GotItDoneInHarlem

Does anyone have any experience with having weight loss and having to change dosages? I'm on lithium and seroquel and am wondering if you take less as you lose weight. Thanks in advance.

I am qualifying for VSG WLS this December. I take Truvada and viramune for my meds. How will surgery impact my medications?

Besides the obvious amazing weight loss I've had (80 pounds since December 3rd) I have changed in the following ways.... *My life doesn't revolve around food anymore *I am more confident *I no longer take 2 blood pressure pills or a cholesterol pill *I am in a relationship after hiding from others for years *I have more money *I have more energy *I spend more time with family and friends *I sleep better *My back doesn't hurt every day *Sex is back *I look younger *I feel younger *My skin is better *I enjoy shopping for clothes *I just FEEL better This and so many more things. Like almost EVERYONE on this site, my only regret is waiting as long as I did.

What isn't working for you? I see you've lost 69 pounds and are 15 pounds from your goal. I'm confused.

All of you are going to do GREAT! Everyone gets nervous and that's ok. The time will fly by and then you'll be on the Loser's Bench!

I can't believe it. I've lost 80 pounds since my high weight. 73 since the beginning of my sleeve journey. This has been the best thing I've ever done!

For dinner tonight I had 2 boca burger patties grilled (180 calories and 34g of protein!). The box said that the 2 patties are a total of 5oz in WEIGHT. My surgeon told me to aim for 4-6oz meals, but I'm thinking that's a VOLUME measurement. When I finished eating I was no longer hungry and was satisfied. My restriction was telling me that I could not eat any more. Bottom line. I ate 5oz of quality Protein and am full. Am I stretching my pouch in any way? Should I have eaten less and then snacked later, or is the 5oz amount in line with what my surgeon said and I need to relax? I'm worried that I'm stretching my pouch. (I don't eat and drink either).

So I am blessed to have lost a lot of weight since surgery in December. I'm down 68 pounds since pre-op and I'm feeling a little more attractive and sexy these days.....well a lot. I'm back on match.com and have 5 dates this week, so I'm looking pretty good. What they don't know is the compression shirt underneath and my jiggle. I'm having great dates, but I'm terrified to go past first base. How do you deal with it?

I got the compression shirt online. Spanx makes shirts for men too! Friggin expensive but I love them. Honestly, I believe that wearing one has helped with everything shrinking well. I had 120 to lose when I began my journey, and having lost 72 so far I can say that I am very please with how I am shrinking.

So I am blessed to have lost a lot of weight since surgery in December. I'm down 68 pounds since pre-op and I'm feeling a little more attractive and sexy these days.....well a lot. I'm back on match.com and have 5 dates this week, so I'm looking pretty good. What they don't know is the compression shirt underneath and my jiggle. I'm having great dates, but I'm terrified to go past first base. How do you deal with it?

Thanks for your support everyone. your success stories help a lot, but I gotta add that I'm GAY, in NYC, and I'm HIV POSITIVE. It's a seriously delicate balance to spread out those disclosures.

THIS SURGERY IS ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU WANT! You get to be a spoiled DIVA for as long as you want. Tell your mother you appreciate her concern, but that you want to sleep in your own bed and that rest is the number 1 thing you need after surgery. Stairs might be a little hairy, but it's better than suffering through terrible children.

You should be ok. Worst case senario, you have to sit down and enjoy the music or leave before the end. GO!

