Katiebal_Lecter

I had my surgery Monday. Tuesday while in hospital I found out my son died in a car accident. I’m grieving so bad and reaching out to you all for prayers

Coming up on 2 years post op and life has never been better. The gastric sleeve opened up a world to me that i thought would never exist. Ive learned so much about health, nutrition and exercise, that i wouldnt have if i didnt take the first step with the sleeve. I have a healthy relationship with foods now. I try to keep myself to the 80/20 rule. But i probably am closer to 90/10. Make good choices 80% of the time, and enjoy some of my favorite things the other times. Its funny tho, a lot of my favorites have no become healthy choices. So that makes life easier. I started this journey first just focusing on losing the weight. So for the first year i ran a lot and set a goal to run a half marathon. i completed that last may and then began to switch my focus to putting on muscle. This was hard because it meant i had to up my calories which for anyone in our situation, is a scary thing. So i bought a WHOOP strap and really dialed in how many calories i was burning and spoke with my nutritionist about a plan to get where i wanted to go. (whoop strap is apparently the most accurate fitness tracker out right now and ive found that my apple watch says i burn 800 more calories then the whoop says. just a heads up. IT wasnt easy but ive been doing it and got on a great routine. My lowest weight was 208. i now hover between 225-230. i weigh every few weeks but dont get too obsessed with the scale anymore. i know that if i stay within my calories that im fine. Its been a process and i had to learn a lot. it wasnt all easy but 110% worth it. This surgery opened a whole new life for me. I am extremely greatful.

Well dang I don’t remember signing on to become a lifelong bariatric surgery counselor when I got surgery. I’m a private person and I don’t discuss my medical issues with people I’m not very close with.

There’s a huge difference between me just living my life and not sharing my personal medical information and someone positioning themselves as a weight loss expert/influencer and not disclosing it. I’ve had some comments on how great my skin looks at my age as well, and for some people I offer a thanks, and for others I offer information on my Botox provider. It’s almost like I’m an adult who doesn’t owe every human I meet my life story. Do you think I should put a sign on my door that outlines my various surgeries and medical procedures on the off chance it influences someone? Oh maybe I should also list any marital/child rearing difficulties I’ve ever had and information on my bowel habits too. Or do I maybe have the right to decide who I share what information with?

Let people live their lives and worry about yourself and your own decisions.

I had initially planned to be open but after raising the topic with a close friend and family member and getting into an argument about how ridiculous and unnecessary it was I decided to keep it to myself. I don’t owe ANYONE an explanation about the decisions I make about MY life.

Keeping personal medical procedures, conditions and diagnosis private is not lying and does not mean people are ashamed. Some people prefer their privacy.

"How did you beat your cancer?"
"My doctor put together a treatment plan and it was successful."
No lies told, no details given.
"How did you lose so much weight?"
"My doctor created a treatment plan and it was successful."
No lies told, no details given.
No one is entitled to the details of another's medical care.

wow...shaming people to reveal personal medical information is just as bad as shaming people to keep quiet. It is about freedom to choose how to live your life and how to connect with others in your life. For me, WLS was a very personal decision that I spent over a year thinking about and meditating on. So, my decision to only tell my spouse is no one's business and frankly, trying to shame those of us who choose to keep our WLS private, pisses me off. Shame on you!

I take BC for acne/PCOS and am still losing weight. You might just need to try different brands of pills until you find one that works for you and doesn’t affect your weight.

Most vets advise that you start slowly with alcohol at first, because it may affect you differently than before surgery. So it might be a good idea to try a glass of wine at home, where it doesn't matter if it ends up hitting you really hard. Then you'll have some idea of how much you can drink while you're out and be okay. Also, be careful that alcohol doesn't become a substitute coping mechanism to replace the food you can't eat anymore. It might sound alarmist but transfer addictions have happened to people (I had to check myself because I found myself shopping to get the emotional soothing I used to get from food). Other than that, factor those calories into your into plan and enjoy!

60% is an average, some will lose more, some will lose less. Some are happy with less and don't need to strive with more, for some less is their natural set point, for others they are happier with more and their natural set point is lower.
Something to consider is 'best weight' - last thing anyone wants is to set a low point that they need to struggle with everyday to achieve, but even worse to maintain

Thank you for your words and sharing your experience. I had my lap band fail and the Physician’s assistant basically told me it was because I wasn’t following the “protocols.” ... my band slipped when I got broccoli stuck.

