NettyD

UGH - Just UGH - I'm an idiot. I KNOW what to do.... but can't seem to get back into the game. Up almost 15lbs from my lowest and can't seem to get it back under control. A couple of weeks ago, I put some slacks away because they no longer fit comfortably. It just about made me sick to toss my "goal pants" on a shelf. As I type this, I'm thinking I need to go back to where I started. Put those bad boys back in the closet, try them on weekly (like I used to) until they fit right again. STOP wearing the comfortable stretchy leggings that I wore when I was losing weight... It's so easy to get comfortable at this point.
I guess this is really just a rant (and a warning): don't get comfortable. Pay attention and BEFORE things get out of control, get back on track. It's much easier to lose 5 than 15. I tend to be a social eater/drinker vs. emotional so I know that I need to make sure I have the right (raw veggies and fruit) foods available when in social gatherings instead of the "standard" snack foods (charcuterie boards are my absolute downfall). Knowing I will have an adult beverage, making sure I'm also drinking a Water in between to at least slow myself down.... Putting on those ill-fitting shorts at home to remind myself NOT to over indulge. Make small changes every week instead of trying to go all-in with a "pouch reset" (which I fail miserably at every time I try). Take pictures and compare. Anything it takes to remind yourself of WHY you did this to begin with. TRACK - Whew, I can't say that enough... TRACK. My failure to track is why I am where I am. When I see what's going in, it's a real eye-opener.

Got my surgery date 9/26/2023 yeahhh!

I share this story in hopes that it may help someone to never pick up a drink after VSG or to at least be hyper-vigilant about the dangers of drinking post weight loss surgery.
I was sleeved in August of 2015 @ 310 lbs. Quickly lost most of the weight needed and began running 5k. Not really setting the world on fire, but it was really good for me. Prior to surgery, I had always enjoyed drinking with friends. Typical guy stuff - couple beers @ a football game or watching the game on Sunday, meeting for drinks after work, etc. Never an issue or problem. Never anything that i had to have.
My doctor warned me against alcohol, sodas, and transfer addictions, but I thought "never me". WOW, was I wrong. I remember the first couple times I had a beer after the surgery (I waited 6 months), it was very fizzy and uncomfortable. I convinced myself that it would get easier, and unfortunately it did. Next came the rum and coke zero. Wow, that tastes great, and I get a buzz very quickly.
That fast buzz turned into getting very drunk, very quickly. Our new bodies absorb the alcohol in 1/2 the time that a normal internal system would. Over the last couple yeaars there have been many episodes of drinking way to much, blacking out, and not remembering what happened. I have had to apologize for my behavior more than once after a night of drinking. I even started drinking every day. I would make a drink as soon as I got home each day. 1 turns into 2 or 3. Just like lays potato chips you can not have just 1. Alcohol consumed my every thought. When can I have a drink? How can I make sure I can get a drink? It amazed me how I was able to justify that if Creamer was good in my morning coffee, how great would Rumchatta be (it's damn good, by the way).
I am living proof that transfer addiction is a real thing. I am now in counseling for my alcohol addiction.
Transfer addiction is definitely a real thing. Prior to VSG surgery I was over 300 pounds because I had an addiction to food, and all the wrong kinds of food. My new addiction is alcohol and it's best friend is food addiction. what goes with beer = chicken wings, or nuts and pretzels, what goes with a margarita = tacos, etc.
Alcohol also makes it impossible to lose weight. So if you are really dedicated to clean eating but you drink, your weight may stay the same, but it surely will not go down. I have packed on 60 lbs of the 120 that I lost. And, I am slowly changing behaviors to get back to where I want to be.
It is a journey,, but I am worth it. I will overcome.
Addiction is sacrificing everything for that one thing !
Recovery is sacrificing that 1 thing to have everything !

You really can still change your life. The surgery is still working, you just need to get back on track. It is really really hard though. The hardest thing you will do and continue to do. But is IS doable because you have a secret weapon (SLEEVE!!!!)
We live in a world where millions and millions of dollars are pumped into making us eat far more than we need, of food that doesn't even nourish us or keep us healthy but makes profit for big food companies. It's so difficult to find a way through that. I would say it's impossible to do it alone when every supermarket and shop has ultra processed food showcased at every turn (that tastes so good because all the millions of dollars are aimed towards that and that alone).
Please post here lots and let us know how you're progressing. We are all human, we all make mistakes, big and small, but we're all here for you.

