juliarh

Huge, huge, huge congratulations Tiff!! I know how long you've waited for this and how happy everyone in your family must be I can hardly wait for the updates!! Whooo Whoo!!! Doing the happy dance!

I took a PPI for 6 months (per my dr.) and then after I reached 6 months quit. I've been fine since. During the 6 months, when I didn't take my PPI, I did have reflux, but no more -- but best to ask your dr.

I too had a slight fever for a couple of days post op -- but I'd still take her in anyway -- don't want to fool around with medical stuff. Keep us posted! Hugs!

Couldn't agree more with Diva -- I too am a carb/food addict and cannot eat much of them (veggies, fruits, yes-- processed, refined carbs NO!) -- and like she said, you really don't need to do the pouch test, just lower your carbs for a couple of days (sometimes it takes me 5 days to get over too much carb intake) and DRINK LOTS OF WATER!! Can't stress the Water part enough -- and you may too be very sensitive to carbs -- it's actually good to know this now as opposed to later when you've reached goal and start increasing your food intake -- I know that even when I hit goal, carbs will just not be a big part of my food life. I just go gonzo with them and can't stop thinking about them. So, for me, they don't have a place in my life. And, don't beat yourself up -- sounds like you learned your lesson -- that's the important part. As a teacher, I always tell my students that if you don't make mistakes, you can't learn. I expect them to make mistakes, otherwise they wouldn't need to be in my class . . . and the same is true for all of us! If we don't figure out through trial and error what is right for us, then what's the point of doing the surgery?? So, stop the beating up of yourself and say to yourself that you learned something about your journey! We've all been there, trust us! Big hugs!

Ok September Peeps --we've got to get back on the ball again! I had a lousy last week in the sense that the scale was not my friend -- up down up down. I don't think I lost anything. But this week, I dropped 3 lbs for some odd reason. soo . . . I guess the dithering on the scale was worth it. The thing I'm worried about now that I'm within 30 lbs of my goal is how much slower this is going to be . . . I HATE SLOW!! I'm not a very patient person I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to be at GOAL NOW!! I want to not think about the scale or think about what I'm doing, I want to just be there, ya know what I mean?? It's not about the eating (I kind of have that down to a science), it's just the not wanting to worry about whether I've exercised enough or whether that cracker I ate will magically add 3 pounds, ya know?? sigh. But I can't complain too much -- I've done really well in little over than 6 months -- I can keep going another 6 months if that's what it takes!

SN.........................Starting Wt........Current........Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh......................211.2.................196.8.........186.2...............10.6 hmmm . . . .10 pounds in 4 weeks, wonder if I can do it?? we'll see . . .

You look absolutely stunning and VERY skinny Congratulations on all your success!! You're an inspiration to the rest of us!

What can I say?? I agree with everyone else -- plus, you know that your body will keep adjusting (albeit slowly), so you never know where you'll end up -- and I agree about the surgery -- you'll probably lose another 10 pounds, so you'll be "normal" -- don't stress too much about this dear Chilo We love you and think that you are doing the right thing!!

Hi guys -- last Saturday, I made it to Onderland -- but then went up a pound and then am now back down -- so I'm calling it Onderland! It's kinda funny, I'm thrilled that I'm no longer 200 something, but my eyes are so focused on the remaining 34 or so pounds that I feel almost like I'm checking something off of a list. But in order to make myself enjoy this moment, here's a list of what I can do now and what has changed: 1. I can play 4 hours of golf in 95 degree weather, sweat, etc. and not die. 2. I tie my shoes by putting them up on my knee without thinking about it. (I just reminded my daughter about how she had to put on my shoes for me because I couldn't bend over and do it myself. - isn't that sad??) 3. I run up and down stairs without thinking about it. 4. I HATE sitting around (which is why I'm not online as much anymore) 5. I was forced to order size 12 jeans from Old navy because my 14 year old daughter said I looked ridiculous. sigh. 6. ahem . . . the bedroom stuff is great 7. I have not been this size since I was 34 years old (13 years ago). 8. Construction guys hoot at me (don't really know how to deal with it, but heck I'll take it) 9. I was shopping for clothes online with my daughter and we were equally frustrated because the clothes we wanted didn't come in our sizes -- hers a 0 (yes, really) and mine a 12 -- but I was shopping for NORMAL CLOTHES!! 10. No one says I have a "pretty face" anymore -- they comment on how "good you look" 11. People do comment on my eating but it's to say, "She's a picky eater." 12. I feel normal for the first time in 2 decades -- seriously. I've been fat for 2 decades. My children don't remember me thin -- and my daughter keeps saying, "But Mom, you're thin now." Blows me away. 13. I don't hesitate to sit in plastic chairs. 14. I don't hesitate to climb on chairs. 15. I don't worry about scooting through tight places. 16. I am not the fattest in the room anymore. I could go on and on -- it's really nice to take an accounting of what's changed -- but as Buzz Lightyear says, "To infinity and beyond!" or gotta keep on going!! Before surgery: Day after surgery: Now (my birthday last week):

