bobbyswife

Check with local support groups. My bariatric center has a free clothing swap. You bring in the stuff you shrink out of and swap it for someone else's stuff in your size.

When you get to solids a friend of mine who has lost 300 lbs in 18 months after the sleeve recommends Quest bars, but it took a long time to get to the point of eating bars. For a long time he could only eat half of it.

I haven't had my surgery yet but I have seen some people say applesauce helps get things moving.

It's pretty normal for your body to feel weird when you shock it with such a drastic change. I am DREADING pre-op diet but I also know that if I can get through that I'm in the clear. I've seen lots of people post-op say the same thing. Do you have any blood sugar issues? If it's unbearable you need to call your doctor, but any time I have done slim fast or medifast I have felt pretty creepy for about 3 days and then been good to go after that.

I'd say 38 lbs is pretty freaking awesome. To follow this thread, go to the top of the page and click "Follow This"

Bethlehem GA - getting sleeved on 12/18

I don’t want to look like a flying squirrel after my weight loss, so I’ve spent a great deal of time researching ways to combat loose skin, and while there’s no promise of perfect skin after losing a lot of weight, I’ve come up with the most common things that have supposedly been helpful when talking to and reading about people who have lost up to 100 pounds and more. No, I’m not a skin specialist, but these are the top 10 things that I think I will do in these two months prepping for surgery Dec. 18th. None of these items would be negative, so any benefit that does come from them will be… well... a benefit! These are in no particular order 1) Coconut Oil – I’m slathering myself in this every day. Coconut oil keeps the skin’s connective tissues strong and supple, and can even help with skin blemishes. I’ve already noticed a major improvement in my skin health since starting this regimen. I’ve always been prone to itchy skin and it has all completely stopped in a matter of days. Also, cooking with coconut oil is the healthiest in my opinion. Cooking with oils such as olive oil is counter-productive because once it reaches a certain temperature it starts to oxidize and release free radicals. That’s never good. 2) Body Brushing aka Dry Brushing - Releases toxins, stimulates the lymphatic system and improves circulation. Always dry brush in a circular motion, brushing toward your middle. 3) Water, Water, Water – Drink, Drink, Drink. If you’re an adult, you know this. Enough said. 4) Weight Training - Work those muscles. This one is tricky for me because I am so arthritic and have fibromyalgia and I have to literally micro-manage my every move in order to prevent adrenal fatigue, but I am so hoping, praying and wishing that once some of this weight comes off and I am in less pain, weight training will be possible again because I love it! 5) Say NO to sun bathing and chlorine – both of these dehydrate your skin. If you’re like me and love to be in the sun, use sunscreen or good clothing coverage. But, for me, I’m personally going to avoid too much direct exposure, at least between now and goal weight. It’s a healthy practice to get into anyway. Unfortunately it can be a catch 22 though, since so many sunscreens are full of skin harming chemicals. Your best bet = cover up! And for Heavens sake – stay out of the tanning bed! If you must go swimming, even in an indoor pool, wash that chlorine off ASAP. Can you say dry skin? 6) Regular Massage – I’m a big believer in massage for too many things to list, but treating your skin to regular massage stimulates your blood cells and lymphatic system. Your skin is your largest organ – treat it nicely 7) Protein – Lots of lean protein will give your skin the collagen and elastin that it needs to stay healthy. If you eat a bunch of crap – expect your skin to be crap, too. I know this from first hand experience. Any time I get off track and start feeding my body junk food, my skin is the first thing to suffer. 8) Use Decent Soap – it doesn’t have to be the most expensive thing on the market, but cleanse your skin with a decent moisturizing cleanser and avoid over-cleansing. 9) Essential Oils – my sister has recently delved into the essential oil world and I’ve really been impressed with some of the studies that have recently been put out. Lavender oil and almond oil just to name a few are amazing things. I add a few drops to my bath when I feel like soaking. It’s good for the skin and the lavender is oh-so-relaxing, too! 10) Compression Wear – The support group meeting that I attend is lead by a bariatric surgery nurse who himself has lost almost 300 lbs. in about 18 months post sleeve. He swears by compression clothing and says it doesn’t have to be the expensive stuff either. Just a good quality compression undershirt and leggings makes a big difference, he says. Some other ideas I’ve heard about on bariatricpal.com and in my other searches include things like taking beef gelatin, using or making body wraps, using lotion with caffeine, and eating lots of high antioxidant fruits and vegetables. Getting in “lots” of fruits and veggies is particularly challenging for VSG’ers because protein must come first and there’s often not a lot of room for extra. For this reason, taking a bariatric grade supplement for life is critical. A couple of funny comments that I got when I posted a question on a forum about ways to prevent loose skin was “youth” and “good genetics”. I got a good chuckle out of the youth one because now that I’m in my 40’s it’s certainly apparent that I’m not a teenager anymore. But, alas, healthy skin is something we should try to keep at any age. The bottom line is that none of this may work at all, but if I don't try, and I end up with loose skin, I'll wonder if it would have been better if I tried. If I try them all habitually and I still have loose skin, at least I'll only wonder if it would have been worse if I hadn't.

Monday, November 3rd at 7 pm at my house in Bethlehem, GA (between Loganville and Winder) some of us will be having our first in person meet-up group. If you live in Georgia and are interested in attending this group support and you have been sleeved or are to be sleeved, please consider joining. If you are interested, please PM me your email address and how to find you on FB to add you to the group. I do not intend in any way shape form or fashion to "lead" this group, as I am a newbie myself, I am simply volunteering to facilitate this meeting since there has been an expressed interest here in the forums. My hope is that we can do this once a month (?) and that each person will bring their own questions, experiences and perspectives as we all support and lean on each other through our journeys.

