former_vbg

Yes, updating my D.L. will be an easy cheaper thing and I will do that. I will get my photos taken this week for my Int'l driver license this week and post them back to this thread with my passport photo to get more feedback. Thanks for your input.

There is no office in my area, and I would have to go through the post office. It's also approximately $200 for the expedited service. Going to take my passport to work and get some other peoples opinions today.

Oh my gosh, a fellow horse lady!!! Music to my ears/ keyboard!!! :-) I asked my surgeon the same thing. I show Arabian Western Pleasure and he said I could start riding as soon as 3 weeks if I felt up to it. He did ask me to have someone else lift the saddle up on the horse or do anything that exceeded a weight limit of 10# for like 4 to 6 weeks. But, dressage is a much lighter saddle than western so you may be good to go. Now, about doing the endurance ride later this summer- ABSOLUTELY!!! You will be riding full steam ahead easily within 3 months, especially if this was something you were doing on a regular basis before. I know my show horse soooo appreciates that I have lost so much weight. He doesn't groan when I get on anymore and he used to shift his weight when we were standing still in the arena and I was sure it was him trying to redistribute the weight for his fat rider. I felt horrible. He doesn't do that anymore. :Banane55: p.s. I'm going to Portugal next month and spending a week in a riding program with Lusitano classically trained stallions where I will get 2 lessons per day. I've never had any dressage lessons, but VERY much admire the discipline. I think it can benefit any horse/ discipline!!! Below is a link to their facility. There are 2 videos (Part 1 / Part 2). The commentator is a bit korny, but the content is awesome! I feel like a 10 yr old waiting for christmas!!!

UPDATE 2/14/12: Got my Intl DL today, so I have a photo taken today and then the photo from my passport taken the Spring 2010. Would like to hear if you think if the pictures are similar enough or if they look like 2 different people. I tried to insert them up above, but that didn't happen. Look at the pictures below. Ok, so I renewed my passport in the Spring of 2010. I actually gained the last 50 or 60# in 2011, but was still probably around 220 or so at the time of my passport renewal. I'm leaving for Europe March 23rd. I just learned in the past couple of days that the Passport Agency suggests getting your passport updated if there is significant weight loss/ gain from your picture or you may be denied access into that country if they think its not you. This freaks me out. I don't think I look all that different than my picture except that my face is much thinner. My hair color / style is the same (they say that isn't supposed to matter). What got me started thinking about this is that I renewed my D.L. last October and a clerk requested to see my ID for a transaction. She looked at the photo on my D.L. and then me and said "this doesn't even look like you". Initially I was flattered, but the I started wondering if I would have problems with my passport. I asked my friend that lives in Germany what she thought and she thinks I'm worrying about nothing, that with passports being good for 10 years that nobody ever looks exactly like their photos as they age, etc... and not to worry about this. I think she might be right, but I would be devestated if I was refused entry over this. I would think with all their high tech scanning for terrorists that they could tell on facial scanning that my bone structure would be the same as the photo. I will also have an International D.L. that I'm going to pick up this week and will have a picture like I look like now. I realize they can't use that in lieu of my passport, but it would be an additional piece of documentation that I am who I say I am. Anybody have any opinions on this? I will post a picture from my passport and my new photo for the Int'l D.L. to this thread and maybe get some people's opinions. I really don't want to do a new passport because I will have to pay close to $200 as it will be treated like a regular renewal, plus the expedited costs. Not something I can really afford, but I also I can't afford being denied entry either. Sigh...

I can't comment on being an exbander, but I will say this. I was animate when choose my surgeon that they would do a smaller bougie because although there isn't a ton of data out there, there was enough that I found that told me that the regain was slightly higher/ more likely the larger the sleeve because over time it will stretch a little. So, if you start with a larger sleeve it will expand in accordance with the size you are starting with and I didn't want that. My surgeon used a size 30 bougie and although I didn't care for their office or his bedside manner, I think he did a good job in the surgery. I have very little hunger issues and am 8 months out. The other thing to keep in mind is that often surgeons use the bougie as a guide and will sew bigger than the bougie, so like your surgeon told you on how he sews bigger than the bougie he uses, you may have to be concerned with him not getting all the ghrelin or enough of it out to help control your appetite. Some will disagree with this, but I am just stating this how I approached my surgery and I am happy with my decision/ approach. I wish you luck. One last thought, you might ask him that if you did the surgery in a 2 step process to allow the scarring to heal up if he would then go back and use a smaller bougie. I know that isn't ideal, but if you have limited options that might be one way to go.

