scarlet333

Wow so inspirational. Keep sharing your sucesses it gives hope to others.

You look amazing.

I am 9 months out and still have about 5 shakes per week. Usually as my "evening" snack. I have found that BJs now carries EAS pre-mixed shakes that are only 100 calories for 11 ozs and 17 grams of Protein. 24 pack for about $26 very economical and taste great. This usually fills me up before bed so I won't reach for something else. Agree with the Atkins Protein theory as the method of loosing weight. I do fill like an occasional small roll, or potato is ok maybe only 2 servings per week or so. I feel like extreme anything is not sustainable. On a side not Gamergirl, I am noticing a new tag under your name "staff". What does this mean? Are you employed by bariatric pal?

No I'm not employed by them. A few of us were asked if we would volunteer to help out on the forum by welcoming new members, answering threads/questions that no one had answered, just trying to welcome people and help where we could. I have gotten so much out of this site, I felt I should give back where I could so I agreed to help.

Well they certainly picked the right person in you. I have enjoyed many of your posts.

The towel wrapping was great and satisfying. I also go down stairs normally. At my heaviest I was going down sideways which was something I remember my mom doing. And if its not TMI I can wrap my legs and cross my ankles around my husband now during sex. I can't believe I just said that! Posting quickly before I can erase..

You're not cheap! My two pairs were $16 and $25 respectively. costco and Target. I'm saving Nordstrom or somewhere nice for a more stable period, down the road.

Thanks Fluff maybe I'm just a "careful" shopper. But since buying new pants the $25 were the most expensive. I bought a pair of cargo type pants at Walmart for $9 and leggings $14 at Costco. Thats it and I've been switching off between these 3. I need something a little dressier for Christmas but having been trying to find the right length for the right price. I just got Macy's Friends and Family pass starting on Wednesday and hopeful to find a few more options then. I think since loosing this weight I am so pleased with how my 3 pant options look that I don't need to keep buying like I did in the past trying to find those magical pair of pants that made me look thin.

May be a dumb question but why no oral steroids?

I have also thought about this but know myself and I would not wear a Bracelet or necklace everyday. I barely remember my wedding ring every morning. I think the card kept with the drivers license is a good idea for emergencies.

Reading this makes me realize how cheap I am. I have only bought 1 pair of jeans so far -at old navy for about $25. They are a size 10 and they look absolutely tiny to me. I am still amazed every time I am able to pull them up and they fit. I started at size 20 9 months ago. I am a real shorty only 5'2" so my cheap self has me looking for jeans that come in petite or ankle length so I don't have to pay to hem them.

I like boot cut because the slight flair at the bottom makes my thighs look positive thin. To me the skinny jeans do just the opposite. My hips and but look so big in proportion to the skinny ankle.

I am 9 months out and still have about 5 shakes per week. Usually as my "evening" snack. I have found that BJs now carries EAS pre-mixed shakes that are only 100 calories for 11 ozs and 17 grams of Protein. 24 pack for about $26 very economical and taste great. This usually fills me up before bed so I won't reach for something else.

Agree with the Atkins Protein theory as the method of loosing weight. I do fill like an occasional small roll, or potato is ok maybe only 2 servings per week or so. I feel like extreme anything is not sustainable.

On a side not Gamergirl, I am noticing a new tag under your name "staff". What does this mean? Are you employed by bariatric pal?

Getting back to the food police. This was one of the reasons I told no one except my husband about the surgery. For the most part people are not watching what I eat so much. Even though they obviously know I have lost alot of weight. I take a little bit of everything and eat what I want and most people are involved in conversation and not watching my plate like they might if they knew about my surgery.

I am totally with you Madame Rev - the nights are the worst. It obviously has something to do with having the time to relax. Keeping busy all day and I can stay on track but the minute I sit down to relax. The Peanut Butter jar starts calling my name. Or its the mini baby bell cheese and crackers. Not terrible Snacks but not if I've already consumed my calories for the day. It's not the 80 calorie non fat greek yogurt calling its that darn full fat Peanut Butter.< /p>

Having spent a lifetime at weight watchers, jenny craig, LA weight loss etc. I know the theory is that we are eating out of boredom, unhappiness or some other emotion but I've always felt that I am a perfectly happy person but I just like the taste of food.

The sleeve has certainly helped with portion size and loosing so much weight has made excercise easier to incorporate but I still struggle with those night time callings.

For me the first 2 weeks post surgery I lost much less than I expected to for what I was consuming. My stomach was hugely swollen though and I was definitely retaining fluids. Give yourself more time the pounds will come off. Even if you are able to drink more and have more soft foods then others, I'm sure its no where near what you were able to eat before the surgery. Just continue to concentrate on drinking and eating high Protein items. Soft foods like cottage cheese, greek yogurt, pureed Soups and Protein drinks were pretty much it for the first month.

