Teachamy

Rock on! You won't regret it!

I am a type I diabetic, so I have had many instances of hypoglycemia in my life. Yes, surgery may make your bloodsugar tank quite a bit, so make sure your bariatric nutritionist is up to date with their knowledge of your condition and how low your glucose levels actually go. 44 is pretty low! You may need to add a few healthy carbs early on, even though that is often considered a no-no. Surgery will require you to eat quite often. Set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself. Good luck! Amy

I'm not a lap-band patient, so I know little about your situation. Have you been in touch with your NUT to see about caloric intake and scheduled "fills"? Did you check with the pharmacist or online to see if your pain killer can cause weight gain? Don't throw in the towel yet. It's a setback and I'm sure you are frustrated, but you can do this! Best, Amy

Always Vegas--I think I love you!

Every 6 months or so I see a "vent" of this nature. Honestly, it leads me to believe there are times when we all need to step away from our computers and breathe. Let us all focus on getting support when/if we need it. If we feel any type of unnecessary aggression, we need to look within ourselves instead of targeting the nameless, faceless masses here. Use frustration as an impetus to burn off some calories and get on with it. BTW~I wish Revs would come back. Her rants were always hilarious! Amy

Very handsome!

I've been wondering about them. Their chain seems to be popping up all over the place. Thanks for the tip!

You certainly qualify, given your co-morbidities and BMI. If you had weight issues your entire life, get copies of your medical records from your teenage years to show your history of obesity, even though they are not relevant in terms of the past 5 years. If BCBS initially denies you, your doctor can write a letter of medical necessity, and will have some basis for past history, which is only a part of pre-qualification. You got this! You deserve this! Be brave. Take a positive step for a healthier you! Amy

I'm sure many people will offer you suggestions, but I need to share some advice with you. (The best advice I received throughout my weight loss journey, in fact.) I was complaining about food boredom to my nutritionist. Same thing, day in, day out, blah, blah BOREDOM! Her advice was not what I expected. She said, "Food is not entertainment." I know we have all heard the cliche, "eat to live, don't live to eat", but until she said this to me, I never really internalized a new way of thinking about food. She also added, "Talk to all the normal weight people you know. You will find they continually eat the same things." She was right. It is normal to get bored in the early stages, but as you get used to your new way of life, try to remember that you are eating to nourish yourself and lose weight. Food is no longer entertainment. Best, Amy

I have a colleague who can't deal with overhearing others compliment me. She would actually chime in any time people asked me how I lost it. "she had surgery". Yes, it was meant to help with my many autoimmune diseases. That was all I had ever shared with her and others at work. I would always add, "And I'm eating 800 calories a day." She's a bitch. She gives me "elevator eyes" when she sees me, scanning me up and down, and like Scarlett O'Hara, she is just "pea-green with envy". I look fabulous--no apologies on my part. BTW, in the gay community, an otter is a thin, muscular, hairless (chest/body) man. I have a good friend that is described as an otter. I have never once considered licking cheesecake off him. Would add an awkward dimension to our friendship, I would imagine!

I haven't been here for quite a while myself. Revs was always my favorite! Sad to see she's not around. Nice to see all of you, though!

Just wait until after surgery...12 days no pooping...11protein shakes...10 days obsessing...9 days in a STALL! Oh the fun awaits you!

Hi Katie-- I recently found out I have a "navel-orange" sized fibroid/mass on my uterus, and I will have another vaginal ultrasound on Friday to look at growth (after 1 month). My gyn. is concerned about it. I plan to see a gynecologic oncologist ASAP to get it biopsied. What were your symptoms? I have abnormal bleeding (despite the Mirena), bloating, digestive pain, and low back pain. I will be 41 on the 26th of this month. Feel free to message me or reply here. I hope we can offer support to one another. Wondering if there are connections between WLS and cancer, or if it is just the risk factor of obesity. Best, Amy