Ok, I have some of the body shapewear and stuff, that's all fine and dandy- but I don't like the ones that you have to step into because it makes going to the bathroom a real pain in the arse. Even worse if I have to go in a hurry. I have come to love a compression shirt a dear friend gave me because I wear it JUST like a shirt and I LOVED it but I think someone stole it off the hook I had it on with my clothes in the fitness room at work. I'm not 100% on that because I often am leaving at the end of a workout in a hurry and I just wear my workout clothes home and stuff my work clothes in my bag. Soooo... I am looking for a compression shirt with sleeves. They can be short sleeves, I don't care, but don't want the sleeveless. I've been doing google searching and keep getting stuff like athletic wear or men's compression shirts. I looked at Spanx, but they want like $100 for the stupid shirt and they price the men's shirts for $55.... not fair! Anyone have any suggestions on reasonably priced compression shirts for ladies?

I think most of the challenges have been 6 to 8 weeks apart.

1) How long have you been sleeved? 8 months 2) Who was your surgeon? Dr. Stewart 3) What were your experiences with your surgeon? He is a good surgeon, but he is a sleeve and leave'em kind 4) Would you recommend your surgeon? Not sure, yes for his surgical, but no for followup 5) How much weight have you lost since your sleeve date? 119 # 6) What type of sleeve do you have? VSG 7) Would you recommend the type of sleeve you have? yes- size 30 bouge 8) Do you find you still have the necessary level of energy to sustain a good workout? yes 9) Do you find it difficult to keep the weight off once you have lost it? Not now 10) Do you have trouble eating, such as getting �stuck�? No 11) What is the one things about getting the surgery that you regret? Not doing it sooner 12) Would you do this surgery again, or would you have made another choice? Yes

Congratulations! You didn't give up! Welcome to the losers bench!!

Ok, so I made a daytrip up to Cedar Rapids, IA today (5 1/2 hr drive one way) and about 2 hrs into the drive, my butt started to hurt a little. I finally realized its because I don't have much cushion left on the tushy.... So, my butt bones were sitting on the car seat. Very uncomfortable drive. Guess its time to get a pillow and look like an old lady. A weird NSV, but who would have thought I wouldn't have enough fat left on my butt that sitting in the car would ever be a problem. LOL

I'm starting to think about the next challenge. Will it be Easter or ???

Like another poster said, start with Walmart and then you can also look at Spanx. They usually have free shipping for orders over $25. I just bought some spanx that I wear for my upper thighs. You will do great!

Ok, so I have to chime in a recent experience too. I've had several tell me I shouldn't lose anymore weight as well, that I already look gaunt in the face and well, that part is a little true, but honestly I think that has more to do with extra skin in my face than being too thin- cuz I'm not. I'm 5'3 or 5'4" depending on which Dr. of mine you ask...Anyhoo and I weight 155# as of today- so no, I'm not too thin. The majority of what I have left is in my mid-section and well, let's face it ladies we know how compression shirts and spanx help make things appear what they aren't, right? Do I want to be a barbie doll? Certainly not, I just want to get to a weight that is healthy and where I will feel my best. I'm going to have lots of loose skin, batwings for arms, hanging apron on my tummy and I don't know what they call the excess skin for your thighs- but I will have it. No amount of weight loss will change that. Ok, so getting to my point. I see a therapist occasionally, and she tells me last week that she talked to the NUT in her office (who I have also seen) thinks I might want to re-think my final goal weight because the BMI scale isn't all that reliable. Ok, I might agree with her somewhat because the typical BMI calculators have no way to know what your muscle/ bodyfat indexes are, small, medium, large framed, etc. And, many don't even ask you for your gender. Anyhow, I know she only has my best interests at heart, but seriously, I know where my weight needs to be.... She's probably an inch or 2 taller than me and I would bet she can't weigh more than 120# herself. Now, she has a small frame and such, but still. I know people mean well (most of the time) when they say you shouldn't lose more weight, but it does get awfully old.

I guess I'm in the minority here, butI got one of those cards from my Dr.'s office and tossed in the trash. I had no intention of whipping this card out to tell strangers about this surgery. I can see the benefits for emergencies, etc... and I guess if you don't want to be hassled about ordering from the kids menu. Like another person mentioned, I don't mind the left overs.

