sillykitty

There actually has been a study that WLS patients on average maintain their weight loss better if they have plastics. https://www.medicaldaily.com/weight-loss-surgery-plus-plastic-surgery-could-help-obese-people-maintain-healthy-weight-306789 The study doesn't go into the why's, but I certainly believe making the financial and emotional investment in plastics is a motivation to keep the weight off.

I'm 3 months post op, and my satisfied feeling just changed this last week. Up until this week, I would eat until I felt the restriction. I would not be hungry, but I didn't feel satisfied like I did pre op. I wasn't wanting to go back for more, or anything, it just was a different sensation. Also food never tasted as good as I had anticipated it would, so I didn't desire to keep eating for taste. This week three things changed. I'm starting to feel physical hunger again, which has been absent since surgery. (Head hunger has been with me since day 3!). Second, when I would eat, it was less about feeling the restriction, and more about feeling that familiar feeling of being full (but after only a couple of ounces). I felt that good, satisfying full sensation for the first time post op. Finally, food started tasting as good as I expected it to.

I posted this in the February Sleevers already, but it seems appropriate here! I have had a fantastic week! My weight loss is finally becoming noticeable. Three colleagues I had not seen in over a year this week commented that I’ve lost a lot of weight. It was all separate meetings, so it’s not like they could discuss amongst themselves. I’m finally getting too small for my clothes. First I had to get work slacks the next size down. This week I was on a trip and packed a couple of dresses and jeans that fit just a week or two ago. The jeans were way baggy and the shirt was too long. The dresses looked ok, but it were quite loose on me. I ordered some jeans in 1 and 2 sizes down. They were here when I got home, and the ones 2 sizes down are what fit! The only downside is the thought of the expense of replacing or altering my wardrobe. I misconnected on my flight home and instead of getting my upgraded seat, I got stuck in a middle seat, exit row. Not only are middles always awkward. Exit rows have solid arm rests, instead of the moveable arm rests that can be raised and lowered. And because the seats have the solid arm rests with the tray table in them, it makes the seats even narrower. I usually avoid these seats at all cost, but today I had no choice. I was so surprised and happy when I fit in the seat and was completely comfortable! It’s getting much easier to lie to people about WLS. I don’t know if lying is a good thing, but at least I’m not stressing about people asking why I’m not eating. Oh, and this happened!

I would talk to your surgeon's office about getting a B12 shot. I hit a wall about 2 weeks post op and felt exhausted like you described. I asked for and received a B12 shot. It could have been a coincidence, but I felt better within a day or two. I'm still eating under 500 calories most days, and have been feeling great. If you can't get the shot, then I'd suggest trying sublingual B12 you can get over the counter.

What about doing online shopping, like Amazon Prime Now, Postmates or Instacart?

St. Mary's in Long Beach, with Dr. Naim.

I got an iud just before surgery, because I was sick of taking pills everyday. I have no regrets, I love the ow failure rate and no periods.

I'm in Long Beach. I'm 3 months post op and love my sleeve!

I have had a fantastic week! My weight loss is finally becoming noticeable. Three colleagues I had not seen in over a year this week commented that I’ve lost a lot of weight. It was all separate meetings, so it’s not like they could discuss amongst themselves. I’m finally getting too small for my clothes. First I had to get work slacks the next size down. This week I was on a trip and packed a couple of dresses and jeans that fit just a week or two ago. The jeans were way baggy and the shirt was too long. The dresses looked ok, but it were quite loose on me. I ordered some jeans in 1 and 2 sizes down. There were here when I got home, and the ones 2 sizes down are what fit! The only downside is the thought of the expense of replacing or altering my wardrobe. I misconnected on my flight home and instead of getting my upgraded seat, I got stuck in a middle seat, exit row. Not only are middles always awkward. Exit rows have solid arm rests, instead of the moveable arm rests that can be raised and lowered. And because the seats have the solid arm rests with the tray table in them, it makes the seats even narrower. I usually avoid these seats at all cost, but today I had no choice. I was so surprised and happy when I fit in the seat and was completely comfortable! It’s getting much easier to lie to people about WLS. I don’t know if lying is a good thing, but at least I’m not stressing about people asking why I’m not eating. Oh, and this happened!

TSA making you take out food is sometimes a thing now I guess. I haven’t experienced it yet, and I fly nearly weekly, but maybe because I’m always Pre Check? https://thepointsguy.com/news/tsa-snacks-out-of-bags/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/tripping/wp/2018/03/29/your-sugar-bomb-may-get-extra-scrutiny-at-the-airport-tsa-agents-ask-some-travelers-to-remove-snacks-from-carry-ons/ Procedures and metal detector sensitivity definitely do vary airport by airport

Are these people you dine with very occasionally or more frequently? I don’t know if my colleagues are just super nosy or what, lol! One off meals are no big deal like you describe. But once someone has seen me barely eat more than once, I definitely get questions!

I bought way too much food for my liquid, puree & soft foods stages before surgery. I was eating so little, I barely made a dent in it.

