pumpkin07

There are definitely people I've avoided over the years b/c of my weight. I imagine it felt good to feel that confidence. You and I are like the same beginning/current weight loss I noticed, and 40 lbs is huge to me. It isn't bringing me to my 'high school weight', but it is a big huge difference from 220ish.

I'm 4 weeks behind you at 10 weeks and hit the big FORTY today yeeeeeehaaaaaa! I really hope I'm also hitting the FIFTY at 14 weeks. But if not, it has still been a really great ride. I would have told you I'd NEVER reach goal. Now I'm slightly optimistic it just might be a possibility........I never lose weight, this is terrific. I've had 2 stalls on my way, but it gradually continues to melt away a pound here, a pound there, here a pound, there a pound, everywhere a pound pound!!!

I love swimming and waiting for my salt Water pool to warm up so I can get swimming. But a bigger pool would also be great to get big laps in.....tempting.....I'm a water bug. Your weight loss is amazing. I haven't lost that much that fast, and I have not exercised. So you are inspiring me.

This is my favorite thread too. I have so many NSV's in my life. At this point I am so happy I did the sleeve. I hope and pray it was a good decision for life. I love when you wake up in the night and discover a bone you forgot you had. It has happened to me with my ribs, my collar bone, and the bones in my forearm. I am waiting for the moment it is my hips. I love that my fat tummy is shrinking inward little by little and that my skin is okay so far. My funny story the other day was I was getting a massage, which I do not treat myself to quite often. My massages are a bit painful b/c I wait until I'm totally stressed out instead of going as often as I need to. And I think every time I go I'm a bit smaller and the massage gets closer to the bones and it just kinda hurts, a good hurt, but hurts. I let him go as deep as he can. So he was sort of massaging around my ribs and I winced and he asked if it tickled. I was like no it hurts. He said, "did it hurt before in your other massages?" I was like "No, I don't think I had any ribs to massage last time!". We both laughed. Another kinda funny NSV is that sometimes I have a good day and someone will look at me. I'm like all turning around behind me trying to see what they are looking at. It IS just plain weird, this crazy sleeve thing. And then yesterday I was at work in an office I don't go to a lot. This big girl just freaked out on me. She was like "AGH! WHAT! Where did you go? Where did it go?" She was just astonished. It was hilarious b/c she was totally in shock and not expecting it. My husband has a big b-day coming up. I bought a SLEEVELESS hawaiin-ish t-shirt dress that just has small straps. I have not shown my shoulders in a LONG LONG time. It was also probably one of my last Lane Bryant purchases b/c it was a 14/16 and so I have to find somewhere else to shop for the next size down. That was bittersweet b/c it is easy for me to find everything there. But it will be a little while before I'm out of there. Anyway, I know we all have these moments. It is totally cool, this crazy sleeve thingy. And I am enjoying it so much. I feel like I've shaved a lot of years off my life, and I'm also going back in time to days when I was more comfortable with myself and my body. My only regret is......that I gave away all my small size clothing about 3 years ago. Darn!

For sure she needs to talk to Robert or Garth Davis in Houston (Big Medicine /TV show). They did not do my surgery b/c I didn't know about them but a friend of mine went through 6 mos to prepare for her surgery and she got the best care ever. I wish I had gone there instead. Matthew St. Laurent is very good too.

It is weird how I became a seed/nut lover since the surgery. It seems to be such a great snack. How can you buy sunflower seeds toasted/roasted in the shell without so much darn salt?