Best advice is to get back into contact with your therapist (if you saw one as part of your pre surgical process) or ask your team for a referral to one. They will help you work through the why behind your bad eating habits & help you develop strategies to manage when those situations (stress, anxiety, boredom, past issues, life in general, etc.) arise.
Then go back to how you were eating when you lost that 50lbs. You don’t need to go back to the very beginning. Meet those Protein & fluid goals. Eat your protein first, then vegetables & only if you can any carbs you are allowed (look for whole or multi grain low prices see versions). Keep your fat & sugar (real, artificial or alternatives) low. Check your portions. Return to tracking if you did it before to check your getting your nutrients in. Maybe catch up with your dietician too to help you get back on track.
You can do this.

I have hit my goal of 140 the end of February a d went into maintenance. I have since lost 4 more lbs, down to 136. I know there will be fluctuations and I'm okay with that. But I'm still consistently losing (3lbs in last 10 days). I've upped my calorie intake and still... What's going on? I don't want to lose much more, I'm already a size 2, but I don't want to overdo it either for the sake of not losing.

I’ve been gone a while from the forum. life has just been busy and I guess time just gets away from me. It’s like I turned around and I’m old 😂 not really old but you know what I mean.
looking at my profile it’s hard to believe I’ve been banded since 2014. I can only imagine where I would be if I never had the surgery. Or if I had done it sooner….
today I’m probably the healthiest I’ve ever been. I’ve got to be the mother and grandmother MY parents and grandparents never were and it’s because I changed. My career my marriage and my family has all flourished!
is it all because of the surgery? Maybe not. But I definitely attribute a lot to it!
the way I feel, the activities I can do…my overall mental health….i still deal with body image issues….still that chubby woman in the mirror, stuck episodes and bad days. We all probably do. But the good definitely outweigh the bad!
I recently went to the dr for a horrible sting and when she took my blood pressure it was 55bpm I said “isn’t that too low?”
she said “honey, you are almost 44, sitting cross legged on my table and just told me about your 20 mile mountain bike ride. Just looking at you I would say other than this sting you appear pretty healthy. It’s just fine.”
coming from a family tree with tons of health issues, cancer and obesity I felt a huge win!
so here’s to hoping the band holds up another 10 years😂 (I see a lot of horror stories) she has been a lifesaver and a huge help. Without her I don’t think I would be where I’m at!
cheers to you all! Wishing you all the best of luck on your journey!

Hi Gracie!! I got VSG surgery at 20 years old. I started my pre-op diet two weeks before surgery at 19. (My birthday is on January 2nd) I’m also a college student and I will not lie to you, getting weight loss surgery and coming back on campus was the hardest thing I ever had to do. My dining hall on campus didn’t cater to my needs during the post-op stage. To be honest, I was going home every other weekend because I knew I would get what I needed from home. I live about an hour and a half away from campus so it was pretty pricey to do so.

I’m down approximately 40 pounds since January and I don’t think I have loose skin but I definitely lost my booty lol. It’s not really a big deal for me but I do plan on going to the gym more often.

If you have any other concerns or want to know more about my experience, please reach out!! I don’t know much young people that have gotten weight loss surgery but I’m excited for us as we are turning our life around!! I hope everything goes well!!

OMG congratulations!!! That has got to feel amazing, even though things have been slow going lately! I'm so happy for you!! Consistency really does pay off with these surgeries...

I just wanted to tell someone: I'm finally below 200lbs! <does the happy dance>
I finally weigh less than my husband - whew! Thank you everyone for being on this forum and sharing your wisdom with others. Its helped at low stressful points and at times made me laugh on this lifelong journey.

Sorry just seen this now. Yes they were happy with the weight gain. Month 9 I did gain another 8 pounds (my appetite went crazy) so 15 pounds total. Baby was 7 pounds healthy and perfect! By 2 weeks post partum my weight went back to pre pregnancy weight. But then the holidays came and I did gain about 10 pounds, so I would just say be careful after you give birth and try to continue healthy eating habits.

I was also worried about gaining too much weight. I’m 4 years post vsg and 8 months pregnant. I’ve only gained 7 pounds the entire pregnancy. Nausea, acid reflux, and food aversions played a role in that. Plus, eating smaller portions due to the sleeve. We’ll see how it goes after I have the baby because I’d love to lose about 20 pounds.

