Tiffykins

It is temporary, and you'll get new growth coming in. I know how traumatic it seems, but it is temporary. I promise hair grows back! ! !

Best wishes in your research. If you'd like, add me as a friend, and you can peruse my blog. I have tons of research links, articles, dietary guidelines, and my own story of band to sleeve revision in there. The sleeve is truly the best decision I ever made. It's so much easier than the band, and really works like the band is advertised to work, but fails miserably on delivering.

I honestly don't remember when I started drinking it again. Probably close to 6 weeks post-op, I drank a lot of the herbal tea with half and half and splenda in the beginning.

I was a 40oz a day coffee drinker pre-op. But, I cut it out because of the "diuretic" effect immediately post-op when hydration is so important. Least to say, I picked up coffee again, and have a minimum of 20-24oz a day with full fat french vanilla creamer and splenda. It helps keep me regular as well. I've never had any issue with it causing problems with my sleeve, no burning, no acid afterwards, and my surgeon wasn't concerned with coffee consumption after the healing period and once I was able to get in my full fluid requirements I was back to having my coffee. I think of coffee as an experience as well, it's not just the taste, it's everything about that little cup of joe that makes me happy.

I had ACL replacement surgery(left knee) at 16 yrs of age, diagnosed with arthritis at 19 in that knee, and then torn the replacement "tendon" they put in place of the torn ligament, I have 2 titanium screws in that knee. When I torn it again in 1999(5 years after first surgery), they went in, cleaned it, removed part of my meniscus cartilage, and the rest that is left is pretty much hamburger meat. They could not replace the torn ACL because my right knee is so shot, and they transplanted from the tendon on my knee cap of my left knee the first time. It was a big mess. Ortho doc told me "if you don't lose this weight, you'll have knee replacement by the time you're 40" Mind you, I only weighed 200lbs back then, and was in decent shape back. Least to say, I had chronic pain daily and my right knee is shot as well with arthritis in that knee, plus meniscus damage. BUT, good news is that once I dropped 50 pounds, I noticed that my knees didn't throb as much, and now 145lbs lighter, my knee pain is minimal. Lunges and squats are not my favorite exercise because it's bone on bone in my left knee, and I have that lovely grinding in my right knee. I still have some discomfort when it gets really cold outside or right before it rains, but it's not severe like it was pre-op. I still get inflammation in my knees, and due to my left knee being so damaged for so many years, I overcompensated when I walked and have hip pain from walking "crooked" and using my right leg to compensate for the pain and pressure. Sorry for the ramble, but thought I'd give you the whole story.

My thought process and still is "Just because I can doesn't mean I should". I could easily eat an entire bag of chips, but I choose not to do it. If you are staying within your calorie/protein/carb goals, then you aren't eating too much. But, if you evaluate what you are eating, and you see that you aren't hitting certain goals, and going over in other areas, substitute better choices. I measured my portions, tracked my intake and stayed on target to ensure I would hit my goal weight and change my relationship with food. If you don't want to track, and you want to eat like you did pre-op just in smaller portions that's the path you can take. You are completely in control of how you lose weight, and if you eating these foods, in these amounts are working for you and your happy with your results then you are doing what's right for you. I will say that at 18 months out, I struggle to get in 4 chicken nuggets, and can not eat a chicken wrap. If/when your weight loss slows down, or you stall, you might have to evaluate what you are eating. I chose to stay on mushies for so long because it was easier for me to get Protein in from food sources by sticking to mushy food. Also, I can eat twice as much now that I could at 2-3 months out so I'm really glad I learned new habits, and really focused on not eating junk food that didn't count towards any of my goals. It's way harder to make better choices now, but if I want to maintain, I have to make the best choice most of the time or I'll see a gain. I know myself well enough to know that if I didn't change those bad habits, I would not succeed long term so I chose to be more strict, watch my carbs, keep my protein up and not eat more than what was recommended by my guidelines.

Thank you all soooooooooooooooo very much ! ! ! I'm 5'2" and considered large frame by my bone size. I've had bone scans, and my surgeon measured my elbow and knee joint to figure my frame size. I really do have huge knee, ankle and elbow joints. Anything below about 123-125lbs, I do not look good. I dropped to 119lbs, and really got concerned as did my husband. But, I was able to gain back a few pounds and feel much better. Thanks again everyone ! ! !

Google the 5 day pouch test, it was designed for RNY patients, but I know a lot of sleeve patients that have used with great success to get rid of the carb monster, and to get back on track. You'll have to make the conscious effort to not put carbs in your mouth. If you're released for regular foods, get some beef jerky (they make steak nuggets that are super moist and easy to chew), pork rinds for the crunchy craving, cheese sticks or chunks of cheese. All you can do is stop eating them, get them out of your system, and then start eating protein again.

