Weight Loss Surgery Directory

LaughingCow’s Posts

Topic: RE: From DS to VSG

Very best of luck!  It sounds like you've suffered plenty. 

 

As a VSG-er, I have not found anything I can't eat.  So in that sense, my "diet" is unlimited.  Of course, that isn't what is healthy, so that's not what I do.  For me, I've been successful focusing on protein and produce.  I don't count carbs or fat or calories or anything.  I just try to make sure that everything that goes into my mouth is either protein or produce.  And I only eat delicious foods.  :)  Fortunately I like raw fruits and vegetables and meats and beans and nuts.  I occasionally have sweets, but I just don't crave them like I used to and don't enjoy them as much when I have them. 

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Pre band pic, after band pic. Can't wait for the after sleeve pic!!!

Good luck with your sleeve! :)

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Sometimes you have to access your inner zen

When you are eating properly and you're not losing.

When you are close to goal and those last few pounds just won't go away.

When you go to a party and find yourself feeling that it's just not as fun now that you can't gorge yourself. 

When you want to celebrate something, but can't think of how to do so without the celebration centering around food.

When your feelings are hurt and you can't turn to food for comfort like you have in the past.

When another WLS patient is losing faster than you.

When you go to yoga class and can't do half of the poses while the rest of the class seems to be experts.

 

Seriously, sometimes you just have to reach inside and find some kind of i nner peace and try to reassure yourself that the weight will come off if you keep eating correctly, that there are other ways to celebrate and nurture yourself, that you'll get stronger and healthier if you just hang in there. I don't know where the strength comes from, but it's in there.  Just keep looking for it.

 

Lastly, here's a tip I learned from an Overeaters Anonymous lecture.  The lecturer was annoying and I was about to stop listening when she started talking about resisting cravings.  That's what I was struggling with at the time.  She said she'd just pray "please help me make it 5 more minutes".  That night I put off giving in to my craving for five minutes at a time until the craving passed.  I've used that strategy several other times successfully.  I hope it helps you, too.

 

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: I'm claiming it today. I've met goal

My doctor's goal for me was 160.  I've been between 16.9 and 159.0 for the last 2 weeks.  So I guess I'm here!  Yay!!!!

 

He was right on, too.  I started thinking that maybe I'd want to lose more since this puts me at the top of my healthy weight range.  But if I lose any more weight, the "melted candle" look to my skin is going to get out of control.  As it is, the bit of "melted candle" look that I have, I can attribute mostly to being in my 40's and having a pregnancy.  I don't think most people would see me in a locker room changing and think "What the hell happened to her body?!"  So I'm going to stay right here.  I feel great.

 

I've found I really love yoga now that my body moves more normally and now that I'm not trembling trying to hold up massive amounts of weight.  I also like Zumba, which I didn't realize I'd like.  I look forward to going to the gym. That's not at all like me! 

 

For me, the best path has been to focus on eating protein and produce.  I know I've said that a lot, so I apologize for being repetitive.  I hope it helps someone.  The nutritionist told me to eat protein and produce, and not to count carbs.  She said that any carb that comes from protein or produce is fine.  She also said I could have a bite or two a day of other carbs (potato, bread, cracker, etc).  That hasn't been hard.  When I make a meal, I just don't make bread, pasta, rice or potatoes with it.  Instead of spaghetti and meatballs, we eat meatballs in spaghetti sauce and have a salad on the side.  We eat as much as we want, so we're not really doing without.

 

My favorite snack lately has been pistachios.  Yum!  They've saved me from an evening slip up on many occasions. 

 

Cheers!

 

Amy

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Minor Niggles 8 months out!

It's ironic you posted this.  I'm low in Vitamin A, too.  I know this b/c one of the Dr.'s at my practice (Dr. Moazzes) is married to an optometrist *****ad about bariatric patients be low on Vitamin A.  So they started testing their patients for Vit A and are finding some who are low on it.  So I'll be starting a supplement.  And trying to find foods that have it.

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Cheating or smart? (When you can't drink with your meals)

Honestly, *looks around nervously* I never followed the rule about drinking with meals b/c eating with no liquid was the one and only thing that ever gave me foamies and drooling.  It was very clear to me that regardless of what the conventional wisdom was, my body needed a touch of liquid with each meal.  I think it had more to do with the hiatal hernia repair than with the VSG. I think it was just so tender there at the opening to my stomach that it needed a little lubrication to function.   

