WL WARRIOR

I think this notion of being to young at 40 years old is ridiculous. I am 38 years old and had my surgery at 37. The idea and opportunity of surgery was there in my early 30's, but I waited because my doctor thought I was young enough to do some effective dieting.
The waiting did nothing but gave me more years of feeling miserable. I wasted my ealy-mid 30's being morbidly obese. I know, some people can have high self esteem while being huge. I wasn't one of them. I became a recluse and his from the world in every way possible.
In the end, I think I wasted many years of my life by not doing it earlier. Years when I should have been in my prime are lost. This is clear to me now since I've had surgery and lost over 115 pounds. I've made so many changes in my health and outlook on life. However, I'm trying to look forward instead of spending time regretting the past. Don't listen to this doctor, its your life and your choice.

I agree, you do seem fixated on calories. Do you want to have an eating disorder? There is an interesting documentary on YouTube titled, "Addicted to Food: Sharon's Story". The video is split into two parts. It tells the story of a woman who became the fattest woman in Britain and was constantly ridiculed in the tabloids. She underwent WLS and was so determined to get thin that she restricted her calorie intake to a miniscule amount. She lost a lot of weight, but never really got to enjoy her new thin life. Why? Because SHE DIED of malnutrition.
You have to focus on getting healthy after weight loss surgery, not starving yourself. Nevertheless, you have been told that before on this forum.

I'm not absorbing Iron even though I have the sleeve. The Vitamins and supplements I take have more than the recommended amount. At the moment, I'm speculating whether the mal-absorption has to do with my hormone issues (period stopping/early menopause). I don't see a specialist for a few weeks. The lack of Iron really makes you so tired and drained and I may be getting iron shots down the road.

I think this notion of being to young at 40 years old is ridiculous. I am 38 years old and had my surgery at 37. The idea and opportunity of surgery was there in my early 30's, but I waited because my doctor thought I was young enough to do some effective dieting.
The waiting did nothing but gave me more years of feeling miserable. I wasted my ealy-mid 30's being morbidly obese. I know, some people can have high self esteem while being huge. I wasn't one of them. I became a recluse and his from the world in every way possible.
In the end, I think I wasted many years of my life by not doing it earlier. Years when I should have been in my prime are lost. This is clear to me now since I've had surgery and lost over 115 pounds. I've made so many changes in my health and outlook on life. However, I'm trying to look forward instead of spending time regretting the past. Don't listen to this doctor, its your life and your choice.

My taste never changed. My sense of smell has never worked well ever since a massive sinus infection when I was a kid.
I've never heard of salmon having that much Protein. Most frozen and canned salmon is about 22-25 Protein grams per 3-4 ounces. Salmon does have more protein compared to other fish. Maui has only 60 calories and 15 protein grams per 6 ounce piece.

I think this notion of being to young at 40 years old is ridiculous. I am 38 years old and had my surgery at 37. The idea and opportunity of surgery was there in my early 30's, but I waited because my doctor thought I was young enough to do some effective dieting.
The waiting did nothing but gave me more years of feeling miserable. I wasted my ealy-mid 30's being morbidly obese. I know, some people can have high self esteem while being huge. I wasn't one of them. I became a recluse and his from the world in every way possible.
In the end, I think I wasted many years of my life by not doing it earlier. Years when I should have been in my prime are lost. This is clear to me now since I've had surgery and lost over 115 pounds. I've made so many changes in my health and outlook on life. However, I'm trying to look forward instead of spending time regretting the past. Don't listen to this doctor, its your life and your choice.

I think this notion of being to young at 40 years old is ridiculous. I am 38 years old and had my surgery at 37. The idea and opportunity of surgery was there in my early 30's, but I waited because my doctor thought I was young enough to do some effective dieting.
The waiting did nothing but gave me more years of feeling miserable. I wasted my ealy-mid 30's being morbidly obese. I know, some people can have high self esteem while being huge. I wasn't one of them. I became a recluse and his from the world in every way possible.
In the end, I think I wasted many years of my life by not doing it earlier. Years when I should have been in my prime are lost. This is clear to me now since I've had surgery and lost over 115 pounds. I've made so many changes in my health and outlook on life. However, I'm trying to look forward instead of spending time regretting the past. Don't listen to this doctor, its your life and your choice.

I had anorexia as a teenager about 20 years ago, After surgery, I did experience certain times when I felt like I was slipping back into that same mentality. I started attending OA every Sunday and truly feel that it helps keep me grounded. Also, I attend cognitive behavioral therapy group meeting sessions every month. It helps to get my thoughts and struggles out in the open and hear helpful feedback from group members that also have experienced similar weight loss issues. This I find more useful than feeling pressured to talk for 60 minutes to a psychologist with predictable feedback and therapeutic strategies.
If you have a history of an eating disorder, I encourage you to have a plan prepared before surgery. Your physical and mental success will depend on it. Otherwise, old behaviors and bad habits will creep back in full force.

