BabySheldon

Same boat. I get it exactly.

Hellooo! I'm coming up on 5 years...omigosh! I cannot believe I just wrote that. I have just struggled and struggled since the beginning. I hit my low weight about 1 year post op (after fighting 7 months for the final 4# to get there haha) and then it seems i've just gone back the other way. Every year it's another 14-20lbs back on. My surgeon gave up on me and basically said that I need to accept that this is how my body is, and that I can call him when I'm ready for a revision of my failed sleeve. :\ I'm not ready to accept that I can't lose weight on my own. Normal people do it every day without surgery, and plenty do it successfully WITH surgery, so there's nothing special about me. I just need to figure out what is wrong with my head.
I have had so many personal life nonsense things over the last 4 years that I'm sort of mad at myself for wasting the surgery. I wish I had either waited until NOW to do it, or been strong enough to love myself more than the drama THEN. However, now I need a plan. I know there used to be reboots, and bootcamps, etc, but I can't remember any of them. I work out at the gym 3-5x/week, lifting weights and I'm going to be adding (more intense) cardio in the next week. I'm doing (at least) weekly vlogs on youtube and trying to get back in the habit of blogging regularly. I'm also a fulltime college student, employee and homeschooling my sons through their senior year of school.
I'll take anything you got! haha
I'm so confused by this diet vs that diet, vs don't drink this, do drink that... I feel so paranoid and untrusting of the whole industry.
Thank you! <3

I couldn't agree with everyone more.....thank you..... thank you....thank you....for the positive feedback ....it feels wonderful to be free of the crazy cravings, The constantly being hungry, the constant need to eat carbohydrates, the sluggishness, the being sleepy and being tired of feeling like you can't move. I noticed changes in my skin that it's a lot more soft and supple and my feet look 100% better....it's just such a better happier healthier more wonderful place to be and I congratulate everyone on this journey....we will all hopefully be free of this disease!!!!
Shel....skipping along without her blood meter :-)

Hey guys I saw a thread from 2011 that I wanted to continue. I love all of my vsgers but as we know african american women tend to carry weight differently. I would love to follow you ladies on your journey and for us all to support each other.
I was sleeved on September 5th so I'm a week out. I'm doing good so far and feeling better everyday. I stayed at the hospital 3 days mostly because they discovered my allergy to morphine while I was on the pump with a fever and my entire body on fire. But I'm home now and much better. I was just moved to the full liquids stage so I'm pretty happy considering that the liquids stage made me nauseous. I've lost 24 lbs since my surgery so any pain I have is over shadowed by my joy.
Looking forward to hearing from you ladies and seeing some progress pics!

I've learned to just shut my mouth. I had a friend out of the blue post that she was having gastric bypass on Monday and that she's really excited about the future. I congratulated her and showed her some before and after pictures of two of my friends (married couple) who have done a beautiful job losing weight and look fantastic. I never one time mentioned that I too had WLS. I wanted to sooooo bad but I just didn't. I'm sure she has no clue. We were friends when we were really young and just recently this year reconnected on FB. She has no idea I was over weight. I was small when I was young and I'm small-ish now. It killed me to not inbox her and tell her, reassure her that she can be successful ect....but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I've become more reserved now from the few unfavorable comments I've heard about how "easy" it is ect....

My best friend's sister had GB about thirteen years ago and for a very long time she was really thin. And even for a couple of years she was "too thin" (way below a healthy BMI) and I admired her for her determination, strength, commitment and dedication to a new way of life. She owned a restaurant where she was the main cook, menu planner and she did catering on the side. She was always surrounded by great food, great ingredients, people eating, people needing her to try things, sell her food related items; her whole life was FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! And yet she remained vigilante to her new self.
Until recently. In the last few years, her weight has started to creep back on and her health is on a slow decline. It shocked me to see she was gaining weight and when I asked if everything was alright she was candid with me. She bluntly told me "Ash, your surgery did not cure any food issues you may have had, it will not prevent you from gaining the weight you lost and it most definitely will take a great deal of will power (more than you have ever had) to keep the weight off."
While I knew what she was saying before she needed to say it, it needed to hear it from someone going through it.

Yes. Please add me to the list of fearing regain. Next month will be 9 years post banded and I love my tool.
Having been unfilled recently led me to the realization that I will forever watch what goes in my mouth.
Old habits do get changed thankfully but hunger is a strong motivator!!
Getting a second fill Monday to address the " I can eat more; I'm hungry syndrome ". I will not go back to size 24..... I adore my size 12 and am determined to keep a healthy weight. My doctor recently wrote"fit and well nourished" in my chart ???? love it .....I should get someone to needlepoint a pillow for me with that slogan!!

I can definitely relate. I actually basically lost my best friend because we had the sleeve at the same time & she's gained her weight all back (plus some) and I've worked hard & maintained below my goal weight for over a year. She basically won't talk to me anymore, which is super sad & is getting s revision to a bypass because her sleeve is "broken" according to her. It's incredibly frustrating to me. I didn't just "get lucky" ; I worked incredibly hard. And I feel sad for her because unless she changes her habits, the bypass will "be broken" too.

The reality of how easy it is to gain weight really set in this week.
I've decided that my set point is 127 pounds and have been successful maintaining that weight for the past two months. However, last week was quite turbulent. I had two relatives die and was very busy at work. The result was a loss of 4 pounds. To some, that may seem like a good thing. Although for me, it's a time to take action.
Ever since the beginning of maintenance in June, I told myself that I would not let myself get sickly skinny. I work with a lot of young girls and don't want to give the impression that it is okay to look underweight. Plus, it makes me look incompetent at work and may prevent me from getting hired for a more prestigious position. Looking weak and super skinny was not why I got WLS. However, in a way it makes you feel empowered. I think that is why some post ops are okay with being underweight.
So, my plan was to add a bowel of Cereal (Special K actually) to my daily diet. I though it might take a couple weeks to get back to 127. Nope! It only took three days to gain back the four pounds. Therefore, all it took to gain the weight back was three bowels of carb ridden Cereal. It was so easy to do, which is so unfortunate.
No wonder some gain weight back. It doesn't take much.

