It has been a while since I have logged on... and I just had my 4th month post op visit with my doctor/nutritionist. I have lost 43 pounds in total and am so EXCITED! I feel great!!

Now, I am a little bit concerned because the NUT said that I am about 50%. He said most gastric sleeve patients lose 65% of their excess weight. So, that would mean, if I weighed 100 pounds over my IDEAL weight then I am expected to lose about 65 pounds and they consider that to be the norm. NOW, I want to lose the 100 pounds that I am over weight by -- but the NUT made me feel like that was not typical and went one to say that when one is heavy it takes more energy and therefore you lose more weight but once you have lost about 65% of the excess weight it is more difficult... So, is he trying to discourage me or, well, I don't know?

So, those of you who have had the surgery and are at the 1 year mark -- did you lose ALL your excess weight or was it the 65% of the EXCESS weight that my NUT was talking about?

I am a new newbie I am hoping to have my surgery in December, so excited and still lots of little questions. Can you tell me about the day of surgery, what you experienced, did you have to have catheters, drain tubes etc. I have never had a surgery before other than childbirth, so that part is what freaks me out more that anything. I am having the laprascopic sleeve. Any other details you want to share would be great, pain levels etc.

Hiya: I had surgery on Oct 3/11. They first start a 'line' in your left hand for administering anesthetic; I also got some sort of antianxiety med through that. Then they wheel you into the operating room. You scoot yourself from the rolling bed onto the operating bed. You won't remember much after that. You wake up in the original room with a bunch of nurses, maybe hubby, looking at you waiting for you to wake up. You're sortof groggy, of course and feel like sleeping. Not long after that, maybe 15 minutes, the nurse helped me get dressed. I was asked to try to pee, which in retrospect, I should've taken more time to try. Anyway, if you don't pee, they insert a cathre in your peehole, which doesn't really feel like anything. Mine was day surgery so I went to my hotel room with hubby with the peepee bag and another drain out of my gut. This was afternoon...the rest of the day I slept, emptied my peepee bag into the toilet, slept some more.

I had clear surgical patch on the 5 holes in my tummy. The holes were bruised around them-ugly. No pain because I had a drinkable narcotic. The next day I went to the hospital (so far only ice chips) and did the swallow test...no biggy...the stuff is blah and they don't make you drink more than a mouthful. Then they hooked up saline to my iv line left hand and I sat and read/TV while they gave me fluids. Then back 'home' to the hotel. While you're on heavy pain meds you'll feel nothing much. Now I'm weaning off, 6 days later, and I feel the bruising around the left lower hole where they did the most work through. My bruising is turning yellow/fading...my tummy, some people name it, feels odd...hard to tell fullness or hunger. If your tummy is hurting, you'll feel the pain in your left middle back/shoulder blade. I've been slowly walking more, now taking a 5 minute walk. I have a little bit of gas and diarhea (hardly anything comes out).

Pataroony, thank u for that detail!!!! So helpful.

I am new here!! I am two 1/2 months out from my surgery. I have lost 60 lbs. Very excited!! But I have one question. My stomach will growl and burn like I am hungry. Anyone else having this problem??

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I am new here!! I am two 1/2 months out from my surgery. I have lost 60 lbs. Very excited!! But I have one question. My stomach will growl and burn like I am hungry. Anyone else having this problem??

My tummy talks to me all the time, I say she is just having a bad day and wants to tell me how pissed she is that I had her cut down to normal size. Bahhh she can kiss my butt. I just ignore her!

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Surgeons have to tell us that.... to protect themselves. So...with that being said..you know will lose atleast 65% of your weight! I am confident that I will lose 100% of mine! If we all do what we are suppost to do... diet and exercise...we can all get to our desired weight!

Hi: I'm 3 weeks post and sometimes I feel a vague hunger sensation but most people tell me I won't feel true hunger for at least a year. So if I'm to believe that, I chalk various sensations up to gas, impending bowel movement (could be hour away), or thirst. Any feelings such as this, I'm usually able to ignore.

I am new here!! I am two 1/2 months out from my surgery. I have lost 60 lbs. Very excited!! But I have one question. My stomach will growl and burn like I am hungry. Anyone else having this problem??

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this is a great thread I am 3 days post op...Congrats to all on their weight loss we can DO IT!! and surpass the AVERAGE!!

I lost all m weight. If you stick to Protein first and a little veggies when you have room, you can't help but lose.

Try not to worry. Of course if you cheat and eat candy which goes down very easily. that will change everything.

You can do it if you are dedicated to following the rules and adding some exercise in.

First off - such big congratulations :cornut: you are a good one to follow your footsteps. My sleeve is 12/6/11. I see you had your lap band removed and did the sleeve. I see that looks popular to do.. Is the lapband so bad. (I chose not to do it, cuz i had some concerns like band slipping etc.) do you think they will stop doing the sleeve ?

I'm so excited about getting my sleeve. I know i won't "cheat" (famous last words) I've weighed this 95 lbs too much forever. Effected my health, diabetes, sleep apnea etc. .... can't stand being out of breath etc. Of course none of us can afford to gain weight back. we all need to be successful.

You said above - and this is what i thought too, that as long as you follow how you should - no this or that, only eat what you're supposed to, you MUST lose weight at a good speed. Right.

