Defying Gravity

You're welcome! I'm so glad that you found it helpful.

I do too. I just turned 30 on Oct 27 and I wasn't ready emotionally for many reasons... but anyway, I decided to look at it as a whole new life, and now I'm ok with it. Look at what we've escaped from: The angst of pre-teens, the drama of the teens, and the worst of them all, I think, being an early 20-something because they are fearless yet still immature (literally until 26). Yes, this is a good time to start my fresh beginning. 30. We can still say, "I'm only 30." Nothing tired about that, nothing immature about that.

Wow, how exciting for everyone! Please post your status. So many of you starting the year on a great note!

I totally forgot about this website called Twice. They only take higher end clothing (there's a list) and you mail in your clothes and they give you a quote and you can sell it to them or they will send it back. Then you can also buy used clothes from them. www.liketwice.com (if you feel like it, my referral link will give us both store credit but that's NOT why I posted about it, so I hope no one minds: liketwice.com/SN5s0)

I looked, it's nice and I will subscribe. I'm working on making one too, but am editing videos that I took around my surgery.

Thanks for the responses. My depression comes and goes, mostly in the form of fatigue and lack of motivation, but I also have to remind myself that I'm freshly operated on and must relax/rest. It is quite mild though. With the band I got it really bad. I'm so grateful for having this surgery, but I am a little disappointed that this doesn't feel like a new, exciting experience. Best of wishes to you all, and thanks again for helping me understand why I feel so good, and that it's okay if I don't feel good about feeling good, if that makes sense, lol. @ Sunsett and Bella - you will do great. The first night is real rough but only because I couldn't burp up the gas they inflate your stomach with. That was so painful but super short lived. @Annette - isn't it wonderful when they took the band out and you could guzzle Water first in the morning, after years of vomiting? LOL. You are right about the differences. You're so lucky you can eat real food now! I'm only a couple of days into mushy. @nursebeccarn - I am sticking to the routine but have cut back on my Protein shakes because I can't handle strong flavors and for some reason even my Isopure shake is way too sweet. If you want to talk, let me know. I hope you pull through those blues soon! (both of us actually!)

Just found this: http://www.med.umich.edu/bariatricsurgery/about/sleeve/postop.shtml Weight Changes After Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery How Quickly Will You Lose Weight?The average amount of weight loss is typically 60% of excess weight in the first 12-18 months after surgery. The rate of weight loss varies greatly between individuals. It is very important not to compare your rate of weight loss with others. Weight PlateausEveryone experiences "mini-plateaus" throughout the first 6 months or so. If your plateau lasts longer than 6 weeks and you want to lose additional weight, adjustments in your diet and/or exercise regimen are required to restart your weight loss. Our dietitian can help you with these "stalls".Weight GainIt is common to regain a small amount of weight (10-20 pounds) before your weight finally stabilizes at your personal goal weight. Your body is readjusting to its new form and weight. Diet and exercise are essential to lose additional weight and/or maintain your weight loss. It is possible to gain all, and more of your weight back following sleeve gastrectomy surgery if you are not willing to change your lifestyle to include healthy dietary choices eaten in moderation and incorporating activity/exercise into your daily life. Hope that helps a little?

Interesting topic! My new habits: 1. Drinking in major moderation I am used to guzzling Water. Growing up as a jock, I would drink an entire water bottle without stopping for air. I LOVE good quality water. That's the hardest thing so far. 2. Tiny bites please! They say to eat a bite the size of a fingernail. I can stop at the right portion but I'm having a hard time not taking a regular bite. 3. Religously taking my supplements I am on a lot of meds so I don't like to add Vitamins. Now I have no choice. I should have been all along, but when you take 13 pills a night and 5 a morning, it's pretty irritating to add on to that. So far I've been good though. 4. Slowing down I'm a type-A to the letter. I am also my own boss. So I tend to eat lunch while I work (I'm a web designer among other things). So sitting down at a table and eating with no book or tv or anything, that's my biggest goal of all.

