Miss Mac

The bigger I got, the less likely I was to wear a dress, until I just gave them up entirely. I was sleeved about six months ago, and got brave enough to buy a few summer dresses at a discount. Yesterday, for a doctor's appointment was the first time in NINETEEN years that I have worn a dress! It made me feel really feminine and put a smile on my face. Wow. What a difference a piece of fabric makes. I had no idea that it would feel like such a big deal, and my legs are looking good. It is these occasional NSVs that keep me going.

Artificial sweeteners were a stepping stone for me when I did Atkins years ago, but gradually over time became a powerful crutch. I had become used to my food tasting sweet. I was putting that stuff in chili, tuna salad, salad dressings, just anything and everything in massive amounts. When I got my sleeve, I began notching down because here I was eating all natural healthy food, but adding sweetener to it and also drinking all those chemicals. This past week, I decided to dropped them entirely and just drink Water 95% of the time. And guess what? I broke a plateau and lost four pounds in a few days! So, I am thinking the sweeteners were holding me back. Well, whatever the science, I am convinced that sweeteners and sugar are both not for me.

I agree 100% with mi75. Syntrax nectar Grapefruit with Crystal LIght Lemonade. A....Maz...Ing. Actually, I warm up the lemonade a little, mix in the Syntrax, strain out the few bit of lumps, then put it on ice. I bought several flavors and styles of proteinn drinks, and this one is my favorite of them all.

Me too. I was eating steak at one month. Grass fed is the best, so I hear.

My hips and knees are better to the point that I can walk with a cane instead of a walker, and the pain is less. My back not so much, as I have 14 herniated discs with all of that arthritic complication that goes with it. I need a full lumbar fusion, the one with a posterior, anterior, and lateral incisions with rods and hardware and such. However, I am down 55 pounds at almost six months, and have bought some time with my sleeve. The spine surgeon thinks that if I can get another 50 pounds off, my risk for needing the surgery will be considerably less. I am getting by with continueing the lumbar epidurals and wearing a back brace.

Glad to help. I used info such as the fact that my mother died from an abdominal aortic anurysm at the age of 67 (not much older than I am now). She was 5'2" and weighed 320 pounds. My oldest brother died at the age of 47 from a heart attack. He was 6' and weighed 320 pounds. My father had two heart attacks and eventually died of a stroke. I had a stroke myself on 2010, and am so appreciative of the outstanding and rapid care that I got at the hospital. I am sure most of us in the bariatric community can relate to several conditions on that list. I got it from the website for the National Institute of Health. They indicate that most surgeons and insurance companies use this list for consideration.

Here is a list of co-morbidities that insurance companies consider. Even family history of some conditions will count toward your likelihood of getting that condition if you do not have the surgery. I hope this helps. I am a retired federal employee with BCBS Federal. My starting BMI was 40.1 and when my packet was submitted, I was approved for surgery with a five day stay, in just two days. (But I called them. The co-ordinator at the bariatric clinic was on vacation, so I had the info before they did.) Obesity Comorbidities To follow is a list of comorbidities (additional conditions or diseases) related to obesity which may help you in qualifying for weight loss surgery. Family history of heart disease Family history of stroke Family history of diabetes Family history of heart attacks Hyperinsulinemia Diabetes High blood pressure Coronary-artery disease Hypertension Migraines or headaches directly related to obesity or cranial hypertension Congestive heart failure Neoplasia Dyslipidemia Anemia Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Degenerative arthritis Degenerative disc Degenerative joint disease Recommended joint replacement from specialist Accelerated degenerative joint disease Asthma Repeated pneumonia Repeated pleurisy Repeated bronchitis Lung restriction Gastroesophageal reflex (GERD) Excess facial & body hair (Hirsutism) Rashes Chronic skin infections Excess sweating Frequent yeast infections Urinary stress incontinence Menstrual irregularity Hormonal abnormalities Polycystic ovaries Infertility Carcinoma (breast, colon, uterine cancer) sleep apnea Pseudotumor cerebri Depression Psychological/sexual dysfunction Social discrimination Premature death in the immediate family

You will get along fine without it, and will feel much better. I had mine out in 1973, back when they cut you half in two, but I never did have any serious digestion problems after the removal. The gall bladder helps you digest fat, so just be careful not to eat anything too greasy, rich, or spicey for a while. I did have "ghost pains" for a few weeks, but that wasn't anything I couldn't handle. You will be surprised at how much better you will feel in a few days.

