pumpkin07

I finally, after 5 mos. had to go back to my PCP b/c I was out of my thyroid meds. I hadn't told him b/c I have concerns about ever being able to get private insurance, should I need it. I'm self employed. But lying isn't good either, so I decided to fess up. He was pissed. Said that he has patients (I believe he was referring to 1) that got the sleeve and could not stop loosing weight. He tried to keep his composure, but obviously he was mad that I didn't ask his opinion. He recommends the lap band b/c it is 'temporary' and can be reversed and seems to hate this surgery b/c of its permanency and says that I'll have trouble getting enough Calcium, B Vitamins, and D vitamins b/c once the stomach is cut off they become harder to absorb. I thought that is why I didn't get the bypass, b/c this surgery didn't have those issues. I thought once I could eat more that those problems would be more manageable. I didn't really argue points with him about lap band b/c he didn't seem to have the time. He did help me figure which vitamins to take with which, but wondered what you all thought. He is a nice guy, and I understand. But he was obviously caught off guard and not happy with me.

Well, I cannot believe I've lost so much weight in 2 mos. I don't mean that in any way except what it says, total shock at the success of this surgery. Hats off to my surgeon as he did a good job on my surgery. And the weight is definitely coming off faster lately which has been a total rush. I feel like I'm just riding the sleeve train in a sense. I would have never had this much control on my own, sadly. I just sucked at diets, still do. Plus, due to an auto immune disorder my thyroid doesn't produce on its own, so even with supplements I was always at a disadvantage metabolically and probably genetically too. It was a battle I had given up on honestly. I'm such a terrible dieter, so I just tried to maintain my high weight, but inevitably would gain a few pounds and it really added up. I was a passenger in my own life in some ways, instead of being the driver. Being morbidly obese made me mad because I wanted to look good, wanted to wear cute clothes, wanted my husband to drool over me again every once in a while, wanted to feel like I would live to raise my sons and hopefully be able to be a good grandma one day. I didn't want to leave my family early and have heart attacks and so forth. But HOW? I considered the lap band once, but I knew after attending a seminar it was not a good long term solution for me. The chance of slippage sounded pretty great because I didn't think I'd be good at chewing food into dust before swallowing it. I figured it just wouldn't work for me, I just knew that. But I still wanted to be a normal weight....BUT HOW???? I finally decided to find a doctor and just go to him and present myself, fat belly and all...and say "look doc, I don't want to be fat, but I don't want to be malnourished either, my insurance sucks, but I have some money to pay for surgery...so what do you recommend?". He said definitely the sleeve. I was like WHAT IS THE SLEEVE? I was truly shocked as he explained it to me, I had never heard of it. The idea of not bypassing anything was very appealing. And from that moment my life changed I guess. OMG it made TOTAL sense to my logical brain. To forever reduce the size of my stomach, hmmm....that appealed to me and I went for it faster than anyone thought I would. I had the surgery within weeks of going for that first doctor visit. Over the next weeks I started thinking...hmmmm....WHY NOT? Permanently altering my body did not sound great in some respects, but then again I was looking toward heart disease and that didn't sound good either. The basic reason I chose this surgery is because it would force me into calorie restriction, which is what I felt I needed to give me a good edge over a bad metabolism. That was my basic reasoning. It worked. Even though I'm a terrible dieter, caloric restriction is now sort of forced...with this sleeve that is not a problem. I guess you could say I'm happy customer :biggrin2: and that I'm riding the sleeve my way :thumbup1: which is working for me and I am once again my husband's girlfriend :drool5::001_tt1::001_wub::lol0: :001_tt2: I have bought a few cute clothes, still at Lane Bryant. I'm wearing a 14W/16W now whereas I was an 18W/20W. I have had to buy new cute underwear, bras (down 1-2 cup sizes), and I had to buy a halter bra to wear my cute new shirts with since I don't have to cover up my whole body from head to toe. I think I'm the Lane Bryant cover girl this week b/c we are dressed the same, but guess what....in a couple weeks I'll be having to find me a new store to shop in. I'm no longer morbidly obese, in two months. I am now obese. I'm sure in 2 more months I'll be overweight, and 2 months after that I'll be normal. This surgery has huge risks. It does. I came to realize that along the way as I did see others fall ill. But for me it is good so far. I like being my best self and being in the driver's seat again.

