txfirefly979

I'm not sleeved yet, but I am a professional Lactation counselor. DO NOT WEAN! Just nurse as ofter as your daughter wants. Fenugreek is only slightly effective in increasing milk supply and I would suspect that any fussiness you might be seeing and interpreting as low supply are actually baby's reaction to the flavor of your milk. This is not a concern for her. Your caloric intake doesn't change the quality of your milk at all. In fact women in countries where this is severe famine are often seen with fat little babies on their hips. Your body will take every it has and put it into milk for your little one, just as it would for pregnancy. This is of course an issue for you and you should try to boost your Protein after the surgery (my nutritionist suggested putting greek yogurt in my shakes to up the Protein by about 10mg a day). Unfortunately the LLLi leader you spoke with may be using old info. We don't need alot of calories to make milk, and we absorb far more calories then a non lactating woman would. We have alot of new info that is breaking alot of the old beliefs but the old beliefs do still persist.
Keep in mind that babies go through fussy periods that have nothing to do with supply, such as at around 6 months they have a "growth spurt" where they nurse all day long and all night long too. If you have not had a period PP yet that can also be on it's way back and causing you to dip slightly. This is ok and normal. Also they get to times when they re JUST about to do a new milestone and they will nurse nonstop, ditto with teething for some babies. Just roll with it, it's almost certainly not you.
Some things that may cause supply issues are birth control pills which are often recommended after surgery because of our increased fertility once we start losing weight (this includes progesterone only products), and lack of time nursing. Things that do not decrease supply are not eating enough or drinking enough (lots of research has been done on this, honest). Here is an awesome way to boost supply (without digging into your freezer stash), power pump. To do this, set up your pump and turn on the tv. When there is a commercial turn the pump on and pump. When the commercials are done, turn it off. Rinse and repeat for 30-60 min until you've seen 1-2 tv shows. This high frequency, short duration pumping schedule tells your body you have a set of starving twins and to ramp up production in a hurry. If you do this and let your daughter eat as often as she wants you'll be back to a full supply in no time. There is no reason to believe you need to wean or that your milk will change, but doubt and supplementation are a sure way of decreasing the feedings you give her for which will lower your supply. Keep up the great work and congrats on nursing this long already. I'm sure you'll be able to make it to a year and as long as you want to nurse as long as you keep it up.
Lucia (CLC, and mom of 4 breastfed babies including a set of twins and a singleton who will be nursing when I'm sleeved)

Thank you so much for this post!

I love this thread. I know it's ancient but I feel it's really important so I'll put my experience in too.
I was sleeved 13 days ago. I am still nursing my 16 month old daughter perfectly well. I nurse 4-5x a day and she has had no complaints. I asked the staff at my clinic if I could continue to breastfeed during all my preop appts and they said no. That I "couldn't" while I was on the 2 week preop diet because it wouldn't be safe for baby. (It's just low calorie, high Protein food. Nothing unsafe there.)
They also said I couldn't because of the anesthesia. (I wasn't gonna nurse in the hospital anyways. In fact, I didn't even pump. I didn't get engorged until nearly 24 hrs after my surgery. I tried to hand express but I gave up quickly. My boobs don't like giving up milk for anything but baby.) I was released from the hospital 36 hrs after surgery and went straight to my baby and nursed perfectly fine.
They also said that I would get so few calories after surgery that I "wouldn't" be able to nurse. I have averaged 500 calories a day and she hasn't complained yet.
Don't wean unless you want to.

Hello all, i'm currently 25 weeks pregnant (just started my 7th month, 3rd trimester in 2 weeks!!) and i am 20 months post-op. I was 14 months post op when i got pregnant.
I had lost 150lbs. To date i have gained 9lbs. I'm right on track to gain only 15-25 lbs. aiming for 15-20.
Baby is doing great. I had an emergency gallbladder removal surgery at 16 weeks, presumably because of the strain of excessive weight loss AND being pregnant which both on their own can cause major gallstones to form, which they did.
Other than that pregnancy has been super easy and happy. No complaints. I have a cute belly but haven't gained anywhere else.. Legs, face, arms all look the same which i never in my wildest dreams thought would ever happen (i always assumed i'd blow up like a balloon).
My doctor does not consider me high risk and my VSG hasnt effected my pregnancy in any negative way.
Im 29 and this is my first child.
Questions welcome. Congrats to everyone!

