kelliv

You have done so well. I think it's time for a new profile pic!!

You have done so well. I think it's time for a new profile pic!!

Bec I know exactly what you mean about not seeing the weight loss. I am now into the larger end of 'regular' clothes, size 16 or 18 compared to the larger sizes 22-24 I was in before. Suddenly I think I look huge again. I know it is not rational. Even though I am still obese, and have another 17kg until I am at my surgeon's ideal weight, I am no longer morbidly obese after losing 30kg.Maybe it is because I am now in change rooms next to women asking for a size 10 because the size 12 is too big!! Maybe because I am wearing fitted clothes instead of the baggy ones I used to buy because they were the only ones that fitted me Anyway, I am not upset or obsessed about it at all. I am really pleased and really proud of my weight loss. It is just another puzzling thing that that has come up on my sleeve journey and I suspect it has something to do with me getting used to my "new normal" after struggling with my weight all these years. It is such a comfort to know I will never go back to those days. Love my sleeve!

That's awesome! You must feel great!
My big news for today is that I am overweight! Today is my last weigh-in until Dec 20 as I will be on the road, so I'm so grateful I hit this milestone today!

Thanks Misty - you and everyone else is well on their way too - can't wait until you guys join me on the maintenance bench - it is quite an adjustment after focusing on losing for so long. I still focus on Protein but I am not eating enough green veges and tend to gravitate back to carbs. I have not had a weight gain at all from this but I am not sure how that will go long term. I am still eating very regularly and find if I do go without food for too long I can get quite hungry now. This is when I am most likely to morn not being able to eat a lot of food, because of course now, being hungry doesn't mean you can fit anymore in - so you never get that old full feeling just the new full feeling which is more of a physical feeling. Hard to describe but some of you might understand what I mean. Any feeling of missing the old full passes really quickly. I now clearly recognise it as truly emotional hunger because there is a certain amount of comfort attached to it - but like I said, it passes quickly once you have eaten.

Wow Misty - really brings it home how much you have lost. My only momento I kept from my old life is my life time membership card to Jenny Craig which I look at occasionally - it just makes me feel grateful every time I look at it to know I will never struggle against weight gain again like I did in the past - all my old clothes have gone now - I think I have a couple of coats left. Anyway, here is another update - we were off to the races - I am no gambler but it is great day out with friends!

I've only lost 17kgs and I find that laying on my side in bed I can feel my hips dig in the bed. 1. I thing the rest of my weight is pushing down on less padding and 2. Need a new bed

So this happened...

Oh my gosh! Woo hoo ! I am finally logged on!! Hi again everyone and a very warm welcome to the newbies- I have been trying and trying to log on for ages. Reading all the posts has been great but sooo frustrating not to be able to reply. I hope this works on my phone which is what I usually use....
Last time I posted I was so hungry, craving carbohydrates mainly, lots of head hunger, and couldn't work out why. Then I got my TOM for the first time in four months since the surgery. Suddenly I just couldn't fit *anything* into my sleeve for a few days. Go figure.
Now 30kg down and fitting into regular size 16-18 depending on the store. This is my surgical goal but I am still slowly losing and I have until January until the magical six month rapid weight loss window closes. I just cannot believe that I can walk into a regular size shop and try on things that fit me. More unbelievable is how much cheaper the clothing is (obviously not shopping for designer stuff yet - Lol). My arthritis continues but I know that if I had not had the sleeve I would be walking now with a stick. No knee pain now and my foot pain no longer makes me cry Love my sleeve and missed chatting with you guys.

Hi Everyone, I have been keeping up with all of your news but life has been a bit hectic so I haven't been posting much anywhere.
Welcome Back Sarahjp, I hope 'Dr Grumpy' is as happy with your loss as you are? Congratulations on your determination to make this surgery work for you. I am still seeing him and I actually got a hug and a smile out of him at my last visit, when I showed him the pictures of me on the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge which I climbed on 5th October.
Sueoco, I have never liked exercise and at 7 months post op, I still can't/don't want to make it part of my life. So, well done on joining the Gym.
Merry, I know that lots of people lose their hair post op, however, I am 7 months post op and my hair is healthier, thicker and looking better than ever. So don't count on losing your hair because it may not happen.
Misty, I am sorry that you are unwell after your surgery and I hope that the antibiotics do the trick before you travel back to India.
I have now lost 30 kgs and have done something very impulsive, which I would never have done 7 months ago. I have booked myself a very quick trip to Sydney for the Sydney 500 V8 Supercars Final Round which is on over the weekend of 6,7,8 December. My favourite driver Craig Lowndes has a chance of winning the 2013 Championship and I have a Grandstand ticket at the finish line to see him win. I just a bit excited *in case you didn't already get that,lol*. I am a little anxious that I won't fit in the airplane seat, but I'll worry about that when I'm on the plane on Thursday. lol
If there are any Sydneysiders who would like to get together for coffee or dinner over the weekend, I'd love to catch up. I'm staying in Parramatta and I won't have a car but I can do taxi's if necessary.
Keep up the great work everyone and have a wonderful Thursday.
Michele

Thank you all for your advice will try not to worry about it in advance and deal with it if it happens.

