Gina A.

Thank you all so much for the words of advice, encouragment and tough love! I haven't checked in this weekend because I was so busy with a few events that were going on in my community. I'm a member of a charity organization in NYC (as you know Storm Sandy hit us hard) and we were feeding homeless shelters and giving out thankgiving turkeys. It was a LONG weekend. I didn't quite try out the bootcamp yet. I am starting this morning.

When I logged in today, I was so overwhelmed with all of the support I litterally started crying a little! I finally feel like there are people here who understand and feel how I feel. Thank you again! <3

Good morning Gina,

Well, okay -- you're not the fastest looser, but you're STILL working on it. And you've lost 63 POUNDS that you haven't gained back -- that's marvelous! There are many of us who would be thrilled to know that two years out we will still maintain a 63 pound loss! And you only have 45 more pounds to lose -- that's not what I consider obese by any means -- you're getting so much closer to your goal! I'm also happy for your friends who are doing so well, but they'll have their down moments as well . . . we all will.

You've heard the saying that "it ain't over till it's over" -- that's so true when it comes to weight loss! So, put on your big-girl panties and let's get going. Start with that 5-day pouch diet that so many people use when they need to get back into the program -- that will get you back to feeling like you can take on the world. Get rid of all junk food in your house (and tell anybody you live with that junk food will be shoved down the garbage disposal immediately!). Plan your meals out carefully for the week and go grocery shopping WHEN YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY. Cook for the whole week. Put up ready-to-eat salads and boiled eggs and yogurts. Make a big pot of chicken & vegetable Soup (especially since the weather is getting colder). And, unfortunately, you need to give up sugar. For me, just a little taste of sugar and I've got to have more - it's as addictive as a drug!

You're already walking everyday, so that's great, but as research is showing, your body gets used to the same exercise, so you need to maybe join an exercise class where different muscles get used. Or change your walking regime into 20 seconds of running, 5 minutes of walking, repeat, repeat, repeat . . . In a week, increase that to 40 seconds of running, repeat, repeat, repeat . . . Gradually increase the time you run while decreasing the time you walk till you're running half the time and walking half the time. Interval training like this has been shown to provide great improvements, because your heart rate stays up for a few minutes after you push yourself -- it's almost as good as if you ran the whole time.

You know yourself better than anybody, but for me, once I can get in some heart-pounding exercise on a regular basis, I start feeling better about myself and more confident. That's what you need right now, Gina. You're so close! Don't let how others are doing have any impact on how GINA is doing!

You go, Girl!

Sissy Kay - Thank you for these words of encouragement and advice! I love the tough love!!

I need to research the 5 day pouch test. I've heard of it, but, I've never really looked into it. I know planning is one of the important things to keep moving in the right direction.

Thanks again!

Are you tracking your food? Are you on my fitness pal? I suspect that the kinds of foods you're eating are related to your rte of weight loss. Tracking keeps me accountable.

I haven't used myfitnesspal in months! I do have an account, but, just don't track. I'm going to log in starting today to log. I will try to be consistent, but, it may take some time.

Thanks!

Good Morning VSTer's!

I can't believe that it's been almost two years since I've been on this page! I actually didn't know where to post this topic, so I figured, the general forum would be the place to post.

I feel like a newbie all over again. I've been basically going at this alone with the support of family and a few close friends as well as some through FB (Lil Miss Diva is a ROCKSTAR on FB!!). I've been moving slowly through trial and error.

Anyway, this morning, I received an email stating that my signature was modified, which prompted me to login and see what was going on. Boy was I reintroduced to such a great resource! I had totally forgotten that this was such a great site for information and support! Why did it take me so long to get back on!? I've been blindly trying to figure this out and see what works and what doesn't and falling down and getting back up.. It's just been a very long emotional roller coaster ride!

Since I haven't been on for FOREVER, I suppose I should give a little background on myself. I was sleeved on 12/20/2010 (almost 2 years!! ) and still haven't reached goal! My starting weight was 248.2 and as of today, I am 185. I am the SLOWEST loser that I know, but, I know it's because I am not following and haven't followed the diet for the longest. I have fallen into my old routines of eating carbs, sweets, etc. I also have not exercised in a very long time. Other than walking a mile or two daily, I am not getting any other exercise in.

My biggest challenge that I have not been able to overcome is comparing my progress to others. I have 3 friends that have had surgery within the last year and have already lost more than I have in the last 2 years. My best friend had her surgery in May 2012 and is already down to 165. Her starting weight was 250 and withing 6 months she has surpassed me in weight loss. While, I am happy for her, I am jealous and I am sad. It makes me feel like there is just something seriously wrong with me! Why can't I get it together? Why can't I lose the way everyone else does? It totally makes me feel depressed.

I know that slow and steady is good. But, it seems like I am just being left in the dust. I don't know how to get things moving again. Sometimes it feels like I'm just destined to be obese forever! I know that is not a good mindframe to be in, it just happens. I need to get kicked in my butt and make my own destiny.

That said, I'm happy to have been reacquainted with this site as I will now be frequenting it often to keep me on track, get motivated and get support.

Gina

All 3 tests were blood tests. I guess I should've mentioned a little background history. I have been diagnosed with Lupus about 14 years ago. I have severe Kidney disease as a result of the Lupus illness. I had been through numerous treatments, including chemo therapy to help with my Kidney disease, which has caused me to go into early menopause (I'm 33 years old). I hadn't had a period (TMI) in a couple of years. While I have the organs (uterus and ovaries) to bear a child, I never thought I would be able to get pregnant after all my issues.

That being said, I believe that my Lupus may have been the reason why the tests have come back false positive. Very strange to me, maybe I should get a second opinion?

