DonRodolfo

I've had my gurgling stomach wake me up from a nap! lol
Unless it's accompanied by discomfort or issues, it's normal and happens to lots of us. It doesn't necessarily mean hunger.

I was walking almost immediately after surgery - laps around the nurses station. I was on the treadmill one week after surgery. Not killing it, but a nice walk.

I was walking almost immediately after surgery - laps around the nurses station. I was on the treadmill one week after surgery. Not killing it, but a nice walk.

Hey this is Carlos. Congrats to you! Well done, you look amazing!

I was sleeved last year at 50 years old. Both gastric bypass and the sleeve were explained to me with bypass being the procedure longest in use and with the greater resulting weight loss. The downside was the possibility of dumping, the malabsorbtion issues, and just too much reworking of my innards to gain only a slight advantage in weight loss. I'm happy with my decision and my surgeons are pleased with my progress.

I was sleeved last year at 50 years old. Both gastric bypass and the sleeve were explained to me with bypass being the procedure longest in use and with the greater resulting weight loss. The downside was the possibility of dumping, the malabsorbtion issues, and just too much reworking of my innards to gain only a slight advantage in weight loss. I'm happy with my decision and my surgeons are pleased with my progress.

The thinspiration meeting was wonderful! Several new faces and most of us regulars. TOTALLY worth the drive from Forney to Frisco!

I started at 416, and there are folks here that started higher than me. You are definitely not alone!
My surgeon suggested bypass to me as well but I insisted on having the sleeve.

Quest. Easiest to eat, filling, and yummy.

Quest apple pie is DELISH!

Quest Cinnamon Roll. Tasty AND filling! i love the PBJ ones as well but way too many calories so I avoid them.

I'd say you're having the same feelings most of us did.
Anyone else worried about long term risk, since it's still fairly new? Like I wonder if in 40yrs from now (I'm early 30's) I have some other issue and this will affect it?
Considering I probably wouldn't have been alive 40 years from now without surgery, no worries.
I know my diet will be mostly protein and veggies and rarely room for carbs...does that mean no more carbs or fried food ever? Or ethnic food? (I'm asian so some food from my culture but I could focus on protein stuff first...for example, can I have curry?)
Early on, probably no carbs or fried food. Your tummy will have limited space so you'll want to "invest" in protein first. I love ethnic food and haven't denied myself anything, but, I compensate for overindulgences at the gym. You'll want to go easy on anything spicy or bold the first time you have it after surgery.
I know no soda or carbonated drinks anymore...was this hard to give up?
I had been a diet coke fiend for many years but had cut down considerably way before surgery anyway. Eliminating them wasn't a big deal for me and I switched to iced tea. I've had a few diet cokes after surgery and the unpleasantness of the carbonation isn't worth it anymore. It's been months since I had one and won't again.
Is the first week of just liquids extremely difficult? Thinking about it and it seems pretty hard to do only liquids for a whole week
Not difficult at all THANKS TO being on a two-week liquid-only preop diet beforehand. The first four days of that diet were awful but I was good to go after that and it really helped me through the two weeks after surgery.
I'm a NYer...no more bagels ever?
Good luck trying to eat a bagel! Seriously tho, prior to 6 months out it was a challenge to eat a quarter of one (with cream cheese). I *might* be able to eat half of one now.
--I love ice Water and not drinking near meals sounds tricky...does it get easier?
Yes! But start practicing that NOW so that you're over the habit by the time you can eat foods again after surgery.
How do you explain to others what you did? Did anyone make you feel badly?
I might be the exception, but EVERYONE that has said something has been supportive. Some people won't say anything about your weight loss and that's okay. I've not once had someone tell me I took the easy way out.
What do you do when you're on vacation or near the holidays etc, just try your best to stick to plan?
ALWAYS log your food in MFP or something similar, even on vacation. Not every food will be listed in MFP, either add it manually or guess at it. Even guessing is better than logging nothing.

Omg I'd weep for humanity if I wasn't so busy laughing.

That's what I'm struggling with too. I like the display option of my steps but I don't care about the time. I like the lower profile of the flex though.

A couple of major difference for me... first.. the force is built into the band so if you have a problem with the band sour screwed. The flex band can be switched out for a different one or different color. The force is also considerably wider. I like the low profile of the flex. Just looks like one of those rubber arm bands and people aren't asking me what it is all the time.

I tell you Momo,
If I have a cookie, I am in PAIN with longing for more Cookies or bread or carbs for 3 or 4 days... Man, it is NOT worth it (to me)

Try drinking things other than plain Water. Gatorade, flavored water, etc. Mix it up... it all counts. Also invest in a really great water bottle that you love and always keep it with you.

