Madam Reverie

I feel strangely content today, this is true. All the stars and planets colliding. Maybe its because its my birthday tomorrow. Hit another milestone. The exception this time, is that I'm not hating the way I look going into it. For the first time in the longest time - I'm strangely content.

Damn skippy, Lynda. Damn skippy

Aw, thank you! I don't think my man would be too happy if he caught your hubby looking though! He can get a bit grumpy like that! Particularly if your hubby is hot! lol

Okay and as requested. It's not the best photo ever, but in comparison to my before photo - I can see a difference! This was taken on the 23rd Feb. 60.38% of my excess weight lost. 23lbs to go! If this stall ever bloody ends, I might just get there!!!! Before: Now:

Thank you, darling. You wait. Give it a short bit of time and you, too, will be feeling like this. Congratulations on having your op and hope you recover quickly. Look forward to charting your progress

Thank you, Bella. I am indeed feeling pretty fabulous today and I didn't even have a hangover. Yippppeee!

Never miss a moment.

The average weight loss is 60% of anyones excess weight. Some people do less, some people more.

Seems like you have to keep eating to keep it up for the period of time...

So, after having a lovely afternoon with a fabulous friend, who had managed to rationalise and put into perspective a work problem I've been enduring since 2008. To Celebrate, as I finally felt free of this burden, I decided to drag my man out for an evenings entertainment. We went and had a few drinkies and then decided to go dancing at the local 80's nightclub. I love 80's music, me. So, the club was jumping and I, was having a wonderful time bopping around. My man doesn't like to dance, so he stood on the sidelines - effectively on guard! Apart from the fact two drunk males who had decided to use the dance floor as a race track and knocked me flying, which resulted in a considerably bruised hip bone today and a fiance who wanted to literally kill these two youths; something very nice happened. We'd been standing near a group of more mature Polish males, who were a jolly nice bunch. Who, too, were bopping around and having a good time. One of them asked of my man 'is that your wife?' to which he replied 'yes, sir'. The Polish blokes all said 'You are a very very lucky man'. He replied 'I know'. <raises an eyebrow at how men can be sometimes!> A bit later, a, well, how would you refer to him as? A bit of a geeky looking/studious male, approached me whilst dancing. Nervously he said 'I am really sorry to disturb you. I am with a group of blokes who think you are gorgeous. We've been talking about it and they reckon that I would never be able to approach someone like you. (Someone like you?!!!) Would you mind if I just stood here for a bit, because I want to prove them wrong.' Feeling taken aback, I replied 'Aww, thank you! But of course! In fact I can go one better than that. Would you like to dance with me?' His young bespectacled face lit up as I grabbed his hand and dragged him onto the dance floor. (My man didn't mind as he clearly didn't feel threatened by it). This young lad's mates were left open-mouthed at the bar and I got such an effusive 'thank you!' when our dance was concluded. Towards the end of the night, as the Polish men were leaving, one of them approached me to say goodbye. With his thick accent and courteous demeanor, he leant forward and said 'I just want to say, your husband is one very very lucky man. You are a beautiful woman. Have a good evening.' At which point he kissed me on the cheek and left. Now, I have been excited about inches disappearing, I have been shocked by the scale dropping, I have been bemused by all my new found bones - I have also been devastated at the hair loss, but nothing. Nothing, compared to how last night made me feel. I am normal again. I am a 'someone like you'. I am humbled, slightly embarrassed - but elated. And you know what's even better? I logged my three hours of dancing on MyFitnessPal and I'd burnt up 1,293 calories! (Which more than offset the 5 pints of Guinness and the couple of vodka and red bulls I'd consumed!) Yay, me!

By week 11, it will all be a dim and distant memory. Trust me. Try not to focus on what you currently perceive as the negatives. It is the coursing hormones which are making you focus on these things. When you feel your mind being dragged to those depths, do something to distract yourself. Displacement activity is a very good thing. Don't worry, chick. You will soon be feeling like a swan

I'm a 'low' BMI-er. Self pay with comorbs. First 40lbs have gone reasonably well. I have now been in a stall for something like 8 weeks. Bouncing up and down by 2lbs. It is infuriating... But I only have 23lbs or so to get to my personal goal. It is now going reeeeeeeaaaaalllly slowly. I have no idea when the stall will break, but I have also noticed that approaching the 6 month mark, my sleeve has relaxed a bit. This means I can eat more - which is a worry. Cause if I can eat more, I will and I will really struggle to get the last 20lbs off. in conclusion, getting the last bit off is a real challenge...

This is a psychological issue. You need to go and see your psyche. They'll give CBT strategies to help you overcome it. You have formed a very unhealthy habit which you perpetuate every time you spit out the food. If there is no physical reason as to why you're not swallowing the food - you're just not, because of what's in your head, then it is a learned behaviour and an incredibly destructive one. Get it sorted and quick.

You might want to have a look at this: http://www.in.gov/idoi/2614.htm and this... http://www.indybar.org/community/lawyer-referral-service/ and this.... http://www.in.gov/judiciary/selfservice/ Any questions, please feel free to ask.

