LadyK44

Going to Hershey park with my kids and being told I was to big to ride the ride. And not having no energy anymore to do things with my kids.
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A couple of things were the straws that broke the back.
My brother had a heart attack at age 45. He too, was very obese. My mom cried to me after saying how scared she was about me as well.
My husband is an active person and I can't hike, run or enjoy life as he does, with him at this weight and shape.
Last, I realized that I immediately delete any picures anyone takes of me, becasue I can't stand how I look.
Mt surgery is Oct 3!

When you ask your 9 year old twins if they want to go out back and play some soccer with Mom, and they drop their video games with a look of pure joy and race each other out the door and you actually play soccer and stay out there until it is dark without breaks and your kids tell you how proud they are of you and how much fun they had. Best. Feeling. Ever. And I am only 12 weeks in. Can't imagine what this might be like in another few months!!

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San Antonio, TX. Sleeved 5/16/16. Doing great so far; no problems.
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OK I've finally decided to be brave and post a couple of photos, apologies they are pretty poor quality as I'm not overly fond of pictures but before was June last year, the latest one is yesterday (I was obviously concentrating on something else in that one ????)

I think that when there is an extremely negative reaction toward someone who is new to the process when they ask a question about if they "can" eat something as opposed to if they "should", this really helps no one. When the question is "can" I have a taco when the person is first on solids, the correct answer is that yes, you can with certain modifications (I suggested skipping the hard taco shell, enjoying low fat turkey, and going easy on the fatty stuff). Should you? Probably not, but medically, yes, you can. If the question is "can" I have a drink or two a weeks after surgery or the week before, medically the answer is that, yes, they can. I tend to reply a lot to the "can I eat this" threads because I think that it is important for people to understand the difference between "can" and "should" because when we tell people they CANNOT do something, when in reality, medically they absolutely can, we just perpetuate misinformation. You can eat PB&J in the soft phase- this will not hurt your new stomach. It's not going to help you lose weight, and it would have made me feel crummy, but nothing physically is going to break in your stomach if you eat that. On the other hand, "can I eat almonds and sharp, hard crackers" 3 days after surgery is a "h*ll NO" that is going to mess up your stomach.
As examples outside of surgery...can you eat that entire box of brownies? Yes. You can. You are not going to immediately die from it. Should you? No, of course not, but the long-term health consequences are your concern and you have the right to do what you want to do. If you eat a box of brownies once a year and you are a healthy weight, then good for you! It's not my business! This to me is comparable to...can I eat cake on the soft foods stage? Sure you can! You're not going to lose weight, but that piece of cake is not going to be the single thing that kills you because it somehow caused your stomach to rip open and if you can learn to eat junk food in very moderate amounts at an early stage and this is what works for you, then who am I to judge the way in which you get healthy?
Comparably, can you smoke cigarettes while you are on oxygen? Yes, physically you can, but you are likely going to burn your face off, thus causing an immediately bad result. This to me is like, "I am 2-days post-op, can I eat a jar of peanuts?". Sure you can, but you have a really good chance of jacking up you stomach, so medically no, do not eat that.
When people are asking if they can eat something, my impression is that the vast majority of the time they are seeking clarification as to whether they are physically going to hurt their stomach or themselves in the immediate short term. Whether they happen to die of a heart attack in 10 years because they kept eating junk is not the question, but rather the question is if they are going to rip open their new stomach and die from a leak. As such, it is important to differentiate between the "should" and the "can" and flipping out on people because they ask if they can have a few bites of junk food when it is entirely safe for them to do so accomplishes nothing.
I have had junk food as part of my diet since the first point it was safe to do so. My first "soft" meal was a chicken taco salad. I ate the chicken, the Tomato, and some of the sour cream. I ate about 5 bites of it and was no longer hungry. I used to regularly eat 1/4 a panini from Panera when I was losing- it was my lunch and calorie wise it fit into the plan. I have been at goal now for over 18 months and I am almost at 2 years of being within 5 pounds of goal and there are plenty of times now and when I was losing that I did not follow the rules. Sometimes I eat sweets, sometimes I drink alcohol, sometimes I eat other gross things and because I have been allowed to have them in very small amounts since the start of having the sleeve, they are not some banned substance that I crave and feel like I am being denied. This is what works for me and what may work for someone else.
So yes, you CAN eat the vast majority of things people ask questions about, whether you SHOULD or not is the issue and frankly, I have no interest in telling an adult what they should be doing with their diet when I am hardly a 100% compliant patient and I ended up just fine. I see no value in telling an adult that they should not eat cake, judging them for their choices and their questions, and acting like I am better than them because I lost weight and they are still fat. They have a mirror, they have a scale, and they likely have a basic level of education about nutrition. The question is CAN not SHOULD and I am a little over the holier than thou comments that treat people like they are a complete moron for wondering if they are going to hurt their stomach by eating something they SHOULD not be eating when every single one of us has at some point eaten something we SHOULD not be eating, but which, medically, we absolutely CAN, in moderation, enjoy.
I am now going to go drink my sugar free Red Bull and eat my carb-laden, protein-lacking, sugary Cereal for Breakfast. Yum.