@@songsmith My husband is the worlds worst eater! He walks 12 miles a day (mailman) so he has the luxury of eating whatever he pleases. I just have to build up a thick skin and say no. It's not always easy. I was having a melt down on a recent post because there was so much crap in my house and I was REALLY wanting some. I have to find ways of coping with that feeling, there is always food everywhere, home , work ect....And the holidays are right around the corner. I need strong coping skills, I wasn't born with the food filter so I'm having to establish one.....as painful as it is it feels good to say no and get past it but then there's always another temptation waiting right around the corner......always!

You should send her a picture of some pants that you just bought and say, "I bet you wish you could wear these". I think that would be pretty funny.

I too have a huge fear of re gaining. I am very strict (some say I am too skinny). I am 5'9 and weigh 125. I do did into the "up underweight BMI category. But I didn't feel that skinny. I have a five pound bounce range that I allow myself. I have a friend that had the surgery a month ago and eats Cheetos and little Debbie chocolate wafers. It is scary. I have been maintaining for 6 months. Went from 289 to 125 in about 8 months. I know I can do it. I just wish I was a skinny person that could eat what I want and not gain like some people were born to do.

Sending you pictures of food and asking if you wish you could eat it is beyond passive aggressive. Just keep doing what your doing and know yourself!

@@SuperDave Thank you! That's sweet of you to say. I think they know it wasn't easy for me I'm just a positive person. It's defiantly not easy. I struggle everyday to not eat bad. I've been sitting here thinking about those damn Cheetos for the last 30 mins!! I could easily eat more. I've had mini freak out sessions when I throw a bag of chips off the porch for the birds or throw Cookies in the trash and made sure to dump trash on top of them because I couldn't stand seeing them on the counter. My husband brought home a box of Krispy Kreme's home AGIAN today! It's a daily struggle.

The other two are cousins both 25-27 years old...younger than me and had surgery before me. They both know what they are suppose to do. They just refuse to see that they are doing it to themselves. Luck has nothing to do with it. They have all expressed the fact that they know they aren't doing what they are/were suppose to do. They have all said, "Oh I'll start next week" or "It never worked, it's failed me". Its attitude.

@@akreese02 I'm to the point now I just don't say anything. My aunt is one In the green leggings that likes to send me pictures of food or say " I bet you wish you could eat this". She thinks it's funny, I find it sad. She's taking "diet pills" now.

@@wannaBthinsoon That's what I'm saying! I can't really talk to them about it because I'm the "good" one, the one that was "lucky" . You know because it came so easy for me!

oh wow. I'm going to use them as motivation too. I'm so sad that they had the surgery, and didn't do what they needed to do to lose the weight. I have those same fears. I think I'll stay in this site and keep talking to people like you so I can be reminded, if I ever forget why I had this surgery. So....I'm counting on my BP friends to keep me honest!

I have a tremendous fear of regaining the weight that I've lost. I was going through some recent pictures of the 3 family members of mine that have had WLS. Two had Gastric bypass and the (blonde pink shirt) had sleeve surgery 6 months before I did. All have regained weight, they don't look like they even had surgery. None of them ever reached any goal. These are current post (last week). The part that aggravates me is the excuses they come up with and the comments about how I'm just "lucky" that I lost so "easily". I see all the food post. It's not my place to call them out on the food they are eating. Seeing this can be discouraging at times but most of the time it makes me want to do anything possible NOT to end up like that. Maybe I'm wrong for using them as my motivation to succeed but it does scare me. I never know what to say when the remarks come in about how well I've done and all my so called "luck". What do you do?! I keep these pictures as my reminder of what can/will happen if I don't stick with my plan. Which just helped me stop at 6 1/2 Cheetos! Of course I've blocked all identity from the pictures for their privacy. Its not "luck" it's a constant "just say NO!" Attitude I have to food. It's not easy, it's never going to be easy. That's my reality. It's just a tool nothing more and nothing less.

Oh I also have some before and after pics. Here they are. The scar is covered with scar sheets so it's safe for the weak of stomach. :-) Don't mind the stretch marks. That is just part of life with 4 kids lol

Congrats on getting it done. You're doing fine.
Really stay on top of your stool softeners. I promise you "pushing" will be the worst pain imaginable. You want everything free flowing for a while.

Just had TT, Breast lift w augmentation (never in my life did I think I would need that!) and arm lift three days ago! Feeling surprisingly well, aside from swell hell in my midsection. Even the drains aren't bothering me too much. Hoping for 2-3 of them to come out tomorrow and the fourth on Wednesday if all goes well.
Will take some after pix at some point in the near future, not quite yet though. Happy to answer any questions as things unfold!

India-
The pain is bad, but not terrible. It's getting up that's the worst.
Technically it is my belly button. It's just moved. If doesn't feel any different at all.

LoveX - Does it feel weird not having your original belly button? How much pain are you in?

It depends on your surgeon and how the condition of your muscles are.
The surgeon I had initially chosen was literally only going to remove the excess skin under my belly button and not move the belly button or do anything to the stop.
I found a different (amazing) surgeon who did the belly button and basically a Tummy Tuck without muscle repair. All covered by insurance so far.
I'm only four days post op so this isn't a final look by any means. The picture was actually at 3 days post.
You can kind of see how it was before. The before ones were taken May 1st.