Tiffykins

I think you can reheat it without issue.

Divide it into 2 servings. You might have to use more water than directed. I'm not trying to be a "debbie downer", but just a little warning, just because it says 'unflavored" doesn't mean it's tasteless. So, when you mix it, don't be alarmed that it gives you a funky taste.

YAY YAY Jen ! ! ! I'm so elated for you. Let me know what's going on. I'll be at a ball game tonight, but message me on FB and let me know.

You have already lost 27% of your excess in just 3 weeks, how amazing is that ? ? ? You are 1/4 way to goal, you are doing amazing, you will just have to let your body recover. You're getting in plenty of calories, and protein, and all you gotta do is fluids. Those fluids will push the toxins and fat our of your body. Starvation mode only exists if you don't have any more body fat to burn through, and we all got body fat. So, don't worry about "starvation mode", you are doing great, and the weight will move. I know we all want it RIGHT NOW, but it will come, just push fluids, move a little more and you'll start dropping weight and inches.

I am with Chilo. Because my body likes to make hoards of scar tissue, they won't even allow me to attempt a VBAC. Not that I want a VBAC, and haven't considered it, and wouldn't because I know what is best for my body regardless of what research shows. I have zero desire to risk any further complications from pushing a child out of my vagina. I don't feel the need or want to experience natural child birth. So, even if there were zero risks for me, I'd choose a c-section without second thoughts. For me, regardless of the "numbers' Murphy's law lives in my house, and if it's going to go wrong, it'll go wrong for me. Plus, I'm a "cut to heal" person. Hence the decision to have 80% of my stomach removed so I would put the fork down. It may make me sound cold, and frigid, but the reality of it is that everyone has to do what is best for them.

5 day pouch test is going to rid you of carb, and essentially get you back to basics. It won't permanently shrink your stomach, it won't do anything to really "test your capacity", all it's going to do is help you get back on track and get the carbs out of your system to help jump start weight loss again. http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html If you're not tracking your food intake, I recommend it. Get back to what you were doing when you were losing weight. Really evaluate what you are eating, as this is the most difficult time is when you have less restriction, and you really are responsible for success. The sleeve only does so much for us. Scheduling meals and Snacks is the easiest way for me to stay on track. Are you still on an acid reducer? Acid overproduction can cause hunger. Also, if you are carb sensitive, your body might be craving carbs, and if you are eating more carbs than protein than your body is burning the sugar from carbs instead of burning the fat. Getting the sleeve "resleeved" is nearly impossible and not recommended due scar tissue and existing staples. I know of one lady that went to get "resleeved" and the surgeon would not do it because her sleeve was perfect size, she was just eating all the wrong foods. She was nearly 4 years out, and had gained about 30lbs back. She went to have her gb removed and the surgeon checked her sleeve while he was in there.

You have lost over 70% of your Excess weight in 6 months, and that is what matters. You can not compare actual pounds lost because each person's loss is individual, there are too many factors that go into pounds lost per patient. When it comes down it, your first 12 months post-op is maximum time to reach 100% EWL (excess weight lost). I had more weight to lose than you did, plus my body is different than yours. In my opinion, this is the time for your to evaluate what you've been doing, and make sure you are remaining diligent to the program. Around 7-8 months, I noticed I could eat more food, and I was below goal, but making the "best choice" was a lot tougher than it was the first 6 months. You can and will get to goal.

I'm almost 2 years out, and what you are experiencing is normal and expected. It's the sleeve maturing to max capacity. If it makes a difference, I'm eating the same amounts today that I ate a year ago so, there hasn't been a big change from year 1 year out, to year 2 post-op. As for carbs, and junk food, yep those sliders are a slippery slope and it happens with ALL weight loss surgery options. Maintenance is when the real work goes into the sleeve, and life long commitment. I can also tell you that on any given day, I bounced on the scale up and down 4-5lbs. It's Water weight, and I honestly do not know one naturally skinny person that weighs the exact same weight every single day of their life. Don't you hear your skinny friends saying "I'm having a fat day!" and you used to think "FAT DAY, where at in your BIG Toe you skinny hussy?" At least that's what I thought, but after getting skinny, I now understand what they mean. As for managing your food and eating demons, unfortunately, they didn't operate on our brains so this is where you have to be disciplined, set a meal plan, a schedule and stick with it. I find structure helps me in check. Also, seek professional help via a nutritionist or therapist to help you manage through the eating habits.

