shizwiz

PS: I meant to post this in the powder Room, but messed up and am not sure how to move it or delete the post :/ Sorry!

I was sleeved on 1/16/15 and have been at a stall for the last week or so- fighting the same few pounds- and am now GAINING weight! I feel like crying! I go to the gym 5 days a week, eat pretty low carb and while, yes, I do indulge in naughty food here and there- its not a lot and it is tracked in My Fitness Pal and I am usually still on track.

I am within 2 weeks of my period starting and feel all over the placeeel. I am EXTRA crazy feeling right now: I can't concentrate, want to eat ALL the time, am super duper tired despite good sleep, and my boyfriend is getting on my NERVES- for no reason at all. I got angry because he said good-bye this morning before leaving for work. Uh- that's crazy-town right there!

I did just start Spironolactone for PCOS-related issues (excessive hair- woohoo!). However, I don't see how that would cause me to gain weight and go wacky.

Is a 3 month stall a thing? Is this just a viscous period? Is anyone else getting weird/crazy PMS post surgery?

I feel like I am being a baby; I know that with eating right and working out, weight will eventually come off. However, seeing the scale go UP kills me.

Congrats to you! I was sleeved on 1/16/15 and waited about 6 weeks to really do anything. I would take walks around my office building while I was healing up.

Then, I joined the gym and started doing a mile a day of walking. I hadn't really worked out in years, so I started slow (at about 2.5) and worked my way up over the course of about a month. Now, I do a speed of 3.4 and a hills workout. I get warmed up for a bit, then increase the incline by 2 every few minutes, then decrease by 2 every few minutes. I can only go up to 8 incline...but it gets me sweaty!

After I do my mile of hills, I use the weight machines.Right now I do 3 sets of 10 on:

1.Bench/Chest Press machine at 80 lbs

2. Lat Pull Machine at 80lbs

3. Ab machine at 90 lbs

4.Leg Press Machine at 110lbs

5.Tricep push Machine at 110lbs

6. Chest supported rowing machine at 80lbs

I have worked my way up to this over the last few months. I go to the gym Tuesday, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun.

Now that I wrote that all down...holy cow! It is amazing how a little help (the whole stomach getting cut out deal) can give someone such a good push to getting healthy!

Also, just a heads up- doing strength training will make the scale numbers go down slower-- muscle is heavy! I have been steadily losing, just slower than my other sleeve buddies. But I can probably out lift them! Plus, when I am all done, I will not have to re-gain weight via muscle mass. That is my two cents, anyhow!

Cheers!

Ya'll are awesome! I think you have some excellent points; because I feel a heck of a lot stronger and am getting smaller inch wise but the scale is slow. I just got back from a week at Disney World; it was tough hitting the gym when I got back but worth it!!!

I am going to keep up my Hanz and Franz routine and get strong and fit (and skinny!) all at the same time. I think I am killing two birds with one stone by going slower

Thanks again! All of the feedback really solidified my option to keep up with the strength training instead of going back to just cardio.

Thanks ya'll!!! Your words make me feel SO much better for doing what I am doing!!! I was close to just cutting back to cardio; but I think I will continue on with my Arnold Schwarzenegger training

Sorry for the late kudos; I killed my hard drive earlier this week :/ YAY!

@@James Marusek Thank you! I think I am just over-thinking it and need to stop looking at other people and comparing Your reassurance helped!!! Ciao!

Hola! I am in Alasky I live in Bethel-- woot woot!

I am right about 3 months post-op (Sleeved 01/16/15) and have been pretty steadily losing. Very slowly, but slowly is more than none- so I will take it!

I am wondering if my workout routine (mainly my strength training) is slowing my loss by building muscle? I've heard that muscle is heavier than fat, is that true?

My stats:

SW: 285

Surgery day: 271

CW: 238.2

Here is my routine- let me know what you think:

1. I go to the gym 3-4 times per week

2. One mile on the treadmill with incline intervals; For .2 miles I get up to 3.4 mph. Then every .05 miles, I increase the incline by 2, up to 8. Then, at 8, every .05 miles I go back down by 2 and work up a good sweat and heart rate. For the last .05 miles of my mile, I cool down. This takes me about 20 minutes max. (I speed walk)

3. Bench Press machine (seated) 3 sets of 10 at 80lbs (I worked up from 40 to 80 over the last few months)

4. Lat Pull Downs 3 sets of 10 at 70 lbs

5. Leg Press machine - 3 sets of 10 at 80-100 lbs (depending on how it feels)

6. Weighted crunch machine - 3 sets of 10 at 80lbs

7. If time allows; rowing machine 3 sets of 10 at 50 lbs

I have been working on my arms as they are quite flabby. My legs are naturally muscular (thanks pre-school soccer!) but I do work on them here and there.

