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Someone give me a high five. My BMI is below 30. The last ten pounds have come off slowly, but they are off. Now to focus on 220. How you doing?

you're inspirational. good on you. how are you celebrating?

I'm nine weeks out from surgery and my stomach is a mystery to me as well. Like others, I have days where everything is good - and others where I smell food and want to barf. I'll have salad one night, and the next - even looking at lettuce/spinach is repugnant. I can always do liquids - so that is my fall-back. I'm off all my meds and down 58 lbs - so I should NOT complain - but I wish I understood my pouch and what it wanted...

Good luck to you too Tiffany. I was sure I wanted the band when I went to see the surgeon the first time, and he presented all the data - including the success data. I chose the RNY - and after seeing all the people here who tried the band and then and then had to do the RNY in the end - I think we have made the right choice.

No pain - only discomfort. Never took any pain meds after leaving the hospital. JMHO

Ask yourself if weight loss is important to you. If it is, then the discomfort and wild-emotions will all be worth the effort. I was taking 7 meds each day including a needle and the regimen was sapping my confidence. Today, [9 weeks post surgery] I take none of those meds. I did have complications [blood loss] that included a few transfusions. But my confidence is back. And that has made ALL the difference. Good luck with your decision.

well done! You look great. My wife was asking "when is enough, enough."

OK - 8 weeks post surgery and I have barfed 4 times - three from over-eating and once from spices. Is my reverse-peristalsis average high or low compared to yours? DO you see any bile when you up-chuck? I don't. Tastes just as good coming up as it did going down [sorry if that makes you queasy]. I titled this "best and worse" - because when I over-eat, I feel dreadful. Horrible. Pitiful. Nasty. Worse still. And then when I blow chow, I feel awesome. Wonderful. Crazy good. So tell me straight - How strange am I?

Almost there. 48 years old. Down 50 lbs in 6 weeks. Mostly young women getting this procedure, but it is working for me.

JPR: I had my 6 week doctors appt this morning. We can use "light" weights, but are advised to "go slow" at first until we are more comfortable/healed. Just FYI

looking great [don't lose those curves]

having a supportive partner through this process is invaluable. couldn't have done it without my love.

And as the seemingly mile-long tube was being removed, it bumped into various parts/organs that aren't used to being messed about. Creepy! Didn't hurt me so much as made me feel like crawling under the covers for a few days...

I had sashimi at week five [tuna and salmon] - all good.

I also lost much blood, but my loss was in the three days post-surgery. How many transfusions did you have? How long did it take to build your H&H back to normal levels? [i am six weeks out, have had two transfusions and I am only at 9 & 30 currently - at one point I was at 6 and 17]. As this is my six week anniversary, I am trying sol8id food today for the first time. Any advice? Thanks

I thought I was going to save all sorts of money each week because I was not going to eat as much as what was once normal. I am eating less. But the truth is that I buy many items, stick them in the fridge, eat a bit of each item, put them back in the fridge and eventually throw the item out because it is no longer fresh [expired or look expired]. This morning I threw out 4 half-eaten containers of cottage cheese or yoghurt. Anyone have a solution to this quandary?

Decided I needed garlic chicken from my fave restaurant yesterday at lunch. Only ate 4 oz, but got sick as I may have ate it too fast [or maybe it was too much quantity or maybe it was too spicy]. Sure tasted good, [while it lasted].

I am belching and farting like a frat boy at a kegger. Yikes! [No hiccups yet]

Cut another new hole in the belt this morning. Off all meds [diabetes, high-blood pressure, cholesterol, et al]. Down 46 lbs in 5 weeks. Other than the obscene sporadic constipation, [and blood loss/transfusions at the onset] this process has been rewarding. I do need to exercise more as I am also losing some muscle I think. Anyone else?

Surgery on 18 December. Start at 298 and today at 252. [5 weeks]

And damn you are looking good. How tall are you Sir?

How about a 10K walk? Test your stanima. Or: A day volunteering at the animal shelter? Visit a museum? Raid the closet and take two huge bags of stuff to Goodwill? Write a short story? Drive to the beach/lake/river/stream and meditate? Dive into a juicy romance novel. Take a drive through the most scenic road you've ever been on. Visit the library and borrow a Japanese language class on tape. [Hope these help - and good luck]

My man boobs are saggy. Damn

I've only lost 39 lbs in 4 weeks but I have noticed I am not losing my weight symmetrically [more weight loss on my right side than left]. Who knows?