thesuse2000

Even though my surgiversary is December 20, I consider today my 1 year mark since it was December 4 that I started my preop diet. Hey, 16 days of liquids and leafy greens and 22 pounds lost deserve to be counted! I really don't know where to begin to describe how wonderful this past year has been, but here are some highlights...
My surgical experience at Obesity Control Center in TJ was better than I could have hoped for. It was more of a fun mini-vacation with my sister than anything. Recovery was nearly painless and I have had no reflux, food intolerances or Hair loss. My sincere thanks goes out to everyone there who took such good care of me.
I discovered what a wonderful, supportive community I live and work in. I was very ashamed and angry about letting myself get so fat. But despite the initial embarrassment, I chose to be honest about my surgery and talk about it openly. Turns out that was great therapy. I am now proud of my decision rather than feel it's something I need to hide. Literally hundreds of people know I had WLS....friends, family, clients, fellow beauty shop patrons.... and no one has made me feel bad about it. Nobody treats me any differently and turns out people like and respect me whether I'm fat or thin. Everyone is just happy for me that I feel better, both physically and mentally. I see from a lot of posts that not everyone has such accepting, non-judgemental people in their lives so I am incredibly grateful that I do.
The first first 3-4 months postop were certainly not without struggles.... Feeling bloated and full all the time that first month, Trying to get in all my Protein and Water despite having no appetite, learning how to chew and eat slow, almost 2 months of diarrhea from a C. diff infection from antibiotics for a tooth infection 6 weeks after VSG, being on medications that made me nauseous, getting IV fluids 3 times for dehydration because I couldn't drink enough water with my tiny sleeve, and needing a fecal transplant to finally cure the C. diff. It was at least 4 months before I felt normal, but I never once regretted surgery and would do it all again. Although I wouldn't particularly care to relive the two excruciatingly painful gall bladder attacks I've had....by far the WORST part of this journey.
First NSV....my rings fit! (they have since become too big and I've had to resize them down...even my high school ring)
I learned from these forums that stalls are normal, so I never worried about them. In fact, I never even bothered to buy a scale. NSV's are much more satisfying and mean more than numbers on a scale.
Went from size 22 relaxed/curvy fit jeans to 6 or 7 slims. XXL tops to mediums. Size 44DD to a very saggy 36B (but I still consider this a good thing). I can shop in regular stores and even online because I know the clothes will fit and look good!
I can wear tall boots because they fit over my calves.
I can swing up into my saddle without having to find a log or rock to climb on. Even had to buy a new saddle to fit my new skinny butt. And I have no doubt that my horse is at least as thrilled with my weight loss as I am.
I am saving hundreds of dollars every month on groceries....good thing since I've had to buy a whole new wardrobe.
I can easily cross my legs, kneel, squat and sit "Indian style". I can bound (yes, bound!) up several flights of steps without even breathing hard.
My blood pressure is normal and my PCP is thrilled with my bloodwork. I had my first normal PAP and negative HPV test in 7 years....eating healthy has allowed my immune system to finally clear the virus and abnormal cells from my system.
My feet and ankles and knees haven't hurt in at least 10 months. I'm on my feet all day and went from daily NSAIDS and occasional tramadol to zero of both.
Blew past my surgeon's goal weight at 6 months, passed my personal goal around 7 months and have settled in the middle of a normal BMI range....100 pounds lost forever! More than I ever dreamed possible.
I have maintained within a 5 pound bounce range over the last 3 months with very little effort. Getting enough protein and water, taking my Vitamins, eating a well balanced diet of protein, veggies, fruit and whole grains and limiting white carbs seems to work for me. No counting calories, tracking or measuring. The sleeve does its job of Portion Control and I do my job of making good choices. I live and eat like a normal person and enjoy everything in moderation.
And somewhere along the way I've learned how to deal with life's stresses without turning to food and alcohol. I never thought I could feel this good about myself. I am truly blessed and I sincerely wish everyone as much success, confidence and happiness as I have found. (Sorry this was so long, but I just have so much to be grateful for)
Before/after pictures taken Dec 4, 2013 and 2014. Competitive Trail Ride Event pictures taken September 2013 and 2014.
 

Bring lip balm and comfy clothes to wear home.
Congratulations on starting off on this adventure!

A lot of people find it easier to drink Water with something mixed in - like crystal light. Not sure why that is, but it totally worked for me too. Or broth or tea or other flavorings that work for you. It does get easier in time!

