NtvTxn

Cold for 3.5 years now!!! Beats the heck out of being hot I guess!!! LoL

Pray that good restriction continues. At 3.5 years, I am still amazed at how good mine is, and I HOPE that it never changes!!! Congrats on your decision to become a loser!!!

I'm pretty sure that's what my nurse said in the nutrition class the day before surgery. That they take out the stretchy part of ur stomach so while u CAN stretch it a little, it can never be stretched to more than 8oz. I'm hoping this is true.

I'm 5 mths post op. When I started eating solids at 8 weeks, I could eat maybe 5-6 bites of any given meal. It's grown monthly to now - I can eat 10-12 bites of any given meal. I've been maintaining for 2 mths ( lost 22 lbs the 1st 3 mths. I knew it would come off slower since I started at 174 - I was a band revision). I still have 22 lbs to go to my goal but I decided before Thankgiving that I would maintain until after the holidays then on Jan 2nd, I would go full force to get the last 22 lbs off. Then I think it should be fairly easy to maintain. Unless of course, I can eat 20 bites in the next 5 mths. Seemed to double. Hope it doesn't continue to double.

I'm actually a little surprised that I've doubled my intake and haven't gained any weight... Yeah.

Has anyone else heard this?

I've never heard this, I was told by my doctor that he doesn't want his patients to EVER eat more than a cup of food at one sitting. At 3.5 years, I still cannot eat a cup of food at one sitting!!! I track everything, every day. I also weigh daily and weigh and/or measure my food when I'm at home. Our stomach relaxes and I think mine was at full capacity and hasn't changed since about one year out. I hope it never does. I was at a support group meeting last night and this PhD doctor that speaks to us monthly said that we CAN stretch our sleeve but it isn't easy to do. I've never heard a 'limit' as far as how big it can stretch to. I have met people at meetings that have gained a large portion of their weight back, but they had started or rather stopped doing things we need to continue for ever. Be careful over the holidays, enjoy, but track your calories. A year ago I gained about 6 pounds over a 2 month period, I was still within two pounds of my doctor's goal, but six pounds over MY goal. I knew I was up, I was still doing everything I should as far as tracking my food and all that, but my calories went up eating slider foods.....easy on, not as easy coming off. About double the time getting rid of it. NOT FUN, but possible. I am not doing a repeat this year!!!

I'd love to hear some updates of how people who were 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. years out on their surgery. How are you doing and how has it been in the maintenance phase? Do u find it challenging at all? Have you gained any weight back? Do you find it harder to eat small portions still? I'm a pre-op and would love some feedback!

Hey there! I am 3.5 years out and believe it or not, I do not find it challenging, at least not yet. I still try and under eat my sleeve, meaning, I know how much it can hold and I TRY and eat a little less. If I ever feel full, it's too late, I'm miserable. I have not gained any weight back, my doctor's goal was 150, I wanted to be at 145 so I could have that 5 lb "pad". I feel good and find it easy to bounce DAILY between 142 and 145.5.

I am still doing what I started doing in the beginning....I weigh every morning, it's a control issue, I'm sure. I am finally in control, food is not. I weigh and/or measure my food when I'm at home. I log it all on my fitness pal and last but not least, I attend support group meetings. All of this is my new life, as natural to me as breathing. I know there is no end date, this is forever and I had to incorporate things into my life that I could/would do forever.

As far as eating smaller portions, I cannot eat more than a cup of food at one sitting, actually, I cannot eat a full cup, probably 2/3 - 3/4 cup, depending on what I'm eating. At 3.5 years out, I can eat a LOT more than I could in the beginning, so making choices and keeping track of my calories is imperative, I cannot become complacent.

Good luck to you, you won't believe what your life is like on your one year anniversary!!!

I totally agree with all of you.. and I trust my dr and my advise to others is always 'follow your Dr s advice' but I can't seem to get hydrated. I'm wondering if anyone has ever heard anything about actually causing any damage or harm ever due to drinking out of a straw?

I was told the reason was because it could be painful with the possibility of taking in air. I did not experience any pain, less air if anything. I 'confessed' when I went in for my three month visit and it was no big deal, i still only sipped, sipped, sipped in the beginning. The further out you get, the bigger your sips until you can eventually drink just like before. I was really worried about getting enough liquids in, the straw helped.