OK Everyone - How about Monday, November 3rd at 7 pm at my house in Bethlehem? If you are interested, please PM me your email address and if you are on Facebook and I'll make us a secret group. I think that would be a heck of a lot easier to keep up with!

@@Bluesea71 I love everything about what you said. Thanks so much for the feedback!

@@BigGirlPanties have you found it to fade stretch marks? If so, I'll buy a truckload and marinate in it every day!

@@D.Lo another thing I'd like to share with you is something that I try to apply to all areas of my life and I hope to be able to apply this to my WLS journey as well. As a life coach I have used this as a way to work with my clients in the past. It's a quote by John Maxwell that says "Your attitude determines your altitude". Meditate on that for a moment. The future and how we perceive it is really in our own hands. Instead of saying "I really do hope that it works", say to yourself, "This will work for me because I'm going to make it work for me." It changes the whole dynamic of the negative thought process. Hope that helps!

I've read so many different stories about this, and this is why it's so important to come to grips with your emotional attachment to food before surgery. That being said, I know that sometimes the excitement and the prospect of a thinner healthier version of yourself overshadows that reality. I urge you to go to support group meetings and possibly even talk with a bariatric counselor. You are not alone. My surgery is in December and I am trying hard to give myself all the mental pep talks I can, but I am also a realist and know that I won't fully understand what you're going through until I'm there. Kind of like single adults telling parents how to raise children lol

THAT is FUNNY! Love it.

@BitterSweet* while I agree with you, it seems that most VSG patients have little control over that, especially in the very beginning.

Jess I think you're right. Genes are in the forefront. I suppose when it comes right down to it I want the weight loss more than I care about the skin. But true, who knows what it would be like if you didn't do anything. I suppose if I come out of this looking like a flying squirrel it will be what it will be.

I hope that the doctors and surgeon on your team will use your experience to educate themselves and others about possible risks and complications. You say you had really bad reflux before the sleeve?

Thanks WL WARRIOR! I'd love to hear what you come up with from your studies

Compression! That's a great one!

How are you doing now, Tammy?

@@JamieLogical can you post some info on the beef gelatin?

Well, there is that :/

I’ve spent a great deal of time researching ways to combat loose skin, and while there’s no promise of perfect skin after losing a lot of weight, I’ve come up with the most common things that have supposedly been helpful when talking to and reading about people who have lost up to 100 pounds and more. No, I’m not a skin specialist, but these are the top 10 things that I think I will do in these two months prepping for surgery Dec. 18th. None of these items would be negative, so any benefit that does come from them will be… well... a benefit! Feel free to chime in with your own tips, too. I’ll be putting together a blog post on this soon. These are in no particular order 1) Coconut Oil – I’m slathering myself in this every day after my shower and before bed. Coconut oil keeps the skin’s connective tissues strong and supple, and can even help with skin blemishes. I’ve already noticed a major improvement in my skin health. I’ve always been prone to itchy skin and it has all completely stopped in a matter of days. Also, cooking with coconut oil is the healthiest in my opinion. Cooking with oils such as olive oil is counter-productive because once it reaches a certain temperature it starts to oxidize and release free radicals. That’s never good. 2) Body Brushing aka Dry Brushing - Releases toxins, stimulates the lymphatic system and improves circulation. Always dry brush in a circular motion, brushing toward your middle. 3) Water, Water, Water – Drink, Drink, Drink. If you’re an adult, you know this. Enough said. 4) Weight Training - Work those muscles. This one is tricky for me because I am so arthritic and have fibromyalgia and I have to literally micro-manage my every move in order to prevent adrenal fatigue, but I am so hoping, praying and wishing that once some of this weight comes off, more weight training will be possible because I love it! 5) Say NO to sun bathing and chlorine – both of these dehydrate your skin. If you’re like me and love to be in the sun, use sunscreen or good clothing coverage. But, for me, I’m personally going to avoid too much direct exposure, at least between now and goal weight. It’s a healthy practice to get into anyway. Unfortunately it can be a catch 22 though, since so many sunscreens are full of skin harming chemicals. Your best bet = cover up! And for Heavens sake – stay out of the tanning bed! If you must go swimming, even in an indoor pool, wash that chlorine off ASAP. Can you say dry skin? 6) Regular Massage – I’m a big believer in massage for too many things to list, but treating your skin to regular massage stimulates your blood cells and lymphatic system. Your skin is your largest organ – treat it nicely 7) Protein – Lots of lean protein will give your skin the collagen and elastin that it needs to stay healthy. If you eat a bunch of crap – expect your skin to be crap, too. I know this from first hand experience. Any time I get off track and start feeding my body junk food, my skin is the first thing to suffer. 8) Use Decent Soap – it doesn’t have to be the most expensive thing on the market, but cleanse your skin with a decent moisturizing cleanser and avoid over-cleansing. 9) Essential Oils – my sister has recently delved into the essential oil world and I’ve really been impressed with some of the studies that have recently been put out. Lavender oil and almond oil just to name a few, are amazing things. I add a few drops to my bath when I feel like soaking. It’s good for the skin and is relaxing, too! 10) Body Wraps – this one I hesitated to add to the list because there’s a great divide among people as to whether or not they really work. I’m not keen on the big name multi-level marketing companies, so I won’t mention any names, but seriously, you can make yourself a DIY wrap at home if you just Google how to do it. Can’t hurt, right? I’d love to get feedback from anyone with other ideas!

Ingles in Auburn filled mine when I had my tonsils out back in 2007 and I had back to back bottles.

I'm in NOLA this week for work but when I get back Friday I'll look at some dates and toss out some suggestions. Sound good?