higher

I was terrified of complications as well so yeah, I followed my plan to the letter. That said, my post op plan want as torturous as some others seem to have been- I was allowed well chewed soft food after 2 weeks.

I went from a 7 down to a 6.

I had a bad experience in the past where Biotin caused an increase in body and facial hair growth so I skipped it this time around.
I had very thick hair but lost a significant amount starting at 3 months post op. I'm 6 months post now and it seems to have slowed down. I have been using products that apply directly to the scalp since surgery and have seen good new growth so I'm confident eventually my hair will grow back to the way it was before. The products I've been using are Nioxon and Phytocane serum.
The biggest change for me is having to use volumizing, texturizing and thickening styling products when in the past I used to use products that tamed my hair and made it sleek.

Aye, but ignoring butthurt is also technically burying your head in the sand. I have done some adult teaching in my life and have to come to the realisation that for those who choose to bury their heads, it's their heads, and it's their sand. If we really cared about those we're are advising, we won't let discussions deteriorate. Some of the 'Advisors' just come of as being self righteous *insert whatever term*. Some of those being advised come of as whiny little *whatevers*. Surely there has to be a middle ground if what we really care about is progress for everyone? If some people want to fail, advise, move on.. The problem is that when we move on, we carry sentiments from the last 'destined to fail' person onto the next person asking a similarly dumb looking (but very innocent) question.
We answer with a terse or dismissive answer and wonder why the person asking is pissed off?

I really appreciate this thread. I ordered GENEPRO after reading about how flavorless it is- and it really truly is flavorless - but we should all have legitimate concerns about how much Protein is in a serving. I only log it as having 15g of protein per serving instead of 30 because I think the company is full of shit. So much so that now that I've read this thread and others I wouldn't buy it again because I can't even be assured it actually has ANY protein in it. I only use it to reach my protein stretch goal for the day, and not to hit the levels required by my plan. And I should probably just throw it away but hate wasting money haha.

Thanks for all the laughs here! I knew some people would get a bit rankled by the subject matter, and it did not disappoint.
There's a few small things mentioned that I disagree with (aside from the obvious "you should always be supportive because someday you'll want support" argument.)
Equating risk taking behaviour like drunk driving with addictive behaviour and stretching it further to equate a battered spouse fearing for their life to addictive eating is just a bad analogy, in my opinion.
Also, claiming that material that can trigger PTSD being labeled as such is another indicator of our desire to be coddled and validated at all times is a fundamental misunderstanding of PTSD.
Other than that, this thread has been very entertaining. A welcome break.

It is brutal. Was brutal. Past tense now. I'm still fatter than most of these women but far from the fattest and I fit into designer clothes now. Not to mention I have always had better taste and style than most of them and that really shows now that I'm slimmer.

I use full fat everything. I cook with olive oil and butter too. My calories are too low otherwise. My plan is to monitor and as long as I keep losing I'll keep doing that. Once I stall or start eating enough volume that I need to cut back in calories that will be an easy place to do so.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Straight 2 the charcuterie platter.
But also, eat beforehand if I don't think there will be options for me. And stand around slaying in a better outfit than everyone else while holding my 1 drink.

Sizes are a nightmare. I am really struggling with clothes right now. I have to look pretty nice at my job so I have to devote wardrobe money to keeping up with well fitting nice work clothes. Which means my weekend and party clothes suffer, which is really bumming me out.
I ordered a pair of Joe's size 29 jeans that fit perfect but I'm thinking I'll return them for the 28 because for over $100 I should get at least a month out of a pair of jeans.
I also want a new winter coat for this year- but seems silly since it will hopefully be too big next winter.
I have no idea how much more my sizes will change and go down so it's really a waiting game. I know when I am closer to goal/maintenance the size difference will be negligible so I'll deal when I get there.

It was you! I saw this at the grocery store and remember reading on here somewhere "if you see bread cheese- grab it!" IT IS SO GOOD. To me it tastes just like a grilled cheese. I hate cooking but I've been keeping the cast Iron pan out just for the bread cheese. I've been having about 1.5 oz every other day. It is beyond. So amazing.

@@OutsideMatchInside
That's unfortunate but believable. My weight definitely holds me back in my career. I've already started getting better assignments since losing. It's a combination of being perceived differently by others and an increase in my own ability to focus and perform as I get healthier.
It's not fair that people perceive the obese as less capable, less smart, less hard working but it's definitely a thing.

