pnw218

hello everyone!

I have missed a few updates but not much has really changed.

I am holding easily at 132, eat whatever I want - just in small quantities.

After the holidays, will do the Protein shake thing and get down to 128, my original goal just to see what it feels like. I don't really want to lose any more curves tho - I like how I look now.

I just posted a few new pix. Will write more later!

Hope everyone is doing great!

The surgery, recovery and maintenance has been easy overall. I so wish I would have known about this surgery sooner!

You can read about my experience in the link below.

For the most part, I think if you go in with a positive attitude, get lots of sleep the first couple of days, move around a decent amount and keep the Protein up, you will do well.

I traveled alone, walked thru the airport, went back to work on Monday just 4 days after surgery and was back to a normal schedule quickly.

The mental has been harder than the physical but I am doing great now.

The love for food is still there but I am not as obsessed with it.

And being down 60 pounds is absolutely amazing!!

7 month update ....

I just keep sounding like a broken record! For those young kids in the crowd, a record is what we old folks listened to music on, and if it got scratched or broken, it would stick and we would hear the same thing over and over again :lol0: lol

Life is so good! I have lost a few more pounds, down to 138.6. I am back to Curves on a regular basis. It is a low impact toning workout and serves my purpose well.

I bought all new workout clothes this past week and it was so exciting to buy everything in size small. I doubt that I will go below a size 4 - or rather I have no intentions of going smaller :thumbup1:. Just trying to tone everything up at this point.

I have lost almost another 10 inches overall.

Still having one or two Protein shakes a day, and food the rest of the time. I am not counting calories at all. If I want something, I eat it. Ok - 2-4 whole bites that is. LOL I am still limited in quantity, never over 4 ounces. I do drink just a little with my meals.

It is fun to see people I haven't seen in six months. There are many double takes. Very good on the ego! It is wonderful to hear: wow! you look great! I didn't even recognize you!

The hair is still falling out. Hoping that will slow down and stop soon. I have had a few bouts of nausea; a very odd type of nausea that I never had before. Nothing seems to resolve it. Had it hit today; took phenergan and slept most of the day. This started on the cruise in late July and has been hitting about once a week or every 10 days. I see my GP on Monday so will discuss it with her.

The mental aspect is getting much easier as time goes on. I don't even think about it much anymore. I take a few bites and move on.

It is so very true: food doesn't taste as good as skinny feels!

If I did self-pay or Mexico, I'd definitely go for the behavior modification program OF SOME TYPE. Just to figure out why I have such issues with food, and develop a plan to resolve these. Otherwise the surgery is just a stop-gap measure for 2 years until you return to your bad habits.

I agree with you up until the last line ... I am only 6 months out, not 2 years, but there is absolutely no way I could return to old habits - my stomach will not allow me.

I am at the point that I eat whatever items I want on a daily basis; the quantity is not a choice tho, 2-4 oz tops every 2-4 hours. To me, the overfullness is even worse than Thanksgiving dinner. Possibly because the pain is up higher and sometimes into your throat.

I usually limit myself to one treat a day (cookies and milk usually : ) however if I also decide I want a few chips, I eat them.

The mental has definitely been the most difficult aspect for me - and unless I ate straight sugar or fat all day long, I don't see how I could eat enough to gain weight.

Right now I am just trying to eat enough to stop my weight loss!

Out of curiousity, how much cheaper is it in Mexico? My sleeve is set for 9/7 here in Dallas TX- my insurance excludes any bariatric surgeries, so I am paying out of my pocket.

My cost was $6k, including airfare and first night in a hotel. I traveled alone however a guest would have stayed with me for no charge. And the food the staff cooks, smells amazing! : )

You can read about my experience at the link below.

Monday, August 30th

Weighed in at 141lbs! Bought size 4 Levi's this weekend!

New photo in album.

Went on a hike with the high school volleyball team on Saturday. Definitely brought up the end but no after pains with my back! I guess removing nearly 60 pounds has helped!

Have lost 1/3 of my beginning weight. Amazing!

After seeing high school friends this past weekend (31 yrs since graduation), it reinforced my thoughts that I may not push losing anymore. It seems the skinner gals get, the more wrinkles they have! I would rather have 10 lbs than 10 wrinkles! : ) I have more than accomplished my first goal - single digit jeans.

I was also able to get into a pair of my daughter's skinny jeans this weekend altho I couldn't zip them all the way. LOL She just glared at me .....

Will return to working out next Tuesday (9/7) .... nice to have a few weeks off and sleep in!

Congrats Karen!!

This surgery is amazing! Sounds like you are doing great!

I was so happy to have salad again too! I was eating it at about 4 months. I also graze during the day at work but the majority of it healthy, I allow myself one snack a day : )

Glad to hear you are so happy! Keep up the good work!

I had surgery last February, and really haven't needed any aftercare. The food plan I chose to use was easy to follow. google Cornell University Gastric Sleeve Guidelines.

