cukiemunstr

I'm 4 years out. No regrets. I got to my goal weight. I had back surgery and regained some but am getting back on track.

40

Loose pj pants and top. I wore that home and didn't have to change.

Congrats!

I like the Pure Protein in vanilla cream also. I found several that I liked prior to surgery and then hated them after.

Thanks! I just sent them a join request. That will be really helpful!

Argh, my post disappeared!

I am 4 years out and was very successful until I had back surgery and let myself slide. I will be happy to help you with any questions!

I am 4 years out so I will be happy to help you out! I was successful with it until I had the back surgery and then I let myself slide. But no more!

So sorry to hear about the erosion. I know that is seriously painful! I'm glad you are happy with your sleeve, I truly believe it is a wonderful tool. Even though I have experience regain, I do not see it as a failure. I made the bad choices, not my sleeve!

Since I am no longer in CA and no longer with Kaiser, I feel a little lost as far as support goes. I found a group on Meetup, but they have cancelled the last two meetings. So, I am going to keep looking. It's crazy how quickly you get spoiled to the ease of use with Kaiser. It's truly a one stop shop!

It's definitely not a miracle cure. But I don't regret it in the least. I would be even bigger had I not gotten it when I did. My problem is when I am bored or upset, I eat. My head figured out that I can eat a LOT of little stuff. With meals, I still have restriction. I just need to stop with the smaller things that chew down to nothing. I am recommitting to eating better and am optimistic that I can stick with it.

I really struggle with depression anyway, and this has made it worse. I am also working on figuring out the whys of my eating habits. I think that is going to be a very important step.

Tamra!! Helloooooo! R U still on here? Jeez my old ticker was so good, how depressing!! I have gained so much weight, had my Fluid removed when I was up 50 :-( and have gained 20 more since then!! I am SO close to the weight I was on the morning of my surgery, it's SO depressing! WHAT DO IT DO!?!?! I have been in Weight Watchers and tracking and exercising since April 2013 when I had the Fluid removed, and I have GAINED in that time - not as fast, but still gaining. I have really bad stomach cramping when I overeat, but don't feel any restriction - what is up with that??

I am the same way. I had the sleeve and actually hit my goal, but had to have spinal surgery and it slowly started to creep back up. We moved from CA to NC and it has just continued. I am having a hard time remotivating and staying with it.

I had my surgery on 11/29/10 and have lost 60 lbs so far. I am thinking about readjusting my goal to about 25 more. Now that I am here, I feel like a "normal" bmi is attainable.

I really need to add the meeting dates to my calendar or something. I keep forgetting! I have every intention of going and then it hits me that I missed it, AGAIN.

I have a hard time with plain Water too. Robin recommended propel zero, and that goes down really well for me. The lemon reminds me of sprite, but the grape is my favorite. I find it at Safeway all time on sale, and manage 3-4 of those a day.

Thanks for the recommendation! I tried it when I was really early out and it was too sweet for me, but I will try again. I have found some of my tastes have changed again so it's worth a shot.

HI everyone! I read all the posts, but with work, school and family, I never sit still long enough to post much! I am 94 days out and have am down to 179. I am wearing some 14s and I have a bunch of jeans in 10s. I have a TON of energy and am just generally feeling great. I still have issues of food coming up if I eat too much, and every now and then plain Water will come back up. I am working on finding something to drink that I really like. For the moment its coconut water, but that stuff is expensive!

Take care!!

Stacey, glad you are doing so fabulous. I will be at week 3 tomorrow. I've been at a stall since Saturday. Feels like I'm hungry a lot. I'm dealing with the head hunger issue. Just trying to make good choices. Right now I feel like if I don't stick to stage 2 of the diet, that I will fail and won't get in enough Protein. Drinking 2 Proteins shakes a day gets the protein in a lot easier for me. But then it doesn't help the head hunger at all. And some things I THINK I want, but when I try them, I hate them....as if my tastes have changed. I went cold turkey off coffee. My last cup was 2 days before surgery. Didn't get a headache because I was already in pain and on pain meds during surgery. ha ha.

Anyway, I hope at week 9 I am still not at 17.5 lbs lost. I hope it's more like 30-35. I need to step up my activity. Getting a few DVDS to I can workout instead of just walk.

I stalled at week 2 and stayed there for almost 4 weeks. I was so glad to see that scale move. But I could tell I was changing, my pants got baggy and smaller ones were fitting, so I wasn't too upset about it. I went into this reminding myself that just because it doesn't happen today, doesn't mean it won't happen as long as I am trying.

I am so glad everyone is doing so well! I am 9 weeks out today and am really loving it. I hardly feel like I had anything done, but I have lost 24 pounds since surgery. I kinda have a love/hate relationship with food right now, but I am learning. I have learned that I will spit up slime if I eat too much, and I am better off having a Protein Shake for dinner right now. Since I started to doing that (many thanks to "The World According To Eggface" for her wonderful recipes.) This morning I had a coconut/banana shake with 32 grams of Protein. I have made her egg bites and the sausage bites and I have tried the edamame and lentil salad. Yum. I would marry that woman if she were a man and I wasn't married! OH...I almost forgot the protein ice cream. TO DIE FOR. Really. I love her. If she ever puts all of these recipes in a book, I would buy it in a heart beat.

