Indigo1991

Lol, you're not the first and you won't be the last to feel like this. With the surgery, the biggest thing you have to overcome is the voice in your head. The one that mentions the word "failure", the one that reminds you of the things you've done to sabotage yourself when losing weight before. In a way, being told not to put on weight set you off doing the opposite. It's likely to be fear that's driving that behaviour. But while you won't believe me now, once you are sleeved, you will be somewhere you haven't been before - working in partnership with someone who won't let you down and who stands between you and failure - your sleeve. This may not make sense now, but you won't be alone. I have lost the same 50lbs plus repeatedly over the last 25 years. I knew how to lose weight but always sabotaged myself by putting weight back on despite knowing what I was doing. So I was terrified that I wouldn't do well with the sleeve. But my health left me with nothing else to do other than trust that the sleeve was the answer for me. And that's what's happened. I stuck with the programme - Protein first, Water and moving around. I did as I was told. And 8 months after I was sleeved, I hit my target. 2 months later, I am maintaining and bounce by only one pound up and down round my target. food, once the enemy, is in it's place. I enjoy eating but I no longer self-medicate with it. I have so much time now to do other things - like living! So whilst the process is borderline discouraging, hang in there. What's coming will change your life and you don't want to miss that!!!!! Good luck :-)

Congratulations on moving to the sleeved side! Take it easy, be kind to yourself as you recover. The pain today will pass, this is day one of what may be a bit of a rollercoaster ride but soooo worth it :-)

Our minds are so powerful - and they love a vacuum. So no work means they can entertain themselves by throwing in all sorts of unhelpful thoughts... But do you know what? You know that, you have identified it yourself so you are halfway to overcoming it. Stalls are the bane of our lives. But like everything in life, they pass, you just have to focus on what you are doing - Protein, lots of Water and keeping your body moving - and try not to stress. Although I know that's hard ))) your stall will break but in the meantime keep checking your measurements as you may find you are losing inches. Don't look back, look forward. Again, that's probably hard just now but it will get easier as you lose weight. And you will lose weight. Have faith and look at those of us who are ahead of you. We have had the same surgery as you, many of us will have a similar story to you - and we have succeeded. Lots of veterans on here have now kept the weight off for years. So you should have hope. Being patient has never been one of my strong points! But, strangely, after my sleeve I have learned it. It's taken time to get overweight so it will take time for it to come off. But the sleeve is remarkable, just give it a chance. So, chin up, tell the voice in your head that you are not listening cos you are busy being successful! Have been where you are, wish I could give you a hug and say it will be alright - because it will! Now some of us are at work today ... better head there but have a good day. You are not alone :-)

It's probably a good thing to learn early on, because everyone's journey is slightly different. The only "right" way is the way your doc tells you I used to compare my weight loss with others on the forum (in the way you are comparing what you eat) and I would worry I was losing too slowly. But I stuck to what I was supposed to do and kept my eyes front. I loved reading about how well others were doing, it inspired me, even when I felt I was being left behind. When I hit my target, the speed I got there became totally irrelevant... I had done it and that's what mattered. So I have learned to breathe out since I got my sleeve and see it as a team sport - not in the sense that this is a competition but because you are doing this with your sleeve. Every sleeve is different but you can't rush it, it does its thing and if you play your part, it's a fantastic partnership. Keep posting. I am excited for you and wish you every success!

You look amazing - and years younger! Well done!

You look amazing! Your scars have healed beautifully, you must be so pleased. Reinforces for me that I do want the cosmetics done when I see such a great result and hear how pleased you are with it.

I am always cold! Furry jammies and slippers at night, extra covers on the bed and I wear a scarf constantly during the day... But better that than the hot, sweaty little person who had been known to wear flip flops in the snow. It was to keep cool on a visit to my rheumy. Should have seen his face!

Glad you're feeling better, lots of us here know about feeling low but this forum helps... Best to stick with what they want you to do for now. I am in Scotland and I did two weeks liquid, two weeks pureed food, then two weeks soft food. It was 6 weeks before I could eat anything of substance not because they wanted me to lose loads of weight but they felt it would give my stomach time to heal properly. So hang in there, you are amongst friends and you have done well so far :-)

Danielb What a stunning transformation! You must be very proud, that's true commitment to lose 130lbs since last April. Hope you are enjoying your new life :-)

Do your research, check the implications for each surgery (and the benefits) and then decide what fits best with your life. As carolinagirl so rightly says, whatever you choose, you have to play your part in making the surgery work. I chose being sleeved because I wanted a permanent solution. I had lost the same 50lbs repeatedly over the years so knew the restriction would give me a longer term support. I didn't fancy RNY because of the re routing of my insides, malabsorption etc. But the sleeve is major surgery and it is not an easy road to travel. So make your choice wisely, wls is not the easy option many people imply... But here I am 10 months out, fit and healthy, happy and living life to the full. Only difference is that I eat small portions and food no longer rules my life. Good luck whatever you decide, you will get lots of help, support and advice on this forum from people who have been who you are today :-)

Had the same issue myself in the early days but it does pass. I had to make my sister wash her perfume off when she visited a week after my surgery. And it was an expensive brand - but she sort of understood... Congratulations on the surgery, hope you keep well and are successful :-)

Whaddya mean there's no volume in Scotland?! We're all the volume required, darlink; just the two of us As for the international conference aspect? Yeah, I could go for a bit of that.. Just as long as everyone had badges detailing their internet names. And it was made mandatory to wear them. Why? Well, when the fur starts flying, I want to be able to identify the main parties, recount what had 'gone down' accurately and whilst happily chomping on my protein-rich popcorn and sipping my diet margaritas, I could take bets on the 'favourite' of the day. Win: Win Volume? Volume? Between the two of us. we've lost a good sized person (we could take them with us to the conference...) Now if you're talking quality then of course that's a different story... but let's not talk hair volume, lmao!!!!

