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I lost it on the HCG diet, it came back. That said - if you know you're not getting the Protein you need, fixing that would probably be step number 1. Along with, perhaps, a fish oil supplement. I will warn you not to use the hair loss shampoo (minoxidil) unless you're planning on using it forever. I made that mistake. I stopped using it. I looked like a chemo patient with Patches of hair.

Hope everyone is still doing well - I've started the 'real food' phase of my diet, according to my surgeon... but I'm not feeling up to it just yet. I'm sticking with protein drinks and yogurt, and one 'real food' a day... otherwise, I feel like I'm going to hurl most of the time, and don't have enough room to drink my water. 26 pounds in 27 days. I still feel like I should pinch myself. For those of you having lower back pain - it could be kidneys, but it's also a sign of constipation. If you're having to push to go that means two things - you're not drinking enough water (constipation is a sign of dehydration, because your body is trying to pull fluid from wherever it can get it), and you should talk to your doc about a stool softener... it shouldn't hurt to poop.

Miss Mac gives great advice. I'm only 3 weeks out; I started solids 3 days ago. You need Protein for your wound to heal - my primary said 90 g/day. There are multiple nutrition trackers around - loseit, fitday, spark people... I'd pick one and log what you're eating. The only thing I could do 3/4 of a cup of (and that's spread over 30 minutes) is clear liquid - Water, chicken broth, that kind of thing.. otherwise, I can do five (regular person) bites.. that is a meal for me. So I measure with a 'normal' eating spoon 5 bites that I would have taken before surgery. (I measured in a measuring cup first - it's between 1/4 and 1/3 of a cup)... but doing it by spoon fulls gives me variety.

I had the same experience. TBH, it was at the end of my first real meal - like meat and vegetables that I had this holy mother of God feeling like there was something in my stomach trying to push it back up. I assume that is the 'restriction'. After that, I stopped every 5 baby bites for several minutes to see if I was done... because I was looking for 'not hungry', never eating to full again.

@@Sassafrassa A LOT has to do with how many stretch marks you have - where you have stretch marks, you will have loose skin - at least, that's been my experience through two pregnancies and every time I've lost weight before. How much loose skin seems to be related to so many different variables; but like BlerdGirl - I'll deal with that when I know how much I'm dealing with.

Protein shakes, protein pudding, greek yogurt with protein hot chocolate mixed in, protein oatmeal (Health Smart at Nashua Nutrition)... I'm so sick of sweet stuff!

@@DroppinLikeItsHot I remember the alternating feelings! I went from excited to calm to terrified, and back again, at least 4 times a day. I, too, was worried about complications... but I already have complications of obesity, and I didn't want those to get worse. I also worried that I was giving my children a weight problem by what and how I ate - because they were absorbing that, and the lack of exercise... so ultimately, I am SO GLAD I did it. 8, 11, 17, 19 - 17 is a girl. Congrats on your decision, and enjoy those dresses!

@@Stephie76 Me too - well, I asked for 4 days off.. ended up taking a week, but I told anyone who asked, "I'm getting a sleeve. Watch me shrink!"

You are having a laproscopic sub-total gastrectomy. Used to be a very common procedure for ulcers, also used for stomach cancer. Or - now - weight loss... but we call it a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. For FMLA, your job can not ask why you're having surgery - your surgeon is a 'general surgeon' and you are having surgery for a serious medical condition. That's it.

I think 50 lbs if you haven't tried diet and exercise is a little low - but then again, if you're 4'11, that's like me needing to lose 100. If you have diabetes or if early heart attacks run in your family, that's another reason to get the surgery sooner rather than later.. But I definitely think, based on the research as to the rate of weight regain even after you do it on your own, if you lost more than 5% of your body weight and you still have 50+ pounds to go, or even 30+ lbs to go, it would be worth it to have the surgery simply to avoid the regain. Perhaps with a bigger sleeve, and probably not so much malabsorption... but I think that what we're learning about weight and the body's desire to put it back on, especially in some people - combined with the vast range of wls and what we're learning about how to tweak it, has taught us that it is an individual decision for a person to make with their doctor and not really someone else's place to judge unless you're going to trudge through their records and the current research available about the success of keeping it off... because losing isn't the only reason we had surgery. Had the sleeve been available after I had my kids, I'd have had it at 50 lbs over weight - especially knowing what I know now.

