BlessedBeyondMeasure2012

You look great! You don't look like a little old man and I actually think you look younger than before. It is hard for people to see us going through so many changes. They get used to seeing us big and when we start losing it looks to them like we are a lot smaller than what we actually are. I go through this on a daily basis. People call me "skinny" every day, and let me tell you, I am FAR from skinny. I am still wearing an 18/20 in pants but for some reason, people who knew me before surgery see me as smaller than this. I keep telling myself that if someone who didn't know me before saw me they would still see an overwight woman with plenty of weight to lose. People that see you, ones that didn't know you before, see you as a healthy and fit guy, not someone who is big or overweight. I think sometimes as much as our view of ourselves is skewed, the people that knew us before also have skewed views of us. Keep your head up, you are doing and have done amazing!

When I started talking about having the sleeve done my sister also started talking about it. She is over weight and has been for most of her adult life just like myself. She is 5 years older than I am but is about 5 inches shorter. She has been my little big sister for many years. Well, she has had a couple of c-sections, laproscopic gall bladder surgery and a robotic hysterectomy and was concerned that she may have adhesions that would cause problems for a sleeve surgery. She talked herself out of the surgery and out of looking into it anymore than what she already had, which wasn't much but still. Well, I've now lost 102 pounds and she has gained about 20 in that same amount of time. She asked me this weekend if I thought she would be crazy to have it done. I was so excited! I have been wanting to encourage her to have the surgery but knew she was afraid to. She talked with her husband and he is supportive too! My prayer for her is that if she is supposed to have it done that God will put her infront of the right surgeon. She lives away from me so will be using someone other than the surgeon that did mine. I am so excited for her and that we could be doing this together. She is one of my best friends and is one of my biggest encouragers. I can't wait for the opportunity to be the same for her!

TOSS THE BOX!!! I had the same problem. It is still hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I have gotten rid of clothes that were too big that used to be my 'I'll get into those someday" clothes. I am almost through all of those and am fixing to be in uncharted waters, or at least I haven't been in them in years. You won't need them again. Ever. Get rid of them and make some room for the new stuff that will be finding it's way in!

This sounds so yummy! How much is a serving?

Good for you!!! I was in the same size as you when I had surgery, I've lost 92 pounds and I'm still between an 18 and a 20 so I'm jealous LOL! I'm am so very excited for you though !

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this!!! Congrats!

It will all work out and this headache will be a thing of the past before you know it. Keep your head up and keep chugging forward. You will get your surgery and be glad you did. I know right now all this seems crazy but it will all be worth it! Good luck! And don't for get to take a deep breath... breathe in, breathe out, repeat over and over again!!!

So my signature was getting too long for all the info in it so I'm just going to put it in a blog and I will update it as needed. I'm not using my highest weight as my starting weight because my highest weight was actually the day I went in the hospital to deliver our daughter. My starting weight is my highest weight less her birth weight. 2/23/13 Highest weight 342.2 (332.4 not counting baby girl's birth weight) 3/12/13 Start of preop diet 309.7 (-22.7) 3/25/13 Surgery day 297.7 (-12) Total lost before surgery 34.7 4/1/13 1 week post op 286.6 (-10.9) 4/8/13 2 weeks post op 281.5 (-5.1) 4/15/13 3 weeks post op 281.4 (-0.1) 4/22/13 4 weeks post op 279.8 (-1.6) Lost in the first 4 weeks 17.7, since starting preop diet 29.7 4/29/13 5 weeks post op 273.0 (-6.8) 5/6/13 6 weeks post op 269.2 (-3.8) 5/14/13 7 weeks post op 270.6 (+1.4) 5/20/13 8 weeks post op 264.7 (-5.9) Lost in the 2nd 4 weeks 15.1, since surgery 32.8, since starting preop diet 44.8 5/27/13 9 weeks post op 260.7 (-4) 6/3/13 10 weeks post op 257.7 (-3) 6/10/13 11 weeks post op 255.3 (-2.4) 6/17/13 12 weeks post op 248.7 (-6.6) Lost in the 3rd 4 weeks 16, since surgery 48.8, since starting preop diet 64.8 6/24/13 13 weeks post op (3 months out tomorrow) post op 247.3 (-1.5) 7/1/13 14 weeks post op 243.1 (-4.2) 7/8/13 15 weeks post op 241.4 (-1.7) 7/15/13 16 weeks post op 238 (-3.4) Lost in the 4th 4 weeks 10.8, since surgery 59.6, since starting preop 75.6 7/22/13 17 weeks post op 235.8 (-2.2) 7/29/13 18 weeks post op 237.7 (+1.9) 8/5/13 19 weeks post op 235.2 (-2.5) had my gall bladder removed this day 8/12/13 20 weeks post op 230.4 (-4.8) Lost in the 5th 4 weeks 7.6, since surgery 67.2, since starting preop 83.2 I hit 100 pounds total gone on 8/11/13!!! 8/19/13 21 weeks post op 226.9 (-3.5) 8/26/13 22 weeks post op 227.1 (+0.2) 9/2/13 23 weeks post op 223 (-4.1) 9/9/13 24 weeks post op 222.8 (-0.8) Lost in the 6th 4 weeks 7.6, since surgery 74.8, since starting preop 90.8 9/16/13 25 weeks post op 220.7 (-2.1) 9/23/13 26 weeks post op 219.1 (-1.6) 9/30/13 27 weeks post op 222 (+2.9) 10/7/13 28 weeks post op 217.3 (-4.1) Lost in the 7th 4 weeks 4.9, since surgery 79.7, since starting preop 95.7 10/14/13 29 weeks post op 217.8 (+0.5) 10/21/13 30 weeks post op 213.8 (-4.0) 10/28/13 31 weeks post op 212.4 (-1.4) 11/4/13 32 weeks post op 212.7 (+0.3) Lost in the 8th 4 weeks 5.1, since surgery 84.8, since starting preop 100.8 11/11/13 33 weeks post op 213.9 (+1.2) 11/18/13 34 weeks post op 210.2 (-3.7) 11/25/13 35 weeks post op 209.1 (-1.1) 12/2/13 36 weeks post op 207.4 (-1.7) Lost in the 9th 4 weeks 5.3, since surgery 90.1, since starting preop 106.1 12/9/13 37 weeks post op 204.2 (-3.2)

