Tiffykins

Be careful this early. Your body does need to heal, so be kind to it. Walking briskly was the only thing allowed for me for the first 6 weeks.

You've done amazingly well, and please don't feel stupid, or guilty for having these emotions. I'm a huge advocate for people to realize it's "Okay" to have feelings, and to express them. Vulnerability was a new emotion/feeling for me. I felt absolutely "weird" about being skinny, and being referred to as "skinny". I started thinking about "friends" and the world around me differently. I always took "command" of a room, and felt like I had to be the "fun fat chick" for people to like me. I soon found out that I could still be me, but not SO OUT THERE. People were closer to me without me having to use humor, wit, and sarcasm to win people over. . You're entering into a whole new world, and you'll find out so much about you, and the world around you. Embrace the changes, do not allow speed bumps become road blocks, and I had to battle "self-sabotaging" habits a lot because I just wanted to succeed so badly. You are worthy all the successes that will come your way ! ! !

Your diligence will pay off ! ! ! I can only imagine your frustration, but don't give in. Hopefully, you'll get approved and not have to deal with a peer review ! ! !

vHere's the kicker, and really think about it this way: We have 2 choices: A) Eat properly, fuel the body with the "best" food option, and maintain your weight loss. Beat the obesity related health problems, fit into smaller clothing, have more energy, live longer. Stay the course, and realize I was adding years to my life OR B ) Eat crap food, let your body suffer because of poor food choices, take 1-15 pills per day to combat the symptoms of obesity related co-morbidities, stay the same size, feel lethargic, worn out, fatigued, die early. Honestly, that's exactly what I thought about when I wanted to let old habits creep in. Plus, I took a good, hard look at my before pictures. I had to remind myself of how hard I had worked to get where I am. Yes, I lost fast, and hard, never had a stall, but I had my own struggles throughout my losing stage. I keep "healthier options" when I want to snack. Grant it, sometimes the fat girl wins. BUT, I also recognize the behavior, and remind myself of how much healthier and happier I am in a size 2 than I ever was in size 24W. Working with a therapist/counselor that has experience with food issues/eating disorders can really help you find other coping mechanisms to deal with the emotional side of eating. As for boredom eating, do some light exercises. Endorphins are way better for your body than any junk food you could be eating. Even if it's just jumping jacks, some crunches, do some bicep curls with canned veggies, or light dumbbells. It'll occupy your hands, your mind, and your body will thank you. Finding another "habit" to replace the boredom eating will definitely help tremendously.

It does get much better. I really hated to eat. I felt like I was force feeding myself, plus add in that my tastes changed dramatically post-sleeve, eating was a downright chore that I dreaded. Something changed around 5-6 months out. My tastes went back to normal. It probably had a lot to do with the fact I was eating more carbs, and coming out of ketosis trying to get my weight loss to slow down since I lost so fast. I found it was easier to eat, and my "appetite" returned. I was still not hungry, but food "sounded" good again. Hang in there, and know you're body is still reeling from the trauma of the surgery. Your hormones are out of whack, and everything will straighten out. Just one day, one meal at a time is my best advice.

I take my b12 and one of my Calcium citrates in the morning with my coffee, and then another calcium after lunch. I don't take my multi until dinner. I can't take my calcium within 2 hours of taking my multi because it has Iron in it so taking my calcium first thing and mid-afternoon really helps space things out. I take mine on an empty stomach, but mine are also all chewables.

That's so awesome, well minus the puking patient ! ! ! Many congrats chickee, you've been rocking your sleeve, and so glad you updated with such great NSVs.

It sounds like what happened when I started having acid issues. It never got to full blown reflux, but I was getting this gnawing twinge an hour or so after I'd eat. I was totally full, but after talking to other veterans, they told me to talk to my surgeon about getting on a PPI before the reflux really started. Low and behold, I went on Prilosec and about a week and half later that twinge was gone along with my hunger. For me, it started about the same time as yours, right around 6 weeks out and I had started on more mushy, dense foods. I haven't felt it since then, and I continue to take my Prilosec every morning like clockwork. I could wean off of it, but honestly I don't want to deal with hunger, or breakthrough reflux that others discuss when they wean off their PPI.