OK, so for dinner I had an Amy's Light entree that was 8oz. There wasn't a whole lot to it and I never ran into my restriction. I've eaten 5oz Entrees that I could not finish. SO, when my NUT says that my pouch currently holds 4-6oz and that I should Aim for about 5oz, I assume that she is speaking about VOLUME, the space that 5oz of food takes up, and not the 8oz entree I ate which is a measurement of WEIGHT. So how the hell am I to measure my meals. If the box is by weight, and my stomach is by volume and I am eating to satiety, then is this all just a guessing game? I eat slow so I know when to stop, but this particular entree never got me "full" which is a GOOD thing. Is there something I'm missing or am I on the right track? Some days I can eat a whole (small) lean cuisine, most days I split it into two mini meals and stay within my caloric guidelines. For those of you who know my posts, YES, this, is directly tired into my all consuming fear of stretching my pouch even though I am losing weight and progressing well. UGH

At Disney on a trip with my job, and I've been able I find things to eat and I've been coming in on the high end of my daily caloric intake (which is ok because my pedometer has been logging between 15,000-20,000 steps). What's frustrating me is I have no way to measure my food and no way to weight it. I've found that I'm eating until I am satiated but have definitely gotten to full a few times, but never uncomfortable or pain like the ONLY time I overate. I generally get the feeling that I'm eating more than I should (full) but I am (AGAIN!) worries that I'm stretching my pouch. Are three full meals for a week going to irreversibly stretch my pouch. A stretched pouch is a big fear of mine. Advice?

Thanks everyone! That really helped put stretching into perspective for me. I gotta admit though I can't wait to get home to my scale and Tupperware.

I have found that the lemonade crystal light does give me a little heartburn, but not enough to keep me from drinking it.

Today's concern is stretching my sleeve. How does one stretch their sleeve? Would you know if it's stretched? I'm eating 4-6 oz meals as per my nut but panic thinking it's too much Anyone?

I've been stuck on a stall for two weeks now. I think it's related to stopping a blood pressure med that was a diuretic, but whatever. I've also been taking Miralax which retains Water as well, but it's either poop or death so I choose poop. I have been STUCK at the same weight despite all efforts to move the scale. I've increased working out at the gym two-fold, I've lowered my sodium and carbs. I'm eating EXACTLY as my NUT wants, and am in the gym 5 times a week doing cardio each day PLUS lifting three times. My cardio sessions are an hour long and I'm burning 700-800 calories each time. I'm only eating 850-1000 calories a day. How is it possible that I'm not losing weight. I'm taking in WELL below what I should be to be losing 2-3 pounds a week. Are my pants looser? Yes. Did I lose another notch on my belt? Yes. Do I feel better than ever? Yes. Did I fit into a size large shirt for the first time in 5 years yesterday? yes. BUT I WANT THAT DAMN SCALE TO MOVE. I've been in a stall for ALL of my month two now. How long do these last? Anything else I can do to kick start losses again? I put the scale away for a week as recommended and DAM*IT I gained a half pound. It's SO HARD to not be discouraged.

My stall broke over the weekend and I lost 4 pounds!! I'll try to be more patient next time. Phew...

So my steri-strips were peeling very badly and I had been told that after about a week and a half I could just remove them if this happened. So I peeled them off after a shower and the scabs in my incisions (I am ABSOLUTELY blown away with how small 4 of them are. How and what tool of any use went through there? Amazing!) had stuck and peeled off with them! It didn't hurt as they were moist and peeled right out, but now all my incisions are mostly healed but not flush with my skin and missing scabs. I'm going to scar more don't you think?

Yup! It was HCTZ. Should I still consider upping the calories from about 1000?

I'm doing weights, but nothing close to what one would to for gaining muscle. More toning weight lifting. I'm on a couple psych meds, one blood pressure med, and HIV meds. I just don't understand how I can expend more effort than I take in from calories and NOT lose weight.

I feel like I've got the fitness aspect under control. I really feel like they're high quality. Definitely getting my protein and supplements. I drink water like a fish and have had two glasses of wine since the beginning of December. Do you agree with the tdee and bmr stuff above?

So you're saying I should be taking in more calories. Makes me nervous to ignore the recommendations of my NUT. Iused a couple tdee and bmr calculators and they show my bmr at 2079 and my tdee at 2495. So what would you suggest based on those calculations? If I'm supposed to eat over bmr but under tdee I would be at nearly 2000 calories a day! That doesn't seem right.