NeedaBreak4Me

This is one treatment i swear by and literally the only thing i use other than Shampoo and conditioner.
Put half cup olive oil & quarter coconut oil in a small saucepan, heat it up gently until its just luke warm (not hot, you will fry your scalp)
Put the mixture throughout your hair, scalp included and then wrap your hair in cling wrap (plastic wrap)... leave for as long as you require (i leave it for 1hr)
Then wash as usual.... your hair won't be oily as long as you lather well.
I do this once a week, and everyone comments how beautiful and shiny my hair is...
I have also used egg or mayo for a Protein fix in the past, but i don't need it on my hair.

@@mythreekids
This doctor sounds like he is very uneducated...
If you have the sleeve you can have a revision to bypass!!
If he doesn't know that basic information i would not trust him to cut off 80% of my stomach.
Because you are getting a large portion cut out.. i would not use him.. he obviously has not had much experience with the sleeve.
The surgeon needs to cut the right size for your stomach and get the curvature correct...otherwise there can be difficulties with eating later... i don't believe this surgeon would understand this stuff if he is inexperienced.
For your own health, get a second opinion! This dude sounds like a quack!

There is nothing wrong with eating animal meat if you choose to... we were advised to eat Protein... Protein does not only come from meat, you can get it from many sources....
I think the focus on animal meat products is that it is the easiest and most well known type of protein... any layman when asked what protein is.. will answer meat, poultry, fish.
I personally get sick of eating the same type of food... i need variety... so i switch between animal and non animal sources depending on what i feel like.
Also, i think the original info which was published in 1995 has some info that would be considered redundant now as new research emerges... it would be good if there was an updated version

I don't think @@Pinkberry2 was trying to be mean or rude... i wasnt replying in a harsh tone.
But i thought i would explain my side of the story, because it is never as simple as just "trying" for some.
And to be honest, when i had my band removed the surgeon asked if i wanted to be converted to the sleeve, i declined as i thought it was way to drastic for my size...
Fast forward 12 months.. something needed to be done.. i was gaining rapidly, my knees hurt, working out became harder, all the weight related aches and pains started to return, my insulin resistance was starting to come back... and a host of other issues... so i realised that i needed to do something now...
Before....
My elevated insulin turned into diabetes
My sore knees turned into arthritis
My normal blood pressure turned into high blood pressure
THIS is why i did it, as a preventative measure, the slim part is only a bonus (mind you, i am one of the lucky ones who was a size 14 at 200lbs, muscular frame)
My thinking was, well you service your car so it doesn't break down, why would you not service your body?

Not everyone that has a low BMI gets WLS because of the laziness of putting a "little effort" I had wls at a BMI of 32, this was because i completely screwed up my metabolism from having the band.
I was a BMI of 23 and jumped to 32 in less than 12 months since having the band removed. Basically i can not eat above 800 calories without gaining.
My exercise and diet remained the same, i did NOT gain from lack of effort.
Please do not generalise without knowing peoples history or story, a blanket statement like that isn't useful to anyone.
And as you say, being 200lbs, you lose with very little effort, this may be the case for you, but you will find that weight loss is slower the lower BMI one is.

And people.. This is how a respectful adult handles conflict/misunderstanding a forum..... we can all learn from this!
Thank you for not taking offence to us disagreeing, much appreciated.. you i like!

And people.. This is how a respectful adult handles conflict/misunderstanding a forum..... we can all learn from this!
Thank you for not taking offence to us disagreeing, much appreciated.. you i like!

I dunno... ill play devils advocate here....
I can understand how it might be a good idea to avoid trigger foods during the weight loss phase, however i think that life is meant to be enjoyed, we can not deprive ourselves forever... there will be times when one cookie is okay.. or a small slice of cake.... everything in moderation...
It takes time to learn new habits and yes... i agree whilst in the losing phase we need to avoid our trigger foods, but we also need to educate and teach ourselves control... life is meant to be lived.... not to be spent on a diet.... its a lifestyle change.
*silently waiting for someone to shove a box of Cookies in her mouth because of this post * ☺