My primary doctor has been supportive and ran full labs at about 3 months post op. Everything was great - just a little low in Vit D, but then the sun really isn't out much in my corner of the world! LOL

There is always that "what if" factor in every surgery ... I based my willingness to go to Mexico on prior surgeries. I have always recovered quickly, with few pain meds and no complications.

Would be nice if you could find a doctor before you have surgery just in case you do need something afterwards.

Good Luck!

And - you will get full faster without getting the Protein and nutrients you need if you drink too soon before eating or while eating.

I do take sips with my food, some things just need a little liquid to get it down : )

White meat chicken, beef (steak or roast), melted cheese ... those types of things don't go down well for me at all - even with a little liquid. If that is my only choice of something to eat, I take small bites and eat slowly.

I think the majority of us were super happy one minute and crying the next ... for the entire last week before surgery! : )

Normal stuff. I was so mad at myself when I was at the clinic and prepped for surgery, that I was crying and getting all worked up. Fortunately, a gal I met at the clinic, also having surgery, talked me down and the dr gave me a dose of happy juice in my iv. Definitely something to ask for!

I have zero regrets now! The sleeve is an amazing tool : )

You will make it! Hang in there!

Mostly the same here as well. Never applied to the insurance. Requirements for our plan was a BMI of 35 or more with other medical issues (which I had) or 40 without. My BMI was only 33. They also tho required a one year doctor supervised diet and exercise program prior to even approving surgery. My out of pocket would have equaled or exceeded the $6k I spent going to Mexico - and I had the surgery in three weeks. Have never been known for my patience anyways : )

I spent very little time on liquids and moved quickly to mushy. My pre-op daily "routine" was once a day. Now, normal for me is a couple of times per week. Usually firm. However, on that special day, I may go 2 or 3 times. Its like when the chute finally gets full - it empties. LOL

And that is a great time to get on the scale! haha!

Congrats on your success so far! 111 is amazing!

The mental has definitely been the hardest. I knew that I liked food but didn't realize (or more likely admit) how addicted I was to food.

Day to day now is fine - I mainly do Protein shakes (costco Premier chocolate, 160 calories, 30 protein) and one meal a day. Hmmmm - does 2-3 ounces of Protein really count as a meal??? lol

We are saving lots of money by not eating out. Its just not worth it to me unless it is more of a group event and talking is more of a focus than eating : )

Good luck with your next 60 pounds! You are doing great!

I don't have alot to offer however I do hope you are able to make the decision that is best for you and the funds come through!

The sleeve is a great tool - and I am so happy I did it!

It is unfortunate that many aren't able to share their experience - before and/or after, with those closest to them. I think support from them would be a huge difference.

For me, I knew the people who would likely be supportive and those who would not. However, because I chose to go to Mexico, that made the situation even a little more iffy. In the end, I only told a few people ahead of time and then waited until I had lost the first 20 pounds or so. I wanted to be able to say that I was having success.

I also did not want to have to hear negative information from those who had not researched the surgery itself or the Mexico options.

Most people have been supportive now - my oldest daughter (24) still thinks it was a dumb, crazy idea ( the surgery itself and the mexico part). The last time she saw me, she did not make even the hint of a comment about how different I looked after losing 50 pounds.

Soon after surgery, I decided to share more openly, primarily to benefit those who didn't know about the surgery. I had never heard about it before getting desperate for a solution, so figured many others had not either.

6 month update! it is hard to believe that surgery was six months ago already!

Biggest Change: My BMI is now officially "healthy"!!

Current Stats:

- current weight 144.2, only 3 lbs in the past month but I was also on vacation for 2 weeks : )

- have lost just under 55 pounds, 77.5% of my goal of 71 pounds;

- really need new jeans, they will be size 4's!

It is great not to worry about running into old friends ... and it is actually fun to get dressed in the morning!

I still have a love/hate relationship with food. I love food and hate that I can't eat more of it! Meals are more of a hassle than an event. I do Protein shakes most of the time out of convenience. Going out to eat is not lots of fun unless there are more people and more chatting going on - to distract me from the food! lol

I would still do it again and am very happy with my results!

I was like Kathy : ) Didn't need meds after a couple of days. I flew home and was picked up, so didn't need to drive, but I could have.

Can you fly from Arizona to Mexico? Southwest is usually pretty cheap and you can change flights if you need to.

Or - how about taking a couple of days to drive home if necessary? Drive back to the states the first day ... and then see how you do??

My would recommend having a small pillow for your lap tho. It is supportive as well as might protect your stomach if you do have to stop fast. My doctor suggested that after having other abdominal surgeries. I used one on the plane also and during the first week or so at home.

Belly binder - you can get one at a sports store or from a cosmetic surgeon. It is mainly a wrap that goes around your stomach for support. It is quite helpful.

sleeping - At home, I slept in the recliner quite a bit and would put a pillow under my legs. Takes a little pressure off the tummy muscles. I was sleeping on my right side in bed by the 2nd day after surgery and used pillows along my side as support. Also put another pillow between my knees.

