tcrehm

I am in my fourth week after surgery and I too am still hungry. I am able to eat about 1/3 a cup of food max at a time and then 3-4 hours later, I am hungry again and I have been eating again because my stomach hurts and I feel weak. If I wait too long between eating something, I am so hungry that I tend to eat too fast and then my new stomach lets me know on no uncertain terms is that acceptable! I've still continued to lose weight and when I told the doctor I was doing this over the last week, he didn't seem concerned. I am making sure that Protein is what I am eating and my overall calories per day is a total of 700 to 800.
Most of the posts I have seen the doctors suggest they eat only 3 times a day so what I am doing may not be the correct way of doing it but it is working best for me.
For my weight loss journey I do not weigh every day but approximately once a week. I am in it for the long haul so if I lose weight slower than most, I am ok with that because it is a journey , not a sprint for me.
Every day is a new adventure as I'm not sure what will happen next. I'm sure things will stabilize at some point, but for now I try to listen to my body and do what makes sense for me. I am keeping my carbs below 50 grams per day (usually less) because I am worried that if I have any carbs only food and it goes well, I might keep going with them and then this surgery will be for not! I still have the head hunger for carbs that i fight every day. Hoping that goes away at some point.

I was sleeved today. YAYYYY! Surgery was excellent, recovery a little nausea gave me medicine for it haven't been nausea since. Gas pains in between breast and top of stomach just very annoying. Going walking soon to relieve it. So happy for my new chapter in life!

I know exactly how you feel but I bet just like me you don't plan on stopping till you get where you are going!!! Congratulations on your one year surgiversary and kudos on the hard work!!

I am one year out today with a total loss since start of journey of 65Lbs. I too am on the slow loser side but am so happy to have lost what I have and looking forward to losing about 30-40 lbs more in the next year! I would like to say it has been easy, but I would be lying. It is a struggle even with the restriction to eat how I should and keep going towards the prize. I keep reminding myself that the sleeve is just a tool and that the other pieces (exercise and eating right) also have to be in place to be successful! I also go to a weekly weight loss program to weigh in and hold myself accountable and that has been so very helpful to me. The meeting at the program discusses exercise, nutrition and emotional aspects of weight loss. I am so happy to have had the surgery and lost the weight and looking forward to keeping those 65 lbs off and have some more weight join those 65 lbs!

I am one year out today with a total loss since start of journey of 65Lbs. I too am on the slow loser side but am so happy to have lost what I have and looking forward to losing about 30-40 lbs more in the next year! I would like to say it has been easy, but I would be lying. It is a struggle even with the restriction to eat how I should and keep going towards the prize. I keep reminding myself that the sleeve is just a tool and that the other pieces (exercise and eating right) also have to be in place to be successful! I also go to a weekly weight loss program to weigh in and hold myself accountable and that has been so very helpful to me. The meeting at the program discusses exercise, nutrition and emotional aspects of weight loss. I am so happy to have had the surgery and lost the weight and looking forward to keeping those 65 lbs off and have some more weight join those 65 lbs!

So I went for my 1 year surgery follow up yesterday and I am happy to say that my surgeon and bariatric nurse are both thrilled with my progress! Blood work is on point! My Protein, sugars, D's and B's are perfection! Iron is a bit low but we knew that already! I've still got 50 or so to go but I'll get there!! Thanks to my surgeon Jason Radecke for being the best fairy-god father a girl could ask for! ♡♡♡
Down a little over 70 lbs.
I am a slow loser and I am not complaining!
Here is to another fantastic year and best of luck to all the 2016 September Sleevers!!

I am in my fourth week after surgery and I too am still hungry. I am able to eat about 1/3 a cup of food max at a time and then 3-4 hours later, I am hungry again and I have been eating again because my stomach hurts and I feel weak. If I wait too long between eating something, I am so hungry that I tend to eat too fast and then my new stomach lets me know on no uncertain terms is that acceptable! I've still continued to lose weight and when I told the doctor I was doing this over the last week, he didn't seem concerned. I am making sure that Protein is what I am eating and my overall calories per day is a total of 700 to 800.
Most of the posts I have seen the doctors suggest they eat only 3 times a day so what I am doing may not be the correct way of doing it but it is working best for me.
For my weight loss journey I do not weigh every day but approximately once a week. I am in it for the long haul so if I lose weight slower than most, I am ok with that because it is a journey , not a sprint for me.
Every day is a new adventure as I'm not sure what will happen next. I'm sure things will stabilize at some point, but for now I try to listen to my body and do what makes sense for me. I am keeping my carbs below 50 grams per day (usually less) because I am worried that if I have any carbs only food and it goes well, I might keep going with them and then this surgery will be for not! I still have the head hunger for carbs that i fight every day. Hoping that goes away at some point.

oh I have to share this morning because I am SO excited!
I finally hit that even #!
70lbs down since my surgery!
wahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
over halfway to my goal!