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Just not comfortable....Normal?

I felt that way, too, for much longer than other people.  I just didn't feel right.  For me, it was just part of healing.  It didn't indicate anything was wrong.  At about 6 weeks I began to be able to burp which made a huge difference for me.  But in general, I felt that way for quite a long time. 

 

I feel great now and have not found any foods that I can't eat.  There are plenty that I avoid b/c they're unhealthy, but none that I can't tolerate. 

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: How I am doing 7 months out.

Great job, Brenda!!!

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: For those that have lost a large amount of weight (over 80 pounds)....
It's funny.  When I was getting fat, my shoe size never went up.  But, yes, now that I've lost weight (85 lbs), my shoe size has gone down.  Since it's just a half size, I've bought thingies to put in the back of my notably large collection of shoes to make them fit better. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: I found a belt I loved pre-op and during weight loss
I don't think I ever mentioned it here, but honestly it's worth a mention.  I found them on Amazon, but you probably could find the elsewhere.  I never found them in any stores.

Anyway, it's a braided elastic belt.  I got the smallest size that would fit me pre-op.  Since it had stretch in it, it didn't cut into my gut when I sat down and my jiggly parts spread.  And then when I was able to tolerate a belt after surgery, the stretch made it more tolerable.  And then b/c it was a braided belt, I was able to wear it much longer than I would have a belt with holes. 

It's ugly, but since my shirts covered it, I didn't really care.

Here's a link to one, but if you search "braided elastic belt" on amazon, you'll find all kinds of sizes and colors and they have them for both men and women.

http://www.amazon.com/Navy-Braided-Elastic-Stretch-Medium/dp /B002QR9GB4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1349807677&sr=8-4&keyword s=braided+elastic+belt
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Sleeve Should Only Be Performed as a Staged Procedure
It's okay for some people to not believe that the sleeve will work longterm.  I feel no compulsion to prove them wrong.  Their opinion has no bearing on how successful I am.  I'm doing well, but I knew going into it that I might not have longterm success.  I believe that I will.  I am doing well in the short-term.  But it's possible that this could turn out to be the least effective bariatric surgery in the history of man over the longterm.  I don't believe that will be the case, but it's possible and if someone wants to focus on that, that's a-okay with me. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Does anyone not limit carbs in the losing phase?
I don't monitor carb intake really.  My nutritionist told me to focus on protein and produce and that's what I do.  I don't count carbs or calories or fat.  I just sit down to a meal or a snack and eat protein (meat, nuts, beans) or produce (fruit, veggies). 

The most relevant thing I do is to limit desserts to tiny portions and to twice a week.  I usually don't eat dessert at all, but if I have one, I monitor to make sure I don't have another one for several days, and never more than twice in a week. 

I weighed in at 168 yesterday, so I'm 8 lbs from my doctor's goal weight.  I'm down 82 lbs. 

I think that this is a reasonable enough plan that I can sustain it when it's time to lose weight. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: VSG Failure.......
There's nothing wrong with venting.  I hope you've gotten it out of your system b/c in reality, 30 lbs in two months is a success.  Your emotions may be telling you otherwise, but there comes a time when you have to tell your inner monologue to shut the eff up b/c it's lying to you. 

If one mediocre month is going to de-rail you, then you may need to seek help (and I don't mean this as an insult AT ALL) to manage the emotional aspects of your weight loss journey. 

And your family doctor sounds whack to me. 

Best of luck to you on this long journey we're all truding along on...
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Update/vent (very long)
Good for you for hanging in there.  Do they think the surgery or a related medicine triggered the ITP?

What a crummy time for this to hit you! 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: How do you handle the questions about your weight loss?
I live in an area where people are very civil and politically correct.  So I can count on being able to tell people without being criticized to my face.  They probably don't even gossip about it behind my back.  What they think inside their heads, I have no idea.

I told my team of co-workers - about 20 people - and told them that while I wasn't going to talk about it much, it wasn't a secret and if it came up in conversation they could tell people and it wouldn't be a betrayal of trust or anything.  The nice thing about that is that word has spread enough that very few people ask. 