I have had a history of poor sleeping at night so was taking ambien and started using a cpap machine right after surgery. I am doing much better now and think the weight loss has helped.

Hope you are doing better soon!

The chance of a leak is very low and decreases daily and weekly. Seems it is very unusual to happen post op. Listen to your body and if you are really sick a day or two after surgery, speak up. Insist on an additional test. It seems that most of the doctors will allow you to stay longer if needed, and most don't even charge extra.

If you have had prior surgeries, try to base how you feel on those experiences. I have had enough to know what typical post op feels like ... and I felt markedly better every day. By day 3 when I flew home, I was fine. Walking thru the airport, flew just fine and never took another pain pill. Even went to the grocery store on the way home.

Is your surgery really scheduled for 2012?? I could barely wait the 3 or 4 weeks after I scheduled mine! LOL

Good luck!

yep, me too! so glad I switched to the sleeve!

I spent less than half of what yours will cost and am thrilled. I haven't needed any aftercare that my primary dr couldn't do. I was fortunate that she was supportive. She ran a very thorough lab check at around 3 months post op; everything was great except I was a little low in Vitamin D. Granted, I live on the other side of WA where it only rains! LOL

I totally understand if you aren't comfortable going to Mexico, but I would encourage you to reconsider the lapband and research the sleeve. It is amazing!

You can read about my experience in the link below.

Good luck with your decision!

I greatly disliked the 2 or 3 types I tried. The one I liked most was from Amway/Quixtar.

I just used Protein drinks. My fav is Premier chocolate from costco - it was 30 Protein, 160 calories and low carbs.

I was overweight for the past 10 years, about 50-75 pounds. I have lost just over 50 lbs in the past 6 months and have little if any sagging skin. I am 49 and 5'4" tall.

I have areas that need to be toned - mainly the upper arms and the thighs. I seem to have lost inches fairly evenly tho from head to toe. Have finally lost in the bust also! yea! Down 4 inches and 1 cup size.

It seems to me that all of the above mentioned could have an affect on how the skin recovers. Kind of comparing it to pregnancy. I have a girlfriend who was always slender, gained a normal amount during pregnancy, lost her baby weight quickly - and had the most saggy, wrinkled skin I have ever seen. She called it elephant skin.

Back in town!

And it was about as I expected .... wearing a bikini was awesome! the spa on the Carnival Dream was wonderful! the visits to the beautiful beaches were too short! :wink1:

dinner???? Was horrid!!! ok. the food was great but I got full too quickly! I did fine at Breakfast and lunch. We always did the buffet and I only took what I could eat. And I could nibble while the family stuffed themselves. LOL However, at dinner, they bring one course at a time. And I could only order 2 - an appetizer, Soup or salad and a main dish. So, I sat there drooling over the bread, and the multiple courses they all ate! I did sneak bites here and there from them ... but also could barely make a dent in the main course or I wouldn't have room for dessert! And dessert is very important! :biggrin2: I had to take dessert back to the cabin for a midnight snack a couple of times. Overall, being slender was much more fun than eating 5 courses at dinner.

Not gonna lie tho. It was hard. When we got back to Florida for 5 days, I pretty much quit ordering and just shared. My stomach was upset quite a bit - I figure I was eating very different food than normal tho. And - I didn't make time to find a costco or somewhere I could buy my normal Protein drinks. Next trip - that is mandatory.

I eat every 2-3 hours and it was hard to do that while spending days in ports or at theme parks. I didn't want to eat Protein Bars all day everyday, and Protein drinks actually would have been heavy to carry around and hard to keep cold. I know, I am whining! :blushing:

I have no intention of giving up traveling, so will just need to adapt. The other issue I had was motion sickness. I have never had problems flying or driving, and rarely cruising unless the waters were very choppy. I had to take bonine (Meclizine) regularly. Even when we got back on land, I had to continue with the med, especially when we were going on rides at Universal. it was highly annoying.

Would be curious if anyone else has had motion sickness after surgery. I am hoping it was a fluke and doesn't happen again. It also took me longer to get over the time change. I am hoping to have a more normal day tomorrow!

The girls and I did work out regularly on the ship and took the stairs instead of the elevator most of the time. I came back only one pound up. Not bad after 2 weeks on vacation! Hoping the scale will be back to normal tomorrow!

Yep. Change it up. Try days of Protein shakes only, see what happens ... and then try higher calories for a few days. It has worked for me. However, I must say, my weight loss has been very slow the last couple of months.

Have you measured? How are your clothes? I have continued to lose inches and wear smaller sizes. Are you building heavier muscle but getting smaller??

Just a couple of ideas. Hope it gets better for you!

Great update and nice work:) Have a fantastic time on your cruise!

Thank you! I was just looking at your photos! Amazing how people change! You are looking great too!