My insurance required the same as cbd up there. I was in the same boat as you, no comorbidities just obesity. My BMI was 53.6 when I started to lose before my preop diet, now after losing for a month prior to my preop diet, the preop diet and 10 weeks since surgery, I'm down almost 75 pounds. If your BMI is over 50, you should be approved with no problems. I even heard back from my insurance company within just a couple of days.

I am having the same issue and it seems like I get one about a week before I am supposed to start. I have a GYN that will call in some diflucan anytime I need it so I'm lucy in that respect and usually one dose knocks it out completely. I know to add acidophilus but I just hadn't thought about it. I don't eat a lot of yogurt either, just trying to stay away from so many carbs. My sugar intake is ZERO so I know that is not it. I think it can also be hormonal. Good luck with getting yours better. You may want to call your GYN and see if you can get a diflucan, with in 3-5 days you should be feeling better (sorry that it's not sooner)

You look AMAZING lady! Our starting weights were the same and I can't wait to look as great as you do! Congratulations!!

You're leaving us hanging!!! I'm hooked on your story!

I did this very thing last night. That was the first time since surgery that I even came close to getting sick. (I'm 7 weeks out) I had this really uncomfortable, almost painful feeling along with EXTREME nausea for about 10 minutes. I even went in the bathroom just to be on the safe side. After a few minutes in there I had about 5 really intense hiccups and then they stopped and the feeling slowly started to ease. I'm gonna do my best to never do that again. I don't like throwing up and I like being nauseated even less. I'll have to apologize to the starving children across the globe for throwing away a few bites with most meals. I have tried to watch how "skinny" people eat, and almost all of them don't clean their plates. I'm having to break this in myself. We have already started teaching our son to make a "happy plate" and I feel guilty about giving him bad habits already. I'm going to have to stop it now and not wait until he is over weight. Thank the Lord he has gotten his physique from his daddy, thin!

I say don't do it, but that's just me. You will be able to have your favorite foods again just in smaller portions. It may be some time before you can but you will be able to eat normally again. You aren't saying goodbye to all food forever and whatever weight you gain while you are having your "food funeral" is just more weight that you have to lose after surgery. I'm not sure what your preop requirements are (I had to do a two week preop diet) but you need to take that into consideration too. I had tried to cut down on volume of what I was eating even before my preop diet so that when it started it wouldn't be so hard. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to have to do it again but I made it just fine. I did cheat once on accident (I drank chicken broth and apparently that was against my dr's rules, but hey, at least it wasn't worse). You have to do what is right for you and if you need that sendoff before surgery then you do. Just put lots of thought into it first. If you do it, enjoy it!!

