Ava324

Today's my official 6 month mark. Unreal! When I look at before pictures, I don't really recognize myself. She looks so sad and tired and uncomfortable. It feels so far behind me, and when I compare my lifestyle now, it's shocking. I said I haven't really plateaued, but the loss has significantly slowed down. I weigh every day, and I lost 47 in the first 3 months, and I've only lost 34 in the second 3 months. I have 32 lbs to go to me goal, and I'm really really gonna try and get those off by Sept. 10th.

Happy 6 months to my fellow December Sleevers!!! Surgery date: 12/10/13 Height: 5'6.5" Highest: 289lbs Start of process: 268lbs Day of surgery: 254lbs Current: 174.8lbs I've had pretty frequent stalls, but I wouldn't say I've hit a plateau. Still dropping inches. Have you done measurements for the last month and a half? I'd be surprised if you weren't still shrinking. The scale dropped a lot a lot faster in the first 3 months than in these last 3 months, even with a more vigorous workout routine. Hard not to get bummed about it. I get between 400 - 600 calories a day and between 50-65 grams of Protein a day, depending on whether I go to the gym or not. Generally I have 3 meals a day, and my Protein shake for Breakfast counts as one of those meals. I have a low calorie dessert about twice a week (1oz of guilt free cake, SF pudding, Arctic Zero, or a SF Popsicle). I also have a low calorie snack maybe twice a week. Here are my suggestions: half a Quest Protein Bar, turkey Jerky, avocado with plantain or veggie chips, light string cheese, popcorn, and bagel chips with a laughing cow wedge. I log absolutely everything I eat, and I measure things out with a scale. For the plantain, veggie, and bagel chips, which are low calorie anyway, I will only eat half a serving, and then go heavier on the laughing cow or avocado. I'm still satisfied.

I was reunited with SF popsicles right after surgery. I had such a hard time drinking Water or even sucking on ice chips. I got Fluid almost exclusively from popsicles. Yummy! Still can't beat a sugar free nectar snowball though.

Oh, man. The hiding.. In one of my before pictures, I'm holding my cat up to my face, trying to hide double chinnage. I looove taking pictures now too. What an amazing transformation. It really does touch every aspect of our lives.

Can't stop number crunching. My short term goal is to hit the nice and pretty 100lbs lost mark at my 6 month followup, which is scheduled at exactly 6 months. June 10th. So if I'm 176 now, and I need to get to 168 by June 10th, that means I need to average -.6lbs/day. I do this math daily. Ah!!

Holy cow, you look phenomenal! I hope I'm looking that good at 9 months. What an inspiration! When I look at my before pictures, I can see in my face how uncomfortable and ashamed I was. You're looking beaming happy in your afters. Congrats on the hard work paying off!!

Super congrats! Those two weeks are going to fly by.

Before you know it, the helpless feeling will be gone. You'll feel liberated and in control. It's pretty much impossible not to lose weight in such a calorie deficit, regardless of PCOS. Like my Basic Metabolic Rate is 1,624 calories. That's how many I use just by being awake and my body functioning. Based on my activity level (moderate exercise 3/5 times a week), my formulated caloric need is 2,436 calories a day. I keep my calories under 600 a day. If you follow your doctor's recommended diet plan, you will lose significant weight quickly. Don't worry, and stick to the plan!