@@BeagleLover I also had a primary care Dr. that everytime I would bring up WLS she would shake her head and would not even discuss the issue with me. She is no longer my Dr. I am so glad I dropped her as she wasn't giving me the right BP meds or monitoring my irregular heart either that should have had medication as well. Sometimes we really have to be our own advocates.

I don't mind sharing that I've had WLS, particularly with people that look like they are struggling with their weight. My primary care doctor didn't tell me about the sleeve (I didn't like the idea of bypass), and he pointedly discouraged me from having WLS. I got a new doctor as a result. I heard about the sleeve on "My 600lb. Life", researched it and decided this was doable. I'm very happy I made that choice. Maybe I can help others that have a health problem and want to be around longer for their own sake and/or that of their family.

You don't need to "be prepared up with a story", you just need to be confident in your answers and firm in your efforts to shut people down.

"I'm working with my doctor and eating smaller, healthier portions and exercising." Period.

What are you eating? "Well, my doctor and nutritionist have come up with a plan that works specifically for me." Period.

Are you allowed to eat...? "Just like you, I can eat whatever I want, I simply choose not to." Period.

How much have you lost? "A lot."

Well, how much? "A lot."

So how many pounds? "A lot."

What size do you wear now? "That's a weird question."

Did you have surgery? "Why in the world would you ask such a personal question?" or "I didn't realize you were interested in WLS. I suggest you contact a doctor." or "That's a weird question."

How much more do you want to lose? "I'll know when I get there."

Are you still trying to lose weight? "I am working on being the healthiest I can be."

So HOW MUCH have you lost? "A LOT."
Wow! You've lost a TON of weight. "Thank you."

WOW! You are shrinking to nothing. "Thank you."

WOW! You've lost a whole person. "Thank you."

You are going to blow away soon. "Thank you."

Wow. You can't lose much more, can you? "Thank you."
It's really quite easy. Now give me a hard question.

Sing along with me - I'm in Onederland today!
It’s the most ONEderful time of the year
With the pounds always dropping
And everyone telling me "looking good dear!"
It's the most ONEderful time of the year.
It's the hap-happiest season of all
With my clothes getting bigger and gut getting slimmer
I’m off to the mall!
It's the hap- happiest season of all!
Last Thanksgiving and this Thanksgiving
 

Is it possible to find Plastic Surgeons of Excellence around the US and Mexico, who are willing to offer group-rate pricing (Perhaps deep discounts?) for Bariatric Pal's members, just like you've done with WL Surgeons?
IMHO, the Plastic Surgery component is just as important as WLS for becoming (psychologically) healthy to prevent body dysmorphia and obesity "relapse".

@@Alex Brecher I think something that would be very beneficial to this community would be to set up online webinars here on BP. You could set something up for maybe once a month with a doctor, psychologist, nutritionist, etc. that could answer questions that members may have.
Just my 2 cents

Since I found this site in May I found a doctor, got surgery, 3 months later I am down over 60lbs. So much great info and support on here, I could have never done it with out this site. Thank you!!!

It’s hard to believe, but 2014 is almost over and 2015 is around the corner! BariatricPal has come a long way in the past year.
2014 Was a Good Year for BariatricPal!
It is now the largest weight loss surgery community online and on mobile. We put out our new and improved mobile apps (if you haven’t already, download yours free for iPhone and iPod , for Android, and for Kindle). We published the fourth book in “The Big Book” series (find out how you can get your copy of all four books). A Sincere Thank You! to BariatricPal Members!
BariatricPal couldn’t have been so successful this year without you. Thank you. Thank you for making BariatricPal part of your daily life. Thank you for your participation on the boards, for helping each other out, and for spreading the word about BariatricPal. Thank you for providing feedback throughout the year.
Share BariatricPal with…Everyone!
BariatricPal depends on you. Please share BariatricPal with everyone you can! Go to the BariatricPal sharing page to see how you can share BariatricPal.
On social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and LinkedIn! Via email On your own site or blog Tell other weight loss surgery patients, your surgeon, members of your WLS support group, and the bariatric surgeons and staff at the office you go to. Let everyone know what BariatricPal means to you and how it can help them. And thanks!
You Can Make 2015 Even Better for BariatricPal!
I’m planning for 2015 to be just as successful as 2014 was for BariatricPal, and I have a lot of improvements in store. To make 2015 the best year possible, though, I need your help! Do you have suggestions for the coming year? Which new features would you like to see? Which services do you think BariatricPal should offer to help strengthen our community and help members reach their health and weight loss goals?
I would love to have your input! Please feel free to post your ideas and suggestions right here. Or, if you prefer, send me a private message (PM). You, the members, are the ones who make BariatricPal possible. You drive this community. Please let me know how it can be improved!
Have a healthy and happy New Year!