I had that too. I needed to increase my calorie intake some and get extra Vitamin B12 and that seemed to help.

11 Months today.
Wow.
Let’s hit those stats:
Starting weight 251
Surgery day weight 238.8
Weight today – 182
Total loss – 69lbs
I don’t know where to begin so I am just going to ramble on and see where I wind up.
I am coming up on one year and I am very happy with my progress.
69lbs is pretty fucking nifty.
Did I think I’d be further along, sure but did I ever really think I’d get “here”?
Honestly, no.
I mean I hoped that I did but I still look at the # on the scale and find it hard to believe that it’s correct.
I still try on clothes that are too big for me when I am shopping.
Yet it is and that just thrills me to bits!!!
I am not done or completed yet.
I will continue to work and make the effort.
It’s not easy and I am ok with that.
I am willing to put in the work and the effort.
There are certainly days when I want a cupcake (and I mean a good one) but I’ll physically feel like shit and the thrill certainly doesn’t last as long as I’d like it to.
So I seek my thrills elsewhere.
I am happy to be back to yoga, it’s been awhile.
That stupid car accident threw me for a bit of a loop and although I’d love to be hitting the weights I know right now just isn’t the best time for that.
Instead I have been doing 90 minutes of Vinyasa twice a week, walking a lot (I mean really a lot, my son and I play Pokémon Go) and I am going to go back to my squat/ab challenge tonight.
I really want to push myself to hit my surgeon’s first goal which is 175.
I am only 7 lbs away.
What I’d really like to do is blow PAST that but all I can do is try.
What frustrates me at 11 months out? That my BMI is 32.2 and I am still considered “obese”. What the fuck!!! LOL.
But I realize that it’s obese for “me” and my height and where I am now and where I will be.
I realize I didn’t think this was ever going to be a quick fix.
I realize that I am more than halfway to my goal.

Here’s to next month…holy crap 1 year surgiversary here I come!!!!

@@GinaCampbell - thank you for sharing you and your friends experiences with WLS. When I was contemplating getting the surgery, I did as much research as I could to understand what the worst things that might happen would be so I could figure out if mentally I could handle them. It was a challenge to find very many people that regretted getting the surgery. So I feel you have done a great service to this group by sharing your experience. I was very fortunate in that my surgery went fine with no complications but I am still getting my energy back at 11 months post-op. I will keep you and your friends in my prayers.

As a person who has been a mental health warrior for a very long time I fully understand the reason this post was made.
For a lot of you here, blunt and what you like to call tough love is 100% your approach. It is your approach because you aren't personally impacted by that approach, giving or receiving it. That's your way life.
For someone like me, it's just not that easy. I can dissect every single word slung at me. Over analyze it. Be hurt. Be sad. Worry about it for hours on end. Every time I speak/write I analyze everything to determine how it would impact me. I'm not saying the tough lovers don't think before they speak. What I am saying is that it probably isn't agonizing for you.
Is my sensitivity your fault? No. But it isn't mine either. I don't expect anyone to pussyfoot around me. And you shouldn't expect everyone to understand your bluntness, or that it was only meant just that, tough love. Not all minds work that way.
Then there are also the people who just come out of the gate swinging if someone says something they don't agree with. I'm not excusing these people, but I am a little in awe of them for having the ability to so readily defend themselves because I most often shy away from conflict. And yes, I agree they go over board and push buttons and escalate things quickly.
I guess my point is that the people who don't understand this post might have never walked in the shoes of a person with a shattered mind. We can't just toughen up. We can't just grow thicker skin. We can't always control what "butt hurts" us. That said, we also shouldn't be banned from the internet though, like is often suggested because we are sensitive. We want and need support to and you have no right to determine what does or doesn't hurt or bother us.
The world is so full of hate. If we could all try a little harder to see each other's perspective there wouldn't be so many lines drawn in the sand.
I appreciate most everyone here. I know I'm sensitive so I avoid posts that go in a direction that doesn't support my needs. Am I ultimately avoiding conflict? Yes. But that is how I make it through this world that often leaves me feeling ways that aren't healthy for me. Maybe for you tough lovers, if a responder gets a little upset, don't keep going. Just bow out of the post. You never know what storm another person is walking through.