Hi there. I was on here a whole lot my first year after sleeve. I was so incredibly scared after my surgery. I really felt I had ruined my life or at least I worried I had. I realized I had done something without really understanding how serious of a decision it was to take out such a huge part of my stomach. I was in a total panic. But day by day I made it through. My hair fell out somewhat, and I felt weak for quite a long time. Finally in the second year I got my strength back. And my hair back. It is curlier which is so awesome. I am 5'1" and I weigh 150. That is 70 lbs less than before. I did not exercise at all before surgery or for almost the whole 2 years, but now I started reformer pilates at a small studio and I bought a kettle bell and I'm planning to start my cardio DVD soon. I have been going regularly to pilates for almost a month, and this is something I'm proud of. I might be firm one day! I am finally trying. I don't want surgery, honestly. I'm okay. I wear a size 8-10, mostly 8. I haven't really regained. I was the most stubborn person on Vitamins, but now I'm good at it. I think. I settled in happily with Iron with C (Celebrate brand); CAPSULE Multis for the Sleeve (Celebrate); and quite a bit of Vitamin D. I have not been good at Calcium but I'm checking my bone density soon. I did discover some underlying heart conditions I was not aware of. I had developed consistently high cholesterol before surgery, and it did not go down. That is genetic apparently. Everything else went down, but we have a cholesterol issue in my family. It is the small particles that are my problem, long story. But basically I now am going on statin drug. I also have a valve problem and a right bundle block problem. I kind of think this was all before surgery. My surgeon didn't require an EKG. I had symptoms of problems before surgery. I do not think I am the only person with underlying heart problems discovered after weight loss surgery. They are going to ultrasound my heart in 3 mos so I'll find out more. But I don't think it is urgent and I don't think it was caused by this surgery unless it had something to do with no taking vitamins for a while (?). I am MUCH cuter,my husband still loves me and I sometimes have to pry him off of me. At first it caused some jealousy, etc on his part and perhaps an EGO problem on my part (it was fun to be looked at) but we have both settled in. My libido was down a long time after surgery, but getting better now. I was also chonically consipated after surgery, but now it is so much better. It took a long time though to get better. I have struggled more than others with vitamins and bloodwork being a problem. I hope it is getting better. It was probably my own doing, very stubborn I am. Take your vitamins!! I take mine now faithfully. I still love food, maybe more. I am a better cook now strangety enough. I also don't stuf my family as much anymore with bad stuff. The only real problem I know of that I have is frequent heart burn/acid. Prilosec is my friend. I try to only take it when I must, bc who knows long term problems from that (I have no idea if it is a problem or not) so I try to take half of one and that is usually great. I don't recommend or not recommend this surgery. The only thing I'd do different is keep it more of a secret. Everyone thinks you took the easy way out. I thought by being up front it would help others who had the same problem, but pretty much it didn't matter too much. My brother did get sleeved, so that is good. He has done fine also as far as I know. But it would be more fun to have kept it a secret in my opinion.

