Kindle

So I posted before and after pics back in March when I was down 50 pounds. But now that I'm actually below goal, I'm submitting this as my "official" before and after pics. 8 months and 92 pounds later....
December 4, 2013
August 3, 2014

Ok, so here's my first pictures. The "before" was taken Dec 4, the day I started my preop diet. The "after" was taken 3 months later (2 1/2 months postop) and 50 pound down. Size 22 to 18.
   

I'm a little confused.... Were your comments in response to my post? I assume so since it was quoted, but I am 28 months out, not 2 months. I can eat anything and everything with no problems, including steak, seafood, salads, and cheesecake No pain, no nausea, no GERD, no vomiting, etc. I can comfortably eat 4-8 oz at a time, depending on the density. I get at least 60-80g Protein and 80-100oz fluids everyday and have since 5 days postop. Definitely no stricture, just great restriction.

I would certainly like to hear from the veteran veterans about ways to overcome the struggles that come up at those 3 , 4, 5 year marks. i keep getting hints that things are gonna change, so am feeling a little apprehensive as I approach the 3 year mark. I think details about the new challenges and advice from those that have been there done that would be extremely helpful in preparing for the future. I welcome your advice.

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"This is only worth it if you are willing to do the work"
Exactly. Well said.

The only thing that limits you to only losing 60% of your excess weight is you. I've lost over 100% and am maintaining easily. I eat whatever I want whenever I'm hungry....protein first, then veggies, fruit and whole grains. But I also eat ice cream, desert, bread, alcohol, cake, etc.... just everything in moderation. I do not excercise and I've never tracked or counted or measured my food. I didn't have surgery just to be on a diet the rest of my life. I do make sure I drink at least 64oz of Fluid and I do take my Vitamins (but I've always taken Vitamins, so this is no change)
Other than making much healthier food choices, my life isn't a whole lot different than preop. Unless you count Having a normal BMI, shopping in regular stores for clothes, not being in pain everyday, spending a lot less money on groceries, and being able to hike, climb stairs, etc without getting out of breath, Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I just wanted to let you know that there is more than one way to be successful and postop life does not have to be all that complicated.

I don't own a scale, so I weigh when I think of it...usually 2-3 times/month. I make it a point to step on the scale at work after a particularly carby weekend or vacation or holiday so I know if I have to be "good" that week. My lowest weight was 138, but I typically hover around 140-142. If I see 143 I buckle down with basics....protein and veggies. I saw 145 twice and immediately put myself on a few days of liquid "preop diet". That knocks the extra lb's off pretty quick.
I've even started making "preemptive strikes" before holidays or vacation when I know I will be eating off plan. I eat super clean and try and get down to the bottom of my bounce range before I head out. Makes any gains much easier to deal with afterwards. I've found the scale to be much more helpful in maintenance than while losing.

The part of our stomach they remove is the fundus. This is the stretchy rubbery part that expands like a balloon to accommodate what we put in there. After surgery, we are left with a tube that really doesn't" give" much. So when you drink carbonated beverages, the bubbles really have no place to go. Go ahead and try to drink something carbonated to see what happens. I did....a couple swallows of beer. And no, I didn't explode (or die) but it sure didn't feel good. I even tried letting sprite sit on ice for 15 minutes and stirred it up to try and defizz it. It wasn't enough. Still too many bubbles.

So it's very obvious the new newbies want nothing to do with hearing what successful WLS patients have to say. The recent debate over the the eating bacon 1 week postop makes it perfectly clear that what they want is for someone to tell them it's OK to be stupid. They are not interested in listening to their surgeons or nuts or veterans. Self sabotage is the new fad and compliance is apparently out of style. I made the mistake of responding to the post when, as a veteran, I should have known better. Turns out I'm just a big meanie (no surprise there!) At this point it's 95% newbies posting on that thread who don't have a clue what the long term repercussions of eating off plan so soon will lead to. The blind leading the blind.
Oh well. It will be interesting to see the stats of successful EWL go down over the next few years as more and more unprepared, uncommitted people continue to have WLS. In the meantime, I'm outa here. The newbies won. As hard as it is to tear my eyes away from the car wreck, I just can't take anymore people that do stupid shit and then whine about getting their feelings hurt. Someone PM me when the grown ups start joining again.

