ILKrista

Holly, I do the jogging on a treadmill. I like it better than the track because I find that when I run on a track & I start to get tired, I slow way down. I feel like the treadmill keeps my pace better & I don't have the option of slacking off when I want to. I also like the fact that there are tvs in front of the treadmills... it helps distract me from the fact that I still don't love jogging . If you go to a gym that offers classes, I would highly recommend checking out a zumba class. It is fun & aerobic dancing. It is probably the only exercise that I really find myself looking forward to. Krista

You guys are so inspiring! I decided I was going to buy a size 8 goal LBD as motivation. Well, when I went to the store this weekend, I found a great one & I found a size 12 that I fit into now. I haven't willing worn a dress in 15 years, but I didn't think I looked to bad... So here I am in my LBD & me looking fierce. LOL!

Holly- You can do it! I've not followed it exactly because I know if I push myself too fast, I'll just quit. But I went from gasping for breath from doing 60 sec of jogging and 90 sec of walking to jogging for 20 minutes straight. I'm now working on increasing the speed... each week I try to bump it up a percentage of a mile an hour. Once I hit 5 miles an hour, I'm planning to work on distance. Keep at it and you will succeed! Krista

That's a huge achievement! Congratulations!

I wore a binder for about a week after surgery- it really helped keep me from moving in ways that would cause the incisions to hurt. I don't know if shapewear will help your body go back to where you want it. I bought some because some of my skin has gotten saggy as I've lost weight. I pretty much only wear it if I'm putting on something form-fitting. Krista

I'm sorry you had to go through all of that! I hope you are feeling better & are well on your way to recovering. Krista

I think it is great that you are losing weight. My concern is that you are eating so few calories. Most of us have to be around 500 immediately after surgery, but once you are a month or so out, I think you are supposed to go up to 800-1200 a day. How are you getting in 60 g of Protein on so little? I understand about not having an appetite, but my doc says that even if I'm not hungry, it is important that I eat every couple of hours to get my metabolism reved back up. I would consult with your doctor. Krista

SavingGrace- Please don't let the fact that no replied right away turn you off to this group. Many people read & never post because they want to remain completely anonymous. Others of us only come on every couple of days. Please know that people here will support you. And if you really feel like this forum won't work for, please find another that will (Obesity Help is also very nice). Having the support (or just reading the stories) of others going through the same experience as you is very helpful in learning how to work with and understand your new stomach. It is one of the things that has helped me keep going when I really felt like throwing in the towel, so to speak. Wishing you good luck in your journey. Krista

I was told not to drink anything with carbonation. However, I have had an occasional beer & haven't had any problems. I'm not a huge drinker, but I have gone to parties & had a few drinks. My experience is that the alcohol hits me a lot faster & wears off faster. If I have 2 beers in a row, I'm pretty tipsy... not sure if that is due to a lower body weight or the smaller stomach. I would say that you should be able to drink eventually, but start slowly since you don't know how the alcohol will affect your system.

My dr. said he wants me to be 150 - 145 at the lowest. This still leaves me in the overweight category. He wants me to stay 'a little fat' so that I'm not doing excessive things to try and hit a really low goal weight & he says a lot of people start losing muscle when they try to get too low. That being said, my goal for myself is 120-125. In my mind, I haven't gone to all this trouble to still be fat! I think that weight will have me thin, but still curvy, which is how I tend to think women look their best. I guess you just have to wait until you hit the weight & see how you are looking. Krista

Being scared is normal... I'd be worried if you had no fear at all. This surgery is life-altering. It will change the way you deal with food, it will change the way you see yourself, it will change the way the world sees you, it will change your entire life! Something this momentous should scare you. BUT- that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. It just means that you are really considering how much your life will change & not walking in blindly. I was terrified that this surgery was going to kill me... I even wrote letters the night before surgery saying goodbye to the people I loved. But, I ultimately decided that it was worth the risk of death. For years, I felt like I hadn't really been living. I was embarrassed just by existing at the size I was. I decided that if I died, at least I would die trying to change my life & become the person I wanted & deserved to be. And at 6 months out, I can honestly say having this surgery was the single best thing I've ever done for myself. I actually feel like the fun-loving person I used to be. I'm not embarrassed by the way I look - I don't fear meeting new people - My life has shifted & for the better. I hope you won't let fear stop you. Let it inspire you to put everything you've got into making the sleeve work & succeeding using the tool you're being given. Krista

I would probably consult the other surgeon. It is your health, and you want to be sure you are getting what it best for you. That being said, my surgeon's office also hadn't updated most of their stuff to include the sleeve when I first went in because the sleeve had only been approved my the main insurance companies in our area for about 2 months. I also found the surgeon to be a bit... pompous. However, I feel like he did a great job. The thing about having to submit stuff to the insurance yourself would be what would probably put me off. I would check out the other place & see if they will take care of that for you & how comfortable you feel with them. Good luck with your decision!

