Ivy383

I entered my bariatric program in August 2015 at 434 lbs. I got sleeved April 2016, and I was 322 lbs on surgery day.
Today I stepped on the scale - 199.8 lbs
I would definitely recommend working on your diet before surgery. I started eating very similarly to how I would eat after surgery, just in larger quantities. It let me kick the carb cravings ahead of time and I think it made recovery easier since I was just focused on getting my fluids/protein and not withdrawing from sugar too. Also, if I 'cheated' and slipped on my diet, it wasn't potentially dangerous like it would be after surgery. And I did slip, often at the beginning. But, it got better and better, and by surgery I was able to stick to my plan 100%. My surgeon was thrilled with my weight loss before surgery, and said it would make his job much easier and safer for me.

I'm pre-op but I started at 398.
I am doing what the above comment recommended and I am eating like I will after surgery. Cut out sugar and cut down carbs. Eating lots of Protein and only 3 times a day. I feel like I have crushed all my cravings already and makes me feel better prepared for surgery. I'm down 30lbs in a month and a half. Just need to get the last 10 off so I can schedule my surgery.
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I started at 371 (actually 382 but lost 14 pounds prior to surgery). I had RNY on 10/17/16 and I have lost ~65 pounds in 3 1/2 months. I lost the most the first month - 37 pounds, followed by 9 pounds the second (was sick for a month), then 14 pounds the third. My surgeon wants 120 total gone by month 6 - we'll see.
I'm not giving myself any timetable, just enjoying the new me that's emerging after decades of being overweight. I've gone from a Catherine's 5x to a 2x. My knee pain is much better - still there but better managed on way less medication than prior to surgery. I am no longer pre-diabetic.
I'm very glad I had the surgery!

Sounds like you are due an upgrade in friends. True friends stick with you through thick and thin...

Knowing what we need to do can quickly overturn the impulse to do what we want to do. We can reprogram our conditioned responses to food, which likely led to us being morbidly obese, with new positive Bariatric Eating habits.



If asked what your long-term weight loss goals are, you would probably give positive, upbeat responses. It would be a shock to hear that your intention is to gain back every pound you lost over the course of the next 5 years.

But it happens.

Unfortunately, any bariatric surgery fails in the long-term when not followed-up with a weight loss maintenance plan. Persons who fail to make the necessary dietary changes after bariatric surgery frequently regain much of the weight they have lost, particularly around the 5-year mark. Read, “Bariatric Surgery is Just the First Step.”

Bariatric Eating Made Simple

When we change our anatomy through bariatric surgery, many of those old dietary rules and plans can do more harm than good. For our bariatric tool to work best, we need to be very aware of what we eat to get proper nutrition. There are three simple points that you need for smart bariatric eating. Read, “Bariatric Eating: Getting Back on Track.”

Drinking and Eating after Bariatric Surgery

How long we should wait before and after eating to drink again? There’s a lot of confusion around drinking and eating after bariatric surgery. It’s important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to drinking and eating after bariatric surgery. Get the Top 5 Tips in “Eating and Drinking Do’s and Don’ts.”

Push Back Against Emotional Eating

Emotional eating is an attempt to erase discomfort with food. Many people use food to relieve stress only to find that it is not much of a solution. Emotional eating will not provide the long-term remedy we want. We need to shake off failed habits and try something new. Read, “Steer Clear of Emotional Eating.”

Bariatric Eating: The Bottom Line

Knowing what we need to do can quickly overturn the impulse to do what we want to do. We can reprogram our conditioned responses to food, which likely led to us being morbidly obese, with new positive bariatric eating habits.

Living larger than ever,
My Bariatric Life
http://www.mybariatriclife.org

Hi! Welcome! I'm in the early stages of the process. Nutrition and Behavioral health have given me the ok. :-)

