lauraellen80

At my 6-month follow-up, my surgeon told me to ignore anyone who told me to stop losing, or said that I was getting too thin. Like others have mentioned, people get a distorted view of what they think you look like/should look like. My surgeon said, "If they had never seen you before, they would just think that you look 'normal."' When I visited my parents over the holidays, my mom said that I looked thinner than I'd ever been, even when I was a ballet dancer as a teen. Um, nope. I was usually around 120 then, and I am 128 now. It was 20 years ago, mom... your memory must be a little faulty there.

It's great that you are finding the support you need here. But also don't be afraid to "shop around" for a therapist! It's almost like dating--you have to find one you "click" with. I had to go through several therapists before finding one that really works for me. I seriously saw one woman who suggested that to get over my body image and food issues, I should watch the video for "All About That Bass." Also, I don't personally feel comfortable with talking to a male therapist. I'm the same about gynecologists.

OMG, I have so much respect for you! Smelling chocolate all day long would kill me!

I actually don't get as severe motion sickness on planes as I do in the car. I can't read or do anything in the car... even looking at a map for a couple minutes makes me a little urpy. I can play easy crosswords or read magazines or "fluffy" books (i.e., nothing with footnotes) on a plane, but I also always take a motion sickness preventative a couple hours before flying. Dramamine makes me loopy and doesn't help a lot, so I have always taken "Bonine," which is sold OTC and comes as a small chewable pill. I would check with your doc to make sure it's OK to take so soon after surgery. I had to fly from Pennsylvania to Indiana about 4 weeks post-op for a family emergency and took it then with no problems. Oh, and I'll second what @@JamieLogical said about asking for help with your bags. Strangers were very nice about lending a hand.

Agreed. Especially if it's not iceberg. I have to be honest, I get a little tired around here of hearing people dismiss lettuce (and other leafy vegetables) as a useless waste of space and acting like it's some kind of junk food. I eat salads pretty regularly (I'm 7 months out), though now I load them with Protein, and I usually go for ones made with mixed greens and spinach. I guess I could eat nothing at all but protein like some people claim to do, but I would prefer to be able to have regular bowel movements. I'm just silly like that, I guess. I don't eat lettuce and I have a BM every day.... Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I have trouble with any raw veg8oiiietables post-op. I am 16 months out and they still cause me to have super uncomfortable gas and burping. Cooked veggies I can handle just fine. Having BM is not problem for me, but lettuce does not offer enough to me to have the pain that it brings on. Everyone is different and our bodies know what we need and can handle. I was just curious as to how others tolerated it... I apologize for hijacking your post and taking it off topic. I'm apparently having a bad day emotionally. Of course if it causes pain to you, it is not worth eating!

I'm not saying you have to eat lettuce in order to, but I've seen a lot of posts on this site that basically say that if you eat anything other than Protein protein, protein, you're essentially an idiot who is going to fail. My apologies for being hyperbolic, and I'm not directing it at you or any one person really, but it's just starting to get to me. I spent an inordinate amount of time for the first couple months post-op sitting on the toilet while crying because I simply did not have enough fiber in my diet to pass things without tearing and bleeding. Yes, I took stool softeners, and yes, I tried fiber supplements (the ones allowed by my surgeon, at least), and I drank senna tea, and all of that, but the only thing that helped was adding in oatmeal, prunes, and more veggies. Honestly, if things hadn't started to get better, I would have major regrets about having surgery. I know that to a lot of people, anal fissure are just a punchline, but in reality, they are enough to make one verge on suicidal. And I'm not being hyperbolic with that. And I feel so much better now. But I hate that I feel like I'm a failure, even though I'm below goal, and that I'm essentially just a ticking time bomb who'll start packing the weight back on at any moment.

Agreed. Especially if it's not iceberg. I have to be honest, I get a little tired around here of hearing people dismiss lettuce (and other leafy vegetables) as a useless waste of space and acting like it's some kind of junk food. I eat salads pretty regularly (I'm 7 months out), though now I load them with Protein, and I usually go for ones made with mixed greens and spinach. I guess I could eat nothing at all but protein like some people claim to do, but I would prefer to be able to have regular bowel movements. I'm just silly like that, I guess.

I didn't fly anywhere for my surgery, but I would suggest asking to NOT be seated in an exit row, since your mobility will be limited after surgery. Personally, I get motion sickness very badly (since before surgery, this is nothing new for me, but I have heard that you can have an increased sensitivity post-op), and I find that the best place for me to sit in order to avoid nausea is on or directly behind the wing. Further back in the cabin, and I get really green really quickly.