Well, it definitely gets easier to fall into bad habits over time. I fall in and out of them, but at least it is a tool to manage your weight. Part of the health issue is simply weight. Supplements for me are best taken at night, because they don't seem to give me any problems then. Beverages, well I can't get much water down but do pretty well with iced tea and so I do that or my koolaid. Few cokes, some coffee which I LOVE now but dehydrates me terribly if I drink too much. I don't exercise although I know I will start sometime. When I walk I lose a few extra lbs. I take my thyroid in the morning and my vitamins at night. I know it isn't enough vitamins, but seems to help. I do the best I can. That is all we can do is find what does work. We are food addicts for the most part, we love food and we are not going to be perfect. You sound a bit compulsive like perfectionist vs. falling off the wagon. Extremes. No forgiveness, no grace. Enjoyment? I am imperfect, but grace is extended if I am at least managing my weight. The best advice I ever got is protein first, then veggies, then carbs. But I do eat candy more than I did before, like Hot Tamales and also I eat a lot of Sunflower Seeds. I could be better, but I know I'm just me. I've ALWAYS liked candy. Not chocolate just sugary stuff. But whatever, I just try not to buy it and that helps sometimes but not others. Lighten up on yourself, you are doing fine. Don't sweat every little thing you do. ENJOY YOUR LIFE!!!

With me, year and a half out or so...the physical exercise helps when I am very busy and I'll lose down to my lowest weight which is 145. But as soon as I stop exercising I put it back on. With snacking I can creep up to 149 or 150 but then if I cut carbs more I lose back to 148 which is more my standard weight. My problem, I know, is my metabolism which has adjusted to my lower weight. I am normally fairly inactive. But mostly even on a bad day I'm not eating a TON of calories, but I guess if I'm not moving so it still tries to store extra weight especially if it was snacks/carbs. But so far it is scarey, but manageable. Usually if I'm busy my weight is lower than if I'm at home with nothing to do but eat. And usually I'm pretty busy so that works for me. The hard part is when you are like stressed and wanting to junk out and you just can't consume the volume. The ultimate irony I guess. Trying to self destruct and yet can't fit the food IN (thank goodness). Or if I go between meals too long and I'm sooooo needing food but get physically full, but just not yet satisfied. Then I have to eat again a short time later. But honestly, I'm so inconsistent and the damn thing still works. I'm a believer. But scared I will creep up. When I hit 150 I am in freak out mode. And usually it goes away quick.

awwwww way to go! You look terrific. When are you due with lil Tatum? Your dream come true!!! So happy for you. I loved having my baby boys...and I love when others are just so excited to have children. All children should be so blessed.

I have had the munchies. Really wanting to eat a lot of food. Bought a big box of Cookies from costco, these danish sugar cookies, bc it seemed like a great deal for $12 bucks. OMG that was such a bad idea. Therea re 25 dozen cookies in the tin. We have had company this weekend and between all of us, mostly me I think, the box is now half empty and I definitely probably ate more than anyone else because I was cooking and they were there. Not to mention that I just ate from sun up to sun down on Saturday. Grazing all my sleeve would allow. How I wanted to eat a lot. I just wanted to eat a ton of roast beef, carrots and potatoes, etc. I wanted VOLUME this weekend for some reason. I didn't lose all my weight after the sleeve. Mostly I'm around 148 now. And tonight I'm at 149 and so thankful. Was scared I'd weigh 155. Not trying purposely to test my sleeve, but just thankful it works. Somehow I do good and I do bad, I am active and inactive, Vitamins and forgetting vitamins. But through it all I'm like 145-150 up and down within my range. I know as long as I'm in my range, I'm good. Would love to weight 128, my doctor's goal for me. Longing to be smaller in the waist but feeling way to lazy about getting there at this point. Not really wanting plastic surgery. I still look fat naked, same shape as before, just smaller. I wear a 10, sometimes an 8. I have worn, S M and L in shirts. One day at Michael Kor I bought 3 shirts, one in each size. Just depends. There are things about me that are just still fat, mostly my muffin top. But when I'm ready to hit it hard, I know my sleeve will be there to help me. And right now, when I'm just seemingly trying to be bad, my sleeve is there for me. It is a win win. I do suffer with a bit of reflux and have to take Prilosec every other day or so. But other than acids trying to shoot into my esophogus, I'm good. I think I have a problem with reflux because my sleeve is small and I am a short person, so small and short I guess (a 34 boughie) My surgeon refused to do a bigger sleeve on me, said I wouldn't lose the weight I wanted. I think he is right, but the reflux sucks. Sometimes I wish I could eat a full meal though, I know someone with a bigger sleeve, and he feels he has to have more will power than me to lose weight. Not sure what the magical answer is, but I'm just thankful for 149 today. Because I deserve to be gaining and I'm not. I'm sort of on hold until I make that decision to start moving for life. I want to do Pilates, walking, weights...but I just never get started.