It was 80 degrees & I wore a winter sweater to work. LOL. I've found that any place with air conditioning is way too cold for me. I keep a sweater at work & one in my car just in case I suddenly get chilled. People probably think I'm crazy. Good to know others are going through the same thing.

Just want to add some encouragement. It really does get easier once you are on solid foods. I'm over 6 months out & I really can eat like a 'normal' person, just much smaller portions. Once you are on solids, you will feel like a regular human being again. Good luck!

I noticed a lot of hair loss at about 3 months out. It lasted until about month 6. Now I feel like I lose about what I lost a day before the surgery. I also take biotin daily... not sure of the dosage. I'm not sure if it is what stopped the hairloss or if it is just the cycle of hair growth, but to be safe, I'm sticking with the biotin still.

I gained 5 pounds the first week... I was pumped with fluids from the surgery. I didn't really start seeing real weightloss until after week 3.

Do you cook this on low or high?

I feel the same way! I never treated myself to nice things because I never felt like I deserved them. I love facials & I hadn't had one for over 8 years. Now I try to do a facial every other month & something smaller on the off months. I love the idea of treating myself to a trip when I hit my final goal... but realistically I think the big treat for me when I hit goal will be getting some reconstructive plastic surgery to get rid of the loose skin & put everything else back where it belongs. Krista

I feel really sad when I see people who are really heavy. Sad for them because I know how horrible I felt at their size & how crappy the world treats you when you are that big. Also sad for myself because even though I know I am not that size anymore, alot of the time I still feel morbidly obese and carry around those feelings of guilt and shame. At the same time, I have a group of friends all of whom are morbidly obese & it is very frustrating to me that none of them seem to want to do anything about their weight. They all know about my surgery, but if anything, I think it has inspired them to gain weight not lose it. I feel bad because they are my friends & there are times when I look at them and think, "You are 30 years old, live with your parents, never had a boyfriend, & weigh over 300 pounds... Is this really the life you want? If not, why the hell are you stuffing your face with a double cheeseburger & fries?" I always feel guilty for these feelings because I know that many times you are eating for reasons that have nothing to do with hunger & I used to do the same thing. Krista

I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle. I was just looking at pictures of my at my heaviest & I thought... I never looked like that. Then I saw a recent picture & couldn't recognize that as me either. I find that I have no idea when I look at other people who I am about the same size as. I can't judge just how big I still am. It is very strange.

LOL. I need to print this out & pass it to about half of my friends. Seriously, why are you so concerned about my weight! I've been friends with some of these people for years & I never obsessed about their weight or the fact that they were thinner than me. I just want to tell them that there is a new world order & they better get used to it because I'm NEVER going to go back to being the fat friend.

I have the same issue. First all, I never dated when I was over 200 pounds... to embarrassed about my body. Once I got below 190, I joined a singles group & now that I am in the 160s, I find that I actually have men hit on me. It really kind of freaks me out, but in a good way, I suppose. While I'm excited about dating, I find that I really have a hard time imagining getting serious because of how much loose skin I have. I keep thinking maybe I should wait to start dating until after I've had plastic surgery... but that could be years. I just have to trust that if it is someone who really cares about me, they won't care that I have loose skin... and if they do, then I definitely shouldn't be having sex with them anyway.

I've found that people will surprise you. I had some friends I didn't think would be supportive who turned out to be my biggest cheerleaders. And the friend who took me to the hospital as my support person has basically pitted herself against me in a weightloss competition. In fact, she has directly told me that she doesn't want me to weigh less than her. Now that I do, I feel like she does what she can to embarrass me by alluding to the surgery. When I am at the singles group we both joined, she likes to drop in little hints that I did something to lose weight & they should ask me about it. Why even bring it up... they only know me as the thinner me. Bring up the weightloss is not her place. I agree with the person who said jealousy can do terrible things to a friendship. But at least now you know & you know who your real friends are.

Hello ladies, I hoping someone here has some experience in getting rid of this. I have darker skin on my inner thighs from the years of them rubbing together. Now that I am losing weight... and have a pool party to go to... I would love to know if anyone knows a way to get rid of this or to make it lighter. It is soooo ugly! Thanks!