I wish there was a study on WLS failures. Where everyone would be honest about what they did and didn't do to contribute to the outcome of their WLS (band, sleeve, GB, MGB, DS.. etc) whether good or bad.
I know when I had my band place in 2009 band and BP were my two options. My bmi was 42+ at 5'2" 232lbs. Sleeve was the "new" wls and not much was known. I did however work with about 200-300 women for a huge corporation and I saw firsthand some of the successes and failures in some. My journey began with my co-worker and friend got the band. She did an amazing job and I thought this is for me. I had also seen a few that had GB and didn't want to go that route. I also had a few friends and a cousin that did GB and I saw their struggles. In fact, they have all gained their weight back. Now my friend Paula, was not a very compliant bandster, but her wife was (wife and I got the band the same day). The wife lost and did a great job. She still has her band. Paula doesn't. Paula also learned to eat around it and gained, then blamed the band for not working. She then revised to the sleeve, I don't think she has lost a pound with the sleeve (we are still great friends). My friend Tami at the time was the only person i know that had had the sleeve done back in 2008. She did an amazing job but is now about the same size she was when she started. What I'm getting at..... is all of the WLS have risks of "not working"........ but they all have the "ability" to work if worked properly.
I'm new to the sleeve (8/28/19) I had my band from 2009-2017. I know that the stress of going through a divorce and the fact that I got a very bad case of a stomach virus caused my slip. Up to that day, I never had a day's problem. I never go reflex at all. I of course got stuck a few times, but once I got stuck on something, I didn't eat it again. I maintained my weight of 143lbs. At the time I thought I didn't need another WLS and that surely I learned how to eat and I could just eat like I was with the band..........I WAS WRONG.... with the band completely gone it was HELL.... I was so hungry all the time. I gradually re-entered bad foods that I could not eat with the band. I was back on the sugar train, and the carb train... and over the next 2.5 years I put back 30lbs. I was so disappointed in myself, depression was really bad, and I also started menopause. A few times over the years I thought to revise, but no one would because I "didn't weigh enough". So if I were to do anything, it would have to be cash. I started looking into Mex... and had decided I would go there. But I still didn't have the money. $9500 was not just sitting in my bank account....... As luck would have it, in May 2019 my divorce property settlement was done. I also found a dr. here 10 min from my work.... Yes, it was 14k, I figured I'd pay the extra to be right here..... So I took 14k of that money and invested it in me. That day I was 173lbs..... Today I'm steady at 120-123lbs..... Praying that God keeps giving me the strength to keep going and keep being healthy. In July I will be 53 and feel I'm in the best shape and health of my life......
BG (Chris)

True, I might! I’ve been active here for about a year but a hardcore lurker before that. People on the whole seem pretty reasonable here, with a few exceptions of course.

That being said, my favorite threads are as follows:

Op posts up a plea for help, they are having problems and need people’s assistance.
Many people, including successful veterans, offer suggestions.
Op becomes defensive and states that there’s no way what has been suggested will work and nobody understands them and what they are already doing is perfectly fine.
People point out they posted a problem and asked for help.
Op criticizes everybody and then vanishes into the ether, never to be seen again.

Reddit is no better. It looks like a big bragging before/after picture and look-how-small-my-portions-are show.

I’m doing lap band to GB on dec. 17. I got my band in 2008 and it slipped in 2016. I originally got down to 190 with the band and up to 255 after it slipped. I had my bad refilled but it never worked the way it originally did and I was soooo hungry all the time, but eating was painful. My original surgeon’s PA whom I normally saw refused to talk about revisions. He said since I was so successful with the band that I could make it work again. Fast forward three years where I’ve gained 50 pounds and spent over $5k on medical weight loss diets, etc. I pleaded for help one more time and a different surgeon in the office agreed to help. I originally wanted the sleeve, but my (new) surgeon said she would only do GB after removing a lap band because of safety issues regarding scar tissue from the original surgery. She said if I got the sleeve she would have to staple through the scar tissue and it could cause leaking. I trust her judgment so I decided with GB. I too was having problem with pain while eating and I had acid reflux issues at night. I had my surgeon take the fill out of my band and feel 100% better, and oh so hungry. Good luck with whatever you choose to do!!

Yep. They did.
Inceasant hunger can make people angry and filterless, apparently.
I honestly am not particularly angry with them, and it's nothing new, and it doesn't just happen to me.
When something like this happens....I think to myself....thank God it's you who is a hot mess today, and not me for a change. LOL. Meh, we all take a turn being the hot mess.
I'm not taking it personally cause I don't think anyone LIKES to be hurtful to strangers.
I think it's a byproduct of rigid thinking...crime and punishment. Rules that must never be broken. A way to feel in control against a foe that one feels helpless against. And I get that struggle. I really do.
(only, I don't feel helpless against obesity anymore, or particularly threatened by it. I used to.)
And I'm a known food criminal, ya know?
I eat carbs. 😳
LOL🤣
How could I possibly eat bread and have an imperfect BMI and still feel like a total success?
I mean...that's some gall there....

