stcyt

Hi Guys.... Well I just had treatment number 4 of my 15. I have talked to two tecs about results and one said she sees good results in about 50% and the other one just gushed about how great the thing works. Probably the 50% girl is the most reliable source. I do think I am seeing very slight results. Not in the batwing.... but in the elephant skin on the inner arm and elbow. It may just be wishful thinking... if its there it is ever so slight. Fingers crossed still stacey

Hello fellow slow loosers I need some input guys..... for the last 4 mos I have lost no more than 3lbs per month (the last 2 mos its only been 2). I just got on the scale for my midmonth weigh and I have gained a lb. Now... I'm trying not to panic.... in the past this might have sent me over the edge. I was 7lbs from goal.... now I'm 8. I have to say... I am not much of a meat eater.... was pretty close to vegetarian before surgery. I decided to get back on the meat after surgery because lean Protein and veggies seems to really take the weight off. If I eat another meal of meat and veggies I may PUKE!!!! I'm sooooo over it. he thought of it literally makes me gag a little. Consequently I have added whole grains into my diet. I eat alot of legumes and such. Actually.... just this week I started eating bread!!!! (I'm sure that explains the lb) What do you guys think about the idea of going on a DIET. I lost 50 lbs with weight watchers one time and I know the program well. It would allow me to eat more grains and yes.... even a little bread.... while keeping my calories under control. Its only 8 lbs..... I may be able to do it in 8-10 weeks. I would still drink the protein... just count it in my daily pts. before surgery I was a bit of a compulsive dieter... the diet binge cycle. I certainly don't want to go back to that... but mybe if its not too restrictive and I have realistic goals. I would love to have some input thanks stacey

What a positive post!!!! Thanks for the encouragement... this slow loosing can be sooo frustrating. I had to give up the scale about 3 months out.... it took me another 2 months to really break the habit. I weight once a month now and usually loose 1-2 lbs per month. As long as things are moving in the right direction I guess I shouldnt complain about the pace. take care stacey

Its been a couple of weeks since I signed the loan papers and I've had 2 of my 15 treatments. I don't know why I don't research things first... ARG!!!! Well.... I'm hoping for the best. Maybe its wishful thinking but I think I already see a bit of improvement. The reviews indicated that it doesnt always work so hot for melting and smoothing cellulite... thats not really what I'm after.... I'm after the skin tightening effect... so ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed thanks stacey

thanks for the replies guys.... I have appreciate the support. Yea Bilka.... I would never ever have been able to stay on a "diet" for 9 months, and without VSG it would have taken a lot longer than that. I would have thrown in the towel long ago with conventional dieting. Actually, I have thrown in the towel a number of times with the sleeve.... but I still loose my steady 2-3 lbs per month. Stacey

UGH.... I've been reading reviews on line... they arn't very good. A lot of people seem to be saying they saw no results. Yikes!!! I hope i didn't waste my money.

blackberryjuice.. I didn't find it painful at all. Sometimes it gets a little hot but not a big deal. It kind of feels good on my abs. They told me it works great on the inner thighs... but that dimpely stuff on the back of the thighs is pretty resistant. Great deal on the 40 bucks... I'll post on this thread when I start seeing results. I wish I had a camera. Maybe I will ask the clinic to e-mail me my before pics Stacey

I have to agree with blackberry juice (nice abs btw)..... I don't do pilates but I am a big yoga fan. My doctor told me I could do yoga at 6 weeks and more strenuous stuff at 10 weeks.... WHAT!!!! Thankfully I had been into yoga before surgery and knew just how strenuous it was... especially for the core. I think my doc was part of a large majority of people who think yoga is not a real exercise. The studio I go to is called "CORE power" and it works my middle like crazy. The bottom line is be careful... dont overdo it. There is plenty of time to develope your exercise regimine.