In my personal life I've been pretty open about it, telling my friends and immediate family. I will tell my extended family if/when they ask. I only have people in my life who are supportive (well, my sister is questionable, lol), so it wasn't a big deal to tell. Work is entirely different. I have kept it quiet, just told 2 people. One is a good friend, so that was an easy decision. The other is my assistant, I didn't really want to tell her, but we work so closely together I had to tell her something. She has had some health issues lately so I know she'd be worried and bug me to no end if she thought something was seriously wrong with me. Everyone else I've told I've had stomach issues and depending how hard I'm pressed, I've gone into more false detail about it. My company's management would definitely judge me for having WLS, so I don't want it getting out.

I struggled with vitamins because they made me nauseous. Now I've found some that are easy on my stomach and I'm happy. It's a lot of pills, but I space them all out throughout the day. If I'm home I just put them all next to my computer and take them one at a time throughout the day. If I'm not home it's harder to remember, but I put them in a baggie and keep them in my purse and take one whenever I remember. Whole Foods Prenatal Multi - 3 per day Viactive Calcium Chews - 2 per day (will switch to the Barimelts above once these are gone) Nature Valley Biotin 10,000 mcg - 1 I also take Hyperbiotics Probiotics, alternating between the Pro - 15 and the Pro Women

I am a perfectionist by nature. I tend to only set goals that I know I have the skill set to achieve. Honestly, it has made me very successful in my career. But the downside is, if I don't succeed at something, I usually jut say f*ck it, and just eliminate that as a goal. This surgery has helped give me the skill set, a smaller stomach capacity, combined with my learning to embrace healthier eating. So for me saying that I MUST get to a certain weight is dangerous territory. There is no reason that 140 is better than 142, or 148, or even 150. I will be successful if I get to a weight that is near my goal and I look and feel good at, period. If I struggle, have to starve or be miserable to get to 140, then I will feel like a failure, and I'm afraid I'll be fine with 160-170-180, whatever, failure is failure. I also will have plastic surgery when I am at or near goal. Unlike some on here, vanity is definitely one of my motivations for surgery. I want to look and feel attractive, and once I have achieved that, I know I will be motivated not to screw it up.

That is why I said it is combined with healthier eating.

I don't, and my psychologist agrees

I agree with this so much. I am not going to be miserable anymore, in any way. I won't be miserable about my weight any longer. But I also am not going to be miserable by starving myself, or being on a super restrictive diet. I will follow a diet that is healthy and balanced, but still has room for the occasional indulgences. One of the most appealing things about this surgery was feeling satisfied by smaller portions. If I can make healthier choices, and eat significantly smaller portions, then I can succeed without feeling deprived.

I also have no food addictions or medical reasons to have gotten to 243 at 5'3". My weight gain was caused by making poor choices at nearly every opportunity. French fries or steamed veggies, vinaigrette or ranch, etc., etc.. I simply made the tastier choice because my mindset was, "this one meal isn't going to make a difference" This was compounded by going from a physical job to a sedentary job in my mid twenties. Then my weight gain accelerated when I began traveling and entertaining for business.

I'm in the same 25%-40% grey range. I started turning grey young, and have been dying my hair since before I was 30. At this point I need to color my hair every 4 weeks. Going to the salon is expensive, so I alternate every other time dying my own. I've been using L'Oréal Paris Superior Preference Permanent Hair Color, and have been happy with it.

This isn't going to help you at all, but dresses are much more forgiving on sizing then pants are. I did buy my favorite work slacks in 1 & 2 sizes down and get them hemmed. I'm on the next size down right now, and am glad I have the next smaller size ready to go. I will continue to do the same until I get to goal. It sucks to spend the money, but not many options if we need to look professional. Thankfully women's work shirts tend to be forgiving, and I will be able to wear mine for a while longer still, maybe even a long while.

But where did your goal weight come from? Is it realistic? Speaking for myself, my goal weight of 140 is what I weighed in college. But nearly 20 years later that may not be realistic. I may get to 150, and be happy with how I feel and look. I may get to 150 and struggle hard to get down to 140. For me, personally, if I get to a healthy weight and and happy with how I look, there is no way I am going to fight everyday to get to and maintain some goal weight that is arbitrary.

I used to drink a lot of diet soda. I definitely had the caffeine headaches post op from not drinking it. I was not getting my water in though. I just really dislike water or anything like crystal light, powerade zero etc. On a good day I was getting 32 oz. I did a lot of reading about the "evils" of diet soda. There are a lot of studies and although there is correlation between drinking diet soda and negative health effects, no study has shown causation. I also read a lot about stomach stretching from carbonation, and several respected surgeons consider it a myth. I spoke to my surgeon's PA about what her opinion is on diet soda. She agreed it was unlikely to stretch my sleeve. And she also agreed that there have been no studies showing directly that diet soda caused health problems. She gave me the go ahead to drink diet soda as long as I doubled my calcium intake, and took in at least 32 oz of non diet soda fluids. Also as long as it didn't lead to any other cravings or bad habits.