Commander

@@Commander, my BMI was also approximately 36 on my surgery day and I am a nurse. Of course everyone has noticed the rapid weight loss but I have been an open book about it. I would just tell people it's all about portion control...it's not a lie, you just don't have to add that you had surgery to help control the portions. Good luck to you. I am 10 weeks postop and I love my sleeve!

@@Nurse_Lenora I just came off a 5 1/2 WEEK stall ... trust me I hear ya! I finally stopped looking at the scale at all until 3 weeks out. Still stuck at the same weight. Put the scale in the closet so I literally couldn't even SEE it for the next 2 weeks. Pulled it out at 5 weeks and the damned thing still hadn't moved. Not even an ounce. Went to the doc's mid week for my depo shot and their scale had me weighing less than at home. The next morning (I always weigh just after I shower) I tried it again and IT MOVED!!!

Try not to get too frustrated. I had little stalls at the beginning ... 3-4 weeks post-op, again at 2 1/2 months, again at 6 months. These all lasted only a few days to a week at the most. As your body adjusts to your new sleeve and eating habits the weight loss will fluctuate. After month 2 I started to weigh only 2x a week ... Mondays & Thursdays. This helped keep me from focusing on the #s every day and I was more in tune with what I was doing day to day with my liquids & Proteins and exercise.
Chin up ... it will get better! And worse .... And better ....

4 days does not a stall make. I think most of us settled on having ONE official weigh in day of the week - same day, same time, and the little ups and downs in between are just normal.
You have had very rapid weight loss, and you will need to get used to the idea that it will slow down....
I was very motivated to track and being a geek i set up a model in excel that I used to track, but also calculated weekly and monthly averages etc. It helped me alot to see that in the big picture, I was heading the right direction. In hindsight it also really shows how it was very rapid at first, then fast, then sorta normal and then.... it crept to virtually a halt. i wasn't at goal yet though - so that is when i needed to make some changes.
Having a factual look at my data, trends etc - I was able to pinpoint when things really started going off track (in terms of steady losses) rather than getting caught up in the daily emotions around it.

psst...

We're everywhere...

**looks around with shifty eyes**

What an insecure selfish prick move that was.
So.......surgery to improve your health was all it took to run him off ?????
He's got tons of issues that will take years that work through....... And if he is even man enough at some point to work through them.
Have the surgery and improve every aspect of your life that you can. You'll find a real man who is unselfish and values you and your choices.
If he's younger.......then all the better.
Get revenge through getting healthy and living each day to the fullest.

Big step for me... I needed someone to act as caregiver and take me to my bariatric classes, so I told my grandma about my plans on Tuesday night.
My fear was that she would be judgmental, tell me I didn't need it, tell me I just need to eat less, etc, as she's done in the past. She's always the first one to comment on my weight.
Reality was, she started crying and hugged me. She thinks WLS is a great idea, supports me 100%, and literally cleared her schedule for me. She says she's been praying for something like this as she's been worried about my health. I was able to reassure her that I was not pre-diabetic as I had also feared, my bloodwork all came back really good, and my blood pressure is still 112/72.
I cried a lot that night -- her acceptance meant a lot to me, and now I have someone to hold my hand through the process... and not just anyone! I respect her more than anyone else in this world.