Mine is similar to Kindle - store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough, eaten right out of the package.
I think that's the indulgence I feel most shameful about. Wait - no, the worst was frosting right out of the can...

Hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holiday!!! If your like me...and enjoyed it a bit too much and are maybe feeling a little "off track" Here is a little help you get back on track today!
Not so long ago, you were energetic and determined to start your healthy lifestyle. Starting with enthusiasm and hope, you watched your food intake diligently, exercised like it was going out of style, and even avoided the temptation that seemed to lurk around every corner. You were confident that you were going to reach your goals once and for all!

Then certain tragedy struck! The Holiday’s came along as they do every year…or perhaps it’s your birthday, or just a very stressful time in your life. No matter the reason or the season...maybe ate an extra piece of cake or a second serving of your favorite food. Thinking to yourself that you had “blown” your eating plan, you ate another and another and couldn’t get it together the next day either.
You missed one workout, and that turned into a whole week away from the gym. After that, your momentum to start over again was gone, and your gym bag hasn’t left the closet since.
Or worse (like me!) it's a combination of these two!!!!

Every time you misstep on your healthy journey, you have two choices: to keep walking backwards, which will surely take you even further away from your goals; or to accept your lack of perfection as normal and forgivable, and take not one, but two positive steps down the path that brings your closer to the future you want.

If you’re reading this, you might have been walking backwards for a while. But instead of waiting for the next day, week, month or even year to overhaul your habits, start TODAY. And start small. You can’t go from the recliner to running or from burgers to Brussels sprouts in an afternoon. But you can do one, two or even a handful of small things that will help you regain your momentum for healthy living.

When you feel like getting back on track is overwhelming, try one (or more) of these small steps each day.

1. Try a short workout. Even five minutes is better than nothing.
2. Try a new recipe. Cooking healthy foods can be fun and it never has to be bland.
3. Eat a healthy Breakfast. Your morning meal sets the stage for the rest of your day, so start if off right.
4. Drink your Water. Try to aim for 8 cups each day and you’ll feel the difference!
5. Read the message boards for inspiration! Seeing how others overcome similar struggles and obstacles can be a great source of motivation.
6. Track your food today. No matter how it adds up, you’ll learn from it.
7. Update your profile on your favorite calorie/fitness tracker! It’s a visual way to track your ups and downs, but also your progress.
8. Share your goals. Whether you post them on the Message Boards or share them with a friend, you’ll be more accountable.
9. Exercise for 10 minutes. Jump rope, march in place, or do some crunches. Small amounts do add up to something big!
10. Find a buddy. Get support from friends, whether you need someone to listen or a mentor to give you ideas and encouragement.
11. Take a walk. Don’t worry about how long or far you go—just get out there!
12. Create a motivational collage. Include pictures of your goal and reasons why you want to get there.
13. Go shopping for some healthy foods. Create a shopping list and stick to it.
14. Check the nutrition facts before you go out to eat. That way, you can make an informed choice.
15. Ride your bike. Even a leisurely ride has benefits for your body and mind.
16. Work in the yard. Gardening and yard work is a great way to add activity to your day. (I know I have lots of leaves to rake!)
17. Take the stairs. Even if this is the only thing you do all day, you’ll feel stronger for it.
18. Revamp your goals, aim for a certain milestone, such as 3 pounds this week or walking 10,000 steps, and then reward yourself with a nonfood item!
19. Listen to an inspirational song. Better yet, make a playlist of them so you can turn to it whenever you need a boost.
20. Revamp your menu for the week. Sometimes it’s easier to get back on track when you have a clean slate.
21. Measure your portions. It’s a simple way to learn how much you’re eating.
22. Eat a piece of fruit. Even if 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables sounds impossible to you, one is doable.
23. Slow down during meals. You’ll be less likely to overeat and more likely to enjoy your meal.
24. Play! What kids call “play,” we often call “exercise” Play a sport, a game, or use the playground equipment to bring the fun back into fitness.
25. Learn something new. Sometimes simply taking a quiz or reading an article about nutrition, fitness, or health can change your mindset and get you back on track.