OK, I'm back and able to type a bit more. I decided just to post here instead of a PM as others may benefit from my experience.
I first came to AA just over 14 years ago after hitting one of my bottoms. I don't call it rock bottom as I know I have the capacity to go lower if I were to relapse. That has been true for me in the past. Addiction is a cunning, baffling, powerful foe as I knew deep down I was doing things I did not want to do, but felt powerless to stop the cycle. I repeated the same behavior time and again expecting different results, only to have things turn out the same. I would abuse substances because I didn't want to feel or confront the emotions I was dealing with. I treated substances as a reward when times were good and as a crutch when times were bad.
The bottom line, for me, is that these substances weren't my problem.
I was.
They were my solution to help me cover up the reality of my issues and they worked quite effectively for a long time. Until they didn't. And that is when I was given the gift of desperation. I could no longer go on the way I was. I had to make a change or life as I knew it would lose all meaning. I was at a turning point. I had reached my bottom.
Some of you may be asking, "What substances is he referring to? Alcohol? Illicit drugs? food?"
The answer is, "Yes", to all three. I have found that I abused food in no different way than I abused alcohol. Through the help of AA, the need to use alcohol was lifted, but then I was able to replace that addiction with food. So, I very much believe it is quite plausible to begin abusing alcohol in new ways if you are no longer able to abuse food the way you used to. And if you were abusing it prior to VSG, then even more so.
Trust me, there is not a single person who walks into their first AA meeting on the best day of their life. Nobody wants to make that first appearance and nobody wants to admit they are an alcoholic. To be honest with you, I don't want anybody admitting they are an alcoholic if they truly aren't. I wouldn't wish alcoholism on my worst enemy. But if you believe you may have an issue with some addictive behavior issues, then know that the rooms of AA have provided simple solutions to millions of people who have been able to lead much happier lives free from their addictions. I was just telling somebody yesterday that if you would have asked me to script out what I wanted to be like 5 years after getting sober, I wouldn't have been able to script it any better than how it turned out.
Yes, I still have issues. Sure, I am only two and half years post VSG. But I know that this and many other options in my life wouldn't have been even possible had I not stayed sober. Going to an AA meeting does not make you an alcoholic. You are not going to be thrown into a back room and have AA shaved into your hair. Know that every person in AA, at one time, felt very similar to how you are feeling right now, and they are there waiting with their hand out.
All it takes is willingness to make a change.

Thank you all for your kind words and understanding. It is a privilege to know such compassionate people -friends- who understand what the rest of the world doesn't.
Today is a better day, everything is back the right way up :-)))))

Make sure you measure yourself as well because it is completely possible for you to lose inches and not weight (I've had this happen several times).

My point in posting that was not to demonstrate that WLS doesn't work. The article itself, without the book, does a good job of showing that a person can have expectations that will not be fulfilled by having surgery.

I <3 LipstickLady!

So i don't misrepresent myself, 50 of that 184 was preop!
You're right about the dumping, not everyone experiences it. You're doing the right thing, keep researching and asking questions.

Both surgeries are safe and effective. Doctors usually recommend bypass over sleeve for patients that have GERD. Sleeve is considered less invasive. Sleeve has a slightly lower complication rate and slightly shorter recovery time. Bypass is generally regarded as more effective in resolving diabetes. Average total weight lost is slightly higher with the bypass than the sleeve. Bypass has a much longer track record (well over 30 years) so there are more clinical studies and the resulting statistical information.
When all is said, perhaps the best advice is first do the research. There is a LOT of information comparing the two surgeries. But there is also a lot of misinformation as well so choose your sources carefully. Harvard, WebMD, National Institutes of Health, mayo Clinic - all excellent sources. You may discover information that will result in your leaning one way or the other. Either way it's important to keep an open mind.
Second, and most importantly, discuss the options with your surgeon. Make a list of questions from your research and take as much time as necessary to get comfortable with the answers. He/she may recommend one surgery over the other based on comorbidities and other health considerations. Or in the absence of any medical reasons tipping the scale one way or the other, your surgeon may leave the decision up to you (mine did).
Whatever the decision turns out to be - you're gonna love the new you!!

I know it sucks right now and I hate it for you. I'd be pissy, too. No doubt!
That said, you can't undo it, so you might as well work the plan and see what happens. I've had several periods of time where I lost no poundage, but I lost inches. Have you taken your measurements?mmif not, please do!
I've not seen a single case where someone had WLS, followed their plan and failed. You won't be the first.