Is my muscle buiding slowing my loss?

Any input appreciated!

I had a surgery buddy who was in my group (via A Lighter Me in Tijuana) who did not bring her passport with her due to a delay with processing her application. She brought a letter from the US Passport agency stating it would be delayed (I don't know the reason as to why it was delayed though), her birth certificate and social security card. I know she made it back home.

However, I would suggest that if you have time to get your card, do that. It will make your re-entry back into the US a lot quicker! My re-entry took all of 3 minutes.

Cheers!

I had the same 'OH MY LAWWD I CAN EAT A TON' freak out this week!

I have been using those super cute baby bowls with the lids (the colorful ones) and baby spoons. The bowl is 8oz, so I know half is 1/2c, or a full is 1 cup, etc etc etc. I usually eat about 1/2c or a bit more and am full or at least satiated. However, I think because I am used to the small bowl as 'normal' now, I wasn't computing that my normal portion now is pretty tiny compared to everyone else's normal portion size.

But I do see FB posts from some of my surgery buddies-- they are eating 1 shrimp and then they are full. Then I am left wondering 'Seriously?!' because I can have 4-5. Then I wonder for hours if my surgeon maybe tested out a new, larger sleeving tool on ME and I ended up with the almost normal sized stomach....LOL paranoia at its finest.

I guess we are lucky in the fact that the restriction isn't super severe, and we aren't throwing up all the time, right?!

Hey- now at least I know I am not alone! Thanks buddy

I had to stay overnight in San Diego because I got in so late. The Holiday Inn Express (San Diego Airport) location was very nice for the price- cheap, too! A Lighter Me also picked me up there in the morning, which was nice! Other than that, once I was picked up, it was easy as pie. They plan everything for ya and all you need to do is show up

Do bring small bills, like $1 and $5 and some $10s for tipping. Maybe $40 in 10's, $40 in 5's and $20 in 1's to give out to the bellhops, room service, etc.

Ciao!

@@JennG25 Hey man, no judgment here! I completely understand what it is like to be in the situation you are! If I would not have had the $$ in savings, I probably would have done the same thing. It sucks, but you do you! Just make sure to pay your loan on time, pay big chunks off with things like income taxes or other big checks and get healthy!

Yes, the total loan is $6907 and that is what you will have to pay back. They will allow you a certain time frame (usually 1-4 years) to pay it back. You can pay off the balance early, but your balance will still be $6907. Plus interest. The couple of grand they tack on is a 'bank fee' that they charge you because of the 'high risk' you pose. That is why I didn't go with them, that was too much added on for me to be able to deal with.

But like mentioned above, sometimes a place like Citerra is your only choice for financing due to credit or other factors. You will need to decide if you are OK with those terms, or would rather save up a bit longer, or fund the smaller amount a different way.

Either way, I wish you the best of luck

Well, Citerra is kind of the Loan Shark of all lenders. I almost went with them prior to just draining my savings. If you can, I would really try to get a loan through a credit union, a credit card or somewhere else.

If you are that desperate and cannot get a loan anywhere else (Hey, it happens- been there done that!), just know that they charge SUPER high interest and you are going to end up paying WAY more than the loan amount. I asked for $4600 and the total to re-pay was going to be $7300. Yikes.

Also- it sounds like you are getting some red flags as far as being told one thing, and then getting another...when borrowing money- always listen to your gut.

Are you going to have a tax refund? Can you maybe use that, some out of pocket cash and get a credit card or small loan from somewhere else?

Before I drained my savings, I tried Citerra (approved but TOO high of a repayment amount), was denied for a credit union loan, was denied for a credit card limit increase and than just decided to use my savings...every penny.

Hang in there!

@@Grateful_Love You can actually use all 3 if you want to! Let me break it down:

FMLA: Family Medical Leave Act. This is unpaid time off, but it protects your job by law for up to 12 weeks. I always suggest using this whenever you can- its free and doesn't hurt to be on it.

Short Term Disability (STD): This is a benefit usually paid by your employer (or yourself) that pays for time off usually after a waiting period of between 3-7 days depending on your insurer. It usually pays around 60% of what you usually make in a week for a specified number of weeks.

PTO: This of course is accrued time off pay and can be used when you take time off.

So, if you are on FMLA, your job is protected. STD, you get a partial amount of what you normally make. Then, you can elect to use PTO on a part time basis (like 2 hours per day to supplement the STD) or even full time if your employer allows it (mine does). I know of people who took 4 weeks off, got their STD and also used 4 weeks of PTO all at the same time- and they ended up having a ton of money because they had PTO full time pay, then 60% pay! However, if you like to vacation more...I would suggest not using full-time PTO unless you have to.

Hope this helps?

