terry1118

I don't count fat or calories, only Protein and sugar. As someone said, we eat so little so I try to make it count nutrition-wise, and enjoy it, too. My nut said to become a gourmet - eat good quality foods and learn to savor the flavors. So that is what I do. :-)

I felt the same way after being obese for 28 years (since my first pregnancy). I was miserable and desperate. A lifetime of being obese and eating badly was beginning to affect my health (metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, back and joint pain, borderline diabetic). I went from a 2X/22-24W to a small/6P. I'm only five feet tall so 240 pounds made me look like a weeble (anyone remember those toys?). My weight has stabilized between 115 and 120. My only goal was to be healthy and be able to live my life instead of watch it go by. At best I hoped for a sz14 or 16. I never in my wildest dream thought I'd ever get smaller than that! It DOES work - how well it works depends on how well you do your part. Making real lifestyle changes and developing good eating habits are the key to keeping it off. Follow your doctor's instructions as closely as possible and you will be successful too!

Thank you. :-). I'm 15 months out and still in the 'honeymoon stage' - that first 18 months when the most weight is lost. I'm nervous about after but my team says if you continue to make wise choices and your lifestyle changes are permanent, you can keep from regaining. Everything they told me has worked up till now so I have no reason to doubt what they say. In all the reading I've done there are many who keep the weight off and they do it by doing what my team has said. Weight loss surgery is only a tool to help us lose. That tool, combined with making smart choices for the rest of our lives is what will ensure our continued success. So, I think the hardest work is yet to come. I am ready for it. I love where I am right now. I NEVER want to go back to the miserable, unhappy life I had before....

I don't have hunger at all if I stay away from simple carbs. I have tons of energy and have since immediately following my surgery a year ago, probably because I'm eating better - lots of Protein and complex carbs. I lost a lot of hair but just went to a shorter hairstyle which I'm keeping short until the new growth catches up (I already have 2 inches of new growth). I found a Protein powder that cured my Constipation. I have never had a problem finding something to eat at any restaurant I go to, except the fast food places that have nothing but garbage. My boobs are pretty much gone but I had a bra fitting at Victoria's Secret and now know my correct size and what type of bra helps my girls look better. For every problem you mention there is a solution.
The key to happiness is always going to come from inside yourself - it's a positive attitude and outlook. Focus on positives, not negatives. It's harder for some people than others but with a conscious effort you can feel better about yourself and what you've accomplished so far. I'm sure there must be SOME improvement to your life since losing 50 pounds. It's still a lot of weight - I can't lift 50 pounds!

I waited six months before I tried coffee again. And you know what? I can take it or leave it now. Sometimes I drink most of it, sometimes not. A couple times I made a cup, took a sip, then dumped it down the drain. --I'm not hooked anymore. :-)

What are your specific fears?
I can tell you my personal experience was 100% positive. The surgery itself was my biggest worry. I was afraid of the pain and was expecting the worst considering the amount of internal rearranging they do. Recovery for me was surprisingly quick and the pain wasn't as bad as I feared. My rotator cuff surgery and gallbladder removal were both way worse as far as the pain went. With my RNY I was off daytime pain meds in four days, stopped night time dosage in six days, and didn't even need Tylenol after that. I was cutting my grass in eight days and the second week off from work felt more like vacation time than recovery time.
My doctor set no goals for me. He asked me what I hoped to gain from the surgery and I told him I wanted to be healthy, live longer, and live my life instead of watching it go by. He said that was reasonable and felt I could certainly attain that. I figured if I could reach a size 12 or 14 I'd be happy enough there. In my wildest dreams I never thought I'd be where I am now!
My surgery was 5/30/13. I started w/a BMI of 47 and had severe back, knee, and foot pain, was on cholesterol meds, and was pre-diabetic. I'm only 5' tall and I was in a 2X top and 22W bottoms. I was unable to do anything with my physically fit husband. I was 53 and felt 70. If something didn't change soon I would die young, or live a very poor quality of life until I died (to me that would be worse than dying young). I've lost 120 pounds and I now wear a size S top and 6P bottoms. My back, knee, and foot pain is completely gone. My cholesterol is normal so I'm off those meds. I feel great, have TONS of energy, and am no longer a couch potato. It's the best thing I have ever done and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner...