I drink wine all the time.. but it kicks my arse. A small glass won't hurt.. But I can safely say at the three glass mark, I'm toasted!

we are practically the same. I am 5ft 10 and stuck weight wise. Are you, too, finding you're stalling at the moment? I keep bouncing between 197-199 and this has been the case for about 6 weeks.

You really shouldn't become reliant on laxatives. Your guts become dependent on them for motility... I would suggest you only use it if you really need it. Try and cut it back a bit and see what happens with your movements. However and as said before, you are eating a lot of Protein. Your diet and thus your bowel movements are bound to change. This might well be one of the side effects of that. I've had it for years and it doesn't cause me any major issues. Again, if bothered by it, speak to your quack

Erm, this is quite common for those of us who suffer IBS. Like a clear jelly type substance? It is often associated with 'leaky gut' - although that's contested as leaky gut is an indicative sign of lots of nasty things like Chron's . Normally it is in response to something that your system doesn't like very much or a change in bowel habits. Which, if you're getting a whole load of Protein in, maybe your bowel needs more lubricating? How are you getting on with the milk in your Protein drinks or the protein powders themselves? It is totally normal ( cause I've had it for years) - but if your stomach gets incredibly sore, before or when you go to the loo, or the actual passing becomes really painful (outside of the associated constipation that comes with this surgery) and worse still, there's blood - go get it checked out.

Eating nothing but fresh air for the first few days will do that to a person. Certainly did it for me. Caveat - everyone is different - but for me, I didn't become a 'normal' person, until I hit puree's and then, this was only half normal. Full normal came back when I was on solids and could introduce a few carbs and some proper meat Protein. Now, I have a 2.5hr window of 'normal' post a meal/snack and then when the food wears off, its like my battery has run flat. I have to be careful of this now. Hang in there - its going to take a while to find your groove. As Kathy says - have a little nap whenever you can. sleep is a wonderful thing

Yes, I can totally relate to that, as I often obsess with things that are super important to me. I read a very interesting comment here, I do not remember the topic or the user, but she said that she is "playing" this weird game where she tries to take in all her Protein needs but with the least calories possible, every day little bit less and less and working out more and more, and I have found it very interesting. I mean after long years of abuse and really not careing about our bodies suddenly it becomes our first priority...fascinating ... That sounds like swapping one obsession for another.. Not a bad obsession to have, in fairness. As long as its not the other end of the pendulum. Obesity and Anorexia. Two sides of the same coin.

Absolutely not. Have at it. As long as you're not getting smashed out of your mind (because alcohol dehydrates and can take a while to work out of your system) and its just a feed of mexican food (hopefully the balanced good stuff), it will not throw your pre-op diet off. I was reliably informed by my bariatric nurse, the pre-op diet is to stop those who are chuffing down multiple bottles of booze and eating fried everything daily. A week before surgery I went out on the lash (drinking) with some gusto about 7 days before surgery. The night before surgery I had pizza, chicken tenders and a coke. I was given permission to do so.. That being said, however, i was a relatively low BMI starter, so the liver shrinking wasn't such a pressing issue for me. Whats your BMI right now? If my BMI was very high, I might not consider having the alcohol and just have the dinner. If you moderate your intake, so you're not a total glutton (maybe max 4 drinks, with Water in between and some food), it should be all good by Monday. Just be mindful as previously stated; it might mess with your head a bit after you get sleeved. I definitely mourned what I could no longer have in the short term. But then in saying that, this could be seen as a little food funeral (and EVERYONE, has had some form of that). I say go for it. In three days your world is going to change. Dramatically. Enjoy

As others have stated.. I am happy with what I've achieved. However, the obsessive tendencies which develop through this process can become addictive in their own right. You did something so dramatic, that anything less than perfection will not do.... Mix that with the really bloody-minded 'I have to achieve' attitude, which I tend to have... and it results in the daily mantra; 'I have to get these last 23lbs off GODDAMNNIT! MOVE scale, MOVE!!!!!'

Its all practice makes perfect

Agree with all the above. Particularly the bit about changing or alternating your drugs. I was put on lanzaprole (sp/ph) - or something similar when I left the hospital. Within a couple of days, I went on Omeprazole as I was drowning in my own bile. Like, seriously drowning in it. Go back to your doctor and get them to swap out your PPI. I take one in the morning, sometimes one in the evening and I'm all good. Without them.. I'd be in trouble. Apparently the acid can ease after 6-12 months, as the stomach relaxes a bit. Sometimes it doesn't and a RNY is required as a follow up surgery to get rid of it if it is truly very very bad. I'm not freaking out yet, as I can go a couple of days without a PPI if I'm careful with my diet. On this basis, I'm assuming I should be okay (fingers crossed) when my stomach gives a bit.. (which it is starting to). Hang in there.

No, on occasion people will hear it. Sometimes when it happens to me, my partner gives me a funny look and the bursts out laughing if its particularly loud. It happens when I glug fluids too quickly. I try not to do that in front of people for this very reason. It can be kinda embarrassing.