Butrcupz622

Wow. You look amazing! Congratulations. You've made such a remarkable stride in your weight loss. I hope to be able to post photos like that one day.

Hi! Congrats on your decision. I weighed 332 when I first started and also considered myself the healthy fat girl. I've always been pretty active but man, going up a flight of stairs really takes it out of a person! I chose to get this surgery to be healthier moreso than just wanting to be thin. I've had enough of stuffing myself simply because I was bored or didn't want to cook. Lazy, right? I know. But what did it for me as well was going into Ashley Stewart's and being told that my size (size 26) wasn't going to be carried anymore because they weren't really selling. Imagine how bad that made me feel... It made me feel grossly and morbidly obese and abnormal. The big girl store wasn't even going to cater to the big girl!

So, I decided that I had to change. And to think that I had been against this surgery from the moment the doctor had suggested it to me because I felt like I was taking the easy road. I took all my tests: pulmonary, stress tests, echo and even a cardiac one where they had to put wires in my veins (Not comfortable at all!)

Expect to go on a liquid diet right before surgery. The main reason for this is to decrease the size of your liver so it doesn't get in the way during surgery. It'll also help you to adjust to not having much food post-surgery as well. Because of my size, it took time after surgery for my swelling to go down. My stitches bothered me a lot. It didn't help that I never stayed down for long either.

The best way to go into this is not seeing it as a diet but as a lifestyle change. After surgery, the first month is a big adjustment. Not only are you hungry for the most part but you're in a mental battle. What you'll see in your mind is most definitely not what you'll get on your plate. I've cried at times because I just wanted more food. It gets easier as time goes by because you get used to it. Sometimes you'll tell yourself "Why did I do this?!", but in the end when you see your weight dropping on the scale and can feel yourself getting smaller, you'll be happier than a pig in sh*t (no pun intended, lol).

You've made the right decision. Good luck on your journey and always remember that the end justifies the means. Sorry to ramble on.

So far I've had:

B: Protein shake with skim milk

S: Mozzarella stick

L: 1 egg, small turkey sausage, 2 turkey bacon strips

Bottle of Water

D: 2 oz of beef with rice and Beans

I guess thinking about it, I would have to say that I'd like to be around a size 8 or 10. While I cherish the thought of someday actually being thin, I want to be healthy more than anything. Right now, I wear a size 20 that is slowly beginning to feel a little loose in the waist area, Only when those size 20 jeans begin to feel really big and baggy will I know that I've achieved a good weight loss.

I guess thinking about it, I would have to say that I'd like to be around a size 8 or 10. While I cherish the thought of someday actually being thin, I want to be healthy more than anything. Right now, I wear a size 20 that is slowly beginning to feel a little loose in the waist area, Only when those size 20 jeans begin to feel really big and baggy will I know that I've achieved a good weight loss.

Way to go!! I'm happy for you and your great progress! Keep it up!

The whole point of keeping to a diet afterwards is to allow the stomach to heal properly. My diet plan consisted of 2 weeks on liquids, 2 weeks on mushies and then start slowly on the real foods. And when I did start eating again, it was difficult. The smallest bites had me feeling full and uncomfortable and they were sometimes accompanied with pain. Take your time to adjust. It's the best thing in my opinion.

Great compliment!! You should give it another try if you are thinking about it. If it's what you're good at, go ahead and give it a try.

When I first started drinking Protein shakes, it was difficult. I wasn't so much thinking of the taste as I was in that I'd be having a chocolate shake everyday. Woo hoo! Wrong. The texture and the flavor took time to adjust to but eventually I found that the shakes really aren't so bad. My nutritionist actually told me to drink a Protein Shake in the morning and afternoon and for dinner to have greens which goes through the system pretty quick. So, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Don't even think about giving up. If you can't stomach the shakes, eat small portions of Protein. Just be sure to stop a few days before. A few days of liquid won't hurt and it also helps to prepare you for the 2 weeks of liquids after the surgery. Good luck!

It took me about a month or so for the swelling to go down. I did go through a terrible recovery period. Usually, it's said that the recovery period lasts about 2 weeks. I guess it took me longer because I started at 322 lbs and I didn't really stay down on the couch for long. I tried doing things when I shouldn't have and paid for that mistake.

Ugh! When I came out of surgery and saw the drain, I started to panic a lil bit having had one previously from my gallbladder surgery. When they removed it, I felt every muscle in my abdomen clench and then a searing pain that stayed with me until the next day. Hated it but I'd do it again.

Hi. I also got surgery in the hopes that I'll be able to conceive. I've lost about 85 lbs but to be honest I'm not using any form of birth control. I declined using bcp's because I don't want to add on to my "condition." But there are ways you can take care of yourself. Have you considered an iud or the depo shot. There's even an implant that goes just underneath the skin in the arm that can last years.You can research all of these online and hopfully one of these will help you. I wish you luck. Take care.

No luck here. I started losing hair about 2-3 months ago.. and I mean by the clumps. My scalp has already begun to show somewhat; something I'm definitely not happy about. I used to have long, curly hair. Now, it's just curly. I can't say I regret my surgery but this dramatic Hair loss has caused me some emotional stress. I went from taking Biotin and am, at the moment, taking two other hair pills every morning to try and correct this problem. Unfortunately, there's been no change. I try not to brush my hair and I'm scared of washing it even more. My best guess is that I'll be wearing a wig by the time summer rolls around. Ugh!

