Well, it's been six months since surgery and today was weigh-in day. So far, i've lost 90 lbs.... I just can't believe it!! The time has gone by so quickly, and i'm loving it! Dr. Grandia says i'm 52% to goal weight, but to expect that the weight loss will start slowing down during the next 6 months. Exercise is the key to keeping away the plateau monsters, i've noticed. Everything went well with the check up and i'm right on track. I also went to a support meeting last night and won some Vitamist B-12 vitamins. If anyone is interested in checking out these vitamins, please go to www.vitamist.com for more information. I can't wait to see where i'm at in another six months...this is all so cool, I feel great, have lots of energy, and i'm enjoying the holiday season so much more than I have for years. Thank you God for this surgery and the support I get from all of you. Have a wonderful Christmas, and blessed New Year!

congradulations on your success.... you've done well without exercise. I had the surgery on June 14, 2004 and have lost 96 pounds as of today, down from 276 to 180 and I do exercise on most days. If you join a gym most of them will have a personal trainer set you up with a program for free. The gym I go to has 3 free sessions with a trainer. The first one they do a few little fitness tests to measure your body, weight, and 5 minutes of cardio. The next two are divided up into upper and lower body workouts with weights. They write it all down and after that you're free to work out on your own. I love my personal trainer and she's another person I can be held accountable to. In otherwords, she's looking at me when she see's me in there to see if I'm still losing, and to see if I'm working out regularly. She's been a great asset to help make my body what it has become today. And whenever I have a question on something I can ask her. When I plateaued a while back and was working out once sometimes twice a day I went to her to see how I could get to losing again. She told me to shock my body by doing some different form of cardio instead of the treadmill all the time. So I started using the eliptical machines which burn twice as many calories as the treadmill, and the weight started coming off again. Also, other times I've lost weight with exercise I would always do the cardio FIRST to get it out of the way. My trainer here told me NO WAY.....she said if I did the weights first then the cardio my body would be more tired and would burn more fat and calories that way. She was right. A gym membership is not cheap, but I told my husband I'd give up the internet and cable if necessary to keep the gym since it's now become a necessary part of my life. I believe exercise is as important as breathing, especially after we get to our goal weight since we never want to slip back into our old ways of eating and living. Until sitting on the couch is considered an "aerobic exercise" we need to hit the gym. Good luck to you! Terry

I am still using the Nioxin shampoo....I think it helps a little....Although I am still losing hair. Not a lot but it is noticable to me. I think if you are going to lose it you will...nothing will stop it.

Lori, One nurse to another, I wouldn't bother with biotin or the shampoos, I have had TONS of hair loss but it is certainly settling down now that I kicked myself in the behind and drink one pack of real meals split in morning and nightly doses. The total for the pack is 60 grams of protein in 12 ounces. I was ill for a month and didn't hit the protein like I should have and BOY DID THE HAIR COME OFF! I went to buy biotin at GNC and saw the price and said no way! I headed for my Real Meals and Now, I'm good to go. Hannah

I haven't used Biotin either. My hair loss is significant but I had plenty to start with. I have been told to expect hair loss from post-op month 3 through 6. We are entering our last month of the hair loss phase, I hope. Joan