stcyt

I got mine at walmart

Your so right... thats why dieting scares me. I know what it leads to. I keep reminding myself that had this surgery as much for my mind as for my body. I just need to be where I am and learn the lessons available to me. Easier said than done :thumbup: thanks stacey

You can get them at walmart or walgreens. They are in the pharmacy with the stuff to manage diabetes. They are really easy to use and I think under ten dollars. They are helpful for ensuring your still loosing... even if the scale is stalled, but you have to be careful. There are things that can affect the level of ketones in your urin. If you drink a lot of Water your urin may be a little dilute and your reading will be low... also if you measure right after exercise ketones may not register because your body used them up temporarily. There's probably other stuff. Thats just what I know about. good luck stacey

thats kind of what I thought.... I'm pretty good most places it just between my elbow joint and my bicepts. I think most people have trouble with the extra skin unter the tricept.... but mines on the front. since its such a small area I was thinking about using retin A because thats supposed to stimulate collegen. I'm also using a wrap thats supposed to help but no results so far. I would get the surgery in a heart beat if I had the money. Wearing short sleeves instead of sleeveless doesn't really work because the worst part is under where the sleeve hits. I cant go long sleve in this million degree heat I guess I just have to suffer through the next month or so and then take stalk around next march or so.

congradulatins on the smooth surgery. You'll go up and down over the next few weeks. Just be patient with yorself... your doing great!!!!!!

Geeze Anna.... you look fabulous. You must feel great!!!! You've really made this work for you. And Swiftflow... your over half way... Good job guys. I am finding more and more that I can eat quite a bit. I had 4oz of salmon for lunch no problem. That would have made me very ill only one month ago. I'm getting a little scared too. The main reason I got the surgery was to help cure my head from the obsessive dieting and subsequent binges after a period of restriction. Its been great... I have been kiet free for three months.... eating healthy lean meets.. fruits and veggies with a little dairy thrown in. Its been so good for me psychologically.... to really let go of that cycle has been amazing for my frame of mind. Now I'm scared I have to go on a "diet" to loose the last of it (I've been stalled for 2 weeks). I have seriously been on a diet since I was 14... It always leads to feelings of deprevation and binging. I know with the sleeve a "diet" would be super easy to follow... Its just so easy to slip back into old thinking patterns. Yikes. I'm certainly not willing to pay all this money only to achieve 1/2 my goal. Any advice guys? thanks stacey

Best Way - Skin-Tightening Exercises | eHow.com this link has a few little exercises to help tighten loose skin. I was under the impression that exercise... although great for you... would't solve the skin problem. Its hard for me to understan how it could since it seems to be an issu of collegen and esasticity. I'm going to give it a try though. I've got a little tukey neck and the area just above my elbows is pretty loose.

YEA Breezey... We were sleeved around the same time. I just hit half way too. Isn't is freakin amazing!!!!!! congradulations...we're almost there

texas chic is right... mushies slide right through. This is just your time to heal and nourish yourself. Once your all healed up and you're meals consist of dense Proteins like chicken and fish you will get more restriction. I avoid all mushies and processed foods for now. I think it would be too easy to slip into filling up on them. Once I hit goal I'll add the back in. You have to have them now... but as you can see... they may be dangerous later. hang in there stacey

I was really swollen and held fluids for quite some time post op. I didn't loose any weight at first and was dissapointed... but then it started comming off.... as promised. It'll come. Just get yourself feeling good again and all will fall into place

at three months mine are definately still there... but fading. I haven't really put anythibg on the because I had heard that nothing really works. I'm going to check out this bio oil business though

the scale makes me crazy too. It can ruin my whole day. I try to only weight once a month... I did great last month... but I did the same as you this month and "cheated" a bit. Now... of course... I am miserable and obsessede and convinced I will be overweight forever because I stayed the same weight for a week. I was so happy last month without that stupid number ruling my thoughts and mood. Thats it.... the scale is going into the trunk of my car!!!!!

Man that first stall was a killer. I thought for sure I had bought into another weight loss dream that wouldn't come true. My weight loss is still kind of slow... one and one half to two lbs a week (none this week... very discouraging). The point I have to hold on to is that it IS comming off. Depending on your BMI... I imagine youre loss will speed up once your body adjusts. Hand in there... in a few months you won't believe you were even worried about it.

