LizCapeCod

When I go out to eat (at least twice a week since I was 2 months out, 25 months ago) I have done the following: order a protein based appetizer if available or main meal if not. Eyeball the amount I usually eat and section that off from the rest for eating. Put the rest in a take out box. For instance, if I am in a burger place, I get a cheeseburger and cut it in half. Half gets eaten and the other half goes in the box. Even with appetizers I usually bring another meal home. For entrees I’ll get 1-3 leftover meals.

No regrets. Going through the diet progression, being a bit tired in the early days, and learning to eat differently were a bit of a challenge in the first couple of months, but really not that difficult and well worth it. I am almost 2 years, 3 months post-op and maintaining my loss with the help of my sleeve (and new ways of eating).

The average weight loss is 60%, but if you are focused it can be more than that. I am considered to have lost 120% (100% to get to the top of normal BMI, but I am at a BMI of about 21).

My BMI was about 39 with co-morbidities when I started my journey. After a 6 month insurance required supervised period, my BMI was about 33 at the time of surgery. I have been maintaining at a 20 BMI for 17 months now. It is the first time in my life that I've ever maintained for more than a day and the lowest I have ever weighed as an adult. I guarantee I would not be at this point if I continued to try to do it on my own. I must have been on 15 diets over my lifetime, some of them getting me to goal (for a day maybe).

I am 5'3" and my HW was 219. My surgeons goal was 140, but mine was 125. I ended up losing to 115 and have been pretty comfortable here for 17 months. It took almost 9 months post-op to reach goal but almost 1/3 of the weight loss was during my 6 month pre-op insurance required supervised period.

Congratulations! I had my sleeve done at 61 a little over 2 years ago. I had a lifetime history of dieting but never maintaining at goal, high BP, pre-diabetic and all the weight caused aches and pains. I've been maintaining at my current weight for 17 months now. It was truly the best thing I ever did for my health.

I'm 2 years out. Once the swelling goes down and the sleeve is fully healed you do gain some capacity but not a lot. It is essentially impossible to stretch it. When you eat dense protein you should continue to feel serious restriction. But anything that breaks down right away (like simple carbs - bread, crackers, cookies,..) won't cause restriction because it breaks down and slides through. Drinking while eating also raises capacity because it pushed food out. In other words, you shouldn't need to worry about a stretched sleeve, but you do need to eat properly to get the restriction.

2 years out - no regrets. The first few weeks are the toughest for some, though I still didn’t regret it then because I was well prepared and most everything actually went better than I expected. I’ve maintained my current weight for 17 months now, the first time ever in my life.

I received approval from UHC within a week.

I was a manager at an insurance company. I took two weeks off, then worked from home for two weeks. I probably could have managed to take just one week off and worked one from home, if I had to. HOWEVER, having that time allowed me to feel physically well by the time I started working and also gave me the time to figure out my drinking and eating routines as well as getting to a point where I knew what to pack and how much to pack for food for work. The first few weeks are when you are learning a lot about your new routines.

I had my surgery at 61 (I’m 63 now and 2 years out). By sticking to the rules and eating high protein/low carb, I reached goal by 9 months and have maintained my current weight for 17 months (115-118 pounds). I did have PS: A TT and a facelift. The turkey neck and jowls remaining after my fat face slimmed down were too much for me.

I agree with LadyRoz. HR is obligated to keep health issues (and other things they know) confidential. Potentially her boss should know she did this.

I took 2 weeks off fully, then worked from home for 2 weeks. If I had to I probably could have gone back to work sooner. BUT you will be very tired for at least the first 2-4 weeks and you will have to be very diligent in making sure you are sipping water all the time to make sure you don't get dehydrated. Also figuring out your mini meals while working may be a challenge at first.

I didn't say anything ahead of time except to immediate family. When I was essentially at goal (6 months post-op), I started telling people that I had had WLS. Many people want to know more about it because they have considered it.

MFP all the way!

I enjoy eating more now as I savor it and don't eat past the time when it tastes good (I used to). Maybe because of my many experiences with dieting over the years I trusted that this would happen eventually, so I was really good about following the NUT suggestions during my several month pre-op process. I think it helped me transition to eating post-op, and I lost 35 pounds pre-op.

I was 600-800 calories until I hit goal (just over 6 months). I'm still trying to figure out maintenance (almost 8 months) but right now 1100 calories has me holding at 120.25 pounds (5'3", age 61, moderately active). Daily menu through weight loss and now - I added more Protein via more Snacks to add calories: Breakfast: 1/4 C eggbeater plus 1/4 C cottage cheese plus chopped roasted tomatoes/chilis Lunch: 2 oz tuna plus pickles plus small amount of mayo with 1/2 C cottage cheese Dinner: 3 oz meat plus low-carb vegetables (whatever will fit) Snacks: (number depended on point I was at) Quest Sour Cream and Onion chips, low-fat cheese sticks, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, Quest Protein Bars (basically a dessert for me now), almonds, deli turkey

Depends on your age and how much you lose: I'm 61 and lost just short of 100 pounds - baggy skin in stomach, neck, arms, breasts, thighs and butt (listed on the order of how much it bothers me). I'm having a TT and mini face-lift to take care of the 2 that bother me most. The surgeon suggested that the arms be left alone as the scar would probably look worse. Breasts look fine when covered (as does butt) so I'm leaving them alone (and thighs would be the same issue as arms).

TenseinTexas: I'm sorry you have had such a struggle. It does get much better. I hardly think about it except when I get full so quick. I do still have some intestinal issues (which seem to coincide with the gurgling), but I feel great most of the time and definitely feel it was so worth it. Someone asked me recently if it was reversible and I said No, but why would I ever want to?

I hear you! After 40 years of yo-yo dieting, obese most of the time, and getting heavier after each diet, I KNEW I needed something more to get the weight off, get healthy, and keep that way. I could carry my 219 pounds better than many (it was everywhere and I dressed carefully), so I heard from a nurse in my PCP's office and from many other people that I didn't look like I needed WLS. Well, YES I did.

I just posted this to someone whose husband wasn't supporting the surgery: Get the book "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies" and have him read it. That's what got my husband on-board. Your father probably doesn't know how advanced (and safe) WLS has become.

I took 2 weeks off from work, then worked at home for 2 weeks. I would have been fine going into the office at 2 weeks post-op.

Get the book "Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies" and have him read it. That's what got my husband on-board. I started at 5'3", 219.

I think each person is different (metabolism, age, sex, etc.), so our rate of loss varies even on the same calories (should have made that clear in my post). If we follow the rules we get to goal but our journeys (including length) differ as much as people differ from one another. Some are fast losers, some slower, but we get there.

I reached goal at about 7 months (from 219 HW/185 SW to 125). I was told by several people (including one nurse in surgeons office) that I was losing weight too fast. However I think that a lot of people lose at this pace if they follow the rules.