Sent from my SM-G930P using the BariatricPal App

I started the BariatricPal forums to create a safe place for everyone in the weight loss surgery community. It is for pre-op and post-op patients, for patients of all types of WLS, and for anyone who supports the WLS community. I want you to be able to come here for advice, encouragement, support, and information without worrying about being judged.
I have a zero-tolerance policy for rudeness, and you can see the guidelines in the Forum Rules.
Recently, there have been several instances of members being disrespectful or downright rude. Examples include:
Stating or implying that a poster is doomed to failure or not ready for WLS because he or she asked a certain question or is engaged in a certain behavior. Telling people that your way is the only way, and any other way means the member deserves WLS failure. Discriminating against “newbies,” such as letting a newbie know that you don’t think he or she will succeed, or asking only “vets” to reply to a certain thread. (Reminder: you can always choose not to follow the advice of someone you deem unqualified to give it). The vast majority of BariatricPal members do a phenomenal job making BariatricPal the warm, friendly community that I dreamed of when I started it. Thank you! Besides being sure to be polite and respectful, here are some additional ways to help.
If you see an offensive post, please consider the following.
You do not need to respond. Instead of giving a rude answer and escalating the situation, you can simply choose not to answer. You can report the post by clicking on the “Report” option under the post. A forum moderator will look into the situation and may delete the post or ban the member if the member continues to post inappropriately. You can send the member a private message explaining that you felt the post was inappropriate, and explaining why. In many cases, you may be surprised that the member did not even realize he or she was being rude. Please also think twice before you respond to any questions or other posts. It is possible that you could write a post that is genuinely meant to be helpful, but the person could accidentally interpret your post the wrong way. Try to remember that:
It is very difficult to communicate a specific tone in writing. You may write something that you think is helpful and understanding, while someone reading it might take it as bossy or judgmental. Emoticons such as smiley faces can help. You can also add a sentence to explain that you are only offering a suggestion or sharing your own experience and that you are not trying to judge the OP. The OP might be in a vulnerable situation. They may be panicking about a worrisome symptom. They may be in turmoil about whether to get WLS. They may be freaking out about a stall. When they’re upset, it’s easier for them to misinterpret your well-meaning post. Thank you for doing your best to keep the environment at BariatricPal positive, encouraging, and open. We all need a place to go for help and support, and I want the entire weight loss surgery to feel comfortable using BariatricPal for advice and encouragement.

I posted some of this elsewhere, but perhaps this might serve as a helpful guide/reminder as many of us may be quite sensitive immediately pre and post op. Our bodies and minds are going through great changes and quite often, so are our relationships in the real world which completely throws some of us for a loop.
We turn here for support from like minded people but some feel that they aren't getting what they desire. So...a primer on Internet forums. Feel free to add your own reminders.
First. There is no rule that the responses must stop when you feel you got the appropriate answers, nor do they stop if you get answers you don't like. There are threads on this board that get bumped after 2-3 years of dormancy, such is the way of internet forums.
Second, just because you start a thread, it is not YOURS. This is a public forum and you will get answers from the public. Some will be very educated, some will not. Some will be warm and fuzzy, others will be blunt and to the point. And some will be overtly hostile. Take what you want, learn what you can and leave the rest.
Third. You cannot interpret the tone of the author of the post. You can read the words but that does not mean you are clearly interpreting the intent of the message being presented. If you don't like the tone you are perceiving, or are confused by it, ask. I don't mind if you say, "Hey lipstick! You being b!tchy or just straightforward?" Or "I'm really not sure how to take what you just said, care to explain?" It's the mature way to handle things and will often end hard feelings before they start. Maybe someone is having a bad day and totally worded their response badly. Give them a chance to apologize, reword or stand by their words before going off in a tangent.
If you CHOOSE to read someone's comment and tone as perpetually b!tchy, that's on you. You can't control the actions of others, you can only control your reactions. If you can't stand someone, block them. It's easy and you will never have to read their nonsense again.
Fourth. Topics will go off course and discussion will ensue even after the initial question seems to be resolved. The topics presented are NOT just for the benefit of the person who initiated it, but also for other forum participants current and future.
Fifth. Name calling is immature and ridiculous. It's also against forum rules. Don't do it. It totally invalidates every word that comes out of your mouth, past, present and future.
Sixth. Debate is good. Learn from it. Read it with an open mind. Participate civilly. It's ok to disagree.
And my wish...
Wouldn't it be nice if people could put some kind of color coding on their posts? Maybe the text would be black if the OP desires straightforward responses, pink for warm fuzzy responses, red if they want a true kick in the arse, green if they just need to vent but don't necessarily need advice, etc. sigh...
We are all traveling to the same destination. Our paths are different, our method of travel varies. Some roads are long, some short, some rocky, some smooth. The end goal is to get there. I'm there and I'm buying beer and Coke Zero for any and all who get here with me!