I think gosh, you lost like a bunch of weight and you body is going..."What the?????". So realize your body needs a chance to adjust to all this and then you will suddenly start losing again. I think I stalled about the same time, then lost like a lb a day for a while, then gained a pound right after 2 mos from surgery and stalled again for a week. Then lost the lb, then another lb, then another lb in like a week. I think it is kinda cool and I just keep telling myself...."self...you are not eating much so the weight has to keep falling off". I like the little stalls b/c it gives me time to readjust emotionally to my new weight and anticipate the next change. I notice the physical changes happen a lot towards the end of a stall. Last night I knew I was losing again b/c I found my collar bone protruding. When I lay in bed I noticed my tummy pooch is now narrowing itself. I remember discovering my ribs at the last stall and that was cool. I remember pinching my waist and not finding a roll and that was so cool. I mean, definitely there is still a couple inches there but hard to grab now. Just enjoy the physical changes as well as the scale moving. Myself, I am waiting for the day that I turn sideways and there is NO hangover of my stomach. OMG that is a dream. I'm hoping my skin will continue to shrink itself. So far so good. But THAT damn hangover tummy roll is the biggest test of all. Have fun with this...you will not remain fat b/c you are not eating enough to remain fat. This is cool...enjoy the journey.

wow.....I have to say they are concerned about you and uninformed, but also, wow just a little manipulative. If my friends did that though I would have to really stop and listen to their concerns. Bc my friends are true and true. I did have one person against my decision but she was very respectful in how she voiced it. We were kinda food buddies too, going to lunch together, etc. We haven't discussed it much since then we just stay off topic. Her concerns though, they were valid. It was a big risk, maybe too big a risk looking back and realizing how serious complications can become. But no one was so disrespectful to me. I have to say I would listen to my friends concerns, but also really look at their motives and see if they are tried and true. But once you go for it, I hope they support you.

One good point with this surgery is that it does not require a lot of will power to lose weight. My husband knows I have very little success with dieting, but that was what was different about the sleeve than a diet - it is a tool to lose weight that controls me, instead of me having to control it. This surgery requires a short pre surgery diet that we all manage to survive perfectly or imperfectly, it requires the money or insurance to pay for it, it requires the guts to go through it, it requires the money or insurance to pay for complications if you happen to have some, it requires some cooperation with your own healthy recovery, and most importantly, it requires a really really great surgeon with a very proven track record of success. AND some support from family and friends is nice as well (not required, but wonderful if you have it). I am one of those that has very little patience, time, or history of success with diets. A long standing track record of failure with dieting. Yet with this sleeve/tool I eat as I did before, although less and differently. But /I don't have to have willpower to be moderately successful. The tool does its thing, you eat less b/c eating more doesn't work, and you win. So for me that is what makes it worth the investment and the risk. Something to think about.

I think in a way that our husbands do need support from their social network as we go through this. My husband told more people than I figured he would b/c he was upset and worried. Try to understand...

I understand. I've been there before too. You are smart to not write him. HIS LOSS.....who needs a guy that doesn't check on his girl after her surgery??? Not you!!!

Whoa what a cool story. That is really neat that your mother in law joined in. How cool. Best wishes you are doing great.

Well first of all I am so happy you are on foods. YEAH! You know I'm always telling everyone to boil a chicken...so boil a chicken. Can you eat broth with some slivers of overboiled chicken in it? If it were me I'd try to get the Protein in very natural ways, but gentle. If you need something crunchy...how about trying something that is crunchy but dissolves before you swallow it like lay's chips low salt or pringles...that is what I'd do. I had crunchy stuff pretty soon and I did better with that than with THICK stuff like tuna salad or refried Beans (had to be pretty thin) or even baked potato. If it is thick it is scarey to me. But finally, let me address your weight loss. I mean, one hell of a way to lose it of course Stacie, but let me tell you that you are over half way there and on some level you have to be loving that...or you will be soon.

They will throw you on the table in about 5 minutes once they know you have the money. lol But the thing is, you do miss out on so much of the nutritional training and psychological preparation. I regret that part. I had one session of each, it wasn't enough. I think that effects your outcome, so something to think about.

I'm hungry in my stomach. Doesn't feel a lot different than before surgery to me. Like right now my stomach is empty, I feel it, and I want to eat. I don't want sweets or bad things as much, but still those cravings are there. But a little bit satisfies me.