So I had a rough weekend. I got to add soft food to my diet on Friday. One would think that after three weeks of not eating any "real" food that it would be great, and it was! I got up on Saturday and I was up a pound from where I was Friday morning. Now, I know that my body is saying "Hey! I finally got some food, I need to hang on to it cause I don't know when I'll get the next round," and that is why the scales haven't been really nice this weekend. I still am bouncing around the same stupid half pound since Friday and its just frustrating. In my "previous life" I would have been irritated and just eaten something that I shouldn't have to justify the increase on the scales. Now, I didn't do anything or eat anything I shouldn't have but, boy, did I have a battle with head hunger all weekend. One of my favorite places to eat used to be Moe's, my husband has never really cared for it and I think that we have eaten there together just once in the past 5 years. Yesterday I had to run across town and what does he ask me to bring him back for supper?? MOE'S!! i couldn't believe it and it just plain made me mad when I had to go in there and order his burrito. I wanted one so bad but instead, I ordered his just like he asked (with absolutely nothing that could be considered healthy on it) and brought it home to him. I fixed my supper and was satisfied with it. My dad used to say that it didn't matter if you got full off of black eyed peas or steak and potatoes either way you were still full. That is very true, steak and potatoes just taste much better, as would have Moe's last night. Anyway, I needed something to take my mind off of the negative and I figured I'd list the NSV's that I could think of to lift my spirits a little 1. I can get my wedding rings on again, I haven't been able to wear them individually since last June and it has probably been more than a year since I have been able to get both of them on at the same time. 2. I already have a pair of pants that are too big and I can no longer wear (at least my husband refuses to be seen in public with me if I do!) 3. Its easier to shave my arm pits cause they aren't so full. 4. I can bend over to paint my own toe nails again! 5. The seatbelt in my husbands truck doesn't lock just because I'm trying to put it on and pulled it out a little too far anymore. I can actually bend down and pick my purse up from the floorboard and it doesn't lock! 6. I can put on and tie my shoes with almost no effort. 7. I have bad breath. (Okay so maybe that one isn't so exciting but apparently when you are breaking down fat you get ketosis which causes halitosis aka bad breath. I must be doing good breaking it down cause even my 5 year old tells me my breath is stinky! LOL!) I know there are more but these are all I can think of right now. I'm going to keep working at it and keep working my tool. I know that I did the right thing and I know that I'll be able to eat more normally again some day. I did this for my kids and they are going to have a more amazing mom because of it.

Only 5 days post op and it still hurts to laugh that hard! Thanks!

Good luck! I'll be saying some prayers for you that every thing comes together

I will start my preop diet tomorrow and am having a little bit of anxiety about it. I'm scheduled for surgery on 3-25 (two weeks from today) but don't have my NUT appt until 3 today. Good luck to the both of us! I'll be praying for you, please pray for me too!

I said just yesterday how I wanted to reach through the phone and choke my sister's mother (who happened to also give birth to me but I was so aggrivated at her I wouldn't claim her). My mom is not happy about me having surgery and is extremely happy that it has been postponed for a while. While it was still scheduled I got advice from her all the time about how I could lose weight without surgery. Now that it is postponed (I'm pregnant) she told me yesterday how I didn't need to gain any weight during this pregnancy and if I didn't, by the time I had the baby I would have lost weight. Thanks, Mom, I couldn't put that together. Anyway, I feel like she doesn't want me to have surgery on one hand but on the other hand wants to fuss at me for being too fat. I wish she would make up her mind! Please don't get me wrong, I have an amazing mother and I love her more than life, BUT she is about to drive me crazy! I hope your luck with your mom gets better. Keep your head up and keep on losing. I can't wait til I'm sitting on the losers bench with you! Maybe when time comes for my surgery mom will have changed her attitude about it. At least I hope so. Remember you aren't in this alone, we are in it together!

UPDATE July sleevers surgery dates July 1 2 Smoggy, Patrick Curl, Faganberry, sleevertobe, ChristineS NY, ladyarwenrose, emptynesterpam, Milca, Pattyhdz, Bigdogkc, BeatrizS1974, girlfriday, 3 Nabird77 (Gena) , StarshineMama, letsdothis!!!, Christylove, z3djinn, 4 5 vhoke1, 6 Mishy, Beth-n-e, 7 mizzliz83,Sweetsusie, joyfuljoy, 8 9 Shangefan, Gisele3264, ~Donna~, mel2643, Argnewcan, Twhite, jason, IweightNoMore, 10 lacie1221, tjloser, KSDallas, bmooney364, lizzybeth, LIZA L, 11 Mimismom, thinmomsoon, biggiesmallz, DelongH, lowe1961, SkinnySmurf, soontobe1/2ofmyself, JenniJune, stephyfly, joyv, 12 wyattgsmommy, 13 LizEac, 14 lorijo67, 15 Mrslittle (Sharnae), 16 Amyl219, laragarza, Marty McSkinnystein, momoffive, 17 misschris, purplekt, lynnz, 18 aleach0003, momoffive, prisytomboy, ButterflyAngel, 19 Minnie Me, 20 fbelle29, 21 22 23 PhoenixFire, Texarkolina, Mamaof8, StrangelyNormal, DixienMs 24 kimbernada, Red597, skowronski777, 25 Tinker, kilzanich, 26 27 Ymabme, Vegassleeve 28 29 30 newmrsL, Born 2BFree, JaciBear, Kiki von Moonshine, 31 Lovemeifyoucan,

Thank you so much! And GOOD LUCK!!!

That's exactly what my husband said! I am so blessed to have such and amazing husband who is so supportive through all of this! and thank you SO MUCH! We are very excited!