SueJH

Hello ladies, I am in Brockton, 2 years out and feel free to ask any questions! Good luck!

I think a lot of us have some similarities. I didn't purge, but I was a huge fried food, fast food, sweets girl myself. After surgery (I'm 13 weeks out) food just doesn't have the same appeal. It's hard to explain how, but my hunger feels different too. I have all I can do to get my 2-3 oz of Protein in each meal, never mind the extra veggies or carbs I should be trying to add.
Best of luck to you!

The question is, wear the clothes you were wearing before surgery fitting just right, or a bit tight? If you were wearing them on the tight side, you are probably down 2 sizes. I know some of my stuff was like that. Now I'm wearing more baggy stuff to work because I'm sort of in between sizes right now and don't want to have to buy new work pants until I have too!

I would say to speak to you NUT or surgeon and ask them. Your stomach is still very swollen and needs to heal. You need to ask the experts and not look on here for permission.

Great job! I love seeing the before and after pics. I also can't wait to see pics of you in your wedding dress. You will be a beautiful bride!

First and foremost, you did nothing to deserve such treatment! Good for you for getting up and taking care of you today. Like the saying goes "fake it 'til you make it". Just keep doing what you are doing and tell yourself that you are beautiful and deserve better. Soon you will start to believe it!

I too did my session with UMASS I just got my date for September 24th. I also had to do the six months for my insurance. SUEJH has been a great help with me. By all means ask questions.

I think people will be better able to help if we had some more info like what have you been eating/drinking, are you exercising at all, etc.

I think people will be better able to help if we had some more info like what have you been eating/drinking, are you exercising at all, etc.

I think people will be better able to help if we had some more info like what have you been eating/drinking, are you exercising at all, etc.

Water poisoning can happen after drinking excessive amounts of water. 64oz a day is not excessive. If drinking less is working for you, that's great. Best of luck on your journey!

Pain really wasn't my problem, but coming out of the anesthesia after surgery I was nauseous and still very tired! All I wanted to do was to keep my eyes closed. The next morning I felt great and did watch some TV and go for walks around the hospital floor, so it might be nice for you to have your headphones and go for a stroll. Got some major gas pain around 4:30 that night that lasted for a few hours, but since then, no real pain. Everyone is different.

Pain really wasn't my problem, but coming out of the anesthesia after surgery I was nauseous and still very tired! All I wanted to do was to keep my eyes closed. The next morning I felt great and did watch some TV and go for walks around the hospital floor, so it might be nice for you to have your headphones and go for a stroll. Got some major gas pain around 4:30 that night that lasted for a few hours, but since then, no real pain. Everyone is different.

As of today 8/25/13, 20 weeks post op I've reached the 100 lb lost mark from my heaviest of 344 lbs on 1/1/13. Feel great, no regrets!

Water poisoning can happen after drinking excessive amounts of water. 64oz a day is not excessive. If drinking less is working for you, that's great. Best of luck on your journey!

Huge fan of spinach and feta!!

Everyone is different. I had the 20lb lifting restriction on paper for 6 weeks, but after my 2 week follow up with the surgeon, he said not to worry too much about it that you are pretty much healed by now. Still, take it easy and see what your surgeon has to say. It could be as simple as you twisted a little funny when lifting the books without realizing it and just have a little kink.

What is normal? Today I reached 118.9 and 24.85 bmi...doing the happy dance

Okcupid.com
Plenty of fish is full of perverts and guys looking to get into the USA. I'm not saying Okcupid doesn't have pervs, i've talked to plenty, BUT it seems like there might be less.

My first public meet with my now hubby, we met for a short hike.
I did a lot of online dating and had A LOT of first dates! I finally went into each one thinking it would be a one time meet and would just enjoy the company and the activity. Once I let go of expecting a followup or second date, they weren't as painful or depressing!
Met mine on okcupid (might just be cupid now).

Maybe an afternoon date something active where a cool refreshing Protein Shake would be yummy!
I paid for couple dating sites and ended up meeting my hubby on Twitter lol good luck have fun and be safe!

Great job! Thanks for telling us about your journey!