I had my post op consultation the other day and my surgeon and i were actually talking about this.
I had asked him why i seem to be able to eat and drink a decent amount of food than others (i get satisfied with half cup)
He explained that as an ex bander the band causes damage to something in the esophagus and when we get sleeved we don't feel the restriction like a virgin sleever. According to him there is a loss of sensation there for us.. so we don't feel it as strongly... therefore his suggestion was to measure the food so i do not overeat and not to completely rely on sensations
On another note... your surgeon does not cut your tummy by sight.. he uses a bougie to guide him for size and does it according to the curvature of your stomach... so he technically can't make it way to big without him realising.
I hope this helps

I had my post op consultation the other day and my surgeon and i were actually talking about this.
I had asked him why i seem to be able to eat and drink a decent amount of food than others (i get satisfied with half cup)
He explained that as an ex bander the band causes damage to something in the esophagus and when we get sleeved we don't feel the restriction like a virgin sleever. According to him there is a loss of sensation there for us.. so we don't feel it as strongly... therefore his suggestion was to measure the food so i do not overeat and not to completely rely on sensations
On another note... your surgeon does not cut your tummy by sight.. he uses a bougie to guide him for size and does it according to the curvature of your stomach... so he technically can't make it way to big without him realising.
I hope this helps

I think majority of the time we are our worst critics... i don't think people really notice our imperfections as much as we do.
We can have a very distorted vision of ourselves and the pressure of having to conform to a certain type of body is very evident everywhere we look.
Your partner will love you for you... regardless of wrinkes, saggy boobs, hanging back fat or other things. If a partner does not... then the relationship might be worth reviewing ????

how i think i look vs how others see me

Hmm it could possibly backfire if you blatantly ask, she is only 24, still young and sensitive.
Maybe try and get her involved with your journey...
- ask her for her ideas on healthy recipes
- ask her to come along on walks, when you notice she is puffed out, explain how you are glad you are fitter. (Don't mention you noticed she is puffed out though)
- go shopping with her and when she gets upset about clothes not fitting, explain how you used to feel that way prior to wls.
Use calculated opportunities to explain the changes to you mentally, physically and mentally.
Engage her in your journey, speak to her about your feelings and when she sees how simple it is to still enjoy life without food & makes the connection with what you have told her, might choose to improve her health.

I had my post op consultation the other day and my surgeon and i were actually talking about this.
I had asked him why i seem to be able to eat and drink a decent amount of food than others (i get satisfied with half cup)
He explained that as an ex bander the band causes damage to something in the esophagus and when we get sleeved we don't feel the restriction like a virgin sleever. According to him there is a loss of sensation there for us.. so we don't feel it as strongly... therefore his suggestion was to measure the food so i do not overeat and not to completely rely on sensations
On another note... your surgeon does not cut your tummy by sight.. he uses a bougie to guide him for size and does it according to the curvature of your stomach... so he technically can't make it way to big without him realising.
I hope this helps

Not everyone that has a low BMI gets WLS because of the laziness of putting a "little effort" I had wls at a BMI of 32, this was because i completely screwed up my metabolism from having the band.
I was a BMI of 23 and jumped to 32 in less than 12 months since having the band removed. Basically i can not eat above 800 calories without gaining.
My exercise and diet remained the same, i did NOT gain from lack of effort.
Please do not generalise without knowing peoples history or story, a blanket statement like that isn't useful to anyone.
And as you say, being 200lbs, you lose with very little effort, this may be the case for you, but you will find that weight loss is slower the lower BMI one is.

And people.. This is how a respectful adult handles conflict/misunderstanding a forum..... we can all learn from this!
Thank you for not taking offence to us disagreeing, much appreciated.. you i like!

Hi... i hope you are recovering well.
I was revised from band to sleeve... and the difference is like night and day.
When i had my band removed i did have a "phantom" band for a few weeks... but once that subsided my tummy was like my pre band tummy... normal.
Now that i am sleeved and healed... it just feels like a normal stomach... i can eat and drink without feeling odd sensations, pressure or food getting stuck like the band.
Earlier out when i was healing, if i ate too fast or didn't chew properly i would get a little "stuck" feeling.... but nothing like the stuck feeling with the band... sort of like.. stuck without that heavy pressure.
For me, once i passed the first 3-4 weeks... everything just became easier.... now i feel like a normal person, who just eats smaller portions.. Water isn't a issue and i am meeting or exceeding my daily goals.
One thing i will mention... as an ex bander... you will find you can fit a little more food/fluids than virgin sleevers... as we have less sensation in our esophagus because of the band.... so its important that we measure out food until we can adjust to reading the full signals...