I had two different types of extensions, keratin bond extensions and what are called tape-in extensions. The keratin bond extensions are where they take a small bundle of hairs and attach it using a bond made of keratin to one strand of your hair right at the scalp. It takes a couple of hours to get them installed. I have long hair so I opted for longer extensions. It was about $1200 to have them put in and they lasted 5-6 months with no need to visit the stylist until the next set. Generally, you cannot re-use the keratin extensions, so you have to have a new set put in. I also tried the tape-in extensions. They are 1/2 wide bits of hair that they attach to your hair with special tape. It takes only about 20 minutes to get them installed. Those can stay in about 6-8 weeks and then they have to be removed and replaced. You can remove and replace the same set of extensions three times. The cost to put them in was $600 with going in at 6 week intervals and paying about $100 for her to remove them and put them back in. The cost of the two types of extensions are really the same because you'll need a full new set of tape-ins probably 3 times a year plus the upkeep.
I never considered a weave. That is where they create a braid and then sew in extensions to the braid. I just don't have the right hair for it and I already had enough of my own hair that it wasn't necessary. I've also heard and read that the scalp under the braid can get very itchy! I also did not like the idea of the micro beads because you can feel them against your scalp and you cannot get your hair colored when you have them in (you can color your hair with the keratin and tape ins).
Both types of extensions looked completely natural on me and no one ever knew I had them. Even hairdressers were surprised to see that wasn't all me! The tape ins I would say are a bit easier to wear and you can't feel them when you touch your hair (or someone else does!), the bonds, however, you can feel as little bumps if you touched that area. With any kind of extension, you cannot run your fingers through your hair from scalp to end. The tape in extensions are definitely "lighter" feeling than the keratin bonds and generally speaking, they probably do the least amount of damage to your natural hair.
As far as taking care of them, you have to be gentle with brushing and have to avoid putting any conditioners or oils or slippery things on the bonds or tape that might loosen them. You have to be very careful when you're drying your hair or styling not to heat the bonds or tug too hard. You also have to keep out tangles and sleep in a braid or pony tail to avoid tangles.
Finding a good stylist to put them in and to cut your hair so they blend in is key. Improperly placed extensions can pull on your hair and potentially cause Hair loss. Also, it's not just knowing how to put them in, but take them out--whatever kind of extension is used, they must be gently removed so as to avoid pulling out or damaging your natural hair. I found my person on Yelp and she's terrific. I live in the Chicago area so there were many choices, I'm not sure about where you live, but extensions are become more and more popular, so more people are doing it. There are also many, many different companies making extensions and you'll want to make sure that you pick someone who uses a good product. You can also google the makers of the extensions and then see if they have a way to locate a stylist who uses their products near you. I used Great Lengths.
Beware though, extensions look so great, it can be hard to give them up!

Eat fresh, wholesome stuff. Not eating crappy, processed, highly refined food really isn't "dieting". If you just follow the basics (protein first, then carbs, then veggies), you'll never feel like you're dieting ever again! Don't start setting yourself up for failure now - you've made it this far and wow! Look at your results!!!

This DOES require a lifestyle change, and I'm really sorry that you seem to have thought it wouldn't. It's been hammered into me from my bariatric team and everything I've read. But don't get stressed about it. It's really not as bad as you're thinking.
You need to be mindful of what you eat, and you need to be more active. But don't think of this as a diet - that word has negative connotations to many of us, and it's not really true. You don't have to be that regimented or restrictive. Eat like a healthy person. Be aware of what you're eating and how much. You can have treats. Just be smart about it - don't mindlessly graze on chips that you don't really care about, or have treats more than you have good food. Have that ice cream. Make it a really special scoop of premium stuff, but not a pint of it. Enjoy it thoroughly, and then move on. Maybe you ate fairly lightly that day, or maybe you just decide to go light on the carbs for the next meal or two. Or maybe you do it so seldom that you decide you can absorb the calories from that small treat. But YOU are in control, not some arbitrary list of what you can or can't eat. Just remember to pay attention, and keep things balanced, and you'll be fine.

As I guy, I don't think my expectation would be for the girl to bring up any physical "faults" (probably not the right word) she thinks she has... in fact I'd probably find it a bit off-putting that she brought it up as I'd be thinking "does she really think I'm that shallow?"
That being said it's going to come down to the type of guy you're dating... by the time you get to the point of taking off your clothes, I'm guessing you'll know whether it's a narcissistic douche that may have an issue with it... in which case you probably shouldn't be taking off your clothes anyway, lol.

Me trying on wedding dresses April 2014 at 231lbs, 5'2.
  
Me on my wedding day oct 2014, 168lb
   

Had surgery March 19th 2013. So far I've lost 142. I started off weighing 277 n now I'm 135 as of dis morning.

Here is my before shot and after shot. My one year mark is this Friday, March 7th. I have lost over 100 pounds. I was a size 22, now I'm down to a size 2,3. I feel great. I work out almost every day and I thank God every day for this surgery.

heres mine me at my biggest of 425lbs, then a the full body was oct of 2013 and the head shot was new years eve

Please don't worry about stretching your sleeve.....it won't happen especially with liquids. You will not feel true restriction until you are eating solid foods. Continue to work on getting all your Fluid and Protein in and know that you will not stretch your sleeve with liquids. It sounds like you're doing very well with little to no pain. Keep up the good work!! And it is fantastic about the walking. The more you can walk the faster you will heal!
I didn't have much pain at all either so we're the lucky ones. Make sure to stick to your post-op eating plan and don't be tempted to move through the stages faster than prescribed by your doctor. Remember, even though you feel okay with no pain your stomach has a huge staple line that will need time to heal............The time will go by before you know it......I can't believe I'm already over 8 months post-op. :-)
Good luck to you!!
Take Care,
Kathy

Order good food and take home a great extra dinner!

From time to time I think about what it's going to mean for me not to be going out to eat with my husband on date nights and my family on Sundays after church. We don't go out too often, but I do still think about all the money I can save, and still even go out to eat but enjoy a few bites, but mostly find alternative things to do other than food. Walk on the beach (yeah, I live by the beach), concerts, ferry rides, rodeo, cirque de soleil, outlet malls (definitely doing this)! I'm training my mind now that food is fuel, sure, we can enjoy it, but it's not what is going to control me. I'll be controlling it.

Aaaahhh go on... like you weren't handsome and charming at 500lbs??? Now you're trimmer, handsome and charming.
You're looking happy. That's what counts. Keep on truck'n!