Cari Dickenson

I love that you mentioned watermelon. I did not like it before my sleeve... Now it is a favorite of mine I crave it go figure LOL I eat it make smoothies with it... and Its one of the few fruits I tolerate really well....I can still only eat 4 ounces of food...

Have you considered bike riding you can get the intensity without the strain on your foot? It's a thought. I don't drink or like beer so not in your shoes but just a suggestion... It might be what works for you and you can still have your beer? I hope it works out let us know how it goes... Wishing you all the luck! You can do this! as a matter of fact you know you can... cause you already have

Thats what I usually drink... sugar free... though My tummy still a bit funny tolerating Water... but my doc said as long as its the sugar free kind yes you can have it

You might tell them after.... or not tell them at all SK in the end this is about YOU and your health.... For the others... I was lucky to have the support and others who looked at me with horror... and yeah you lose some hair... but it doesn't all fall out... I have very thin hair to begin with and I am not bald...nor do I have bald spots.... wash with shampoo only every other day or so.. longer if you can... I can't my hair looks dirty if I don't use shampoo every other day.... but I condition daily use leave in sprays and do make sure to get in that protein in that's what really helps to lose the least amount of hair, but you lose some hair... but then again everyone does regularly...

Averages do not have to define how much weight you lose.. That's just the "average" you are NOT an average and neither am I I have surpassed the docs expectations... and am close to the "reasonable" goal the nut and I established. It does not mean I can not have a new goal in mind and a healthy number when I get to my yr... This can take you wherever you want it to take you... I have been bad at the exercising part as well and just recently started walking again... I was and still am pretty tired and lack energy which the docs do say will come back ( at about the yr mark) I want it back now so I can lose the rest before I get to the yr mark... I have started the walking thing slowly... not fast paced and not far one week... short then I will start to extend how far I walk a lil at a time,,

Keep sipping and take the meds... walking off the gas really helps.... It will pass it's not much fun at first but you will heal and move past it...I think the first week or two were the hardest you got this... it's gonna be okay.... If you have a drain... wear a long necklace and clip it to that for your shower makes showering so much easier... ( I disliked the drain) I think that was the most annoying part for me... gas wasn't too bad but do take any stool softeners they gave you... they make a lot of difference I am so happy for you! You did it!!

I'm excited your cleared and having your surgery soon... it's hard at first and no way will you be up for company... I was awake and falling asleep and irregular hours the first week or two. I would tell them they need to wait until your able to be up and about and not still hurting from the surgery. Is there a way I can give you my number so you can call if you need support? the first month I think was the hardest for me after that it got a lot easier I will send up a pray that all goes smooth and you heal fast. I am excited for you because I know what a gift this was for me...

You got this don't be scared its gonna be the best gift you can ever give yourself

This is about you .. your health. It seems like they are trying to make it about them. You are doing this for your health. your future... never mind what they think or have to say.. the doctors don't do this surgery for the heck of it... they do it because you NEED it.this surgery works if you do what needs to be done.. You can take back power over your body and lose the weight and be healthy. Don't let them derail you off this path you decided on... and you did it because you knew this was your chance to get healthy. You can do this without them.. because in the end this is one thing you are doing for you. and you deserve this. it works long term... it changes your life. God Girl let me tell you I bought a home in march and had to rehab it... and before the surgery I could not have done it but I did I painted the inside... I painted the cabinets... I painted two porches not all at once but before the surgery I would not have been able to do half of what I did....Stay strong... those fad diets never work... I have tried so many of them to lose a few pounds here and there and when it became to expensive or I was tired of it the weight plus came back.... this works.

i'm not sure but as you eat past what you should it is pushed into your intestines.... Now it sounds like something is not quite right and I would go to my surgeon right away and let him know and ask him what why how etc. The sleeve can grow they said anywhere from 6 to ten ounces from what I read but 20 ounces is way over that. Go to your surgeon or another one have the tests done and find out what is going on as that would freak me out....it might not be anything wrong per se... I find weighing my food makes it impossible for me to eat too much and the one time I didnt chew enough it made me hurl... so it sounds like something is off.... To the doc with you. let me know what they say... cos I would hate to think they could mess up that bad..... I can't blame you for being upset... and concerned... I hope it goes well..

Thank you Kristen, I was hoping :/ I didn't have much to begin with but the recent losses are kinda having me freaked out....

I want to throw out a question of my own. I get my Protein daily as well as my liquids. I am still struggling with hair loss. I didn't have much to begin with.. But I don't want to lose anymore either. is there anyone who has found a way to keep hair from falling out as much? Any good things I can put in it to help? I already use all the good shampoo's and conditoners as well as a matrix leave in... But It's still coming out quite a bit.

have no thyroid and have had to stay on top of the blood work for my medicine. as My meds have gone down down down... and I am sure as my weight goes down the med will go down further OP Thyroid issues is keeping a good endo and having the right meds. Have you tried Armour thyroid? I was on Synthroid for several yrs and it just didn't do it for me. I had to fight for Armour but it has all the t's in it t 1 t 2 t 3 etc. the issue with Synthroid it doesn't have the other t's in it that your body might need. I would at least give it a try as it made a lot of difference in how I felt. Also on Facebook there is a group called Hypothyroid mom.. I have found a lot of good info there. That's how I found out about the Armour... and am I ever glad I did.