I just wish I was losing in my stomach instead of my butt. Guess I should stop feeling so frustrated about the scale because I am obviously getting smaller. I had to share with you guys because very few people in my life know about the surgery and my hubby said he wanted a picture to validate my claim.

Definitely my PMS is worse since surgery. My periods were heavy and more frequent. My periods now are more normal I guess - no clotting at all. But the PMS is such a bitch. It is like by the time I start my period I've already cramped, been a bitch for several days, bloated and come down from that, etc. Then after all that is DONE I'll start my period and it is just sort of flows for a 2-3 days but no cramping, no bitchiness, etc.
I guess I never really had PRE MS before, it was cramping and bitchiness during my period. Now it alllll happens before my period. Lovely.

Hi, great questions! I'll do my best based on my limited time since surgery. In my experience, I've developed several food intolerances and still throw up somewhat regularly (at almost 8 months out) and have a huge list of things I can't eat. So my experience hasn't been perfect, just keep that in mind.
Will I miss my old ways of eating, what, when and how much I want? Most definitely but you eventually get used to it. I have learned to eat the best part first.
Will my face look LOTS older? Yesterday I saw someone at work who said, "Oh my God, you look amazing. I can't believe how much younger you look." It made my day.
Will I regret this decision? Oh, maybe for a minute or two. I had a friend who had some serious complications and was hospitalized for close to a month. Today she has no regrets. I'm amazed by that. I never had one regret.
How will my life change? You will be an active participant in your life instead of sitting on the couch because you are too self conscious to do anything.
Will I look GOOD once I’m thin? Hells yeah!
How low will the girls hang? Probably a little low but nothing that Victoria's Secret can't fix.
Will the girls get smaller? Mine did, thank goodness.
How will this effect me for the rest of my life? Hopefully you'll live longer.
Will my hair fall out? (Does it fall out as much with a lower BMI to start?) Mine did for about a month but it wasn't noticeable.
Will I have a waist, or is not having on an “old lady thing”? I don't understand this question but typically as people lose weight, we start finding all sorts of things like collar bones, hip bones, this weird little knob on our wrist. It's crazy!
Will I have regrets that will never go away? I don't but I made a decision right before surgery that I would not complain or express regrets because i can't undo it and it does no good to bellyache about it. Bellyache, ha!
How will it affect my personal life? More sex, more fun, less focus around what you're going to eat next.
How will it affect my social life? More sex, more fun. LOL
How will it affect my business?
Has my business been hindered or enhanced by my weight? There are different theories out there around this. I'm not sure how to answer it. I have gotten a promotion recently but maybe that is because I'm feeling more confident and not my actual weight.
Will my knees stop hurting? Most definitely. Before I had surgery, I was trying to walk for 20 minutes or so and my feet would hurt. I ran 3 miles this morning and my legs feel really good.

The only other advice I have is that if you have tried and failed, don't worry about what BMI you have or what other people think. To me, that makes about as much sense as someone saying, "you shouldn't get chemo because you only have a little bit of cancer." If you want it, do it. Yes it's work, I work hard at it every day but it's a darn good tool. I've lost all the weight before and it all came back and brought a few friends. My goal is to use this tool to keep the weight off and live a long life at a healthy BMI.

Best of luck to you!

Low bmi-re checkin in. My boobs went first, I am still trying to find the correct bra size. My knees feel better. It's still hard to lose weight, you will have to work at it. You won't see the 50 led drop in 2 months. Socially, I've gotten used to it. At restaurants, I pick at my food, move it around, fake disgust, box it up and leave..no one really notices or cares. I don't regret my decision, I know I've dodged some major health issues. I know I will never be a stick, I just look more normal and less 'American'

Ive never really be happy with my weight, I have honestly been overweight my entire life, Ive lost weight and come close to being considered "healthy weight" but never actually gotten there, just to gain back more than I was in the first place. I've been on and off dieting since I was probably in 8th grade. I think my weight is taking opportunities away from me, I have alot id like to do but not sure I can at this weight. I'm a RN and had one of the highest GPA on graduation but was one of the few that went to interview after interview and not get called back, I now work in a clinic which isn't my ideal job, but they were the first to finally offer me a job. I'll be interested to see how I'm perceived after WLS. Also I have hypertension and I'm terrified I'm going to develop type II diabetes.