Ugh. I hate when grown men act like whiny babies.

Carbonation doesn't really stretch it either. I drink a lot of Perrier myself but mostly before or in between meals. It can be really painful too soon after a meal (even waiting an hour might not be enough) and I'm not sure that will ever change. Same goes for champagne.

@@blizair09 @@OutsideMatchInside
Yes that's totally what it is! I had a really lovely experience recently traveling for work trip recently. I was out to dinner with a senior colleague, a professionally dressed slender woman, at a gorgeous little French boite in New England. The waitress came over to see if we wanted the complimentary bread basket or no. I swear back when I was way fatter, or if I had been with a group of dudes she would have just dropped off the bread basket. But she knows when she sees two nicely dressed ladies visiting from NYC they will most likely leave the bread basket untouched. It was a great NSV.

I am such a bathtub girl. I was allowed in pools and the ocean after 2 weeks. I remember asking because I was traveling at the time.
At 5 months post-op the tub is so much roomier. I absolutely love it. This thread inspired me to take an epic oil bath last night, I stayed in there for the entire Amy winehouse album. You have a lot to look forward to!

Ugh. I hate when grown men act like whiny babies.

@@LittleBill you can't stretch your sleeve with liquids. If you have a properly formed sleeve it is basically impossible to stretch it at all.
If you have a live swallow test, you can see the valve at the bottom of your stomach opening. liquids pass through instantly. It is more like sand through an hourglass. But the valve at the bottom of your stomach opens instantly.
What people do is desensitize themselves to the pain/sensation of being full. Also most people confuse the restriction you have when your stomach is healing the first 6 months with restriction. That restriction is not real restriction, it is healing. When you have more capacity 6 months post open that isn't a stretched sleeve that is a healed sleeve.
It seems like a lot of doctors don't explain this. It has been explained here before but I am posting it again because people keep spreading the same misinformation about sleeve stretching which people with bad eating habits like to use as a crutch to justify their terrible choices.

Everything's coming up roses....

@@pixiesleeve I serve the greater good of the public through my career. I'm an involved and productive citizen, a loving and caring sister, aunt, daughter, granddaughter and friend. The sleeve is something I did for myself as an act of self-care. Which was rare for me but I've learned through this process that as I take better care of myself, I'm even better at all the things I described above. So I don't feel the need to share this one thing. It doesn't mean I don't care about other people who struggle with obesity- I just can't take that on in addition to everything else. And that's totally OK. You have to do what works for you and some of us will take better care of ourselves going through this on our own. Best of luck to you.

@@OutsideMatchInside
That's unfortunate but believable. My weight definitely holds me back in my career. I've already started getting better assignments since losing. It's a combination of being perceived differently by others and an increase in my own ability to focus and perform as I get healthier.
It's not fair that people perceive the obese as less capable, less smart, less hard working but it's definitely a thing.

I believe in encouraging people as well but I also believe I gotta be straight up with people who are trying to make a decision like the original post in this. I used to push the lap band back in the day, and I've seen a lot of people (my family members) suffer. Guilt makes you think to do research a bit more. If they already got the band, then I try to encourage people of course.

Sizes are a nightmare. I am really struggling with clothes right now. I have to look pretty nice at my job so I have to devote wardrobe money to keeping up with well fitting nice work clothes. Which means my weekend and party clothes suffer, which is really bumming me out.
I ordered a pair of Joe's size 29 jeans that fit perfect but I'm thinking I'll return them for the 28 because for over $100 I should get at least a month out of a pair of jeans.
I also want a new winter coat for this year- but seems silly since it will hopefully be too big next winter.
I have no idea how much more my sizes will change and go down so it's really a waiting game. I know when I am closer to goal/maintenance the size difference will be negligible so I'll deal when I get there.

Carbonation doesn't really stretch it either. I drink a lot of Perrier myself but mostly before or in between meals. It can be really painful too soon after a meal (even waiting an hour might not be enough) and I'm not sure that will ever change. Same goes for champagne.

When you ask your 9 year old twins if they want to go out back and play some soccer with Mom, and they drop their video games with a look of pure joy and race each other out the door and you actually play soccer and stay out there until it is dark without breaks and your kids tell you how proud they are of you and how much fun they had. Best. Feeling. Ever. And I am only 12 weeks in. Can't imagine what this might be like in another few months!!