I don't think I'll ever be okay with a true 2 piece. I have several tankinis and I do love them. I'm not to have my tummy exposed, not really because of the skin, but because of my extensive scarring.

The first few weeks are the most draining emotionally and physically. It does just take some time for our bodies to recover. Take care of yourself, keep sipping and resting.

The pregnancy test story is pretty comical. For about 3 days, I had been having these very violent, lucid dreams. I was tired, and my boobs were hurting (but this is a common PMS symptom for me) so I just thought I was late, and like the previous months, I'd pee on a stick, get the negative and then I'd start my period. It was March 1st, 9:45pm, I was folding laundry, and getting ready for bed. I thought I'd pee on the stick, and put away some towels and crash out. I peed on the stick, it was the digital "PRegnant Not Pregnant" test. I sit the test on the counter like I had done with 50+ other tests, grabbed a few bath towels to put away in the linen closet, and as I walked by the counter I nonchalantly glanced at the test and it said "PREGNANT". If I had not just urinated, I know I would have peed on myself. I grabbed the test began sobbing. I had the bedroom door shut so John couldn't hear me. He didn't know I was testing. I walked into the living room where my loving husband sat in his recliner playing Call of Duty, and he said "what's wrong?" I handed him the test and he said "well that's just great dear". YES, throat punching almost began immediately. I just stood there in shock, and said "that's it" and stormed off. The next day I went to my PCM for the referral, and confirmation. Once I texted him with the results from my PCM, it hit him. We're super stoked to find out gender which will happen on June 3rd ! ! !

I avoided it because during my hair loss stage, my hair was super fragile. I had lots of breakage as well, not just the typically falling out, and even though my hair was gorgeous pre-op, it looked, felt pretty horrible through the shedding period, and took a couple of months to recuperate. I did chop off, and heavy highlight it right when the shedding started, and then didn't touch for 4 months until I had decent regrowth coming in. That was just my experience.

AMAZING ! ! ! I miss you round these parts ! ! !

If a leak scares you, then think of erosion, losing additional stomach tissue (like I did with my revision), constant fills/unfills that you will face trying to find the ever-elusive "sweet spot", and the esophagus damage that you might face in the future from the band. I do not regret my band time, it taught me a lot about myself, I endured hellacious pain on a daily basis because of that thing, and I can tell you that the band has the most long term complications out of all of the WLS options. This is a group on obesityhelp.com for some long time bandsters that have revised, or have failed bands, and can't revise because of the damage the band did. http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/failed_lap_bands/discussion/ I admit I am biased, but with good reason. I would hug your surgeon and your husband. Keep researching.

Jen, I pray each day gets a bit easier. I commend you on sharing your story, and know that I'm pulling for a full, and quick recovery ! ! ! Hang in there chickee.

I would go post this on obesityhelp.com and post specifically to Misseye and Jimbo. Misseye lost 200lbs in a little over a year, and Jimbo has dropped 300lbs in 18 months. So, the sleeve works. Malabsorption only lasts 2 years with RNY with carbs/fat/sugar, but with DS you get a permanent and metabolic switch. Problem for me, on both of those, is the insane Vitamin regimen and complications that come with both long term.

I hit a normal BMI within 8 months of having VSG. My BMI was 50 when I started, and I maintained that weight for a year before pregnancy. I was 263lbs the day of my revision, standing 5'2" and before pregnancy, my weight was 125lbs. So, yes, I'm in a normal BMI for my height. Before going off just getting to a normal BMI, please investigate and research, the regain stats and long term complications on RNY. Also, check out the Revision forum on obesityhelp.com and see just how many RNY patients are looking at revisions because of complications with their pouch/stoma or with significant regain. Think of all the pros and cons of each surgery type. Not just getting to your goal. Maintenance with any of the surgeries is the tough part. Losing was/is disgustingly easy for me, maintaining that's where the work comes in. With RNY, there is no guarantee that you will dump on sugars, only 30% of RNY'ers dump on sugar/fats. You'll only get 2 years on malabsorption of calories/fat/carbs, then after that you have to rely on dieting and your pouch to keep your portions small. I'm not trying to convice (ok maybe I am), but please research every aspect of both surgeries, and go with what is best for you long term.

It hurt when I urinated, and it was just a nagging pain. I carried the majority of my weight in my abdomen, so I had a lot of "gravity" pain on my incisions, but I also had a lot of pain because I endured 2 major surgeries within 2 days, plus drain placement. So, I can't really recall the pain because it was general pain. I had gone in 4-5 days before and had bacteria in my urine so we thought it was just a UTI. The pain intensified, and I was having abdominal cramps, and felt horrible. My advice is always if something doesn't "feel" right, seek medical treatment.

