biginjapan

When I was pregnant, I became hyper aware of all the pregnant people around. One day, no preggos.. the next, boom!
Now that I'm about to go under the knife, I start thinking about all the people I have seen that have lost a ton of weight, and I wonder whether they had some help
And, recently, an aquaintance mentioned she had a small stomach. Before, I would have thought it was some kind of birth defect. Now I know better! Lol.

Lol I feel the same way. I look at peoples before and after pictures and especially in the time they said it took them to lose the weight and I am," I know what you did." lol

There's a term for that! The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.
It's like when you hear a new word and suddenly, that word shows up everywhere. Or (as my link uses as an example), when you buy a car and suddenly you see them on the road everywhere.

Good bye. ..McDonald's Sweet Tea. I will miss your sweetness. You are my most favorite drink in the world. I spent good money on you week after week. But that's all over.
Good bye....candy. Oh candy. Our relationship is almost 40 years old. Many times you have been my best friend. Any and all types of candy. I have loved you all. There is something so fabulous about eating candy...but the reality is that you were a bandaid to my life. If I got upset, happy, mad or sad...you were always there. But that's all over.
Good bye Cool Ranch Doritos and Lime Tostitos. You two were good for a night time hang out. But that's all over.
Good bye Soda...esp Wild Cherry Pepsi. I mean come on your WILD and quick and easy to find at every check out aisle in every store. But that's all over.
Today I am breaking up with all of you. I am starting my Day 1 of PreOp. Your power and control over me are no more. I am ready to make new friends. Friends that will take care of my body, heal my body, nourish my body....not slowly try to kill me. You and I have had a lifetime together. But your time has ended and mine is just beginning....and you will not have any power left over me.
Sincerely,
The girl who loved you too much but realizes she deserves more.

I'm worried about this as well, but I seem to be handling cheese and yogurt okay. I don't use milk (and haven't for years) - I make my shakes with almond or soy milk, although I've noticed that I have issues with soy now that I'm post-op. Unfortunately it's hard to find almond milk here in Japan - my local supermarket does have it, but in the tiny 200ml juice box size.

Your sign should be that you had your measured/weighed portion. You can't really depend on your body to tell you. Once your body signals you, you aren't full you have over ate.
There are a lot of threads about this if you use search, but...
It varies by person. Some people get a running nose, some hiccups, burping.
Early on the nerves are not reconnected (your Dr should talk to you about this but a lot of them aren't that good and don't), so you can't depend on feelings from your stomach. Also like I said before, by the time you get the signal to your brain you have over eaten.
You do not want to depend on feeling full long term.
It is a recipe for overeating and regain. You need to learn to eat proper measured/weighed portions and being satisfied with those, so long term when you can eat more, you don't.
Example I can eat 6 ounces of steak before I get stuffed, but a proper portion is 3-4 ounces (not just for sleevers but for everyone, people are not eating proper portions). 3-4 ounces will satisfy me for hours, and provides enough Protein. If I just relied on my feeling of fullness I could over eat a proper portion at every meal.
Creating good habits in the very beginning makes it easier to follow them later on. Right after surgery your tool is working the hardest to support your good choices. As time goes on and you heal and have more capacity and less fear of food, you will have less support from your tool, and will have to depend on the good habits that you have built over time.