Don't be scared the sleeve works... I weigh my food... I have noticed the goal weights of many people here and quite a large amount of them are below that.. You can get to where you want. The sleeve helps a lot, But you have to work with it as well. You can get to any weight you want. The sleeve will only get you to a certain percent the rest is you getting you to where you want to be

Im a lil over 6 months out now... and am still having energy issues. So don't be so hard on yourself... When your body is healed and ready it will let you know... you will be able to do more....it heals lsts faster on the outside then the inside so go at a pace that you can handle. its not an overnight journey... its a lifetime one... so take your time... let yourself heal.... and its a physical and mental one... so do you...

I hit a stall about a month back onto the regular diet.... ( after the liquid soft stages) This is what I found as I have gone through it... the stall will pass the more you stress over it the worse off your gonna feel about it. They happen and you can't stop them. Eat three meals a day no matter what. I noticed when I didn't eat the weight stopped coming off. If you can have a healthy snack to. Make sure you get your Protein. And its better from food then the Protein drinks. weigh your food....and trust that it really does work. I remember when my first stall hit I thought ohh its not gonna work for me nothing ever does etc etc... all the same stuff I use to think when I tried a new diet. It will work for you... it works and very well... just eat the ounces the doc said you can through your stall... For me I can have four ounces so I eat four ounces a meal... and all protein no carbs.... That's what has worked for me and per my docs instructions. And don't forget your Vitamins and Fiber chews or colace.... you want it or you won't like having to go to the bathroom. You can do this... Beck IF I can anyone can.. You got this believe in you I do!

I am just laughing here...

I have lost 147 pounds so far and it is still coming off... about a half a pound to a pound a day give or take. I have had a few stalls.. Which freaked me out a little. But it has been worth it. was a little rough in the beginning. and a little scary. But the results have been nothing short of amazing to me.

That's interesting Lipstick lady. I went to Oxnard High.

I was told not to ( eat veggies and limit fruit) for about a year. And I can't say if they are right or wrong. However My weight loss has been huge in a short period of time. I was told especially in the first yr by the surgeon to concentrate on my Protein and that's it...So I have and it seems to be working well for me. It might be that was just my diet plan and well I went from a 5 x to a juniors size 15/17 in about 6 months. So I am not gonna say they were wrong. and if you look at the lost totals... It seems to be working well for me... As for the taco salad... That was one of my favorite things before... I hope to eat it again someday. with a lil hot sauce as i can tolerate spicy things...I am allowed avocado, meat, Beans, cheese, eggs etc. that's my main foods... I am just glad i stopped craving potatoes... instead i now crave watermelon which is interesting since Before surgery I didn't care for it much. It's hard for me to say my surgeon was wrong when I watch the numbers on the scale drop. I lose a pound a day or every other day. it depends really... bout that's my average loss rate. When I told the docs office that She says that's pretty average... I wonder if things have changed been discovered that something different works from when others had their surgeries? Possible? I can't say it's wrong as I have watched it work...

You know I had those questions about skin as well. And it's not as bad as I expected. I thought it would be worse.. and they said give it a yr or two and let the skin go back... I was a few days after my 40th bday. I have some skin.. its not half as horrible as I thought it would be...I went from a 5 x.... now I can fit a jrs 15/17( and I'm not done yet) and it feels very good my journey is far from over... and at first yeah its a lil scary.... but all surgery is a lil scary. and remember you can also decide when your journey is to a weight you are happy with to have the skin removed as well..you have options...

My parents supported me. I was one of the lucky ones it seems. My weight had gotten out of control after losing my thyroid... and you can tell your mom you tried losing it on your own and it didn't work. I went to the gym for nine months worked my butt off was sore and went 4 days a week and ate... bird food and lost barely 30 pounds.... it wasn't gonna happen for me on my own...as long as you know this is right for you in the end that's what count's. you are doing this for you to be healthy. this is your journey and you need to make this... about you and only you. if she doesn't support you let that be her problem...having the surgery is not anyone's first choice... but for many of us it was the only and best choice. Most of us have tried to do it on our own before we considered the surgery... which is not a quick fix like some people think. its work and you have to work at it. But the surgery makes it possible makes it easier... gives us a chance to get the weight off. I will be the first to say it's hard at first.. I think about food now more then I did before... weigh my food make careful choices based on Protein needs... and I can still take my kids out to eat. I bring my scale with me... You just make good choices... eat steak or chicken... I can usually eat several meals off of what I buy for myself..my food bill has gone down... along with my weight. I am happier healthier... My energy levels are not yet where I want them to be but physically I feel better...I talked with my doc and its normal to be tired for a lil while... of course My journey so far is only 6 months in.... he said after a year or so I should feel much better. I can tell you my knees are not hurting nearly as bad as they did my back is getting better... my hips haven't hurt at all which is amazing. You keep doing what you need to do for you... your health and don't worry much about what anyone else thinks.. Maybe they are jealous... cos there not as thin as they want to be... you just never know what and why they are thinking or acting this way....

yeah I was told I can't have them until a year out.. seriously... I was told to be light with fruit as well... I dunno... just following my diet. I do see a new nut here in Idaho where I moved to a few months ago... but i admit to missing them. Because I am so new out of wls I was told to pretty much make sure I get in the protein and that's it...

I am lucky my family was supportive including my 5 kids. although my oldest son says I look funny after losing so much. You are doing this for you... not them and in the end what you think is what truly maters. you can do this... and we will support you here as well as their are usually support groups you can join and go to for additional support. it's a hard decision to make but in the end you do what you need to do to be healthy.... maybe mom just doesn't understand for some losing weight on your own is so very difficult. and if she has never been overweight.... well she couldn't possibly understand... Good luck on your journey you can do this

No My weight has come off really well... And the insulin resistance is gone because of the surgery it was the best thing I have ever gifted myself