Dickens22

At 3 months out I have lost 62 lbs:
Starting weight: 240
Current weight: 178
 
I still have quite a bit to go (as my height is 4' 11").
 
I'm so happy with this progress! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my sleeve.
I've learned and lived through quite a bit in the last couple months....
 
THE GOOD:
 
- Doing 175 squats will not kill you
- I can see my clavicles! (This was a very happy NSV for me)
- Eating at restaurants and parties is more manageable than I thought (just remember: protein first)
- While shopping one day, I looked down and realized I couldn't see my belly, just boobs
- I reached my surgeons first goal on 7/22/13, which gave me even more motivation to keep on track
- NSV: I can wrap a bath towel around me!
- I entered ONEDERLAND on 7/31/13
- This, to me, is by far the most exciting... My resting heart rate went from 120's- 130's down to the 70's!!!
 
THE BAD
 
- "Hunger" during your time of the month: oh wow, I feel like a monster! Lol. Just a tip: don't weigh yourself during your period, it'll just lead to frustration that isn't needed!!
- I've come to terms that negative people will be negative. No use in trying to please or understand these people.
 
THE UGLY
 
- CONSTIPATION... Def never had this as an issue before surgery. My norm before was a couple times a day. Now, a couple times a week. Um, ouch. But I recently starting taking Colace. Hopefully that'll help.
- Hair loss: Ok, I knew hair loss is a side effect, and it usually happens around month 3 or 4, BUT I wasn't really prepared for what it'd actually look like... Like a horror movie! It's quite disturbing to look have hand- fulls of hair while washing it or to look down in the shower and have a hair ball the size of a chinchilla near your drain! I'm lucky I have such thick (and long) hair to begin with, which is why I think it looks so disturbing.
 
WHAT I'M DOING:
 
Well, what I'm supposed to be doing. Protein first, lots of water, low carbs, and exercising. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I find following this plan pretty simple. I don't feel deprived and I rarely feel hungry. It requires work, but the results are so worth the sacrifices.
Just working towards and hoping for continued success!!!

OMG...they FIT, they FIT, they FIT!!!!
 
The JEANS, that I have had in my closet forever...FIT!!! Skinny, yet curvy(curvy is GOOD people!!)
 
SO...I was in the closet, I decided today was the day I was going to try them on AGAIN...thinking to myself, "oh these didn't fit 3 weeks ago, they will fit in about a month from now". WELL...I put them on, because I always love denim, and I buttoned them, smile began to surface...zipped them, BIG cheesy grin by this time, AND...I AM STILL BREATHING!!! So you better believe I did NOT take these suckers off!!!!
 
I've been doing a little jig, with a little song that just makes the big cheesy grin, not so cheesy...they fit, uh-huh, they fit...oh yea!!!!
 
It's the little successes that are HUGE!!! Just made my day!!!
 
Have a blessed day!!! Keep up the good work everyone and remember to be FABULOUS today!!!

Good morning world!! I am waking up feeling like a new person! I have not been on the scale since Friday, but continued my walking and exercise all weekend. I feel great! I promised myself that I wouldn't continuously take pics, but for someone who LOVES being the one TAKING the pics, this has really helped me put things in perspective. I have always been asked if I'm pregnant, I carry the majority of my weight in the dreaded gut. I attached a pic and it has helped me see that while the scale isn't moving, I am STILL making progress! The bottom right pic is me the day before my surgery, the middle one was 2 weeks ago, and the top left is me last week. It has helped me to actually SEE what is going on, and that helps to wrap my mind around what changes are taking place. I guess I just wanted to post this because I am as frustrated as the rest of those I see on this site with the stall that I am facing, head on, but I have to say...take some pics, compare them to the day you went in for surgery and I think you will be pleasantly surprised! So...in about an hour or so I will be getting on the scale, have a Dr.'s appointment...hope it is positive! Have a great DAY!!!