The question is not about losing weight - it's about keeping the weight off. I think everyone on this site has had plenty of experience in losing weight, but the fact is, most of us cannot keep the weight off permanently. If you try to lose weight through exercise and diet alone (diet is more effective) you have a less than 5% chance (in some studies it is less than 1% chance) of keeping the weight off permanently, whereas permanent weight loss is much higher (at least 85%) after bariatric surgery.
Here are some reasons why bariatric surgery works (in comparison to diet and exercise):
VSG/GP - removes the part of your stomach which produces the hunger hormone gherlin. Although some form of hunger will come back eventually for most bariatric patients, not having to deal with real hunger issues as you lose weight is very helpful in the first year after surgery. Also, removing this part of the stomach seems to have an impact on bile production and other hormones, which almost always positively affects other metabolic conditions like diabetes. Diabetes often goes into remission, and people have a reduction in meds for cholesterol or high blood pressure, etc. These improvements are not necessarily due to the weight loss (as first thought), but due to the surgery itself. Your metabolic rate will change as well. Trying to lose weight through diet and exercise alone can actually screw up your metabolism - look at what happened to the "Biggest Loser" contestants that they studied recently - their metabolisms (even for the ones who kept the weight off) were much worse after losing weight than before they started. Your body has a "set-point" that it likes to stay at. Basically, it likes where it is and will fight you tooth and nail to stay where it is. So if you start eating less, your metabolism will slow down so you don't lose weight. If you start exercising more, your metabolism will slow down so you don't lose weight. This is built into our bodies to prevent us from starving when times are lean; unfortunately most of us never really have to worry about not having food available to us 24 hours a day, so we are always well-fed. Weight loss surgery is not a quick fix. Basically, it takes away all the handicaps your body has set against you for losing weight. So you get about 1-2 years where you can diet and exercise AND lose weight AND keep it off without fighting your body every step of the way. But if you want to be successful, you still have to eat well and exercise. If you go back to your old habits, you will gain back the weight. The surgery acts like a 'reprieve', giving you a real chance to lose and keep the weight off. This surgery (especially sleeve) is not any worse than having your appendix or gall bladder removed. All you are doing is decreasing the size of your stomach with additional metabolic effects. I've learned a lot about this from many different resources, both online and in books. Unfortunately I can't find all of the resources online (I may not have bookmarked them all), but here are a few links:
Why You Shouldn't Exercise to Lose Weight
Why Weight Loss Surgery Works When Diets Don't
Bariatric Surgery Misconceptions
The Mechanism of Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery
Mechanisms Responsible for Excess Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery (this link just takes you to the abstract and resources, but the resources are very good, plus you can read the full article if you like)
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Walter - when all is said and done, it's up to you. If you are not ready for the surgery, maybe you should wait. In the end, it should be something you do because you want to do it, and because you know it's the best option for you. If you can't say yes to either of those, then maybe you should talk to your doctor about other options.

I was diagnosed with IBS three years ago. It is miserable, but I had/ have a fairly mild case.

I haven't had a single flare-up since surgery. I do deal with Constipation and gas, like most people after surgery, but it's nothing compared to IBS.

That having been said, I have no idea if my lack of issues is because of the surgery, completely unrelated, or in spite of the surgery.

I had IBS when I was younger and it developed into full-fledged ulcerative colitis by the time I was 30. I've been on meds for it off and on since then. I had my surgery 3.5 weeks ago and I have to say I haven't had any symptoms. I think. It's hard to know what's normal after sleeve since I've never had a sleeve before. Unlike many other people, I do not suffer from Constipation post-op, and usually have a bowel movement 3 times a day - it's always loose and soft, similar to what I had pre-sleeve. However, I do know that when I went on the pre-op diet, which allowed lean Protein and non-starchy vegetables, and was no dairy or alcohol or caffeine, all of my symptoms cleared up immediately and I had no issues. The big difference between then and now is that I am eating cheese and greek yogurt to help meet my protein goals, but I wonder if that is affecting my BMs. However, I'm not going to change anything until I back to full foods and can cut back on the dairy.
I'm not taking any meds for the colitis at the moment as I don't know how well they'll work with my new sleeve. I'm going to go talk to my gastroenterologist next week about it. That said, I've done some research about it and it seems that the sleeve really helps alleviate symptoms. I know colitis and IBS in general are not exactly the same, but as I have suffered from one or the other for over 30 years, to me there is little difference between them.