Sounds to me, honestly, like you are not thinking clearly. You cannot risk your health by making your own decisions at this point. It sounds like if you continue to go this route you are going to get very sick. Do not risk this. Things have not gone perfectly in your recovery, so please do not be in denial about that. You have developed complications at your incision site and also with your gallbladder. Do not deny it! Get back to that doctor and call the surgeon! I know you do not want the surgery, but honestly, you are not in a position to call the shots here. Do not risk your long term health because you do not 'feel 'like having surgery again. I'm just trying to tell you this based on what you wrote. I am not a medical professional, but I think you need one to respond.

Well lookey here Sam, it takes time. And your body does stall a few weeks after surgery. And then you'll suddenly have this week in which every day you lose a lb and it is really fun. I did that and now I'm up a lb. But most people seem to lose 10-12 lbs a month so I think you've done great. Weight loss didn't stop, your body just needs a minute to hold onto your fat. But with the calorie restriction it can't hold onto it forever. Be patient, stop weighing. Weigh only one day a week and record it and you will see progress. If you weigh the other days that is just for fun.

Great Job - I am sooooo happy for you. Keep up the great work. This sleeve has been a real solution to your weight problems. You are almost there. Wow. In 7.5 months and the girl still has her hair. You rock.

I totally regretted it the first month. I had a harder time emotionally and I was very scared b/c I think I was in shock at what I'd done/how much of a change it was. So you just have to know you can't go get your tummy out of the trash (I thought a lot about that). So instead just be very nice to yourself and very patient and take it a day at a time, or warm green tea at a time. I boiled a LOT of chickens in filtered Water with a little celery/onion and very little salt and was more comfortable with that broth than the powder broth. I remember I was cold a lot and I kept a heating pad in the bed near me and that helped me be comfy all night. I didn't have the spasms, I guess everyone is different. I was very cold, cold feet without food in my body I guess. So for me it was definitely the warm broth that got me through and a little cottage cheese here and there. When I was ready to get off of that it came natural. Just don't try to do everything everyone says but try to think what your body wants. It might change from day to day for a while. I cried too - one day I cried a LOT it was about a week out. Then on and off for a few days. I just kinda let it rip. My husband is still a little freaky about that part he got really scared when I was crying, truly mourning the loss of my fatty stomach parts. But I survived and eventually the positive changes started outweighing the fear and doubt. I wouldn't say I'm thriving at 2 mos. out b/c i am more tired than I want to be at times. But I do feel better now than I did BEFORE the surgery. And I look a lot better I think.

You all made laugh. TMI hahaha

I am 2 mos out and still have problems with 'thick' foods.

I haven't had my levels checked yet, but I have no thyroid hormone in my body without my Armour - my thyroid does not work at all. I've had this since I was 12 and it gradually got worse. I still take the Armour, but I lowered my dosage on my own b/c after I lost some weight I could tell I didn't need as much (heart palpitations). I figured that would happen b/c with less weight less would be needed to support my shrinking body. I'm going to get my levels checked soon. But actually like other hormones, once you lose some weight your thyroid might start working differently. I would think it would maybe work better. Something good to monitor - don't ever just stop taking it b/c that could put stress on your thyroid if it is struggling to produce. And it could slow your weight loss down.

I tried making green iced tea in the beginning and it was just not as great as hot green tea to me. So I gradually switched to regular iced tea and just kept it kinda weak. I sweeten with agave, but most people here recommend Stevia. I drink tea a lot. I never had the Water aversion issue, thankfully. Mine was apple juice which made me nauseated. I really don't like juice unless it is fresh squeezed. I guess that is good though - extra calories. I order hot green tea a lot at restaurants.

I hope you feel better soon. I too didn't have a BM for a long time and OMG it was just scarey. Nice to know the plumbing works, eh?

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.