Lisa-- Since you asked for suggestions of meal plans, I'll give you mine. The best advice my dietician ever gave me is "Food is not entertainment"--I had been complaining that my meals were boring. She told me to look around at all the thin people I know and ask them what they eat and if they eat the same things all the time. I asked my mom and sister-in-law, and both said that they do eat the same things all the time. So think back to things you found easy to grab and eat way back when. Yogurt, cotttage cheese, Protein Bars, any Protein you can think of as appetizing and start there. Hydrate. Breakfast: yogurt, a Quest bar, nuts and a fruit Coffee: I like mine with half and half. I log the calories and let it go. It is my treat Snack: Fruit Lunch: Veggie/chicken Soup, tomato soup, salad with cottage cheese, wrap with turkey and provolone Snack: string cheese, yogurt, nuts Dinner: Repeat lunch options. Also have chicken frequently. When I venture away from these options, I am eating my emotions, stress, and fatigue. So I try to keep the menu pretty boring. It is not entertainment. I track everything in MFP to keep myself sane. (and honest!) I am so very sorry for your loss and I hope you find some comfort and peace. I know you can do this--you've found the strength to get out of bed every day since you lost your husband, you are obviously incredibly strong and will overcome this challenge!

Beautiful! Love your outfit!

Maintenance so far has been fine. I still don't own a scale--don't believe in daily weight checks. I see my dietician and doctors regularly and always insist on "weighing in". Otherwise, tracking on MFP and the way my clothes feel works well for me. I have found my dietician and my surgeon sometimes disagree slightly. I had my 1 year checkup with my surgeon today, and she tells me 900-1100 calories is still a good goal for me. My dietician would rather see me eat 1500 calories, but has less experience with WLS. I am trying to keep the floodgates closed, so I only occasionally have a cookie, or a piece of toast. I would like to work my way up to 5-6 servings of fruit and veggies again, but it is challenging, given my sleeve.

Hello everyone! It feels so good to be here. I don't have any pictures of myself alone, so I am enclosing a shot of me with my daughter from last spring. She is covering some of my body, but the shot of me in the blue T-shirt shows you the before. (Bulging size 16 before, slim size 10 after. Now I vary from an 8-10, depending on the brand.) I also enclosed my 2013 work ID and this year's ID so you can see the difference. Best of luck to you all! Best decision I ever made. Amy

Hello fellow veterans, Ooh. It feels good to be a veteran! Hello! Hello! Just wanted to say "hey". I've been away for a while. All is well and I am still loving the fact that I made this decision. Hope all of you are still kicking butt. BEST, Amy

You should have your allergist do a blood test for chronic-autoimmune hives. I have them too. They went away after surgery, but returned over the summer, then went into remission again. I take OTC Allegra everyday, and unless I am having a flair, it keeps them at bay. There is also a shot that used to be used only for asthma that is now being used for hives too. The name escapes me, but your allergist might know.

Heck no! I appreciate it!

Someone came up to me today looking very serious and said, "what are you doing?" I said, "what do you mean?" They repeated the question. Then they said, "you've lost so much weight! How did you do it?" My real NSV is that I've been at goal for so long now, I had no idea what he was talking about! I used to hear that several times a day, now people are used to the skinny new me. It felt pretty good!

Yup. I look at pictures today vs. 1 year ago, and I can't believe I looked like that!

Hi All, I am 10 months out. I have reached goal and am trying not to lose any more. (What a weird statement to have to make!) Anyway, I have a spinal lesion disease, which may turn out to be Multiple Sclerosis after an MRI this week. Something I've noticed online is that post-bariatric surgery, some people end up with the same neurological symptoms that I have, including pins & needle pain and numbness due to Vitamin deficiency. I am taking all my Vitamins and was fine the last time I had blood work checked for vitamin levels. Just wondering if any of you either have MS, or have had issues with vitamin deficiencies. Advice? Thanks, Amy

AutumnPunkin, Thanks so much for sharing! You look fabulous. I have lost 65 pounds (at goal now) and I was wondering if I should expect any skin tightening. My belly is pretty darn saggy! I am doubtful that I will pursue a panni or tummy tuck, but I wish all of you the very best!

It's important to note that 1-2 per week is an average. Calculate your average at the end of a month or 2. In other words, if you lost 4 pounds over the course of a month, you are on track. If not, you may be experiencing a plateau, but it will pass.