So yesterday was the 4 year anniversary of my brother's death (just one of many holidays ruined for me). I always find myself soul searching and reaching for hope around this time of year so here's today's random ponderings......
I saw a documentary about Gloria Vanderbilt a couple months ago. I only caught the last 1/2 hour of it, but found it very moving. Despite her amazing success in the business/fashion world, her personal life was really quite tragic. Her first husband physically beat her, her next two marriages ended in divorce and her fourth husband died during a heart bypass surgery. Her son committed suicide in front of her when he was just 23 years old by jumping from her 14th floor apartment. She was standing just a few feet away. Her youngest son is Anderson Cooper, a successful journalist for CNN. He was just two years younger than his brother and was interviewed as part of this documentary.
There were two quotes from this show that really struck a chord with me. One was from Gloria...." It's only after you accept that life is a tragedy that you can start to live" and the other from Anderson...."You have to learn to live in the world without knowing the why"......That's the one I am personally working on now.
Anyways, I know this isn't directly WLS related, but I find their strength and success in the face of loss and grief to be inspiring and thought I'd share.

Thanks @@VSGAnn2014 and @@OutsideMatchInside for your perspectives.
As for the Water cooler thing, I'm in the same boat. I only have 1 coworker (my business partner) and we run with the same circle of friends, so the gossip fest runs dry pretty quick. So in fact, WLS forums add a whole other level of social drama to my otherwise boring life.
And since I don't attend support group meetings or see a therapist or counselor, the online forums do serve as a touchstone to the WLS world for me. It's a place to commune with other "fatties" where I feel comfortable talking about all the WLS stuff my real world friends just don't get. (They do get the part about me not being PC, though )
Gee, I already feel so much better about my addiction. It's fun to rationalize!

I would certainly like to hear from the veteran veterans about ways to overcome the struggles that come up at those 3 , 4, 5 year marks. i keep getting hints that things are gonna change, so am feeling a little apprehensive as I approach the 3 year mark. I think details about the new challenges and advice from those that have been there done that would be extremely helpful in preparing for the future. I welcome your advice.

The only thing that limits you to only losing 60% of your excess weight is you. I've lost over 100% and am maintaining easily. I eat whatever I want whenever I'm hungry....protein first, then veggies, fruit and whole grains. But I also eat ice cream, desert, bread, alcohol, cake, etc.... just everything in moderation. I do not excercise and I've never tracked or counted or measured my food. I didn't have surgery just to be on a diet the rest of my life. I do make sure I drink at least 64oz of Fluid and I do take my Vitamins (but I've always taken Vitamins, so this is no change)
Other than making much healthier food choices, my life isn't a whole lot different than preop. Unless you count Having a normal BMI, shopping in regular stores for clothes, not being in pain everyday, spending a lot less money on groceries, and being able to hike, climb stairs, etc without getting out of breath, Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I just wanted to let you know that there is more than one way to be successful and postop life does not have to be all that complicated.

Telling you not to drink 20/30 min before and after your Protein shake is just stupid. The only reason for that rule is to not flush solids through your sleeve too soon so that you end up eating more than you should. So it really doesnt apply with Protein shakes . Fluids are fluids. And even the eating/drinking rule is archaic, carried over from the rules of bypass with no real logic behind it when it comes to VSG because out pyloric valve s still intact.
I say do what you've gotta do to get in all your protein and fluids and ignore the stupid rules that don't make sense and actually impede your ability to reach goals. And, BTW, that 64oz is a minimum you should aim for. You should actually shoot for more than that, especially if you are excercising, live in a warm climate, are experiencing a stall, diarrhea or Constipation. I actually got dehydrated on 64oz and now get 100oz every day.

@@Anna Nim I've got no good reason why WLS allows some people to keep the weight off. It's obvious why it doesn't work for a lot of people.....they don't follow the rules, they go back to old eating habits, they basically don't make the necessary lifestyle changes. But why can some people do these things? How are previously fat folks who were never successful losing (and keeping off) weight through traditional diets "magically" able to succeed with WLS? Why couldn't they log their food and eat more Protein and make better choices and not use food as an emotional crutch before surgery? I seriously don't know.
For me, I think it was because surgery allowed me a second chance at finally doing things right. The strict diet and sleeve restriction in the beginning allowed me to lose more weight than any diet ever has. I became a thin person for the first time in my life. I was given a "get out of jail free" card and it was up to me whether I wanted to put in the work to stay out of jail or did I want to make the same mistakes that landed me there in the first place. I chose the former. And let me tell you, the psychological aspect far outweighs the physical aspect of surgery when it comes to long term success. But I knew that going into this so I was prepared. When life started slamming me with stress, I sought the help of a therapist rather than turning back to my old comfort buddies, food and alcohol.
The statistics of how many people lost how much weight or regained X number of pounds has absolutely nothing to do with me.....or you. You can do whatever you want with your sleeve. The choices that determine success or failure are yours. But you have to commit to serious change....including giving up the carbs..... and if you aren't ready or mentally prepared to do that then no, surgery is not the answer for your weight problems.