Some people's plans allow them to eat oatmeal, since it is a whole grain or "healthy carb". Most people I've seen on here mix in some unflavored Protein powder. I personally haven't eaten oatmeal post-op and don't intend to. But ultimately everyone needs to figure out what works or them. Recommendations from surgeons and nutritionists are all well and good, but only YOU have to be able to live the rest of your life. I eat oatmeal made with fairlife milk and Protein Powder mixed in nearly every morning for Breakfast. I'm not a veteran yet, far from it, but I'm below goal at 7 months out, so I can't be effing it up too badly...

I'm taking my Multivitamin, Calcium, and Biotin as usual. I've been pushing fluids even more than usual and drinking Propel and Powerade Zero which have added Vitamins and electrolytes. I've always been one to catch respiratory stuff. I had strep and pneumonia many times as a kid. So this is pretty typical for me, sleeve or no. I'm not really congested, it's more sore throat than anything, so I can't be of help in suggesting what to take for that. Thanks for the suggestions, all. Feeling better this evening.

That's... insane... My surgeon gives 60-70% excess weight loss as the average total and likes to see patients lose half of that by the 6 month point. So, 30-35% of excess weight. Now, I did lose 100% of my excess weight by the 6 month point, HOWEVER--I started at a lower BMI and had lost 25 lbs. (1/4 of my excess weight) before surgery day.

I have been feeling crummy for the past couple days, I guess with a cold (sore throat, headache, generally feeling 'blah'). It's the first time I've been sick since surgery, and I'm wondering how to stay on track--both with food and with exercise. My old go-to foods when I was sick are things that I no longer eat--cinnamon toast, Kraft mac-and-cheese, Mrs. Grass noodle Soup. When I'm sick, I don't feel like spending time in the kitchen making healthy Soups and stuff from scratch, so I'm not sure what to do, besides survive on Protein shakes and bars. I also worry about not getting my normal physical activity in while I'm taking it easy. I use a fitness tracker, and my daily number of steps has completely tanked the past couple days, since I'm lying around a lot more and haven't gone to the gym or on my regular walks. I'm not sure what to do about this... I certainly don't want to push myself too hard, make it worse, and end up sicker than I was in the first place. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Irritable? Always. But I was before surgery, so what's new? But no, seriously... like others have said, as you lose weight, your hormones go bananas for awhile. And like you mentioned, it takes adjusting to figure out how to deal with life stress without the old crutch of emotional eating. I recommend seeing a therapist, at least for a while until you get on an even keel and fully integrate your new healthy habits into your life. I have a session this morning, in fact!

My recovery room experience was similar--I have a vague recollection of moaning "Help... help..." because I was so nauseated when I first started to wake up, and I seem to remember a nurse coming over and being annoyed that I was calling for help. But I was really out of it, so who knows! My other "worst" was one of the floor nurses, who came in at one point the second day and asked me "How many pee-pees have you made today?" like I was a toddler. My mom (an RN herself) and I had to keep from making eye contact with one another, because we knew we'd both burst out laughing if we did. The other nurses were phenomenal, but that lady was a ditz. My mom wonders if she worked on a pediatric floor before. I was a bit frustrated that the dietitian from my surgeon's practice left right around the time I had surgery, and it was quite a while before they got a new one. In the meantime, I got some contradictory advice (mainly about carbs) from the surgeon's PAs and the dietitian at their other office in Maryland, whom I spoke with on the phone. But those were just a few minor annoyances--otherwise my experience has been great! My surgeon is top-notch and is very straightforward with you. The staff in his office is pleasant and helpful. And the hospital where I had my surgery is almost brand-new was great--my mom, who is a nursing educator, actually took notes and talked to some of the staff about how they run things to get ideas to take back to her hospital.

I get it. It's obvious that we are/were fat, but to put it out there in actual numbers is embarrassing! I've been fairly open about saying that I've lost over 100 lbs when people ask, but there is part of me that thinks, "Oh, no... now they know that I was well over 200 lbs before!" Of course, they're not blind, I'm sure they were aware of it, though not in terms of exact numbers. I mentioned it in another post, but so far my favorite comment has been when a friend saw me a few months after surgery and said, "Is it just me, or have you lost a F**K-TON of weight?!" I was still quite a ways from goal then, so I replied, "No, more like half of a f**k-ton so far."