So I'm sitting here post op day #5 reflecting on my journey so far. So far I have jumped through some mighty big hoops to get to this point. And trust me, my fat ass jujmping through ANYTHING is a feat!! Since I decided to have sleeve surgery I have had to get medical clearance from a Cardiologist, Pulmonologist, Endocrinologist, GI doctor,Psychologist, Nutritionist , have a sleep apnea test done ( really sucked!!!) and have an endoscopy. Not to mention the pre op blood work and chest x-ray. Then after all that go to my primary and have his blessing before I could finally have surgery. I was very motivated. From first counsultation with bariatric surgeon to surgery was about 7 weeks. Pretty impressive if I do say myself.
Went on a full liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. Then the day finally arrived. Was told to be @ hospital by 9am Couldn't drink anything since midnight. Got to the hospital, got registered, was brought into the surgery bay to wait. Was told there was one sleeve before me and then I would go in. Then the waiting began. Every hour hat went by, a different nurse would come out and tell us a different reason why I was waiting so long. As a nurse myself, I appreciate **** happens, but when you're the patient it's different!! Finally @ 1:30pm the anesthiesiologist comes out and tells me I will be brought in in a few minutes. I put on my "do you want fries with that" little cap and walk into the surgery room. I am immediately put @ ease when I see one of the techs is wearing a Mets scrub cap. I'm told to lay down on the table and put my arms out on the boards where a nurse straps them down. Another nurse starts to remove my gown now at this point I should mention I am a very modest person and that just doesn't happen in the OR. I;m laying there, arms strapped down, boobs exposed for all the world to see and just when the nurse tries to get a blanket on me as she removes the gown that still is covering my va jay jay another nurse leans down in my face and says" Hey how you doing? Its Angel I worked with you a few years ago" Are you f**king kidding me!!!?? I kept telling myself who cares abpout being naked you never gonna see these people again BAM a familiar face. Just proof God has a sense of humor!! Thank God right after that, I get knocked out.
I wake up in recover, quick wave of nausea comes and goes. I slowly begin to realize where I am amd come out of my drug induced slumber. I'm there about an hour then am brought up to my room where I see my family waiting for me.
I'm hooked up to a morphine pump I can hit every 10 mins if I need to. I still can"t drink ANYTHING til the next morning so I begin the ritual of rinsing and spitting that was a godsend. I wish I could say I rested but thats not the case. The nurses got me out of bed every 2 hrs all night long to walk the hallway to prevent clots. Just as I'd drift off to sleep, they would come into the room.
Next morning I was brought down for a barium swallow to make sure no leaks were present. As nasty as barium tasted Iwas just happy to drink something. Got the thumbs up, no leaks, went back up to my room and started swallowing 1 oz of fluids at a time. First it was water then apple juice then jello then applesauce. Tolerated them all No nausea/vomiting. Around 1pm I was discharged. Came home and proceeded to sleep on and off for the next 17hrs.
Have to continue the full fluids for 1 week, have my first post op follow up appt tomorrow with surgeon. Fingers crossed I can move to puree at least

On May 17th I will hit the 5 month mark on my weightloss journey. I've officially lost 63 lbs since surgery, made it into Onderland (at last), experienced the dreaded stall, had my pants fall off because they were simply too big (I call it the Pants on the Ground Phenomena), cursed my scale which I swear was broken for a month, had my rings fall off my hand, gotten tons of great compliments, rediscovered mirrors, stopped hiding behind people in pictures, flown on Southwest planes where people actually chose the seat next to me even though there were many others open, been ushered out of the plus sizes section at a department store by a well meaning sales lady who thought I was lost, started wearing high heels again, eaten too much too fast and puked, gotten very drunk off of very little alcohol, learned how much I love solid proteins, started exercising again, and have started reaching out to old friends as part of my reconnection plan - which was part of my New Years resolution. My life is 100% happier. I cannot imagine NOT having this surgery. I look forward to what lies ahead, and I although I expect that I will be cursing my scale again at some point, I have faith that the remaining 73 lbs will be worked off in time. In many ways, I've restarted my life at age 40!

For the last three weeks I've felt a little blah - well a lot blah. I have MS and unfortunately had a relapse. For those of you who don't know - that means going on IV steroids - the very ugly little suckers that made me gain all this weight in the first place. I usually gain 10-15 lbs during the time I am on steroids. Well, I am happy to report from the other side and tell you that I actually lost 4 lbs this past week while on the steroids! I absolutely LOVE my sleeve! I did have some wacky food cravings - but found that I could eat so little that it wasn't hard at all not to gain weight.
 
The second cool thing - today I wore to work the suit I was wearing on 9-11-2001! Seriously?!?!?! And what is even better is that it looks awesome! There are a couple of pieces of clothing that I have kept over the years - mostly for sentimental value - but I always said I was going to wear them again when I lost weight. I cannot believe that it is actually happening!
 

 
6 month face progression...So amazingly happy!

I will almost make 6 months post op, and I have a great many things to be thankful for. We all strive to hit numbers on the scale, but it is all the little accomplishments that really make a difference in how we feel and the way we move. I've compiled a list of all the things I have noticed since surgery that have changed for me.
 