The only thing that limits you to only losing 60% of your excess weight is you. I've lost over 100% and am maintaining easily. I eat whatever I want whenever I'm hungry....protein first, then veggies, fruit and whole grains. But I also eat ice cream, desert, bread, alcohol, cake, etc.... just everything in moderation. I do not excercise and I've never tracked or counted or measured my food. I didn't have surgery just to be on a diet the rest of my life. I do make sure I drink at least 64oz of Fluid and I do take my Vitamins (but I've always taken Vitamins, so this is no change)
Other than making much healthier food choices, my life isn't a whole lot different than preop. Unless you count Having a normal BMI, shopping in regular stores for clothes, not being in pain everyday, spending a lot less money on groceries, and being able to hike, climb stairs, etc without getting out of breath, Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I just wanted to let you know that there is more than one way to be successful and postop life does not have to be all that complicated.

Well I heard that Coke can actually help you lose weight....but only if you drink it through a straw.

Actually, no. The WLS coverage is a state thing but the drastic increase in premiums and higher deductible (because that's what I can afford) is a direct result of the implementation of the ACA and is the same in every state. Who do you think is paying for all those people that are getting free health insurance now? That would be those of us that own a small business or are self employed and work 60+ hrs/week with no PTO.
I make just barely enough to not qualify for assistance and 20% of my gross income goes towards my medical expenses at this point. I have to fight and appeal for every single thing and now one of my meds is no longer covered. I have had the same insurance (Blue Shield) for the last 12 years and never had any problems with my coverage or ever got denied for any procedure prior to the ACA. And yes, I looked at other companies and their premiums are even higher. I was much better off before health insurance became so "affordable".

I almost forgot the most important things.....all nuts and nut butters. They are my ultimate slider food and I can't stop eating them. I could finish off a whole jar or a 1000 calories worth of nuts without blinking, so they do not come anywhere near my mouth.

December 2013 (day I started preop diet) vs December 2014. I'm 19 months out now but look the same as 12 months post (with the addition of a new tattoo)

September 2013 ( 3 months before surgery) vs September 2014 (9 months postop and 10 pounds below goal

Actually, no. The WLS coverage is a state thing but the drastic increase in premiums and higher deductible (because that's what I can afford) is a direct result of the implementation of the ACA and is the same in every state. Who do you think is paying for all those people that are getting free health insurance now? That would be those of us that own a small business or are self employed and work 60+ hrs/week with no PTO.
I make just barely enough to not qualify for assistance and 20% of my gross income goes towards my medical expenses at this point. I have to fight and appeal for every single thing and now one of my meds is no longer covered. I have had the same insurance (Blue Shield) for the last 12 years and never had any problems with my coverage or ever got denied for any procedure prior to the ACA. And yes, I looked at other companies and their premiums are even higher. I was much better off before health insurance became so "affordable".

IF my insurance covered WLS, my max out of pocket would have been $6000. That's a $3500 deductible plus 20% of the rest until it hit $6000. But instead, I had to self pay because my insurance (which costs me $350/month) doesn't cover WLS. So I saved every penny I Could, including forgoing vacations for 2 1/2 years, went to Mexico and paid $6500.
Obamacare sucks @ss.

I would have reacted the same as your surgeon. Why should he bother wasting his time if you are not going to do your part? Not to mention risking serious complications by eating bacon 1 week after having your stomach cut open along its entire length!

What they said. Like Ann, I was SO ready for this. I even started my preop diet early cause I was so excited. Going into this new life with a good attitude, ready to embrace all that comes with it, not getting bogged down in the little stuff, and enjoying the ride will translate into a much easier recovery, transition and long term success.
For me, I simply underestimated the role that food played in my emotional wellbeing until I was put to the test. Just be ready to roll with the punches and know you may need a Plan B.