But when I am asked, if it's a woman, I'm usually honest.  If it's a man, for some reason I'm bashful, so sometimes I'm honest and other times I hedge.  Especially if there are several people around.  Either way, people have been very nice and supportive of me, at least to my face. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: VSG. 4 weeks post op being revised to gastric bypass
I'm sorry to hear of your misery.  I hope they can get you all settled into a nice happy, healthy, pain-free life QUICKLY!
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Longest Stall Ever!!
I did that for 4 months starting at about 4 or 4.5 months out.  You have to just stick to the plan and know it'll regulate itself soon. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Do you look fatter in photos?
I was taking a progress photo in the mirror the other day and they kept coming out looking bigger than what I saw in the mirror.  I even held the photo up next to my image in the mirror and I looked bigger in the photo.  I'm not sure if it's just a perception thing or if I really look thinner in the mirror than I do in photos. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Low carbers-Did you start that way right after surgery?
I didn't.  And I'm not as low carb as many people b/c I consider carbs from fruits and veggies to be fine.

Honestly, for the first 8 weeks, I had to just eat whatever would sit well on my stomach and sometimes that was sweetened apple sauce or sweetened yogurt.  But I think that was more b/c of the hiaital hernia repair.  I couldn't burp for 8 weeks, so I had to be very, very careful.

After that, I was able to concentrate more on protein and was better able to avoid things that were sweetened and other carbs.  Personally, I don't aim to be in ketosis and I know some low carbers do.  So my experiences may not be helpful if that's what your'e aiming for. 

Good luck! 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Please help me find some jeans!
Levis has what they call a "demi jean" which is medium rise in the front and goes higher in the back. Here's a link to one pair, but if you go to their site and just search the word demi, you'll see a variety.

http://us.levi.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12302235&kwCatId=&kwemi&origkwemi&sr=1
Topic: RE: Size 14
That's awesome! Feels good doesn't it?

I guess in a way I'm trailing you b/c I'm about that size and had my surgery before yours. But I know I'm the size I'm supposed to be and I'm doing the right things, so that's okay. I was always a slow loser. We can shop in regular stores now!! I walked into a Gap Outlet the other day and took advantage of the 21.99 jeans that were on sale and I look damn good in them, too, for a 40 yr old mom.

You must be working really hard to have lost so much so quickly. Keep it up!
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Giving up!
Ah, I see.  You've hit a stall.  That combined with being tired and having that constant headache could get anybody down in the dumps.  I don't know if it helps, but you really do have to hold on to your hope and keep following your doctor's orders regarding eating, etc.  You may feel like you can't do it anymore, but you're stronger than you're giving yourself credit for.  You can make it through this.  Look deep in your heart and I think you'll find that you still have hope for the future and that you still want to eat the right things.

And your suggestion of PMS isn't that far off the mark.  :)  Your fat has been storing hormones all this time and as your fat dissolves, your hormones are being released, so you probably are experiencing some mode changes where your emotions are totally lying to you about what you're capable of.  Don't let them fool you or de-rail you.  YOu can do this! 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: 6 years post VSG surgery - what life is like...
THank you so much!!!!

Do you still get your vitamin levels checked?  If so, how are they?

Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Giving up!
What has led you to believe that 30 lbs is all the weight you're going to lose from this surgery?  That doesn't make sense to me.  Is it possible that the headache and tiredness are just getting you down?  You sound so discouraged and I can't seem to pinpoint what's causing it.

Sorry to ask so many instrusive questions.  I'm just not really understanding where you're coming from. 
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi
Topic: RE: Was stalled for a really long time
Since I know my metabolism isn't going to be like a normal person's I've decided to try to focus on what I'm *doing* instead of what the scale says. I'm trying to adjust to thinking that if I'm eating the things that my body needs and I'm exercising like I should be, whatever weight my body settles at is healthy for me.

I do want to focus more on exercise, though. I bought a gym membership, but it's not open yet except for a few demo machines. But I did find a machine that I really like that gives a pretty good all-over workout for someone who isn't in great shape.
Amy
VSG on 2/1/12 with Dr. Halmi