newnatalie

Okay Ladies, I am freaking out slightly. Today is my 3 week surgerversary. About 3 days post-op, I started my period. It wasn't fun, but what could I do? It lasted about 5 days. On yesterday, I started feeling cramps in my stomach, only to go to the bathroom and see that I was bleeding again! It has not been 20 days, let alone 28 days. Today, I am passing huge blood clots. I have been to the bathroom at least 6 times in the past hour because I can feel them trying to pass. My periods were very irregular pre-surgery. Should I be concerned or is this just my body responding to the weight loss? Thanks for your help!

Hi! Glad to see this group formed! Looks like I am only the second person to join! They say everything is BIGGER in Texas, so let's get this group going! I will Celebrate 6 months of being Sleeved on may 30 and have lost 78 pounds! I love my sleeve.

Inspiration or Agitation I have always been a leader. Growing up, I could get people to do what I would NEVER even try! Influence is an amazing that gift. If channeled correctly, it is powerful. Well as the pounds fall off, I am realizing that all my skinny friends seem a little scared! They claim I have inspired them to lose weight, but I think the thought of me being smaller than them is frightening! Now, in the back of my mind, I want to believe that I am an inspiration, but I must admit I am slightly agitated. Let me explain … By no means do I think I have cornered the market on weight loss, but I have been the fattest one in my circle of friends FOREVER! Now, when I start losing weight everyone wants to get smaller! Are you really wanting to lose weight or can you simply not imagine me thinner than you? This is the questions I will not allow to part my lips! This would be rude, wouldn’t it? So, today my agitation was challenged. My childhood friend calls to see how I am doing. Mind you, this is the same friend who claimed she would never speak to me again if I had weight loss surgery. I guess she got over it huh? Anyway, I explain I have lost 40 pounds in 6 weeks and can’t eat very much. She has always been much smaller than me, but has recently gained some weight. Even at her heaviest, she has never been as big as I was. She goes on this tangent about how she needs to loose weight and can’t believe she is 241 pounds. I say “Girl. I am down to 242.” There is silence on the other end of the phone. I can hear her heart stop beating. She finally says “You and I weigh the same now?” I reply, “I guess so.” She frantically says, “Give me your doctor’s number. I gotta do something about this fat!” Now, allow me to pause for a moment. I am not selfish. I don’t mind my friend getting healthy, but why does it have to be because you realized that you and I weigh the same. It scared the pooh out of her to realize that in a few days, we would switch roles. She would be the fat friend and I would be the “not so fat friend”! Needless to say, I was agitated! Then, I calmed down and realized that part of why I had this surgery was to inspire others to take control of their health (and so I could wear a swimsuit in public). I was reminded of how I have always been able to motivate others to strive for greatness (or foolishness-depending on the occasion). This is no different. I gave my friend my doctor’s number and even offered to go with her to her first visit. My agitation had now turned into inspiration. So to my friends I say, thank you for your support! I am elated that I could be the wind beneath your wings, the flame that ignites your fire, the catalyst for change you so badly needed. I AM AN INSPIRATION!

Ms. Lady, Please go read my blog "Inspiration or Agitation: My friends respond to weight loss." I was honestly amazed that I had one friend who said she would never speak to me again if I had surgery. About 2 months after my procedure, she was begging for my surgeon's number! This is why we have to do what is best for us regardless of what others think. It's funny how "the easy way out" has now become "her way out." Hold on ... You ain't seen nothing yet. The reactions will vary from people being happy for you to people judging you, to some people just being downright stupid! I have lost 73 pounds in 5 months and have heard it all! Be encouraged and keep loving those around you. You will realize that you are an inspiration to them (they just didn't know it). You were bold enough to do what they feared! Take care, NewNatalie

CONGRATS TIFFY! You have been such an inspiration to so many on this site! I am very grateful for all your support. You deserve the best! I will continue to pray for you and your family. It is a blessing to become a mom!

You were right to give your hubby the finger! He was suppose to sneak out and eat pizza if that's what he wanted to do. You are a good woman. But the reality is, there will be many days when you will be faced with temptation. This may have been a good test (although a bit insensitive on your husband's part). The world will not stop eating pizza, fried chicken, cheeseburgers, tacos (now, I'm talking to my self) just because you have surgery! I am over 3 months post-op and happy to report that most of the time, I am not bothered by what other people are eating. Your new stomach will help you in this area. I wish you the best! Keep us posted. NewNatalie

OMG! You will love Dr. Turnquest! He has been phenomenal and he is very well respected. Maybe our paths will cross in his office one day! I think I have an appointment March 26!

OK. I admit it ... I am a major control freak! Those closest to me secretly talk about me behind my back and even occasionally tell me about my bossy ways to my face. I'm a big girl (no pun intended) so I can handle it, right? I will admit that I like to have my hand on the pulse of the things around me. I am a go-getter, a mover, a shaker ... but this week, I realized I have a serious problem! So here goes ... my aunt died last week. It was very tragic. She was only 49. Died of cancer. Had 4 kids and 3 grandkids. On the outside, I was calm (had to be strong for the family). I took control of the situation by comforting everyone and taking on the task of planning the funeral. I found something I could control, since death was surely out of my league. As I jumped into my funeral planning duties, I wasn't crying or even depressed ... I started to unconsciously EAT! There was a handful of peanuts here, a stick of cheese there, a few chips while on the phone, a piece of chicken while emailing family, a bowl of chili while watching tv, a fruit cup before bed ... It took about 24 hours before I realized that I was about to eat myself into oblivion. As I went o grab my next victim from the refrigerator, I literally said aloud "OH MY GOD! I AM AN EMOTIONAL EATER." Until that moment, it had never dawned on me that I was the uncontrolled eater doctors talk about. I was the emotional, unstable, food stalker, seeking to soothe her heart at the end of fork! I wasn't HUNGRY. I was HURT! But most of all, I was NOT in control. Can you believe the Control Queen relinquished her crown to a scoop of rainbow sherbet (which is fat free by the way)? This startling revelation caused me great self reflection. How had I missed this negative personal trait after all these years (well not ALL these years, I am only 26 *wink*) ? As I reminisced, I realized that I have always been an emotional eater. I just didn't have a stomach that could only hold 4 ounces of food at a time to catch my attention. My sleeve talks. Seriously, sometimes it speaks soft and gentle. Other days, it screams and yells. This time, my new stomach brought me face to face with a demon I never knew existed. For this, I am grateful. See you can't defeat the demon if you don't know it exist. I am always so busy being "in control" that it is hard to recognize the areas of my life that are "out of control." Needless to say, I immediately closed the refrigerator and begin to starve my emotional cravings. Trust me, they fought back, but a control freak never loses. So as I laid my aunt to rest, I also buried the need to eat my way through emotionally charged situations. I will sing, I will write, I may even cry, but I will not eat. I now reclaim my crown as the Control Queen (you may continue talking behind my back)! NewNatalie 53 pounds lost since November 30, 2011

Aww! Thank you Melissa. I love to write. I can honestly say that since my surgery writing has been my sanity! I started emailing my blogs to family and friends and they love them. I think this is the start of my book. We will see! Thanks again.