Cari Dickenson

I lost a lot of hair My hair has always been thinner and fine textured. I am not losing as much now but I am making sure I get my Protein as a matter of fact I eat mostly meat eggs or Beans that's it.... They said it starts coming out at about 7 ish months in or so... and mine didn't start until then really sucks cos I didn't have all that much to begin with... I hope it stops soon... and Can thicken back up as well...

I was overweight for 23 yrs. I had five kids... was a size 4 when I got pregnant with my son at 17 yrs old... I gained a 100 pounds on bed rest to try to carry him to term... lost his twin and carried him to term.... had the rest of my kids. Bed rest with 4 of them total... made it really hard to not gain weight... had to have my thyroid removed it would go back and forth... and so weight loss then gain... after I had it removed had a bad doc kept me under medicated for a yr I gained more then a hundred pounds and ended up 351 pounds.... the biggest I had ever been I use to hover at about 220... and I was okay with it... I had my surgery almost a yr ago... 4 days after I turned 40... I didn't want to be unhealthy.... I was leaning fast towards being diabetic... cpap for sleep... and could barely do the things I needed to do.... Before my surgery I went to the gym 4 days a week for an hr and a half in nine months time i only lost 30 pounds didn't matter what I did it wouldn't come off... doc told me i was insulin resistant and that makes it very hard to lose weight...I have lost a lot more then the docs said Was "average" I never felt guilty... I didn't understand why I couldn't lose why It just kept piling on.... I think therapy could go a long way to helping you heal...you are blaming yourself for something that is likely a metabolic issue within your body... Most of us don't want to be fat.... and have underlying issues that we don't know about and they are just learning about... ( medically wise) Like the other poster above Being fat was safer.... I had been raped as a teen and though being fat would make sure it never happened again... there were a million things that caused me to overeat.... unhappiness.... sometimes even being happy...I hope you seek a good therapist any food therapist will do remember food issue is a food issue be it bulimia ( Spelling) and anorexia... are the same coins of over eating.... and keep looking until you find one that you are comfy with they have a lot to offer and healing... I hope you find your happy place and learn to forgive yourself for the mistakes you made and don't let it hold you back you can do this...

I been through this.. I know how you feel... I had my surgery in November last yr 2015. I decided I was gonna stay single get myself healthy heart mind body and soul... and that's what I am focusing on... It's gonna hurt... Lord Knows it hurts... like nothing else can... But the pain fades.... I changed my room around made it totally mine... very different from what it was before... and that helped.... I also got a new bed... there are a lot of those bed warehouses out there where you can find one quite cheaply.. less than 200 bucks if its not comfy get a memory foam and it will be fine... if you like purple... pink etc... make it all about you frilly and girly... if that's you ... mine happens to be zebra stripes.... and I made it all mine You will heal it takes time I am sorry you had to go through this... No one deserves to be treated like crap.... It sucks and can really drop your self esteem down... you might even give therapy a try if that's an option for you...I had a great therapist before I bought my new house ( out of state) which was hard.... But a good therapist will help you list yourself back to where you should be.... and teach you how to love you... again... and focus on you and why you were with a man like that...and will help you to not pick the same kind of guy... sadly we tend to pick guys that are often alike in many ways patterns... You are beautiful... and you did not deserve to be treated like that....stay strong be beautiful... and most of all... find your happy...

I found capri's and anything stretchy until it settles in kept me in clothes through this last 8 months... now everything is too big LOL and it is amazing.... maxi dresses are a good idea... I would look for the inexpensive stretchy jeggings and leggings... got me through and sometimes too cold for a dress.. I found capri's and anything stretchy until it settles in kept me in clothes through this last 8 months... now everything is too big LOL and it is amazing.... maxi dresses are a good idea... I would look for the inexpensive stretchy jeggings and leggings... got me through and sometimes too cold for a dress..

Agree the sizes are all over the place.. I can fit a medium in this but a large in a different style... sometimes a xlarge shirt or a medium it just depends so I am gonna have to try on sizes ugggg I do not like shopping and the reason I know about the sizes is my daughter in law gave me a bag of clothes to save on buying I have pretty much refused to buy but the bare as I don't know where I am going to end up... and already donated a lot of money worth of clothing... and dont want to buy a bunch of things only to have to donate in a few months the weight is still falling off quite quickly.... and the docs told me expect to only lose 80 pounds or so LOL!! ummm yup I have far surpassed all expectations....

Good point lots of us girls have bat wings.... its a crazy amazing emotional ride for sure I am so close to goal... and wonder if I am gonna keep losing I feel tiny... and am having some issues with not seeing myself as I am like today I pulled out a pair of 16 shorts my daughter in law had given me and I'm like no way they gonna fit.... yup the did and were too big LOL I needed a belt..I need to figure out how to get my actual size through my head I was fat for 23 yrs... God I wish I had done it sooner..I am open with it and bring my scale when we go out to eat and ask for my iced tea to go cos I can't eat and drink together... though I hear eventually I might be able to I was told not to so still following the rules.. .it's been a lil rough since I moved out of state in March and left my bari doc and I adored her so that part sucks a lot... Gotta find a nut here in this tiny lil town... Got my doc keeping an eye on my levels but ready to start learning how to maintain and need help for that...

