FieryRed

I was on the lowest dose of Lisinopril (for BP) and Lipitor (for cholesterol) before surgery, due to diabetes-related hypertension and elevated cholesterol. My BP was not tremendously high (highest was 154/90) and the cholesterol wasn't horrible (175 total) but due to family history of both parents having two strokes a piece, it was better to be safe than sorry. I've since lost 50+ lbs and was taken off my Metformin (for diabetes) the DAY AFTER surgery, and my bp is better than ever, but the doc wants me to stay on the Lisinopril and 1/2 of the lowest pill dosage of Lipitor. My bp now hovers between 110/75 and 120/80 with the pills (and before surgery was higher, even with meds) and my cholesterol is 140 total. Exercise and losing weight is what will decrease your BP, not the surgery itself. And don't be offended if the doc wants to keep you on BP meds at lower doses as a prophylactic (a "just in case"). Doesn't mean you haven't made great improvements, but sometimes, if you have family history, it's better to stay on them...trust me, my goal was to be off ALL meds...but considering how many Vitamins I pop every day, two more TINY pills don't matter amongst the MONSTER Vitamins I take. lol

Something else to remember...it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a pound. If your Basal Metabolic Rate (the rate which your body burns calories just for being alive every day, without any exertion) is say 2,200 calories and you're eating 800 calories, that leaves a negative of 1,400 calories. Without exercise of any sort, that means you will only lose a pound every 2.5-3 days. Which is about right. If you exercise to burn say another 500 calories a day, that will burn another pound each week (500 calories/day x 7 days = 3,500 calories). That would put you at 3-4 lbs a week. That is a more than reasonable expectation of loss, honestly. 3-4 lbs a week gives your skin and your face the chance to catch up with your body weight loss as well. I'd love to drop my last 46 lbs by tomorrow but yet I'd look like a DEFLATED Gummy BEAR if I lost it that fast!

^{At my heaviest (253), I was pushing a 22 (though I refused to buy bigger than 20 in pants! lol). Preop I was 238 and size 18/20 (depending) and 44DDD bra. Now am 196, size 14 (comfy!) and 40DDD. Goal is to be a GOOD size 10/12. Boobage goal will vary. lol Am just glad I can now FIND bras more easily. Granted DDD is not the most common cup size, but 40 is definitely easier to find (affordably and aesthetically pleasing, than 44).}

I'm so sorry, darlin...can only imagine how you felt when they told you. Do you know how long until they try again?

Darlin,

You're doing GREAT! I'm 3.5 months out and have lost 41 lbs since surgery and 56 since my highest. 3 pounds a week is a great rate of loss and probably more realistic than some folks' expectations.

Keep in mind that it also depends on how much you have to lose and what your eating habits and metabolism were like BEFORE the surgery.

Hang in there...every lb is a victory!

My fave (so far) has been Zero Carb Isopure Cookies & Cream. It comes in lots of the usual flavors, plus some fruit flavors like punch, etc. It also has water-based ready-to-drink bottles. But I used the powders. It, too, is a little pricey but definitely goes down well and doesn't smell like baby formula. lol

I had anti-nausea meds (multiple times) and didn't ask for any pain meds after the first dose when I woke up in my room. I'd rather be in terrible pain than be nauseous, so for me, that was my focus.

They called me a trooper for not wanting it, but I really didn't have a lot of pain, but everyone is different in their tolerances. Just know that the staff will cater to how YOU feel and what works/doesn't work for you.

First, you look FAB, girly! Truly beautiful. I still find it amazing how our double chins recede pretty dang quickly, huh? The face usually is noticed as far as weight loss...before the body...when people comment on the changes. It took almost 45 lbs before some folks (who see me EVERY day at work) finally said, "Have you lost weight???" lol

Keep up the great work, doll!

I found Zero Carb Isopure Protein mix to be my favorite. It's 25g Protein PER SCOOP....and it has a wider variety of flavors than most (everything from vanilla to Cookies & Cream to fruit punch). Most of the fitness and health food stores carry it (Vitamin Shoppes is where I shop). That way, even if you can only handle a small volume, each scoop (mixed with Water or skim milk, depending if you get a fruit-flavored or a typical vanilla/chocolate) gives you the most bang for your small tummy buck.

I LOVE eggs and can still only eat about 1-1.5 eggs scrambled for Breakfast. And iceberg lettuce DESTROYS me (only did it once and it was MISERABLE) but all other greens are fine so far. bread isn't worth the horrible overly full feeling (though I have indulged in small ways a few times, it definitely makes me think better of it -- and was definitely a favorite of my fat self). I opt for a couple crackers with cheese and a snack now, instead when the bread urge strikes.