Hey, it's okay not to like having to witness your boyfriend and his friends stuffing and enjoying themselves but you shouldn't be staying there with them while they do it. Walk away or go do something while they eat and then go back and join in on the conversation. You're not helping the moment by watching them eat nor by watching the food network especially when you haven't eaten in a long time. You might also want to talk to your boyfriend about being more aware of your situation and maybe that can help the way you're feeling, too. Take a breather... before you know it, the time will come when you'll be able to eat. Good luck!

This surgery is meant to change your way of life.. of how you think in regards to food. Sure, it's not a permanenet solution.. it's a tool. Before I started this process, I focused on changing myself and my eating habits. I have this surgery and while I'm not on a diet, I am watching what I eat. I don't eat fried foods anymore, most sugar foods (but I don't deny myself either) You can't think of this as surgery with a diet. Pick the foods you like and cook them healthy. Bake, steam, broil. Cut out the greasy middle man. The more you continue changing the more natural it will be for you. And with the smaller portions you'll be eating the weight will fall off. Have faith. Don't listen to others. Just listen to you. Good luck on your journey!

Don't concentrate too much on what your husband is saying. Chances are he was probably giving you support on the off chance that this was just a phase you were going through. And now that he sees you're that much closer to your surgery goal, he's beginning to have his own doubts, maybe his own moment of insecurity. Remember, this sugery is for yourself and no one else. Only you know what can truly make ou happy both inside and out. Don't try to convince him. Just let him experience it for himself. He'll get the picture when he sees you're serious about this. Further down the road, he'll give you the support you need simply because he loves you. He's going through a moment of adjustment. Share everything with him but keep your strong will and determination going fierce. Good luck!

Ok, I was worried before surgery and Now i had surgery yesterday and I am crying all the time. What is wrong with me. Did anyone go through this? I feel now I have now control over eatting and I worry I will not be able to eat hardly anything for the rest of my life!!!! What is wrong with me, I feel I am going crazy, what can I do?

Please don't fret... A surgery like this one has had all of us, at one point or another, ready to go ballistic. It's hard; for some more than others. Take a deep breath and tell yourself that this is the beginning of your journey to a better you. There are days when you're going to feel as if you did wrong. but, there will also be days when you'll notice a lil somethin is missing, perhaps from your waistline or that double chin is starting to fade away. Those days are the ones that count because yo'll feel so good about yourself that you'll know you did the right thing. Each day is going to be different. Instead of feeling bummed and crying, just tell yourself that everything will be okay. I wish you the best!

I would have to say bread. It feels like I'm trying to stuff a bowling ball down my throat and than when it goes down, it hits me hard. I get pains from the digestion alone. Not worth it. Everything else to this point has been fine, but I might add that I've lost most interest in food. I'll get a craving for something and when I finally get to eat it, I'll find that I don't want it. It can get frustrating...

Keep your head up. There's always a moment after a major change when one feels like the bottoms dropped. But once you begin feeling like yourself you'll realize that it isn't as bad as you once had thought. Your body's going crazy trying to adjust to these new changes so expect to feel a certain way, at least for the time being. Try not to focus so much on the feeling but on the moment. It'll be over before you know it. I wish you the best!

Oh, my god! I am sooooo happy for you. I just wish the same thing would happen for me. I've been trying for years to get preggers and for you to say that it's happened after so much time trying, it gives me hope that maybe one day I'll get to be as lucky as you. Congratulations on your bundle of joy. I wish you the best!!

Here's my situation. I'm already frustrated and getting disheartened. I was operated August 17. Post-op I lost give or take 20 lbs. To this date I've more than likely lost only about 5 lbs. My 3 week stall happened almost a month ago and I have yet to see the scale moving. This is beyond a stall. I'm beginning to think that I had this surgery just to lose 35 lbs.

I keep reading online that most readers are keeping to a strict eating schedule of 30gr of carbs, 60+ Protein, and between 600-800 calories per day. Can anybody out there please help me by giving me a run down of what exactly you eat to maintain such a low carb diet. I've been keeping track of my calories on myfitnesspal.com and I'm eating about 700-800 calories a day. My carbs usually range about 80-120 on any given day. And please keep in mind that it's not from sweets. Is my carb intake what's messing me up? I drink Protein shakes everyday and I've already started going to the gym. There really shouldn't be any reason on why I'm not losing the weight.

My boyfriend's telling me I shouldn't pay so much mind to it but I can't help it. I want to lose weight already...

No, I acually had my surgery in the bariatric clinic of Bellevue hospital in NYC. They were great.

A month out here and I can only still sleep on my back even though I'm a side sleeper. In the begining, I used to put pillows under my knees to help alleviate any pains I would get from sleeping flat.

Congratulations! Once you have the surgery and begin seeing and feeling the results for yourself, you'll forget that there was any hesitation to begin with. Today, for the first time in a month, I put on a pair of jeans and my boyrfiend told me I was swimming in them. Just hearing that made my day. Of course I couldn't change them so just feeling them baggy all day kept a smile on my face. Make sure to keep us all here posted on how your doing. Good luck on your journey!

So here's the deal... I finally went to myfitnesspal.com and registered myself. I entered all my food consumption for the day and apparently I'm barely managing to eat 700 calories a day. And all the other days are not much different from today (meal wise). Accordingly to their data, my body is like in some sort of starvation mode which is why I'm not losing the weight. My metabolism has slowed down which isn't helping me at all. My question to everyone out there is this:

How can I possibly consume the suggested 1,200 calories a day when I stay feeling full? :laugh0:

I can never fully finish my meals because they either don't sit well with me or because I instantly feel full. Add to that the amount of liquid I'm supposed to be drinking. How does anyone do it? Am I doing something wrong here?