This is an emotional journey as well as a physical journey.....keep journaling and asking those deep questions to your soul and you will find th eanswers you are looking for. It is a lifetime of habits also, that must be reformed. I used to self sabotage on the scale, the numbers is a big head game for me. The sleeve is a tool. I have a tendency to graze sometimes still, and eat things I don't need, but usually that is followed by the same number of days of just not being so hungry. I feel certain with the sleeve and therapy this will work for you. But like others said, don't self sabotage to the point of getting a leak! Smart to go to therapy and work on this.

I had surgery a long time ago, over a year and a half ago. I don't talk about it to most people because they just don't have any interest in it. It is sorta rude that they don't care and are uninterested, but most people are not interested in things that do not impact their own personal life. People like to say you've lost so much weight, you look great. But most people don't want to know you had weight loss surgery. As soon as you tell them it is like you just told them something tooooooo personal. And with most people you don't have that close of a relationship, they are mostly acquaintances. They ask how you lost it, but they really don't want to know it was weight loss surgery. Best to just say, I eat more Protein and less carbs. So I just really try not to mention it, because it is uncomfortable for people to hear for some reason. Maybe it is kinda like telling someone you had hemmorroid surgery. No one would want to know that either!!! I don't think of it the same, and I didn't know people would react so negatively to WLS. But they do. So if it were your hemmorroids you wouldn't go around talking about it, right? So I guess it is just something for close family to know or close friends but not acquaintenances. When I started this journey I was very open, but now I think people that don't tell a lot of people at work or whatever are smart to keep it private. It really is no ones business.

From what I can see, you lost a heck of a lot of weight. Not that you should want to rub it in her face but dangit, you finally found what works for you and you are excited. Don't let her poo poo that in any way. Her issues with her own weight are separate and are her own. It is great she lost 50 of the 100 and she needs to see the glass is half empty and that is a good/great thing. She is halfway there! I'm sure it changes the dynamics of the relationship, but it sounds like you want to be happy and have worked hard for it. Being overweight is just awful,, and unfortunately it creates scenarios where many of our relationships are built around food. Just like an alcoholic likes to drink with drinkers. Smokers with smokers... She probably misses her old food buddy, but she needs to find her peace with your new gorgeousness!

My surgeon told me most people lose 85 percent of excess weight, which is what I lost. to me those that lose 100 percent work harder or are super lucky.But for me I am okay at 145, size 8 or 10. At 5'1". it beats the heck out of 220. I never exercised and just focused on Protein and got my fluids in. I drank iced tea orvcherry koolaid w sugar made weak the whole way. No chemical sweeteners, but sometimes agave. drank more natural broth than whey protein. I was the naturale girl just sticking to wholesome food not junky food. Ate my favorite stuff but less. Hardly ate a sandwich don't much care for sandwiches or lunchmeat or eggs. Took Vitamin code Vitamins for women made from raw veggies so more BMs finally which is helping me feel better. My internist said I should weigh 130. but I have maintained my weight a year almost and I feel it is fine. don't overanalyze, just focus on finding the best best surgeon.

Yes, I also have maintained at the same weight since a few months out of surgery. For me it has not become harder to maintain the weight I'm at, but I live with the fear of regaining the weight. But thank goodness this tool seems to keep me in check, blunders and all. So far.