Thanks, everyone! Sounds logical but I still can't imagine only eating 200-250 calories a day (on the fast days), even just 3 months out! lol

My 2.5 cents:

I'm in your club, too. I lost 15 lbs in the months before surgery and had a pre-op weight on 10/16 of 228, the IVs tacked on 10 lbs of Water and I left the hospital at 238!!! Now, more than 3 months later, with MULTIPLE stalls (am in one right now), I've gotten to ONE-derland finally but have been at 199 for a couple weeks already. I figure, though it's frustrating, the slower we lose it, the more likely our skin catches up (at least somewhat) and we have less chance of those awkward points where we look a little "ill" until the face catches up with the body. So my expectations for the movement of the scale have been adjusted and am figuring if I drop 8 lbs a month from here on out, I'm good, stalls and all. Had a goal in my head of 150 lbs when all is said and done but because I haven't weighed even close to that in over 20 years, am not sure if that's the right goal or if it will be higher or lower...so have learned to be patient and flexible and take the fact that I've gone from size 22 to a 14. The clothes and how they fit are a far bigger indicator of my success than the scale.

KayVon,

My hubby has voiced the same fears. Though he is a tall, handsome, THIN beast....he still worries that I'll "find someone better." Really? Makes no sense to me. He loves that I've dropped weight and am still dropping but he still worries that the "new me" won't like the "old him" anymore. It's a typical worry of our partners, I think. Now if you're with someone who has his OWN weight issues...and he's doing nothing about it...then it's truly a VALID worry. You can't have people around you who are not supportive or being self-destructive (at least I couldn't).

pureed and soft foods...I LOVED egg drop Soup. I STILL eat a LOT of egg drop soup...but now I can get WONTON egg drop Soup. lol When I got to soft foods, I would add the crunchy noodles, too, but wait until they softened in the broth before eating them.

I loved pickled foods, in general, and have not had one issue with them but didn't really started eating them again until at least 2 months out.

I've read a couple topics where a sleever mentions "5:2" but can't find the reference/definition when I search the forums. Is this some way of eating? Can someone explain?

Thanks y'all and Happy Fried-day!

Wendy

I'm totally a fan of Goodwill and if you can find a couple Goodwills in your area...you will usually find that there are certain ones better for clothes and others better for household stuff. There are oodles of them in my area (south eastern PA) and they have plenty of those sizes in great brand names. I even bought a pair of "Lucky brand" jeans in one size smaller than I am now (a 12 versus a 14) as my next goal size for a whole $7.50 (they're $100+ jeans). I refuse to pay more than $4-5 for a shirt or jeans that probably won't fit me in a month or two. Also, sometimes your surgeon's office has a clothing exchange program for patients. They turn in clothes they have shrunk out of so other patients can have them.

Keep up the good work!

Wendy

^{If it makes you feel any better...I gained 10 lbs IN the hospital in Water weight thanks to the IVs....and had to RE-lose that 10 and that may have been part of your issue. Was 236 before 4-day pre-opdiet and 228 the morning of surgery....238 the day I went home! I was going to SCREAM. Took me a week to re-lose the 10 (was SO bloated) and your new stomach IS still traumatized and swollen.}

^{What are you eating now? food types? How many times a day? Approx. calories? Water intake?}

^{Hang in there!!!!}

^HUGZ

May I ask how many calories you are doing? I upped mine to 900 a few weeks ago because I've been working out consistently and now I'm wondering if I'm too low. I've read you should be getting 1,000 if you're working out. But I'm not losing at 900 so I'm afraid to increase.

Hi, Sassy,

I vary widely between my guestimate 700 and 1000 a day but have stopped "counting" seriously like I was, with myfitnesspal.com's calculators. I do work out (mainly lots of walking, peppered with Total Gym workout at home (short, but sweet), yoga for abs, etc. Am trying to "listen" to my body and focus on eating my Proteins earlier in the day, so I can eat more veggies (namely, stuff with Fiber so I can poo! lol) later in the evening. Am back to drinking more Water and making sure the Protein is priority. Think a lot of us get tired of eating the same things and waver a little after 6 weeks or so and that screws us up. At least that's my take on it. Plus the body is still fighting your weight loss.

Wasn't losing anything or just minimal when the average was 600-800, and same level of activity. So 800-1000 with moderate activity seems to be MY sweet spot (your mileage may vary, of course).