You are certainly not alone. I saw someone at work that I haven't seen since last Fall. I walked by her desk and she did a double take and she says, "Kerri, is that you?" I looked at her and her mouth was ajar in amazement. She just couldn't get over how much weight I have lost. So, then she asks, how much weight have you lost. I have decided to stick with just saying "alot" and that tells them enough, but I don't have to go into so much detail that it is embarrassing to admit I lost x amount of weight. Now, close personal friends I will share that number because I know they are supportive of my goal and won't judge me. So, whether you decide to give a number or not- just be proud of your accomplishments. For the first time in years, I enjoy getting dressed for work because in the past I dressed a bit frumpy because quite frankly I didn't care. It seemed like no amount of "dressing up" hid how disgusted I felt with my fat self. Now, just 30# away from my final goal and even though I wish I was finished yesterday I know I will get there. So will you!

I think like others have posted is that different people do different things for their exercise. Some people have long commutes to work, might be a single parent with demanding schedules, etc... So, not everyone has the time or the money to go to a gym. Personally, I own a small farm with horses, work in the city for my "day job", teach college classes PT and I am in school pursuing my MBA. So, needless to say, my days are booked pretty tight- no time for the gym really. Now, with me being single and taking care of my farm on my own, I am up doing chores outside before and after work, am hauling 50# sacks of feed out to the barn every week, moving 50 to 60# bales of hay every week, etc, etc... In the summer time, I am weed eating, mowing and doing a number of other demanding projects. It doesn't really give me the cardio I need, and so I have made the committment to start using a fitness room my work has and try to get there 3x a week when my schedule permits. Personally, I absolutely HATE stationary exercise (which includes jogging/ running)- find it about as exciting as watching paint dry. But, I'm 30# away from my final goal and things have really slowed down and I have decided to use the fitness room to help me reach that goal. Once summer hits, I doubt I will be doing the stationary exercise thing because I will be getting my exercise in plenty of other ways. I'm just a real outdoors person. I really haven't done the fitness room up until the past couple of weeks.

Do your best to get in as much PURE protein in first like chicken, turkey, beef, whatever your preference. This will fill you up quickly and will stay with you for quite awhile. Just remember small bites and eat slowly. Then, eat your healthy veggies, try to stay away from sauces unless you really know what's in them. People sometimes don't realize how the "extra's" they eat with their food contain the hidden sugars/ carbs, etc.

There is a lot of controversy on this board about soda. So, I'm only going to speak for myself. I am almost 8 months out and have been drinking diet soda from about the 3rd month out with absolutely no problems. I have lost weight without issues. Now, I can't drink the amount anything like I used to, but I like that carbonation. It takes me almost an entire day just to drink one 24 oz plastic soda drink (diet of course). It doesn't bother me if it doesn't have the full carbonation and in fact it actually feels a little better to have it fizzle down a bit. I would just say follow your Dr.'s plan as close as possible the first few months and then let your tummy tell you what you can and can't handle.

Wrong post I was trying to reply too. Keep up the great work.

Well, I had another good week! Dropped another 5#. I've changed my Vday down once already. Think I'm just going to leave it alone and just see how far I can get by then. Working hard to lose as much as I can before my trip to Europe. I leave March 23rd!!! I think my long flight will be so much easier being down in weight not feeling squished into my seat. Others around me will likely appreciate it too. :bigear: Surgery weight: 271 Starting V-Day Challenge weight: 179 Current weight: 156 Valentines goal weight: 154 Final goal weight: 135

Thanks. I still want to lose another 30# to get ti my final goal of 125#. I', 5'3" (used to be 5'4#)..... guess I have shrunk so I changed my original goal from 135 to 125# because of that. I'm not saying its been a total cake walk because I have had to really work the sleeve and stay on the correct way of eating. I cheat occasionally but usually just as a treat. Holidays were a bit more difficult of course. I hope to be at goal in the next 3 months. We will see. It gets harder the closer we get to final goal.

Congratulations and welcome to the loser's bench! I had surgery 6/21/11 and am down 115#! I was an out of state patient though. I live 20 minutes south of Belton, MO.

That is really cool!!!

It's all good.

I told doggzzzzzz to Stop it because he WAS attacking me. I did not accuse you of attacking me, I only asked for documentation to back up your statements because you state your opinion as fact. As I said, in all the time I have been a member here, this is the first time I have ever encountered such vicious statements on here. I have liked coming here because of the support, information, etc. People can have opinions, but they should not state them as facts. I have done enough of my own research, I don't need to do any further. And, btw, dogzzzzz has been blocked and reported to Alex.