@@Grateful_Love You don't have to tell your work about what your surgery is for unless you are using benefits like Short Term Disability or FMLA. Even then, that information would only be shared with an HR rep in order to get your benefits paperwork processed and in no way can HR share the medical information with your boss or co-workers.

If you are going to use Short Term Disability, you will fill out a form and your medical information will have to be on there (and your doc will need to fill out parts of it), but that information goes to your disability insurance company. HR may have to process that paperwork, but the PHI on the paperwork is protected by HIPAA and other laws. They cannot tell your boss what you are going in for. That is the law.

Also, if you use FMLA, you may have to share some medical information as well, but it should not be as detailed as the disability paperwork. My employer would allow a letter from the doc stating that due to surgery, XX days are needed off- and with any questions to contact the doc. Again, your PHI is still protected by law and only HR should see that.

I chose not to use FMLA or Disability and only took off 1 1/2 weeks and used my PTO. I did not have to tell anyone why I was out and did not share any medical information.

As far as the insurance side of your concerns, your PHI is not shared with your employer because HIPAA forbids that to happen. Your employer would have to take you to court and subpoena your medical records to ever get a peek at them.

(I am the HIPAA/Privacy Officer for a large healthcare system, btw.)

@@proudgrammy First off, I feel honored that a Bariatric Pal celebrity mentioned me in a comment!!! I'm over here all like 'WHOA!!! She said my naaaame!' LOL

I agree with you on thinking about weight constantly- I think it will keep me on my toes. However, I am excited for my negative thoughts to turn into more positive and constructive thoughts!

I used to go to bed just feeling guilty because, while I felt horrible about my health and weight, I hadn't done anything about it. In fact, the other day, I saw myself in a mirror..and I had a pang of 'I need to do something about this' and than I realized 'OMG I HAVE done something about this! I am doing it right now!!!' and I felt 10000% better.

Wheew. I'm goin' places!

@ I am glad I could help! I read a similar post prior to going down and it was SO helpful- as I am generally a paranoid person. I am so excited for you! I had never had surgery before, and while it is not FUN to have surgery, the trip was super enjoyable!!! Woot woot!

@@defibvt WOW I cannot believe you are penalized via insurance! That totally sucks Well, shortly, you will be on the road to discounts!!! If you like coffee drinks, try Click Protein with milk instead of Water. I use Lactaid because me and dairy are enemies, but they are SO good..I look forward to my morning Click! That sounds...very wrong lol. But they taste like a yummy, creamy frappacino/latte. YUM.

@@defibvt You are right on the horizon- exciting!!!! I waited for what seemed like forrreeevvvvver (from October until January) and I bet you are like a kid waiting for Santa hehehehe!

I am doing really well, thank you I am not losing really fast, but a steady, small loss almost each day. I need to get my butt into the gym this week, though!

Cheers!

@@greatestnameever funny that you mention dreams! I had a dream where I was floating down a river in a plastic tub and there were decorated sheet cakes floating down the river, too...and I would grab one after the other and just go to town- like pie-eating contest style. I woke up feeling a sugar high and queasy. Tried to look up the meaning to that dream and...yeah...I think that one was too weird for the dream dictionary. LOL

I am reading this with a feeling of (slight) dread. I am only 3 weeks post-op, but prior to surgery, the week or so before my period, I was always starving and could put away a good amount of food. It was my 'tell'. I would get a voracious appetite and the amount of witty retorts increased... and then I knew...I was about to purge some good ol' hormones.

Right now I am about one week ahead of my monthly 'Time of Darkness' and I am feeling hungry and was scouring BP to see if anyone else felt this after the ol' snip snip of the stomach. I am not super hungry, but more than I have been since my surgery date. Which was surprising as I was thinking I would not feel hunger for at least a few months.

Please pray for my boyfriend. It's going to be a rough few weeks.

@@SleevedNFree I am glad you found my post helpful! I wish you the BEST of luck during your pre-op diet, surgery and post-op periods TJ was so nice to visit and I bet it will be even nicer in spring!

@@Lindsey87 Congrats in advance on your marriage! I am sure you will have a good time The pool and jacuzzis were open, and I wished I had brought my swimming suit for pre-surgery- so hopefully your weather is good

@@Rocky1 I think the pain meds depend on the outfit. I didn't have a problem at all, never really even had to ask for medications- they had a schedule down! I did ask once, and was OK'd right away. My pump bothered me on the 2nd day. Good luck with your pain management!

@@alwaysvegas Thank you for your insight! Makes me feel so much better knowing I will probably be full-er tomorrow!!! THANK YOU!

I want the melted cheese and pepperoni off of the top of a slice of pizza, Soup made with white Beans and ham, and lately have been really craving and liking the taste of mustard (which I used to tolerate, but nothing more nothing less).