Barbara278

Jenn, Welcome to VST and congrats on your choice to have the sleeve. I agree that the pre op diet is probably the hardest part of the whole process. So hang in there and know that things will get much better. Best wishes to you on your journey and I look forward to hearing how it's going.

Yah!! Good for you. Glad to hear everything went well.

I'm 4 weeks behind you at 10 weeks and hit the big FORTY today yeeeeeehaaaaaa! I really hope I'm also hitting the FIFTY at 14 weeks. But if not, it has still been a really great ride. I would have told you I'd NEVER reach goal. Now I'm slightly optimistic it just might be a possibility........I never lose weight, this is terrific.

I've had 2 stalls on my way, but it gradually continues to melt away a pound here, a pound there, here a pound, there a pound, everywhere a pound pound!!!

Congrats on 40 lbs!!! I bet you will be at 50lbs in 4 weeks for sure. Isn't it great feeling like we can actually do this now?

You're already almost half way to goal at just 14 wks! Way to go! Keep up the good work :001_tt1:.

Thanks so much. I'm so excited. What's neat is that it really isn't that hard once you have the sleeve. It's such a great tool. My whole attitude towards food has totally changed. It's such a neat feeling. Thanks again.

Yeah is right......thanks for posting...I'm still waiting for surgery date but you inspire me......all the best wishes for you!

Good Luck on your journey. You won't regret it. It's a little difficult at first with all the adjustments, but soooooo worth it.

That's amazing! Congrats.....I want to walk in your footsteps !

Thank so much Coach. This is such a fantastic tool. For the first time I feel like I won't fail at keeping the weight off. :001_tt1:

AWESOME. Just look at the BMI ticker going down. You've dropped 9.2 BMI points. WOW!!!! :001_tt1:

Mini, I know. Isn't that fantastic. I can tell the inches have really dropped off the last two weeks more so than the weight. I bought a pair of pants two weeks ago and they are to big today. lol

yea! I wanna be you!

Congrats!!

You are doing fantastic and right behind me. Thanks!!!

I hit 50 lbs lost today. wooohoooo.

I'm down from a size 20/22 to 16's.

I know I've lost well over 30 inches total.

And...I feel fantastic!!!

:lol0:

Wendy, best wishes to you. Hope everything went fantastic. Update us when you feel well enough.

HW 257

SW 235 (I better mention I lost 9.5 lbs on pre op diet)

LW 189.5

CW 186

I'm losing very slowly and according to the charts...I'm one that's on target for 70% weight loss. I sure hope I can beat those odds, and lose 100% of my weight.

I'm not having that experience. I eat and then I'm hungry within 2 hours and have to tough it through. Worst part is that it takes me over a week to lose a pound. I thought that 600 calories a day combined with an hour of exercise would help me lose, or at least not be hungry. From my seat, I'm sorry that you feel yuck about food but I'm thinking that not being hungry doesn't sound so bad to me. We're all so different. I hope you feel better.

Lee, I know, you are right. It's just so different from what I've experienced all my life. I shouldn't complain. It just feels like such a chore to eat now. I really really have to force myself to eat, but on the positive side, that's better than eating everything in site.

Hope you get to a point where you are not hungry between your meals. I know that must be difficult.

Good Luck!:thumbup1:

I get hungry...or maybe I just want to eat still. I do know that nothing tastes the same anymore. I can think I want something but when I fix it....it just does not taste as good.

Deb, same thing for me. Nothing taste good at all. I eat because I know I have to eat. I'm glad in a sense, but sure would be nice to eat something (anything) that tasted good.

yahoooooooooooo..congrats on 30lbs!!

So, I'm a little late on this one, but not a lot has changed between month 9 and 10.

I'm wearing a range of sizes depending on where I'm shopping. Old Navy and Wal-Mart in a size 4-6, small to medium tops. Rue 21, and more juniory sizes I'm in a solid 7, sometimes a 5.

Life is good. I'm happy, healthy, figuring this stuff out is still a learning process. Things are tasting better these days, and some of my old stand by favorites have lost their luster. BUT, I am finding that I'm eating a very balanced diet including veggies/fruits/proteins/carbs. I'm short some days on Protein, and over on carbs, but I'm not stressing about the numbers with the exception of calories, and I'm staying between 1200-1500 per day.

I did buy a new dress (Old Navy) and super adorable wedges (Traffic) this last week.