I'm having a difficult time getting in all my fluids. I used to drink fluids all day long but through a straw. I hate drinking without it. I'm 6 weeks out and just can't get used to it. I feel like (as long as I don't hurt my sleeve) I could get in a lot more Water if I went back to using a straw. Thoughts??

Drinking through a straw was the only 'rule' I broke - and I did it early on. I can drink much more through a straw, so it was week two when I started. It helped me a lot and I didn't get as much air as I did drinking without one. I use a LOT of ice and I was taking in quite a few air bubbles, I think it was because of the amount of ice I use. Anyway, I have never had any issues using one.

Hi Vets! Having a little difficult time in maintaining. What a problem to have, right? Ha. Anyway, I am very curious if My Fitness Pal is correct in calculating how many calories you need to maintain. It allows you to add the type of work you do as well as your activity level. Instead of making my own numbers today for nutrition, I let it decide for me and it says a little over 1500 calories to maintain. I'm not eating this much ever. Maybe 1100-1200. I am 5'2" and 118 lbs. I was ok to maintain at 120 but have dipped down to 118. Nothing to be too concerned about, just trying to balance this out. So please let me know if MFP is correct with its numbers for you? And if not, what is the difference? Thank you!!!

It is not correct, it tells me I should have 1500'ish, (slightly over) and at 1500 calories per day, I'd gain. I need LESS than 1300 really....more like 1225 - 1250 to maintain. I manually enter my caloric and Protein numbers. MFP is not taking into consideration we are WLS patients. I've been maintaining successfully for 3 years, you'll get the hang of it!!!!

23

Oh lord!! I can't even imagine being skinny! I'm just trying to feel NORMAL sized. :faint:

So what is skinny anyways?

Skinny - the string bean we all know or have known in the past, but I guess everyone's definition is different. There is always somebody skinnier and always someone richer, right???!!!!!

If you figure out how to "feel" normal sized, share that with the rest of us.

To date, I've lost 91 pounds. At a smidge under 5'3", I've gone from a tight size 20 to a comfy size 12 pants, from a 2x (42DDD) top to a L (36D). I weighed 263.4 at my highest, I am 172.2 as of this morning. I still have 23.2 pounds to go to my personal goal but that's a number I just picked out of my ass, with absolutely no idea what that's going to look like or where I really want to end up.

I'm just realizing what a delusional fat person I was before. I could look at myself in my bathroom mirror thinking I looked good. I had my "skinny" days quite often where I went out with my head held high thinking no one could possibly see how morbidly obese I was. At the same time, I always tucked myself in the back of pictures if I wasn't offering to take them. As one of the shorter people, that was no easy task as everyone tried to shove me up front. (As if they could move THIS mountain! HA!) The result from this is that I have very few pictures to compare my current body size to.

Now, my head is telling me that I am "normal" sized. I am no longer the largest size in the store. I am no longer the largest person in the room anywhere I go. When I go shopping with friends who I've always considered average in stature, I am in their size or one smaller. I can pick up clothes and think that there is no fuckeding way that my assed will fit in that and it does. I am not skinny by any stretch of the imagination but I do think that I am fit. I am no longer afraid of a fitness class. I am no longer afraid of a day of hiking in the apple orchards. I am no longer afraid of a marathon day in hot weather at the park with the kids and the dog. I can easily jog in place for 45 minutes while I teach a kickboxing class joining in seamlessly whenever I care to without losing my breath. I am willing to try new exercises not caring what I look like and no longer making the excuse that I am uncoordinated so I can't possible try. All that said...

I CAN'T SEE IT. I JUST CAN'T SEE IT!!! I am in constant doubt that I really am normal sized. I am in constant doubt that I am not still the big girl. I look at pictures of myself and while I know in my head I look better, all I can actually see is my fat thighs and the roll that's still apparent around my belly. I used to be able to pick up an article of clothing and know if it would fit and now I am terrified of being disappointed because it's too small because I am so unaware of my body size.I am constantly trying to compare myself to everyone around me, not because I want to tear them down and make myself feel better but because I want to see what everyone else sees. I am dying to ask everyone around me what size they wear, how much they weigh, if I can take a picture next to them so I can compare. I restrain myself, but it's hard. It's really really hard. You know how when you hear yourself on a recording, it's bizarre because that's not what you sound like in your head? You know how you can't hear your own accent? That's how I feel about my appearance. I can't see it.