Type in "Recipe Frenzy" in the search bar to get to a post from bobbyswife. She put a list together of some of the best bariatric online recipes and cookbooks. The two Bariatric Buddies cookbooks are free downloads. Since there is no copyright, you can print them out on your own printer or do it at Kinkos's where you can also get it binded. There is a pureed recipe section in these cookbooks, as well as a recipe section for each stage of the Bariatric Eating plan. Good luck!

Just to clarify the man eating the hot dog in the pool..................
The day we decided to go to the pool was the same day Missouri Care (Medicaid for kids) hosted a free swim and snack day for the entire community. We didn't know about this and came an hour before it started, which kind of sucks because we could have saved $9.50. After an hour of swimming, the pool became terribly crowded and I realized that not going to a public pool for ten years wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Most people were taking advantage of the free food and many were eating at the side of the pool, which isn't suppose to be allowed. I'm thinking that the lifeguards had trouble enforcing the rules with such a large crowd. The guy that was eating the hot dog did not eat it while swimming UNDER Water. He was swimming at the deep end and swam to the edge to reach out and grab a hot dog from his daughter. He wolfed down the hot dog while still in the Water at the edge and took the last bite before swimming back to the center.
We left the pool when the two kids swimming near me were discussing not wanting to get out of the pool to go pee. I heard one of them whisper, "Why not, no one will ever know." They were silent and still for a few seconds and we were out of there. We went out and bought a pool yesterday. It's not as big as the city pool, but at least I can put all my attention where it should have been in the first place--my child.

As a way to combat the sweltering heat, I was at the city pool with my 10 year old son yesterday. This was actually suppose to be a momentous day since it was the first time I got in a public pool with my son, let alone wear a bathing suit. The pool was packed with all kinds of people.
This is when the "despicable" part of me comes into play. Ever since making it to goal two months ago, I find myself noticing (judging?) obese people. I'm not quite repulsed, per se, but just more aware. My thoughts are usually along the lines of:
*Man, was I really that big?
*I could never walk around in a tiny bathing suit if I was that big.
*I wonder how she feels about her size? I wish I could help her, but then again, what if she is fine with her weight?
*Eating hot dogs while swimming seems so contradictory...he has to know that, or does he?
*It has to be uncomfortable just sitting around when you are that big. I know I was at this time last year.
This is not me. I'm usually an open minded person. In fact, I usually don't notice or compare myself to others. What's more, I've never been vain, not now or ever. My main reason for surgery was to better my health and alleviate diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint problems.
I just hate having these kind of thoughts. Maybe it will change over time once I have been in maintenance for a long period. Ever since hitting goal, I have been doing a lot of reading up on how to stay thin for life. Its just been heavily on my mind lately and its starting to influence my thought patterns. Anyone else have this problem?

My sleeve surgery was such a shock to my system that I went into early menopause at 38 years old. I was hoping the surgery would lead to an opportunity to get pregnant and carry a child to full term, however, it seems like its not in the cards for me. I've decided to focus on the positive aspects of what the surgery has done for me and take advantage of my new healthy life.

As a way to combat the sweltering heat, I was at the city pool with my 10 year old son yesterday. This was actually suppose to be a momentous day since it was the first time I got in a public pool with my son, let alone wear a bathing suit. The pool was packed with all kinds of people.
This is when the "despicable" part of me comes into play. Ever since making it to goal two months ago, I find myself noticing (judging?) obese people. I'm not quite repulsed, per se, but just more aware. My thoughts are usually along the lines of:
*Man, was I really that big?
*I could never walk around in a tiny bathing suit if I was that big.
*I wonder how she feels about her size? I wish I could help her, but then again, what if she is fine with her weight?
*Eating hot dogs while swimming seems so contradictory...he has to know that, or does he?
*It has to be uncomfortable just sitting around when you are that big. I know I was at this time last year.
This is not me. I'm usually an open minded person. In fact, I usually don't notice or compare myself to others. What's more, I've never been vain, not now or ever. My main reason for surgery was to better my health and alleviate diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint problems.
I just hate having these kind of thoughts. Maybe it will change over time once I have been in maintenance for a long period. Ever since hitting goal, I have been doing a lot of reading up on how to stay thin for life. Its just been heavily on my mind lately and its starting to influence my thought patterns. Anyone else have this problem?