Interesting topic! My new habits: 1. Drinking in major moderation I am used to guzzling Water. Growing up as a jock, I would drink an entire water bottle without stopping for air. I LOVE good quality water. That's the hardest thing so far. 2. Tiny bites please! They say to eat a bite the size of a fingernail. I can stop at the right portion but I'm having a hard time not taking a regular bite. 3. Religously taking my supplements I am on a lot of meds so I don't like to add Vitamins. Now I have no choice. I should have been all along, but when you take 13 pills a night and 5 a morning, it's pretty irritating to add on to that. So far I've been good though. 4. Slowing down I'm a type-A to the letter. I am also my own boss. So I tend to eat lunch while I work (I'm a web designer among other things). So sitting down at a table and eating with no book or tv or anything, that's my biggest goal of all.

Wonderful post. Great job and as long as you don't slip into a "I've met my goal, this one bite won't hurt me" sort of thing, you'll keep on rocking that new figure forever. I'm very impressed with your honesty with yourself and inspired that it really can and will happen if I do everything I should be doing.

I really hate to sound like a know-it-all because I'm only going to be at 2 weeks on Wednesday. But here's something I hope can help you or someone reading this. The thing that I realized recently, was that even though I was drinking natural juices with no added sugars, I was still drinking about 16-18 ounces a day. That's a lot of natural sugar. My doctor says that sugar is the biggest culprit for us. It's in everything! I didn't lose any weight the first few days and I realized it was because I was drinking too much juice and I was eating creamy Soups almost once a day.

@laura - Thank you! I didn't notice that forum and also didn't intend for it to be about the band but it ended up being that way. That makes me feel better about how there's usually no pain and stuff. It's what keeps me wondering if it was a long dream. @RJ - Thank you for the kind words. And everything you said makes total sense, and helps. I still feel in a funk, but at least I understand it better. Can't wait to be a Bariatric Master like you!

Wow, so in June I had to have my lapband removed, it was completely ineffective. What a let down. I gained 100 pounds in 2006, 80 of them were from developing PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I lost 40 pounds in the pre-op program. I had the band 3 years and the first two years, I stayed at around 200 pounds. I was vomiting and having food stuck almost every meal. Then the third year, I thought, maybe it's my fault. Maybe I should try harder. I had gone back to adult ed for a cert in web design and so I worked out at 5 AM every morning for over an hour. That was at the gym, then 2 months later I tapered into doing a 90 day program with DVDs, then I did Insanity with Sean T. for the rest of the year. I counted my calories and did nutrisystem, which by the way, gets gross after a while and most of the food gets stuck anyway... I digress. After all that, eating 1000-1200 cals a day with one cheat meal a week for avoiding starvation mode, I lost 15 pounds. 15 pounds in a year. My boyfriend joined me 4 months before it ended and he lost 100 pounds. I was so frustrated, but my doctor said it was my insulin resistance. Then I went back to the bariatric doc because I couldn't afford to go the second and most of the third year, and he is not the original surgeon. They did an upper GI (barium swallow test) and he showed me that it didn't work. So I applied to have the sleeve done the same day but insurance said I was non-compliant since there was a 2 year gap of not seeing the doctor regularly. We appealed it twice and then finally they had me do the new patient 3 month program all over again and was approved. Now I'm post-op and doing pretty good. I've been recording video entries to see the progress and remember the little things that I might forget or to just remind myself not to take my health for granted like I always did before. The surgery was so exciting after months of waiting and hoping... and then the day came and I recovered quickly according to the nurses, walked around the floor a lot and stuff, then I came home and had to focus on the liquid diet and was still a little euphoric. Now it's over, I'm on mushies and I feel... bleh. I know depression is normal afterwards, but it's just this generalized ick feeling. I am walking and doing everything right, but I feel like I didn't even have the surgery done. I don't feel this life changing thing that I did when I got the lapband. Does anyone else forget they had the surgery? It's weird, right? Caity

Congrats!

How great! This time last month I was in the same boat! I had my surgery Dec 18. and was a mess for a month, anticipating and all. Hold on to that excitement and motivation and you'll recover faster. At least, emotionally speaking. I was so motivated that I walked around as soon as I got to my room and then like 10 times over the 2 night stay, and it helped me a lot. You're going to do great!

It's hard when the clothes are nice, but I donate them anyway. My doctor's office offers a support group and once a month you can bring clothes that don't fit and then someone there is bound to have your size. Saves money for everyone, and it's fun to do. Also, then you get to see that they go to "a nice home" so to speak. lol. You might want to suggest this to your doctor if they have support groups, or if they wouldn't mind keeping the office open late one day a month for a clothing exchange.