@@Desmond Longbottom only 2 more pounds for me not to be obese anymore! Welcoming that new milestone!

@@Desmond Longbottom Wow and Wow!! You have made such great progress in such a short time! Congratulations on such a huge success! You are truly an inspiration!
Women have body shaper underclothes that help (but not fix) with the issue you describe regarding body sizes within your body being different. I don't know if men have that same thing or not. If not, then just remember how very different you are now less than a year ago and take pride and happiness in that and enjoy the wedding!

@@lilbeanie We had surgery on the same day! I'm not losing nearly as much as I was. AND... I see new growth along the hairline. I have gone to a chin length layered cut. It has some natural wave, which keeps me from looking too scalpy. I try to only Shampoo every other day, but I usually wake up the second day looking a bit witchy. I spray it with a leave in conditioner and scrunch it. That helps.

@@RILEYSMOM22 I found this posting http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/346853-yes-this-is-a-repeat-topic/?hl=%2Bstraw+%2Band+%2Bhair#entry3903299 and am going to try this ALTERNA DAILY DETOXIFYING Shampoo made with red clover and a lot of other Japanese extracts etc. Leave it on 5 minutes. If you normally use a conditioner, then the ALTERNA CAVIAR volume conditioner goes with it.

I have avoided this topic until now because when I get started I can't stop. I am a professional hair stylist 23 years. I also have a bachelors in kinesiology so I know more about anatomy/physiology than the average stylist. I also have been slick bald for months during chemo. I have grown a whole new head of hair and watched it as it came in TOTALLY different than before. I want to recommend a product without sounding spammy. But first a few things I know to be true...
Any surgery can make your hair shed heavily.
Any changes in hormones...
Any changes in stress levels...
Certain medications or changes in needs...
Any changes in metabolism, diet, circulation or lack of...
Best way to battle it:
Deep cleansing of the scalp.
Stimulation of the tiny capillaries of the scalp and a DHT blocker. DHT is a derivative of testosterone and can form a hard shell on the hair kind of like an M&M. That hard shell keeps the nourishment from feeding the follicle thus smothering it and the hair sheds. When you loose a lot of hair you eventually will grow hair back in and those follicles get on the same growth cycle. So a few months go by and those hairs seem to shed out somewhat at the same time. It takes awhile for all your hair to get to a staggered growth pattern again. Don't avoid brushing or washing it. The scalp needs stimulation. There is hair under the scalp that can't break through the "build up". That is why new hair often comes in with curl. It's been growing under the scalp and finally break through and is somewhat "coiled". Now for my product recommendation...
ALTERNA DAILY DETOXIFYING Shampoo made with red clover and a lot of other Japanese extracts etc. Leave it on 5 minutes. If you normally use a conditioner, then the ALTERNA CAVIAR volume conditioner goes with it. Avoid using anything else especially cheap stuff which can have a lot of waxes and fillers which can coat the hair and do nothing to remove build up. Yes Biotin is a great help. There are other products out there, this one is one that I have found to work best for my clients. You can buy it straight off Alterna's website. It is$32 for an 8 oz bottle. If you cannot afford it, buy a clarifying or kelating shampoo and pour SEABREEZE over the scalp after shampooing. You don't need to rinse it out necessarily. DHT can get out of control for any of the above reasons (for males and females), and cause Hair loss. This surgery messes with your hormones, diet, and initially puts you under anesthesia which usually coats the hair and decreases circulation, etc. So I hope this helps. Even if you haven't lost hair, your hair may feel brittle or somewhat metallic. Using this type of product helps and you will love how your hair feels. Hang in there! There is hope!