I think I had coffee when I went on full liquids. I was sooooo very excited. I went to our local coffe shop and ordered the biggest decaf soy latte they had, only to discover that my post-surgery soy latte size should have been a small. I went back to caffine about a week later. I made my coffee about half coffee and half atkins vanilla shake for the first few month. Now I just do a little skim milk and all is fine. Best to ask your doc though.... everybodys different. good luck

Hi all I have not posted in quiet some time... busy... you know... but I am at 9 months and I thought I'd give an update. for all the challenges that this type of surgery can present (in my case pretty minor, a little extra skin, frustration over slow weight loss etc.) I would absolutly, hands down do it again. I was so scared at first. I remember I started crying in the elevator on the way up to surgery... just overwhelmed with the idea of permanantly altering my body. The people on this forum did soooo much to help me stay sane before and after. My biggest challenge has been that I am a slow looser. I "only" had 57 lbs to loose, so I expected to be at goal pretty fast. I think there were two months when I lost more than 10 lbs, but other than that its been pretty slow (relatively speaking, I could have never achieved this without surgery). A couple of months ago I was diagnosed with hypothyridism and have since started on meds. Although I feel better, I still only lost 2 lbs this month. I have 8 to go. It may take me 4 months to get there... but I guess I'll get there. Before surgery I was a binger. I would go on a super restrictive diet until I couldn't stand it... then binge on everything I could get my hands on. Yesterday, after doing my monthly weight in and discovering I had only lost 2lbs I slipped back into "bing" mode and had about 5 chips with queso and two Peanut Butter Cookies. The cookies make me kind of sick (I think I have a little dumping syndrome, which is probably for the best). That was all I was able to eat for the rest of the day. Granted... not the best way to deal with frustration (I'm really working on finding better coping skills and thats the first "binge" since surgery) but, if I'm going to binge 500 calories is a lot better than 5000 (not and exageration). If your considering surgery... don't let this put you off....most of you will loose much faster and if you do happen to be a slow looser, its a little frustrating, but eventually the weight comes off (I was considered low bmi pre-surgery, I think most people with higher bmi's loose at a much quicker pace). Although I am so happy about loosing the weight... I am most pleased with the psychological changes that have taken place. I have a sense of being satisfied most of the time now. Its not that I feel restricted to "only" eating small amounts of food, its that small amounts of food are emensly satisfying, much more so than huge amounts of food used to be. It's allowed me to let go of that constant focus on what I will eat next... what diet I will go on next etc. I feel like I can just live now. Bottom line.... I would do it again in an instant!!!!! I hope you are all doing well on your journey thanks for reading stacey

Hi all its been long time since I posted (I think I'll give an updat on another forum) anyway... I thought I'd let you know I'm doing a laser skin tightening procedure called Velasmooth (I saw an add for velashape in the upper corner...same thing) Anyway...my upper arms are pretty bad... I have all these elephant looking folds around the inside of my elbow and the inner soft skin looks like I'm 105 all the way from elbow to arm pit... I lift weights 4x per week, vocusing heavily on that area. That being said, I'm 45 years old with a super fair complextion (red hair and freckels). I went to see a surgeon and he said that was the absolute worst skin type for this type of thing and I shouldnt expect a lot of improvement without intervention. Of course he wanted to do surgery and leave a big scar. I am trying the new laser skin tightening treatments. I just started last week. I am doing 15 treatments over 15 weeks. They use this suction vaccume thingy and it gets everything really hot... they check to make sure my skin temp is at least 104 before moving to another area. It doesn't hurt... just feels kinka weird. I'm paying $3000 dollars. The company (american laser) has their own financing company so I'm paying interest free over 2 years. I'm a little scared because I don't have a lot of money and I am really going to feel that $125 a month. If It works it will be so worth it to not have to wear half sleeves in the 100 degree heat this summer. If it doesn't I'm going to be sooooooo disapointed. They say it will definately get my loose skin and will probably tighten the second wave webbing under my arm. They threw in my abs for free since I have a little crepe papery area under my navel. I will keep you guys posted My fingers are crossed Stacey

I say keep dancing.... its great... it feels good.... its building your cardio. As long as you feel good you are probably doing what your body wants. You may have gained a little water weight around some sore muscles.... it will go away.

Any time I have ever taken one of those fat burner things I have been sorry. The sleeve really does work. I know we want to speed things up... I know I sure do... but I concur with the others.... let the sleeve do its work. take care stacey

thanks guys.... I just took my very first dose of synthroid so here's hoping. Also... it just occured to me, part of th treatment for this nasty little uti I have has involved a topical steroid... The steroid being absorbed in the blood may be responsible for the gain. I sure hope so.... I'm so damn close!!! thanks stacey

I would have my VSG again in a heartbeat.... it has truley cahnged my life!!!!! that being said..... I have stomach acid now. Something I NEVER had before. I take my omeprazole and its no big deal.... but that is the ONLY negative I can think of. (sometimes I wish I could stuff myself on nachos, sour cream, margaritas etc. and I can't.... but thats kind of the point right?) stacey

