VSGAnn2014

I am exercising this winter (and have in some winters past). But the days are longer, which means our family schedule is altered (we sleep a little more in the winter). In the winter, there's no outdoor chores -- no law mowing, no gardening, no working outside. There are colder days, which means fewer days of walking outside for exercise and no hiking, kayaking or canoeing. I've just made some 2015 fitness goals, and have added in some more exercise already. I look forward to more gym work this winter. Hope I follow through with it.

Elode wrote: I'm sure there are people out there that may not have actually needed the surgery but have the money and means to leave the country to Have it done out of vanity...I'm also sure there are surgeons in the world that are all about the money and could give a rats butt wether it's in the best interest of the patient or not. @@Elode, I love your posts. But not this one ^^^. FTR, doesn't bother me one bit if someone has WLS done out of *mere* vanity. If they can get to a normal weight and maintain it, instead of yo-yo dieting higher every time, they will win big-time. FTR, I was miserable -- MISERABLE -- out of mere vanity. I became an agoraphobic for a year due to mere vanity. That was hard on not just me, but my husband too. And @@Momma_D, if someone is 5'5" and needs to lose 85 pounds to reach a normal BMI, do you find them sufficiently fat to warrant WLS? BTW, how fat were you before you had surgery?

Just saw this thread. Vicodin is NOT an NSAID. It's just hydrocodone and Tylenol (acetaminophen). Neither are NSAIDs.

Sorry to hear this. I'm 19 weeks post-op and have never thrown up once. Something seems wrong. Have you had any tests run, to see if your tummy is twisting sometimes, perchance?

NSAIDs affect your stomach the same way (through your blood stream), whether they are taken orally or some other way. Sorry.

Nice post. Thank you.

Eli, Your in-laws will continue to abuse you until you stand up to them. And even then they might keep going. The more important thing is to not allow their abuse control YOUR behavior. If they verbally abuse you and tease you -- and your response is to eat foods that are bad for you -- that second part is on you. You and your husband need to get the hell out of there fast. Good luck.

I never would have had gastric bypass. Too many risks due to malabsorption of nutrients and other issues -- from my point of view. Then I started learning about the lapband's downside, and that turned me away from that option as well. But when I learned about the gastric sleeve, I got very interested in what it might mean for me. I think you should take as long as you need to to educate yourself about the various options. If you cannot go into WLS with full foreknowledge of what it means--nutritionally, behaviorally, the adaptations required, and with a very positive attitude that it is the right decision for you--then I don't think you should have the surgery. FYI, I'm over 4 months post-op and am over the moon about my experience thus far and very, very hopeful about my potential health and lifestyle futures. Best wishes to you.

"Abuse of WLS" ... the phrase even makes me laugh. Oh, geez.

I think the majority have a pretty easy time of it. I certainly did. But those who have slower recoveries really seem to suffer genuinely. And a few, bless their hearts, have complications and have a really harder time. Yet when you read the "surgiversary" stories almost everyone (everyone?) says they are so glad they had the surgery, even the ones who had a tougher time post-op. So happy yours is going so well. P.S. And no, I'm not waiting for "a shoe to drop." I'm expecting blue skies.

As of now (19 weeks) I can tolerate small portions of: Tomatoes (raw and cooked) Green Beans Spaghetti squash Green salads Berries of all kinds pineapple Mango Tangerines Celery Potatoes Broccoli Avocado Watermelon Carrots Onion Asparagus Red, yellow and green peppers

FYI, some of us required a stronger acid-reducer, like Protonix, which is Rx only. Congrats, @bobbyswife. Sounds like you have this figured out. Just do one day at a time what you gotta do.

They really know how to pay attention. Good parents!

@@CowgirlJane ... somehow I missed seeing this thread until today. Very interesting and helpful information. The pure Protein first tip makes so much sense. Thank you. And Merry Christmas to all this morning.

I understand that most of us have been on diets all our life. Earlier, when we went off those diets all we were risking was the end of weight loss. But during the first few weeks and even months post-op if we eat those foods that we aren't approved to eat or too much food we are risking so much more. This is a very different situation than we've ever been in before. It requires a different attitude. Be smart.

Second marriages are the best! You're both so much wiser the second time around.

Neither hubby nor I have EVER liked Krispy Kreme donuts. They just taste like lard to me. Yuck.

@@CowgirlJane, I've read your post twice. And I truly don't understand how what he said or didn't said should have upset you. I think that in this instance, it's (as the saying goes) ... not him, it's you. Jane, you are a beautiful woman. You are one of those women who can be beautiful at any age. Like you, I don't look my age. But you and I have to make peace with the immutable fact that, at 50, we are not 30. And at 60, we are not 40. And (in my case) at nearly 70 I am not 50. And if some random 50-something guy is drawn to young chicks, then he's not going to be drawn to you and certainly not to me. At this point, I really don't know if I'm preaching to you or to myself. I am going to posit that this is more about being OK about growing older and less about dysmorphia. Or not.

Boy, you have wasted NO time. Respect, rogofulm!

We should just post our own authentic experiences and feelings. Others aren't necessarily feeling or experiencing what you're feeling /experiencing.

62 pounds later, hubby is as sweet as he ever was. But he does admire my ass a little more often. Seriously, he's a doll. We adore each other and always have.

It all depends on how we define "a normal human portion of food." Last night, hubby and I went to a restaurant with several adult grandchildren and a grandson's girlfriend who's from France. She ordered a "light chicken salad" and a glass of red wine. When her order arrived, we were all gobsmacked at the size of her meal. I apologized for the American-sized portion, and she said, "After living in the US for 10 years, I'm used to it. But it's at least four times the size of a French restaurant portion." And here's a timely article in this morning's New York Times with pictures about what 2,000 calories of some common restaurant portions look like: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/12/22/upshot/what-2000-calories-looks-like.html?emc=edit_th_20141223&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=40256033&abt=0002&abg=1

I like your doc.

@@KeeWee, what wonderful, wonderful news that you're pregnant after years of trying. That has to rank up there at the TOP of the non-scale victories. Congratulations to you both. No, to you three.

Compared to other WLS forums, only a minority of BP members seem to have and maintain weight loss tickers. Likewise, it's hard to tell how long ago many members had WLS or even if they've had surgery yet. Without this context, it's hard to respond appropriately to some questions and threads. I encourage others to put up tickers. I think it would help other members to be more helpful to you. (I have no doubt this topic has been raised and debated before, since nothing on these forums is new. )