There are several issues with alcohol and WLS that will apply to varying degrees to different people.
Healing time for the stomach is the first, which may not apply to those with the band which doesn't cut directly on the stomach, but will vary from a few weeks to several months or a year or more depending upon individual surgeons' perspectives.
Transfer addiction, which BigUtahMan discussed, wherein an addiction to foods, to the degree one is afflicted, is transferred to another medium - alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, etc. This can affect anyone who is severely limiting their ability to indulge in an addictive behavior (i.e. any WLS patient irrespective procedure.) From this perspective, some will take a "never again" stand on it.
The other alcohol biggie is liver condition; going into any WLS our livers aren't in the best of condition due to our obesity (witness the "liver shrinking" pre-op diets that many surgeons impose on their patients} and is further taxed by its role in metabolizing the fat that we are rapidly losing. The last thing that the liver needs is to be further stressed by metabolizing a known liver toxin - alcohol (that's not a moral judgement, just a physiological fact.) On this basis, some surgeons will suggest no alcohol during your weight loss phase. With my surgeon, this is part of the contract that we sign with him - that we will not drink as long as we are losing; it comes from his alter-ego as a biliopancreatic (liver/pancreas) transplant surgeon who doesn't want to see any of his bariatric patients coming back onto his transplant table.

My self-proclaimed therapist response is, get new friends and your life will blossom again. No need to rush out and go looking, as "birds of a feather flock together".
My advice is... have the confidence to know, your social life will return, but you have bigger fish to fry at the moment with your health and your overall emotional well-being. Sounds like you need more YOU time, more than bar time anyway. Especially with people who seem not to care about you, as they do their drinks anyway.

I can appreciate you feeling isolated, but consider it a blessing and opportunity to work on yourself. Everyone enjoys being around a well adjusted dynamic adult, who knows them self and can feel confident in their own skin. Sounds like you are making changes like every butterfly does. So I wouldn't expect to make big changes by becoming healtheir and stronger, and still expect nothing else in your life to change as well. (Including "friends", nothing you stated would make a difference to a real friend who wanted you to be happy and healthy. I think you have drinking buddies, not friends.)

Also I am an addict, whenever I take one addiction away, the addictive personality in me searches to place that addiciton elsewhere. so, I think it is very wise to stay clear of bars for the next couple years, so you don't have that issue on top of what you are dealing with today. There is a saying I learned from my first procedure, "as the weight comes off, the issues come out." No one who needs weight loss surgery is free from lot's of issues buried under their fat. Including myself.
So just think about that as you continue the roller coaster you are on, as you are a strong person who wants to improve your life, thus you made the difficult decision to go down this path. So stay strong and stay the course, drink and walk, drink and walk, and write, write and write about your emotions and food.
I hope this helps, forgive me if I am off base.

I'm not trying to be unkind, but who did your surgery? If he/she sent you home this unprepared to live your post-op life, I would seriously consider that to be bordering on malpractice. Every bariatric patient should know how important protein is post-op. I can't even imagine anyone not knowing that before they had the procedure done.
I never cease to be amazed by the things I read on these forums anymore.
Good luck. If your doctor is really this terrible, I recommend that you seek out and hire an independent PCP (with experience with bariatric patients) and a nutritionist the same background.

Actually, it's hard for me right now, because this is usually a time I do a lot of shopping online in order to have some new clothes for the start of the school year here in Japan (which is April 1st). But I'm reluctant to buy anything because of the anticipated weight loss. The only thing I really need are leggings (capri ones of course) so I can wear them under skirts and not have wear nylons (of which I have a ton, but will probably never wear now). I'm off to Europe next week so maybe I can find a few things while I'm there.

I know this will sound crazy, but I'm just so overjoyed with being able to find anything that fits I have to stay out of the stores. I won't shop online because it gives me anxiety. I have been in them more and more because of the Capri hunt and I'm dreading the impending bills...lol

I've got sizes from 24/26 down to 18/20 here with me in Japan. I know that I can shop from my own closet, but I have a feeling that I've got a real mixed bag of stuff - maybe lots of shirts, but not so many pants (most die pretty early due to the dreaded "chub rub" of my thighs+heat+humidity), etc. - it may not be enough to cover me for work. Luckily I can go pretty casual if I need to, and hopefully I'll be able to stick mostly to those items until summer hits and I can do some shopping at home IRL, as opposed to online.