I'm actually trying not to focus on the weight. I have been obsessed with that stupid number for my whole life. Last month I went the whole month without weighing... it was glorious. I want to be a size 8 too. I'm pretty tall so I think anything smaller might not work for me. We'll see. I have never ever been a size 8. I got down to a 10 one time in the 90's but I was kinda living the rock and roll lifestyle and probably wasn't very healthy. I have wanted my whole life to go scuba diving. I even have vivid dreams where I can breath under Water. I have never gone though because I'm just too humiliated.... but I could see myself doing it next summer. What a great new life we have !!!!! Keep up the great work

I'm so glad to hear how great you are all doing. Mellifrits... I'm glad you liked Dr Rod and his team. Its weird but I think I almost had fun when I went. Keep up the good work

I'm doing great, thanks for asking bjean. I see your past the half way mark too. Good for you!!!! It feels great doesn't it. I really feel normal now... I just don't eat as much. I kinda laughed when I saw my post above. I was so excited to be able to slide in a few Beans. All those struggles are a memory now and I feel better than I ever have. We're going to be at goal before you know it. take care stacey

I started a new job last year and I hate it. Its largely administrative, where I prefere to be a practitioner. The problem is.... admin pays significantly more. Anyway... before surgery I was trying to get things straight in my head (psychologically speaking). I was trying to be realistic about what VSG would and would not change in my life. For instance, I repeatedly told myself that VSG was not going to make me love my job. Well, turns out thats not quite true. I wouldn't say I love it, but I do like working now. Its easier without the morning humiliation of trying to squeeze into cloths I don't like that are too tight. I feel good about myself and enjoy going to work and interacting with my co-workers with confidence and style. Weird... but I think VSG made me like my job.

Unbelievable.

After all we've been through in weight loss attempts its really hard to believe that something could really work. We've gotten hopeful so many times about this or that diet or supplement, that its almost scary to hope again. The fear that we'll be defeated one more time looms over all of us. As time goes on and you are able to sustain your successes, it will gradulally sink in... this time is going to work. No matter how many times you've said that before.... I promise this time its true. I just do my best to eat high Protein some good low glycemic carbs. Others cut carbs completely, others worry about calories only. Whatever works for you will work in the end. Even if you are not a perfect "dieter" you will be successful. take care stacey

I love Yoga. I go to hot yoga near my house a couple of times a week. My class usually has a lot of those lean yoga girls in it... and then a few of us regular people sweatin it out in the back row. I was siting on my mat after class one day and glimpsed one of the yoga girls with her flat back and long lean limbs. I didn't really fully process my glimps of this yogi fully, but when I looked up, I realized that it was my reflection in the studio mirror !!!!!!!

sorry I don't have any insight for you. Maybe some other posters can help. I'm just sorry your going through this. I know you know already.... but I'd sure focus on your Protein. Keep us posted and let us know how this progresses. your in my thoughts stacey

Awe Mini.... thats great!!!!!! I bet you look fab in those 8's

I paid 6700 in Mexico and have no complaints. I have heard simmilar stuff to others with regard to self pay in the US... between 15 and 25. Let us know what your doc says about the inflated price? Maybe the other US self pay aren't including anestesia and appointments. Who knows.

Great job angie.... I know you've worked really hard. I can't believe your in an 8, Good for you. I can only imagine how great it feels to shop. I haven't been yet... I'm just trying to make due with what I have to get through the summer because I know I won't be able to wear any of it next summer (its a great problem to have). I have lots of little summer dresses and what not so I can change shape quite a bit and still fit them. Exercise is great. I have always loved to exercise. As you know, us lightweights loose slow and I'm pretty sure the exercise has been whats saved me on many a weigh day. We will be there before you know it. congradulations stacey oh... by the way... my next milestone is "normal" bmi

I couldn't agree more about the healthy fats. If I have an avacado or sautee my veggies in a little olive oil, I am satisfied for a very long time. I used to think avoiding fats was the way to go... but the good ones really are good.