I agree with all of the others. My new normal is wayyyyy better than my old normal. It's all about who is in control of what goes in my mouth. Before surgery, it was anything and everything, and I never got full. My stomach was never even close to functioning as it was meant to. It was stretched and bloated and talked back to me every day with reflux and nausea. Now, I can choose healthy foods not made in a factory, eat smaller more reasonable amounts, and I feel better when I am done. My body is responding happily to eating more nutritious food. Yeah, my hunger head had a tantrum for a while, but the further out I get, the more control I have. The foods that I avoid are the ones that were not doing me any favors anyway. I sip Water all day long, but 4 ounces in any fifteen minute period is my comfort level. Actually, I drink much more fluids than I did before, just not the same time with food. However.......if I eat something spicy, I will take a sip to rinse around my mouth. No harm has been done. Whatever you decide, I wish you good luck and good health.

My Wellbutrin was doubled after surgery.......no problems from it.

That just goes to show you how individual we all are, and how important it is to stay close with the plan given to us. I get my best results when I sacrifice the carbs down to less than 20g. That's not much, but it is how I just kicked a plateau for 7 weeks, and lost four pounds this past week. I need to change my body from a sugar burner to a fat burner. Just frankly speaking, I get much better results with very low carb. Breakfast this morning was one scrambled egg with 1/2 ounce of shredded cheddar, and one slice of bacon. Pre-op, that would have been two eggs, an ounce of cheese, three pieces of bacon and four pieces of toast with a cup of tes & sugar and a small glass of orange juice...... and I was hungry before lunch. Carbs make you hungry for more carbs, plain and simple. Chocolate, oh man I love chocolate, but I did not give it up. I gave up the sugary sweet milk chocolate candy bars for 85% dark chocolate. Usually I will eat it for a snack with a few nuts to break up the strong flavor. Soda pop was a big contributer to my bloated 53 inch belly. On a 5'4" woman, that means I was almost as big around as I was tall. I have lost over 10" of belly at this point. Pre-op I was really concerned about up giving up so much, but you know what? I am almost six months out, and my body thanks me for putting my brain in its place! Miss Tummy is in charge of this joint now, and I lose every argument. What I miss is the flavor of those foods. The smell of bread makes me ill - it smells like a brewery. I never met a potato I didn't like, but now a potato or noodles or rice have unpleasant consequences like gas and bloating and weight stalls. So, for lunch I will be having a tomato stuffed with tuna salad.....no bread. Dinner will be 1/2 a burger (no bread) with 1/2 slice of cheese and some green beans. If I get hungry before bedtime, I will have some sugar free hot chocolate. So, ketosis looks good on me, but causes a lot of grief for others. I just have to face the fact that I am extremely insulin resistant. Before surgery, I could not even lose weight on a 1,000 calorie of the American Food Pyramid. Low carb is my future....Miss Tummy insists.

I had an IV, a nap, and then they were done.

You did not say that he was force-feeding you or humiliating you or refusing you access to the groceries that you need. So, going on that assumption, I would suggest that you find some creative ways to modify foods that you both can eat. There are many Paleo and Primal websites that offer recipes for that purpose: My favorite is Mark's Daily Apple. If your hubby is an enthusiastic meat eater, he will appreciate this concept as a compromise. Also, instead of drawing a line between two camps, ask him to get involved in the process and help you experiment in the kitchen. My S/O is from Malta and thoroughly enjoys cooking in the Mediterranean style on his days off from work. He is perfectly willing to do the marketing and preparation, but I enjoying working side by side in the kitchen with him....I have learned so much more than my Midwest homestyle fare. Yeah, he has some junk food on hand, but I just consider it all to be poison and stay out of it. But here is how we cope in the kitchen. We both like chicken breast, so he will grill it or bake it. Last week, he stuffed the chicken breast with a mixture of ricotta, frozen chopped spinach, and seasonings. We had fresh home-cooked green Beans with it We part culinary styles when I have a few berries for a delayed dessert, and he has some of his Cookies or crumb cake. Another example is Breakfast. He will make ahead a couple of breakfast frittatas, made in a pie crust and filled with a scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, or chopped sausage, and veggies such as peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomato - even left-over steamed broccoli, and some shredded cheddar or American cheese. The only difference is that he eats the crust and I don't. Same concept for pizza. He eats the crust and breadsticks, and I don't. Tuna salad??? He makes a sandwich, but I eat mine with sliced tomato. We rarely eat dinner out any more. It's just not that special since there is much better food at home that is customized to perfection. Who ever does the cooking, the other does the dishes. So, pick your battles. So long as he understands that you had major surgery and need adequate time to recover well, offer to work out that compromise in the kitchen. My S/O keeps his stash of Pecan Sandies and potato chips under his side of the bed. I know it's there, but I am used to respecting boundaries. And chances are, he is not going to bother your unsalted mixed nuts. I have thrown a couple of stinkers to the curb, myself, but your guy just sounds under-informed to me. If you are not able to openly discuss your healthcare with him, then you have bigger marital problems than just "What's for dinner?" If therapy is out of the question, then I do like the idea of coaxing him to a support session. My guy has been with me to several of my appointments and knows all of my various doctors by name and face. He is very aware of this whole process and what is yet to come. Hang in there and stand your ground. You may bring out the Prince Charming in him by asking for his help rather than his judgement. I wish you good luck and good health.

