Oliver's Mom

Its better than a Fairy Tale, its real life!
Congratulations!

Wonderful post! I LOVE your sense of humor......
Great job - keep up the good work Frye

That is such an awesome NSV! Perhaps my wife will have your success also as she has dealt with ankylosing spondylitis most of her life. She currently is on remicade injections every 6 weeks, but has done prednisone and embrel in the past. She is going to have VSG in a couple months and would it not be amazing if she had your success.

I undertook this surgery primarily because 18 months ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. It is a terrible disease and I managed it through diet and exercise although I was told that, in time, I would need meds despite my efforts.
I could have coped with that if I had one chronic illness. But I had been fighting severe inflammatory arthritis for the previous 7 years that saw me taking the maximum dose of Methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug, and injecting Enbrel, a biological therapy, just to keep the arthritis in check and to allow me to live a relatively normal life for as long as possible. But the combo of two chronic conditions meant that, by the start of this year, I was crumbling with month after month of bloods for checking liver and kidneys, feet checks, eye checks, sugar levels ... I felt that I had been branded as being a sick person when I feel anything but and had fought so hard to get on with life and accept my lot.
A gastric sleeve seemed to be the option to tackle my diabetes, so I went for it. Two weeks out, all is looking well on that front. But a huge surprise to me, my rheumatologist and my surgical team is that my arthritis is still in remission, a month after stopping my meds. I have now been cleared to restart taking them but my rheumy has suggested restarting the injections only to see if we can keep the arthritis in check before it comes back with any force.
I can't explain how I feel - the prospect of this surgery giving me a chance to stop the Methotrexate - even if only for a few months - is truly life changing. Keep ur fingers crossed!!!!

There once was a boy, a huge ginormous boy who never really fit in. He would walk around slowly and breathlessly. Many would stare, kids would giggle and point. This boy was super content with his life but he knew something needed to change. So he became a women.... Wait no that's not right. He decided to have wls surgery, yes much better. So one night on Halloween a tummy fairy came along and tore out his stomach. And it was painful. He had to learn how to reeat. He followed the Fairys instructions to the T. He also found a site with people who had the same thing occur. Some of them who are nice, others who aren't. Six months later this boy loses 117 lbs and walks at a brisker pace. No one stares, his clothing is looser and he's much much healthier/happier. He doesn't regret his choice though it was the hardest thing to do in the world. He made the best choice and so will you.

I track on MFP too. I do it right after I eat or drink something. In fact, the first time I went to lunch with my daughter I pulled out my phone and tracked after I ate even before the bill came to the table. She was curious and she now uses MFP and so do her friends at the salon she works at. She hasn't had WLS, but wants to eat healthier and drop a few lbs. She's even walking with me.
I haven't gone over my daily calories, or carbs since the surgery. It's helpful to me because if I'm low on calories after my dinner meal, I know to have a healthy snack to get me closer to my daily allowance.
It's also helpful for when I meet with my NUT every 8 weeks so she can gauge how I'm doing with my food choices, etc.

So I lose a pound and then hover up & down a couple of ounces from that weight for a week or so....then I'll lose a pound and back to the hovering. BUT, today I had to go shopping for new pants size 12!!! Yep, down from a size 22 when I began this fabulous journey.
I just keep to the plan, eating my Protein ( average 60-100 per day) and my Water ( 8 - 12 8oz glasses a day) and exercise (which is my new love) and tracking every day I figure the last 16 pounds WILL come off. By choice I don't eat bread, Pasta, rice and I don't miss it. Maybe someday I will and then I'll have some. But veggies, fruits, the ever wonderful protein( fish, chicken, pork, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Lactaid & no sugar added Carnation Instant Breakfast) and occasionally some Skinny Pop popcorn. Beef still doesn't sit well with me, so I just don't have it now.
I feel the best I have in years and am so happy! Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

5 months today - 58 lbs lost. Only 16 more to go! Like others, I bounce up and down a pound or two - for a week or two at a time, then lose 1 or 2 lbs. And then bounce around again. I just keep doing the program, exercising, drinking my Water. I'm sure I will reach goal, but it may take a little time.

So I lose a pound and then hover up & down a couple of ounces from that weight for a week or so....then I'll lose a pound and back to the hovering. BUT, today I had to go shopping for new pants size 12!!! Yep, down from a size 22 when I began this fabulous journey.
I just keep to the plan, eating my Protein ( average 60-100 per day) and my Water ( 8 - 12 8oz glasses a day) and exercise (which is my new love) and tracking every day I figure the last 16 pounds WILL come off. By choice I don't eat bread, Pasta, rice and I don't miss it. Maybe someday I will and then I'll have some. But veggies, fruits, the ever wonderful protein( fish, chicken, pork, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Lactaid & no sugar added Carnation Instant Breakfast) and occasionally some Skinny Pop popcorn. Beef still doesn't sit well with me, so I just don't have it now.
I feel the best I have in years and am so happy! Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

