Beni

Yeah, we're awesome and we know it. And, and, and we are getting even more awesome by the minute. Lol!

@@LisaCO That's the best way to look at it. This is your journey, no one else knows how you are doing. The fact is the vast majority of people do just fine. The ones that put the weight back have other issues/surgeries. We can all imagine what it would take to eat more then what we are eating. An all out effort because I can't overeat even if I wanted to. Not all WLS surgeries are the same. Ours is the most restrictive and with the best chance of success, always remember that.

I have been working on not overfilling the pouch. Doing good since my last throwing up attack 10 days ago but I have noticed I am hungry now. Not a huge hunger but a couple hours after I eat I feel hungry again. Anyone feeling the same? I drink hot tea and it helps a lot. Because I am eating even smaller portions, it may be causing the hunger.

@@amylynns congratulations on your coat purchase. No more big girl sizes for you. It's not even that I minded the big sizes, it was the poor selection and the feeling that you couldn't have what other could. It's devastating. I bought a coat too and it's a large. Wow, never thought I could do that again in my life. Feels good doesn't it. Someone mentioned a while ago, not a lot of people had commented on her weight loss. I think we were invisible for so long no one looked at us. But I think if we put an effort to look nice I think that will all change. I have tried to dress extra nice because I am trying to project the person I want to be. You have to visualize who you want to be and dress and behave like it. Try it for a couple weeks and I promise, you will feel better about yourself. It's about forming a new habit as well. If you feel frumpy, you dress frumpy, others look at you the same way and mirror the feelings back at you. Why not change that in a way that breaks the cycle or the downward spiral. I know it takes effort but aren't we worthy of our love and care?

So glad you all shared your food and feeling full stories. I get it it now, this is how it is. We can't tell very well but we have to listen to our bodies ever so carefully. I am sure in due time we will be able to tell. It's a new feeling and we are only 3 months along, some of us not even that. Next time I need to run around the house like a crazy woman because I feel sick with one too many bites, I know I'm not out of my mind. So, sad nothing I have tried works. If I drink even the smallest sip at that point, I will throw up slime. I have to suffer for 1/2 hour if I'm lucky or even longer. I am 1/2 lb to my mid weight goal. So excited! Imagine that everyone. Just 4 months ago we wouldn't believe we would be this successful so early on. I certainly didn't. I was expecting a much slower progression.

Oh, I understand exactly what you mean. All your stories about how you eat are exactly like mine. The full feeling is so hard to detect. I sometimes get a nose drip. Other times I sneeze. I even get hiccups. The warm forehead feeling usually happens when I am in trouble. Most days while chewing, I realize, maybe I shouldn't swallow this bite and I spit it out. I usually run to the bathroom but in a restaurant the napkin is also my solution. I am actually glad your stories are like mine. I was thinking maybe I had a problem with eating. Which I do, but it seems to be more like the norm.

I need your advice friends. How do you know you have eaten enough? Please describe your exact feeling and how you eat successfully because I don't seem to have a clue. Some meals it's great others a complete disaster. I know we are all different but I am thinking if I hear your experience perhaps I will be able to relate and learn. I would be most grateful. This is my greatest struggle and my NUT just spits back the same canned answer she has told me every time. She doesn't understand what I'm going through. Also, perhaps we can all learn from each other.

@@wildGoose I can only eat 1/3 of a Quest bar at a time. Any more and I get nausea. My NUT tells me it's because it's a lot of concentrated Protein and overwhelms the system. As you know it's also really dense. For dinner last night I had steak and survived with only 4 burps. Hurray. When I say "had steak" I mean, I had a total of 6 bites and those are bariatric size bites, the size of a finger nail. I also had a tablespoon of mashed potatoes and 1/2 of a circle of sweet potato. I know one more bite would have been disaster. OMG, why is it so hard to tell when enough is enough?

At 4 weeks you feel pretty normal. That's how long it takes for the incisions to heal inside and out. Those 4 weeks you have to be very careful and make sure you drink as much as you can or you end up back in the hospital for IV fluids. My doctor said 48 to 64 was the min. I could only do 40oz in the beginning. Following the medical directions is key. If you are having issues please call your doctor right away and take charge of your health. I am 11 weeks post Bypass and feel amazing. Was it always easy? No, but I work through all my issues step by step. I have a never give up attitude because let's face it the alternative is not an option.

@@muck I am so sorry you had such a horrible experience. You have to eat and drink even if your appetite is suppressed. Taking Vitamins and supplements is also very important. Yes, nausea can happen to some people but there are meds for it and saltine crackers. Smaller portions help too. If all you can eat is two spoon fulls. That's okay, you can eat 6 to 8 times per day. I remember my Nutritionist saying 3 meals per day, if you are hungry or not. In the beginning it was two or 3 baby spoons only. We have to eat and drink to live. I am very happy with my bypass surgery, it has changed my life and I am only 11 weeks post surgery. I feel amazing.