He sounds like a green meanie to me. Has he never heard of metabolic resistance - which is why many of us are in this mess? Shortley, I will be at six months, and have been bouncing between 178 and 180 for weeks on end. I can gain two pounds overnight, which takes weeks to lose again. I find that when my calories are at around 800, that does not sustain a very vigorous exercise program. I know from my past history, I cannot lose weight even at 1000 calories, and I have significant orthopedic and post stroke issues that prevent me from from doing much. Cutting my calories back to 600 sends me into low blood sugar and dizziness, like last night when it was in the low 60s. It's disheartening, I know. My doc also said that stalls are NORMAL and that I just need to watch my numbers and wait this out, while incorporating exercise when I can. Like you expressed, we did not go through this just to stop and give up. Let's hang in there together. There is no point in your doctor humiliating you. Geeze Louise.

That's a tough one...sorry to hear that. With orthopedic issues, I was told years ago to knock it off with the Tai Bo kick boxing and other impact exercises. You have to get cleaver about burning calories when your movement is restricted. Strength training is helping, but I miss being able to do high intensity stuff. One thing is for sure, though........as the pounds come off, the pain should reduce some, too. I wish you good luck and good health.

Being able to travel, whether it is to the grocery or overseas. Walking without losing breath.

My adult healthiest was size 8-10, in my early thirties. I had been thinner but was anorexic and don't want to go there again. So, I want to be heathy and curvy, not skinny.

My bariatric team recommended two years post-op before plastics, to give adequate time to reach goal and find a healthy stable maintenance weight. My insurance only covers the panni with a certain amount of overlap and infection in the crease. Nothing cosmetic. I would be spending retirement funds for that. Oh well, I guess I will just buy a really good bra and extra spanx, then at bedtime just let it all hang out!

When I woke up after my first c-section, the nurse said I was making sounds along with the one of the monitors. Dit Dit Dit Dit..........

Funny. I needed a giggle today.

I am the one who is changing. Even though I am just at halfway to goal, I feel spicier and friskier. I am more able to go places with him, like to the grocery store. He used to do all of the marketing because my mobility issues were substantial. Now I can go out hanging onto his arm or using a cane. It gives us more to talk about, plus I am getting better exercise by walking. I approach him more because I feel more loveable. See, that is kinda sad, because he has loved me "as is" right from the start. The issues have all been mine because of my own body dismorphia. The weight loss impacts a lot more than just pounds. I have to also dump the negative self-talk....that junky stuff that rattles around in my head. If anything, my sleeve is bringing us even closer.

Since you are still eating regular food, you could try an apple at bedtime. Also, even though it has carbs and calories, you could try prune juice at bedtime. That's a little hard for me to drink, so I dilute it with warm Water and throw one sweetener in it. Another natural thing that has worked for me is Smooth Move Herbal Teas. I bought several flavors online. My favorite is the chocolate. Go figure - a chocolate tea bag. Then I take my hot chocolate flavored smooth move tea and put a packet of sugar free cocoa mix in it. All of these are great at bedtime. Then when you wake up in the morning, you should be ready to get a move on!