I went through the same thing. I am smaller than I was in middle school, and I've looked back at pictures. My face is definitely different that it was 25 years ago. I still had chubby cheeks, and my neck was way bigger. But, I now have weight in my abdomen that I didn't have back then. My ribs are visible as is my sternum, and I know those bones didn't show through my skin like they do now. It's kind of weird, but in a "good weird" way ! ! !

You look absolutely wonderful ! ! ! Many congrats on your continued success.

Sounds like what I experienced when I developed lactose intolerance. . . Can you drink milk without the gas and nausea?

It is major surgery. Definitely find out for sure how many sleeve revisions he's done. With revisions, your risk for a leak quadruples, and if he doesn't have a lot of revision experience, that can increase your risks, along with any band complications you've had such as slippages, erosion, scar tissue etc etc. I would go post on the Mexico forum on OH and on the VSG forum over there since there's been some posts about him and the facility lately over there. I have zero personal experience with him, or the hospital, but would encourage you to definitely seek out his revision patients because revisions are extremely tricky, and can be very risky. I was a revision with a leak, I was my surgeon's first and only leak, so even surgeon's stats can't be a guarantee, I did have a lot of band complications, and the band destroyed my stomach tissue to the point of no repair so I was prepared for complications, but let me say, leaks suck and take a lot of emotional and physical recovery time. I did my homework, my surgeon had done revisions, had plenty of experience, unfortunately, he couldn't salvage my stomach tissue, and I had a leak. I lived, but the recovery was extensive, and if you're self-paying, make sure you are well prepared to closely monitored once you get home, and if he offers complication insurance, GET IT.

I would want to find out the source of your anemia, and ensure they had a plan before surgery. We can get Iron deficient since we can not take large amounts iron rich foods early out. Iron infusions may be an option for you if you aren't absorbing iron via oral medications, you might have to try some different iron supplements as well. Best wishes in your research, and I hope they find the reason for your anemia.

HOLY CRAP- that bellydancing is NO JOKE. . . I felt my core muscles, butt muscles and thighs all working. 20 minutes I also managed 40 leg lifts (each leg), 50 stand up crunches, 60 bicep curls, 30 skull crushers, and then I did 40 reps of this whole table press thing. Use your coffee table squat facing away from the table, using the palms of your hands to support you, drop into a squat position and push up with your arms only. They do this exercise on the Biggest loser, I have no idea what it's called, but HOLY SMOKES I could feel the burn in my back and triceps. The trainers on BL usually have the contestants balancing on the seat of a weight bench, or other bench of some sorts.

Today is arms and legs for me, PLUS I have been eying these bellydancing shows on FitTv for about a month now. It airs at 3pm CST, so I'll be watching that, and I've set a reminder for Monday - Friday so I can do it every day on top of my normal routines. It's movement, it looks fun, and I would give anything for my body to look like those women ! ! ! I'm hoping my friend gets me my brazil butt dvds soon. I'm anxious to get my hiney in shape. Great job everyone ! ! ! Keep it up. juice - I have a feeling it wasn't a coinkydink either ! ! !

Check with your surgeon/nutritionist on nuts. I couldn't have them until 3 months post-op. My first solid meat was fajita steak and it was divine, I had had plenty of chicken, tuna salads so I also had chicken breast. solid food wasn't as much fun as pureed foods. I couldn't eat very much solid Protein, it had to be super mushed anyways. Best wishes, go slow, chew, chew, chew

Have any of your medications dosages been changed? I would call your doc.

Get your hormones checked, and your thyroid. . . If your ob/gyn isn't willing to work with you, find a new one. Don't just let them medicate you without doing some diagnostics.