As a way to combat the sweltering heat, I was at the city pool with my 10 year old son yesterday. This was actually suppose to be a momentous day since it was the first time I got in a public pool with my son, let alone wear a bathing suit. The pool was packed with all kinds of people.
This is when the "despicable" part of me comes into play. Ever since making it to goal two months ago, I find myself noticing (judging?) obese people. I'm not quite repulsed, per se, but just more aware. My thoughts are usually along the lines of:
*Man, was I really that big?
*I could never walk around in a tiny bathing suit if I was that big.
*I wonder how she feels about her size? I wish I could help her, but then again, what if she is fine with her weight?
*Eating hot dogs while swimming seems so contradictory...he has to know that, or does he?
*It has to be uncomfortable just sitting around when you are that big. I know I was at this time last year.
This is not me. I'm usually an open minded person. In fact, I usually don't notice or compare myself to others. What's more, I've never been vain, not now or ever. My main reason for surgery was to better my health and alleviate diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint problems.
I just hate having these kind of thoughts. Maybe it will change over time once I have been in maintenance for a long period. Ever since hitting goal, I have been doing a lot of reading up on how to stay thin for life. Its just been heavily on my mind lately and its starting to influence my thought patterns. Anyone else have this problem?

Just to clarify the man eating the hot dog in the pool..................
The day we decided to go to the pool was the same day Missouri Care (Medicaid for kids) hosted a free swim and snack day for the entire community. We didn't know about this and came an hour before it started, which kind of sucks because we could have saved $9.50. After an hour of swimming, the pool became terribly crowded and I realized that not going to a public pool for ten years wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Most people were taking advantage of the free food and many were eating at the side of the pool, which isn't suppose to be allowed. I'm thinking that the lifeguards had trouble enforcing the rules with such a large crowd. The guy that was eating the hot dog did not eat it while swimming UNDER Water. He was swimming at the deep end and swam to the edge to reach out and grab a hot dog from his daughter. He wolfed down the hot dog while still in the Water at the edge and took the last bite before swimming back to the center.
We left the pool when the two kids swimming near me were discussing not wanting to get out of the pool to go pee. I heard one of them whisper, "Why not, no one will ever know." They were silent and still for a few seconds and we were out of there. We went out and bought a pool yesterday. It's not as big as the city pool, but at least I can put all my attention where it should have been in the first place--my child.

Just to clarify the man eating the hot dog in the pool..................
The day we decided to go to the pool was the same day Missouri Care (Medicaid for kids) hosted a free swim and snack day for the entire community. We didn't know about this and came an hour before it started, which kind of sucks because we could have saved $9.50. After an hour of swimming, the pool became terribly crowded and I realized that not going to a public pool for ten years wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Most people were taking advantage of the free food and many were eating at the side of the pool, which isn't suppose to be allowed. I'm thinking that the lifeguards had trouble enforcing the rules with such a large crowd. The guy that was eating the hot dog did not eat it while swimming UNDER Water. He was swimming at the deep end and swam to the edge to reach out and grab a hot dog from his daughter. He wolfed down the hot dog while still in the Water at the edge and took the last bite before swimming back to the center.
We left the pool when the two kids swimming near me were discussing not wanting to get out of the pool to go pee. I heard one of them whisper, "Why not, no one will ever know." They were silent and still for a few seconds and we were out of there. We went out and bought a pool yesterday. It's not as big as the city pool, but at least I can put all my attention where it should have been in the first place--my child.

As a way to combat the sweltering heat, I was at the city pool with my 10 year old son yesterday. This was actually suppose to be a momentous day since it was the first time I got in a public pool with my son, let alone wear a bathing suit. The pool was packed with all kinds of people.
This is when the "despicable" part of me comes into play. Ever since making it to goal two months ago, I find myself noticing (judging?) obese people. I'm not quite repulsed, per se, but just more aware. My thoughts are usually along the lines of:
*Man, was I really that big?
*I could never walk around in a tiny bathing suit if I was that big.
*I wonder how she feels about her size? I wish I could help her, but then again, what if she is fine with her weight?
*Eating hot dogs while swimming seems so contradictory...he has to know that, or does he?
*It has to be uncomfortable just sitting around when you are that big. I know I was at this time last year.
This is not me. I'm usually an open minded person. In fact, I usually don't notice or compare myself to others. What's more, I've never been vain, not now or ever. My main reason for surgery was to better my health and alleviate diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint problems.
I just hate having these kind of thoughts. Maybe it will change over time once I have been in maintenance for a long period. Ever since hitting goal, I have been doing a lot of reading up on how to stay thin for life. Its just been heavily on my mind lately and its starting to influence my thought patterns. Anyone else have this problem?

