I'm wondering if anyone but me feels like they are weaker than before being sleeved? I'm a big, and should be strong girl at 5'9" and now 187 pounds. I've lost 60 lbs over the last six months and run on the treadmill and lift (light) weights, just as I did BEFORE surgery. But I'm so much weaker overall without the extra weight! I have trouble lifting a costco sized pack of soda from my cart onto the check out conveyor (soda is for my kids' birthday party-Not Me BTW and even taking a pack of Water up the stairs is just too much. I used to be able to hoist anything!

It seems weird that I'm in BETTER shape, but overall, weaker. Anyone else notice this?

Yes Yes!!!..Even a walk u the tube stairs takes energy. Vitamin b12 helps but its still a struggle...Good luck!!!

Have you had your levels checked recently? I can't say I am stronger, but I'm most definitely not weaker. I got tired easily the first week or so post-op, but now I'm pretty much back to normal. In fact I may get taken off B12 at my next blood test. My levels were really high so I only have to take the sublingual twice a month now. If they remains high it will be taken off my list of supplements.

As far as lifting, climbing, exercising, I'm definitely stronger but I work out a lot.

As far as pushing weight, pulling it, moving heavy carts, pulling down the minivan hatch, etc., I'm a "weakling". I have 112 less pounds of force behind me so what I used to be able to move is a huge struggle now.

@@timetotakeitoff

I'm stronger for longer gym times. But yes I am also a weakling. I have noticed some things. If I have the car door in my hand and a gust of wind catches it. The car door now pulls me. When weeding I used to grab the weed and lean back to pull with my weight. Now if I lean back nothing happens.

I notice I'm also weaker. I do jiu jitsu, which really is supposed to be about technique more than strength or size and skill wise I've done it for years, but depending on my weight I am either pretty decent or pretty bad. When I was my heaviest I was really slow, so I wasn't any good. When I was around 155-160, I was fast, I was big (ish) and I was strong. Now that I'm 129 I get my butt handed to me every single round because I am far and away the smallest person in class and when someone can just sit on you and you can't lift them off, it tends to make it a little less fun.

In terms of moving stuff, I think I've just gotten more creative. I had to lift a huge table a few weeks ago, so while I couldn't just hoist it up like before, I still did get it moved, I just used fulcroms and my brain insteead. When I really need to lift something I can, I just don't have the strength to lift as much for as long or as repetitively as I did when I was about 20-30 pounds bigger.

Thanks everyone. Feel better knowing I'm not alone on this. My vitamin levels came back fine at the last check, but I'll take another look now as Blerdgirl mentioned. Keep up the good work!