reading mom

Day of surgery 256 today 206 I was so hoping to be in the 100's by now. Losing slowly but still losing!

My hair loss started almost immediately after surgery, sometime that first week or so. My hair guy said some people have that reaction to the anesthesia. It slowed a little around 1 1/2 till month 3. Then from month 3 to 6 1/2 I had very heavy hair loss! It seems to be back to a normal rate now. I am about 8 months out. I got a haircut yesterday and he said he sees hair regrowth coming in. My hair volume is about 1/3 of what I started with. But I was lucky and started with very thick hair. About 8 years ago I donated my hair to locks of love, and I was told they had enough hair to make 3 wigs. Now my hair is on the thin side, but still in the thin/normal range according to the guy who does my hair. I started with thick fine hair, and now it is thin and fine. I would also say it seems drier and more flyaway. It is not as shiny or manageable as it used to be either. My post op diet was clear fluids only for week one, full liquids week 2, pureed and soft foods week 3 and 4 then solid food. I have been a very slow loser and have been getting between 75 and 90 gm of protein everyday since week 3 or 4. I also have been taking a hair and nail supplement containing biotin since 3 weeks prior to surgery. My thing I found to cope with hair loss is a curling iron brush with a 1 1/2 barrel. I think the big barrel is the key. It adds lots of body and volume. It is also helping with the flyaways.

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery! I am wishing you all the best! I had a friend in high school who had her stomach stapled in 1980. While she still has struggled with weight issues all her adult life, it has been 20 -30 lbs instead of the 100+ lbs I have struggled with. I think you are being given a wonderful opportunity to have a much healthier adult life. My only regret with my surgery is that I didn't have the opportunity to do it sooner! About the loose skin, you will just have to go through it and see. You have age on your side for sure. Also if you exercise faithfully as you lose that should help too! Best of luck with everything!

Congratulations! Great job! So I had sleeve surgery last January almost at the one year marker (the 30th). All in all I think I'm doing great lost a good amount of excess weight: I don't eat and drink at the same time. Main issues are I still eat fast sometimes and when I do I get these awful gas pains that start in my ribs and spread throughout my back. I notice it when I eat too fast or to much or sometimes if I eat potato chips which I try not to for obvious reasons. Also I have two small babies at home so during I work I drink more coffee than Water. Also with two kids and a crazy work schedule it's hard to always remember to take my Vitamins. In closing I hope all is well with you guys and gals. Hope the new year is treating you we'll. and if anyone has any tips hints or suggestions it's greatly appreciated. Oh as for the extreme gas pain I've been trying pepper mint tea, gas-ex, fennel seeds and walking and water.

Kindle is right. Heating changes the texture but not the amount or quality of the Protein. I have reheated my coffee with a shake added and it get these lumps in it. It's yucky, but it wont hurt you or decrease the amount of protein.

So what are the things you get?

My c-section was 22 years ago so my memory may be a little skewed and I'm sure that c-sect techniques have improved during the years too. I would say for me both recoveries were rough for the first 24 hours. But was I up and walking sooner with the sleeve. Seems like I had a much longer recovery with the c-sect too. I would say the sleeve was easier for me.

I have never tried the ready to drink isopures, but I have tried 3 flavors of the isopure Protein powder. I liked the chocolate and the creamy vanilla but hated the Cookies and cream. I also did the sample pack at unjury. I like the taste of the unjury except the strawberry. But the isopure is cheaper and is fortified with Vitamins. Since we eat such small quantities it makes me feel better to use the isopure since it is protein plus other nutrients. I mix a scoop of the creamy vanilla with milk, coffee and benefiber every morning. The good think about vanilla is it's easy to add other ingredients to it so you end up getting more variety. I do also have some unjury unflavored and chicken Soup flavor to use on those days when I'm low on protein. You will just have to try them and see what you like.

I have bought sugar free flavored syrups at netrition.com That is also where I order my creamy vanilla Isopure Protein powder. They have lots of low carb/sugar free products. Local is a better option if you can find what you want, but their shipping is not too high. I do an order from them every 2 or 3 months. They have many things I have not seen any other place. Happy shopping.

I lost 66 lbs. What I love most about my sleeve is that I now feel satisfied after eating. I am not hungry all the time. I hated that feeling of being hungry right after eating and feeling that something was terribly wrong with me. I am also grateful for improved health, greater stamina, tighter hugs, feeling more relaxed and confident in public, meeting a sweetheart of a guy, and I know it's vain but looking cute in much cuter clothes. I know there are so many more things I can't even think of at the moment. I know I still have a long way to go but I have gained so much peace and contentment in my life that even if I never lost another pound it would be completely worth it. However, I believe I can reach my goals and I'm going for them with all that is in me!

