DavidOso

Welcome to "ONE-derland". Congrats on your hard work, and keep your eye on the prize!

My hair didn't really "fall out" as much as it just 'thinned". I would guess it was months 4-6. I am just shy of a year now and my new growth is curly!!! I got out of the shower the other day and noticed ringlets. I have had several people ask me if I got a perm. Umm, no. Just some MAJOR renovations...no perm. I didn't change anything, take anything, just my protein goals and vitamins. It is what it is, and nothing you can really DO about it. It is all part of the whole process and effects most of us.

@@Dashofpixiedust8, YEEEE-F***IN' HAAAAA! 100 is such a nice, round number. The NUMBER is round and YOU are not! Keep up the good work.

@@Gripp, one of my chefs in culinary school told me once,"Never tell them what you are going to make, only tell them what you have made." (This must be said with a THICK German accent!) Please remember, this is YOUR journey, it is being done for your health (emotional and physical). Your improved health means you will be around MUCH longer, and therefore able to positively impact other's lives. If the haters out there want you to die young and not influence your grandchildren's lives, then by all means, listen to them. I chose NOT to listen, and have lost 238 lbs in a year post sleeve. I am healthier now than I was just out of college. Please follow your heart, no one else's! Good luck.

@@aggietop, I was losing 22-25 lbs a month up to month eight. Then I stalled, only losing 12. Month nine, SUPPER STALL, only losing 5. Since then I have been losing about 15 per month. This month is hard to tell, a 10 day vacation and a hernia repair (10 years old, thin enough to fix now) have really skewed my intake and ability to exercise. So far this month is a wash, no gain, but also no loss. I should be back to normal food regimen next week. Also hoping to be cleared to go back to aerobics next week, just without kicks and deep squats. Weights are out for 6 weeks, but everything else should be back to normal. Fingers crossed!

Attend a free seminar, touch the brochure, look around the room, there will be people of all shapes and sizes. From this meeting to a surgery date usually averages around nine months. This is NOT a quick fix. This requires A LOT of thought. That being said, I was like you, big, but healthy, but not forever. I chose the sleeve because it was the right fit for me. Do your research, ask questions, and the right choice for you will present itself. Good luck.

One of the most helpful tools for me was/is a daily journal; food-w/grams protein and fluid (THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS), exercise, when I ate/drank, how I felt, sleep patterns, etc. By being 100% honest with myself, I could look back and find patterns and trends-both good and bad. I track daily; protein, calories, fluid, steps, calories burned, and weight. I weigh myself every morning, naked, after I pee (hey, water is heavy!). It is only a number. It's just a number that helps me track my progress. I then put all these numbers into an Excel spreadsheet, a month at a glance. A helpful tool for me and for the doctors at follow up visits. Good luck and keep us posted!

I too had the multi-sized wardrobe that I have been "shopping" out of for most of this past year. I organized it in descending sizes, and as I shrunk out of a size, off to the thrift store they went. The favorite sweaters and a perfectly broken in leather jacket were hard to let go of...but go they did. I could weep at the money I have given away, but then the tears of JOY start for what I have accomplished. The thing that is nice about the descending sizes is enjoying what currently fits, but casting my eye towards what is coming up in several more lbs lost!

@@DavidBC, I too started in 5 x. My one year "surgiversary" is coming up later this month. I have gotten rid of 4, count 'em 4 of the X's in my clothes. Now an xl. Looking forward to just being an "L". I haven't been an L since college! I have lost 238 lbs so far and am really eyeing my goal. I am beginning to think my goal weight will be a post plastics weight. I will discuss this with my surgeon at the one year follow up. Great job on your loss, both the pounds and the "X"!

Broke into new territory today, only 99 lbs left to lose. YEE-F-ing-HAAA!!!

I started with water aerobics, water Zumba, and just walking laps in the pool dragging my arms(this is harder than it sounds!). Don't be fooled, you are not just splashing around in the pool. It's hard work for a recent post op person. At the 6 month post op point the surgeon said "Out of the pool". Transitioned to land aerobics, Zumba, weights, and walking laps-increasing my speed slowly to a LIGHT jog (ME, JOGGING!!!). I am now riding my bike again-something I haven't done in 20 years. Whatever you chose to do, start slower than you think you need to go and pay attention to how your body responds/feels. Most importantly, have fun with whatever you do! Good luck.

I think you are right on track time wise. You have lost a petite person, another whole human being!!! Yes you deserve kudos, do you still have work to do, sure. It really has been nice for me to have people in my cheering section, family, friends, and just acquaintances. Another thing to keep in mind, you are in the "honeymoon phase". Your surgery is doing A LOT of the weight loss work for you at this point. I'm at eleven months post op, and I am having to put forth a lot more exercise energy than before to keep the weight loss moving(@@RoscoColetrain the sweat and blisters part of your post). So I suggest that you enjoy and encourage the praise now, 'cause you're gonna' need it later. Keep up the good work and keep us posted as to your progress.

