CSchulden

I like the Premier Protein bars. Either the regular or the fiber crispy ones. The regular ones are very dense, but pack in 30g of protein. The fiber crispy ones are much lighter (and I found easier to digest). 15g of protein and about the same as the 30g variety in terms of fat (6g) and sugar (8g). I've also bought some through the Bariatric Pal store that have been satisfying.

I absolutely had this problem. I am 9 months out and there are still some days when it feels like the sleeve 'freezes'. It's much less and far between now, though. I would say after 3 months or so, I noticed drinking cold things felt more 'normal'. Good luck on your journey!

It's 9 months after my surgery. I am down nearly 70 pounds, dropped from a size 20 and an XXL to an 8 and a M and I feel FANTASTIC! My confidence is up, my energy is through the roof and I now 'feel' thin (mentally and physically), even though I still have about 10 pounds to go until my ultimate goal. I'm even embarking on a new career path that I didn't have the confidence to pursue previously. But, I'm losing friends. People who I've been friends with for YEARS suddenly don't have the time for me. They no longer invite me to parties, happy hours, birthday parties, etc yet they are happy to post where they've been and with whom on Facebook for me to find. They don't 'like' any of my social media posts anymore and none of it is weight loss centric (ok, so I made one comment about losing toe fat). I talked to my therapist about it. Many of the people who have suddenly exited my life are over-weight. Not all, but some. She told me that they are likely jealous and have chosen shunning me as their way of shaming me for bettering myself. It hurts. Bad. And I'm not entirely sure what to do about it. Has anyone else had this problem? Or did I just pick some really crummy people to be friends with? Others, by the way, have been incredibly supportive, amazingly complimentary. I've even made some new friends! So, there are some great people in my life who are there for me; the true friends haven't done anything but support me and they've done so with zest. Thanks for reading. I wish all of you the best on your beautiful weight loss journey.

I think you're on to something here. A lot of what our relationship revolved around was drinking and eating. Now, that's obviously changed. Maybe they don't know how to handle my new lifestyle and its changes. Thank you for this perspective; it is very helpful.

Thanks so much! I appreciate your thoughts and your devil's advocate approach. That was/is a great concern of mine. I don't want to make my life all about weight loss. I take GREAT pains to make sure I avoid topics regarding my weight loss specifically for that very reason. I wouldn't want to be around me if all I did was talk about it. But, that said, I have posted a lot more pictures of myself lately with family, with my husband, etc. and perhaps she has interpreted those photos in the way that you're suggesting. That would make sense. Thank you for your perspective and good luck to you as well!

Thank you all for your kind, supportive advice. I appreciate the positivity this forum provides. Have a beautiful day!

Thank you! This is really helpful. I've entered the 6 mo. post op slump (no weight loss for 2 weeks). I will use this to refocus and start counting everything out again to get back on that weight loss journey. Good luck to you!!

You look gorgeous!!! Keep up the great work. You've done an outstanding job so far! I know it's hard to look past how we used to look and embrace our new selves. I too went into therapy and it's helped me a great deal. I also weigh myself weekly and take monthly measurements. The rapid weight loss will slow down and that can become very discouraging. That's why, for me, the monthly measurements are helpful. I also try to buy myself one nice new article of clothing or get a massage or do something really nice for myself when I reach a self-set goal. I was cleaning through my old "fat" clothes and put on a pair of shorts that were too tight on me last summer. Now, they are HUGE. Huge enough, that my 10 year old daughter fit into them with me. I keep them to remind myself of how far I've come. Try to find something that shows you just how far you've come in your journey.

I am happy and proud to be 42! I've earned my stripes, my wrinkles, my lines and my new found health! I've never felt better than I do now - I can do so much more, I have more energy and I am truly happier now that I'm not over-burdened with the poor physical and emotional health being obese caused. I have been told that I look like I'm in my 20's again. And when I look at current photos of myself (because, I take them now!) I can see that spark of my true inner self shining through. WLS was the BEST decision I made for myself (aside from marrying my husband and having my children, of course!) and I'm so proud of myself for making the decision to focus on my health and happiness. I will never look back. I hope and pray you also have the same exciting experiences on your journey.

After 3 c-sections and losing over 55 pounds, my lower abdomen is a wreck. I am scared of getting a tummy tuck and came across cool sculpting. I had a consultation and was told I am a perfect candidate. I am just not entirely convinced it will work, despite the photos I've seen. Has anyone had any experience with this (positive, negative or indifferent)? Thanks in advance for your insight!

Thank you - that's what I thought too, which is why I thought it odd I was considered "the Perfect Candidate". I don't want to be tricked into spending several thousand dollars on a procedure that isn't going to do what I'm expecting.

LOL!!!

I've tried the Quest chips, but prefer the Kay's Naturals. They have more of a crunch and taste more like a "treat" to me.

Beautiful!!!

You are such an inspiration! Congratulations to you!!!

Wow! Thank you for posting that - I have totally been wearing the wrong size. I'll just have to scoop my girls up off the floor and buy them some smaller bras to fit into. I was not expecting Deflate-Gate for the girls, that's for sure.