With healthy eating and exercising, as long as you’re consistently out-stepping your steps back, you’re ahead of the game. If you expect perfection (and many of us do), you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and guilt.

You CAN get back on track today. Even if you’re moving slowly, you’ll be moving in the right direction!

Hi all - I'm glad to have found this thread! I'm in NYC and would love to attend the next event!
I'll look out for the next one.

There is a significant amount of variability as to how much weight people lose following weight loss surgery. Research indicates that up to 20% of patients fail to lose the expected amount of weight following surgery. While there are surely surgical and medical explanations for this outcome, patient behavior has also been shown to play a role. Therefore, it is important for anyone having surgery to anticipate and understand factors under their control to improve outcome.


I often tell patients, “The surgery does what the surgery does.” What I mean by this is that weight loss surgery almost certainly will affect how much food you can eat, but may do little to change what you eat. Weight loss surgery does not make you suddenly crave healthier and less caloric food. You have to make those choices for yourself. Additionally, while losing weight may make it easier for you to adopt a more active lifestyle, surgery itself will not make you suddenly fall in love with exercise. So making health behavior changes in addition to having surgery remains critical. So what specific health behavior changes have been shown to improve outcome?
1. Document what you eat – Many people strongly dislike writing down what they eat but there is evidence that this helps people after weight loss surgery as it does with non-surgical approaches. The reason is likely that documenting what you eat gives you valuable information about your behavior and allows you to make changes when necessary. Consider that your actual weight is the end product of what you eat, so weighing yourself gives you the results, but not the information necessary to make changes. For many, weighing themselves is a pass-fail exam. Either I’m a good boy or a bad boy. Consider that you can’t actually change your weight…you change what you eat and/or exercise, and that is what helps change your weight.
Many people seem to have little or no objection to weighing themselves so why do so many people despise writing down what they eat? Writing down what you eat is the truth teller. It forces you to acknowledge what you are doing. To avoid seeing the truth, you can either change what you eat or stop writing it down. Unfortunately, many people choose the latter. The good news is that in the smartphone era, there are literally dozens of apps and other technological devices that can make documenting your food and activity level extremely easy. If you do a little research you can find one that is right for you.
2. Exercise – You probably saw this one coming as well because it makes sense. Regular exercise is a way of burning calories and losing weight that does not involve changing what you eat. Given how difficult it is to lose weight and keep it off, it would be silly not to take advantage of one of the few methods known to work. Ironically, it might not work the way you would expect. Many people who lose weight through exercise notice that it helps them not just by burning off calories, but also by affecting their food choices. In other words, when you discover how difficult it is to burn off 250 calories on a treadmill, you may think twice before having that chocolate bar afterwards. Not everyone finds this effect, but for those who do, it can make a big difference.
When deciding what form of exercise to do, consider that you don’t need to become an Olympiad or a marathon runner. Many of the positive effects of exercise have been documented with just walking 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. If rigorous exercise is enjoyable for you, that’s great. But any time spent engaged in activity is beneficial...especially if you would otherwise be sitting on the couch watching all of those tempting food advertisements on television!
3. Stress Reduction – An increasing amount of research has documented a relationship between stress and weight gain. The obvious connection is that many people use food as a means of comforting themselves from distress, commonly called “emotional eating.” An interesting new discovery is that is that some people who report high levels of stress gain weight even when their calorie intake is unchanged. How is that possible? There is the suggestion that stress hormones and other chemicals may affect how our body metabolizes food and stores food. So even if you’re eating the same foods and the same number of calories, what your body does with those calories can vary.
If you’re going to be successful in reducing stress, you need to begin by discovering what “pushes your buttons” and take steps to change. One first step could be to document the things that you find to be stressful. Sometimes just writing down your problems makes them less frightening now that they’re just words on a page. For other people, writing their sources of stress naturally leads them to write what they might do about them. Another good idea is to investigate some simple stress management techniques. Many refer to them as relaxation or meditation exercises. As discussed earlier, there are a number of excellent smartphone apps and other technology-based methods of relaxation that you can explore. No one is better than the rest so just find one that works for you and begin to incorporate relaxation/meditation into your daily routine. If reducing your stress requires more than practicing relaxation techniques, consider speaking to a psychologist or other mental health professional to get the help you need.
4. Get some sleep – Here’s another suggestion that you’ve probably seen in the media recently. There is growing consensus of an obesity-sleep connection. Like exercise, the benefits of sleep are more than meets the eye. The obvious connection is that if you’re up longer, you become hungrier and are likely to eat late at night. This interpretation is not wrong, however, new research suggests that people who get 7 or more hours of sleep tend to maintain lower weights even when people with fewer hours of sleep consume the same amount of calories. How is that possible? Again, it’s not just how many calories we eat…but what our bodies do with those calories. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people are so busy between their work and social lives (not to mention all those tempting television shows) that sleep is not a priority. Just know that making sleep the last priority comes at a cost.
Consider how we train children to sleep. We create a nighttime ritual to ease kids to bed. There’s dinner, wind down time, then bath time, maybe reading a story or two in bed, and then lights out. Many adults however have a terrible routine. Eat a big dinner at 9pm, catch up on emails and pay bills, watch television for an hour or so and then fall asleep on the couch and stumble into bed at 2AM only to have to wake up three or four hours later. Try to change your sleep habits by changing your nighttime ritual. Eat an earlier dinner. Try to pay bills and check your emails at another time. Use the evening as wind down time. Rather than fall asleep on the couch, watch a set amount of television or Internet time and then turn it off and “put yourself to bed.” Begin by trying to go into bed a half-hour early every night for a week and see how you feel. If you notice some improvements in your level of energy, mood, appetite or other factors, see if you can make it permanent.
5. Join a Support Group – Some research has demonstrated that patients who participate in support groups lose and maintain more weight than those who don’t. Of course it may depend on the content of the group and who attends, but adding a social element to your weight loss and weight maintenance goals seems to help. This may relate to the accountability factor discussed earlier. If “we’re all in it together,” there may be more of a commitment to stick to your goals to help out the group. Or perhaps it motivates you not to be the one group member who is falling behind. Either way, participating in support groups seems to have benefits both in terms of weight loss as well as emotional well being after surgery.
There are other suggestions of course, such as improving your diet by reducing carbohydrates in favor of lean Protein and a more plant-based diet. However, for many people, changing their diet can push all of those emotional “diet” buttons; so before you make those changes (or in addition to making those changes), strongly consider some of the changes recommended above. There is evidence that the benefits are additive. For example, many people find that when they exercise, they sleep better and in turn these changes help them manage stress better. The key is to acknowledge whether or not some of the factors above are problem areas for you and to begin making small changes. Sometimes small changes can lead to big results!