Hi all... its been a while since I've posted... I hope everyone is doing great and rocking their sleeves!!! I have been feeling a little (alot) defeated lately and I figured I'd post since you guys always seem to lift me out of my funk with your wise words. So... about 3 weeks ago I had 18 lbs to go till goal.... today I have 22 lbs to go till goal. I am feeling very much like I did pre surgery.... like I will spend the rest of my life trying to get these 20 lbs off. Its so discouraging. I don't want to go down this road. Heres whats been happeneing. I have lost at an incredibly slow rate. Last month 3 lbs only. I eat only lean meets, veggies, greek yougart, and limited fruit. I work out HARD 2x per day. 3 weeks ago I contracted one of those bacteria resistant bugs in the form of a UTI. Its been very unpleasant and I am currently taking tow different antibiotics and have been through a course of two others. Between the UTI and the high doses of antibiotics... I just haven't felt like working out. I figured that maybe I wouldnt loose weight.... but if I continued to eat correctly I at least wouldnt gain (I plan on returning to my work out regemine when I can) Also..... my Dr says I have hypothyroidism and wants to start meds soon... I"m hoping that will help. Every morning I get up and see the scale has eaked up just a bit once again.... I'm scared.... I'm so happy I had this surgery... I have lost 40lbs and feel great.... but I really want to hit GOAL!!!! thanks for your encouragement stacey

OMG Mini Me..... How amazing. I know you worked hard. Congradulations!!!!!!

So... I'm following my eating plan and exercising a bit less than usual. I got on the scale today and have gained 2lbs in 2 weeks. The first gain since surger. I just happen to have a horrible UTI... not responding to antibiotics and causeing me all sorts of trouble. I assume there is some inflamation with this. Do you guys think this could be the gain? thanks stacey

I've read some about the pouch test.... where you go back on Clear liquids and graduate to full and mushies just like right after surgery. Well.... if anyone is thinking about it, it works. I'm 51/2 months out and I can eat fairly good size portions. They are much less than I used to be able to but much more then those 1st weeks after surgery. I can do about 5 oz fish... 4oz chicken... havent tried red meat. I can usually have a small serving of vegetables as well. Mushies... no prob. I can eat a regular person size bowl of oat meal. anyway.... I had my 1st colonoscopy yesterday... what an ordeal... there were some issues and I ended up having to go 2 days on clear liquids instead of one. Today is my first day back on solids and I feel like I did 3 weeks post op. less than half a bowl of oats for Breakfast and could only do about 3 shrimp for lunch. Its just like old times!!!!!! stacey

I was hungery at first too. My body just needed more than I could give it on Clear Liquids. Once I got to mushies I was better. Now that I eat mostly solid prtein I am barely ever hungery. also... I gained at first too (just like everyone said... IV fluids.. flight home... swelling). Hang in there. I was disheartened at first... I felt like after all I had been through I shoud have imediate results. Youll feel better soon and the weight will start to come off.... I promise take care stacey

I guesse I'm more happy about having an accurate diagnosis than I am about having a defunct thyroid. That is annoying that you have to take your synthroid without eating or drinking.... what do you do.....take it first thing and just don't eat right at first?

this is so encouraging!!!!!! I lost 3 lbs last month and cried when I weighed. thanks stacey

OMG good life... you have lost 91lbs!!!! I bet you feel great!!!! I havnt talked to my doc yet. She left me a message saying my bloodwork indicated hypothyroidism and I should retest in 1 month then make an appt to talk about treatment. So I"m not real sure what the deal is right now stacey

I know its crazy to be so excited about haveing a medical problem. I have a friend who went on synthroid and lost 40lbs without changing 1 thing. The truth is... there is nothing else I can do to loose weight... I'm maxed out in terms of diet and exerise. I've thought about running in the mornings before work... that would be 3 work outs a day. I could pull it off for a while but its not sustainable. Of course... the best case scenario would be that there was nothing wrong with my thyroid and my metabolism was normal (in which case I would probably already be at goal)... but at least I know whats wrong now, and I have hope that "goal" is attainable. thanks for all your input guys.... stacey

its so weird... but yea... I feel better knowing. I've been really scared because it takes sooo much work to loose such a little bit of weight. I've been terrified that I wouldnt be able to maintain my rigid food and exercise habits and would gain all my weight back. Even though its not great news... it gives me hope