Yesterday I bought (and buttoned) a pair of size 8 pants. I don't count them as a true 8 since they do have spandex in them but, hey, I will take it. I wore a 22 when I went in for surgery. I also got a medium size t-shirt (from the men's section because they are cheaper). All in all, I can't complain. It's weird, everyone says I look different, but I don't see it. I still see chubby old me in the mirror. Like maybe they are tricking me with the sizing on the clothes thing. One day my head will catch up.

For a few weeks, I felt hungry ALL THE TIME. But that is passed and I don't get hungry at all now. My head tells me to "eat this or bite that" but usually I can stop that by remembering I am NOT even hungry.

I have lost tolerance for crystal lite and all drink mix ins so it's been an adventure trying to find something I like. I cannot stand the Arrowhead Water I always drank. But yesterday I finally found I can drink Smart Water and it tastes good. Great...just the most expensive one at the store. But I am saving money on food, I will just be happy I finally found one that doesn't taste yucky.

I feel happier and calmer than I ever remember feeling. It makes me wonder what was going on with that part of my stomach that is gone now and what kind of hormones were produced there.

My nose started running the day of surgery and has not stopped since. It has slowed down recently, and I am noticing that I now get sort of hungry. Maybe my nose thought I was full for a month!

Amber, Stacey, you were sooo right! That first shower was amazing! I'm sure it was a mental cleaning too, you know sort of the first hurdle? I managesd to get comfotable on my side last night, not my left like normal, but my right side is way better that my back! So I slept about 6 hours, which was great, and haven't taken much pain medication today. When did you guys stop taking it? I'd like to be done by Monday, so that I can get back to driving m kids to school and not rely on others.

So I weighed myself today, and I'm down 7lbs since Monday! Craziness!!, LOL

Lisa, hope that everything went well, you should be home today I think?

Happy Thursday!!

I contiued to take mine until the first prescription was gone. My kids are grown and I don't have to drive anyone around. I was off of work, so I figured I would take it rather than be uncomfortable. I took stronger stuff for my back, so the Tylenol w/codeine was not very strong for me.

Just wanted to say hi to everyone! I was sleeved in SSF on 11/29 and am doing great! I went back to work this past Monday and am really happy to have done this. I want to come to the Point Richmond support group next time, but cannot remember when it is. I hope to see everyone soon!

I'm home, and finally feeling up to chatting a bit. Surgery went well, and I got to go home yesterday morning, I'm in some pain, but its not unbearable. The worst part has been tring to sleep, as I am a side/tummy sleeper. As much as I try, I just can't get comfortable. liquid has been going down and staying down, and though I'm not quite at 20ozs, I'm doing pretty well. Can't wait until tomorrow, when I am cleared to have my first shower!

Congrats Lindsey! I am so happy it went well for you! BTW, that first shower is HEAVEN.

I am doing good. Went to Boston for Christmas and did all kinds of walking around and didn't have any problems. I was able to eat as long as I made sure it was really soft with no trouble.

I have been stalled for 3 weeks now, so that is kind of frustrating. But I have lost 16 lbs in the first month, so I can't complain (much). I know it will start back up and I see changes in my body, like I am in a 16 now and can wear most large tops. Some XL, but it's because of the cut and I would have either had to have an XXXL or just not gotten it before.

Your suppose to take everything from the day you get home. Calcium 3 x's a day 500 ml and one multi and Iron and B12

I have to take my multi twice a day.

When did you start taking your Vitamins after surgery? I thought that I was suposed to start taking them right after, they are all chewable, but then I read something that said wait 2 weeks after surgery. Any ideas? I don't want to over do it with my tummy but if I am suposed to be taking them then I want to follow the program. Thanks!

I was told to start Vitamins, b1 and B12 the day of discharge. I had to hold off on the Calcium and Iron until I went back for the post-op visit and he gave me the go ahead on those two also. I know it will get to be more of a habit, but right now it feels like all I do is taking pills. And funny thing is, after I take them, I have to wait to eat anything because I am too full! Weird.

I made it through my surgery. I got released form the hospital on Tuesday morning. I was in a lot of pain Tuesday night but things have been slowly improving. It hurts really bad when I cough but I know that coughing helps get rid of the junk inside me. I have been walking and sipping a lot. It is hard to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Laying on my back hurts, because it stretches my tummy out, and laying on my sides I can only do for a little bit. I am using almost every pillow in the house to be comfortable sitting in a chair in our living room. I still cant believe that I went through this. I am not hungry at all and have not had any bouts of nasuea since monday night. I did weigh myself in the hospital after surgery, even though they say not to. I gained 10 pounds! Since then I have lost 8 of those pounds. It is crazy. My doctor took pictures of my old stomach, my new stomach and my gallbladder. I have to admit that my new tummy is pretty cute! I have also been taking the pain meds regularly. So if my post seems like a lot of rambling we can just blame it on the drugs. I just wanted to check in with you all to let you know how I am doing, gonna go nap so more. Seems like I am napping the days away!

Congrats Amber! In a few days, you will feel so good, you will be wondering if they really did anything in there!