Does gastric dilatation limit the success of sleeve gastrectomy as a sole operation for morbid obesity?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16469218 Research Study
http://www.weightlosstriumph.com/does-gastric-dilation-limit-the-success-of-sleeve-gastrectomy.html further discussion of research results
Great news! This research indicates that dilataion (stomach streching) does not necessarily lead to weight gain. In fact, most of the research that I've done (scientifically based) parallels the results of this study.
The reason I've researched this topic is because my capacity has increased after one year post op and sometimes wonder if my stomach is dilated. I don't think my eating behaviors caused dilatation because I can only remember 3-4 times that I ate to the point of discomfort in the past year.
Even if my stomach is dilated, I can still keep the weight off. The surgery did its job by helping me lose over 150 pounds and now I have to put my effort into overdrive during the maintenance phase. For me, this maintenance phase is actually harder than the weight loss phase because it is less structured and I really have to watch my portions because my stomach can hold so much more than before.
The article recommends revision surgery through bypass or duodenal switch if the stomach becomes dilated. However, according to Dr. Weiner (well known bariatric surgeon, search on youtube for his videos), most patients that undergo this revision only lose an average of 15-25 pounds afterward. He often notices (during the revision surgery) that many patients DO NOT even have a dilated stomach.
FYI:
Dilation (stretching) does happen, but mostly to larger sleeves. You are going to have many people tell you that it just can't happen, they are wrong. This seems to have a great deal to do with how much of the fundus is cut out. The remaining fundus can stretch up to four times it's original size. Research shows that about 50% of the ghrelin is still produced in our bodies. I can also attest to the fact that my hunger and cravings are about at 40% compared to before surgery. I've read that most sleeves hold about 2 ounces after surgery but will eventually hold 4-6 ounces. This means that it is normal for the sleeve to enlarge 2-3 times its original size over time, despite not overeating.
Really, what counts is NOT the size of our stomach, but what we put in it. I've seen patients regain weight no matter what their sleeve size. It's interesting to note that I've lost much more weight than those that boast at meetings that they are full after a few tablespoons. Even if your capacity has increased, the key is to stay positive! You can and will be successful!
Further info: http://myaceinhand.blogspot.com/2012/01/bougie-size.html

My sleeve surgery was such a shock to my system that I went into early menopause at 38 years old. I was hoping the surgery would lead to an opportunity to get pregnant and carry a child to full term, however, it seems like its not in the cards for me. I've decided to focus on the positive aspects of what the surgery has done for me and take advantage of my new healthy life.

I reflect back on how miserable I was being morbidly obese and I drink it down. Nobody said this was easy and sometimes you just have to suck it up in order to get the desired outcome.

Tamster01,
That's odd. Isn't Topamax used primarily to treat headaches/migraines? I took Topamax over 15 years ago for Migraine headaches and noticed that decreased hunger was a side effect of the drug. I assumed the combination of phentermine and topamax was put together because they both help you lose weight and the Topamax would lesson or treat headaches caused by the phentermine. Most uppers like Phentermine cause headaches, or they have for me at least.

I take a buprenorphine/naltroxone (16 mg) mix, also known as Suboxone, and bupropion (200 mg). Naltrexone is very similar to Suboxone and some doctors consider Naltrexone to be a generic form of Suboxone. I had to switch to Naltrexone for a brief time because it was cheaper and my insurance company wouldn't pay for Suboxone since it is terribly expensive. Anyway, I've been on both and never felt much of a difference between the two.
There are a few problems that I have with Bupropion and Naltrexone. Bupropion seems to lose its effectiveness after a long period of time. I took it from 2000-2003 and switched to a SSRI because it just stopped working after a few years (even at a high dose). I have heard many others complain of the same thing. I just started taking it again last Nov. and noticed that it helped my mood improve. The problem with Naltrexone is that it is so addicting after you have been on it for a length of time.
I read the Contrave clinical trials because I was curious how much weight people lost on it. I wasn't surprised by what I read. Most people notice that their mood improves and the average amount of weight loss was 5-15 pounds. It does seem to be a safer option than other prescription weight loss drugs.

weight watchers is a tool
sleeve is a tool
lap band is a tool
bypass is another tool
Does it REALLY matter which tool we use?
As long as it works for you is all that matters.
I feel MY tool is my sleeve. I tried WW, multiple times, didn't work for me. Others like their band, balloon or bypass....or prefer WW.
Whatever path (tool) someone chooses is their choice. If they fail or succeed it was their decision.
We talk about this all the time here...it's a tool, and how you work it.
It's not a "one size fits all" world.....
rant over.....

You do know WLS isn't for everyone, right? And telling her that WW's won't work for her and WLS is what she needs is actually quite presumptuous.

Be careful what you wish for. I was asking the same questions and then I stalled big time, and still not out of it, with about 40 lbs more that I really want gone. Just saying.
I think the way to stop is easy...just add some more calories from things that aren't going to send you back flying the other way, so high quality, like lean Protein and dairy.