GeorgeB

http://fox4kc.com/2015/07/01/weight-loss-isnt-main-reason-why-some-are-having-weight-loss-surgery/

My Mother once told me about all of the various cures, foods, etc. found in the Bible. One of these is Aloe Vera. She had a Hispanic friend from a card club who had ulcers and used to come over and cut off some of the leaves from her plant, strip the outter skin and blend the rest, and then add it to a milkshake and drink it. We also used to use it for sunburns. It would take the sting out right away and within 20 minutes there was no longer any pain. Some Burn Centers grow it and use it to treat patients. When I had my surgery in December 2014 I bought a gallon of Aloe Vera juice from a local Natural Foods store. I did a luittle research and found you only want juice extracted from Inner Fillet, without the skin. It seems there are reports of the skin containing some toxins. I had it for a while and never tried it until my stomach started feeling a little meh and made me turn away from some foods I used to enjoy. After two days of using the juice in my Crystal Lite my stomach felt a lot better. Now I use it exclusively when I am at home. 1-2 ounces in each drink up to eight ounces a day is what they recommend. Has anyone else used it themselves? What have been your experiences? Is there any Medical information about using it internally? Please let me know.

I am 55 years old and could not be happier! I had surgery on December 12, 2014 and already lost about 80 pounds. I was 443 pounds pre-Op and now 366. I did have a TIA (mini-Stroke) a wee kago Monday but it wasn't because of the surgery. However, I have heard from many women that the pain from surgery can last weeks to months for women because of anatomy, child bearing issues, etc. I haven't heard of any with men. I was off of Diabetes meds the day after surgery. be positive, make sure you have ALL tests they tell you before, and keep on the diet they give you no matter what. You should do fine.

What they told us in our Support Group is that two things can cause stretching: Carbonated drinks and Alcohol. We are not talking once in a blue moon but on a continuous basis. Otherwise not much else will stretch your stomach. I found i can eat a bit more that when I started after surgery but that is due to the stomach healing. I am now four months post-op so I am sure it has healed as much as it is going to.

It really depends on what your BMI was when you started, what your weight is currently, etc. My BMI was 59 and I need to lose at least 200 pounds. It came off quickly, then slowed down. Last two weeks it even went up 5 pounds, but then dropped ten suddenly. I think it also depends on your fat "memory" and resetting your system. Two weeks is nothing. Give it time. Plan for the long-term and not the short-term. Stick to your Doctor's recommendations and remember to take in a lot of protein and water. Your body is also still in a healing mode, so it may be workingto repair itself first.

You are doing fine! You are only about 100 pounds over your typical weight. So, you will not lose as fast or as much as some of us. It is all proportional. I am over 240 pounds overweight. I lost 24 pounds just from th surgery. You should be patient and not expect it to all come off at once. I am planning at least 18 to 24 months. I have already lost 70 pounds in 3 1/2 months. I know at some point it will slow down and I will have to change things. it sounds like you are also going through some mental / hormonal changes as well. Talk to your Psycologist! Go to support sessions. WLS can alter the hormones in your stomach and your entire system. Don't listen to nay-sayers. Don't focus on people who discourage you. Keep doing what the Doctors tell you and follow your plan book, if you have one. Get your protien and Water in. That is a BIG key to weight loss. Keep in touch. You have plenty of support hear.

I'm not so much a chocolate fan, but... You can try Carob. Taste is similar to Chocolate. There are also sugar-free Chocolate candies from Russell Stover's, although they have sugar alcohol which can give you gas and diarhea if you eat too much at once. You can also buy Premier Protein Chocolate drinks and Protein Bars.

Years ago I was given a set of audio tapes with excerpts from various Executive and Business magazines. In it the then CEO of Heinz was quotes as saying "Sell them food to make them fat, so we can then sell them memberships to make them thin". He was referring to the acquisition of Weight Watchers. You have to admit that NBC advertisers include food products, weight loss products, Gymnasiums, etc. so anything that would challenge the old way of thinking to the tune of billions of dollars is going to be a target. WLS is just that target. As more people turn away from their products and toward WLS the networks and advertisers / manufacturers will find themselves in dire straights. I know in the KC area alone probably 100,000 or more have turned to WLS. If you put a price on that, say, $10,000, it is not hard to imagine what is happening.