We all know this surgery has both risks and potential complications. Trying to live with them is dangerous. Perhaps you need to demand more from your surgeon. Hopefully you have health insurance. Start looking for options with other bariatric surgeon. I am sure there is an answer, but first you have to get the doc to admit it is a problem. If he won't, I would keep going to doctors. Someone will help you

All my life my weight has been a relationship issue because I feel fat or look fat or get fat. Kinda the biggest hurdle for me. Now I'm married and I was just slightly chubby when I met my hubby and then gained like 55 lbs over the years. I always thought he was disappointed about the weight gain, as I was. So now after losing my 70 lbs I lost a couple more lbs on vacay and he hugged me tonight was kind said "AGHHHH" and I was like "WHAT?" and he said "I just don't want you to get toooooo thin". Which I'm not, I'm 5'1" and still weight 146. But it was such a great thing to hear someone say. I'm like, can you say that like 200 times to me. Because my whole life men have been afraid of me GAINING too much weight and I've never had anyone worry I might get too thin. It was just kinda funny.

16 mos out - lost from 220 to 148. I am 48 years old now. Went to DIsneyworld by plane, then to the beach nearby Disney, then on a CRUISE (lifelong dream) to Bahamas with my family and friends. I wanted so many times to write in and just say how much I do not miss those 70 lbs. I wore the cutest sundreses w flip flops and even though they would look better on a 17 yo, they looked good still on me I felt. I know I need to firm up and lose a bit more as I've rested at this weight probalby 6 mos easily, but let me tell you nobody could out walkme and noticed I was usually leading the pack. I had just as much stamina, and even my husband kept saying how I could have never made it through some of the things we did especially at Disney. We went to a waterpark Atlantis in Bahamas and I could easily get in and out of tube and pull my legs and arms in to avoid getting hit. I remember a tube being a disaster before because I was already a tube. A new lease on life you know. I saw a lot of big people and I felt so bad for them at Disney and on the cruise. I even saw a big person toting a big oxygen tank behind her which could not have been real easy. I was never so glad to have done this. No one that sees us has any idea what we have been through, and probably look wishing they could be as small. If only they knew they could... I wondered if it would it be hard on the cruise...not being able to pig out...because I've always heard about hte endless food. Well, honestly the food was overwhelmingly overrated, and kinda gross at times. I was so thiankful for the good coffee bar to get an occaional latte to clear my stomach because the food just wasn't as fresh as I'm used to nowadays and tended to make me feel so bloated and gassy. It was manageable but after a few days really lost so much appeal. But it was frankly just not an issue except that it wasn't great food overall, just a few good things. I usually couldn't stomch a bite of dessert bc I'd eat to try to fill up because we would tend to be so hungry bc we didn't snack as much as my usual and I'd fill up so fast. I found the same as always, searching for good Protein, usually lean. Altho I did have a nice piece of fried chicken on the cruise which was probably the best thing I ate. But they had a lot of fish and baked potatoes and I tended to eat that and got full quickly. One night at Disney we ate at Cape May which was awesome. I ate so much, like 4 oz of clam chowder which was the best, then 3 of those snow crab halves dipped in butter. And a roll I think. It was the best meal of my life I think. My husband couldn't believe I ate so much, but maybe bc the crab looks like more than it is and we were there a really long time. My brother is getting this surgery soon I heard. So happy for that. I wonder if my son, who is 13, might wind up in the same boat someday because definitely I passed on the gluton-syndrome to him. He ate quite a bit at mealtime, hoping he didn't gain. And soda after soda. But overall, a good trip. The kids behaved and it was a safe trip. Next time I doubt we would do Disney or the cruise, bc Disney was exhausting and the cruise, well we went Carnival and there was so much partying/sex/drinking it was a turn off to me. Not a very good environment for kids, kinda scarey. But we stayed safe. The best part was the Bahamas, so I think next time we'll just fly to Atlantis resort and stay there, it was verrrrry nice. This was kind of a vacation of a lifetime for us, and for me a celebration of my weight loss journey. I would put on a cute dress and my husband would say "Wow, bet you don't miss those 70 lbs now." And I'd ask, DO YOU? And he was like "NO WAY...". Tomorrow we will be home, still in Florida now resting up for the last leg of the trip. No worries here...