I am not fishing for compliments. I am not asking for reassurance because intellectually I know I am getting there. I just want to know when my self awareness will catch up with my actual being.

ARGH!!!!! HELP ME!

Unfortunately our surgeons operate on our tummy and don't finish up with our head. I have been at goal for 3 years, maintaining for 2.5 years and STILL do NOT see myself like others do. I've been in size 4's and 6's for a few years now and I still will hold a pair of jeans up, fresh out of the dryer and think "NO DAMN WAY can I get my fat @$$ in these" and then I do.....I never have to lay down on the bed to button and zip them. I'm called skinny, tiny, thin and still, the fat girl inside giggles and wants to ask, "Are you talking to ME??" I don't know if it will ever change and I don't know if the fear of waking up 25 lbs heavier will ever go away. A doctor told me though "A little paranoia is good"

It's nice being normal sized, even if we don't feel like it, we can look around and in our head, we know we aren't the biggest girl in the room. You are not alone, I think the head games are something we all struggle with. We are women, we critique ourselves and focus on the thing (s) that bother us. Others don't even notice and that's all we see. Take heart, you are more than likely the ONLY one seeing what you do!!!

Good luck and happy Thanksgiving!

I'm a new forum postee, so if this is in the wrong catagory feel free to point me in the right direction.

Wondering how long you thought about getting VSG before you decided to do it. I've decided on VSG, but I've only been thinking about it a short time. I've done a lot of research so far and plan on doing more so that I'm well informed and safe... Plus I'm a self-pay so I'll have to start saving, built-in pondering time I suppose.

Just curious if I'm the only one who decided pretty quickly that it was the right thing for me. I'm a single mom; I've been overweight since I graduated, freshman 15 or 50 or whatever. I've lost and gained a variety of ways including good ol' diet and exercise and I plan to continue being active, but I need more control that I don't feel I can self-impose I guess.

It's great to find a community of people that support unconditionally. I've only told a few people of my desire and from their reactions, I'll be limiting the future "bean-spillage" to close family.

Thanks for your lovin!

I made the decision at 2 AM, literally. I got up to go to the bathroom and decided then. That was Dec 2009, I started researching the lapband the following morning, I couldn't wait to start reading. It didn't take long for me to change my mind on WHAT surgery to have. The sleeve, forced Portion Control, that is what I needed. I wanted to read everything I could and I was cash pay, so I had to deal with that. I had to find a doctor in Texas and make arrangements. Everything fell into place and I had surgery six months later. I really was ready in four months, but I already had a beach house rented for recovery.....but that's ok, it was worth the wait and I was more than prepared.

Hello All,

I would really appreciate any advice or answers to my questions because I'm getting very nervous.

I'm submitting all my paperwork and going to my initial consultation with the surgeon on Friday. I am feeling nervous about my weight because I am on the "lighter" side of heavy. I'm 5'5, 240lbs and even though my knees and hips are killing me, my weight has caused my arches to fall(which means I wear orthodics 24/7 and cannot go barefoot without pain in my knees and hips) I get winded easily and I wear a size 18/20, when I calculate my BMI, it says I am a 39.9 BMI which is so close, yet so far from 40BMI.

My mom says not to worry, that I should keep my shoes on when they weigh me and with my clothes, I'll definately be closer to 40.

So anyway, what I'm wondering is:

1. How do they weigh you? Are you allowed to keeep on your shoes and clothes? Or do you get barefoot and in a gown?

2. Do they weigh you and then deduct 2 - 5 lbs for your clothes and shoes?

3. Did they use an old fashioned scale (the kind where you move the large piece across) or an electronic one that sends a pulse through your body to check your weight?

4. Has anyone ever been denied for being only slightly under like me?

5. Did they check your height?

They WANT everything to go smoothly so insurance will cover your surgery. Wear jeans, layer a shirt under a sweater or sweatshirt. Keep your shoes on. I have a friend who works in a hospital, HER doctor told her to wear her heaviest stuff. Eat something salty the night before, that should ensure you retain some water!! Good luck!