Hello everyone! I just thought I would stop by the forums and post my story since I haven't posted anything in the forums in a while, and since I took new after photos last night, I figured maybe it was time to post my story, in short version of course. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I might not be able to get to replying on the forum Here we go...
Starting weight and BMI: 298lbs/41BMI (5'11''...tall girl)
I started looking into weight loss surgery when I was 20 years old, firstly researching it on my own...eventually going to informational meetings and talking to different people who have been through the experience or work in a profession that deal with the different surgeries. At first I was looking into the LapBand surgery, so I started my mandatory steps in order for my insurance to approve of my request. This took me one year to complete, when I sent my request into my insurance I was denied due to where I wanted to get the surgery done not being a "Center of Excellence". So I was forced to travel to a new place about 2 hours from my home where there was a place my insurance would accept. My first seminar at this hospital is when I changed my mind from having the LapBand to the Gastric Sleeve. I chose to change my mind because the information that was given about all three surgeries just showed me that the Gastric Sleeve was the best option for me.
After I changed my mind I was forced (by my insurance) to re due all of my mandatory requirements in order to be approved, but they also added on 6 months of supervised weight loss this time. So long story short it took me about another year or so to get all my requirements redone. Finally on November 25 2012 I was at my final meeting with my surgeon and I got my date Dec 4 2012 (3 days after my 23 Birthday)...I finally got the date I was working for, for almost 3 years!!
Surgery day came and went, I spent 3 nights in the hospital, they asked if I wanted to stay one more day due to pain I was having, but I decided to go home. The first month was difficult, I have a post op liquid diet of 3 weeks, with mushy food by the 4th week...so on and so forth. During this time I had to deal with a number of Christmas parties and New Years eve parties...it was hard, but I followed my doctors instructions to the word.
Over the next few months I was back on my full foods with difficulty with certain foods (I still have this difficulties, but it isn't a big deal. Hard times with pastas and breads). I suffered from a few horrible stalls (4 in total), but I worked through them. My doctor told me that his goal for me was 200lbs. 5.5 months post op I reached my doctors goal, but my personal goal was 180, so I kept working. I joined a gym only 1 month out of surgery and was going 3-4 days a week for 2 hours at a time, until sadly I had to give up my gym membership due to back issues. This just made me work a lot harder on my diet. 7.5 months post op I reached my personal goal of 180lbs!!!
Story short details...I went through so much to finally get approved...I felt like quitting so many times, yes I got frustrated, procrastinated a bit due to my spirits being low, but I stuck with it and finished all of my requirements. 2-3 years of hell, frustration and I wont lie...a lot of depression. After surgery I struggled with stalls, and my stomach not taking to solid foods as quickly as others do. It wasn't easy, I won't lie, it was a lot of working sticking with a healthy diet and a regular workout program. In the end (8 months later)..am I happy I did it? YES!!! I am so happy I stuck with the frustration and depression. Do I have any regrets? NONE! I would do this again and again if I have to. It has changed my life so much in the small period I have been on this journey. I use to have high blood pressure, I don't have to deal with that anymore. I have a blood disorder (genetic) and it has helped with that as well which wasn't really expected! Not to mention my confidence and my feeling of self worth has been greatly improved!!I have one more big thing to accomplish...which is go back to the amusement park that I was kicked off of a ride for being to big...and go and ride that ride FIRST then go on everything else this will be completed October 12, I have my tickets, I wont lie, I am a bit nervous (why? I don't know) but I am excited to see my improvement in that sense.
To everyone working on getting approved...all I have to say is keep up with it, even if it gets frustrating and you really want to quit...just keep looking towards the finish line, because trust me...it is WORTH that frustration, stress and possible depression. If I had to do it all over, I would do another 3 years of appointments and requirements if I had to. I couldn't be more thankful for the journey I have been through. But it wasn't easy, the surgery didn't do everything for me...it was a lot of work and stress, but still worth it
Todays weight and BMI : 179lbs/ 25BMI!!! (5'11'')

Me too! I had my surgery 3 days after you. The last few days I've noticed a lot more hair coming out in the shower (we have one of those net things so it doesn't go down the drain) and then when I put my mousse in my hair and use my fingers to comb it through. I have a hair appt next Wednesday so I'll be interested in what my hairdresser has to say!