I'm super stoked to be wearing springy dresses. This is all new territory for me as I've never worn this kind of stuff. I mean NEVER in my life.

Sleeved life is good. It's still a journey for me, I hope to keep this mentality up for the long haul. I still have bad days, do not believe that every day is perfect. It's not always easy, but thus far, it's been completely worth it.

Sorry it's blurry, the kiddo snapped these for me real quick.

I promise I know how to Iron as well, but I had been sitting in my truck for at least an hour before taking these.

He was making me giggle during this one so ignore the squinty eye thing.

Wow Tiffy. I just found this thread today. You look fantastic and the dress looks great on you. Were you ever overweight?? You'd never know it by looking at these pics. :blushing:

Congrats!!! I just hit my 180's and I almost cried too. It's been many years since I've been that low in weight. I agree....it's pretty simple rules, and if you follow them (which isn't hard to do) you almost can't screw this up. It's going to continually get better and better. Congrats on your success!!!

Best wishes for an uneventful surgery. Keep us posted as soon as you feel up to it.

Hello everyone!

I had a surgery date with the gastric band on May 27th, paying cash. Looks like an omen as I just got a new insurance card in the mail and it turns out that United Health Care/Oxford bought my insurance company and they cover the VSG 100% with a $250 deductible. Of course I was jumping for joy because at the bariatric seminar last month, I was very interested in the sleeve but I knew I could not afford it. It was around $6,000 more than the band (about $24,000). I am so so exited now, I can't sleep! I will have to wait til July for my new insurance to become effective but the benefits were already quoted to the surgeon's office. It takes less than a week to get approval as long as BMI is over 40.

I cannot believe this as my luck is never this good. My luck usually would have been to get banded end of May, then get the new insurance card in the mail AFTER...lol Unbelievable!

One thing I wanted to ask opinions on is how long after surgery did it take you to be able to function? Also, how many days is average hospital stay? I will probably have the surgery on a Thursday and will most likely have to be back at work on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Does that seem possible? I am the only one in the office so it's hard to get coverage for many days plus summer is VERY busy, so I'm hoping I won't be down for long.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Lori

What great luck!! It couldn't have turned out any better. July will be here before you know it. I took two weeks off of work, but I honestly feel like I could have easily come back to work after a week. I did feel a bit tired by the end of each day right after surgery, but that quickly goes away. Best wishes to you!

Congrat! You think you are smiling now...just wait.

Welcome to the forum!

Best wishes Tiffany!!!

I wanted to let you know that you are not alone, I just posted a similar concern and I am out from initial surgery about the same as you.

I have zero appetite and no desire to eat, ever. I am unable to force myself with Protein shakes. Today I ate a babybel cheese and that is it. And it is 3:40 pm. It is awful. I have no energy and really would like to work out...but it is just not happening. I am hoping it gets better soon!!!

Stacie, I sure hope things improve for you also. I am forcing myself to get in the Protein and nutrients I need but it's so hard. It's like a chore. I almost hate eating but know that I have to. Wow, what a change from 6 months ago when I could eat non stop and never seemed to get enough. lol Hopefully it will pass as Tiffs did. Best of luck to you.

I went through the same thing around 2.5 to 3 months out. Literally, everything tasted horrible, and I was force feeding myself as well. It does pass.

The one remedy I found was trying to overseason food, and new recipes. It's what spurred my obsession with cooking new stuff. It is very frustrating, and I know it's difficult. I wish I could give you some better advice, but it just took time for me.

Hang in there.

Tiff, thanks for the response. That's exactly how I feel, like I'm force feeding myself and it almost makes me want to gag. I do make myself eat though because I don't want to get sick or not have the proper nutrients that my body needs. I'm already starting to lose hair. I'll try your suggestion and spice my food up and maybe try some new things. Hopefully mine will pass as yours did.

I'm 13 weeks out today. I feel great. I've lost 46 lbs, but I'm beginning to worry as I have absolutely no appetite at all. I know it's a blessing in disquise, but I find lately that I have to force myself to eat. Nothing taste good at all. I don't know if this is a phase that will pass, but I am a bit worried.

Anyone else have this problem? Should it be something I worry about or not?

Appreciate any imput.

HW 257

SW 235 (I better mention I lost 9.5 lbs on pre op diet)

LW 192

CW 189.5

I was on vacation and ate out almost every meal and still did ok. The sleeve rocks!!!