I had surgery 1/28/03 and have dropped 79 lbs as of today. I am wearing a size 14 (down from 24) and am feeling wonderful. I look in the mirror and can't believe it is me. This is the best thing I could have ever done!!!

Brenda~ain't it great! I'm also 43 and wearing size 18's is too funny for me. Never thought I'd be here, but thank God for the surgeon and the surgery. It has changed my life dramatically. I have so much energy, I can only imagine I will be going non-stop when I get to goal (another 85 pounds). Good luck and CONGRATULATIONS!

I know that for myself, quite a bit has changed in my life since I have had the surgery. Perhaps, for me, it is a combination of a few things and not just the result of the operation; but I have a feeling that the psychological effects of this operation are much more dramatic than people have anticipated, and that I am not alone in this. I am 48 years old, and I travel globally about 75% of the time as part of my job. Walking through airports was a virtual hell for me. Half the time I would get a handicap cart to drive me. Since the operation I walk everywhere and feel great. I think this was the beginning of the change. I started feeling really good about myself. I dyed my hair and grew it into a ponytail. I got an earring. I learned to ride and went out and bought a motorcycle. And this is just the beginning, there is quite a bit more. I don't think that this can all be attributed to a midlife crisis. I believe that it may be a NEW LIFE adjustment. I would love to know if others have experienced similar changes since their op. Your thoughts???

After reading what everyone is eating, I am feeling somewhat ashamed to write this. I am basically able to eat what I want. Although my desire for carbs: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. is pretty much gone. I guess that it is true that carbs are an addiction; and if you can break the habit, you don't want them. When I was first post-op, I did have chicken broth, and after about 2 weeks I would put in a wonton or two. Now I rarely, if ever have any pasta of any kind (although I did have a small amount of vegetable lasagna the other night at a party). I have even switched from su****o sashimi to avoid the rice. Breakfast is usualy one of these: protein bar with a cup of yogurt; or protein shake with fruit; or cheese and fruit; or a chicken breast and some fruit; or 3 small pork cutlets with cheese melted on them; or 2 eggs and some cottage cheese and fruit; or today I tried 4 Healthy choice breakfast sausage patties with cheese melted on top and some fruit. I snack on beef jerky, or fruit, or sugar free Popsicle or Fudgsicle bars. I travel for business a lot so Lunch can be the same as the choices for breakfast; or maybe an order of Chinese chicken with eggplant ( that usually lasts for about 3 meals); or anything at a restaurant: steak, chicken, or seafood, usually starting with a salad. No bread, no alcohol (thanks to the Rizulin I was taking for my diabetes, my liver is screwed and I can no longer drink any alcohol at all - ever); and maybe some fruit for desert, if I still want something. Dinner is the same as choices for lunch. At night I snack on WATERMELON (lots of it, as it runs through your system - and keeps your system running right along with it- if you get my point), and Popsicle bars. As you can imagine, I have slowed down my weight loss to about 10 lbs a month. I have lost 93 lbs, thusfar; but I am happy to see that I can continue to live my life very happily losing at this rate. Every once in a while I will dump if I have overeaten and feel pain, but that is not often at all (as long as I keep away from very spicy Indian food; as that is an instant dump) Fat is not a problem at all, and I don't really eat any sugar to speak of, so I couldn't tell you about that.

My surg date was Jan 20,2003 and I am down 85 lbs. I have slowed down a bit and I have started having a protein shake in the morning. I eat yogurt and lots o fruit. I have some dificulty with pasta but other than that I can have anything. My dinner is usually yogurt and cut up apple mixed together-yummy. I have not tried anything sweet really but I do love sugar free popsicle.