You are right. You can't be real heavy and then thin and expect to look the same - obesity has its scars. It is but a small reminder that we don't want to go back there again, right? So excited for you. I know you are living your dream right now. And you know what, you totally deserve it.

I forget so much I need to fire myself. But don't worry...they can make a size 10 a size 6. Just hard to make a 6 a 10. You'll be fine. Your post made me laugh. Where do you live?

I know 3 sleevers, we would all be willing to meet I'm sure. We all live near 249/I-45 area like Tomball/Spring/Champions area. Two of us over over a year, the other one is a newbie.

Hi you all. I haven't been on here in a while because life got busy. I guess at 5'1" I am determined to maintain 146-149 lbs. I wanted to lose a lil more, but I didn't want to struggle so I guess I'm happy where I am. For the most part I'm a size 8 now. My skin is a little larger still than I'd prefer, so I can't imagine if I was a size 4. I look pretty good at this weight, just slightly chubby. I still have a pooch on my belly and a slight crease in my back but not ROLLS anymore. The skin is improving over time. I did go to a cardiologist to get a stress test and heart monitor bc my heart rate was low and I had some weird symptoms when I was heavy that I avoided checking into. There may be an electrical problem that is minor, I have to go for a follow up but the doctor said it was nothing to worry about. My dad has had a pacemaker for 25 years so I need to watch it. But the pacemaker did save his life bc his heart kept stopping. But it is something I honestly worried a lot about so I'm proud I went to check into it and look forward to my follow up. I did just get lasik surgery for my eyes because my glasses were getting too expensive and I am out and about so much now and wanted to wear cute sun glasses, etc. So now I'm 20-20! I can't wear make up on my eyes yet, but once I do I think I will look a lil different and better. I guess next for me could be a lift/tuck but maybe in a year or so. I never had surgeries and now I've had 2 in less than 2 years! But I am sure eventually I'll get some kind of lift/tuck. I just don't want anything that makes me look like a patchwork quilt haha. I'll go for something as natural looking as possible. My husband said I used to have monster boobs and now he fondly calls them his 'critters'. haha He is happy though. I did not lose all of my breasts perhaps because my weight loss stopped at this point. But I'm happy they are smaller, believe me! I don't even mind losing a lil more there. They are not so much in my way now!! I lost my libido for like a year after surgery and now I'm better, so he is happy about that too. Ultimately the surgery brought us closer although we were always fine. It makes me feel good that he met me kind of at a chubby time, and then I got fat, and now I'm just a lil cuter and smaller. He loved me through it all and never pressured me and I appreciate that so much. When I was at my highest weight of like 220 I was just absolutely mortified. I am short and did not carry it well, and I am so thankful he hung in there and supported me and didn't pressure me. He totally wanted it to be my decision. But I will tell you this, without this surgery I would NOT have ever lost the weight. I was on a slow slow trend upward and just somehow lost the ability to control what I ate. My appetite had really increased as well as eating the wrong foods and not drinking enough fluids. So in a sense, this surgery long-term saved my life. I realize that now. Now food is almost a non issue in my life, although I love food still. It just isn't the focus of my life. I really wish I could have had the surgery 20 years ago, because I just was never comfortable being overweight. I was thin as a teenager and I felt 'cute'. I did not like the way people looked at me as a fat person, or the way I felt about myself when I was heavy. It was hugely embarrassing to me. I am happier after having shed this problem. The surgery not only takes care of the physical, but for me it enabled me to refocus my emotions and my attention on other important things in my life like my teenager that is needing attention and my 4 year old who needs to be chased and tickled. And on my husband who likes looking at my lil skirts a lot haha. I was never sure if I was a food addict emotionally or if it is a physical drive that comes from having a big stretched out belly that drives your appetite. I'm not sure how this surgery would be different for someone that did have an eating disorder that was emotional. But for me, its alllll good once I adjusted into it. I can tell you I learned the hard way to take my vitamins. My bariatric doctor initially presented it (I thought) as something that might be important sort of......he didn't really say if you don't take it you'll get weak and dizzy and sick and so forth. I definitely