We have not gone through any major changes like this since losing weight. BUT, I will say that I do take time for myself, and I do not feel guilty about it. I also got into volunteering, and went back to work part time so I could have something that was "Just mine". I felt an enormous amount of guilt because of my complications, and my husband admitting to me the emotional turmoil he endured while deployed because he could not be here. I threw myself into being super wife, and super mom. Least to say, the resentment started creeping in, and I had to make necessary changes to keep me sane. I have a girls night out almost weekly now, and it's not anything major, it's typically a night out at Chili's for happy hour and appetizers. It's just those little things that I have to do to have something for ME. It may seem selfish to others, but I've always been the type of person that believes if I'm not happy, I can't be happy for anyone else. Before I was a wife and mother, I was/am a woman, and I need to take care of me mentally. It's one of the main reasons I'm going to start counseling after the first of the year because I have some deep-seated issues that I can't resolve on my own. As for sex drive, it's opposite in this household. I could hump my husband every day of the week, but he's not that sexual. He's content with a couple times a week, and I've learned that quality is much more important than quantity. Grant it, I'd like to have sex more often, a lot of that is the fact we are trying to conceive, and I want to do it all the time like a 16yr old teenager. In all honestly, my husband's military career is extremely demanding, on top of my needing constant reassurance because he's constantly working, I'm needy now, more than ever, and I equate his love for me with the amount of sex we have or don't have. It's a vicious cycle, and I'm working on the fact that just because he's not rushing home to have sex with me doesn't mean he doesn't love and worship the ground I walk on. I can relate with you on the PMS/bitchiness. I'm beyond horrible to be around during my ovulation week. I'm overly sensitive, and I get downright cranky. I have a schedule and I like to stick to it. I'm stubborn, and hard-headed and so is he, so you can imagine how we clash when my hormones are raging. If you want to save your marriage, I really recommend getting into some counseling be it with him or without him.

Could definitely be lactose intolerant. I was able to still eat yogurt and some cheeses, but milk and whey protein were out. At 1-3 weeks out, I still had watery bms, so I couldn't attribute it to anything I was "eating". I also got horrific gas, and cramping when the lactose intolerance kicked in.

It's just insurance hoops, HANG IN THERE ! ! ! Prayers and fingers/toes crossed for good news soon.

I promise I'm not trying to negate the emotional side of losing hair. I think acceptance of there is nothing to prevent it really helped me get through it. I was devastated to lose my hair, but knowing that it is going to happen, and knowing that it'll grow back helped me get through it. Plus, I could not tolerate Protein drinks/supplements so I was pretty sketchy on protein intake until I got to mushie/pureed foods and even then, I'm sure I didn't get exactly 60gr of protein every single day even though I was super close. My hair was the one thing I was proud of, the one thing people "envied" and complimented me on when I was fat. When I started shedding, losing in clumps, I mean I was having to put drano down my shower drain at least weekly, believe me, I was upset. I chopped all my hair off, and had 100's literally 100's of layers cut into it just to hide the loss. Here's the best way I can show the dramatic change in my hair: Obviously pre-op Thick coarse, gorgeous luster This was 2 months post lapband December 2008 so 6 months pre-VSG revision: Right before the shedding started (I had it cut off, highlight, lowlighted) You can tell it's still thick and coarse 3 months post-op After the shedding had stopped not so gorgeous, no luster, little chia pet hairs everywhere This was January, 1 month after the shedding stopped 2 months after I chopped it off and 2 months after I stopped shedding, can you see my scalp? ? ? Yeppers, that's how severe it was for me. This is late March, after I went back to dark hair. You can still see how much my hair is lacking Most current still super thin(a couple of weeks ago), luster is coming back finally, but still not anywhere near where it was pre-op volume-wise I know this doesn't help any, but I think it's a great visual to see that hair does come back, and I'm still getting "baby hairs" all along my hairline, and especially underneath around the nape of my neck. My flat Iron gets a workout just because I have to tame all the crazy hairs.

I've been saying the same thing for over a year now. I've posted links on telogen effluvium, and still people want to believe if they suck down 100mg of protein per day, it'll save their hair. It doesn't help when healthcare professional i.e. surgeons and nutritionists are telling people it's due to protein or lack thereof.

I weighed immediately, but that's because I had gained 30lbs from fluids so I wanted to know what I was working with. My belly stayed bloated for a couple of weeks. My first bm was a the day post-op, but I did eat a huge dinner the night before surgery so that was to be expected. If you're pushing fluids in, and not getting a lot of substance, you won't have a major bm. It's kind of a liquids in, liquids out rule. Plus, don't trust a fart this early out. I ruined a couple pairs of panties. And don't be alarmed by the crazy color of bms. Most call them peacock poops because of the colored of drinks like crystal light, the isopure the sugar free jello etc etc. Some add Miralax to their liquids to help things get moving, and that's the only softener I ever used.