I'm also a hobbit. Breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, lunch, tea, supper, dinner...lol. My total daily calorie intake is about 1400-1600 a day and I maintain well. (I'm pretty active, lotta muscle mass) But yep, I can't put more than 200-300 or so calories into my sleeve at a time (unless it's a slider food)....so I eat more often. Meh...it works for me. Like Jaelzion says, everyone's different and finds their groove:)
Example of my weird eating habits: Breakfast...whole grain english muffin with one tablespoon Peanut Butter 200 calories. (or two packets of reduced sugar oats, or a big bowl of coco wheats) Morning snack one ounce of chicken breast, one ounce swiss, 9 reduced fat whole grain crackers (or some other snack that has over 10g of protien)... 200 calories. Lunch...food on the run, maybe half an Impossible Whopper at Burger King 315 calories (I eat this in two sittings, a quarter of a sandwich at each sitting, and the other half of the sandwich goes home or is given to a friend), Fuit in the afternoon...two pieces...200 calories (or one fruit and a cheese stick or a hard boiled egg), dinner I like to start with eating veggies, potatoes and Beans. I eat a 200-300 calorie plate of veggies first (I like a small baked potato with 1/3 cup of black beans dumped over it with salt and pepper). Then I make whatever the family likes for dinner and eat a 200-300 calorie portion of it. And that leaves a hundred calories or so to satisfy my sweet tooth. A little square of dark chocolate, a Yasso bar, or a sugar free pudding.
I aim for 50-60g of protien a day, 25g of Fiber, less than 1600 calories. This works good for me.
*For weight loss, I was eating about 1200 calories a day....so portions were a little smaller back then.

Can you add calories? My doctor said between 600-800, and I found I lost less when I was closer to the 600 calories.

I’m pre-op right now, I am getting a band revision to GB on December 17. I’ve heard that, with GB, you no longer get the “growling stomach” sensations of hunger. Can you guys who have had your revisions describe what your new hunger feels like... Do you still get the growling? Is it nausea? Emptiness? Can you put into words what this “hunger/starving” feeling is like? Thanks in advance for any insight.

Update: I got my surgery finally :))

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 !

This can be a bit of a controversial topic, and there are lots of people who say, "Don't do food funerals! You need to start your healthy lifestyle now!" And yeah, sure, it would be best for you not to go and binge on unhealthy foods now or ever again, but my personal feeling is that there can be room for food funerals.
I lost about 70 pounds in the 5 months before my surgery by intermittent fasting and tracking everything in MyFitnessPal. I had a calorie limit in MyFitnessPal and I stayed under it every day, and I challenged myself to keep decreasing my calories (mostly by changing my food choices to lower-calorie foods). When I was approaching my pre-op diet, I had that desire to eat my favorite things one last time. I did, and I'm not sorry -- but I think the important thing is that I did it within limits.
I made a list of all the things I wanted to eat "one last time" before surgery and planned it out day by day, but I stayed within my calorie limit every single day. Some days, that meant fasting all day so I could have one big dinner. I got a piece of cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and I had to split it between two days. I feel like my approach was a good compromise, where I got some closure on all those foods I can no longer eat, but I didn't go completely off the rails and gain back the weight I had worked so hard to lose. It still kind of bothers me that I never had a chance to eat one last doughnut!
And yes, it's true that you will eventually be able to eat unhealthy foods again, but first of all, there are things you may not be able to eat again at all without getting sick, and secondly, I didn't want to go into this counting down the days until I could have pizza again. And after surgery, there's really not much room for unhealthy foods -- if you fill up on two bites of cheesecake, you're not going to have room for the Protein you need. My last two meals before surgery were pizza from my favorite pizza place (these were both "fast all day and eat half a pizza and cheesy bread for dinner" days) and I ate it with the thought that it could be the last time. I am 7 months post-op now, and based on what I've read here, I could probably eat a few bites of pizza and be ok, but you know what? I don't need to. If I'm really craving pizza, I put a little marinara sauce, cheese, and turkey pepperoni on a 1-net-carb tortilla and I'm satisfied with that.

I had food funerals for about two weeks before my pre-op diet. It was ridiculous and I am not proud of doing that, but I did. 🤷‍♀️ Now that I am at goal I realize how silly it was, because I can eat just about everything now, just in much smaller quantities.😊

First rule is:

Or Fight Club... Whatevs