am one of those that need the vitamins. I am very busy and I don't pay a lot of attention to my diet per se like counting veggies and proteins and carbs. I sort of follow the basic rules and leave it at that. I sooooo would like my life to slow down, but unfortunately this is just a busy time of life for me with 2 kids and 2 businesses. We plan to retire in less than 10 year so there is no rest just yet for me. But back to vitamins...maybe it is just the surgery itself that creates such a huge need. I never took vitamins before surgery, so this is new. As long as I take them, I'm fine. It took me forever to find vitamins I could live with bc they either upset my tummy or made me gag. I have a very very very strong aversion to the taste of vitamins and have struggled through the myriad of options until I found an iron tablet from Celebrate, a B12 sublingual from Celebrate, a clear capsule multi from Celebrate, a clear capsule calcium citrate w/magnesium and D from Vitaworld, and D3 from Vitaworld. This seems to be the solution for me as I taste nothing but the sublingual which is totally tolerable. I can now take capsules with absolutely no problem. I know I annoyed people bc I resisted the vitamins for a long time. I kept trying to do the cheap ones which hurt my stomach, and then I bought the expensive chewables until finally I would gag at the site of them and ordered something else! That was the beginning of a solution. I literally bought 3-4 rounds of vitamins before finding my right mix. It was expensive so I'd try to struggle through, but in the end blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh just couldn't. If you hate vitamins, just trust me and look for gels and capsules as it is much better than not getting the vitamins at all if you just avoid them bc you hate the taste. The chewables only work if you eat them haha. I still eat a ton of sunflower seeds for some reason, this is my snack of choice. I sometimes crave my old comfort foods, but it is in my mind bc when I eat them it is not as satisfying. I am more satisfied by quality food not fast food or fried food or chips. But it isn't like I won't try it here and there but certain things are now pretty gross to me. I drink still my staples of coffee, weak cherry kool aid, iced tea. I will say I've stayed much more hydrated post surgery than ever and I'm very proud of that bc I think I used to live in a very dehydrated state. I drink a coke if I 'need' one, but rarely really want that bc of the bubbles. Sometimes though I can drink a lil coke instead of taking a prilosec if I feel I just need to belch. I don't take a lot of prilosec anymore, very rare. I don't mind the prilosec but it is expensive and also just don't believe in taking medicine if I can avoid it because you really never know long term effects of doing that. That is just the way we live in my house - we don't take a tylenol if a nap will do or a massage. I love home remedies and so forth. But not a fanatic, just practical. Last May 2010, 3 months out of surgery, I bought a suit for the end of year program at my work (a school) and it was $332.00 from Talbots plus shoes. It was gorgeous. It was probably like a 14/16 if I remember right. I still have it because I think I could have it tailored down. Beautiful. This year, gosh 15 mos out of surgery, I bought a cute bright dress at Ross that is also very appropriate (not as elegant but it is just a simple ceremony) for $15.99. hahahahaha That is the most fun of surgery, right? THE CLOTHING!!!. This particular Ross store, for whatever reason, had like a 50' line of size 8 summer dresses. I bought 3 summer dresses that are not appropriate for work but will be great for anything else in the summer such as our cruise vacation, and 1 nice dress for the awards night. tada.......$60 bucks. Yesterday I wore one to the beach over y bathing suit. I NEVER EVEREVER wore summer dresses before and now they are a staple in my closet. I probably have like 6-8 summer dresses now. My husband loves that. I also have 2 very small skirts that are not super short, but above the knee. They are as comfortable to me now as shorts to wear a little skirt somewhere. The ONLY problem I truly have is I need smaller bras and have got to figure out where to buy them as I bought the smallest at Lane Bryant about 9 mos ago and need smaller...so that is something for me to figure out as I bought Lane Bryant bras for years and years and loved them. And the other problem I have is how to stop buying clothes. I'm pretty good, but I tend to only want to buy fun clothes and I dress like crap for work. Now that I can wear cute little summer stuff, forget it, I don't buy dress pants and suits and so forth. Deep down it is because I'm just wanting to playyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy and not work. hahahaha Best wishes everyone. Thanks for the support here. I love you all and wish you all only the best.