Just... Life! :-)

I had no help at all because I didn't need any. I made my husband go to work. I could walk, cook, use the restroom, and get in and out of the Lazyboy by myself. I didn't have a drain (not all doctors do one). For the first few days, especially while taking your narcotic medication, all you really want to do is sleep. I took naps and walked (necessary to relieve gas pains). I prepared my own meals and cooked for my husband. At four days I stopped taking the medication (it made me unsteady on my feet and my pain was almost nonexistent by then) and I began walking up and down my street. At my one week post op I was cleared to drive (you need to be totally off the strong meds for driving). My daughter had driven me to my appointment in my jeep. I drove home, but stopped first to grocery shop. Due to lifting restrictions my daughter had to help me with groceries. The day after my post op appointment I spent 1 1/2 hours cutting my lawn (self-propelled mower push mower). My second week of sick leave felt more like a vacation than recovery time. I walked, shopped, and read my book in the sun on my deck. I felt guilty being at home, relaxing. :-)

In my program it was stressed in pre op appointments, psych appointments, workshops, and nurse education class). Post op, it is discussed frequently in support group meetings. I was just shocked that the statistics showed how easy it is for a non-drinker to become an alcoholic. It seems that all of us have some sort of tendency to addiction (ie food addiction) so we really need to be vigilant to avoid a transfer addiction to drugs and alcohol. And to shopping, exercise, sex, or anything else.
Just liking something is not an addiction. Some people like exercise and jokingly call it a new 'addiction', as do some people with shopping. Liking and enjoying something you've never been able to enjoy before is normal and healthy. Doing it to an unhealthy degree - thinking about it all the time, doing it all the time, having it affect your relationships with people, interfere with work, affect your finances, affect your health, and affecting your life in any negative way - these are all signs of an addiction you need to seek help for. It is a very real but avoidable danger. Recognize the signs of an unhealthy addiction and change what you're doing before it becomes a more serious problem.
I like wine but with my family history of alcoholism I limit to two glasses on Saturday nite. I love shopping (and coworkers say I have a problem) but I work in a bank and need a professional wardrobe. I budget a certain amount per week for clothes shopping. I'm not spending money that I can't afford to spend. Shopping used to reduce me to tears and send me on a donut binge but now I enjoy trying on clothes even if I don't buy them. It's fun activity for me. :-)

I felt the same way after being obese for 28 years (since my first pregnancy). I was miserable and desperate. A lifetime of being obese and eating badly was beginning to affect my health (metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, back and joint pain, borderline diabetic). I went from a 2X/22-24W to a small/6P. I'm only five feet tall so 240 pounds made me look like a weeble (anyone remember those toys?). My weight has stabilized between 115 and 120. My only goal was to be healthy and be able to live my life instead of watch it go by. At best I hoped for a sz14 or 16. I never in my wildest dream thought I'd ever get smaller than that! It DOES work - how well it works depends on how well you do your part. Making real lifestyle changes and developing good eating habits are the key to keeping it off. Follow your doctor's instructions as closely as possible and you will be successful too!

In my program it was stressed in pre op appointments, psych appointments, workshops, and nurse education class). Post op, it is discussed frequently in support group meetings. I was just shocked that the statistics showed how easy it is for a non-drinker to become an alcoholic. It seems that all of us have some sort of tendency to addiction (ie food addiction) so we really need to be vigilant to avoid a transfer addiction to drugs and alcohol. And to shopping, exercise, sex, or anything else.
Just liking something is not an addiction. Some people like exercise and jokingly call it a new 'addiction', as do some people with shopping. Liking and enjoying something you've never been able to enjoy before is normal and healthy. Doing it to an unhealthy degree - thinking about it all the time, doing it all the time, having it affect your relationships with people, interfere with work, affect your finances, affect your health, and affecting your life in any negative way - these are all signs of an addiction you need to seek help for. It is a very real but avoidable danger. Recognize the signs of an unhealthy addiction and change what you're doing before it becomes a more serious problem.
I like wine but with my family history of alcoholism I limit to two glasses on Saturday nite. I love shopping (and coworkers say I have a problem) but I work in a bank and need a professional wardrobe. I budget a certain amount per week for clothes shopping. I'm not spending money that I can't afford to spend. Shopping used to reduce me to tears and send me on a donut binge but now I enjoy trying on clothes even if I don't buy them. It's fun activity for me. :-)