So lately there have been many family functions to deal with and many people are seeing me for the fist time since surgery. Often now, I am hearing from people, family and clients "you look great, but don't lose anymore weight", or some variation for this. I find it interesting since most people would never think to say, "don't gain anymore weight" or "don't get any fatter", although I know there are exceptions to that rule too. Anyone else experience this, what do you say to them?

Yes i did go through this....my daughters and husband were all freaking out - people don't know what to say, and if they're use to seeing you big, then to you, you're pencil thin. In my case, I WAS and did not see it until I needed to gain a little back. Say "thank you, I'm almost there" or "I'm finished" unless of course you want to talk about it.

Laughed out loud!!!! They're are all funny, but the ammo shortage really cracked me up!!

To entertain myself I thought up bad answers to frequently asked questions posed to WLS people:

"Is the food OK?" (asked because you ate so little)

Oh, yes, I haven't had food this good since the Turkish prison.

"Isn't weight loss surgery the easy way out?"

Yes, it is. I was going to shoot everyone smaller than me to make myself look average but there is an ammo shortage.

You wise guys got any?

I can't remember how far out I was when all of a sudden I could drink a full glass of Water normally.....not sip, sip, sip....but it does happen. Drinking while I'm eating, I thought would be HUGE, but it is totally a non-issue. I use to drink two - four glasses of ice tea with dinner. I tried to practice prior to surgery, and it was soooo hard. I'd have never guessed it would be so simple.

I have a question for those of you who are 1+ year(s) out from your VSG and view your process as "successful". What is a day in the life of your sleeve after that initial year or so? What do you eat in an average day? I'm just 6 weeks out and getting a little discouraged with the limited foods I'm able to eat. Just wondering what you all are eating in the long run and what your tips are for better food choices for the long haul.

Thanks in advance!

I'm almost 3.5 years out and I've been maintaining for almost three years. Life is 'normal'. I just finished ice cream, this is the most "normal" I've ever been....I THINK!! No guilt about anything I eat, maintenance is easy for me. Everything I eat is logged and I stay within the calories I need every day.

Today I had a half cup of 1% cottage cheese for Breakfast. I wanted Protein because I knew I was meeting friends for lunch at a pizza/Italian restaurant. I had three small pieces of Canadian bacon and mushroom pizza. This is an oval pizza cut into small squares. For dinner I had 3 oz of round steak cooked in 98% FF cream of mushroom Soup. The Soup, plus a can of Water, makes GREAT gravy!!! I had .25 cup of my cottage cheese, a fourth cup of 'gravy' and and eighth of a cup of green Beans. I just had a 1 serving of home made ice cream. All this will come to less than 1300 calories. Before bed I'll have 1 cup of skim milk to make sure my Protein is 60 or above.

This is great 'ice cream'. A little mini hand crank maker, we use skim milk, although my recipe calls for whipping cream. It whips up good, nice and thick and tastes delish. Calls for a half cup of sugar, I use a little less, egg beaters rather then 2 whole eggs. vanilla. Love it.....what is life like. It's good!!! I've just made lifestyle changes that I can live with forever. It's as simple as that. Just wait, you won't believe what your life is like a year from now!!

I do not eat with meals, I wait 30 minutes, at least, as instructed.

I DO drink coffee when I'm eating a piece of pumpkin bread or a scone at Starbucks. We always split a piece, and I have to be careful or it will be uncomfortable. Half a piece is fine with coffee, but any more than a half, it doesn't feel good.

I drink with something like this because in MY mind, I figure the quicker I push it out of my tummy, the better! LoL

I cannot wait to see my SIL on turkey day. We have not spoken nor have we seen each other since January. At the time, she was about 35 pounds lighter than me and LOVED to gloat about it in a not so subtle manner.

She would give me her clothing rejects with a casual, "These may be too small for you, but you are dieting, right?". She loved to commiserate with me about our mutual attempts to follow whatever diet we were on but loved to point out that her points/calories/units were lower than mine because she was lighter.

Our last conversation was her snickering about another overweight acquaintance's failed weigh-in, laughing that she did SO MUCH better and me asking if she talked about me as nastily as she did everyone else.