Most capris fit me like regular pants, so they're pretty much my jam. I bought some skirts last year when I was pre-op, but losing on my own. I'll probably do a bit of that as well. Maybe even dresses if I can find some super cute A-line styles. I've gone from a 28 to 18/20 in 4 months so I'm not trying to buy too much. I just gave away my last pair of 28's that I have still been limping along in and I have a nice tailored pair of 26, but they have to go as well. I'm just tired of my clothes making me look sloppy, so I am trying to find more fitted stylish clothing instead of "I guess I'll buy this cause it fits." LOL

I love capris! They're a still a little short, but I don't mind since it rains so much here - those extra inches off the ground make a big difference to keeping dry. I've only ever bought mine from Nordstrom (when they have them in stock), since they make a pair that isn't horrible on my pear-shaped body, and they ship to Japan. What I really want though, are some wide-leg pants (also cropped)- I've been wearing some for the past year, and they've been great for work. However, I can't seem to find any that are cheap enough and that aren't linen or cotton (would never last more than a month for me in the humid heat we have here).
Anyway, I feel your pain. At 5'3" the Petite sizes are sometimes too long for me and/or they don't fit me as nicely as the regular sizes do. I will shorten pants myself, but of course it's never as good as buying something made for your height. Over the past 6 years I've mostly been wearing mid- to longish skirts for work, since they're easier and hide my extreme curves a bit better.

I'd also like to get back into hiking. My weight, my knees, and my feet have all prevented me from going places that I either used to hike, or would like to. As I get more fit and active I'd like to work towards a really big goal, like doing the Camino de Santiago or climbing Kilimanjaro.

8 days is nothing, don't hate me! I say that because stalls are usually longer, and are normal. If you're only 3 weeks out, your body is also still healing. My advice is weigh once a week, and take measurements. Even if the scale doesn't move, chances are you're losing inches still. It will move again (I've stalled for 2 months before, so I feel ya). Just keep eating the right things, get in your fluids, and keep moving. Adding more/longer exercise will help, especially if you're not super active/mobile for the rest of the day. But usually weightloss is 80% what you put in your mouth and 20% exercise and moving. The stalls will break!

So I had my gastric sleeve on September 30th starting weight 182 as of February 28th I'm down 51 pounds!! I have passed my goal of 135 so I'm making my new goal weight 125!! My 6 month appointment is on the 18th. I have not seen 130 pounds since I was 20 years old..I will be 40 in July im so glad I made this decision I feel so good and I love the compliments!!

I had RNY gastric bypass and my weight loss stopped after 7 months and I slid into the maintenance phase. Sleeve patients lose weight at a much slower rate but they can lose weight over a longer period of time, sometimes up to 2 years. Sleeve patients also experience many stalls along the way.

Are you sure you are hitting the macro goals like you think you are? Are you really in cardio training mode or just walking? What is your daily average caloric intake?
When I was in weightloss mode, my cardio was sustained 130+ bpm heart rate for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. I kept track of all my lifts and my exercises as well as every bite I put in my mouth. If you are hitting your Protein goal, are you doing so efficiently? Just the other day, by breaking down the macro's we discovered a member had been eating 1000+ calories a day in just Peanut Butter over 10 days. She nailed her protein goals those days, but the fats were awful high.
My best recommendation would be to weigh all your food and keep a log of it. Being consistent is the most important thing you can do. Don't leave something off there because it will not look good on the spreadsheet or in the app. Being 100% honest is the best thing you can do because you will only sabotage yourself.

I got sleeved yesterday 02/28! Just got home and I am so excited for this journey. Surgeon discovered a hernia on the EGD so that was also repaired yesterday. This has caused more abdominal pain. I also have lots of gas in my chest. I started walking at 3 am and continuously throughout the day. Let's do this!
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That's awesome! Congratulations! You look great! I hope to wear colourful dresses all summer! One day black clothes will be a thing of the past. (Except a little black dress maybe [emoji6])


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What a great NSV! I can't wait to be able to wear white pants! And tuck in a shirt!