I was told over 100 of Protein can cause major health issues.....Please call around and talk to other nuts to find out what they think ... cos 100 to 120 is really high... I was warned during my liquid diet to not go over 100 no matter what... and make sure I get 60 a day... or I will likely have issues with hair loss weakness etc...

I had to have the sleep study :/ It kinda sucked the lady there told me I did fine had no issues... and then the doc with my readout said it was bad and I had to use a cpap before my surgery which was unpleasant.. don't know if I still need it and dont use it... need another sleep study : /

I add granola to my greek yogurt there is a Protein one.... by nature made... and I get some decent crunch from nuts... pistachio's peanuts and all protein rich... and good fat rich... and I get some crunch... have yet to look at fat.... for weigh loss... so I jsut ewat what I can as healthy as I can.... sometimes a crunchy pickle helps ease the need for crunch and have no real cals... no fat etc...

Thank goodness no one can see it but its there LOL

I am struggling with the skin..... my bat wings as I call my arms... I have a lot of skin in my thighs butt area... it bothers me but it bothers me less then being overweight... I am single and it might take some time for me to be comfy with sharing myself with anyone.... but I feel so much better... still fighting with the lack of energy.... and still working on accepting that part of me... but I feel normal again.... people dont stare at me I am no longer the fattest person in any given area... and guys even hold doors open for me... I wish I had done it sooner

I think stalls are hard for all of us. Before surgery we tried so hard to lose weight... and I think those stalls are when we would jsut give in. But as long as we keep in mind its natural... It gives our bodies time to catch up... at first my weight fell of majorly fast... now its slowed down and isnt so crazy..

I have had a great results with weight loss.... Well over the percentages they gave me which was about 80 pounds .... I have lost well over that.... I weigh my food eat a lot of meat... it can get boring eating the same foods but my health the way I feel is worth it... I walk daily something I couldn't even do before my surgery... back pain hip pain knee pain is so much less now...

Have you tried small plates and weighing your food? Throwing up stinks. For me it fools my mind into thinking I have a full plate... and weighing it means I know I am not going to throw up... they have a small scale at wal-mart for 7 or so bucks... and it works.. I too LOVE food.. Love fancy making fancy meals etc and weighing works for most of us here. and the way I keep from wanting "treats" is if its special day etc. I take a single bite of a piece of cake.. or ice cream and savor and enjoy that one single bite. It makes me feel like I am not missing out. Good luck

I don't regret a moment of the surgery since I was unable to lose weight on my own... I had insulin resistance... and I went to the gym 4 days a week for 9 months and lost 30 something pounds was very discouraging... Since the surgery I can and have lost so much weight I feel like a normal person again... just keep going one foot in front of the other after awhile and when you are watching the weight come off and you start needing to buy new clothes cos everything is too big you might feel differently. you crave different foods.... I tend to crave meat and watermelon ( i didn't like watermelon until after my surgery) It is worth what you are going through now and it will pass. When you start on soft food stage I think that's when it got a lot better for me... personally... and try new foods slowly and one at a time until you know what you can and can't eat... at first I couldn't eat eggs at all.... made me so sick and my tummy hurt so bad... now at about 5 months I tried them again and I eat them most mornings for a good Breakfast and the Protein... 2 large eggs is usually my 4 ounces. it will get better, Easier and you will become use to eating less. I have now gone through Christmas Easter and the 4th of July... I can still enjoy holidays just a portion of meat and a small taste of other foods. I don't miss anything a childs b-day I eat a small bite of the cake just enough to get the taste and not feel like I am being left out I chew and savor that single bite of a treat. I savor and enjoy my food now and I make sure I get quality meats ones that I enjoy when I buy steak etc... it works for you but you have to work with it as well

I don't regret my sleeve. It IS the best gift I have given myself... at first it was difficult. and it was no easy thing trying to get through about the first two weeks... after that eating soft foods like beans and yogurt... and I did great..... But making major changes in life are always hard. But where I am now is not quite where I want to be weight wise... and I am in a stall which sucks... However I am half the size I was... People no longer look at me funny.. I am back to eating normal foods for awhile now. Its not easy at the beginning.... May I suggest for those struggling with liquids you try sugar free gatoraide... at first I had a lot of trouble tolerating water and still do sometimes... It IS WORTH IT! I swear to you... for those with nausea... have you let the doc know? they do have medications to help reduce the amount of nausea you have to go through. I was lucky had had little to know nausea... So take the colace or stool softener.... as soon as doc says so... it makes all the difference

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