Sometimes people take longer to heal post-op, but a month out and still having pain is definitely not normal. You should contact your surgeon, and see if something is going on. Strictures can occur this early out, and you should be able to hit most of your fluid goals by now. You're body is still healing, and is trying to recover after major trauma. Essentially, the majority of your stomach has been amputated, and your body is trying to figure out what the heck is going on. BUT, you should not be having constant pain, plus it sounds like you could possibly be dehydrated, and bm's aren't going to happen regularly if you aren't getting in your necessary fluids. You aren't eating a lot so you bms will be less frequent as well. Again, call your doctor, and get into to see him/her ASAP.

I'm trying really hard to get motivated. Tomorrow is our squadron Christmas party, and I have a nail appointment, have to go shopping for the mister some new dress clothes, and I just feel blah. It's cold here, and with turning on the heater in the house, I'm stuffed up, my throat is scratchy, and dang it I'm just miserable ! ! ! This is how my "losing mojo" happens every time ! ! ! I'm going to do something today, but not sure when or how much.

Those rock, thanks for sharing ! ! !

This is one that I make to ensure I get some Protein, and it's always a crowd pleaser, and I get numerous request for the recipe: 1 - 8oz package of nonfat cream cheese (softened) 1/2-1 cup of nonfat plain greek yogurt (will change based on personal preference for consistency) 1/2 cup 2% fat mozzarella cheese 40-60sliced pepperonis (quartered into little kind of triangle shaped) 2tsp of Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, thyme) add to Pasta sauce and greek yogurt in the directions below 1-2cups of pasta sauce or prepared pizza sauce (will make it more tomatoey versus creamy if you use the 2 cups, I use 1.5-2 cups of pasta sauce based on the number of attendants) I add 2tsp of garlic powder, 2tsp of onion powder as well since I don't put veggies in there because you never know if someone doesn't like veggies. You can layer this dip in a 9inch pie plate with cream cheese, pasta/pizza sauce, italian seasoning, garlic and onion powdergreek yogurt (MIX all those together until smooth) on the bottom, arrange the pepperonis (or other pizza toppings listed below) evenly over cream cheese mixture, , Pop in a preheated oven at 375 for 15 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle mozzarella, and return to oven until mozz cheese is melty. OR, you can mix it all together into a mixing bowl, microwave it for 3 minutes, stir and microwave for 1-3 minutes until the cream cheese is completely smooth. Toss it all in the crock pot on "warm" to keep it warm. If you choose to use the layer method, I recommend using the 1 cup of pasta/pizza sauce, and only 1/2 cup of greek yogurt, or it will be a runny mess. I serve it with those Flipside pretzel/cracker combo thingies, my kiddo loves to roll it up in a tortilla. I've never done the calorie/carb protein counts for this recipe. It is low carb with about 4-8 gr of carbs per serving depending on the cheese and pasta sauce you use, plus the greek yogurt increases the protein count. You can also substitute chopped up italian sausage, or bulk hot sausage or canadian bacon, ground turkey (I've made it with ground turkey and it's yummy), or any pizza topping in place of the pepperoni. Add ins: sliced green peppers, diced onions, diced mushrooms, bacon, canadian bacon,

Can you get tested for insulin resistance? Look that up because it's more common and often goes undiagnosed. Honestly, I think 600 calories is ridiculous for your amount of activity. I was practically sedentary, and steadily lost with 600-800 calories a day. I know you are frustrated, but your body is also reacting to your stress. Ever heard of cortisol? It can effect your metabolism(decreased thyroid levels), it can cause fat to deposit in our abdomen, and a whole slew of other things. If you're constantly stressing about the scale, your body is not going to release the weight. I know you don't want to hear that, and it doesn't seem supportive, but I personally think you need to toss the scale for a couple of weeks, and feed your body. http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm http://www.cortisol.com/the_cortisol_stress_connection.php You're retaining Water, your body is holding on to everything, every ounce you put it in, and you are in major starvation mode with your activity level. You can not expect to continue to lose 5-10lbs a week, it's just not possible. I only lost on average 17lbs a month for 6months, and I was practically sedentary for the first 3.5-4 months. So, there is NO way in the world you are going to lose with your activity level on that low caloric intake. I lost around 35-37lbs the first month, dropped 80lbs the first 4 months, and then it took another 2.5 months to drop 30 pounds only after increasing calories and carbs to compensate for my weight training and one hardcore day of cardio.

You feelings are valid regardless if anyone thinks you are being sensitive. BUT, I will say that these people have probably always thought this way, and it's easier for them to be "bully" like, or have the "cult" mindset when they sit behind their computer screen. I personally would take the money spent on this trip, and have a fabulous vacay with your loving husband ! ! ! If you are close to any of them, I would express your feelings to them openly.

40 Bicep reps (each arm), leg lifts, "chair exercises", squats and lunges done. Tomorrow it's all about abs and my back muscles.