She didn't like that. My bad...

Fast forward to Thanksgiving and me being at least 90 pounds down from our last visit. I would bet any amount of money she is up at least 10 or 20.

I can't wait!!!!!

Who do you look forward to seeing during this journey?

does she KNOW you've had surgery??!!! I have a couple of family member, both who should ask for my doctor's name and phone number......who don't even acknowledge that I have lost 85 lbs. ONE of them has never said a word, the other did at first, then stopped. I FELT bigger than either of them, but I suspect, even though we are all built a little different, we were all three about the same size. I don't care, but I find it amusing!

Have fun!!

I'm a month shy of being 3.5 years out. Still no hunger, not real hunger. I get and empty feeling, but not hunger. It's amazing. I hope it will always be like this!!!

My scale was going up and down four or five pounds daily for about 10 days, and I knew it couldn't be accurate. I changed the battery and it went back to normal.

Update: The last time I posted on this thread was Dec. 2010, almost three years ago. I had reached MY goal a few weeks earlier, I'd reached my doctor's goal a month earlier. Wow, time flies when you're having fun.

I've been maintaining for going on three years, no problems, no issues. Nothing. It's all pretty easy for me, so far. I have what I call my "dashboard" and it keeps me on top of everything. I do not ever want to be complacent. I never thought I'd have surgery and make no changes, so I've made changes that I can live with forever.Everything I do is as natural to me as breathing. Old age, a twisted ankle nor boredom will prevent me from doing what I'm going to list below!!

1) I weigh every morning

2) I weight and/or measure my food

3 I log all my food on my fitness pal

and last but not least, I attend a support group with real live people!

I maintain on 1300 calories per day. It's a fine line between maintenance, gaining and losing. My 'comfort zone' is 142 - 145.5. If I weigh 146 at my morning weigh in, I cut back calories by 100 - 150 and within a few days, I'm back down to the lower end of where I like to be.

I still have good restriction and i still try and under eat my sleeve. If I get to "full" it's too late, I'm miserable.

No buyer's remorse, EVER!!!! Love my sleeve!

Hello all! Ok I was sleeved may 2012 with 75 lb loss. Yay! However I have not lost in 5 long months and have in fact GAINED 20 lbs. I'm extremely mad that I let myself do this. What does this mean? Have I ruined my sleeve? Is there way back from this? Is the sleeve still there lol?? Y'all know what I mean! Help!

go back to basics, what you did to lose that 75 pounds. This is what I do that works for me. I cal it my dashboard, the numbers tell me if something needs to be changed.

1) I weigh every morning

2) I weigh and/or measure my food

3) I log my food on my fitness pal

4) I attend a real live support group

I'm almost 3.5 years out and I've been maintaining for almost 3 years. I can't imagine not doing these things. They're as natural to me as breathing. My new normal, my new life. For me, there is a fine line between maintenance, gaining and losing. I must never become complacent. I have a comfort zone, a 3.5 pound comfort zone. If I'm up about the high end of that zone, I just cut back calories by 100 - 150 for a few days and it's gone. You can do this!

I'm on puréed foods.. Is it safe to eat meatloaf of chewed really good?

I'd say no. What does your doctor say? Remember, you have a gut full of staples. You are swollen and healing. The first week I was on Clear liquids, week 2 & three, full liquids. Dr. D said "nothing that won't go through a straw"

I'm 56 right now, and am just finishing up my 6 month diet before I can apply for insurance coverage. Your posting gives me a lot of hope. In my freshman year of college I weighed 118, and still thought I was pudgy. I can't wait to feel like a normal, thin person again.

You won't believe what your life will be like, one year after surgery!!! Good luck & hold on tight, it's a wild ride...enjoy every minute of it!!!!

I was 50 when I had surgery, I'm 54 now. Life altering, that's all I can say. People tell me I look younger, I don't know about that, but I sure feel good. Shopping is fun, life feels normal as a thin person. I still obsess about food, but I'm in control now, food is not.

It's fun NOT being the biggest girl in the room......many times I'm the smallest. I underestimated what I could do with this tiny tummy, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd weigh under 145 and wear 4's and 6's.