Well my hair has stopped falling out at such a high rate (started a little over 3 1/2 months and stopped at about 6 months) but now my hair has a straw-like consistency. Any ideas on how best to get my hair not feel like straw?

So I've done it, I'm below 90kg. Incidentally in lb terms I'm also in the so called "onederland" I've lost almost 67kg or 150lbs. Only 13-16 more kilograms (30-36 more lbs) to go depending on where i draw my final target line. Final Target seemed so amorphous and distant and changeable. It feels so bloody close and real and solid now. I honestly don't know what to think about it. I do know that when i step on that scales, and it says what i finally decide i want it to say, then i'm gonna be one very emotional (yet manly) guy!
My BMI is down to 27 today. 16lbs left to get that below 25. That's right I am only 16lbs over normal healthy weight now. i used to be literally 10 times that much over weight.
Anyways. Lovely as always speaking to you folk.
Des

Ok, here goes. I am generally an extremely private individual, who normally doesn't like to share my personal business broadly, but when it comes to WLS, I just need to be able to talk to other people who are going through the same thing. I am most definitely NOT a group therapy/support kind of guy (the thought mortifies me). Thankfully, this site allows me to hear from other people, in an environment that is safe and comfortable for me. I have been lurking here on almost a daily basis for the last four weeks, and finally created an account. I have a feeling this may end up being a long post, so I appreciate you hearing me out.

First, my story. Like many, I have been overweight for most of my life. I have yo-yo dieted almost continually. I consider myself a semi-professional at losing weight, but am a complete failure at keeping it off (again, I know that is typical). I have high blood pressure and I need 3 of my joints replaced (two knees and my left hip), which causes me a significant amount of constant pain. However, given my age (42) and my weight, no surgeon wants to operate on me given the risk of complications and needed revisions.

I have finally come to the realization that I need help. I will never beat this on my own. I went to see Dr. Weiner on 2/9, and things have progressed VERY quickly since then. I weighed in at 333, and was asked to try and lose 25 pounds prior to surgery, beginning with his Pound of Cure diet, followed by a Protein Shake and green veggie only diet for the 2-weeks pre-op. Then came the Psych eval, Surgical Clearance/Letter of Medical Necessity from my PCP, and an endoscopy. All went well. Given my BMI was over 50, BCBS of MI automatically covers with no formal approvals needed (lucky, I know).

I have done very well on my diet, losing 30 pounds in ~4 weeks. I started my liquid diet today (this is going to be a heck of a ride), and am scheduled for surgery on March 21st (2 weeks from today).

I'm really nervous. I know I need this, and I know it will provide me the help I need to finally (FINALLY!) get to a healthy weight that will allow me to correct my joint issues, but also enhance my overall health, and allow me to do the activities with my kids that I have often not been able to do. Not to mention, hopefully be around for them for a much longer time. But I'm nervous about the surgery itself, the pain post-surgery (I am a completely wimp with an incredibly low pain tolerance), possible complications, and dumping (really, really worried about dumping). And finally, I am worried about regain. I know I can be committed to a plan, as I always am. Until I'm not anymore. I am hoping more than anything that this tool gives me the help I need to not fall off the wagon, but having a 0% success rate for 30 years makes me severely doubt myself in the long run.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, but I just needed to get this off my chest. My family is very supportive, but I try not to talk too much about my diet/surgery, because I don't want to be "that guy", I don't want them to get sick of hearing about it before I've even had the surgery. And, of course, they can't truly relate. My children are at very healthy weights, and while my wife is also obese, not nearly to the extent that I am. She has also never seriously dieted in her life, let alone considered surgery.

Thank again for reading, and thanks for all of the incredible information I've gained from this site over the last month.

@@vsgSarah3 Thank you so much for hosting this!

@@vsgSarah3 Thank you so much for hosting this!

Feb 15, 2016 - 170 lbs