I'm 26 and was sleeved 12/10/13. This weekend, I was comparing before and after pictures, and it just floors me. I started the process at 268 (289ish was my heaviest), lost 14 pre-op, and am down to 179.0. I'm trying very hard to hit the 100 lb mark by June 10th (6 mo. appointment). My goal is 140. I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2006. I wouldn't call mine severe though. Symptom wise I really only had the string of pearls, insulin resistance, weight issues, and depression. I've been on Metformin for years. I tried Byetta for a while, lost 40lbs, because I was always sick as a dog, and then just couldn't stand it anymore. I gained the 40 back and then another 20. After a while I got on Victoza. Over the course of a year, I lost that extra 20, putting me right back where I started. Something had to give. I was sick of injecting myself every day. I was still miserable, depressed, and exhausted all the time. While I was researching and making my decision to have surgery, I only discussed it with my closest friends and family. When I knew for sure that it was right for me, I told more people and some co-workers. As I got closer to surgery, I was so excited that I was pretty much telling everyone. Most negative responses were just for my safety. Especially because I was going to go to Mexico for it at first. My insurance doesn't cover it, and my mom actually found a cash-pay package an hour away that I couldn't pass up. Once I wasn't going to Mexico, it quieted a lot of people. Some people argued that I should be doing it on my own. That I could do it the "natural way". If one of my friends had told me they were having surgery, I would've said the same thing. But I knew myself well enough to know that that wasn't going to happen. I wasn't going to bet on my own will power and risk my own life anymore. I needed another tool. Something to carry me over the hump. Something that would break me out of PCOS and the depressed exhaustion cycle. At my 3 month follow-up, my PCOS lab work was all normal. I halved my testosterone and insulin levels. The only thing I take is BC (and my Vitamins ). No more migraines. No more nausea. No more fatigue. I'm energetic and happy. I even talk faster. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week. I work with a personal trainer. I log everything I eat. I go to a weekly support group at my clinic. It was right for me. I'm using my sleeve exactly how I planned to and knew I would. I still have some more work to do.. I mostly just consume Protein shakes and bars, meat (seafood really..), and cheese. I don't like veggies, and I'm trying to learn new ways of preparing and incorporating them. That's the only way to complete this lifestyle change. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but here are some things I didn't consider.. Rapid weight loss can cause significant gallbladder issues. I still have an occasional pain/spasm in my stomach. I don't have gallstones. It isn't inflamed. They think my gallbladder may not be functioning at 100% anymore. If that's the case, they'll recommend I have it removed. Another surgery.... Very basically, all the surgery does is let you crash diet without feeling hungry. And I mean crash diet. There are days where driving home from the gym feels dangerous. My vision will get wonky and I feel like fainting. I say often that I have a ton more day to day energy (moving fast), but poor workout energy. Personal training gets tough. I rarely "feel the burn". My strength gives out before that, and I literally just can't do it. I'm hoping that once I reach my goal, and I increase my calories to maintain, I'll have more strength. I'd be so much worse off if I wasn't working out! There's a "window of opportunity". I'm obsessed with meeting my goal ASAP. I didn't know about the honeymoon period until after I'd been sleeved. I'm still only 5+ months out, but I hear that hunger returns, sometimes to exactly how it'd been, and that you'll be able to eat significantly more down the road. Apparently your body adjusts to the decreased calories and you stop auto-burning. Losing weight gets harder. I'm racing to my goal so that I can learn maintenance before the hunger and metabolism changes. There's more that I can't think of right now. Sorry for the long post!

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2006, sleeved in December 2013, and within three months, my testosterone and insulin levels were normal. I missed my cycle twice right after surgery, so I restarted BC, hoping it'd make things regular again. It'd been like clockwork. Instead, I'm having my period twice a freaking month, and even the occasional spotting in between that. Anyone have similar experiences? I don't have an endocrinologist, as my lady doctor's office specializes in PCOS. Like they regularly are published on it. I have an appointment set for June 10th, but I'd love to hear some thoughts before that. Thanks!!

I'll have to try that! I get my girlie time twice a month now, so the water weight is real frustrating.

I'm experiencing the exact same thing with my arms. Because of their sagginess, inch wise, they're completely unchanged. I think if I raised my arm up towards the ceiling, there'd be a difference. Boo. Everything else is shrinking. I measure every two weeks, and the loss is astonishing. Even when I'm stalling.

I'm 5 months out, and since surgery, my TOM is TAM. Twice. A. Month. I only get two weeks off between periods. Can I borrow your thread a little and ask, has anyone else run into this? I have mini-stalls each time, and it's inconvenient in so many ways. As for cravings post-op, the key is not to feel like you're denying yourself. I highly recommend cookie dough Quest bars. Sooo friggin good! Arctic Zero makes a great icecream substitute. 150ish cals in a pint! I'm also digging Syntrax Matrix's cookie Protein shakes. Peanut Butter cookie and chocolate mint cookie. Mmm. You'll have tons of options to satisfy your cravings. For my next TAM, I'm gonna make some CAKE!

Mini vent: Stupid stalls! I've lost 2 lbs in 2 weeks. Yeah, the scale's moving, but I've been used to a consistent 3 lbs a week. Like clockwork. I know this is normal. I know it's my body's natural adjustment to rapid loss. I know the scale isn't the only measure of success. In fact, I know I'm continuing to get smaller despite the scale. My personal trainer did my latest measurements, and in 2 and half weeks, I'd lost 3.25" from my hips, 2" from my waist, 3.25" from my thighs, and even 1.5" from my calves. No change to my upper arms though. I know these things, but I still can't help but get frustrated. I'm not beating myself up per se. In fact, I'm still feeling pretty dang good about myself. I bought my very first bikini the other day to celebrate hitting a BMI of 29. I just really really want to reach my goal, and this "honeymoon period" and "window of opportunity" stuff makes me nervous. I feel like I'm in a race against the clock to reach my goal in the first 8-ish months. Which means I have 3 more months to lose 48 lbs. To do that, I need to average 4 lb loss a week. So yeah, stalls are frustrating. Here are the numbers: Height: 5'6.5" Highest weight: 289 Starting weight (9/13): 268 Day of surgery (12/10/13): 254 Current weight: 188 Goal weight: 140 I go to the gym 4 times a week and work with a personal trainer once a week. I get between 400-600 cals a day. I get between 50-65 grams of protein a day. 70+ oz of fluid a day. Fellow Dec. sleevers, how long have your stalls been? Have you been able to kick out of them? I'll work on my patience..