I'm glad you've overcome your anxiety and are loving your new life. It is not an easy path, despite what some people may think, but it's SO worth it! I'm so happy for you that you've come to embrace your journey. I wish you great success!!

I am seeing a psychiatrist post surgery because I felt that was the best for me, rather than group therapy. That said, she told me exactly what Proud2BeMe said earlier; much of the depression comes from the fact that you can no longer use food as a comfort to placate your feelings. It drives a person who relies on that into an uncomfortable place and they suddenly feel as if they are drowning in emotion because that crutch is no longer there. As an emotional eater, I can definitely see that and did feel some of those feelings post surgery. But for me, they've mostly gone away. That's not to say I haven't reached for a bag of chips when the going gets tough, but those moments are fewer and farther between. I've tried to read more, exercise more... those two things have really helped, more than I have ever thought possible. But it is compounded by those extremely happy moments of seeing a new second digit on the scale, fitting into a new size, fitting comfortably into a movie theater or stadium seat, smiling more. It really is about those little moments, the small victories, that mean so much.

I think a lot of my fat-shaming came from myself. I purposely didn't wear make up or do my hair. I would wear impossibly baggy clothes; sweatpants, yoga pants, bulky t-shirts. And I was miserable. Who would want to go out of their way to talk to me? Now I am half way to my goal, down about 6 sizes and feel great. And that feeling has extended to my outer appearance as well. I think that because I have changed, people's attitude toward me has changed. I find myself talking to many more people than I used to and even opening myself up to begin conversations, something I wouldn't have done 40 pounds ago. I'm still overweight and still will be for a while. But I've learned my value extends far beyond that number on the scale. There's so much more. People judge, they always will. They will always make assumptions, lean on stereotypes, form opinions before they know anything. It's just the way people are and that isn't going to change. The best thing anyone can do for themselves is to love themselves (as my grandmother used to say), 'warts and all'. When you love yourself, it shines through and the judgments of others don't matter so much. They still might sting, but they don't linger.

Thank you for sharing your story and I hope you are quickly on the mend. I wish you all the best and success on the rest of your journey. Thank God for a fantastic medical team! I didn't follow my pre-op diet like I should have either. My BMI was lower than many people my surgeon operated on and he told me he wasn't as concerned about my following it so strictly. I didn't. I kind of used it as my "last hurrah" and ate what I wanted to for many meals but did manage to partially follow it and lost some weight. Consequently, on my day of surgery, in an attempt to move my enormous liver out of the way to get to my stomach, my liver was punctured and needed to be cauterized. Both my surgeon and I learned a valuable lesson. And, no, I'm not a drinker. (My surgeon asked my husband that question while I was in recovery and told him what had happened). Thank God, no lingering effects from that and all is moving along beautifully. But, in my humble opinion, it is very important to follow any recommended pre-op diets.

So I've been doing well, surgery on 12/28, down 40 pounds and feeling fantastic. Except after I eat dinner. These past two weeks, I've been throwing up 4 of 5 dinners because I get serious pain. I'm perfectly fine during the day; I have my Protein shakes, yogurts, Protein drinks, cottage cheese, bariatric "Chips" etc. without issues. I already know chicken and I are no longer friends, but fish and I are. I put less on my plate than my 4 year olds, never go back for seconds. I think I chew enough and I don't drink with my meals or ahead of them. I am just wondering if anyone else has developed issues like this and how you've gotten around it. I'm starting to worry and my husband thinks I'm becoming bulimic. Thanks in advance for any insight!

Thank you so much for all of your help - everyone has had some great insight and I appreciate it. I will look for my full button - what a fantastic idea!

He needs to understand this is your journey and you're on your way to making your body the healthiest it can be. Though, I can understand his concern. Maybe he can go to your next appointment with you and your doctor can explain that your goals are realistic and healthy. Hopefully that will allow him to feel better about. You look gorgeous! Keep up the great work!!

I have awful IBS-D and still do, unfortunately. Though I think some of mine is complicated because I had my gallbladder removed. Some days it seems to improve, but other days not so much; no real reason to it. Removing pastas, rice, bread, etc. from my diet has seemed to help and I have less "poopy" days now. Good luck to you and I hope yours resolves itself!!!

Hi Lisa and welcome. Congratulations on your weight loss!! That's amazing!! Sounds like you are off to a wonderful start. I too had a lot of weight related issues (mild sleep apnea, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure). I am 6 weeks post surgery as of Monday. I no longer have sleep apnea, my blood pressure medicine has been cut in half and my high cholesterol and triglycerides are now normal (so those meds are GONE!). I am 100% confident that you too will see a measured difference with your health as a result of this surgery. I am grateful for the post op labs, as they really help to get a new picture of your health. Old habits (and cravings) really do die hard. My mourning process with food has devolved into tears many times. I have learned my body does not like all of my old favorites and much prefers veggies and fish (who knew?!?) So, listening to your body is key. I have also tried to train myself to drink first if I think I'm hungry (very hard for me) or to distract myself if I think I feel hungry to make sure that's what I'm really feeling. I've gotten to read some pretty great books as I use that as a distraction technique. Best to you - you are doing great and will continue to do so.