I've incorporated carbs from early on, partly because I had terrible constipation problems without enough fiber. I still haven't eaten pasta or rice... but I eat oatmeal (every day); small amounts of fruit (apples & prunes mainly); quinoa, beans, lentils, & chickpeas; low-carb tortillas (1/2 at a time); and I occasionally have a little bit of starchy veggies like sweet or regular potatoes, peas, corn, etc. I've only had tiny amounts of bread, and then only out of the house on special occasions (like tonight, I had a small wedge of pita bread with hummus at dinner out for my birthday).

I just had my 6-month post-op visit with my surgeon. I'm below goal now, but still near the top of the "normal" range of weight for my height (I'm 5'2" and 128 lb). My surgeon warned me not to listen to anyone who says, "Oh, you're getting too thin!" or "Don't lose any more weight!" because they are just used to seeing me really heavy, and I may lose a bit more yet so that there is some room for the "bounce" that typically happens a year or two after surgery. Someone who meets me for the first time wouldn't think that I'm too thin, just normal.

I'm discovering that I'm apparently a total basic white girl. Since getting near goal, I love to wear long sweaters with scarves, skinny jeans, and boots. Just stick a Starbucks cup in my hand and call me Becky!

Have you had your thyroid levels checked, @@bellabloom? Maybe you have hyperthyroidism.

I've always bought a lot of my basics at Kohls and Target. I really like Loft and was excited when I was able to shop there again.

I'm almost 7 months out and below goal. My daily menu looks like this: Breakfast: 1/2 packet of lower-sugar oatmeal made with Fairlife skim milk 1/2 scoop of vanilla Protein powder stirred into the oatmeal 1 Morningstar Farms veggie sausage link or, if we go out to breakfast, I'll get a Denver omelet and eat about 1/3-1/2 and give the toast and most of the home-fries to my husband or, if I know I'm going to be going out or eating a more carb-heavy meal that day, I'll have a Protein shake My commute to work is about 25 minutes, so once I get there I have: 2 cups of coffee with Torani sugar-free syrups and some Fairlife 2% milk Lunch: 1 ounce turkey pepperoni or chicken breast or tofu 1 light string cheese or Babybel My NUT wants me to start making my lunch a little more substantial, so I'm working on throwing in some veggies & hummus, a few baby dill pickles, making little salads, etc. Mid-afternoon snack: 1 ounce cashews, pistachios, and almonds with 1-2 prunes OR 1 ounce roasted chickpeas with 1-2 prunes OR 1/2-3/4 of an apple with 2 TB natural almond or Peanut Butter DInner: Varies--in general, something that includes 2-3 ounces of protein (meat, soy, Beans, dairy, etc), 1/4 cup non-starchy veggies, and sometimes 2 TB of a starch (potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, low-carb tortilla, etc.) Evening snack: 3/4-1 cup of Greek yogurt with added Protein Powder topped with 1/2-1 ounce of salted caramel and/or dark chocolate almonds OR topped with 1/8-1/4 cup low-sugar, high protein granola OR 1/2-1 protein bar (usually Quest) OR, if I need more fluids or have eaten a lot of carbs that day, a protein shake

Every time I go to put on a pair of my size 4 jeans, I have a moment of panic that they are not going to fit, that I somehow gained back all my weight overnight, or that I dreamed the weight loss in the first place and am still a size 20.

My surgeon allowed caffeinated coffee after 1 month post-op. I usually have about 2 cups per day. I either make it at home or work and add a couple tablespoons of 2% Fairlife milk and some sugar-free Torani syrup, or if I'm out I get it at Wawa (a convenience store here in PA) and add some vanilla soy milk and a Splenda packet. I just had my 6-month appointment this morning, and all my labs came back great, so it doesn't seem to be doing me any harm!

Over the holidays, I've been trying to make myself sip on a bottle of water anytime I am tempted to snack at parties and stuff. Then I have to wait at least a half hour after I finish to eat something and often the urge has passed by the time I can eat.

One friend of mine saw me in September after not seeing me since March or April (sleeved in mid-June) and said, "Is it just me, or have you lost a f**k-ton of weight?" I replied that no, it was probably closer to half of a f**k-ton so far. It was very funny. I do get a little uncomfortable when people ask me how much I've lost... partly because I am embarrassed that I had over 100 lbs to lose in the first place! I mean, of course everyone knew I was fat, but they didn't know just how fat I was.