I spent my whole adult life thinking I could do this on my own. I lost over 50 pounds several times and gained more back with each attempt. i even joined a gym twice and signed up for swimming lessons.I kept trying and trying until I had a stroke. I was becoming my mother who died too young of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. She was 5'2" and weighed over 320 pounds. I wish she could have had a sleeve, but nobody was doing them in 1992. I got one on 12/23/2013, to save my life. I am coming up on 18 months.
My sleeve is inconvenient. Not giving in to my taste buds is maddening. My tongue always want more long after Miss Tummy is done. She is the boss of me and wins every arguement one way or the other. My family understands why I did this to myself and are supportive because we have lost too many family members to the ravages of - not cancer - but obesity
My grandparents, parents, and most of thirteen sets of aunts and uncles are gone now, taken down in their sixties, when a trim few others lived well into their nineties. Mother died at 67. Her mother and all of her eight brothers and sisters lived to their late 90's in good health. Grandma made it to 98.
Now my 60 first cousins are being picked off by obesity one by one in their forties and fifties. My oldest brother died of a heart attack at the age of 47. He weighed 420 pounds and needed a double coffin built and twelve pall bearers.
As you progress, this process gets better. I can eat a cup of food at one sitting and that is fine. I did not nearly need all the food I was eating before. My energy level is great, now. The first two months, I thought I was going to drop from exhaustion from getting up and getting dressed.
It is a crying shame that we are socialized around eating rather than enjoying each other's company. Why should my family care if I eat an apple instead of a huge piece of Aunt Esther's apple pie with two scoops of ice cream? Do I want to hurt her feelings or just go ahead and tape the pie to my hips?
I do hope you can come to terms with your doubts and stay here for support and encouragement. There are indeed people here who struggle with differences between expectations and actual results. What's done is done, so look forward....the best is yet to come. Wondering "if only" is a crazy-maker. I like the idea of focusing on all of the new things you will be able to do as the weight drops off and you begin to recover further out. Eating more nutritiously results in a happier heart, lungs, brain, muscles, nerves, bone, skinn - all of that. And the next thing you know, your pants are falling off and you feel better.
Hang out here with us. I wish you good luck and good health and a better day tomorrow.

