Lisa821

Good for you!! This is so awesome!! Keep up the good work!

I WORE A SWIMSUIT WHILE IN JAMAICA LAST WEEK!! Although I didn't go buy a new suit, I was finally able to wear the one I saved from like 10 years ago. Still cute as ever and still in style! It's open in the back so I wasn't able to wear it while I had the two rolls of fat around my middle. But now those rolls are gone and I actually have a shape so it looked cute. I didn't even care about my flabby thighs. They aren't THAT bad. Plus I was in Jamaica to have fun, soak up the sun and finally get my honeymoon. On a side note, my hubby and I married 1 1/2 yrs ago and something kept coming up to delay our honeymoon. Perhaps my "higher power" wanted me to go after I had lost some weight and could REALLY enjoy spending all day in a swimsuit? LOL! I didn't take many pics, I guess I'm used to not getting my picture taken and didn't really notice. That has to change though. Other NSV moments were: 1. My bum fit nicely in the airplane seat and the seatbelt had strap left over! 2. I didn't mind snorkeling bum side up....not self conscious about it at all. 3. I wore two cute sun dresses and felt like a girly-girl....FINALLY! 4. The life jackets fit without a problem when we went on a sail boat ride. I love my sleeve!

You can see my ticker so I don't want to talk about weight. It's been three months and I want to Celebrate the inches I have lost! I'm going to post them by date because I think it's more telling that way. Oh and I didn't measure EVERYTHING on my body, just a few reference points. Preop 11/1/11 12/19/11 1/12/12 2/2/12 Waist: 42.25" 41.75" 40" 39" Hips: 51" 50" 49" 48.5" Left Calf: 17" 16.5" 16" 16" Left Thigh: 30" 29.25" 29" 28.25" As you can see I rounded the numbers. I will attest to the fact that even when I don't lose pounds I am still losing inches. To all of us who freak out when we plateau for a few days or a week, we need to take a deep breath and get out the tape measure. Remember it's not a stall until it's been 4 weeks without any weight loss. That's what my NUT said and she added that it's still not a stall if I'm losing width in the form of inches or PARTS of inches. She said it's all progress and we must strive for progress, NOT perfection. I love my little NUT! Keep fighting the good fight my friends!!!! Big Hugs!

I started setting a reminder on my cell phone to remind me to take my vitamins and water and soon I had been feeling pretty close to normal energy level but now it has dipped again. I examined my routine. Recently, I've been missing a vitamin or two each week, not drinking a protein shake every day and have had some personal relationship stress. Bad mix, I figure... So I surmise that not only do I need to get back to those vitamins, water and protein EVERYDAY...I also have a lower tolerance for stress than I had pre op. It's good to know one's limitations and that steps can be made to improve upon them.

I have three letters for you. H-O-T!!!! Keep up the good work!

Awesome! Inspiring! Great job!

Thanks sleevers!! I also loved the post workout high I got today from the endorphins! It helped me block out my husbands whining and crying about why I'm no longer totally focused on him. Hmmmmm....sounds like someone's being needy, huh

Today, I realized my yoga pants are just too big to wear in public anymore. Seriously and ridiculously baggy. I decided to go to the gym so I dug to the bottom and found a pair of workout shorts. They are like biking shorts. Worn only once cuz they were too tight and embarassing to wear. You know, one of the many pieces of clothing you "hope" to be able to wear someday. Well they fit and very comfortably! I went to the gym, worked out and finally felt like I fit in at the gym. It was awesome! I love Almanzo, my sleeve.....lol

That's interesting dorrie! Thanks for the input everyone.

Whoa! Cool! I never thought of that! I have only been doing cardio. Perhaps it time for some strength training? Thanks for the info!

The last two days both my knees have been aching. I had a one day episode of this about a week ago. Previously I had sore knees from the weight but that got much better after I lost only 20 pounds. I've had a bulging disc in my back since 1993 which has caused me a ton of pain over the years and prevented me from doing things....contributed to some of my weight gain. Now my back is great! No pain at all! No more pain meds, yay! I'm suspecting that my knees ache because I stand on them differently since my belly and my bum are so much smaller. Like my center of gravity has changed so the pressure points in my knees are in a different place. What do you guys think? Feasible? Or am I nuts?......maybe I don't want you to answer that one? LOL!

I hear ya...it's kind of a weird thing for a person to say. My own father said to me "your face is so thin, people are going to think you had plastic surgery". Ohhhh dad.....lol. He had GB about 10 years ago, lost 110lbs and he knows about my sleeve surgery but he's just being good old dad.

Yep, hang in there sweets!! This will pass. I promise. I felt the same way when I was in your shoes. The weight will start to drop again. Big hugs!

This is awesome! Congrats!

Yes call your surgeon! You know your body better than they do. If something is painful it's a signal that something needs to be addressed. I had left side pain too but definately not intense and not constant.

I agree, stop the alcohol, use a bandaid or steristrip to pull the edges together and call your surgeon today. An opening in the skin is a potiential entry point for infection to get in. I'm wondering if there is any drainage from the opening? If so, what color? Clear? White? Green? Yellow? Pinkish?