Here's my weight loss so far by week: Highest weight: 304 1st wk 289 (-15) 2nd wk 272 (-17) 3rd wk 267.6 (-4.4) 4th wk 264.4 (-3.2) 5th wk 263 (-1.4) 6th wk 256.4 (-6.6) 7th wk 255.8 (-0.6) 8th wk 253.8 (-2.0) 9th wk 247 (-6.8) 10th wk 247.4 (+.4) 11th wk 247.4 (0) 12th wk 240.6 (-6.8) 13th wk 236.6 (-4) 14th wk 236.2 (-.4) 15th wk 232.4 (-3.8) 16 wk 232 (-.4) 17 wk 4 mo 226.6 (-5.4) 18 wk 219.4 (-7.2) 19 wk 217 (-2.4) 20 wk 219 (+2.4) 21 wk 216 (-3) 22 wk 213.6 (-2.4) 23 wk 210.4 (-3.2) 24 wk 208.2 (-2.2) 25 wk 203.8 (-4.4) 26 wk 6 months 200.2 (-3.6) 27 wk tomorrow is weigh in day -- hopefully something more than a pound so far . . . Hopefully this helps!

Christie!! So glad to hear from you!! I will go look at your blog, but we miss your smiling presence here on the forums -- I usually pop in a couple of times a week b/c the support is sooo wonderful. I hope you'll pop in once in awhile too Congrats on 102 lbs!!! Whoot!! That's gotta make you feel awesome now to go look at your blog

Thanks Coops -- unfortunately, although I didn't want to accept it, I was definitely in three-der-ville. sigh. I was always in denial about how big I was, but never in denial that I was definitely morbidly obese . . . guess it was just adjusting my life's eyeglasses a bit. I think also because I'm tall, I can hold weight pretty well?? Anyway, that's behind me now! But thanks for saying I didn't look my weight -- makes me feel better about the "old" me

agreed

I actually believe Jennifer Hudson did it on WW -- I think you can lose 80 pounds in a year (I've done it several times on WW). The point is, is that you always end up gaining it back because you get to a place where you think you are "done." And in reality, you're never "done." The sleeve gives us the ability to keep the "done" mentality in check. But Aretha losing 50 pounds since December? Nahhh, that's weight loss surgery.

Then you must watch this:

HELLLLLOOOOO MY FELLOW WISCONSINITES!!! I'm not in Wisconsin (not even close -- I'm in Asuncion, Paraguay) -- BUT I'm from Wisconsin - - got Wisconsin blood in my veins -- from Oshkosh, went to college in Waukesha, my two oldest kids live in Wisconsin (Beaver Dam and Waukesha) -- soooo, I'm there all the time (well, when I'm in the States) -- I should be visiting in June this year, so if anyone is interested in a get together, that would be cool (I'll be staying in Waupaca) -- (yep, I get around the state of Wisconsin ) Proof of eternal Wisconsinite"ness" from watching the Packer Bowl here in Asuncion:

So glad you've made it back home . . . take it easy on yourself . . . my hubby was there 2 years ago, and it was a longer time readjusting than he thought . . . so be kind to yourself Don't stress about the weight -- it will take care of itself --

Onderland! SN.........................Starting Wt........Current........Goal.......Lbs to Goal juliarh......................211.2.................199.2...........186.2...............13

That is way too cool -- you've done amazingly well and we're all doing the happy dance with you!!!

Ok, I think she had some sort of WL surgery -- the first time I saw her in the photo of her in the black outfit : and I thought, she's losing from the neck down, just like most of us with WLS. It is a shame she's not admitting it -- she was very obese before and could do those who are still morbidly obese a HUGE favor. Here's a before and after -- look at the neck and collarbone area (tell tale signs):

You are looking absolutely fantastic!!!! Aren't you loving your sleeve??? Congratulations!!!!

Awesome --

I love this!

You know you've been sleeved when . . . It's 9:30 pm and you've forgotten to eat dinner. You don't know what size clothes you should wear and your daughter insists you should go down 2 sizes instead of just one certain foods make you gag even though you *know* at one time you loved them you worry that there might be something wrong with you because you don't want to binge anymore food is no longer the center of your universe when thinking about a meal revolves around whether you can easily eat it or not not really enjoying to cook anymore because you could care less about food when you realize just how much time you thought about food before the sleeve and how much time you don't now!! you weigh whether having hair is more important than being a healthy size - sigh. you step on the scale, you're not afraid of what number will show up, even if you gain slightly you could go on and on about how the surgery has changed your life and your family and friends eyeballs start to roll back in their heads!

Congratulations!! Doing the happy dance with you