Hi everyone!
Thought I should log in an update. I am now 11 months post-op. I've gotten through all the challenging transitioning and healing which takes place for a good nine months or so after surgery.
Before/After Stats: (Surgery was performed on June 9th, 2014)
Height: 5'6
Before Weight: 210 lbs (highest weight was 240)
Current Weight: 127
Before BMI: 34
Current BMI: 20
Surgery Day Pant Size: 16
Current Pant Size: 2 or 0
Things went like this:
I had my surgery. I followed my doctors orders. I didn't pay attention to stalls. I focused on Protein and hydration. I weighted myself daily but honestly didn't pay too much attention to the number, just checked to see that the pounds were still dropping. I never obsessed over anything, just enjoyed my journey into this new lifestyle, even the tough days.
My biggest challenges:
Definitely drinking enough fluids. I still struggle with getting 64 oz in!! Also I should do better about tracking my food consumption every day. (If I don't track, I don't eat enough)
The hardest time for me:
Even months after I added solid food it seemed like eating would never "feel" normal again. Always too full, always slightly queasy after eating, always getting things stuck in my esophagus, always dealing with heartburn. There were nights when I would just be so tired of feeling sick from eating food....but I always kept in mind that this was a temporary stage and that it would pass. It did. Now I can eat anything including Pasta, bread, red meat, chicken, and lettuce. Just very little amounts.
What I wished I had done differently:
Added strength training as soon as I was cleared for exercise. After loosing all of this fat I also lost a lot of muscle mass which led to that gaunt post-wls sickly look for a few weeks. Now I do yoga nearly 7 days per week. It would have been waaaaay better to have started earlier when I still had muscles to work with.
Here is the most important thing I did:
I worked very hard in the beginning to reset my entire relationship with food. I had to find new ways of coping with stress and new ways of rewarding myself. I did a lot of personal detective work to understand the why's and how's of my food addiction. Food to me now is just a tasty fuel for my body. Do I add good or bad fuel to my machine? Without having so many emotions interwoven with the act of chewing, swallowing, and stuffing food inside my stomach, it is now easy to choose the healthy fuel.
The coolest thing so far:
Honestly, it's the knowledge that I have just increased my life expectancy and long-term quality of life. That's a huge deal. I can see myself as an active, engaged, healthy, and youthful senior citizen. I'm only 37 but I feel like I've given myself the most loving gift possible...a healthy future.
Other totally awesome things:
I take up sooo much less space in the bathtub. I spend much less money when eating out. I am oftentimes the thinnest person in the room, which is so so weird. I no longer want to hide myself inside baggy sweaters. I am wearing tank tops without an added cover-up. I look 10 years younger!! I have beautiful cheekbones which were formerly hidden underneath a plump and chubby face. There is such a thing as a clavicle bone and I LOVE running my fingers along the ridge! Getting up off the floor is so much easier. Walking though a parking lot or up the steps is much easier. I CAN LEAVE FOOD ON MY PLATE which is something I could never do before and is now one of the most empowering choices I make on a daily basis.
The downside:
This cost a lot of money, $14,000 out-of-pocket. I went from a C breast cup to an A. I lost all my butt. Seriously, it's a sad situation about my ass...there is none. I lost all the excess fat, but also my womanly curves. I have a very loose wrinkly stomach and a saggy place where my butt used to be. I've spent a fortune in clothes and Protein drinks. It's been tough having to explain myself to family members. The downside in no way compares to the positive things that happened as a result of my wls.
My current goal:
Is to consume between 1500-1800 calories per day. My nut said to change gears and fatten up my diet. I am supposed to add carbs, calories, and fat. If I don't track I am only hitting about 900-1200 calories per day. I can only eat about 1 cup of food at the most. Now when I'm stressed I find it difficult to eat as opposed to binge eating my stress away like I used to. So believe it or not, my biggest goal at the moment is to stop the weight loss and maintain my current weight.
I hope this can be helpful to those out there who are considering getting a wls, are struggling thorough those early days when all you can focus on is sipping broth and forcing down Protein shakes, and those who are scared to take the plunge. I feel this is the best decision I could have made for my current happiness, future health and quality of life, and to model healthy eating habits/behaviors/relationship with food for my two daughters.
Good Luck to all of you beautiful and brave people!

You may find people notice less than you think they will. I've never had anyone comment on my not drinking with my meal or eating small portions. It's pretty rude to pay that much attention to other people's eating habits and comment on them. People are a lot less focused on what you do with your food than you are, trust me! But I had some standard responses in my pocket in case I needed them.
"I don't drink with my meals. My doctor says it will help me reach my weight loss goals."
"I'm trying to cut back, doctor's orders. I need to lose weight."
"The meal was delicious but I guess I'm just not that hungry."
"I had a big lunch so I'm not hungry."
etc. etc.

I appreciate all the compliments I receive BUT after losing nearly 100 lbs....I am tired of hearing "I can tell by your face you have lost "some" weight" I know darn well my cheeks didn't weigh 50 lbs. apiece!!

I haven't fallen of the wagon but I am scared that I will I had my sleeve surgery on 4- 8 and I feel like I might be in the few percentile who isn't successful...

There was a sign posted by the scale in a doctor's office that read...
"This scale can only give you a numeric reflection of your relationship with gravity. That's it. It cannot measure character, beauty, talent, purpose, personality, strength or love."
Wow! I think this is a powerful message reminding us that the scale is just a number that we can use to track our progress, and not something we should use to measure our self-worth on a daily basis.

Your situation is exactly what I'm currently dealing with, I have zero support from friends or family because they think I don't need it. They don't see the scale when I get on it, they don't know I'm pre diabetes and pre high cholesterol. My BMI IS 41 I've told them that I'm doing this from a healthier life stand point but they just don't get it. So now I've made up in my mind that I'm not telling them no more. I'm just gonna do it alone after all I'm doing it for me anyways. I'll try and get some of the support I need from these forums I guess.

