gowalking

I posted on a similar theme earlier this morning. My orthopedic surgeon asked me questions about the band when I saw him yesterday. The guy is a fellow and chair of the department and yet he had no clue really about how the band works. I know he thought it was like a 'set it and forget it' tool and I hope I made it understood that it's not nearly that simple. He kept looking at my 'before' picture which is what is in the system at the hospital. He said I need to change it because I'm unrecognizable. I know he's right because I'm still working on recognizing myself. No one can lose half their body size and not have body issues. At least he wasn't a jerk like your ER doctor. He was just totally uninformed.

Seela's right. I had to lose about 40 lbs. just to go from a 4X top to a 3X top and 28 slacks to 24 (and they were pretty tight). But once I got to about a size 14, I went down to a 6 pretty rapidly.

Hi Sunny. That is an amazing amount of weight loss in one month. Just remember that it won't stay that way and 1-2 lbs. a week is the average. I've lost more than 140 lbs. and never lost more than 2 1/2 lbs. in one week's time (other than the pre-op period when I was mostly on liquids). Good luck to you and let me know if you are interested in coming to our NYC support group meetings. I'm presuming your forum name is because you live in or near the city.

Hi Friends. Thought I'd post this before heading out to Water exercise class. I went to three doctors yesterday for some follow ups. My orthopedic surgeon was one of those appointments. I'm one year out from bi-lateral hip replacement and this was a regular follow up. The doctor is the head of orthopedics at The Hospital for Joint Diseases/NYU Langone in NYC. You would think he'd know everything medical right? No so much. He had several questions about the band and how it worked. He really didn't understand and I had to explain that I am less hungry which allows me to eat less. But he asked about feeling full and I told him that full means you've gone too far and satiety is what we're looking for. I also had to tell him it wasn't a magic wand and that we still had to work the program. He also didn't know that I had to lose weight even before seeing him to discuss surgery. He thought I was obese back in August of 2013 when I first met him. Little did he realize I was already down 70 lbs. Now, I'm down more than 140 and about the size I was back in 1977 when I got married. It was also the last time I was that small by the way. My picture is part of my electronic records in the NYU system and my doctor said I needed to change the picture because I didn't look anything like that anymore.....and he removed the obese diagnosis that was still in the system. Said it wasn't applicable anymore. Have a great day everyone.

FYI, in case anyone follows this thread regarding the support group meetings, we have had to cancel todays meeting and will meet next Saturday instead. Feel free to PM me if you want/need information on time and or location for next week.

FYI, in case anyone follows this thread regarding the support group meetings, we have had to cancel todays meeting and will meet next Saturday instead. Feel free to PM me if you want/need information on time and or location for next week.

You know what I say Jane? Some people aren't happy unless they aren't happy. There are people out there who don't like to see others do well. I suspect it's because these folks are not doing well in their own lives. As another poster said...toxic.

So...heard these two recently and can't stop thinking about it. First was my physical therapist who was massaging my hip area to try to ease the tightness and pain. I was on my side and my pelvic bone was quite prominent. As he was massaging, he said, 'you're nothing but skin and bones...we need to get you stronger'. Skin and bones....OMG...me..he was talking about me. Amazing. Second was at Burlington Coat Factory last Saturday while looking for a winter coat. Asked the saleswoman where the women's coat are. I realized she might have thought I meant women's as in larger sizes so I clarified I meant for women but in misses or petite sizes and she said of course she knew that's what I meant and that looking at me it was obvious I wasn't looking for larger sizes. Again...so great to hear. Here's the problem though. I feel like I'm 'passing'. It reminds me of when light-skinned people of color passed as white back in the day. Not that I really have any experience with that. I'm white and have never really known that type of predjudice. But the feeling of not really being one of 'those' people...well, that I do know how it feels. I feel like a fat person passing for a thin one. I'm still not there in my head. Sorry for going off topic, but it's what's going on in my brain these days..and like I've always said, if I'm thinking these things, so are others. Guess I should mention this when I see the psychologist tonight...

Soup has alot of sodium in it. It's probably water weight. I used to eat soup alot and now it's a very rare meal where I partake. We tend to think calorically, but we need to think about the sodium content as well. Good luck on your WL journey and yes...stay off the scale!

miss you most: not a damn thing. don't miss: walking with a cane, horrific joint pain, struggling to walk one simple block before having to sit, being unable to buy nice clothes, being fat, being ugly, being out of control, sitting on the sidelines and not being able to participate in anything, not being able to get down on the floor with my grandchild and get up again, not having a man in my life, looking like an old woman at 50 but now at 56, looking like I'm ten years younger, not having to worry if I can fit in a booth or in a chair with arms. Do I need to go on? I can you know...the list of 'don't misses' is a mile long.