My hubs and I are starting the process together now. He got his referral last week and I got mine today. Praying that this is a turning point to a healthier and happier life. He is diabetic and I am over the moon that he finally decided to make this move with me. I have lost weight on my own just to gain it back. It can create a lot of tension in a relationship when you have one person who is trying to work out and eat healthy while the other isn't. The more weight I lost the more I wanted to get out and live. He wasn't there so I let myself go back to old habits just because it was no longer worth the fight. Now that we are both on board together I know we can both succeed.
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In 2010 my husband and I were getting ready to go on the first vacation we have had in 20 years. We were taking care of some last minute errands on a Saturday afternoon and were going to leave on Monday. An elderly man turn off a side road in front of us causing our car to spin and roll into a ditch. It took them about 30 minutes to extract me from the passenger seat and my husband from the drivers seat. It was difficult due to my weight at almost 300lbs. Then they put me in the ambulance and was going to put my husband in the same one but they couldn't fit him next to me because of my size. They decided to airlift me to a trauma hospital because I had a head injury and I barely fit in the patient "tube" . I was so humiliated and embarrassed. That was in June of 2010 and I had my surgery in March of 2011. I can tell you of many other issues like not making a flight connection because the connecting flight was on the other side of the airport and I couldn't get there in the 45 minute time, seat belts that wouldn't fit, knee pain, chairs that broke, being embarrassed about ordering food even though I was hungry, running into old boyfriends and trying to pretend I didn't recognize them, not wanting to undress in front of my husband, I could go on and on but we've all been there. Now even though I have gained a few pounds (20) and am working them off again I am still not "fat" and people tell me I don't need to worry... But once you have been large and lost it, you worry about it. The picture I have included are my husband and I 2 weeks before my surgery and 9 months later...

For my husband and I right now it's "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" by John Mayer. Because everything around us is sh*t (the house, careers, kids, cars, everything) but we still have each other so it can all go!
I guess "Livin' On A Prayer" would have the same message?

Down 160# and never felt better!
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Wow.....don't think I could even eat a whole pork chop. Took me all day to eat 3 oz of shredded chicken breast. If I eat too fast or eat too much I feel really sick. I'm not hungry most of the time and when I am a very, very small amount of food satisfies me. My surgeon told me that if we over do it to take a day or two back on liquids to give my stomach a chance to "normal out".
If you're still feeling sick I'd give your surgeon a call.