1. My blood pressure has dropped 20 points (*note that I have never had high blood pressure)
2. I have dropped 2 shoe sizes
3. I started out doing 15 minutes of cardio and can now do 2 hours non-stop of medium to intense cardio
4. Foot pain is GONE
5. Knee pain is GONE
6. Back pain/sciatica is very rare
7. Migraines have subsided and only come about when I get a massage or have a lot of neck tension
8. I don't need an extension for the airplane
9. I am now considered a regular at the gym
10. I am able to look in the mirror more and for longer periods of time
11. I rarely need to take a nap in the middle of the day
12. I can work a 8 hour shift with no problem...used to work only 4 hours because my back and feet would be killing me
13. pants size went from 28/30 to 20
14. I am seeking out new active things to do instead of avoiding them
15. I don't have any bathroom problems: (this one is quite embarrassing), but I used to have a lot of issues...even wiping my ass where I would be in tears because I couldn't reach! I don't have any of these problems anymore
16. Sex is way better! Being on top is an option now and an enjoyment :0)
17. I get a compliment every day
18. My towels fit completely around me now
19. I am more social
20. I watch less tv
21. I need my husband's help less with everything
22. I am 14 pounds away from being the same weight as my husband!!!
23. I enjoy working out
24. I am comfortable with what and how I eat...I don't obsess anymore
25. I am now trying to motivate others
26. I am so busy living my life that it is hard to get on the computer and post blogs...I'm trying though

Aloha
 
Today marks 6 weeks since surgery, and Wednesdays are my ‘official’ weigh in, although I do weigh every morning. I just record it only on Wednesdays. Yesterday the scale showed me down 40 lbs since start of pre-op, 30 since surgery. This morning I showed down 39 lbs since pre-op and 29 since surgery. ~sigh~ this is my first gain, and I’m guessing I ate something salty yesterday. I am absolutely not bugged about this. I will continue to weigh every morning. I am not obsessing.
 
Just yesterday I had a meeting with my NUT and I asked her what her take on stalls is – is it something that just happens inexplicably, or is it usually something the person is doing wrong? Mind you, when I asked this I was still moving full steam ahead losing every day. LOL maybe I jinxed myself. ANYways, she said stalls just happen sometimes, but the individual has the power to break them. All this being said, I know that 1 lb gained overnight certainly does not constitute a stall. It has just set me to thinking about it. There will come a time when I actually do hit a stall. I want to be prepared for it.
 
So screw the 1 lb overnight last night – I am very, very pleased with my progress! I am beginning to go shopping in my closet, and that is fun. I realized last weekend that I can cross my legs; hooo! that was a thrill! My nightly hikes have become more energetic – I can go longer and faster and work up a good sweat. My dog is loving it!
 
I was thinking this morning that something I would love to be able to do would be pushups. Real, honest-to –goodness, straight leg, military style pushups. No way in hell I can do it now, but I was thinking how cool it would be to be able to do them eventually. My (very athletic) husband would be so impressed! And then I had a brainstorm that I will train myself in secret to be able to do them as a surprise for him! Every morning when he gets in the shower I am going to roll out of bed and start trying to do them. And then one day I'll say "look what I can do!" I also want to get some hand weights. My bariatric exercise specialist had given me a band to do arm strength training with, but I have begun to get very nervous using it because I am terrified it’s going to snap and put my eye out. Paranoid? LOL. Perhaps! But I noticed that in very tiny print on the typed instructions she gave it says “caution: wear eye protection when using the band”. LOL she never said it out loud, she didn’t wear glasses when demonstrating it for me, and I have never, never seen anyone in person or on TV wear protective eyewear with the band. Leave it to paranoid me to start thinking about goggles though. Actually, I’d just rather get some hand weights and not worry about it any further.
 
So far my hair is the same as it’s always been – yay! I am fond of my hair. But I think it’s just a little early yet anyways to see any losses. I won't be surprised when it starts to thin a bit in a month or two. My nails are still growing like mad—I finally had to actually clip them so I could type. In the past they’ve always broken way before they got to the point of needing to be clipped. Hope this nice side effect lasts I guess as long as I get my protein and take my vitamins it will. My energy is getting better all the time. Still would love more energy, but I have faith that my energy level, along with other things in my life, will just keep getting better n better as time goes on.
 
Onward!

I wasn't expecting to write any type of entry for week two, but this week has a big impact on my thought process.
 
Losing 22lbs in week 1 was amazing. I felt great! On top of the world! Ready to jump-start my new life! ...And then, it stopped. On day #7 the scale stopped moving. Now, I've researched this surgery soooo much and knew this was very likely. It seems many people have a stall around week 2-3. I thought I was prepared for this strange phenomena... But I was wrong. I had so many doubts this week. Would I ever lose the weight? Am I doing everything I'm supposed to do? Did I just have surgery to lose 22lbs? It was a terrible week.
And then I realized... This is completely normal. Not only not losing weight is normal, but also all these feeling are normal as well. It's easy to get discouraged when things don't go your way. It's easy to get angry or sad... But that's what this journey is about- it's about a fight to a better you. A physically better you AND an emotionally better you. It's about strength, determination, and learning.
To all you who are discouraged and down this week, pick up the pieces and keep on keeping on. This is all part of your story- the ups AND the downs. There are many times we will feel this way, down and depressed, but we just have to pick ourselves up, dust off, sip some water, and walk it off.