Age: 34
Personality: INFJ
Weight: 288 lbs
Relationship status: Committed
Location: Florida
Health: Good, but not much stamina
That's me, in a nutshell. My favorite thing to do is to travel and explore everything around me. I'm insatiably curious and love interacting with different cultures. I've traveled to several countries with various missionary and relief projects because I believe in spending my resources helping those less fortunate. I love hiking in the woods, zip-lining between mountains, scuba diving, getting intentionally lost in new cities on foot, and meeting new people. Skydiving is on my bucket list. I'm fiercely independent and stubbornness is my fatal flaw.
History: I've done all of these things overweight. I've lost up to 60 lbs (twice), my lowest adult weight being 220 at one time. I felt marvelous and my energy was unending. The weight stayed off for about two years, but when it came back brought another 10 or 20 on top of what my highest had previously been.
Recently, the scale tipped 296, something I never thought I'd see. I was mortified that I'd let myself get that high, as I'd started feeling the physical signs of that much weight: Being physically uncomfortable with that much bulge (sitting comfortably), energy sapping quickly, sore feet after just a couple of hours of exploring New York. Knees painful when climbing stairs.
I noticed in myself the last few months that I've started withdrawing from social situations and meeting new people out of embarrassment over how I look. I had an internet friend visit the states from the UK recently, and I wanted to fly out to meet her. I didn't. I want to visit my dad back home in Minnesota since it's been six years. I'm not.
I've tried two dieting attempts in the past year. I lost 12 lbs doing very strict low carb, which was confusing to me since usually I dropped weight quicker with healthy eating. My doctor explained it as my body becoming resistant to low carb dieting, since I've tried it and failed so many times before. I knew I needed help this time, so I made an appointment with bariatrics to talk about getting put on a dieting pill -- they had another solution for me.
Present: Long story short, I've come to the conclusion that the sleeve will be the help I need to really make a lifestyle change. I know it won't be easy, and due to my stubbornness, I'm not used to doing things the easy way. I'm ready. My excitement is growing. I've been stalking and lurking this forum and youtube for the past two weeks, learning all I can.
Here're a few things that really were the tipping point for this decision:
-Getting rid of my PCOS. I want to bear children sometime soon! I know PCOS will complicate that.
- Airplane seat belts. I fly every 3 weeks or so, and having a seat belt not fit was mortifying. About 50% of seat belts fit me, depending on the plane. If they don't, I tuck the buckle under my belly. Also, seats in general.. not comfortable.
-Ahem.. intimate positions. I really enjoy sex, and have been increasingly sad that I'm not able to do the things I once could.
-Social embarrassment/afraid to meet people
-Meeting my boyfriend's parents is sometime in the near future (They're Asian. Even though my boyfriend is also overweight, he's dating a white girl.. and a fat one at that. Two strikes against me in Asian culture)
-Wedding pictures.. nuff said.
-I've always dreamed of a trip around the world, and I finally have the funds for it. How much fun would it be if I tire easily, though?
-How far away is diabetes with my sugar addiction and weight, really?
-I completed a GoRuck (physical endurance) Light challenge this summer and loved it. I want to do more.
Things I just can't wait for:
- Stamina! Being able to explore all day and not have to stop to rest my aching feet and knees.
- Traveling comfortably. Airplane belts that fit. Not having to squeeze between people in a restaurant.
- Forgoing that first assessment when entering a room where I look around to see if I'm the fattest person there... you know what I mean.
- Summer dresses!!
-Cute shoes and cute clothes. Not having to shop in Lane Bryant for everything.
-If I need something, being able to simply go to the store and get it. Explaining to my boyfriend why I couldn't just go into the mall and get a winter coat was embarrassing. Not being able to buy emergency clothes in Central America.. ugh. Packing light and buying clothes wherever I travel to would be a real possibility.
-
-Theme park rides. I love roller coasters, and the last time I went, it was touch and go whether or not I fit in the seat.
-Boots that fit my calves!
-Skydiving
-Being able to do more than a couple sets of stairs without my knees starting to hurt
-Enough room to snuggle comfortably on the couch with my boyfriend
-GoRuck Tough!!
Anyway.. that's me! My name is Rio and I'm starting this journey now. I'm telling very few people in my life..my direct coworkers, my wonderful, supportive boyfriend, and a couple of close friends. I'm not close with most of my family, and I know there will be a lot of judgment there, so I've chosen to not tell them. I'm trying not to go overboard and over-prepare.. already looking at bariatric plates, collagen cream for loose skin.. lol. When I'm excited, I prepare (I've mostly contained myself, but I did try a Protein drink powder and I bought a cute bento bowl for my lunches). I'm about two months away from surgery with no firm date set yet. I'll be getting sleeved at the mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. I am just one EGD and two classes away from my workup being completed.