I would love to travel all over the US. Every state has it's beauty and I'd like to see it all. :-)
High on my list would be Alaska and the Florida keys - two opposite extremes! :-)

I chose my surgeon's group because of it's experience, national rating, and results. My PCP and endocrinologist both recommended him. Since I chose him, I also chose to follow his program as closely as possible, regardless of what other people say or do. The education I have received has been extensive. They clearly explain what I need to do, why I need to do it, and what can happen if I don't. In addition to classroom education, I have a thick binder w/highly detailed information on every aspect of WLS including possible problems, staying healthy, and food lists. They have provided all the information I need for short term and long term success.
A lot of my team's program are generally accepted practices proven to be successful with RNY surgeries over the years. Some of their program includes things they've learned through personal long term experience over the years. Each doctor may have slightly different experiences that may account for different instructions.
For example: My team says no alcohol for the first year. They say this for two reasons. One is transfer addiction - a common problem for WLS patients who have a food addiction. While learning to deal with the removal of one addiction, many quickly substitute another one. The other is liver failure - less common but potentially deadly. Your liver is working very hard to process toxins that are being released quickly from stored fat as you experience fast weight loss. Drinking alcohol during the early months of fast fat-burning can overload your liver and cause liver failure. They had a patient die from this not long ago so that is why they stress abstaining from drinking alcohol.
I'm just using this as an example of how my team's personal experience has affected their instructions. I'm not telling you to do as I do. Your own doctor probably has his own rules based on his/her own personal experience that may differ from mine. If you trust your doctor, follow his instructions.

Carbonated beverages forever. Sugar and simple carbs - white rice, white Pasta, white potatoes, white bread, anything made with white flour or rice flour (I don't tolerate products w/rice flour at all - they make me sick). My doc says nothing white is nutritious. Whole grains, brown rice, Beans, quinoa, and sweet potato are all acceptable and more nutritious. After eating Protein and veggies there's not much room for anything else anyway.
I have no problem staying away from sugar and simple carbs. Those were my trigger foods and are the main reason I became obese. If I avoid them I find I don't crave them. Also, I have no choice in the matter because I'm a dumper and it is a strong deterrent (dumping is one of the reasons I chose RNY). Rather than try to find a way to make them fit into my post op life, I'm choosing healthier options as part of my permanent lifestyle change. I love quinoa w/dried unsweetened cranberries, brown and wild rice cooked in broth, and a little sweet potato is so delicious it's almost like desert!

I felt the same way after being obese for 28 years (since my first pregnancy). I was miserable and desperate. A lifetime of being obese and eating badly was beginning to affect my health (metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, back and joint pain, borderline diabetic). I went from a 2X/22-24W to a small/6P. I'm only five feet tall so 240 pounds made me look like a weeble (anyone remember those toys?). My weight has stabilized between 115 and 120. My only goal was to be healthy and be able to live my life instead of watch it go by. At best I hoped for a sz14 or 16. I never in my wildest dream thought I'd ever get smaller than that! It DOES work - how well it works depends on how well you do your part. Making real lifestyle changes and developing good eating habits are the key to keeping it off. Follow your doctor's instructions as closely as possible and you will be successful too!