Here... they are not allowed to do it in one procedure.... there is a minimum wait of 3 months from band removal before you can have a revision.
Basically they say it is to allow your stomach to heal and for the area around your band to go back to its original shape.

KittyCathy.... i wouldn't worry about it too much.
Think of it this way.... you would already be aging faster beng 320... so you will actually notice people look and feel younger with weight loss.
This surgery has been done for years as the first step to another surgery and also has been used to treat some stomach cancers.... and i would think doctors would not do it on a mass scale if it has the potential to cause major issues down the track.
Was this article a medical journal article or is it potential hogwash from around the Internet?

Also i would like to add.... i would advise that you give yourself a break, stop being so hard on yourself, be kind to yourself, your body, emotional and mental health.
Stressing yourself out at this stage is not going to help you, it will only hinder your efforts to lose weight.
Start slowly, making small changes to what you are eating, choose healthier options, slowly reduce your portion sizes, focus on eating good clean foods, meat, poultry, salads, veg etc.. stay away from that artifically processed stuff.
Go for a 5 minute walk every day, increase it to 10 mins the following week, and keep increasing it until you get into a routine....
This is not a race, there is no finish line, making small changes do add up.
Remember your health and well being is more important than that number on the scale.
Keep at it, in time it will become easier... you can do this.
Just remember not to let yourself fall into the cycle of self blame and depression as you do not want to go back to that place.
We are here for you, to support and help you along... if you ever need to talk, feel free to drop us a line...

I agree with you there.... not having forbidden foods really helps take the pressure off... i feel it teaches you to make good choices for yourself, not having someone dictate them for you. I feel that if i was told you are never to have x,y,z.. i would probably rebel and crave it so much more... but this way i know i can have it in moderation but CHOOSE not to.... that is exactly what i need to make a long term lifestyle change.... this is for life, and sometimes in life you will want a small piece of cake or a bread roll... denying myself or completely eliminating an entire food or food group is not healthy in my opinion (psychologically).. that for me would bea set up for failure.. i would feel deprived!

Anytime, i really mean it.... we are here to help... i believe you can do this! Small changes make big differences if you stick to them ????

Also i would like to add.... i would advise that you give yourself a break, stop being so hard on yourself, be kind to yourself, your body, emotional and mental health.
Stressing yourself out at this stage is not going to help you, it will only hinder your efforts to lose weight.
Start slowly, making small changes to what you are eating, choose healthier options, slowly reduce your portion sizes, focus on eating good clean foods, meat, poultry, salads, veg etc.. stay away from that artifically processed stuff.
Go for a 5 minute walk every day, increase it to 10 mins the following week, and keep increasing it until you get into a routine....
This is not a race, there is no finish line, making small changes do add up.
Remember your health and well being is more important than that number on the scale.
Keep at it, in time it will become easier... you can do this.
Just remember not to let yourself fall into the cycle of self blame and depression as you do not want to go back to that place.
We are here for you, to support and help you along... if you ever need to talk, feel free to drop us a line...

Ah okay, that explains it... wow 900 for meds?! Thats crazy..
It amazes me how much you guys pay for healthcare, its insane! Eg. for abilify here it is $38!
I hope that your new med helps you, i hope that it helps you resolve all side effects that you were getting.

Sorry if this comes across as ignorant or rude, but why do they have you on abilify in the first place?
Abilify is an anti-psychotic or used for bipolar... i do not understand why they would prescribe it for depression.... did you have episodes during that time? If not, you might want to speak to your psych about something less "harsh"
I know this is also off the topic.. but have you had thorough blood work done? Deficiency in some vitamins/minerals can also cause depression and mood disorders.

@@missblonde20
I agree, i think we (in aust) in general doctors are more focused on balance.... eating to live and enjoy food, whilst losing and maintaining... also one thing i did noticed during my many trips to the states is how big everything was! I can understand why some people who live there would need to eliminate eating out, everything is huge!
Eg. I noticed that the small sized coke for macdonalds is our large!... one slice of pizza would be equivalent to 3 here...
My point being... if we "cheat" it doesn't seem so bad... but at those portions.. i can understand why cheating would be considered bad...
To me, when i went to the states, everything was supersized and super sweet!
Do you guys in the states notice the huge portions? Or is it just noticable to us internationals?