too, sweet thing!

This makes total sense. After 18 months I'm tired of being the guy that lost all the weight. It's not even about the surgery anymore....although everyone knows about it. It's the "wow....how much weight have you lost?" Or...."how much more are you going to lose?"

Well since I've been in maintenance for 9 months I'd say the answer is the same as last time you asked me.

Really, sometimes I'd like to get some business cards made that say "yes I had WLS....I lost alot of weight...now leave me the f**k alone."

This makes total sense. After 18 months I'm tired of being the guy that lost all the weight. It's not even about the surgery anymore....although everyone knows about it. It's the "wow....how much weight have you lost?" Or...."how much more are you going to lose?"

Well since I've been in maintenance for 9 months I'd say the answer is the same as last time you asked me.

Really, sometimes I'd like to get some business cards made that say "yes I had WLS....I lost alot of weight...now leave me the f**k alone."

For me, other than I just have never talked about my medical history, year after year when yoyo dieting, losing and regaining the same 30 pounds, I just got tired about talking about it years ago. I realized that my weight, whatever it is, is NOT what I am about so it doesn't need to be the topic of conversation any longer. I do not tell people how much I have lost other than "a bunch." I do not discuss how I am losing it other than "I'm working very hard." This has been my response for years and it served well then and continues to. People can think whatever they want. I just am not going to discuss it any longer. Ever. Subject is burned out beyond belief. I think we can ALL relate to that!

People have their reasons for telling or not telling what or how they are doing it. I, for one, don't have an issue or annoyance of what other people say. If for them, they feel better saying they are losing weight by standing on one foot and rubbing their tummy, I'm not going to judge it and I don't think anyone else should either. They have their reasons and who am I to judge them on those reasons? Who really cares? Who is ANY of us to judge them?

Everyone's journey is hard enough without judgements from people who should understand the most.

My update - still have not found any real data on surgeons.

I called a few of my top choices and don't feel any better yet. All 3 offices were more sales oriented than helpful. They were friendly, but I wasn't impressed and they didn't have answers to some of my questions. They all want me to come in for a consultation to get the questions answered, including things like number of surgeries, complications and such. Since I am out of town, that isn't easy. I will of course have a consult with my Dr of choice or even my "finalist", it’s obviously important to have a face to face.

I am beginning to think the decision of selecting a surgeon is more a gut feeling and not based on facts. It is easy to qualify a surgeon as capable and even get some idea of how many procedures they have done, but beyond that I am not so sure. I think any of the surgeons on my list are capable, but how to choose from there is beyond me.

It’s such an important choice, I wish there was a better way.

Thanks again for input on your choice of surgeons.

Rock, paper, scissors?

Flip a coin?

LOL! I know it's hard, you have to be able to trust someone who is cutting most of your stomach out.

I do agree, after the research, gut feeling and meeting someone face to face will probably give you the answer you are looking for.

Good luck and keep us posted!

It is going to take some getting used to. I guess all things change.

Just because you are open about your surgery, still doesn't mean you are obligated to answer every bonehead question.

When people ask me how much I've lost, I tell them "a bunch."

Why are you posting pictures of my brother in law??