I see a difference in your body profile as well as your face/neck.  I was the same way, couldn't see it, but I think I lost a lot in my back, arms, legs early on...the places I didn't measure.  I think the first thing I noticed was less overhang around the bra.  Even when your clothes are the same size, they probably fit more like they are supposed to.  Hang in there!

 There are a lot of nerves in the hand, hence the sensitivity.  The last one I had was the best ever, not a bit of pain nor bruising.  I've had several different surgeries in my lifetime and it was the ONLY IV that didn't hurt!   Jus****ch for swelling or redness.  It will be better in a few days.

Don't be discouraged by the scale. There are other changes going on inside your body even when the scale isn't moving. Have you checked your measurements? Are your clothes looser? I lost a lot of inches when the scale wasn't moving. Other changes happening too - lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, etc. It's easy to get hung up on the numbers. But there are other positive things to focus on too! Hang in there!

You look great!

You look great!

Congrats! The best thing about this procedure is that when you start losing the weight, it gives you the confidence to believe that you CAN do it!

I haven't tried them, but did spot some in Walmart, in the coffee aisle if I remember correctly.

It's hard at the beginning because we are so anxious to see some results. The surgery is a shock on the body and it takes time to adjust. Stalls will also happen now and then as the body re-adjusts itself. There are changes going on inside and the scale will show weight loss soon. If you get too frustrated, put it away. It's so hard to do that I know. What generally happens is that when the weight loss slows, you will lose inches. Take your measurements, try on old clothes that were too tight before. Take some photos too. It can take a while for the brain to catch up with what we see in the mirror.

Hang in there...stick to your plan and you will see results soon!

First of all, you are NOT a failure!

I understand about the walking as I've lived in areas I didn't want to walk in. There are some exercise videos by Leslie Sansone, that you can do your walk inside your home. They are probably in the $20 range. It's worth it just to start moving!

It's a challenge to slow down the eating. You just have to keep trying. Once in awhile I will still eat too fast and am very uncomfortable for hours after. It took me a month or two to get up to the 64 oz/day drinking. It gets easier as time goes by. I did better with warm or room temp drinks early on. I hated cold drinks. I don't mind the cold anymore.

It's good you are getting your protein in. I also was not given fat/carb guidelines. I guess they figure you will be so full of protein you won't have room for the fat/carbs. The general guidelines most people talk about on here are 40 carbs. Not sure on the fats. I did buy low fat cheese and dairy stuff at the beginning.

Some people measure their food, some weigh it. I was given a scale and still use it now (19 months out). I don't know that it matters so much which method you use, but you can track it better if you weigh or measure as opposed to guessing. When I guess, I overestimate. If you are not tracking, try Sparkpeople or MyFitnessPal.

The good thing about the sleeve is that if you do screw up, you can easily adjust, but it's easier if you start correcting as soon as you go off your plan.

Hang in there! It will get easier!

Good for you! When I started my journey, I only told a few people because I didn't want to hear a bunch of crap. After a while, I didn't mind talking about it and actually, I found that people's attitudes about it were better than I expected. I'm pretty open about it now, which really surprises me. I am a private person and don't usually talk about personal stuff like that.

Read up as much as you can so you know what to expect. It was the best decision I ever made. Good luck!

Wow! You have had amazing success...good for you. You look great. Love your quote. It's very inspiring.

It sounds like it can vary by insurance company. I did not have to provide any food/fitness logs. I just had to make monthly visits with my primary care physician to weigh in, discuss diet, etc. I was not required to lose a set amount prior to surgery either like some people are. I am not sure if that is an insurance co. requirement or a particular doctor's requirement.