Thank you for all the great information. I like the card idea. I could keep it in my wallet in front of drivers license so if in an accident and can't speak I think they would check your id. Thank you for all the information. I know I am a worry wort and hopefully this will never be an issue for most of us. I do feel so much healthier for having lost the weight and know I made the right decision for myself.

I totally agree with both of your points that the rewards of not being morbidly obese far outweigh (no pun intended) the medical risks I have listed with having a sleeve. I thought of this when I decided to get the sleeve and am more than happy with the results. I wake up each morning amazed that my feet and ankles don't hurt when getting out of bed. Getting dressed each day is a joy and it brings tears to my eyes just thinking that this will be the first New Years Eve without making the same resolution which I usually fail at before January is over. I can't keep my hands off my hips and tummy they feel so tiny. I am so glad I made this choice and would do it again in a heartbeat but I just want to know if there is anyway to prepare/prevent anything that could happen down the road since there is not a long term history for people with the sleeve. Or if others have answers to these concerns of mine.

On the point with feeling rushed with my surgeon - you are right I need to assert myself better. He usually comes in and starts talking and asking specific questions and basically walks out after he says and asks what he wants. He never says to me -Do you have any questions? I am going for my 9 month check up in about 3 weeks and will try to do better.

Is anyone thinking about years and years from now are there any health issues that are different for us with the sleeve? For example, what if one of us is in a car crash and is unconcious and they did an emergency scope. Not sure what it is called medically but when they put the tube down your throat into your stomach. Couldn't they puncture our tiny stomachs because they don't know we have had this surgery? Another example is if we have stomach cancer. Is there anything left to remove? I know I am a worry wort and should probably ask my surgeon these questions but I definitely feel rushed when I have an appointment with him. There are more examples if we can't speak for ourselves like being fed NSAIDS. I'm sure if I think about it I can come up with more. Does anyone else worry/wonder about this?

Ok, so finished week 2 day 2 today and felt like I could keep running. It was liberating. Thanks to those who encouraged running outside. For some reason you feel like a superman or woman. I felt like a real runner. I know its still early going and I will be very challenged later along but for now its great.

Sorry just saw this. If not too late:

Starting weight 153

Goal weight 149

Thanks

I've got a really good ebook about shin splints I can send you when I get back to land. It saved me a few years ago when I was ready to stop running because of them.

Thanks so much!

After running outside for the first time the other day I am feeling shin splints. Anyone else experience this? Is it ok to continue with runnning? The pain is not by any means excruciating just an ache but am concerned will I be causing damage to continue. Thanks for any info.

Well did my wk 2 day 1 run outside in 23 degree weather and felt very proud of myself. Didn't feel cold at all but did learn to bring tissues for my runny nose next time.

Starting wk 2 day 1 today and I decided to take it outside for the first time ever. Even caved in and bought new sneakers. It is currently 23 degrees out with a high of 37 expected for today. Yikes, but I planned this last week and if I start off making excuses already....

I totally ignored it. I know I can be such a wimp sometimes but I have locked horns with this lady a few times in the past and it never ends well. It is my brothers wife and he is such a good guy and I know I would be hurting him more than his wife if I got into a war of words with her. I comfort myself with the fact that I only have to see her 2 to 3 times a year and I can deal with that for the sake of my brother who has always been there for me. I also don't let his wife interfere with my relationship with my brother who I keep in touch with all the time. He calls me and I call him at work so I don't have to speak with you know who.

Also people who insult like that are usually jealous or unhappy with there own lot in life and I feel that the best revenge is to live well which luckily I do.

Thank you for this great thread. I have laughed, cried, and cringed in horror at peoples experiences.

Best Compliment - My 14 year old son told me he was proud of me.

Worst Compliment - My sister in law said I now look like I finally "go" with my husband. He is naturally thin.

The other thing is my mother in law is also Filipino and has absolutely not said one word to me about my weight loss (she doesn't know about my surgery). NOT 1 WORD... But I guess I can't complain since she never said anything about all the weight I gained either.

Gotta love this thread. Well anyway getting back to in laws. My sister in law when she saw me recently after a 70+ pound weight loss said I look like I finally "go" with my husband (a little background my husband has a 32 inch waist and still weighs what he did in college.). Hows that for a back handed compliment!

I have gone from a size 20 to a 10 since March and have been cleaning out the closet along the way. Most have gone to Goodwill but I have picked out a few designer things and sold them on ebay (a little hobby of mine). In the spring I am having a garage sale to raise money for my sons baseball team playing at Cooperstown in the summer. I hope to have some more clothes to sell by then.

I also had a ton of clothes because every time I got an invitation to any kind of social event I would feel awful about what people would think of what I looked like so I would buy a new outfit in hopes that it would make me look better. I don't think it worked but- now I am buying only a few things at a time and at real cheap prices. I bought a pair of pants at Walmart yesterday for $9! My closet looks positively barren and I am loving it. Saving so much time getting dressed because I only have like 5 options right now.