Mine is scheduled for February 21! (It was supposed to be December 27, but that was a whole big mess detailed in another post). I met my new surgeon on Tuesday and had my blood work, EKG, and barium swallow yesterday. 7 weeks to go!

I just got the call today that my surgery is scheduled for February 7th! I'm both excited and nervous, I knew this day would come, but I'm still in shock 🤣

I'm the same height as you, and I sit at 149. I look thin, for sure, but not skeleton-like. I think we get so used to being obese that "normal" weight seems weird. What looks emaciated to us is, in fact, normal weight.
135 might be too thin, but I think getting into the "healthy" BMI zone is entirely reasonable.

Wow thanks for the heads up this illustration actually scared me. I go in for my surgery tomorrow 🙏🏾🙏🏾

Wow thanks for the heads up this illustration actually scared me. I go in for my surgery tomorrow 🙏🏾🙏🏾

60lbs down since the start and 52 since the day of my surgery. 13 inches off my waist and 10 off my apron belly. Feeling more confident. Still a way to go

Just came back from a short holiday with my kids and woke up to a nice surprise this morning after retuning to my work place. I had to call my wife right away to share the good news. I'm officially below my goal weight of 70 kg with a "NORMAL" BMI. I was worried I was not going to hit the goal before the second surgery-versary in January 24 but I did it.
Playing on all the rides in Legoland theme park and chasing my kids on the beach must have helped me lose the last stubborn 1 kg 🤣.


Here is a before and after. Left was a few months before the surgery (pants size 52") and right was two days ago (pants size 29"). Look at those thighs! You never realize how huge you were until you compare the before and after photos.

Just by way of alternatives:
My plan never included Protein Drinks. I'm one of those folks that gets their Protein from "food." Google it if necessary. My plan from day 1 was/is 3 meals per day of 3-4oz protein + 1oz veggies. First 6 weeks it was pureed. Granted, I never completed a meal until about 5 or 6 months post-op, but I did the best I could and my team was happy with that.
At any rate, just a different take on the whole protein thing.
Good luck,
Tek

Honestly, I hope so. Thank you for being so honest and bringing this up. I was not always overweight and now that I have been on both sides of the coin I have noticed how differently people that I know and don't know treat me. It has also affected my confidence at work and in making friends or even enjoying hobbies and life the way I used to. I do think that it (the surgery) will help a lot, therapy is great and I have done a lot of it, but I have yet to rebuild my confidence with it and I do think seeing my body physically change will make that difference, I know others will not agree, but we are all different people with different perspectives and we may share similar experiences, but we do not all process them the same.

Welcome to the forum.
As a tip, I would not put a time frame on your weight loss. It's an easy way to turn a success into a failure.
I checked my history and I did not quite make 240 pounds in the first 12 months, though I ultimately lost 500+ eventually.
Good luck,
Tek

Y'all I DID IT!!! 1 YEAR AND 8 MONTHS POST OP AND I HIT MY GOAL!! 🤩
Now, I know my little "signature" doesn't reflect that, but my REAL goal which my surgeon and myself agreed on was 225 lbs and I AM THERE!! I am also very satisfied here, especially if the skin was gone. My "new/documented" goal is 210 lbs just so I can officially say I lost OVER 50% of my starting body weight! I am so excited!!

NOW TIME FOR SKY DIVING!!!! As my personal reward, as soon as it gets warmer I JUMP!!!!

SOOOO much has changed, I don't even know where to start!
DO IT, DON'T WAIT- DO IT NOW! ZERO REGRETS!

I had a doctor's appointment today. I just had my first serious talk with a doctor about considering bariatric surgery. She sent a referral for a specialist so I haven't even had my first intake yet. I will ask her all the questions when I meet her but for now, I can't stop thinking about how big of a life change that would be, and the idea is kind of terrifying at the moment. I'm most interested in the sleeve.
A bit about me, I have PCOS, will likely get a hysterectomy, and am around 400lb. If you have experience with these things and have a sleeve I'd love to hear more.
What made you choose the sleeve? What are your top pros and cons?

For the first time in years, I'm under 200 pounds. Woo hoo. Lost 34 pounds pre-op and now 24 post-op. Surgery was on October 2nd. Weight loss has been slower than I expected, but my nutritionist said that I have lost 48% of my excess weight and am right on track. Yay!