Not to discount any ones previous research, but I have made notes in my Pre op diary to reming myself that my teeth already were in a poor state of repair which I attribute to long periods do drastic dieting, poor food choices when I was not. Also the bolemiaI suffered as a adolescent, vomiting through morning sickness in pregnancy and I must also add my like for champagne on a regular basis until 3 years ago, the failed lap band of 7 years and associated vomiting, " E I E I O" The list goes on.
Also our teeth are naturally going to deteriorate along with the rest of us as we get older and for women going through menopause.
I wrote these things down as a reference point as I have of my many pre op discomforts to look back on when I start scratching for answers. All I can do is take my supplements and look after them the best I can from here on in.

I am almost four years out and my cycle is completely regulated. I have a 6 day cycle every four weeks. I was very irregular before the surgery.

I was sleeved a little over 11 months ago at around 36 BMI. I told close family and a few friends who all knew of my lifelong struggle and were all very supportive. My mother, I think, was the most concerned because it's an elective surgery compared to my previous ACL reconstruction surgeries, which were necessary operations.
The first week is the worst and the next four are tough, but not insurmountable. Being that I was young (24) and on the smaller end of the spectrum heading in, I only needed to stay on my pain meds for a week and after 10 days, I was back to sleeping in my bed again. (I'd been sleeping on the couch downstairs, after discovering it was the most comfortable.)
I hit my goal weight yesterday and can honestly say that my lifestyle has not changed in terms of where I can eat and whether the smaller portions are really noticeable. Everyone not in the know generally chalks up my mostly-empty plate to Portion Control and it being the reason I've lost weight. My social life is better and I'm healthier.
My doc said to me long ago that he wishes people came to him at my age and size before everything spiraled and while they had the chance to get decades of enjoyment out of it. Best of luck to you all!

Congrats. Just tell your family that you had some bloodwork done and the doctor was concerned about -----.
Then tell them you have to do this regimen and then redo the tests. Tell them you want to be proactive about your health and nip everything in the bud. Let them know you met with a nutritionist and you really have to make some serious modifications to your diet.
They will commend you and when you start dropping they will have a reason as to why.
It worked for me!!!

@@FatboyNYC You stated: "Cheating my way into losing weight"?
Only my husband and my kids know of my surgery. But not because I felt I was cheating by having WLS. I'm just a private person and don't feel everyone has a need to know my business.
Is it cheating to get help to quit smoking? Is it cheating when my son gives himself a shot prior to eating because he's a type 1 diabetic. Is it cheating when my parents take their blood pressure meds? Was it cheating when I chose to have my thyroid removed instead of taking my chances by living with cancer? Obesity is a multifaceted disease, one that the medical community and insurance companies agree is a DISEASE.
<Sigh> sorry for the rant. But until we change our own mindsets regarding obesity and WLS...how can we expect anyone else to?

Thanks for the encouragement, I had the sleeve and am happy with the progress so far. I've gone from a size 22 to a 16 and am feeling so much better mentally and physically. The first 6 weeks, I was really tired but other than that no pain or complications. Good luck on you're journey!

@@Djmohr, sadly there isn't any deterrent to their behavior. The dichotomy of this is many people who have Medicaid or disability are also impoverished. Monetarily penalizing them would only worsen their situation. Taking away their benefits would just create more uninsured and more bill offs because, like said before, they don't have the money so it just costs more to sue them. Punishing them legally would just worsen an already overpopulated prison system.
No easy answer but I agree...there has to be reform. This is why I'm a big advocate for community paramedic/PA/NP programs which take healthcare to those who have limited means or mobility to get to a doctors office.