@@athena3127 Thank you for the suggestion. The scrub section at our local good will is not so great, and I'm kind of a scrub snob... that said, instead of my usual 7 sets of scrubs (so I only have to do laundry once a week)... I will probably just stick to 2 sets while I'm shrinking, one to wash - one to wear... and thankfully the ones I wear have enough stretch that I should be able to skip a size in between buying. Cherokee flexibles tops, core stretch pants if anyone is looking for *amazing* scrubs.

I'm 2 and a half weeks post op. About 5 months ago, at 335 lbs I realized that my scrubs were busting at the seams and bought new ones; 5x top, 3x pants. Yesterday I realized I was swimming in my scrubs. Today I broke out the ones that were busting at the seams... and at 276.6, my 3x top and XL pants fit perfectly .. I'm going to take them in at least once before I go shopping for new scrubs. Because never in the last 5 years have I been more than 30 lbs smaller than I am now.. so I don't own any smaller scrubs.

@@SuperDave NSV = Non scale Victory For the weeks when the scale hardly moves; an extra mile or a faster mile or an extra 10 minutes on a workout... or smaller clothes.. Thank you very much!

It isn't storebought, but the world according to eggface has pretty simple recipes for Protein ice cream, 5 minute protein cakes, protein fudge.. yum yum yum

A coworker and VERY good friend said it to me - I just laughed. I knew what she meant (it was I needed a new bra!)... I don't think I'd have thought anything of it regardless of whether she were a friend or just a coworker... but nurses are kind of weird; if I have someone walking a little off or not moving their arms the same way, I comment on it and ask about it.. and someone had a weird rash, of course we all had to see.. yep, we're an odd group.

My doctor (also sleeved) told me that clinically people will start listening to me more once the weight is gone... her observation from personal experience. Maybe your parent has aspergers... reluctant to get to know people, and hyper honest without a filter.

I agree.. I didn't need a seat belt extender on the way down, on the way back I *HAD* to have it. My pants stayed tight for two weeks, then I dropped 2 sizes over night.

@@gabrielle2014 It's important to remember, too - depression is a side effect of heart attack. It's also a side effect of beta blockers, as is slowed metabolism and increased blood sugar. There are other beta blockers out there that are more selective (and more expensive) but for some people have a friendlier side effect profile. This is a hard time, I think - without afib. With the additional stress you have experienced, I don't know how I can more strongly emphasize be KIND to yourself. If you can get Water down and find a flavor that doesn't make you want to barf, Isopure clear has been as easy for me to get down as water - Coconut is the only flavor that doesn't leave me gagging... but it's different for everyone. It has 40 grams of Protein in 20 Fluid ounces. At 2 and a half weeks out, I can't finish a 'shake' in a day... but I can drink the bottle of isopure. And Nashua Nutrition has liquid Protein concentrates you can put in your water... less bulky than the shake. Finally - if you don't have a therapist as part of your surgery, I'd recommend finding one experienced with bariatrics and/or long term health issues. I have seen people take control of their cognitive processes to help control anxiety and depression as a result of therapy ... especially in conjunction with a low dose of SSRI.

Oh yeah - and to avoid issues with your plumbing, you might consider getting one of these for your shower drain: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/bathroom-drain-hair-stopper/1013708878?mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_bath_&adpos=1o1&creative=39230268109&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CP3QrLrt5cICFcayMgodSR0AmA If the Omega 3 and minimum Protein don't stop the loss, you might also consider having a CMP and TSH level done - the CMP checks, among other things, your albumin level - a measure of the protein in your blood which, if low, can indicate that your diet is still not high enough. TSH is a preliminary measure of thyroid function; if your thyroid is out of whack, hair, skin, and nails can all show it.

