Indigo1991

Thanks for the nice comments :-))))

And so it begins. Noticed increasing hair loss in last few days and today BIG lots going down the plug... Am I sad? Yup, I love my hair. Am I going to freak out? Nope. Knew it was likely, irrespective of what protein/vitamins/biotin/water I have taken since the surgery. I suppose that as there's no such thing as a free lunch, there's always a price to pay for something that is working for me as well as my sleeve is. Have lost hair before when taking a chemo drug (although hope not to lose my eyelashes this time!), so been here before and hair recovered. Like everything in life, this too will pass... So as I watched the hair swirl away this morning, I thanked it for making the ultimate sacrifice. Then I stood in front of my mirror and looked at the bright eyed, healthy woman looking back, who I still struggle to recognise as me. No diabetes, no pain from arthritis and no nasty meds any more. I put on my trousers and T, which are 5 sizes smaller than in April, along with the high heeled sandals that are a size smaller than then. And smiled. Je ne regrette rien, I have no regrets as Edith Piaff sang, not even hair loss. Got my hair Fiber product ready to fill in any really thin bits, have even found a local place that does infills for hair loss. So I am cool and relaxed because when this phase is over, I will still be healthy, slimmer and well - and my hair will be regrowing. To all losing their hair, hang in and don't stress ... will just make it worse.....others have been here before us and have come out the other side just fine. x

Sorry about ur situation but u r doing this for u so u don't need anyone elses approval - and u will get there, with or without ur family's help, because u have support of everyone else, including all of us :-) Give urself permission to be weepy, it's a physical reaction due to all the changes ur body is going thru. Sometimes people just don't get what has actually happened to us. My friend, who is neither mean nor stupid, turned up to see me a week post op with a box of chocs and a box of sugar frosted fruits! As she handed me them, before I could say a word, I could see by her face that she just hadn't thought until that moment. She explained that these were her default gifts for visiting sick people and she was sooooo embarrassed but I laughed as I appreciated the sentiment behind the gift. I gave them away to the next visitors who came by... How we react to negative situations is up to us. Just dont waste ur time on people who don't care enough to deserve to have a say in ur life. Good luck!

Now that I have told everyone I want tell amongst friends and family, if anyone else comments on my weight loss or what I eat, I say I had stomach surgery earlier in the year and I eat smaller portions. All true. To date, no one has asked me anything beyond that....

I am a loser - and for the first time in my life I am delighted to be one! Speed of loss and stalls are irrelevant to me, as my weight drops, I don't intend to see these numbers again! Took me 30 years to put on weight, will take as long as it takes to come off. Stick with it OP, u r on the right road :-)

And eat slowly as TwinsMamma says. If ur doc says persevere, try not to go back to purees, it will get better once u get over this blip...

My way of avoiding nausea is to cut my food into very small pieces, then chew, chew and when u can chew no more - chew again. It means I swallow a liquid consistency and that seems to go down well irrespective of what I eat. Not been sick once on solids - Just a suggestion :-))))

Eating too fast and eating one spoon too much usually gives u those symptoms... Chew well, helps u get a reasonable amount of food in, eat slowly and pay attention as u eat - and stop before u feel full. The last one is hardest for me of i am enjoying the food :-((((

Fh61, very early days so take a deep breath and do what you can to get through the first couple of weeks, which are the hardest. There are good suggestions in the previous posts for upping your Protein but don't get obsessed. You are only coming up for 3 days out from surgery. Make sure you get your fluids and do ur best with protein. Your stomach is still swollen and as the swelling goes down, drinking all this liquid gets easier. I cried all day on day 4 cos I felt I was failing - couldn't get everything in and felt I was spending all day every day either thinking about protein and Water or drinking it, lol. This passes and things do get easier. Three months out, it's an increasingly distant memory and I couldn't be happier... Hang in there. Good luck :-)

Good for you!!!! Great attitude cos it does get better. You just have to hang on tight to the roller coaster ... Hope it all continues to go well for u :-))))

I am in the same boat. I make smaller amounts but I have learned to just throw away what I don't or can't eat. That's tough for someone who was brought up to clear her plate - and part of my weight problem was not wanting to waste food. If it was there, I ate it. But now if there's something leftover, I don't hesitate, in the waste it goes before I have a second thought. And it is sooo liberating!!! Part of my newly established eating to live, not living to eat philosophy.... Good luck!

You are soooo doing the right thing! For your family but most of all for you and your life. It is scary - anyone who undertakes being sleeved and thinks it will be easy is sadly mistaken. You have to work hard, the sleeve doesn't do it for you as if by magic, but the rewards are beyond just weight loss. Loved your NSGs. Bet there will be many more than you can imagine now... My favourite thing that has happened to me was that my mother-in-law, who has known me for 33 years, walked past me while looking for me when out shopping. Her face said it all, lol!!! Good luck, everyone on here will be rooting for you when the time comes - and will be here to support you when you join us on the sleeved side :-)

And that's a "thanks" from me to Fiddleman too - looking good!!!

Lol that should have read " won't eat a meal again"!