Hey Misty - sorry to hear you haven't been well and I hope things get sorted out before you have to travel! What a great job to be able to travel to other countries though I am lucky if I get out of the local area, let alone the state (for work purposes).
Merry- I think just taking care of what hair you have is the best advice. There are a lot of expensive treatments out there and not a lot of evidence to suggest that it's worth the outlay sadly. I lost a lot of hair following the surgeries and though it sucked (and I ended up cutting most of my hair off as a result), it is slowly getting back on track and starting to get a healthy look about it. My best advice is to look after your hair, get regular treatments at the hairdresser (added bonus of a lovely head massage which I love) and just go with it. It does get better after a little while.
Sue - I've had the same problem and have just had to uninstall the app on my iPhone as it wouldn't load. I am going to reinstall it later tonight so I hope that it sorts itself out. It got stuck on the logging in screen since Alex merged my accounts - a small price to pay though to have it all sorted out. It took ages to get the app to subscribe me to this thread but did eventually work so keep at it!
Wore a new dress to work today for a function and had so many lovely comments. It was just nice not to feel self conscious about how I look! I had to speak to a group of about 30 people for a two hour meeting today and it just didn't phase me at all. Not even a little nervous - such a difference. I would have been a wreck doing something like this pre-surgery.
Cheers, Liss

Hi everyone had my 6 week visit with the surgeon last week, 10kg since surgery, pleased with the progress so far. Was wondering if any one had any tips to try and prevent Hair loss, I don't have thick hair as it is so am a little nervous about that.

Tomorrow will be 7 was since my surgery. I've lost 15 kg so far :-)

Woo Hoo! Thanks to Misty (don't know how you managed that but thanks) and Alex, I now have my accounts merged and I am set up So happy! Happy Hump day all

I hope so. I have been looking forward to meeting you - hopefully Susan and other Sydney Sleevers can make it - it will be like our Sleevers Christmas party .... I'll order in the 6 mince tarts - that should be enough for at least 12 of us

Well we've moved to the Gold Coast today and friends have offered us their house right on Mermaid Beach for the first few weeks. Sitting here watching the waves roll in and contemplating this new adventure in life. I seriously doubt i would be doing this now if I had not lost the weight. I feel good and confident and excited. Hope everyone else is having a great weekend.

Sounds fabulous, Kelli!
The party was great. I got so many compliments. I have to say I am getting sick of the attention actually. Some people can be really inappropriate. But I looked good. We left by 10:30 because I was having pain from my incisions.
I think I'm recovering ok from the gallbladder removal. As above, the incisions are still sore and I think I overdid it yesterday. I bought a bicycle and rode it home from the shop (about 5 km but I am so not used to it). Then the party. It was too much. But I think I have lost all the swelling since the surgery and two of my four bandages have come off.
So the bike thing. I feel like I am ready to get a little more exercise on the weekends! I'm running three times a week about 6k per time (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and don't really want to add more running. I do a lot of incidental walking which I don't really count as exercise. So I figured I would get a bike and I could use it to get to the shops or church or other small errands on the weekends. I might go for a ride on the bike paths too for fun. I don't see myself becoming one of those Lycra-clad "racer" types that you see everywhere around Brisbane. So I got a European style "touring bike" and had a huge wire basket installed on the front of it. The basket unsnaps for shopping too. Because I'm so short it is hard to fit me for a bike, but this one is great (just a tiny bit too tall maybe). I don't actually have a ton of cycling experience especially on the road, so I am going to stick to the easy stuff and have fun and go slow. This bike is a 7 speed and not too fancy.
We went out for a short ride this morning, just 7 km along the bike paths. It felt good even though my bum is a bit tender!
I love my sleeve and the fact that I am seeking out more ways to be active. I also love that I was able to wear heels at the party last night and actually forget I was wearing them, because they did not pinch or hurt a bit!

Well we've moved to the Gold Coast today and friends have offered us their house right on Mermaid Beach for the first few weeks. Sitting here watching the waves roll in and contemplating this new adventure in life. I seriously doubt i would be doing this now if I had not lost the weight. I feel good and confident and excited. Hope everyone else is having a great weekend.

Well we've moved to the Gold Coast today and friends have offered us their house right on Mermaid Beach for the first few weeks. Sitting here watching the waves roll in and contemplating this new adventure in life. I seriously doubt i would be doing this now if I had not lost the weight. I feel good and confident and excited. Hope everyone else is having a great weekend.

OMG OMG, i hit 69 this morning!!! I haven't been in the 60,s for 20 years. I love my sleeve!

Welcome! Reza did my sleeve 6 months ago and just removed my gallbladder two days ago. He is brisk and to the point but a great surgeon. I don't recommend his dietitian Andrew. I recommend Diana Barr who also has rooms at the Wesley. With the sleeve and Di's advice I am down nearly 30 kg in the 6 months. I have progressed to being able to run for over am hour straight and I'm thinking of buying a bicycle so I can get more exercise on the weekends. I feel great and love my sleeve

OMG OMG, i hit 69 this morning!!! I haven't been in the 60,s for 20 years. I love my sleeve!

OMG OMG, i hit 69 this morning!!! I haven't been in the 60,s for 20 years. I love my sleeve!