I have never been diagnosed with PCOS, but I have chin and neck hair. My granny "naired" my neck when I was going through a weird hormone thing as a teenager. She thought it would "help", least to say, it made it worse. BUT, I can say that the hair has not lightened up (color) any, but I do not have to tweeze them every day like I did pre-op. I wax my chin every couple of months, and get a couple of strays here and there. They are still there, but they grow slower. Same thing with my leg hair, and underarm hair. I don't have to shave as often.

Honestly, if I were you I would running and hugging that surgeon. While the band can be successful, you'll find that the sleeve is much better all around. From complications, and slow weight loss, to just a pain in the butt to find the "every elusive" sweet spot for restriction. I'll add you to my friends list, and from there you can read my blog. I have tons of research links, articles, dietary guidelines, all in there. Plus, there is a post in there that is a list of complications and stats that was released by the band manufacturer showing that 1 in 4 band patients will need another surgery within 5 years. I didn't have co-morbidities pre-op, and I can tell you firsthand that the sleeve is far superior over the band. Best wishes in your research ! ! !

I've not been maintaining for a year, but I've been at goal for nearly a year. I continued to lose past my goal weight and have been easily maintaining for the last 7 months. I still love my sleeve, and do not diet at all. I indulge with sweets, alcoholic beverages, and even white carbs weekly. The difference is that I don't overindulge, and I have realized that my body runs better on mainly protein first, but I eat a very balanced, healthy diet. I do not deprive myself of anything, I just don't eat in large quantities anymore. Do I sometimes splurge a little much? Sure, I do, but I also know that splurging leads to me feeling fatigued, and I just don't "feel good". It's just how my body works. Food is an afterthought, I eat because I have to eat, and yes, I have cravings, but the sleeve makes managing those cravings much easier, and obviously I can't binge out anymore. Plus, I have zero desire to get that overly stuffed, busting out of my pants feeling anymore. Food is just fuel. I've learned to eat to live instead of living to eat, and it would not have been possible without the sleeve.

Once you get on more solid food i.e. mushy foods, the bowels will kind of even out. I had my gb removed 8 months post-sleeve, and struggled with foods causing diarrhea and nausea. I had to cut all fat from my diet, and couldn't eat anything tomato based for about a 3 month period. My body has somewhat adjusted, but occasionally I still bouts of diarrhea if I eat very rich foods, but it's only on occasion.

Great job everyone ! ! ! Today, I'm going to focus on my legs, and arms. I woke up to a brisk 31 degrees this morning, and have zero motivation. I'm meeting a friend for lunch, and helping her get a twin mattress for her son so I'll be working out this afternoon. I'll post once I'm done.

You betcha ! ! ! Even though the OTC version of Prilosec doesn't indicate to take it on an empty stomach, my RX version advises to take 1 hour before eating anything. I forgot to fill my RX one time for a week, and I didn't take the OTC version on an empty stomach, and I had some mild reflux twice that week. It wasn't anything horrible, but I would take it on an empty stomach. Nexium is labeled to take on an empty stomach and wait 30 minutes before eating.

I have a sleeve, and would not have any other surgery type. I had a band before my sleeve. I've minimally researched the plication surgery, but honestly, it's just not something I would have considered. I never even thought of my band as a reversible surgery. I wanted that stomach tissue gone for good. What good had it done for me? NONE. I'm perfectly ecstatic with my sleeve, and no one could pay me to have a different surgery. It's a personal choice, and I would recommend doing major research. There's others here that have had the plication with a couple of different surgeons. There is an entire sub-forum on here under the main forum page for the plication and I bet there are some good topics there for reference. Best wishes in your research.

I have a 32fr, and the difference between a 32 and 34, 36 and 38 is all less than 2mm. Our anatomy, surgeon technique and food choices will make more impact that the actual bougie size. Here's a nice little chart to show the minimal difference between the sizes. Page 5 has the bougie that is similar to what was used on me. http://www.medovatio..._Dilatation.pdf Also, the size of the bougie is NOT the final size of the sleeve. It's a measuring tool/guide for the surgeon. Your stomach isn't going to be that small forever.

It doesn't always take forever. I've had friends go to the information seminar, get their labs, psych consult done, and first nutritional class completed then BAM consult and surgery was a week to 2 weeks later total process time was 6 weeks. Also, the only pre-op tests were labs, chest xray, ekg, and I had special labs done with an oncologist due to a clotting disorder. I never had to do stress test, pulmonary consult, or any other additional tests because I had no co-morbidities, not even HBP or cholesterol. Is your wife stateside? I'll send you a message with my phone, or have her add me on Facebook(link is my signature below), I can help her with all the ins and outs of Tricare. I'm also an insurance agent so I'm well-versed on how all of this process works.