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! Am sure there will be more stalls but we will all persevere!

It finally happened! After 9 days stuck at 216, and FIVE WEEKS stuck at 206, I’m at 199 and down to a size 14! Woohoo!

The only bad thing is, when I tell co-workers, family or friends about the new milestones and that have only 50-ish pounds to go to goal of 150, they gasp in disbelief that I could possible lose that much more and not look sick and they don’t believe that I weight 199 still. Guess it’s because of my height (5’7”) and have always carried my weight (and muscle) well…but have weighed less than 150 (a sickly 113 way back when, but a healthy and sexy 140 as well) so I know it’s doable…but who knows? Maybe will be happy at 160 or 170 but 150 puts me squarely in the health weight department for my height and build.

Keep up the good (but hard!) work everyone!

Happy Moan-day!

Wendy

Reading, PA

What are your Constipation remedies? I take some meds (pres surg) that cause that now. I am worried about it getting worse. Help?? I am also hearing that I'm not big enough for wls, Bmi 40. I can loose weight, but it comes back plus more. I need that tool to work with!

You CAN get WLS with a BMI as low as 35 if u have a comorbidity of diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea. So please get checked!

I use a tea for constipation. .. lovingly called poop tea by me. It's called Smooth Moves by Traditional Medicinals. Drink some at night and by late morning. ...voila! Otherwise I try to focus my Proteins early in the day so I can easy more veggies and Fiber at night.

Hope that helps.

Here's a couple:

1. Not drinking while I'm eating (big one)

2. Listening to others tell me I wasn't "big enough" for WLS

3. Getting funny looks at places like Olive Garden when my hubby orders the "Tour of Italy" and I get a skewer of shrimp or something equally miniscule lol

4. Trying to keep my pants up (yet stubbornly refusing to buy new ones until I absolutely HAVE to -- Goodwill is my favorite shopping mecca now)

5. BIGGEST ONE: STALLS (have already been through two -- one at week 3 and one that I came out of Saturday that lasted 5 WEEKS!)

6. Feeling like I should have lost MORE by now...though I do know my rate of loss of still very good, the stalls contribute to this feeling

7. Constipation (though I have found some "cures" for that)

Am so glad I asked! Definitely meant the stomach seam not the incision sites. Was before I finished my first cup of coffee. Know about it being one of those foods that y'all would put in the "slider" category and honestly, even before the sleeve I stopped eating movie theater popcorn that didn't have REAL butter on it. Alternative was to bring some Kernel Seasons dry seasoning and get the popcorn plain. My favorite crunch since the sleeve would probably be dehydrated veggies. The kind you can get in the bulk food section of most higher-end grocery stores. They tend to be expensive but it's not like I'd eat much at a sitting anymore. lol But most days, a couple Triscuits or Wheat Thins do the trick.

^{Ain't the chin hairs fun???? Gotta love it...going through perimenopause in my case...but at least I'll be a HOT old lady!}

I've had the opposite...hair on the crown (top middle) of my head is definitely thinning but my eyelashes are LONGER and full than they have been in years. I'm a freak. lol But seriously, am guessing you could use the same supplementation for eyelashes as you could for thinning hair. A hairdresser told me that 1000mg of Niacin (B-3, above and beyond the sublingual B complex a lot of us sleevers already take) will definitely help hair (and nails)...shoudl start seeing results within a month. I looked it up before starting it and it is, indeed, one of the Vitamin supplements suggested for thinning hair (as well as Biotin and some others). Am into Niacin now for about 3 weeks and hopefully it will help me because the next step for me is Rogaine for women before it gets noticeable to everyone else (especially because I have short hair).

Still not sure why my lashes are LONGER but probably because of all the other Vitamins I take.

Hi, y'all!

I've read on other sites folks saying that popcorn can be very dangerous to WLS patients due to the kernels that we all LOVE to get stuck between our teeth and that they can get stuck in our incision sites. Is that true? If so, how longer after sleeving can we indulge, even slightly?

Haven't gone to a movie theater since my sleeve (10/16) and it's honestly not the same without at least a (very) little popcorn. Course, back in BS (Before Sleeve lol) days I could eat a medium popcorn by myself...lol...but a kid size would be probably way more than enough now, even with seriously mastication. But nothing is worth messing with the sleeve. Interestingly, I also heard from the medical staff where I work that popcorn is the leading trigger for appendicitis...

SIDE NOTE: 1.6 lbs to WONDERLAND!

Happy Hump Day!

Wendy