Thank you for this thread.. I have a relatively low bmi and hear the same things.. Shock that I qualify and that I don't look like I need it.. This thread is very reassuring.. Thank you

I think the thing that scared me into behaving was the fact that I knew my HMO could turn me down if they heard anything about me gaining pre-surgery...that as well as I kept trying to think that THAT way of thinking is what got me in the situation in the first place. But to be honest...if it means anything...diet-wise, the pre-surgery diet is the hardest, because you're expected to eat such a small amount when you still have a regular stomach!! I tried to concentrate more on the surgery itself and preparing of it than anything else...that sorta helped me!
Wishing you much success!!!

I had my sleeve done on March 24th by Dr. Nick Nicholson. He is Awesome!! I am down 23 pounds but have been so hungry since day 1. I get to start of soft food in 4 days so looking forward to that and hoping the hunger will stop. Good Luck to all of the March Sleevers!! We can do this!!!

yeah I'm 3weeks out too and finding the same thing. sometimes even stuff that went down okay (mushed avocado) then sticks the very next day! a little frustrating but in the overall situation, I'm still thrilled to be down 20lbs in 3 weeks! :-D (especially when I couldnt lose 3lbs to save my life the past 8 years!!!)

I have the Multivitamin and the chewable Iron. (got from Vitamin Shoppe) tastes kinda like Flinestones Vitamins I took as a kid. not bad just a little grainy (I expect most chewable vitamins to be like that consistency though).
Havent tried the chewable Iron yet (blackberry flavor) as I'm only 3weeks post op and surgeon said not to worry about it until 3 mo followup unless energy levels severely drop (and then would get lab tests)

I've read all the posts in this thread and if I were you I'd only pay attention to about half of them. Don't worry about apologizing for what you said your meant. Some people that come off as being harsh really do mean well, and obviously none of us has all the answers. If we did, we wouldn't be asking for information or support on this site.
Yes, stalls do exist and they can be called a number of different things. I think all the reasons people have given for the possible reasons for the slowing down of weight loss are valid. Our bodies definitely have a mind of their own, and I'm learning that as frustrating as it is, we'll only lose as quickly as our own body will let the fat go.
At this point try to focus on the fact that if you're following the program you'll get to your goal eventually. My doctor is much like yours. He's a total jerk and talks down to everyone. He also says there's no such thing as a stall OR a plateau. He always question whether or not I'm doing what I should as far as Protein, fluids and exercise. I try not to let it bother me any more. There actually was an appointment right before my surgery where I almost left in tears. His nurses and my nutritionist assure me that I'm on track and not to worry so much about how many pounds I lose each week. They all look at the big picture and pay more attention to the fact that the scale IS moving in the right direction.
Hang in there, as I'm sure you're doing just fine. Keep positive thoughts and don't sweat the small stuff.

I used a lot of Syntrax nectar Tea (they have many other flavors) as it mixes with Water and was easier to get down early on. Also easier to sip on that all day rather than try to suck down an entire milky thick shake in one sitting. Syntrax products have like 24g per scoop. As you advance your diet you'll have other choices... Protein bars, Quest and PowerCrunch are my favs, and high Protein P28 bread and wraps. Quinoa chips, cooking with Protein Powder and lots of other options. None of these protein supplements are cheap, unfortunately, but neither is obesity! For now, find a protein you can drink and shoot for at least 75g or whatever your surgeon\Nut told you for a goal. Keep sipping your Water. As you advance your diet you'll need the supplements less, but I'm approaching 2 years out and still do one or two per day because I can't eat that much food and I like variety in my diet, (all chicken breast all the time sux). Today, I toss a scoop of vanilla whey (grocery store brand) in my coffee every morning and do a PowerCrunch protein "cookie" as an afternoon snack sometimes.

There is some discomfort with the VSG, and I took hydrocodone for a couple of days and slept in my lift recliner to avoid pulling on my belly muscles for a few days. Compared to two c-sections, gallbladder surgery (back when they still cut you half in two), appendectomy, knee replacements, etc - a total of twelve other operations) the VSG was the easiest recovery of all.
The worst part of my VSG was the pre-op liquid diet. It was not physically painful, but the psychological mess of breaking eating habits and finding new ways to sooth the hungry monster while still having a full-sized stretched out stomach - that was the worst part for me.

I'll be changing jobs week after next and just had a thought... My new co-workers have never know me fat. How weird\wonderful will it be to have a truly fresh start?