Oh goodness. No more cheating for me. I'm feeling so sick now its awful
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It sucked but I went back to my office job after 11 days. It just seems to depend on the person. Have a great recovery!
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"Let's get Physical" Olivia Newton John. This is my life as a new gym rat. LOL
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Today marks my one year anniversary!
One year ago I made the decision to save my life. I believe I may have done that
It's been a quick and a much successful year - in my opinion HAHA
Surgery date Sept 21 2015
Starting weight 273.4
Current weight 157.0 (I was down to 153.6 a couple of weeks ago but must've been eating too much salt lately; hence the slight increase LOL)
Goal weight 150 - which I will succeed here shortly!
Thanks for all of your support on this website!
Now to get to goal and live happily ever after!!
Heather

"Let's get Physical" Olivia Newton John. This is my life as a new gym rat. LOL
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It has been awhile since I've posted a before and after. Hope it inspires anyone newly sleeved as to what is possible. Preop I was a size 22 now I wear a 4.  

Yes, two years ago. I was sleeved in Aug and my husband Sept 2014. We sometimes workout together and always encourage each other. He has been my best-friend for 17 years. We love being sleeve and it has only helped us as a family. It is a great thing.

Yes, two years ago. I was sleeved in Aug and my husband Sept 2014. We sometimes workout together and always encourage each other. He has been my best-friend for 17 years. We love being sleeve and it has only helped us as a family. It is a great thing.

Yes, two years ago. I was sleeved in Aug and my husband Sept 2014. We sometimes workout together and always encourage each other. He has been my best-friend for 17 years. We love being sleeve and it has only helped us as a family. It is a great thing.

I'm 4 years post op. I had regained 35 lbs. Back in April I decided to get it off and I have. I'm at the lowest weight I've been at since my surgery. I'm going to try to lose about 10 more lbs. otherwise I'm happy where I am now.
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Great idea...to have a regain forum. At my lowest, I was 113 lbs. I'm now at 133. I didn't ever expect to stay at 113 but I do want to be between 120-125. So I'm approximately 10 lbs. more than I'd like. My clothes still fit but some are tight. I don't want to wear tight clothes unless they are tight in the right areas. I REFUSE to buy larger sizes. I just won't go there again and have my closet look like a clothing store...with items in every size.
So, each and every day, I vow to eat clean. Some days I do...and some I don't. I don't consider myself a bad person if I gained...but I adjust if I have seen the scale go in the wrong direction.
Most important, is I remember that I'm mobile and normal sized and can do pretty much anything I want. That was not always the case. I remember that I can catch up to my toddler grandson as he runs around, and can also hang with my teenaged granddaughter while she plays softball and volleyball. Was a time I was unable to fly to see her because of the weight.
Point is...I live my life and it's not based on the number on the scale. If I can't get it to go down..I head back to the doctor for an additional fill. I also reign in what I know are bad choices and start anew.
Sorry for not focusing more on the specifics of weight gain....but I also wanted to note where the focus should be..or at least where I think the focus should be.

Well, I PM'ed Alex just two short days ago asking him to consider a regain forum, and well, here we are!
He asked me to start the first thread.
So here goes...
I am 27 months post op and have gained 20 lbs from my lowest. I have had a massive personal loss (stress eating) and took a night position that I LOVE (but snack all night) so 20 lbs and here I am.
Plan:
1. Came back to bariatric pal and owned my gain. admitted to it and moved forward.
2. Seeing a new doc and nut next week. Changed insurance due to job change and have an incredible new clinic/doc/nut and getting established with them wednesday.
3. Started 5 day Pouch Test and trying to re-learn restriction.
4. Found the coordinator of the support group associated with my new doc. called the coordinator. announced myself. now they are expecting me, so I have to go and face it.
5. ordered Slim in 6 program from Beachbody since i have not exercised like I should in a LONG time so that's a pretty mellow start.
6. bought all sorts of proteins-new flavor shakes, Soups, Quest Cookies and Cream bars etc because variety will keep me going.
So...there it is. My truth. I have gained. Yes, I have regained. But through the loss of my dad, my grief, a new career path I am in love with, and learning how to balance a night job with my eating I have also regained perspective.
I regained some weight. Now I regain control. Then I regain my life.

"Let's get Physical" Olivia Newton John. This is my life as a new gym rat. LOL
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