You only have to walk a little. The purpose is to prevent blood clots and get the gas to move. I only walked the equivalent of 3 doors down the hall and back in the first day. I was very, very slow. By the last day I was able to go a little further. It's not unlike the trip to and from the bathroom at home. Do what you can. You will be fine.

Went shopping yesterday. Bought a jacket in a "Large." Imagine that a large in regular sizes. It's a little snug but I know it will be fine in no time. It was a steal. I am officially a size 16 regular. I went to Dress Barn and I have graduated out of women's sizes. This is one of the top 10 goals I had set up for myself. My next one is 1/2 of the weight gone, then onederland, losing my cpap machine, ridding a horse and a bike, Victoria Secret Bra (still 38 and 1/2" around, below the breasts) must wait until I am a 38. I can fit in a 38 DD but it's snug and with a bra I can't be spilling and be uncomfortable. I hope you are setting some meaningful goals and celebrating your achievements. It is so awesome and it drives me to try harder.

@@Luna222 Yes, I have done that. Mindless eating is very dangerous. A few times (more times then I care to admit) I ate a few things here and there while fixing dinner and forgot I had and attempted to eat my dinner as usual. Hello, my tummy was already full and I overate = sick as a dog was the result. Then there were the bagel chips. I was supposed to try a bite but before I knew I had 5 or 6. No room for dinner anymore. I know it's stupid but why can't I remember that I can't drink yet. If I had my meal 15 minutes ago I have to wait but I forget when I ate and mess it up. It works fine with a punctual regimen. The minute I get busy I mess up. Let's face it I am not organized enough. Now mind you I am very organized about most areas of my life. Just not me and my eating. Must do better.

@@walkin'onsunshine. Congratulations. The halfway mark is a huge thing (no pun intended). I too am nearing that milestone. Doesn't feel amazing to finally be at a place were success is possible? It wasn't easy but you did it.

@@layknee I have so much more energy too. This was the most surprising thing about my WLS journey. I was expecting to feel great about losing weight but I didn't anticipate feeling this wonderful physically. I didn't know all that extra weight was actually making me miserable physically. I guess the weight goes on a bit at a time and we adapt to the new circumstances. 57pounds lighter has made me into a new woman. A better woman for sure. I was pretty active before surgery but now (most days) I actually have more energy then the day is long.

Interesting and certainly less invasive then most WLSs. An 8.3% improvement over the control group is significant. Let's hope it works in the long run.

NO, 60 pounds that's amazing. Everyone is different but you are doing very well. Imagine losing that much weight before surgery.

I have a new goal in life. If you look at my weight ticker you will notice my runner is on the grassy curb. I WANT TO QUICK THE CURB and get back to pavement, lol. I think that's a lofty goal, don't you?

@@dc0520 A pound a week is GOOD. I'm going to celebrate that with the fanfare it deserves. I think after such rapid early loses I got a little greedy. But I'm okay now.

@@misstvb Looks like we are moving along. The early massive weight loss (57 lbs so far for me) was a great incentive. To be honest I did better then I ever thought I would. But one pound per week is good too. I'll take that. Thank you for reminding me that we are still doing much better then before surgery. Besides I think our bodies have gone through a lot and at this point slow and steady is a great approach.

My choice was Gastric Bypass because it gave me the best prognosis at: 1. Losing the 120 lbs I would like to lose 2. Preventing/reversing diabetes (was pre-diabetic) 3. Keeping me on a restrictive diet as to meal size and type (fat and sugar bio-feedback) too much sugar and/or fat causing dumping syndrome 4. Met a number of people doing revisions from Lapband and Sleeve at the various support group meetings I attended. Knowing myself I was sure this was it for me. Time was running out and I had to choose the Bypass as I was not prepared to do revisions. But the fact that it is considered the gold standard in WLS was appealing to me. However, I hope we improve upon it very soon. It is a rather drastic procedure and I have no doubt a few years from now it will be considered barbarian. But I would go through it all over again for the enormous benefits I am already experiencing 11 weeks post surgery and 56 lbs gone.

I sometimes get my entire post deleted while I type. Some of you have mentioned you had the same problem. Either I didn't see it before or it's a new function but I noticed an "auto saved" function at the bottom left. I was able to retrieve my typed message by clicking on it. Cool!

By the way. I am losing weight very, very slowly now. A pound per week. I am doing everything I'm supposed to do but I think my exercise could be a little more regular. All the school delays and days off because of snow are driving me mad. In Northern Virginia just the possibility of snow causes schools to close. Today Fairfax County closed for 1/8 of an inch of snow. WOW!

@@smiley922 We are here for you. The journey includes all the fun stuff that happens in our lives. Even taking care of your mother. I am sure it's very hard but please take care of yourself. I am sure she would want nothing more then for you to be happy.

I would caution everyone on where they get their information. If it's online doesn't mean it's true. One way or the other. Medical advice comes from medical sources, right?