I fell in love with a coconut pie once. So id say 2.5 seconds -

I am 10 lbs away from goal, but I am probably what people would now call thin. I am 5ft 9in and 150 lbs. Here are some experiences lately that I have found interesting:
- At night when I sleep on my side, my knees knob together when I try to have one on top of the other. It never used to be a problem with there was a thick layer of padding in between my knees.
- When I sit, my legs cross so much easier!
- People are nicer to me. Now, I have many feelings about this that I won't go into, but it is a fact. People just notice me more and are kinder. For example, all of a sudden these moms that I see all the time (but am not necessarily friends with) want our kids to have playdates. People say hi to me on the street more. Just little things like that.
- It's weird to shave and feel like it went so fast, and where is the rest of my leg?
- My bath towel wraps around me so much better.
- I don't mind being photographed.
- I am constantly shocked when I see myself in a full length mirror.
- I was very physically active before I had the surgery, and it was one thing that worried me. I was so sure that I would lose my hard earned muscle and stamina due to the low calories. Well, turns out losing 40 lbs more than made up for my muscle loss. I have since returned back to normal workouts and find that I can go longer and not get as winded now.
- Trying on clothes is fun and not a chore.
- I don't snore anymore. At all.
- My 7 year old son can wrap his arms all the way around me when we hug now.
- I am looking forward to summer for the first time in years!
In all of this, I feel like I am still me, the person I was before, but I have a renewed outlook on life now. I feel like anything is possible!

I hate Spanx with a white hot burning passion.
Buuuut. I am obsessed with Maidenform Flexees. I usually go with the high waisted boy short ones as they are the most comfortable for me, but they come in a variety of styles. They aren't crazy expensive at all. And they hold up really well after longterm use. I even put mine in the regular washer (on cold cycle - no dryers!) and they come out perfect. They come in nude and black, which is helpful.
I typically purchase mine at The Avenue or Macys, but there are plenty of online retailer options (Herroom, BareNecessities, Amazon).

I have 5 scars, 4 incisions and 1 where the drain was. One is right at the bottom of my breast bone and is only about 1/2 inch long. One is to the right of and just below my belly button and is about 3/4 inch long. One is to the left of and just below my belly button and is 1 inch long. One is a little further up and to the left of that and is about 3/4 inch long. The drain hole is way over to the left and is about 1/4 inch in diameter.
You can see them in a post I made about my TT scar. That photo was taken about 1 year post-VSG:
http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/349852-tt-scar-pics/

That's bullshit. The extra skin would be there whether you lost weight after WLS or another way. So you're just not supposed to lose weight at all? She sounds jealous. And commenting on the aesthetics of a patient's body is unprofessional and mean. I agree that she should be reported.

I agree with @vsgann2014. That woman should be reported, that is very unprofessional and rude. By the way, amazing job with your weight loss!! Very inspiring! ????

@@shellyd88 ... your "nurse practitioner" needs to get reported to her supervisor / doctor(s). That is appalling behavior.

Holy sh*t she would've gotten a piece of my mind!
And maybe a bit of my fist.
(No not really but it would definitely cross my mind!)

This was a fun thread. I don't think anyone on here took the comments too seriously or else they wouldn't have had the surgery to begin with. People say dumb things. Just a fact of life. This thread was just to share them and laugh at the stupidity amongst others that know what you're going thru.

I am in line with the other "slow pokes" sleeved Dec 8. 5'11" and just a smidgen under 250 on surgery day, and 221.8 on last scale, so 28-ish pounds gone.
Work folks are seeing a change. It is more than 10% of my body weight gone. That's not nothing. I saw no change on the scale for the last 10 days, but I did feel it in my pants. The muffin tops are melting.
I'm getting enough Protein and I'm improving on Water intake, but its constantly reminding myself to drink.
What I'm eating now is not what I thought I would be. eggs and beef are not good. Fish is great. And undercooked goes down better than well done. 900 calories a day is what I'm getting.
And I'm drunk on half a glass of wine. That's new. And I mean DrUnK.

I'm not telling anyone, except my husband. My previous weight loss experience taught me a lot about busybodies, gossip and drama associated with someone's major appearance change / improvement.
Plus, I am at somewhat lower BMI range (which is still severe obesity BTW!) and I don't want to hear everyone's "expert" opinion on what I need and don't need to do - it annoys the daylight out of me. Where all of those "experts" and "concerned friends" have been when I was sinking deep into depression and gaining pounds just before their eyes???