It is common to form gall stones after rapid and significant weight loss. However, it doesn't happen to everyone. Yet it tends to be hereditary. Our gall bladders secrete bile which emulsifies(breaksdown) the fats we eat. When we eat less fats our body puts out less bile and the bile can thicken to a sludge and even form into "stones". Then when our body senses fats in the first part of our intestines it starts to squirt out bile. If there is sludge or stones in the gall badder this causes pain called billiary colic. Common areas of pain are over our right side, just below the ribs. Also, under the right shoulder blade and mid chest where the ribs meet in the middle. Sometimes it's just a nagging ache but it can be horribly painful. My doctor was willing to remove the gall bladder at the same time as the sleeve surgery. I've heard that other doctors are too. I chose not to even though my mother and sister have had there's out. My mother had wls but my sister didn't. My sister is very unhappy because ever since she had hers removed she gets something like dumping syndrome every time after she eats. I was willing to take my chances. I'm almost three months postop vsg, lost 45lbs and so far, so good. There are other complications to consider too. Like leaks, postop infections and blood clots. Please make sure to research that too and talk with your doctor about it.

on a related note...I'm really looking forward to riding my motorcycle this summer. I bet my bum with look much better with less hanging over the seat! I also wonder if I'll need to buy a more plush seat for comfort because I've lost alot of padding on my backside. Last summer I caught a glimpse of my reflection from the side in the window of the gas station. I was sitting on my motorcycle, my belly all rounded out, my chubby arms hanging and my kiester hiding the seat. I would love to replace that horrible image with a slimmer, sexier motorcyle mama! LOL

I just realized I'm half way to my goal. I want to lose a total of 90lbs and I've lost 45! Whoohoo! This is awesome! I'm 2.5 months post op. I know the weight loss will slow down but I'm on Target. I was hoping to be wearing cute sun dresses this summer and I think I will get to!! I love my Almanzo! Just like Laura Ingles! That's what I call my sleeve...Almanzo. lol, I'm a dork.

I can finally fit my bum in the bucket seat of our new car. Well we bought it brand new a year ago. My butt was so wide that it didn't fit within the curvature of the fancy leather seats. Also the seat belt latch would dig into my hip. I am 2.5 months postop, have lost 45lbs and 2 inches off my bum/ hips area. I am thrilled! My hubbub drives that car regularly so I haven't sat in the seat in about a month. My usual driver is a trailblazer and I have always had plenty of butt room in there. Oh and another NSV is when I sit in our recliner I have space on each side of me. Love it!

I think it was right around my 5th week when I got so sick of being exhausted that I actually started looking at eating like a job. I had to have two protein shakes a day, ate 6-7 times a day, I had to have mashed potato to get higher calories and I was able to eat meats. I would always start with my meat and could only eat about 1/2 cup of solid food at a sitting. However, I could drink a whole EAS protein shake over 35 minutes. It was hard and truly felt like a full time job. Now alot more of the swelling in my sleeve has gone down and I can eat about 3/4 cup of solid food at a time. I still eat 5-6 times a day. I have to, otherwise I don't get enough. My doctor is aware and is fine with that because not everyone can function on three meals a day. I have had only one pretty long stall at 3 weeks, which is quite common. Now I lose 1-2lbs/wk and sometimes 3. Like LVikingFan, I wonder what your Vit D is?? Also, I'm an RN and have worked with post op patients on a medical/surgical floor and i know that surgery truly takes alot out of a person. You not only had a procedure you also had a bleed so I would expect that you would be very tired for quite a long time. I would advise you to keep reporting to your doctor about your fatigue. I hope what I have told you helps.

I did not experience a bleed of any kind but I have been exhausted since about my 3rd wk post op. It has gotten a little better but I'm not sure why. I am 9 weeks post op now. I think I am getting a little more energy because I can consistantly eat 800 cal/day, 60-70g protein/day, get plently of fluids and always take my vitamins. I take a chewable gummie multivitamin, sublingual B12, Vit D3 50,000iu, Iron and 2 calcium chews/day. I was really bad at eating and taking my vitamins at first. Also, I had to return to work right away. I guess that's my "perfect storm"....perhaps. But I do know the exhaustion that you speak of. It sucks! I really hope it gets better for you soon.

Oh my gosh! I am so glad you guys responded to my post. I feel very weird about this. Some of the feelings I get are shame, disgust, fear, frustration, confusion, sadness....it is just about the weirdest pile of emotions for me. I know I used to scarf it down like that so I bet that's where my shame, disgust and sadness comes in. The rest of the emotions could be what I am feeling for that person??? I too used to love Man vs. Food but now I have zero interest. Portion sizes have gotten out of control, its true! Even when my 8 yr old orders off the kids menu its too big for a kid. I think I am just now seeing my old way of eating for what it really was and I'm trying to process it along with the emotions that come with that. This will be the main topic at my next therapy appt. Must be a food addiction thing.....hmmmm....perhaps?

I just felt grossed out when someone was eating a plate of chicken wings. I have been with them while the did this many times in the past but right now it grossed me out. What is with that? I am shocked by this feeling! Anyone else experience this?

I think its related to anemia which means you need iron. A friend of mine, with the sleeve, had the same symptoms and needed iron infusions weekly for a while. Yup, IV but she felt a huge improvement after the very first infusion. If I were, I would see a doctor today. The other thing may be something called benign positional vertigo, which is an inner ear problem but usually easily fixed with Epley's Manuevers. They are body positions. No matter what, I would see a doctor for evaluation today.