Frozen Cool Whip, straight out of the bowl. Peanut Butter mixed with powdered sugar. Cream cheese mixed with regular sugar. Haagen Dazs dulce de leche ice cream with coarse ground sea salt. Bacon, egg, & cheese biscuit from McDonald's topped with grape jelly.
Damn, just typing all that made me nauseous.

Here my before and during 8 weeks out the first picture was taking the day I got home from surgery the last was last week 48 pound gone forever

Yep.............frosting out of a can too. Would buy it just to secretly eat it out of the tub........sometimes even putting it on ice cream............Wow this topic is a real eye opener, but glad to see I am/was not alone.

Mine is similar to Kindle - store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough, eaten right out of the package.
I think that's the indulgence I feel most shameful about. Wait - no, the worst was frosting right out of the can...

Mine is similar to Kindle - store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough, eaten right out of the package.
I think that's the indulgence I feel most shameful about. Wait - no, the worst was frosting right out of the can...

Mine is similar to Kindle - store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough, eaten right out of the package.
I think that's the indulgence I feel most shameful about. Wait - no, the worst was frosting right out of the can...

Mine is similar to Kindle - store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough, eaten right out of the package.
I think that's the indulgence I feel most shameful about. Wait - no, the worst was frosting right out of the can...

For most people it's a struggle to get to goal. There are a few people who do struggle with stopping the weight loss, but that seems far less common. Over time you can eat more and more in one sitting, so it's not actually too hard to eat a lot of calories after 6 months even. Certainly eating higher fat or carb foods will generally take care of that.
For me I can say that I could easily maintain where I am now if that was what I wanted to do. It's a bit of work to keep the loss going. But I was band to sleeve, and have a slightly larger sleeve, so my experience may be different from yours.
Actually - I can't tell what surgery you've had (or are planning). That makes a big difference. With the band you can adjust it. Not sure if bypass patients are more likely than sleevers to lose more than they wish...

Thanks...

Cool. I'm certainly happy with the sleeve, as are many of us.
BTW - I love your screen name!