That's it! It feels patronizing. I know that's not the intention. Also, if this is so "skinny" to them, how freaking huge did they see me before? I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd sympathize with skinny girls who found the term offensive. I'm sure I'll hear it a lot more when I've reached my goal (140ish and I'm 5'6.5"). My BMI will be smack in the middle of normal..

Whoa, scary that you have that clotting gene and are at constant risk. It's definitely fortunate that the surgery saved you from even worse health complications. It sounds like you've taken it all in stride! Keep up the positive outlook. Have you switched things up? I think my stall if finally breaking. I've lost 2 lbs in the last few days. I had family staying with me Thursday through Sunday for a big wedding. I was the matron of honor, and things were hectic. So it figures that the few days I don't journal everything I eat, didn't calorie count, allowed for a little cheating (eggs benedict over a crabcake. YUM!!), I'm able to get out the stall. Haha. Maybe I inadvertently did the 5:2 Plan, and it worked. I'm looking into the 5 Day Pouch Test. I wouldn't say I need it, but it could be a good refresher. A nice little reset.

Does anyone else dislike being called skinny or thin? I just just just got my BMI down to 29, from obese to the very highest "overweight". I accept the compliments, and I'm grateful since people mean well. But skinny? I'm not. I don't know why it gets under my skin so much.

Congrats on having lost 72lbs! That's awesome. It is real nice to find someone who had it nearly at the same time, same height, and same goal. 150 is actually my long term goal. I'm pear shaped, and I think I'll like being 150 more than 140. I want to get down to 140 though, and learn to maintain there. I've never tried to maintain a weight in my life. Once I have a grasp on maintenance, then I may let it creep back up to 150. My doc expects a 10% eventual regain, so I'd rather add on top of 140 than 150. I'm sorry to hear that you've have these medical problems. Do you think they're surgery related, or do you think they'd be even worse if you hadn't had surgery? I hope they can clear you soon for exercise! And definitely try to keep track of fluids. I was pretty bad at it before, but then I got a 20oz glass reusable bottle (found it at Whole Foods). I'll have three bottles full of flavored water, a Protein Shake, and a cup of green tea every day. That way I know for sure I'm getting 70+. I'm in a weekly support group that my clinic hosts, and I've heard some pretty bad dehydration stories. I definitely want to hear if shaking it up works and what you try. Switching to Meal Replacements for a few days shouldn't be too hard. I weigh every morning, and sure enough it's exactly the same to the tenth of a pound. ><

I was sleeved on 12/10/13. I lost some pre-op and am down 70 overall. From 268 to 198. My recent blood work shows that my testosterone and insulin levels are both normal. I halfed them since surgery. My cycle was all out of wack after, but it's been less than 4 months. I just got back on birth control, and it's normalizing now. Hopefully whenever we try to conceive, and I get off the pill, everything will sort itself out.. Very hopeful!

This is my first post, though I've been lurking for months. Please be gentle! I felt pretty decided on Dr. Ramos-Kelly, since I've talked with someone who went to him and everything I see on him here has been positive. I'm a read the bad reviews first kind of person, and I genuinely couldn't find unhappy patients (other than people who had access problems with coordinators). I enlisted help from my aunt, who is fluent in Spanish, and she shared this: Ramos Kelly, M.D., has recently been excused from various hospitals in Tijuana, including florence Hospital". This is is the first I've seen anything negative! Can anyone shed some light? I'm surprised his rating is only 3/5. Of course, this is only one website, and I suspect that there's a political/financial angle to the rankings.. I'd never seen Dr. Valenzuela or Dr. Cazarez before, and they're ranked highest. Thanks in advance for sharing information and your experience!

Thank you all for your responses. I'm certainly weighing first-hand experience over anything else! It's quite comforting to see how positive the majority of experiences were. My family wants me to consider Costa Rica, because it's a safer travel option, but I can't find surgeon names or first-hand testimonies about them. I'd much rather feel confident about the surgeon and procedure than go for the atmosphere.