Well I have been a member of this site for almost a year and havent told my story & thought I would today. January 2010 I decided to have the sleeve after researching for many months. The sleeve it was..until I went to see my GYN, umm (sorry TMI alert), I have been menstrating for many months, I kept thinking-'if I can just lose this weight, it'll be okay'. but Dr. decided to do a sterilization/ablation on me to see if that help, well it didnt. So after many ultrasounds, the 'ultrasoundist' asked if I had been told I had endometriosis. Noone has ever told me that, infact after 12 years of trying to concieve even with doctors interventions (all self pay), noone has told me that, they just called it 'mysterious infertility', (finally chose to adopt). Now 12 years later a new doctor is going to finally diagnose me? Of course I thought the ultrasound lady was wrong but dr wanted to 'go in and see' as this is the only way you can be diagnosed for sure with this disease. Sooo(had to put my sleeve on hold) April 2010, she did a look see laproscopic and indeed found that I had one of the worse cases she has ever seen of endometriosis, I had stage 7!. Endometriosis is a disease that feeds off of your estrogen, and produces a rock hard 'glue' that had 'glued' my ovaries together and had adhered to my intestines and bowels. Dr. immedialtely closed me up without taking anything out, because she needed a robot to help her. So,again my sleeve on hold til we get this out of the way. June 30, 2010 I had surgery for her to go in and get that out of me, after two hours of trying to cut this out of me laproscopic, she decided to open me up and take everything as she described 'it was just one big ball of mess all glued together.Thankfully she didnt nick my bowels while cutting that away! I was happy as I knew now, no more things in my way of my sleeve, I scheduled my sleeve for sept 17, I get a call sept. 6 , drs office telling me that dr has jury duty on my surgery date!! OMG really? I cried with her office personel, they called me sept 8, told me to be at the hospital in the morning Sept 9th.!! Ok I wanted the surgery but wow tomorrow? Lots of things went thru my mind:

I thought of my kids,

my life,

was this really going to work,

am I really prepared for it,

will I make it thru surgery?

Well I made the 4 hr drive to the hospital crying while thinking of all these things... I had the surgery, everything went great, I was out after spending two nights. I am on week 13, lost 58 pounds, I just keep thinking somone pinch me, this is too easy. I HAVE NOT ONCE REGRETTED HAVING THIS SURGERY. My sleeve has been faithful to me, and I treat it right too! I look at myself in the mirror and see ME! The person I knew was in there long ago. I AM ALIVE, I particpate at my kids schools, I feel good in a crowd of people ( I always felt the biggest in the room at any given time). Sunday was the first pic I had taken with my kids in 8 years, and even better, I liked the pics!! ITS BEEN AN AWESOME RIDE, WORTH THE WAIT!! Anyone thinking of getting the sleeve, I say 'go for it', you owe it to yourself. Your life will change for the better... God bless!! Kelly

What a beautiful story Kelly! Congratulations on everything! I hope my surgery is just as successful!

Gina

Hi Everyone,

I am scheduled for surgery on 12/20/10 and have had all the pre-admission testing done last Monday. I had a long battery of tests including, blood work, X-Ray, EKG, meeting with the Anesthesiologist, etc etc. I also had to go to my PCP to get clearance from him. Since I take Coumadin for history of DVT's and Pulmonary Embolism, I needed a prescription for Lovenox (injectable blood thinner). I figured, I did everything right and I'm on my way.

Well, I get a call from my PCP on Wednesday saying that my pregnancy test came back false positive and I would need to repeat it. Needless to say, I was shocked and stressed because if I'm pregnant, that would be a major setback for me and the surgery. I have my blood work repeated on Thursday and get the same result. My PCP tells me to come back Monday (yesterday) to repeat yet again. I go get my blood work done, AGAIN, and yet again, I get the same result. My PCP said that it's fine, my blood work is strange, but, I'm not pregnant.

What would lead my blood test to continue to show up like that? Should I be concerned that it's another disease?

I'm scheduled for 12/20/10. Hopefully I get cleared by my PCP. I have to repeat blood work on Monday, so I hope all will be smooth after that!

Good Luck and Congrats!

I've told a few co-workers that I'm close with because they support me and are encouraging. But, I made the mistake of telling this one guy that went and told someone else that I totally don't even associate with in that way. It annoyed me, but, I really don't care what they think.

The thing that does annoy me is that this same guy thinks he knows everything and tries to tell me that I need to take Protein, i.e. eggs, tuna, cheese, Beans, in lieu of the Protein drinks, which my surgeon recommended. So who do I listen to, this guy that doesn't know crap or my surgeon? It's no question there. But, the truth is that it is annoying and people need to mind their business if they don't know anything about the process.

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging words! I am on day 3 of the dreaded Protein pre-surg diet and I'm dealing better than I thought.. I don't love it, but, I'm doing it...

I have mine Tommorrow

Wow! Congrats! Hope all went well!

Hi Everyone,

My name is Gina. I just joined this forum last week. I came across it by accident actually. I was researching information on the Sleeve procedure and I bumped into this wonderful forum. I've been hesitant to post anything because I am just learning about the procedure and diets, etc. But, I wanted to introduce myself.

I am 33 years old. I just started my 2 week pre-op diet today. I'll be having surgery on 12/20/10. This forum has been a tremendous help on what to expect and how to prepare for this upcoming event!

Surprisingly, I'm not really scared, I'm excited, I can't wait to start this journey, although it won't be an easy one.

Has anyone ever had the VSG and had a filter inserted for DVT? I have history of blood clots and have been on Coumadin for over a year, but, my surgeon is going to have my Vascular surgeon come in and implant the filter to avoid the blood clots. I'm pretty sure I'll have more questions coming up, but, I just wanted to introduce myself.

Gina