Can you give us newbies some uplifting words of cheer or any advice?! thanx kathy

First off - such big congratulations :cornut: you are a good one to follow your footsteps. My sleeve is 12/6/11. I see you had your lap band removed and did the sleeve. I see that looks popular to do.. Is the lapband so bad. (I chose not to do it, cuz i had some concerns like band slipping etc.) do you think they will stop doing the sleeve ?

I'm so excited about getting my sleeve. I know i won't "cheat" (famous last words) I've weighed this 95 lbs too much forever. Effected my health, diabetes, sleep apnea etc. .... can't stand being out of breath etc. Of course none of us can afford to gain weight back. we all need to be successful.

You said above - and this is what i thought too, that as long as you follow how you should - no this or that, only eat what you're supposed to, you MUST lose weight at a good speed. Right.

Can you give us newbies some uplifting words of cheer or any advice?! thanx kathy

me again, i meant to say do you think they'll stop doing the lapband. Can't wait for my sleeve 12/6 , See you at the Water cooler, first glass is on me )

I went to my IRL support group the other night. I asked my lap band surgeon's nurse if he is going to stop doing bands. She said he is really encouraging people to get the sleeve rather than the band. He tells everyone off all the band complications he has had to deal with. The problem is that insurance is still paying for the band, and a lot are not paying for the sleeve.

I do think eventually, surgeons will stop doing bands.

The only words of encouragement I can give is you've made the right decision getting the sleeve. Living with the sleeve is pretty much effortless now. I feel like it's a miracle surgery. I can eat anything I want and I mean anything! My portions are small but I really feel that I eat very normally now.

If you're stuck on a plateau, you need to change things up some. I did a year with a trainer, and over and over again he told me not to do the same exercise all the time. He said that this is extremely important! After awhile, our bodies just adjust to that exercise and it's not nearly as effective.

Same with calories and carbs. Our bodies get used to what they are getting. Add in some healthy fats and eat more calories for a few days to a week.

Use the thread search above and read all the threads on breaking a stall. There's lots of info on that subject and you will be able to find out what has worked for others.

Lost half of my hair in volume, and it grows back. I started losing at 3.5 months post-op and it lasted a solid 3 months. I never took biotin as I am not one for taking pills, and really it isn't going to slow down the loss. All is does is help with regrowth. I used Folicure extra care shampoo every other day, and Nexxus dualiste anti-breakage shampoo and conditioner on the other days. I have tons of new growth, and my hair is coming back. I also avoided heat styling, and coloring/highlighting during those shedding months. It's perfectly normal, and just know that your hair will grow back in. Funny thing for my hair, is that pre-op, I had super wavy, almost curly hair, now the new growth is stick straight, and I have to use volumizing products to get my hair to look really great.

My DOS 12/6/11 - I am getting worried about my probably hair loss. I have extra fine hair and its very short and totally straight, straight, straight.. does the hair loss come back somewhat quickly or should i look into alternatives so i'm not bald. kathy

I hate to say this but I lost a lot of hair. I came out for months. Everybody is different. I have heard of some people who lost very little hair.

My hair started falling out at 4 months post op didn't really start growing back in until I was at about one year. It will grow back, but you may want to look into alternatives, as you said.

I can tell you that nothing worked for me or many others. I started Biotin which was recommended before I had surgery, and I got in all my Protein from the day I could start

drinking. There's really nothing you can do to stop it, but you may just be one of the lucky ones who experiences very little hair loss. Fingers crossed! :biggrin2:

My DOS 12/6/11 - I am getting worried about my probably hair loss. I have extra fine hair and its very short and totally straight, straight, straight.. does the hair loss come back somewhat quickly or should i look into alternatives so i'm not bald. kathy

I had new growth coming in before the shedding stopped, but the new growth rate is very individualized. Start taking Biotin or other hair/nail/skin supplement. There is nothing you can do to stop the hair loss, but you can help new growth by taking your Multivitamins especially your zinc, vit d, Iron, making sure you stay on top of your Protein.

I have extremely thick, coarse hair so no one really knew that I was losing my hair.

According to my surgeon, the sleeve is not recommended for people with a BMI of over 40, or if you have more than 100 lbs to lose, this is because of those ridiculous stats of only 65% weight loss. I am 5 1/2 months post op and for a 'normal BMI at 5'4'' I think I needed to lose 84lbs. I've lost 64 so far. I'm not great at math so maybe someone else can do the calculations for me LOL. Anyways, the last 20 lbs was not natural weight loss, I spent countless hours in the gym working it off, it's still slow but you definitely need to exercise once you're past month 4.

I had my surgery August 31st. So far I have lost 50 to 53 lbs.

I had a lot of trouble with nausea, horrible pain in my neck and shoulders, and just felt awful.

I became very weak and not able to walk.

As it turned out, I was dehydrated. Now I drink Pedialyte (24 oz per day at least) along with the water. I had to be hospitalized for 4 days for IV's. It scared us to death, we had no idea what was happening.

After hydration, nausea-gone, pain-gone, weakness-gone. I never knew dehydration could cause so many problems, but I have become an expert...the hard way.

If any of you are having trouble with nausea etc, try pedialyte along with your water. It helps your electrolytes.