It's a matter of perspective. Unless someone comes out and says something clearly and specifically insulting than it's all shades of gray. If it's openly offensive, report it. Ultimately we choose what to read and then we decide what to take out of it. So your mindset to "take what you want, leave what you don't" is the best way to handle things. What it boils down to is I don't know any of you and you don't know me. Why should an opinion formed and based on a few comments matter one way or another to any of us? I try to offer my personal experience and knowledge (based on my medical team's education) to try to help or reassure someone. I try to offer it in a non-judgmental way. I have no control over how someone sees my comment. That is entirely their choice. We all have a vastly different experiences that, when shared, often can help someone else cope with their own fears and problems. That's worth hanging around for. :-)

My rings are too big but still wear them, not ready to resize because I'm not at goal so we went to the jeweler to ask about those plastic bands they said they are not good for the gold and can irritate your finger so I had placer put on, they are two little bumps on the inside of the ring that keeps them in place the don't spin and you can't feel them, than when I resize they will remove them... worth the piece of mind

I am so glad you were able to find it, and you are right! Right in time. I did not want that happening so I got it re-sized....

I had mine resized last winter after almost losing it. I had been stacking firewood on my porch in preparation for a snowstorm and I was wearing leather gloves. At the same time my pants were falling down so I yanked my glove off to pull up my pants and I heard a 'ting' as my wedding band flew off, hit the porch railing, and flew off into the yard, goodness knows where! My hubby and I crawled around on our hand and knees for an hour looking for it with no success. I was devastated. It's just a simple gold band but it was MINE and it meant a lot to me. I had to get groceries but coming home it was getting pretty dark. My headlights caught a flash from something shiny on the side of the road and it gave me an idea. When I got home I took a flashlight and began shining it around the yard. Within two minutes I found my ring when the light flashed on the gold!! Less than a half hour later it began snowing - I never would have found it again! The next day I had it sized to fit better...

My hair dresser is the only person who knows my hair thinned out. I wear it short anyway, but I did lose a lot. My brushes are full, which is a first for me. I have fine hair so I never had hair in my brush. It started at about 3.5 months. I took Biotin and my labs show I'm not malnourished at all. It's just part of the process.

I've been married for 32 years. I love my original, very simple, gold band.

I had mine resized last winter after almost losing it. I had been stacking firewood on my porch in preparation for a snowstorm and I was wearing leather gloves. At the same time my pants were falling down so I yanked my glove off to pull up my pants and I heard a 'ting' as my wedding band flew off, hit the porch railing, and flew off into the yard, goodness knows where! My hubby and I crawled around on our hand and knees for an hour looking for it with no success. I was devastated. It's just a simple gold band but it was MINE and it meant a lot to me. I had to get groceries but coming home it was getting pretty dark. My headlights caught a flash from something shiny on the side of the road and it gave me an idea. When I got home I took a flashlight and began shining it around the yard. Within two minutes I found my ring when the light flashed on the gold!! Less than a half hour later it began snowing - I never would have found it again! The next day I had it sized to fit better...

No. My aches and pains disappeared as I lost. But my butt has lost it's cushioning and hard surfaces hurt when I sit too long. Who knew butts had bones? Lol

Thank you. :-). I'm 15 months out and still in the 'honeymoon stage' - that first 18 months when the most weight is lost. I'm nervous about after but my team says if you continue to make wise choices and your lifestyle changes are permanent, you can keep from regaining. Everything they told me has worked up till now so I have no reason to doubt what they say. In all the reading I've done there are many who keep the weight off and they do it by doing what my team has said. Weight loss surgery is only a tool to help us lose. That tool, combined with making smart choices for the rest of our lives is what will ensure our continued success. So, I think the hardest work is yet to come. I am ready for it. I love where I am right now. I NEVER want to go back to the miserable, unhappy life I had before....

Thank you. :-). I'm 15 months out and still in the 'honeymoon stage' - that first 18 months when the most weight is lost. I'm nervous about after but my team says if you continue to make wise choices and your lifestyle changes are permanent, you can keep from regaining. Everything they told me has worked up till now so I have no reason to doubt what they say. In all the reading I've done there are many who keep the weight off and they do it by doing what my team has said. Weight loss surgery is only a tool to help us lose. That tool, combined with making smart choices for the rest of our lives is what will ensure our continued success. So, I think the hardest work is yet to come. I am ready for it. I love where I am right now. I NEVER want to go back to the miserable, unhappy life I had before....