melhealthy

Starting weight 268.5 and weight today 166.8! I've lost over 100 pounds in 8 months! Surgery 4-15-13! Yippee!

Am so excited! I've lost 101 pounds! I'm 8 months post op and can't believe how wonderful this feels! Had to share my exciting news with people who would understand my excitement! I've attached some before and after pics!

Many Congrats on your success! I can't wait to post the same...ahhh ONEderland I'm coming for ya! LOL!!

Mine was exactly the same - no goal weight and no timeline. I have to confess to wondering why a time or two but decided that if I trusted her enough to do the surgery I had to trust her post-op care as well. It definitely reduces the stress and places the emphasis on following the protocol as closely as you can. Worked for me!!

cheese. Protein w/fat, and delicious!
I am longing for the day that I have a problem such as yours. Lol. I like how you use your personal experience and challenges as a teaching guide for the rest of us - it's much appreciated. Good luck and may we all learn from you! :-)

I have found people forget very easily. I eat lunch at a local Senior Center. Folks are always pushing second helpings & Desserts at me. I always reply, "My tummy can't hold any more!" Most everyone heard I went to the Twin Cities to be Banded several years ago, but I don't want the conversation EVERY DAY. Also elsewhere my family knows it and my son keeps reminding me with every bite. I eat slower with much chewing, and they are done eating in 5 minutes! So they watch & comment. I finally told them to "Zip it Up, I'll take care of me!"
I don't know why I do not feel like conversing about it, but it's my tool & they can get their own tool or read about it on these web sites. I don't want to prove it's GREAT every day, but I would not part with mine for a million bucks!

IT IS WORTH IT!!!! I feel great! My back, knee and foot pain is gone. My snoring stopped. I look good! I have lots of energy. I smile more. I don't dread my future. I like myself. I am a participant in my family events. I am no longer a spectator in my own life. WHAT is there to REGRET? :-)

That's awesome! Happy for you. Yes, its so exciting. )

Ok, I'm going to the time out chair now.

About 9 inches.

So my definition of skinny is what some would find "normal" or fit. To me, the girls from 30% down are skinny. The 30% girls is voluptuous but I bet she looks skinny in jeans and a t-shirt. Some may consider her borderline, but with the camera adding poundage, I would be happy to be her plus a little.

My BMI is 30% now and let me say, I don't look anything like that. HA! I am the same hourglass shape, but girl, if I looked like that, I would walk around naked ALL.DAY.LONG.

I, too, would be happy at 25% in this set of pictures. I would move to a nudist colony and live on the beach at 15-17!

I still have no room for carbs. I tried quinoa the other day for the first time. It was good but I could only eat a couple of tablespoons. There's just no room after my Protein. I have been following my plan religiously so I haven't had any sugar, Pasta, rice, or bread. If it doesn't contain protein I don't eat it.

Get well soon! Your positive attitude and courage are truly an inspiration!

I think this post is ironic because I don't know anyone who discusses their mental health treatment in casual conversation (I for one do not) and I certainly don't plan on discussing my WLS in casual conversation. I am sure some people will ask once I start losing large amounts of weights. If asked directly I won't lie, If asked point blank I will say yes and change the subject, but I don't feel it's my personal mission to educate people any more than I feel it's my personal mission to lead people to therapy, ECT or any other kind of mental health treatment. If someone whom I really care about and I think trusts me asks me a question, I will give an honest opinion/experience - otherwise, why bother? Most people are only going to believe what they want to believe.

I had to choose between being a smooth, puffed up dead guy and a wrinkled up, saggy, healthy butt kicker. That fact that I am still here illustrates my choice.
The skin doesn't hinder anything important. Adjusting the mind is worth the effort.

This is a word of warning to all you skinny people out there! When you lose weight, you buy new pants. Not the elastic-waist, Omar-the-tent-maker pants. Cute skinny pants with zippers and buttons and back pockets! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be aware that if you put your cell phone in back pocket of said skinny pants, it will fall into the TOILET!!! OMG. Twice now. I never had this problem when I was FAT!

Michellomo..... you gave away my secret LOL
But that is exactly how it is done.

This is the trick I use. Hold the camera at arms length in front of you and higher then your head. Point the camera down at yourself but don't hold your face up too high. Just use your eyes to look up. It will make you look slim, no double chin and years younger!

Um, all fat girls have pretty faces.

And to the original poster, my apologies. I was hoping with a little nudge we could get back on topic. Obviously I was incorrect. Best of luck with your surgery, I hope you get the info you were looking for.
HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

I actually don't think the troll question was ridiculous nor do I think her response was inappropriate. At least she's on topic.
HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 198

Ok. Glad we got that sorted out.
May I offer a bit of advice? You may hear stories, but there are some important things to keep in mind. Many of the stories people pass on are about a friend of a friend's 2nd cousin (or some such distant relationship) who supposedly had such and such a problem. The first problem is that the facts are often distorted and exaggerated in the retelling because everyone loves to tell a good dramatic story, especially if they are trying to persuade you not to have surgery. You can never be sure what their agenda may be.
The second problem is that you never know the details of the other person's physical condition, their age, any co-morbidities which may have contributed to the situation, how well they followed their program before and after surgery, whether they followed the surgeon's instructions precisely---or did they do something stupid like not going to the ER when complications arose or tried to eat a steak 2 days after surgery, etc.... Some people make mind-boggling choices. A friend of my family developed an infection and blood clot after surgery. It was a weekend and instead of following her doctor's instructions and calling him to report any problem or going to the ER when she had very clear symptoms of a clot and an infection, she decided not to disturb her doctor on the weekend with a phone call and not to spend $75 to go to the ER. She died when the clot broke loose. She was a warm and wonderful woman, but she made two terrible choices. Sad, but her story doesn't signify anything for your likely journey other than a warning to call your doctor or go to the ER if you have concerns.
So while such stories may make you aware of some potential complications or issues, your journey will be very specifically your own, depending on your condition and history and how well you do with your program. There is so much to learn about WLS and the lifestyle changes you have to make before surgery and every day of your life thereafter. It's good to seek out information, but try to keep a balanced view and don't add unnecessarily to your own natural jitters by filling your mind with supposed horror stories. They bring you down and sap your energy just when you need to be focused on your own health and well-being.
All that said, if you read the thousands of posts on this forum and several similar ones you'll learn an awful lot about the challenges people have faced, as well as see the support they've gotten and how they have worked towards solutions. I hope this helps and that you will enjoy your journey and have the weight loss you seek. I sailed through surgery and recovery, even though I am older and have heart trouble, and am so thrilled with the results. I wish you similar happiness!

I got my first "You've lost a lot of weight!" remark at work today. YAY!

Last night I felt like just being a bum. I wanted sweats and a tshirt. Since i haven't bought new one since way before surgery, I expected them to be falling off. I put them on and they fit perfectly. I took them off and checked the label. They weren't mine! They were only large!! Must have been one of my kids or husband. I was so happy.