So I lose a pound and then hover up & down a couple of ounces from that weight for a week or so....then I'll lose a pound and back to the hovering. BUT, today I had to go shopping for new pants size 12!!! Yep, down from a size 22 when I began this fabulous journey.
I just keep to the plan, eating my Protein ( average 60-100 per day) and my Water ( 8 - 12 8oz glasses a day) and exercise (which is my new love) and tracking every day I figure the last 16 pounds WILL come off. By choice I don't eat bread, Pasta, rice and I don't miss it. Maybe someday I will and then I'll have some. But veggies, fruits, the ever wonderful protein( fish, chicken, pork, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Lactaid & no sugar added Carnation Instant Breakfast) and occasionally some Skinny Pop popcorn. Beef still doesn't sit well with me, so I just don't have it now.
I feel the best I have in years and am so happy! Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

So I lose a pound and then hover up & down a couple of ounces from that weight for a week or so....then I'll lose a pound and back to the hovering. BUT, today I had to go shopping for new pants size 12!!! Yep, down from a size 22 when I began this fabulous journey.
I just keep to the plan, eating my Protein ( average 60-100 per day) and my Water ( 8 - 12 8oz glasses a day) and exercise (which is my new love) and tracking every day I figure the last 16 pounds WILL come off. By choice I don't eat bread, Pasta, rice and I don't miss it. Maybe someday I will and then I'll have some. But veggies, fruits, the ever wonderful protein( fish, chicken, pork, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Lactaid & no sugar added Carnation Instant Breakfast) and occasionally some Skinny Pop popcorn. Beef still doesn't sit well with me, so I just don't have it now.
I feel the best I have in years and am so happy! Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

I was sleeved December 3rd, 2012. It's 5 months today!! I am 59 yo - and only 16 lbs from goal!! You can do it, just follow your medical team's plan. You might hit stalls, but keep to the plan and the weight comes off. Good luck

I track on MFP too. I do it right after I eat or drink something. In fact, the first time I went to lunch with my daughter I pulled out my phone and tracked after I ate even before the bill came to the table. She was curious and she now uses MFP and so do her friends at the salon she works at. She hasn't had WLS, but wants to eat healthier and drop a few lbs. She's even walking with me.
I haven't gone over my daily calories, or carbs since the surgery. It's helpful to me because if I'm low on calories after my dinner meal, I know to have a healthy snack to get me closer to my daily allowance.
It's also helpful for when I meet with my NUT every 8 weeks so she can gauge how I'm doing with my food choices, etc.

Does that surgeon also work at any other hospital? I used to manage a surgery practice (not WLS) and they had operating privileges at two different hospitals. Just an idea. Good luck.

The first two months I didn't have any of my pre-op 'problem' foods (chips) in the house. Now I will buy the individual little bags for my husband and I am not interested in them at all. I have made Protein icecream using recipes from The World According to Eggface blog, and baked some mini Protein muffins. So when I want something sweet I just have a serving of the ice cream or two mini muffins.
Sometimes I will paint my fingernails if I'm bored - then I can't use my fingers for a while for them to dry. By then, any cravings I might have had have passed.
Good luck.

You look fabulous!!!! I am now so looking forward to summer and going to the beach!! Whoo hoo.
MOBD - your dog is adorable! love the face.

I plan to start tanning this week, I want to have tan legs so I don't have to wear any pantyhose when I put on a cute dress or a pair of shorts! I didn't wait on purpose but I'm almost 5 months po. I too love the feel of a tanning bed.

Wow! Congratulations you have done GREAT!!

oooohhh, not good. Sending good wishes for all to work out for you.

Trish- my advice would be to set small goals for yourself, stay positive, work activity into your daily life and find a way to work out that you enjoy! I love spinning classes! Also, listen to everything your nutritionist has to tell you!

I just got this suit from Kohl's. It has "ruching" on the front so it hides my tummy flab (and stretch marks). The little skirt bottom was a separate piece that I loved. It hides more stretch marks and loose upper thigh skin.

I have a very different way of thinking than most people that are overweight or have loose skin. Even at my highest weight I still wore a bikini to public pools and beaches. I've always had the frame of mind that "if you don't like what you see then quit looking at it"! I never let my weight be my "excuse" for not living. I was the one that I'm sure many people looked at and said "she must not have a friend to tell her not to wear that" or "she shouldn't be wearing a bikini with all that going on" BUT I am a sun worshipper and never let anyone's opinion stop me from enjoying the things I wanted to do. I look around me and see that everyone has faults and nobody is perfect. I've yet to see anyone that didn't have their own issues of some sort. I am not without embarrassment or insecurities or inhibitions it's just that I look past them and try my hardest to ignore them. Now that we all have had the VSG and working to try to look physically better it's imperative to work on our minds and thoughts too. GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT BATHINGSUIT ON! You look FABULOUS just the way you are!

Well I'm 10 months out & 91.2 pounds lighter!! Not as much as some but I'll get to where I want to be eventually!!

Relax! What's done is done..
Are you still on the soft stage? Planning should prevent events like your McMuffin Meltdown! Bring Snacks to work, string cheese, Protein shakes, Greek yogurt. Try to have a shake before you leave work, so your not "starving" when you pass McDonald's.
Try to remember why you had this surgery in the first place, eating crap like McDonald's is not going to help you achieve your goal of weight loss.
Don't wait until you are a breaking point to eat. You can do this, you just have to plan ahead for success!