This was my exact experience. We are stationed 800 miles from all of our family. My family is in Texas, my husband's family is in West Virginia, and they were in "shock" as they watched me via Facebook drop pounds. At one point several of my long term friends started questioning the whys, hows, whats, on my changing appearance. Even some friends thought I was drinking or using illicit drugs as they all knew that I was quite the partier a couple of years before meeting my husband. I "had" to come clean via FB about what I had done in regards to my decision to revise from the band to VSG. They already knew I had the band, but they were not aware that I had revised, and since I was dropping weight so rapidly, the questions and messages, phone calls/texts started rolling in. They were genuinely concerned. When we traveled to WV just 5.5 months after my revision, I was down about 100lbs, and my MIL decided to tell my husband that I looked way too skinny. Mind you, I'm only 5'2", and still weighed 165-170lbs. Least to say, when I dropped down to 125lbs, the comments really became harsh. I heard "you look like an Ethiopian child, you look like a cancer patient, your bones are showing" and for people that had never seen below 200-270lbs for over 20 years, it was a big shock. The last time I weighed 125lbs, I was around 12yrs old and in the 7th grade so of course my younger brothers don't remember a "small" sister. I broke down and told my brother to look up pics of 115lbs-130lbs celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, Sandra Bullock, Miranda Lambert, Dana Kirkpatrick, and remember those chicks are 3-7 inches taller than I am, and that he could see bones on all those women. That really helped put my "size" into perspective for him. I wanted everyone to Celebrate my success, and be elated with my results. Unfortunately, worry and concern really took over and they couldn't see that I was still healthy, and thriving. One thing that did help was when I traveled back to Texas in March 2009(almost 10 months post revision), my family could watch me eat, and see that I was eating a well-balanced, and nutrient diet every day. They saw me eat enchiladas, fajitas, steak, chicken, all veggies, and it really helped ease their fears. The whole "eating like a bird" is the perception they had, and it's just not realistic long term, and they needed to witness it firsthand. Just be prepared, and acknowledge their concern, but do not allow anyone's comments to steal your joy in all of your successes. It's easy for me to say that now, but back then, it was very difficult for me to convince my loved ones that I was still healthy. One thing I did remind them of is that I was under close monitoring by not 1, but 3 medical professionals. My surgeons, my PCM and a nutritionist therefore they are not going to allow me to wither away or die because I "caught" skinny.

They were on my "mushy/puree/soft stage". I also mixed mine with non-fat, plain Greek yogurt and different spices/seasonings or even dry dressing Ranch or italian dressing with a little mustard, or spicy mustard to give some twang to cut the fat instead of mayo.

Thank you so very much ! ! ! I got to goal in 6.5 months with 115lbs lost, and then I dropped another 23ish pounds over another 4 months as I got into maintenance. I had maintained my loss for almost a year until the pregnancy hit, and I've gained a few pounds with the pregnancy.

With a pouch, gum can have trouble getting through the stoma. I've chewed gum for almost 2 years, and without issue. So, from what I've seen they are following the good ole' RNY rule on gum. Gum is a lifesaver after meals when you can't drink, it also helps me keep from mindless eating and snacking. Everyone has different triggers. I can see how chewing gum can cause the want to snack for some, but others it actually helps keep me out of the cookie jar. I had no restrictions on gum past the 6 week point.

Check out Dr. Sauceda ! ! ! He's the guy I've researched extensively. I have yet to find one dissatisfied patient, or major complications. http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/Dr_Sauceda_Patients/ http://www.medicaltourism.com.mx/

I'm almost 2 years out, and I can tell you that my sleeve has not stretched that much, and I've been drinking soda for over a year without any ill effects on my weight loss. Also, there is not enough tissue left behind to stretch the stomach back out like there is with the stretchy pouch and stoma. You can easily stretch your pouch and stoma (the opening from the stomach to intestines) Dogg pretty much put out there my reasonings for choosing sleeve over RNY for my revision from the band. If you are on obesityhelp.com, you should check out the revision forum to see just how many RNY patients are seeking revisions from RNY to ERNY or DS because of pouch/stoma issues and major regain. And, now there are 2 (5 years out) RNY patients that are converting to the sleeve because of reactive hypoglycemia and they have to get rid of the bypass.

You could be experiencing lactose intolerance, or whey protein intolerance. You can soy or egg white protein mixes.