Thankfully, no trouble with Water. hair Loss: Omega 3 fatty acids, at least 60 grams of protein/ day, Vitamin B complex. You might also have blood work done to check for anemia and B12 deficiency - due to the PPIs, post gastric surgery production of intrinsic factor can be a problem and that causes poor absorption of B12 from the diet. If you're deficient in B12, just taking a B complex won't do the trick.. either IM or sublingual supplementation daily is going to be part of your health maintenance. My 8 year old loves my new tiny intake - I plan to order my meal for him and he gets to pick his meal off the grown up menu. This is not much different from our pre surgery ritual, where he would eat his food and I would get two salads - one for him, and a baked potato that we would split.

You might look at a C pillow or a J pillow - they're sold for pregnant people, to help with adjusting to new body configurations... but the shape of the C gives you padding at neck/shoulder, support at back, and padding between thighs/knees.

@@bunsy I recognize that you feel you have completely grieved this loss - but depending on how close you were to this person, how frequently you interacted with them, symptoms of grief will reach up and grab you in the intestines for two years or more - sometimes when you least expect it. I grieved my mom for 5 years, easy - random bouts of tears, anger, and chocolate craving. My dad - 6 months; his illness made his death less of a shock, although their birthdays and my birthday are still hard, more than 10 years later. Be kind to yourself and recognize that it's ok to feel it, acknowledge it, really experience it - without medicating with food (or other things we sometimes use to medicate away pain), and it will process through. Next time it hurts less. I am one of those people that, in the presence of something I don't want to deal with, say, "I need some chocolate". Pre surgery decision, that was a 3 musketeers and/or a milky way and/or a SKOR bar.. now, it's a chocolate Protein drink, and I make sure that I carry that powder with me at all times. You can do this - you are worth it.

I want to be a runner - it would be more convenient, more trails to pick from, seems like so many fun 5k events... but rollerblading was as much as my knees would ever tolerate over 200 lbs, and I've got a long way to go to get to sub 200. Then I will try this C25k thing.

My husband and I have been together my entire adult life, and married when I was 23. My first marriage, his second. It's sad to me when I read about husbands who put their wives down - or vice versa - regardless of size. He likes me to keep my hair, makeup, and nails done - it is who I was when we were dating and initially married; each additional kid I dropped a part of my 'beauty' routine... as I got heavier, I saw no reason to worry with hair... nails became a very special occasion. Nails were the first thing that came back after surgery; he was delighted. Told me to get my toes done too. He is happier than I am to go through and banish baggy from my closet; he wants me to wear leather pants on Halloween! Silly man. I worry when I look at the physical state that he is in and his overall lack of willingness to change how he eats, although he said he wanted to change his diet to what I was eating - just more of it... he has a thing for chips and ice cream. I refuse to buy it, because he's told me he wants to stop eating it, but he is my husband - not my child; I'm not going to dump it in the trash or the sink if he buys it. I'm trying to make more junk food inspired healthy recipes (i.e. Protein ice cream) to keep him away from the crap, and he will go for a slow walk with me - so he walks with me on my warm up, then he goes inside and I do my actual walk with our kids. I don't think I'll ever get divorced - because I married my best friend. We've had different hobbies most of our marriage, until we both kind of planted ourselves on the couch and ate too much food for too long. He's cool with me rollerblading and is looking at a recumbent bike so it's easier on his knees. Do I want him to have WLS? Only if he wants to. Will I support him if that becomes his choice? Heck yes! Will I pester him into it? I am not that kind of wife. I do leave articles up sometimes, though, in case he wants to read them. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't. He supports me in my choices, I will support him in any choice that isn't actively harming him... and I hope to be married to my best friend for 50 more years.

Thank you for sharing your achievements!