Good discussion. I know I worry about how much artificial sweeteners I use on a daily basis. This summer when I was newly sleeved and coming off a severe diet coke addiction I allowed myself to drink lots of crystal light. In Sept I gave that up. However I have decided for now I will keep using the sweeteners. I like the Protein powder I use most and I plan on using it till I reach goal. When I get to goal I plan on re evaluating and experimenting with natural sweeteners. I am curious to hear other's thoughts too. Thanks to y'all for sharing and thanks GG for the sweetener chart. Very informative.

If you have a chico's near you I suggest trying on their so slimming jeans. I just bought a pair last week and they are very comfy. They are also quite stretchy almost like sweat pants but they still manage to look tailored and neat. I don't know how they do it. I am wearing 18s in the regular departments and I got a 2.5 which they say is equivalent to a 14. I think their sizes run quite big. I would guess their 4 would be equivalent to a 24 instead of the 20 they say. Not sure what size you are now but if you're 24 or less I bet you could find something there or order online.

Congratulations! Well done! Thank you for the inspiration! You know I am finding more joy in the nsv's than the number on the scale. Perhaps it doesn't feel so momentous since you've really been at goal for some time now. Anyway, I feel so proud and happy for you and I hope 2014 is our best year yet!

Yes that is keeping it real! I didn't think of the stockings or I might have tried that too! LOL! But I did try to have a ridiculous conversation about turning the lights off which got a resounding "hell no." There is something incredibly cathartic about having all the places on your body that cause anxiety kissed and touched. To be vulnerable and exposed and loved and cherished in spite of our fears is an incredible thing!

Yup thats pretty much what happened!

Poor baby! When my kids get poison ivy I put them in a tub with aveeno then use caladryl lotion. You probably already know that, but thought I would share just in case. Take care and feel better soon!

I have been a very slow loser. I was 256 the day before surgery and it took me 3 months to lose my first 20 post sleeve lbs. Very frustrating! It has taken me some time to mentally embrace my pre op loss and lump it all together as my total weight loss. But now I can say I have lost 64 lbs all together and I have 61 lbs left to go! I have nearly always followed my diet guidelines and started exercising at 1 week out. I did have faith that if I keep meeting my diet and exercise goals eventually I would get there. And now I can see it is happening! My main advice is not to get caught up in the scale and follow your eating plan and set exercise goals and then enjoy the process. We do have a choice. We can fret and worry that others are losing faster and spend the journey feeling like a failure or we can Celebrate the victories along the way. I choose to celebrate! The victories are sweet!

Thank you!

I was determined to lose as much weight as I could pre surgery. So I began a low carb diet Jan 2. One of the strategies I developed when I was craving foods that were not on my diet was to paint my nails. I discovered that by the time my nails were dry enough to eat I usually had the cravings under control. Now post sleeve I don't need that strategy in the same way, but I still enjoy nicely manicured nails and have splurged on my growing polish collection. Also like you I spend more time moisturizing my entire body after every bath. I don't think it's helping with my saggy skin issues, but it can't hurt. I am also taking more care choosing my clothes each day. Even though I don't have as many choices as my sizes are changing, I am making more effort and I think I dress better than I ever have. I am definitely taking better care of myself in many ways!

This post gives me great hope. I have recently been dating a sweet man and I think things may be headed in a more intimate direction and I'm freaking out a little bit. I think I need to do a little lingerie shopping tomorrow!

A spiral sliced ham would work but it could be pricey. How about a Breakfast cass with eggs cheese and sausage or a crustless quiche. For a dessert you could bring some of those disposable champagne glasses, a carton of greek vanilla yogurt, berries and high Protein granola and let folks make their own yogurt parfaits. Lots of people might appreciate a figure friendly dessert.

Happy Anniversary! And congrats on all the progress you've made! Thank you, thank you, thank you for setting a positive example and sharing your journey with all of us!!! I feel grateful you've stuck around and keep sharing your wisdom!

I have not had one second of regret. I was so ready to have it done. Now I do have moments of disappointment and struggle. The mental aspects have been harder for me than the physical ones. But I still say it is the best thing I have ever done just for me.

I am about 6 months out now and my son and I had a stomach virus earlier this week. Totally wiped me out. I was lucky (or not depending on how you look at it) and I was at my parents' house so my dad took care of us. He made me chicken Soup with a little bit of rice, greek yogurt and I drank arizona diet green tea. My son drank gatorade. There is something about being sick that makes Water taste funny. Ginger Ale was my go to stomache ache drink, but the arizona tea worked great. I hope you feel better soon!

I bought the 25 min video to get you ready for the insanity. I think its called the insanity check. It was so painful for my knees, feet and ankles! I think if you're fit enough to do it is is a great thing, but it's not for me. Y'all keep up the good work!