Don't know who said u won't ever eat a me again cos u will! First few weeks r the worst, life changes and u have a lot to cope with from liquids, mushies, getting Water in etc alongside recovering from major surgery. But u have done a good thing for ur health and body. Give it time, life will feel better. I am 3 months out and I go out to eat socially without giving it a thought. I order starter sizes of meals or main courses and eat what I need. I eat meals, just slightly smaller than before... And do u know what? Noone comments any more when I leave food via I am now at a size where the amount I eat is beginning to match how I look :-)))) So know how u feel, been there - but it gets soooo much better, so hang in x

Canary Diamond, hi sleeve sister!!! Tips? The first few weeks are the worst but I got through it by following what my nut asked me to do I terms of what I was eating and quantity as well as sip, sip, sipping the Water. Boring but I think it has helped me. Have patience. Don't know about you but it took me years to get to this weight, it ain't all going to drop off in a few weeks... There will be stalls when you don't lose weight but have faith. If you stick to taking care of business, the weight loss will start again. Sometimes the scales don't move, but you will be losing inches. I only weigh once a week, never more frequently cos your weight can fluctuate from day to day and I don't want to be under pressure.... Keep moving. That's easier as you lose weight but moving helps with everything from constipation to weight loss. You don't need to do anything fancy, walking is cheap and convenient. Talking of constipation... Don't let it get a grip. Talk to your doc before it becomes a problem - it only happens to me when my water intake drops.... Finally, the sleeve is the start of the process. I was determined from day 1 to integrate it into my life so I still go to bars (where I drink water and occasionally a fruit juice), I eat out ( still doing Protein first and eating small portions), go to cinema (just don't eat the popcorn, lol) and I enjoy my time with friends and family. For me, food is now in it's place... I eat to live, not live to eat. I can still have fun and I do cos life is great!!!! If people comment on how little I eat, I smile and say I just have a small appetite. But as I shrink, people have stopped making any comment at all as my appetite and body are getting more in synch. Be kind to yourself, no beating yourself up over the odd piece of cookie that finds it way into your mouth (not now of course, in the months ahead!) Best advice I can give you - and it is my mantra - is that when you are down or feeling beaten, remember - this too will pass. Good luck to you, PM me any time if you need a chat :-))))) Jacqui

Enjoy the concert, put your fears aside and just think - you will never never be this weight again.... Life is on the up from tomorrow :-) This surgery is not easy and there will be bumps in the road but life will get better and better! That's been my experience, even with the inevitable and downs. So for tonight, have fun - and good luck with pre-op diet!!!!

Makemyownluck, the most important thing u said is "I want to like this guy for who he is, not the idea of what I think he could be". Not rushing at this is exactly right - getting to know him and deciding if he's worthy of ur trust is so important. It is easy to give ourselves away, not just physically but emotionally, especially when we don't feel good about ourselves. i know that's how i have behaved in the past when I didnt feel good about me. But in saying what u did, I think u show the power of the changes that have happened in ur life since ur sleeve. I know that my confidence is returning and I hadn't even appreciated how low it had got! But I know I won't be giving myself away any more, a potential partner will have to earn my trust and all that goes with it ???? U have got things the right way round - tell him when it feels right anout the sleeve but only once u are sure about him. Will PM post date, has been a very long time since I had dates to gossip about lol.... ????

Wow! That's quite a story... Congratulations, I hope life gets better and better for you - you have inspired me :-))))

Jeanie, I am 51 (52 in Aug) and was terrified of what would happen to my face as it was the only bit of my body I liked. Two thirds of the way through my weight loss (sleeved at the end of April), both my face and body are doing fine :-)))) Met a friend for coffee last week, hadn't seen her for a couple of months, and we sat outside on the terrace of the coffee shop, sunglasses on. She was blown away by my size and was really complementary. When we went Inside to pay the bill, I took off my large sunglasses and she gasped. Then she whispered "did you have your face done while you were in there" !!! She genuinely thought my face looked so good that I must have had cosmetic surgery. If I was worrying about it before, I ain't worrying now, lol! Hope that reassures you, good luck.

You just made an older woman very happy!!! Seriously, impressive and know that look takes very hard work. Congratulations! Just restarting wih my trainer and looking to get toned and firm up. Feeling inspired...

K, some people lose NOTHING in 4 weeks or longer but they do start losing. Others put on weight but they go on to lose it. Lots of good advice in the posts from people who have been where u r. Most important thing is stick with it, get ur head where it needs to be and realise u have done something great for u and ur health. Sound like a broken record but this too shall pass and in a few weeks time this will just be a memory. Chin up, look to a healthier future but dont give up yet...

Cindy, I use a small plate and cut my food into very small pieces and, as my nut told me to do, I chew, chew a bit longer and when I don't think I can chew any more - I chew again!!! My nut says that chewing food well helps the stomach in the first few months ( and beyond) to digest the food. But, as important, u will get more if ur Protein in without discomfort. Works for me :-) Good luck!

Thanks for all the positive comments. It's good too to hear how well people are doing. Site has been great for inspiration and encouragement, thanks for speaking up! Now for the last 24 lbs