You don't have have as many digestive enzymes as you used to have, so food doesn't get as "pre-digested" in your (much smaller) stomach before entering your intestines. They are having to work harder, and just can't do it all. Hence the gas- from either end. Me, drinking high Protein shakes, I might as well be laying a minefield. Well as the saying goes, "Better out, than in!"

@@DavidBC great job. Please consider donating your big clothes to a thrift store, men's shelter, or see if your bariatric clinic has a clothing exchange--give them big, get some smaller items in exchange...great programs. Also, I have used ebay quite successfully to buy smaller clothes I will only be able to wear for three months (blazers, dress slacks, jackets). Keep up the good work.

I don't know the specifics of a Ramadan fast, but I would think there would be exceptions for medical reasons. Pregnant women, the elderly, small children, I hear, are allowed exceptions. My thoughts would be...Eating and drinking at this stage for you is almost like taking medicine. If you are taking your "medicine" in a holy way, your body is healing and that physical health may make your prayers stronger. Also look at things this way, this year you need to take "medicine", but next year, a physically healthier you will be better able to handle a fast...still maybe not the entire time of daylight, but MANY more hours. Please understand that these are just thoughts from one who does not know, but are given with the hope that no physical crisis comes at this holy time.

DaVinci (the robot's name) did a wonderful job with my sleeve. Because of my high starting weight, my liver was larger than normal. Your liver needs to be moved aside (SUPER carefully) to get at your stomach. No problems. Three 3/4" incisions. One night in the hospital. Walking the ward the next morning. (I actually got out of bed to pee, and afterwards just kept walking around!). Now after losing 226 lbs. they are going to repair a hernia I have had for FAR too long...wait for it...with a robot.

I started at 515 and 10.5 months later I have lost 226 lbs. In 32 lbs. I will literally be "Half the Man" I used to be. @@Dashofpixiedust8 don't worry about skin, it will be what it is, nothing you can do about it, and plastics is still a LOOONG way off. I understand about your pain, but I suggest many short little walks...2 mins then 3-4 mins.The more you move the faster you will heal. It shouldn't hurt, but if it aches that needs to be ok with you. Remember, there is a new you SCREAMING to be let out. Once my incisions healed, I got in the pool for Water aerobics and water Zumba. That was a great place for me to start an exercise regimen. I wish you the best of luck, keep us posted as to you "MELT".

I had forgotten about the "OH MY GOD" (in a good way) double take. That goes on my list, too.

Please share either upcoming milestones or ones already achieved. Here are a few of mine. First time CHEWING food post op 100 lbs lost 200 lbs lost Breaking into the 200's Buying an XL shirt at a store that didn't have BIG or TALL in the name And coming up in 32 lbs...Being literally "Half the Man" I used to be. Sometimes jumping up and down, and shouting for joy needs to be shared with others...and sometimes others jump higher and shout louder than we did for ourselves.

Another trick for adding protein at this stage is PB2. This is powdered peanut butter. They press the nuts to remove most of the fat then pulverize the nuts. Sprinkle on cottage cheese with sliced banana, mix into greek yogurt, add to a smoothie (chocolate Premier Protein shake with peanut butter...yum). Regular peanut butter could very easily break my calorie bank at this stage, so PB2 was a god send.

Same basic cooking method egg-sept(sorry) drain and shake the daylights out of the pan to crack the shells all over THEN chill in ice cold water. As the eggs cool, they contract, drawing water into the cracks in the shell and creating a barrier of water between the egg and shell. Some time they just slip right off in one hand. Also, old eggs are best.

For a while I thought about how much more energy I have. I recently realized that I am returning to how I was meant to be. I used to have this much energy before my major weight gain, and I am returning to that level. As I got bigger, my energy decreased. Emotionally, I am returning to my previous levels of happiness, too. It is as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders (wait, that's exactly what happened!!!). Many people from different walks of life, friends and just acquaintances have all said that I glow. I just hope that it is not from the barium in my pre-op tests! @@Icantbelieveit said they just looked forward to things again, I have to agree, big time.

@@aggietop Congrats! That first hundred is a HUGE MILESTONE. Keep up the good work.

Hit the "2/3" mark this morning (220# lost). I had a t-shirt made yesterday with the 2/3 in great big football numbers, it is being worn to the gym today. Question for the international crowd(possibly with British ties), How much does a "stone" weigh? I have heard of people losing "blah-blah stone", but just have no reference for how much that is. Thanks.

@@blanch2daizzo most of us carry/carried a large % of our excess weight in our bellies. You have lost weight there, it's just not as noticeable. Your face, arms, chest, these areas you will probably notice loss first. But trust me, the belly is going too, it's just there is sooooo much more there than elsewhere. Keep up the good work! @@Ignatius congrats on the next piece of the puzzle. HOT TIP. Use the 6 months to get everything crossed off your "Hoops I Need To Jump Through" list. Otherwise the insurance can deny you until all the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed. I learned the hard way.