Your lettter has a lot of good content. I particularly like the next to last paragraph about the insurance company itself discriminating against you. I did not have to write a letter, but I included one in my packet anyway, just for extra justification. In it I mention the family history of obesity and how it affects my life and all of my medical conditions that have resulted from being overweight. Feel free to use some of this content if you want to. I wish you good luck and good health. Here is my letter. I Xd out proper names for this post. This letter is a heartfelt request for BCBS to approve bariatric surgery to help me lose a significant amount of excess weight that has caused me many chronic health issues and has seriously affected my quality of life. My adult life started at 108 pounds at graduation, at a time when I was both anorexic and anemic. The reason for that was deliberate. I did not want to be morbidly obese like the rest of my family, many of whom weighed over 300 pounds. My oldest brother died of a heart attack at the age of 47 – at a weight of 420 pounds. My mother died at the age of 67 because of an abdominal aortic aneurism. She was 5’2” and weighed 320 pounds. My father survived two heart attacks and eventually died from a stroke. Two of my sisters have been large from childhood and currently weigh over 300 pounds as do many of my cousins. Since my late 20’s I began having problems controlling my weight and I consequently yo-yo dieted for three decades. Boy-oh-boy, I feel like I tried everything that came along, from South Beach, Sugar Busters, food Combining, Weight Watchers, Richard Simmons, even the Dolly Parton Diet, among many others. Remarkably, I did have 50 pounds of success with the Atkins Diet twice, and gained it all back much quicker than I lost it. For about 15 years I have been taking medication for chronic high blood pressure while working physically demanding jobs. On 9/11/2010, I suffered a Cardio Vascular Accident. Due to outstanding care at Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Hospital in Xxx Xxxx, Illinois (where I met Dr. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx and changed to his medical practice), damage was minimized. The most significant lasting effect was loss of balance and altered proprioception. This has rendered me to be a moderate fall risk and forced me into an early retirement from federal service. I am unable to leave my home unassisted and can no longer drive because even though I can see, people and curbs and cars are not where I think they are. In 2007 my right knee had to be replaced. At that time, my weight was around 180 pounds. I gained even more weight during recovery and eventually had to have a partial replacement of my left knee on 11/7/2012. Osteoarthritis is another issue that has hijacked my health. My vertebrae have degenerative disc disease and my body is failing to support my current weight which fluctuates from 220-235. On 2/14/2013 I had a three level ACDF. I also am being treated by the Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Pain Clinic for thoracic radiculopathy, sciatica in my left leg, and femoral nerve impingement in my right leg (which is exaserbated by my overhanging 53” belly). In order to get around, I must use a cane, my walker, or someone to assist me because I cannot stand for more than a couple of minutes without high levels of pain in my back, sides, hips and legs. Also, this belly has affected my posture so much that standing up straight, although it can be done, is painful in its self. Turning over in bed is painful because my weight is difficult to maneuver with this pendulous belly. The skin under the overlap gets red and irritated, so I am using medicated powder per doctor’s orders. At the time of the CVA, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, another condition than not surprisingly runs in the family. I am still taking meds for this condition to prevent transfer to full-on diabetes. My cholesterol is chronically high, so I am taking Lipitor for that. Due to chronic digestive troubles and reflux, my primary care physician, Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, ordered an EGD on 2/22/2012. The findings then were: Irregular GE junction, Hiatal hernia, Acute gastritis, and Reflux esophagitis. The attending physician, Xxxxx Xxxxx, prescribed Omeprazole to relieve the reflux. Since the stroke, Dr. Xxxxxxx has had me on a 1200 calorie USDA Pyramid diet (allowing for a Mediterranean chef in the house). Dr. Xxxxx asked me to follow a 1000 calorie diet with adjustments for preventing reflux (i.e. no soda, citrus juices, caffeine, fried foods, etc . In spite of my best efforts at diet and exercise, my weight continues to rise. I am in pain every day, and my home has become my prison. I am taking Bupropion to battle depression and anxiety as I tend to have much worry about becoming a wheelchair-bound invalid. My weight issues have not been resolved even under my doctors’ care and concern, and I fear that I am becoming my mother and facing a premature death like hers. Surgical intervention will certainly produce positive outcomes for me. I am not big-boned, but a naturally petite person who is carrying another person around her waist. I will follow my doctors’ orders and be the best patient ever. Your consideration is appreciated and I look forward to being a much healthier me in the future. Thank you so much - you are saving my life.

II don't know if I can encourage you, but I can definitely comiserate with you. I am five months out and down 57 pounds, but have been on a plateau at 178 for many weeks. Seems like it doesn't matter if I exercise or not, or eat 700 calories or 1,000. Nothing is changing. I am at 80 grams of Protein, less than 30 carbs, and 80 ounces of Water. I wonder what is going on. Before the surgery, I lost 50 pounds several times and then reached this point and the weight went back up. The only encouragement I have for ourselves right now is that at some point soon, somethings got to give and the weight will break and go down some more. My team says I am doing everything right and that is is common to lose a lot quickly, then our body must level out and adjust. I am quite through with all of this adjusting. The next phase needs to come to the front door and get me soon. I am ready to rock and roll with the next 50 pounds. Geeze Louize already! I wish you good luck and good health.

Not only do I put Milk of Magnesia in my beverages, I take a magnesium tablet twice a day. Also, I keep prune juice in the fridge. I try to sneak in at least a tablespoon of veggies (usually broccoli, green Beans, or tomato) with every meal and have a couple bites of fruit every day...I prefer fresh apple slices at bedtime.