It has been 14 mos for me. I settled in a few lbs more than I want, but I look good. I feel pretty good, but not perfect. If I did it again I would see first why SO MUCH of my stomach would need to be taken. If anything I regret not trying something a little less drastic like taking half my stomach or 65%. I worry long-term that I'll be 80 and not able to eat or eat as well as at least can now. It would be less hassle if I had a little more room there. But that said, if I didn't have the surgery I'd be miserable and unhealthy too......always regretted losing so much of my stomach though. This is really restrictive and sometimes hard to get enough food down even when it is great food. I think time will prove this surgery was a bit drastic on the size front.

I have a few questions. First of all...I cannot really DO many chewable Vitamins because I finally gave into the reality that it is very quesy for me. I bought some Celebrate multis that were just for sleevers...I loved the mix and effort they went to to simplify it BUT I literally was gagging. The sweet with the Vitamin taste is awful to me. I tried and could only stomach 1 a day and I needed two. I talked to a very nice girl there at Celebrate and she told me there are definitely people that have vitamin issues so I'm not the only one. They sold me a multi small CAPSULE (3 times a day) without Iron (the chewable vitamin has the iron in it) and then I take the Iron . And then of course the Calcium is separate. Three times a day is a lot, so if I were going to double up on one which is better morning or evening? But my question is...what is a good calcium citrate that is a pill you can swallow? I tried liquid and the big lozenge type chewables. I gag. I tried calcium citrate petites and they hurt my stomach. I need one to swallow that is not many times a day. I heard there is one 6 times a day...what the? Twice a day MAX. Okay,I am sensitive to vitamin gagging and I need a LIMITED number of pills to take that are easy to take.. And explain to me abou the iron again...can I take it with the multi? I think I can, but the calcium citrate is separate. Is there are secret you have that you neeeeed to share with me. Because I'm very far out from surgery and just now finding a few products to live with. I cannot do shakes, gels, or chewables. I need pills easy to swallow. The most I can do in my mouth is the sublingual B. I am doing much better though. I think once I conquer the calcium I got it. And girls...you gotta take vitamins. I didn't and my bloodwork was NOT GOOD. Sometimes i wonder...did he accidentally do the bypass on me? But surely not. Just seems like I gotta have them.

I do enjoy the idea and sport of eating as much as ever. Thinking about what to eat...planning. But what I eat is different, thank goodness. Very little fried food, more fresh steamed veggies and lean meats, less sweets, more fluids. There are times though that the reality of eating doesn't measure up to the idea of eating.

I honestly notice it makes others that are not interested very uncomfortable to talk about. Usually they say NOTHING. It is so uncomfortable. You want to say "So glad I shared..." They act like you are cheating on your husband or something...just very uncomfortable to their thought processeeeeezzz. I guess overall they just CANNOT relate. Like if you told me to quit smoking you had your lips sewed up. It would not make sense to me. I guess that is how it is for some people. They don't understand you CAN live fairly normally after a sleeve.

I am going through something similar right now with my husband's older kids. I am apparently the step monster and they pretty much don't like me. It is hurtful, but the worst was when one of them would talk bad about me in front of my son who is 3, and I found this out from the lady that takes care of our 3 year old during the day. The daughter takes such joy in being my critic. I let her know, and asked her to not come to my house when her dad nor I are here, because she was purposely visiting when I was at work. What is weird to me, I don't know if you experienced this or not, is that they have NO TROUBLE setting boundaries themselves that I'm not allowed to cross. But I am apparently NOT allowed the same priviliege. We used to get along better, but when I started taking up for myself just a little, well, no one liked it. Kinda sad, I'd rather be in a happy family. Eventually it does start taking a toll on the marriage.