Love the idea of a WLS conference. Don't think we will have the volume in Scotland to have a chapter - but would happily head to the US to meet lots of familiar faces ))))

Seela, Well done! You have worked so hard to get where you are. You deserve your success. I know that my priority at the start was my health but once I had that under control, I suddenly noticed me :-))))) And it's fun.... as is life in general....

Congratulations on getting sleeved! You have had major surgery so your stomach will be tender for a while so everything that goes in - even Water - can be uncomfortable. But it will pass. I found the first couple of the weeks the hardest, getting over the op and getting used to a new normal. This site is great for looking for reassurance, information and friends who understand exactly where you are. Day 4 for me was buyers' regret day, when I cried on and off all day wondering what I had done to myself. Woke up on day 5 and wondered what the problem had been :-)))) Good luck and keep posting.,,,

Well said, LL! I just booked a flight for my son and I to go abroad - and I booked a middle seat. I have never willingly sat in the middle but come June, I will. Why? Because I fit in the seat. Inside it. I am nowhere near the sides. Even my arms are within the seat. No one who comes to sit next to me will look disappointed or disgusted at sitting next to me. I won't get all sweaty and hot from sitting with my arms pressed as close to my body as I can get them (which usually meant squeezing my boobs too!) Woo hoo, go sleeve!

Revs, bet you still look good :-) Trust me, girls, it gets better and it does so almost overnight.... I was in despair over the Christmas hols but between now and then I can see a huge difference in the amount of hair I have today. For the avoidance of doubt, there's way more, with none going down the plug other than what might be regarded as "normal". Chin up x

Debi, time to look forward not back. So well done for coming on here and looking for help. Back to basics as others have said. Jayson is spot on with what you should be eating and drinking. There's lots of good advice on here and online for the types of food you should be eating but basically turkey, chicken, ham, fish, cheese, yogs, good quality meat. Try to avoid high levels of carbs and if you eat them, go for "good carbs". Keep sugar in any form to a minimum. Take your Vitamins every day. Drink Water. And keep moving.... I didn't have nutrition classes etc and had my surgery three weeks after being approved. But I decided it was up to me to find out as much as I could about what I should be eating post op - and I took responsibility for sticking to it. The fact that you came on here suggests to me that you haven't given up on getting back losing weight. I admire that. Keep that attitude and keep posting to let us know how you are doing :-)

Cant wait to hear..Haha So I made a huge deal out of my excess skin before the nekkid phase. Then he was like....I dunno, women your age,have had kids etc., just look that way. Obviously I had more excess skin than a typical woman but it was clearly a bigger deal in my head than it was in reality. Well, we got to the nekkid phase this weekend, and the extra skin didn't appear to bother him a bit! It was so hard for me to bite my tongue and not ask him if it bothered him, because I didn't want to plant that seed of thought in his mind. So I'm faking it until I make it in the confidence department! BethinPA, I applaud you!!!! Good for you and thanks for sharing. It gives all of us hope because all too often we lose confidence and sight of all the good things about ourselves when we are overweight. Sometimes it takes a while to regain that.... Your man sounds like he's interested in you, all of you. So keep faking it until your confidence catches up with how he sees you. I still have a Naked Hottie around who thinks I am the bees knees, wrinkles and saggy bits and all :-))))

Oops double post

I have done it a few times and felt it helped my hair feel thicker. But no adverse effects...

If there was actually an effective cure for this hair loss, someone would be selling it to us and to all the folk that lose their hair for other reasons. But there's not. Different things may alleviate how your hair looks. I used Toppik and that has made my hair look thicker than it is, another friend had laser treatment to stimulate the hair follicles to restart the growth phase quicker. Biotin, Nixon etc can help the hair that's coming in but nothing can stop the shedding. It's the amount that will vary for each of us... So the reality is that until the hair stops shedding and grows back, there's little can be done to stop it. Stress doesn't help so big breaths... and relax. I got to the point of thinking I would have to buy a wig - and suddenly that's when the regrowth appeared. I hated this aspect of the surgery but have patience, it does pass - as they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch and that's the price paid for this or any other major surgery .... Hang in there

Shoulder- skimming and layered - covers all bases.... .... that's my tuppence worth :-)

Your hair looks pretty short in your pic :-))))) This too will pass, just a bit scarey to begin with. Mine fell out from July to December (but only in earnest from Sept), lost about half the volume and only now can I see decent regrowth. Chopped mine off, but you might only need a trim

Yes, you can stop the weight loss. You only lose weight if you follow what you're told to do and you will be advised on how to maintain your weight when you reach your goal. Bear in mind that, on average, your sleeve will help you lose two thirds of your excess weight - you have to work to get the other third off. My sleeve has helped me lose 100% of what I wanted to lose and that's also the case for others. But we have had to work hard at it - it doesn't just keep dropping off.... There are rare examples of people who lose too much but, again, it's usually related to how they are eating not an inability to stop losing weight. People with lower BMI can also find it slightly harder to lose all their weight. So I wouldn't worry too much about not being able to stop. Good luck with your decision, it's brilliant finding a way of losing weight that has actually worked for me after trying every diet known to man