You'll be amazed by the difference. When I look at pics from when I was heavier, it really looks like someone pumped up my face like a balloon and now everything has shrunk. Just know that at your age (and mine...56) you may see a turkey neck where the double chin once was. I even saw more lines in the face, not less. But that can be fixed. I had filler injected in the 'comma lines' and it looks much better now. My mouth doesn't turn down at the edges like it used to. It's subtle, but I can see the difference.

I come on to this board with hopes of helping others the same way the people before me had helped me. I have to admit I am not as active as I once was because I get even more tired of the band versus sleeve versus bypass arguments. Jim...I know these and other types of threads are annoying but please stick around. When I was new to this process and fortunate enough to have stumbled onto this forum, it was mostly you, Missy, and CG who I followed because you all were successful and what you wrote made sense to me. I never meant to stay on this site so long but I truly feel that it helps me as much as it helps others. And now I am like you guys...once morbidly obese and now living life like everyone else in the sense that nothing holds me back anymore. Not my size, and not my mobility. I think about that whenever I get frustrated and it reminds me why I'm here. Thanks for all you've done for me. Liz.

Same thing here teacherlady. I had to have both hips replaced and am still dealing with back, leg, sciatica, tailbone, and other assorted pains. I have to learn how to redo everything based on my new size. I still walk with my legs far apart when there's no flesh there anymore. Even the physical therapist has told me that I must work on getting my 'core' stronger. I've been at this for more than two years so know that it's not an easy fix. The good news is that I am still 1,000% better than I was prior to WLS and hip replacement surgery.

With all due respect, I think the OP was trying to bring out the fact that there is much 'shame' in something that should have no shame attached. For those old enough to remember, a breast cancer diagnosis was once only whispered about. There was a tremendous amount of shame involved and I still don't know why except I guess because it was the breast. These days, there is no shame at all and alot of that has to do with people coming out and being honest about their diagnoses. In some way, we need that same thing when it comes to WLS so that there is no need to feel that people are judging us and finding us somehow 'lacking' because we are having surgery to help with this problem. It doesn't mean you have to tell if you don't want to. But in time, with enough people talking about it, this surgery might also be seen with less or no negativity one day.

My whole body has become so much smaller..I'm short to begin with and now after such a huge weight loss, I am very petite all over. My face looks much smaller since the weight is gone...if you look at pictures, my eyes are much more open because my cheeks aren't so darn fat now when I smile. I don't have a big nose to begin with so it doesn't feel or look any different. My feet however, have undergone a great change as well. I used to be an 8 1/2 wide and I am now a 7 1/2 regular width.

If you're willing to come into the city, I'm recommending my group at NYU. They have fill offices in other locations...maybe Westchester is one of them. PM me if you want further information.

I know you're nervous but I'm excited for you. You are starting one heck of a journey and you will be so happy once you start to lose the weight, get healthier, and feel better. Keep us posted and let us know when you've made it to the other side.

Most of my friends and family know about my WLS. That's mostly due to my mother who has no filter these days. I was upset at first but because I have been successful, I'm not that concerned anymore. I do understand though, that if I struggled more in trying to lose the weight, I might be concerned about those who judge. Even mom was ignorant in terms of how the band works. My cousin's girlfriend got the band about a year after me and my mother said she wasn't as successful as me because she needed to have the band tightened. I explained to her that this is the way it's supposed to be and it's me...with no fills...that is the anomaly. I felt I needed to be honest with my friends when they asked how I was losing the weight. No one has been negative and that means the world to me. It shows what good friends I really have. Coworkers....those I am close with are aware. The casual coworkers have not been told but I suspect the women have figured it out. The men I don't think have a clue. There are valid points on both sides here and I agree with many of the pros and cons. So I guess it still comes down to what each of us feels comfortable with. I do believe however, that most people think that WLS is the easy way out and we all know how wrong they are in that assumption. Advocacy would indeed go a long way in changing that incorrect assumption.

Apologies if you thought I was being rude. Sometimes I can be a little direct. It comes from being on this site for quite a long time and making certain presumptions occasionally. I don't want you to feel threatened by asking questions so please don't stop asking. It's how we learn and help others.

I forgot about this thread. OK, here goes. This is what 144 pounds gone looks like.

Can't help you with feedback for St. Luke's but I can tell you I was banded at NYU and had a good experience there.

Been a while since I've posted a NYC pic. Was strolling Fifth Ave. tonight after dinner out and took a quick detour to the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center. Hope you like it. No...no tree yet...but no huge crowds either.

I agree. Don't ask us for permission....talk to your doctor.

Hang in there...this is the hard part. Remember...you do get to eat a little something. I put the veggies into the broth so it was more than just liquid. The post op diet is also challenging but once you start on the mushies and eventually go to regular food again, the chances are good that you will have gotten over the worst part of it. Good luck, and hope to see you next week at the support group meeting.

I used them but for strengthening purposes after hip replacement surgery. I got them from the physical therapist but I'm pretty sure you can get them at a sporting goods store.