Paola

I have been thinking about getting a daily activity tracker like fitbit, or the body bugg. I like to do aerobics and stationary bicycle rather than walking. If you have one of the ones I mentioned, or another one, why did you chose it?

Thank you all! It was an exciting night, I literally had to get all the suitcases in that closet out, and a sandwich bed before I could get to that suitcase. It was funny, because I had such a mess around me and my mom eyes went kinda wild for a second when she saw the mess. When I was putting stuff on she stayed and watched me, and when I was done she was like, "Are you done? I was having fun watching you." It was just awesome!

I am less obsessive now than I was the last two months before surgery; I would weigh myself up to 18 times sometimes in the morning, and then take the average and plug it in a table I had on excel. After surgery, I still weigh myself every day in the mornings, but just once or twice. I have already set my mind to the fact that since I eat between 800-1000 calories a day and I exercise 4-6 times a week I am losing fat even if the scale doesn't move. It totally helps that clothes that didn't fit before are fitting, and clothes from 10 years back are fitting too.

Today I went through the luggage closet in my house and found a bag full of clothes from various stages in my life, all the way back when I was 16 years old. I found 7 tops that fit, some still had tags from when my family gave them to me but I could never wear them because they wouldn't fit, and now they do! I found my favorite shorts from 4 years ago, when I was 245 and they fit! I found my favorite red skirt from when I was 245, and that fits too!!! I found a dress I wore when I was 16, a dress I wore when I was 17, my prom dress, my high school graduation dress, and a dress a wore 6 years ago and they all fit!!! I feel like I went shopping and I didn't even have to use my plastic! I love my sleeve!!!

The first week was the hardest for me, I woke up from surgery with horrible gas pain, and very nauseous, I was like that for the first 2 days. Then I only had the gas, and I was very tired. On day 8 magic happened, my doctor told me I could start taking my multi vitamins and my b12 and all the fatigue went away. My tummy is only upset when I eat too fast, or gulp water. My incisions never hurt, not even at the hospital, I was given a prescription for pain and I only used like 2 pills, I thought they might relieve the gas pain but they didn't, so I never used them again. I did have my period a few days after surgery and it was the worst period ever, but the second one was like normal.

To have a normal BMI I am supposed to be between 105-141, I can't ever remember being that weight. What I remember was that when I was 12 I was exactly 200 lbs. My surgeon didn't set a goal for me either, but I have always wanted to be 150, so that's my goal.

I have been thinking hard about wigs to cover my hair loss, but I have no clue what is good or bad. Synthetic vs human hair vs lace front, and so on. Any experts on wig here that can help me?

I cook for myself and my family, 2 different meals, and I always taste the meal for my family. Most of the time I am trying to check if its too salty, I can't seem to cook without tasting. This week I made some Pasta salad for the family and I had 2 table spoons >.<, and everytime Id open the fridge I would get 1 piece of pasta. I also drink a few sips with my meal, I am afraid that I might have swallowed without chewing well enough and that the food will get stuck in my tummy, especially when I eat chicken or pork.

It is an awesome feeling when things you think aren't going to fit, fit. I have some jeans with tags I bought a year ago that fit when I bought them, but I didn't wear them straight away and then they wouldn't go past my thighs. I put them on and they are big on me, they are baggy in my bum, and fall off my waist. Its awesome!

Thank you! I was so happy when I out them on, I just couldn't believe it.

I like to sleep on my belly, so the first few weeks I had to sleep with a ton of pillows on my back and all around me so I wouldn't roll onto my stomach. I was almost sitting up in the middle of the bed. Eventually I had less pillows on my back and would almost sleep on my side, with a pillow kinda supporting my back, so I wasn't all the way sideways. Now that I am back home and I have my foam mattress again, I always wake up on my tummy and it doesn't hurt.

Back in 2008 I was on one of my diets, and I was 265 lbs, my aunt game me some clothes that were too big for her and she had hardly worn. In the bundle there was a pair of 18/20 Lane Bryant pant (95% polyester 5% spandex) that would not fit, fast forward 2011 and I am 380 lbs so I gave the pants to my grandmother. Back in the beginning of February my grandmother gave me the pants back, she said I haven't worn them but they look like they almost fit you. My grandma is a seamstress, and she had taken the pants in on the sides because they were too big for her, so I was skeptical, I thought she was looking at my behind with love and thought it would fit in those pants. Anyways, today I am looking for some business clothes and I found the pants in my drawer and I said let me see how much longer till they fit me. AND THEY WENT UP! All the way, they are super tight on me put they went up, I am guessing they are so tight because of the line of stitches running on both sides my grandma did for them to fit her. Why do I call them mystery pants? because according to my scale I am 277 and they fit, but when I was 265 back in 2008 they didn't fit! Doesn't matter what the scale says, I am a happy camper!!!!

worst- nausea from the anesthesia best- knowing that this surgery saved my life, I know that all those obesity complication like diabetes and high blood pressure are not right around the corner anymore. I am becoming a healthier person by the minute!

Awesome, just awesome

I was told that before I looked like a small mountain when I laid on the bed and now I sort of melt too.

Thank you =)

I am very glad to hear I won't feel like a giant bowl of jello forever

Am I the only one that feels like everything wiggles when I move? I feel like a piece of jello wiggling around all day, it feels kinda weird.

I had 1 week of clear liquids diluted with water, 1 week of clear liquids, 1 week of anything blended, 1 week of purees, and after that anything I wanted (except for beef). My doctor told me if I wanted to chew something to chew sugar free gum, and that was from the first week.

Woohoo!!! I will join your dance!!!

Thank you all for the support. In my head I know its temporary, and like I said I don't regret surgery. Sometimes I just get this nagging thought that tells me not only are you fat, but you are also getting bald. I am just in a funk. Now that I think about it I have been getting alot more moody, more often. All these hormones are getting to me I guess. I know its going to be ok, thank you all again.

You can really tell I am loosing hair, my hair was a little thin at the top before the surgery, but now a month and a half out and I can see my scalp through my hair. I know this is all for a great cause, and I don't regret the surgery, but its a little depressing to see. I eat around 70-80g of protein, and I take all my supplements. The weird thing is that I don't know where the hair is going because I don't see it; I have always lost a lil bit of hair when brushing my hair or shampooing, and it has not increased. Maybe I am going bald and it has nothing to do with surgery, my mom has been telling me its stress for a year now, but I don't know how not to stress about it.

Or you getting it hooked on something around the house, that happened to me alot precisely because I forgot it was there

During my research phase I remember asking what a drain was on the board, but I completely forgot to ask the surgeon. Such a long time passed between my question on the board and the appointment when I finally got a date for the surgery that I completely forgot about it until I woke up with one. Mine stayed on until my first post-op week.

Stop beating yourself up, next time just stick to no thank you. It is hard when other people don't know and you want to be polite, but its worse to eat something and then feel so bad physically and emotionally. Don't be so hard on yourself, we are all re-learning how to eat what is right for us. Its a struggle for me too, its a constant struggle to eat what my body needs, not what my eyes want. Every time I think about getting something to eat that is outside what I should have I take a sip of Water. I know it is okay to have a treat every now and again, but right now I know that my relationship with food needs to improve. On a happier note, the Protein I am drinking almost tastes like ice-cream to me, its Lean Dessert, maybe you can try it. Whenever I am drinking it, it doesn't taste like I am having a Protein shake, it tastes really good.